Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Nirmal Doshi

Nathan Pius O'Neill

Aaron M McDaniel

Joel Stirling

Joseph W Chauvin

Robert Jerome Colwill

Yuxing Tang

Spencer Ralph Dodge

Nir Charny

Kaigene Jennifer Lin

Emily Marsden

Vahideh Kamranzadeh

Michael Joseph Ausich

Gregory Kim Justice

Ryan Long

Rafiuddin Arif Ahud

Sunil Felix Assao

Alpeshkumar Manubhai Vaghasia

Venkata Srikiran Bodapati

Willy Scott Mordant

Rachel M Burroughs

Forrest Alexander Bourke

Justin William Andersen

Michael Morgan

Nathan P O'neill

Snigdhendu Sekhar Mukhopadhyay

Dnyanesh P Joshi

Yi-Kuo Jen

Garth M Jackson

Where an image displayed by an electronic label depicts information that requires replacement or revision, data for causing the revised information to be displayed by the electronic label is reduced. The data represents portions of the image depicting the information that requires replacement or revision, rather than an entirely new image. Such portions are smaller in size than an image then being displayed, and are transmitted to the electronic label when such changes or required, or along with the image then being displayed. Such portions may also be compressed or uncompressed versions of the images, and may be represented as sets of code words including one or more bytes that identify rows or pixels having discrete colors.

Compressing images for display on electronic labels

Storage units including platforms that are outfitted with RFID antennas and auxiliary sensors detect changes in loading on the platforms based on changes in loading determined by the auxiliary sensors or changes in signals received by the RFID antennas. The platforms include surfaces for receiving items tagged with RFID transmitters thereon, such as items of common types and variable weights. An interaction involving the placement of an item on the platform, or the removal of the item from the platform, is detected by the auxiliary sensors. The energization of an RFID field is triggered in response to the detected interaction, and an item is identified where an RFID signal transmitted by the item is present at one time and absent at another time.

Detecting interactions with storage units based on RFID signals and auxiliary signals

This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling facilities to implement techniques to determine when users are in possession of items when located within and/or exiting the facilities. For instance, a system may use one or more sensors to determine locations of a user that navigated through a facility. Additionally, the system may use one or more sensors to determine locations of an item while the item was located within the facility. The system may then determine a probability that the user was in possession of the item when in the facility and/or when exiting the facility based at least in part on the locations of the user and the locations of the item. If the system determines that the user was in possession of the item when exiting the facility, the system may charge a payment instrument of the user for a price of the item.

Customized retail environments

An apparatus includes a crossbar to which a plurality of accessories using different mechanical interfaces may be attached and detached. The crossbar is instrumented and provides information, such as a weight change due to addition to, or removal of, items from an accessory on the crossbar. An extensible bracket attaches the crossbar to a supporting structure, decreasing mechanical strain on the crossbar due to minor misalignment of the supporting structure. Accessories such as wire hooks, shelves, bins, and so forth may be supported by the crossbar. A tether device, locking cam device, or clip device may be used to prevent lateral movement of components such as the accessories or the entire crossbar relative to its supporting structure. A baffle may be affixed to the crossbar to constrain airflow for operation in a temperature-controlled case.

Apparatus for stowing items

This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling physical retail stores and other facilities to implement automated-checkout techniques for the purchase of items that are priced per unit weight. For example, the described systems may enable a facility to implement technology where users are able to remove items from inventory locations, where the inventory locations include weight sensors detecting the weights of the items that were removed. The system then determines the prices based on the weights and charges the users for the prices of the items without performing manual checkout of the items. The price of an item is determined based on the weight of the item and the price per unit weight of the item. The systems described herein thus enable customized retail facilities, as opposed to a retail facility that allows automated-checkout only for prepackaged-type or otherwise non-customizable merchandise.

This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling physical retail stores and other facilities to implement automated-checkout techniques for the purchase of items that are priced per unit weight. For example, the described systems may enable a facility to implement technology where users are able to remove items from inventory locations, place the items on weight sensors, and then be charged for the prices of the items without performing manual checkout of the items. The price of an item is determined based at least in part on the identifier of the item and the price per unit weight of the item. The systems described herein thus enable customized retail facilities, as opposed to a retail facility that allows automated-checkout only for prepackaged-type or otherwise non-customizable merchandise.

Growing community of inventors

Bothell, WA, United States of America

Nirmal Doshi