Modular storage systems
Modular storage systems include load sensors disposed beneath or in association with platforms. The load sensors are pulse-sampled for signals corresponding to loads at time intervals, rather than continuously, in order to conserve electrical power. An item associated with a transaction is identified based on a change in the loads, as determined from the pulse-sampled signals. The platforms are aligned at horizontal or non-horizontal angles, and photovoltaic power sources with banks of photovoltaic cells are mounted to front edges of the platforms. When a user reaches over one of the photovoltaic cells to access an item on a platform, a level of power or voltage generated by the photovoltaic cell is diminished. The item closest to the photovoltaic cell having the diminished power or voltage, or a customer that accessed the item, may be identified accordingly.
1 . A facility comprising:
a computer system;
a storage surface; and
a storage system resting on the storage surface, wherein the storage system comprises:
a platform configured to receive at least one of a plurality of items thereon, wherein the platform comprises four corners; and
four load sensors disposed between an underside of the platform and the storage surface, wherein each one of the load sensors comprises:
a housing comprising an upper section and a lower section, wherein at least a portion of a shape of the housing defines a corner;
at least one battery provided within a cavity defined by the upper section of the housing and the lower section of the housing;
a circuit board provided within the cavity;
a load cell provided within the cavity, wherein the load cell is configured to generate load signals corresponding to a load supplied to the load cell; and
a transmitter provided within the cavity, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the load signals to the computer system, and
wherein each one of the four load sensors is provided at one of the four corners of the platform.
2 . The facility of claim 1 , wherein the load cell of each of the load sensors is one of:
a capacitive sensor;
a force-sensing resistor;
a strain gage;
a piezoelectric sensor; or
an inductive weight sensor.
3 . The facility of claim 1 , wherein the storage system further comprises a plurality of connectors,
wherein each of the housings comprises at least one port for accommodating an end of one of the plurality of connectors,
wherein each of the plurality of connectors is configured to transfer at least one of power or data to or from at least one of the load sensors, and
wherein each of the plurality of connectors is connected between:
ports of two of the load sensors; or
a port of one of the load sensors and at least one of the computer system or an external power source.
4 . The facility of claim 1 , wherein each of the load sensors comprises an articulated contact surface descending below the lower section,
wherein each of the articulated contact surfaces is formed from at least one of a polycarbonate or an acrylic,
wherein each of the upper sections is in contact with the platform, and
wherein each of the articulated contact surfaces is in contact with the storage surface.
5 . The facility of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is programmed with one or more sets of instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to at least:
receive a first plurality of load signals corresponding to loads supplied to the load cells at a first time, wherein each of the first plurality of load signals is received from at least one of the load sensors;
receive a second plurality of load signals corresponding to loads supplied to the load cells at a second time, wherein each of the second plurality of load signals is received from at least one of the load sensors;
detect a first variation in load on the platform between the first time and the second time based at least in part on at least one of the first plurality of load signals and at least one of the second plurality of the load signals;
identify at least one item of the plurality of items associated with the first variation in load on the platform; and
store an indication of at least one transaction associated with the at least one item.
6 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a computer system, a first load signal from a first load sensor of a plurality of load sensors provided between a platform and a surface of a storage unit, wherein the first load signal indicates a force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at a first time, wherein each one of the plurality of load sensors is provided at one corner of the platform, and wherein each one of the plurality of load sensors comprises:
a housing, wherein at least a portion of a shape of the housing defines a corner;
at least one internal power source provided within the housing;
a circuit board provided within the housing;
a load cell provided within the housing, wherein the load cell is configured to generate load signals corresponding to a load supplied to the load cell; and
a transmitter provided within the housing, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the load signals to the computer system;
receiving, by the computer system, a second load signal from the first load sensor, wherein the second load signal indicates a force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at a second time;
detecting, by the computer system, a variation in loading on the platform based at least in part on the first load signal and the second load signal;
identifying, by the computer system, a first item based at least in part on the first load signal and the second load signal; and
storing, by the computer system, information regarding the first item in at least one data store.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each one of the housings of the plurality of load sensors is formed from one or more of a plastic, a rubber, or a composite.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each one of the plurality of load sensors comprises a port for accommodating an end of a connector,
wherein each one of the plurality of load sensors is configured to transfer at least one of power or data by way of the port, and
wherein a port of each one of the plurality of load sensors is connected, by way of a connector, to one of:
a port of another of the plurality of load sensors; or
a port of at least one of the computer system or an external power source.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of load sensors is configured to transmit load signals generated thereby to the computer system by at least one of:
a wireless communication protocol; or
a wired connection to the computer system or another of the plurality of load sensors in communication with the computer system.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein identifying the first item based at least in part on the first load signal and the second load signal comprises:
calculating at least one of a mass or a weight based at least in part on the first load signal and the second load signal, wherein at least one of the mass or the weight is calculated based at least in part on a difference between the force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at the first time and the force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at the second time; and
identifying one of a plurality of items having the at least one of the mass or the weight,
wherein the one of the plurality of items having the at least one of the mass or the weight is the first item.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a cost associated with a transaction involving the first item, wherein the cost associated with the transaction is one of:
a unit cost for the first item; or
a product of a cost per mass or weight of the first item and one of the mass or the weight; and
charging the cost associated with the transaction to a customer.
12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the storage unit is one of a shelf, a table or a floor, and
wherein the platform rests on the plurality of load sensors.
13 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the housing comprises an upper section and a lower section, and
wherein the at least one internal power source, the circuit board, the load cell and the transmitter are provided within a cavity defined by the upper section and the lower section.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the housing further comprises an articulated contact surface descending below the lower section,
wherein the articulated contact surface of each one of the plurality of load sensors is formed from at least one of a polycarbonate or an acrylic,
wherein the upper section of each one of the plurality of load sensors is in contact with the platform, and
wherein the articulated contact surface of each one of the plurality of load sensors is in contact with the surface of the storage unit.
15 . A storage system comprising:
a computer system;
a platform having an upper surface for accommodating items thereon, wherein the platform has a substantially rectangular shape having four corners;
four load sensors disposed between a lower surface of the platform and an upper surface of an inventory location, wherein the computer system is in communication with each of the four load sensors, and wherein each of the four load sensors is provided at one of the four corners of the platform and comprises:
a housing, wherein at least a portion of a shape of the housing defines a corner aligned with the one of the four corners of the platform;
a circuit board provided within the housing;
a battery provided within the housing;
a load cell provided within the housing, wherein the load cell is configured to generate load signals corresponding to a load supplied to the load cell; and
a transmitter provided within the housing, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the load signals to the computer system; and
a plurality of connectors, wherein each of the plurality of connectors is configured to transfer at least one of power or data to or from at least one of the four load sensors, and wherein each of the plurality of connectors is connected between:
two of the four load sensors; or
one of the four load sensors and at least one of the computer system or a power source external to the four load sensors.
16 . The storage system of claim 15 , wherein each of the four load sensors is configured to transmit load signals generated thereby to the computer system by at least one of:
a wireless communication protocol; or
one of the plurality of connectors.
17 . The storage system of claim 15 , wherein the computer system is configured to execute a method comprising:
receiving a first load signal from a first load sensor of the four load sensors, wherein the first load signal indicates a force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at a first time;
receiving a second load signal from the first load sensor, wherein the second load signal indicates a force applied to the first load sensor by the platform at a second time;
detecting a variation in loading on the upper surface of the platform based at least in part on the first load signal and the second load signal;
identifying an item based at least in part on the variation in loading; and
in response to identifying the item based at least in part on the variation in loading,
storing information regarding the item in at least one data store.
18 . The storage system of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
in response to identifying the item based at least in part on the variation in loading,
determining a cost associated with the item, wherein the cost associated with the item is one of:
a unit cost for the item; or
a product of a cost per mass or weight of the item and one of a mass of the item or a weight of the item determined based at least in part on the variation,
wherein the information regarding the item comprises the cost associated with the item.
19 . The storage system of claim 15 , wherein the load cell of each of the four load sensors is one of:
a capacitive sensor;
a force-sensing resistor;
a strain gage;
a piezoelectric sensor; or
an inductive weight sensor.
20 . The storage system of claim 15 , wherein each one of the housings comprises an upper section and a lower section defining a cavity,
wherein each one of the housings has a shape defining a corner,
wherein each one of the load sensors comprises an articulated contact surface descending below the lower section,
wherein each one of the articulated contact surfaces is formed from at least one of a polycarbonate or an acrylic,
wherein each one of the upper sections is in contact with the lower surface of the platform, and
wherein each one of the articulated contact surfaces is in contact with the upper surface of the inventory location.