Patents by Inventor Donald Ray High

Donald Ray High 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: 11813950
    Abstract: A system for storing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles is described herein. The system includes one or more shelves attached to a holding structure, the one or more shelves being configured to support one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the one or more shelves defining one or more shelf areas configured to receive the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The system also includes an electrical charging station configured to charge electrical batteries of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles supported by the one or more shelves; and a data transfer and storage system configured to transfer and store data that is previously stored in a data storage device of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in a data storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: John J. O'Brien, Coleman Johnson, Patricia Bird, Robert Cantrell, Brian Mchale, Jeremy Varner, Donald Ray High
  • Patent number: 11580495
    Abstract: Systems and methods that employ an autonomous robotic vehicle (ARV) alone or in combination with a remote computing device during the installation of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in a facility are discussed. The ARV may detect pre-existing product information from paper labels located on modular units prior to their removal and then detect the location of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) after installation. Pre-existing product information gleaned from the paper labels is associated with the corresponding ESLs. The ARV may also determine compliance or non-compliance of modular units to which an ESL is affixed with a planogram of the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Martin Thomas Faitak, IV
  • Patent number: 11494821
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising an electronic display device and a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided. A computing system transmits data transmissions to the plurality of electronic shelf labels. Each of the electronic shelf labels are configured to receive, from the computing system, data to render on an electronic display of each of the electronic shelf labels. The electronic display device is configured to determine, based on at least one of a set of specified conditions or the data rendered on each of the electronic shelf labels, content to be rendered on the electronic display of the electronic display device, and adjust the display of the electronic display device to render the content based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Martin Thomas Faitak, IV, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Patent number: 11396428
    Abstract: A disclosed system for transporting items to destination locations, for example when receiving inventory at large retail locations, includes a conveyor assembly comprising a plurality of docking locations; an item identifier operable to read identification data; an orchestrator operable to, based at least on the identification data, pair items with transporter solutions; and a sorting controller operable to, based at least on the identification data and the pairings, route items to specific docking locations where transporter solutions are docked. Transporter solutions may include autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) that bid on delivery tasks and can adjust shelf height in order to facilitate loading and unloading. The AGVs can thus provide an effectively seamless conveyor solution—either rollers on the conveyor surface move items or rollers on the underside of the AGV move the AGV with the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Bellar, Donald Ray High, Jeremy L. Velten, Robert Cantrell
  • Patent number: 11378968
    Abstract: A disclosed system for transporting items to destination locations, for example when receiving inventory at large retail locations, includes an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) having at least one shelf; a shelf elevator operable to raise and lower the at least one shelf; a drive unit operable to move the AGV between a docking location and a destination location; the AGV able to position the at least one shelf at a different heights for loading and offloading items first height and a second height different from the first height, autonomously navigate between the docking location and the first destination location, and bid on delivery tasks. Some examples are further able to use a cartridge unit to expand cargo capacity. An AGV could analyze the currently-loaded weight and the remaining available space, and dynamically adjust the heights of the shelves according to the dimensions of the assigned items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy L. Velten, Jason Bellar, Donald Ray High, Robert Cantrell
  • Publication number: 20220067653
    Abstract: Systems and methods that employ an autonomous robotic vehicle (ARV) alone or in combination with a remote computing device during the installation of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in a facility are discussed. The ARV may detect pre-existing product information from paper labels located on modular units prior to their removal and then detect the location of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) after installation. Pre-existing product information gleaned from the paper labels is associated with the corresponding ESLs. The ARV may also determine compliance or non-compliance of modular units to which an ESL is affixed with a planogram of the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Martin Thomas Faitak, IV
  • Publication number: 20210027245
    Abstract: Systems and methods that employ an autonomous robotic vehicle (ARV) alone or in combination with a remote computing device during the installation of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) in a facility are discussed. The ARV may detect pre-existing product information from paper labels located on modular units prior to their removal and then detect the location of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) after installation. Pre-existing product information gleaned from the paper labels is associated with the corresponding ESLs. The ARV may also determine compliance or non-compliance of modular units to which an ESL is affixed with a planogram of the facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Martin Thomas Faitak, IV
  • Publication number: 20200311794
    Abstract: An electronic shelf label system comprising an electronic display device and a plurality of electronic shelf labels is provided. A computing system transmits data transmissions to the plurality of electronic shelf labels. Each of the electronic shelf labels are configured to receive, from the computing system, data to render on an electronic display of each of the electronic shelf labels. The electronic display device is configured to determine, based on at least one of a set of specified conditions or the data rendered on each of the electronic shelf labels, content to be rendered on the electronic display of the electronic display device, and adjust the display of the electronic display device to render the content based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Martin Thomas Faitak, IV, Michael Dean Atchley
  • Publication number: 20200133286
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine readable media are provided for automatic charging and swapping power sources for an Autonomous Vehicle (AV). A determination is made whether a current first power source installed in an AV has sufficient power to complete a task assigned to the AV. In response to determining the first power source has insufficient power to complete the assigned task, the AV is directed to a location of a power source repository. The AV is positioned proximate a power source swapping unit of the power source repository where the first power source is removed from the AV and a second power source stored at the power source repository is installed into the AV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Jason Bellar, Jeremy L. Velten, Donald Ray High, Robert Cantrell, Brian Gerard McHale
  • Publication number: 20200125109
    Abstract: A disclosed system for transporting items to destination locations, for example when receiving inventory at large retail locations, includes an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) having at least one shelf; a shelf elevator operable to raise and lower the at least one shelf; a drive unit operable to move the AGV between a docking location and a destination location; the AGV able to position the at least one shelf at a different heights for loading and offloading items first height and a second height different from the first height, autonomously navigate between the docking location and the first destination location, and bid on delivery tasks. Some examples are further able to use a cartridge unit to expand cargo capacity. An AGV could analyze the currently-loaded weight and the remaining available space, and dynamically adjust the heights of the shelves according to the dimensions of the assigned items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Jeremy L. Velten, Jason Bellar, Donald Ray High, Robert Cantrell
  • Publication number: 20200122927
    Abstract: A disclosed system for transporting items to destination locations, for example when receiving inventory at large retail locations, includes a conveyor assembly comprising a plurality of docking locations; an item identifier operable to read identification data; an orchestrator operable to, based at least on the identification data, pair items with transporter solutions; and a sorting controller operable to, based at least on the identification data and the pairings, route items to specific docking locations where transporter solutions are docked. Transporter solutions may include autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs) that bid on delivery tasks and can adjust shelf height in order to facilitate loading and unloading. The AGVs can thus provide an effectively seamless conveyor solution—either rollers on the conveyor surface move items or rollers on the underside of the AGV move the AGV with the items.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventors: Jason Bellar, Donald Ray High, Jeremy L. Velten, Robert Cantrell
  • Publication number: 20190303935
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Vinay Rao, Dhivya Ganesan, Todd Davenport Mattingly, John Jeremiah O'Brien, Brian Gerard McHale, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Donald Ray High
  • Publication number: 20190302834
    Abstract: An airflow device for a head-mounted virtual reality headset and associated methods for controlling the airflow device to reduce motion sickness symptoms in a user is discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Donald Ray High, ChandraShekar Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20190304587
    Abstract: A system, method and medium for creating an automated shopping and nutrition performance scorecard are discussed. A mobile computing device receives a list of grocery items and supplementary items selected by a user which are transmitted to a nutritional analysis module. The nutritional analysis module retrieves nutritional content information for each item in the list of grocery items and the supplementary items. The nutritional content information is aggregated based on categories. The aggregated categories are transmitted to the mobile computing device and displayed on a graphical user interface. An indication representative of a deviance from a recommended value is displayed for each aggregated category. The GUI provides the user with grocery item recommendations to lower excessive aggregated categories and raise deficient aggregated categories.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Robert Cantrell, Donald Ray High
  • Publication number: 20190303854
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Daniel Wayne Young, Robert Cantrell, Brian Gerard McHale, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Donald Ray High
  • Publication number: 20190263538
    Abstract: A system for storing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles is described herein. The system includes one or more shelves attached to a holding structure, the one or more shelves being configured to support one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the one or more shelves defining one or more shelf areas configured to receive the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The system also includes an electrical charging station configured to charge electrical batteries of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles supported by the one or more shelves; and a data transfer and storage system configured to transfer and store data that is previously stored in a data storage device of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in a data storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: John J. O'BRIEN, Coleman JOHNSON, Patricia BIRD, Robert CANTRELL, Brian MCHALE, Jeremy VARNER, Donald Ray HIGH
  • Publication number: 20190251353
    Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for performing a physical object assessment. The system entails an automated system to receive, unpack and asses a physical object based on automated determined attributes. The system can determine an element based on the assessment and generate a webpage including the attributes of the physical object and the determined element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Donald Ray High, Nicholas Antel, ChandraShekar Natarajan
  • Patent number: 10244354
    Abstract: Described in detail herein are methods and systems for dynamically transmitting alerts. Sensors disposed in a facility can detect mobile devices roaming around the facility when they are within range of the sensor. The sensor can transmit the location an identification information of the mobile devices to a computing system. The computing system can determine physical objects disposed within a predetermined distance to the mobile devices. The computing system can determine if at least one physical object is of interest to the users of the mobile devices. The computing system can transmit an alert including information associated with the physical object and generate a messaging interface on the mobile devices. The computing system can prompt the users of the mobile devices to input information associated with the physical object. The computing system can dynamically update the database based on the information input associated with the physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Matthew Allen Jones, Joseph Courtland Halbrook
  • Patent number: 10115139
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for facilitating collaborative shopping. Notifications may be sent to remote devices in response to a shopper's device entering a store or within a given proximity to a store. Notifications may invoke or include an interface to add items to a shared shopping list. Notifications from the shopper's device may be sent in advance of a user entering a store to alert friends and family to add items to the shared shopping list. A remote device may be used to authorize and instruct the shopper's device to pick up items that have been previously purchased either automatically or in response to an input from a user of the remote device. Authorization to pick up the previously-purchased item may be transmitted to one or both of a merchant and the shopper's device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Ray High, Eric Eugene Welch, Michael Atchley
  • Publication number: 20180294956
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to a distributed blockchain storage system for data backup and authentication. Embodiments of the distributed blockchain storage system can include a computing system and at least one electronic system. The computing system generates sequential tasks and generates a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks. The at least one electronic system generates a second cryptographically verifiable ledger, and in response to an unexpected termination of communication between the computing system and the at least one electronic system, perform one of execution of the last one of the plurality of sequential tasks or execution of exception handling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: John Jeremiah O'Brien, Brian Gerard McHale, Robert Cantrell, Donald Ray High, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Todd Davenport Mattingly