Patents by Inventor Alexander C. Prater

Alexander C. Prater has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9754235
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for authoritative item identification based on facility operations are described. Embodiments may include an authoritative item identification component configured to, for each particular item of multiple items in inventory of a materials handling facility, determine multiple identifiers for the particular item, where one or more of the multiple identifiers are electronically obtained from a unit of the particular item during operations of the materials handling facility. The authoritative item identification component may, for each of the multiple identifiers, determine a quantity of instances in which that identifier was electronically obtained from a given unit of the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may, based on a statistical analysis of the quantities, determine one of the multiple identifiers as being an authoritative identifier for the particular item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Priya Padmanabhan, Samir Kumar, Alexander C. Prater, Prajakta Vaidya, Eric Young
  • Patent number: 8423432
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for authoritative item identification based on facility operations are described. Embodiments may include an authoritative item identification component configured to, for each particular item of multiple items in inventory of a materials handling facility, determine multiple identifiers for the particular item, where one or more of the multiple identifiers are electronically obtained from a unit of the particular item during operations of the materials handling facility. The authoritative item identification component may, for each of the multiple identifiers, determine a quantity of instances in which that identifier was electronically obtained from a given unit of the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may, based on a statistical analysis of the quantities, determine one of the multiple identifiers as being an authoritative identifier for the particular item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Priya Padmanabhan, Samir Kumar, Alexander C. Prater, Prajakta Vaidya, Eric Young
  • Patent number: 7751929
    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 and has access to first and second package data. The first package data related to an actual condition of the package, and the second package data related to acceptable package conditions. A labeler coupled to the controller is configured to apply a first label to the package if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in an acceptable condition or a second label if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in a condition requiring further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Prater, Suzanne C. Reynolds, Mackenzie Smith
  • Patent number: 7707008
    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. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is not intended to be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cary R. Champlin, Felix F. Anthony, Mackenzie Smith, Anthony B. Williams, Alexander C. Prater, James E. Bacus, Suzanne C. Reynolds, Dean W. Webster
  • Patent number: 7313460
    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 and has access to first and second package data. The first package data related to an actual condition of the package, and the second package data related to acceptable package conditions. A labeler coupled to the controller is configured to apply a first label to the package if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in an acceptable condition or a second label if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in a condition requiring further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Prater, Suzanne C. Reynolds, Mackenzie Smith
  • Patent number: 7085677
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cary R. Champlin, Felix F. Anthony, Mackenzie Smith, Anthony B. Williams, Alexander C. Prater, James E. Bacus, Suzanne C. Reynolds, Dean W. Webster
  • Patent number: 7050938
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander C. Prater, Suzanne C. Reynolds, Mackenzie Smith