Abstract: A monitoring system for items in a delivery vehicle is described. Sensors disposed in the delivery vehicle are configured to sense data indicative of a current quality of items stored in the delivery vehicle. A computing device calculates navigation routes for the items in the vehicle and selects among the delivery routes at least partly based on sensor data relating to the monitored quality of the 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 methods and systems for identifying locations of objects based on detected sounds. In exemplary embodiments, a support structure can generate a sound, via a passive sound emitter, in response to a physical object being placed onto or removed from the support structure. An array of audio sensors disposed in a facility can detect sounds generated by the support structure and can encode the sounds into electrical signals. The audio sensors can output the electrical signals to a computing system. The computing system can identify the sounds encoded in the electrical signals which were detected by the audio sensors and can identify the location of the physical object on the support structure based on the identification of the sound.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for sorting mechanisms at a POS terminal. A POS terminal in a secondary mode of operation, receives input of categories. Information of items received by the POS terminal is used to sort the items into the categories.

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 apparatuses are provided for sorting mechanisms at a POS terminal. A POS terminal in a secondary mode of operation, receives input of categories. Information of items received by the POS terminal is used to sort the items into the categories.

Abstract: A technique for providing drone assistance is discussed. A computing device is in wireless communication with a mobile electronic device and an aerial drone. The computing device can control the aerial drone to travel to the location of a user of the mobile electronic device in response to a request for assistance received via the user's mobile electronic device. Once the aerial drone has arrived at the location of the user, the computing device can also control the aerial drone to provide price verification of a user-specified object or to provide navigation assistance via the aerial drone to guide the user to the user-specified object.

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: 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: Provided herein are methodologies, systems, and devices for calculating and displaying operational health scores based on key operational metrics that are used to evaluate on-shelf-availability. The measure of successful adoption of various key operational metrics is combined to produce an overall operational health score. The operational metrics can include, for example, pick completion, items binned, bin accuracy, manual counts, and manual picks. In some embodiments, these metrics can be weighted to reflect their relative impact on operational health and on-shelf-availability. The operational health scores can be compared with a target operational health score to determine whether each particular store is above or below the desired health score value. In some exemplary embodiments, a heat map can be displayed via a GUI that includes a number of store icons or color coded pins overlaid on a geographical map to represent the operational health score of the stores.