US-12620229-B1 - Customized retail environments

US12620229B1US 12620229 B1US12620229 B1US 12620229B1US-12620229-B1

Abstract

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.

Inventors

Aaron M. McDaniel
Nirmal Doshi
Nathan P. O'Neill
Joel Stirling
Joseph W. Chauvin
Nir Charny
Kaigene Jennifer Lin
Spencer Ralph Dodge

Assignees

AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230523

Claims (16)

1 . A system comprising: a first sensor associated with an inventory location of a facility and configured to capture first sensor data; a weigh station positioned in the facility, the weigh station including a weight sensor; a second sensor positioned proximate to the weigh station and configured to capture second sensor data; one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving the first sensor data associated with the inventory location in the facility; determining, based at least in part on the first sensor data, that a user removed an item from the inventory location; determining that the item was placed on the weight sensor; receiving, from the weigh station, third sensor data representing a weight of the item; determining a price of the item that is based at least in part on the weight; determining, based on the second sensor data received from the second sensor, that the user is positioned within a threshold distance to the weigh station; determining that the user has exited the facility; and charging a payment instrument associated with the user for the price of the item based at least in part on determining that the user removed the item from the inventory location, that the user was positioned within the threshold distance to the weigh station, and that the user has exited the facility.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein: the second sensor includes a camera; the second sensor data includes image data; the operations further comprise receiving the image data from the camera; and determining that the user is positioned within the threshold distance of the weigh station comprises determining that at least an image represented by the image data depicts the user positioned proximate the weigh station.
3 . A method comprising: determining, based on first sensor data, an identity of an item within a facility, wherein: the first sensor data is received from one or more sensors arranged within a facility in association with a plurality of items; and the plurality of items includes the item; determining, based on weight sensor data from a weight sensor at a first time, a weight of the item, wherein the weight sensor is associated with a weigh station positioned within the facility and proximate a camera; determining a price of the item based on the weight; receiving second sensor data from the camera positioned proximate the weigh station at a second time, wherein the second time is later than the first time; processing the second sensor data to determine that a user received the item at the second time; determining, based at least in part on the user receiving the item at the second time, that the item is associated with the user; determining that the user has exited the facility; storing event data associated with an account associated with the user, the event data indicating at least an identifier associated with the item and the price; and charging a payment instrument associated with the user for the price of the item.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the identity of the item comprises: receiving additional sensor data generated by a second camera; analyzing the additional sensor data to determine that a second user retrieved the item from an inventory location associated with the item; and storing, with the event data, item data representing the item.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the identity of the item comprises receiving, from an electronic device, item data representing the identifier associated with the item.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the price of the item comprises receiving, from an electronic device, price data representing the price of the item.
7 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: receiving additional sensor data generated by one or more sensors; and determining, based at least in part on the additional sensor data, that the user did not return the item to an inventory location, and wherein storing the event data is based at least in part on determining that the user did not return the item to the inventory location.
8 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the price of the item comprises: storing price data representing a price per unit weight associated with the item; and determining the price of the item based at least in part on the weight and price per unit weight.
9 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: determining that the second time is within a threshold period of time to the first time, and wherein determining that the item is associated with the user is based at least in part on the second time being within the threshold period of time to the first time.
10 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the item is associated with the user comprises determining that the user is positioned within a threshold distance of the weight sensor at the second time.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second sensor data comprises image data generated at the second time, and wherein determining that the user is positioned within the threshold distance of the weight sensor at the second time comprises determining that at least an image represented by the image data depicts the user positioned proximate the weight sensor.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining that the user is positioned within the threshold distance of the weight sensor comprises determining that an electronic device associated with the user is located within the threshold distance at the second time.
13 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: determining, prior to the first time, that the item was removed from an inventory location; and determining the identity of the item is based on the inventory location.
14 . A non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: determining, based on first sensor data, an identity of an item within a facility, wherein: the first sensor data is received from one or more sensors arranged within a facility in association with a plurality of items; and the plurality of items includes the item; determining, based on weight sensor data from a weight sensor at a first time, a weight of the item, wherein the weight sensor is associated with a weigh station positioned within the facility and proximate a camera; determining a price of the item based on the weight; receiving second sensor data from the camera positioned proximate the weigh station at a second time, wherein the second time is later than the first time; processing the second sensor data to determine that a user received the item at the second time; determining, based at least in part on the determination that the user received the item at the second time, that the item is associated with the user; storing event data associated with an account associated with the user, the event data indicating at least an identifier associated with the item and the price; determining that the user has exited the facility; and charging a payment instruction associated with the user for the price of the item.
15 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein determining the identity of the item comprises: receiving additional sensor data generated by the camera; analyzing the additional sensor data to determine that a second user retrieved the item from an inventory location associated with the item; and storing, with the event data, item data representing the item.
16 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14 , wherein determining that the item is associated with the user comprises using an object recognition algorithm to identify the item in possession of the user.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/806,573, filed Mar. 2, 2020, titled “CUSTOMIZED RETAIL ENVIRONMENTS,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Traditional physical stores maintain an inventory of items in customer-accessible areas such that customers can pick items from the inventory and take them to a cashier for purchase, rental, and so forth. In some instances, a price of an item may be based on a weight of the item. For example, a user may want to purchase a given number of items of a type of fruit, such as oranges. When the user takes the oranges to the cashier, the cashier may place the oranges on a scale that measures the weight of the oranges. The cashier may then determine the price for the oranges that is based on the weight. After determining the price, the cashier charges the customer for the price of the oranges. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features. FIG. 1A illustrates an example facility associated with a system for enabling automated checkout (AC) techniques to allow users to enter the facility, remove items that are priced per unit weight, and exit the facility without performing a manual checkout of the items. To do so, the system coupled to the environment may identify an entering user and charge an account associated with the user for a price of the items upon exit of the user. FIG. 1B illustrates the example facility associated with the system for enabling automated checkout (AC) techniques that also allow users to enter the facility, order items from an associate, and exit the facility without performing a manual checkout of the items. To do so, the system coupled to the environment may identify an entering user and charge an account associated with the user for a price of the ordered items upon exit of the user. FIG. 1C illustrates the example facility associated with the system for enabling automated-checkout (AC) techniques that also allow users to enter the facility, fill a container with items, and exit the facility without performing a manual checkout of the items. To do so, the system coupled to the environment may identify an entering user and charge an account associated with the user for a price of the ordered items upon exit of the user. FIG. 1D illustrates the example facility associated with the system for enabling automated checkout (AC) techniques that also allow users to enter the facility, remove items that were pre-packaged by an associate, and exit the facility without performing a manual checkout of the items. To do so, the system coupled to the environment may identify an entering user and charge an account associated with the user for a price of the pre-package upon exit of the user. FIG. 1E illustrates the example facility associated with the system for enabling automated checkout (AC) techniques that also allow users to enter the facility, place items within a bagging station that includes a weight station for determining a price of the items, and exit the facility without performing a manual checkout of the items. To do so, the system coupled to the environment may identify an entering user and charge an account associated with the user for a price of the pre-package upon exit of the user. FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of example components that may be included in a station for weighing items. FIGS. 3A-3B are an example process for determining that an order is associated with a user and then processing a transaction associated with the order. FIG. 4 is an example process for associating an order with an account of a user, where the order is for an item that is priced based at least in part on a weight of the item. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example materials handling facility that includes sensors and an inventory management system configured to generate output regarding events occurring in the facility using the sensor data. FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of one or more servers configured to support operation of the facility. As illustrated, the servers may include a checkout-eligibility component for determining whether a user is eligible to exit the facility with one or more picked items without performing a manual checkout of the items. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This disclosure describes, in part, systems for enabling facilities (e.g., physical retail stores) with items that are priced per unit weight to implement automated-checkout (AC) techniques for customers of the facilities. For example, the described systems may enable the facilities to implement technology where users are able to pick items from inventory locations (e.g., shelves, racks, cases, c