US 12,597,006 B1Granted

Customized retail environments

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsJonathan E. Cohn, Ejaz Ahmed, Gregory Hager

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Abstract

This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling facilities to implement techniques to identify items using weight sensors. For instance, a first weight sensor may determine a first weight associated with a first item, where the first item is priced per unit weight. The first weight sensor may be located within an inventory location associated with the item or a station that weighs and prices items. A second weight sensor may then determine a second weight of a second item. The second weight sensor may be located within the station or a tote, such as a shopping cart. A system may then use the second weight and the first weight to determine that the second item includes the first item. In some instances, the system may also use locations of the weight sensors, a time of flight of the item, and/or other information to make the determination.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving account identification data generated by a first device associated with a shopping cart;
determining an account associated with a user based at least in part on the account identification data;
associating the shopping cart with the account;
receiving, from a second device that is associated with an inventory location, first sensor data received from a first weight sensor associated with the inventory location that represents a first weight of a first item removed from the inventory location;
receiving, from a third device associated with a first scale, order data representing at least:
an identifier associated with a second item placed on the first scale;
a second weight of the second item;
and
a price of the second item that is based at least in part on the second weight;
receiving, from the first device associated with the shopping cart, second sensor data from a second scale associated with the shopping cart that represents a third weight of a third item placed within the shopping cart;
determining a first location associated with the first scale;
determining a second location associated with the second scale associated with the shopping cart;
determining weight differences between the second weight of the second item, the first weight of the first item, and the third weight of the third item;
determining a probability that the second item that was placed in the shopping cart and the second item that was placed on the first scale are the first item removed from the inventory location based at least in part on the weight differences;
determining that the probability satisfies a threshold probability;
based at least in part on determining the first location, determining the second location, and determining that the probability satisfies the threshold probability, determining that the second item that was placed on the first scale and that was placed in the shopping cart includes the first item that was removed from the inventory location;
storing at least a portion of the order data in association with the account of the user;
determining that the user has exited the facility;
and
based at least in part on determining that the user has exited the facility, charging a payment instrument associated with the account for at least a price of the first item.

20 more elements

A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device and from a second computing device associated with an inventory location, first sensor data from a first weight sensor associated with the inventory location, wherein the first sensor data represents a first weight of a first item removed from the inventory location;
determining, by a third computing device associated with a station for weighing items priced per unit weight and including a second weight sensor, second sensor data representing at least:
an identifier associated with a second item that was placed on the second weight sensor;
a second weight of the second item that was placed on the second weight sensor;
and
a price of the second item that is based on the second weight;
receiving, at the first computing device and from the third computing device, the second sensor data;
receiving, at the first computing device and from a fourth computing device of a mobile cart that includes a third weight sensor, account identification data generated by the fourth computing device for associating the mobile cart with an account associated with a user;
receiving, at the first computing device and from the fourth computing device, third sensor data representing a third weight of a third item that was placed within the mobile cart and on the third weight sensor;
determining a first location associated with the first weight sensor;
determining a second location associated with the second weight sensor;
determining weight differences between the third weight of the third item, the second weight of the second item, and the first weight of the first item;
determining a probability that the second item that was placed on the first weight sensor and the third item that was placed within the mobile cart corresponds to the first item that was removed from the inventory location based at least in part on the weight differences;
determining that the probability satisfies a threshold probability;
based at least in part on determining the first location, determining the second location, and determining that the probability satisfies the threshold probability, determining, by the first computing device, that the second item that was placed on the first weight sensor and the third item that was placed within the mobile cart corresponds to the first item that was removed from the inventory location;
and
based at least in part on determining that the second item and the third item correspond to the first item, storing, by the first computing device, event data associated with the account, the event data indicating at least the identifier associated with the second item and the price.

14 more elements

A method comprising:

identifying, by a first computing device, a first item that was removed from an inventory location based on first sensor data;
receiving, at the first computing device and from a first weight sensor that is associated with the inventory location, first weight data representing a first weight of the first item;
receiving, at the first computing device and from a second computing device that is separate from the inventory location and is associated with a second weight sensor, second weight data representing a second weight of a second item that was placed on the second weight sensor;
receiving, at the first computing device and from a third computing device that is associated with a tote that includes a third weight sensor, account identification data generated by the third computing device for associating the tote with an account associated with a user;
receiving, at the first computing device and from the third computing device, third weight data representing a third weight of a third item that was placed within the tote;
determining, by the first computing device, that the second item corresponds to the first item based at least in part on the first weight and the second weight;
determining a first location associated with the second weight sensor;
determining a second location associated with the third weight sensor;
determining a weight difference between the third weight of the third item and the second weight of the second item;
determining a probability that the third item that was placed within the tote corresponds to the second item that was placed on the second weight sensor based at least in part on the weight difference;
determining that the probability satisfies a threshold probability;
based at least in part on determining the first location, determining the second location, and determining that the probability satisfies the threshold probability, determining, by the first computing device, that the third item that was placed within the tote corresponds to the second item that was placed on the second weight sensor;
and
based at least in part on determining that the third item corresponds to the second item, determining, by the first computing device, event data associated with the account, the event data indicating at least a price of the first item that is based at least in part on the second weight.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.