Patents by Inventor Joshua Migdal

Joshua Migdal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11361551
    Abstract: Video frames from a video are compressed into a single image or a single data structure that represents a unique visual flowprint or visual signature for a given activity being modeled from the video frames. The flowprint comprises a computed summary of the original pixel values associated with the video frames within the single image and the flowprint is specific to movements occurring within the video frames that are associated with the given activity. In an embodiment, the flowprint is provided as input to a machine-learning algorithm to allow the algorithm to perform object tracking and monitoring from the flowprint rather than from the video frames of the video, which substantially improves processor load and memory utilization on a device that executes the algorithm, and substantially improved responsiveness of the algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Vikram Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20220092312
    Abstract: Video frames from a video are compressed into a single image or a single data structure that represents a unique visual flowprint or visual signature for a given activity being modeled from the video frames. The flowprint comprises a computed summary of the original pixel values associated with the video frames within the single image and the flowprint is specific to movements occurring within the video frames that are associated with the given activity. In an embodiment, the flowprint is provided as input to a machine-learning algorithm to allow the algorithm to perform object tracking and monitoring from the flowprint rather than from the video frames of the video, which substantially improves processor load and memory utilization on a device that executes the algorithm, and substantially improved responsiveness of the algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Vikram Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20220067568
    Abstract: A machine-learning algorithm is trained on images with a set of diverse items to produce as output feature vectors in a feature-vector space derived for the set. New item images for new items are passed to the algorithm and new feature vectors are projected into the vector space. A classifier for each new item is trained on the new feature vectors to determine whether the new item is new item or is not that new item. During a transaction, an item code scanned for an item and an item image are obtained. The item image is passed to the algorithm, a feature vector is obtained, a corresponding classifier for the item code is retrieved, the feature vector is passed to the classifier, and a determination is provided as to whether the item image and item code matches a specific item that should be associated with the item code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Shayan Hemmatiyan, Joshua Migdal
  • Patent number: 11257135
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Joshua Migdal
  • Publication number: 20220036090
    Abstract: Video frames from a video are compressed into a single image or a single data structure that represents a unique visual flowprint or visual signature for a given activity being modeled from the video frames. The flowprint comprises a computed summary of the original pixel values associated with the video frames within the single image and the flowprint is specific to movements occurring within the video frames that are associated with the given activity. In an embodiment, the flowprint is provided as input to a machine-learning algorithm to allow the algorithm to perform object tracking and monitoring from the flowprint rather than from the video frames of the video, which substantially improves processor load and memory utilization on a device that executes the algorithm, and substantially improved responsiveness of the algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Vikram Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20220036084
    Abstract: Upon a triggering event, frames of a video feed are analyzed for activity or motion. One frame or a subset of the frames are selected as a keyframe/keyframes based on one or measures associated with one or more metrics derived from the frames. The keyframe/keyframes optimally reflects an activity or degree of motion across the frames. The keyframe/keyframes are then provided as input to a computer vision or machine learning application to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and/or precision of results produced by or decisions made by the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventor: Joshua Migdal
  • Publication number: 20210295057
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen
  • Patent number: 11100333
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen
  • Publication number: 20210042761
    Abstract: System and method for detecting a fraudulent activity at a barcode scanner is disclosed. The method issues an alert when the fraudulent activity is confirmed by comparing the visual signature of the item being transacted over the checkout terminal to the model visual signature. The model visual signature is obtained by averaging the collection of visual signature of the item gathered over a period of time. A human validation via a remote processor is employed to confirm the fraudulent activity verified by a computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Malay Kundu
  • Publication number: 20210042528
    Abstract: Detection and prevention of loss at a retail checkout are provided. At least one camera captures video streams during a transaction at a point of sale terminal. The video streams are analyzed to detect a scan activity during the transaction. Transaction data is collected from the point of sale terminal. The scan activity is compared with the transaction data in order to detect discrepancies between the detected scan activity and the scan activity recorded in the transaction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Malay Kundy, Joshua Migdal, Vikram Srinivasan, Matthew Farrow
  • Patent number: 10853856
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Joshua Migdal, James Morrin, Matthew Farrow
  • Publication number: 20200349358
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen
  • Patent number: 10825027
    Abstract: System and method for detecting a fraudulent activity at a barcode scanner is disclosed. The method issues an alert when the fraudulent activity is confirmed by comparing the visual signature of the item being transacted over the checkout terminal to the model visual signature. The model visual signature is obtained by averaging the collection of visual signature of the item gathered over a period of time. A human validation via a remote processor is employed to confirm the fraudulent activity verified by a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Malay Kundu
  • Patent number: 10796305
    Abstract: A computer system monitors a private network for presence of data traffic. In one embodiment, the private network is a retail environment in which a customer purchases an item scanned at a point-of-sale terminal. The data traffic can be point-of-sale transaction information generated in response to purchase of the item at the point-of-sale terminal. Subsequent to detecting presence of the data traffic in the network, the computer system analyzes the data traffic to identify private information in the data traffic. To protect the private information from improper disclosure to unauthorized entities, the computer system modifies the data traffic. Thus, techniques herein can include detecting occurrence of one or more point-of-sale events in a private network, anonymizing the event information (e.g., data traffic), and forwarding the anonymized event information associated with the point-of-sale events out of the private network to a remote resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Farrow, Malay Kundu, Joshua Migdal, Vikram Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20200279310
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Joshua Migdal
  • Patent number: 10719716
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen
  • Patent number: 10592944
    Abstract: Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Joshua Migdal
  • Publication number: 20190258870
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen
  • Publication number: 20190197560
    Abstract: System and method for detecting a fraudulent activity at a barcode scanner is disclosed. The method issues an alert when the fraudulent activity is confirmed by comparing the visual signature of the item being transacted over the checkout terminal to the model visual signature. The model visual signature is obtained by averaging the collection of visual signature of the item gathered over a period of time. A human validation via a remote processor is employed to confirm the fraudulent activity verified by a computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Joshua Migdal, Malay Kundu
  • Patent number: 10318818
    Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Stoplift
    Inventors: Malay Kundu, Vikram Srinivasan, Joshua Migdal, Xiaowei Chen