Sensor-related improvements to automatic replenishment devices

US11361011B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · US

Inventors

• Dave Jonathan Lefkow · Bellevue, US
• Jon Appleby · Acton, US
• David C. Buuck · Santa Clara, US
• Charles R. Watson · Mountain View, US
• Amirali Virani · Bellevue, US
• Hannah McClellan Richards · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 26, 2018
• Grant date: Jun 14, 2022
• Expiry date: Jun 21, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0633
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The disclosed techniques relate to improving sensor data collection/reporting at an automatic replenishment device (ARD). For example, sensor data associated with the item stored at an ARD may be collected. The ARD can calculate a change in the amount of the item stored by the ARD from the sensor data. If the change is over a reporting threshold, the sensor data (or the amount of change) may be transmitted to a back-end system. Reporting may not occur if additional sensor data (e.g., accelerometer data and/or images captured at the ARD) is not commensurate with a user interaction. If the difference is under the reporting threshold or unlikely due to user interaction, the ARD may refrain from transmitting the sensor data. These techniques conserves power at the ARD, relieves the back-end system from needless processing, and enables more accurate indications of the amount of the item stored by the ARD.