Archway truss device with interactive exit lanes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12516568-B1
Application number	US-202519013365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 8, 2025
Priority date	Jan 8, 2025
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

Examples provide an archway truss for supporting devices, such as sensor devices generating sensor data for objects passing through the archway and a digital display device displaying dynamic content to users moving through the archway. The archway truss includes vertical support members attached to a horizontal top member. A central support member is reinforced to protect against cart impacts. Cameras are attached to the archway truss and positioned to capture images of objects in carts moving through the archway truss. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag readers and other sensor devices are removably attached to the archway truss to gather item identification data for objects in the carts. Pairs of wing barriers are provided for each vertical support to block the field of view of the cameras from objects outside the lanes formed by the archway truss. An exterior covering provides padding to protect users contacting the archway truss.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An archway truss providing support for a plurality of sensor devices, the archway truss comprising:
a first vertical support member forming a first side of a first lane; a second vertical support member forming a second side of the first lane; a horizontal top member connected to a first connection point of the first vertical support member and a second connection point of the second vertical support member forming an arch associated with the first lane; a first barrier member removably attached to the first vertical support member, the first barrier member comprising a first pair of wing panels extending perpendicular to the first vertical support member; a second barrier member associated with the second vertical support member, the second barrier member comprising a second pair of the wing panels extending perpendicular to the second vertical support member; and the plurality of sensor devices removably attached to the arch, the plurality of sensor devices generating sensor data associated with an object passing through the first lane of the arch.

2 . The archway truss of claim 1 , the plurality of sensor devices comprising:
a set of image capture devices removably attached to the archway truss, the set of image capture devices comprising: a first image capture device removably attached to the first vertical support member, wherein the first image capture device is located within a first recessed camera housing of the first vertical support member; a second image capture device removably attached to the second vertical support member, wherein the second image capture device is located within a second recessed camera housing of the second vertical support member; and a third image capture device removably attached to the horizontal top member and positioned between the first vertical support member and the second vertical support member, wherein the first image capture device, the second image capture device and the third image capture device are positioned to capture a first set of images of a first set of objects moving through the first lane.

3 . The archway truss of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third vertical support member, wherein the third vertical support member is connected to the horizontal top member, wherein the second vertical support member, a portion of the horizontal top member, and the third vertical support member form a second arch defining a second lane; and a third barrier member associated with the third vertical support member, the third barrier member comprising a third pair of the wing panels, each wing panel in the third pair of the wing panels extending perpendicular to the third vertical support member.

4 . The archway truss of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of sensor devices further comprises:
a fourth image capture device removably attached to the horizontal top member between the second vertical support member and the third vertical support member; a fifth image capture device removably attached to the second vertical support member, wherein the fifth image capture device is located within a third recessed camera housing of the second vertical support member; and a sixth image capture device removably attached to the third vertical support member, wherein the sixth image capture device is located within a fourth recessed camera housing of the third vertical support member, and wherein the fourth image capture device, the fifth image capture device and the sixth image capture device are positioned to capture a second set of images of a second set of objects moving through the second lane.

5 . The archway truss of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor devices further comprises:
a set of radio frequency identification (RFID) reader devices removably attached to the archway truss.

6 . The archway truss of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of reinforced panels covering an exterior surface of the second vertical support member, wherein the second vertical support member is reinforced to withstand collisions of one or more carts with the second vertical support member.

7 . The archway truss of claim 1 , further comprising:
a digital display device associated with a front facing side of the archway truss device, wherein the digital display device displays content viewable by users passing through the first lane.

8 . The archway truss of claim 1 , further comprising:
digital display device associated with a back facing side of the archway truss device, wherein the digital display device dynamically displays content viewable from an exit.

9 . The archway truss of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first wing panel of the first barrier attached to a first front side of the first vertical support member, the first wing panel sloping downward away from the first vertical support member; a second wing panel of the first barrier attached to a first back side of the first vertical support member, the second wing panel sloping downward away from the first vertical support member; a third wing panel of the second barrier attached to a second front side of the second vertical support member, the first wing panel sloping downward away from the second vertical support member; and a fourth wing panel of the second barrier attached to a second back side of the second vertical support member, the fourth wing panel sloping downward away from the second vertical support member.

10 . A multi-lane archway truss comprising:
a first vertical support member; a first barrier associated with the first vertical support member, the first barrier comprising a first side panel attached to a first front side of the first vertical support member and a second side panel attached to a first back side of the first vertical support member; a second vertical support member; a second barrier associated with the second vertical support member, the second barrier comprising a third side panel attached to a second front side of the second vertical support member and a fourth side panel attached to a second back side of the second vertical support member; a central support member disposed between the first vertical support member and the second vertical support member; a third barrier associated with the central support member, the third barrier comprising a fifth side panel attached to a third front side of the central support member and a sixth side panel attached to a third back side of the central support member; a horizontal top member attached to a first connection point of the first vertical support member, a second connection point of the second vertical support member, and a third connection point of the central support member, wherein a first lane is provided between the first vertical support member and the central support member, and wherein a second lane is provided between the second vertical support member and the central support member; a set of image capture devices removably attached to the multi-lane archway truss generating images of an object passing through the first lane and the second lane; and a set of RFID tag readers removably attached to the multi-lane archway truss, the set of RFID tag readers generating sensor data associated with the object passing through the first lane and the second lane of the multi-lane archway truss.

11 . The multi-lane archway truss of claim 10 , wherein the set of image capture devices further comprises:
a first image capture device removably attached to the first vertical support member, wherein the first image capture device is at least partially recessed within the first vertical support member; a second image capture device removably attached to the central s

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Zhu Feiyun
• Wang Wei
• Balusu Raghava
• Pachauri Abhinav
• Cucco Vincent St Jon
• Schubert Jr Michael Alvin
• Jade Avinash Madhusudanrao
• Yuan Mingquan
• Zhang Lingfeng
• Robinson William Craig
• Zang Huanyu
• Duan Zhaoliang
• Zhang Han

Classifications

• G07C9/10 Primary

  Movable barriers with registering means · CPC title

• E06B11/08 Primary

  Turnstiles; {Gates for control of entry or exit of persons, e.g. in supermarkets} (control gates on vehicles B60N5/00 {; bank protection devices E05G5/00}; with registering means G07C9/10 {; coin-freed facilities for turnstiles G07F17/14}) · CPC title