A method apparatus are directed to identify items disposed on the bottom shelf of a shopping cart bottom of basket (BoB). Certain aspects envision a distance measurement sensor and computing system connected to the shopping cart. A first set of distance measurements of the bottom shelf when empty is obtained via the distance measurement sensor. Next, at a checkout stand, a second set of distance measurements of the shelf are taken, which can be used to compare with the first set of distance measurements to identify if there is an object on the BoB. An alert can be provided to a checkout attendant if there is an object on the BoB.

Physical shopping carts can have product detection systems and associate physical shopping carts with mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones, tablet computing devices, smart watches, wearable computing devices). For example, physical shopping carts can be equipped with one or more product detection systems (e.g., scanners, sensors, cameras) that can electronically tally products that are placed in physical shopping carts. Mobile computing devices can be associated with and mounted on the physical shopping carts to provide a variety of enhanced shopping cart features not possible with conventional physical shopping carts, such as electronically tracking the contents of a shopping cart, checking-out from the mobile computing device (instead of at conventional check-out areas, such as point of sale terminals), and others.

Physical shopping carts can have product detection systems and associate physical shopping carts with mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones, tablet computing devices, smart watches, wearable computing devices). For example, physical shopping carts can be equipped with one or more product detection systems (e.g., scanners, sensors, cameras) that can electronically tally products that are placed in physical shopping carts. Mobile computing devices can be associated with and mounted on the physical shopping carts to provide a variety of enhanced shopping cart features not possible with conventional physical shopping carts, such as electronically tracking the contents of a shopping cart, checking-out from the mobile computing device (instead of at conventional check-out areas, such as point of sale terminals), and others.

A method apparatus are directed to identify items disposed on the bottom shelf of a shopping cart bottom of basket (BoB). Certain aspects envision a distance measurement sensor and computing system connected to the shopping cart. A first set of distance measurements of the bottom shelf when empty is obtained via the distance measurement sensor. Next, at a checkout stand, a second set of distance measurements of the shelf are taken, which can be used to compare with the first set of distance measurements to identify if there is an object on the BoB. An alert can be provided to a checkout attendant if there is an object on the BoB.

A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.

A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.

This disclosure describes, in part, a mobile apparatus for identifying items within a facility using an omnidirectional imaging system. For instance, the mobile apparatus may include a main frame, a chassis attached to the main frame, a basket that attaches to the chassis in order to prevent the basket from contacting the main frame, and an omnidirectional imaging system providing image data in and around the mobile apparatus. A user may place item(s) within a receptacle of the basket. The mobile apparatus may further include a handlebar module attached to the main frame, the handlebar module including the omnidirectional imaging system and a computing system for identifying items and events in and around the cart.

A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.

Physical shopping carts can have product detection systems and associate physical shopping carts with mobile computing devices (e.g., smartphones, tablet computing devices, smart watches, wearable computing devices). For example, physical shopping carts can be equipped with one or more product detection systems (e.g., scanners, sensors, cameras) that can electronically tally products that are placed in physical shopping carts. Mobile computing devices can be associated with and mounted on the physical shopping carts to provide a variety of enhanced shopping cart features not possible with conventional physical shopping carts, such as electronically tracking the contents of a shopping cart, checking-out from the mobile computing device (instead of at conventional check-out areas, such as point of sale terminals), and others.

A shopping cart deflection measurement system and associated methods are described. The shopping cart deflection measurement system includes a shopping cart, a sensor, and a processing device equipped with a processor. The shopping cart includes a frame, a basket portion pivotably mounted to the frame so as to enable deflection of at least one edge of the basket portion downward in the direction of gravity following a weight being placed in the basket portion, and a lower rack portion mounted to the frame and disposed below the basket portion. The processing device can be configured to execute instructions to measure deflection of the basket portion relative to the lower rack portion of the shopping cart using data acquired by the sensor. The measured deflection can be indicative of a fullness of the basket portion with one or more products.