Amazon patents camera system that tracks workers only at key spots
This patent describes a method for tracking people in warehouses using cameras only at specific checkpoints like entrances and exits. Instead of following a worker continuously, the system creates separate video clips at these points and links them together to identify the same person later.
In the filing’s own words
Disclosed are systems and methods for tracking and re-identification of agents through sparce and disparate event areas (entry, exit, inventory locations, etc.) within a materials handling facility that includes untracked areas. With the disclosed implementations, only certain areas of a materials handling facility need cameras while other areas may be devoid of cameras. With the disclosed implementations, re-identification of an agent may only occur when the agent enters an authentication event area, such as an exit event area and/or performs a defined action, such as an item pick from an inventory location or an item place to an inventory location. In other instances, while an agent may be tracked while the agent is located within an event area, the tracklet generated for that agent while in that event area may remain unlinked or otherwise disconnected from any other tracklet until re-identification of the agent is performed (e.g., when the agent exits the materials handling facility).
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: detecting a first agent in a first event area of a plurality of event areas within a materials handling facility, wherein: the materials handling facility includes the plurality of event areas and at least one untracked area that separates each of the plurality of event areas; and each event area of the plurality of event areas includes one or more cameras; generating, based at least in part on first image data from at least a first camera of the first event area, a first sub-session tracklet indicative of the first agent while the first agent is in the first event area; including the first sub-session tracklet in an unlinked sub-session tracklet list that indicates a plurality of tracklets indicative of agents detected within the materials handling facility; detecting a second agent in a second event area of the plurality of event areas within the materials handling facility; generating, based at least in part on second image data from at least a second camera of the second event area, a second sub-session tracklet indicative of the second agent while the second agent is in the second event area; including the second sub-session tracklet in the unlinked sub-session tracklet list; detecting a third agent in a third event area of the materials handling facility that corresponds to an exit of the materials handling facility; generating, based at least in part on third image data from at least a third camera of the third event area, an exit tracklet indicative of the third agent while the third agent is in the third event area; defining a plurality of nodes of a node graph based at least in part on the first sub-session tracklet, the second sub-session tracklet, and the exit tracklet; determining, based at least in part on the nodes of the node graph, an edge of the node graph linking a first node representative of the first sub-session tracklet and a second node representative of the exit tracklet; and associating the first sub-session tracklet and the exit tracklet with a first agent session of the first agent.
Facts
- Company
- Amazon (Amazon Technologies, Inc.)
- Official title
- Sparse agent re-identification
- Patent number
- US12749313B1
- Application number
- 18614385
- Filed
- Mar 22, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 29, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06V 20/52 Physics & computingG06Q 30/04 Physics & computingG06V 40/10 Physics & computingG06V 40/20 Physics & computingMore from Amazon in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.