Abstract: System and method for modular sorting stations. A sorting station may be subdivided into two or more modular bins. A modular bin may be partitioned into compartments. Each compartment may be configured to receive one order including one or more items. Modular bins may be partitioned into compartments of different sizes to receive orders of different sizes. A modular bin may be removed from a sorting station and conveyed to a packing station for packing or other sorting station to continue sorting. Picked items may be received and sorted for rebinning into the modular bins manually or using an automated sorting mechanism. A control system may direct the sorting and rebinning operation. Modular sorting stations may be located adjacent to packing stations or, alternatively, away from packing stations and, when a modular bin is complete, it may be conveyed to an appropriate packing station for packing.

Abstract: A computer software facility for generating and implementing a temporal map depicting a relationship between locations in a warehouse or distribution center is described. The facility tracks the movement in the warehouse, including the time it takes for mobile elements to move between a pair of identifiable locations. Based on the tracking, the facility produces movement time records for multiple location pairs in the warehouse. The facility then generates a map of the warehouse. Where information for specific pairs of identifiable locations is not available, the facility may derive movement time information based on actual movement times for related location pairs. The generated map can be used as part of a computer application for tasks such as scheduling the picking of items, evaluating employee performance, organizing the storage of items in the warehouse, and other uses.

Abstract: Page numbering of images of pages in a document includes extracting all numbers that are exactly one different than a number found on an adjacent page, and grouping the extracted numbers into a set of sequences that describe the candidate page numbers in the book. The sequences most likely to contain candidates that represent the actual page numbers are determined by merging the most reliable sequences together to bridge gaps between the sequences, and identifying those gaps where the page numbers have been intentionally omitted. Page images are labeled with numbers that are determined to be most likely to represent the actual page number. Page numbering is abandoned when insufficient numbers of pages numbers are able to be extracted or assigned relative to the total number of pages in the document.

Abstract: A hybrid machine/human computing arrangement which advantageously involves humans to assist a computer to solve particular tasks, allowing the computer to solve the tasks more efficiently. In one embodiment, a computer system decomposes a task, such as, for example, image or speech comparison, into subtasks for human performance, and requests the performances. The computer system programmatically conveys the request to a central coordinating server of the hybrid machine/human computing arrangement, which in turn dispatches the subtasks to personal computers operated by the humans. The humans perform the subtasks and provide the results back to the server, which receives the responses, and generates a result for the task based at least in part on the results of the human performances.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of the invention enable users to request access to one or more electronic images of pages in a physical text. When the user is identified and user ownership of the physical text is confirmed, the user is given access to the requested electronic images in accordance with the one or more access rules. Electronic images of pages may be automatically added to a user-personalized library of electronic content for later access. A flag associated with the user and the pages images may be set to indicate confirmed user ownership of the physical text. A user may purchase a physical text itself or purchase an item that the physical text normally accompanies. Electronic page images may be acquired by scanning printed pages of the text or from a user upload. Access to the electronic images of a physical text is based on user ownership of the physical text.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for automatically identifying incongruous item packages, such as to detect incongruities in the items that are included as contents of the item packages and/or to identify incongruities in the packaging used for the item packages. In some situations, the automatic identification of incongruous packages includes initially automatically learning appropriate values for parameters of items (e.g., item weights and/or dimensions) based on automatically measured parameters of packages including those items. Those item values can then be used to estimate corresponding parameter values of sealed packages that contain those items, and to further identify incongruous item packages whose measured parameter values do not correspond to the estimated values for those parameters.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system provides various features for assisting customers in locating items and generating orders from a merchant's electronic catalog, and for assisting customers and merchants in communicating about such orders. A user-definable categories feature allows customers and/or merchants to define search queries for searching the electronic catalog, and to store these search queries under user-defined category names for subsequent use.

Abstract: A digital media resource messaging system provides a convenient digital media resource viewing, managing, organizing, and editing platform that facilitates enhanced resource exchange by storing and forwarding digital media resources via a server between multiple resource-sharing partners designated by the user. In one embodiment, the digital media resource messaging system includes services to view, manage, organize, edit, and exchange digital images and video sequences.

Abstract: A package handling system for use with a plurality of packages having package identification thereon. The system of one embodiment comprises processing stations where packages having heterogeneous contents are processed. One or more identifiers are positioned at the processing stations to detect the package identifications associated with the packages. A controller is coupled to the identifier to receive identification information about a package and detected by the identifier. The controller is coupled to the data input device to receive first package data related to an actual condition of the package. The controller has second package data related to acceptable package conditions. The controller uses the first and second package data to determine if the package is in a kickout condition.