Bin content verification apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9811802-B1
Application number	US-201514927376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

This disclosure describes a device and system for verifying the content of items in a bin within a materials handling facility. In some implementations, a bin content verification apparatus may pass by one or more bins and capture images of those bins. The images may be processed to determine whether the content included in the bins has changed since the last time images of the bins were captured. A determination may also be made as to whether a change to the bin content was expected and, if so, if the determined change corresponds with the expected change.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bin content verification (“BCV”) apparatus, comprising:
a support frame including:
one or more vertical supports;
a base support surface; and
an upper surface;

at least one roller coupled to the support frame and configured to enable movement of the BCV apparatus;
a first side surface coupled to a first side of the support frame;
a first plurality of image capture devices coupled to the first side surface and positioned to capture images of a first plurality of bins located within a materials handling facility as the BCV apparatus moves within the materials handling facility;
a first illumination element coupled to the first side surface and positioned to illuminate the first plurality of bins as the images are captured; and
an encoder configured to control a speed of movement of the BCV apparatus such that images are captured at a rate that corresponds with the speed of the BCV apparatus.

2. The BCV apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a computing system configured to process the captured images.

3. The BCV apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a storage device configured to store images captured by the first plurality of image capture devices.

4. The BCV apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second side surface coupled to a second side of the support frame; and
a second plurality of image capture devices coupled to the second side surface and positioned to capture images of a second plurality of bins located within the materials handling facility as the BCV apparatus moves within the materials handling facility.

5. The BCV apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the second side surface is positioned opposite the first side surface;
the BCV apparatus is moving between a first bay that includes the first plurality of bins and a second bay that includes a second plurality of bins; and
the first plurality of images are captured at a same time as the second plurality of images.

6. The BCV apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a distance determining element configured to determine a distance between a bin of the first plurality of bins and the BCV apparatus.

7. The BCV apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first plurality of image capture devices are positioned such that a view angle of the at least two of the first plurality of image capture devices overlaps.

8. A bin content verification (“BCV”) apparatus, comprising:
an imaging column, including:
an image capture device positioned to obtain an image of an inventory holder when the inventory holder is in a field of view of the image capture device; and
a distance determining element configured to determine a distance between an inventory holder and the BCV apparatus such that the image capture device can obtain the image of the inventory holder when the inventory holder is in the field of view of the image capture device; and

an illumination column configured to illuminate the inventory holder as the image is captured.

9. The BCV apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the image capture device is angled downward such that the field of view of the image capture device is directed down into a shelf of the inventory holder.

10. The BCV apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the distance determining element is configured to:
cause the illumination column to illuminate the inventory holder when the inventory holder reaches a defined distance from the BCV apparatus; and
cause the image capture device to capture one or more images of the inventory holder when the inventory holder reaches the defined distance from the BCV apparatus.

11. The BCV apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a computing system in communication with at least one of the image capture device, the illumination column, or the distance determining element; and
a storage device connected to the computing system and configured to store the image.

12. The BCV apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a communication component configured to enable communication between the BCV apparatus and a remote computing system such that the image sent to the remote computing system by the communication component.

13. The BCV apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the distance determining element includes a sensor, the sensor configured to:
monitor a field of view of the image capture device for a visual identifier included on the inventory holder; and
cause the illumination column to illuminate when the visual identifier comes into the field of view.

14. The BCV apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is further configured to cause the image capture device to capture the image of the inventory holder when the visual identifier comes into focus within the field of view.

15. A bin content verification (“BCV”) apparatus, comprising:
a horizontal support member;
a first side surface positioned vertically and coupled to a first side of the horizontal support member;
a second side surface positioned vertically and coupled to a second, opposing side of the horizontal support member;
a first plurality of image capture devices coupled to the first side surface and positioned to capture images of a first plurality of bins located within a materials handling facility;
a second plurality of image capture devices coupled to the second side surface and positioned to capture images of a second plurality of bins located within the materials handling facility;
a power supply configured to provide power to the first plurality of image capture devices and the second plurality of image capture devices; and
a memory configured to store the captured images.

16. The BCV apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
at least one roller configured to enable movement of the BCV apparatus.

17. The BCV apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the horizontal support member separates the first side surface and the second side surface an amount sufficient to enable a mobile drive unit to position itself under the BCV apparatus and lift the BCV apparatus.

18. The BCV apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a plurality of shelves positioned between the first side surface and the second side surface.

19. The BCV apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
a distance determining element configured to determine a distance between a bin of the first plurality of bins and the BCV apparatus.

20. The BCV apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of image capture devices are configured to capture images at a frequency that corresponds to a speed at which the BCV apparatus is moving.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Curlander James Christopher
• Graybill Jules Cook
• Tappen Marshall Friend
• O'Brien Barry James

Classifications

• G06Q10/087 Primary

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

• H04N7/18

  Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast · CPC title

• G01B11/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) · CPC title

• B65G1/02

  Storage devices (furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F) · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title