US20150205300A1 - Automated return shopping cart - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated return shopping cart for enabling a shopping cart to sense when it is not in use and automatically return itself to a cart corral area when it is not in use. The automated return shopping cart comprises a conventional shopping cart modified to include an automation component, which includes the programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the powertrain components, and brakes, interconnected with a GPS component, object sensors, activity sensors, two docking ports, a touchscreen, and a WiFi component. Whenever the cart is not in use, the automation component causes the cart to be moved back to a desired location, using the GPS component to determine the route based on the location of the desired destination. While in route to the desired destination, object sensors are used to detect objects in the current and potential path of the cart, enabling the cart to avoid the objects.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• This invention relates generally to a shopping cart and, more particularly, to a modified shopping cart which automatically returns to a desired location when not in use.
• 2. Description of the Prior Art
• The use of shopping carts in retail shopping is well known. Shoppers at grocery stores or other retail outlets often utilize such carts to gather their items in the retail outlet and also to carry their purchased items to a vehicle when they depart. A problem which is created by such customary use of shopping carts is that once carts are used, the shoppers often leave carts where they last used them, which is typically scattered all over a parking lot. Consequently, the retail outlet must typically employ workers specifically to round up and return carts to a desired location (or have workers stop performing other tasks to do the same) so they may be easily accessed by future shoppers.
• Thus, there remains a need for a shopping cart which would eliminate the need for retail workers to manually round up shopping carts after use and return them to a desired location. It would be helpful if such an automated return shopping cart was motorized to enable it to propel itself when required. It would be additionally desirable for such an automated return shopping cart employed global positioning system (“GPS”) components and sensors to enable shopping carts to navigate themselves to a predetermined, desired location while avoiding pedestrians and vehicles.
• The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a motorized shopping car adapted to automatically propel itself to a predetermined, desired location at a retail outlet when not in use by a shopper. The primary components of Applicant's automated return shopping cart are a base cart modified to include a power source, a GPS system, sensors for detecting objects, sensor for detecting use activity, and a programmable logic controller. When in operation, the automated return shopping cart automatically recognizes when it is no longer in use and returns itself to a desired location to wait to be used again. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by cart corralling procedures of the prior art are removed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• An automated return shopping cart for enabling a shopping cart to sense when it is not in use and automatically return itself to a cart corral area when it is not in use. The automated return shopping cart comprises a conventional shopping cart modified to include an automation component, a GPS component, object sensors, activity sensors, two docking ports, a touchscreen, and a WiFi component. The automation component, which includes the programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the powertrain components, and brakes, is wired to the GPS component, object sensors, activity sensors, docking ports, touchscreen, and WiFi component, enabling the provision and receipt of electrical power with the battery and electrical signals with said components. When in use, the automated return shopping cart operates in substantially the same manner as a conventional shopping cart, except it additionally allows for the display of advertisements or for users of the automated return shopping cart to access content, including without limitation websites or movies, from the Internet.
• Whenever the activity sensors sense that the cart is not in use, the automation component causes the cart to be moved back to a desired location, typically the cart corral area. While being propelled to the cart corral area, the GPS component determines the route based on the location of the desired destination. While in route to the desired destination, object sensors are used to detect objects in the current and potential path of the cart. When objects are detected, an alternate route which avoids the objects is calculated and employed.
• Once the cart makes it back to the cart corral area it is docked with its docking components to allow the battery to recharge. Thus, when a shopper takes the cart seeking to utilize it, electrical power has been stored to power the subsequent operation of the cart.
• It is an object of this invention to provide a shopping cart which would eliminate the need for retail workers to manually round up shopping carts after use and return them to a desired location.
• It is another object of this invention to provide an automated return shopping cart motorized to enable it to propel itself when required.
• It is yet another object of this invention to provide an automated return shopping cart employing GPS components and sensors to enable shopping carts to navigate themselves to a predetermined, desired location while avoiding pedestrians and vehicles.
• These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an automated return shopping cart built in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Referring now to the drawings and in particularFIG. 1, an automatedreturn shopping cart10 is shown as aconventional shopping cart11 modified to include anautomation component12, aGPS component13,object sensors14,activity sensors15, amale docking port16, afemale docking port17, anLCD touchscreen18, and a WiFi component19. Theautomation component12 includes the programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the powertrain components, and brakes. Theautomation component12 is wired to saidGPS component13,object sensors14,activity sensors15, amale docking port16, afemale docking port17, anLCD screen18, and a WiFi component19 so as to enable the provision and receipt of electrical power with the battery and electrical signals with said components. In this regard, the programmable logic controller is able to monitor the activity and signal outputs from all of the electronic components of the automatedreturn shopping cart10 and utilize and/or control the operations thereof and the battery is able to supply electrical power and receive electrical power when being recharged as detailed below.
• The automatedreturn shopping cart10 operates in substantially the same manner as a conventional shopping cart when in use, except it additionally includes anLCD touchscreen18 and a WiFi component19 which allow for the display of advertisements or for users of the automatedreturn shopping cart10 to access content, including without limitation websites or movies, from the Internet. TheLCD touchscreen18 additionally provides a optical user interface for theautomation component12. TheLCD touchscreen18 and the WiFi component19 receive electrical power from an electrical connection with theautomation component12 and theLCD touchscreen18 accesses the Internet through the WiFi component19 by way of each respective component's connection to theautomation component12. Advertisements on theLCD touchscreen18 may originate on from memory in theautomation component12 or from the Internet.
• Whenever theactivity sensors15, embodied as pressure sensors, in the handle bar of thecart11 sense that no one has touched the handle bar for ten minutes, theactivity sensors15 notify theautomation component12 that thecart11 is not in use. When notified thecart11 is not in use, theautomation component12 causes the powertrain components, which include a motor, differentials, and drive shafts, to rotate thefront wheels11aof thecart11. By this action, thecart11 is propelled. It is contemplated that thecart11 may be propelled forward or backward by this action through the control of the motor's direction, and that steering is accomplished through action the differentials to cause thewheels11ato spin at different speeds.
• While being propelled, theGPS component13 is used by theautomation component12 to determine the desired destination. It is contemplated that the desired destination at a typical retail outlet would be a cart storage and recharging area wherefrom customers would be able to accesscarts11 to use. Theautomation component12 may additionally include a map of the retail outlet's inside and outside area to assist acart11 navigate from a location to the desired location.
• While in route to the desired destination,object sensors14 are used by theautomation component12 to detect objects in the current and potential path of thecart11. Theobject sensors14 include motion sensors and light sensors to detect objects in the path of the cart. When objects are detected, theobject sensors14 activate green and red lights embedded therein to provide a visual notification that thecart11 is in motion as also notify theautomation component12 so that an alternate route which avoids the objects can be calculate and employed.
• Once thecart11 is back to the cart corral area, cart is parked in a location which enables itsfemale docking port17 to engage an availablemale docking port16 on another, already parked cart, or which is fixed in the cart corral area forcarts11 to connect to. While thefemale docking port17 is engaged, the battery in theautomatic component12 is supplied with electrical power to recharge. When a second cart's11female docking port17 is engaged to themale docking port16 of a cart which is currently recharging as described, electrical power is additionally supplied to thesecond cart11 is able to recharge simultaneously. Thus, when a shopper takes the cart seeking to utilize it, electrical power has been stored to power the subsequent operation of thecart11.
• The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

What is claimed is:

1. An automated return shopping cart, comprising:

a shopping cart;

an automation component having at least a programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the powertrain components, and brakes, wherein said automation component is mechanically connected to at least two wheels of the shopping cart;

a GPS component disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component;

at least one object sensor disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component, wherein said object sensor is configured to detect objects in front of said shopping cart;

an activity sensor disposed on a handle of said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component, wherein said activity sensor is configured to detect whenever said handle is being contacted;

a first docking port disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component, wherein said first docking component is configured to direct electrical power supplied thereto to said battery; and

wherein said automation component is configured to create a desired path to a desired destination using data from said GPS component, propel said cart to the desired destination after receiving a signal from said activity sensor, and avoid objects in the desired path using signals from said object sensors.

2. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, additionally comprising:

a video screen disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component;

a WiFi component disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said automation component; and

wherein said video screen and said WiFi component enable the display of advertisements or content from the Internet.

3. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 2, wherein said video screen is a touch screen.

4. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, wherein said automation component is connected to the two front wheels of said shopping cart.

5. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, additionally comprising a second docking port disposed on said shopping cart and electrically connected to said first docking port, wherein said second docking port is configured to enabled the provision of electrical power from said first docking port to another object connected thereto.

6. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, wherein said object sensors additionally include a plurality of lights.

7. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, wherein said activity sensor is defined by a pressure sensor and includes a timing mechanism.

8. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, wherein said object sensors include motion sensors.

9. The automated return shopping cart ofclaim 1, wherein said object sensors include light sensors.

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