Image processing for scale zero validation
Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, devices, software, and methods that leverage images captured by imaging devices of product barcode scanners, which may include scanner-scale devices, and other imaging devices deployed at a Point of Sale (POS) terminal. One such embodiment, in the form of a method, includes identifying a scale-zero error condition and determining, based on a view of a scale surface provided by at least one imaging device, whether an item is present on the scale surface. In such embodiments, when no item is present on the scale surface, the method includes providing an instruction via an output device for proceeding with a scale zeroing process. Further in such embodiments, when an item is present on the scale surface, the method includes providing an instruction via the output device to remove the item present on the scale surface and restarting the method.
1. A method comprising:
identifying a scale-zero error condition of a scale communicatively coupled to a terminal;
receiving an image from at least one imaging device of a view of a surface of the scale;
determining, based on the view of a scale surface included in the image, whether, an item is present on the scale surface;
when no item is present on the scale surface, providing an instruction via an output device for proceeding with a scale zeroing process; and
when an item is present on the scale surface:
providing an instruction via the output device to remove the item present on the scale surface, providing the instruction including:
presenting an image of the item present on the scale that is to be removed, the image derived from the received image, the presented image derived by processing the received image subtracting a reference image captured by the at least one imaging device from the received thereby leaving the item present on the scale surface within the image; and
restarting the method.
2. The method of Claim 1 , wherein providing the instruction via the output device to remove the item present on the scale includes:
reading a barcode of an item present on the scale surface as included in the view provided by the at least one imaging device, the reading of the barcode performed to obtain a product identifier; and
the output to remove the item present on the scale includes information with regard to the item retrieved based on the product identifier.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the instruction for proceeding the scale zeroing process including an instruction to press a zeroing button on the scale.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the instruction to press the zeroing button is provided at least in part with an image via a display device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the scale-zero error condition includes comparing a weight of a scanned product with a stored known weight of the scanned product to verify scale accuracy and invoking a scale-zero error condition when the accuracy cannot be verified.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output device includes an audio output device and a display device.
7. A device comprising:
an output device,
at least one processor; and
a memory device storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to perform data processing activities, the data processing activities comprising:
identifying a scale-zero error condition of a scale communicatively coupled to device;
receiving an image from at least one imaging device of a view of a surface of the scale;
determining, based on the view of a scale surface included in the image, whether an item is present on the scale surface;
when no item is present on the scale surface, providing an instruction via the output device for proceeding with a scale zeroing process; and
when an item is present on the scale surface:
providing an instruction via the output device to remove the item present on tile scale surface, providing the instruction including presenting an image of the only item present on the scale that is removed, the image derived from the received image, the presented image derived by processing the received image by subtracting a reference image captured the at least one imaging device from the received thereby leaving the item present on the scale surface within the image; and
restarting the data processing activities.