Search Patents
  • System and Method for Coordinating Movement of Mobile Drive Units
    Publication number: 20130204480
    Abstract: A method for moving one or more mobile drive units within a workspace includes receiving, from a first mobile drive unit, a reservation request requesting use of a first path segment to move in a first direction. The method further includes determining that a second mobile drive unit is currently located on the first path segment and determining whether the second mobile drive unit is moving in the first direction. Additionally, the method includes transmitting a reservation response indicating that the reservation request is denied, in response to determining that the second mobile drive unit is not moving in the first direction. The method also includes transmitting a reservation response indicating that the reservation request is granted, in response to determining that the second mobile drive unit is moving in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • SPEECH MODEL RETRIEVAL IN DISTRIBUTED SPEECH RECOGNITION SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140163977
    Abstract: Features are disclosed for managing the use of speech recognition models and data in automated speech recognition systems. Models and data may be retrieved asynchronously and used as they are received or after an utterance is initially processed with more general or different models. Once received, the models and statistics can be cached. Statistics needed to update models and data may also be retrieved asynchronously so that it may be used to update the models and data as it becomes available. The updated models and data may be immediately used to re-process an utterance, or saved for use in processing subsequently received utterances. User interactions with the automated speech recognition system may be tracked in order to predict when a user is likely to utilize the system. Models and data may be pre-cached based on such predictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • AUTOMATIC RECTIFICATION OF STEREO IMAGING CAMERAS
    Publication number: 20140300704
    Abstract: An electronic device can have two or more pairs of cameras capable of performing three-dimensional imaging. In order to provide accurate disparity information, these cameras should be sufficiently rectified. Automatic rectification can be performed by periodically capturing images with the cameras of interest, and locating matching feature points in corresponding images captured by those cameras. Small misalignment errors can be treated as linear translations, such that a set of linear equations can be used to solve for the misalignments. Another process can process a set of homographies for the cameras until a cost function converges. Various other approaches can be used as well, such as to directly solve for yaw, pitch, and roll errors. Once this information is obtained, the misalignment values (or related values) can be stored for use in correcting images subsequently captured by those cameras.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • DISPLAY INTEGRATED CAMERA ARRAY
    Publication number: 20140085245
    Abstract: Motions or gestures can provide input to an electronic device by capturing images of a feature used to provide the motions or gestures, then analyzing the images. Conventional cameras have a limited field of view, creating a “dead zone” near the device that is outside the field of view. Various embodiments utilize an array of detectors positioned behind a display screen that are configured to operate as a large, low resolution camera. The array can resolve objects within a distance of the device sufficient to cover at least a portion of the dead zone. In some embodiments the device can include one or more infrared (IR) emitters to emit IR light that can be reflected by an object in the dead zone and detected by the detectors. The use of multiple emitters at different locations enables at least some depth information to be determined from the array images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • PROVIDING ACCESS TO CONFIGURABLE PRIVATE COMPUTER NETWORKS
    Publication number: 20130204971
    Abstract: Techniques are described for providing users with access to computer networks, such as to enable users to interact with a remote configurable network service in order to create and configure computer networks that are provided by the configurable network service for use by the users. Computer networks provided by the configurable network service may be configured to be private computer networks that are accessible only by the users who create them, and may each be created and configured by a client of the configurable network service to be an extension to an existing computer network of the client, such as a private computer network extension to an existing private computer network of the client. If so, secure private access between an existing computer network and new computer network extension that is being provided may be enabled using one or more VPN connections or other private access mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • IDENTIFICATION OF UTTERANCE SUBJECTS
    Publication number: 20140180697
    Abstract: Features are disclosed for generating markers for elements or other portions of an audio presentation so that a speech processing system may determine which portion of the audio presentation a user utterance refers to. For example, an utterance may include a pronoun with no explicit antecedent. The marker may be used to associate the utterance with the corresponding content portion for processing. The markers can be provided to a client device with a text-to-speech (“TTS”) presentation. The markers may then be provided to a speech processing system along with a user utterance captured by the client device. The speech processing system, which may include automatic speech recognition (“ASR”) modules and/or natural language understanding (“NLU”) modules, can generate hints based on the marker. The hints can be provided to the ASR and/or NLU modules in order to aid in processing the meaning or intent of a user utterance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • UPDATING ROUTING INFORMATION BASED ON CLIENT LOCATION
    Publication number: 20130205045
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium for updating request routing information associated with client location information are provided. A content delivery network service provider receives a DNS query from a client computing device. The DNS query corresponds to a resource identifier for requested content from the client computing device. The content delivery network service provider obtains a query IP address corresponding to the client computing device. Based on routing information associated with the query IP address, the content delivery network service provider routes the DNS query. The process further includes monitoring performance data associated with the transmission of the requested resource and updating routing information associated with the query IP address based on the performance data for use in processing subsequent requests form the client computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • REPLENISHING A RETAIL FACILITY
    Publication number: 20140100769
    Abstract: A system includes storage shelves and display shelves at a retail facility. The system also includes a management module operable to determine to replenish a display shelf with an inventory item stored by a storage shelf. The management module is also operable to coordinate movement of mobile drive units to replenish the display shelf with the inventory item at an inventory restocking station. The system also includes a first mobile drive unit and a second mobile drive unit. The first mobile drive unit is operable to receive first instructions from the management module to transport the display shelf to the inventory restocking station. The second mobile drive unit is operable to receive second instructions from the management module to transport the storage shelf to the inventory restocking station. At the inventory restocking station, the display shelf receives the inventory item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • AUTOMATIC REPAIR OF CORRUPTED BLOCKS IN A DATABASE
    Publication number: 20140149356
    Abstract: A distributed data warehouse system maintains data blocks on behalf of clients, and stores primary and secondary copies of data blocks on different disks or nodes in a cluster. The data warehouse system may back up data blocks in a key-value backup storage system. In response to a query targeting a data block previously stored in the cluster, the data warehouse system may determine whether a consistent, uncorrupted copy of the data block is available in the cluster (e.g., by applying a consistency check). If not (e.g., if a disk or node failed), the data warehouse system may automatically initiate an operation to restore the data block from the backup storage system, using a unique identifier of the data block to access a backup copy. The target data may be returned in a query response prior to restoring primary and secondary copies of the data block in the cluster.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
  • Dynamic Selection of Storage Tiers
    Publication number: 20140136782
    Abstract: An operating system is configured to receive a request to store an object that does not specify the location at which the object should be stored. The request might also include an optimization factor and one or more object location factors. The operating system might also generate object location factors or retrieve object location factors from one or more external locations. Object location factors might also be utilized that are based upon properties of the object to be stored. Utilizing the object location factors, and the optimization factor if provided, the operating system dynamically selects an appropriate storage tier for storing the object. The tiers might include a local storage tier, a local network storage tier, a remote network storage tier, and other types of storage tiers. The object is then stored on the selected storage tier. The object may be retrieved from the storage tier at a later time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • AUTHORIZING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN COMPUTING NODES
    Publication number: 20130132577
    Abstract: Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple computing nodes, such as computing nodes that are separated by one or more physical networks. In some situations, the techniques may be used to provide a virtual network between multiple computing nodes that are separated by one or more intermediate physical networks, such as from the edge of the one or more intermediate physical networks by modifying communications that enter and/or leave the intermediate physical networks. In some situations, the computing nodes may include virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems, such as by or on behalf of one or more users (e.g., users of a program execution service). The managing of the communications may include determining whether communications sent to managed computing nodes are authorized, and providing the communications to the computing nodes only if they are determined to be authorized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • PERSONALIZED PRELOADING OF DIGITAL CONTENT
    Publication number: 20130198326
    Abstract: Techniques are described regarding providing consumers with devices on which digital content appropriate for those consumers has been loaded, such as digital media player devices or other consumer devices that are able to play or otherwise present digital media loaded on those devices. In some situations, when a consumer orders such a digital media player or other consumer device from a merchant (or other distributor of the device), the merchant preloads a copy of the device with digital media content before delivering that device to the consumer or other specified recipient, such as digital media items that are automatically selected in a personalized manner for the recipient to whom the device will be sent. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • AUTHORIZING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN COMPUTING NODES
    Publication number: 20130205042
    Abstract: Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple computing nodes, such as computing nodes that are separated by one or more physical networks. In some situations, the techniques may be used to provide a virtual network between multiple computing nodes that are separated by one or more intermediate physical networks, such as from the edge of the one or more intermediate physical networks by modifying communications that enter and/or leave the intermediate physical networks. In some situations, the computing nodes may include virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems, such as by or on behalf of one or more users (e.g., users of a program execution service). The managing of the communications may include determining whether communications sent to managed computing nodes are authorized, and providing the communications to the computing nodes only if they are determined to be authorized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • Annotation of Resources in a Distributed Execution Environment
    Publication number: 20140188815
    Abstract: A distributed execution environment includes various resources, such as instances of computing resources, hardware resources, software resources, and others. A resource state viewing tool executing in conjunction with the distributed execution environment provides access to data regarding the state of each resource in the form of a resource page associated with the resource. The resource page for a resource might also include one or more annotations assigned to the resource by a user or by a component within the distributed execution environment. The annotations might have associated expiration data, such as an expiration time or event, which may be utilized to expire the annotations. The annotations might also have a namespace assigned thereto that is utilized when responding to requests to retrieve the annotations. The annotations might also have permissions assigned thereto that identify the rights of one or more users and/or components to read, modify, or delete the annotations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc
  • BROWSER INTERFACE FOR ACCESSING SUPPLEMENTAL CONTENT ASSOCIATED WITH CONTENT PAGES
    Publication number: 20140195890
    Abstract: A user of a computing device may view a content page on a display of a computing device. One aspect of the disclosure is a browser user interface than enables the user to flip the content page (or portion thereof) over (e.g., via a touchscreen gesture) to view supplemental content, such as metadata, associated with the content page (or portion thereof). While viewing the metadata on the back side of the content page in some embodiments, the user can perform a second or reverse flip operation to return to the original page. The user may be presented with options to flip the page backward and forward multiple times to view multiple flipped pages presenting additional supplemental content. The supplemental content may include virtually any information in which the user may be interested and/or that is related or similar to the content page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • SELECTIVELY PERSISTING APPLICATION PROGRAM DATA FROM SYSTEM MEMORY TO NON-VOLATILE DATA STORAGE
    Publication number: 20140325116
    Abstract: Application program data stored in system memory may be selectively persisted. An indication may be provided to an application program that an application data object or a range of application data stored in system memory may be treated as persistent. Data backup may be enabled for the application data object or range of application data in the event of a system failure, copying the application data object or range of application data from system memory to non-volatile data storage. Upon recovery from a system failure, further data backup for the application data object or the range of application data may be disabled. In some embodiments, at least some of the application data object or range of application data may be recovered for the application program to access. Data backup for the application data object or the range of application data may also be re-enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • VIRTUAL TAPE USING A LOGICAL DATA CONTAINER
    Publication number: 20140181396
    Abstract: A virtual tape is constructed using a logical data container to aid in emulating a virtual tape by providing tape functionality, reducing seek time and improving recovery time in case of a failure. For example, the logical data container may comprise a global header followed by one or more data block groups. The global header may provide metadata to track record locations, file mark locations, virtual tape data in memory, data validation information and a virtual tape head location. This metadata in the global tape header may help reduce seek time, improve recovery time using last known data in memory, erase a virtual tape and provide tape head position. Data block groups may include information that validates data, provides error correction, provides record and file marks and provides storage of client data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • GESTURE DETECTION SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20140118257
    Abstract: The amount of power and processing needed to enable gesture input for a computing device can be reduced by utilizing one or more gesture sensors. A gesture sensor can have a lower resolution but larger pixel pitch than conventional cameras. The lower resolution can be achieved in part through skipping or binning pixels in some embodiments. The low resolution enables a global shutter to be used with the gesture sensor. The gesture sensor can be connected to an illumination controller for synchronizing illumination from a device emitter with the global shutter. In some devices, the gesture sensor can be used as a motion detector, enabling the gesture sensor to run in a low power state unless there is likely gesture input to process. At least some processing and circuitry is included with the gesture sensor such that functionality can be performed without accessing a central processor or system bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • MANAGING RESOURCE CONSOLIDATION CONFIGURATIONS
    Publication number: 20130212167
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring the performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance information associated with processing a request corresponding to two or more embedded resources. The processing device uses the processed performance information to determine a consolidation configuration to be associated with a subsequent request for the content associated with the two or more embedded resources. In some embodiments, in making such a determination, the processing device assesses performance information collected and associated with subsequent requests corresponding to the content associated with the two or more embedded resources and using each of a variety of alternative consolidation configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
  • DISTRIBUTED LOAD BALANCER
    Publication number: 20140310418
    Abstract: A distributed load balancer in which a router receives packets from at least one client and routes packet flows to multiple load balancer (LB) nodes according to a per-flow hashed multipath routing technique. For a given packet flow, the LB nodes randomly select a server node as a target for the packet flow from among multiple server nodes and send a connection request to the server node. A load balancer module on the server node makes the decision on whether to accept or reject the connection based on one or more metrics indicating a respective server's current load. If the module accepts the connection request, a connection is established between the server and the client. Otherwise, the load balancer nodes may select another server node and try again. The connections established between clients and servers pass through the load balancer nodes, but are not terminated at the load balancer nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
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