Systems and methods of tracking products during transport

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10504343-B2
Application number	US-201916435778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

In some embodiments, systems and methods are configured to track palletized products. Some embodiments comprise: a first array of sensors positioned relative to multiple products collectively arranged on a first transport pallet configured to support the multiple products while being transported; a wirelessly transceiver; and a pallet control circuit communicatively coupled with the wireless transceiver and the first array of sensors, wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors of the first array of sensors, determine a condition of one or more products of the multiple products at least as the multiple products are transported based on the sensor data, and cause condition information to be wirelessly transmitted to a separate notification system configured to provide notification to a worker regarding the condition of the one or more products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system to track palletized products, comprising:
a first array of sensors positioned with and relative to multiple products collectively arranged on a first transport pallet configured to support the multiple products while being transported such that the first array of sensors moves with the first transport pallet as the first transport pallet and the multiple products are transported;
a wirelessly transceiver; and
a pallet control circuit communicatively coupled with the wireless transceiver and the first array of sensors, wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors of the first array of sensors, generate a mapping of placement of the multiple products relative to the first transport pallet based on at least stored dimensions information regarding identified products placed on the first transport pallet; determine a condition of one or more products of the multiple products at least as the multiple products are transported based on the sensor data, and cause condition information to be wirelessly transmitted to a separate notification system configured to provide notification to a worker regarding the condition of the one or more products; and
wherein the first array of sensors comprises a plurality of strips of sensors defining a grid and positioned to be under at least a first set of one or more of the multiple products supported by the first transport pallet.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second array of sensors communicatively coupled with the pallet control circuit, wherein the first array of sensors is positioned to be under at least the first set of products and providing the sensor data corresponding to the first set of products, and the second array of sensors is positioned relative to at least a second set of at least one product of the multiple products;
wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to further receive additional sensor data from one or more sensors of the second array of sensors corresponding to the second set of at least one of the multiple products, and determine a condition of one or more products of the second set of the multiple products based on the additional sensor data.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first array of sensors comprises a first casing with the sensors of the first array being cooperated in the first casing and collectively movable relative to the multiple products and the first transport pallet, and the second array of sensors comprises a second casing with the sensors of the second array being cooperated in a second casing and collectively movable relative to the multiple products and the first transport pallet.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first array of sensors comprises an imaging sensor configured to capture image data of at least one product of the multiple products as the at least one product is cooperated with the first transport pallet, and wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive image data from the imaging sensor of the at least one product, confirm an identification of the at least one product and confirm an orientation of the at least one product on the pallet based on the image data.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second array of sensors comprises a second plurality of individual strips of sensors defining a second grid and positioned relative to the second set of at least one of the multiple products supported by the first transport pallet.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet control circuit is temporarily and removably cooperated with the first transport pallet.

7. The system of claim 6 , the pallet control circuit is configured to detect based on the sensor data a change in a quantity of the multiple products.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet control circuit, based on the sensor data, is configured to detect when the first transport pallet is placed at an incorrect location for more than a threshold period of time, and to cause a notification to be wirelessly transmitted to the separate notification system.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an alert system cooperated with the first transport pallet and communicatively coupled with the pallet control circuit, wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to detect a predefined condition based on the sensor data, to activate the alert system based on the detected predefined condition causing the alert system to generate at least one of a visual alert and an audible alert, detect a current state of surrounding conditions, and cause the alert system to modify the at least one of the visual alert and the audible alert based on the current state of the surrounding conditions.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein pallet control circuit is further configured to access a predefined mapping of predefined product placement on the first transport pallet and to confirm accuracy of the placement and stacking of the multiple products on the first transport pallet based on the predefined mapping and the generated mapping.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the pallet control circuit in generating the mapping is further configured to define within the mapping the placement of at least two separate arrays of sensors, including the first array of sensors, relative to the positioning of different sets of products of the multiple products stacked on the first transport pallet.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive image data captured by another imaging sensor of a separate array of sensors cooperated with a second transport pallet positioned proximate the first transport pallet, and determine product conditions of at least some of the multiple products cooperated with the first transport pallet based on the additional image data.

13. A method of tracking palletized products, comprising:
receiving sensor data at a pallet control circuit cooperated with a first transport pallet and from a first array of sensors positioned relative to multiple products collectively arranged on the first transport pallet that is configured to support the multiple products while being transported, wherein the first array of sensors and the pallet control circuit move with the first transport pallet as the first transport pallet and the multiple products are transported;
wherein the receiving the sensor data from the first array of sensors comprises receiving the sensor data from a plurality of strips of sensors defining a grid and positioned to be under at least a first set of one or more of the multiple products supported by the first transport pallet;
generating a mapping of placement of the multiple products relative to the first transport pallet based on at least stored dimensions information regarding identified products placed on the first transport pallet;
determining a condition of one or more products of the multiple products at least as the multiple products are transported based on the sensor data; and
causing condition information to be wirelessly transmitted to a separate notification system configured to provide notification to a worker regarding the condition of the one or more products.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving additional sensor data from a second array of sensors positioned relative to at least a second set of at least one product of the multiple products and configured to provide the additional sensor data corresponding to the second set of the multiple products; and
determining a condition of one or more products of the second set of the multiple products based on the additional

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Mattingly Todd D
• Bryan Greg A
• Enssle Benjamin D
• Brooks Cristy C
• Winkle David C

Classifications

• H04Q2209/86

  Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G08B23/00

  Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title