Restocking hub with interchangeable buttons mapped to item identifiers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12340413-B2
Application number	US-202318492595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2023
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A restocking hub with interchangeable buttons mapped to item identifiers is described herein. In some instances, a local hub may receive an actuation signal from a particular interchangeable button communicatively coupled with the local hub. The actuation signal may include a button ID that identifies the particular interchangeable button and may indicating an actuation of the particular interchangeable button. The local hub may generate an order signal identifying the button ID based on the actuation signal, and may transmit the order signal instructing a remote server to perform a defined operation using the button ID. In some instances, the local hub may output a confirmation notification based on data received from the remote server based on the defined operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a button holder including a body having a permanent button and a button mount that receives and retains an interchangeable button, one or more electrical contacts providing electrical power to the interchangeable button, the button holder generating one or more signals based on actuation of the permanent button and a button identification code (button ID) of the interchangeable button.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the body of the button holder has an elongated shape with a plurality of button mounts arranged longitudinally along a first face of the elongated shape, each of the plurality of button mounts adapted to receive and retain one of a plurality of interchangeable buttons.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the body of the button holder includes a second face perpendicular to the first face, the second face including the permanent button.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the interchangeable button stores the button ID and transmits the button ID in response to the interchangeable button being actuated.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a processor and a communication unit, the communication unit transmitting the one or more signals to and receiving data from a remote server.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a microphone communicatively coupled with the processor, the processor receiving audio from the microphone and processing the audio to determine a quantity of an item, the item being determined based on the button ID of the interchangeable button.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the processor matches the audio received from the microphone against an audio wave profile from a set of audio wave profiles and determines the quantity based on the matched audio wave profile; and
the communication unit transmits the one or more signals based on the determined quantity and the button ID.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the permanent button includes an activation button, the activation button causing the system to activate one or more interchangeable buttons connected to the button holder, the one or more interchangeable buttons including the interchangeable button.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the button ID of the interchangeable button is transmitted via the one or more electrical contacts.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a keypad having multiple permanent buttons including the permanent button, the system determining an item based on the actuation of the interchangeable button and a quantity of the item based on actuation of one or more of the multiple permanent buttons, the one or more signals being based on the determined item and the quantity.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a keypad having multiple permanent buttons, the multiple permanent buttons including the permanent button, the system determining an item based on the actuation of the interchangeable button and a quantity of the item based on actuation of one or more of the multiple permanent buttons, the one or more signals being based on the determined item and the quantity.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a remote-control device including a second permanent button, the remote-control device being physically separate from the body of the button holder, the system determining an item based on the actuation of the interchangeable button and a quantity of the item based on actuation of the second permanent button, the one or more signals being based on the determined item and the quantity.

13. A method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a button identification code (button ID) from an interchangeable button;
receiving, by the one or more processors, an actuation signal from a permanent button on a button holder, the button holder including a body having the permanent button and a button mount that receives and retains the interchangeable button, one or more electrical contacts at the button mount providing electrical power to the interchangeable button; and
generating, by the one or more processors, one or more signals based on the actuation of the permanent button and the button ID of the interchangeable button.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the interchangeable button stores the button ID and transmits the button ID in response to the interchangeable button being actuated within the button mount.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processors, audio from a microphone communicatively coupled with the one or more processors; and
processing, by the one or more processors, the audio to determine a quantity of an item, the item being determined based on the button ID of the interchangeable button.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more processors matches the audio received from the microphone against an audio wave profile from a set of audio wave profiles and determines the quantity based on the matched audio wave profile; and
a communication unit coupled with the one or more processors transmits the one or more signals based on the determined quantity and the button ID.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
activating, by the one or more processors, one or more interchangeable buttons connected to the button holder based on actuation of the permanent button, the permanent button including an activation button, the one or more interchangeable buttons including the interchangeable button.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
receiving, by the one or more processors, the button ID of the interchangeable button is transmitted via the one or more electrical contacts.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, an item based on the actuation of the interchangeable button and a quantity of the item based on actuation of one or more of multiple permanent buttons, the body of the button holder having the multiple permanent buttons including the permanent button, the one or more signals being based on the determined item and the quantity.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
determining, by the one or more processors, an item based on the actuation of the interchangeable button and a quantity of the item based on actuation of a second permanent button, the one or more signals being based on the determined item and the quantity, a remote-control device including the second permanent button, the remote-control device being physically separate from the body of the button holder.

Assignees

• Staples Inc

Inventors

• Walker M Steven
• Sonone Ranjeet
• Masud Faisal

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G08C17/02

  using a radio link · CPC title

• G06Q30/0643 Primary

  graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation · CPC title