Commodity recognition apparatus and commodity recognition method

Abstract

A commodity recognition apparatus comprises an image interface configured to acquire the image of a commodity photographed by a camera and a processor configured to detect a commodity image from the images acquired via the image interface, carry out a commodity recognition processing for recognizing commodity candidates according to the feature amount extracted from the commodity image and a code reading processing for reading a commodity recognition code from the same commodity image in parallel, and as a result determine a commodity recognition code if the commodity recognition code is read through the code reading processing or output the result of the commodity recognition processing if no commodity recognition code is read and the photographing period for the commodity is ended.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A commodity recognition apparatus, comprising:
 an image interface configured to acquire the image of a commodity photographed by a camera;   a connection interface connected with and carrying out data communication with an external device;   a display configured to display candidate commodities recognized according to the acquired commodity image via the image interface;   a memory configured to store information of the candidate commodities recognized according to the commodity image; and   a processor configured to recognize, according to the commodity image, candidates for the commodity displayed in the commodity image, specify the commodity displayed in the image from the candidate commodities, output information of the specified commodity to the external device through the connection interface while storing information of the candidate commodities in the memory in association with information relating to the specific commodity specified from the candidate commodities, and display the candidate commodities on the display based on the information of the candidate commodities stored in the memory in association with the information relating to the specific commodity if a selection request of the specific commodity is accepted.   
     
     
         2 . A commodity recognition apparatus, comprising:
 an image interface configured to acquire the image of a commodity photographed by a camera;   a connection interface connected with and carrying out data communication with an external device;   a display configured to display candidate commodities recognized according to the commodity image acquired via the image interface;   a memory configured to store the commodity image; and   a processor configured to recognize, according to the commodity image, candidates for the commodity displayed in the commodity image, specify the commodity displayed in the image from the candidate commodities, output information of the specified commodity to the external device through the connection interface while storing all or part of the commodity image in the memory in association with information relating to the specific commodity specified from the candidate commodities recognized according to the image, and recognize a candidate commodity from the commodity image stored in the memory in association with the information relating to the specific commodity and display the candidate commodity on the display if a selection request of the specific commodity is accepted.   
     
     
         3 . The commodity recognition apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor clears the memory at a specific timing. 
     
     
         4 . The commodity recognition apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the external device is a settlement terminal for performing the settlement of a commodity transaction, and
 the specific timing is at when a settlement of a commodity transaction including the specific commodity is completed in the external device.   
     
     
         5 . A commodity recognition method enabling a computer which comprises an image interface configured to acquire the image of a commodity photographed by a camera; a connection interface configured to carryout the data communication with an external device; a display configured to display candidate commodities recognized according to the commodity image acquired via the image interface and a memory configured to store information of the candidate commodities recognized according to the commodity image, to achieve the following functions of:
 recognizing candidates for the commodity displayed in the image according to the commodity image;   specifying the commodity displayed in the image from the candidate images and outputting information of the specific commodity to the external device through the connection interface;   storing information of the candidate commodities in the memory in association with information relating to the specific commodity specified from the candidate commodities; and   displaying, on the display, candidate commodities based on the information of the candidate commodities held in the memory in association with the information relating to the specific commodity if a selection request of the specific commodity is accepted.   
     
     
         6 . The commodity recognition method according to  claim 5 , further enabling the computer to have a function of clearing the memory at a specific timing.