Techniques for managing device interactions in a workspace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10607132-B1
Application number	US-201916360989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 21, 2019
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

Techniques for managing device interaction between components of an inventory management system are described herein. User input associated with an operational state of the user device may be received at the user device and the user device may begin operating in a particular operational state. While operating in this state, the user device may transmit a wireless signal having a predetermined frequency. A mobile drive unit of the system, upon receipt of the wireless signal, may slow or stop. Operational state information may be transmitted to other components of the inventory management system indicating that the wireless signal is being transmitted and/or that the user device is operating in a particular operational state and a fault detection process may commence. The user device may provide an indication (e.g., via visual, audible, and/or haptic feedback devices) that the user device is operating in the particular operational state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inventory management system, comprising:
a workspace management module configured to manage a plurality of mobile drive units within the inventory management system;
a mobile drive unit configured to move within the inventory management system; and
a user device comprising:
a feedback device configured to indicate a state of the user device;
a user input device configured to receive user input;
a first transmitter device configured to communicate via two communications channels;
a processor; and
one or more memories having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user device to:
receive, from the user input device, first user input associated with powering on the user device;
in response to receiving the first user input, establish a connection of the first transmitter device with an access device of the inventory management system over a first communications channel;
provide, via the feedback device, an indication of a first state of the user device based at least in part on establishing the connection over the first communications channel;
receive, from the user input device, second user input associated with activating the user device;
in response to receiving the second user input, transmit, utilizing the first transmitter device and a second communications channel, a wireless signal at a predetermined frequency, wherein receipt of the wireless signal by the mobile drive unit causes the mobile drive unit to alter motion of the mobile drive unit;
transmit, to the workspace management module utilizing the first transmitter device and the first communications channel, operational data indicating that the first transmitter device is transmitting the wireless signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein transmitting the operational data causes the workspace management module to perform a fault detection process associated with the first transmitter device; and
provide, via the feedback device, a second indication of an activated state of the user device.

2. The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the feedback device presents at least one of: audible feedback, visual feedback, or haptic feedback.

3. The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the user device is attached to a wearable vest.

4. The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the user device further comprises a second transmitter device configured to communicate via the two communications channels, and wherein executing the computer-executable instructions further causes the user device to:
in response to receiving the first user input, establish a second connection of the second transmitter device with the access device over the first communications channel, wherein providing the indication of the first state of the user device is further based at least in part on establishing the second connection of the second transmitter device.

5. The inventory management system of claim 1 , wherein the fault detection process performed by the workspace management module comprises:
monitoring the connection established for the first transmitter device;
detecting that the connection has been lost;
in response to detecting that the connection has been lost, initiating a timer for a predetermined period of time;
detecting that the timer has elapsed and that the connection has not been restored; and
transmitting, to the plurality of mobile drive units within the workspace, a command to stop, wherein the plurality of mobile drive units are configured to halt motion in response to receiving the command to stop.

6. A computer-implemented method performed by a user device operating within a workspace, comprising:
receiving user input associated with a first state of the user device;
operating the user device in the first state based at least in part on the receiving the user input, wherein the user device transmits, utilizing a first transmitter device and a first wireless communications channel, a wireless signal at a predetermined frequency while operating in the first state, wherein receipt of the wireless signal by a mobile drive unit within the workspace causes the mobile drive unit to alter motion of the mobile drive unit;
transmitting, to a workspace management module utilizing the first transmitter device and a second wireless communications channel, first operational data indicating that the first transmitter device is operational, wherein transmitting the first operational data causes the workspace management module to perform a fault detection process associated with first transmitter device; and
providing, at the user device, an indication that the user device is operating in the first state.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the user device comprises the first transmitter device and a second transmitter device, wherein the second transmitter device is configured to transmit, while the user device operates in the first state, the wireless signal at the predetermined frequency utilizing the first wireless communications channel, and wherein receipt of the wireless signal by the mobile drive unit within the workspace causes the mobile drive unit to perform a second set of operations to alter motion of the mobile drive unit.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitoring, by the second transmitter device, the transmission of the wireless signal by the first transmitter device;
ceasing, by the first transmitter device, the transmission of the wireless signal based at least in part on a predetermined transmission schedule, wherein the second transmitter device commences transmission of the wireless signal based at least in part on the predetermined transmission schedule; and
monitoring, by the first transmitter device, transmission of the wireless signal by the second transmitter device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a workspace management module utilizing the second transmitter device and the first wireless communications channel, second operational data indicating that the second transmitter device is operational, wherein transmitting the second operational data causes the workspace management module to perform an additional fault detection process associated with the second transmitter device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining that both the first transmitter device and the second transmitter device are operational, wherein providing the indication of the first state of the user device at the user device is based at least in part on identifying that both the first transmitter device and the second transmitter device are operational.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the mobile drive unit is further configured to visually indicate, via a visual feedback device of the mobile drive unit, reception of the wireless signal.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the user device is a wearable article having a front side and a back side, wherein the indication of the first state is provided at the user device via a first device and a second device, wherein the first device is attached to the front side of the wearable article, and wherein the second device is attached to the back side of the wearable article.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:
receiving user input associated with a second state of the user device;
operating the user device in a second state based at least in part on the receiving the user input, wherein the user device refrains fr

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Dietz Timothy G
• Shah Ashish
• Tierney Gregory
• Kaufman Seth R
• Brady Matthew Anthony

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• G06K19/07762 Primary

  the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet (record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00) · CPC title

• G08B7/06

  using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} · CPC title