US 12,394,221 B2
System and method for optimizing container contents
James Benjamin Edwards, Centerton, AR (US); Paul E. Durkee, Centerton, AR (US); and Brian C. Roth, Bentonville, AR (US)
Assigned to Walmart Apollo, LLC, Bentonville, AR (US)
Filed by Symbotic LLC, Wilmington, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/594,125.
Application 18/594,125 is a continuation of application No. 17/517,748, filed on Nov. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,948,375.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/111,353, filed on Nov. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0212368 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06V 20/64 (2022.01); G06Q 10/0631 (2023.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); G06V 10/75 (2022.01)
CPC G06V 20/64 (2022.01) [G06Q 10/06313 (2013.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); G06V 10/751 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for determining information concerning products being carried by tote containers, the system comprising:
a picker station including a conveyor device and a robotic arm;
a first tote container, the first tote container being filled with one or more products and being moved by the conveyor device;
at least one sensor arranged about the conveyor device, the at least one sensor obtaining sizing information regarding-dimensions of the first tote container and dimensions of the one or more products;
a database, the database storing predetermined dimensions of the first tote container and each of the one or more products, and a target container product fill amount;
a control circuit, the control circuit coupled to the database and to the sensor, the control circuit configured to:
analyze the sizing information to determine a product fill amount for the first tote container;
compare the sizing information to the predetermined dimensions of the first tote container and each of the one or more products, and compare the product fill amount to the target container product fill amount to determine whether discrepancies exist and a total number of discrepancies;
when discrepancies exist, take an action, with respect to a second tote container that is to be filled and is moved by the conveyor device, to perform a better the action selected based upon types of the discrepancies, a combination of discrepancies detected, and the total number of discrepancies detected and being one of:
selecting a second tote container that is to be filled subsequent to filling the first tote container, wherein the second tote container has different dimensions than the first tote container;
increasing a number of products inserted into a second tote container, by the robotic arm, as being compared to a number of products inserted into the first tote container by the robotic arm;
decreasing a number of products inserted into a second tote container, by the robotic arm, as being compared to a number of products inserted into the first tote container by the robotic arm; or
adjusting the target container product fill amount for the second container;
wherein the action is effective to perform better estimations for future allocation of totes;
wherein the sensor is used to determine damage to the first tote container, wherein when the damage is determined, the first tote container is exchanged for a larger container and/or the number of products is decreased.