US Patent 10071893 Shopping facility assistance system and method to retrieve in-store abandoned mobile item containers

A central computer system identifies a mobile item container in a retail shopping facility as being abandoned. The central computer system then directs a motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility to the abandoned mobile item container and causes that motorized transport unit to physically attach to the abandoned mobile item container. The central computer system then directs that motorized transport unit through the retail shopping facility with the attached abandoned mobile item container to a specified destination within the retail shopping facility. Abandonment can be determined as a function, at least in part, of determining that the mobile item container is both stationary and unattended for at least a predetermined amount of time. By one approach the central computer system can use different predetermined amounts of time when assessing abandonment depending upon where in the retail shopping facility the mobile item containers are located.