Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
A SMART READER SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD
10011 The present invention relates generally to computer vision, image
analysis, and
.. data handling. More specifically, the present invention relates to
identifying, digesting
and processing data that is visually displayed.
BACKGROUND
[002] The United States and Canada are substantial seafood exporters in the
world.
During the fishing, processing, and transportation of seafood, weighing is an
essential
part of the industry. However, the traditional way of weighing seafood
consumes
significant manpower and is prone to errors.
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
15 10031 Various ones of the appended drawings merely illustrate example
embodiments
of the present disclosure and cannot be considered as limiting its scope.
10041 FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a networked system, according to
some
example embodiments.
[005] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware device(s) and
software
20 module(s) of one example embodiment of the smart reader system.
10061 FIG. 3 is a chart depicting how the data/result module of the smart
reader
system may analyze the data, according to one example embodiment.
10071 FIG.4 is a chart depicting one of possible outputs according to one
example
embodiment.
25 [008] FIG.5 is a chart depicting one example embodiment of unit
conversion.
10091 FIG.6 is a diagram illustrating one of the possible solutions of the
smart reader
system.
[0010] FIG.7 is a close observation diagram of FIG.6
[0011] FIG.8 is a diagram illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations of
30 a hardware device(s) and software module(s) of the smart reader system
referring to
one solution.
100121 FIG.9 is a diagram illustrating one of the possible solutions of the
smart reader
system.
[0013] FIG.10 is a close observation diagram of FIG.9.
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
35 [0014] FIG.11is a diagram illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations of
the hardware device(s) and the software module(s) of the smart reader system
referring
to one solution.
[0015] FIG.12 is a diagram illustrating one of the possible solutions of the
smart reader
system.
40 100161 FIG.13 is a close observation diagram of FIG.12.
100171 FIG.14 is a diagram illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations of
the hardware device(s) and the software module(s) of the smart reader system
referring
to one solution.
[0018] FIG.15 is an illustration depicting one scenario, according to one
example
45 embodiment.
100191 FIG.16 is another illustrating depicting one scenario, according to one
example
embodiment.
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
DESCRIPTION
55 100201 The description that follows includes systems, methods,
techniques, instruction
sequences, and computing machine program products that embody illustrative
embodiments of the disclosure. In the following description, for the purposes
of
explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an
understanding
of various embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident,
however, to
60 those skilled in the art, that embodiments of the inventive subject
matter may be
practiced without these specific details. In general, well-known instruction
instances,
protocols, structures, and techniques are not necessarily shown in complete
detail.
100211 In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention introduces some
specific technologies in the field of computer vision and data consumption.
These
65 technologies combined with electronic/mechanical devices make a product
that helps
read and record data that is visually displayed on the display of a scale, or
any other
device.
[0022] Intelligently reading the value of the scale may be used in the fishery
industry
(government, fishermen, seafood processing plants, etc.). At present, the
scales used in
70 the fishery industry may be 7-segment LED digital reading electronic
scales. Under the
premise of not replacing the scales, the electronic scale values may be read
in real-time
and accurately by loading a piece of external intelligent equipment alongside
with the
scale, and the values may be provided to a third application through an
electronic
interface.
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
75 [0023] As discussed herein, these technologies may apply to any type of
data that is
displayed visually. In one example, data displayed visually includes
characters
displayed on a 7-segment LED digital readout. In another example, visually
displayed
data is a numerical value displayed on an array of LED readouts (e.g., one
number for
each 7 segment LED). In another example, data is visually displayed via an
electronic
80 display constructed by a software application. For example, on the
monitor of a
computing system. Other examples include televisions, computer screens, tablet
computers, cellular devices, watches, or any other electronic systems capable
of
visually displaying information.
[0024] In one specific embodiment, the implementation of the present invention
during
85 the fishing of lobster can limit reading and writing errors while
operating with the scale.
Bad weather condition may mostly cause this error. For example, sometimes
people
can't read from the scale clearly when the scale display is reflective or
backlighting. Or
sometimes, people need to yell to other people to let them know the current
reading of
the scale, but the other people may not hear clearly if the weather is windy.
The
90 integration of the computer vision techniques and our data processing
format of the
present disclosure simply and effectively address these problems. This
embodiment
will be further described herein.
100251 In another specific embodiment, the implementation of the present
invention
during the boxing of lobsters can help people removing extra steps while
operating with
95 the scale. For example, the factory doesn't need to waste manpower on
weighing each
lobster during the division of the lobster, and their corresponding boxes
after the
division of the lobster anymore. This process may be done by using our
invention
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
cooperating with a third-party automated system. This embodiment will be
further
described herein. For example, a label printing system can be integrated into
the smart
100 reader system to automatically print a label for the lobster according
to the weight of
the lobster.
100261 In another example embodiment, the smart reader system monitors wieght
of
lobster to be placed in a box. The smart reader system, in one example
embodiment,
combines the weight of the lobsters, and prints a label for the box before the
lobsters
105 arrive in the box.
[0027] In a further specific embodiment, the smart reader system can be used
in other
industries that require real-time scale reading, such as meat production,
mineral
transportation, etc. Not just limit in the fishery industry. Furthermore, the
smart reader
system can be configured to consume and process data that is visually
displayed via
110 any electronic device. Visually displayed data may include, analog
displays, digital
displays, screen displays, or the like. For example, the smart reader system
may be
configured to read the display of a scale.
100281 Using computer vision and image analysis to read the data on the scale
and
record, process, and transmit the data electronically. Still more
particularly,
115 embodiments of the present invention as applied to help reduce the
reading and writing
errors, and increase their efficiency by removing extra steps while operating
with the
scale. Other comparable uses are also contemplated herein, as will be obvious
one of
ordinary skill in the art.
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0029] Let's take the example of the fishing, boxing, and transport of
lobster. When
120 fisherman finish processing lobster, they typically need to weigh each
lobster and
record their weight by reading the digital number from the scale and using a
pencil to
write the corresponding number down to a piece of paper. When the fisherman
sells the
lobster to the middleman, the middleman needs to do the same procedure again.
[0030] And then, it comes to the boxing of the lobster. While boxing, the
middleman
125 needs to divide lobsters into different types by their weight. And the
middleman needs
to weigh and record each lobster one more time. The reason that there is not a
good
idea to use the previous record data is the lobster may lose their weight
during the
storage. After the division, the middleman needs to put each type of lobster
into their
corresponding boxes. And each box needs to meet a certain amount of weight to
ship.
130 This step requires people to keep their eyes on the screen of the scale
while adding the
lobster into the box until the box reaches the required amount of weight.
[0031] In one example embodiment, the smart reader system solves this problem
by
reading the display of the scale and audibly notify the middleman when an
appropriate
amount of lobster has been added to the box. This significantly speeds up the
135 packaging process because the middleman does not need to visually
monitor the
display while packing the box, but can wait for the smart reader system to
notify him.
In one example, the notification is an audible beep. In another example, the
notification is a light, or other event that makes the middleman aware that
the
appropriate amount of lobster has been reached.
140 100321 When the lobster ship to the final person, the final person
needs to weigh and
record the weight of lobster one more time. Every time people weigh and record
the
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
weight using the traditional way, as we described above, read by eye and write
by hand,
it is error prone and quite manpower consuming. Integrating the smart reader
system
into this industry will save much processing time and improve accuracy of
associated
145 data. Furthermore, after digitizing the various weights read by the
smart reader systems,
the smart reader system can generate more accurate reporting and determine
areas
where weight is lost.
100331 In various example embodiments, a scale is operating with goods and
visually
displays the current weight of goods. A smart reader system, as described
herein, is
150 configured to use several computer vision techniques described herein
to recognize the
scale display reading, and analyze and organize the reading, and provide
aggregated the
result to a user.
100341 In one example embodiment, the smart reader system records a video of
visually displayed data and tracks pixels that change in frames of the video.
In this
155 example, by applying change detection algorithms, the smart reader
systems determines
which pixels of the image are associated with visually displayed data. For
example, in
a segment of a LED display the changed pixels may correlate with the segments
of the
LED display. The smart reader systems may then map LED segments being
displayed
with pixels in captured video and then determine the displayed value based on
the pixel
160 values in the associated captured image (e.g., frame of the video).
100351 In one example embodiment, the result of this system is a real-time
scale
display reading indicates the current weight of the goods. In one example
embodiment,
the result of this system is a formatted chart uses time as an independent
variable and
uses the weight of the goods as a dependent variable. In another example
embodiment,
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
165 the result of this system is a formatted chart uses one column to store
the time when the
goods been weighed, uses another column to store the weight of the goods, and
uses the
other columns to store other information like the notes, the description of
the goods, etc.
In further example embodiments, the result of this system could be any data
format that
can store the scale display reading as one skilled in the art may appreciate.
170 [0036] In one example embodiment, the user of a smart reader system is
a third party
server or a third party application. In another example embodiment, the user
of this
system is a person operating with the scale in front of this system. In
another example
embodiment, the user of this system is a person that is using a client device
accessing
this system via a network.
175 [0037] With reference to FIG. 1, an example embodiment of a high-level
client-server-
based network architecture 100 is shown. A networked system 102, in the
example
forms of a network-based marketplace or payment system, provides server-side
functionality via a network 104 (e.g., the Internet or wide area network
(WAN)) to one
or more client devices 110. FIG. 1 illustrates, for example, a web client 112
(e.g., a
180 web browser, such as the Internet Explorer browser developed by
Microsoft
Corporation of Redmond, Washington State) and a client application(s) 114
executing
on the client device 110.
[0038] The client device 110 may comprise, but is not limited to, a mobile
phone,
desktop computer, laptop, portable digital assistant (PDAs), smartphone,
tablet,
185 ultrabook, netbook, laptop, multi-processor system, microprocessor-
based or
programmable consumer electronics, game console, set-top box, or any other
communication device that a user may utilize to access the networked system
102. In
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
some embodiments, the client device 110 may comprise a display module (not
shown)
to display information (e.g., in the form of user interfaces). In further
embodiments, the
190 client device 110 may comprise one or more of a touch screen,
accelerometer,
gyroscope, cameras, microphone, global positioning system (GPS) device, and so
forth.
100391 One or more users 106 may be a person, a machine, or other means of
interacting with the client device 110 or the smart reader system 150. In
embodiments,
the user 106 is not part of the network architecture 100 but may interact with
the
195 network architecture 100 via the client device 110 or another means.
For example, one
or more portions of the network 104 may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an
extranet,
a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN
(WLAN),
a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network
(MAN), a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone
Network
200 (PSTN), a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a WiFi
network, a WiMax
network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more such
networks.
100401 Each client device 110 may include one or more applications (also
referred to as
"apps") such as, but not limited to, a web browser, messaging application,
electronic
mail (email) application, an e-commerce site application (also referred to as
a
205 marketplace application), and the like. In some embodiments, if the
smart reader
system is included in a given client device 110, then this application is
configured to
locally provide the user interface, and at least some of the functionalities
with the
application configured to communicate with the networked system 102, on an as-
needed basis, for data and/or processing capabilities not locally available
(e.g., access
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
210 to a database of items available for sale, to authenticate a user, to
verify a method of
payment, etc.).
100411 One or more users 106 may be a person, a machine, or other means of
interacting with the client device 110 or the smart reader system 150. In one
example
embodiment, the user 106 is not part of the network architecture 100 but may
interact
215 with the network architecture 100 via the client device 110 or other
means. For instance,
the user 106 provides input (e.g., touch screen input or alphanumeric input)
to the client
device 110, and the input is communicated to the networked system 102 via the
network 104. In this instance, the networked system 102, in response to
receiving the
input from the user 106, communicates information to the client device 110 via
the
220 network 104 to be presented to the user 106. In this way, the user 106
can interact with
the networked system 102 using the client device 110.
100421 An application program interface (API) server 120 and a web server 122
are
coupled to, and provide programmatic and web interfaces respectively to, one
or more
application server(s) 140. The application server(s) 140 may host one or more
225 publication system 142 and payment system 144, each of which may
comprise one or
more modules or applications and each of which may be embodied as hardware,
software, firmware, or any combination thereof The application server(s) 140
are, in
turn, shown to be coupled to one or more database servers 124 that facilitate
access to
one or more information storage repositories or database(s) 126. In an example
230 embodiment, the database(s) 126 are storage devices that store
information to be posted
(e.g., publications or listings) to the publication system(s) 142. The
database(s) 126
may also store digital item information in accordance with example
embodiments.
11
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0043] Additionally, a third-party application 132, executing on third party
server(s)
130, is shown as having programmatic access to the networked system 102 via
the
235 programmatic interface provided by the API server 120. For example, the
third-party
application 132, utilizing information retrieved from the networked system
102,
supports one or more features or functions on a website hosted by the third
party. The
third-party website, for example, provides one or more promotional, the
marketplace,
or payment functions that are supported by the relevant applications of the
networked
240 system 102.
100441 The publication system(s) 142 may provide a number of publication
functions
and services to users 106 that access the networked system 102. The payment
system(s)
144 may likewise provide a number of functions to perform or facilitate
payments and
transactions. While the publication system(s) 142 and payment system(s) 144
are
245 shown in FIG. 1 to both form part of the networked system 102, it will
be appreciated
that, in alternative embodiments, each system 142 and 144 may form part of a
payment
service that is separate and distinct from the networked system 102. In some
embodiments, the payment system(s) 144 may form part of the publication
system(s)
142.
250 [0045] The smart reader system 150 provides functionality operable to
determine the
current scale display reading and analyze and organize the reading as will be
described
later.
[0046] Further, while the client-server-based network architecture 100 shown
in FIG. 1
employs a client-server architecture, the present inventive subject matter is
of course
255 not limited to such an architecture, and could equally well find
application in a
12
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
distributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system, for example. The various
publication
system(s) 142, payment system(s) 144, and smart reader system 150 can also be
implemented as standalone software programs, which do not necessarily have
networking capabilities.
260 100471 The web client 112 may access the various publication and
payment systems
142 and 144 via the web interface supported by the web server 122. Similarly,
the
smart reader system 150 may communicate with the networked system 102 via a
programmatic client. The programmatic client accesses the various services and
functions provided by the publication and payment systems 142 and 144 via the
265 programmatic interface provided by the API server 120.
[0048] Additionally, a third party application(s) 132, executing on a third
party server(s)
130, is shown as having programmatic access to the networked system 102 via
the
programmatic interface provided by the API server 120. For example, the third
party
application 132, utilizing information retrieved from the networked system
102, may
270 support one or more features or functions on a website hosted by the
third party. The
third party website may, for example, provide one or more promotional, the
marketplace, or payment functions that are supported by the relevant
applications of the
networked system 102.
[0049] FIG.2 is a block diagram 200 illustrating the hardware device(s) 201
and
275 software module(s) 202 of the smart reader system 150.
100501 The hardware device(s) 201 of the smart reader system 150 could include
an
image capture device(s) 210, a computing/display device(s) 211, a storage
device(s)
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
212, an attachment device(s) 213, and the cloud 214. Or a reasonable
combination of
the above device(s) that provides the environment allows the software modules
202 of
280 the smart reader system 150 running or executing smoothly. The above
hardware
device(s) 201 may attach to each other physically in order to send or receive
data, or
placed at different places and use a network to send or receive data.
[0051] The image capture device(s) 210 may comprise, but is not limited to, a
camera,
an IP camera, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digital
assistant
285 (PDAs), smartphone, tablet, ultrabook, netbook, laptop, a multi-
processor system,
microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, game console, or
any
other device that a user may utilize to capture an image and process it
digitally. In some
embodiments, the image capture device(s) may comprise a display module (not
shown)
to display information (e.g., in the form of user interfaces). In some
embodiments, the
290 image capture device(s) may comprise a CPU or GPU that is powerful
enough to
perform some certain computer vision algorithms. In some embodiments, the
image
capture device(s) may be any other communication device that a user may
utilize to
access the networked system. In one embodiment, the computer vision algorithm
is a
neural network trained for image recognition.
295 [0052] The computing/display device(s) 211 may comprise, but is not
limited to, a
mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digital assistant (PDAs),
smartphone,
tablet, ultrabook, netbook, laptop, multi-processor system, microprocessor-
based or
programmable consumer electronics, game console, set-top box, or any other
communication device that a user may utilize to access the networked system,
perform
300 some certain computer vision algorithms and may or may not contain a
display. In
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
some embodiments, the computing/display device(s) may comprise a display
module
(not shown) to display information (e.g., in the form of user interfaces). In
further
embodiments, the computing/display device(s) may comprise one or more of a
touch
screen, accelerometer, gyroscope, cameras, microphone, global positioning
system
305 (GPS) device, and so forth. The computing/display device(s) may be a
device of a user
that is used to perform a transaction involving digital items within the
networked
system. In one embodiment, the networked system is a network-based marketplace
that
responds to requests for product listings, publishes publications comprising
item
listings of products available on the network-based marketplace, and manages
310 payments for these marketplace transactions. In one embodiment, the
computer vision
algorithm is a neural network trained for image recognition.
[0053] The storage device(s) 212 may comprise, but is not limited to, a jump
drive, a
SIM card, a micro SD card, a disk, a hard drive, a mobile phone, desktop
computer,
laptop, portable digital assistant (PDAs), smartphone, tablet, ultrabook,
netbook, laptop,
315 a multi-processor system, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer
electronics,
game console, or any other device that a user may utilize to store the data
electronically.
100541 The attachment device(s) 213 may comprise, but is not limited to the
adjustable
arms, the adjustable necks, clamps, shaped metal or plastic, or any other
device that a
user may utilize to hold the computing/display device(s), the image capture
device(s)
320 and the storage device(s) and adjust the relative position between the
above devices.
Of course, one skilled in the art may recognize other ways to position the
image capture
device such that captured images include visually displayed data and this
disclosure is
meant to include all such ways.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0055] In another example embodiment, the attachment device 213 is configured
to
325 automatically adjust the image capture device. For example, in response
to the image
capture device not being capable of viewing all of the visually displayed
data, the
image capture device may command the attachment devices to adjust the image
capture
device. For example, if the captured images are missing some of the visually
displayed
data to the left of the image, the image capture device may command the
attachment
330 device to move to the left so that all of the visually displayed data
is captured in the
images.
100561 In one example embodiment, the smart reader system automatically
adjusts the
position of the attachment device to ensure that the captured images include
the entire
display. In another example, the smart reader system automatically adjusts the
position
335 of the attachment device to ensure that the captured images include
relevant parts of the
display. In another example, the smart reader system automatically adjusts the
attachment device to capture a most prominent feature of the display (e.g., a
single
displayed value, a largest value, a most centered value, or the like).
[0057] In another example embodiment, the smart reader system adjusts the
attachment
340 device so that the display occupies a specified portion of the image.
In certain
embodiments, the specified portion of the display is between 20% and 100%.
[0058] In another example embodiment, the smart reader system presents or
transmits a
notification to a user in response to the smart reader system not being able
to adjust the
attachment device to capture the indicated values.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
345 [0059] In another example embodiment, the smart reader system indicates
to the user in
which direction to adjust the attachment device.
100601 In response to the image containing the scale display, but the scale of
the
display to the entire image is below 20 percent, ( suggesting that the
distance between
the image capture device and the display is too great), the smart reader
system indicates
350 to the user to move the image capture device closer to the display
until the display
occupies at least 20% of the image.
100611 In response to the image containing the display, but the display is not
complete
encompassed by the image (suggesting that the distance between the image
capture
device and the display is too small), the smart reader system notifies the
user to move
355 the image capture device further away from the display.
100621 In response to the image containing the scale display, but some parts
of the
scale display are missing, the algorithm outputs a low confident reading at
the edge of
the image where parts of the scale display are missing and triggers an
automatic
adjusting procedure until the new incoming image contains the entire scale
display. For
360 example, in response to the image capture device not being capable of
viewing all of
the visually displayed data, the algorithm may command the attachment devices
to
adjust the image capture device. For example, if the captured images are
missing some
of the visually displayed data to the left of the image, the algorithm may
command the
attachment device to move to the left so that all of the visually displayed
data is
365 captured in the images.
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[0063] In certain embodiments, the set of instructions that implement various
adjustment algorithms are part of the image capture device. Of course, this is
not
necessarily the case as computer processors that implement the algorithms
described
herein may be included in any portion of the smart reader system, as one
skilled in the
370 art may appreciate.
[0064] Cloud 214 refers to a group of computers that allow people to store and
to
access data and programs over the network instead of the local computer's hard
drive.
100651 The software module(s) 202 of the smart reader system 150 includes an
image
capture module 220, an image processing module 221, a data/result module 222,
a
375 storage module 223, and a remote interface module 224. The software
module(s) 202 of
the smart reader system 150 can also include some other reasonable module(s),
use a
reasonable combination of the module(s), or use another reasonable data flow
logic that
performs a similar functionality as will be further described.
100661 The image capture module 220 is to capture an image or a video
digitally that
380 may contain the output of a scale or other display. In one example
embodiment, it could
be a single image. In another example embodiment, it could be a video that
contains a
series of images. The image capture module could be hosted by an image capture
device 210, by a computing/display device 211 or some other device that can
capture
an image or a video digitally. Of course, one skilled in the art may recognize
other
385 ways in which the image capture module 220 may capture an image or a
video, and this
disclosure is not limited in this regard.
18
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[0067] If the image processing module 221 and the image capture module 220 are
hosted by the different devices, the image processing module 221 could receive
the
result from the image capture module 220 by a network(e.g., the interne) or by
a data
390 transmission line(e.g., a USB cable). If the image processing module
221 and the image
capture module 220 are hosted by the same device, the image processing module
221
could receive the result from the image capture module 220 by accessing the
memory
cash or the hard disk of that device. The result from the image capture module
220
could be a single image, could be a video that contains a series of images.
395 100681 In one example embodiment, the image processing module 221
receives a
single image that may contain the digital output of the scale display. In one
example
embodiment, if the image does contain the digital output of the scale display,
the image
processing module 221 applies a neural network trained for digital recognition
and
create a variable to store the data that shows up in the image and its
corresponding
400 timestamp accurate to milliseconds. If the image does not contain the
output of the
scale display, the pre-trained neural network won't be able to identify any
digital in the
image so that this image would be skipped. If the image contains several
outputs of the
scale display, for example, the date, the current time, and the weight, the
image
processing module 221 only applies a neural network trained for digital
recognition to
405 recognize the largest digital output in size. In this example, for a
scale display, the
largest digital output should be the weight, and the date and the time should
appear
smaller than the weight. If the image contains the digital output of the scale
display, but
it is not very clear, for example, the scale display is reflective or
backlighting. The
19
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
applied trained neural network will figure out the number that most likely
indicates the
410 scale display output.
100691 In another example embodiment, the image processing module 221 receives
a
video that contains a series of images. In this example embodiment, the image
processing module 221 separates the video by all the frames it contains. After
that, the
image processing module 221 analyzes each frame as we described above.
415 [0070] In another example embodiment, the image processing module 221
receives an
image or a video, but the image capture device is not set up correctly, for
example,
referring to FIG.6, someone rotates the camera 611 that hosted the image
capture
module 220 by 90 degrees in YZ plane and rotates the adjustable arm 612 by 15
degrees in XY plane accidentally, in this situation, the image processing
module 221
420 adjusts the image or the video, to make it looks just like the one that
captured when the
image capture device is properly. This problem can be solved by adjusting the
attachment device(s) to set up the image capture device properly as well.
[0071] In the further example embodiment, the image processing module 221
could
perform a pro-process method, for example, grayscale the image and resize the
image
425 to some certain size to adapt the pre-trained neural network. The image
processing
module 221 can also apply some other computer vision techniques to abstract
the
digital from an image, as one skilled in the art may appreciate.
[0072] The image processing module 221 could be hosted by an image capture
device
210, a computing/display device 211, the cloud 214, or some other device that
can
430 perform the computer vision algorithm that extracts the digital from an
image. Of
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
course, one skilled in the art may recognize other ways in which the image
processing
module 221 could extract the digital from an image, and this disclosure is not
limited in
this regard. In one example, the image processing module 221 crops the image
to
include a portion of the image consistent with the training images used for
the neural
435 network.
[0073] If the data/result module 222 and the image processing module 221 are
hosted
by the different devices, the data/result module 222 could receive the result
from the
image processing module 221 by a network(e.g., the interne or by a data
transmission
line(e.g., a USB cable). If the data/result module 222 and the image
processing module
440 221 are hosted by the same device, the data/result module 222 could
receive the result
from the image processing module 221 by accessing the memory cash or the hard
disk
of that device. The result from the image processing module 221 is the
variables that
contain the digital output of the scale display and the timestamp, as we
described above.
[0074] After the data/result module 222 receives those variables, it may (in
one
445 example embodiment) begin to analyze and organize those variables
immediately.
100751 In one example embodiment, a section of those variables contains a very
similar
timestamp but very different digital output, which means the output of the
scale display
was jumping at that time. This situation often occurs in 2 seconds when people
initially
put the material on the scale, initially add the new material on the scale, or
initially
450 remove the material on the scale. After the scale display jumping, the
scale display will
remain at a constant reading. So the data/result module 222 analyzes this
section of
variables and the rest of the variables to figure out which variables contain
the digital
output recorded when the scale display remained at a constant reading. And the
21
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
data/result module 222 marks those variables as "good" and mark the rest of
the
455 variables as "ugly." In another example embodiment, the data/result
module 222
records "good" data and deletes, removes or ignores other data points.
[0076] In some example embodiments, a short period of time indicates the time
period
less than 2 seconds or less than 10 percent of the stable reading period. For
one
example, if the worker initially put a lobster on the scale, and the weight of
the lobster
460 is 2.11 pounds. For the most scales, instead of display 2.11 pounds
immediately, the
scale will display some intermediate values first in 2 seconds (e.g., display
1.51 pounds,
1.98 pounds, 2.09 pounds) and then stable at 2.11 pounds. In this example, the
data/result module 222 records the "good" data, which is the stable reading
2.11 pounds,
and ignores the "ugly" data, which are the intermediate values (e.g., 1.51
pounds, 1.98
465 pounds, 2.09 pounds.)
100771 For another example, if there are two lobsters on the scale and the
worker
decides to remove one lobster. And the remaining lobster weighs 1.98 pounds.
This
situation is similar to the one above. Most scales will display some
intermediate values
in 2 seconds and then display a stable value of 1.98 pounds. In this example,
the
470 data/result module 222 records the "good" data, which is the stable
reading 1.98 pounds
and ignores the "ugly" data, which are the intermediate values.
[0078] In one example embodiment, a section of those variables contains a
similar
timestamp, but a few variables in this section contain slightly different
digital output
than the others while the rest of this section of variables contains the same
digital
475 output, which means there may be some external factors disturbing the
scale operation
at that time. For example, this could happen when someone applies pressure to
the plate
22
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
of the scale accidentally. Or the pressure could be applied by the climatic
factors like
the wind, the rain, etc. So the data/result module 222 analyzes this section
of variables
and the rest of the variables to figure out which variables contain the
digital output
480 recorded when it was an accident. And the data/result module 222 may
marks those
variables as "ugly."
[0079] In one example embodiment, some scales reading doesn't remain at 0 when
there is nothing on the scale. This may be caused by situations like the plate
of the scale
is rusty, or the setting of the scale is incorrect, etc. In this example
embodiment, the
485 data/result module 222 analyzes all the input variables to figure out
what is the error
reading when there is nothing on the scale and adjust the result by
subtracting the error
reading from the reading when there is something on the scale. For example, if
the
scale reading remains at 1 pound when there is no good on the scale, and then
people
put the goods on the scale, and the scale display shows the current weight of
the goods
490 is 17 pounds. In this example, the data/result module 222 subtracts the
error reading,
which is 1 pound, from the reading when there are goods on the scale, which is
17
pounds, to provide a correct result, which is 16 pounds.
100801 In another example embodiment, after the analysis, the data/result
module 222
begins to organize those variables and provide a result that can be shown on a
digital
495 display.
100811 In one example embodiment, data/result module 222 provides a chart that
indicates the time as an independent variable and the weight as a dependent
variable
and can be displayed on the computing/display device(s) like Fig.3.
23
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0082] In another example embodiment, data/result module 222 provides a chart
that
500 uses one column to store the ID of the goods, uses one column to store
the time when
the goods been weighed, and uses another column to store the weight of the
goods like
Fig.4.
100831 In a further example embodiment, the data/result module 222 not only
provides
the chart that displays the result as we described above but also provides an
interface to
505 allow users to adjust and modify the result. For example, people can
name the second
row of Fig.4 as "lobster," and adding a note as "put in the first storage
room." For
another example, people can delete an entire row of Fig.4 if they think that
row is
recorded by mistake.
[0084] In a further example embodiment, the data/result module 222 allow
people to
510 switch the current unit of measurement to any other unit of
measurement, for example,
people can switch the "pound" to "kg" as Fig.5 indicates.
100851 The data/result module 222 could be hosted by an image capture device
210, a
computing/display device 211, the cloud 214, or some other device that can
perform the
algorithm that can analyze and organize the data as previously described. If
the host
515 device of the data/result module 222 does not contain a display(e.g., a
device that
doesn't have a screen) or does not have a method to interact with the
data(e.g., a device
that does have a screen but the screen is not touchable), people can access
and modify
the result through the remote interface module 224 as will be described later.
Of course,
one skilled in the art may recognize other ways in which the data/result
module 222
520 could analyze and organize the data, and this disclosure is not limited
in this regard.
24
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0086] If the storage module 223, the data/result module 222, and the remote
interface
module 224 are hosted by the different devices, the storage module 223 could
receive
the data from the data/result module 222 and the remote interface module 224
by a
network(e.g., the interne or by a data transmission line (e.g., a USB cable).
If the
525 storage module 223, the data/result module 222, and the remote
interface module 224
are hosted by the same device, the storage module 223 could receive the data
from the
data/result module 222 and the remote interface module 224 by accessing the
memory
cash or the hard disk of that device. The data from the data/result module 222
is the
organized data as we described above, the data from the remote interface
module 224 is,
530 the most time, the instructions.
100871 In one example embodiment, the storage module 223 stores the organized
data
from the data/result module 222 using the PDF or PNG format like Fig.3. As one
skilled in the art may appreciate, PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is a raster-
graphics
file-format that supports lossless data compression.
535 100881 In another example embodiment, the storage module 223 stores the
organized
data from the data/result module 222 using a format that can be read by any
industry
standard spreadsheet program (e.g., Microsoft Excel) or CSV format like Fig.4.
100891 As one skilled in the art may appreciate, a CSV (comma-separated
values)
format is a delimited text format that uses a comma to separate values. Each
line of the
540 file in CSV format is a data record. Each record consists of one or
more fields,
separated by commas. The use of the comma as a field separator is the source
of the
name for this file format.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0090] In a further example embodiment, the storage module 223 stores the
video with
subtitles describing the current scale display. In certain embodiments,
subtitle indicates
545 the displaying weight on the scale display. For example, if the scale
display is
displaying "20 pounds," the subtitle is "20 pounds," if the scale display is
changing its
output to "15 pounds", the subtitle changed to "15 pounds" as well. For the
subtitle in
this example embodiment, we use a condensed sans serif at 36pt (like Swiss
Condensed,
Anal Narrow, Helvetica Condensed), with an edge as well as a slight drop
shadow. The
550 location of the subtitle is on the lower mid of the video, but may be
placed anywhere on
the electronic output as one skilled in the art may appreciate.
[0091] The storage module 223 could be hosted by an image capture device 210,
a
computing/display device 211, the cloud 214, the storage device 212, or some
other
devices that can store the data. Of course, one skilled in the art may
recognize other
555 ways in which the storage module 223 could store the data, and this
disclosure is not
limited in this regard.
100921 If the remote interface module 224, storage module 223, and the
data/result
module 222 are hosted by the different devices, the remote interface module
224 could
receive the data from the data/result module 222 and the storage module 223 by
a
560 network(e.g., the interne or by a data transmission line(e.g., a USB
cable). If the
remote interface module 224, the storage module 223, and the data/result
module 222
are hosted by the same device, the remote interface module 224 could receive
the data
from the data/result module 222 and the storage module 223 by accessing the
memory
cash or the hard disk of that device. The data from the data/result module 222
is the
26
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
565 organized data as we described above, the data from the storage module
223 is the
stored profile as we described above.
100931 In one example, the remote interface module 224 uses a real-time
communication protocol to provide real-time scale reading to a third-party
server 130
or a third-party application 132 via a network(e.g., the interne as one
skilled in the art
570 may appreciate.
[0094] In one example embodiment, a weight limit alarm system is tracking the
reading
of each scale to ensure the goods on the scale won't exceed 100 pounds, in
this example
embodiment, the remote interface module 224 keeps sending the real-time scale
reading to the weight limit alarm system. Once the weight exceeds 100 pounds,
the
575 weight limit alarm system alerts the workers.
100951 And also, the remote interface module 224 provides a user interface
that allows
a user using any type of client devices to access and modify the current
result from the
data/result module 222, and the stored files from the storage module 223 as we
described above, as one skilled in the art may appreciate.
580 [0096] In one example embodiment, a user uses a mobile phone to access
the remote
interface module 224 via a network(e.g., the interne as one skilled in the
art may
appreciate and modify the current result from the data/result module 222. For
example,
the user can name the second row of Fig.4 as "lobster," and adding a note as
"put in the
first storage room." For another example, the user can delete an entire row of
Fig.4 if
585 they think that row is recorded by mistake.
27
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[0097] In another example embodiment, a user uses a tablet to access the
remote
interface module 224 via a network(e.g., the interne as one skilled in the
art may
appreciate and view or modify the stored file from the storage module 223. For
example, if the user wants to know how the scale operated yesterday (e.g., how
many
590 goods this scale weighed yesterday and what is the weight for each
good), he/she can
open and view the file stored by the storage module 223 that record that
information.
For another example, if the user thinks some files stored by the storage
module 223 are
not necessary anymore, he/she can simply delete them.
100981 The remote interface module 224 may be hosted by the cloud 214, but it
could
595 be hosted by an image capture device 210, a computing/display device
211, a storage
device 212, or some other devices that can be accessed by the client devices
via a
network(e.g., the interne as well. Of course, one skilled in the art may
recognize other
ways in which the remote interface module 224 could provide an interface for a
user, a
third-party server 130, or a third-party application 132 to get required data,
and this
600 disclosure is not limited in this regard.
[0099] Fig.3 is a chart 300 that indicates the time as an independent variable
and the
weight as a dependent variable generated by the data/result module 222 as one
example
embodiment.
[00100] In this example embodiment, from time tO to ti, the goods were
initially put on
605 the scale, so the scale display was jumping in this time period. For
this situation, the
data/result module 222 marks the scale reading as "ugly" for this time period.
Of course,
other words may be used to indicate that the reading is not acceptable and
this
disclosure is not limited in this regard.
28
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[00101] From time ti to t2, the scale display remains at a constant reading.
The
610 data/result module 222 marks the scale reading as "good" for this time
period. Of
course, other words may be used to suggest that this reading is good or
acceptable, and
this disclosure is not limited in this regard.
1001021From time t2 to t3, the scale display was jumping again. This may be
caused by
external factors that we described before. So the data/result module 222 marks
the scale
615 reading as "ugly" for this time period.
1001031In one example emodiment, in response to visually displayed data
jumping, the
smart reader system wait until the visually displayed data stops. For example,
jumping
may mean that the reading on the scale is changing more than 10% in a given
period of
time (e.g., 1 second).
620 1001041In one example embodiment, an algorithm uses a calculus method
to calculate
the average scale display reading. Referring to FIG.3, the average scale
display reading
is the total area under the curve divided by the total appearance time, so for
this
example, the average scale display reading = (the area under the curve from tO
to t5 +
the area under the curve from t6 to t9 ) / ((t540) + (t9-t6)). For example, if
the average
625 scale display reading is 50 pounds, and if the current scale display
reading changing
more than or equal to 5 pounds per second, the data/result module 222
determines those
reading as "jumping," and marks those reading as "ugly."
[00105] From time t3 to t4, the scale display remains at a constant reading.
The
data/result module 222 marks the scale reading as "good" for this time period.
29
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
630 [00106] In another example emodiment, "good" displayed data means the
scale display
reading changing less than 10% of the average scale display reading per
second. In one
example, the smart reader system waits for the displayed data to be stable for
at least 2
seconds. For example, if the scale display reading remains at 42 pounds for 2
seconds,
the data/result module 222 determines this reading as "constant," and marks
this
635 reading as "good." The user can also customize this stable time by
their own habits.
1001071From time t4 to t5, the goods were initially removed on the scale, so
the scale
display was jumping in this time period. For this situation, the data/result
module 222
marks the scale reading as "ugly" for this time period.
1001081From time t5 to t6, the goods were totally removed from the scale, so
there is
640 nothing left on the scale, and scale display remains at the initial
value. For this situation,
the data/result module 222 marks the scale reading as "init" for this time
period.
[00109] In certain examples, the initial value means the value of the scale
display
reading while there is nothing on the scale. In this situation, the scale
display reading
could be 0. But if the scale is uncalibrated or something went wrong as we
described
645 above, the scale display reading could be some other number close to
but not equal to 0.
And also, the scale display may display nothing at all if there is nothing on
the scale.
The data/result module 222 determines what initial value of the scale is no
matter
which of the above situation happens. And if the data/result module 222
recognizes one
of the above initial value situations happens, the data/result module 222 will
be
650 prepared to analyze the next measurement.
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[00110] From time t6 to t7, the other goods were initially put on the scale,
so the scale
display was jumping in this time period. For this situation, the data/result
module 222
marks the scale reading as "ugly" for this time period.
[00111] From time t7 to t8, the scale display remains at a constant reading.
The
655 data/result module 222 marks the scale reading as "good" for this time
period.
1001121From time t8 to 19, the goods were initially removed on the scale, so
the scale
display was jumping in this time period. For this situation, the data/result
module 222
marks the scale reading as "ugly" for this time period.
1001131In this example embodiment described in the immediately preceding
paragraphs
660 and based on the above analysis and labels, the data/result module 222
assigns an ID as
"001" for the goods been putting on the scale from time tO to t5, use the time
ti and
weight w2 to record its corresponding time and weight. Similarly, the
data/result
module 222 assigns an ID as "002" for the goods been putting on the scale from
time t6
to t9, use the time t7 and weight wl to record its corresponding time and
weight.
665 Finally, the data/result module 222 generates a new chart based on the
ID, time, and
weight as Fig.4.
1001141Fig.4 is a chart 400 that uses one column to store the ID of the goods,
uses one
column to store the time when the goods been weighed, and uses another column
to
store the weight of the goods generated by the data/result module 222 as one
example
670 embodiment.
1001151The data/result module 222 also allows user to modify or edit the chart
400.
For example, people can name the second row of Fig.4 as "lobster," and adding
a note
31
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
as "put in the first storage room." For another example, people can delete an
entire row
of Fig.4 if they think that row is recorded by mistake, or for any other
reason.
675 1001161Fig.5 is a chart 500 depicting the unit conversion. Chart 501 is
stored in
"pounds." Chart 502 is stored in "kg." The data/result module 222 also allows
the user
to switch the weight representation to any other common units of the weight
measurement.
[00117] In other example embodiments, a common units of the weight measurement
680 include, but not limited to, tons(t), kilograms(kg), grams(g),
pounds(lb), ounces(oz), etc.
And the data/result module 222 allows the user to switch between any of those
common units of the weight measurement. For example, if the current goods
weigh
10.1 pounds, the user can switch to use kilograms to represent the weight,
which is
4.58kg; the user can also switch to use grams to represent the weight, which
is 4580g;
685 if the user decided to use ounces to represent the weight, it is 161.6
ounces; if the user
decided to use tons to represent the weight, then it is 0.00505 ton.
[00118] Fig.6 is a diagram 600 illustrating one of the possible solutions of
the smart
reader system 150. Referring to Fig.6, by combining mainstream electronic
scales on
the market, the present invention uses one or more universal brackets to fix
the camera
690 611, adjustable neck 612, and tablet 613 on scale display 614. The
intelligent model
reads the values on the scale through the camera in real-time. Accurately and
efficiently
identify the current weight, and finally provide the re-read weight value to
third-party
applications. The XYZ-coordinate plane 620 is also shown in Fig.6.
32
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
[00119] Fig.7 is a close observation diagram 700 of Fig.6 according to one
example
695 embodiment. Referring to Figure Fig.7, In one example, clamp 711 has
several
different models in order to fix the different types of scales on the market,
or other
devices, Tablet 613 is attached to Clamp 711. In this example, the camera 611
is
connected to the clamp 711 through an adjustable neck 612. Camera 611 can
fully
shoot the scale display at its proper working position (e.g., 15 cm), and can
clearly
700 display the numbers under complex conditions, such as low light, strong
light, and
reflective conditions. Adjustable Neck 612 can be used to adjust the relative
position
between Camera 611 and the scale display (which is not shown in this figure)
to ensure
the Camera 611 meets its proper working position.
1001201In one example embodiment, a "proper working position" is 15 cm between
the
705 display and the camera. Of course, other distances may be used
depending on the
capabilities of the camera and this disclosure is not limited in this regards.
[00121] In other examples, a proper working position is a high resolution
camera that is
far away (e.g., 10 meters or more) from the display, but is positioned to view
the
display.
710 [00122] In another example embodiment, the camera is placed to be able
to view many
displays from a far distance and the algorithms find the several displays the
perform the
algorithms described herein on each of the displays. Thus, in some
embodiments, a
single image may include several displays.
1001231 Fig.8 is a diagram 800 illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations
715 of the hardware device(s) 201 and the software module(s) 202 of the
smart reader
33
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
system 150 referring to Fig.6. In this example embodiment, the image capture
device(s)
210 is a camera 611, the computing/display device(s) 211 is a tablet 613, and
the
storage device(s) 212 could be a jump drive or could be a Micro SD card
inserted
inside the tablet which is not shown in the Fig.6.
720 1001241Referring to the example 801, the image capture module 220 may
be hosted by
the image capture device(s) 210. The image processing module 221, the
data/result
module 222, and the storage module 223 are hosted by a computing/display
device(s)
211. And the remote interface module 224 is hosted by the cloud 214. The image
capture device(s) 210 sends the data to the computing/display device(s) 211 by
a USB
725 cable. The computing/display device(s) 211 sends the data to the cloud
214 via the
internet.
1001251 Referring to the example 802, the image capture module 220 and the
image
processing module 221 are hosted by the image capture device(s) 210. The
data/result
module 222 and the storage module 223 are hosted by a computing/display
device(s)
730 211. And the remote interface module 224 is hosted by the cloud 214.
The image
capture device(s) 210 sends the data to the computing/display device(s) 211 by
a USB
cable. The computing/display device(s) 211 sends the data to the cloud 214 via
the
internet.
[00126] Referring to the example 803, the image capture module 220 is hosted
by the
735 image capture device(s) 210. The image processing module 221 is hosted
by cloud 214.
The data/result module 222 and the storage module 223 are hosted by a
computing/display device(s) 211. And the remote interface module 224 is hosted
by the
cloud 214 as well. In this example, camera 611 could be an IP (Internet
Protocol)
34
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
camera that has the accessibility to the intern& and send the data to the
cloud 214 via
740 the interne. The cloud 214 sends the data back to the computing/display
device(s) 211
via the intern& as well. And then, the computing/display device(s) 211 sends
the data
to the cloud via the internet.
1001271 Referring to the example 804, the image capture module 220 is hosted
by the
image capture device(s) 210. The image processing module 221, the data/result
module
745 222, and the remote interface module 224 are hosted by a
computing/display device(s)
211. The storage module 223 is hosted by a storage device(s) 212. In this
example, the
storage device(s) 212 could be a jump drive. The image capture device(s) 210
sends the
data to the computing/display device(s) 211 by a USB cable. The
computing/display
device(s) 211 sends the data to the storage device(s) 212 by a USB adapter.
And the
750 computing/display device(s) 211 has the accessibility to the network
that allows a user
to communicate with the remote interface module 224 via the network.
[00128] Fig.9 is a diagram 900 illustrating one of the possible solutions of
the smart
reader system 150. Referring to Fig.9, by combining mainstream electronic
scales on
the market, the present invention uses one or more universal brackets to fix
the clamp
755 one 911, clamp two 912, and tablet 913 on scale display 914. The
intelligent model
reads the values on the scale through the camera in real-time. Accurately and
efficiently
identify the current weight, and finally provide the re-read weight value to
third-party
applications. In this case, the camera is an embedded camera contained in
tablet 913.
[00129] Fig.10 is a close observation diagram 1000 of Fig.9. Referring to
Figure Fig.10,
760 the clamp one 911 and the clamp two 912 has several different models in
order to fix
the different types of scales on the market. Tablet 913 is attached to the
clamp one 911
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
and the clamp two 912. The tablet 913 contains an embedded camera 1011. The
embedded camera 1011 can fully shoot scale display 914 at its proper working
position,
and can clearly display the numbers under complex conditions, such as low
light,
765 strong light, and reflective conditions.
1001301Fig.11 is a diagram 1100 illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations of the hardware device(s) 201 and the software module(s) 202 of
the
smart reader system 150 referring to Fig.9. In this example embodiment, the
computing/display device(s) 211 is a tablet that contains a capture device(s)
210, which
770 is a camera.
1001311Referring to the example 1101, the image capture module 220, the image
processing module 221, the data/result module 222, and the storage module 223
are
hosted by a computing/display device(s) 211. And the remote interface module
224 is
hosted by the cloud 214. The computing/display device(s) 211 sends the data to
the
775 cloud 214 via the internet.
1001321 Referring to the example 1102, the image capture module 220, the image
processing module 221, and the data/result module 222 are hosted by a
computing/display device(s) 211. The storage module 223 and the remote
interface
module 224 are hosted by the cloud. The computing/display device(s) 211 sends
the
780 data to the cloud 214 via the interne.
1001331 Referring to the example 1103, the image capture module 220 and the
image
processing module 221 are hosted by a computing/display device(s) 211, the
data/result
module 222, the storage module 223, and the remote interface module 224 are
hosted
36
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
by the cloud. The computing/display device(s) 211 sends the data to the cloud
214 via
785 the interne.
1001341Fig.12 is a diagram 1200 illustrating one of the possible applications
of the
smart reader system 150. Referring to Fig.12, by combining mainstream
electronic
scales on the market, the present invention uses one or more universal
brackets to fix
the IP camera 1211, adjustable arm 1212, and clamp 1213 on scale display 1214.
The
790 intelligent model reads the values on the scale through the camera in
real-time.
Accurately and efficiently identify the current weight, and finally provide
the re-read
weight value to third-party applications. In this example embodiment, the
camera is an
IP camera, and the intelligent model may be hosted by the cloud.
1001351 Fig.13 is a close observation diagram 1300 of Fig.12. Referring to
Figure
795 Fig.13, clamp 1213 has several different models in order to fix the
different types of
scales on the market. The IP camera 1211 can fully shoot scale display 1214 at
its
proper working position, and can clearly display the numbers under complex
conditions,
such as low light, strong light, and reflective conditions. Adjustable arm
1212 can be
used to adjust the relative position between the IP camera 1211 and the scale
display
800 1214 to ensure the IP camera 1211 meets its proper working position.
1001361Fig.14 is a diagram 1400 illustrating a few examples of the possible
combinations of the hardware device(s) 201 and the software module(s) 202 of
the
smart reader system 150 referring to Fig.12. In this example embodiment, the
image
capture device(s) 210 is an IP camera.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
805 [00137] Referring to the example 1401, the image capture module 220 is
hosted by an
image capture device(s) 210. The image processing module 221, the data/result
module
222, the storage module 223, and the remote interface module 224 are hosted by
the
cloud 214. The image capture device(s) 210 sends the data to the cloud 214 via
the
internet.
810 [00138] Referring to the example 1402, the image capture module 220 and
the image
processing module 221 are hosted by an image capture device(s) 210. The
data/result
module 222, the storage module 223, and the remote interface module 224 are
hosted
by the cloud 214. The image capture device(s) 210 sends the data to the cloud
214 via
the interne.
815 [00139] Although the present invention has been illustrated and
described herein with
reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples of the few possible
combinations of the hardware device(s) 201 and the software module(s) 202 of
the
smart reader system 150, it should be understood that other embodiments and
examples
of other combinations may perform similar functions and/or achieve like
results. All
820 such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and
scope of, and are
contemplated by, the present disclosure.
1001401Fig.15 is an illustration depicting a scenario 1500 indicates one
example
embodiment of the smart reader system 150. The smart reader system 150 is
placed in a
dock, or on a fishing boat. People are using a scale 1501 to weigh the baskets
of fish.
825 One original way to do this is person 1521 put the fish basket 1511 on
the scale 1501,
reading the scale display and yield to person 1522 about the reading on the
scale
display. And then, person 1522 uses a pencil and a piece of paper to record
the display
38
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
reading. If the scale display is reflective or backlighting, person 1521 may
not see the
scale display clearly. If the weather is windy, person 1522 may not hear
person 1521
830 clearly. So, in this example embodiment, if people using the
traditional way to weigh
the baskets of fish, it is error-prone and quite manpower consuming, because
person
1521 may read the wrong number, person 1522 may hear the wrong number, and you
need an additional person, which is person 1522 in this case, to record the
scale display
reading. But if the smart reader system 150 is active, you only need person
1521 to put
835 the fish basket on the scale, and the scale reader system 150 will take
care of the rest.
1001411Fig.16 is an illustration depicting a scenario 1600 indicates another
example
embodiment shows how the smart reader system 150 cooperating with a third-
party
service or a third-party application, in this example embodiment, the smart
reader
system 150 is placed in an automated lobster division and boxing factory. The
factory
840 first needs to divide the lobster into four different types based on
their weight, and then,
put each type of the lobster into their corresponding boxes, the boxes also
need to meet
a certain amount of weight to ship. The conveyor belt 1601 keep sending the
lobsters
onto the scale 1611, and then, the scale weighs the lobsters and display each
lobster's
weight on its display, after that, the smart reader system 150-A analyzes the
scale
845 display, and then, send the scale display reading to a third-party
service, in this case,
the third-party service is a system that manages all the conveyor belts and
the levers.
And then, the third-party service controls the conveyor belt 1602 to send the
lobster to
the conveyor belt 1603. Based on the reading of the smart reader system 150-A,
the
third-party service controls the levers to split the lobsters into the four
different spots,
850 as shown in Fig.16. The lobsters will drop from the conveyor belt to
the bucket. The
39
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
smart reader system 150-B and the smart reader system 150-CE will keep
tracking the
scale display reading and send the scale display reading to the third-party
service.
When the bucket meets the required amount of weight, the third-party service
alerts the
worker to carry the current lobster bucket to another place and replace a new
empty
855 lobster bucket on the scale.
860
865
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-05-08
