Commodity information reading apparatus and program

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a code symbol reading unit (first reading unit) reads a barcode (code symbol) attached to a commodity from images of the commodity captured by an image control unit (imaging unit) using a first camera, a second camera, and a third camera. An electronic watermark reading unit (second reading unit) reads an electronic watermark attached to the commodity from the images. An object recognition unit (commodity recognition unit) recognizes the commodity from the images. Further, a commodity identification unit (commodity identification unit) identifies the commodity appearing in the images based on at least one of a reading result of the code symbol reading unit, a reading result of the electronic watermark reading unit, and a recognition result of the object recognition unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A commodity information reading apparatus, comprising:
 an imaging component that captures an image of a commodity;   a first reader that reads a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image;   a second reader that reads an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image; and   a commodity identification component that identifies the commodity that appears in the image based on at least one of a read result of the first reader and a read result of the second reader.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a commodity recognition component that recognizes the commodity from the image,
 wherein the commodity identification component identifies the commodity that appears in the image based on at least one of the read result of the first reader, the read result of the second reader, and a recognition result of the commodity recognition component.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein, if the read result of the first reader or the read result of the second reader is obtained, the commodity recognition component identifies the commodity based on the read result, and
 if the read result of the first reader and the read result of the second reader are not obtained, the commodity identification component identifies the commodity based on the recognition result of the commodity recognition component.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a commodity provided without the code symbol and without the electronic watermark is held in a tray and imaged by the imaging component. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising a wireless tag reader that reads tag information of a wireless tag from the tray. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the code symbol associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic watermark associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first reader is a barcode reader. 
     
     
         9 . A method for a computer that controls a commodity information reading apparatus to perform the following functions:
 capturing an image of a commodity;   reading a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image;   reading an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image; and   identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of a reading result of reading the code symbol and a reading result of reading the electronic watermark.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising
 recognizing the commodity from the image; and   identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of the reading result of reading the code symbol, the reading result of reading the electronic watermark, and a recognition result of recognizing the commodity.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein, if the reading result of reading the code symbol or the reading result of reading the electronic watermark is obtained, further comprising identifying the commodity based on the reading result, and
 if the reading result of reading the code symbol and the reading result of reading the electronic watermark are not obtained, further comprising identifying the commodity based on recognizing the commodity.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising
 reading tag information of a wireless tag.   
     
     
         13 . A commodity information system, comprising:
 a server comprising data of code symbols, electronic watermarks, and commodity images; and   a plurality of commodity information reading apparatuses in communication with the server, each commodity information reading apparatus comprising:
 an imaging component that captures an image of a commodity; 
 a first reader that reads a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image; 
 a second reader that reads an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image; and 
 a commodity identification component that identifies the commodity that appears in the image based on at least one of a read result of the first reader and a read result of the second reader. 
   
     
     
         14 . The commodity information system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a commodity recognition component that recognizes the commodity from the image,
 wherein the commodity identification component identifies the commodity that appears in the image based on at least one of the read result of the first reader, the read result of the second reader, and a recognition result of the commodity recognition component.   
     
     
         15 . The commodity information system according to  claim 14 , wherein, if the read result of the first reader or the read result of the second reader is obtained, the commodity recognition component identifies the commodity based on the read result, and
 if the read result of the first reader and the read result of the second reader are not obtained, the commodity identification component identifies the commodity based on the recognition result of the commodity recognition component.   
     
     
         16 . The commodity information system according to  claim 14 , wherein a commodity provided without the code symbol and without the electronic watermark is held in a tray and imaged by the imaging component. 
     
     
         17 . The commodity information system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a wireless tag reader that reads tag information of a wireless tag from the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The commodity information system according to  claim 13 , wherein the code symbol associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity. 
     
     
         19 . The commodity information system according to  claim 13 , wherein the electronic watermark associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity. 
     
     
         20 . The commodity information system according to  claim 13 , wherein the first reader is a barcode reader.