EP2992786A1

EP2992786A1 - System for displaying objects with movable support

Info

Publication number: EP2992786A1
Application number: EP15177625.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lorenzo GABELLINI
Original assignee: Nemes Srl
Current assignee: Nemes Srl
Priority date: 2014-09-02
Filing date: 2015-07-21
Publication date: 2016-03-09

Abstract

It is described a system for displaying objects, comprising: a device (1) for movably supporting an object (6); and acquisition device (2) configured for providing a plurality of digital images regarding a visibility region and a control apparatus (3). The control apparatus comprises: a processing module (15) receiving the plurality of digital images and estimating an attention level of an observer/passerby (9) for said object (6), and a control module (16) configured for comparing the estimated attention level with a threshold level and supplying a moving signal (SM) to the supporting device for moving the object, in order to facilitate the view by the observer/passerby (9).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to the field of systems for displaying objects, such as for example and non exclusively, articles for sale and works of art on exhibition.

PRIOR ART

The objects shown in the shop windows are often only partially visible to a passerby which is in the street and observes the window itself. For example, with reference to dummies for clothing, the passerby cannot satisfyingly evaluate the garment from the outside of the window, because he/she sees only the front portion or at most the side thereof. A complete view is only enabled by entering the shop.

SUMMARY

The Applicant has approached the problem of providing a displaying system enabling to completely view an object exhibited without entailing, at the same time, high management cost.
A solution to the above cited problem is offered by a displaying system as described in claim 1. Specific embodiments of the displaying system are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some exemplifying non limiting embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the attached figure, wherein:

Figure 1 shows an example of an embodiment of an object displaying system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 schematically shows an example of an object displaying system 100 comprising: a movable supporting device 1, a device 2 for acquiring digital images (a digital camera, for example) and a control apparatus 3, connected to the acquisition device 2 and supporting device 1.
The movable supporting device 1 comprises, for example, a base 4 movable by a motor 5 (M), preferably of an electric type, such as a brushless motor, for example of a stepper type or of another type. Specifically, the motor is mechanically coupled to the base 4 in order to make it rotatable by suitable commands generateable by the control apparatus 3.
The movable supporting device 1 is structured and sized for supporting one or more objects to be displayed. In the particular example shown in Figure 1, the object to be displayed is implemented by a clothing dummy 6, however the object displaying system 100 can be also used for displaying any other type of objects such as, for example: watches, jewels, electronic devices, works of art, objects of design, furniture accessories or clothing accessories.
According to a particular embodiment, the base 4 and dummy 6 are placed in an exhibition area of a clothing shop (a window 7, for example), and are viewable through a pane 8 by a passerby/observer 9 which is in a visibility area 10 outside the window 7.
The digital camera 2 is of a digital type and can be analogous to those used for the video surveillance and can have a standard definition or, preferably, a high definition. The digital camera 2 is such to supply a plurality of images or photo frames regarding a predetermined spatial area of interest. Particularly, the digital camera 2 can be inside the window 7 and arranged for continuously pan, with a determined time interval, the spatial visibility area 10 opposite the dummy 6. It is not excluded the possibility of arranging the digital camera 2 for monitoring an area inside the space wherein the base 4 and dummy 6 are present. According to the example, the digital camera 2 is mounted to an associated stationary support 11.
The control apparatus 3 can comprise a computer provided with a processing unit, a working storage and a bulk memory (not shown). Further, the control apparatus 3 is connected, by a first line or bus 12, to the digital camera 2 and, by a second line or bus 13, to a command member 14 (for example a switch/inverter) of the motor 5. The first and second lines 12 and 13 can be wired lines or can be wireless links.
As schematically shown in Figure 1, the control apparatus 3 comprises a processing module 15 and a control module 16, for example of a software type.
The processing module 15 is configured for receiving the digital images supplied by the digital camera 2 and estimating the attention level of an observer/passerby 9 for the dummy 6.
The control module 16 is configured for comparing the attention level with a threshold level and for possibly supplying a movement signal SM to the supporting device 1 in order to move the dummy 6.
During the operation of the displaying system 100, the dummy 6 is initially still because the motor 5 is turned off. The digital camera 2 supplies a corresponding plurality of images to the control apparatus 3 regarding the visibility area 10. Specifically, the control apparatus 3 processing module 15 can process these images for determining the presence or not of a human. If it is not determined the presence of a human, the dummy 6 remains advantageously immovable.
It is supposed that a passerby/observer 9 enters the visibility region 10 and that the processing module 15 determines that the former is a human based on the images supplied by the digital camera 2. Therefore, the processing module 15 further analyzes the digital images supplied by the digital camera 2, by executing anthropological and emotional analysis algorithms for calculating a plurality of biometric data defining an attention level of the passerby/observer 9 for the dummy 6.
Particularly, the attention level is estimated based on biometric data expressing the direction where the observer/passerby 9 looks at, and/or the direction wherein the observer/passerby 9 points his/her hands at. Such biometric data can comprise data regarding: the eyes, nose, mouth, face, limbs, hands.
According to the example, the control module 16 compares the estimated attention level with a threshold level. For an estimated attention level greater than the threshold level, the passerby/observer 9 is definable as an observer; otherwise he/she is simply definable as a passerby. In case the passerby/observer 9 is defined as a passerby, the motor 5 is not activated and the dummy 6 remains immovable.
Instead, if the passerby/observer 9 is defined as an observer, the control module 16 supplies a movement signal SM to the command member 14 of the motor 5 in order to rotate the dummy 6 (for example of 360°) at a predetermined speed, in order to facilitate a complete view of the cloth worn by the dummy 6 by the observer 9.
The dummy 6 rotation can be repeated several times for a predetermined interval and as long as the control module 16 detects, based on the results of an analysis performed by the processing module 15, that the observer 9 has gone away or has lost interest in the dummy 6. When it is detected that the observer 9 has gone away or has lost interest, the control module 16 supplies a signal to the command member 14 by which the dummy 6 is taken to a predetermined position and the rotation is stopped.
Optionally, it is possible to provide a display 17 and/or a speaker 18 communicating information about the features of the shown products such as, according to the considered example, the dummy 6 cloth.
The described displaying system 100 is very advantageous because it enables to offer a complete vision of the displayed object and, at the same time, avoids to continuously rotate the object on the movable supporting device 1, with a substantial energy saving.
The digital images analysis performed by the processing module 15 and control module 16 enables to reduce at the minimum the risk of activation due to "positive false results" caused, for example, by passing animals or passersby which do not observe the displayed object.
Lastly, it is possible to implement the system 100 without making changes to the object to be displayed, for example, by using standard dummies.

LIST OF THE NUMERAL REFERENCES USED IN THE FIGURE

object displaying system 100
movable supporting device 1
digital images acquisition device 2
control apparatus 3
base 4
motor 5
clothing dummy 6
window 7
pane 8
passerby/observer 9
visibility area 10
fixed support 11
first line or bus 12
second line or bus 13
command member 14
processing module 15
control module 16
display 17
speaker 18

Claims

System (100) for displaying objects, comprising:
a movable supporting device (1) structured to support and move an object (6);

an acquisition module (2) configured to provide a plurality of digital images regarding a visibility region (10) proximate to said supporting device (1);

a control apparatus (3) connected to the acquisition device (2) and to the supporting device (1), the control apparatus comprising:
- a processing module (15) configured to receive the plurality of digital images and estimate an attention level of an observer/passerby (9) for said object (6);

- a control module (16) configured to compare the estimated attention level with a threshold level and to supply a movement signal (SM) to the supporting device (1) for moving the object, in order to promote a view by the observer/passerby (9), or to prevent/interrupt the movement of the object.
System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the processing module (15) is configured to estimate the attention level based on biometric data expressing the direction where the observer/passerby (9) looks at, and/or the direction where the observer/passerby (9) points his/her hands at.
System (100) according to claim 2, wherein such biometric data comprise data regarding: eyes, nose, mouth, face, limbs, hands:
System (100) according to claim 3, wherein the movable supporting device (1) comprises:
a movable supporting base (4) adapted to support said object (6);

a motor (5) mechanically coupled to the base (4) and configured to cause the movement thereof;

a command member (14) structured to activate and deactivate the motor (5) and connected to the control module (16) to receive said movement signal (SM).
System (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein said movable supporting device (1) is structured to cause a rotation of the object (6).
System (100) according to at least one of the preceding claims, configured to display a dummy (6) mounted on said supporting device (1) in a window (7) of a shop, said observer/passerby being outside the window (7).
System (100) according to at least one of claims 1-5, configured to display one of the following objects (6) : a watch, a jewel, an electronic device, a work of art, an object of design, furniture accessories, clothing accessories.
System (100) according to claim 1, wherein the processing module (15) is configured to distinguish the presence of a human being among the plurality of images supplied by the acquisition device (2).
System (100) according to claim 1, wherein said acquisition device (2) is a digital camera.
System according to claim 1, further comprising: a display (17) and/or a speaker (18) configured to supply information about the characteristics of said object (6).