Patents Examined by Nathan Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11139846
    Abstract: A system that incorporates aspects of the subject disclosure may perform operations including, for example, obtaining uplink information associated with a plurality of communication devices transmitting wireless signals on a plurality of uplink paths, performing, based on the uplink information, a plurality of measurements of the plurality of uplink paths, identifying a measurement from the plurality of measurements that is below a threshold, and initiating a corrective action to improve a measurement of an affected uplink path of the plurality of uplink paths based on the identifying. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ISCO International, LLC
    Inventor: Amr Abdelmonem
  • Patent number: 11132876
    Abstract: An RFID in-store point-of-sale system can include a first RFID tag reader with a first reader antenna that extends on a first substrate oriented in a first plane; and a second RFID tag reader with a second reader antenna that extends on a second substrate oriented in a second plane that intersects the first plane to form an offset angle between the first plane and the second plane that is about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees. A processor circuit can be operatively coupled to the first RFID tag reader and to the second RFID tag reader and can be configured to control the first RFID tag reader to transmit a signal from the first reader antenna into a buy-zone and is configured to detect movement of an RFID tag relative to the buy-zone based on a signal from the RFID tag that is detected by the first RFID tag reader or that is detected by the second RFID tag reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventors: David Steiner, Kimberly A. Wood, Timothy Wayne Crockett, Jose Figueroa
  • Patent number: 11132658
    Abstract: A commodity registration apparatus includes a check-in terminal, a sensor group, and a management terminal. A processor of the management terminal is configured to track movement of a shopper and store items using the sensor group. A first commodity list is updated to include a first item when the tracked movements indicate the known shopper has selected the first item for purchase. The movements of any unidentified shopper are tracked. The processor updates a second commodity list to include a second item when tracked movements indicate the unidentified shopper has selected the second item for purchase. The second commodity list is associated with a provisional identification code. Commodity registration data for settlement processing is generated using the first commodity list unless the unidentified shopper is later identified as the known shopper, in which case, commodity registration data is generated using the first and second commodity lists in combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriyoshi Hara
  • Patent number: 11093895
    Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems of managing bins audits in a stock room of a retail sales facility include generating at least one bin audit management factor for the bins at the retail sales facility. The bin audit management factor can include an amount of time a total number of products stored in the bin does not change; a number of times a one product is binned or picked from the bin, a number of products stored in the bin; and an accuracy percentage of a worker at the retail sales facility during a preceding audit of the bin. Based on whether the value of one or more of the bin audit management factors meets a predetermined threshold value that supports the auditing of a bin, an indication to a worker at the retail sales facility is generated as to whether that bin is to be audited or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholaus A. Jones, Robert J. Taylor, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 11087396
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for context aware predictive activity evaluation are described herein. A set of transaction variables may be identified for a predicted transaction. A set of inputs may be obtained corresponding to each transaction variable of the set of transaction variables. A value may be determined for each transaction variable using the set of inputs corresponding to each transaction variable of the set of transaction variables. The value for each transaction variable may be compared to a set of transaction models to select a transaction model for the predicted transaction. A probability may be calculated that the predicted transaction will be approved using the transaction model for the predicted transaction. The probability that the predicted transaction will be approved may be displayed on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Mary P. Casey, Kelly Francis Loven, Christopher J. Blunt, Lee Ryan Haseman, Richard Mulvey
  • Patent number: 11082804
    Abstract: Example method includes: receiving, by a network device, a plurality of signal strength values associated with a particular timestamp corresponding to a particular client device from a plurality of access points in a wireless network at a site; determining a mobility pattern based on the plurality of signal strength values associated with the particular timestamp corresponding to the particular client device; comparing the mobility pattern associated with the particular timestamp corresponding to the particular client device with mobility patterns associated with other timestamps or corresponding to other client devices to identify a set of frequent mobility patterns; determining whether an unassociated client device exhibits a threshold number of frequent mobility patterns for a threshold amount of time; and determining that the unassociated client device presents in the site in response to the unassociated client device exhibiting the threshold number of the frequent mobility patterns for the threshold amou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Ataur Rehman, Manaswini Lakshmikanth Sugatoor, Manas Sharma
  • Patent number: 11080676
    Abstract: A system having a device for assisting a purchase, incorporating: a central portion; suspension arms which are connected to the central portion and extend on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container which is provided with an opening so as to allow the portable container to be carried by the device; at least one movement sensor which is configured to detect a movement through the opening of the portable container; at least one image sensor which is configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening; a position sensor which is configured to determine the current position of the device in a point of sale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventor: Mehdi Afraite-Seugnet
  • Patent number: 11074568
    Abstract: A POS terminal includes a state processor, an order processor, communications elements, and a connection monitor. The state processor queues state changes in one or more order queues that correspond to one or more orders in a restaurant. The order processor generates the state changes, and accesses and transmits the state changes to a backend server. The communications elements enable the mobile POS terminal to communicate over both a Wi-Fi network and a White-Fi network within the restaurant, and when operating in a Wi-Fi mode, the mobile POS terminal communicates only over the Wi-Fi network as a selected wireless network, and when operating in a White-Fi mode, the mobile POS terminal communicates only over the White-Fi network as the selected wireless network. The connection monitor determines that connectivity over the Wi-Fi network is degraded, and directs the communications elements to operate in the White-Fi mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Vick, Steven P. Papa
  • Patent number: 11074563
    Abstract: A price verification system for efficient verification of a transaction price when the price is disputed or missing is described. The price verification system uses current images of the item location within a retail environment to determine a shelf price for the item. The shelf price is compared to the price registered a point of sale terminal and displayed to the customer in order to determine if a price adjustment is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Jamal Khan, Adrian Rodriguez, Nandan K. Kandregula, Jonathan Waite
  • Patent number: 11074564
    Abstract: A payment network server for processing a payment transaction at a point-of-sale terminal is described. The server comprises a transaction module, a query module and a transfer module. The transaction module is configured to: (i) receive a payment transaction request comprising at least transaction details and a fund transfer indicator, the transaction details comprise at least a customer identifier, a merchant identifier, and a payment amount, the fund transfer indicator indicating that the payment transaction is to be processed by fund transfer; and (ii) transmit a payment transaction response indicating if the payment transaction is approved or refused to proceed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Arunmurthy Gurunathan, Ravi Pareek, Ganesh Shinde
  • Patent number: 11074567
    Abstract: A dual band mobile POS terminal includes a state processor, an order processor, and communications elements. The state processor queues state changes in one or more order queues that correspond to one or more orders in a restaurant. The order processor is coupled to the state processor and generates the state changes, and accesses and transmits the state changes in each of the one or more order queues to a backend server. The communications elements enable the mobile POS terminal to communicate over both a Wi-Fi network and a White-Fi network within the restaurant, and when programmed in a Wi-Fi mode, the mobile POS terminal communicates only over the Wi-Fi network as a selected wireless network, and when programmed in a White-Fi mode, the mobile POS terminal communicates only over the White-Fi network as the selected wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Toast, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Vick, Steven P. Papa
  • Patent number: 11055792
    Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, non-transitory, computer-readable media, and computer-implemented systems for blockchain-based service source tracing are provided. A blockchain stores service certificates of multiple service dimensions which constitute multiple service certificate linked lists. A service system maintains a mapping relationship between a last node of each service certificate linked list and a service index of a service dimension that each service certificate linked list belongs to. In response to a client-initiated service source tracing request for a target service dimension that includes a service index of the target service dimension, the mapping relationship is queried to determine the last node corresponding to the service index of the target service dimension. A service certificate of the target service dimension stored on the blockchain is queried based on a linked list pointer recorded in the last node. The identified service certificate is returned to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Advanced New Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xu Wang, Zhaolin Feng
  • Patent number: 11055678
    Abstract: A method for conducting payment transaction by an employee using an employer payment system includes retrieving a token or an account identification from the employee payment card presented by a consumer, sending an authorization request with token, account identification and transaction data to an acquirer processor, identifying the employer and the employee associated with the token or account identification, determining whether the employee is authorized for the requested transaction based on an employee information from the employer's database, sending, to the employer, a transaction request from the point of sale terminal, transferring funds electronically from the employee's funds account or employer's account to the merchant in accordance with the transaction request between the merchant and the employee, and updating the employer's database with the transaction information once the transfer of funds is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Worldpay, LLC
    Inventor: Coy Christensen
  • Patent number: 11049086
    Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to monitor and adjust perpetual inventory (PI). Some embodiments comprise multiple point of sale (POS) systems; an inventory system and a perpetual inventory (PI) engine control circuit that receives inventory information and is configured to identify the occurrence of a plurality of different events each associated with a different product at a shopping facility and corresponding to a potential inconsistency in a determined inventory count; and for each of the events: identify a first set of inventory evaluation rules; apply the first set of inventory evaluation rules to determine a type of inventory count error; determine an inventory adjustment action to be implemented based on the first product and the determined error type; and cause the inventory adjustment action to be implemented in substantially real-time to adjust the determined inventory count of the first product at the first shopping facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Cristy C. Brooks, Benjamin D. Enssle, David B. Brightwell, Daniel R. Shields, Greg A. Bryan, Matthew A. Jones
  • Patent number: 11049065
    Abstract: A method determines a processing cluster including one or more stock keeping units (SKUs); divides the processing cluster into a first cluster and a second cluster based on SKU affinities between the one or more SKUs in the processing cluster; determines a first SKU of the first cluster to be replicated to the second cluster based on a demand correlation between the first SKU of the first cluster and a second SKU of the second cluster; replicates the first SKU of the first cluster to the second cluster; responsive to replicating the first SKU of the first cluster to the second cluster, determines whether the first cluster and the second cluster satisfy a defined constraint; and responsive to determining that the first cluster and the second cluster satisfy the defined constraint, assigns the first cluster to a first physical location and assigning the second cluster to a second physical location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Staples, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Sikka, Nitin Verma, Michael Bhaskaran
  • Patent number: 11037101
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, mechanisms (which can, for example, include systems, apparatuses, methods, and media) for managing inventory associated with a facility are provided. In some embodiments, a method is provided comprising: receiving identifying information of items; causing a mobile device to present a subset of items in a user interface; receiving transmitting device identification information, the device associated with a first location; determining, based on the transmitter identifying information, a location of the mobile device within the facility; receiving an indication items are being stored at the location of the mobile device; associating the items with the location; causing a computing device to present a user interface that includes identifying information associated with the items in connection with a location of the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Direct Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: William L. Avery, Jr., Ryan G. Colwell, Andrew J. Novotny, Nathanial C. Ziarek
  • Patent number: 11039461
    Abstract: Methods and devices for scheduling assignment resource patterns determining are provided. Mappings of scheduling assignment resource patterns to scheduling assignment resource pool in a device 5 to device, D2D, communication network are given. The way to notify a D2D device of the resource pattern for using is also given.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Xinghua Song, Shaohua Li, Qianxi Lu, Stefano Sorrentino
  • Patent number: 11030573
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method determines a container containing one or more items associated with one or more item types, the container located at a current position in a storage facility; determines one or more order likelihoods of the one or more item types contained in the container; determines a container utilization likelihood of the container based on the one or more order likelihoods of the one or more item types contained in the container; determines an optimal position for the container in the storage facility based on the container utilization likelihood of the container, the optimal position being different from the current position of the container; and instructing an automated guided vehicle (AGV) to transport the container from the current position of the container to the optimal position of the container in the storage facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Staples, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Sikka, Nitin Verma, Michael Bhaskaran
  • Patent number: 11023849
    Abstract: The present application provides systems and methods for a mobile storefront having direct customer access to inventory and pricing from a mobile storefront. In particular, systems and methods provide an application usable by customers to purchase goods or services from a mobile storefront through an electronic communication device. This includes reserving and purchasing products in inventory of the mobile storefront or pooled inventory from multiple mobile storefronts in an area, reserving and purchasing services and/or support, and for communicating directly with an electronic communication device of the mobile storefront.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Matco Tools Corporation
    Inventors: John Green, Brian Katzenmeyer, Rayne Covault, Kevin Fanning, Mark Thomas
  • Patent number: 10990927
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved network for tracking and managing mobile workers, which includes storing, tracking, and managing information associated with mobile workers and projects. The mobile workers may use a mobile communications system, such as a mobile device, to log their project with associated data, after which the data can be uploaded in real-time or stored locally until connectivity is available to the platform. Business owners or managers and individuals can review work performance and automatically create required business reports. The mobile worker may use the mobile device to clock in and out of each project through a worker presence verification method that may include obtaining an image/photograph or video of the worksite, location data (e.g., global positioning (GPS) coordinates), and a timestamp to ensure that the mobile worker is at the worksite and working on the appropriate project.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: SYNCrew, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Mario Muharay Dujisin, John David Cranston