Method, product, and system for unmanned vehicles in retail environments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10810648-B2
Application number	US-201514883146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2015
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

Methods, computer program products, and systems for operating a retail environment using unmanned vehicles are provided. The methods include observing a person interacting with one or more items with a camera carried by an unmanned vehicle, identifying the one or more items based on data received from the unmanned vehicle, and adding each identified item to a transaction for the person. The methods can further include charging the person for the transaction, presenting promotions, retrieving a desired item, answering questions, following a person, guiding a customer to a location, and showing images of inventory items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product, the computer program product including processor executable instructions that enable a processor to perform operations comprising:
observing, with a first camera carried by an unmanned vehicle associated with a first region in an environment, a person requesting an item available for selection by the person;
receiving an audio request, via a microphone on the unmanned vehicle, from the person;
determining, by the processor, that the audio request indicates that the person is inquiring about the requested item;
identifying, by the processor, the requested item from an image captured by the first camera of the person indicating the requested item to the unmanned vehicle;
determining, by the processor, based on the image, a second camera located in a second region of the environment, different from the first region, where the requested item is stored;
linking, by the processor, the second camera with a personal computing device associated with the person; and
outputting, by the processor, a series of images captured by the second camera to the personal computing device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein observing the person comprises directing the unmanned vehicle, by the processor, to capture an image of an unidentified item with the camera.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a request from the person for a location of a desired item; and
navigating the unmanned vehicle to the location of the desired item while staying within a predefined distance from the person.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the unmanned vehicle, a request from the person for a requested item; and
retrieving the requested item via the unmanned vehicle.

6. A system, comprising:
a computer processor; and
a memory containing program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the system to:
acquire, by a first camera of an unmanned vehicle, an image indicating that a person at a first location in an environment is requesting an item that is available for selection by the person, wherein to acquire the image indicating that the person is requesting the item, the program code further causes the system to:
receive the image from the unmanned vehicle;
determine that the person is making a gesture in the image; and
determine that the gesture indicates that the person is inquiring about the item;

identify a second camera at a second location, different from the first location, in the environment, wherein the second location is associated with the item;
link the second camera in the environment with a computing device associated with the person; and
send a series of images captured by the second camera to the computing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the gesture includes showing an image of the item to the first camera.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second camera is carried by a second unmanned vehicle, different from the unmanned vehicle carrying the first camera.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the series of images enable the person to determine whether the item is in stock.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:
play, via the unmanned vehicle, an audio message identifying the second location within the environment to the person.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:
identify a second item to the person, different from the item based on the item.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:
receive an audio request, via a microphone carried by the unmanned vehicle, from the person; and
determine that the audio request indicates that the person is inquiring about the item.

13. A system, comprising:
a computer processor; and
a memory containing program code which, when executed by the computer processor, causes the system to:
acquire, by a first camera of an unmanned vehicle, an image indicating that a person at a first location in an environment is requesting an item that is available for selection by the person;
identify a second camera at a second location, different from the first location, in the environment, wherein the second location is associated with the item;
link the second camera in the environment with a computing device associated with the person;
send a series of images captured by the second camera to the computing device; and
play, via the unmanned vehicle, an audio message identifying the second location within the environment to the person.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein to acquire the image indicating that the person is requesting the item, the program code further cause the system to:
receive the image from the unmanned vehicle;
determine that the person is making a gesture in the image; and
determine that the gesture indicates that the person is inquiring about the item.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the gesture includes showing an image of the item to the first camera.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second camera is carried by a second unmanned vehicle, different from the unmanned vehicle carrying the first camera.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the series of images enable the person to determine whether the item is in stock.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:
identify a second item to the person, different from the item based on the item.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the program code further causes the system to:
receive an audio request, via a microphone carried by the unmanned vehicle, from the person; and
determine that the audio request indicates that the person is inquiring about the item.

Assignees

• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corp
• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions

Inventors

• Herring Dean Frederick
• Johnson Brad Matthew
• Singh Ankit
• Smith Jeffrey John
• Teeples Seth

Classifications

• G07G1/0054 Primary

  with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles · CPC title

• G06F2218/12

  Classification; Matching · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623 Primary

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title