A system for monitoring and controlling shopping cart usage comprises a wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart. The wheel assembly includes a wheel, a brake that can be activated to inhibit rotation of the wheel, a controller that controls the brake, a VLF receiver, and an RF transceiver. The RF transceiver may, for example, operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band. In some implementations, the RF transceiver may be used to detect entry of the shopping cart into a checkout area of the store, and the VLF receiver may be used to detect that the shopping cart is exiting the store. The controller may activate the brake if the shopping cart attempts to exit the store without first passing through a checkout area.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

According to one embodiment a shopping cart includes an imaging unit configured to acquire images of a surface at a location of the shopping cart and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a boundary pattern in images acquired by the imaging unit. The boundary pattern is painted or drawn on the surface at a boundary between a first area and a second area. Based on the detected boundary pattern the controller determines whether the shopping cart has been moved from the first area to the second area or from the second area to the first area. The controller then controls mobility of the shopping cart based on whether the shopping cart has been moved from the first area to the second area or from the second area to the first area.

A cart has a wheeled base unit with a first frame portion on one side and a second frame portion on another. The frame portions are coupled by a frontend part. A handle unit connects the frame portions at a backside of the cart and also connects the base unit to a basket. An inner frame portion is between the frame portions and extends to the frontend part of the base unit. The inner frame portion includes a front contact portion and a stopper portion. A spacer portion is attached to the inner frame portion closer to the backside of the base unit than the stopper portion. The spacer portion is positioned to contact a front contact portion of another cart when carts are nested. A coupling portion is sandwiched between the inner frame portion and a frontend part of another cart when carts are nested.

A shopping cart with a vertically extended anti-theft pole. The pole is mounted to the cart using a one-way interlock, that allows the pole to be mounted to the cart on premises, but not easily removed without damaging or tampering with the interlock. In this way, the carts may be brought into premises of interest, and equipped with the anti-theft device after delivery/deployment without any tools, skilled labour, or fasteners.

A shopping cart sanitization device, including a main body to receive at a first end at least one shopping cart therein, and a primary sanitization unit disposed within at least at least one portion of an interior of the main body, the primary sanitization unit including a sanitization body to automatically move from a second end of the main body to the first end of the main body in response to the main body receiving the at least one shopping cart, and at least one illumination unit disposed on at least at least one portion of the sanitization body to automatically illuminate UV light on the at least one shopping cart in response to the main body receiving the at least one shopping cart, such that the at least one illumination unit eliminates a pathogen.

A cart apparatus includes a child cart that includes a base frame structure including a pair of side beams and a lateral beam that extends between the pair of side beams. A parent cart includes a base frame structure including a pair of side beams and a lateral beam that extends between the pair of side beams. The base frame structure of the parent cart defines a nesting area that is sized and arranged to receive the base frame structure of the child cart. A cart interlock mechanism includes an engagement member that is rotatably mounted to the base frame structure and a foot pedal that is linked to the engagement member. The foot pedal rotates the engagement member from a locked position that engages the base frame of the child cart to an unlocked position that releases the base frame of the child cart.

Systems and devices for a shopping cart corral include a movable frame defining an interior space sized to receive one or more shopping carts arranged along a lengthwise direction in the interior space. The movable frame may include a first wall including a first post, a second post, and a first bracket extending between the first post and the second post. The movable frame may include a second wall including a third post, a fourth post, and a second bracket extending between the third post and a fourth post. The movable frame may include a third wall having a third bracket extending between the first post and the third post. The movable frame may include a door extending between the second post and the fourth post. The shopping cart corral may include a plurality of wheels positioned on the each of the posts.

A system and method for automated return of shopping carts includes a motorized, remotely controllable push cart affixed to a back end of a row of nested shopping carts. An intelligent navigational lead cart is placed at a front end of the shopping carts. The lead cart enables operation of the push cart and steers the nested shopping carts to a desired location.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Various techniques utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Navigation techniques can include navigation history and backtracking, motion direction detection for dual swivel casters, use of gyroscopes, determining cart weight, multi-level navigation, multi-level magnetic measurements, use of lighting signatures, use of multiple navigation systems, or hard/soft iron compensation for different cart configurations.