Alexander Clark Prater

US Patent:

7085677, Aug 1, 2006

Filed:

Apr 19, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/827614

Inventors:

Cary R. Champlin - Issaquah WA, US
Felix F. Anthony - Issaquah WA, US
Mackenzie Smith - Issaquah WA, US
Anthony B. Williams - Shoreline WA, US
Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
James E. Bacus - Seattle WA, US
Suzanne C. Reynolds - Lexington KY, US
Dean W. Webster - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Incline Village NV

International Classification:

G06F 15/00
G06F 11/30

US Classification:

702182, 702 81, 702 82, 702174

Abstract:

A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for automatically identifying incongruous item packages, such as to detect incongruities in the items that are included as contents of the item packages and/or to identify incongruities in the packaging used for the item packages. In some situations, the automatic identification of incongruous packages includes initially automatically learning appropriate values for parameters of items (e. g. , item weights and/or dimensions) based on automatically measured parameters of packages including those items. Those item values can then be used to estimate corresponding parameter values of sealed packages that contain those items, and to further identify incongruous item packages whose measured parameter values do not correspond to the estimated values for those parameters.

US Patent:

7313460, Dec 25, 2007

Filed:

Oct 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/960891

Inventors:

Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
Suzanne C. Reynolds - Lexington KY, US
Mackenzie Smith - Issaquah WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Incline Village NV

International Classification:

G06F 7/00

US Classification:

700213, 700227, 700215, 700225, 700226

Abstract:

A package handling system for use with a plurality of packages having package identification thereon. The system of one embodiment comprises processing stations where packages having heterogeneous contents are processed. One or more identifiers are positioned at the processing stations to detect the package identifications associated with the packages. A controller is coupled to the identifier and has access to first and second package data. The first package data related to an actual condition of the package, and the second package data related to acceptable package conditions. A labeler coupled to the controller is configured to apply a first label to the package if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in an acceptable condition or a second label if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in a condition requiring further processing.

US Patent:

7707008, Apr 27, 2010

Filed:

Jun 1, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/445927

Inventors:

Cary R. Champlin - Issaquah WA, US
Felix F. Anthony - Issaquah WA, US
Mackenzie Smith - Issaquah WA, US
Anthony B. Williams - Shoreline WA, US
Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
James E. Bacus - Seattle WA, US
Suzanne C. Reynolds - Lexington KY, US
Dean W. Webster - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Incline Village NV

International Classification:

G06F 11/30
G06F 7/00

US Classification:

702182, 702174, 700115, 700216

Abstract:

A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for automatically identifying incongruous item packages, such as to detect incongruities in the items that are included as contents of the item packages and/or to identify incongruities in the packaging used for the item packages. In some situations, the automatic identification of incongruous packages includes initially automatically learning appropriate values for parameters of items (e. g. , item weights and/or dimensions) based on automatically measured parameters of packages including those items. Those item values can then be used to estimate corresponding parameter values of sealed packages that contain those items, and to further identify incongruous item packages whose measured parameter values do not correspond to the estimated values for those parameters. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is not intended to be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

US Patent:

7742944, Jun 22, 2010

Filed:

Mar 10, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/387225

Inventors:

Russell Dicker - Seattle WA, US
Andrew Harbick - Shoreline WA, US
John Benjamin Compton - Renton WA, US
Matt Round - Mercer Island WA, US
Alexander Prater - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Reno NV

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705 1446, 705 1452, 705 1466

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to automating the sending of campaign messages in computing environments. Campaign scores are determined for messaging campaigns and eligible recipients are assigned to campaigns with a higher score. More specifically, eligible recipients are assigned to a particular messaging campaign if the campaign is the “best” campaign for each eligible recipient based on the campaign score. Additionally, a portion of the eligible recipients are reserved as a control group for each campaign. After campaign messages have been sent out to assigned recipients, the behavior of the recipients who received campaign messages and the behavior of the control group members are differentiated to update the campaign's score. Continually updating campaign scores makes it possible to continually update which campaign is best for a particular recipient.

US Patent:

7751929, Jul 6, 2010

Filed:

Dec 10, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/953548

Inventors:

Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
Suzanne C. Reynolds - Seattle WA, US
Mackenzie Smith - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Reno NV

International Classification:

G06F 7/00

US Classification:

700227, 700225, 283 81

Abstract:

A package handling system for use with a plurality of packages having package identification thereon. The system of one embodiment comprises processing stations where packages having heterogeneous contents are processed. One or more identifiers are positioned at the processing stations to detect the package identifications associated with the packages. A controller is coupled to the identifier and has access to first and second package data. The first package data related to an actual condition of the package, and the second package data related to acceptable package conditions. A labeler coupled to the controller is configured to apply a first label to the package if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in an acceptable condition or a second label if the first and second package data indicate that the package is in a condition requiring further processing.

US Patent:

8423432, Apr 16, 2013

Filed:

Sep 3, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/553629

Inventors:

Priya Padmanabhan - Issaquah WA, US
Samir Kumar - Issaquah WA, US
Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
Prajakta Vaidya - Bellevue WA, US
Eric Young - Mercer Island WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Reno NV

International Classification:

G06Q 40/00

US Classification:

705 28

Abstract:

Various embodiments of a system and method for authoritative item identification based on facility operations are described. Embodiments may include an authoritative item identification component configured to, for each particular item of multiple items in inventory of a materials handling facility, determine multiple identifiers for the particular item, where one or more of the multiple identifiers are electronically obtained from a unit of the particular item during operations of the materials handling facility. The authoritative item identification component may, for each of the multiple identifiers, determine a quantity of instances in which that identifier was electronically obtained from a given unit of the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may, based on a statistical analysis of the quantities, determine one of the multiple identifiers as being an authoritative identifier for the particular item. The authoritative item identification component may identify one or more units based on the authoritative identifiers.

US Patent:

7050938, May 23, 2006

Filed:

Oct 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/960448

Inventors:

Alexander C. Prater - Seattle WA, US
Suzanne C. Reynolds - Lexington KY, US
Mackenzie Smith - Issaquah WA, US

Assignee:

Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Incline Village NV

International Classification:

G06F 15/00
G06F 11/30

US Classification:

702182, 702 81, 702 82, 702174, 702185

Abstract:

A package handling system for use with a plurality of packages having package identification thereon. The system of one embodiment comprises processing stations where packages having heterogeneous contents are processed. One or more identifiers are positioned at the processing stations to detect the package identifications associated with the packages. A controller is coupled to the identifier to receive identification information about a package and detected by the identifier. The controller is coupled to the data input device to receive first package data related to an actual condition of the package. The controller has second package data related to acceptable package conditions. The controller uses the first and second package data to determine if the package is in a kickout condition. The controller can receive second package data from the independent data sources for comparison with the first package data, the controller automatically initiates processing instructions related to the processing of the package or feedback communication with at least one of the data sources.

US Patent:

20190251499, Aug 15, 2019

Filed:

Apr 22, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/390966

Inventors:

- Seattle WA, US
Elie Micah Kornfield - Seattle WA, US
Alexander Clark Prater - Seattle WA, US
Sridhar Boyapati - Sammamish WA, US
Xiaofeng Ren - Yarrow Point WA, US
Chang Yuan - Seattle WA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 10/08
G07G 1/00

Abstract:

This disclosure describes a system for tracking removal or placement of items at inventory locations with a materials handling facility. In some instances, a user may remove an item from an inventory location and the inventory management system may detect that removal and update a user item list associated with the user to include an item identifier representative of the removed item. Likewise, if the user places an item at an inventory location, the inventory management system may detect that placement and update the user item list to remove an item identifier representative of the placed item.