Shopping Facility Assistance System and Method to Retrieve In-Store Abandoned Mobile Item Containers
First Claim
1. A shopping facility assistance system comprising:
- a plurality of motorized transport units configured to move through a retail shopping facility;
a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with the plurality of motorized transport units and wherein the central computer system is configured to;
identify a mobile item container inside the retail shopping facility as being abandoned;
direct a particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container;
cause the particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container; and
direct, via a wireless network connection, the particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail shopping facility with the attached unattended mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A central computer system identifies a mobile item container in a retail shopping facility as being abandoned. The central computer system then directs a motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container and causes that motorized transport unit to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container. The central computer system then directs that motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached abandoned mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility. Abandonment can be determined as a function, at least in part, of determining that the mobile item container is both stationary and unattended for at least a predetermined amount of time. By one approach the central computer system can use different predetermined amounts of time when assessing abandonment depending upon where in the retail shopping facility the mobile item containers are located.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A shopping facility assistance system comprising:
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a plurality of motorized transport units configured to move through a retail shopping facility; a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with the plurality of motorized transport units and wherein the central computer system is configured to; identify a mobile item container inside the retail shopping facility as being abandoned; direct a particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container; cause the particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container; and direct, via a wireless network connection, the particular one of the plurality of motorized transport units through the retail shopping facility with the attached unattended mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
by a central computer system; identifying a mobile item container in a retail shopping facility as being abandoned; directing, via a wireless network connection, a motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container; causing the motorized transport unit to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container; directing, via a wireless network connection, the motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached abandoned mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification