Overriding control of motorize transport unit systems, devices and methods

Abstract

Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the shopping facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising:
 multiple self-propelled motorized transport units configured to move through at least a portion of a shopping facility;   a wireless communication network; and   a central computer system that is separate and distinct from the multiple motorized transport units and configured to communicate with each of the multiple motorized transport units via the wireless communication network, wherein the central computer system comprises:
 a transceiver configured to communicate with the motorized transport units located at the shopping facility; 
 a control circuit coupled with the transceiver; and 
 a memory coupled to the control circuit and storing computer instructions that when executed by the control circuit cause the control circuit to: 
 receive an override command, from a first worker associated with the shopping facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; 
 confirm a valid authorization of the first worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and 
 override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify one or more sensors on the first motorized transport unit that detect one or more conditions confirming that at least one of the one or more operating limits are exceeded;   disregard sensor information detected by the identified one or more sensors and received from the first motorized transport unit; and   continue to communicate the one or more instructions in contradiction to the sensor information.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more operating limits is a geographic boundary limit that the first motorized transport unit is restricted from passing, and at least one of the one or more instructions overrides the restriction of the boundary limit and is configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to travel outside the boundary limit. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify that the override command causes an override of a customer that is associated with the first motorized transport unit at the time the override command is received; and   wherein the override of the one or more operating limits comprises overriding one or more instructions intended to implement actions to support the use of the first motorized transport by the customer, and override the customer and inhibit control of the first motorized transport unit in accordance with a shopping experience by the customer.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify that the override command causes an override of a second worker that has overridden the operation of the first motorized transport unit, wherein the first worker has a higher authorization priority than the second worker; and   wherein the central computer system in overriding of the one or more operating limits is further configured to override one or more override commands received from the second worker and inhibit control of the first motorized transport unit by the second worker.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify that there is not a predefined route of travel for the first motorized transport unit to follow to implement the override command; and   record the override command along with one or more subsequent override commands and movement of the first motorized transport unit defining a new route in implementing the one or more actions.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 lock out one or more tasks that the first motorized transport unit is configured to perform while implementing the one or more actions that cause the first motorized transport unit to exceed the one or more operating limits; and   prevent the first motorized transport unit from performing the one or more tasks.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit, in confirming the valid authorization of the first worker to override, is configured to receive an input associated with an identification of the first worker, access a worker database, retrieve from the worker database and based on the identification of the first worker the authorization associated with the first worker, and confirm the authorization based on a current state of operation of the first motorized transport unit. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit, in receiving the input, is configured to receive a user interface unit identifier from a portable user interface unit associated with the first worker. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit, in confirming the authorization based on a current state of operation of the first motorized transport unit, is configured to confirm that the override command is specified within the worker database as being a first type of task of a limited set of types of tasks for which the first worker is authorized to initiate. 
     
     
         11 . A method of providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a shopping facility, comprising:
 by a control circuit of a shopping facility:   receiving an override command, from a first worker associated with a shopping facility, to cause a self-propelled motorized transport unit to implement one or more actions at the shopping facility, wherein the control circuit is separate and distinct from the motorized transport unit;   confirming a valid authorization of the first worker to override one or more operating limits of the motorized transport unit; and   overriding the one or more operating limits and communicating one or more instructions to the motorized transport unit configured to cause the motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more sensors on the motorized transport unit that detect one or more conditions confirming that at least one of the one or more operating limits are exceeded;   disregarding sensor information detected by the identified one or more sensors and received from the motorized transport unit; and   continuing to communicate the one or more instructions in contradiction to the sensor information.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying that at least one of the one or more operating limits is a geographic boundary limit that the motorized transport unit is restricted from passing, and   wherein at least one of the one or more instructions overrides the restriction of the boundary limit and is configured to cause the motorized transport unit to travel outside the boundary limit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying that the override command causes an override of a customer that is associated with the motorized transport unit at the time the override command is received, wherein the override of the one or more operating limits comprises overriding one or more instructions intended to implement actions to support the use of the motorized transport by the customer; and   overriding the customer and inhibiting control of the motorized transport unit in accordance with a shopping experience by the customer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the identifying that the override command will cause the motorized transport unit to exceed the one or more operating limits is further comprises:
 identifying that the override command causes an override of a second worker that has overridden the operation of the motorized transport unit, wherein the first worker has a higher authorization priority than the second worker; and   wherein the overriding of the one or more operating limits further comprises overriding one or more override commands received from the second worker and inhibiting control of the motorized transport unit by the second worker.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 identifying that there is not a predefined route of travel for the motorized transport unit to follow to implement the override command; and   recording the override command along with one or more subsequent override commands and movement of the motorized transport unit to define a new route in implementing the one or more actions.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 locking out one or more tasks that the motorized transport unit is configured to perform while implementing the one or more actions that cause the motorized transport unit to exceed the one or more operating limits; and   preventing the motorized transport unit from performing the one or more tasks.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein confirming the valid authorization of the first worker to override comprises: receiving an input associated with an identification of the first worker, accessing a worker database, retrieving from the worker database and based on the identification of the first worker the authorization associated with the first worker, and confirming the authorization based on a current state of operation of the first motorized transport unit. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the receiving the input comprises receiving a user interface unit identifier from a portable user interface unit associated with the first worker. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the confirming the authorization based on a current state of operation of the first motorized transport unit comprises confirming that the override command is specified within the worker database as being a first type of task of a limited set of types of tasks for which the first worker is authorized to initiate.