Walmart Apollo, LLC

Wal-mart Stores, Inc.

Brian G McHale

Donald R High

Todd Davenport Mattingly

David C Winkle

John Jeremiah O'Brien

Michael D Atchley

Robert L Cantrell

Bruce Walter Wilkinson

John Paul Thompson

Robert C Taylor

Nathan Glenn Jones

John F Simon

Shuvro Chakrobartty

Joseph Jurich

Karl Kay

Eric E Welch

Nicholas Ray Antel

Daniel Wayne Young

Christopher R Heeney

Richard Carl McSorley, Jr

ChandraShekar Natarajan

John J O'brien

Justin Schuhardt

Matthew Allen Jones

David Martin Nelms

Andrew B Millhouse

David G Tovey

Sid Shake

Charles Harry Lobo

Chandrashekar Natarajan

Jennifer Hedges

Samantha M Mangosing

Jeremy Varner

Patricia Bird

Coleman Johnson

Jeff Byrne

Elizabeth Fretheim

Muhenned Abdulsahib

Parvez Musani

Jimmie Ray Bishop, Iii

A method for tracking an item in a distributed environment is provided. At least one node in a network adds a new block to a first cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a first sequence of blocks that is stored in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the first cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a component identifier and a hash of a previous block in the first sequence of blocks. The at least one node in the network adds a new block to a second cryptographically verifiable ledger represented by a second sequence of blocks that is stored in the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media. The new block added to the second cryptographically verifiable ledger contains a destination identifier, the first sequence of blocks, and a hash of a previous block in the second sequence of blocks.

System and methods for tracking an item in a distributed environment

A delivery tower for receiving a package from an aerial vehicle. The delivery tower has a table top coupled to a base. The base includes telescoping members. The delivery tower has a controller and communications module operably coupled to the base. The table top moves between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position with extension of the telescoping members. In the first, retracted position the delivery tower is configured to operate as an outdoor table. In the second, extended position, the delivery tower is configured to receive a package from the aerial vehicle.

Retractable table tower for UAV package delivery

Apparatuses, components and methods are provided herein useful to provide assistance to customers and/or workers in a shopping facility. In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: a plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move through a shopping facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a respective motorized transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units and the plurality of user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to control movement of the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the plurality of user interface units.

Shopping facility assistance systems, devices and methods

Described in detail herein is an automated fulfillment system including a computing system programmed to receive requests from disparate sources for physical objects disposed at one or more locations in a facility. The computing system can combine the requests, and group the physical objects in the requests based on object types or expected object locations. Autonomous robot devices can receive instructions from the computing system to retrieve a group of the physical objects and deposit the physical objects in storage containers.

Distributed autonomous robot interfacing systems and methods

A system for storing one or more unmanned aerial vehicles is described herein. The system includes one or more shelves attached to a holding structure, the one or more shelves being configured to support one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the one or more shelves defining one or more shelf areas configured to receive the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles. The system also includes an electrical charging station configured to charge electrical batteries of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles supported by the one or more shelves; and a data transfer and storage system configured to transfer and store data that is previously stored in a data storage device of the one or more unmanned aerial vehicles in a data storage unit.

System for storing unmanned aerial vehicles

Described in detail herein is an automated fulfilment system including a computing system programmed to receive requests from disparate sources for physical objects disposed at one or more locations in a facility. The computing system can combine the requests, and group the physical objects in the requests based on object types or expected object locations. Autonomous robot devices can receive instructions from the computing system to retrieve a group of the physical objects and deposit the physical objects in storage containers.

An autonomous vehicle system includes a body and a plurality of sensors coupled to the body and configured to generate a plurality of sensor measurements corresponding to the plurality of sensors. The system also includes a control unit configured to: receive inputs from a plurality of sources wherein the plurality sources comprise the plurality of sensors, the inputs comprise the plurality of sensor measurements; determine a confidence level of each input based on other inputs; prioritize, based on the confidence level associated with each input, the inputs; generate, based on the prioritization of the inputs and the confidence level, a combined input with a combined confidence level; and determine, based on the combined input and the combined confidence level, a mission task to be performed.

System and method for autonomous decision making, corrective action, and navigation in a dynamically changing world

Systems and methods for a storage unit are disclosed. A storage unit includes a container defining an interior storage space and an opening configured to provide access to the interior storage space, a door configured to open and close the opening, a heating/cooling mechanism configured to adjust a temperature in the interior storage space, a temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature in the interior storage space. A control unit is configured to receive the temperature in the interior storage space, receive a required temperature of an item in the storage unit, receive a signal indicative of a distance of a delivery vehicle, and activate the heating/cooling mechanism based on the temperature, the required temperature, and the distance of the delivery vehicle. The heating/cooling mechanism is activated at a time configured to achieve the required temperature within the interior storage space when the delivery vehicle arrives at the storage unit.

System and method for securely receiving and storing deliveries

A dynamic resource allocation engine which can assist in automating activities and processes within an organization. More specifically, the concepts disclosed herein can reduce operational costs by eliminating unnecessary devices, processes, and/or personnel, while also providing an efficient mechanism for testing the effects of new resources on the entire system. This is done by first combining data associated with devices, processes, and personnel, in a common (normalized) data format. This combination represents a simulation of the business or enterprise associated with the data, and can be referred to as a 'resource allocation engine.' The resource allocation engine provides information about how resources are being used within the organization.

System and method for a dynamic resource allocation engine

An aerial vehicle for delivering a package. The aerial vehicle having a package deployment system coupled to the aerial vehicle. The package deployment system having a spool coupled to the aerial vehicle, a lowering line fixedly coupled to the spool at a first end, the lowering line having a second end secured to a grasping device, and a cutting device coupled to one of the spool or the lowering line. The aerial vehicle also having a package coupled to the grasping device and a monitoring system couple to one of the aerial vehicle or the package deployment system. The package deployment system is configured to deliver the package at a delivery location. The cutting device is configured to sever the lowering line to deliver the package. A method for delivering a package with an aerial vehicle having the package deployment system.

Drone delivery system having a single use lowering line

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that provide for delivering products to customers while analyzing and satisfying product-associated and/or delivery location-associated restrictions. The delivery attempt of the products is commenced after the product-associated restrictions are determined to be satisfied. The delivery of the product or products to the customer or an authorized person is authorized after the delivery location-associated restrictions are determined to be satisfied.

Systems and methods for analyzing delivery restrictions when delivering products ordered by a customer

Systems and methods for recording codes in a distributed environment are provided. A first node receives data including at least one code from a code generation computing device via a network. The first node adds a first new block to a first cryptographically verifiable encrypted ledger, the first block containing the at least one code. The first node adds a second new block to a second cryptographically verifiable, the second block containing the at least one code. The first node or a second node retrieves the at least one code from the second cryptographically verifiable unencrypted ledger. The first node or the second node analyzes the at least one code pursuant to a set of rules.

System and methods for recording codes in a distributed environment

Growing community of inventors

Chadderton Oldham, United Kingdom

Brian G McHale