US 12,620,229 B1Granted

Customized retail environments

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsAaron M. McDaniel, Nirmal Doshi, Nathan P. O'Neill, Joel Stirling, Joseph W. Chauvin, Nir Charny, Kaigene Jennifer Lin, Spencer Ralph Dodge

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Abstract

This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling physical retail stores and other facilities to implement automated-checkout techniques for the purchase of items that are priced per unit weight. For example, the described systems may enable a facility to implement technology where users are able to remove items from inventory locations, place the items on weight sensors, and then be charged for the prices of the items without performing manual checkout of the items. The price of an item is determined based at least in part on the identifier of the item and the price per unit weight of the item. The systems described herein thus enable customized retail facilities, as opposed to a retail facility that allows automated-checkout only for prepackaged-type or otherwise non-customizable merchandise.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a first sensor associated with an inventory location of a facility and configured to capture first sensor data;
a weigh station positioned in the facility, the weigh station including a weight sensor;
a second sensor positioned proximate to the weigh station and configured to capture second sensor data;
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 the first sensor data associated with the inventory location in the facility;
determining, based at least in part on the first sensor data, that a user removed an item from the inventory location;
determining that the item was placed on the weight sensor;
receiving, from the weigh station, third sensor data representing a weight of the item;
determining a price of the item that is based at least in part on the weight;
determining, based on the second sensor data received from the second sensor, that the user is positioned within a threshold distance to the weigh station;
determining that the user has exited the facility;
and
charging a payment instrument associated with the user for the price of the item based at least in part on determining that the user removed the item from the inventory location, that the user was positioned within the threshold distance to the weigh station, and that the user has exited the facility.

12 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, based on first sensor data, an identity of an item within a facility, wherein:
the first sensor data is received from one or more sensors arranged within a facility in association with a plurality of items;
and
the plurality of items includes the item;
determining, based on weight sensor data from a weight sensor at a first time, a weight of the item, wherein the weight sensor is associated with a weigh station positioned within the facility and proximate a camera;
determining a price of the item based on the weight;
receiving second sensor data from the camera positioned proximate the weigh station at a second time, wherein the second time is later than the first time;
processing the second sensor data to determine that a user received the item at the second time;
determining, based at least in part on the determination that the user received the item at the second time, that the item is associated with the user;
storing event data associated with an account associated with the user, the event data indicating at least an identifier associated with the item and the price;
determining that the user has exited the facility;
and
charging a payment instruction associated with the user for the price of the item.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/201,104Filed 23 May 2023 · continuation
Priority: 2 Mar 2020
Granted: 5 May 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

G08B 13/2462
Specific applications combined with EAS: asset location systems combined with EAS
G06Q 10/087
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
G06Q 20/102
Specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems: bill distribution or payments
G06Q 20/20
Payment architectures: point-of-sale [POS] network systems