Item management system using multiple scales
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a first lane and a second lane that are adjacent to one another, each lane comprising;
a support structure to hold one or more items; and
at least one weight sensor to generate weight sensor data of a load on the support structure, wherein the load includes weight of the one or more items and the support structure;
an imaging sensor; and
a computing device comprising;
a memory, storing computer-executable instructions; and
a hardware processor to execute the computer-executable instructions to;
determine, using the imaging sensor, that a user is proximate to one or more of the first lane or the second lane;
determine, using the weight sensor data, a measured lane weight change for each of the first lane and the second lane;
determine, based on the measured weight change for the each of the first lane and the second lane, that the first lane and the second lane are part of a cluster;
determine, using the weight sensor data, a measured total weight change of the cluster;
determine, for each type of item stowed at the cluster;
an individual weight for the each type of item; and
a shelf location of the each type of item, indicative of placement of the each type of item with respect to one or more of the first lane or the second lane;
determine a plurality of hypotheses, each hypothesis indicative of different combinations of;
a predicted quantity change for one or more types of items stowed at the cluster,a predicted lane weight change for the each of the first lane and the second lane, anda predicted total weight change across the first lane and the second lane;
determine, for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses and for each of the lanes in the cluster, a difference between the predicted lane weight change and the measured lane weight change;
determine a score for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses based on a sum of the differences associated with that hypothesis;
determine, based on the score for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses, a change in quantity of the one or more items;
using the change in quantity of the one or more items, assess charges to an account associated with the user using a sale price of the one or more items; and
transmit billing information to the account associated with the user.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inventory location such as a shelf may be used to stow different types of items. The shelf may be equipped with a plurality of lanes arranged parallel to one another. Items may rest upon two or more of the lanes. Each lane includes a weight sensor that provides weight data about a load on the lane. Based on the weight data and item data indicative of individual weights of those items stowed on the shelf, interaction data indicative of an activity such as a pick or place of an item may be determined. The interaction data may specify what item was picked or placed, quantity of that item that was picked or placed, and so forth. Data from other sensors, such as a camera, may be used to determine the interaction data.
128 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a first lane and a second lane that are adjacent to one another, each lane comprising; a support structure to hold one or more items; and at least one weight sensor to generate weight sensor data of a load on the support structure, wherein the load includes weight of the one or more items and the support structure; an imaging sensor; and a computing device comprising; a memory, storing computer-executable instructions; and a hardware processor to execute the computer-executable instructions to; determine, using the imaging sensor, that a user is proximate to one or more of the first lane or the second lane; determine, using the weight sensor data, a measured lane weight change for each of the first lane and the second lane; determine, based on the measured weight change for the each of the first lane and the second lane, that the first lane and the second lane are part of a cluster; determine, using the weight sensor data, a measured total weight change of the cluster; determine, for each type of item stowed at the cluster; an individual weight for the each type of item; and a shelf location of the each type of item, indicative of placement of the each type of item with respect to one or more of the first lane or the second lane; determine a plurality of hypotheses, each hypothesis indicative of different combinations of; a predicted quantity change for one or more types of items stowed at the cluster, a predicted lane weight change for the each of the first lane and the second lane, and a predicted total weight change across the first lane and the second lane; determine, for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses and for each of the lanes in the cluster, a difference between the predicted lane weight change and the measured lane weight change; determine a score for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses based on a sum of the differences associated with that hypothesis; determine, based on the score for the each hypothesis in the plurality of hypotheses, a change in quantity of the one or more items; using the change in quantity of the one or more items, assess charges to an account associated with the user using a sale price of the one or more items; and transmit billing information to the account associated with the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system comprising:
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a shelf comprising a plurality of lanes that are adjacent to one another, each lane comprising; at least one weight sensor to generate weight sensor data of a load on the each lane; and a support structure to hold an item; an imaging sensor to generate image data; and a computing device comprising; a memory, storing computer-executable instructions; and a hardware processor to execute the computer-executable instructions to; determine, using the imaging data, that a user is proximate to the shelf; determine weight characteristic data for one or more of the plurality of lanes based on the weight sensor data; determine a cluster comprising adjacent lanes; determine each of the adjacent lanes in the cluster has a measured lane weight change greater than a first threshold; determine a measured total cluster weight change; determine item data for one or more types of items associated with the shelf, wherein the one or more types of items are supported by the adjacent lanes in the cluster; determine one or more hypotheses for the one or more types of items associated with the shelf, wherein each of the one or more hypotheses is indicative of one or more of; a particular combination of the one or more types of items at the cluster, a particular combination of a predicted quantity of the each of the one or more types of items at the cluster, predicted lane weight changes for the each of the adjacent lanes in the cluster, and a predicted total cluster weight that differs from the measured total cluster weight change by less than a second threshold; determine a solution using the one or more hypotheses; determine interaction data indicative of a change in quantity of the one or more types of items on the shelf based on the solution; and assess charges to an account associated with the user based on the interaction data. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
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detecting that a user is proximate to a shelf, using an imaging sensor; accessing weight sensor data indicative of weight as measured at each of a plurality of lanes that are adjacent to one another, wherein the plurality of lanes form the shelf that holds one or more items; determining measured weight characteristic data using the weight sensor data; determining lanes of the plurality of lanes included in a cluster based on the measured weight characteristic data; determining each of the lanes in the cluster has a measured lane weight change greater than a first threshold; determining a measured total cluster weight change; accessing item data for the one or more items associated with the shelf; accessing one or more hypotheses, wherein each of the one or more hypotheses is based at least in part on the item data and the each of the one or more hypotheses has a predicted total cluster weight that differs from the measured total cluster weight change by less than a second threshold; determining a solution from the one or more hypotheses based on the measured weight characteristic data; generating interaction data based on the solution; and responsive to the generating the interaction data, generating billing information for an account associated with the user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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a shelf to hold one or more items, the shelf comprising a plurality of lanes that are adjacent to one another, each lane comprising; at least one weight sensor to generate weight sensor data of a weight on the lane; an imaging sensor to generate image data; and a computing device comprising; a memory, storing computer-executable instructions; and a hardware processor to execute the computer-executable instruction to; determine, using the image data, a user proximate to the shelf; determine weight characteristic data for one or more of the plurality of lanes based on the weight sensor data; determine one or more lanes are part of a cluster based on the weight characteristic data; determine a measured lane weight change for each of the one or more lanes in the cluster; determine a total cluster weight change; determine one or more hypotheses associated with the one or more items on the shelf, wherein each of the one or more hypotheses comprises a combination of; a predicted quantity change for the one or more items, a predicted lane weight change for each of the one or more lanes in the cluster, and a predicted total cluster weight change; determine interaction data based on a solution selected from the one or more hypotheses; and assess charges to an account associated with the user, based on the interaction data. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification