Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Ned Lecky

Peter R Wurman

Wesley Scott Lauka

Ryan Scott Russell

Peter K Mansfield

Jon Stuart Battles

Martin Peter Aalund

Jayson Michael Jochim

David Henry Clark

Dennis Polic

Joshua Joel Boelter

James Christopher Curlander

Jules Cook Graybill

Samuel Gardner Garrett

Yan Yan

Kaushik Mani

Paul Roy Raines, Jr

David Levy

John Tan

Jill Kathleen Sestini

Described are systems, methods, and apparatus for managing the movement of inventory items within a materials handling facility using rollable containers and a gravity feed conveyance system. Inventory items are placed in the rollable containers and are routed to different locations within the materials handling facility along the gravity feed conveyance system, through use of gravitational forces that cause the rollable containers to roll. By using gravity to route inventory items within the materials handling facility, the energy and power requirements for the materials handling facility are reduced, which reduces overhead costs and which is better for the environment.

Gravity feed inventory management

An RFID device may include one or more manually activated RFID tags configured to transmit unique RFID signals in response to a manual activation thereof. A transaction may be defined upon receiving a confluence of multiple RFID signals at the same time, or at nearly the same time, at an RFID reader. A transaction may also be defined upon receiving multiple RFID signals or confluences of such signals in a predetermined series or sequence. The RFID devices may include a single manually activated RFID tag, or two or more of such tags, which may be individually activated by one or more manual interactions from a user.

Tracking transactions by confluences and sequences of RFID signals

Disclosed are various embodiments for pick verification using moving radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. A robotic picker moves an item storage structure within range of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader, wherein the item storage structure comprises multiple items and the items each have an RFID tag affixed. The RFID tag reader emits an electric field. The robotic picker moves the item storage structure while the RFID tag reader emits the electric field. An RFID tag identification device receives responses from energized RFID tags affixed to the items. The RFID tag identification device determines that an energized RFID tag is in motion and selects an identifier broadcast by the energized RFID tag that is in motion.

Pick verification using moving RFID tags

Inventory systems may include one or more sensors capable of detecting spatial positioning of inventory holders and an arm of a worker interacting with the inventory holder. Data can be received from a sensor, a gesture of the arm can be determined from the data, and a bin location or other information can be determined based on the gesture.

Arm-detecting overhead sensor for inventory system

Disclosed are various embodiments for verifying that items have been correctly retrieved to fulfill orders or shipments. A plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are energized with an electromagnetic field emitted from an RFID reader, wherein individual ones of the RFID tags include a sensor. Motion data is reported by the RFID tags and detected via the RFID reader. Subsequently, at least one of the plurality of RFID tags is selected from the plurality of RFID tags based at least in part on the motion data.

Distinguishing RFID tags using motion data

Disclosed are systems and methods for an automated materials handling facility. The automated materials handling facility uses a series of automated devices, such as automated guidance vehicles, mobile drive units, robotic arms, automated sorters, etc., to facilitate item receive, stow, pick, shipping and other aspects of materials handling. The automated devices are controlled by a materials handling control system that sends instructions to the various devices to coordinate operation of those devices and to coordinate flow of items through the materials handling system.

Automated materials handling facility

Inventory systems may include one or more sensors capable of detecting spatial positioning of inventory holders and associated inventory items. Data can be received from a sensor, a boundary corresponding to a face of the inventory holder can be determined from the data, and items projecting across the boundary can be determined as items protruding from the inventory holder.

Item-detecting overhead sensor for inventory system

Disclosed are various embodiments for verifying that items have been correctly retrieved to fulfill orders or shipments. A plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags may be energized with an electromagnetic field emitted from an RFID reader, wherein individual ones of the plurality of RFID tags comprise a unique identifier. A signal strength reader may detect a change in a signal strength corresponding to the RFID tag. The RFID reader may then identify the unique identifier of the RFID tag in response to detecting the change in the signal strength corresponding to the RFID tag.

By evaluating readily available facts regarding an object, an item may be identified, or one or more characteristics of the item may be determined, and a destination for the item may be selected. An extraction module including a depth sensor may capture depth imaging data regarding the item, which may then be processed in order to estimate one or more dimensions of the item, and an appropriate container or storage area for the item may be selected. Additionally, the extraction module may further include a scale for determining a mass of the item, or digital cameras for capturing one or more images of the item. The images of the item may be analyzed in order to interpret any markings, labels or identifiers disposed on the item, and a destination for the item may be selected based on the mass, the analyzed images or the depth imaging data.

Automatic visual fact extraction

Where the recognition of small characters (e.g., text, numbers or symbols) expressed in substantially large images is desired, the recognition process may be facilitated by identifying a signature or a pattern of marked identifiers (e.g., bar codes) within the image, and determining where such characters are typically located in relation to the signature or pattern of identifiers. Because the recognition of characters within images typically occupies a substantial amount of a computer's processing capacity, focusing a recognition technique on portions where such characters are frequently located within an image that includes the signature or pattern, and not on the entire image, the time required in order to process an image in order to recognize such characters may be markedly reduced.

Signature-guided character recognition

Some examples include using an inventory tracking device to track the addition of inventory items to an inventory holder of an inventory system or removal of inventory items from the inventory holder. The inventory holder may include one or more trays to store one or more inventory items, with each tray including one or more bins that may be defined by dividers on the tray. The inventory tracking device may use inventory holder configuration data that identifies locations of the bins to determine that the inventory item was added to or removed from a particular bin of the inventory holder.

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Vashon, WA, United States of America

Ned Lecky