Systems, devices and methods for determining item availability in a shopping space

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Solution Overview

Problem

In modern retail environments, there is a need to improve customer experience and convenience, as customers often go unassisted during peak hours due to insufficient trained employees, and face issues like abandoned shopping carts, messy aisles, incorrect inventory placement, and theft, which can lead to low customer satisfaction and increased competition from online shopping.

Innovation Solution

A shopping assistance system utilizing motorized transport units controlled by a central computer system to autonomously move throughout the store, assist with tasks such as retrieving shopping carts, restocking shelves, and managing inventory, while also providing user interfaces for customer interaction and communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If more employees are hired to assist customers during peak hours, then customer service quality improves, but labor cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer service availabilityVSAvoidlabor cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service monitoring where sensors automatically detect item availability and shopping cart locations without human intervention. The central computer system processes sensor data and generates alerts autonomously, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring by employees.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual monitoring and physical tasks performed by employees are replaced with an automated sensor-based system. Sensors detect item availability and cart locations, while the central computer system manages inventory and cart retrieval operations, substituting mechanical human labor with electronic detection and control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If manual monitoring of inventory and shopping carts is increased, then item availability accuracy improves, but employee time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem availability detection accuracyVSAvoidemployee monitoring time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Sensors continuously monitor item availability and shopping cart locations without interruption. The system maintains constant detection and tracking, ensuring real-time awareness of inventory status and cart positions throughout the shopping environment without requiring periodic manual checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Manual visual inspection and physical counting of inventory items are replaced with sensors that automatically detect item availability. The central computer system processes this data continuously, providing accurate real-time inventory information without consuming employee time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If shopping cart retrieval operations are manual, then system simplicity is maintained, but cart availability response time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecart retrieval speedVSAvoidautomated cart management system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Sensors provide continuous feedback on shopping cart locations and availability status to the central computer system. The system receives real-time data about cart positions and uses this feedback to automatically generate retrieval alerts and coordinate cart recovery operations when carts are needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The central computer system acts as an intermediary between sensor detection and cart retrieval execution. It processes sensor data, determines cart availability status, generates alerts to appropriate personnel or systems, and coordinates the retrieval operations, serving as a mediating control layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If sensor coverage is expanded throughout the shopping space, then detection accuracy improves, but system cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveitem and cart detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The shopping space is divided into multiple detection zones, each monitored by individual sensors. The environment is segmented into areas such as inventory shelves, shopping cart locations, and customer zones, with sensors strategically placed in each segment to provide comprehensive coverage while optimizing cost efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20240191448A1Systems, devices and methods for determining item availability in a shopping space

Publication Date: 2024.06.13 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase, instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.