Systems, devices and methods for restoring shopping space conditions

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for restoring shopping space conditions are provided. A system for restoring shopping space conditions comprises a motorized transport unit comprising at least one sensor, and a central computer system comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with the motorized transport unit. The central computer system being configured to: identify a section of a shopping space having a dropped item, instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to the section of the shopping space and collect information associated with the dropped item using the at least one sensor, determine a characteristic of the dropped item in the section of the shopping space using the at least one sensor of the motorized transport unit, and select a cleaning task from a plurality of cleaning tasks based on the characteristic of the dropped item.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for restoring shopping space condition comprising:
 a motorized wheel system;   a sensor device; and   a control circuit coupled to the motorized wheel system and the sensor device, the control circuit being configured to:
 cause the motorized wheel system to travel to a section of the shopping space; 
 detect a dropped item; 
 collect information about the dropped item in the section of the shopping space using the sensor device wherein the sensor device comprises a barcode or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader and the information associated with the dropped item comprises an item identifier, 
 determine a characteristic of the dropped item in the section of the shopping space based on the item identifier; 
 select a cleaning task from a plurality of cleaning tasks based on the characteristic of the dropped item; and 
 remove the dropped item from the section of the shopping space based on the cleaning task. 
   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the cleaning task comprises one or more of: retrieve a cleaning tool, retrieve a cleaning supply, place a barrier around the dropped item, remove the dropped item from the section of the shopping space, and report a hazardous condition. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to select at least one of a cleaning supply from a plurality of cleaning supplies and a cleaning tool from a plurality of cleaning tools based on the characteristic of the dropped item. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the control circuit determines the characteristic of the dropped item by determining whether the dropped item comprises one or more of: a polar liquid, a non-polar liquid, a powder, a solid, a loose item, glass, a sharp object, fumes, and a hazardous material. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the sensor device further comprises one or more of an image sensor, an infrared sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a moisture sensor, a sonar sensor, and a range sensor. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising an attachment structure configured to attach to a cleaning tool. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus for  claim 23 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:
 identify the dropped item and report a loss of the dropped item to an inventory database associated with the shopping space.   
     
     
         30 . An method for restoring shopping space condition comprising:
 causing, with a control circuit, a motorized wheel system of a motorized transport unit to travel to a section of a shopping space;   detecting a dropped item;   collecting information about the dropped item in the section of the shopping space using a sensor device of the motorized transport unit, wherein the sensor device comprises a barcode or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader and the information associated with the dropped item comprises an item identifier,   determining, with the control circuit, a characteristic of the dropped item in the section of the shopping space based on the item identifier;   selecting, with the control circuit, a cleaning task from a plurality of cleaning tasks based on the characteristic of the dropped item; and   removing the dropped item from the section of the shopping space based on the cleaning task.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the cleaning task comprises one or more of: retrieve a cleaning tool, retrieve a cleaning supply, place a barrier around the dropped item, remove the dropped item from the section of the shopping space, and report a hazardous condition. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 selecting at least one of a cleaning supply from a plurality of cleaning supplies and a cleaning tool from a plurality of cleaning tools based on the characteristic of the dropped item.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein determining the characteristic of the dropped item comprises determining whether the dropped item comprises one or more of: a polar liquid, a non-polar liquid, a powder, a solid, a loose item, glass, a sharp object, fumes, and a hazardous material. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor device further comprises one or more of an image sensor, an infrared sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a moisture sensor, a sonar sensor, and a range sensor. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 causing an attachment structure configured to attach to a cleaning tool for removing the dropped item.   
     
     
         36 . The method for  claim 30 , further comprising:
 identifying the dropped item and report a loss of the dropped item to an inventory database associated with the shopping space.