Interactive parking facilities

• US 10,373,226 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Ryan Scott, Stevens, Phillip Michael, Hegde, Prashant, Lauka, Wesley Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brittney N
• Application Number:
  US14/741,369
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/758 using a signal generator powered by the interrogation signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates

Abstract

Interactive parking facilities may include one or more computer displays or other output devices for providing information to occupants of vehicles arriving at the parking facilities, and for providing information to workers tasked with delivering items to such occupants. A vehicle and/or an occupant may be identified at a parking space, and an ordered item associated with the vehicle or the occupant may then be placed in a staging area. Instructions to deliver the item from the staging area to the vehicle may be displayed to a worker, and information regarding the pending arrival of the item may be displayed to the occupant, on one or more computer displays. Thus, the fulfillment of an order may be triggered upon detecting the arrival of the vehicle at a parking space, and the delivery of the one or more items to the vehicle may be guided based on such information.

Claims

1. A system for distributing items comprising:

a fulfillment center building;

a parking facility having at least a first parking space;

a first digital camera associated with the first parking space; and

a computing device in communication with at least the first digital camera, wherein the computing device is configured to at least;

receive, over a network, first information regarding an order comprising at least one item, wherein the order is placed by a customer associated with a customer identifier;

cause a display of second information regarding the at least one item or the order on a display of a first mobile device associated with a first worker, wherein the second information comprises;

an identifier of the at least one item or the order,

a location of the at least one item within the fulfillment center building, and

an instruction to retrieve the at least one item from the location and deliver the at least one item to a staging area within the fulfillment center building;

cause the first digital camera to capture a first digital image including a first set of pixel values representing the first parking space;

analyze the first set of pixel values;

determine that a first vehicle is in the first parking space;

identify a second set of pixel values of the first digital image corresponding to a license plate mounted to the first vehicle;

recognize a license plate identifier in the second set of pixel values of the first digital image;

determine that the first vehicle is associated with the customer identifier based at least in part on a record maintained in a data store, wherein the first vehicle being associated with the customer identifier is determined using the license plate identifier;

in response to determining that the first vehicle in the first parking space is associated with the customer identifier;

determine a position of a second mobile device associated with a second worker;

determine, based at least in part on the position of the second mobile device, that the second worker is within a vicinity of the staging area;

cause a display of third information on a display of the second mobile device, wherein the third information comprises;

the identifier of the at least one item or the order,

an identifier of at least one of the first vehicle, the first parking space, the customer associated with the customer identifier, or an occupant of the first vehicle, and

an instruction to deliver the at least one item or the order to one of the first parking space or the first vehicle; and

cause a display of fourth information on a display of a third mobile device associated with at least one of the customer, the occupant, the first vehicle, or the customer identifier, wherein the fourth information comprises at least one of;

a name of the second worker,

an image of the second worker, or

an estimated time of arrival of the second worker, the at least one item, or the order at the first parking space or the first vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least:

recognize at least an outline within the first set of pixel values representing the first parking space; and

determine that the outline corresponds to the first vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to at least:

identify the customer associated with the customer identifier; and

determine the order placed by the customer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the parking facility has a second parking space,

wherein the system further comprises a second digital camera associated with the second parking space,

wherein the computing device is in communication with the second digital camera, and

wherein the computing device is further configured to at least:

cause the second digital camera to capture a second digital image including a third set of pixel values representing the second parking space;

analyze the third set of pixel values;

determine that a second vehicle is in the second parking space;

identify a fourth set of pixel values of the second digital image corresponding to a license plate mounted to the second vehicle; and

determine that a second license plate identifier is not recognized in the fourth set of pixel values of the second digital image.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, over a network, first information regarding an order comprising at least one item, wherein the order is placed by a customer associated with a customer identifier;

causing a display of second information regarding the at least one item or the order on a first mobile device of a first worker at a building, wherein the second information comprises;

an identifier of the at least one item or the order;

at least a first location of the at least one item within the building; and

an instruction to retrieve the at least one item from within the building and deliver the at least one item to a staging area associated with at least one of the building or a facility associated with the building;

capturing first imaging data including a first set of pixel values representing a second location of the facility by at least one sensor, wherein the second location comprises a parking location for accommodating at least one vehicle, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first digital camera having at least the second location-within a first field of view;

identifying a first vehicle in the second location based at least in part on the first imaging data using at least one computer processor;

determining, using the at least one computer processor, that the first vehicle is associated with the customer identifier based at least in part on a record maintained in a data store;

in response to determining that the first vehicle in the second location is associated with the customer identifier;

determining, using the at least one computer processor, a position of a second mobile device associated with a second worker;

determining, using the at least one computer processor, that the second worker is within a vicinity of the staging area based at least in part on the position of the second mobile device;

causing a display of third information regarding the at least one item or the order on the second mobile device, wherein the third information comprises;

an identifier of one or more of the at least one item or the order;

an identifier of at least one of the first vehicle, the second location, the customer associated with the customer identifier, or an occupant of the first vehicle; and

an instruction to transport the at least one item from the staging area to the first vehicle; and

causing a display of fourth information on a third mobile device associated with the customer identifier, wherein the fourth information comprises;

an identifier of the second worker, wherein the identifier of the second worker comprises at least one of a name of the second worker or an image of the second worker;

an identifier of one or more of the at least one item or the order; and

an estimated time of arrival of the second worker or the at least one item at the first vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, using the at least one computer processor, that at least one item is in the staging area;

in response to determining that the at least one item is in the staging area, causing, using the at least one computer processor, a display of fifth information on a sign associated with the staging area, wherein the fifth information comprises an instruction to transport the at least one item from the staging area to the first vehicle, wherein the third information is caused to be displayed on the second mobile device in response to determining that the at least one item is in the staging area.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the fifth information further comprises:

a name of at least one of the first vehicle, the occupant of the first vehicle, or the customer associated with the customer identifier;

a description of at least one of the first vehicle, the customer, or the occupant;

an image of at least one of the first vehicle, the customer, or the occupant;

a geographic identifier of the second location;

or

the identifier of the at least one item or the order.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor further comprises an RFID reader, and wherein determining that the customer identifier is associated with the first vehicle further comprises:

receiving at least one RFID signal by the RFID reader;

determining, using the at least one computer processor, that the at least one RFID signal corresponds to an RFID tag associated with the first vehicle; and

determining that the customer identifier is associated with the first vehicle based at least in part on the at least one RFID signal.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

capturing second imaging data regarding a third location of the facility, by the at least one sensor, wherein the at least one sensor further comprises a second digital camera having at least the third location within a second field of view;

determining that a second vehicle is in the third location based at least in part on the second imaging data;

determining that the second vehicle may not be identified based on the second imaging data; and

causing a display of fifth information on a sign associated with at least one of the facility or the building using the at least one computer processor, wherein the fifth information comprises an instruction to attend to the second vehicle in the third location.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the facility is at least one of a parking lot, a parking garage, or an on-street parking facility, and wherein the first vehicle is at least one of a car, a truck, a van, a motorcycle, or a bicycle.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

prior to causing the display of the second information on the first mobile device of the first worker,

instructing an autonomous mobile robot to transport the at least one item from a third location within the building to the first location.

12. A system comprising:

a distribution facility building;

a parking location associated with the distribution facility building;

a first sensor associated with the distribution facility building, wherein the first sensor comprises a first imaging device having at least a portion of the parking location within a first field of view; and

at least one server in communication with at least the first sensor;

wherein the at least one server is configured to at least;

receive first information regarding an order comprising at least one item, wherein the order is placed by a customer associated with a customer identifier;

cause a display of second information regarding the at least one item or the order on a first mobile device associated with a first worker, wherein the second information comprises;

an identifier of the at least one item or the order;

at least one location of the at least one item within the distribution facility building; and

an instruction to transport the at least one item to a staging area associated with at least one of the parking location or the distribution facility building;

cause the first sensor to capture a first digital image including a first set of pixel values representing at least a portion of the parking location;

analyze the first set of pixel values;

determine that a vehicle is in the parking location;

identify a second set of pixel values of the first digital image corresponding to at least a portion of the vehicle;

recognize the vehicle based at least in part on the second set of pixel values;

determine that the vehicle is associated with the customer identifier based at least in part on a record maintained in a data store;

in response to determining that the vehicle in the parking location is associated with the customer identifier;

determine a position of a second mobile device associated with a second worker;

determine, based at least in part on the position of the second mobile device, that the second worker is within a vicinity of the staging area;

transmit a first message comprising fifth information to the second mobile device, wherein the fifth information comprises;

an identifier of the staging area; and

an identifier of at least one of the vehicle, an occupant of the vehicle, or the customer associated with the order; and

transmit a second message comprising sixth information to a third mobile device associated with at least one of the vehicle, the occupant, or the customer, wherein the sixth information comprises;

an identifier of the second worker;

an identifier of the at least one item; and

an estimated time of arrival of the second worker, the at least one item, or the order at the parking location.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a second sensor associated with the staging area of the distribution facility building,

wherein the second sensor comprises a first RFID reader,

wherein the first RFID reader is in communication with the at least one server, and

wherein the at least one server is further configured to at least:

receive, at the first RFID reader, at least a first RFID signal transmitted from a first RFID device associated with the second worker;

determine that the first RFID signal is no longer received at the first RFID reader, wherein the second message is transmitted in response to determining that the first RFID signal is no longer received at the first RFID reader; and

store a first indication that at least one of the second worker or the at least one item is not at the staging area in at least one data store.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein the at least one server is further configured to at least:

receive, at the first RFID reader, at least a second RFID signal transmitted from a second RFID device associated with the at least one item, wherein the first message is transmitted in response to receiving at least the second RFID signal; and

determine that the second RFID signal is no longer received at the first RFID reader, wherein the second message is transmitted in response to determining that each of the first RFID signal and the second RFID signal is no longer received at the first RFID reader.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a second RFID reader associated with the parking location,

wherein the second RFID reader is in communication with the at least one server, and

wherein the at least one server is further configured to at least:

receive, at the second RFID reader, at least the first RFID signal, wherein the second message is transmitted in response to receiving at least the first RFID signal at the second RFID reader, and

wherein the second message further comprises an indication that the first worker is within a vicinity of at least one of the parking location or the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one server is further configured to at least:

receive, at the second RFID reader, at least a second RFID signal transmitted from a second RFID device associated with the at least one item,

wherein the second message is transmitted in response to receiving at least the first RFID signal and the second RFID signal at the second RFID reader.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one server is further configured to at least:

after receiving at least the first RFID signal and the second RFID signal at the second RFID reader,

determine that the first RFID signal is no longer received at the second RFID reader; and

in response to determining that the first RFID signal is no longer received at the second RFID reader,

store a second indication that the at least one item has been delivered to the vehicle in the parking location in the at least one data store.