Patents by Inventor Nicholas Lojewski

Nicholas Lojewski 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: 12647687
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for identifying product identifiers in images. A technique can include receiving, by an edge computing device, x and y coordinates for a location of an out of stock shelf section, determining a frame of reference (FOR) based on the coordinates, the FOR including a location of a product identifier for the out of stock shelf section, determining incremental adjustments to a camera based on the FOR, instructing the camera to adjust by the incremental adjustments and capture an image of the location of the product identifier, performing image analysis on the image to identify the product identifier, determining second incremental adjustments to the camera to focus the camera on the location of the product identifier if the product identifier is not identifiable in the image, and instructing the camera to reset to original camera settings if the product identifier is identifiable in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20260073383
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and techniques for combinable gift card components during a checkout process in a retail environment. A gift card can include a first gift card component of a first type, the first gift card component including a first identifier (e.g., barcode), and a second gift card component of a second type that can be different from the first type and separate from the first gift card component, having a second identifier. The first and second identifiers can be scanned and used to associate the first gift card component with the second gift card component. The second gift card component can be an envelope or sleeve that can be a similar size and/or a similar shape as the first gift card component. The second gift card component can permanently attach to the first gift card component during the checkout process to form the gift card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Inventors: Surjeet Bhoora, Christopher Brakob, Donnie Tolbert, Andrew Wipf, Nicholas Lojewski, Arnab Pal, Richard Ryan Walstrom, Alexandros Glitsos, Matthew Levy, Miguel Herrera
  • Patent number: 12499434
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and techniques for combinable gift card components during a checkout process in a retail environment. A gift card can include a first gift card component of a first type, the first gift card component including a first identifier (e.g., barcode), and a second gift card component of a second type that can be different from the first type and separate from the first gift card component, having a second identifier. The first and second identifiers can be scanned and used to associate the first gift card component with the second gift card component. The second gift card component can be an envelope or sleeve that can be a similar size and/or a similar shape as the first gift card component. The second gift card component can permanently attach to the first gift card component during the checkout process to form the gift card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2025
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Surjeet Bhoora, Christopher Brakob, Donnie Tolbert, Andrew Wipf, Nicholas Lojewski, Arnab Pal, Richard Ryan Walstrom, Alexandros Glitsos, Matthew Levy, Miguel Herrera
  • Publication number: 20250356306
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for determining out of stock conditions on shelves. The techniques can include receiving, by a computing system, image data from a camera having pixel locations that each uniquely address and store a pixel value, generating a backing map having cell locations that each uniquely address and share a unique address with a corresponding pixel location in the image data, each cell location storing a backing value being an empty value if the pixel value is classified as showing the backing of a shelf and the backing value being a nonempty value if the pixel value is classified as not showing the backing of the shelf, determining, in the backing map, a shelf area representing a location of the captured shelf, and identifying an empty area by finding an area above the shelf area containing a threshold number of cell locations storing the empty value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2025
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20250315743
    Abstract: Disclosed is technology for determining a wait time of objects in a designated area of a physical space. A system can include: cameras positioned proximate the designated area to capture image data of the designated area, location signaling devices to capture wireless signals indicating locations of the objects, the locations being provided as location data, and a computer system. The computer system can: receive the image data and the location data, translate the receive image data into a predetermined coordinate plane, retrieve one or more artificial intelligence (AI) models from a data store, identify the objects within the designated area based on applying the AI models to at least the translated image data, correlate the identified objects with the received location data, and determine wait time information of the identified objects in the designated area based on applying the AI models to at least the correlated data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2024
    Publication date: October 9, 2025
    Inventors: David Kovacs, Nicholas Lojewski, Yueming Liu
  • Patent number: 12400181
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for determining out of stock conditions on shelves. The techniques can include receiving, by a computing system, image data from a camera having pixel locations that each uniquely address and store a pixel value, generating a backing map having cell locations that each uniquely address and share a unique address with a corresponding pixel location in the image data, each cell location storing a backing value being an empty value if the pixel value is classified as showing the backing of a shelf and the backing value being a nonempty value if the pixel value is classified as not showing the backing of the shelf, determining, in the backing map, a shelf area representing a location of the captured shelf, and identifying an empty area by finding an area above the shelf area containing a threshold number of cell locations storing the empty value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2025
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20250156841
    Abstract: The disclosed system for performing a gift card purchase and activation in a retail environment can include a card retention apparatus having a unidirectional card removal component and a gift card, a card identifier and access code system to generate and assign unique identifying information to the card, and a printing device to print at least a portion of the unique information onto a surface of the card. A point of sale (POS) terminal can: identify the card for purchase, transmit, to the system, a request for the card's unique information, the request including a public encryption key, receive, in response to the system generating and encrypting the unique information using the public key, the encrypted information for the card, decrypt, using an associated private key, the encrypted information, and generate instructions for applying, via the printing device, the at least portion of the unique information onto the card's surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Andrew Wipf, Nicholas Lojewski, Donnie Tolbert, Christopher Brakob
  • Publication number: 20250156846
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and techniques for combinable gift card components during a checkout process in a retail environment. A gift card can include a first gift card component of a first type, the first gift card component including a first identifier (e.g., barcode), and a second gift card component of a second type that can be different from the first type and separate from the first gift card component, having a second identifier. The first and second identifiers can be scanned and used to associate the first gift card component with the second gift card component. The second gift card component can be an envelope or sleeve that can be a similar size and/or a similar shape as the first gift card component. The second gift card component can permanently attach to the first gift card component during the checkout process to form the gift card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Inventors: Surjeet Bhoora, Christopher Brakob, Donnie Tolbert, Andrew Wipf, Nicholas Lojewski, Arnab Pal, Richard Ryan Walstrom, Alexander Glitsos, Matthew Levy, Miguel Herrera
  • Publication number: 20240357237
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for identifying product identifiers in images. A technique can include receiving, by an edge computing device, x and y coordinates for a location of an out of stock shelf section, determining a frame of reference (FOR) based on the coordinates, the FOR including a location of a product identifier for the out of stock shelf section, determining incremental adjustments to a camera based on the FOR, instructing the camera to adjust by the incremental adjustments and capture an image of the location of the product identifier, performing image analysis on the image to identify the product identifier, determining second incremental adjustments to the camera to focus the camera on the location of the product identifier if the product identifier is not identifiable in the image, and instructing the camera to reset to original camera settings if the product identifier is identifiable in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Patent number: 12058445
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for identifying product identifiers in images. A technique can include receiving, by an edge computing device, x and y coordinates for a location of an out of stock shelf section, determining a frame of reference (FOR) based on the coordinates, the FOR including a location of a product identifier for the out of stock shelf section, determining incremental adjustments to a camera based on the FOR, instructing the camera to adjust by the incremental adjustments and capture an image of the location of the product identifier, performing image analysis on the image to identify the product identifier, determining second incremental adjustments to the camera to focus the camera on the location of the product identifier if the product identifier is not identifiable in the image, and instructing the camera to reset to original camera settings if the product identifier is identifiable in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20230245058
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for determining out of stock conditions on shelves. The techniques can include receiving, by a computing system, image data from a camera having pixel locations that each uniquely address and store a pixel value, generating a backing map having cell locations that each uniquely address and share a unique address with a corresponding pixel location in the image data, each cell location storing a backing value being an empty value if the pixel value is classified as showing the backing of a shelf and the backing value being a nonempty value if the pixel value is classified as not showing the backing of the shelf, determining, in the backing map, a shelf area representing a location of the captured shelf, and identifying an empty area by finding an area above the shelf area containing a threshold number of cell locations storing the empty value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20230232108
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for identifying product identifiers in images. A technique can include receiving, by an edge computing device, x and y coordinates for a location of an out of stock shelf section, determining a frame of reference (FOR) based on the coordinates, the FOR including a location of a product identifier for the out of stock shelf section, determining incremental adjustments to a camera based on the FOR, instructing the camera to adjust by the incremental adjustments and capture an image of the location of the product identifier, performing image analysis on the image to identify the product identifier, determining second incremental adjustments to the camera to focus the camera on the location of the product identifier if the product identifier is not identifiable in the image, and instructing the camera to reset to original camera settings if the product identifier is identifiable in the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda
  • Publication number: 20230230033
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and techniques for imaging inventory objects in an environment. A system can include a cart, a first fixed camera fixedly mounted on the cart at a first angle, a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera controllably mounted on the cart, a PTZ controller, and a cart controller. The PTZ controller can receive PTZ instructions from the cart controller and send engagement instructions to the PTZ camera. The cart controller can receive, from the first fixed camera, first image data that captures a first inventory object, determine, from the first image data, a spatial location of a first inventory object, generate PTZ instructions to cause the PTZ camera to capture the first inventory object, transmit the PTZ instructions to the PTZ controller, and receive PTZ image data that captures the first inventory object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Todd A. Hagen, Donnie Tolbert, Arne Wilkin, John Ojanen, Nicholas Lojewski, Yeshwanth Gowda