US 9,792,581 B1 · Dynamic marker responsive to emitted light

Abstract

Techniques for improving efficiency of an inventory system are described. In an example, based on instructions of a computing management module of an inventory system, a trigger associated with reading a marker may be triggered. The marker may be attached with an item available from an inventory space and may encode information about the item. The marker may be configured to present, in response to receiving a non-visible light wavelength, a visible indication of an attachment location of the marker. Further, based on the instructions and at least in part on the trigger, a light source may emit the non-visible light wavelength. The emission of the non-visible light wavelength may cause the marker to respond with the visible indication of the attachment location. The visible indication may facilitate a read of the marker by a reader of the inventory system to trigger an inventory action.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An inventory system deployed in association with an inventory space, the inventory system comprising:

an ultraviolet wavelength source configured to emit at least an ultraviolet wavelength;
a marker attached with an item at an attachment location associated with the item, the item available from the inventory space, the marker encoding information about the item and configured to emit a visible light in response to the ultraviolet wavelength;
a reader configured to read the marker and to trigger an inventory action based at least in part on the information about the item;
and
a computing management module coupled with the ultraviolet wavelength source and configured to:
determine a trigger associated with reading the marker;
and
provide, based at least in part on the trigger, instructions that cause the ultraviolet wavelength source to emit the ultraviolet wavelength,
wherein an emission of the visible light by the marker in response to an emission of the ultraviolet wavelength causes a visible indication of the attachment location relative to an orientation of the item in space, and wherein a read of the marker by the reader is based at least in part on the visible indication of the attachment location.

6 more elements

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, under instructions of a computing management module of an inventory system, a trigger associated with causing an inventory action based at least in part on a marker attached with an item available from an inventory space, the marker encoding information about the item and configured to present, in response to receiving a non-visible light wavelength, a visible indication of an attachment location of the marker;
and
causing, under the instructions of the computing management module and based at least in part on the trigger, a light source to emit the non-visible light wavelength, wherein an emission of the non-visible light wavelength causes the marker to respond with the visible indication of the attachment location, wherein a read of the information encoded in the marker by a reader of the inventory system is based at least in part on the visible indication of the attachment location, and wherein the read triggers the inventory action associated with the item based at least in part on the information encoded in the marker about the item.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that, upon execution with a processor of an inventory system, cause the inventory system to perform operations comprising:

determining that an item is available from a station of an inventory space;
determining that a marker attached with the item should be read at the station by a reader of the inventory space to trigger an inventory action associated with the item, the marker encoding information about the item and configured to emit a visible light in response to receiving a non-visible light wavelength;
and
causing a light source to emit the non-visible light wavelength,
wherein an emission of the visible light by the marker in response to an emission of the non-visible light wavelength by the light source causes a visible indication of an attachment location of the marker, wherein a read of the marker by the reader is based at least in part on the visible indication of the attachment location, and wherein the read triggers the inventory action at the station based at least in part on the information encoded in the marker about the item.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamic marker responsive to emitted light

Life of this patent

Dynamic marker responsive to emitted light

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20