A light includes a hub and an arm extending radially outward from the hub. The arm includes a light source configured to emit light from the arm. The arm is rotatably connected to the hub such that the arm is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the hub between an extended angular position and a folded angular position. The arm extends radially outward from the hub in a different radial direction in the extended angular position as compared to the folded angular position.
F21L 4/02 - Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells characterised by provision of two or more light sources
F21L 4/04 - Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells characterised by provision of a light source housing portion adjustably fixed to the remainder of the device
F21S 9/02 - Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply the power supply being a battery or accumulator
2.
AUTOMATIC STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM HAVING STAGING AND SEQUENCING BUFFER LOCATIONS AND SEGREGATED STORAGE
An order fulfillment system includes a storage structure for storing totes, workstations for processing customer orders and a staging and sequencing buffer having staging locations for storing the totes. The staging and sequencing buffer provides a buffer for totes as mobile robots transfer totes from the storage structure and to the one or more workstations.
A checkout terminal is provided. The checkout terminal comprises a camera array, a display device, a weight scale, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to identify, based at least on images captured by the camera array, product identifiers associated with a plurality of different items placed in a placement area and on the weight scale, determine a combined weight of the plurality of different items based on product weight information stored in a product database, retrieve a weight measurement measured by the weight scale, detect for unaccounted items based on comparing the combined weight the plurality of different items and the weight measurement, and in the event that an unaccounted item is detected, display, via the display device, instructions to move one or more items to identify the unaccounted item.
A47F 9/04 - Check-out counters, e.g. for self-service stores
G01G 19/414 - Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means using electronic computing means only
A deployment system can include a computing device that is configured to receive a broadcast message from a deployment device in response to the deployment device receiving an approval notification and obtain a plurality of deployment parameters via a distributed communications system. The computing device can also be configured to identify an installation time included in the plurality of deployment parameters and download application data associated with an application identifier included in the plurality of deployment parameters to a local database. The computing device can also be configured to initiate an installation of the application data from the local database at the installation time and transmit a status update to the deployment device in response to the installation being initiated.
A heel insert is provided for an article of footwear that includes an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening. The heel insert includes a base. The heel insert includes a spine extending outward from the base to a tip of the spine such that the spine extends upward along a posterior wall of a heel region of the upper toward the ankle opening when the base is operatively connected to the heel region. The tip of the spine is moveable relative to the base between a first position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear. The heel insert includes a spring operatively connected to the spine such that the spring biases the tip of the spine toward the first position of the tip. The tip of the spine is resiliently deflectable toward the second position against the bias of the spring.
A heel support is provided for an article of footwear that includes an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening. The heel support includes a cradle configured to be operatively connected to a heel region of the upper. The cradle includes a base and a cradle arm extending outward from the base to a tip portion such that the cradle arm extends upward toward the ankle opening and toward a posterior wall of the heel region. The tip portion is moveable relative to the base between an expanded position and a collapsed position. The heel support includes a metallic spring operatively connected to the cradle such that the spring biases the tip portion of the cradle arm toward the expanded position of the tip portion. The tip portion of the cradle arm is resiliently deflectable toward the collapsed position against the bias of the spring.
A systems including one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computing instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, perform: receiving a plurality of images from one or more devices, the images corresponding to a store shelf of a store; combining the plurality of images to generate a shelf image corresponding to the store shelf; encoding the shelf image into a first processing format; processing the shelf image in the first processing format with a neural network using pre-trained weights; determining positions in the shelf image that correspond to an out-of-stock detection based on outputs from the neural network; and generating a report for the out-of-stock detection, the report including an indication of coordinates of the out-of-stock detection and an item of the store that corresponds to the coordinates. Other embodiments are described.
This application relates to automated processes for determining item placement compliance within retail locations. For example, a computing device may obtain an image of a fixture within a store. The image may be captured by a camera with a field of view directed at the fixture. The computing device may apply a segmentation process to the image to determine a portion of the image. Further, the computing device may determine a correlation between the portion of the image and each of a plurality of item image templates. Each item image template may include an image of an item the retail location sells in the retail location. The computing device may determine, based on the correlations, one of the plurality of item image templates and its corresponding item. The computing device may then determine whether the item should be located at the fixture based on a planogram.
G06V 10/74 - Image or video pattern matching; Proximity measures in feature spaces
G06T 7/73 - Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras using feature-based methods
G06V 10/26 - Segmentation of patterns in the image field; Cutting or merging of image elements to establish the pattern region, e.g. clustering-based techniques; Detection of occlusion
G06V 10/44 - Local feature extraction by analysis of parts of the pattern, e.g. by detecting edges, contours, loops, corners, strokes or intersections; Connectivity analysis, e.g. of connected components
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to establish retail point-of-sale (POS) hardware management systems, comprising: an intermediary system control circuit configured to execute computer program modules comprising: a hardware management module configured to operate as an intermediary module between multiple different sets of client POS systems, a plurality of different sets of hardware systems, and a plurality of shared resource applications. The hardware management module comprises a plurality of hardware manager sub-modules each corresponding to one of the sets of hardware systems. Each of the hardware manager sub-modules is configured to output communications and receive communications, for a corresponding one set of hardware systems of different sets of hardware systems, in accordance with a single predefined hardware communications protocol, of a set of predefined hardware communications protocols, corresponding to the set of hardware systems regardless of a type of hardware system or manufacturer.
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing natural language explanation to black-box algorithm generated outcome. The system is configured to determine a regression coefficient for each of the plurality of attributes based regression analysis, determine a decision tree based on the input data and the output data and a decision path of a select data item in the decision tree, generate natural language explanation of a categorization of the select data item based on the relevant attributes and regression coefficients associated with each of the relevant attributes, wherein the natural language explanation identifies at least one relevant attribute and an effect of the at least one relevant attribute of the data item on the categorization, and transmit to a user interface device for display, the categorization of the select data item along with the natural language explanation of the categorization of the select data.
A system and method for radiofrequency identification (RFID) driven stocking priority determination. The method includes associating a first plurality of items with a first set of containers, analyzing first item data associated with the first plurality of items associated with the first set of containers and second item data for a second plurality of items associated with a second container, calculating a plurality of priorities for the first set of containers based on the analyzed first item data, the analyzed second item data, and a set of prioritization rules, assigning the plurality of priorities to the first set of containers, and transmitting the plurality of priorities to a user interface device.
12.
IN-SCOPE AND OUT-OF-SCOPE RFID-BASED ITEM MANAGEMENT
Examples provide a system for managing inventory updates based on RFID data using product in-scope and out-of-scope rules (PISOS). The PISOS system adjusts on-hand inventory count values for an item upward based on item scan data if the scan data identifies a higher number of instances of a given item than is recorded in on-hand inventory. The PISOS system does not permit adjusting on-hand inventory downward based on the scan data indicating fewer instances of the given item within an item display area than is recorded in on-hand inventory unless a set of PISOS rules indicate the given item is in-scope for downward adjustments. If the item is out-of-scope, no downward adjustments to on-hand inventory are made based on the number of items detected during the scan.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06K 19/07 - Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards with integrated circuit chips
Examples provides on-hand inventory accuracy using radio frequency identification (RFID) tag data and expected populations of items for a plurality of sub-locations within a scan area. The system calculates a dynamic expected population of items value for each sub-location using item level data and modular display data for an item assortment assigned to a modular display within each sub- location. If the items detected by the RFID tag data match the expected population of items with a minimum confidence level, the system provides user feedback in the form of status indicators and/or accuracy indicators on a user interface. The feedback can also include audio feedback. If a discrepancy is detected, the system requests a rescan of each sub-location having a detected discrepancy. The system disallows update of on-hand inventory data using the RFID tag data if the discrepancy remains unresolved after the second scan and/or requests a manual verification.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06K 19/07 - Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards with integrated circuit chips
A system and method for error correction using radiofrequency identification (RFID) signals. The method includes analyzing one or more signal properties of received RFID tag data obtained from location tag(s) associated with one or more predetermined locations and item tag(s) associated with one or more items in the scan zone. The current location of the items is calculated based on the analyzed signal properties, such as, but not limited to, signal strength. If an item is located in the correct location, the assigned location of the item is verified. If the current location of the item differs from an expected location, the item location data for that item is updated with the current location of the item in a data store. Error correction data is generated, which can include updating the item location and/or providing instructions to move the item from the item' s current location to the assigned item location.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06K 19/07 - Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards with integrated circuit chips
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to inventory management, In some embodiments, an inventory management system comprises inventory items having attached fiducial markers, a control circuit, and an application executed on a mobile device operable by a user. The mobile application is configured to present a real-world view of inventory items within a camera'|| 's field of view, capture information associated with the fiducial markers, and transmit this information to the control circuit, The control circuit is configured to apply one or more information filters to identify inventory items having specified attributes and transmit these identifications to the mobile application. The mobile application is configured to present an augmented view of the inventory items by displaying indications over the inventory items having the specified attributes to identify to the user which items require attention.
An automated storage and retrieval facility includes an automated decant system for decanting cases of eaches received from manufacturers or others. The automated decant system includes a decant workstation which receives the cases of eaches, cuts and removes the packaging of the cases. Once case packaging has been removed, the decant workstation separates and organizes the eaches, and drops them into totes waiting beneath the workstation.
B65B 35/32 - Arranging and feeding articles in groups by gravity
B26D 1/04 - Cutting through work characterised by the nature or movement of the cutting member; Apparatus or machines therefor; Cutting members therefor involving a cutting member which does not travel with the work having a linearly-movable cutting member
B65B 35/40 - Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
B65B 35/58 - Turning articles by positively-acting means, e.g. to present labelled portions in uppermost position
B65B 43/58 - Means for supporting containers or receptacles during the filling operation movable stepwise to position container or receptacle for the reception of successive increments of contents vertically movable
B65B 57/16 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices responsive to absence, presence, abnormal feed, or misplacement of articles or materials to be packaged and operating to stop, or to control the speed of, the machine as a whole
A mounting apparatus includes a wall bracket, a first intermediate bracket, a second intermediate bracket, a first rail, and a second rail. Each intermediate bracket affixes to the wall bracket and includes a connection mechanism to affix the intermediate bracket to the wall bracket, a first side including a first plurality of mounting screw holes, a second side including a first set of threaded fasteners, and a third side including a second set of threaded fasteners. The first rail is removably coupled to the first intermediate bracket and the second rail is removably coupled to the second intermediate bracket. Each rail includes a front segment including a second plurality of mounting screw holes, a first side segment including a first set of attachment screw holes, and a second side segment including a second set of attachment screw holes.
F16M 13/02 - Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
Examples provide a system and method for optimizing single piece versus multi-piece shipment for source-carrier combinations. A manager component calculates an estimated shipping cost for all possible combinations of source- carrier associated with delivery of items from the source to a destination. The system iteratively calculates a cost for shipping the item with every combination of carriers and sources as a single piece only packaging, as well as a multi-piece packaging where applicable based on rate cards for the carriers. The combination of source- carrier and boxing method providing the lowest estimated shipping cost in a plurality of calculated shipping costs is selected for order fulfillment. The selected carrier is assigned to deliver the ordered items from the source location to the destination location. A notification can be sent to the user identifying the selected carrier and estimated date of delivery of the items.
Examples provide a cloud-based distributed secure shell (SSH) file transfer protocol (SFTP) server system for responding to client requests. A load balancer assigns client requests to available SFTP servers within the cloud based distributed SFTP server cluster. Each SFTP server is hosted on an individual VM associated with a cloud server. An authentication service authenticates the client requests using a single user profile. A registry table on a first cloud storage maintains metadata describing all the data records stored within a second cloud storage. The registry table and the data records are accessible to all the SFTP servers within the server cluster. In this manner, any server within the cluster can authenticate a user and respond to a client request while providing a seamless and uniform user experience while simultaneously reducing resource usage and improving scalability.
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
20.
METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR AUTOMATICALLY PREDICTING OTIF RATES
A computing device is configured to obtain order attribute data characterizing at least one order placed and to obtain rank data characterizing a supply performance versus other supply performances. The computing device can also be configured to obtain recency data characterizing a past supply performance and to determine a probability of an in-full fill rate of the at least one order using a fill rate prediction model. The computing device can also send the probability of the in-full fill rate to a supply partner.
An outdoor pellet grill that includes a grill housing including: a grill base; a rear wall portion secured to the grill base; a top wall portion secured to the rear wall portion; and a hinged grill cover providing selective enclosure around an interior cooking space within the grill housing. The outdoor pellet grill includes a cooking platform, pellet hopper, burn pot, auger, and actuator. The burn pot and the heat baffle are located beneath the cooking platform and provide heat to food from below. The auger extends between the pellet hopper and the burn pot and transports pellets of fuel from the pellet hopper to the burn pot. The actuator is rotatably coupled to the heat baffle and includes a first set of apertures positioned for selective alignment with a second set of corresponding apertures in the heat baffle to govern regulation of flames from the burn pot.
An outdoor griddle including a housing, a cooking surface, a drip drawer, and a heat source assembly. The cooking surface has a rectangular shape and is coupled within the housing. The cooking surface includes: a planar top portion; a front edge proximal to a griddle cook position; a back edge distal to the griddle cook position; a left side edge to the left of the griddle cook position; a right side edge to the right of the griddle cook position; a right-side debris management section located in the planar top portion at an area adjacent the right side edge, providing convenient access to right-handed cooking utensil interactions; and at least one aperture extending in an elongated fashion along the right-side debris management section of the cooking surface that provide passages for grease and debris to drain. The drip drawer coupled beneath the aperture(s) to catch grease and debris.
A47J 37/07 - Roasting devices for outdoor use; Barbecues
F24C 1/16 - Stoves or ranges in which the fuel or energy supply is not restricted to solid fuel or to a type covered by a single one of groups ; Stoves or ranges in which the type of fuel or energy supply is not specified with special adaptation for travelling, e.g. collapsible
F24C 11/00 - Combinations of two or more stoves or ranges, e.g. each having a different kind of energy supply
Examples provide a configurable, modular manifold system for distributing water. The manifold receives water via a first supply line dropped vertically down from a ceiling structure. The first supply line is connected to a water source, such as a water tank or pre-existing water line without demolition. The water may be heated or filtered and then supplied to a fixture or other device via a perpendicular second supply line. Drainage from the fixture is received via a drainage line. The drainage accumulates in an accumulator tank. The drainage water is pumped out via a second vertical drainage line carrying the drainage water away. The second line eventually connects to a pre-existing sewage line or septic system for treatment. The manifold may be moved or relocated easily to provide water to fixtures or other devices modularly without alteration of fixtures or access demolition to existing structures.
A preassembled modular vacuum plumbing assembly for attaching a plumbing fixture to a water supply system and to a vacuum-assist waste removal system includes a frame having two upright members and at least one connecting member between the two upright members. At least one water supply conduit is attached to the frame, each water supply conduit having a first end configured for attachment to the water supply system and a second end configured for attachment to the plumbing fixture for providing water from the water supply system to the plumbing fixture. An accumulator is associated with the plumbing fixture for receiving and holding water provided by the at least one water supply conduit to the plumbing fixture. A wastewater outlet conduit is attached to the frame, the wastewater outlet conduit having a first end attached to the accumulator and a second end configured for attachment to the vacuum-assist waste removal system for directing water from the accumulator to the vacuum- assist waste removal system.
A micro-fulfillment center fulfills orders for goods including both in-store picking of goods and online ordering of goods. Orders are fulfilled using both a picker to goods (P2G) model and an automated goods to picker (G2P) model. In examples, goods are replenished to the automated G2P system from store shelves which also serve the P2G model.
Methods and systems for detecting fraudulent activity at a self-checkout terminals of a retail store include a scanner for scanning an identifier of a candidate product located in the product-scanning area of the self-checkout terminal, and one or more sensors that detect at least one physical characteristic of the candidate product located in the product-scanning area of the self-checkout terminal. A computing device then correlates the obtained electronic data corresponding to actual identifying characteristic information associated with the candidate product to the reference physical characteristic information associated with the reference product in order to generate a similarity score between the actual and reference physical characteristic information. If the similarity score is above a predetermined similarity threshold, the self-checkout terminal is permitted to process a purchase of the candidate product, but if the similarity score is below the threshold, the self-checkout terminal is restricted from processing the purchase.
A control circuit accesses a digitized image of a particular item and then processes that digitized image to thereby assign various aspects of the digitized image to various dimensions in N-dimensional Euclidean space to thereby provide an N-dimensional representation. The control circuit then accesses a database containing a plurality of various clustered groups of N-dimensional representations. At least some of the clustered groups have a corresponding identifying label. Conducting a nearest neighbor search serves to identify a clustered group to which the particular item most likely belongs to thereby provide an identified cluster group. When the identified cluster group does not have a corresponding identifying label, the control circuit can then further determine whether a predetermined condition has also been met. When true, the control circuit alerts a user via a user interface that the identified cluster group should be assigned an identifying label.
G06V 10/764 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using classification, e.g. of video objects
G06V 10/74 - Image or video pattern matching; Proximity measures in feature spaces
G06V 10/762 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using clustering, e.g. of similar faces in social networks
G06V 10/98 - Detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern or by human intervention; Evaluation of the quality of the acquired patterns
G06V 20/70 - Labelling scene content, e.g. deriving syntactic or semantic representations
28.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING A MIS-SCAN OF AN ITEM FOR PURCHASE
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to detecting a mis-scan of an item. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for detecting a mis-scan of an item for purchase comprising a checkout station; a first staging location; a second staging location; a first area of interest at the checkout station; a second area of interest at the checkout station; a camera; and a control circuit configured to: receive an identifier of a first item; detect a hand of a user purchasing the first item, the first item, and a scanner on a first image captured by the camera; in response to the detection of the hand, the first item, and the scanner, initiate detection of mis-scan items during a checkout process; determine that a payment transaction has been received; and stop the detection of mis-scan items.
Described in detail herein is a forecasting system. In one embodiment, the system can generate forecast data for the amount of labor and physical objects needed at various facilities. 1
30.
FLEXIBLE AUTOMATED SORTING AND TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENT (FAST) ASSET MONITOR
A disclosed system for transport asset monitoring, for example monitoring truck trailer unloading progress at large retail locations, includes an artificial intelligence (AI) solution for managing operations at a facility. The AI solution analyzes current load percentage and other data to predict availability for moving the transport asset and ability to accept a new incoming transport asset. Predictions of availability can reduce response times, resulting in higher utilization rates for assets, thereby improving efficiency. An exemplary system includes a sensor configured to sense operation progress parameter data for a transport asset; and logic to receive the operation progress parameter data from the sensor; determine, using the AI solution and based at least on the operation progress parameter data, a predicted milestone parameter; and report the predicted milestone parameter to a remote node.
G06Q 10/0637 - Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
There is provided a conveyor assembly for sorting merchandise items. In one form, the conveyor assembly includes: a merchandise identification module; sortation modules each comprising a multi-directional sorting portion with two sets of rollers, a first wing including a third set of rollers, a second wing including a fourth set of rollers, and a controller configured to receive an IP address; a first, disassembled state of the sortation modules; a second, assembled state of the sortation modules; a merchandise database; and a control circuit configured to receive identifying information about an unsorted merchandise item, assign a unique IP address to each sortation module corresponding to the position of the sortation module, determine a sortation destination for the unsorted merchandise item, determine the sortation module corresponding to the sortation destination; and instruct the controller of the corresponding sortation module to divert the unsorted merchandise item to the sortation destination.
B65G 47/50 - Devices for discharging articles or materials from conveyors with distribution, e.g. automatically, to desired points according to destination signals stored in separate systems
Various configurations of picking and packaging carts are disclosed that can be advantageously employed in Ecommerce and retail settings to improve operational efficiency. Examples can preclude the need for a detour from the item retrieval location to a packaging area, prior to delivery to a shipping area, such as a drop-off point. Some examples include a frame; a shelf rack; accessory support units including a printer holder; multiple shipping container support units configured to hold a plurality of shipping containers of a plurality of sizes; and a packaging shelf arrangement comprising a top shelf providing a flat packaging surface.
B62B 3/10 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor characterised by supports specially adapted to objects of definite shape
G06Q 50/28 - Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading, distribution or shipping
B65G 3/00 - Storing bulk material or loose, i.e. disorderly, articles
33.
RELABELING SYSTEM FOR UNLABELED CARTONS FOR FAST SYSTEM
Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for relabeling items. A computing device is communicatively coupled to a scanning device, a printing device, and an inventory system. The computing device identifies at least one of the items as missing an expected label type, the expected label indicating a location where the item should be stocked. The system scans the item via the scanning device, queries the inventory system to determine a location for the item. The system prints, via the printing device, a label indicating a location where the item should be stocked in the retail facility, applies the label to the item and sorts the item, via the sorting apparatus, to transport the item to one of the outlets based on the location indicated on the label.
Shopping carts and mobile shopping baskets equipped with one or more bag attachment mechanisms are discussed. The shopping carts and mobile shopping baskets may include multiple rows of bag attachment mechanisms located at varying distances from a top edge of a cart or basket side wall. The shopping carts and mobile shopping baskets may include bag attachment mechanisms on multiple side walls of the basket. The bag attachment mechanisms may take a number of forms including downward facing loop attachment mechanisms, clipping mechanisms and/or hook mechanisms.
B62B 5/00 - Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
B62B 3/14 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheels; Steering devices therefor; Equipment therefor characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to presenting search diagnostic tools in concert with a website. In some embodiments, a system for presenting search diagnostic tools in concert with a website comprises a server, wherein the server stores code for a website including a first code set including executable code for rendering the website and a second code set including executable code for rendering a user interface integrated with the rendering of the website including search diagnostic tools for the website, and a control circuit configured to receive a search query, receive results for the search query, output signals to cause rendering of the website, wherein the website includes the results for the search query, and output signals to cause rendering of the user interface including the search diagnostic tools such that the user interface is presenting with the search results for the search query.
A folding wing for a conveyor is disclosed that can extend to facilitate sorting of items and providing additional space for docking locations. A first and second section each have a conveyor surface; and are coupled with a reverse-knee joint such that, in a folded configuration the conveyor surface of the first section and the conveyor surface of the second section are adjacent, and in an unfolded configuration, the first section conveyor surface and the second section conveyor surface form a contiguous conveyor surface. In some examples, the frame may be made of aluminum, and the rollers made of PVC, in order to reduce weight. In some examples, the folding section may measure approximately two feet by two feet. The folding assembly may drop down for even more space savings, when not in use, and be supported in an extended configuration with a second reverse knee joint.
B65G 15/26 - Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration comprising a series of co-operating units extensible, e.g. telescopic
B65G 17/28 - Conveyors having an endless traction element, e.g. a chain, transmitting movement to a continuous or substantially-continuous load-carrying surface or to a series of individual load-carriers; Endless-chain conveyors in which the chains form the load-carrying surface comprising a series of co-operating units, e.g. interconnected by pivots extensible, e.g. telescopic
37.
AUTOMATED PAINT MACHINE WITH CUSTOM ORDER CAPABILITY
Embodiments of a vending system are disclosed for delivering custom paints, permitting automated paint mixing and dispensing without the need for assistance. Customizable paint may be ordered locally or remotely, possibly with improved color matching that leverages color references to compare a known color with a color as observed within an image provided by the customer. Dimensional estimates of the surface to be painted may be possible using scale references within an image provided by the customer, to provide quantity suggestions. Common consumer products, having packaging of known color and dimensions, placed within the image provided by the customer may provide both color references and scale references. A preview function may replicate the image provided by the customer, but indicating the new paint color, as adjusted according to an analysis of one or more color references.
38.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING OF DESIGNATED ITEMS IN A FACILITY
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are provided for processing of designated items in a facility. In exemplary embodiments, data is received from the scanning of a machine-readable identifier affixed to a first item and that type of item is identified as requiring special handling based on the data and unique criteria derived for the facility. The unique criteria are based at least in part on historical loss data associated with the facility. The item is placed in a secure storage location and one or more images taken by an imaging device of the designated item located in the secure storage location are taken. The images of the designated item in the secure storage location are associated with a record for the designated item in a database.
Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for slot capacity adjustment. A utilization rate of a facility for a plurality of time slots is determined. Slots having a utilization rate that can have an associated capacity increased are identified and the capacity for the slots having a utilization rate that can be increased is increased. Slots having a utilization rate that can have an associated capacity decreased are identified and these slots have their capacity decreased. A slot-to-slot capacity variance of greater than a smoothing threshold are identified and smoothed. A capacity schedule is produced based on the capacity increases, capacity decreases, and capacity smoothing.
40.
DYNAMIC NEGATIVE PERPETUAL INVENTORY RESOLUTION SYSTEM
Examples provide a system for dynamically resolving negatve PI. A negative reset component resets a negative PI value in an inventory record for a selected item to zero if there is an absence of activity associated with instances of the item. There is an absence of activity if there are no shipments, transactions, or items scans associated with instances of the item during a threshold time-period. An analysis component analyzes real-time data associated with the selected item, including invoice data, transaction data, and sensor data to determine whether there is activity associated with an item during the threshold time-period. A receiving component resets a negative PI value associated with an identified item to a positive PI value representing the number of instances of the item received during the threshold time-period.
Exemplary embodiments provide a transportation staffing management system. An amount of transportations miles are forecasted for delivering inventory from a distribution enter to a store based on a sales forecast for a store. Non-driving time for drivers engaged in delivering inventory to a store is tracked based on data collected in real-time from mobile computing devices associated with delivery vehicles. An amount of time needed to deliver the inventory based on the forecasted amount of transportation miles and non-driving is calculated. An optimal transportation workload is generated for the distribution center based on the amount of time, data from a first database storing data from a central office, and data from a second database storing data from a distribution center.
G06Q 10/04 - Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem"
G06Q 10/0631 - Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
G06Q 50/40 - Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q 10/83)
G06Q 10/087 - Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
Examples provide a system for managing disposition of returned items and/or items having damaged packaging. An item is identified based on item scan data. Item data associated with the item and condition data describing the condition of the item, including describing defects in the item or item packaging. The system identifies a set of applicable disposition options customized for the item. The system recommends a disposition from the set of applicable disposition options to assist the user with selection of an appropriate disposition. The disposition can include a price markdown, donation of the item, return of the item to a supplier, and so forth. If the selected option is a markdown of the item, the item disposition component generates a markdown amount for the selected item which avoids loss for the item. The item disposition system generates a label for the item including details of the selected disposition.
An opportunistic rail charging system is disclosed for recharging power supplies on mobile robots transporting goods within an automated order fulfillment system. Individual chargers may be incorporated into each mobile robot for converting a facility line voltage from the charge rail to a voltage for which the rechargeable power supplies on each mobile robot are rated.
Examples provide customized authorization of item self-returns. A customized returns manager component calculates a customized return-trust score and a per-item return value based on analysis of item data and transaction history data. If a per-user return-trust score is within an unacceptable threshold range or an item value is within an unacceptable threshold value range, a second user is assigned to assist a first user with completion of the proposed return of the selected item. If the per-user return-trust score and the item value is within an acceptable threshold range, a return authorization component authorizes unassisted self-return of the selected item. An item disposition component determines in real-time whether to permit the first user to keep the selected item or instruct the first user to return the selected item to a designated item return area prior to completion of the item return based on a set of item disposition criteria.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
45.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINE-TUNING SALES CLUSTERS FOR STORES
Based upon the transition information for all the retail stores, a determination is made of an average cluster retention score. The average cluster retention score is a measure of how many retail stores have moved from original to different existing sales clusters in the current sales period. When the average cluster retention score is below a predetermined threshold, a complete re-organization of the existing sales clusters is performed. When the average cluster retention score is above the predetermined threshold, a determination is made as to whether each retail store should be re-classified.
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing adequate instructions to conduct an inventory of a store, and specifically a how to provide an accurate inventory of difficult to count items. As a store is performing an inventory, instructions to perform re-counts of specific items are sent. As the re-count begins, videos, text, or other materials needed to perform a complete re-count are distributed to the store associate performing the re-count task. If the re-count is outside pre-defined thresholds, an additional task to re-count the item may be assigned. Based on these actions, the set of rules used to identify when the re-count should occur can be modified.
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing adequate instructions to conduct an inventory of a store, and specifically a pre-inventory of difficult to count items. As store are selected for performing an inventory, instructions to perform pre-counts of specific items are sent. As the pre-count begins, videos, text, or other materials needed to perform a complete pre-count are distributed to the store associate performing the pre-count task. If the pre-count is outside pre-defined thresholds, an additional task to re-count the item may be assigned. Based on these actions, the set of rules used to identify when the re-count should occur can be modified.
Examples provide a perpetual inventory (PI) reconciliation system. A PI controller analyzes item data using a set of PI purge criteria and a set of weighted prioritization variables to select a highest priority seasonal inventory item having a positive PI value a per-item threshold time after an end-of-season (EOS) date for PI purge analysis. A PI controller determines if the selected item is a high confidence item or a low confidence item based on a set of confidence rules and item data. If the selected item is a high confidence item, a PI purge component sets an inventory value for the selected item to zero to eliminate the positive PI. If the selected item is a low confidence item, a verification component verifies the number of physical instances of the selected item. The inventory value is updated using the verified number of physical instances.
Described in detail herein are systems and methods for routing data in a distributed environment. A controller can maintain an inactive state. A terminal can receive a request associated with a physical object. The terminal can be communicatively coupled to a cloud computing system. The terminal can attempt to transmit the request to the cloud computing system. A router communicatively coupled to the controller and cloud computing system can attempt to initiate communication between the terminal and the cloud computing system in response to the terminal attempt to transmit the request to the cloud computing system. The router can route the request to the controller in response to failing to initiate communication between the terminal and the cloud computing system after specified amount of time. The controller can switch from an inactive state to an active state in response to receiving the request.
H04L 41/0668 - Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications using network fault recovery by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
H04L 67/10 - Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network
H04L 67/1097 - Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
H04L 67/563 - Data redirection of data network streams
H04L 12/28 - Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
H04L 69/40 - Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection
50.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING TRANSITION POINTS IN A RETAIL FACILITY
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to updating an inventory database. In some embodiments, a system for updating an inventory database comprises an array of RFID readers positioned at different locations about the retail facility, where the RFID readers are configured to read RFID tags associated with products, and a control circuit, the control circuit configured to receive, from one or more RFID readers, identifiers, wherein the identifiers are associated with the RFID tags, determine, based on the identifiers, a flow of RFID tags, identify, without reference to a structural map of the retail facility, a transition point from the stockroom to the sales floor, determine, based on an RFID read, that a product has passed through the transition point from the stockroom to the sales floor, and update the inventory database to indicate that the product is located on the sales floor.
Example item alignment tools for aligning items on a shelf are described. The item alignment tools include an elongated planar body defining a proximal end, a distal end, a bottom straight edge, a top edge, and first and second opposing sides extending between the bottom straight edge and the top edge. The item alignment tools include a handle coupled to the proximal end of the elongated planar body. The item alignment tools include a wrap positioned over and covering at least a portion of the bottom straight edge of the elongated planar body to provide a protective layer for sliding along a surface of a shelf to facilitate alignment of items on the shelf.
A priority is dynamically assigned to each of the inventory-related values. A confidence score is determined based upon an evaluation of all of the prioritized inventory-related values. Based upon the confidence score, one or more PI programs for the retail store is authorized for utilization. The number of inventory-related values used and the priorities for these values are dynamically changeable.
Examples of the disclosure provide for an automated inspection system. The system includes an inspection component implemented on at least one computing device with at least one sensor configured to capture data about a good; and a communication component communicatively coupled to the computing device and configured to receive information regarding regulations and quality control standards associated with the good, and transmit the information regarding the acceptability of a good to an inventory system.
G05B 19/418 - Total factory control, i.e. centrally controlling a plurality of machines, e.g. direct or distributed numerical control (DNC), flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), integrated manufacturing systems (IMS), computer integrated manufacturing (CIM)
B65B 57/18 - Automatic control, checking, warning or safety devices causing operation of audible or visible alarm signals
G01G 17/00 - Apparatus for, or methods of, weighing material of special form or property
G01G 19/00 - Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in groups
54.
PICKING WORKSTATION WITH MOBILE ROBOTS & MACHINE VISION VERIFICATION OF EACH TRANSFERS PERFORMED BY HUMAN OPERATORS
A workstation is disclosed for transferring objects between containers such as product and order totes in an order fulfillment system. The workstation may include an object pick system, for example including a measuring array or a machine vision system, which directs and monitors the transfer of objects between the containers.
Shipment receiving systems and methods are disclosed. Invoice and store inventory management data is provided to an invoice processor for assigning expected destinations to lanes of a material transporter having and a plurality of outlet lanes that each have an indicator. A scanner determines a case identifier for each case which is routed accordingly. One or more notifications is provided to the indicator of one or more of the plurality of outlet lanes. Received shipment data enables reconciliation of upstream supply change management systems and downstream store inventory systems.
G06Q 10/087 - Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
B65G 1/137 - Storage devices mechanical with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
B65G 37/00 - Combinations of mechanical conveyors of the same kind, or of different kinds, of interest apart from their application in particular machines or use in particular manufacturing processes
Embodiments of a conveyor system for separating cases of product are disclosed. An elongated, substantially horizontal frame extends from an entry point to an exit point and has a plurality of linear zones. A plurality of motivators is arranged along the frame, such that a case placed on one or more motivators will be moved forward toward the exit point by a coordinated movement of the motivators. A plurality of case sensors arranged along the frame detects the presence of one or more cases within each of the linear zones, and a controller activates the motivators such that a minimum time period elapses between cases delivered to the exit point. The system can include an AC/DC power supply configured to receive 110-120V alternating current power at 60Hz and to provide direct current power to the controller, the plurality of case sensors, and the plurality of individually-controllable motivators.
A system comprising a fully automated supply chain, in combination with tracking technology and the unified commerce engine (UCE). Such a system enables the exact location of every item (or each) to be tracked from the manufacturer's facility to a customer's bag. In accordance with one example, the supply chain comprises an order fulfillment system having a regional distribution center with RDC robotic automation configured to accept one or more incoming pallets, each pallet having a plurality of common cases of goods with each case of goods containing a plurality of common eaches; the RDC robotic automation further configured to remove and store the common cases of goods; the RDC robotic automation further configured to provide one or more outgoing pallets in response to a distribution center order, each outgoing pallet having a plurality of mixed cases of goods; a market distribution center having MDC robotic automation configured to accept one or more of the outgoing pallets, the MDC robotic automation further configured to remove mixed cases of goods from the one or more outgoing pallets; the MDC robotic automation further configured to remove and store eaches from each of the mixed cases of goods in an MDC storage system, the MDC robotic automation further configured to selectively retrieve eaches from the MDC storage system and fill order totes with mixed each subtotes in response to a market order. The MDC robotic automation further configured to fulfill the market order with a plurality of common or different order totes and subtotes that flexibly match the sales velocity of the market.
A system and method for providing proxy picking of non-fungible goods within an automated storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The proxy picking system and method are configured to pick individually identified non-fungible goods according to a customer selection on an ordering screen based on measured attributes and images of the goods, the attributes selected by the customer.
A system and method are disclosed relating to an automated store or system including an automated fulfillment section having a storage structure for storing fungible and/or non-fungible goods. The fungible and/or non-fungible goods may be retrieved from storage in response to a customer order. The system and method of the present technology allows retrieved fungible and/or non-fungible goods to be sorted and packed in accordance with stored customer preferences.
Methods and systems for secure cloud provider communication are disclosed. A method may include receiving a request to transmit data from one of a first cloud provider, an entity network, and a second cloud provider to another of the first cloud provider, the entity network, and the second cloud provider. The method may further include determining levels of trust associated with the one of the first cloud provider, the entity network, and the second cloud provider and the another of the first cloud provider, the entity network, and the second cloud provider, wherein the levels of trust are based on endpoint control by the entity network. The method may also include transmitting the data from the one of the first cloud provider, the entity network, and the second cloud provider to a cloud security stack based on the determined levels of trust.
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
61.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SPECIALIZED COMPUTER FILE SYSTEM
A specialized computer file system for self-managing data storage resources provided as a service to remotely executed applications. The system includes a data storage device configured to store a plurality of data files in a non-relational data store. A storage server is configured to upload a data file to the data storage device to be stored with the plurality of data files. The storage server generate a file link associated with the data file. The storage server transmit the file link to the client application, wherein the client application transmits the file link to an end user. A maintenance server is configured to execute an erase operation to autonomously erase the at least one data file from the data storage device after the data file has been stored in the data storage device for a specified duration of time.
G06F 3/06 - Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers
G06F 11/14 - Error detection or correction of the data by redundancy in operation, e.g. by using different operation sequences leading to the same result
62.
AUTOMATED STORE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE AUTOMATED MOBILE ROBOTS
A system and method for managing a plurality of automated mobile robots within automated mobile robot storage and retrieval system is provided, which repurposes one or more automated mobile robots operating within the automated inventory management system to perform a plurality of tasks across multiple different areas of an automated store. The same mobile robot is enabled to move horizontally and vertically in a multi-level storage structure (230), operate in an order fulfillment mode retrieving order totes from an automated fulfillment section (204) and delivering the order totes to the delivery section (208), operate in a replenishment section (206) in a replenishment mode receiving eaches of goods and depositing the eaches of goods in designated storage totes, and operate in a delivery mode receiving delivery bundles and transporting the delivery bundles to designated locations at the transfer station.
In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to monitor and adjust perpetual inventory (PI). Some embodiments comprise multiple point of sale (POS) systems; an inventory system and a perpetual inventory (PI) engine control circuit that receives inventory information and is configured identify the occurrence of a plurality of different events each associated with a different product at a shopping facility and corresponding to a potential inconsistency in a determined inventory count; and for each of the events: identify a first set of inventory evaluation rules; apply the first set of inventory evaluation rules to determine a type of inventory count error; determine an inventory adjustment action to be implemented based on the first product and the determined error type; and cause the inventory adjustment action to be implemented in substantially real-time to adjust the determined inventory count of the first product at the first shopping facility.
An interchangeable modular shelf system, where a modular shelf framework is made of two support arms and two longitudinal members in a hollow rectangular shape. Onto this modular framework distinct types of display components may be attached, such that a single modular framework may contain a basket and a shelf. The modular framework can be attached to a vertical plane of the gondola rack, and can then be used for easily changing the type of display component attached, or for modifying the arrangement of the display components as necessary.
A47B 47/03 - Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements made of metal only with panels separate from the frame
A47B 57/42 - Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of hooks coacting with openings the shelf supports being cantilever brackets
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for an electronic label for use within shelf label tracks in stores. Such electronic labels receive initial information associated with an item being sold and begin displaying that information. When a change occurs such that the label needs to be modified, a record of the original information is retained within memory in the electronic label, such that the modified display can be used until the need for the modification ends. At that point, the electronic label can be restored to display the original information again using the stored record.
In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided that reallocate quantities of denominations. Some embodiments provide retail till check-in denomination allocation systems, comprising: a transaction history database; a reallocation rules database; and a reallocation system control circuit configured to: evaluate a check-in time of a till relative to a duration rule, and identify that a check-out duration of the till is more than a threshold duration and spanning more than a single transaction period; identify check-in quantities for each of multiple different denominations of currency at the check-in time; and access reallocation rules, and define based on the reallocation rules representative reallocation of the check-in quantities for each of the multiple different denominations across each of multiple transaction periods of time such that portions of the check-in quantities for the multiple different denominations are considered to have been available during the respective multiple transaction periods.
A system and method are disclosed for supplying one or more goods to a physical store location. The goods may be received at a distribution center (DC). At the DC, the goods may be decanted from their shipping containers into one or more sub-totes, which are contained within one or more product totes. The sub-totes may be transferred from the one or more product totes to one or more order totes based on a velocity of movement of the plurality of goods at the physical store location.
A combination automated-service and self-service store for implementation at brick-and-mortar retail locations is provided. The store and corresponding method of implementation is an automated-service model in which robots, deployed at the brick-and-mortar location, fill orders for fungible goods placed by customers either online or in-store. The store also includes a shopping section where customers can select/order items and/or personally select non-fungible goods. The store includes a shopping section for non-fungible goods that customers prefer to pick out by hand and a back end automated order fulfillment section for other goods (e.g., fungible goods, dry goods, etc.). The two sets of goods are merged to a delivery bundle and delivered together for pickup by the customer. The combination automated-service and self-service store combines the convenience of online shopping and self-service shopping using an unconventional approach that reduces costs for the retailer and simultaneously increases customer satisfaction.
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring and reconciling inventory. In some embodiments, there is provided a system including: an inventory location for one type of merchandise item intended for the inventory location; a first sensor configured to collect data regarding the presence of the merchandise item at the inventory location; a second sensor configured to collect identification data of the merchandise item at the inventory location; a memory configured to store the identification data; a database including identification information corresponding to the merchandise item intended for the inventory location; a control circuit configured to: compare the identification data collected by the second sensor with the identification information from the database corresponding to the merchandise item; verify that the identification data from the second sensor corresponds to the identification information from the database; and calculate a quantity of inventory at the inventory location.
A brush assembly including a handle with a main brush, a first auxiliary brush detachably engaged with a cap, and a second auxiliary brush extending from the cap is described. The cap, when removed from the handle, exposes the first auxiliary brush. Disengagement of the cap from the first auxiliary brush exposes the second auxiliary brush.
In some embodiments, an air-cooled ammonia refrigeration system comprises: an air-cooled condenser comprising a heat exchanger and at least one axial fan; an evaporator coupled to the air-cooled condenser; a subcooler positioned between the air-cooled condenser and the evaporator; a compressor coupled to the evaporator; an oil cooler coupled to the compressor; a water system coupled to the air-cooled condenser, the water system comprising a water source, a water pump, and a plurality of spray nozzles positioned below the air-cooled condenser; and a control circuit coupled to the air-cooled condenser and the water system, the control circuit configured to pulse atomized water through the plurality of spray nozzles to a surface of the air-cooled condenser when a head pressure of the air-cooled condenser is higher than a predetermined value.
F28D 5/00 - Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation
F28D 5/02 - Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary conduit assemblies for one heat-exchange medium only, the media being in contact with different sides of the conduit wall, using the cooling effect of natural or forced evaporation in which the evaporating medium flows in a continuous film or trickles freely over the conduits
72.
TOTES OR BINS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STORING PRODUCTS
An apparatus, system and method for storing and picking product in a plastic tote are disclosed. In one form, the tote is a plastic receptacle with a generally planar bottom and upstanding walls extending from the bottom and defining a receptacle opening on a side opposite the bottom, the upstanding walls forming a front wall, opposing side walls and a rear wall, with the walls extending from the bottom at an obtuse angle so that the receptacle tapers from a larger cross-section at the receptacle opening to a smaller cross-section at the bottom, and with at least one upstanding wall defining a first male or female mating structure for aligning with a second female or male mating structure of a second plastic receptacle when nested with the second plastic receptacle. Related systems and methods are also disclosed including without limitation pick and pack systems and methods.
B65D 1/22 - Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents
B65D 21/00 - Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
B65D 21/02 - Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
B65D 21/032 - Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together for stacking containers one upon another in the upright or upside down position, e.g. with vertically projecting elements or recesses
B65D 21/04 - Open-ended containers shaped to be nested when empty and to be superposed when full
B65D 21/06 - Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together with movable parts adapted to be placed in alternative positions for nesting the containers when empty and for stacking them when full
B65D 81/26 - Adaptations for preventing deterioration or decay of contents; Applications to the container or packaging material of food preservatives, fungicides, pesticides or animal repellants with provision for draining away, or absorbing, fluids, e.g. exuded by contents; Applications of corrosion inhibitors or desiccators
73.
SYSTEMS, METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIA FOR GENERATING CARRIER DATA RECORDS FOR USE IN DETERMINING SHIPPING CARRIER RATES
A computer system for use in generating consolidated carrier data records is described herein. The computer system includes a processor programmed to select a first carrier data record including a first ship-from location code and a first ship-to location code, and select a second carrier data record including a second ship-from location code and a second ship-to location code. The processor determines a first range of shipping locations within the predefined order defined by the first ship-from location code and the first ship-to location code and generates a first consolidated carrier data record including the first ship- from location code of the first carrier data record and the second ship-to location code of the second carrier data record upon determining the second ship-from location code is within the first range of shipping locations and the second ship-to location code is not within the first range of shipping locations.
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring the loading conditions of merchandise in a delivery vehicle. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for monitoring load quality of merchandise delivered to shopping facilities, the system including: a delivery location at a shopping facility configured to receive a delivery vehicle; a mobile device configured to: input identification information regarding delivered merchandise transported in the delivery vehicle; input a description of how delivered merchandise is loaded and arranged in the interior of the delivery vehicle; capture and input an image of the interior of the delivery vehicle showing loading and arrangement of merchandise; a control circuit operatively coupled to the mobile device and configured to transmit the identification information, description, and image; and a database configured to receive and store the identification information, description, and image from the control circuit.
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to the sortation of products using a conveyor assembly. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for receiving and sorting products shipped to a shopping facility including: a delivery location at a shopping facility configured to receive a shipment of products; a conveyor assembly comprising: a product identification module configured to read identification data from an identification label disposed on a product; a plurality of sortation modules configured to move the product to one of a predetermined plurality of sortation destination areas; a control circuit operatively coupled to the product identification module and to each of the sortation modules, the control circuit configured to: receive the identification data from the product identification module; determine the sortation destination area for the product based at least on one of shopping facility data and shipping data regarding the product as sortation criteria; and cooperate with the plurality of sortation modules to move the product to the determined sortation destination area.
In some embodiments, methods and systems of estimating whether additional space for a product being binned is available on a sales floor include an electronic inventory management device configured to: receive an indication that a product is being placed into a storage bin after a determination that no space for the product is available in a primary display location of the product on the sales floor; obtain a demand for the product on the sales floor during a predetermined interval of time; retrieve at least one inventory position estimation factor associated with the product when the demand for the product during the predetermined interval of time is greater than zero; estimate whether the inventory position estimation factor supports a likelihood that the product is in a feature display location on the sales floor; and output an indication of possible space availability for the product on the feature display location.
An order fulfillment system is disclosed including a multi-level tote storage structure, one or more autonomous mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote; one or more workstations configured to accommodate a picker that transports one or more eaches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a "put" location, wherein the autonomous mobile robots are configured to move from level to level in the order fulfillment apparatus.
A delivery vehicle containing items to be delivered to a plurality of target recipients at different delivery addresses also includes a mobile user interface configured to be disposed within and carried by the delivery vehicle, the mobile user interface presenting an interactive display having discrete information fields for identifying information corresponding to the target recipients, predetermined delivery windows corresponding to each of at least some of the target recipients, and actual delivery-time information corresponding to each of at least some of the target recipients.
G06F 15/02 - Digital computers in general; Data processing equipment in general manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
79.
A MOBILE CAMERA-EQUIPPED DEVICE-BASED APPROACH TO ASSESSING A DISPLAY
The appearance of a properly-configured display that includes a plurality of discrete components is specified and then at least one image is formed that includes the appearance of the properly-configured display. The image (or images) and corresponding information regarding the discrete loose components is provided to a retail shopping facility and used in conjunction with a mobile camera-equipped device to visually overlay the image over a view of a display to thereby facilitate comparing the display with the appearance of a properly-configured display.
In some embodiments, methods and systems of enabling consumers to purchase substitute products when the products ordered by the consumers are out of stock include processing an internet order for a product received from a consumer in a geographic location and in response to receiving an electronic notification indicating that the product ordered by the consumer is out of stock at a retail sales facility associated with the geographic location of the consumer, generating an electronic message including an indication that the product ordered by the consumer is out of stock at the retail sales facility, and including a selection option of at least one substitute product for the product ordered by the consumer. The methods and system further include transmitting the electronic message from the electronic inventory management device at the retail sales facility to an electronic computing device of the consumer.
A received item has a machine-readable timecode placed thereon. A storage area that contains this item is correlated with that timecode to provide correlated information. That correlated information is used to automatically determine when to move that item from that storage area to a display area. So configured, an item received at a product-receiving area of a retail shopping facility can have a label placed thereon, the label bearing a current time. After placing this labeled item in a non-public storage area of the retail shopping facility a handheld code scanner can help correlate a particular timecode/item with a particular machine-readable location code in the non-public storage area. That correlated information is used to automatically determine when to move that item from the non-public storage area to a retail display area of the retail shopping facility. So configured, earlier-received items can be reliably moved in this manner before later-received items.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06K 19/06 - Record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings characterised by the kind of the digital marking, e.g. shape, nature, code
82.
METHOD AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE PICKING UP A RETAIL ITEM
A central computer system for a retail shopping facility automatically determines that a customer having a retail item available for pickup at the facility is currently proximal to the facility and automatically responds by sending the customer a message that includes an opportunity for the customer to indicate that they will now pick up the retail item. Upon receiving information indicating that the customer utilized the aforementioned opportunity to indicate that they will now pick up the retail item, the central computer system can instigate a transmission of a message to at least one associate of the retail shopping facility to prompt the associate to move the retail item from a first area of the retail shopping facility (such as a non-public storage area) to a second area of the retail shopping facility (such as a designated pick-up area).
In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided to enable wide access to numerous different previously compiled forecast modeling. In some embodiments, a system is provided that enables wide access to forecasting, comprising: a forecast model database that maintains numerous different forecast models that when run produce resulting forecast data relevant to making business decisions; and a forecasting interface system configured to receive multiple different forecast requests for forecast request data, which comprises a forecast model index comprising identifiers of the numerous different predefined forecast models and for each of the numerous different forecast models relevance characteristics, wherein the forecasting interface system selects, for each received forecast request, a forecast model of the numerous different forecast models based on a relationship between the corresponding forecast request data and the relevance characteristics.
G06Q 10/04 - Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem"
G06Q 10/06 - Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
G06Q 30/02 - Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
G06Q 10/063 - Operations research, analysis or management
G06Q 10/0637 - Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
G06Q 10/067 - Enterprise or organisation modelling
G06Q 30/0201 - Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
G06Q 30/0202 - Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
In some embodiments, methods and systems of monitoring featured product displays at retail sales facilities are described. For one or more products received at a retail sales facility and designated as a product for a featured product display at the retail sales facility, a predetermined time interval is set from a delivery time of the one or more products to the retail sales facility to a time for generating an indication that the one or more products has been set on the featured product display at the retail sales facility. Then after the expiration of the predetermined time interval, electronic data is generated indicating that the one or more products delivered to the retail sales facility has been set on the featured product display at the retail sales facility.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G06K 7/14 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light
G06K 17/00 - Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups , e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
G08B 13/24 - Electrical actuation by interference with electromagnetic field distribution
85.
PRODUCT STORAGE RACKS AND METHODS OF STORING PRODUCTS
Some embodiments provide a product storage racking system, comprising: a frame comprising frame beams secured together with support surfaces aligned along a first plane; feet posts fixed to the frame beams; feet cooperated with the feet posts, wherein each of the feet is configured to stackably cooperate with a post of a set of posts that are cooperated with another product storage racking system enabling stacking; at least two rack support systems each secured with the frame and configured to support the weight of the product storage racking system and products stored on the product storage racking system independent of the three or more feet.
B65D 19/38 - Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered - Details or accessories
A47B 57/26 - Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of the shelves consisting of clamping means, e.g. with sliding bolts or sliding wedges
B65D 19/30 - Rigid pallets without side walls with bodies formed by uniting or interconnecting two or more components made wholly or mainly of metal of skeleton construction, e.g. made of wire
B65D 19/44 - Elements or devices for locating articles on platforms
86.
METHOD AND SYSTEM TO SUPPORT ORDER COLLECTION USING A GEO-FENCE
A customer electronic device places a goods order via a computer network including indicating an intended collection location, and in response installs a geo- fence function. The device triggers the geo-fence when proximate to the intended collection location. The computer network receives the trigger message and generates a pre-alert message sent to at least one in-store device, thereby prompting the ordered goods to be made ready for collection by the customer.
A mechanism for flexibly securing card data is discussed. A pin entry device analyzes data from a user payment card with respect to a non-PCI whitelist and a long IIN list and an analysis results controls a masking level of the data. The non-PCI whitelist references types of cards that are not subject to industry-defined encryption standards. The long IIN list references card issuers whose cards are identified by more than a PCI-defined standard number of digits. The data from the user card is further examined for non-compliance with a pre-defined criteria at the POS client.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
Systems and methods for analyzing sensor data can be implemented to monitor and correct, malfunctioning, inoperative, and/or inefficient appliances across multiple locations. In embodiments, a system for analyzing sensor data includes a plurality of sensors, a sensor controller unit, a local server, an event preprocessor, an event stream processing engine, a complex event processing engine, an alert and analytic dashboard, a business rules engine, and a database.
A system, method and computer readable medium for dynamically determining location- based rules affecting item sales at POS registers for a particular location and for distributing the location-based rules to the POS registers is discussed. A location-based ruleset of rules regulating sales of items at an individual store is created and transmitted to the store along with a rule group to item map file that maps rules and warnings to individual store items. A rules engine at the store provides updated item sale rules and warnings to POS registers based on the location-based ruleset and rule group to item map file. Embodiments thus provide an improved system for updating POS registers at different store locations with location- based rules specific to the store location.
A throttling system measures current latency and bandwidth of a network connection. Latency and bandwidth may be measured by sending an unthrottled packet train and measuring a rate of receipt of the packet train as well as overall latency for the packet train. A percentage of available bandwidth is calculated according to a function of a previous percentage of available bandwidth and current latency and bandwidth measurements. The percentage of available bandwidth may decrease with increasing latency. The percentage of available bandwidth is calculated every N packets in order to adapt to changing conditions in a network. The rate of packet transmission may be throttled by increasing a period between transmissions of packets in order to use the percentage of available bandwidth.
H04J 3/16 - Time-division multiplex systems in which the time allocation to individual channels within a transmission cycle is variable, e.g. to accommodate varying complexity of signals, to vary number of channels transmitted
91.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF PRESENCE IN PREDEFINED LOCATION AND DELIVERY THERETO
Methods and systems of detection of presence in and delivery to location are provided. A method detects a presence of a mobile device within a perimeter of a geographic region. The method searches a database to determine whether the first mobile device is associated with any existing account. Responsive to determining that the mobile device is associated with a first account, the method searches the database to determine whether there is any pending task associated with the first account. Responsive to determining that there is a pending task associated with the first account, the method transmits a first message indicating the detection of presence of the mobile device associated with the first account. The method determines that the mobile device is at least approximately at a first location of a plurality of predefined locations within the perimeter. The method transmits information associated with the first location to the computing device.
In some embodiments, methods and systems of sorting products at a retail sales facility include receiving identifying information associated with a product at the retail sales facility using an inventory management electronic device, obtaining a demand for the product from a time products identical to the product were delivered to the retail sales facility, calculating whether the demand for the product supports moving the product onto a sales floor of the retail sales facility or storing the product in a stock room of the retail sales facility, determining a characteristic for the product, and outputting, when the demand supports storing the product in the stock room, an indication to a worker at the retail sales facility that the product is to be stored in the stock room at a location selected based on the determined characteristic for the product.
A system and method for storage and retrieval are provided. The system includes a multi-level storage structure, and mobile robots configured to pick, transport and place one or more tote, container, or object. This system and method can be used in order-fulfillment applications in which one or more workstations accommodate a picker that transports one or more caches from a tote on one of the autonomous mobile robots to a put location, and an input / output interface induct material into the system and discharge fulfilled orders from the system. The mobile robots are further configured to move from level to level in the multi- level storage structure via inclined or vertical tracks without requiring a vertical lift or vertical conveyor.
Provided herein are methodologies, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable media for configuring a graphical user interface of an electronic display device for enabling preauthorized payment of products or services using distributed processing. A customer may interact with a kiosk or terminal to identify themselves and initiate the process for dynamically computing an active preauthorization limit. Items may then be added to the customer's balance at various point of sale terminals or scanning locations within the facility. Total cost of the items is compared to the active preauthorization limit. Once the customer is finished shopping, a GUI can present them with an authorization screen showing their shopping balance and requesting authorization. The user can interact with the GUI to approve the total via the GUI without the need to produce their card or payment method at checkout.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
95.
INVENTORY INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS
Some embodiments provide a product inventory information distribution apparatus, comprising: a central electronic data storage buffer; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: detect product inventory update information messages, wherein each of the product inventory update information messages is received from one of multiple different product inventory systems and is generated by a corresponding one of the multiple product inventory systems when one of the multiple product inventory systems detects a change in an inventory state corresponding to any one of hundreds or more products available through the product inventory storage facility; direct each of the multiple product inventory update information messages to the central electronic data storage buffer; and maintain messages in the central electronic data storage buffer received during a buffer retention window of time.
G06F 16/27 - Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
H04L 65/4061 - Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
In some embodiments, methods and systems of managing products at a retail sales facility include scanning a product in a stocking cart at the retail sales facility using a hand-held electronic device including a processor. At least two of the following three functions may be performed based on the scanning of the product. First, the stocking cart may be audited by comparing scanned data to data contained in an inventory management database Second, a determination of whether the item is on a pick list may be made, which may include determining a demand for the scanned product to arrive at a decision whether to store the product in the stock room or place it on a shelf on the sales floor. Third, if the item is to be stored in the stock room, a determination of whether identical items are stored in bins in the stock room may be made.
In some embodiments, methods and systems of managing overstock products at a retail sales facility include scanning a product at a stock room location of the retail sales facility using a hand-held electronic device including a processor. At least two of three functions are performed based on the scanning. First, the product may be audited by comparing data obtained by scanning the product to data contained in an inventory management database. Second, a determination of whether the scanned item is on a pick list may be made, which may include determining a demand for the scanned product to arrive at a decision whether to store the product in the stock room or place it on a shelf on the sales floor Third, if the item is to be stored in the stock room a determination of whether identical items arc stored in bins in the stock room may be made.
Provided are a refrigeration heat reclaim unit and method, comprising a heat exchanger, comprising a refrigerant inlet that receives a flow of refrigerant having a first state; a refrigerant outlet that outputs the flow of refrigerant having a second state; a water loop inlet that receives a flow of liquid at a first temperature; a water loop outlet that outputs the flow of liquid from the reclaim heat exchanger at a second temperature that is greater than the first temperature in response to the flow of refrigerant. The refrigeration reclaim unit also comprises a refrigerant flow control device having outputs to the refrigerant inlet and an air-cooled condenser, respectively for controlling the flow of refrigerant to at least one of the refrigerant inlet and the air-cooled condenser for maintaining a predetermined flow quality value at the refrigerant outlet.
Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in managing product inventory, comprising: a control circuit; a memory storing instructions to cause the control circuit to perform: obtain a reference on-hand quantity value; determine an estimated on-hand adjustment value corresponding to a predicted error between the reference on-hand quantity value and a predicted actual on-hand value; receive a retail store supplied on-hand adjustment value; set an on-hand adjustment value to the retail store supplied on-hand adjustment value when the retail store supplied on-hand adjustment value is within an on-hand variation threshold; modify the estimated on-hand adjustment value as a function of a difference between the retail store supplied on-hand adjustment value and the estimated on-hand adjustment value when the retail store supplied on-hand adjustment value is not within the on-hand variation threshold, and set the on-hand adjustment value to the modified estimated on-hand adjustment value.
Embodiments of a computer-implemented method and system pertaining to drive through grocery pickup are described. In one example, a computer-implemented method receives geographic information about a user. The geographic information indicates that the user is within a predetermined area associated with the physical store. The method also determines whether there is a pending remotely placed order for a user account associated with the user in a database associated with the physical store. In response to a determination that there is the pending remotely placed order for the user account associated with the user in the database, the method transmits order information to a computing device of the physical store. The order information includes one or more items in the pending remotely placed order. The method also determines a current location of the user. The method further causes a delivery of the one or more items to the current location.
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