Apparatus and method of obtaining location information of a motorized transport unit
First Claim
1. An apparatus providing control over movement of a motorized transport unit within a shopping facility, comprising:
- a location controller separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit, wherein the location controller comprises;
a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit located within a shopping facility;
a control circuit coupled with the transceiver;
a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of;
obtain, from the communications received from the motorized transport unit, a unique light source identifier of an external light source, of a plurality of separate external light sources within the shopping facility, detected by the motorized transport unit from light emitted by the light source providing a corresponding illumination area of a plurality of different illumination areas each representative of an area that is illuminated by a corresponding one of the plurality of separate external light sources, and relative distance information determined by the motorized transport unit through an optical measurement corresponding to a distance between the motorized transport unit and an external object;
process the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information relative to a mapping of the shopping facility; and
determine, in response to the processing, a location of the motorized transport unit within the shopping facility as a function of the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided, some apparatuses comprise: a location controller separate from a motorized transport unit, comprising: a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit; a control circuit; a memory storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: obtain, from the communications, a unique light source identifier of a light source detected by the motorized transport unit, and relative distance information determined by the motorized transport unit through an optical measurement; process the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information relative to a mapping of the shopping facility; and determine, in response to the processing, a location of the motorized transport unit within the shopping facility as a function of the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus providing control over movement of a motorized transport unit within a shopping facility, comprising:
a location controller separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit, wherein the location controller comprises; a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit located within a shopping facility; a control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of; obtain, from the communications received from the motorized transport unit, a unique light source identifier of an external light source, of a plurality of separate external light sources within the shopping facility, detected by the motorized transport unit from light emitted by the light source providing a corresponding illumination area of a plurality of different illumination areas each representative of an area that is illuminated by a corresponding one of the plurality of separate external light sources, and relative distance information determined by the motorized transport unit through an optical measurement corresponding to a distance between the motorized transport unit and an external object; process the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information relative to a mapping of the shopping facility; and determine, in response to the processing, a location of the motorized transport unit within the shopping facility as a function of the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus providing control over movement of a motorized transport unit within a shopping facility, comprising:
a self-propelled motorized transport unit within a shopping facility, wherein the motorized transport unit comprises; a light receiver unit configured to detect light from one or more external light sources of a plurality of separate external light sources within a shopping facility and extract at least one unique light source identifier from the detected light, wherein each of the plurality of separate light sources provide a corresponding illumination area representative of an area that is illuminated by a corresponding one of the plurality of separate light sources; a distance measurement unit comprising a light emitter and a light detector, wherein the distance measurement unit is configured to determine, as a function of light detected from the light emitter, a relative distance from the light emitter to one or more remote objects; a control circuit; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to control movement of the motorized transport unit as a function of a location of the motorized transport unit determined relative to a mapping of the shopping facility and based on the at least one light source identifier and the relative distance. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling movement of a motorized transport unit within a shopping facility, comprising:
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receiving, at a location controller separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit located within a shopping facility, communications from the motorized transport unit; obtaining from the communications a unique light source identifier of an external light source, of a plurality of separate external light sources within the shopping facility, detected by the motorized transport unit from light emitted by the light source providing a corresponding illumination area of a plurality of different illumination areas each representative of an area that is illuminated by a corresponding one of the plurality of separate external light sources, and relative distance information determined by the motorized transport unit through an optical measurement corresponding to a distance between the motorized transport unit and an external object; processing the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information relative to a mapping of the shopping facility; and determining, in response to the processing, a location of the motorized transport unit within the shopping facility as a function of the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification