New Hampshire Patent of the Month – May 2023
Porch pirates, or thieves who steal packages from front doors and porches, have created a demand for online orders to be delivered to secure locations. For instance, ordering an item online and picking it up from a brick and mortar store. Unfortunately, for smaller businesses, these “buy-online-and-pickup-in-store” BOPIS methods are expensive and can be hard to implement.
Position Imaging Inc, a package logistics solution provider, has recently patented a computer-vision system capable of detecting the presence, location, and movement of an object within its field of view. This cutting-edge technology is particularly useful in inventory tracking and management, logistics, and security.
Referred to as the “iPickup” solution, the software allows anyone in retail, from big box to boutique, to easily and affordably implement BOPIS. The system includes a body mount, depth perception sensors, and various image sensors to achieve precise object detection. The data from these sensors allow the system to track movement using integrated guidance systems. The computer vision tracks package location while light guidance and audio prompts facilitate retrieval, dramatically reducing down time and errors.
iPickup continually tracks the ID and position of every item on its shelves, alerting the customer as soon as an order is ready for pickup. When the customer arrives, they can provide a receipt or order pickup number and intuitive light and audio guidance directs them to the items for pick-up, alarming if the wrong item is taken by mistake.
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