A wheel assembly for installation on a shopping cart to retro-fit the shopping cart for facilitating self-checkout. The wheel assembly may include a support structure and a wheel rotatably supported on the support structure. The wheel assembly may further include a rechargeable battery supported by the support structure and a charging module supported on the support structure. In addition, the wheel assembly may include a force-detection module configured to provide a signal related to an item event in which an item is deposited within the shopping cart. Still further, the wheel assembly may include a processing and communications unit configured to receive the signal from the force-detection module. The processing and communications unit may transmit the signal to a device that is separate from the wheel assembly.

A mobile shopping unit of an automated checkout system includes one or more sensors within a shopping cart that detect when a change to the contents of the shopping cart has occurred. If the mobile shopping unit detects a change, the mobile shopping unit captures image data of the contents of the shopping cart using one or more cameras mounted to the shopping cart. The mobile shopping unit uses the image data to identify the item added to or removed from the cart. The mobile shopping unit applies a machine-learned item identification model to the image data received from the cameras to determine an item identifier for the added or removed item. When the mobile shopping unit determines the identifier for the added or removed item, the mobile shopping unit updates a contents list associated with the customer that stores the items currently collected by the customer.

A shopping cart to communicate with a mobile device having a mobile application running thereon, the shopping cart including a main storage portion to receive an object therein, the main storage portion including a base upon which the object may be disposed, and a plurality of walls extending upwards from side portions of the base to form a space wherein the object may be held, a scanning unit disposed along a top portion of at least one of the plurality of walls to scan an identifying member disposed on the object, a processor disposed on the shopping cart to receive data from the scanning unit corresponding to the scanned object and to store the data within a storage unit of the processor, and a communication unit to send the data to the mobile device such that the user may use the mobile device to at least one of view the data corresponding to the scanned object and pay for the object.

Disclosed is a shopping system wherein a self-contained shopping vehicle allows for both physical and electronic interface by the consumer with the shopping vehicle to both execute and complete a shopping transaction at the shopping vehicle of the shopping system.

Examples provide a set of smart shelves including sensors for generating sensor data associated with one or more items displayed on the set of smart shelves. If the shelf sensor data indicates an item is removed from a smart shelf, the smart shelf sends out an item notification, including item data associated with the removed item. The item notification is sent to a set of smart carts within a notification zone. A smart cart includes sensor devices generating cart sensor data associated with items placed inside the smart cart device. If the cart sensor data indicates the removed item is placed into one of the smart carts, the smart cart sends a confirmation message to the smart shelf and any other smart carts within the notification zone. The smart cart receiving the removed item updates a list of items in the cart to include the removed item.

Disclosed herein relates to a self-checkout anti-theft vehicle system, comprising: a self-checkout vehicle having a plurality of sensors and components implemented thereon, the self-checkout vehicle being used by shoppers for storing selected merchandises in a retail environment; and a centralized computing device. The centralized computing device is configured to: obtain information related to each merchandise selected and placed into the self-checkout vehicle by a shopper by exchanging data with the plurality of sensors and components via a first communication network, identify each merchandise via a second, different communication network based at least upon the information obtained from the plurality of sensors and components, and process payment information of each merchandise.

Disclosed herein relates to a system, comprising: at least one load receiver mounted on a shopping cart or basket and configured to receive an item placed into the shopping cart or basket for a weighing operation; a plurality of sensors configured to detect a plurality of parameters relating to the weighing operation of the item including at least one of: a relative angle between a force sensing axis of the at least one load receiver and a direction of gravity, a motion of the shopping cart or basket, and an ambient temperature surrounding the shopping cart or basket and the at least one load receiver; and a processor configured to determine an actual weight of the item based on at least a portion of the plurality of parameters.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including an apparatus that includes a motorized base configured to move the apparatus; an upper portion coupled to the motorized base; one or more load-sensing devices located between the motorized base and the upper portion, the one or more load-sensing devices being configured to (i) detect forces between the upper portion and the motorized base, and (ii) provide force information based on the detected forces between different portions of the upper portion and the motorized base; and one or more processors performs operations of: obtaining the force information provided by the one or more load-sensing devices; determining a difference between the forces indicated by the force information from the one or more load-sensing devices; determining, based the difference in the forces, a movement to be performed by the apparatus; and providing control information to cause the motorized base to perform the determined movement.

A mobile weighing scale is disclosed. The mobile weighing scale comprises a column; a weighing platform for supporting an object to be weighed; and a plurality of load cells for computing weighment of the object are connected to the weighing platform, wherein the plurality of load cells are mounted internal to the top of a base tubing, wherein the base tubing is attached to the weighing platform. Further, the mobile weighing scale may comprise a vibrator, removably attached at a proximal end of the weighing platform, for producing vibratory forces on the weighing platform to densify a material within the object to be weighed. The mobile weighing scale may further comprise an electronic indicator, attached to the column, for displaying the computed weighment of the object.

Disclosed herein relates to a self-checkout anti-theft vehicle system, comprising: a self-checkout vehicle having a plurality of sensors and components implemented thereon, the self-checkout vehicle being used by shoppers for storing selected merchandises in a retail environment; and a centralized computing device. The centralized computing device is configured to: obtain information related to each merchandise selected and placed into the self-checkout vehicle by a shopper by exchanging data with the plurality of sensors and components via a first communication network, identify each merchandise via a second, different communication network based at least upon the information obtained from the plurality of sensors and components, and process payment information of each merchandise.