Abstract: Examples provide a perpetual inventory (PI) reconciliation system. A PI controller analyzes item data using a set of PI purge criteria and a set of weighted prioritization variables to select a highest priority seasonal inventory item having a positive PI value a per-item threshold time after an end-of-season (EOS) date for PI purge analysis. A PI controller determines if the selected item is a high confidence item or a low confidence item based on a set of confidence rules and item data. If the selected item is a high confidence item, a PI purge component sets an inventory value for the selected item to zero to eliminate the positive PI. If the selected item is a low confidence item, a verification component verifies the number of physical instances of the selected item. The inventory value is updated using the verified number of physical instances.

Abstract: A priority is dynamically assigned to each of the inventory-related values. A confidence score is determined based upon an evaluation of all of the prioritized inventory-related values. Based upon the confidence score, one or more PI programs for the retail store is authorized for utilization. The number of inventory-related values used and the priorities for these values are dynamically changeable.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for an electronic label system. Electronic labels display on a display first sets of information associated with sets of like physical objects disposed in a facility. The first computing system can encode a hyperlink into a machine-readable element in response to determining that the quantity is below the threshold. In response to receiving the machine readable element, the electronic label can automatically change the display to render machine-readable element. A portable electronic device can initiate a first session with a second computing system in response to executing an application. The portable electronic device can scan and decode the machine-readable element. The portable electronic device can navigate to a domain hosted by the second computing system. The second computing system initiates a second session. The second computing system merges the first and second session.

Abstract: A shelving system includes customer shelves, and a top shelf is positioned generally above the customer shelves. The top shelf and a back room are not accessible to the public, but the customer shelves are accessible to the public. First scans of the top shelf and second scans of the customer shelves and back room inventory values for the selected product are obtained. A determination is made as whether there is inventory of the selected product in the back room. When there is available space on the top shelf, when the available space is within a predetermined distance of the location, and when there is inventory of the selected product in the back room, instructions are transmitted to an automated vehicle to cause the automated vehicle to selectively move at least some of the selected product from the back room to the top shelf.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for detecting absent like physical objects at a first facility and replenishing the like physical objects from the second facility to the first facility. The system includes an autonomous robot device configured to detect absent like physical objects at a first facility and transmit an identifier associated with the like physical objects to a first computing system. The first computing system determines the need for the addition of the like physical objects in the first facility and transmits the data associated with the like physical objects to the second computing system. The second computing system corrects a perpetual inventory error associated with the like physical objects based on the received data and transmits instructions to an autonomous robot picker disposed at a second facility to replenish the like physical objects at the first facility.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for an augmented touch-sensitive display system. A portable electronic device can render on the touch-sensitive display a physical scene within the field of view of the image capturing device. The portable electronic device, can parse the physical scene rendered on the touch-sensitive display into discrete elements based on dimensions of items in the physical scene. The portable electronic device can superimpose a selectable link on the at least one of the discrete elements on the touch-sensitive display.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for motorized modular shelf organization. The system and method includes a gondola rack with a plurality of longitudinal shelves which engage with an upright support on the gondola rack, and are capable of moving vertically via a motorized element. The gondola rack also includes at least two support arms which are capable of grasping the plurality of longitudinal shelves and moving the plurality of longitudinal shelves laterally and vertically so that the longitudinal shelves may swap positions with another shelf.

Abstract: A parking space allocation system comprises a special-purpose allocation computer that communicates with at least one electronic sensor to identify a state of a plurality of parking spaces, including a determination whether the parking spaces are occupied or unoccupied and that automatically modifies an unoccupied parking space to be visually identifiable for authorized use by a vehicle or vehicle occupant; and a special-purpose authorization computer that authenticates the vehicle or vehicle occupant for the authorized use of the unoccupied parking space by the vehicle. The special-purpose allocation computer further allocates the unoccupied parking space to the authenticated vehicle or vehicle occupant according to a predetermined criterion that requires the unoccupied parking space to be in proximity to or a predetermined distance from a destination of interest by the vehicle occupant.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to providing crowdsourced delivery. In some embodiments, a system for providing crowdsourced delivery comprises a database, a mobile device configured to receive user information for a user, present a list including delivery tasks, receive selection of one of the delivery tasks, capture an image of a cargo area of the user's vehicle, generate an augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, and present the augmented reality representation of the product within the cargo area of the user's vehicle, and a control circuit configured to register the user, determine that one of the plurality of retail facilities needs a product, determine that one of the plurality of distribution centers possesses the product, generate a delivery task for the product, transmit an indication of the delivery task, generate an identifier, and transmit the identifier.

Abstract: Described in detail herein are systems and methods for an augmented display system. A computing system can determine whether a physical object is absent from a designated location in a facility in response to data retrieved from the database. The computing system can insert a virtual element in a planogram corresponding to the designated location of the facility in response to determining the physical object is absent. The computing system can augment via interaction with the application executing on the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for motorized modular shelf organization. The system and method includes a gondola rack with a plurality of longitudinal shelves which engage with an upright support on the gondola rack, and are capable of moving vertically via a motorized element. The gondola rack also includes at least two support arms which are capable of grasping the plurality of longitudinal shelves and moving the plurality of longitudinal shelves laterally and vertically so that the longitudinal shelves may swap positions with another shelf.

Abstract: Examples provide a fruit ripening rack having a plurality of chambers for on-site produce ripening at a retail location. A controller component generates predicted demand for ripened fruit on a selected date at a selected location based on transaction history data and/or seasonal demand. The controller component calculates the quantity of fruit based on the predicted demand. The controller component determines conditions within each chamber to accelerate ripening of the calculated quantity of one or more types of fruit to one or more selected levels of ripeness on the selected date. The conditions include amount of ethylene gas in each chamber, length of exposure to the ethylene gas, temperature inside the chamber and/or humidity level inside the chamber. The fruit ripening rack controls internal conditions within each chamber to provide variable fruit ripening in accordance with per-chamber configurations to satisfy predicted daily demand at the selected location.

Abstract: Examples provide a fruit ripening drawer for ripening fruit at variable rates in multiple air-tight compartments staggering completion of fruit ripening within each compartment. A user selects a level of ripeness and a date for consumption for fruit within each compartment. A calculation component calculates customized settings for each compartment, including an amount of ethylene gas, temperature, duration of gas exposure and/or humidity within each compartment. A metering device delivers the calculated amount of ethylene gas into each compartment. A thermostat device controls the temperature and/or humidity within each compartment. The fruit ripening drawer controls conditions within each compartment and duration of ethylene gas exposure to accelerate or delay fruit ripening within each compartment based on the user-selected level of ripeness and consumption date for fruit in each compartment. The fruit ripening drawer is a stand-alone counter-top device.

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: Produce ripening systems and apparatuses are described. A produce ripening apparatus may include a sealed inner package positioned inside a sealed outer package. The sealed inner package may be breakable and may seal a ripening agent inside the sealed inner package. The sealed outer package may be openable and may have an elasticity sufficient to allow pressure to be applied to the sealed inner package through squeezing of the sealed outer package without breaking the sealed outer package. The pressure may be sufficient to break the sealed inner package.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for motorized modular shelf organization. The system and method includes a gondola rack with a plurality of longitudinal shelves which engage with an upright support on the gondola rack, and are capable of moving vertically via a motorized element. The gondola rack also includes at least two support arms which are capable of grasping the plurality of longitudinal shelves and moving the plurality of longitudinal shelves laterally and vertically so that the longitudinal shelves may swap positions with another shelf.

Abstract: A bagging station, comprises a base; a carousel that rotates relative to the base, the carousel including a plurality of bag holding elements; an indicator at each bag holding element that provides a status regarding a bag hanging from the bag holding element; and a bag selection system that controls the indicators to identify bags for allocating items according to a predetermined criteria about at least one of the bag or the items.

Abstract: Examples provide a system for dynamic allocation of supplemental space to items based on predicted variable demand. Item data is analyzed using a set of item selection criteria to identify an item located within a predetermined distance of available flex-space associated with a topstock shelf which has a predicted time-supply predicted to be less than a threshold time-supply during a predicted time-period. A portion of flex-space sufficient to increase the time-supply enough to meet the predicted increase in demand is identified. Additional instances of the item are assigned to the portion of the flex-space during the predetermined time-period. When an expiration date for the flex-space assignment occurs, remaining instances of the item in the portion of the flex-space are removed. The portion of the flex-space is assigned to a next item predicted to experience temporary context-dependent increased demand exceeding time-supply and/or capacity of permanent display space of the item.

Abstract: Examples provide a system for crowdsourced item selection. A request fulfillment component selects a set of one or more items from a plurality of requested items for retrieval by an identified user. A set of items are selected based on an analysis of item data, per-user retrieval score(s), user-provided data, and/or per-user restriction(s). The request fulfillment component analyzes sensor data associated with a set of retrieved items received at an intake area to identify the items retrieved by the identified user and/or a level of compliance with retrieval criteria for the set of items. The request fulfillment component assigns a reward to the identified user, one or more retrieval scores ranking quality of items retrieved by the user, and/or one or more retrieval restrictions are assigned to the user based on the number of retrieved items and the level of compliance with the retrieval criteria.

Abstract: Examples provide a system for cold-chain compliant item selection. A set of perishable items are selected for retrieval by a user based on item data, cold-chain compliance score(s), and/or cold-chain compliance restrictions associated with each user. The selected set of items are assigned to the user for retrieval in accordance with a set of cold-chain compliance parameters, including a per-item maximum dwell-time specifying a maximum time interval between removal of a perishable item from a temperature controlled display area and receipt of the perishable item at an intake area. A dwell-time is calculated for an item received at an intake area. The item is accepted if the per-item maximum dwell-time exceeds the calculated dwell-time and the item is rejected if the calculated dwell-time exceeds the per-item maximum dwell-time. An incentive is provided to the identified user based on a cold-chain compliance score for the user.