Abstract: An example assembly for detecting opening events of an item includes: a wireless communications tag. A memory of the wireless communications tag is configured to store an opening indicator. A piezoelectric element is configured to be disposed between two mating portions of a closing structure of the item. The piezoelectric element is loaded when the two portions are mated and unloaded when the two portions of the closing structure are unmated. The piezoelectric element is configured to output an electric signal that can be used by the wireless communications tag, e.g., to cause a logic circuit of the wireless communications tag to update the opening indicator when the piezoelectric element is unloaded.

Abstract: An example radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna assembly includes a first printed circuit board (PCB), a second PCB, spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first PCB, a spacer, and a cable coupled to the first PCB and extending through a passage in the spacer and an opening in the second PCB. The first PCB and the second PCB are configured to operate as an RFID antenna. The first PCB is positioned proximate a first side of the spacer and is secured to the spacer, and the second PCB is positioned proximate a second side of the spacer, opposite the first side, and is secured to the spacer. A radiation pattern produced by the RFID antenna assembly is substantially directed away from a first side of the first PCB, opposite the spacer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for triggering object recognition and planogram generation via shelf sensors are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may comprise a shelf, at least one sensor affixed to the shelf, at least one camera affixed to the shelf, and at least one server communicatively coupled to the at least one camera and the at least one sensor. The apparatus may be configured such that the at least one sensor is configured to detect that at least one threshold has been met, and the at least one sensor is further configured to trigger an image to be taken by the least one camera; wherein the at least one camera is configured to capture at least one image based on the met threshold, and the at least one server is configured to identify at least one product identifier based on the at least one captured image.

Abstract: Porting configurations for high density multiplexing of RFID readers are disclosed herein. An example RFID reader includes a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the housing, an internal multiplexer disposed within the housing, and electrically connected to the PCB; and a plurality of connectors disposed in a porting area of the housing, each of the plurality of connectors comprising a plurality of antenna ports, wherein each antenna port is communicatively coupled to the PCB via the internal multiplexer and is connectable with a respective RFID antenna.

Abstract: An inventory system is disclosed. The inventory system may include a support frame and a suspension support that is configured to extend from the support frame. The inventory system may include a sensor configuration arranged on the suspension support. The sensor configuration may include a plurality of sensor elements that are configured to sense whether one or more objects are being suspended from the suspension support. The inventory system may include an electrical connector interface that facilitates communication of an inventory status associated with the suspension support.

Abstract: An example configurable radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader assembly includes a base unit and an integrable multiplexer. The base unit includes a first housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), an internal multiplexer, a first plurality of antenna ports accessible from outside the first housing, and a first radio-frequency (RF) connector accessible from outside the first housing. The integrable multiplexer is attached to the first housing and includes a second housing that is attachable to and removable from the first housing from outside the first housing, a second plurality of antenna ports accessible from outside of the second housing, and a second RF connector accessible from outside the integrable multiplexer housing and connected to the first RF connector.

Abstract: An edge device using broadcasting is disclosed herein. The edge device may include one or more memories and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories. In some implementations, the edge device may receive individual sets of data from a plurality of sensors and compile the individual sets of data into a single dataset to be processed by a backend device. The edge device may generate a plurality of advertisements to include a corresponding plurality of portions of the dataset and a corresponding plurality of sequence identifiers. The edge device may broadcast each advertisement, without receiving an acknowledgement of each preceding advertisement. The edge device may receive, from the backend device, an indication of one or more sequence identifiers that were not received. Accordingly, the edge device may retransmit, based on the indication of the sequence identifier(s), a portion of the plurality of advertisements.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object tracking are disclosed herein. The method receives, by a first device and during a first period, first information of at least one first element associated with a user within a first area and second information of at least one second element associated with an object positioned within the first area. The method determines, based on the second information, whether the object is associated with the first area, and identifies the at least one second element as anomalous when the object is not associated with the first area. The method determines whether the first device receives the first information during a second time period and whether the first device receives the second information during the second time period when the first device does not receive the first information during the second time period. The method transmits a notification when the first device receives the second information during the second time period.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automated and dynamic location tracking are provided. The system receives first location sensor data from a first location sensor indicative of first location information of at least one item associated with a radio frequency identification tag and detects a location change of the at least one item based on the received first location sensor data. The system determines whether the location change of the at least one item is greater than a predetermined threshold and generates and transmits a navigation path to a second location sensor indicative of an area associated with the first location information when the location change of the at least one item is greater than a predetermined threshold. The system receives second location sensor data from the second location sensor along the navigation path indicative of second location information of the at least one item within the area associated with the first location information.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system may activate sensors of a smart shelf based on detected events. The system may include a first sensor array configured to monitor a surface of the smart shelf. The first sensor array may be associated with a first type of sensor. The system may include a second sensor array configured to monitor the surface of the smart shelf. The second sensor array may be associated with a second type of sensor. The system may include a controller. The controller may receive, from a first sensor of the first sensor array, a first sensor value. The controller may detect an occurrence of an event based on the first sensor value, wherein the event is associated with an item of the smart shelf. The controller may activate one or more second sensors of the second sensor array based on the occurrence of the event.

Abstract: Fulfillment guidance devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. An example device includes a memory; a communications interface; and a processor to: obtain, from a location tracking system deployed in a facility containing items of a plurality of item types, current locations for each of the items; select a subset of the items having a common type, and satisfying a proximity criterion; generate and store, in the memory, an item cluster definition having a type indicator corresponding to the common type, a count of items in the subset, and a single cluster location derived from the current locations of the items in the subset; obtain an item request including one of the item types; determine that the one of the item types matches the type indicator of the cluster definition; responsive to the determination, send at least a portion of the cluster definition to a mobile device within the facility.

Abstract: Imaging systems and methods monitor items associated with a person appearing in predetermined areas in a venue. A person is associated with an item when in a first area, using captured image data and attributes identified therein. The person is subsequently detected at a point-of-sale (POS) or other second area, through captured second image data and attributes identified therein. Responsive to detecting the person at the POS station, the method monitors a checkout transaction for scanning the previously-associated item, wherein failure of that item to be scanned prior to a payment step of a checkout transaction determines an instance of a potential shrink event.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automated and dynamic location tracking are provided. The system receives first location sensor data from a first location sensor indicative of first location information of at least one item associated with a radio frequency identification tag and detects a location change of the at least one item based on the received first location sensor data. The system determines whether the location change of the at least one item is greater than a predetermined threshold and generates and transmits a navigation path to a second location sensor indicative of an area associated with the first location information when the location change of the at least one item is greater than a predetermined threshold. The system receives second location sensor data from the second location sensor along the navigation path indicative of second location information of the at least one item within the area associated with the first location information.

Abstract: An edge device using broadcasting is disclosed herein. The edge device may include one or more memories and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories. In some implementations, the edge device may receive individual sets of data from a plurality of sensors and compile the individual sets of data into a single dataset to be processed by a backend device. The edge device may generate a plurality of advertisements to include a corresponding plurality of portions of the dataset and a corresponding plurality of sequence identifiers. The edge device may broadcast each advertisement, without receiving an acknowledgement of each preceding advertisement. The edge device may receive, from the backend device, an indication of one or more sequence identifiers that were not received. Accordingly, the edge device may retransmit, based on the indication of the sequence identifier(s), a portion of the plurality of advertisements.

Abstract: A modular inventory management system is disclosed herein that includes a bin module. The bin module may include a module base, a sensor configuration, and a divider. The module base may have a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and a top surface that connects the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge. The sensor configuration may be arranged on the module base between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge. The sensor configuration may include a plurality of sensor elements that are arranged in a single row on a center axis of the module base and configured to sense whether one or more objects are positioned on the top surface of the module base. The divider may be situated at the first lateral edge and may be configured to slide laterally with respect to the module base to adjust a width of the bin module.

Abstract: A computing device includes: a memory storing sensor placement rules; a processor connected with the memory, the processor configured to: obtain a floor plan representing a facility, the floor plan including contextual data representing spatial and structural features of the facility; define, based on the contextual data of the floor plan, one or more sensor placement regions within the facility; for each sensor placement region: generate a sensor layout within the sensor placement region based on the sensor placement rules; generate, based on a correspondence between the sensor placement region and the floor plan, a list of sensor devices and corresponding coordinates for each sensor device; and output the list of sensor devices and the corresponding coordinates.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system may activate sensors of a smart shelf based on detected events. The system may include a first sensor array configured to monitor a surface of the smart shelf. The first sensor array may be associated with a first type of sensor. The system may include a second sensor array configured to monitor the surface of the smart shelf. The second sensor array may be associated with a second type of sensor. The system may include a controller. The controller may receive, from a first sensor of the first sensor array, a first sensor value. The controller may detect an occurrence of an event based on the first sensor value, wherein the event is associated with an item of the smart shelf. The controller may activate one or more second sensors of the second sensor array based on the occurrence of the event.

Abstract: An edge device using broadcasting is disclosed herein. The edge device may include one or more memories and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories. In some implementations, the edge device may receive individual sets of data from a plurality of sensors and compile the individual sets of data into a single dataset to be processed by a backend device. The edge device may generate a plurality of advertisements to include a corresponding plurality of portions of the dataset and a corresponding plurality of sequence identifiers. The edge device may broadcast each advertisement, without receiving an acknowledgement of each preceding advertisement. The edge device may receive, from the backend device, an indication of one or more sequence identifiers that were not received. Accordingly, the edge device may retransmit, based on the indication of the sequence identifier(s), a portion of the plurality of advertisements.

Abstract: An inventory system is disclosed. The inventory system may include a support frame and a suspension support that is configured to extend from the support frame. The inventory system may include a sensor configuration arranged on the suspension support. The sensor configuration may include a plurality of sensor elements that are configured to sense whether one or more objects are being suspended from the suspension support. The inventory system may include an electrical connector interface that facilitates communication of an inventory status associated with the suspension support.