Systems, devices and methods for determining item availability in a shopping space
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorsDonald R. High, Michael D. Atchley, David C. Winkle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase, instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.
Claims15
A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising:
- receiving, at a control circuit, a request for an item for purchase;
- causing, via the control circuit, a motorized transport unit having a locomotion system to travel to a display space in a shopping space, the display space intended to stock multiple items, including the item for purchase;
- capturing, via one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, image data of at least a portion of the display space;
- based on the image data obtained during the capturing step, determining, via the control circuit, whether the item for purchase is available in the display space;
- and
- in the event the item is not available in the display space, determining, with the control circuit, an alternative display space for the item for purchase;
- causing a locomotion system of the motorized transport unit to travel to the alternative display space;
- and
- determining, based on additional image data captured by the motorized transport unit at the alternative display space, whether the item for purchase is available at the alternative display space.
A system for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising:
- a communication device configured to communicate with a motorized transport unit including a locomotion system;
- an inventory database storing inventory information of a plurality of items available for purchase in the shopping space;
- and
- a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the inventory database, the control circuit being configured to:
- receive a request for an item for purchase;
- cause the motorized transport unit to travel a display space in the shopping space, the display space intended to stock multiple items, including the item for purchase;
- receive, from via one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, image data of at least a portion of the display space;
- based on the image data obtained during the capturing step, determine, whether the item for purchase is available in the display space;
- and
- in the event the item is not available in the display space, determine an alternative display space for the item for purchase and cause the motorized transport unit to travel to the alternative display space;
- and
- determine, based on additional image data captured by the motorized transport unit at the alternative display space, whether the item for purchase is available at the alternative display space.
An apparatus for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising:
- a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a central computer system;
- a motorized wheel system;
- a user interface device;
- a sensor;
- a control circuit coupled to the wireless transceiver, the motorized wheel system, the user interface device, and the sensor, the control circuit being configured to:
- travel, via the motorized wheel system and according to a determined route, to a display space in a shopping space stocking multiple items, including an item for purchase requested by a user;
- captured, via the sensor, image data of at least a portion of the display space;
- in the event the item is not available in the display space based on the image data, cause the motorized wheel system to travel to an alternative display space for the item for purchase;
- and
- determine, based on additional image data captured by the sensor the alternative display space, whether the item for purchase is available at the alternative display space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.