Storage cart providing item storage verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11868959-B2
Application number	US-202017107199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 21, 2018
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

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 computer-implemented method for verifying contents of storage containers on a cart, the method comprising:
receiving, from at least one scanner device, scan data identifying an item for placement into at least one storage container on an item storage cart;
identifying, by a cart manager component implemented by a processor, a selected storage container assigned to the identified item;
outputting, by a user interface component implemented by the processor, a graphical representation of a location of the identified item on an item display within an item selection area;
based on identifying the selected storage container, releasing a locking mechanism to enable user access to at least a portion of an aperture associated with the selected storage container, wherein releasing the locking mechanism associated with the selected storage container includes preventing release of other locking mechanisms associated with other storage containers on the item storage cart until the locking mechanism associated with the selected storage container is re-engaged;
determining, by an analysis component implemented by the processor, that the identified item is placed into the selected storage container based on weight data generated by at least one weight sensor associated with at least the selected storage container;
responsive to the determination that the identified item is placed into the selected storage container, re-engaging the locking mechanism associated with the selected storage container.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting, by the user interface component, a location notification of a next item to be placed into a next storage container, wherein the location notification includes another graphical representation of another location of the next item within the item selection area.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the weight data differs from an expected weight data of the identified item associated with the selected storage container;
based on the determination that the weight data differs, generating, via the user interface component, a first alert indicating an incorrect item has been added to the selected storage container.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining other weight data generated by the at least one weight sensor associated with the selected storage container;
determining that the other weight data indicates a weight decrement unassociated with authorization of an item removal;
responsive to the determination that the other weight data indicates the weight decrement, generating, via the user interface component, an alert indicating an unauthorized item removal from the selected storage container.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining other weight data generated by the at least one weight sensor associated with the selected storage container;
determining that the other weight data indicates a weight increment unassociated with authorization of an item addition;
responsive to the determination that the other weight data indicates the weight increment, generating, via the user interface component, an alert indicating an unauthorized addition of an item to the selected storage container.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:
responsive to the release of the locking mechanism, extending extendable guides associated with the identified selected storage container to at least partially expose the portion of the aperture in an open position;
responsive to the determination that the identified item is placed into the selected storage container, retracting the extendable guides to return the identified storage container to a closed position prior to re-engaging the locking mechanism.

7. A system for verifying contents of storage containers on a cart comprising:
a cart manager component, implemented on a processor, that receives scanned data from a scanner device, identifies an item for placement into a storage container on a storage cart having a plurality of storage containers using the received scanned data, identifies a selected storage container assigned to the identified item, and determines that the identified item is placed into the selected storage container based on weight data generated by at least one weight sensor associated with the selected storage container;
a user interface component, implemented on the processor and communicatively coupled to the cart manager component, that outputs a graphical representation of a location of the identified item on an item display within an item selection area; and
a locking mechanism implemented on the storage cart and communicatively coupled to the cart manager component, the locking mechanism associated with the plurality of storage containers and operable to disengage at the selected storage container based on the identification of the selected storage container assigned to the identified item and prevent disengagement at other storage containers of the plurality of storage containers until reengaged at the selected storage container based on the determination that the identified item is placed in the selected storage container.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a location notification of a next item to be placed into a next storage container is output via the user interface component to include another graphical representation of another location of the next item within the item selection area.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the user interface component generates a first alert indicating an incorrect item has been added to the selected storage container based on a determination that the weight data differs from an expected weight data of the identified item associated with the selected storage container.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the cart manager component obtains other weight data generated by the at least one weight sensor, determines that the other weight data indicates a weight decrement unassociated with authorization of an item removal, and in response to the determination that the other weight data indicates the weight decrement, generates, via the user interface component, an alert indicating an unauthorized item removal from the selected storage container.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the cart manager component obtains other weight data generated by the at least one weight sensor, determines that the other weight data indicates a weight increment unassociated with authorization of an item addition, and, in response to the determination that the other weight data indicates the weight increment, generates, via the user interface component, an alert indicating an unauthorized addition of an item to the selected storage container.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising:
extendable guides associated with the selected storage container that extend in response to the release of the locking mechanism to at least partially expose the portion of the aperture in an open position, and, in response to the determination that the identified item is placed into the selected storage container, retract the extendable guides to return the selected storage container to a closed position prior to re-engaging the locking mechanism.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• G06K7/1408

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

• G06Q30/0603

  Catalogue creation or management · 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

• G06Q30/0641

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title