Abstract: Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments a retail shopping facility contains various items available for purchase. A corresponding memory stores registered ownership information provided at least in part by a consumer in conjunction with purchasing a retail item at the retail shopping facility. A corresponding control circuit provides a possession-transfer opportunity by which an owner of the retail item can offer possession of the retail item to another party. When the owner of the retail item selects that possession-transfer opportunity for the retail item, the control circuit uses the registered ownership information to offer possession of the retail item to other parties who may be potentially interested in possessing the retail item.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and systems for implementing a visit- based loyalty rewards program. Disclosed is a system that includes location detection devices placed throughout a retail store that are used in conjunction with a mobile device carried by a customer to determine the presence, duration, path, and location of the customer device, and hence the customer, in the retail store. A retail store server is used to store customer information, including the customer visits, the length of customer visits, and the path taken by the customer through the retail store. A loyalty reward is calculated based upon at least one customer visit and at least one customer purchase. The loyalty reward is then awarded to the customer.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to fulfill product orders. In some embodiments, a product order fulfillment system, comprises: a plurality of Optical Head-Mounted Display (OHMD) systems; and a customer order fulfillment system associated with a retail store and configured to wireless communicate with each of the plurality of OHMD systems, and comprising a fulfillment management circuit configured to: receive multiple different product orders; determine separate product collection routes through the retail store that are each to be respectively followed by one of one or more workers; and wirelessly communicate route information and product identifier information to the OHMD systems and cause the route information and the product identifier information to be visually displayed through the OHMD systems.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to fulfill product orders. In some embodiments, a product order fulfillment system is provided that comprises: a plurality of optical head-mounted display (OHMD) systems; and a customer order fulfillment system comprising a consolidation management circuit to: receive multiple product orders; obtain an identifier of each of the picked products in association with a pick container identifier of a respective one of the pick containers in which the picked product is located; identify a pick container identifier in which the ordered product is located; communicate to an OHMD system a consolidation listing identifying requested products, the corresponding pick container identifier, and for each of the listed requested products a delivery bin identifier of a delivery bin into which the requested product is to be deposited, and cause the consolidation listing to be displayed on the OHMD system.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful in delivering products to customers. In some embodiments, a product delivery assistance system is provided comprising: a wireless transceiver; control circuit; and memory storing computer instructions executed by the control circuit to: obtain placement location information within a delivery vehicle for each of multiple delivery bins defining a placement of the delivery bins within the delivery vehicle; identify a first product order corresponding to a first delivery location; and cause the placement location information of a first delivery bin corresponding to the first product order to be wirelessly communicated to an optical head-mounted display (OHMD) system associated with a delivery worker, and cause the OHMD system to display visual guidance information to guide the delivery worker to the first delivery bin within the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: Upon receiving a standard unit of items at a distribution center these teachings provide for automatically determining whether to retain that standard unit of items as staple stock at the district center or to forward that unit to a retail shopping facility without first retaining that unit as staple stock at the distribution center. Such a determination can include determining whether there is a present need at the retail shopping facility for at least the standard unit of items. By one approach, these teachings will support forwarding the standard unit of items to a particular retail shopping facility that may have a present need for some of the items but less than the complete standard unit of items.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for providing monitoring premises. In one embodiment, a system for monitoring premises comprises: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a three dimension (3D) scanner, a baseline model database, and a control circuit comprising a communication device for communicating with the UAV. The control circuit being configured to: instruct the UAV to travel to a monitored premises and perform a 3D scan with the 3D scanner to obtain a 3D point cloud of the monitored premises, compare a current state of the one or more features in the 3D point cloud of the monitored premises with a baseline state in a baseline state model, and identify a deviation of the current state of the one or more features of the monitored premises from the baseline state.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for providing surveying premises of a customer. In one embodiment, a system for surveying premises of a customer comprises: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a three dimension (3D) scanner and an image sensor, and a control circuit comprising a communication device configured to communicate with the UAV. The control circuit being configured to: receive, from a customer, a premises location, instruct the UAV to travel to the premises location to collect a set of data, form a 3D point cloud model of the premises based on 3D data collected by the 3D scanner of the UAV, identify one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model and image data collected by the image sensor of the UAV, and generate a recommendation to the customer based on the one or more features of the premises.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of motorized mobile retail facility personal assistance apparatuses and a central computer system. The central computer system includes a network interface that permits the central computer system to wirelessly communicate with the mobile apparatuses and also with at least one user interface unit. Upon receiving a request to use one of the mobile apparatuses, the central computer system assigns an available apparatuses for use by a user during a usage session. This activity can include interfacing with the user to determine one or more specifics regarding their current needs in these regards. The specifics of their needs, in turn, can provide a basis for assigning a particular apparatus from amongst a plurality of differently purposed and differently configured apparatuses.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide methods and systems of monitoring trash cans. A central computer system of a shopping facility identifies a first motorized transport unit and a second motorized transport unit; communicates routing instructions based on a mapping of the shopping facility to each of the first and second motorized transport units directing the first and second motorized transport units to a trash can receptacle, wherein the second motorized transport unit transports a replacement second trash can; communicates trash can removal instruction to the first motorized transport unit to cause the first motorized transport unit to remove the first trash can from the trash can receptacle; and communicates a trash can replacement instruction to the second motorized transport unit to cause the second motorized transport unit to place the second trash can into the trash can receptacle in place of the first trash can.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for sorting items discarded in a shopping facility. A system for sorting discarded items comprises a motorized transport unit configured to travel around discarded items placed in a sorting area in the shopping facility, the motorized transport unit comprises a sensor device and an item mover device, an item characterization database storing characteristics corresponding to a plurality of items likely to be found in the shopping facility, and a central computer system. The central computer system is configured to receive data from the sensor device on the motorized transport unit, determine an item characteristic of an item among the discarded items in the sorting area, determine a sorting category of the item from a plurality of predefined categories, and cause the motorized transport unit to move the item, with the item mover device, from the sorting area into a category area.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems of loading products into a cargo space of a delivery vehicle for delivery to retail sales facilities are described. A computing device at a product distribution facility processes an electronic packing list including products to be loaded into the cargo space of the delivery vehicle and retrieves data from a database that may include size, weight, and product characteristic parameters for the products on the electronic packing list, size and shape parameters of the cargo space of the delivery vehicle, and packing rules for the at least one product on the electronic packing list. The data is used by the computing device to generate step-by-step instructions for loading the products on the electronic packing list in a determined orientation and into a determined location in the cargo space of the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: A scan of a space is performed to obtain a three-dimensional model. Design choices of a user are received such as color palette, style, design philosophy and the like. Other factors affecting design may also be received such as children, pets, and work schedule. Environmental factors (sun, exterior temperature) and properties (thermal, acoustic, lighting) of the space may also be measured. Product records are analyzed according to size compatibility with the scanned space as well as compatibility with the environmental factors, properties, user design choices, and user lifestyle characteristics. Products are selected based on compatibility and user choice and are added to the model to obtain a combined model that is rendered for the user or three-dimensionally printed.

Abstract: A scan of a space is performed to obtain a three-dimensional model. An entity, such as a user, pet, or other object may be scanned separately to obtain an entity model. The model of the space and the entity mode may be combined to obtain a combined model. Prior to combining, a reference feature may be identified in the model of the space. Based on a known size of the reference feature, a scale of the model of the space may be determined. A reference feature of the entity model is used to determine a scale of the entity mode. Using the scales of the model of the space and the entity model, the models are scaled prior to combining. The combined model may be 3D printed. The model may be divided into separate pieces prior to 3D printing, the separate pieces being fastened to one another after printing.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to address incorrectly placed items. Some systems comprise: a plurality of motorized transport units that are each configured to perform multiple different tasks at a retail shopping facility; and a central computer system configured to instruct various ones of the plurality of motorized transport units to implement at least one of the multiple different tasks relative to the retail shopping facility, receive and analyze input data detected and provided by the motorized transport units while the motorized transport units perform the at least one of the tasks, and detect and categorize each item of multiple items that are incorrectly placed within the retail shopping facility according to one of multiple different predefined categories.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for stabilizing an unmanned aerial system. An apparatus for stabilizing an unmanned aerial system comprises a ring member and a pair of attachment members each having a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to attach to a multicopter and a second end being coupled to the ring member. Wherein the pair of attachment members holds the ring member such that a plane of a circumference of the ring member is generally parallel to blades of the multicopter.

Abstract: A control circuit dispatches towards a delivery zone a terrestrial vehicle that carries at least one airborne drone and at least one item to be delivered to a customer. When the terrestrial vehicle is in the delivery zone, the drone is dispatched to carry the item to the customer. By one approach the drone exits the terrestrial vehicle without bearing the item. The item can be automatically moved from within the terrestrial vehicle to a position such that the item is at least partially exposed external to the terrestrial vehicle. The airborne drone, subsequent to exiting the terrestrial vehicle, can engage the item in order to then deliver that item to the customer. By one approach the terrestrial vehicle includes one or more platforms that support one or more airborne drones and that can be moved from within the terrestrial vehicle to a deployed position external to the terrestrial vehicle.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided herein useful to assist in unloading products. Some embodiments provide a product unloading assistance system, comprising: a control circuit; a graphical display; a camera; and a memory with the control circuit performing the steps of: receive an image from the camera comprising at least a portion of a product delivery vehicle and one or more reference points on the delivery vehicle; obtain an identifier of a load in the delivery vehicle to be unloaded; and cause the graphical display to display, in accordance with an orientation of the camera relative to the delivery vehicle based on the one or more reference points, 3D graphical representations of multiple different packaged products as loaded into the delivery vehicle and their orientation relative to each other as they are positioned within the delivery vehicle.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for providing package release for an unmanned aerial system. An apparatus for releasing packages for retrieval by an unmanned aerial system comprises a plurality of arms configured to surround a plurality of packages stacked vertically in an extended position, a plurality of powered hinges at a base of each of the plurality of arms, and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of powered hinges. The control circuit being configured to: determine a height for a first lowered position for the plurality of arms at which the plurality arms do not obstruct an unmanned aerial vehicle from coupling with a coupling structure on a first package of the plurality of packages positioned at a top of the plurality of packages, and cause the plurality of powered hinges to pivot the plurality of arms from the extended position to the first lowered position.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for monitoring a parking area. A system for monitoring a parking area comprises a satellite image database storing a plurality of satellite images of a parking lot taken by one or more satellites over time, a baseline database storing baseline models of a plurality of sections of the parking lot, and a control circuit coupled to the satellite image database and the baseline database.