Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Cheuk-man Kong

Tu Dien Do

Mee Tchin Jane John Chuan

Mohan Rao

Morley Duncan Abbott

Usman Ismail

Balasubramaneyam Maniymaran

A system capable of connecting a device to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using an adapter. During a telephone call using the PSTN, the adapter may receive an incoming call from the PSTN and send caller identification to remote server(s). The remote server(s) may determine an identity of a first user currently on the telephone call and determine that the incoming call is directed to a second user. Based on the caller identification, the remote server(s) may send a notification to the second user indicating the incoming call. Alternatively, the remote server(s) may interrupt the current telephone call to announce the incoming call. For example, if a parent is on the telephone when an incoming call for a child is received, the remote server(s) may send a text message to the child without interrupting the current telephone call.

Voice user interface for wired communications system

A system capable of connecting a device to a wired communication network (e.g., Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)) using an adapter. During a telephone call using the PSTN, the adapter may mix two or more audio streams to enable multiple devices to join the telephone call. However, the adapter has limited resources. If the adapter receives a request from an additional device to join the call, the adapter may send a notification that indicates a maximum number of endpoints has been reached. To enable audio mixing for additional devices, the system may send multiple audio streams to a communication server to be mixed and the mixed audio stream are sent to the adapter to be output using the PSTN. The communication server may receive the audio streams from the adapter or directly from the devices.

Enabling additional endpoints to connect to audio mixing device

A system capable of connecting a device to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using an adapter. The adapter may receive caller identification from the PSTN during a second ringing signal and may send notifications to remote server(s) indicating the caller identification. The remote server(s) may use the caller identification to enable additional functionality in a speech processing system. For example, the remote server(s) may identify contact information corresponding to the caller identification, may determine information about the contact, such as recent meetings, communications, or the like, and may output the information when announcing the incoming call. In addition, the remote server(s) may compare the caller identification to a database of spam and indicate that the incoming call is possible spam.

Methods of and devices and systems for obtaining and using images of items as the items appear in an inventory area (e.g., storage bin) are disclosed. Images of inventory areas are captured before and after stow or pick operations. A difference between the before and after images is determined and extracted as an image of the item that was stowed or picked. The process may be repeated for numerous units of the item and one or more definitive item images are selected. The definitive item image may be displayed to pickers directly to facilitate picking, or may be used to determine the position of a unit of the item in a particular inventory area such that the position of the item to be picked may be indicated to the picker. Definitive item images may also be used for inventory validation, enforcement of pick and stow etiquette.

Capturing packaging image via scanner

Systems, methods and media for illuminating locations where operations are to be performed are disclosed. A set of locations where an operation is to be performed by an agent may be determined by a control system. A particular illumination pattern of numerous illumination patterns may be assigned to an agent by the control system. Illumination patterns may be colors, shapes, blink rates or any combination thereof for example. The control system may send instructions to illumination devices that correspond to the set of locations to designate all of the locations in the set of locations with the particular illumination pattern assigned to the agent such that the agent is visually aware of location to traverse. Distinct agents may each be assigned distinct illumination patterns such that the agents may operate in the same area without confusion of which agent should perform the operation at a location.

Inventory location illumination for designating operation path

An inventory item to be picked may be selected along with an inventory location (e.g., storage bin) storing a particular unit of the item among a units of heterogeneous items also stowed in the inventory location. One or more images of the inventory location may be obtained and analyzed to determine a position of the unit of the item. Instructions may be sent to direct a device to illuminate the determined position of the unit of the item, and pick instructions may be sent to the same or a different the device. A device may receive the position instructions from a control system, and illuminate the determined position of the unit of the item within the inventory location. The pick instructions may direct an agent or mobile storage bin to a particular location and direct the agent to pick the unit of the item from the illuminated position.

Growing community of inventors

Toronto, Canada

Cheuk-man Kong