US Patent 10332066 Item management system using weight

An inventory location such as a shelf may be used to stow different types of items, with each type of item in a different partitioned area or section of the shelf. Weight data from weight sensors coupled to the shelf is used to determine a change in weight of the shelf and a change in the center-of-mass (“COM”) of the items on the shelf. Based on the weight data and item data indicative of what items are stowed in particular partitioned areas, activity such as a pick or place of an item and the partitioned area in which the activity occurred may be determined. Data from other sensors, such as a camera, may be used to confirm the occurrence of the activity, disambiguate the determination of the particular partitioned area, and so forth.