System and method for visual verification of order processing

• US 10,083,478 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shakes, Jonathan J., Rouaix, Francois M., Kaufman, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US14/685,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20150221021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 272, 705 29, 705332, 705333, 705330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

One or more images of items for an order being processed at processing station of an order fulfillment center may be captured and associated with the order. Alternatively, a short video clip may be captured of the order being packaged. An electronic notification that the order has been processed may be sent to a customer associated with the order. The electronic notification may include a reference to one or more of the captured images or video clips. The customer may use a reference included in the notification to view the captured images. The customer may view captured images to verify that the order has been correctly processed. The captured images may include images of the items being packaged for shipment and may show the shipping address on the package allowing the customer to verify that indeed it is his package in the images.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more servers configured to;

obtain one or more images of one or more items indicated in a customer order, wherein the one or more images are of the items being processed for the order;

transmit the one or more images of the one or more items to a customer device;

receive a request from the customer to perform an action pertaining to the customer order, wherein the request from the customer is based at least in part on the one or more images transmitted to the customer device, and wherein the action comprises at least one of;

retrieve one or more captured images of the customer order to verify absence of an item from the order, or

transmit additional verification data for the customer order to the customer device; and

based at least in part on receipt of the request to perform the action, initiate the requested action pertaining to the customer order.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to download the one or more images or a message associated with the one or more images.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more images comprises an image of a plurality of items from the customer order.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to receive, from the customer device, an indication of at least one of the one or more images that illustrate an error in processing the customer order.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to receive, from the customer device, complaint details associated with the customer order.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to make at least one of the one or more images available to a device used by a customer service representative.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more servers are further configured to provide the customer with communication with a customer service representative.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more image capture devices configured to capture the one or more images of the one or more items, wherein the one or more images comprise an image of an item of the order in a stage of order processing as the order processing is performed at a materials handling facility, the stage comprising inventory receiving, inventory stowing, picking, sorting, packing, value-added services, shipping, return processing, or quality control.

9. A method, comprising:

performing, by one or more computing devices comprising a processor;

obtaining one or more images of one or more items indicated in an order from a customer, wherein the one or more images are of the items being processed for the order;

transmitting the one or more images of the one or more items to a customer device;

receiving a request based at least in part on the one or more images, from the customer, to perform an action pertaining to the customer order, wherein the action comprises at least one of;

retrieving one or more captured images of the customer order to verify absence of an item from the order, or

transmitting additional verification data for the customer order to the customer device; and

initiating, based at least in part on receipt of the request to perform the action, the requested action pertaining to the customer order.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the request comprises a request for downloading the one or more images, or a message associated with the one or more images.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more images comprise an image of a plurality of items from the customer'"'"'s order.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the customer device, an indication of at least one image of the one or more images, the at least one image illustrating an error in processing the order.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, the method further comprising:

receiving, from the customer device, complaint details associated with the customer order.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, the method further comprising:

providing the customer with communication with a customer service representative.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions that when executed by one or more computer processors implement a control system configured to:

obtain one or more images of one or more items indicated in a customer order, wherein the one or more images are of the items being processed for the order;

transmit the one or more images of the one or more items to a customer device;

receive a request based at least in part on the one or more images, from the customer, to perform an action pertaining to the customer order, wherein the action comprises at least one of;

retrieve one or more captured images of the customer order to verify absence of an item from the order, or

transmit additional verification data for the customer order to the customer device; and

initiate, based at least in part on receipt of the request to perform the action pertaining to the customer order, the requested action pertaining to the customer order.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the request comprises a request to download the one or more images of the one or more items to the customer device, or a message associated with the one or more images.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more images of the one or more items ordered by the customer comprise an image of a plurality of items of the customer'"'"'s order.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive, from the customer device, an indication of the one or more images, wherein the one or more images illustrate an error in processing the order.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the control system is further configured to

receive, from the customer device, complaint details associated with the customer order.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more images of the one or more items comprise an image of an item of the order in a stage of order processing as the order processing is performed, the stage of order processing comprising receiving, stowing, picking, sorting, packing, value-added services, shipping, return processing, quality assurance, or quality control.