Abstract: A method of extracting price text from an image set includes: obtaining input data comprising (i) a plurality of images depicting shelves supporting products, and (ii) for each of the images, a set of text regions and corresponding price text strings; registering the images to a common frame of reference; identifying a subset of the text regions having overlapping locations in the common frame of reference; selecting one of the text regions from the subset; and presenting the price text string corresponding to the one of the text regions for further processing.

Abstract: A product status detection system includes a mobile automation apparatus having a sensor to capture data representing a shelf supporting products, responsive to data capture instructions. The system includes a server in communication with the mobile apparatus, having: a mobile apparatus controller to generate data capture instructions for the mobile apparatus; a repository to store captured data from the mobile apparatus; a primary object generator to generate primary data objects from the captured data, each including a location in a common frame of reference; a secondary object generator to generate and store secondary data objects based on the primary data objects; a detector to identify mismatches between reference data and the secondary data objects; and an alert generator to select a subset of the mismatches, and generate and transmit a status alert corresponding to the subset. The system also includes a client device to receive and display the status alert.

Abstract: A method in an imaging controller of correcting translucency artifacts in data representing one or more objects disposed on a shelf includes: obtaining a plurality of depth measurements captured by a depth sensor and corresponding to an area containing the shelf; obtaining (i) a definition of a plane containing edges of the shelf, (ii) a location in the plane of an upper shelf edge, and (iii) a location in the plane of a lower shelf edge adjacent to the upper shelf edge; generating a depth map containing, for each of a plurality of positions in the plane, a nearest object depth; detecting an upper object boundary in the depth map between the upper and lower support surface edges; updating each nearest object depth between the upper object boundary and the lower shelf edge to contain a depth of the upper object boundary; and storing the corrected depth map.

Abstract: A method in an imaging controller of correcting translucency artifacts in data representing one or more objects disposed on a shelf includes: obtaining a plurality of depth measurements captured by a depth sensor and corresponding to an area containing the shelf; obtaining (i) a definition of a plane containing edges of the shelf, (ii) a location in the plane of an upper shelf edge, and (iii) a location in the plane of a lower shelf edge adjacent to the upper shelf edge; generating a depth map containing, for each of a plurality of positions in the plane, a nearest object depth; detecting an upper object boundary in the depth map between the upper and lower support surface edges; updating each nearest object depth between the upper object boundary and the lower shelf edge to contain a depth of the upper object boundary; and storing the corrected depth map.

Abstract: A method of extracting price text from an image set includes: obtaining input data comprising (i) a plurality of images depicting shelves supporting products, and (ii) for each of the images, a set of text regions and corresponding price text strings; registering the images to a common frame of reference; identifying a subset of the text regions having overlapping locations in the common frame of reference; selecting one of the text regions from the subset; and presenting the price text string corresponding to the one of the text regions for further processing.

Abstract: The present specification teaches an input device and method for electronic apparatus. The input device can be based on one or more force sensitive input devices, such as force sensitive resistors. The electronic apparatus includes an output device such as a display. A processor is configured to receive input from the input device and to control the display or other output device. In certain implementations, the display is controlled to generate a first graphical object that is associated with an instruction. The processor is configured to generate a second graphical object in response to an input received from the force sensitive input device that corresponds with the instruction.