Item replacement assistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10882692-B1
Application number	US-201816054329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

Described is a system and method for assisting users in properly placing and/or positioning items at inventory locations within a materials handling facility. In one example, a placement location may be distinguished for the user through use of illumination or other techniques to assist the user in quickly identifying the proper location at which to place the item. Likewise, a proper position of the item may be presented to the user to assist the user in properly positioning the item at the placement location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least:
determine an item to be placed at an inventory area;
send for presentation an indication of:
an item placement indication indicating a placement location at which the item is to be placed; and
an item position indication indicating at least an orientation of the item when placed at the placement location;

determine that the item has been placed at the placement location;
determine that the item has been placed with the position orientation; and
in response to a determination that the item has been placed at the placement location and with the orientation, send a notification indicating that item placement of the item at the placement location is complete.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least:
determine that the item has not been placed with a proper position; and
in response to a determination that the item has not been placed with the proper position, present reposition information, wherein the reposition information includes a request that the item be repositioned at the placement location.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors further cause the one or more processors to at least: determine, based at least in part on a shape of the item and information from at least one of a scale or a pressure sensor, the orientation of the item at the placement location.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the presentation includes at least one of:
altering information presented on a display or other output device, adjusting a first brightness of a first display at the placement location, reducing a second brightness of a second display adjacent to the placement location, illuminating the placement location, increasing a third brightness of a first illumination element at the placement location, projecting a representation of the item at the placement location, emitting audio from the placement location, or decreasing a fourth brightness of a second illumination element adjacent the placement location.

5. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions:
identifying an item to be placed at a location within a materials handling facility;
sending for presentation an indication of a proper item position of the item when placed at the location, wherein the presentation includes at least one of illuminating the location, increasing an amount of illumination near the location, decreasing an amount of illumination adjacent the location, sending for presentation on a display adjacent to the location a location identifier, causing a projection of a representation of the item at the location, causing an emission of audio from the location, or sending for presentation location information associated with the location;
receiving an image of the item placed at the location;
determining a similarity score based at least in part on a comparison of the received image of the item with a stored image, wherein the stored image includes a representation of the item when properly positioned;
determining, based at least in part on the similarity score, that the item has been placed at the location with a proper item position; and
in response to determining that the item has been placed at the location with the proper item position, performing an action.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein performing an action includes at least one of:
sending for presentation a notification that the item has been placed at the location with the proper item position; or
providing an award for placing the item at the location with the proper item position.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the award is at least one of a credit, a discount, a badge, a coupon, or a rank.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
visually presenting item position information, wherein the presentation includes a representation of the item properly positioned.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
sending instructions for proper positioning of the item at the location, wherein the instructions include a progress indicator indicating a progress toward the proper item position of the item at the location.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the indication is at least one of an image of the item or a shape of the item.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein
determining that the item has been placed at the location with the proper item position, includes:
receiving an image of the item placed at the location;
determining a first similarity score based at least in part on a comparison of the received image of the item with a first stored image of the item, wherein the first stored image of the item includes a representation of the item at a first position, wherein the first position corresponds with the proper item position;
determining a second similarity score based at least in part on a comparison of the received image of the item with a second stored image of the item, wherein the second stored image of the item includes a representation of the item at a second position, wherein the second position does not correspond with the proper item position; and
determining that the first similarity score is higher than the second similarity score.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
sending instructions for guiding a user from a current user location to a current item location.

13. A method comprising:
under control of one or more computing devices configured with executable instructions:
determining a current item location of an item to be relocated;
sending first instructions for guiding a user to the current item location;
sending second instructions for guiding the user from the current item location to a placement location;
determining that the item has been placed at the placement location with a proper item position, wherein the proper item position includes at least an orientation of the item; and
providing a notification that the item has been placed at the placement location with the proper item position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the placement location is at least one of an inventory area associated with the item or a drop area for placing items, wherein the proper item position is any item position at the drop area.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining that the item has been picked from the current item location; and
wherein sending second instructions is in response to determining that the item has been picked from the current item location.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining that the item has been placed at the placement location with a proper item position includes:
receiving an image of the item placed at the placement location; and
determining a similarity score based at least in part on a comparison of the received image of the item with a stored image, wherein the stored image includes a representation of the item when properly positioned.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
associating an award wi

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• MISRA Avishkar
• Manyam Ohil Krishnamurthy
• Palaniappan Ramanathan
• Goldstein Michel Leonard
• Lim Raymond Wheekyun

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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

• B65G1/02 Primary

  Storage devices (furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F) · CPC title

• G06Q10/08741

  by picking of items from inventory for fulfillment · CPC title

• G06Q10/08778

  for managing mis-shipments, lost items or stolen goods · CPC title