Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase from a customer, querying an inventory database to determine whether the item for purchase is in stock, in an event that the item for purchase is not in stock according to the inventory database: determining an out of stock response to present to the customer, in an event that the item for purchase is in stock according the inventory database: instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.

A method of determining a location of an RFID tag may be provided. The method may comprise obtaining first received signal strength data associated with a first tag volume and relating to signals received from the tag at a first plurality of locations relative to the tag, and second received signal strength data associated with a second tag volume different from the first tag volume and relating to signals received from the tag at a second plurality of locations relative to the tag. The method may comprise determining, depending on the first and second received signal strength data, point of peak data indicative of a location with respect to the first and second tag volumes of peak received signal strength from the tag. The method may comprise determining value(s) of one or more further received signal parameters depending on the first and second received signal strength data. The method may comprise determining which of the first and second tag volumes the RFID tag is more likely to be located in depending on the point of peak data and on the determined values of the one or more further received signal parameters.

A plurality of lockers can each serve to contain items that have been ordered by a customer. By one approach these lockers are stored in a locker storage facility. By one approach these lockers are configured such that a motorized transport unit can physically engage the locker in order to move the locker. So configured, a central computer system can be configured to select a particular motorized transport unit to retrieve a particular locker that has been previously associated with a particular entity (such as a particular customer or their designated agent) and to make that locker available to that particular entity such that the latter can retrieve their item or items from that locker.

System, method, and apparatus for providing transport are provided. A system for providing passenger transport, comprises a plurality of motorized transport units each comprising a coupler for mechanically coupling to a passenger carrier, and a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units. The central computer system being configured to: receive a ride request from a user, select a motorized transport unit from the plurality of motorized transport units, instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to couple to a passenger carrier associated from the user, determine a route based on user route preference, and instruct the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to transport the user based on the route.

Some embodiments include apparatuses to fulfill customer orders comprising a motorized transport unit; a product pick unit (PPU) that cooperate with the motorized transport unit; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system configured to communicate with the multiple motorized transport units and the plurality of product pick units, and comprises a control circuit and memory storing instructions executed to cause the control circuit to: communicate an instruction to the motorized transport unit and direct the motorized transport unit to transport the product pick unit to a determined first location within the shopping facility proximate to where a first product having been ordered is located; and communicate an instruction to the product pick unit cooperated with the motorized transport unit and direct the product pick unit to retrieve the first product.

Methods and apparatuses are provided, some apparatuses comprise: a location controller separate from a motorized transport unit, comprising: a transceiver configured to receive communications from the motorized transport unit; a control circuit; a memory storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to perform the steps of: obtain, from the communications, a unique light source identifier of a light source detected by the motorized transport unit, and relative distance information determined by the motorized transport unit through an optical measurement; process the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information relative to a mapping of the shopping facility; and determine, in response to the processing, a location of the motorized transport unit within the shopping facility as a function of the at least one unique light source identifier and the relative distance information.

Systems and methods of estimating a location of a mobile computing device are provided. For instance, acoustic signals can be received from one or more transmitting devices associated with a real-time locating system. A set of peaks can be selected from the received acoustic signals. A first set of transmitter locations can be assigned to the selected set of peaks. The first set of transmitter locations can be specified by an acoustic model specifying a plurality of transmitter locations within an acoustic environment in which the one or more transmitting devices are located. A first model path trace associated with the first set of transmitter locations can be compared to the received acoustic signals. A location of the mobile computing device can be estimated based at least in part on the comparison.

A central computer system directs a motorized transport unit through a retail shopping facility to a particular mobile item container having at least one item disposed therein, that item being designated for return to a particular department within the retail shopping facility such that this item can then again be presented for sale. After causing that motorized transport unit to physically attach to this mobile item container, the central computer system then directs that motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached particular mobile item container to the one or more departments to which the item or items are to be so returned.

A shopping facility assistance system includes a plurality of motorized transport units, a plurality of user interface units, and a central computer system having a network interface such that the central computer system wirelessly communicates with one or both of the motorized transport units and the user interface units. The central computer system is configured to control movement of the motorized transport units through a shopping facility space based at least on inputs from the user interface units. More particularly, the central computer system controls movement of the motorized transport units such that a given one of the plurality of motorized transport units selectively leads a user to a destination within the shopping facility or follows the user within the shopping facility as determined by the central computer system. By one approach, the motorized transport units move through the shopping facility via a plurality of preferred pre-determined path segments.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining item availability are provided. A computer implemented method for determining item availability in a shopping space comprising: receiving a request for an item for purchase from a customer, querying an inventory database to determine whether the item for purchase is in stock, in an event that the item for purchase is not in stock according to the inventory database: determining an out of stock response to present to the customer, in an event that the item for purchase is in stock according the inventory database: instructing a motorized transport unit to travel to a display space in the shopping space corresponding to the item for the purchase, determining whether the item is available in the display space based on information captured by one or more sensors of the motorized transport unit, and in an event that the item for purchase is not available in the display space: determining an item unavailable response to present to the customer.