Image recognition apparatus, commodity information processing apparatus and image recognition method

Abstract

An image recognition apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a controller. The acquisition unit acquires an image which captures by photography a pattern indicative of an object. The controller is configured to specify a pattern area from a first image which the acquisition unit acquires, to recognize a pattern which the specified pattern area includes, to acquire a second image from the acquisition unit, to determine whether a disposition of the object of the first image and a disposition of the object of the second image coincide, and to specify a pattern area from the second image, if determining that the disposition of the object of the first image and the disposition of the object of the second image are non-coincident, and to recognize a pattern which the specified pattern area includes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A commodity processing system comprising:
 a mounting table on which a basket containing a commodity is mounted;   a camera interface that receives an image from a camera that is arranged above the mounting table and photographs a commodity contained in the basket being mounted on the mounting table; and   a processor that obtains an image of a pattern of a commodity itself from an image photographed by the camera and recognizes the commodity based on the pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera photographs a commodity contained in the basket a plurality of times as a first commodity image and a second commodity image, the basket being mounted on the mounting table. 
     
     
         3 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the processor compares the first commodity image with the second commodity image; and   in the case where the processor determines that the first commodity image and the second commodity image coincide, the processor acquires commodity information.   
     
     
         4 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 3 , wherein the processor executes a settlement process based on the acquired commodity information. 
     
     
         5 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the processor compares the first commodity image with the second commodity image; and   in the case where the processor determines that the first commodity image and the second commodity image do not coincide, the processor sets the second commodity image as a first commodity image and acquires another second commodity image.   
     
     
         6 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the processor starts a process when the basket is mounted on the mounting table. 
     
     
         7 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 2 , further comprising an operation panel to instruct start of a process. 
     
     
         8 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 7 , further comprising a housing including the camera, the operation panel, and the mounting table. 
     
     
         9 . The commodity processing system according to  claim 8 , wherein the housing has a square basket shape. 
     
     
         10 . A commodity processing apparatus comprising:
 a mounting table on which a basket containing a commodity is mounted;   a camera that is arranged above the mounting table and photographs a commodity in the basket being mounted on the mounting table; and   a processor that obtains an image of a pattern of a commodity itself from an image photographed by the camera and recognizes the commodity based on the pattern.   
     
     
         11 . The commodity processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the camera photographs a commodity contained in the basket a plurality of times as a first commodity image and a second commodity image, the basket being mounted on the mounting table. 
     
     
         12 . The commodity processing apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the processor compares the first commodity image with the second commodity image; and   in the case where the processor determines that the first commodity image and the second commodity image coincide, the processor acquires commodity information and executes a settlement process based on the acquired commodity information.   
     
     
         13 . The commodity processing apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an operation panel to instruct start of a process; and   a housing including the camera, the operation panel, and the mounting table.   
     
     
         14 . The commodity processing apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the housing has a square basket shape. 
     
     
         15 . A commodity processing method comprising:
 acquiring an image from a camera arranged above a mounting table on which a basket containing a commodity is mounted;   acquiring an image of a pattern of a commodity itself different from a barcode, from an image photographed by the camera; and   recognizing the commodity based on the acquired pattern.   
     
     
         16 . The commodity processing method according to  claim 15 , wherein an image from the camera is a first commodity image and a second commodity image. 
     
     
         17 . The commodity processing method according to  claim 16 , comprising:
 comparing the first commodity image with the second commodity image;   acquiring commodity information in the case of a determination that the first commodity image and the second commodity image coincide; and   executing a settlement process based on the acquired commodity information.