Multi-angle product imaging device

1. A method of acquiring images of a product, comprising:

placing a product on a workstation comprising at least one background wall and a camera supporting member having a vertical axis, wherein the camera supporting member is configured to movably attach an image capturing device so that the image capturing device may be moved along the vertical axis of the camera supporting member;

capturing, by the image capturing device, a first image of the product;

analyzing, by a computing device, the captured first image and detecting a vertical center of the product;

determining, by the computing device, when the vertical center of the product is within a proximate distance to the vertical center of the first image;

upon determining that the vertical center of the product is not within the proximate distance to the vertical center of the first image, causing, by the computing device, the image capturing device to move along the vertical axis to a location on the vertical axis that is based on the distance between the vertical center of the product and the vertical center of the first image;

capturing one or more additional images of the product at a plurality of image capturing angles after the image capturing device has moved to the location;

while capturing the one or more additional images, analyzing each of the additional images and continuing to do so until the analyzing detects a barcode on the product;

comparing the detected barcode with one or more product barcodes, each of which is associated with one or more product images stored in the product database; and

when the detected barcode of the product matches at least one of the one or more product barcodes stored in the product database:

comparing the one or more captured additional images of the product with one or more product images associated with the matching product barcode, and

based on the comparing, identifying a product packaging change for the product over a period of time.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the workstation further comprises a turntable, and capturing the one or more additional images of the product comprises:

rotating the turntable, which in turn rotates the product; and

capturing the one or more additional images at the plurality of capturing angles as the product rotates.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the vertical center of the product comprises:

calculating an image intensity profile of the first image;

calculating a derivative of the image intensity profile;

detecting an upper edge and a lower edge of the product based on the derivative of the image intensity profile; and

determining the vertical center of the product based on the detected upper edge and the lower edge of the product.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the vertical center of the product comprises:

segmenting the first image; and

detecting a foreground of the first image based on the segmented image.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

embedding the detected barcode in one or more image files that include one or more of the additional images; and

storing the one or more image files with the embedded barcode in a product database.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a distance between the image capturing device and the product from a laser based range sensor; and

determining, by the computing device, a dimension of the product based on the one or more captured additional images and the distance between the image capturing device and the product.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of capturing angles comprise approximately 0, approximately 90, approximately 180 and approximately 270 degrees.

8. A system for acquiring images of a product, comprising:

a computing device;

a workstation comprising:

at least one background wall, and

a camera supporting member having a vertical axis,

wherein the camera supporting member is configured to movably attach an image capturing device so that the image capturing device may be moved along the vertical axis of the camera supporting member; and

a non-transitory, computer readable medium containing program instructions that are configured to cause the computing device to:

cause the image capturing device to capture a first digital image of the product,

analyze the captured first digital image and detect a vertical center of the product,

determine when the vertical center of the product is proximate to a vertical center of the first digital image,

upon determining that the vertical center of the product is not proximate to the vertical center of the first digital image, cause the image capturing device to move along the vertical axis to a location based on the distance between the vertical center of the product and the vertical center of the first image,

cause the image capturing device to capture one or more additional digital images of the product at a plurality of image capturing angles after the image capturing device has moved to the location on the vertical axis,

while capturing the one or more additional digital images, analyzing each of the additional digital images and continuing to do so until the analyzing detects a barcode on the product,

comparing the detected barcode with one or more product barcodes, each of which is associated with one or more product images stored in the product database, and

when the detected barcode of the product matches at least one of the one or more product barcodes stored in the product database:

comparing the one or more captured additional images of the product with one or more product images associated with the matching product barcode; and

based on the comparing, identifying a product packaging change for the product over a period of time.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the workstation further comprises a turntable;

the program instructions to capture the one or more additional images of the product comprise instructions to:

rotate the turntable, which in turn rotates the product, and

capturing the one or more additional images at the plurality of capturing angles as the product rotates.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising one or more light panels.

11. The system of claim 8 :

further comprising a laser based range sensor mounted on the camera supporting member, wherein the laser based range sensor is configured to detect a distance between the image capturing device and the product; and

wherein the program instructions comprise additional program instructions that are configured to cause the computing device to calculate a dimension of the product based on the one or more captured additional images and the detected distance between the image capturing device and the product.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the background wall and the working surface of the workstation intersect at a curved corner.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the image capturing angles comprise approximately 0, approximately 90, approximately 180 and approximately 270 degrees.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein a surface of the turntable is mounted flush to the working surface of the workstation.

15. A system for acquiring images of a product, comprising:

a computing device;

a workstation comprising:

at least one background wall,

a camera supporting member having a vertical axis, and

an image capturing device movably attached to the camera supporting member so that the image capturing device may be moved along the vertical axis of the camera supporting member; and

a non-transitory, computer readable medium containing program instructions that are configured to cause the computing device to:

cause the image capturing device to capture a first digital image of the product,

analyze the captured first digital image and detect a vertical center of the product,

determine when the vertical center of the product is proximate to a vertical center of the first digital image,

upon determining that the vertical center of the product is not proximate to the vertical center of the first digital image, cause the image capturing device to move along the vertical axis to a location based on the distance between the vertical center of the product and the vertical center of the first image,

cause the image capturing device to capture one or more additional digital images of the product at a plurality of image capturing angles after the image capturing device has moved to the location on the vertical axis,

while capturing the one or more additional digital images, analyzing each of the additional digital images and continuing to do so until the analyzing detects a barcode on the product,

comparing the detected barcode with one or more product barcodes, each of which is associated with one or more product images stored in the product database, and

when the detected barcode of the product matches at least one of the one or more product barcodes stored in the product database:

comparing the one or more captured additional images of the product with one or more product images associated with the matching product barcode; and

based on the comparing, identifying a product packaging change for the product over a period of time.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:

the workstation further comprises a turntable;

the program instructions to capture the one or more additional images of the product comprise instructions to:

rotate the turntable, which in turn rotates the product, and

capturing the one or more additional images at the plurality of capturing angles as the product rotates.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising one or more light panels.

18. The system of claim 15 :

further comprising a laser based range sensor mounted on the camera supporting member, wherein the laser based range sensor is configured to detect a distance between the image capturing device and the product; and

wherein the program instructions comprise additional program instructions that are configured to cause the computing device to calculate a dimension of the product based on the one or more captured additional images and the detected distance between the image capturing device and the product.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the background wall and the working surface of the workstation intersect at a curved corner.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein a surface of the turntable is mounted flush to the working surface of the workstation.