Patents by Inventor Paul Edward Durkee

Paul Edward Durkee 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).

  • Publication number: 20240116713
    Abstract: An autonomous storage and retrieval tower for receiving, storing, and dispensing free physical products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20240119405
    Abstract: Systems, method and computer readable medium are provided for automated storage and retrieval. User authentication information is received via a user interface for a dynamic storage and retrieval device. The user identity is verified based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data. Order information is retrieved for an order associated with the user following the verifying of user identity, the order information indicating one or more locations for items associated with the order. Instructions are transmitted to initiate a physical opening of at least one of the dynamic storage and retrieval device and at least one static storage location to enable the user to retrieve at least one item of the order, the static storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Stuart William Clark, Colin Holmes, Jason D. Shaffer, Mark R. Ibbotson, John Suarez
  • Patent number: 11893530
    Abstract: Systems, method and computer readable medium are provided for automated storage and retrieval. User authentication information is received via a user interface for a dynamic storage and retrieval device. The user identity is verified based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data. Order information is retrieved for an order associated with the user following the verifying of user identity, the order information indicating one or more locations for items associated with the order. Instructions are transmitted to initiate a physical opening of at least one of the dynamic storage and retrieval device and at least one static storage location to enable the user to retrieve at least one item of the order, the static storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Stuart William Clark, Colin Holmes, Jason Shaffer, Mark Ibbotson, John Suarez
  • Publication number: 20220309456
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are provided for processing items within an automated storage and retrieval device. A scanned machine-readable identifier associated with an item is received at an automated storage and retrieval device. A determination is made whether the machine-readable identifier that was scanned is a container identification (ID). The machine-readable identifier is identified based on pre-defined criteria when the machine-readable identifier is determined not to be a container ID. The machine-readable identifier is mapped to an existing order using stored order information. A container ID is created by the fulfillment system and passed back to the automated storage and retrieval device. The item is stored in the automated storage and retrieval device using the created container ID.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Edwin H. Reed, Stuart William Clark, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20220292453
    Abstract: Systems, method and computer readable medium are provided for automated storage and retrieval. User authentication information is received via a user interface for a dynamic storage and retrieval device. The user identity is verified based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data. Order information is retrieved for an order associated with the user following the verifying of user identity, the order information indicating one or more locations for items associated with the order. Instructions are transmitted to initiate a physical opening of at least one of the dynamic storage and retrieval device and at least one static storage location to enable the user to retrieve at least one item of the order, the static storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Stuart William Clark, Colin Holmes, Jason Shaffer, Mark Ibbotson, John Suarez
  • Patent number: 11397910
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are provided for processing items within an automated storage and retrieval device. A scanned machine-readable identifier associated with an item is received at an automated storage and retrieval device. A determination is made whether the machine-readable identifier that was scanned is a container identification (ID). The machine-readable identifier is identified based on pre-defined criteria when the machine-readable identifier is determined not to be a container ID. The machine-readable identifier is mapped to an existing order using stored order information. A container ID is created by the fulfillment system and passed back to the automated storage and retrieval device. The item is stored in the automated storage and retrieval device using the created container ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Edwin H. Reed, Stuart William Clark, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20210004758
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are provided for processing items within an automated storage and retrieval device. A scanned machine-readable identifier associated with an item is received at an automated storage and retrieval device. A determination is made whether the machine-readable identifier that was scanned is a container identification (ID). The machine-readable identifier is identified based on pre-defined criteria when the machine-readable identifier is determined not to be a container ID. The machine-readable identifier is mapped to an existing order using stored order information. A container ID is created by the fulfillment system and passed back to the automated storage and retrieval device. The item is stored in the automated storage and retrieval device using the created container ID.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Edwin H. Reed, Stuart William Clark, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20200317446
    Abstract: An autonomous storage and retrieval tower with dynamic resizing of available space is discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: David G. Tovey, Bruce W. Wilkinson, Paul Edward Durkee, Kurt William Robert Bessel
  • Publication number: 20200226539
    Abstract: Described in detail herein are object storage and retrieval systems and methods. A first storage tower can be configured to receive a first request to dispense a first physical object, fail to determine that the first physical object is stored in the first storage tower, interface with a local computing system to determine whether the first physical object is designated to be stored in the first storage tower or is currently stored in the first facility, and in response to failing to confirm the first physical object is designated to be stored in the first storage tower or is currently stored in the first facility, generate a communications bridge, via the local computing system, to the remote computing system to perform at least a second action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Edward Durkee
  • Publication number: 20200019929
    Abstract: Method and systems for an autonomous storage and retrieval tower integrated with a fulfillment system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua Wayne Chaney, Edwin H. Reed, Paul Edward Durkee, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20200017299
    Abstract: Systems, method and computer readable medium are provided for automated storage and retrieval. User authentication information is received via a user interface for a dynamic storage and retrieval device. The user identity is verified based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data. order information is retrieved for an order associated with the user following the verifying of user identity, the order information indicating one or more locations for items associated with the order. Instructions are transmitted to initiate a physical opening of at least one of the dynamic storage and retrieval device and at least one static storage location to enable the user to retrieve at least one item of the order, the static storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Stuart William Clark, Colin Holmes, Jason Shaffer, Mark Ibbotson, John Suarez
  • Publication number: 20200017298
    Abstract: An autonomous storage and retrieval tower for receiving, storing, and dispensing free physical products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Bradley Johnson
  • Publication number: 20200017300
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is an autonomous object storage and retrieval system. In one embodiment, an object storage and retrieval system includes a computing system hosting a service application and in communication with a database and storage towers configured to store and dispense physical objects. Each storage tower is in communication with the computing system and has an octagonal prism-shaped housing. Each storage tower includes, a shelving unit disposed within the housing, the shelving unit configured to one or more of the physical objects, a controller, a transport apparatus, an input device, an interactive display, and a repository. The computing system can transmit instructions to the first storage tower to render the status of the first physical object on the interactive display of the storage tower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee, Jason D. Shaffer, Mark Ibbotson, John Suarez, Colin Holmes
  • Publication number: 20190375594
    Abstract: Described in detail herein is object storage and retrieval system. Each of multiple storage towers can store and dispense physical objects. The storage towers can be an octagonal prism-shaped housing, a shelving unit disposed within the housing, and one or more receptacles defining one or more openings in the housing. A loader disposed in the housing of each storage tower, can transfer one or more of the physical objects between the one or more receptacles and shelves of the shelving unit. An intermediate transport apparatus disposed external to the storage towers and positioned between two or more of the storage towers, can be aligned with one of the one or more receptacles of each of the two or more storage towers. The intermediate transport apparatus can transfer the one or more physical objects between the two or more towers via the one or more receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: David G. Tovey, Paul Edward Durkee, Kurt William Robert Bessel