Abstract: A rotatable bag rack to support a plurality of bag types. The bag rack includes a stand and a rack. The rack is pivotally mounted to the stand so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis relative to the stand between a first position to hold a first bag type and a second position to hold a second bag type. The rack includes a pair of spaced apart arms to hold the first bag type that, in the first position, extends forward relative to the pivot axis. The rack, in the second position, extends downward relative to the pivot axis. The rack also includes a hanger fixed relative to the arms to hold a second bag type that, in the first position, extends backward relative to the pivot axis. The rack, in the second position, extends upward relative to the pivot axis.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe providing feedback to a shopper at a POS system using a computer vision system. Many items at a store may lack barcodes or other identifying marks such as produce. The shopper may have to perform an action to identify the item to the POS system. The computer vision system can double check the identify provided by the shopper to reduce mistakes and deter nefarious actors. If the computer vision system cannot independently confirm that the item being purchased matched the identity provided by the shopper, the POS system can display a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes an image of the item captured by the computer vision system along with identification data of the item identified by the shopper. This gives the shopper a chance to correct any mistakes.

Abstract: Techniques for generating a window of effectiveness are provided. A region of effectiveness for a scanner at a checkout kiosk is provided, wherein the region of effectiveness defines a volume where successful scans occur. It is determined that a first path of an item is outside the region of effectiveness. Feedback to change a path of the item to be within the region of effectiveness during a rescan of the item is outputted, using the checkout kiosk.

Abstract: A method is performed by a garment configured to be worn when servicing a system. The garment has a machine-readable code positioned on the garment. The machine-readable code is associated with a command. The method includes positioning the machine-readable code for reading by a sensing device operable to recognize the machine-readable code and send a signal indicative of the command associated with the machine-readable code to a processor operable to implement the command.

Abstract: Systems and methods of automatic screen mapping are presented. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by a controller device that is coupled to at least one of a set of display devices that are spatially arranged so that each display device is positioned adjacent to at least one other display device and wherein each display device includes a screen structure having a set of presence sensitive sensors. Each display device is operable, for each presence sensitive sensor of the corresponding screen structure, to detect a presence signal and to radiate a presence signal. The method includes receiving an indication that a second display device of the set of display devices has detected a presence signal radiated from a presence sensitive sensor of a first display device of the set of display devices so as to determine a spatial arrangement of the first and second display devices.

Abstract: A method includes supporting, by a support, a bag containing one or more items of an order and detecting, by a sensor coupled to an end of the support, a weight of the bag and the one or more items when the bag is suspended on the support such that the weight of the bag and the one or more items is exerted on the support. The method also includes comparing, by a hardware processor, the detected weight to an expected weight of the order and communicating, by the hardware processor, an alert when the expected weight is unequal to the detected weight.

Abstract: Systems and methods of conducting a bar code scan using an imaging-based bar code scan device are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by an imaging-based bar code device that includes processing circuitry, an optical lens assembly having an image sensor and an optical lens with a focused region at a certain distance in front of the optical lens along an optical axis of the optical lens, a plurality of light emitting elements configured proximate the optical lens and laterally offset from the optical axis. The method includes sending, by the processing circuitry, to each light emitting element, an indication to enable that light emitting element to project a light beam towards the optical axis in the focused region so that the light beams overlap when a target bar code is in the focused region and nonoverlap when a target bar code is outside the focused region.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for curating search results. A first request to look up an identifier for an item is received from a first user, and first tracking information corresponding to movements of the first user in a physical space is retrieved. At least one item associated with the first user while moving in the physical space is identified from the first tracking information. A first identifier of the at least one item is determined, and the first identifier is provide to the first user.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques to selectively provide user interventions. A transaction is initiated for a user device, and data describing a user of the user device during the transaction is collected. A preferred level of intervention for the transaction is determined based on the collected data. Interventions are selectively provided to the user device during the transaction based on the preferred level of intervention.

Abstract: Networked devices in a communications network share a common firmware key. Using the common firmware key, one networked device can encrypt configuration data it uses to operate in the network for distribution to other networked devices of the same or similar type. The networked devices that receive the encrypted configuration data then use the common firmware key to decrypt the encrypted configuration data, and using the decrypted configuration data, self-configure to operate on the network. This allows for the secure distribution of configuration data, as well as the self-configuration of networked devices without exposing the sensitive data needed for such configuration to a human.

Abstract: Thermal printing systems are described. The thermal printing systems and methods described provide efficient, compact, and fast thermal printing by providing preheating components that generate a priming thermal energy which preheats thermal paper in the printing system. The priming thermal energy decreases the amount of energy needed to activate the thermal paper during printing. The system and methods also include an optical print head which activates thermal paper using optical energy, which provides for multiple different types of efficient component configuration and increased speed of printing.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for monitoring transaction data. A first symbol is a symbol is assigned, at a first point in time, to a user device, where, when a user of the user device inputs an item, the user device outputs the symbol. The symbol is then detected, via one or more image capture devices, at one or more moments in time, and a number of times that the symbol was detected is determined. At a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, a number of items associated with the user is determined. An audit of the uses is initiated based on determining that a difference between the number of times and the number of items exceeds a threshold maximum difference.

Abstract: Systems and methods of identifying infinite call loops using custom tracking headers are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by a first instance of a microservice operated by a first network node in a distributed microservice system having instances of one or more microservices operated by network nodes with each instance having a data cache operable to share data between instances of that microservice. The method includes receiving an indication that includes a message to access data that may be available in a data cache of an instance of the microservice, the indication also including one or more tracking identifiers with each tracking identifier corresponding to an instance of the microservice that successively sends or receives the message so as to determine that the message corresponds to a same message previously sent or received by the same instance of the microservice.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques for graphics translation. A plurality of natural language image descriptions is collected for an image of a product. An overall description for the image is generated using one or more models, based on the plurality of natural language image descriptions, by: identifying a set of shared descriptors used in at least a subset of the plurality of natural language image descriptions, and aggregating the set of shared descriptors to form the overall description. A first request to provide a description of the first image is received, and the overall description is returned in response to the first request, where the overall description is output using one or more text-to-speech techniques.

Abstract: A method of assigning products to shoppers can be provided by determining that a plurality of shoppers are collaborating with one another to purchase a plurality of products included on a shared shopping list, receiving shopper characteristics for the plurality of shoppers, receiving respective parameters for the plurality of products included on the shared shopping list, assigning respective sub-lists of the plurality of products for picking by respective ones of the shoppers at a retail shopping location based on the shopper characteristics for the respective ones of the shoppers and the respective parameters for the plurality of products included on the shared shopping list, and providing the respective sub-lists of the plurality of products to the plurality of shoppers. Related systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A network node associated with a retail store receives digital images from customers who have initiated a customer transaction at a first location. The digital images are unique and are associated with the transaction. The transaction is then temporarily suspended. To resume the transaction, the customer provides information describing features of the previously provided digital image. The network node uses this information to locate the corresponding digital image, and thus, the corresponding suspended transaction, and to authenticate the customer to resume the transaction. Provided the customer is authenticated, the node resumes the suspended transaction.

Abstract: Radio frequency identification discontinuity correction is provided by calculating a phase-time slope for a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) signal received from an RFID tag; estimating, based on the phase-time slope, a predicted phase reading for the RFID signal at a given time; and in response to detecting a phase discontinuity based on a difference between the predicted phase reading and an actual phase reading for the given time, adjusting a calculated distance to the RFID tag. The calculated distance may indicate that the RFID tag is inside of or outside of a designated zone, and that a motion of the RFID tag indicates travel towards or away from the designated zone, which may be used to add or remove an item associated with the RFID tag to an ongoing item list.

Abstract: Systems and methods of conducting a bar code scan using an imaging-based bar code scan device are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by an imaging-based bar code device that includes processing circuitry, an optical lens assembly having an image sensor and an optical lens with a focused region at a certain distance in front of the optical lens along an optical axis of the optical lens, a plurality of light emitting elements configured proximate the optical lens and laterally offset from the optical axis. The method includes sending, by the processing circuitry, to each light emitting element, an indication to enable that light emitting element to project a light beam towards the optical axis in the focused region so that the light beams overlap when a target bar code is in the focused region and non-overlap when a target bar code is outside the focused region.

Abstract: A computing device is associated with a retail store. As a customer scans his/her items for purchase, images of a bag containing the items are captured and sent to the computing device to be digitally processed. Based on the processing, the computing device identifies the item(s) the customer intends to purchase, and determines whether there are any other items in the container that are different from the first item. If so, the computing device outputs a signal indicating the presence of the second item in the container.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing automated testing using a process flow of messages are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method includes receiving an indication that represents a time stamped message that is sent or received by a second electronic node and that is associated with a certain function. The method also includes generating a process flow of messages between the set of electronic nodes for the certain function based on the time stamped message of the second electronic node that is associated with the certain function and time stamped messages of the other electronic nodes associated with the same function so that the first electronic node is operable to simulate the certain function specific to that node based on the process flow of messages so as to test that at least one electronic node is operable to perform the certain function in conformance with the process flow of messages.