An information processing apparatus for commodity registration includes a cart body, a weight sensor, a movement sensor, a code scanner, a display, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to detect change of a weight according to the weight sensor. Upon detecting the weight change, the control circuit determines whether the code scanner has read a commodity code within a predetermined time period before or after the weight change. If the code scanner has not read a commodity code within the predetermined time period, it is determined whether or not movement of the cart body, as detected by the movement sensor, satisfies a predetermined condition. If the movement satisfies the predetermined condition, the control circuit controls the display to display a registration alert screen.

This disclosure is directed to an item-identifying, mobile cart that may be utilized by a user in a materials handling facility to automatically identify a user operating the cart and items that the user places into a basket of the cart. In addition, the cart may update a virtual shopping cart of the identified user to include items taken by the user. The mobile cart may include multiple imaging devices and oriented such that their respective optical axes are directed towards an interior of a perimeter of the top of the basket, and above the top of the basket. The mobile cart may also include an imaging device oriented away from the basket such that a user operating the mobile cart may scan a user identifier using this imaging device to enable recognition of the user.

A retail checkout system includes a mobile point-of-sale apparatus and a server. The mobile POS apparatus includes a wireless communication interface, a display, a battery, and a processor configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a login request and to transmit a product code for product registration and to perform a logoff process. The server is configured to perform a login process upon receiving the login request and to generate a transaction data record including the product code(s). The processor is also configured to determine whether a remaining power level of the battery is below a predetermined threshold when switching the mobile POS apparatus to the logged-off state and to control the display to display a power shortage warning if the remaining power level is below the predetermined threshold level.

A phone caddy stroller clamp apparatus for securing phones and tablets to strollers and shopping carts includes a holder body including a left panel and a right panel adjustably coupled around a medial portion. A lip is coupled to a panel front side of the left panel and the right panel to support a personal electronic device. A pair of upper clamp supports and a pair of lower clamp supports extend from a panel back side of the left panel and the right panel. Each of a pair of lower clamps includes a clamp pad and a screw engaged with a screw aperture to adjust a distance between the clamp pad and the upper bottom face to secure a stroller, a grocery cart, a car seat, or other bar and tube-shaped objects.

Mobile battery powered workstation carts for order fulfillment are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a battery powered workstation cart may comprise a wheeled cart having a frame, a rechargeable lithium battery, a computer, a barcode reader/scanner, a RFID reader/scanner, a printer, an artificial intelligence hub, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and/or GPS. The frame may also comprise two side bracket arms and/or shelves, which may be modular to receive various different sized baskets, bins, or totes therein to expedite retail order fulfillment.

An information providing apparatus including a detection unit of at least one computer, a decision unit of the at least one computer, and a sound control circuit. The detection unit detects a position and a movement direction of a moving object in an area in which an article, corresponding to information that is provided, is disposed. The decision unit decides a direction in which the information is provided to the moving object from a relationship between the position of the moving object, the movement direction of the moving object, and a position in the area of the article. The sound control circuit controls a sound output attached to the moving object to localize a sound image according to the information in the direction decided.

A shopping cart's tracking system determines a first baseline location of the shopping cart at a first timestamp with a wireless device located on the shopping cart detecting one or more external wireless devices (e.g., RFID tags) in the indoor environment. The shopping cart's tracking system receives wheel motion data from one or more wheel sensors coupled to one or more wheels of the shopping cart, wherein the wheel motion data describes rotation of the one or more wheels. The shopping cart's tracking system calculates a translation traveled by the shopping cart from the first baseline location based on the wheel motion data. The shopping cart's tracking system determines an estimated location of the shopping cart at a second timestamp based on the first baseline location and the translation. With the estimated location, the shopping cart can update a map with the estimated location of the shopping cart.

In one embodiment, a store server has a communication device, a storage device, and a processor. The communication device performs transmission/reception of information with an information terminal and an electronic device. The storage device stores a list of terminal identification data in which first terminal identification data unique to the information terminal and second terminal identification data unique to the electronic device are to be registered, and a shopping file in which information of the commodity to be identified by identification data of the commodity is to be registered in association with at least any one of the first terminal identification data and the second terminal identification data. The processor creates the shopping file in association with at least any one of the first terminal identification data and the second terminal identification data.

A cart robot analyzing a hand motion of a user is disclosed. The cart robot comprises a code input interface obtaining a product identification code, a sensor detecting a hand motion of a user, a weight measuring device measuring a weight of one or more products contained in a product loading space, and a controller. When there is no change in weight of the loaded products, the cart robot updates a shopping list with respect to the products loaded in the product loading space in real time by analyzing the hand motion of the user. Therefore, the convenience of the user is enhanced.

A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object's present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object's heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.