SHOPPING FACILITY ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS TO DRIVE MOVABLE ITEM CONTAINERS
First Claim
1. A motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprising:
- a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications from a remote central computer system;
a control circuit coupled with the transceiver;
a motorized wheel system controlled by the control circuit;
a lift system controlled by the control circuit; and
a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to;
activate the motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container, wherein the item container is one of a plurality of item containers that are usable by customers and configured to be moved by customers through the shopping facility; and
activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments include a motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; a motorized wheel system; a lift system; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: activate a motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container; and activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A motorized transport unit providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprising:
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a transceiver configured to wirelessly receive communications from a remote central computer system; a control circuit coupled with the transceiver; a motorized wheel system controlled by the control circuit; a lift system controlled by the control circuit; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to; activate the motorized wheel system, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container, wherein the item container is one of a plurality of item containers that are usable by customers and configured to be moved by customers through the shopping facility; and activate the lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing customer assistance at a shopping facility, comprising:
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by a control circuit; activating a motorized wheel system of a motorized transport unit, while continuing to monitor location information, to position the motorized transport unit under the item container and aligned, based on the location information, relative to a frame of the item container, wherein the item container is one of a plurality of item containers that are usable by customers and configured to be moved by customers through a shopping facility; and activating a lift system to lift on the frame of the item container lifting a first portion of the item container such that one or more wheels of the item container are lifted off of a floor while two or more other wheels of the item container remain in contact with the floor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification