US 11,628,477 B1Granted

Camera-based tracking systems for item sortation systems

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsJose Luis De La Rosa, Larry Joe Robb, Stanislava Yoshkova Petkova, Justin Stone, Joshua Martin Middleton

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for camera-based tracking systems for item sortation systems. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining, by a controller using first image data from a camera configured to image an aisle of an item sortation machine, a first item disposed on a first shuttle at a first location, where the first shuttle is in motion to a first designated drop off location, determining a first shuttle identifier of the first shuttle, and determining the first designated drop off location using the first shuttle identifier. Example methods may include determining that the first item has fallen onto a floor of the aisle, and determining that the first item was not delivered to the first designated drop off location.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An item sortation system comprising:

an induction portion at which first items for sortation are inducted into the item sortation system;
an aisle disposed about a center of the item sortation system;
a camera coupled to the item sortation system and configured to image the aisle of the item sortation system;
a first plurality of chutes disposed along a first side of the aisle;
a second plurality of chutes disposed along a second side of the aisle;
a shuttle comprising a conveyor belt, the shuttle configured to transport the first items from the induction portion to a chute of the first plurality of chutes or the second plurality of chutes;
memory configured to store computer-executable instructions;
and
at least one processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine, using first image data from the camera, a first item disposed on the shuttle at a first location, wherein the shuttle is in motion to a first designated drop off location;
determine a shuttle identifier of the shuttle;
determine the first designated drop off location using the shuttle identifier;
determine that the first item has fallen onto a floor of the aisle;
determine that the first item was not delivered to the first designated drop off location;
determine that an amount of items on the floor of the aisle satisfies a threshold;
and
cause a robotic sweeping system to sweep items on the floor to a first end of the aisle.

14 more elements

A system for an item sortation machine comprising:

a camera configured to image an aisle of the item sortation machine;
memory configured to store computer-executable instructions;
and
at least one processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine, using first image data from the camera, a first item disposed on a first shuttle at a first location, wherein the first shuttle is in motion to a first designated drop off location;
determine a first shuttle identifier of the first shuttle;
determine the first designated drop off location using the first shuttle identifier;
determine that the first item has fallen onto a floor of the aisle;
determine that the first item was not delivered to the first designated drop off location;
determine that an amount of items on the floor of the aisle satisfies a threshold;
and
cause a robotic sweeping system disposed in the aisle to sweep items on the floor to an end of the aisle.

9 more elements

A method comprising:

determining, by a controller using first image data from a camera configured to image an aisle of an item sortation machine, a first item disposed on a first shuttle at a first location, wherein the first shuttle is in motion to a first designated drop off location;
determining a first shuttle identifier of the first shuttle;
determining the first designated drop off location using the first shuttle identifier;
determining that the first item has fallen onto a floor of the aisle;
determining that the first item was not delivered to the first designated drop off location;
determining that the first item moved from a first position to a second position on the first shuttle;
determining a second location of the first shuttle at which the first item moved;
determining a speed of the first shuttle at the second location;
updating a machine learning dataset for a machine learning algorithm using the second location and the speed;
determining a second item disposed on the first shuttle;
determining one or more of:
a size, a weight, or a shape of the second item;
determining a predicted movement of the second item at the second location using the machine learning algorithm;
determining that the predicted movement is greater than the movement threshold;
and
causing the speed of the first shuttle to be reduced.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.