Abstract: Systems, methods and tools for tracking the amounts of merchandise being displayed or available for sale in a retail environment using measurements of air displacement caused by the movement of customers, employees and shopping carts throughout a retail environment. The disclosed embodiments may position air displacement sensors throughout a store and near the products being offered for sale. As the merchandise is removed by customers, a greater amount of air may be measured. Embodiments of each sensor device may be calibrated with a maximum threshold measurement of air displacement corresponding to the amount of merchandise surrounding the sensor. After enough of the products have been removed from the surrounding proximity of the sensor, the maximum threshold of air displacement may be reached, wherein upon exceeding the maximum threshold of air displacement a signal may be sent alerting employees to restock the specified merchandise proximate to the sensor's location.

Abstract: A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for detecting missing or miss positioned labels. The system can include a portable scanning device to scan machine-readable elements included on labels at a first and second location. The portable scanning device can detect the acceleration and the cumulative change between the first and second location. The portable scanning device or a computing system can determine the distance between the first and second location based on the acceleration data. The computing system can place a data point on a map of an estimated location of the location of the first scan and the location of the second scan.

Abstract: Sensor systems, methods and machine readable medium are provided for a sensor system for analyzing the ripeness of produce items.

Abstract: A task-indicating shelf that includes a supporting surface for supporting one or more physical objects and one or more visual indicators associated with the shelf and indicative of a task to be performed with respect to the one or more physical objects is described. The task-indicating shelf includes a docking station electrically coupled to the one or more visual indicators and configured to receive a handheld device. Docking the handheld device within the docking station powers an electric circuit between the handheld device and the one or more visual indicators to selectively energize or de-energize the one or more visual indicators.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for determining in situ locations of physical objects using mobile devices within a facility. Multiple mobile devices may scan different identifiers of different physical objects disposed in a facility. The mobile devices may transmit the identifiers to a distributed computing system. The distributed computing system may query a database to determine the in situ location of the physical objects associated with the identifiers. In response to not being able to retrieve a in situ location of a physical object, the distributed computing system may determine a path of the mobile device which transmitted the identifier associated with the physical object with the unknown in situ location. The distributed computing system may determine the in situ location of the physical object for which the in situ location was unknown based on the path and the known locations of the other physical objects.

Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided. A central computing system transmits data transmissions to the plurality of electronic shelf labels at a first power level. A candidate electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels periodically activate from a sleep mode to identify whether there is an existing master electronic shelf label from the plurality of electronic shelf labels. The candidate electronic shelf label becomes a new master electronic shelf label based on a set of specified conditions to transmit programming instructions received from the central computing system to one or more electronic shelf labels.

Abstract: An example cart inventory system and associated methods are described. The example cart inventory system includes a cart and a detection system. The cart includes a frame, and a shelf movably mounted to the frame and configured to be positioned between an extended position and a folded position. A top surface and a rear surface of the shelf include first and second identifiers, respectively. The detection system is configured to detect the first identifier when the shelf is in the extended position and detect the second identifier when the shelf is positioned in the folded position. In the extended position, the top surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal and the rear surface is disposed against the frame. In the folded position, the rear surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for dynamic projection. The dynamic projection system includes a projector configured to project a first set of information associated with a set of like physical objects onto a front portion of a shelving unit. The first set of information includes an image of a machine-readable element encoded with an identifier associated with the set of like physical objects. An optical scanner can scan and decode the identifier from the image of the machine-readable element. The optical scanner can transmit the identifier or location of the scanner to a computing system. The computing system can further control an output of the projector to dynamically project the second set of information associated with the set of like physical objects onto the front portion of the shelving unit receiving the identifier or location of the optical scanner.

Abstract: Described is a retail store fixture that includes an electric charge circuit. The electric charge circuit generates a positive electric charge, or voltage, in response to the motion of a moveable portion of the retail store fixture. The retail store fixture can be a shopping cart or other fixture with a moveable portion. The positive electric charge is deposited on a part of the retail store fixture that it is desired to sterilize. The positive electric charge repels bacteria, sterilizing the portion of the retail store fixture that receives the positive charge. A shopping cart, for example, equipped with the electric charge circuit can be sterilized without requiring chemicals or power to be supplied to the cart. Rotation of the shopping cart wheels can be used to generate the voltage. The voltage can be used to sterilize a shopping cart handle, and/or other parts of the shopping cart.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for autonomous item identification in an environment including a mobile computational device and a container. One or more sensors are disposed at the container to sense a selected item being placed in the container. In response to sensing the selected item being placed in the container, a location of the container is determined using a positioning system. One or more physical characteristics of the selected item is sensed via the one or more sensors at the container. A set of stored characteristics is retrieved from a database for available items proximate to the location of the container. An identification code for the selected item is identified based on a comparison of the one or more physical characteristics of the selected item with the stored characteristics retrieved from the database of the available items based on the location of the container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for collecting data and mapping wireless network coverage in a building such as a retail store. A mobile computing device is used by an employee to collect data captures and wireless coverage indicators in the retail store. The wireless coverage indicator includes data on the status of wireless network coverage in the location where the data capture was collected. The data capture and the wireless coverage indicators are wirelessly transmitted to a utility for mapping a building when a wireless network is available. If no wireless network is available, the data is stored in the mobile computing device until a wireless network is available. The utility for mapping a building uses information in the data capture to determine the location where the data capture was collected, and maps the data in the wireless coverage indicator to the location on a map of the building.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for detecting attributes of vehicles using an images captured by an image capturing device disposed at a facility. The system detects attributes of the vehicles from the image, retrieves information associated with each vehicle based on the attributes and generates a score for each vehicle based on the information associated with each vehicle. Based on the score a distribution of physical objects is triggered to the facility.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for determining in situ locations of physical objects using mobile devices within a facility. Multiple mobile devices may scan different identifiers of different physical objects disposed in a facility. The mobile devices may transmit the identifiers to a distributed computing system. The distributed computing system may query a database to determine the in situ location of the physical objects associated with the identifiers. In response to not being able to retrieve a in situ location of a physical object, the distributed computing system may determine a path of the mobile device which transmitted the identifier associated with the physical object with the unknown in situ location. The distributed computing system may determine the in situ location of the physical object for which the in situ location was unknown based on the path and the known locations of the other physical objects.

Abstract: Systems and methods for powering sensors on a shelf and using the sensors to detect attributes associated with physical objects are discussed. A handheld device can be coupled to a docking station which can be mounted on a supporting surface on of a shelf for supporting one or more physical objects. Sensors can be disposed on, in or about the supporting surface of the shelf. An electric circuit between the handheld device and the sensors can be powered to selectively energize or de-energize the sensors in response to the docking station coupling with the handheld device.

Abstract: Sensor systems, methods and machine readable medium are provided for a cargo vehicle. A plurality of sensors are arranged about an opening associated with a door through which packages are unloaded from a vehicle or trailer. The plurality of sensors are configured to measure an unpacked depth of the vehicle or trailer. A processor is provided in communication with each of the plurality of sensors. The processor is configured to receive measured data generated by the plurality of sensors, determine an empty volume over time of the vehicle or trailer based on the measured data as packages are being unpacked from the vehicle or trailer, and generate instructions regarding loading packages in a subsequent vehicle or trailer based on the determined empty volume over time of the vehicle or trailer.

Abstract: An example cart inventory system and associated methods are described. The example cart inventory system includes a cart and a detection system. The cart includes a frame, and a shelf movably mounted to the frame and configured to be positioned between an extended position and a folded position. A top surface and a rear surface of the shelf include first and second identifiers, respectively. The detection system is configured to detect the first identifier when the shelf is in the extended position and detect the second identifier when the shelf is positioned in the folded position. In the extended position, the top surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal and the rear surface is disposed against the frame. In the folded position, the rear surface is oriented upwards relative to horizontal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for a detection system for identifying unsafe activity occurring at a shelving unit. A plurality of distance sensors are disposed at a top end of the shelving unit and point downwards towards a bottom end of the shelving unit. The plurality of sensors are configured to detect presence of a person near the shelving unit. An initial height of the person is determined, and a change in height of the person is detected. A processor determined whether the change in height indicates unsafe activity at the shelving unit. If unsafe activity is determined, then an alert is generated.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine readable medium are provided for autonomous item identification in an environment including a mobile computational device and a container. One or more sensors are disposed at the container to sense a selected item being placed in the container. In response to sensing the selected item being placed in the container, a location of the container is determined using a positioning system. One or more physical characteristics of the selected item is sensed via the one or more sensors at the container. A set of stored characteristics is retrieved from a database for available items proximate to the location of the container. An identification code for the selected item is identified based on a comparison of the one or more physical characteristics of the selected item with the stored characteristics retrieved from the database of the available items based on the location of the container.

Abstract: A task-indicating shelf that includes a supporting surface for supporting one or more physical objects and one or more visual indicators associated with the shelf and indicative of a task to be performed with respect to the one or more physical objects is described. The task-indicating shelf includes a docking station electrically coupled to the one or more visual indicators and configured to receive a handheld device. Docking the handheld device within the docking station powers an electric circuit between the handheld device and the one or more visual indicators to selectively energize or de-energize the one or more visual indicators.