Patents Assigned to 7-Eleven, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11308630
    Abstract: A system includes a first sensor and a sensor client. During an initial time interval, the sensor client receives top-view images generated by the first sensor and detects contours in the images. The sensor client determines, based on the contours, regions of the top-view images generated by the first sensor to exclude during object tracking. During a subsequent time interval, the sensor client receives a second top-view image generated by the first sensor and detects a contour in the image. The sensor client determines pixel coordinates of the second contour and determines whether at least a threshold percentage of the second pixel coordinates overlap with the region to exclude during object tracking. If at least the threshold percentage of the second pixel coordinates overlap with the region to exclude, a position for tracking the second contour is not determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Shahmeer Ali Mirza
  • Patent number: 11301691
    Abstract: An object tracking system that includes a first sensor and a second sensor that are each configured to capture frames of at least a portion of a global plane for a space. The system is configured to identify a pixel location for a marker within a frame from the first sensor and to determine an (x,y) coordinate for the marker using a first homography. The system is further configured to identify a pixel location for a different marker in a frame from the second sensor and to determine an (x,y) coordinate for the marker using a second homography. The system is further configured to determine a distance difference between the computed distance between the (x,y) coordinates and an actual distance. The system is further configured to recompute the first homography and/or the second homography in response to determining that the distance difference exceeds a difference threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Kyle Dalal
  • Patent number: 11295593
    Abstract: A rack for a scalable tracking system includes weight sensors disposed on shelves that hold items. The weight sensors detect the weight of the items and communicates signals indicating that weight to a circuit board positioned in the rack. The circuit board communicates these detected weights to a weight server that determines, based on these weights, whether items were removed from the shelves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Deepanjan Paul, Sarath Vakacharla, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Ryan Robert Strong
  • Patent number: 11288518
    Abstract: A scalable tracking system processes video of a space to track the positions of people within a space. The tracking system determines local coordinates for the people within frames of the video and then assigns these coordinates to time windows based on when the frames were received. The tracking system then combines or clusters certain local coordinates that have been assigned to the same time window to determine a combined coordinate for a person during that time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Sarath Vakacharla, Trong Nghia Nguyen, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Madan Mohan Chinnam, Caleb Austin Boulio
  • Patent number: 11275953
    Abstract: A scalable tracking system processes video of a space to track the positions of people within a space. The tracking system determines local coordinates for the people within frames of the video and then assigns these coordinates to time windows based on when the frames were received. The tracking system then combines or clusters certain local coordinates that have been assigned to the same time window to determine a combined coordinate for a person during that time window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Sarath Vakacharla, Trong Nghia Nguyen, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Madan Mohan Chinnam, Caleb Austin Boulio
  • Patent number: 11257225
    Abstract: An object tracking system that includes a plurality of sensors and a tracking system. A first sensor from the plurality of sensors is configured to capture a first frame of a global plane for at least a portion of the space. The tracking system is configured to determine a pixel location in the first frame for an object located in the space, and to apply a homography to the pixel location to determine a coordinate in the global plane. The homography is configured to translate between pixel locations in the first frame and coordinates in the global plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Crystal Maung
  • Patent number: 11244463
    Abstract: A scalable tracking system includes a camera subsystem, a weight subsystem, and a central server. The camera subsystem includes cameras that capture video of a space, camera clients that determine local coordinates of people in the captured videos, and a camera server that determines the physical positions of people in the space based on the determined local coordinates. The weight subsystem determines when items were removed from shelves. The central server determines which person in the space removed the items based on the physical positions of the people in the space and the determination of when items were removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Sarath Vakacharla, Trong Nghia Nguyen, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Madan Mohan Chinnam, Caleb Austin Boulio, Deepanjan Paul, Fahad Mirza
  • Patent number: 11205277
    Abstract: A system includes sensors and a tracking subsystem. The subsystem receives a first image feed from a first sensor and a second image feed from a second sensor. The field-of view of the second sensor at least partially overlaps with that of the first sensor. The subsystem detects, in a frame from the first feed, a first contour associated with an object. The subsystem determines, based on pixel coordinates of the first contour, a first pixel position of the object. The subsystem detects, in a frame from the second feed, a second contour associated with the same object. The subsystem determines, based on pixel coordinates of the second contour, a second pixel position of the object. Based on the first pixel position and the second pixel position, a global position for the object is determined in a space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 11188763
    Abstract: An object tracking system includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a tracking system. The first sensor is configured to capture a first frame of a global plane for at least a first portion of a space. The second sensor is configured to capture a second frame of at least a second portion of the space. The tracking system is configured to determine the object is within an overlap region with the second sensor based on a first pixel location. The tracking system is further configured to determine a first coordinate in the global plane for the object, to determine a second pixel location in the second frame for the object based on the first coordinate, and to store the second pixel location with an object identifier a tracking list associated with the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Shahmeer Ali Mirza
  • Patent number: 11176686
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor, a weight sensor, and a tracking subsystem. The tracking subsystem receives an image feed of top-view images generated by the sensor and weight measurements from the weight sensor. The tracking subsystem detects an event associated with an item being removed from a rack in which the weight sensor is installed. The tracking subsystem determines that a first person and a second person may be associated with the event. In response, the tracking subsystem dilates contours associated with the first and second person from a first depth to a second depth until the contours enter a zone adjacent to the rack. A number of iterations is determined for each contour to enter the zone adjacent to the rack. If the first person's contour enters the zone in fewer iterations, the item is assigned to the first person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Sarath Vakacharla, Deepanjan Paul
  • Patent number: 11151388
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an interface, display, memory, and processor. The interface receives a video feed including first and second camera feeds, each feed corresponding to a camera located in a store. The processor stores a video segment in memory, assigned to a person and capturing a portion of a shopping session. The video segment includes first and second camera feed segments, each segment corresponding to a recording of the corresponding camera feed from a starting to an ending timestamp. Playback of the first and second camera feed segments is synchronized, and a slider bar controls a playback progress of the camera feed segments. The processor displays the camera feed segments and copies of the slider bar on the display. The processor receives an instruction from at least one of the copies of the slider bar to adjust the playback progress of the camera feed segments and adjusts the playback progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Raymond Magee, Ravi Kumar Kurva, Shahmeer Ali Mirza
  • Patent number: 11135521
    Abstract: An access control system that includes an access control device configured to receive transaction information that identifies a member identifier for a member and a purchased item. The access control device is configured to compare the purchased item to items in an item list and to determine whether the purchased item matches any items in the item list. The access control device is configured to store an authorization for the member identifier to access an augmented reality experience in response to a match. The access control device is configured to receive a number of session points earned by the member from interacting with the augmented reality experience, to add the received number of session points to the cumulative number of session points for the member, to identify a reward based on the cumulative session points, and to send reward information for retrieving the identified reward to the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Charles Nathan Beran, Sajjad Mahmood Khan, Santhanagopalakrishnan Panchapakesan, Stephen Patrick Kinch, Tarang Swadeshkumar Sethia, Mark Hollon, Maninder Singh Suri, Manish Agarwal, Gurmeet Singh
  • Patent number: 11132550
    Abstract: An object tracking system includes a sensor and a tracking system. The sensor is configured to capture a frame of at least a portion of a rack within a global plane for a space. The tracking system is configured to receive the frame, to detect an object within a zone of the frame, and to determine a pixel location for the object. The tracking system is further configured to identify a zone and a shelf of the rack based on the pixel location, to identify an item based on the identified zone and the identified shelf of the rack, and to add the identified item to a digital cart associated with a person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventors: Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sarath Vakacharla, Trong Nghia Nguyen, Crystal Maung, Deepanjan Paul
  • Patent number: 11113837
    Abstract: An object tracking system includes a sensor and a tracking system. The sensor is configured to capture a first frame of a global plane for at least a portion of a space. The tracking system is configured to receive a first coordinate in the global plane where a first marker is located in the space and to receive a second coordinate in the global plane where a second marker is located in the space. The tracking system is further configured to identify the first marker and the second marker within the first frame, to determine a first pixel location in the first frame for the first marker, to determine a second pixel location in the first frame for the second marker, and to generate a homography based on the first coordinate, the second coordinate, the first pixel location, and the second pixel location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Crystal Maung
  • Patent number: 11113541
    Abstract: An image sensor is positioned such that a field-of-view of the image sensor encompasses at least a portion of a rack storing items. The image sensor generates angled-view images of the items stored on the rack. A tracking subsystem determines that a person has interacted with the rack and receives image frames of the angled-view images. The tracking subsystem determines that the person interacted with a first item stored on the rack. A first image is identified associated with a first time before the person interacted with the first item, and a second image is identified associated with a second time after the person interacted with the first item. If it is determined, based on a comparison of the first and second images, that the item was removed from the rack, the first item is assigned to the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Sumedh Vilas Datar, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Shahmeer Ali Mirza
  • Patent number: 11107226
    Abstract: A system includes sensors and a tracking subsystem. The subsystem tracks first and second objects in a space. Following a collision event between the first and second object, a top-view image of the first object is received from a first sensor. Based on the top-view image, a first descriptor is determined for the first object. The first descriptor is associated with an observable characteristic of the first object. If criteria are not satisfied for distinguishing the first object from the second object based on the first descriptor, a third descriptor is determined for the first object. The third descriptor is generated by an artificial neural network configured to identify objects in top-view images. The tracking subsystem uses the third descriptor to assign an identifier to the first object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Madan Mohan Chinnam, Crystal Maung
  • Patent number: 11100717
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a display, interface, and processor. The interface receives a camera feed from a camera directed at a first physical rack located in a physical store. The processor displays, in a first region of the display, a virtual layout of a virtual store, configured to emulate a physical layout of the physical store. The virtual layout includes virtual racks assigned to physical racks. The virtual layout emulates the physical layout of the physical store. The processor receives an indication of an event associated with the first physical rack and accordingly displays the first virtual rack, which includes first and second virtual shelves. The first and second virtual shelves include virtual items that emulate physical items located on physical shelves of the first physical rack. The processor additionally displays a recording of the camera feed, which depicts the event associated with the first physical rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: 7-ELEVEN, INC.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Matthew Raymond Magee, Sarath Vakacharla, Trong Nghia Nguyen, Franklin Philips
  • Patent number: 11080529
    Abstract: A system includes sensors and a tracking subsystem. The subsystem receives frames of top-view images generated by the sensors. The subsystem tracks a first, second, and third object, based on received frames. The subsystem detects that the first object is within a threshold distance of the second object. In response, the subsystem determines a probability that the first object switched identifiers with the second object and updates candidate lists accordingly for the first and second objects. The updated first candidate list includes a probability that the first object is associated with a first identifier and a probability that the first object is associated with a second identifier. The updated second candidate list includes a probability that the second object is associated with the first identifier and a probability that the second object is associated with the second identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Trong Nghia Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11062297
    Abstract: A validation system that includes a server and a validation terminal. The server is configured to receive location information for a mobile device and to determine the mobile device is at a registered location. The server is further configured to process a transaction for the products in a digital cart, to generate a barcode, and to encrypt the barcode using a private key linked with the registered location. The server is further configured to send the encrypted barcode to the mobile device. The validation engine is configured to scan the encrypted barcode using a barcode reader and to decrypt the encrypted barcode using the stored public key that is linked with the private key. The validation terminal is further configured to indicate the transaction is valid in response to decrypting the encrypted barcode using the public key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventors: Nishanth Mandaara, Gurmeet Singh, Tarang Swadeshkumar Sethia, Maninder Singh Suri
  • Patent number: 11062147
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor, a weight sensor, and a tracking subsystem. The tracking subsystem receives an image feed of top-view images generated by the sensor and weight measurements from the weight sensor. The tracking subsystem detects an event associated with an item being removed from a rack in which the weight sensor is installed. The tracking subsystem determines that a first and second person may be associated with the event. After the item exits the rack, the subsystem tracks the item and calculates a velocity of the item as it is moved through the space. The subsystem identifies, based on the calculated velocity, a frame in which the velocity of the item is less than a threshold velocity. The subsystem determines whether the first or second person is nearer the item in the identified frame. If the first person is nearer, the item is assigned to the first person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: 7-Eleven, Inc.
    Inventors: Shahmeer Ali Mirza, Sailesh Bharathwaaj Krishnamurthy, Sarath Vakacharla, Deepanjan Paul