Automated store technologies
AssigneeSwyft Inc.
InventorsGower Smith, Lincoln Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods provide an automated store with a number of product locations and a fetch and delivery bucket that conveys product from a shelf location to a delivery location. Cameras and sensors within the automated store acquire data that may be stored in a remote database and analyzed to improve the reliability of the delivery process. Camera images may also be used to re-position the fetch and delivery bucket in real time, to provide images of actual, available product to consumers via a remote interface, to determine inventory, and to monitor the activities of replenishers and service personnel, and to generally operate the automated store remotely.
Claims23
An automated store comprising:
- a plurality of product locations;
- a platform within the automated store and movable between a plurality of first platform positions and a second platform position adjacent to a dispensing area, each first platform position being adjacent to a product location;
- a security door with a first door position and a second door position, the security door hindering access to the platform through the dispensing area when in the first door position and not hindering access to the platform when in the second door position;
- a first camera connected to the platform, the first camera capturing a first field of view including at least part of the platform and at least part of an adjacent product location when the platform is at a first platform position;
- a positioning system connected to the platform such that the platform is movable by the positioning system between each of the plurality of product locations and the dispensing area;
- a controller including a processor and memory, the memory including instructions, the controller communicably connected to the first camera and the positioning system;
- and
- a network connector for connecting the first camera and controller to a database through a network.
A method comprising:
- providing an automated store comprising:
- a plurality of product locations;
- a platform within the automated store and movable between a plurality of first platform positions and a second platform position adjacent to a dispensing area, each first platform position being adjacent to a product location;
- a security door with a first door position and a second door position, the security door hindering access to the platform through the dispensing area when in the first door position and not hindering access to the platform when in the second door position;
- a first camera connected to the platform, the first camera capturing a first field of view including at least part of the platform and at least part of an adjacent product location when the platform is at a first platform position;
- a positioning system connected to the platform such that the platform is movable by the positioning system between each of the plurality of product locations and the dispensing area;
- a controller including a processor and memory, the memory including instructions, the controller in communication with the first camera and the positioning system;
- and
- a network connection connecting the first camera and controller to a database through a network;
- acquiring, by the controller, first images from the first camera;
- and
- storing, by the controller, the acquired first images in the database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.