Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring item distribution. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for monitoring item distribution including: a camera system comprising a plurality of cameras configured to capture a plurality of video streams along a distribution chain; an item record database comprising one or more monitored items; and a control circuit configured to: receive the plurality of video streams; identify a monitored item of the one or more monitored items; extract video data associated with the monitored item from at least one of the plurality of video streams; aggregate the video data to form an item distribution record; associate the item distribution record of the monitored item with a customer order for the monitored item in the item record database; and provide the item distribution record to a user associated with the customer order via an item record user interface.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to detecting a deviation in a person's activity. In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises one or more sensors, the one or more sensors configured to monitor parameters associated with a person and the person's home, and a control circuit, the control circuit communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to receive, from the one or more sensors, values associated with the parameters, create, based on the values associated with the parameters, a spectral profile for the person, determine, based on the spectral profile and a routine base state for the person, that a combination of the values indicates a deviation, determine, based on the deviation, an alert, and cause transmission of the alert.

Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for presenting merchandise to customers at a shopping facility. In one form, the system includes: a shopping facility hosting an event for customers; merchandise items related to the event; an automated storage and retrieval system that includes a merchandise holding area at the shopping facility for the merchandise items related to the event and a robot for moving between the holding area and the hosting area; and customer characteristics or preferences of customers attending the event. In the system, a control circuit identifies and selects the merchandise items related to the event, instructs stocking of the merchandise holding area with these merchandise items, identifies and selects a subset of merchandise items based on the customer characteristics or preferences, instructs the robot to gather the subset of merchandise items from the merchandise holding area and to deliver the subset to the hosting area.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide retail systems to detect suspicious movement patterns within a retail shopping facility, comprising: an array of camera systems, an array of RFID readers, and a shopping facility evaluation system configured to: receive RFID tag read information from RFID readers of a first RFID tag of a consumer item of a first product; access and apply a first set of rules to identify a first pattern of movement of the first RFID tag; access a set of historic movement patterns specific to the first product; cause an RFID reader to trigger the RFID tag to transition to a state to emit RFID tag information more frequently; access and apply a second set of rules identifying when the first pattern of movement corresponds with a historic movement pattern; and cause a notification to be communicated to a central evaluation system.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments describe a system, method and computer-readable medium for providing items for purchase at an automated storage and retrieval system in a facility. Example embodiments include a storage tower configured to store and dispense items, where the storage tower includes storage receptacles, shelves, a receiving opening, a delivery opening, sensors, a user interface, and a transport apparatus for transporting storage receptacles from the shelves to the delivery opening. A computing device, in communication with the sensors and transport apparatus is configured to execute a purchase module to determine items as possible purchase items and transmit instructions to pick the items and place them in a storage receptacle. The storage receptacle is presented to a user via the delivery opening, and the purchase module detects a user removing at least one item from the storage receptacle and identifies the removed item using data sensed by the sensors.

Abstract: Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein useful for autonomously delivering lockers. In some embodiments, a system comprises a carrier vehicle, the carrier vehicle comprising a storage area, a docking station including a plurality of storage docks, each of the plurality of storage docks configured to secure at least one locker, wherein the docking station is located within the storage area, and a retrieval point, a plurality of lockers each configured to house at least one product, a delivery vehicle, the delivery vehicle comprising a delivery dock, wherein the delivery dock is configured to receive, at the retrieval point, at least one locker, and a propulsion mechanism, wherein the propulsion mechanism propels the delivery vehicle, and a control circuit, the control circuit configured to identify, from the plurality of lockers, a selected locker, and cause the selected locker to move to the retrieval point.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described in detail herein for storage and retrieval of objects. The systems and methods allow for automated object retrieval and storage by a user without the need for intervention of a facility employee. Systems and methods described herein place the crane external to storage towers to allow a central shaft of the tower to be used to store objects. Advantageously, storage towers in systems of the present disclosure can include sections of different sizes that can store large objects and objects of varying sizes on a single storage tower. System and methods described herein provide a transport platform that can enable expanded storage in a single machine by translating or rotating multiple storage towers to bring the requested tower proximate to the crane and dispensing window.

Abstract: Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein useful to controlling utility usage for a group of facilities. In some embodiments, a system comprises a plurality of devices located at a first facility, wherein the first facility is part of the group of facilities, and wherein each of the plurality of devices is configured to consume a utility, monitor its utility usage, and record, in a blockchain, an indication of its utility usage, wherein the blockchain ledger includes indications of utility usage for other facilities, and a control circuit configured to access the blockchain ledger, determine that the first facility has used more of the utility than an amount allotted, determine that a second facility has used less of the utility than an amount allotted, and negotiate, with the second facility, for allotment of a portion of the amount allotted to the second facility.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to automatically order. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for automatically ordering a product item including at least one first sensor, at least one smart-device interface, a remote database, and at least one control circuit configured to: determine whether a signaling data is received; communicatively couple with the at least one smart device; prompt a user to select; determine whether a previously stored data has been stored; delete the previously stored data; copy a plurality of urgency threshold values; access the first sensed data; access the second sensed data; determine a product item; determine whether the at least one of: the first sensed data and the second sensed data has reached an urgency threshold value; and automatically initiate ordering and delivery of the product item when the urgency threshold value has been reached.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein useful to automatically authorizing digital rights access. In some embodiments, the system comprises a content creator server, wherein the content creator server is configured to create a block, wherein the block includes the content, publish, to a public ledger, the block, wherein the public ledger comprises a blockchain, generate, for a user device, a key, wherein the key provides digital rights access to the block, and transmit, to the user device, the key, the user device configured to store a local copy of the public ledger, update the local copy of the public ledger to include the block, receive, from the content creator server, the key, and access, via the local copy of the public ledger with the key, the block, wherein access to the block allows the user device to make use of the content.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to receiving retail products.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided herein useful to communicate with a person of interest (“PoI”) via an autonomous ground vehicle (“AGV”) on a product delivery route. In some embodiments, autonomous product delivery systems are provided to enable communications with a PoI, comprises: an AGV on a product delivery route that includes one or more control circuits, one or more sensors in electrical communication with the one or more control circuits and configured to communicate sensor data to the one or more control circuits, and one or more emitters in electrical communication with the one or more control circuits. The control circuit uses sensor data to detect the presence of PoIs when they are positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV on the product delivery route, and in response thereof, cause the emitters to transmit a personalized message to the detected PoIs.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided herein useful to enable delivery of commercial products to customers. In some embodiments, the system comprises an autonomous ground vehicle on a delivery route to deliver commercial products to a person of interest. The AGV comprises control circuits communicatively coupled to sensors. The control circuits, using sensor data, determines whether a person positioned within a threshold distance relative to the AGV is the PoI; allow the PoI to designate an intention of a second person positioned within the threshold distance as being friendly or adverse relative to the PoI; determine the intention of the second person; receive a command from the PoI overriding the determination that the second person's intention is adverse to the PoI; and allow the PoI to take possession of the commercial products when the designated intention is friendly relative to the PoI and the command is received.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided using RFID devices to assist in determining an open status of a container. For example, a first RFID tag is fixed to a first portion of the container and a second RFID tag is fixed to a second portion of the container. Upon a user action to at least partially open the container, the first and second portions will move relative to each other, such that one or more of the RFID tags will no longer be readable by the RFID-tag reader or will now be readable by the reader. The reading or cessation of reading of one or more RFID tags indicates at least one open status of the container. In some embodiments, the open status is at least one of an unsealing confirmation, an open motion initiation status, an open motion confirmation, a partial open status and a fully open status.

Abstract: A method for tracking an item in a distributed environment is provided. At least one node in a network adds a new block to a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks that is stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the first cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a component identifier and a hash of a previous block in the first sequence of blocks. The at least one node in the network adds a new block to a second cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a second sequence of blocks that is stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the second cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a destination identifier, the first sequence of blocks, and a hash of a previous block in the second sequence of blocks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for delivery verification. Delivery of a package is initiated by a courier by submitting an action to a distributed ledger. The courier records video of the delivery of the package to a customer site. The video of the delivery of the package is sent to a blockchain referenced by the distributed ledger. The video of the delivery of the package is added to the blockchain. The customer captures any motion detected video of the package occurring after delivery of the package by the courier and this video is added to the blockchain.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recording codes in a distributed environment are provided. A first node receives data including at least one code from a code generation computing device via a network. The first node adds a first new block to a first cryptographically verifiable encrypted ledger, the first block containing the at least one code. The first node adds a second new block to a second cryptographically verifiable, the second block containing the at least one code. The first node or a second node retrieves the at least one code from the second cryptographically verifiable unencrypted ledger. The first node or the second node analyzes the at least one code pursuant to a set of rules.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing invalid reverse transactions in a distributed environment is provided in which a first block is added to a first cryptographically verifiable ledger containing a transaction identifier and an executable program for preventing a reversal of a transaction. A second block is added to a second unencrypted ledger and contains a flag indicating that the transaction identifier is invalid and a reference to the first block. A notification that the transaction associated with the transaction identifier is being reversed can be received and execution of the executable program for preventing a reversal of the transaction can be triggered. In response to execution of the executable program, the reversal of the transaction associated with the transaction identifier is prevented.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide customer partiality vectorization refinement systems, comprising: a customer database storing a set of multiple customer partiality vectors for each of multiple different customers; a product database storing a set of multiple product partiality vectors for each of multiple different products; and a vectorized refinement control circuit configured to: identify, for a first customer, a multi-dimensional partiality vector target area defined by a limited range of partiality magnitudes and limited range of representative partiality directions; select a first product having at least a product partiality vector that is within a threshold alignment with the partiality vector target area, and cause the first product to be presented to the first customer; receive feedback associated with the first customer and corresponding to the first product; and adjust the partiality vector target area based on the feedback.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, and methods are provided pertaining to lockers that can be secured in a docking station. In some embodiments, a system comprises a docking station, the docking station configured to selectively secure and release one or more lockers and receive a command to allow one of the one or more lockers to be released, wherein each of the one or more lockers is removable from the docking station, and wherein each of the one or more lockers comprises a storage portion and a securement mechanism for securing each of the one or more lockers to the docking station.