Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Jonathan J Shakes

Donald Lloyd Kaufman

François M Rouaix

Francois M Rouaix

Nicholas M Hanssens

Philipp K Janert

Jin Lai

Dennis R Hodge

Charles M Griffith

Jinqian Li

Jan Bohlmann

Eric C Young

Andrew C McLenon

Jonas M Carson

Felix F Antony

Jennifer L Cooper

Adam R Baker

Disclosed are various embodiments for courier management. For example, in one embodiment, a courier application is executed on a mobile computing device to retrieve a list of stops associated with a courier from a computing device over a network. The list of stops includes a plurality of orders to be delivered, wherein a customer location is associated with each order. The courier application generates user interfaces to facilitate a confirmation that items associated with orders have been delivered, to facilitate an input of a review of the performance of the courier, and to perform other functions.

Courier management

One or more images of items for an order being processed at processing station of an order fulfillment center may be captured and associated with the order. Alternatively, a short video clip may be captured of the order being packaged. An electronic notification that the order has been processed may be sent to a customer associated with the order. The electronic notification may include a reference to one or more of the captured images or video clips. The customer may use a reference included in the notification to view the captured images. The customer may view captured images to verify that the order has been correctly processed. The captured images may include images of the items being packaged for shipment and may show the shipping address on the package allowing the customer to verify that indeed it is his package in the images.

System and method for visual verification of order processing

Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a mote that may include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. A mote may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent. In some embodiments, each receptacle may also have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.

Method and apparatus for multi-destination item selection using motes

Disclosed are various embodiments for enhancing protection of privacy of purchaser contact details in connection with shipment of parcels. A shipping label can be generated that includes at least one contact detail that hides an actual contact detail associated with a purchaser. A carrier tasked to ship and/or deliver the product to an address designated by the purchaser can use the at least one contact detail to contact the purchaser. The attempts to contact the purchaser can be logged, and the contact details are expired when no longer needed.

Protection of privacy in connection with shipment of products

Pattern information may be associated with an item in an inventory to facilitate identification of the item from among other items in the inventory. The pattern information may represent a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item and may be assigned to the item deterministically, randomly, or pseudo-randomly. An indicator of the pattern information, such as a tag or sticker, may be applied to the item or to its packaging to provide a visual aid to distinguish the item from other items in the same inventory or the item may be enclosed in additional packaging comprising an indicator of the assigned pattern information. Pattern information assigned to the item may comprise a single color, shape, pattern, or other attribute and may include other secondary pattern information. Different amounts of pattern information may be associated with different items or with the same item when co-located with other different items.

System and method for pattern assignment for pattern-based item identification in a materials handling facility

Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. Each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a mote that may include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. A mote may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. The mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent. Each receptacle may also have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle.

Disclosed are various embodiments for enhancing protection of privacy of purchaser contact details in connection with shipment of parcels. A shipping label can be generated that includes at least one contact detail that hides an actual contact detail associated with a purchaser. A carrier tasked to ship and/or deliver the product to an address designated by the purchaser can use the at least one contact detail to contact the purchaser. The attempts to contact the purchaser can be logged, and the contact details expired when no longer needed.

Method and apparatus for multi-destination pick using motes. In embodiments, each receptacle may be assigned to a destination and may have a sensor that detects when an item is placed in the receptacle to deactivate the indicator and/or to verify that the item was placed in the correct receptacle. The sensor may be coupled via a wired or wireless connection to a mote that may include a communication interface for communicating with a control system and with other motes in an ad-hoc network. In some embodiments, each mote may also include an indicator that may be activated by a control system to indicate to the agent that the receptacle is the destination receptacle for a picked item. The agent may then place the item in the indicated destination receptacle. In one embodiment, the mote on the destination receptacle may be activated when the picked item is scanned by the agent.

Method and apparatus for sensing correct item placement for multi-destination picking

A release schedule for an order having a single addressee address is described. The schedule specifies, for each of two or more shipments making up the order, each of the shipments having a different origin location, a release time at which the shipment is to be released from its origin location. The indicated release times are selected on the basis of typical carrier delivery durations from each of the origin locations to the addressee address, in order to cause all of the shipments of the order to be delivered to the addressee address at the same time. The release schedule may be used to schedule the release of the shipments of the order.

Growing community of inventors

Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

Jonathan J Shakes