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US 2016/0104220 A1Published application
Retail location robotic wall system
AssigneeBby Solutions, Inc.
InventorChad Stiernagle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A robotic retail wall is presented allowing for the dispensing of merchandise within a retail location. The robotic wall includes commodity products and robotics that pick and deliver products to consumers in response to input at a kiosk. The robotics and products are separated from a retail space by a transparent barrier, allowing consumers in the retail space to view the actions of the robotics in retrieving a product. Behind the robotic wall is a product stocking area, where commodity products can be added to the robotic wall with assistance from the robotics.
Claims22
1-31. (canceled)
A robotic inventory dispensing system, comprising:
- an inventory storage area including a storage unit, the storage unit adapted to store respective product items for a plurality of products among a plurality of storage locations along a height and width of the inventory storage area;
- a product delivery area including a dispensing location, the dispensing location adapted to receive and dispense the respective product items for the plurality of products;
- a robotics unit operable to stock the respective product items within the storage unit, the robotics unit further operable to retrieve a requested product item from the storage unit and deliver the requested product item to the dispensing location, wherein the requested product item is associated with a identifier of a requested product of the plurality of products;
- and
- a robotic control system to control the robotics unit, the robotic control system including:
- a tracking system, the tracking system operable to track storage locations of the plurality of products, wherein the plurality of products are respectively associated with a plurality of product identifiers, wherein the tracking system is further operable to track respective stocking locations of respective product items within the storage unit for the plurality of products based on the plurality of product identifiers;
- and
- a command system, the command system operable to receive the identifier of the requested product in response to selection of the requested product at a computing device, the command system further operable to command the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver the requested product item from the storage unit to the dispensing location;
- wherein the robotic control system operates to stock the storage unit independently of a planogram, wherein the plurality of products are automatically stocked by the robotics unit throughout the plurality of storage locations in the storage unit to mix stocking locations of different products associated with different product identifiers, and wherein the tracking system is further configured to track the mixed stocking locations of the different products associated with the different product identifiers within the storage unit;
- and
- wherein the robotic control system operates to select the requested product item with the command system through use of the identifier of the requested product, wherein the selection of the requested product causes a lookup of a stocking location of the requested product item within the storage unit and a communication of the stocking location to the robotics unit to retrieve the requested product item from the storage unit, the stocking location of the requested product item chosen from among respective stocking locations associated with the identifier of the requested product.
8 more elements
A robotic inventory dispensing system, comprising:
- a storage unit defining a wall in a retail area, the storage unit adapted to store a plurality of products among a plurality of storage locations along a height and a width of the wall, and the storage unit stockable to store respective product items for the plurality of products;
- a dispensing location located in the retail area, the dispensing location adapted to receive and dispense the respective product items for the plurality of products;
- a barrier established in the retail area between the storage unit and the dispensing location, the barrier arranged in the retail area to restrict access to the storage unit;
- a robotics unit operable to stock the respective product items within the storage unit, and the robotics unit further operable to retrieve a requested product item from the storage unit and deliver the requested product item through the barrier to the dispensing location, the requested product item associated with an identifier of a requested product of the plurality of products;
- and
- a kiosk including a computing device, the computing device operable to enable selection of the requested product by a human user with a user interface, wherein the computing device is configured to provide a command to initiate selection and delivery of the requested product it to the dispensing location;
- and
- a robotic control system to control the robotics unit, the robotic control system in communication with the computing device, and the robotic control system including:
- a tracking system, the tracking system operable to track locations of the plurality of products, wherein the plurality of products are respectively associated with a plurality of product identifiers, wherein the tracking system is further operable to track respective stocking locations of the respective product items within the storage unit for the plurality of products based on the plurality of product identifiers;
- and
- a command system, the command system operable to receive the command to initiate selection and delivery of the requested product item in response to selection of the requested product at the computing device, the command system further operable to command the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver the requested product item from the storage unit to the dispensing location;
- wherein the robotic control system operates to stock the storage unit independently of a planogram, wherein the plurality of products are automatically stocked by the robotics unit throughout the plurality of storage locations in the storage unit to mix stocking locations of different products associated with different product identifiers, and wherein the tracking system is further configured to track the mixed stocking locations of the different products associated with the different product identifiers within the storage unit;
- and
- wherein the robotic control system operates to select the requested product item with the command system through use of the identifier of the requested product, wherein the selection of the requested product item causes a lookup of a stocking location of the requested product item within the storage unit and a communication of the stocking location to the robotics unit to select the requested product item from the storage unit, the stocking location of the requested product item chosen from among respective stocking locations associated with the identifier of the requested product.
11 more elements
A method, performed by programmed electronics of a robotic inventory dispensing system, the robotic inventory dispensing system including a storage unit, a dispensing location, a robotics unit, a robotic control system, and an inventory tracking system, the method comprising:
- defining an inventory of a plurality of products among a plurality of storage locations in a first and a second direction of the storage unit, the first direction being opposite of the second direction, wherein the storage unit is adapted to store respective items for the plurality of products;
- stocking the inventory of the plurality of products within the storage unit using the robotics unit, the robotics unit operable to select a requested product item from the storage unit and deliver the requested product item from the storage unit to the dispensing location, wherein the requested product item is associated with a identifier of a requested product stocked in the inventory;
- tracking locations of the inventory of the plurality of products within the storage unit using the inventory tracking system, wherein the plurality of products are respectively associated with a plurality of product identifiers, wherein the inventory tracking system further tracks respective stocking locations within the storage unit of the respective product items for each of the plurality of products based on the plurality of product identifiers;
- receiving the identifier of the requested product stocked in the inventory, in response to selection of the requested product in a user interface of a computing device;
- and
- controlling the robotics unit to retrieve and deliver the requested product item to the dispensing location, in response to the receiving the identifier of the requested product;
- wherein the robotic control system operates to stock the storage unit independently of a planogram, wherein the plurality of products are automatically stocked by the robotics unit throughout the storage unit to mix stocking locations of different products associated with different product identifiers, and wherein the inventory tracking system is further configured to track the mixed stocking locations of the different products associated with the different product identifiers within the storage unit;
- and
- wherein the robotic control system operates to select the requested product item through use of the identifier of the requested product, wherein the selection of the requested product item causes a lookup of a stocking location of the requested product item within the storage unit and a communication of the stocking location to the robotics unit to select the requested product item from the storage unit, the stocking location chosen from among respective stocking locations associated with the identifier of the requested product.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.