Granted Patent B2

US 12,236,393 · App. 18/545,141 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Inventors: Paul Edward Durkee (Centerton, AR); Stuart William Clark (Centerton, AR); Colin Holmes (Bentonville, AR); Jason D. Shaffer (Rogers, AR); Mark R. Ibbotson (Bentonville, AR); John Suarez (Bentonville, AR)

Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC

G06Q10/0836A47F10/02A47G29/141B65G1/1371G07C9/00309G07C9/00571G07F17/12H04W12/06H04W12/08H04W48/08A47G2029/146B25J9/1687

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. An automated storage and retrieval system, the system comprising:

a storage and retrieval device having a user interface;

at least one storage location, the at least one storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one storage location and coupled to the storage and retrieval device, wherein the at least one storage location is configured to interact with a mobile device operated by a user to detect a presence of the user at the at least one storage location;

a storage and retrieval module, which, when executed:

receives user authentication information from the user via the user interface;

verifies identity of the user; and

following a verification of the identity of the user, causes the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item from the at least one storage location;

wherein, the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location does not permit the locking mechanism to physically open the at least one storage location until the at least one storage location detects, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location, and

wherein the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location is permitted to physically open the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item from the at least one storage location only in response to the at least one location detecting, via the interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage location is at least one of a locker and a location equipped with a lockable gate or opening.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one storage location further includes at least one proximity sensor to detect the arrival of the user.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one proximity sensor interacts with an application executing on the mobile device operated by the user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic storage and retrieval device further includes a robotic arm configured to retrieve the item in response to a command from the storage and retrieval module.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the robotic arm is further configured to extend the item through the physical opening after retrieval.

7. A computing device-implemented method for automated storage and retrieval, the method comprising:

receiving user authentication information from a user via a user interface for a storage and retrieval device, the storage and retrieval device including at least one storage location having a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one storage location and coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device, wherein the at least one storage location is configured to interact with a mobile device operated by the user to detect a presence of the user at the at least one storage location;

verifying identity of the user;

following the verifying of the identity of the user, causing the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item from the at least one storage location; and

by the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location:

not permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to physically open until the at least one storage location detects, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location; and

permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to physically open to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item from the at least one storage location only in response to the at least one storage location detecting, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the storage location is at least one of a locker and a location equipped with a lockable gate or opening.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one storage location further includes at least one proximity sensor to detect the arrival of the user.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one proximity sensor interacts with an application executing on the mobile device operated by the user.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the dynamic storage and retrieval device further includes a robotic arm configured to retrieve the item in response to a command from the storage and retrieval module.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the robotic arm is further configured to extend the item through the physical opening after retrieval.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by a computing device, wherein execution of the instructions causes the computing device to implement a method for automated storage and retrieval, the method comprising:

receiving user authentication information from a user via a user interface for a storage and retrieval device, the storage and retrieval device including at least one storage location having a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one storage location and coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device, wherein the at least one storage location is configured to interact with a mobile device operated by the user to detect a presence of the user at the at least one storage location;

verifying identity of the user;

following the verifying of the identity of the user, causing the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item from the at least one storage location; and

by the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location:

not permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to physically open until the at least one storage location detects, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location; and

permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one storage location to physically open to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item from the at least one storage location only in response to the at least one storage location detecting, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one storage location.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions, wherein the storage location is at least one of a locker and a location equipped with a lockable gate or opening.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the at least one storage location further includes at least one proximity sensor to detect the arrival of the user.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the at least one proximity sensor interacts with an application executing on the mobile device operated by the user.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the dynamic storage and retrieval device further includes a robotic arm configured to retrieve the item in response to a command from the storage and retrieval module.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the robotic arm is further configured to extend the item through the physical opening after retrieval.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (294)