# US 11,299,189 B2 · Motorized cart retriever for monitoring cart status

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,299,189 B2
- Document ID: US11299189B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/995,471
- Filed: 2020-08-17
- Published: 2021-06-10
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2005-03-18
- Assignees: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Stephen E. Hannah; Scott J. Carter; Jesse M. James
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299189B2

## CPC

- B62B 5/0438: {hand operated}
- H04W 4/02: Services making use of location information
- A47F 10/04: for storing or handling self-service hand-carts or baskets
- B60K 25/08: from a ground wheel, e.g. engaging the wheel tread or rim
- B60T 7/16: operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
- B60T 7/18: operated by wayside apparatus
- B62B 3/14: characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys {(collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027)}
- B62B 3/1404: {Means for facilitating stowing or transporting of the trolleys; Antitheft arrangements (B62B5/0423 takes precedence)}
- B62B 3/1412: {mounted on the frame}
- B62B 3/1424: {Electronic display devices}
- B62B 3/1492: {Wheel arrangements}
- B62B 5/0003: {Adaptations for loading in or on a vehicle}
- B62B 5/0423: {braking or blocking when leaving a particular area}
- B62B 5/048: {Hub brakes; drum brakes}
- G01C 21/12: executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
- G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation}
- G06K 7/10366: {the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications}
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G08B 13/2434: {Tag housing and attachment details}
- G08B 13/2448: {Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag}
- G08B 13/2462: {Asset location systems combined with EAS (inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00)}
- G08B 13/2482: {EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure}
- G08G 1/20: {Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles}
- H02K 7/1846: {structurally associated with wheels or associated parts (dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12)}
- H04W 4/024: Guidance services
- H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services
- G08B 13/246: {Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag (anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003)}
- G08B 13/2474: {Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout (loop antennae H01Q1/22)}
- G08B 13/2477: {Antenna or antenna activator circuit}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- B62B: HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES (characterised by animal propulsion B62C; propulsion of sledges by driver or engine B62M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- A47F: SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
- 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)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A motorized cart retriever, which may be a cart pusher or a cart puller, can apply a force to a nest of human-propelled, wheeled carts to facilitate retrieval of the carts. The cart retriever can include a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive cart status information from cart transmitters of the wheeled carts and wirelessly report event data to a control unit. The cart status information may include an identification of the cart transmitter, a location of the cart, a lock or unlock status of a cart wheel, a misuse condition, etc. The event data can include the cart status information, a number of wheeled carts being retrieved, etc. The cart wheel may include a brake. The transceiver may communicate a message to the cart wheel to keep the brake unactuated during retrieval. The control unit may analyze the event data to detect traffic patterns of the carts.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for monitoring use of a motorized cart retriever configured to push or pull a stack of human-propelled carts, the process comprising, under control of program instructions:
estimating a number of carts in the stack, wherein estimating said number comprises transmitting, from a wireless transceiver of the motorized cart retriever, a message that causes wireless transceivers of carts to transmit a response, and determining, based on the responses received from the carts, which of said carts are included in the stack;
determining whether the estimated number exceeds a threshold; and
when the estimated number is determined to exceed the threshold, initiating an action.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the action comprises disabling the cart retriever.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the action comprises reporting a misuse event.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the message specifies a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold used by the wireless transceivers of the carts to determine whether to respond to the message.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein estimating the number of carts in the stack comprises generating received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of transmissions received from the wireless transceivers of the carts.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the message causes a wireless transceiver of a cart to generate a plurality of transmissions at a plurality of respective frequencies, and wherein determining which carts are included in the stack comprises generating received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of each of the plurality of transmissions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein estimating the number of carts comprises causing the wireless transceivers of the carts to generate and report received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of transmissions from other carts, and using said RSSI measurements to determine which carts are included in the stack.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process of claim 7, wherein using said RSSI measurements to determine which carts are included in the stack comprises calculating distances between the wireless transceivers of particular carts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the process is implemented by execution of program instructions by a processor of the motorized cart retriever.

### Claim 10

A system, comprising:
a motorized cart retriever configured to push or pull a stack of shopping carts; and
a transceiver system associated with the motorized cart retriever, the transceiver system comprising a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate bidirectionally with cart transceivers of each of a plurality of carts, the transceiver system further comprising a processor that executes program instructions;
wherein the processor of the transceiver system is programmed to use information collected from said bidirectional communications with the cart transceivers to estimate a number of carts in the stack of shopping carts.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine whether the estimated number of carts in the stack exceeds a threshold, and to initiate an action when the number exceeds the threshold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the action comprises disabling the motorized cart retriever.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the action comprises reporting a misuse event.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver system is configured to transmit a message that specifies a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) threshold used by the cart transceivers to determine whether to respond to the message.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver system is configured to generate received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of transmissions received from the cart transceivers, and to use the RSSI measurements to estimate said number of carts in the stack.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver system is configured to:
transmit a message that causes a cart transceiver to generate a plurality of transmissions at a plurality of respective frequencies;
generate received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of each of the plurality of transmissions; and
use the RSSI measurements to estimate a distance between the motorized cart retriever and the cart transceiver.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the transceiver system is configured to:
cause the cart transceivers of the carts to generate and report received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements of transmissions from other cart transceivers; and
use said RSSI measurements to determine which carts are in the stack.