Cart monitoring system with wheel assembly capable of visually signaling cart status

• US 10,189,494 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hannah, Stephen E., Carter, Scott J., James, Jesse M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, Garrett F
• Application Number:
  US15/877,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20180141577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/04 for storing or handling self-service hand-carts or baskets
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/08 from a ground wheel, e.g. engaging the wheel tread or rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/14 characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1404 Means for facilitating stowing or transporting of the trolleys; Antitheft arrangements B62B5/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1412 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1424 Electronic display devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1492 Wheel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0003 Adaptations for loading in or on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0423 braking or blocking when leaving a particular area
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0438 hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/048 Hub brakes; drum brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 : Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 : Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 : EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 : structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A system for monitoring shopping carts or other human-propelled carts includes wireless access points that communicate on a wireless network with wheel assemblies of the carts. The system is capable of monitoring a path followed by a cart in a store or building, and using the path (optionally together with other criteria) to determine whether to authorize the cart to exit. For example, if a shopping cart fails to pass through a checkout lane of a store, the system may perform an action that blocks or inhibits the shipping cart from exiting the store. The wheel assemblies may include LEDs or other visual indicators that alert store personnel when a wheel assembly is in a particular state.

Claims

1. A shopping cart monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of wheel assemblies configured to attach to respective shopping cart frames, each wheel assembly comprising a wheel, a wireless transceiver, a light-emitting diode (LED) that is visible from a position external to the respective wheel assembly, and a controller that controls the wireless transceiver and the LED; and

a plurality of wireless access points configured to be mounted in a cart monitoring area, each wireless access point comprising a controller and a wireless transceiver, the wireless access points configured to communicate bi-directionally with the wheel assemblies on a wireless network, and to send commands on the wireless network to the wheel assemblies, including commands that affect states of the wheel assemblies;

wherein the controller of each wheel assembly is configured to visually indicate to store personnel a state of the respective wheel assembly by controlling illumination of the LED of the respective wheel assembly; and

wherein the wheel assemblies are configured to generate received signal strength measurements based on transmissions received from the wireless access points, and to compare the received signal strength measurements to thresholds to determine whether to respond to commands included in the transmissions.

2. The shopping cart monitoring system of claim 1, wherein at least a first of the plurality of wheel assemblies is capable of entering into a locked state in which wheel rotation is prevented or inhibited, and wherein the controller of the first wheel assembly is responsive to receiving a command on the wireless network while in the locked state by strobing the LED of the first wheel assembly to visually indicate that the first wheel assembly is in the locked state.

3. The shopping cart monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the states of the wheel assemblies include a state in which a wheel assembly is not authorized to exit a store.

4. The shopping cart monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the access points are configured to send, via unicast addressing, authorization commands on the wireless network that authorize particular wheel assemblies to exit a store.

5. The shopping cart monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the access points are configured to send, via unicast addressing, commands on the wireless network that inhibit particular shopping carts from exiting the store.

6. A shopping cart monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of wheel assemblies configured to attach to respective shopping cart frames, each wheel assembly comprising a wheel, a wireless transceiver, a light-emitting diode (LED) that is visible from a position external to the respective wheel assembly, and a controller that controls the wireless transceiver and the LED;

a plurality of wireless access points configured to be mounted in a cart monitoring area, each wireless access point comprising a controller and a wireless transceiver, the wireless access points configured to communicate bi-directionally with the wheel assemblies on a wireless network, and to send commands on the wireless network to the wheel assemblies, including commands that affect states of the wheel assemblies; and

a network node that tracks a path followed by a shopping cart in a store based on wireless communications with the wheel assembly of the shopping cart, and which uses at least the path to determine whether to authorize the shopping cart to exit the store;

wherein the controller of each wheel assembly is configured to visually indicate to store personnel a state of the respective wheel assembly by controlling illumination of the LED of the respective wheel assembly.

7. A wheel assembly configured for attachment to a shopping cart, the wheel assembly comprising:

a wheel attached to a caster;

a wireless transceiver configured to generate received signal strength measurements of wireless transmissions received on a wireless network;

a light-emitting diode (LED) that is visible from a location external to the wheel assembly; and

a controller connected to the wireless transceiver and the LED, the controller programmed to use the wireless transceiver to communicate bi-directionally on the wireless network, and programmed to respond to commands received on the wireless network by performing actions that change a state of the wheel assembly, wherein the controller is configured to use the received signal strength measurements generated by the wireless transceiver to determine whether to respond to commands included in the wireless transmissions corresponding to such received signal strength measurements;

wherein the controller is additionally programmed to strobe the LED to visually indicate to store personnel that the wheel assembly is in a particular state.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 7, wherein the wheel assembly is capable of entering into a state in which the wheel assembly is not authorized to exit a store.

9. The wheel assembly of claim 7, in combination with an access point device configured to transmit, on the wireless network, a command that authorizes the wheel assembly to exit a store.

10. The wheel assembly of claim 7, wherein the received signal strength measurements include a filtered RSSI (received signal strength indicator) value generated from a plurality of RSSI values.

11. A cart monitoring system, comprising:

a wheel assembly configured for attachment to a shopping cart, the wheel assembly comprising;

a wheel attached to a caster;

a wireless transceiver;

a light-emitting diode (LED) that is visible from a location external to the wheel assembly; and

a controller connected to the wireless transceiver and the LED, the controller programmed to use the wireless transceiver to communicate bi-directionally on a wireless network, and programmed to respond to commands received on the wireless network by performing actions that change a state of the wheel assembly; and

a network node configured to track a path followed by the shopping cart in a store based on wireless communications with the wheel assembly, and to use at least the path to determine whether to authorize the shopping cart to exit the store.

12. The cart monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the wheel assembly is capable of entering into a state in which the wheel assembly is not authorized to exit the store.

13. The cart monitoring system of claim 11, further comprising an access point device configured to transmit, on the wireless network, a command that authorizes the wheel assembly to exit the store.