Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Google Inc.

Other

Samuel Gardner Garrett

Robert R DeWitt

James R Walsh

Timothy Alan Talda

Martin Peter Aalund

Toby Ge Xu

Jon Stuart Battles

Alexander Stevens

Akshay Rajendra Tilekar

Emily Dunne

Unnikrishnan Vadakkanmaruveedu

Paul Roy Raines, Jr

Seshachalamgupta Motamarri

Sachin Rajendra Kothari

Shubhabrata Biswas

Patrick Mahaney

Vinay Balan

Dhruv Dipak Gajaria

Jayson Michael Jochim

Yan Yan

David Bruce McCalib, Jr

Brian Hoffman

David L Alspaugh

Eric K Wyman

Stephanie Tomasetta

Nathanael Arling Worden

Jacqueline T Underberg

Michael Barrett Hill

David Henry Clark

Kaushik Mani

Ned Lecky

Monty McVaugh

Avinash Panga

Tyson Wittrock

Karl Eric Schrader

Gregory Wilson

David Kyle Funnell

Yong Hoon Kim

Chen Ge

Rachel Soukup

John Tan

Jingwen Mao

Addison Hammer

Peter Sarossy

Sonia Thosar

Akhil Ranka

John Stuart Battles

Kurtis Lind

Alex Michael Cuneo

Eugene Oleg Citrisky

Nathan Braid

Paul W Carley

Methods, systems, and media for validating objects within a container, such that a validation system confirms that objects within a container are valid i.e., ready to be shipped from a data center for reuse or ready to be destroyed. The validation system can be used to identify objects, e.g., media, disks, etc., and determine if valid objects are at the correct processing location to be shipped or destroyed. The methods may include identifying the objects, locating an identifier on the object, comparing the identifiers to known identifiers and determining, based on the comparison, if valid objects are at the correct processing location to be shipped or destroyed. The validation system may also use image processing techniques, such as blob detection, to identify invalid objects in the container. The system may reject the entire container if invalid objects are detected.

Validation of objects

A robotic apparatus including a plurality of rigid body sections that move relative to each other by one or more multi-degree of freedom joints. The robotic apparatus can traverse a fixed frame by attaching its distal ends to the frame and moving the rigid body sections relative to each other.

Robotic apparatus for operating on fixed frames

An automated cargo delivery system is provided, including an automated guided vehicle having a housing defining a recess therein and a propulsion system configured to move the housing. The recess may be configured to receive a plurality of swappable carriers each having a uniform width in a horizontal direction and a uniform height in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. Each of the swappable carriers may be configured to be engaged within the recess. The plurality of swappable carriers may include a first swappable carrier and a second swappable carrier. A method of delivering cargo with the automated guided vehicle is also provided. The method may include alternatingly inserting and engaging the first swappable carrier and the second swappable carrier into the recess of the automated guided vehicle.

AGV payload storage swapping system

An enclosure comprising a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing having a first connector receptacle at the first end, the housing having a surface defining a robot-engaging mechanism, a hook extending from the second end of the housing, and a securement mechanism at the second end of the housing.

Enclosures to constrain the location of connectors in automation applications

The apparatus includes a moveable support platform within the container to reduce a distance that items fall into the container when stowed. The support platform is lowered by a movement mechanism as items are placed into the container. The movement mechanism may be a bladder filled with air, a biasing device, a pneumatic device, or a mechanical device. The moveable support may form a bottom portion of the container during transport of the container. In some instances, the movement mechanism may lift items out of the container to empty the container at a destination.

Movable loading support platform within a container

In one embodiment, a shelving unit has first and second sides, a frame, and a barrier. The frame defines a storage bay between the first and second sides, a first opening at the first side, and a second opening at the second side. The second opening receives a storage bin therethrough and into the storage bay. The first opening receives inventory items therethrough and into the storage bin when the storage bin is disposed in the storage bay. The barrier moves between (i) an open position, where the first opening is open to the storage bay so as to allow inventory items to be passed therethrough and into the storage bin, and (ii) a closed position, where the barrier at least partially obstructs at least one of the first and second openings so as to impede a human from reaching through the storage bay when the storage bin is removed.

Inventory shelving with movable barrier to obstruct pathway to high-energy equipment

Embodiments herein describe wireless transmission techniques for mitigating interference between wirelessly controlled machines in a shared space. To mitigate interference, the machines may be assigned different channels within the same frequency band. However, if machines using the same channel in a frequency band receive each other's wireless signals, the wireless signals can interfere. To free up additional bandwidth, in one embodiment, the command signals are transmitted using a different frequency band than a heartbeat signal used to stop the machines in case of emergencies. In another embodiment, time multiplexing or directional antennas can be used to mitigate interference. In another example, antenna diversity and multiple-input-multiple output (MIMO) can be used to further focus the radiation pattern onto the desired machine while avoiding transmitting wireless signals to neighboring machines. In one embodiment, the machines may use dual-channels to transmit and receive duplicate data.

Multi-channel communication with tightly spaced machines

Wireless control of tightly spaced machines

A monitoring system for automated detection of egress or ingress of a drive unit between first and second spaces in an inventory system includes a path for conveying the drive unit between the first and second spaces that defines an intermediate space between the two spaces. A sensor is configured to detect passage of the drive unit between the first space and the intermediate space, and an identification sensor is arranged to read an identifier of the drive unit. In combination with an inventory management system, the monitoring system can be used to update and maintain accuracy of a virtual representation of a physical inventory space that employs automated drive units or shuttles.

Sensor controlled drive unit ingress and egress

Embodiments herein describe techniques for operating lighting systems which can be used by associates who are colorblind or are susceptible to optically induced seizures (e.g., photosensitive epilepsy). In one embodiment, the lighting system includes programmable light sources which permit the lighting system to use colors that a colorblind person can easily distinguish&#x2014;e.g., red, blue, orange, etc. Put differently, the lighting system can choose colors which are easily distinguishable to a colorblind associate when instructing the associate to take an action. Moreover, the lighting system can pulse a light source by changing its brightness or intensity over time. The lighting system can control a maximum gradient change rate and a maximum intensity change to mitigate a risk of optical seizures when pulsing the light sources to mitigate the risk of inducing a seizure.

Color blind friendly pick to light system for identifying storage locations

A bin for a sorting rack includes induction and outlet endwalls each elongated along a lateral direction and opposite each other along a perpendicular longitudinal direction. A pair of opposed sidewalls extends from the induction to the outlet endwall. Each sidewall defines a top edge. A pair of opposed mounting flanges extends outwardly from respective external surfaces of the sidewalls. Each mounting flange defines a longitudinal flange axis oriented along the longitudinal direction. A floor extends from the induction to the outlet endwall with respect to the longitudinal direction and between the sidewalls with respect to the lateral direction. The floor and top edges of the sidewalls are each declined toward the outlet endwall at an angle in a range of about 6 and 14 degrees with respect to the longitudinal flange axis. A height of the induction endwall is no more than 70% of each sidewall height.

Bin design and configuration for increased sort destination density

An example system includes a conveyor configured to move a plurality of items, a ramp configured to support at least one item of the plurality of items as the at least one item is transferred from the conveyor to a tote, and a platform supported on a support surface and configured to support the tote at a location proximate the ramp. In some examples, the tote includes a base having a top surface defining at least part of an interior space of the tote. Further, the platform positions the tote such that the top surface of the base extends at an angle, relative to a horizontal plane, greater than approximately 5 degrees and less than approximately 10 degrees.

Systems and methods for maximizing tote contents

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Samuel Gardner Garrett