Shopping facility assistance system and method having a motorized transport unit that selectively leads or follows a user within a shopping facility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016259345-A1
Application number	US-201615061848-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shopping facility assistance system includes a plurality of motorized transport units, a plurality of user interface units, and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the motorized transport units and the user interface units. The central computer system is configured to control movement of the motorized transport units through a shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the user interface units. More particularly, the central computer system controls movement of the motorized transport units such that a given one of the plurality of motorized transport units selectively leads a user to a destination within the shopping facility or follows the user within the shopping facility as determined by the central computer system. By one approach, the motorized transport units move through the shopping facility via a plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shopping facility assistance system comprising:
a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a retail store space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail store space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units such that a given one of the plurality of motorized transport units selectively:
leads a user to a destination within the retail store; or
follows the user within the retail store; as determined by the central computer system.

2 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 1 wherein the central computer system causes the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units to move through the retail store via a plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments.

3 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 2 wherein at least most of the pre-determined path segments are substantially straight.

4 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 2 wherein the central computer system causes the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units to move other than via one of the plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments to avoid an obstacle on one of the preferred pre-determined path segments.

5 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 4 wherein the given one of the motorized transport units includes at least one obstacle detector.

6 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 1 wherein the central computer system determines whether to have the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units lead a user or follow a user based at least in part upon input from the user via a corresponding one of the user interface units.

7 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 6 wherein the corresponding one of the user interface units comprises a portable two-way communications device possessed by the user.

8 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 1 further comprising an item container that is attached to the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units such that the user can place items to be purchased in the item container to be carried to a point of sale within the retail store.

9 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 1 wherein the central computer system causes the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units, when following the user within the retail store, to halt following the user when the user enters an off-limits area.

10 . The shopping facility assistance system of claim 1 wherein the central computer system will automatically switch the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units from leading the user to following the user when the user diverts from following the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units.

11 . A method employed by a shopping facility assistance system having:
a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a retail store space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail store space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units; the method comprising: determining by the central computer system whether a given one of the plurality of motorized transport units will:
lead a user to a destination within the retail store; or
follow the user within the retail store.

12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the central computer system causes the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units to lead or follow the user via a plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein at least most of the pre-determined path segments are substantially straight.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprising causing the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units to lead or follow the user other than via one of the plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments to avoid an obstacle on one of the preferred pre-determined path segments.

15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the given one of the motorized transport units includes at least one obstacle detector.

16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the central computer system determines whether to have the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units lead a user or follow a user based at least in part upon input from the user via a corresponding one of the user interface units.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the corresponding one of the user interface units comprises a portable two-way communications device possessed by the user.

18 . The method of claim 11 wherein the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units is attached to an item container such that the user can place items to be purchased in the item container to be carried to a point of sale within the retail store.

19 . The method of claim 11 further comprising causing the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units, when following the user within the retail store, to halt following the user when the user enters an off-limits area.

20 . The method of claim 11 further comprising automatically switching the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units from leading the user to following the user when the user diverts from following the given one of the plurality of motorized transport units.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Mchale Brian G
• Winkle David C
• Atchley Michael D
• Chakrobartty Shuvro
• High Donald R

Classifications

• G01S1/7038

  Signal details · CPC title

• G01S1/7034

  Mounting or deployment thereof · CPC title

• G01S2201/02

  Indoor positioning, e.g. in covered car-parks, mining facilities, warehouses · CPC title

• G06Q30/0631

  Recommending goods or services · CPC title

• G06Q10/06311

  Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group · CPC title