Abstract: At least one unmanned aerial vehicle operates in conjunction with a control circuit via a network interface. The control circuit receives informational content from the unmanned aerial vehicle and automatically processes that informational content to identify specific content of interest. The control circuit then automatically submits that identified specific content to at least one social networking service to thereby publicly share that content as social media.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for inventory management of retail products in a retail facility. A system for inventory management comprises: a motion sensor configured to detect motion in proximity to the one or more retail products; a location transmitter for transmitting a location of a store worker; a database; an alerting device for alerting the store worker to shelf inventory levels; and a control circuit configured to determine that a store worker is in proximity to the one or more retail products, determine that a shelf inventory level of the one or more retail products is below a predetermined threshold, and cause the alerting device to alert the store worker in proximity to the one or more retail products that the shelf inventory level of the one or more retail products is below the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide apparatuses and methods useful to providing control over movement of motorized transport units. In some embodiments, an apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility comprises: a central computer system comprising: a transceiver; a control circuit; a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: obtain, from one or more of the communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information comprising information corresponding to an intended route of travel; obtain additional route condition information detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit; detect an object affecting the intended route of travel; identify an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and communicate one or more instructions.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing audio notification. A system for providing audio notification comprises a communication device configured to communicate with a delivery arrival detection system, a doorbell coupler configured to couple to a stationary doorbell device, and a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the doorbell coupler. The control circuit being configured to receive a delivery notification from the delivery arrival detection system via the communication device and cause the stationary doorbell device to produce an audible sound via the doorbell coupler.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses, methods, and processes are provided to control and allocate UASs. In some embodiments, a system to control unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), comprises: one or more wireless transceivers configured to communicate with the UAS; a control circuit coupled with the transceiver(s); and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: receive sensor data captured by at least one sensor of a UAS; determine, from the sensor data, unique identification of an object at a predefined location; and confirm, from the sensor data, that the identified object is an expected object expected at the predefined location.

Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for dynamic virtual data analysis. A first subset of performance metric data relating to a number of facilities is compared between at least two of the facilities to generate a first level comparison. A second subset of the performance metric data associated with two or more sections of at least one facility is compared to generate a second level comparison. A processor generates a graphical representation of the first level comparison and the second level comparison. A user electronic device can receive input from a user to dynamically navigate between a rendering of the graphical representation of the first level comparison and a rendering of the graphical representation of the second level comparison. The user can also modify the first subset of data or the second subset of data to update the first level comparison or the second level comparison.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for tracking clusters of user devices within a facility. In exemplary embodiments, a plurality of network devices are distributed within a facility. The network devices may receive connection data indicating probing by at least one of a plurality of user devices within the facility. A processing unit may be coupled to the network devices and the processing unit may extract location data from the connection data received by the network devices. The location data may indicate the location of the user devices with respect in the facility. The processing unit may determine a projected path for the plurality of user devices based on the location data. The processing unit may generate a response based on then projected path of the plurality of user device.

Abstract: Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to allocate unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Some embodiments, provide UAS allocation systems, comprising: a UAS database that stores for each registered UAS an identifier and corresponding operational capabilities; an allocation control circuit configured to: obtain a first set of multiple task parameters specified by a first customer and corresponding to a requested first predefined task that the customer is requesting a UAS be allocated to perform; identify, from the UAS database, a first UAS having operational capabilities to perform the first set of task parameters while implementing the first task; and cause an allocation notification to be communicated to a first UAS provider, of the multiple UAS providers, associated with the first UAS requesting the first UAS provider to allocate the identified first UAS to implement the first task.

Abstract: The present disclosure deals with a system and a method to track the position of moveable assets in a geographic location. Beacon generating devices, attached to moveable assets transmit beacon signals encoded with data. Sensors distributed around the geographic locations affixed to fixed assets detect the beacon signals and extract the encoded data. The Sensors transmit the data to a computing system. The computing system stores and analyzes the data. An event can be triggered by the computing system based on the analysis of the stored data.

Abstract: A scan of a space is performed to obtain a three-dimensional model. An entity, such as a user, pet, or other object may be scanned separately to obtain an entity model. The model of the space and the entity mode may be combined to obtain a combined model. Prior to combining, a reference feature may be identified in the model of the space. Based on a known size of the reference feature, a scale of the model of the space may be determined. A reference feature of the entity model is used to determine a scale of the entity mode. Using the scales of the model of the space and the entity model, the models are scaled prior to combining. The combined model may be 3D printed. The model may be divided into separate pieces prior to 3D printing, the separate pieces being fastened to one another after printing.

Abstract: A virtual training system includes a 3D scanner in recording space and a camera. A scan of the recording space are received and combined to make a sequence of models of the recording space while a tasks is being performed. The model states are presented in sequence to a trainee in a playback space and the actions of the trainee are detected. Deviation of the trainee or objects in the playback space from the trainer and objects in the recording space may be detected and alerts generated. Scanning of the recording space may be accelerated by making a full scan followed by partial scans. The partial scans may be performed in response to detected movement.

Abstract: A virtual conferencing system includes a 3D scanner in a local region and a camera. A scan of the local region and images are received and combined to make a model that is transmitted to a remote region. A remote model from the remote region is combined and rendered for a user in the local region. A reference point in the local region is mapped to a reference point in the remote region. The remote model is oriented with respect to the local region according to the reference points. Object in the remote and local regions may be filtered from models that are transmitted. Interactions with virtual objects in the local region may invoke modification virtual objects. Modifications may be transmitted to the remote region and superimposed on real objects corresponding to the virtual objects.

Abstract: A virtual conferencing system includes a 3D scanner in a local region and a camera. A scan of the local region and images are received and combined to make a model that is transmitted to a remote region. A remote model from the remote region is combined and rendered for a user in the local region. A reference point in the local region is mapped to a reference point in the remote region. The remote model is oriented with respect to the local region according to the reference points. Object in the remote and local regions may be filtered from models that are transmitted. Interactions with virtual objects in the local region may invoke modification virtual objects. Modifications may be transmitted to the remote region and superimposed on real objects corresponding to the virtual objects.

Abstract: A plurality of geographically-distributed retail shopping facilities each have at least one additive-manufacturing platform such as but not limited to a three-dimensional printer. A control circuit provides an additive-manufacturing facilitation service that includes providing a remote user with a choice between providing an additive-manufacturing model to one of the aforementioned additive-manufacturing platforms to permit an item to be manufactured for pickup by the remote user at that corresponding facility and downloading an additive-manufacturing model to permit the remote user to themselves use the additive-manufacturing model (for example, in conjunction with their own additive-manufacturing platform).

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for restoring shopping space conditions are provided. A system for restoring shopping space conditions comprises a motorized transport unit comprising at least one sensor, and a central computer system comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with the motorized transport unit. The central computer system being configured to: identify a section of a shopping space having a dropped item, instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to the section of the shopping space and collect information associated with the dropped item using the at least one sensor, determine a characteristic of the dropped item in the section of the shopping space using the at least one sensor of the motorized transport unit, and select a cleaning task from a plurality of cleaning tasks based on the characteristic of the dropped item.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a track system comprising: an elevated track system comprising a series of elevated tracks that are positioned elevated above a sales floor and products distributed over at least a portion of the sales floor of a shopping facility, and configured such that multiple motorized transport units travel along the series of elevated tracks in traversing at least portions of the shopping facility.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods for mapping a shopping space are provided. A system for mapping a shopping space includes a plurality of motorized transport units, a store map database, and a central computer system. The central computer system being configured to divide the map of the shopping space into a plurality of sections, assign a unique section identifier to each of the plurality of sections in the shopping space, associate a blocked tag with each section inaccessible to the plurality of motorized transport units, associate an accessible tag with each section accessible by at least one of the plurality of motorized transport units, for each section having an accessible tag, allow an access restriction setting to be configured, and provide navigation instructions to the plurality of motorized transport units based on access restriction settings of each section of the shopping space stored.

Abstract: System, method, and apparatus for providing route guidance to a customer in a shopping facility space are provided. A system for providing route guidance comprises a communication device configured to communicate with a user interface device, a store map database storing location information for a plurality of items available for purchase in the retail space, and a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the store map database. The control circuit is configured to receive a list of items for purchase from a user associated with the user interface device via the communication device, retrieve location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase from the store map database, determine a route based on at least one user entered route preference and the location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase, and provide the route to the user interface device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide apparatuses and methods useful to providing control over movement of motorized transport units. In some embodiments, an apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility comprises: a central computer system comprising: a transceiver; a control circuit; a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: obtain, from one or more of the communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information comprising information corresponding to an intended route of travel; obtain additional route condition information detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit; detect an object affecting the intended route of travel; identify an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and communicate one or more instructions.