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Motorized transport unit worker support systems and methods

  • US 10,239,739 B2
  • Filed: 03/04/2016
  • Issued: 03/26/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system to assist product stocking on a sales floor of a retail shopping facility, comprising:

  • a plurality of motorized transport units that are each configured to perform multiple different tasks at a retail shopping facility; and

    a central computer system configured to coordinate the plurality of motorized transport units in performing the multiple different tasks comprising instruct a first motorized transport unit to retrieve a specified first stocking cart that is carrying a first plurality of products that are to be restocked onto product supports that are positioned on the sales floor where customers travel in shopping for products, and further instruct the first motorized transport unit to autonomously transport the first stocking cart to a specified first stocking location on the sales floor corresponding to at least one of the first plurality of products carried by the first stocking cart;

    wherein the central computer system is further configured to detect, from sensor data comprising sensor data from the first motorized transport unit, a worker stocking one or more of the products from the first stocking cart, detect from the sensor data that the worker has moved at least a first threshold distance from the first stocking cart, and direct the first motorized transport unit to move the first stocking cart to follow the worker and place the first stocking cart within a second threshold distance of the worker;

    wherein each of the plurality of motorized transport units is configured to perform the multiple different tasks at the retail shopping facility comprising at least a first set of tasks to support customers comprising at least the first motorized transport unit being configured to temporarily couple with and transport a movable item container configured to receive items for potential purchase by a customer with which the first motorized transport unit is temporarily associated, a second set of tasks to support workers at the retail shopping facility comprising at least the first motorized transport unit being configured to temporarily couple with and transport the first stocking cart, and a third set of tasks regarding facility maintenance at the retail shopping facility to at least perform a clean-up.

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