US 12,014,321 B2
Systems, methods, computing platforms, and storage media for directing and controlling an autonomous inventory management system in a retail control territory
Eric Rongley, Golden, CO (US)
Assigned to Prime Robotics, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed by Autonomous Shelf, Inc., Denver, CO (US)
Filed on Jun. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/335,541.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/033,686, filed on Jun. 2, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0012677 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06K 7/10 (2006.01); G06Q 30/0251 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/087 (2013.01) [G06K 7/10297 (2013.01); G06Q 30/0255 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for dynamically organizing autonomous storage units in a retail control territory, the system comprising:
one or more hardware processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:
identify a plurality of autonomous storage units, wherein each autonomous storage unit comprises:
a housing,
an inventory storage device physically coupled to the housing, and configured to transport at least one inventory item,
a power device, wherein the power device is operationally configured to supply power to electrical components of the autonomous storage unit,
a drive device in electrical communication with the power device, the drive device operationally configured to physically move the autonomous storage unit in one or more control territories, including at least the retail control territory,
and one or more of:
a navigation device operationally configured to transmit and receive geographic data and determine a physical location of the autonomous storage unit,
a sensing device operationally configured to detect physical objects and transmit and receive physical object data, and
a control device, wherein the control device is in electronic communication with the power device, the drive device, and one or more of the navigation device and the sensing device, and is operationally configured to control the autonomous storage unit;
and wherein the one or more hardware processors are further configured by machine readable instructions to:
designate one or more floor areas of the retail control territory as available for lease to product manufacturers, wherein at least a portion of the designated one or more floor spaces are end-cap aisle spaces;
receive bids from the product manufacturers to lease the end-cap aisle spaces for a specified period of time;
assign an end-cap aisle space to a product manufacturer having a highest bid for the specified period of time;
determine an autonomous storage unit is associated with the product manufacturer having the highest bid, wherein determining the association between the autonomous storage unit and the product manufacturer having the highest bid is based on inventory items held by the autonomous storage unit;
direct the determined autonomous storage unit to travel to the assigned end-cap aisle space and occupy the assigned end-cap aisle space for the specified period of time; and
direct the determined autonomous storage unit to travel away from the assigned end-cap aisle space after expiration of the specified period of time.