Storage cart providing item storage verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10853764-B2
Application number	US-201816231387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

Examples provide an item storage cart for verifying correct item placement into containers on the item storage cart. A cart manager component outputs planogram data identifying a location of a selected item. Weight data generated by one or more weight sensors associated with the set of item storage containers is analyzed to verify whether a correct item is placed in a given storage container on the cart and/or verify a selected item is placed into a correct storage container. The cart manager component determines if an unselected item is removed from a storage container and/or if an unselected item is added to a storage container. A notification is output if an incorrect item is added to a cart, an incorrect item is removed from the cart, an item is added to the wrong container or removed from the wrong container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rolling item storage cart comprising:
a base member comprising a set of wheels;
a housing support member connected to a portion of the base member, the housing support member comprising a set of storage container support members supporting a set of storage containers, the set of storage containers comprising a first storage container and a second storage container;
a first storage container support member comprising a first locking mechanism securing the first storage container to the first storage container support member in a closed configuration;
a second storage container support member comprising a second locking mechanism securing the second storage container to the second storage container support member in the closed configuration;
a control device comprising a memory communicatively coupled to at least one processor;
a cart manager component implemented on the at least one processor, wherein the cart manager component identifies a selected item for addition to the first storage container or removal from the first storage container;
the first locking mechanism disengages to release the first storage container, the second locking mechanism remains engaged to prevent opening of the second storage container;
a user interface component, implemented on the at least one processor, configured to output a graphical representation of a location, within the first storage container or the second container, of the selected item; and
a set of sensor devices associated with the first storage container generates first sensor data associated with a set of items within the first storage container,
wherein the cart manager component analyzes the first sensor data with item data associated with the selected item to verify the selected item is added to the first storage container or removed from the first storage container.

2. The rolling item storage cart of claim 1 , wherein:
the set of items is a first set of items,
the set of sensor devices is a first set of sensor devices, and
the rolling item storage cart further comprises:
a second set of sensor devices associated with the second storage container generates second sensor data associated with a second set of items within the second storage container; and
the analysis component, implemented on the at least one processor, analyzes the second sensor data generated by the second set of sensor devices to confirm the second storage container remains unopened.

3. The rolling item storage cart of claim 2 , further comprising:
a braking mechanism coupled to the set of wheels;
a propulsion mechanism coupled to the set of wheels;
at least one battery associated with the propulsion mechanism; and
a navigation component provides navigational data to the propulsion mechanism to enable an item display device to move from a first location to a second location via self-propulsion.

4. The rolling item storage cart of claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation of the location of the selected item, output by the user interface component, includes a portion of a planogram representing at least a portion of an item display.

5. The rolling item storage cart of claim 1 , wherein the user interface component is configured to output an incorrect item placement notification on condition analysis of sensor data associated with at least one storage container indicates an incorrect item is removed from the first storage container or the analysis of the sensor data associated with at the least one storage container indicates the selected item is added to an incorrect storage container.

6. The rolling item storage cart of claim 1 , further comprising:
an alert component, implemented on the at least one processor, that generates an alert on condition weight data generated by a set of weight sensors on the rolling item storage cart indicates an unscheduled item removal from at least one storage container on the rolling item storage cart.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Durkee Paul
• Turner Ragen
• Edwards James Benjamin
• Morales Nicole
• Clark Stuart

Classifications

• G06K7/1408

  the method being specifically adapted for the type of code · CPC title

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• G06Q30/0639

  Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility · CPC title

• G06Q30/0603

  Catalogue creation or management · CPC title

• G06Q30/0641

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title