Navigation systems for wheeled carts
First Claim
1. An anti-theft system for a human-propelled cart, the anti-theft system comprising:
- a vibration sensor configured to measure vibration data of the human-propelled cart;
a communication system configured to communicate with a wheel of the human-propelled cart, the wheel comprising a brake system configured to inhibit rotation of the wheel in response to receipt of a locking signal; and
a hardware processor programmed to;
analyze the vibration data to determine the cart has received an impulse;
analyze the vibration data to determine a vibration signature indicative of ringing of the cart in response to the impulse;
estimate, based at least partly on the analysis of the vibration data, whether the cart is loaded or unloaded;
determine whether the cart has crossed a confinement boundary;
determine, based at least partly on the estimate of whether the cart is loaded or unloaded and whether the cart has crossed the confinement boundary, an anti-theft instruction to communicate to the brake system or to an external surveillance system; and
communicate the instruction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Various techniques utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Navigation techniques can include navigation history and backtracking, motion direction detection for dual swivel casters, use of gyroscopes, determining cart weight, multi-level navigation, multi-level magnetic measurements, use of lighting signatures, use of multiple navigation systems, or hard/soft iron compensation for different cart configurations.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An anti-theft system for a human-propelled cart, the anti-theft system comprising:
-
a vibration sensor configured to measure vibration data of the human-propelled cart; a communication system configured to communicate with a wheel of the human-propelled cart, the wheel comprising a brake system configured to inhibit rotation of the wheel in response to receipt of a locking signal; and a hardware processor programmed to; analyze the vibration data to determine the cart has received an impulse; analyze the vibration data to determine a vibration signature indicative of ringing of the cart in response to the impulse; estimate, based at least partly on the analysis of the vibration data, whether the cart is loaded or unloaded; determine whether the cart has crossed a confinement boundary; determine, based at least partly on the estimate of whether the cart is loaded or unloaded and whether the cart has crossed the confinement boundary, an anti-theft instruction to communicate to the brake system or to an external surveillance system; and communicate the instruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for determining whether a human-propelled wheeled cart is loaded or unloaded, the method comprising:
-
measuring, with a vibration sensor, a Z-vibration signature representative of an impulse applied to the cart in a vertical, Z-direction; measuring, with the vibration sensor, an X-vibration signature representative of ringing of the cart that occurs in response to the impulse, the X-vibration signature being in a horizontal, X-direction parallel to a direction of motion of the cart; and determining whether the cart is loaded or unloaded based at least partly on the X-vibration signature. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification