U.S. patent application number 14/161640 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-23 for automated return shopping cart.
The applicant listed for this patent is Fred Caver. Invention is credited to Fred Caver.
Application Number | 20150205300 14/161640 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53544714 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150205300 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Caver; Fred |
July 23, 2015 |
AUTOMATED RETURN SHOPPING CART
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.
Inventors: |
Caver; Fred; (Brooklyn,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Caver; Fred |
Brooklyn |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53544714 |
Appl. No.: |
14/161640 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/23 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 5/0076 20130101;
G05D 1/0225 20130101; B62B 3/1416 20130101; B62B 3/1404 20130101;
B62B 3/1424 20130101; G05D 1/0278 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G05D 1/02 20060101
G05D001/02 |
Claims
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 of claim 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 of claim 2, wherein said
video screen is a touch screen.
4. The automated return shopping cart of claim 1, wherein said
automation component is connected to the two front wheels of said
shopping cart.
5. The automated return shopping cart of claim 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 of claim 1, wherein said
object sensors additionally include a plurality of lights.
7. The automated return shopping cart of claim 1, wherein said
activity sensor is defined by a pressure sensor and includes a
timing mechanism.
8. The automated return shopping cart of claim 1, wherein said
object sensors include motion sensors.
9. The automated return shopping cart of claim 1, wherein said
object sensors include light sensors.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] 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.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] 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.
[0005] 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.
[0006] 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
[0007] 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.
[0008] 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.
[0009] 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.
[0010] 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.
[0011] It is another object of this invention to provide an
automated return shopping cart motorized to enable it to propel
itself when required.
[0012] 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.
[0013] These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in
the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] 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
[0015] Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, an
automated return shopping cart 10 is shown as a conventional
shopping cart 11 modified to include an automation component 12, a
GPS component 13, object sensors 14, activity sensors 15, a male
docking port 16, a female docking port 17, an LCD touchscreen 18,
and a WiFi component 19. The automation component 12 includes the
programmable logic controller, a rechargeable battery, the
powertrain components, and brakes. The automation component 12 is
wired to said GPS component 13, object sensors 14, activity sensors
15, a male docking port 16, a female docking port 17, an LCD screen
18, and a WiFi component 19 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 automated return shopping
cart 10 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.
[0016] The automated return shopping cart 10 operates in
substantially the same manner as a conventional shopping cart when
in use, except it additionally includes an LCD touchscreen 18 and a
WiFi component 19 which allow for the display of advertisements or
for users of the automated return shopping cart 10 to access
content, including without limitation websites or movies, from the
Internet. The LCD touchscreen 18 additionally provides a optical
user interface for the automation component 12. The LCD touchscreen
18 and the WiFi component 19 receive electrical power from an
electrical connection with the automation component 12 and the LCD
touchscreen 18 accesses the Internet through the WiFi component 19
by way of each respective component's connection to the automation
component 12. Advertisements on the LCD touchscreen 18 may
originate on from memory in the automation component 12 or from the
Internet.
[0017] Whenever the activity sensors 15, embodied as pressure
sensors, in the handle bar of the cart 11 sense that no one has
touched the handle bar for ten minutes, the activity sensors 15
notify the automation component 12 that the cart 11 is not in use.
When notified the cart 11 is not in use, the automation component
12 causes the powertrain components, which include a motor,
differentials, and drive shafts, to rotate the front wheels 11a of
the cart 11. By this action, the cart 11 is propelled. It is
contemplated that the cart 11 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 the wheels 11a to spin at different speeds.
[0018] While being propelled, the GPS component 13 is used by the
automation component 12 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 access carts 11 to use. The automation
component 12 may additionally include a map of the retail outlet's
inside and outside area to assist a cart 11 navigate from a
location to the desired location.
[0019] While in route to the desired destination, object sensors 14
are used by the automation component 12 to detect objects in the
current and potential path of the cart 11. The object sensors 14
include motion sensors and light sensors to detect objects in the
path of the cart. When objects are detected, the object sensors 14
activate green and red lights embedded therein to provide a visual
notification that the cart 11 is in motion as also notify the
automation component 12 so that an alternate route which avoids the
objects can be calculate and employed.
[0020] Once the cart 11 is back to the cart corral area, cart is
parked in a location which enables its female docking port 17 to
engage an available male docking port 16 on another, already parked
cart, or which is fixed in the cart corral area for carts 11 to
connect to. While the female docking port 17 is engaged, the
battery in the automatic component 12 is supplied with electrical
power to recharge. When a second cart's 11 female docking port 17
is engaged to the male docking port 16 of a cart which is currently
recharging as described, electrical power is additionally supplied
to the second cart 11 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 the cart
11.
[0021] 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.
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