Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitoring and reconciling inventory.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for managing residual mobile display inventory. A system for managing a store inventory comprises a plurality of mobile modular displays, a mobile modular display inventory database, and a control circuit coupled to the mobile modular display inventory database and configured to: track, in the mobile modular display inventory database, inventory levels of mobile modular displays in a store location, detect a modular display replacement condition, cause a replacement mobile modular display to be deployed to replace the at least one mobile modular display on at a sales floor of the store location in response to detecting the modular display replacement condition, and determine a residual handling instruction selected from a plurality of residual handling methods for the residual products, and communicate the residual handling instruction to a user interface device.

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: 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: 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: In some embodiments, systems and methods are configured to track palletized products. Some embodiments comprise: a first array of sensors positioned relative to multiple products collectively arranged on a first transport pallet configured to support the multiple products while being transported; a wirelessly transceiver; and a pallet control circuit communicatively coupled with the wireless transceiver and the first array of sensors, wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors of the first array of sensors, determine a condition of one or more products of the multiple products at least as the multiple products are transported based on the sensor data, and cause condition information to be wirelessly transmitted to a separate notification system configured to provide notification to a worker regarding the condition of the one or more products.

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: Systems, devices, and methods include an electronic scanning device, an electronic database, and an electronic inventory management device for analyzing products at a retail store in order to detect products at the retail store that are associated with mis-shipments and to adjust perpetual inventory at the retail store in view of a detected mis-shipment.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which facilitate installation of modular shelving through utilization of a notch indication tape. The notch identification tape may include an adhesive surface and an opposing identification surface having a plurality of identification markers. The identification markers can be numbers, letters, a combination thereof, or any other identification scheme. The notch identification tape may be placed on a vertical plane of a modular shelf so that it adheres to the vertical plane in order to identify specific notches on the vertical plane.

Abstract: A shelf label system for organization of products according to a modular plan identifies product information on a retail store shelf. It retains original location and product information. The system comprises at least one elongated shelf label track attached to a front face of the retail store shelf, a plurality of label holders, each fitting within and able to move along a length of the shelf label track. Each label holder has a hinged panel that can be folded such that only a first face of the hinged panel is visible. In an open position, a face of the main panel and a second face of the hinged panel are visible. In an alternative embodiment, the label holders are allowed to move along the slot but can only flip over in the cutouts. A locking cover may be implemented to prevent unauthorized persons from modifying the labels.

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 cooking apparatus is presented. The cooking apparatus includes multiple independently controlled food preparation zones. The cooking apparatus further includes a network interface and a scanning device integrated into the cooking apparatus and configured to read a machine-readable identifier of a meal kit. The cooking apparatus additionally includes a processor in communication with each of the food preparation zones and that independently controls a temperature and time of food preparation in each of the food preparation zones in accordance with a set of cooking instructions retrieved via the network interface using the machine-readable identifier.

Abstract: A meal kit and a method of using the meal kit are presented. The meal kit includes a liner for a network-connected cooking apparatus, the liner having multiple segmented areas, each segmented area containing a food product. The liner also includes a machine-readable code disposed on the liner that is utilized to access information relating to cooking temperature and cooking time for each segment. The liner is configured to be placed into a cooking apparatus and align with different individually controllable cooking zones in the cooking apparatus.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are configured to track palletized products. Some embodiments comprise: a first array of sensors positioned relative to multiple products collectively arranged on a first transport pallet configured to support the multiple products while being transported; a wirelessly transceiver; and a pallet control circuit communicatively coupled with the wireless transceiver and the first array of sensors, wherein the pallet control circuit is configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors of the first array of sensors, determine a condition of one or more products of the multiple products at least as the multiple products are transported based on the sensor data, and cause condition information to be wirelessly transmitted to a separate notification system configured to provide notification to a worker regarding the condition of the one or more products.

Abstract: In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided to monitor and adjust perpetual inventory (PI). Some embodiments comprise multiple point of sale (POS) systems; an inventory system and a perpetual inventory (PI) engine control circuit that receives inventory information and is configured identify the occurrence of a plurality of different events each associated with a different product at a shopping facility and corresponding to a potential inconsistency in a determined inventory count; and for each of the events: identify a first set of inventory evaluation rules; apply the first set of inventory evaluation rules to determine a type of inventory count error; determine an inventory adjustment action to be implemented based on the first product and the determined error type; and cause the inventory adjustment action to be implemented in substantially real-time to adjust the determined inventory count of the first product at the first shopping facility.

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.