Shelf-mountable imaging system
An imaging system capture images of products on shelves in a minimally invasive way. The images can be processed to assess restocking needs and other information. The imaging system includes multiple shelf-mountable imaging devices that can be positioned throughout one or more retail locations. Certain types of imaging devices may be self-contained units having replaceable or rechargeable internal power sources and/or wireless communication interfaces. Certain types of imaging device are configured to take images only when the field of view is not blocked by traffic (e.g., consumers, employees, etc.). Certain types of imaging devices are low-profile and/or are camouflageable to enhance the user experience.
1. A method of obtaining an image comprising:
obtaining a plurality of images over a period of time using an image sensor arrangement of an imaging device, the image sensor arrangement remaining stationary over the period of time, each of the images being associated with a different sub-set of a field of view of the image sensor arrangement, wherein obtaining the plurality of images over a period of time in implemented in accordance with a time schedule;
delaying obtaining one of the images upon receiving a signal from a motion sensor of the imaging device indicating motion of an object within the field of view, and wherein delaying obtaining the one of the images includes checking for motion over a predetermined period of time in accordance with the time schedule, entering a sleep mode when motion is detected over the predetermined period of time, and subsequently awakening from the sleep mode in accordance with the time schedule; and
creating a combined image from the obtained images based on metadata associated with the obtained images, the metadata including identification of the respective sub-set of the field of view.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the plurality of images comprises:
at a local processor disposed within the imaging device, receiving a request to obtain an overall image over the field of view of the imaging device;
at the local processor, defining a plurality of regions within the field of view, each of the regions corresponding to one of the sub-sets of the field of view;
sequentially sending respective control signals from the local processor to the image sensor arrangement of the imaging device to obtain a respective image of each of the regions within the field of view;
at the local processor, sequentially receiving the images of the regions from the image sensor arrangement; and
sequentially sending each received image from the local processor to a processor at an aggregation station remote from the imaging device.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising assembling the images at the aggregation station to form the combined image.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein sequentially sending each received image from the local processor comprises sending the images over a wireless network.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image sensor arrangement includes only one image sensor.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the image sensor arrangement includes a first image sensor and a second image sensor, wherein the images of the regions are obtained from the first image sensor and then from the second image sensor.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein sequentially sending respective control signals from the local processor to the image sensor arrangement of the imaging device comprises sending a size indication of each image and an offset indicator of each image.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein each image has a common size.
9. A method of obtaining an image with an imaging device comprising:
(a) at a local processor disposed within the imaging device, receiving a request to obtain an image over a field of view of the imaging device, the field of view being divided into sub-regions;
(b) sending a request from the local processor to an image sensor arrangement to capture a sub-image of a pre-determined size and at a selected offset from the image sensor arrangement, the selected offset corresponding with one of the sub-regions of the field of view;
(c) at the local processor, receiving the sub-image from the image sensor arrangement and storing the sub-image;
(d) sending the sub-image from the local processor to a remote processor via a wireless connection; and
(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) for each sub-region of the field of view, wherein step (d) is implemented after each iteration of step (c) whereby the sub-images are stored in a common memory space.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving a signal from a motion sensor indicating a lack of motion; wherein the requests to capture sub-images from the local processor are sent only when the signals from the motion sensor indicate a lack of motion.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the main processor circuit has a first embedded memory and the companion processor circuit has a second embedded memory; and wherein storing the sub-image of step (c) includes storing the sub-image in the second embedded memory and not in the first embedded memory.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein each sub-image has a common size.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein sending the request from the local processor to the image sensor arrangement comprises sending the request to one of a plurality of image sensors of the image sensor arrangement.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein sending the sub-image to the remote processor comprises also sending metadata associated with the sub-image to the remote processor, the metadata including the selected offset.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the local processor includes a main processor circuit and a companion processor circuit, wherein the main processor circuit implements steps (a) and (b) and the companion processor circuit implements steps (c) and (d).