Recognition procedure for identifying multiple items in images

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, with one or more processors, a query image of items;

computing, with the one or more processors, a set of features of the query image;

comparing, with the one or more processors, the set of features of the query image with features of indexed images in data storage;

determining, with the one or more processors, that a shape formed from the set of features of the query image is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a first indexed image, wherein the shapes are determined to be geometrically consistent based on the features being inter-transformable by a combination of translation, rotation, and scaling;

determining, with the one or more processors, whether the query image matches the first indexed image;

responsive to the query image matching the first indexed image, determining, with the one or more processors, a region of interest where the match was found in the query image;

removing inliers corresponding to the region of interest from the set of features of the query image to produce a reduced set of features;

for the reduced set of features, comparing, with the one or more processors, the reduced set of features of the query image with the features of indexed images in data storage and determining that a shape formed from the reduced set of features is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a second indexed image;

determining, with the one or more processors, whether the query image matches the second indexed image; and

returning all matches found.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each feature, of the features of indexed images, is associated with a location, orientation and an image descriptor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inliers are a set of matched features.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first indexed image and the second indexed image are the same indexed image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the items are products and further comprising generating a planogram of indexed products.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising analyzing products based on the query images and the planogram.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising generating statistics about a location of products and frequency of purchase.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a controller stored on a memory and executable by the one or more processors, the controller configured to receive a query image of items;

a feature identifier coupled to the controller and configured to compute a set of features of the query image;

a matching engine coupled to the feature identifier and configured to compare the set of features of the query image with features of indexed images in data storage, determine that a shape formed from the set of features of the query image is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a first indexed image, wherein the shapes are determined to be geometrically consistent based on the features being inter-transformable by a combination of translation, rotation, and scaling and determine whether the query image matches the first indexed image;

wherein the matching engine determines a region of interest where the match was found in the query image, responsive to the query image matching the first indexed image, removes inliers corresponding to the region of interest from the set of features of the query image to produce a reduced set of features;

for the reduced set of features, the matching engine compares the reduced set of features of the query image with features of indexed images in data storage, determines that a shape formed from the reduced set of features is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a second indexed image, and determines whether the query image matches the second indexed image, and returns all matches found.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein each feature, of the features of indexed images, is associated with a location, orientation and an image descriptor.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the inliers are a set of matched features.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first indexed image and the second indexed image are the same indexed image.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the items are products and further comprising an analyzer that is configured to generate a planogram of indexed products.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the analyzer is further configured to analyze products based on the query images and the planogram.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the analyzer is further configured to generate statistics about a location of products and frequency of purchase.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive a query image of items;

compute a set of features of the query image;

compare the set of features of the query image with features of indexed images in data storage;

determine that a shape formed from the set of features of the query image is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a first indexed image, wherein the shapes are determined to be geometrically consistent based on the features being inter-transformable by a combination of translation, rotation, and scaling;

determine whether the query image matches the first indexed image;

responsive to the query image matching the first indexed image, determine a region of interest where the match was found in the query image;

remove inliers corresponding to the region of interest from the set of features of the query image to reduce the set of features;

for the reduced set of features, compare the reduced set of features of the query image with the features of indexed images and determine that a shape formed from the reduced set of features is geometrically consistent with a shape formed from features of a second indexed image and whether the query image matches the second indexed image; and

return all matches found.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein each feature, of the features of indexed images, is associated with a location, orientation and an image descriptor.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the inliers are a set of matched features.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the first indexed image and the second indexed image are the same indexed image.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the items are products and wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to also generate a planogram of indexed products.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the computer readable program when executed on the computer causes the computer to also analyze products based on the query images and the planogram.