US 12,235,632 B1
Light activated access control techniques
Seth R Kaufman, Arlington, MA (US); Arnav Kavadia, Shrewsbury, MA (US); Nathaniel William Hixon, Framingham, MA (US); and Monish Narendra Kapadia, Framingham, MA (US)
Assigned to Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed by Amazon Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA (US)
Filed on Jun. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/853,118.
Int. Cl. G05B 19/418 (2006.01); G07C 9/10 (2020.01); G07C 9/22 (2020.01); G07C 9/27 (2020.01)
CPC G05B 19/4189 (2013.01) [G07C 9/10 (2020.01); G07C 9/22 (2020.01); G07C 9/27 (2020.01); G05B 2219/40298 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inventory management system, comprising:
a workspace management module configured to manage a plurality of mobile drive units configured to move within a workspace, where access to the workspace is restricted at an access point of the workspace by one or more barrier devices;
a user device comprising:
a feedback device configured to: 1) indicate an operational state of the user device and 2) transmit identification information of the user device based at least in part on emitting one or more light signals; and
one or more transmitter devices configured to transmit one or more corresponding signals configured to affect movement of the mobile drive unit on receipt; and
an access controller device comprising:
a processor; and
one or more memories having thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the access controller device to:
receive first identification information corresponding to the user device;
receive, via the one or more light signals of emitted by the feedback device, second identification information corresponding to the user device;
receive, from the workspace management module, an activation response indicating that the user device is operating in an activated state; and
execute one or more operations to cause manipulation of the one or more barrier devices at the access point of the workspace, the one or more barrier devices being manipulated to enable access to the workspace via the access point.