Retail location robotic wall system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9430788-B2
Application number	US-201514973239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	May 25, 2011
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A robotic retail wall is presented allowing for the dispensing of merchandise within a retail location. The robotic wall includes commodity products and robotics that pick and deliver products to consumers in response to input at a kiosk. The robotics and products are separated from a retail space by a transparent barrier, allowing consumers in the retail space to view the actions of the robotics in retrieving a product. Behind the robotic wall is a product stocking area, where commodity products can be added to the robotic wall with assistance from the robotics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robotic inventory dispensing system, comprising:
an inventory storage area including a storage unit, the storage unit adapted to store respective product items for a plurality of products among a plurality of storage locations along a height and width of the inventory storage area;
a product delivery area including a dispensing location, the dispensing location adapted to receive and dispense the respective product items for the plurality of products;
a robotics unit operable to stock the respective product items within the storage unit, the robotics unit further operable to retrieve a requested product item from the storage unit and deliver the requested product item to the dispensing location, wherein the requested product item is associated with a identifier of a requested product of the plurality of products; and
a robotic control system to control the robotics unit, the robotic control system including:
a tracking system, wherein the tracking system is operable to track storage locations of the plurality of products, wherein the plurality of products are respectively associated with a plurality of product identifiers, and wherein the tracking system is further operable to track respective stocking locations of respective product items within the storage unit for the plurality of products based on the plurality of product identifiers; and
a command system, wherein the command system is operable to receive the identifier of the requested product in response to selection of the requested product at a computing device, and wherein the command system is further operable to command the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver the requested product item from the storage unit to the dispensing location;

wherein the robotic control system operates to stock the storage unit independently of a planogram, wherein the plurality of products are automatically stocked by the robotics unit throughout the plurality of storage locations in the storage unit to mix stocking locations of different products associated with different product identifiers, and wherein the tracking system is further configured to track the mixed stocking locations of the different products associated with the different product identifiers within the storage unit; and
wherein the robotic control system operates to select the requested product item with the command system through use of the identifier of the requested product, wherein the selection of the requested product causes a lookup of a stocking location of the requested product item within the storage unit and a communication of the stocking location to the robotics unit to retrieve the requested product item from the storage unit, the stocking location of the requested product item chosen from among respective stocking locations associated with the identifier of the requested product.

2. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the computing device, the computing device including a user interface, wherein the computing device receives the selection of the requested product from a human user with the user interface, and wherein the computing device is in communication with the robotic control system to provide the identifier of the requested product to the command system, to cause the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver the requested product item corresponding to the requested product.

3. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an electronic payment processing system, the electronic payment processing system arranged to communicate with the computing device, wherein the electronic payment processing system is configured to perform an electronic transaction to facilitate payment for the requested product, and wherein operations that provide the identifier of the requested product to the command system occur in response to success of the electronic transaction for payment for the requested product with the electronic payment processing system.

4. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of additional computing devices, each including a respective user interface, wherein each of the additional computing devices is in communication with the robotic control system to provide respective identifiers of additional requested products to the command system, to cause the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver additional product items corresponding to the additional requested products.

5. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a plurality of additional dispensing locations, wherein each dispensing location is dedicated to a customer session at a respective computing device;
wherein the robotics unit is configured to retrieve and deliver the additional product items corresponding to the additional requested products to the respective dispensing location dedicated to the customer session at the respective computing device.

6. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a replenishing unit to add additional product items for the plurality of products, the replenishing unit accessible by the robotics unit, wherein the replenishing unit allows loading of the additional product items for stocking by the robotics unit into the storage unit.

7. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 6 , further comprising a transparent barrier, wherein the transparent barrier is located on a first side of the inventory storage area, and wherein the replenishing unit is located on a second side of the inventory storage area.

8. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 6 , wherein the robotic unit operates to scan and identify a new product item of the additional product items and record a location in the storage unit of the new product item in the tracking system, to enable later retrieval of the new product item at the location in the storage unit.

9. The robotic inventory dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the storage unit is further adapted to store the respective product items among the plurality of storage locations along a depth of the inventory storage area.

10. A robotic inventory dispensing system, comprising:
a storage unit defining a wall in a retail area, the storage unit adapted to store a plurality of products among a plurality of storage locations along a height and a width of the wall, and the storage unit stockable to store respective product items for the plurality of products;
a dispensing location located in the retail area, the dispensing location adapted to receive and dispense the respective product items for the plurality of products;
a barrier established in the retail area between the storage unit and the dispensing location, the barrier arranged in the retail area to restrict access to the storage unit;
a robotics unit operable to stock the respective product items within the storage unit, and the robotics unit further operable to retrieve a requested product item from the storage unit and deliver the requested product item through the barrier to the dispensing location, the requested product item associated with an identifier of a requested product of the plurality of products; and
a kiosk including a computing device, the computing device operable to enable selection of the requested product by a human user with a user interface, wherein the computing device is configured to provide a command to initiate selection and delivery of the requested product item to the dispensing location; and
a robotic control system to control the robotics unit, the robotic control system in communication with the computing device, and the robotic control system including:
a tracking system, wherein the

Assignees

• Bby Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Stiernagle Chad

Classifications

• G07F11/165

  using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements · CPC title

• G07F9/023

  Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising · CPC title

• B25J11/008

  Manipulators for service tasks · CPC title

• Y10S901/02

  Arm motion controller · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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