SHOPPING FACILITY ASSISTANCE OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS
First Claim
1. An apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising:
- a central computer system that is separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit, wherein the central computer system comprises;
a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit located at a shopping facility;
a control circuit coupled with the transceiver; and
a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of;
obtain, from one or more of the communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information acquired by the motorized transport unit, wherein the route condition information comprises information corresponding to an intended route of travel by the motorized transport unit;
obtain additional route condition information existing at the shopping facility and detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit;
detect, in response to an evaluation of both the route condition information and the additional route condition information, an object at the shopping facility affecting the intended route of travel;
identify, without user interaction and in response to detecting the object, an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and
communicate one or more instructions to the motorized transport unit configured to cause the motorized transport unit to implement the action based on the detected object.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments provide apparatuses and methods useful to providing control over movement of motorized transport units. In some embodiments, an apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility comprises: a central computer system comprising: a transceiver; a control circuit; a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: obtain, from one or more of the communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information comprising information corresponding to an intended route of travel; obtain additional route condition information detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit; detect an object affecting the intended route of travel; identify an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and communicate one or more instructions.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising:
a central computer system that is separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit, wherein the central computer system comprises; a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit located at a shopping facility; a control circuit coupled with the transceiver; and a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of; obtain, from one or more of the communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information acquired by the motorized transport unit, wherein the route condition information comprises information corresponding to an intended route of travel by the motorized transport unit; obtain additional route condition information existing at the shopping facility and detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit; detect, in response to an evaluation of both the route condition information and the additional route condition information, an object at the shopping facility affecting the intended route of travel; identify, without user interaction and in response to detecting the object, an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and communicate one or more instructions to the motorized transport unit configured to cause the motorized transport unit to implement the action based on the detected object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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3. (canceled)
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4. (canceled)
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8. A method of providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising:
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by a control circuit of an automated central computer system that is separate and distinct from a self-propelled motorized transport unit; obtaining, from one or more communications received from the motorized transport unit, route condition information acquired by the motorized transport unit, wherein the route condition information comprises information corresponding to an intended route of travel by the motorized transport unit; obtaining additional route condition information existing at the shopping facility and detected by one or more detectors external to the motorized transport unit; detecting, in response to an evaluation of both the route condition information and the additional route condition information, an object at the shopping facility affecting the intended route of travel; identifying, without user interaction and in response to detecting the object, an action to be taken by the motorized transport unit with respect to the detected object; and communicating one or more instructions to the motorized transport unit configured to cause the motorized transport unit to implement the action based on the detected object. - View Dependent Claims (9, 12, 13, 14)
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10. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
Specification