Abstract: System and methods for managing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The system can include an unmanned aerial vehicle, a landing station for the unmanned aerial vehicle, and a loading station for receiving a package and unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle can be configured to: (i) determine a first confidence level for landing on the landing station, (ii) travel, based on the first confidence level, to the landing station, and (iii) determine a second confidence level for delivering the package to a delivery destination. The loading station can be configured to: (i) receive the second confidence level to deliver the package to the delivery destination from the unmanned aerial vehicle, and (ii) confirm, based on the second confidence level, the unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of delivering the package to the delivery destination.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling the noise and sound emitted by an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle may emit a sound to mask the noise created by the propellers of the vehicle. It may additionally emit sounds based on the information about the area surrounding the vehicle or the landing or delivery location of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring inventory of items includes a relatively lower resolution image device configured and arranged to capture a plurality of lower resolution images of a plurality of items on a shelf; and a relatively higher resolution image device configured and arranged to capture one or more higher resolution images of the plurality of items; and a computer system configured to: receive the plurality of lower resolution images; compare the plurality of lower resolution images to detect an image difference, the image difference corresponding to a moved item on the shelf; if an image difference is detected, process the image difference to focus on an area of the shelf where the image difference is detected; receive the one or more higher resolution images of the area of the shelf where the image difference is detected; and determine which item is missing or misplaced on the shelf.

Abstract: Methods and systems to perform location-based services using a mobile application on a mobile computing device are discussed. A user uses the mobile computing device to scan a machine-readable element. The mobile application is configured to decode the machine-readable element to identify available types of services that are supported in a location of the machine-readable element. A services management framework determines available ordered services in the location-based on the available types of services.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing customer service agent assistance. A system for providing customer service agent assistance comprises a customer profile database storing customer partiality vectors for a plurality of customers, the customer partiality vectors comprise customer value vectors, a communication device, and a control circuit. The control circuit being configured to: provide a customer service agent user interface on a user device associated with a customer service agent, associate a particular customer with the customer service agent, retrieving at least one customer value vector for the particular customer from the customer profile database, and cause, via the communication device, the at least one customer value vector of the particular customer to be displayed on the customer service agent user interface of the user device.

Abstract: A tiered storage system which sits atop a gondola shelf. The tiered storage system is made of a support structure having gondola shelf connectors, the gondola shelf connectors configured to removeably attach the support structure to the gondola shelf, and two or more tiers mounted on the support structure, each tier including a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, the horizontal plane being substantially perpendicular to the vertical plane. The tiered storage system can be configured with pegs or other organizational tools for helping arrange items such that surplus items being stored on the tiered storage system can be visible to customers or associates in a store aisle.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for training a classification model to predict categories. In one implementation, a method identifies category mappings generated for dominant queries associated with a query log. The method identifies mappings between a first set of queries and categories shown for the first set of queries, and identifies mappings between a second set of queries and clicked products for the second set of queries. A classification model is trained based on the mappings generated for dominant queries, the mappings between queries and the shown categories, and the mappings between queries and the clicked products.

Abstract: An order fulfillment cart including a first frame portion, the first frame portion including a first plurality of support members, a second frame portion positioned a distance from the first frame portion, the second frame portion including a second plurality of support members, and a connector, the connector operably coupled to the first frame portion and the second frame portion, wherein the connector extends diagonally from the first frame portion to the second frame portion, wherein the first plurality of support members and the second plurality of support members are configured to support a plurality of containers between the first frame portion and the second frame portion, is provided. Furthermore, an associated method is also provided.

Abstract: A system for displaying product information is described herein. The system includes a database and a server including a processor that is programmed to receive search data associated with a product search request received and generate a ranked product list in response to the product search request. The processor selects a first sorting value indicative of a first data category included in the search data, generates a first sorted group of product records as a function of the first sorting value, and stores the first sorted group in the database. The processor selects a second sorting value indicative of a second data category, generates a second sorted group of product records as a function of the first sorted group and the second sorting value, and generates the ranked product list as a function of the second sorted group.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method can comprise receiving a search query from a search by a user during a browse session, receiving one or more items from an item database in response to the search query, and receiving one or more previous search queries from a search database, the one or more previous search queries related to the search query. In many embodiments, the method can further comprise determining a purchase probability associated with a first item of the one or more items based at least in part on a first item score for the first item, ranking the one or more items based at least in part on the purchase probability associated with the first item of the one or more items, and facilitating display of the ranking of the one or more items. Other embodiments of related methods and systems are also provided.

Abstract: Described is a system for directing employee movement to maintain a minimum distance between any two employees on a sales floor, and maximize employee coverage on the sales floor. The system includes a first mobile computing device carried by a first employee. The first mobile computing device includes a proximity detection module that detects the proximity of a second mobile computing device carried by a second employee. If it is determined that the distance between the first and the second employee is too small, the first mobile computing device will output a motion direction instruction to the first employee, telling the first employee to change direction, thus increasing the distance between the first and the second employee. The mobile computing devices can be in communication with a base station that receives proximity information and helps coordinate employee coverage and motion direction instructions.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein useful to monitor a shopping facility. The shopping facility can include an array of radio frequency identification (RFID) readers distributed throughout the facility to thereby receive and read signals generated from RFID tags within the facility. RFID tags can advantageously be coupled to and associated with products within the facility so that readings of the tags can be used to monitor the status of the products. A control circuit can be coupled to the RFID readers to thereby analyze the readings and compile readings over time. With this, the control circuit can monitor the shopping facility to identify scenarios requiring follow up. Upon identification of one of the scenarios, the control circuit can instruct an automated ground vehicle (AGV) to inspect an identified product at a location within the facility. The AGV can operate a sensor thereof to determine a status of the identified product.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems to identify available location-based services using a mobile application on a mobile computing device. The mobile application receives a code from a location-specific computing device and uses the code to identify available types of services supported at the location of the location-specific computing device. A services management framework determines what ordered services are available at the location. A user uses the mobile computing device to scan a machine-readable element at the location to initiate performance of at least one of the available ordered services.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for identifying, via a processor, a plurality of causes for a vehicle to record data on a blockchain, wherein one cause in the plurality of causes is a repetition of a previous journey. The system generates route comparison data by comparing, via a processor as the vehicle is moving, current journey data for a current journey to previous journey data of at least one previous journey by: comparing a current journey start time to a previous journey start time; comparing a current journey travel time to a previous journey travel time; and comparing current journey route coordinates to previous journey route coordinates. Then based on the route comparison data, the system generates a side block which references the previous block in the block chain but contains only distinctions from the previous block. The side block is then added to the block chain.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to determine a weight of products on a product support structure. More specifically, the product support structure can be provided on a suspension system having one or more springs that can be monitored for compression to thereby determine a weight of products on the product support structure. In several embodiments, non-visible electromagnetic (EM) waves, can be directed at the spring and reflections of the non-visible EM waves can be received and analyzed to determine a compression of the spring.

Abstract: Examples of the disclosure provide a compliance monitoring system suitable for display units in a retail store. A wearable device is configured to be worn by a user while in use. The wearable device may be coupled to a server. The wearable device is configured to capture an image of a product label on a display unit. The wearable device may process the captured image to extract product identity information from a machine-readable portion of the product label. The wearable device may retrieve stored label information from the server based on the extracted product identity information. The wearable device may display the retrieved stored label information in a field of view of the user while the user views a human readable portion of the product label, thereby allowing a compliance comparison therebetween.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided herein useful to assist in unloading products. Some embodiments provide a product unloading assistance system, comprising: a control circuit; a graphical display; a camera; and a memory with the control circuit performing the steps of: receive an image from the camera comprising at least a portion of a product delivery vehicle and one or more reference points on the delivery vehicle; obtain an identifier of a load in the delivery vehicle to be unloaded; and cause the graphical display to display, in accordance with an orientation of the camera relative to the delivery vehicle based on the one or more reference points, 3D graphical representations of multiple different packaged products as loaded into the delivery vehicle and their orientation relative to each other as they are positioned within the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: A plurality of lockers can each serve to contain items that have been ordered by a customer. By one approach these lockers are stored in a locker storage facility. By one approach these lockers are configured such that a motorized transport unit can physically engage the locker in order to move the locker. So configured, a central computer system can be configured to select a particular motorized transport unit to retrieve a particular locker that has been previously associated with a particular entity (such as a particular customer or their designated agent) and to make that locker available to that particular entity such that the latter can retrieve their item or items from that locker.

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 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.