Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating the performance of three-dimensional (3D) sensors can include, for example, obtaining, via a 3D sensor in a testing apparatus, range information of a scene within a field-of-view (FOV) of the 3D sensor. The scene includes a plurality of targets disposed within the testing apparatus. Each of the plurality of targets is located at a different distance from the 3D sensor in the testing apparatus. A validation of the performance of the 3D sensor at the different distances is performed at a same point in time, based on the range information. An indication of a result of the validation is provided.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a signal processing feature in an inventory management system are described herein. For example, instructions may be received by a computer system of an autonomous vehicle that identify a path to move inventory within a materials handling facility. Further, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may reduce a current traveling speed of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a first signal that is provided by a transmitter coupled with an entity moving within the materials handling facility. The first signal may be span a first distance. In embodiments, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may stop movement of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a second signal provided by the transmitter coupled with the entity. The second signal may span a second distance from the entity that is less than the first distance.

Abstract: Techniques described herein include a system and methods for implementing fast motion planning of collision detection. In some embodiments, an area voxel map is generated with respect to a three-dimensional space within which a repositioning event is to occur. A number of movement voxel maps are then identified as being related to potential repositioning options. The area voxel map is then compared to each of the movement voxel maps to identify collisions that may occur with respect to the repositioning options. In some embodiments, each voxel map includes a number of bits which each represent voxels in a volume of space. The comparison between the area voxel map and each of the movement voxel maps may include a logical conjunction (e.g., an AND operation). Movement voxel maps for which the comparisons result includes a value of 1 are then removed from a set of valid repositioning options.

Abstract: Techniques for providing a signal processing feature in an inventory management system are described herein. For example, instructions may be received by a computer system of an autonomous vehicle that identify a path to move inventory within a materials handling facility. Further, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may reduce a current traveling speed of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a first signal that is provided by a transmitter coupled with an entity moving within the materials handling facility. The first signal may be span a first distance. In embodiments, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may stop movement of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a second signal provided by the transmitter coupled with the entity. The second signal may span a second distance from the entity that is less than the first distance.

Abstract: Techniques for providing an entity monitoring safety feature in an inventory management system are described herein. For example, instructions may be received by a computer system of an autonomous vehicle that identify a path to move inventory within a materials handling facility. Further, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may reduce a current traveling speed of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a first signal that is provided by a transmitter coupled with an entity moving with the materials handling facility. The first signal may be provided up to a first distance from the entity. In embodiments, the computer system of the autonomous vehicle may stop movement of the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a second signal provided by the transmitter coupled with the entity. The second signal may be provided up to a second distance from the entity that is less than the first distance.

Abstract: A robot equipped with an object detection system and an object identification system is used to move inventory holders throughout a warehouse or other environment. The robot can detect objects in its path using the object detection system, which can include one or more sensors for this purpose. The robot can then classify the object using the object identification system to determine an appropriate course of action. The robot can classify the object as an inventory item, warehouse equipment, or a person, among other things. The robot can take action based on the object classification. The robot can reroute around inventory items and warehouse equipment. When encountering people or objects that cannot be classified, the robot can stop and await further instructions. In some cases, the robot may wait for a manual reset before continuing along its path.

Abstract: Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

Abstract: Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

Abstract: Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

Abstract: Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

Abstract: Short range transmissions are used to identify potential interactions between warehouse workers and warehouse robots in automated warehouses. The robot can be equipped with one or more short range transmission tags, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, while the warehouse worker can be equipped with a short range transmission reader, such as an RFID reader. The robot can detect a warehouse worker that is within range when the RFID tags on the robot are written to by the RFID reader. The warehouse robots and warehouse workers can also be equipped with one or more cameras to identify fiducials in the automated warehouse and to report their positions. A central control or interaction server can ensure that warehouse robots and warehouse workers are routed appropriately to avoid incidents.

Abstract: A system and method of switching information in a time division multiplexed (TDM) communications network are described. The TDM time slots correspond to channels of circuit information. A circuit interface receives information from the TDM communication network, extracts circuit data therefrom, and provides the extracted circuit data on an internal bus. It also receives circuit data from an internal bus and transmits the data received from the internal bus on to the TDM communications network. A switching fabric receives packets having a header and a payload in which the header includes information identifying a destination for the packet and in which the fabric transmits a received packet in accordance with the destination identification in the packet header. Adaptation logic, in response to the circuit interface, packs information from multiple circuits into a payload of a packet and schedules the delivery of such a packet to the fabric.

Abstract: A system for indicating and determining a master unit from a plurality of logic units is described. The system includes a first logic unit configured to output a first obey signal and receive a first input signal, and a second logic unit configured to output a second obey signal and receive a second input signal. At least one of the first obey signal and the second obey signal is clocked, and a phase relationship of the second obey signal relative to the first obey signal is controllable by the first and second input signals. The system also includes a mastership determination logic unit configured to monitor the first and second obey signals. The mastership determination logic unit is configured to indicate that the first logic unit is the master unit when only the first obey signal is being clocked and to indicate that the second logic unit is the master unit when only the second obey signal is being clocked.

Abstract: A chassis, in the form of a midplane design holds equipment that provides communication services. The midplane design enables cables to be attached to modules secured to the back of the midplane. The rear modules have a minimum of circuitry so as to render them the least likely to fail. The front modules house the majority of the electronics. The rear modules can route the interface signals to a card in the adjacent front slot, directly through the midplane.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and maintaining a plurality of modules are described. Each module of the plurality of modules includes at least one link slave device, and a link controller is connected to link slave devices via a plurality of individual serial, bidirectional connections. The link slave devices and the link controller include protocol logic for communication according to a bidirectional protocol. At predefined time segments and predefined periodicity, the link slave devices drive the corresponding bidirectional link to the controller to provider maintenance information to the controller. At other predefined time segments, the controller drives the bidirectional link to issue commands to the link slave devices.

Abstract: An Asynchronous Transfer Mode switch and method which facilitate priority arbitration of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint transmission are disclosed. To execute point-to-multipoint operation a bandwidth arbiter maintains a first list of connections and bit vectors indicating designated destination ports. The list maintained by the bandwidth arbiter is then compared to an unassigned output port bit vector to determine matches therebetween at which point-to-multipoint transmission may be made by utilizing instantaneously unused bandwidth within the switch. To execute point-to-point operation each input port maintains a list of connections associated with each output port, and those lists are used in conjunction with output port request information per input port in the bandwidth arbiter to match requests to the unassigned output port bit vector. The bandwidth arbiter may also assign priority to connections in the list.

Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based service consolidation switch (10) includes an input/output module (22) having a to-switch port (TSPP) processor (90) and a from-switch port processor (FSPP) (92). The TSPP (90) and the FSPP (92) communicate with a bandwidth arbiter (114), multipoint topology controllers (116), and a data crossbar (117) on a switch control module (32). The TSPP (90) receives traffic over links for conversion into an internal cell format. Internal cells are buffered until allowed to transfer to an appropriate FSPP (92). Multipoint topology controllers (116) performs translations for internal switch flow control through interactions between the TSPPs (90), FSPPs (92), and the bandwidth arbiter (114). The bandwidth arbiter (114) performs appropriate bandwidth arbitration to allow internal cells to flow from TSPPs (90) to FSPPs (92) over the data crossbar (117).

Abstract: An encoder/decoder is disclosed which is operative to convert an 8 bit value to a ten bit serial run length limited code for transmission over a serial data link. The encoding technique maintains DC balance within 2 bits over a single ten bit word and compensates for DC imbalance by inverting selected words in the transmission sequence to correct for a DC imbalance resulting from the transmission of a prior unbalanced word. One or more encoding lookup tables are employed at the encoder to map each byte into a ten bit run length limited code for serialization and transmission over the serial data link. A second decoding lookup table is employed at the decoder to map the received 10 bit run length limited code into the original 8 bit value.

Abstract: A system and method of switching information in a time division multiplexed (TDM) communications network are described. The TDM time slots correspond to channels of circuit information. A circuit interface receives information from the TDM communication network, extracts circuit data therefrom, and provides the extracted circuit data on an internal bus. It also receives circuit data from an internal bus and transmits the data received from the internal bus on to the TDM communications network. A switching fabric receives packets having a header and a payload in which the header includes information identifying a destination for the packet and in which the fabric transmits a received packet in accordance with the destination identification in the packet header. Adaptation logic, in response to the circuit interface, packs information from multiple circuits into a payload of a packet and schedules the delivery of such a packet to the fabric.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing buffer state accounting at a link level, otherwise known as link flow control, in addition to flow control at the virtual connection level. Link flow control enables receiver cell buffer sharing while maintaining per-connection bandwidth with lossless cell transmission. High link level update frequency is enabled without a significant sacrifice in overall link forward bandwidth. A higher and thus more efficient utilization of receiver cell buffers is achieved.