Inventory Scanning Robot Scheduling Around Wireless Connectivity Gaps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stock keeping technologies face challenges in efficiently deploying robotic systems to scan inventory within stores, particularly due to limitations in local wireless connectivity, which can lead to latency and incomplete data collection.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced that involves deploying a robotic system to autonomously navigate through a store, generating spatial and wireless connectivity maps during a mapping cycle. The system calculates a route that aligns wireless network connectivity requirements with the available connectivity, excluding regions with low connectivity, and schedules the robotic system to execute a scan cycle along this route with optimized image capture parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the robotic system scans inventory throughout the entire store including all regions, then the completeness of data collection is improved, but the latency increases due to poor wireless connectivity in certain regions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of data collectionVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The store is segmented into regions based on wireless connectivity quality. The robotic system divides the scanning task into segments corresponding to different connectivity zones, allowing it to prioritize scanning in high-connectivity regions first while still eventually covering low-connectivity areas, thus balancing data completeness with reduced latency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary mapping of wireless connectivity regions before executing the full inventory scan. This preliminary action allows the robotic system to plan its scanning route to first cover areas with good connectivity, ensuring that critical data is collected with minimal latency before proceeding to harder-to-reach areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If the robotic system uploads images in real-time during the scan cycle, then the near-real-time processing is improved, but the latency increases in regions with poor wireless connectivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage upload speedVSAvoidupload latency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The image upload strategy is dynamically adjusted based on the robotic system's location and wireless connectivity conditions. In high-connectivity regions, images are uploaded immediately at high speed. In low-connectivity regions, the system dynamically switches to buffering images locally and uploading them when connectivity improves or when the robot returns to high-connectivity zones, maintaining overall system efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A local buffer or intermediary storage mechanism is introduced between the image capture sensor and the remote server. This intermediary allows images to be temporarily stored in high-connectivity regions or on the robotic system itself, then transferred to the server when connectivity permits, effectively decoupling the capture rate from the upload rate and reducing latency variability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If the robotic system navigates to regions with low wireless connectivity to complete the scan, then the coverage is improved, but the overall efficiency decreases due to repeated connectivity issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescan coverage areaVSAvoidscanning efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Different scanning strategies are applied to different regions based on their wireless connectivity quality. High-connectivity regions receive standard scanning treatment with continuous upload, while low-connectivity regions receive specialized handling including extended buffer capacity allocation, optimized upload scheduling, and potentially reduced scan frequency to maintain overall system productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous useful action by ensuring that the robotic system is always productive—either scanning inventory or uploading data. In low-connectivity regions, instead of idle waiting, the system continues scanning and buffering data, then performs batch uploads when connectivity improves, eliminating downtime and maintaining continuous productive operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12325143B2Method for deploying a robotic system to scan inventory within a store based on local wireless connectivity

Publication Date: 2025.06.10 SIMBE ROBOTICS INC

AI summary

One variation of a method for deploying a mobile robotic system to scan inventory structures within a store includes: dispatching the mobile robotic system to navigate along inventory structures within the store during a setup cycle; at the mobile robotic system, while navigating along the inventory structures during the setup cycle, capturing a set of wireless connectivity metrics representing connectivity to a first wireless network; assembling the set of wireless connectivity metrics into a wireless connectivity map of the store; estimating a processing duration from start of the scan cycle to transformation of images of the inventory structures, captured by the mobile robotic system, into a stock condition of the store; and dispatching the mobile robotic system to autonomously capture images of the inventory structures within the store during a scan cycle preceding a scheduled restocking period in the store based on the processing duration.