US 11,893,530 B2
Automated storage retrieval system connection and communication protocol
Paul Edward Durkee, Centerton, AR (US); Stuart William Clark, Centerton, AR (US); Colin Holmes, Bentonville, AR (US); Jason Shaffer, Rogers, AR (US); Mark Ibbotson, Centerton, AR (US); and John Suarez, Bentonville, AR (US)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Centerton, AR (US)
Filed by Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed on May 27, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/826,568.
Application 17/826,568 is a continuation of application No. 16/510,151, filed on Jul. 12, 2019, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/697,124, filed on Jul. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0292453 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0836 (2023.01); A47G 29/14 (2006.01); G07C 9/00 (2020.01); G07F 17/12 (2006.01); H04W 12/06 (2021.01); H04W 12/08 (2021.01); H04W 48/08 (2009.01); B65G 1/137 (2006.01); A47F 10/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0836 (2013.01) [A47F 10/02 (2013.01); A47G 29/141 (2013.01); B65G 1/1371 (2013.01); G07C 9/00309 (2013.01); G07C 9/00571 (2013.01); G07F 17/12 (2013.01); H04W 12/06 (2013.01); H04W 12/08 (2013.01); H04W 48/08 (2013.01); A47G 2029/146 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated storage and retrieval system, the system comprising:
a dynamic storage and retrieval device having a user interface;
at least one static storage location, the at least one static storage location including a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device, wherein the at least one static 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 static storage location;
a storage and retrieval module, which, when executed:
receives user authentication information from a user via the user interface,
verifies identity of the user based upon the authentication information and authentication data, and
following a verification of the identity of the user:
retrieves order information for an order associated with the user whose identity has been verified, and
transmits instructions to the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one static storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item of the order; and
wherein, after the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives instructions from the storage and retrieval module to initiate the physical opening of the at least one static storage location, the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location does not permit the locking mechanism to physically open the at least one static storage location until the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives a signal from the at least one static storage location indicating that the at least one static storage location detected, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location, and
wherein the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location is permitted to physically open the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item of the order therefrom only in response to receipt by the controller of the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location of the signal indicating that the at least one static location detected, via the interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location.
 
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 dynamic storage and retrieval device,
the dynamic storage and retrieval device including at least one static storage location having a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location and communicatively coupled to the dynamic storage and retrieval device,
wherein the at least one static 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 static storage location;
verifying identity of the user based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data;
following the verifying of the identity of the user:
retrieving order information for an order associated with the user whose identity has been verified, and
transmitting instructions to the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one static storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item of the order, and
after the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives the instructions transmitted by a storage and retrieval module of a computing device in communication with the dynamic storage and retrieval device to initiate the physical opening of the at least one static storage location:
not permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to physically open until the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives a signal from the at least one static storage location indicating that the at least one static location detected, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location, and
permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to physically open to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item of the order therefrom only in response to receipt by the controller of the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location of the signal indicating that the at least one static location detected, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location.
 
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 dynamic storage and retrieval device;
the dynamic storage and retrieval device including at least one static storage location having a controller controlling a locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location and communicatively coupled to
the dynamic storage and retrieval device,
wherein the at least one static 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 static storage location;
verifying identity of the user based upon the authentication information and previously stored authentication data,
following the verifying of the identity of the user:
retrieving order information for an order associated with the user whose identity has been verified, and
transmitting instructions to the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to initiate a physical opening of the at least one static storage location to enable the verified user to retrieve at least one item of the order, and
after the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives the instructions transmitted by a storage and retrieval module of a computing device in communication with the dynamic storage and retrieval device to initiate the physical opening of the at least one static storage location, and via the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location:
not permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to physically open until the controller controlling the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location receives a signal from the at least one static storage location indicating that the at least one static storage location detected, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location; and
permitting the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location to physically open to permit the verified user to retrieve the at least one item of the order therefrom only in response to receipt by the controller of the locking mechanism of the at least one static storage location of the signal indicating that the at least one static location detected, via an interaction with the mobile device operated by the user, the presence of the verified user at the at least one static storage location.