Image processing apparatus and image processing method

Abstract

An autonomous inventory tracking apparatus includes an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image, and a processor configured to detect a calibration plate in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit, calculate a color correction value for the image according to a color block of the calibration plate, the color block matching a reference value, correct color in the image using the calculated color correction value to provide a color-corrected image, and perform commodity recognition processing on the color-corrected image so as to identify the commodity in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous inventory tracking apparatus, comprising:
 an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image; and   a processor configured to:
 detect a calibration plate in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit; 
 calculate a color correction value for the image according to a color block of the calibration plate, the color block matching a reference value; 
 correct color in the image using the calculated color correction value to provide a color-corrected image; and 
 perform commodity recognition processing on the color-corrected image so as to identify a commodity in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous inventory tracking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having colors that match different reference color values, and   the processor is configured to generate a correction matrix for correcting R, G, and B values of each pixel of the image.   
     
     
         3 . The autonomous inventory tracking apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having colors that match different reference color values. 
     
     
         4 . The autonomous inventory tracking apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a robot configured to move along a route including a plurality of predetermined stopping positions; and   a camera on the robot, wherein   at each predetermined stopping position a calibration plate is disposed at a position viewable by the camera, and   the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire an image captured using the camera at each predetermined stopping position at the respective predetermined stopping positions.   
     
     
         5 . The autonomous inventory tracking apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a positional adjustment unit configured to adjust a position of the robot at each predetermined stopping position by reference to a detected position of the calibration plate in the image captured using the camera at the predetermined stopping position, wherein   the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire another image if the position of the robot has been adjusted.   
     
     
         6 . The autonomous inventory tracking apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the image acquisition unit is mounted on the robot. 
     
     
         7 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the process to identify the commodity includes comparison of the color-corrected image to a dictionary image of the commodity retrieved from an external non-volatile memory via an interface. 
     
     
         8 . An inventorying apparatus, comprising
 a robot configured to move along a route including a plurality of predetermined stopping positions;   a camera on the robot; and   an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image captured using the camera at each predetermined stopping position; and   a processor configured to:
 detect a calibration plate in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit; 
 calculate a color correction value for the image according to a color block of the calibration plate, the color block matching a reference value; 
 correct color in the image using the calculated color correction value to provide a color-corrected image; and 
 perform commodity recognition processing on the color-corrected image so as to identify a commodity in the image acquired from the image acquisition unit. 
   
     
     
         9 . The inventorying apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having colors that match different reference color values, and   the processor is configured to generate a correction matrix for correcting R, G, and B values of each pixel of the image.   
     
     
         10 . The inventorying apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having colors that match different reference color values. 
     
     
         11 . The inventorying apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a positional adjustment unit configured to adjust a position of the robot at each predetermined stopping position by reference to a detected position of the calibration plate in the image captured using the camera at the predetermined stopping position, wherein   the image acquisition unit is configured to acquire another image if the position of the robot has been adjusted.   
     
     
         12 . The inventorying apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the image acquisition unit is mounted on the robot. 
     
     
         13 . The inventorying apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the process to identify the commodity includes comparison of the color-corrected image to a dictionary image of the commodity retrieved from an external non-volatile memory via an interface. 
     
     
         14 . An inventory tracking method, comprising:
 moving a robot along a route including a plurality of predetermined stopping positions;   acquiring an image captured using a camera on the robot at each predetermined stopping position, the image depicting a commodity and a calibration plate positioned in proximity to the commodity, wherein the calibration plate includes a color block having a color that matches a reference color value; and   calculating a color correction value for the color of the color block according to the reference value color value;   correcting color in the image using the calculated color correction value to provide a color-corrected image; and   processing the color-corrected image so as to identify the commodity.   
     
     
         15 . The inventory tracking method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 generating a correction matrix for correcting R, G, and B values of each pixel of the image, wherein   the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having colors that match different reference color values.   
     
     
         16 . The inventory tracking method according to  claim 14 , wherein the calibration plate includes a plurality of blocks having different colors matching different reference color values. 
     
     
         17 . The inventory tracking method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 adjusting a position of the robot at each predetermined stopping position by reference to position of the calibration in the image captured using the camera at the predetermined stopping position; and   acquiring another image including the calibration plate if the position of the robot has been adjusted.   
     
     
         18 . The inventory tracking method according to  claim 14 , wherein the image acquisition unit is mounted on the robot. 
     
     
         19 . The inventory tracking method according to  claim 14 , wherein the process to identify the commodity includes comparison of the color-corrected image to a dictionary image of the commodity retrieved from an external non-volatile memory via an interface.