IP Library Granted Patent US 11,538,281
Granted Patent B2
US 11,538,281 · App. 16/114,197 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Worker task performance safely

Inventors: Jeffrey Alan Ward (Casa Grande, AZ); Andrew B. Millhouse (Gilbert, AZ)
Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
G06V40/23G06Q10/06393G06Q10/06398G09B19/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,538,281
App. No.
16/114,197
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Examples provide analyzing motion data. Worker specific sensor data is received and both a task and at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data are identified. At least one task threshold parameter associated with the identified task and ergometric data for a worker related to the identified task is retrieved and at least one worker specific task parameter based on the received worker specific sensor data is generated. The at least one task threshold parameter is compared with the at least one worker specific task parameter and the at least one worker movement is compared with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task. Worker specific task data is generated based on the comparison and a change for future worker movement is identified based on the comparison.

Claims (87)

1. A system for improving worker task performance safety, the system comprising:

at least one transceiver;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver;

at least one memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, comprising computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive worker specific sensor data associated with a specific area of an individual facility at the at least one transceiver;

identify both a task and at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data;

retrieve at least one task threshold parameter associated with the identified task and ergometric data for a worker related to the identified task;

generate at least one worker specific task parameter based on the received worker specific sensor data;

compare the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter;

compare the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task;

generate worker specific task data based on the comparison of the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter; and

identify a change for future worker movement based on the comparison of the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task;

maintain a log of worker specific task data associated with a plurality of workers;

determine aggregated worker performance data in the specific area of the individual facility based on the log of worker specific task data associated with the specific area;

determine whether the aggregated worker performance has exceeded a threshold criteria related to at least one condition associated with the specific area of the individual facility; and

responsive to the determination that the aggregated worker performance has exceeded the threshold criteria, marking the specific area of the individual facility as an unsafe location in a database.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein responsive to marking the specific area as the unsafe location in the database, generating a notification of the unsafe location.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor causes the system to receive the worker specific sensor data from at least one sensor attached to or embedded in one or more of the following: a worker belt, a worker glove, a worker shoe, a worker apparel, a clip-on sensor device, a wearable safety device, and workplace equipment.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein

identifying the task comprises identifying the task based on the at least one worker movement; and

retrieving the at least one task threshold parameter comprises retrieving the at least one task parameter based on the identified at least one worker movement.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor causes the system to generate the worker specific task data including at least one of a worker performance indicator, a task performance indicator, a task performance adjustment recommendation, an update to a worker performance log, and a safety alert based on the comparison.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further causes the system to transmit the worker specific task data to one or more of the following: a worker device and a manager device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further causes the system to receive the worker specific sensor data from workplace equipment, wherein the worker specific sensor data includes equipment specific sensor data associated with the workplace equipment that the worker is associated with or using.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further causes the system to:

iteratively repeat:

receiving worker specific sensor data at the at least one transceiver;

identifying a task based on the received worker specific sensor data;

retrieving at least one task threshold parameter associated with the identified task;

generating at least one worker specific task parameter based on the received worker specific sensor data;

comparing the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter; and

generating worker specific task data based on the comparison, wherein the worker specific task data includes one or more of the following: a worker performance indicator, a task performance indicator, a task performance adjustment recommendation, an update to a worker performance log, a safety alert, worker safety data, worker accident data, worker performance data, and worker injury data;

updating a worker performance log with the repeatedly generated worker specific task data; and

generating predictive trends associated with the performance of the worker based on an analysis of the worker performance log.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further causes the system to:

define one or more safety thresholds for the at least one task based on the ergometric data;

determine whether movement information related to the at least one worker movement exceeds the defined one or more safety thresholds; and

generate a key performance indicator for the worker based on the comparison of the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task and the one or more safety thresholds.

10. A method for improving worker task performance safety implemented on at least one processor, comprising:

receiving worker specific sensor data via a communication network coupled to the at least one processor;

identifying a task, a specific location of an individual facility, and at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data;

retrieving at least one task threshold parameter associated with the identified task and ergometric data for a worker related to the identified task from at least one memory communicatively coupled the processor;

generating at least one worker specific task parameter based on the received worker specific sensor data;

comparing the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter;

comparing the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task;

generating worker specific task data based on the comparison of the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter;

determining whether the worker specific task data exceeds a safety threshold;

responsive to the worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold, determining whether the identified specific location of the individual facility is associated with other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold;

responsive to the identified specific location of the individual facility being associated with the other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold, labeling the identified specific location as potentially unsafe in a database based on the worker specific task data and the other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold; and

identifying a change for future worker movement based on the comparison of the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the worker specific sensor data comprises:

receiving the worker specific data from at least one sensor embedded in one or more of the following: a worker belt, a worker glove, a worker shoe, a worker apparel, a clip-on sensor device, a wearable safety device, and workplace equipment; and

transmitting the worker specific task data to one or more of the following: a worker device and a manager device.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

identifying at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data and wherein:

identifying the task comprises identifying the task based on the at least one worker movement; and

retrieving the at least one task threshold parameter comprises retrieving the at least one task parameter based on the identified at least one worker movement.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating worker specific task data based on the comparison comprises:

generating the worker specific task data including at least one of a worker performance indicator, a task performance indicator, a task performance adjustment recommendation, an update to a worker performance log, and a safety alert based on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

maintaining a log of worker specific task data associated with a plurality of workers;

determining aggregated worker performance data in a specific area based on the log of worker specific task data associated with the specific area; and

determining whether the aggregated worker performance data is impacted by at least one condition associated with the specific area.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for improving worker task performance safety, the computer-executable instructions operable to, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive worker specific sensor data via a communication network coupled to the at least one processor;

identify a task, a specific location of an individual facility, and at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data;

retrieve at least one task threshold parameter associated with the identified task and ergometric data for a worker related to the identified task from at least one memory communicatively coupled the processor;

generate at least one worker specific task parameter based on the received worker specific sensor data;

compare the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter;

compare the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task;

generate worker specific task data based on the comparison of the at least one task threshold parameter with the at least one worker specific task parameter;

determine whether the worker specific task data exceeds a safety threshold;

responsive to the worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold, determine whether the identified specific location of the individual facility is associated with other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold;

responsive to the identified specific location of the individual facility being associated with the other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold, label the identified specific location as potentially unsafe in a database based on the worker specific task data and the other worker specific task data exceeding the safety threshold; and

identify a change for future worker movement based on the comparison of the at least one worker movement with the ergometric data for the worker related to the identified task.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein receiving the worker specific sensor data further comprises computer-executable instructions operable to, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive the worker specific data from at least one sensor embedded in one or more of the following: a worker belt, a worker glove, a worker shoe, a worker apparel, a clip-on sensor device, a wearable safety device, and workplace equipment; and

transmit the worker specific task data to one or more of the following: a worker device and a manager device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to:

identify at least one worker movement based on the received worker specific sensor data, wherein identifying the task comprises identifying the task based on the at least one worker movement; and

retrieve the at least one task threshold parameter comprises retrieving the at least one task parameter based on the identified at least one worker movement.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to:

generate the worker specific task data including at least one of a worker performance indicator, a task performance indicator, a task performance adjustment recommendation, an update to a worker performance log, and a safety alert based on the comparison.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising computer-executable instructions operable to, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to:

maintain a log of worker specific task data associated with a plurality of workers;

determine aggregated worker performance data in a specific area based on the log of worker specific task data associated with the specific area; and

determine whether the aggregated worker performance data is impacted by at least one condition associated with the specific area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2020
From: WARD, JEFFREY ALAN; MILLHOUSE, ANDREW B.
To: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
Reel/Frame 052522/0339 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62574976 · Oct 20, 2017
Related Publication 20190122036A1 · Apr 25, 2019