Wrist band haptic feedback system

• US 9,881,277 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brady, Tye Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US15/083,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 235385, 235492, 235487, 705 729, 705 28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Inventory management systems and related methods employ radio frequency based tracking of a worker'"'"'s hands to monitor performance of inventory tasks. An inventory management system includes inventory bins, a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user'"'"'s hand, fixed RF antennas configured to transmit at least one RF interrogation signal and receive at least one RF response signal, a RF transceiver operatively coupled with the fixed RF antennas, and a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver. The user-wearable unit includes an RF transceiver configured to transmit RF response signals in response to reception of the at least one RF interrogation signal. The management module is configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to track locations of the user-wearable unit and identify an inventory bin based on proximity of the user-wearable unit to the identified inventory bin to monitor performance of an inventory system task.

Claims

1. An inventory management system, comprising:

an inventory holder including inventory bins configured to store inventory items;

three fixed radio frequency (RF) antennas transmitting RF interrogation signals and receiving RF response signals generated in response to the RF interrogation signals;

a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user'"'"'s hand, the user-wearable unit including a portable radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to transmit the RF response signals in response to receiving the RF interrogation signals;

an RF transceiver operatively coupled with the three fixed RF antennas; and

a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver and configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to;

continuously determine a location of the user-wearable unit in a three-dimensional space; and

monitor performance of an inventory task assigned to the user by continuously comparing the location of the user-wearable unit in the three-dimensional space with one or more locations of the inventory bins in the three-dimensional space to detect an interaction between the user and one of the inventory bins, the inventory task assigned to the user being at least one of retrieving an inventory item from a designated inventory bin or placing an inventory item into the designated inventory bin.

2. The inventory management system of claim 1, wherein the user-wearable unit includes a haptic feedback mechanism that generates a haptic feedback to the user, the management module controlling operation of the haptic feedback mechanism via a control signal transmitted to the user-wearable unit, the haptic feedback indicating one or more directions in which the user should move the user'"'"'s hand to interact with the designated inventory bin.

3. The inventory management system of claim 1, wherein:

the user-wearable unit includes a motion detection unit configured to detect motion of the user-wearable unit; and

the user-wearable unit is configured to transmit a signal indicative of a command input by the user generated by moving the user-wearable unit in a predetermined manner, the command input relating to accomplishment of the inventory system task.

4. The inventory management system of claim 1, further comprising a user-wearable grip sensor configured to generate a signal indicating that the user is holding an inventory item or the user is not holding an inventory item, the management module being configured to identify one of the inventory bins into which an inventory item is placed by the user or from which an inventory item is retrieved by the user based on output from the grip sensor and tracked locations of the user-wearable unit within the three-dimensional space.

5. The inventory management system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile drive unit configured to transport the inventory holder within an inventory facility, the inventory management system being configured to control the mobile drive unit to place the inventory holder at a fixed position relative to the three fixed RF antennas.

6. A system comprising:

fixed RF antennas transmitting RF interrogation signals and receiving RF response signals;

a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user'"'"'s hand, the user-wearable unit including a portable RF transceiver configured to transmit at least one RF response signal in response to receiving the RF interrogation signals;

an RF transceiver operatively coupled with the fixed RF antennas; and

a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver and configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to continuously determine location of the user-wearable unit in a three-dimensional space and identify one of a plurality of locations in the three-dimensional space based on proximity of the user-wearable unit to the identified location to monitor performance of a task.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user-wearable unit includes a haptic feedback mechanism configured to generate a haptic feedback to the user, the management module controlling operation of the haptic feedback mechanism via a control signal transmitted to the user-wearable unit, the haptic feedback indicating at least one of:

the identified location matches a designated location associated with the task;

the identified location does not match a designated location associated with the task;

an item held by the user has been identified by the management module;

an item held by the user has not been identified by the management module; and

guidance to the user to the designated location associated with the task.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the RF response signals is indicative of an identification of the user.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user-wearable unit includes a motion detection unit that detects motion of the user-wearable unit; and

the user-wearable unit transmits a signal indicative of a command input by the user generated by moving the user-wearable unit in a predetermined manner, the command input relating to accomplishment of the task by the user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the user-wearable unit includes a processor that processes output of the motion detection unit to detect the command input by the user; and

the signal indicative of the command input is transmitted in response to detection of the command input by the processor.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the management module is configured to process the location of the user-wearable unit via a processing mode selected from predetermined processing modes based on the location within the three-dimensional space, the predetermined processing modes relating to (a) retrieving an item from or placing an item into an inventory bin of an inventory holder, or (b) retrieving an item from or placing an item into an inventory tote.

12. The system of claim 6, further comprising a user-wearable grip sensor configured to generate-a signal indicating that the user is holding an item or the user is not holding an item, the management module being configured to identify one of the plurality of locations into which an item is placed by the user or from which an item is retrieved by the user based on output from the grip sensor.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user-wearable unit includes a motion detection unit generating output indicative of orientation of the user-wearable unit; and

the management module is configured to store locations and orientations of the user-wearable unit for a period of time into a memory.

14. The system of claim 6, further comprising a mobile drive unit configured to transport an inventory holder within an inventory facility, the system being configured to control the mobile drive unit to controllably position the inventory holder relative to the plurality of fixed RF antennas, the inventory holder including inventory bins comprising at least some of the plurality of locations.

15. A computer implemented method comprising:

transmitting RF interrogation signals from RF antennas;

receiving, via the RF antennas, RF response signals from a user-wearable unit worn in proximity to a user'"'"'s hand responsive to the RF interrogation signals;

generating arrival time signals indicative of arrival times of the RF response signals at the RF antennas;

processing, by a management module, the arrival time signals to continuously track location of the user-wearable unit within a three-dimensional space that includes storage locations configured to store items;

identifying, by the management module, one of the storage locations based on proximity of the user-wearable unit relative to the identified storage location; and

monitoring performance of a task based on the identified storage location.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

controlling, by the management module, operation of a haptic feedback mechanism included in the user-wearable unit to communicate a haptic feedback to the user indicating that the identified storage location matches a designated storage location associated with the task;

controlling, by the management module, operation of a haptic feedback mechanism included in the user-wearable unit to communicate a haptic feedback to the user indicating that the identified storage location does not match a designated storage location associated with the task;

controlling, by the management module, operation of a haptic feedback mechanism included in the user-wearable unit to communicate a haptic feedback to the user indicating that an item held by the user has been identified by the management module;

controlling, by the management module, operation of a haptic feedback mechanism included in the user-wearable unit to communicate a haptic feedback to the user indicating that an item held by the user has not been identified by the management module; and

controlling, by the management module, operation of a haptic feedback mechanism included in the user-wearable unit to communicate a haptic feedback to the user guiding the user to a designated storage location associated with the task.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving a signal from the user-wearable unit based on output from a motion detection unit included in the user-wearable unit, the signal being indicative of a command input by the user generated by moving the user-wearable unit in a predetermined manner, the command input relating to accomplishment of the task by the user; and

identifying, by the management module, motion of the user-wearable unit based on the output from the motion detection unit as part of monitoring performance of the task.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving a signal from the user-wearable unit based on output from a motion detection unit included in the user-wearable unit, the signal being indicative of a command input by the user generated by moving the user-wearable unit in a predetermined manner, the output from the motion detection unit being processed by a processor included in the user-wearable unit to detect the command input by the user; and

processing, by the management module, the command input as part of monitoring performance of the task.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the management module, data from the user-wearable unit indicative of at least one of an identification of the user, whether the user-wearable unit is associated with the user'"'"'s left hand or right hand, a charge state of the user-wearable unit, an operational status of the user-wearable unit or a duration of use of the user-wearable unit.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving, by the management module, data indicative of orientation of the user-wearable unit based on output from a motion detection unit included in the user-wearable unit; and

storing into a memory, by the management module, data indicative of locations and orientations of the user-wearable unit for a period of time.