# US 10,118,635 B2 · Systems and methods for monitoring shopping cart wheels

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- Number: US 10,118,635 B2
- Document ID: US10118635B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/835,958
- Filed: 2017-12-08
- Published: 2018-08-09
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-09
- Assignees: Walmart Apollo, LLC
- Applicants: Walmart Apollo, LLC
- Inventors: Nicholaus Adam Jones; Matthew Dwain Biermann; Steven Jackson Lewis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118635B2

## CPC

- B62B 5/0096: {Identification of the cart or merchandise, e.g. by barcodes or radio frequency identification [RFID]}
- B62B 3/1404: {Means for facilitating stowing or transporting of the trolleys; Antitheft arrangements (B62B5/0423 takes precedence)}
- G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation}
- G01H 3/00: Measuring {characteristics of} vibrations by using a detector in a fluid (G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence)
- G07C 3/00: Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
- B62B 3/1492: {Wheel arrangements}
- G07C 3/14: Quality control systems
- B62B: HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES (characterised by animal propulsion B62C; propulsion of sledges by driver or engine B62M)
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for evaluating shopping cart wheels using a sensor module or one or more microphones engaged with the shopping cart. The microphones can be used to detect sounds generated by the wheels of the shopping cart. A sound signature can be determined from the detected sound and compared to sound signatures in a database. If the detected sound indicates that a wheel of the shopping cart is failing, an alert can be generated using an associate alert system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for monitoring the status of a wheel of a manually driven shopping cart, the system comprising:
a shopping cart including a frame, a basket supported by the frame, and wheels configured to support the frame;
a sensor module engaged with the shopping cart, the sensor module including one or more microphones positioned on the shopping cart to detect sounds generated by the wheels of the shopping cart and a communication module configured to emit wireless transmissions in response to the sounds detected by the one or more microphones;
a wireless receiver configured to receive the wireless transmissions from the sensor module; and
a server in communication with the wireless receiver, the server including an associate alert system and a processor that can execute instructions to:
receive the wireless transmissions from the sensor module via the wireless receiver, the wireless transmissions including signals associated with the sounds generated by the wheels detected by the one or more microphones of the sensor module; and
generate an alert using the associate alert system in response to determining that the signals received by the server indicate that at least one of the wheels of the shopping cart is failing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further comprises an identifier associated with the shopping cart, and wherein the communication module is configured to emit wireless transmissions including the identifier.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further comprises a memory including a database of sound signatures and a processor to execute instructions to:
receive signals associated with the sounds generated by the wheels detected by the one or more microphones;
derive a sound signature from the received signals;
compare the sound signature of the received signals to a signature in the database of sound signatures; and
send, via the communication module, wireless transmissions including the results of the comparison.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein generating an alert using the associate alert system in response to determining that the signals received by the server indicate that at least one of the wheels of the shopping cart is failing includes:
deriving a sound signature from the signals received via wireless transmission;
comparing the sound signature to a signature in a database of sound signatures; and
generating an alert using the associate alert system if the comparison indicates that at least one of the wheels is failing.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor module includes a first microphone and a second microphone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein deriving a sound signature from the communication includes comparing signals from the first microphone and the second microphone to identify a wheel from among the plurality of wheels on the shopping cart, and wherein alerting the associate using the associate alert system includes indicating the identified wheel to the associate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further comprises one or more of a digital signal processor or a frequency pre-filter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor module includes a power generation system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the power generation system generates power from motion of a cart wheel, a solar cell, or an inductive charging station.

### Claim 10

A method of monitoring the status of a wheel of a manually driven shopping cart, the method comprising:
detecting sounds generated by the wheels of a shopping cart using a sensor module engaged with the shopping cart, the sensor module including one or more microphones positioned on the shopping cart;
receiving, at a server including an associate alert system and a processor, wireless transmissions from a communication module of the sensor module including signals associated with the detected sounds generated by the wheels;
generating an alert using the associate alert system in response to determining that the signals received by the server indicate that at least one of the wheels of the shopping cart is failing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving the signals from the one or more microphones at a processor of the sensor module, the sensor module comprising a memory including a database of sound signatures;
deriving, using the processor, a sound signature from the received signals;
comparing, using the processor, the sound signature of the received signals to a signature in the database of sound signatures; and
sending, via the communication module, a communication including the results of the comparison.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein generating an alert using the associate alert system includes:
deriving a sound signature from the communication;
comparing the sound signature from the communication to a signature in a database of sound signatures; and
alerting a user of the associate alert system in response to the comparison indicating a failing cart wheel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor module includes a first microphone and a second microphone.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein deriving a sound signature from the communication includes comparing signals from the first microphone and the second microphone to identify a wheel from among a plurality of wheels on the cart, and wherein alerting the associate using the associate alert system includes indicating the identified wheel to the associate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor module further comprises one or more of a digital signal processor or a frequency pre-filter.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor module includes a power generation system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising generating power with the power generation system from motion of a cart wheel, a solar cell, or an inductive charging station.

### Claim 18

A shopping cart, comprising:
a frame;
a basket supported by the frame;
wheels configured to support the frame;
one or more microphones disposed on the frame or the basket and positioned to detect sounds generated by rotation of at least one of the wheels;
a frequency pre-filter configured to filter signals output by the one or more of the microphones;
a communication module; and
a digital signal processor operatively coupled to the one or more microphones via the frequency pre-filter and operatively coupled to the communication module,
wherein the digital signal processor is configured to control the communication module to transmit a message corresponding to the signals output by the one or more microphones to a server.