Monitoring usage or status of cart retrievers
First Claim
1. A cart retriever comprising:
- a motor;
a battery electrically connected to the motor;
a cart connection assembly configured to couple a cart to the cart retriever;
a wireless radio frequency (RF) transceiver;
a manual throttle configured to communicate a manual drive signal;
a remote control configured to communicate a remote drive signal; and
a controller configured to;
communicate a drive signal to the motor;
receive the manual drive signal from the manual throttle;
receive the remote drive signal from the remote control via the wireless RF transceiver;
monitor a duration of charging of the battery electrically connected to the motor;
monitor a retriever usage parameter comprising one or more of;
an amount of time that the cart retriever has been powered on,an amount of driving time for the cart retriever,an amount of idle time for the cart retriever,a number of times a hood of the cart retriever has been opened,a duration of a cart retrieval trip,a number of stops made during a cart retrieval trip,a path taken during a cart retrieval trip, ora timestamp for a cart retrieval trip;
communicate information associated with the duration of charging and the retriever usage parameter via the RF transceiver; and
resolve a conflict that occurs when both the manual drive signal and the remote drive signal are received by the controller, the manual drive signal indicating a first speed, and the remote drive signal indicating a second speed, wherein to resolve the controller is configured to perform at least one of;
obey the manual drive signal when the first speed is greater than the second speed, or obey the remote drive signal when the second speed is greater than the first speed;
orobey the manual drive signal when the first speed is less than the second speed, or obey the remote drive signal when the second speed is less than the first speed.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Examples of systems and methods for controlling or monitoring a fleet of human-propelled, wheeled carts and cart retrievers are described. The carts can be shopping carts at a retail facility, and the cart retrievers can be used to collect and return the shopping carts from a parking lot near the facility to a cart collection area. The carts or cart retrievers can monitor various status or usage parameters (such as retriever battery charge, cart collection trip speed, cart collection path or duration, etc.) and transmit the parameters to a central control unit. The central control unit can analyze and process the status or usage parameters. The system can provide a user interface for access to the status or usage parameters of the cart and cart retriever fleet.
116 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cart retriever comprising:
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a motor; a battery electrically connected to the motor; a cart connection assembly configured to couple a cart to the cart retriever; a wireless radio frequency (RF) transceiver; a manual throttle configured to communicate a manual drive signal; a remote control configured to communicate a remote drive signal; and a controller configured to; communicate a drive signal to the motor; receive the manual drive signal from the manual throttle; receive the remote drive signal from the remote control via the wireless RF transceiver; monitor a duration of charging of the battery electrically connected to the motor; monitor a retriever usage parameter comprising one or more of; an amount of time that the cart retriever has been powered on, an amount of driving time for the cart retriever, an amount of idle time for the cart retriever, a number of times a hood of the cart retriever has been opened, a duration of a cart retrieval trip, a number of stops made during a cart retrieval trip, a path taken during a cart retrieval trip, or a timestamp for a cart retrieval trip; communicate information associated with the duration of charging and the retriever usage parameter via the RF transceiver; and resolve a conflict that occurs when both the manual drive signal and the remote drive signal are received by the controller, the manual drive signal indicating a first speed, and the remote drive signal indicating a second speed, wherein to resolve the controller is configured to perform at least one of; obey the manual drive signal when the first speed is greater than the second speed, or obey the remote drive signal when the second speed is greater than the first speed;
orobey the manual drive signal when the first speed is less than the second speed, or obey the remote drive signal when the second speed is less than the first speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification