Accel Robotics Corporation

Qualcomm Incorporated

Aleksander Bapst

Marius Buibas

Jose Miguel Rodriguez

Mark Graham

Filip Lukasz Piekniewski

John Quinn

Christopher Lai

Csaba Petre

Martin Alan Cseh

Michael Brandon Maseda

Kaylee Feigum

Yohei Yamamuro

Chin-Chang Kuo

Evan James Peterson

Soheyl Yousefisahi

Christopher Alan Pagnotta

Ryan Lafleur

System that allows devices of an autonomous store, such as sensors in product display areas, to receive power and communicate data over conductive rails of store fixtures. By using fixtures to transmit data and power, the need for cabling to these devices, or for batteries to power the devices, is eliminated or greatly reduced, thereby dramatically simplifying installation and maintenance. Illustrative fixtures over which devices can communicate include slatwalls, pegboards, and rectangular support bars. Power and data may be multiplexed onto the same pair of conductive rails. Embodiments may use device hubs to coordinate communication with devices and to act as gateways between devices and centralized store servers. Devices may communicate their identities and locations to store servers to facilitate installation; for example, they may display their identities on electronic labels that are imaged by store cameras, so that the store server can learn the location of each device automatically.

Store device network that transmits power and data through mounting fixtures

Example apparatus and methods may include: (1) a system and method for enrolling a single user's gait pattern using only accelerometer magnitude data; (2) an efficient and low-power method for continuously generating biometric match scores against the enrolled model at run-time using two phases: detection and authentication; (3) an adaptive method for continuously updating the user model by comparing temporary models generated at regular intervals to the canonical user model; and (4) accelerometer samples captured on a wearable and streamed to a mobile device for further processing.

Apparatus and methods for biometric verification

A system having a bar containing distance sensors, such as LIDARs, that may be installed behind a shelf in an automated store. Shelves may be divided into storage zones, such as bins or lanes, and a distance sensor may measure the item quantity in each zone. Quantity changes indicate that a shopper has taken or placed items in the zone. Quantity changes may trigger analysis of camera images of the shelf to identify the items taken or replaced. The distance sensor elements within the bar may be relocatable so they can be positioned correctly behind the corresponding storage zones. The bar may have mounting mechanisms on either side for attachment to shelving support structures. These mounting mechanisms may include security locks. The bar may rotate relative to the mounting mechanisms to provide access to the shelf from behind.

System having a bar of relocatable distance sensors that detect stock changes in a storage area

A sensor bar shelf monitor, for example that may be added to an existing shelving system to convert a store to autonomous operation. The sensor bar may contain distance sensor to detect shoppers reaching towards items on a shelf, and cameras to determine which items shoppers have taken. It may be installed into shelf supports such as gondola shelving uprights. The sensor bar may be located at the front edge of a shelf, and may monitor the shelf below. Placing the sensor bar along the front edge prevents damage to electronics from spills or shelf cleaning, and prevents heat from the sensor bar electronics from damaging items on the shelf. The sensor bar may have a local sensor bar processor that collects sensor data; images may be analyzed locally or transferred to more powerful store processors. A sensor bar may also have controllable lights and controllable electronic labels.

Sensor bar shelf monitor

A system that integrates camera images and quantity sensors to determine items taken from, placed on, or moved on a shelf or other area in an autonomous store. The items and actions performed may then be attributed to a shopper near the area. Shelves may be divided into storage zones, such as bins or lanes, and a quantity sensor may measure the item quantity in each zone. Quantity changes indicate that a shopper has taken or placed items in the zone. Distance sensors, such as LIDAR, may be used for shelves that push items towards the front. Strain gauges may be used for bins or hanging rods. Quantity changes may trigger analysis of camera images of the shelf to identify the items taken or replaced. Images from multiple cameras that view a shelf may be projected to a vertical plane at the front of the shelf to simplify analysis.

Smart shelf system that integrates images and quantity sensors

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Aleksander Bapst