Item carousel system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10679470-B2
Application number	US-201815913359-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Jun 9, 2020
Grant date	Jun 9, 2020

Abstract

An example item carousel system is described. The system includes a terminal including a processor and a scanner. The system includes a carousel rotatably mounted to the terminal, the carousel including two or more bagging sections configured to receive bags. The system includes a motorized actuator configured to actuate rotation of the carousel relative to the terminal. The terminal is configured to read data from a machine readable identifier associated with an item using the scanner, and retrieve, using a retrieval module, item characteristics associated with the item from an item database. The terminal is configured to identify one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics, and mechanically rotate the carousel relative to the terminal with the motorized actuator such that the identified one bagging section is oriented toward a bagging area of the terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An item carousel system, comprising:
a terminal including a processor and a scanner;
a carousel rotatably mounted to the terminal, the carousel including two or more bagging sections, each bagging section configured to receive a plurality of bags; and
a motorized actuator configured to actuate rotation of the carousel relative to the terminal;
wherein the terminal is configured to:
read data from a machine readable identifier associated with an item using the scanner;
retrieve, using a retrieval module, item characteristics associated with the item from an item database;
identify one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics;
mechanically rotate the carousel relative to the terminal with the motorized actuator such that the identified one bagging section is oriented toward a bagging area of the terminal; and
at least partially illuminate, with one or more visual indicators disposed above and remote from the carousel, the identified one bagging section of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics.

2. The item carousel system of claim 1 , comprising a graphical user interface configured to receive as input preferences from a user regarding bagging of items at the carousel, and comprising a preference database storing the preferences input by the user.

3. The item carousel system of claim 2 , wherein the preferences include at least one of item compliance, bag weight limit, or bag type.

4. The item carousel system of claim 2 , wherein the terminal is configured to:
retrieve, using the retrieval module, the preferences from the preference database; and
identify the one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics and meeting the preferences from the preference database.

5. The item carousel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more visual indicators are configured to follow and maintain the identified one bagging section at least partially illuminated during rotation of the carousel.

6. The item carousel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more visual indicators comprise a light emitting diode secured to a ceiling above the carousel and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the identified one bagging section.

7. The item carousel system of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more visual indicators comprise light emitting diodes disposed at each bagging section of the carousel; and
after identification of the one bagging section capable of receiving the item, the terminal is configured to transmit a signal to an electric circuit to illuminate the light emitting diodes disposed at the identified one bagging section.

8. The item carousel system of claim 1 , comprising a sensor configured to detect items stored within the bags at the two or more bagging sections.

9. The item carousel system of claim 1 , comprising one or more cameras configured to detect and identify items stored within the bags at the two or more bagging sections.

10. The item carousel system of claim 1 , comprising a sensor at each bagging section configured to detect a total weight of items within each bag.

11. The item carousel system of claim 1 , wherein if two or more bagging sections of the carousel are capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics, the terminal is configured to mechanically rotate the carousel relative to the terminal with the motorized actuator such that the bagging section of the two or more identified bagging sections closest to the bagging area of the terminal is oriented toward the bagging area of the terminal.

12. A method of bagging items, comprising:
providing an item carousel system including (i) a terminal including a processor and a scanner, (ii) a carousel rotatably mounted to the terminal, the carousel including two or more bagging sections, each bagging section configured to receive a plurality of bags, (iii) a motorized actuator configured to actuate rotation of the carousel relative to the terminal, and (iv) one or more visual indicators;
reading data from a machine readable identifier associated with an item using the scanner;
retrieving, using a retrieval module, item characteristics associated with the item from an item database;
identifying one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics;
mechanically rotating the carousel relative to the terminal with the motorized actuator such that the identified one bagging section is oriented toward a bagging area of the terminal; and
at least partially illuminating, with the one or more visual indicators disposed above and remote from the carousel, the identified one bagging section of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising receiving as input preferences from a user via a graphical user interface regarding bagging of items at the carousel, and comprising storing the preferences input by the user in a preference database.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
retrieving, using the retrieval module, the preferences from the preference database; and
identifying the one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics and meeting the preferences from the preference database.

15. The method of claim 12 , comprising identifying the one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics with the one or more visual indicators.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least partially illuminating the identified one bagging section comprises illuminating at least a portion of the identified one bagging section with a light emitting diode secured to a ceiling above the carousel.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the carousel comprises light emitting diodes disposed at each bagging section.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein after identification of the one bagging section capable of receiving the item, the method comprises transmitting a signal to an electric circuit to illuminate the light emitting diodes disposed at the identified one bagging section.

19. The method of claim 12 , comprising detecting items stored within the bags at the two or more bagging sections with a sensor.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for operating an item carousel system that are executable by a processor, the item carousel system including (i) a terminal including the processor and a scanner, (ii) a carousel rotatably mounted to the terminal, the carousel including two or more bagging sections, each bagging section configured to receive a plurality of bags, (iii) a motorized actuator configured to actuate rotation of the carousel relative to the terminal, and (iv) one or more visual indicators, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the processor to:
read data from a machine readable identifier associated with an item using the scanner;
retrieve, using a retrieval module, item characteristics associated with the item from an item database;
identify one bagging section of the two or more bagging sections of the carousel capable of receiving the item with the item characteristics;
mechanically rotate the carousel relative to the terminal with the motorized actuator

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Jones Nicholaus Adam
• Vasgaard Aaron
• Jones Matthew Allen

Classifications

• G07G1/0045

  with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader · CPC title

• A47F9/042

  Shopping bags or carton-dispensing systems therefor · CPC title

• G07G1/0009 Primary

  Details of the software in the checkout register, electronic cash register [ECR] or point of sale terminal [POS] · CPC title

• A47F9/043

  with mechanical action · CPC title

• G07G1/0018

  Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means · CPC title