Abstract: Methods and apparatus for image processing of spherical content via hardware acceleration components. In one embodiment, an EAC image is subdivided into facets via existing software addressing and written into the memory buffers (normally used for rectilinear cubemaps) in a graphics processing unit (GPU). The EAC facets may be translated, rotated, and/or mirrored so as to align with the expected three-dimensional (3D) coordinate space. The GPU may use existing hardware accelerator logic, parallelization, and/or addressing logic to greatly improve 3D image processing effects (such as a multi-band blend using Gaussian blurs.

Abstract: An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload is provided and includes a frame with an integral payload support, a transfer arm connected to the frame for autonomous transfer of payload to and from the frame, and a drive section with at least a pair of traction drive wheels astride the drive section, the drive section being connected to the frame. The at least the pair of traction drive wheels have a fully independent suspension coupling each traction drive wheel of the at least the pair of traction drive wheels to the frame, with at least one intervening pivot link between at least one traction drive wheel and the frame configured to maintain a substantially steady state traction contact patch between the at least one traction drive wheel and a rolling surface over rolling surface transients throughout traverse of the at least one traction drive wheel over the rolling surface.

Abstract: An autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface, a common active registration surface configured to engage the pickface, and a drive section connected to the common active registration surface, the drive section being configured to variably position the common active registration surface relative to at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system to effect placement of the pickface on the storage shelf so that pickfaces are substantially continuously arranged along the at least one storage shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.

Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle, for transporting items in a storage and retrieval system, includes a frame, a controller, at least two independently driven drive wheels mounted to the frame, and at least one caster wheel mounted to the frame and having a castering assistance motor that engages the at least one caster wheel so as to impart castering assistance torque to the at least one caster wheel assisting castering of the at least one caster wheel. The controller is communicably connected to the castering assistance motor and configured to effect via a combination of vehicle yaw, generated by differential torque from the at least two independently driven drive wheels, and castering assistance torque from the castering assistance motor, castering of the at least one caster wheel with the autonomous transport vehicle in motion with a predetermined kinematic state.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for image processing of spherical content via hardware acceleration components. In one embodiment, an EAC image is subdivided into facets via existing software addressing and written into the memory buffers (normally used for rectilinear cubemaps) in a graphics processing unit (GPU). The EAC facets may be translated, rotated, and/or mirrored so as to align with the expected three-dimensional (3D) coordinate space. The GPU may use existing hardware accelerator logic, parallelization, and/or addressing logic to greatly improve 3D image processing effects (such as a multi-band blend using Gaussian blurs.

Abstract: Multiple framings of a video may define different positionings of a viewing window at different moments within the video. The positionings of the viewing window defined by the multiple framings may be used as fixed positionings of the viewing window in a viewing path. The viewing path may define changes in the positioning of the viewing window between the fixed positionings. A presentation of the video may be generated to include the extents of the video within the viewing window.

Abstract: A warehousing system includes a multilevel container storage array each level of which has a transport area and a storage area, a container transport vehicle located on each level to transport containers to and from container storage locations on each storage shelf on each level of the multilevel storage array to a breakpack operation station, a putwall of more than one levels of breakpack goods container stations distributed along each level with a corresponding breakpack goods transfer deck at each level of the putwall, a breakpack goods transport vehicle that transports breakpack goods along the corresponding breakpack goods transfer deck, and between corresponding breakpack goods transfer decks at different levels of the putwall, to each breakpack goods container station, and a controller effecting operation of the container transport vehicle between the container storage locations, the breakpack operation station, and a breakpack goods container located at a breakpack goods container station.

Abstract: An autonomous rover including a frame having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end and forming a payload bay, the payload bay being sized to support a pickface, a common active registration surface configured to engage the pickface, and a drive section connected to the common active registration surface, the drive section being configured to variably position the common active registration surface relative to at least one storage shelf of an automated storage and retrieval system to effect placement of the pickface on the storage shelf so that pickfaces are substantially continuously arranged along the at least one storage shelf with a predetermined storage spacing between the pickfaces.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for optimized stitching of overcapture content. In one embodiment, the optimized stitching of the overcapture content includes capturing the overcapture content; producing overlap bands associated with the captured overcapture content; downsampling the produced overlap bands; generating derivative images from the downsampled overlap bands; generating a cost map associated with the generated derivative images; determining shortest path information for the generated cost map; generating a warp file based on the determined shortest path information, the generated warp file being utilized for the optimized stitching of the overcapture content. Camera apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A viewing window for a spherical video may define which extents of the spherical video are viewable. Abrupt changes in the extents defined by the viewing window may result in non-smooth views of the spherical video, such as stagger, jitter, and/or other jerky motions being included in the views of the spherical video. Changes in the extents defined by the viewing window may be smoothed to provide smoother views of the spherical video.

Abstract: A storage array system including an open undeterministic transport surface, a navigation array disposed in connection with the transport surface, the navigation array includes a distributed feature, a first waypoint at a first position of the distributed feature, a second waypoint displaced from the first waypoint along the distributed feature and offset with respect to the first waypoint in a direction angled to the distributed feature, and a guided bot, arranged to traverse the transport surface, with a non-holonomic steering system, the guided bot having a bot pose determination system employing sensor data detecting the distributed feature, wherein the guided bot includes a controller configured to generate a substantially smooth curved bot traverse path on the transport surface connecting the first and second waypoints with a predetermined optimal trajectory of the guided bot along the traverse path determined based on a bot dynamic model.

Abstract: A product order fulfillment system of mixed product units, the system includes a storage array, an automated transport system, with at least one asynchronous transport system, for level transport, and a lift for between level transport, communicably connected to the storage array so as to automatically retrieve and output, from an output of the storage array, product units distributed in cases in a common part of the storage array. The at least one asynchronous transport system, and the lift are configured so as to form more than one transport echelon, each echelon being communicably connected with the common part and the output, and each effecting orthogonal sortation, corresponding to the transport echelon, of the product units distributed in the common part, so that sorted mixed output product units of the corresponding transport echelon are in predetermined sequence.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for optimized stitching of overcapture content. In one embodiment, the optimized stitching of the overcapture content includes capturing the overcapture content; producing overlap bands associated with the captured overcapture content; downsampling the produced overlap bands; generating derivative images from the downsampled overlap bands; generating a cost map associated with the generated derivative images; determining shortest path information for the generated cost map; generating a warp file based on the determined shortest path information, the generated warp file being utilized for the optimized stitching of the overcapture content. Camera apparatus and a non-transitory computer-readable apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A viewing direction may define an angle/visual portion of a spherical video at which a viewing window is directed. A trajectory of viewing direction may include changes in viewing directions for playback of spherical video. Abrupt changes in the viewing directions may result in jerky or shaky views of the spherical video. Changes in the viewing directions may be stabilized to provide stabilized views of the spherical video. Amount of stabilization may be limited by a margin constraint.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment, a lift includes at least one load handling device configured so as to reciprocate along a lift axis, the load handling device including a frame forming a payload section with a payload support surface having a common elevation configured to hold one or more pickfaces at the common elevation of the payload support surface, at least one transfer arm movably mounted to the frame, and a drive section connected to the load handling device and being configured to move the load handling device along the lift axis, wherein the one or more pickfaces carried in unison by the payload support surface of the at least one load handling device, define an order sequence of pickfaces on the at least one load handling device according to a predetermined case out order sequence of mixed cases.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous rover for transferring payload within the system and including a communicator, a multilevel storage structure, each level allowing traversal of the at least one autonomous rover, at least one registration station disposed at predetermined locations on each level and being configured to communicate with the communicator to at least receive rover identification information, and a controller in communication with the at least one registration station and configured to receive the at least rover identification information and at least one of register the at least one autonomous rover as being on a level corresponding to a respective one of the at least one registration station or deregister the at least one autonomous rover from the system, where the controller effects induction of the at least one autonomous rover into a predetermined rover space on the level.

Abstract: A storage array system including an open undeterministic transport surface, a navigation array disposed in connection with the transport surface, the navigation array includes a distributed feature, a first waypoint at a first position of the distributed feature, a second waypoint displaced from the first waypoint along the distributed feature and offset with respect to the first waypoint in a direction angled to the distributed feature, and a guided bot, arranged to traverse the transport surface, with a non-holonomic steering system, the guided bot having a bot pose determination system employing sensor data detecting the distributed feature, wherein the guided bot includes a controller configured to generate a substantially smooth curved bot traverse path on the transport surface connecting the first and second waypoints with a predetermined optimal trajectory of the guided bot along the traverse path determined based on a bot dynamic model.

Abstract: Multiple framings of a video may define different positionings of a viewing window at different moments within the video. The positionings of the viewing window defined by the multiple framings may be used as fixed positionings of the viewing window in a viewing path. The viewing path may define changes in the positioning of the viewing window between the fixed positionings. A presentation of the video may be generated to include the extents of the video within the viewing window.

Abstract: An automated storage and retrieval system including at least one autonomous transport vehicle, a transfer deck that defines an undeterministic transport surface for the at least one autonomous transport vehicle, the transfer deck having multiple travel lanes, at least one vertically reciprocating lift, and at least one pickface handoff station connected to the transfer deck and interfacing between the at least one autonomous transport vehicle on the transfer deck and the at least one vertically reciprocating lift so that a pickface is transferred between the at least one vertically reciprocating and the at least one autonomous transport vehicle.

Abstract: A viewing direction may define an angle/visual portion of a spherical video at which a viewing window is directed. A trajectory of viewing direction may include changes in viewing directions for playback of spherical video. Abrupt changes in the viewing directions may result in jerky or shaky views of the spherical video. Changes in the viewing directions may be stabilized to provide stabilized views of the spherical video. Amount of stabilization may be limited by a margin constraint.