{
  "patent_number": "US 9881277",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Amazon Tracks Warehouse Workers' Hands Using Radio Waves",
  "original_title": "Wrist band haptic feedback system",
  "summary": "A system that uses radio frequency signals to track the exact 3D position of a warehouse worker's hand to ensure they pick or place items in the correct bins.",
  "what_it_does": "This system uses a wearable device on a worker's hand that acts like a beacon. Fixed antennas around the warehouse send radio signals to this device, which sends a response back. A computer uses these signals to calculate the hand's exact location in 3D space. By comparing this location to a digital map of inventory bins, the system can tell if a worker is reaching into the right bin for a specific task. It can even provide haptic feedback (vibrations) to guide the worker's hand toward the correct bin.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover systems that rely solely on cameras or computer vision for tracking.",
    "Does not cover tracking methods that use GPS or outdoor satellite positioning.",
    "Does not cover inventory management that relies on manual barcode scanning by the worker.",
    "Does not cover systems that track the worker's location without specifically monitoring the hand's proximity to inventory bins."
  ],
  "filed": "2016-03-28",
  "granted": "2018-01-30",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Amazon Technologies Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/amazon-technologies-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Tye Michael Brady",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/tye-michael-brady"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 7,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "telecommunications",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "Inventory management systems and related methods employ radio frequency based tracking of a worker's hands to monitor performance of inventory tasks. An inventory management system includes inventory bins, a user-wearable unit configured to be worn in proximity to a user's hand, fixed RF antennas configured to transmit at least one RF interrogation signal and receive at least one RF response signal, a RF transceiver operatively coupled with the fixed RF antennas, and a management module operatively coupled with the RF transceiver. The user-wearable unit includes an RF transceiver configured to transmit RF response signals in response to reception of the at least one RF interrogation signal. The management module is configured to process signals generated by the RF transceiver to track locations of the user-wearable unit and identify an inventory bin based on proximity of the user-wearable unit to the identified inventory bin to monitor performance of an inventory system task.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9881277/amazon-robotics-kiva-systems",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9881277/amazon-robotics-kiva-systems/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9881277",
  "relatedPatents": []
}