Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
<br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>SHOPPING FACILITY ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS TO <br/>DISPATCH AND RECOVER MOTORIZED TRANSPORT UNITS THAT EFFECT REMOTE<br/>DELIVERIES<br/>Technical Field<br/>These teachings relate generally to retail shopping services and more <br/>particularly to <br/>devices, systems, and methods for assisting customers and/or workers as <br/>regards those retail <br/>shopping services.<br/>Background <br/>In a modern retail store environment, there is a need to improve the customer <br/>experience <br/>and/or convenience for the customer. With increasing competition from non-<br/>traditional shopping <br/>mechanisms, such as online shopping provided by e-commerce merchants and <br/>alternative store <br/>formats, it can be important for all retailers (including but not limited to <br/>"bricks and mortar" <br/>retailers ) to focus on improving the overall customer experience and/or <br/>convenience.<br/>The foregoing can include providing and/or and enhancing home delivery <br/>service. <br/>Whether the customer buys a product in a traditional store, or via an online <br/>opportunity, many <br/>customers are seeking the convenience of having their purchases delivered to <br/>their homes, <br/>offices, hotel rooms, dormitories, or other places of residence or work. <br/>Making such a delivery <br/>typically entails either enlisting the services of one of the traditional <br/>delivery services (such as <br/>the United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service, FedEx, and so forth) <br/>or of maintaining a <br/>private delivery capability. While such options can be useful in some <br/>application settings, <br/>unfortunately all presently available options leave at least something to be <br/>desired by way of <br/>cost, timeliness, security, and so forth.<br/>Brief Description of the Drawings <br/>The above needs are at least partially met through provision of embodiments of <br/>systems, <br/>devices, and methods designed to provide assistance to customers and/or <br/>workers in a shopping <br/>facility, such as described in the following detailed description, <br/>particularly when studied in <br/>conjunction with the drawings, wherein:<br/>- 1 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>FIG. 1 comprises a block diagram of a shopping assistance system as configured <br/>in <br/>accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;<br/>FIGS. 2A and 2B are illustrations of a motorized transport unit of the system <br/>of FIG. 1 in <br/>a retracted orientation and an extended orientation in accordance with some <br/>embodiments;<br/>FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations of the motorized transport unit of FIGS. 2A <br/>and 2B <br/>detachably coupling to a movable item container, such as a shopping cart, in <br/>accordance with <br/>some embodiments;<br/>FIG. 4 comprises a block diagram of a motorized transport unit as configured <br/>in <br/>accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;<br/>FIG. 5 comprises a block diagram of a computer device as configured in <br/>accordance with <br/>various embodiments of these teachings;<br/>FIG. 6 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various <br/>embodiments <br/>of these teachings; and<br/>FIG. 7 comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance with various <br/>embodiments <br/>of these teachings.<br/>Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have <br/>not necessarily <br/>been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning <br/>of some of the <br/>elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help <br/>to improve <br/>understanding of various embodiments of the present teachings. Also, common <br/>but well-<br/>understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible <br/>embodiment are <br/>often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these <br/>various embodiments of <br/>the present teachings. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or <br/>depicted in a particular <br/>order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such <br/>specificity with <br/>respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used <br/>herein have the <br/>ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by <br/>persons skilled in the <br/>technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings <br/>have otherwise been <br/>set forth herein.<br/>- 2 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>Detailed Description<br/>The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made <br/>merely for <br/>the purpose of describing the general principles of exemplary embodiments. <br/>Reference <br/>throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or similar <br/>language means <br/>that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in <br/>connection with the embodiment <br/>is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, <br/>appearances of the phrases <br/>"in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," and similar language throughout this <br/>specification <br/>may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.<br/>Generally speaking, pursuant to various embodiments, systems, devices and <br/>methods are <br/>provided for assistance of persons at a shopping facility. Generally, <br/>assistance may be provided <br/>to customers or shoppers at the facility and/or to workers at the facility. <br/>The facility may be any <br/>type of shopping facility at a location in which products for display and/or <br/>for sale are variously <br/>distributed throughout the shopping facility space. The shopping facility may <br/>be a retail sales <br/>facility, or any other type of facility in which products are displayed and/or <br/>sold. The shopping <br/>facility may include one or more of sales floor areas, checkout locations <br/>(i.e., point of sale (POS) <br/>locations), customer service areas other than checkout locations (such as <br/>service areas to handle <br/>returns), parking locations, entrance and exit areas, stock room areas, stock <br/>receiving areas, <br/>hallway areas, common areas shared by merchants, and so on. Generally, a <br/>shopping facility <br/>includes areas that may be dynamic in terms of the physical structures <br/>occupying the space or <br/>area and objects, items, machinery and/or persons moving in the area. For <br/>example, the sales <br/>floor area may include product storage units, shelves, racks, modules, bins, <br/>etc., and other <br/>walls, dividers, partitions, etc. that may be configured in different layouts <br/>or physical <br/>arrangements. In other example, persons or other movable objects may be freely <br/>and <br/>independently traveling through the shopping facility space. And in another <br/>example, the <br/>persons or movable objects move according to known travel patterns and timing. <br/>The facility <br/>may be any size of format facility, and may include products from one or more <br/>merchants. For <br/>example, a facility may be a single store operated by one merchant or may be a <br/>collection of <br/>stores covering multiple merchants such as a mall.<br/>Generally, the system makes use of automated, robotic mobile devices, e.g., <br/>motorized <br/>transport units, that are capable of self-powered movement through a space of <br/>the shopping <br/>facility and providing any number of functions. Movement and operation of such <br/>devices may<br/>- 3 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>be controlled by a central computer system or may be autonomously controlled <br/>by the motorized <br/>transport units themselves. Various embodiments provide one or more user <br/>interfaces to allow <br/>various users to interact with the system including the automated mobile <br/>devices and/or to <br/>directly interact with the automated mobile devices. In some embodiments, the <br/>automated <br/>mobile devices and the corresponding system serve to enhance a customer <br/>shopping experience <br/>in the shopping facility, e.g., by assisting shoppers and/or workers at the <br/>facility.<br/>In some embodiments, a shopping facility personal assistance system comprises: <br/>a <br/>plurality of motorized transport units located in and configured to move <br/>through a shopping <br/>facility space; a plurality of user interface units, each corresponding to a <br/>respective motorized <br/>transport unit during use of the respective motorized transport unit; and a <br/>central computer <br/>system having a network interface such that the central computer system <br/>wirelessly <br/>communicates with one or both of the plurality of motorized transport units <br/>and the plurality of <br/>user interface units, wherein the central computer system is configured to <br/>control movement of <br/>the plurality of motorized transport units through the shopping facility space <br/>based at least on <br/>inputs from the plurality of user interface units.<br/>SYSTEM OVERVIEW<br/>Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates embodiments of a shopping <br/>facility <br/>assistance system 100 that can serve to carry out at least some of the <br/>teachings set forth herein. It <br/>will be understood that the details of this example are intended to serve in <br/>an illustrative capacity <br/>and are not necessarily intended to suggest any limitations as regards the <br/>present teachings. It is <br/>noted that generally, FIGS. 1-5 describe the general functionality of several <br/>embodiments of a <br/>system, and FIGS. 6 and 7 expand on some functionalities of some embodiments <br/>of the system <br/>and/or embodiments independent of such systems.<br/>In the example of FIG. 1, a shopping assistance system 100 is implemented in <br/>whole or in <br/>part at a shopping facility 101. Generally, the system 100 includes one or <br/>more motorized <br/>transport units (MTUs) 102; one or more item containers 104; a central <br/>computer system 106 <br/>having at least one control circuit 108, at least one memory 110 and at least <br/>one network <br/>interface 112; at least one user interface unit 114; a location determination <br/>system 116; at least <br/>one video camera 118; at least one motorized transport unit (MTU) dispenser <br/>120; at least one <br/>motorized transport unit (MTU) docking station 122; at least one wireless <br/>network 124; at least<br/>- 4 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>one database 126; at least one user interface computer device 128; an item <br/>display module 130; <br/>and a locker or an item storage unit 132. It is understood that more or fewer <br/>of such components <br/>may be included in different embodiments of the system 100.<br/>These motorized transport units 102 are located in the shopping facility 101 <br/>and are <br/>configured to move throughout the shopping facility space. Further details <br/>regarding such <br/>motorized transport units 102 appear further below. Generally speaking, these <br/>motorized <br/>transport units 102 are configured to either comprise, or to selectively <br/>couple to, a corresponding <br/>movable item container 104. A simple example of an item container 104 would be <br/>a shopping <br/>cart as one typically finds at many retail facilities, or a rocket cart, a <br/>flatbed cart or any other <br/>mobile basket or platform that may be used to gather items for potential <br/>purchase.<br/>In some embodiments, these motorized transport units 102 wirelessly <br/>communicate with, <br/>and are wholly or largely controlled by, the central computer system 106. In <br/>particular, in some <br/>embodiments, the central computer system 106 is configured to control movement <br/>of the <br/>motorized transport units 102 through the shopping facility space based on a <br/>variety of inputs. <br/>For example, the central computer system 106 communicates with each motorized <br/>transport unit <br/>102 via the wireless network 124 which may be one or more wireless networks of <br/>one or more <br/>wireless network types (such as, a wireless local area network, a wireless <br/>personal area network, <br/>a wireless mesh network, a wireless star network, a wireless wide area <br/>network, a cellular <br/>network, and so on), capable of providing wireless coverage of the desired <br/>range of the<br/>motorized transport units 102 according to any known wireless protocols, <br/>including but not <br/>limited to a cellular, Wi-Fi, Zigbee or Bluetooth network.<br/>By one approach the central computer system 106 is a computer based device and <br/>includes at least one control circuit 108, at least one memory 110 and at <br/>least one wired and/or <br/>wireless network interface 112. Such a control circuit 108 can comprise a <br/>fixed-purpose hard-<br/>wired platform or can comprise a partially or wholly programmable platform, <br/>such as a <br/>mierocontroller, an application specification integrated circuit, a field <br/>programmable gate array, <br/>and so on. These architectural options are well known and understood in the <br/>art and require no <br/>further description here. This control circuit 108 is configured (for example, <br/>by using <br/>corresponding programming stored in the memory 110 as will be well understood <br/>by those <br/>skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and/or <br/>functions described herein.<br/>- 5 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>In this illustrative example the control circuit 108 operably couples to one <br/>or more <br/>memories 110. The memory 110 may be integral to the control circuit 108 or can <br/>be physically <br/>discrete (in whole or in part) from the control circuit 108 as desired. This <br/>memory 110 can also <br/>be local with respect to the control circuit 108 (where, for example, both <br/>share a common circuit <br/>board, chassis, power supply, and/or housing) or can be partially or wholly <br/>remote with respect <br/>to the control circuit 108 (where, for example, the memory 110 is physically <br/>located in another <br/>facility, metropolitan area, or even country as compared to the control <br/>circuit 108).<br/>This memory 110 can serve, for example, to non-transitorily store the computer <br/>instructions that, when executed by the control circuit 108, cause the control <br/>circuit 108 to <br/>behave as described herein. (As used herein, this reference to "non-<br/>transitorily" will be <br/>understood to refer to a non-ephemeral state for the stored contents (and <br/>hence excludes when <br/>the stored contents merely constitute signals or waves) rather than volatility <br/>of the storage media <br/>itself and hence includes both non-volatile memory (such as read-only memory <br/>(ROM) as well <br/>as volatile memory (such as an erasable programmable read-only memory <br/>(EPROM).)<br/>Additionally, at least one database 126 may be accessible by the central <br/>computer system <br/>106. Such databases may be integrated into the central computer system 106 or <br/>separate from it. <br/>Such databases may be at the location of the shopping facility 101 or remote <br/>from the shopping <br/>facility 101. Regardless of location, the databases comprise memory to store <br/>and organize <br/>certain data for use by the central control system 106. In some embodiments, <br/>the at least one <br/>database 126 may store data pertaining to one or more of: shopping facility <br/>mapping data, <br/>customer data, customer shopping data and patterns, inventory data, product <br/>pricing data, and so <br/>on.<br/>In this illustrative example, the central computer system 106 also wirelessly <br/>communicates with a plurality of user interface units 114. These teachings <br/>will accommodate a <br/>variety of user interface units including, but not limited to, mobile and/or <br/>handheld electronic <br/>devices such as so-called smart phones and portable computers such as <br/>tablet/pad-styled <br/>computers. Generally speaking, these user interface units 114 should be able <br/>to wirelessly <br/>communicate with the central computer system 106 via a wireless network, such <br/>as the wireless <br/>network 124 of the shopping facility 101 (such as a Wi-Fi wireless network). <br/>These user <br/>interface units 114 generally provide a user interface for interaction with <br/>the system. In some<br/>- 6 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>embodiments, a given motorized transport unit 102 is paired with, associated <br/>with, assigned to or <br/>otherwise made to correspond with a given user interface unit 114. In some <br/>embodiments, these <br/>user interface units 114 should also be able to receive verbally-expressed <br/>input from a user and <br/>forward that content to the central computer system 106 or a motorized <br/>transport unit 102 and/or <br/>convert that verbally-expressed input into a form useful to the central <br/>computer system 106 or a <br/>motorized transport unit 102.<br/>By one approach at least some of the user interface units 114 belong to <br/>corresponding <br/>customers who have come to the shopping facility 101 to shop. By another <br/>approach, in lieu of <br/>the foregoing or in combination therewith, at least some of the user interface <br/>units 114 belong to <br/>the shopping facility 101 and are loaned to individual customers to employ as <br/>described herein. <br/>In some embodiments, one or more user interface units 114 are attachable to a <br/>given movable <br/>item container 104 or are integrated with the movable item container 104. <br/>Similarly, in some <br/>embodiments, one or more user interface units 114 may be those of shopping <br/>facility workers, <br/>belong to the shopping facility 101 and are loaned to the workers, or a <br/>combination thereof.<br/>In some embodiments, the user interface units 114 may be general purpose <br/>computer <br/>devices that include computer programming code to allow it to interact with <br/>the system 106. For <br/>example, such programming may be in the form of an application installed on <br/>the user interface <br/>unit 114 or in the form of a browser that displays a user interface provided <br/>by the central <br/>computer system 106 or other remote computer or server (such as a web server). <br/>In some <br/>embodiments, one or more user interface units 114 may be special purpose <br/>devices that are <br/>programmed to primarily function as a user interface for the system 100. <br/>Depending on the <br/>functionality and use case, user interface units 114 may be operated by <br/>customers of the <br/>shopping facility or may be operated by workers at the shopping facility, such <br/>as facility <br/>employees (associates or colleagues), vendors, suppliers, contractors, etc.<br/>By one approach, the system 100 optionally includes one or more video cameras <br/>118. <br/>Captured video imagery from such a video camera 118 can be provided to the <br/>central computer <br/>system 106. That information can then serve, for example, to help the central <br/>computer system <br/>106 determine a present location of one or more of the motorized transport <br/>units 102 and/or <br/>determine issues or concerns regarding automated movement of those motorized <br/>transport units <br/>102 in the shopping facility space. As one simple example in these regards, <br/>such video<br/>- 7 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>information can pelinit the central computer system 106, at least in part, to <br/>detect an object in a <br/>path of movement of a particular one of the motorized transport units 102.<br/>By one approach these video cameras 118 comprise existing surveillance <br/>equipment <br/>employed at the shopping facility 101 to serve, for example, various security <br/>purposes. By <br/>another approach these video cameras 118 are dedicated to providing video <br/>content to the central <br/>computer system 106 to facilitate the latter's control of the motorized <br/>transport units 102. If <br/>desired, the video cameras 118 can have a selectively movable field of view <br/>and/or zoom <br/>capability that the central computer system 106 controls as appropriate to <br/>help ensure receipt of <br/>useful information at any given moment.<br/>In some embodiments, a location detection system 116 is provided at the <br/>shopping <br/>facility 101. The location detection system 116 provides input to the central <br/>computer system <br/>106 useful to help determine the location of one or more of the motorized <br/>transport units 102. In <br/>some embodiments, the location detection system 116 includes a series of light <br/>sources (e.g., <br/>LEDs (light-emitting diodes)) that are mounted in the ceiling at known <br/>positions throughout the <br/>space and that each encode data in the emitted light that identifies the <br/>source of the light (and <br/>thus, the location of the light). As a given motorized transport unit 102 <br/>moves through the space, <br/>light sensors (or light receivers) at the motorized transport unit 102, on the <br/>movable item <br/>container 104 and/or at the user interface unit 114 receive the light and can <br/>decode the data. This <br/>data is sent back to the central computer system 106 which can determine the <br/>position of the <br/>motorized transport unit 102 by the data of the light it receives, since it <br/>can relate the light data to <br/>a mapping of the light sources to locations at the facility 101. Generally, <br/>such lighting systems <br/>are known and commercially available, e.g., the ByteLight system from <br/>ByteLight of Boston, <br/>Massachusetts. In embodiments using a ByteLight system, a typical display <br/>screen of the typical <br/>smart phone device can be used as a light sensor or light receiver to receive <br/>and process data <br/>encoded into the light from the ByteLight light sources.<br/>In other embodiments, the location detection system 116 includes a series of <br/>low energy <br/>radio beacons (e.g., Bluetooth low energy beacons) at known positions <br/>throughout the space and <br/>that each encode data in the emitted radio signal that identifies the beacon <br/>(and thus, the location <br/>of the beacon). As a given motorized transport unit 102 moves through the <br/>space, low energy <br/>receivers at the motorized transport unit 102, on the movable item container <br/>104 and/or at the<br/>- 8 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>user interface unit 114 receive the radio signal and can decode the data. This <br/>data is sent back to <br/>the central computer system 106 which can determine the position of the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>102 by the location encoded in the radio signal it receives, since it can <br/>relate the location data to <br/>a mapping of the low energy radio beacons to locations at the facility 101. <br/>Generally, such low <br/>energy radio systems are known and commercially available. In embodiments <br/>using a Bluetooth <br/>low energy radio system, a typical Bluetooth radio of a typical smart phone <br/>device can be used as <br/>a receiver to receive and process data encoded into the Bluetooth low energy <br/>radio signals from <br/>the Bluetooth low energy beacons.<br/>In still other embodiments, the location detection system 116 includes a <br/>series of audio <br/>beacons at known positions throughout the space and that each encode data in <br/>the emitted audio <br/>signal that identifies the beacon (and thus, the location of the beacon). As a <br/>given motorized <br/>transport unit 102 moves through the space, microphones at the motorized <br/>transport unit 102, on <br/>the movable item container 104 and/or at the user interface unit 114 receive <br/>the audio signal and <br/>can decode the data. This data is sent back to the central computer system 106 <br/>which can <br/>determine the position of the motorized transport unit 102 by the location <br/>encoded in the audio <br/>signal it receives, since it can relate the location data to a mapping of the <br/>audio beacons to <br/>locations at the facility 101. Generally, such audio beacon systems are known <br/>and commercially <br/>available. In embodiments using an audio beacon system, a typical microphone <br/>of a typical <br/>smart phone device can be used as a receiver to receive and process data <br/>encoded into the audio <br/>signals from the audio beacon.<br/>Also optionally, the central computer system 106 can operably couple to one or <br/>more <br/>user interface computers 128 (comprising, for example, a display and a user <br/>input interface such <br/>as a keyboard, touch screen, and/or cursor-movement device). Such a user <br/>interface computer <br/>128 can permit, for example, a worker (e.g., an associate, analyst, etc.) at <br/>the retail or shopping <br/>facility 101 to monitor the operations of the central computer system 106 <br/>and/or to attend to any <br/>of a variety of administrative, configuration or evaluation tasks as may <br/>correspond to the <br/>programming and operation of the central computer system 106. Such user <br/>interface computers <br/>128 may be at or remote from the location of the facility 101 and may access <br/>one or more the <br/>databases 126.<br/>- 9 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>In some embodiments, the system 100 includes at least one motorized transport <br/>unit <br/>(MTU) storage unit or dispenser 120 at various locations in the shopping <br/>facility 101. The <br/>dispenser 120 provides for storage of motorized transport units 102 that are <br/>ready to be assigned <br/>to customers and/or workers. In some embodiments, the dispenser 120 takes the <br/>form of a <br/>cylinder within which motorized transports units 102 are stacked and released <br/>through the <br/>bottom of the dispenser 120. Further details of such embodiments are provided <br/>further below. <br/>In some embodiments, the dispenser 120 may be fixed in location or may be <br/>mobile and capable <br/>of transporting itself to a given location or utilizing a motorized transport <br/>unit 102 to transport <br/>the dispenser 120, then dispense one or more motorized transport units 102.<br/>In some embodiments, the system 100 includes at least one motorized transport <br/>unit <br/>(MTU) docking station 122. These docking stations 122 provide locations where <br/>motorized <br/>transport units 102 can travel and connect to. For example, the motorized <br/>transport units 102 <br/>may be stored and charged at the docking station 122 for later use, and/or may <br/>be serviced at the <br/>docking station 122.<br/>In accordance with some embodiments, a given motorized transport unit 102 <br/>detachably <br/>connects to a movable item container 104 and is configured to move the movable <br/>item container <br/>104 through the shopping facility space under control of the central computer <br/>system 106 and/or <br/>the user interface unit 114. For example, a motorized transport unit 102 can <br/>move to a position <br/>underneath a movable item container 104 (such as a shopping cart, a rocket <br/>cart, a flatbed cart, or <br/>any other mobile basket or platform), align itself with the movable item <br/>container 104 (e.g., <br/>using sensors) and then raise itself to engage an undersurface of the movable <br/>item container 104 <br/>and lift a portion of the movable item container 104. Once the motorized <br/>transport unit is <br/>cooperating with the movable item container 104 (e.g., lifting a portion of <br/>the movable item <br/>container), the motorized transport unit 102 can continue to move throughout <br/>the facility space <br/>101 taking the movable item container 104 with it. In some examples, the <br/>motorized transport <br/>unit 102 takes the form of the motorized transport unit 202 of FIGS. 2A-3B as <br/>it engages and <br/>detachably connects to a given movable item container 104. It is understood <br/>that in other <br/>embodiments, the motorized transport unit 102 may not lift a portion of the <br/>movable item <br/>container 104, but that it removably latches to, connects to or otherwise <br/>attaches to a portion of <br/>the movable item container 104 such that the movable item container 104 can be <br/>moved by the<br/>- 10-<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>motorized transport unit 102. For example, the motorized transport unit 102 <br/>can connect to a <br/>given movable item container using a hook, a mating connector, a magnet, and <br/>so on.<br/>In addition to detachably coupling to movable item containers 104 (such as <br/>shopping <br/>carts), in some embodiments, motorized transport units 102 can move to and <br/>engage or connect <br/>to an item display module 130 and/or an item storage unit or locker 132. For <br/>example, an item <br/>display module 130 may take the form of a mobile display rack or shelving unit <br/>configured to <br/>house and display certain items for sale. It may be desired to position the <br/>display module 130 at <br/>various locations within the shopping facility 101 at various times. Thus, one <br/>or more motorized <br/>transport units 102 may move (as controlled by the central computer system <br/>106) underneath the <br/>item display module 130, extend upward to lift the module 130 and then move it <br/>to the desired <br/>location. A storage locker 132 may be a storage device where items for <br/>purchase are collected <br/>and placed therein for a customer and/or worker to later retrieve. In some <br/>embodiments, one or <br/>more motorized transport units 102 may be used to move the storage locker to a <br/>desired location <br/>in the shopping facility 101. Similar to how a motorized transport unit <br/>engages a movable item <br/>container 104 or item display module 130, one or more motorized transport <br/>units 102 may move <br/>(as controlled by the central computer system 106) underneath the storage <br/>locker 132, extend <br/>upward to lift the locker 132 and then move it to the desired location.<br/>FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate some embodiments of a motorized transport unit 202, <br/>similar <br/>to the motorized transport unit 102 shown in the system of FIG. 1. In this <br/>embodiment, the <br/>motorized transport unit 202 takes the form of a disc-shaped robotic device <br/>having motorized <br/>wheels (not shown), a lower body portion 204 and an upper body portion 206 <br/>that fits over at <br/>least part of the lower body portion 204. It is noted that in other <br/>embodiments, the motorized <br/>transport unit may have other shapes and/or configurations, and is not limited <br/>to disc-shaped. <br/>For example, the motorized transport unit may be cubic, octagonal, triangular, <br/>or other shapes, <br/>and may be dependent on a movable item container with which the motorized <br/>transport unit is <br/>intended to cooperate. Also included are guide members 208. In FIG. 2A, the <br/>motorized <br/>transport unit 202 is shown in a retracted position in which the upper body <br/>portion 206 fits over <br/>the lower body portion 204 such that the motorized transport unit 202 is in <br/>its lowest profile <br/>orientation which is generally the preferred orientation for movement when it <br/>is unattached to a <br/>movable item container 104 for example. In FIG. 2B, the motorized transport <br/>unit 202 is shown <br/>in an extended position in which the upper body portion 206 is moved upward <br/>relative to the<br/>- 11 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>lower body portion 204 such that the motorized transport unit 202 is in its <br/>highest profile <br/>orientation for movement when it is lifting and attaching to a movable item <br/>container 104 for <br/>example. The mechanism within the motorized transport unit 202 is designed to <br/>provide <br/>sufficient lifting force to lift the weight of the upper body portion 206 and <br/>other objects to be <br/>lifted by the motorized transport unit 202, such as movable item containers <br/>104 and items placed <br/>within the movable item container, item display modules 130 and items <br/>supported by the item <br/>display module, and storage lockers 132 and items placed within the storage <br/>locker. The guide <br/>members 208 are embodied as pegs or shafts that extend horizontally from the <br/>both the upper <br/>body portion 206 and the lower body portion 204. In some embodiments, these <br/>guide members <br/>208 assist docking the motorized transport unit 202 to a docking station 122 <br/>or a dispenser 120. <br/>In some embodiments, the lower body portion 204 and the upper body portion are <br/>capable to <br/>moving independently of each other. For example, the upper body portion 206 <br/>may be raised <br/>and/or rotated relative to the lower body portion 204. That is, one or both of <br/>the upper body <br/>portion 206 and the lower body portion 204 may move toward/away from the other <br/>or rotated <br/>relative to the other. In some embodiments, in order to raise the upper body <br/>portion 206 relative <br/>to the lower body portion 204, the motorized transport unit 202 includes an <br/>internal lifting <br/>system (e.g., including one or more electric actuators or rotary drives or <br/>motors). Numerous <br/>examples of such motorized lifting and rotating systems are known in the art. <br/>Accordingly, <br/>further elaboration in these regards is not provided here for the sake of <br/>brevity.<br/>FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate some embodiments of the motorized transport unit <br/>202 <br/>detachably engaging a movable item container embodied as a shopping cart 302. <br/>In FIG 3A, the <br/>motorized transport unit 202 is in the orientation of FIG. 2A such that it is <br/>retracted and able to <br/>move in position underneath a portion of the shopping cart 302. Once the <br/>motorized transport <br/>unit 202 is in position (e.g., using sensors), as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>202 is moved to the extended position of FIG. 2B such that the front portion <br/>304 of the shopping <br/>cart is lifted off of the ground by the motorized transport unit 202, with the <br/>wheels 306 at the rear <br/>of the shopping cart 302 remaining on the ground. In this orientation, the <br/>motorized transport <br/>unit 202 is able to move the shopping cart 302 throughout the shopping <br/>facility. It is noted that <br/>in these embodiments, the motorized transport unit 202 does not bear the <br/>weight of the entire cart <br/>302 since the rear wheels 306 rest on the floor. It is understood that in some <br/>embodiments, the<br/>- 12 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>motorized transport unit 202 may be configured to detachably engage other <br/>types of movable <br/>item containers, such as rocket carts, flatbed carts or other mobile baskets <br/>or platforms.<br/>FIG. 4 presents a more detailed example of some embodiments of the motorized <br/>transport <br/>unit 102 of FIG. 1. In this example, the motorized transport unit 102 has a <br/>housing 402 that <br/>contains (partially or fully) or at least supports and carries a number of <br/>components. These <br/>components include a control unit 404 comprising a control circuit 406 that, <br/>like the control <br/>circuit 108 of the central computer system 106, controls the general <br/>operations of the motorized <br/>transport unit 102. Accordingly, the control unit 404 also includes a memory <br/>408 coupled to the <br/>control circuit 406 and that stores, for example, operating instructions <br/>and/or useful data.<br/>The control circuit 406 operably couples to a motorized wheel system 410. This <br/>motorized wheel system 410 functions as a locomotion system to permit the <br/>motorized transport <br/>unit 102 to move within the aforementioned retail or shopping facility 101 <br/>(thus, the motorized <br/>wheel system 410 may more generically be referred to as a locomotion system). <br/>Generally <br/>speaking, this motorized wheel system 410 will include at least one drive <br/>wheel (i.e., a wheel <br/>that rotates (around a horizontal axis) under power to thereby cause the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>102 to move through interaction with, for example, the floor of the shopping <br/>facility 101). The <br/>motorized wheel system 410 can include any number of rotating wheels and/or <br/>other floor-<br/>contacting mechanisms as may be desired and/or appropriate to the application <br/>setting.<br/>The motorized wheel system 410 also includes a steering mechanism of choice. <br/>One <br/>simple example in these regards comprises one or more of the aforementioned <br/>wheels that can <br/>swivel about a vertical axis to thereby cause the moving motorized transport <br/>unit 102 to turn as <br/>well.<br/>Numerous examples of motorized wheel systems are known in the art. <br/>Accordingly, <br/>further elaboration in these regards is not provided here for the sake of <br/>brevity save to note that <br/>the aforementioned control circuit 406 is configured to control the various <br/>operating states of the <br/>motorized wheel system 410 to thereby control when and how the motorized wheel <br/>system 410 <br/>operates.<br/>In this illustrative example, the control circuit 406 also operably couples to <br/>at least one <br/>wireless transceiver 412 that operates according to any known wireless <br/>protocol. This wireless <br/>transceiver 412 can comprise, for example, a Wi-Fi-compatible and/or Bluetooth-<br/>compatible<br/>- 13 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>transceiver that can communicate with the aforementioned central computer <br/>system 106 via the <br/>aforementioned wireless network 124 of the shopping facility 101. So <br/>configured the control <br/>circuit 406 of the motorized transport unit 102 can provide information to the <br/>central computer <br/>system 106 and can receive information and/or instructions from the central <br/>computer system <br/>106. As one simple example in these regards, the control circuit 406 can <br/>receive instructions <br/>from the central computer system 106 regarding movement of the motorized <br/>transport unit 102.<br/>These teachings will accommodate using any of a wide variety of wireless <br/>technologies <br/>as desired and/or as may be appropriate in a given application setting. These <br/>teachings will also <br/>accommodate employing two or more different wireless transceivers 412 if <br/>desired.<br/>The control circuit 406 also couples to one or more on-board sensors 414. <br/>These <br/>teachings will accommodate a wide variety of sensor technologies and form <br/>factors. By one <br/>approach at least one such sensor 414 can comprise a light sensor or light <br/>receiver. When the <br/>aforementioned location detection system 116 comprises a plurality of light <br/>emitters disposed at <br/>particular locations within the shopping facility 101, such a light sensor can <br/>provide information <br/>that the control circuit 406 and/or the central computer system 106 employs to <br/>determine a <br/>present location and/or orientation of the motorized transport unit 102.<br/>As another example, such a sensor 414 can comprise a distance measurement unit <br/>configured to detect a distance between the motorized transport unit 102 and <br/>one or more objects <br/>or surfaces around the motorized transport unit 102 (such as an object that <br/>lies in a projected path <br/>of movement for the motorized transport unit 102 through the shopping facility <br/>101). These <br/>teachings will accommodate any of a variety of distance measurement units <br/>including optical <br/>units and sound/ultrasound units. In one example, a sensor 414 comprises a <br/>laser distance sensor <br/>device capable of determining a distance to objects in proximity to the <br/>sensor. In some <br/>embodiments, a sensor 414 comprises an optical based scanning device to sense <br/>and read optical <br/>patterns in proximity to the sensor, such as bar codes variously located on <br/>structures in the <br/>shopping facility 101. In some embodiments, a sensor 414 comprises a radio <br/>frequency <br/>identification (RFID) tag reader capable of reading RFID tags in proximity to <br/>the sensor. Such <br/>sensors may be useful to determine proximity to nearby objects, avoid <br/>collisions, orient the <br/>motorized transport unit at a proper alignment orientation to engage a movable <br/>item container, <br/>and so on.<br/>- 14 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>The foregoing examples are intended to be illustrative and are not intended to <br/>convey an <br/>exhaustive listing of all possible sensors. Instead, it will be understood <br/>that these teachings will <br/>accommodate sensing any of a wide variety of circumstances or phenomena to <br/>support the <br/>operating functionality of the motorized transport unit 102 in a given <br/>application setting.<br/>By one optional approach an audio input 416 (such as a microphone) and/or an <br/>audio <br/>output 418 (such as a speaker) can also operably couple to the control circuit <br/>406. So configured <br/>the control circuit 406 can provide a variety of audible sounds to thereby <br/>communicate with a <br/>user of the motorized transport unit 102, other persons in the vicinity of the <br/>motorized transport <br/>unit 102, or even other motorized transport units 102 in the area. These <br/>audible sounds can <br/>include any of a variety of tones and other non-verbal sounds. These audible <br/>sounds can also <br/>include, in lieu of the foregoing or in combination therewith, pre-recorded or <br/>synthesized speech.<br/>The audio input 416, in turn, provides a mechanism whereby, for example, a <br/>user <br/>provides verbal input to the control circuit 406. That verbal input can <br/>comprise, for example, <br/>instructions, inquiries, or information. So configured, a user can provide, <br/>for example, a question <br/>to the motorized transport unit 102 (such as, "Where are the towels?"). The <br/>control circuit 406 <br/>can cause that verbalized question to be transmitted to the central computer <br/>system 106 via the <br/>motorized transport unit's wireless transceiver 412. The central computer <br/>system 106 can <br/>process that verbal input to recognize the speech content and to then <br/>determine an appropriate <br/>response. That response might comprise, for example, transmitting back to the <br/>motorized <br/>transport unit 102 specific instructions regarding how to move the motorized <br/>transport unit 102 <br/>(via the aforementioned motorized wheel system 410) to the location in the <br/>shopping facility 101 <br/>where the towels are displayed.<br/>In this example the motorized transport unit 102 includes a rechargeable power <br/>source <br/>420 such as one or more batteries. The power provided by the rechargeable <br/>power source 420 <br/>can be made available to whichever components of the motorized transport unit <br/>102 require <br/>electrical energy. By one approach the motorized transport unit 102 includes a <br/>plug or other <br/>electrically conductive interface that the control circuit 406 can utilize to <br/>automatically connect <br/>to an external source of electrical energy to thereby recharge the <br/>rechargeable power source 420.<br/>By one approach the motorized transport unit 102 comprises an integral part of <br/>a movable <br/>item container 104 such as a grocery cart. As used herein, this reference to <br/>"integral" will be<br/>- 15 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>understood to refer to a non-temporary combination and joinder that is <br/>sufficiently complete so <br/>as to consider the combined elements to be as one. Such a joinder can be <br/>facilitated in a number <br/>of ways including by securing the motorized transport unit housing 402 to the <br/>item container <br/>using bolts or other threaded fasteners as versus, for example, a clip.<br/>These teachings will also accommodate selectively and temporarily attaching <br/>the<br/>motorized transport unit 102 to an item container 104. In such a case the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>102 can include a movable item container coupling structure 422. By one <br/>approach this movable <br/>item container coupling structure 422 operably couples to a control circuit <br/>202 to thereby permit <br/>the latter to control, for example, the latched and unlatched states of the <br/>movable item container <br/>coupling structure 422. So configured, by one approach the control circuit 406 <br/>can automatically <br/>and selectively move the motorized transport unit 102 (via the motorized wheel <br/>system 410) <br/>towards a particular item container until the movable item container coupling <br/>structure 422 can <br/>engage the item container to thereby temporarily physically couple the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>102 to the item container. So latched, the motorized transport unit 102 can <br/>then cause the item <br/>container to move with the motorized transport unit 102. In embodiments such <br/>as illustrated in <br/>FIGS. 2A-3B, the movable item container coupling structure 422 includes a <br/>lifting system (e.g., <br/>including an electric drive or motor) to cause a portion of the body or <br/>housing 402 to engage and <br/>lift a portion of the item container off of the ground such that the motorized <br/>transport unit 102 <br/>can carry a portion of the item container. In other embodiments, the movable <br/>transport unit <br/>latches to a portion of the movable item container without lifting a portion <br/>thereof off of the <br/>ground.<br/>In either case, by combining the motorized transport unit 102 with an item <br/>container, and <br/>by controlling movement of the motorized transport unit 102 via the <br/>aforementioned central <br/>computer system 106, these teachings will facilitate a wide variety of useful <br/>ways to assist both <br/>customers and associates in a shopping facility setting. For example, the <br/>motorized transport unit <br/>102 can be configured to follow a particular customer as they shop within the <br/>shopping facility <br/>101. The customer can then place items they intend to purchase into the item <br/>container that is <br/>associated with the motorized transport unit 102.<br/>In some embodiments, the motorized transport unit 102 includes an input/output <br/>(I/0) <br/>device 424 that is coupled to the control circuit 406. The I/0 device 424 <br/>allows an external<br/>- 16-<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>device to couple to the control unit 404. The function and purpose of <br/>connecting devices will <br/>depend on the application. In some examples, devices connecting to the I/0 <br/>device 424 may add <br/>functionality to the control unit 404, allow the exporting of data from the <br/>control unit 404, allow <br/>the diagnosing of the motorized transport unit 102, and so on.<br/>In some embodiments, the motorized transport unit 102 includes a user <br/>interface 426 <br/>including for example, user inputs and/or user outputs or displays depending <br/>on the intended <br/>interaction with the user. For example, user inputs could include any input <br/>device such as <br/>buttons, knobs, switches, touch sensitive surfaces or display screens, and so <br/>on. Example user <br/>outputs include lights, display screens, and so on. The user interface 426 may <br/>work together <br/>with or separate from any user interface implemented at a user interface unit <br/>114 (such as a smart <br/>phone or tablet device).<br/>The control unit 404 includes a memory 408 coupled to the control circuit 406 <br/>and that <br/>stores, for example, operating instructions and/or useful data. The control <br/>circuit 406 can <br/>comprise a fixed-purpose hard-wired platform or can comprise a partially or <br/>wholly <br/>programmable platfoim. These architectural options are well known and <br/>understood in the art <br/>and require no further description here. This control circuit 406 is <br/>configured (for example, by <br/>using corresponding programming stored in the memory 408 as will be well <br/>understood by those <br/>skilled in the art) to carry out one or more of the steps, actions, and/or <br/>functions described herein. <br/>The memory 408 may be integral to the control circuit 406 or can be physically <br/>discrete (in <br/>whole or in part) from the control circuit 406 as desired. This memory 408 can <br/>also be local with <br/>respect to the control circuit 406 (where, for example, both share a common <br/>circuit board, <br/>chassis, power supply, and/or housing) or can be partially or wholly remote <br/>with respect to the <br/>control circuit 406. This memory 408 can serve, for example, to non-<br/>transitorily store the <br/>computer instructions that, when executed by the control circuit 406, cause <br/>the control circuit <br/>406 to behave as described herein. (As used herein, this reference to "non-<br/>transitorily" will be <br/>understood to refer to a non-ephemeral state for the stored contents (and <br/>hence excludes when <br/>the stored contents merely constitute signals or waves) rather than volatility <br/>of the storage media <br/>itself and hence includes both non-volatile memory (such as read-only memory <br/>(ROM) as well <br/>as volatile memory (such as an erasable programmable read-only memory <br/>(EPROM).)<br/>- 17 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>It is noted that not all components illustrated in FIG. 4 are included in all <br/>embodiments of <br/>the motorized transport unit 102. That is, some components may be optional <br/>depending on the <br/>implementation.<br/>FIG. 5 illustrates a functional block diagram that may generally represent any <br/>number of <br/>various electronic components of the system 100 that are computer type <br/>devices. The computer <br/>device 500 includes a control circuit 502, a memory 504, a user interface 506 <br/>and an input/output <br/>(1/0) interface 508 providing any type of wired and/or wireless connectivity <br/>to the computer <br/>device 500, all coupled to a communication bus 510 to allow data and signaling <br/>to pass <br/>therebetween. Generally, the control circuit 502 and the memory 504 may be <br/>referred to as a <br/>control unit. The control circuit 502, the memory 504, the user interface 506 <br/>and the I/0 <br/>interface 508 may be any of the devices described herein or as understood in <br/>the art. The <br/>functionality of the computer device 500 will depend on the programming stored <br/>in the memory <br/>504. The computer device 500 may represent a high level diagram for one or <br/>more of the central <br/>computer system 106, the motorized transport unit 102, the user interface unit <br/>114, the location <br/>detection system 116, the user interface computer 128, the MTU docking station <br/>122 and the <br/>MTU dispenser 120, or any other device or component in the system that is <br/>implemented as a <br/>computer device.<br/>ADDITIONAL FEATURES OVERVIEW<br/>Referring generally to FIGS. 1-5, the shopping assistance system 100 may <br/>implement one <br/>or more of several different features depending on the configuration of the <br/>system and its <br/>components. The following provides a brief description of several additional <br/>features that could <br/>be implemented by the system. One or more of these features could also be <br/>implemented in <br/>other systems separate from embodiments of the system. This is not meant to be <br/>an exhaustive <br/>description of all features and not meant to be an exhaustive description of <br/>the details any one of <br/>the features. Further details with regards to one or more features beyond this <br/>overview may be <br/>provided herein.<br/>Tagalong Steering: This feature allows a given motorized transport unit 102 to <br/>lead or <br/>follow a user (e.g., a customer and/or a worker) throughout the shopping <br/>facility 101. For <br/>example, the central computer system 106 uses the location detection system <br/>116 to determine <br/>the location of the motorized transport unit 102. For example, LED smart <br/>lights (e.g., the<br/>- 18 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>ByteLight system) of the location detection system 116 transmit a location <br/>number to smart <br/>devices which are with the customer (e.g., user interface units 114), and/or <br/>on the item container <br/>104/motorized transport unit 102. The central computer system 106 receives the <br/>LED location <br/>numbers received by the smart devices through the wireless network 124. Using <br/>this information, <br/>in some embodiments, the central computer system 106 uses a grid placed upon a <br/>2D CAD map <br/>and 3D point cloud model (e.g., from the databases 126) to direct, track, and <br/>plot paths for the <br/>other devices. Using the grid, the motorized transport unit 102 can drive a <br/>movable item <br/>container 104 in a straight path rather than zigzagging around the facility. <br/>As the user moves <br/>from one grid to another, the motorized transport unit 102 drives the <br/>container 104 from one grid <br/>to the other. In some embodiments, as the user moves towards the motorized <br/>transport unit, it <br/>stays still until the customer moves beyond an adjoining grid.<br/>Detecting Objects: In some embodiments, motorized transport units 102 detect <br/>objects <br/>through several sensors mounted on motorized transport unit 102, through <br/>independent cameras <br/>(e.g., video cameras 118), through sensors of a corresponding movable item <br/>container 104, and <br/>through communications with the central computer system 106. In some <br/>embodiments, with <br/>semi-autonomous capabilities, the motorized transport unit 102 will attempt to <br/>avoid obstacles, <br/>and if unable to avoid, it will notify the central computer system 106 of an <br/>exception condition. <br/>In some embodiments, using sensors 414 (such as distance measurement units, <br/>e.g., laser or other <br/>optical-based distance measurement sensors), the motorized transport unit 102 <br/>detects obstacles <br/>in its path, and will move to avoid, or stop until the obstacle is clear.<br/>Visual Remote Steering: This feature enables movement and/or operation of a <br/>motorized <br/>transport unit 102 to be controlled by a user on-site, off-site, or anywhere <br/>in the world. This is <br/>due to the architecture of some embodiments where the central computer system <br/>106 outputs the <br/>control signals to the motorized transport unit 102. These controls signals <br/>could have originated <br/>at any device in communication with the central computer system 106. For <br/>example, the <br/>movement signals sent to the motorized transport unit 102 may be movement <br/>instructions <br/>determined by the central computer system 106; commands received at a user <br/>interface unit 114 <br/>from a user; and commands received at the central computer system 106 from a <br/>remote user not <br/>located at the shopping facility space.<br/>- 19 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>Determining Location: Similar to that described above, this feature enables <br/>the central <br/>computer system 106 to deteiiiiine the location of devices in the shopping <br/>facility 101. For <br/>example, the central computer system 106 maps received LED light <br/>transmissions, Bluetooth <br/>low energy radio signals or audio signals (or other received signals encoded <br/>with location data) <br/>to a 2D map of the shopping facility. Objects within the area of the shopping <br/>facility are also <br/>mapped and associated with those transmissions. Using this infoimation, the <br/>central computer <br/>system 106 can determine the location of devices such as motorized transport <br/>units.<br/>Digital Physical Map Integration: In some embodiments, the system 100 is <br/>capable of <br/>integrating 2D and 3D maps of the shopping facility with physical locations of <br/>objects and <br/>workers. Once the central computer system 106 maps all objects to specific <br/>locations using <br/>algorithms, measurements and LED geo-location, for example, grids are applied <br/>which sections <br/>off the maps into access ways and blocked sections. Motorized transport units <br/>102 use these <br/>grids for navigation and recognition. In some cases, grids are applied to 2D <br/>horizontal maps <br/>along with 3D models. In some cases, grids start at a higher unit level and <br/>then can be broken <br/>down into smaller units of measure by the central computer system 106 when <br/>needed to provide <br/>more accuracy.<br/>Calling a Motorized Transport Unit: This feature provides multiple methods to <br/>request <br/>and schedule a motorized transport unit 102 for assistance in the shopping <br/>facility. In some <br/>embodiments, users can request use of a motorized transport unit 102 through <br/>the user interface <br/>unit 114. The central computer system 106 can check to see if there is an <br/>available motorized <br/>transport unit. Once assigned to a given user, other users will not be able to <br/>control the already <br/>assigned transport unit. Workers, such as store associates, may also reserve <br/>multiple motorized <br/>transport units in order to accomplish a coordinated large job.<br/>Locker Delivery: In some embodiments, one or more motorized transport units <br/>102 may <br/>be used to pick, pack, and deliver items to a particular storage locker 132. <br/>The motorized <br/>transport units 102 can couple to and move the storage locker to a desired <br/>location. In some <br/>embodiments, once delivered, the requestor will be notified that the items are <br/>ready to be picked <br/>up, and will be provided the locker location and locker security code key.<br/>Route Optimization: In some embodiments, the central computer system <br/>automatically <br/>generates a travel route for one or more motorized transport units through the <br/>shopping facility<br/>- 20 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>space. In some embodiments, this route is based on one or more of a user <br/>provided list of items <br/>entered by the user via a user interface unit 114; user selected route <br/>preferences entered by the <br/>user via the user interface unit 114; user profile data received from a user <br/>information database <br/>(e.g., from one of databases 126); and product availability information from a <br/>retail inventory <br/>database (e.g., from one of databases 126). In some cases, the route intends <br/>to minimize the time <br/>it takes to get through the facility, and in some cases, may route the shopper <br/>to the least busy <br/>checkout area. Frequently, there will be multiple possible optimum routes. The <br/>route chosen <br/>may take the user by things the user is more likely to purchase (in case they <br/>forgot something), <br/>and away from things they are not likely to buy (to avoid embarrassment). That <br/>is, routing a <br/>customer through sporting goods, women's lingerie, baby food, or feminine <br/>products, who has <br/>never purchased such products based on past customer behavior would be non-<br/>productive, and <br/>potentially embarrassing to the customer. In some cases, a route may be <br/>determined from <br/>multiple possible routes based on past shopping behavior, e.g., if the <br/>customer typically buys a <br/>cold Diet Coke product, children's shoes or power tools, this information <br/>would be used to add <br/>weight to the best alternative routes, and determine the route accordingly.<br/>Store Facing Features: In some embodiments, these features enable functions to <br/>support <br/>workers in performing store functions. For example, the system can assist <br/>workers to know what <br/>products and items are on the shelves and which ones need attention. For <br/>example, using 3D <br/>scanning and point cloud measurements, the central computer system can <br/>determine where <br/>products are supposed to be, enabling workers to be alerted to facing or <br/>zoning of issues along <br/>with potential inventory issues.<br/>Phone Home: This feature allows users in a shopping facility 101 to be able to <br/>contact <br/>remote users who are not at the shopping facility 101 and include them in the <br/>shopping <br/>experience. For example, the user interface unit 114 may allow the user to <br/>place a voice call, a <br/>video call, or send a text message. With video call capabilities, a remote <br/>person can virtually <br/>accompany an in-store shopper, visually sharing the shopping experience while <br/>seeing and <br/>talking with the shopper. One or more remote shoppers may join the experience.<br/>Returns: In some embodiments, the central computer system 106 can task a <br/>motorized <br/>transport unit 102 to keep the returns area clear of returned merchandise. For <br/>example, the <br/>transport unit may be instructed to move a cart from the returns area to a <br/>different department or<br/>- 21 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>area. Such commands may be initiated from video analytics (the central <br/>computer system <br/>analyzing camera footage showing a cart full), from an associate command <br/>(digital or verbal), or <br/>on a schedule, as other priority tasks allow. The motorized transport unit 102 <br/>can first bring an <br/>empty cart to the returns area, prior to removing a full one.<br/>Bring a Container: One or more motorized transport units can retrieve a <br/>movable item <br/>container 104 (such as a shopping cart) to use. For example, upon a customer <br/>or worker request, <br/>the motorized transport unit 102 can re-position one or more item containers <br/>104 from one <br/>location to another. In some cases, the system instructs the motorized <br/>transport unit where to <br/>obtain an empty item container for use. For example, the system can recognize <br/>an empty and <br/>idle item container that has been abandoned or instruct that one be retrieved <br/>from a cart storage <br/>area. In some cases, the call to retrieve an item container may be initiated <br/>through a call button <br/>placed throughout the facility, or through the interface of a user interface <br/>unit 114.<br/>Respond to Voice Commands: In some cases, control of a given motorized <br/>transport unit <br/>is implemented through the acceptance of voice commands. For example, the user <br/>may speak <br/>voice commands to the motorized transport unit 102 itself and/or to the user <br/>interface unit 114. <br/>In some embodiments, a voice print is used to authorize to use of a motorized <br/>transport unit 102 <br/>to allow voice commands from single user at a time.<br/>Retrieve Abandoned Item Containers: This feature allows the central computer <br/>system to <br/>track movement of movable item containers in and around the area of the <br/>shopping facility 101, <br/>including both the sale floor areas and the back-room areas. For example, <br/>using visual <br/>recognition through store cameras 118 or through user interface units 114, the <br/>central computer <br/>system 106 can identify abandoned and out-of-place movable item containers. In <br/>some cases, <br/>each movable item container has a transmitter or smart device which will send <br/>a unique identifier <br/>to facilitate tracking or other tasks and its position using LED geo-location <br/>identification. Using <br/>LED geo-location identification with the Determining Location feature through <br/>smart devices on <br/>each cart, the central computer system 106 can determine the length of time a <br/>movable item <br/>container 104 is stationary.<br/>Stocker Assistance: This feature allows the central computer system to track <br/>movement <br/>of merchandise flow into and around the back-room areas. For example, using <br/>visual recognition <br/>and captured images, the central computer system 106 can determine if carts <br/>are loaded or not<br/>- 22 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>for moving merchandise between the back room areas and the sale floor areas. <br/>Tasks or alerts <br/>may be sent to workers to assign tasks.<br/>Self-Docking: Motorized transport units 102 will run low or out of power when <br/>used. <br/>Before this happens, the motorized transport units 102 need to recharge to <br/>stay in service. <br/>According to this feature, motorized transport units 102 will self-dock and <br/>recharge (e.g., at a <br/>MTU docking station 122) to stay at maximum efficiency, when not in use. When <br/>use is <br/>completed, the motorized transport unit 102 will return to a docking station <br/>122. In some cases, <br/>if the power is running low during use, a replacement motorized transport unit <br/>can be assigned to <br/>move into position and replace the motorized transport unit with low power. <br/>The transition from <br/>one unit to the next can be seamless to the user.<br/>Item Container Retrieval: With this feature, the central computer system 106 <br/>can cause <br/>multiple motorized transport units 102 to retrieve abandoned item containers <br/>from exterior areas <br/>such as parking lots. For example, multiple motorized transport units are <br/>loaded into a movable <br/>dispenser, e.g., the motorized transport units are vertically stacked in the <br/>dispenser. The <br/>dispenser is moved to the exterior area and the transport units are dispensed. <br/>Based on video <br/>analytics, it is determined which item containers 104 are abandoned and for <br/>how long. A <br/>transport unit will attach to an abandoned cart and return it to a storage <br/>bay.<br/>Motorized Transport Unit Dispenser: This feature provides the movable <br/>dispenser that <br/>contains and moves a group of motorized transport units to a given area (e.g., <br/>an exterior area <br/>such as a parking lot) to be dispensed for use. For example, motorized <br/>transport units can be <br/>moved to the parking lot to retrieve abandoned item containers 104. In some <br/>cases, the interior of <br/>the dispenser includes helically wound guide rails that mate with the guide <br/>member 208 to allow <br/>the motorized transport units to be guided to a position to be dispensed.<br/>Specialized Module Retrieval: This feature allows the system 100 to track <br/>movement of <br/>merchandise flow into and around the sales floor areas and the back-room areas <br/>including special <br/>modules that may be needed to move to the sales floor. For example, using <br/>video analytics, the <br/>system can determine if a modular unit it loaded or empty. Such modular units <br/>may house items <br/>that are of seasonal or temporary use on the sales floor. For example, when it <br/>is raining, it is <br/>useful to move a module unit displaying umbrellas from a back room area (or a <br/>lesser accessed <br/>area of the sales floor) to a desired area of the sales floor area.<br/>- 23 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>Authentication: This feature uses a voice imprint with an attention code/word <br/>to <br/>authenticate a user to a given motorized transport unit. One motorized <br/>transport unit can be <br/>swapped for another using this authentication. For example, a token is used <br/>during the session <br/>with the user. The token is a unique identifier for the session which is <br/>dropped once the session <br/>is ended. A logical token may be a session id used by the application of the <br/>user interface unit <br/>114 to establish the session id when user logs on and when deciding to do use <br/>the system 100. In <br/>some embodiments, communications throughout the session are encrypted using <br/>SSL or other <br/>methods at transport level.<br/>FURTHER DETAILS OF SOME EMBODIMENTS<br/>In accordance with some embodiments, further details are now provided for one <br/>or more <br/>of these and other features including particularly shopping facility <br/>assistance systems, devices, <br/>and methods to dispatch and recover motorized transport units that effect <br/>remote deliveries.<br/>Generally speaking, in this particular example a plurality of motorized <br/>transport units <br/>(and to be clear, these are motorized terrestrial transport units) are loaded <br/>into a mother vehicle <br/>along with a plurality of items to be delivered to various corresponding <br/>different recipients. The <br/>mother vehicle moves to a first delivery location and a first one of the <br/>motorized transport units <br/>is dispatched to thereby effect delivery of a first one of the items to a <br/>first one of the recipients. <br/>Prior to that first dispatched motorized transport unit returning to the <br/>mother vehicle, the mother <br/>vehicle moves to a second delivery do location and dispatches a second one of <br/>the motorized <br/>transport units to carry a second one of the items to thereby effect delivery <br/>to a second one of the <br/>recipients. The mother vehicle then subsequently recovers one or more of these <br/>dispatched <br/>motorized transport units at a recovery location.<br/>The mother vehicle can comprise a manned vehicle or an unmanned vehicle as <br/>appropriate. The mother vehicle can transport as many of the motorized <br/>transport units as may be <br/>suitably accommodated thereby. By one approach at least some of the motorized <br/>transport units <br/>are pre-loaded with at least one item to be delivered as described above. By <br/>another approach a <br/>motorized transport unit is loaded with the item to be delivered while onboard <br/>the mother vehicle <br/>and prior to deployment.<br/>By one approach the mother vehicle includes a wireless transceiver system that <br/>acts as a <br/>repeater to enable wireless communications between the individual motorized <br/>transport units and<br/>- 24 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>the aforementioned central computer system. So configured, the central <br/>computer system can <br/>provide the dispatching instructions (with or without other relevant <br/>information such as <br/>navigation information, recipient authentication information, and so forth as <br/>desired) to the <br/>motorized transport units prior to their deployment and/or during their <br/>deployment.<br/>By one approach at least some of the items to be delivered are preloaded into <br/>corresponding lockers. These lockers are then either pre-attached to <br/>corresponding ones of the <br/>motorized transport units or attached thereto prior to deployment. So <br/>configured a deployed <br/>motorized transport unit carries such a locker to the recipient. The locker <br/>itself can be locked and <br/>configured to only be opened by a person who employs a pre-determined <br/>unlocking mechanism. <br/>So configured valuable and/or otherwise restricted or sensitive items can be <br/>reliably delivered to <br/>the appropriate recipient to the likely exclusion of any unauthorized persons.<br/>So configured a number of motorized transport units can be deployed in a given <br/>neighborhood, apartment complex, industrial park, and so forth more or less at <br/>the same time. <br/>Such an approach can greatly reduce the overall amount of time that the mother <br/>vehicle itself <br/>must remain on task and dedicated to the delivery of a particular group of <br/>items. These <br/>approaches are highly flexible in practice and will accommodate a variety of <br/>real-time changes <br/>(such as changes with respect to deployment locations as well as recovery <br/>locations) to meet any <br/>number of real-world contingencies such as changing weather conditions, the <br/>presence of <br/>obstacles or closed pathways, and so forth.<br/>Referring now to FIG. 6 and 7, an illustrative process 600 that accords with <br/>the foregoing <br/>will now be provided. It shall be understood that no particular limitations <br/>are intended by way of <br/>the specificity of this example.<br/>At block 601 a plurality of motorized transport units 102 (specifically <br/>comprising, in this <br/>example, motorized terrestrial transport units 701 to make clear that this <br/>example does not <br/>encompass motorized airborne transport units) are loaded into a mother vehicle <br/>702. Akin to a <br/>"mother ship," this mother vehicle 702 comprises a vehicle having its own <br/>means of locomotion <br/>and directionality control and having a storage capability sufficient to <br/>retain and transport a <br/>plurality of the motorized terrestrial transport units 701.<br/>These teachings are highly flexible in these regards and will accommodate a <br/>wide variety <br/>of form factors and designs in these regards. By one approach, for example, <br/>the motorized<br/>- 25 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>terrestrial transport units 701 are carried inside an enclosed or partially <br/>enclosed compartment. <br/>By another approach, the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 are carried <br/>partially or wholly <br/>exposed to the external environment during transport.<br/>These teachings will also accommodate various ways to load and unload the <br/>motorized <br/>terrestrial transport unit 701. As one example, the mother vehicle includes a <br/>deployable ramp by <br/>which the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 can move themselves up <br/>into a storage area. <br/>By another example the mother vehicle 702 includes a crane or other lifting <br/>mechanism to <br/>thereby lift motorized terrestrial transport units 701 into the storage area. <br/>By yet another example <br/>the mother vehicle 702 includes openings within which the motorized <br/>terrestrial transport units <br/>701 can interact to thereby lift themselves up into a storage area in the <br/>mother vehicle 702.<br/>Generally speaking, for many application settings it will be beneficial for <br/>the mother <br/>vehicle 702 to meet all appropriate laws and regulations required to operate <br/>on a public street. <br/>Accordingly, the mother vehicle 702 can have a length, width, and height that <br/>will permit legal <br/>operation on a public street. Similarly, the mother vehicle 702 can be <br/>equipped with lights <br/>(including headlights, taillights, and brake lights) and other operating <br/>equipment as may be <br/>required by law. In the same regards the mother vehicle 702 can be registered <br/>and licensed with <br/>an appropriate state motor vehicle department to thereby permit lawful <br/>operation on public <br/>streets.<br/>In addition to loading the motorized terrestrial transport unit 701, at block <br/>602 a plurality <br/>of items 703 to be delivered to various corresponding different recipients are <br/>also loaded into the <br/>mother vehicle 702. By one approach these items are organized such that all <br/>items to be <br/>delivered to a single recipient are grouped together (for example, in a shared <br/>carton or box). <br/>There may or may not be a one-to-one correspondence between the number of <br/>motorized <br/>terrestrial transport units 701 and the number of deliveries to be made. These <br/>items 703 can be <br/>any of a wide variety of products including a variety of retail as well as <br/>wholesale or even <br/>customized items.<br/>By one approach at least some of the items 703 are pre-loaded into <br/>corresponding lockers <br/>132 as described above. Accordingly, these lockers 132 are each configured <br/>such that at least one <br/>of the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 can physically attach thereto <br/>to thereby move the <br/>locker 132. By one approach at least some of the motorized terrestrial <br/>transport units 701 are pre-<br/>- 26 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>attached to corresponding ones of these lockers 132, perhaps even before being <br/>loaded into the <br/>mother vehicle 702. By another approach one or more of the motorized <br/>terrestrial transport units<br/>701 attach to corresponding ones of the lockers 132 subsequent to boarding the <br/>mother vehicle <br/>702.<br/>When using lockers 132, it may be expected that one or more of the items 703 <br/>are <br/>disposed within a corresponding locker 132. When a plurality of items 703 are <br/>to be delivered to <br/>a same recipient, it can be beneficial for a single locker 132 to so contain <br/>all such items 703 <br/>when physically possible.<br/>By one approach the lockers 132 have a lockable door. In some cases items 703 <br/>may be <br/>pre-loaded into a locker 132 and locked therein before loading the lockers and <br/>items into the <br/>mother vehicle 702. In any event, such a locker 132 can have an unlocking <br/>mechanism 704 that <br/>is controlled by a corresponding control device 705. So configured, an <br/>authorized recipient who <br/>employs a pre-determined unlocking mechanism that is recognized and accepted <br/>by the control <br/>device 705 can cause the unlocking mechanism 704 to unlock and thereby permit <br/>the recipient to <br/>gain access to their items 703.<br/>These teachings will accommodate a wide variety of approaches in these <br/>regards. As one <br/>simple example the control device 705 may include a keypad that the recipient <br/>employs to enter <br/>a predetermined numeric code. In such a case the control device 705 can be <br/>configured to detect <br/>the entry of that numeric code and determine whether that recipient has <br/>entered an appropriate <br/>code. When true, the control device 705 can cause the unlocking mechanism 704 <br/>to unlock the <br/>locker 132 as described above.<br/>At block 603 this process 600 provides for moving the mother vehicle 702 to a <br/>first <br/>delivery location. By one approach the central computer system 106 provides <br/>those instructions <br/>to, for example, a driver of the mother vehicle 702. This could comprise <br/>transmitting a <br/>destination to an on-board navigation unit that then calculates an appropriate <br/>route for the driver <br/>to follow. By another approach this can comprise transmitting the destination <br/>(with or without a <br/>corresponding route) to the driver via some appropriate user interface. When <br/>the mother vehicle<br/>702 comprises an autonomous vehicle having no human driver, the central <br/>computer system 106 <br/>could transmit that destination directly to one or more navigation and/or <br/>control components of <br/>the mother vehicle 702.<br/>- 27 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>The first delivery location itself can comprise, by one approach, a very <br/>specific location <br/>such as a street address or GPS coordinates. By another approach the first <br/>delivery location <br/>might simply comprise a street name, a subdivision name, a general address for <br/>multi-building <br/>campus, and so forth. If desired, the first delivery location could be even <br/>more general in nature <br/>and comprise, for example, a town, village, or city name.<br/>When the mother vehicle 702 arrives at the first delivery location, pursuant <br/>to block 604 <br/>the process 600 provides for dispatching at least a first of the motorized <br/>terrestrial transport units <br/>701 that carries at least a first of the items 703 to leave the mother vehicle <br/>702 and transport the <br/>first of the items 703 to thereby effect delivery to a first of the scheduled <br/>recipients. When <br/>appropriate, this activity can include dispatching a second such motorized <br/>terrestrial transport <br/>unit 701 (or more) to similarly deliver other of the items 703 to other of the <br/>recipients.<br/>By one approach the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 are pre-<br/>provisioned with <br/>their respective destination and/or route information. By another approach, <br/>either while en route <br/>to the first delivery location and/or upon being dispatched as described <br/>above, the central <br/>computer system 106 can provide such information to the motorized terrestrial <br/>transport units <br/>701. When the mother vehicle 702 includes a wireless communications unit 706 <br/>that can <br/>communicate with the central computer system 106 via an intervening <br/>communications interface <br/>707 (such as the aforementioned network interface 112) and also with onboard <br/>wireless <br/>transceivers 412 as comprise a part of each of the motorized terrestrial <br/>transport units 701 (such <br/>that each of the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 can communicate <br/>separately with the <br/>central computer system 106 via that wireless communications unit 706 that <br/>acts as a repeater), <br/>and presuming a sufficient coverage range, the central computer system 106 can <br/>remain at least <br/>occasionally in contact with the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 <br/>even after the latter have <br/>been deployed and are in the process of carrying their respective items 703 to <br/>their respective <br/>recipients. In that case the central computer system 106 can continue to <br/>provide guidance <br/>information to the motorized terrestrial transport units 701 as they carry out <br/>their delivery tasks.<br/>After having deployed this one or more motorized terrestrial transport units <br/>701 at the <br/>first delivery location, and prior to any of those first deployed motorized <br/>terrestrial transport <br/>units 701 returning to the mother vehicle 702, at block 605 this process 600 <br/>provides for moving <br/>the mother vehicle 702 to a second delivery location that is different than <br/>the first delivery<br/>-28-<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>location. The distance between the first and second delivery locations can <br/>vary in accordance <br/>with the needs and/or circumstances of a given application setting. When the <br/>first delivery <br/>location comprises a first apartment complex, the second delivery location <br/>could comprise a <br/>second apartment complex that is, for example, within half a mile of the first <br/>apartment complex. <br/>When the first delivery location comprises a neighborhood street having a <br/>single-family homes <br/>located along that neighborhood street, the second delivery location could <br/>comprise another <br/>neighborhood street of single-family homes in that same neighborhood (for <br/>example, one or two <br/>blocks over from that first neighborhood street). Many other possibilities can <br/>be accommodated <br/>as well.<br/>The mother vehicle 702 then dispatches at least a second of the motorized <br/>terrestrial <br/>transport units 701 that again carry at least a second of the items 703 to <br/>thereby leave the mother <br/>vehicle 702 and transport the second of the items 703 to thereby effect <br/>delivery to a second of the <br/>recipients. As before, this process 600 will accommodate so dispatching a <br/>plurality of motorized <br/>tenestrial transport units 701 at this second delivery location as appropriate <br/>to the needs of the <br/>present delivery assignment.<br/>The illustrated process 600 only illustrates dispatching motorized terrestrial <br/>transport <br/>units 701 at either of two delivery locations for the sake of simplicity and <br/>clarity. If desired, this <br/>process 600 will readily accommodate stopping at any number of other delivery <br/>locations if and <br/>as needed.<br/>At block 606 the mother vehicle 702 recovers at least the first of the <br/>motorized terrestrial <br/>transport units 701 at a first recovery location. This can comprise, for <br/>example, recovering a <br/>motorized terrestrial transport unit 701 in combination with its corresponding <br/>locker 132 after <br/>the motorized terrestrial transport unit 701 has effected delivery of its <br/>items 703 to its intended <br/>recipient. As before, and as desired, the central computer system 106 can <br/>serve to guide the <br/>motorized terrestrial transport unit 701 to that first recovery location.<br/>These teachings are quite flexible in terms of accommodating a variety of <br/>different <br/>recovery locations. By one simple approach each motorized terrestrial <br/>transport unit 701 simply <br/>retraces its route to return to its respective aforementioned delivery <br/>location. In that case each <br/>delivery location serves as well as a recovery location. These teachings will <br/>readily <br/>accommodate other approaches in these regards, however. As one example in <br/>these regards, the<br/>- 29 -<br/><br/>CA 02936393 2016-07-15<br/>mother vehicle 702 may drive down a street and stop at three different <br/>locations to deploy <br/>motorized terrestrial transport units 701 as described above. Notwithstanding <br/>that these <br/>motorized terrestrial transport units 701 were dropped off at three different <br/>locations, these <br/>teachings will readily accommodate having each of these motorized terrestrial <br/>transport units 701 <br/>return to a same recovery location (for example, at the end of the <br/>aforementioned street).<br/>So configured, items can be delivered to any of a variety of customer-friendly <br/>locations <br/>in an efficient, safe, and secure manner.<br/>Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, <br/>alterations, <br/>and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments <br/>without <br/>departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, <br/>alterations, and <br/>combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive <br/>concept.<br/>-30-<br/>
