System and method for reducing false positives caused by ambient lighting on infra-red sensors, and false positives caused by background vibrations on weight sensors

• US 10,378,956 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triangle Strategy Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Triangle Strategy Group, LLC
• Inventors: Campbell, Patrick Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Rotaru, Octavian
• Application Number:
  US14/145,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20140110584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 705 22, 705 28
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for tracking consumer interactions with products using electromagnetic beam sensors. One system includes at least one transmitter configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic energy. The system further includes at least one receiver positioned with respect to the at least one transmitter to detect a portion of the beam of electromagnetic energy reflected from a consumer or a product when the consumer physically interacts with the product. The system further includes the at least one circuit board on which the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are mounted. The at least one circuit board is configured to mount at or near a product location.

Claims

1. A system for reducing false positives caused by ambient lighting on infra-red sensors, and false positives caused by background vibrations on weight sensors, the system comprising:

at least one inventory zone, within which weight sensors measure weight of at least one retail product; and

at least two infra-red sensors, each respectively comprising a transmitter and a receiver, and mounted in or near the at least one inventory zone, wherein;

a volume of space surrounding each of the at least two infra-red sensors configured as a detection zone of the at least one inventory zone from within which each receiver of each of the at least two infra-red sensors measures a respective reflection of a consumer'"'"'s hand,

the first transmitter of the first infra-red sensor is configured to project a first beam of electromagnetic energy,

a first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam is reflected from the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product,

the first receiver of the first infra-red sensor is configured to receive the first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam emitted from the first transmitter,

the received first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam is used to measure a first distance from the first infra-red sensor to a first edge of the consumer'"'"'s hand,

the second transmitter of the second infra-red sensor of the at least two infra-red sensors is configured to project a second beam of electromagnetic energy,

a second portion of the second electromagnetic energy beam is reflected from the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product,

the second receiver of the second infra-red sensor is configured to receive the second portion of the electromagnetic energy beam emitted from the second transmitter,

the received second portion of the second electromagnetic energy beam is used to measure a second distance from the second infra-red sensor to a second edge of the consumer'"'"'s hand,

the measured first and second distances of the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product are analyzed to identify a position of the consumer'"'"'s hand,

and the analyzed distances of the first and second infra-red sensors are combined with the measured weight of the at least one retail product by the weight sensors to reduce both the false positives caused by ambient lighting on the first and second infra-red sensors as well as the false positives caused by background vibrations on the weight sensors.

2. The system of claim 1 where the infra-red sensors are triangulation sensors.

3. The system of claim 1 where the infra-red sensors are reflectance sensors.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one circuit board on which the at least two infra-red transmitters and the at least two infra-red receivers are mounted, the at least one circuit board being configured to mount at or near a location of the at least one product.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least two transmitters are configured to project the beams of electromagnetic energy in a plane parallel to a plane of the at least one circuit board.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount inside a shelf lip between the shelf lip and product containers.

7. The system of claim 1 where the measured first and second distances of the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product are analyzed to further identify a size of the at least one retail product or the consumer'"'"'s hand.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein changes in the reflected beam are analyzed to determine a type of the interaction including at least whether or not the at least one retail product has been picked up or put back.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the position of the consumer'"'"'s hand is used to determine the inventory zone from which the at least one retail product was picked up.

10. A method for reducing false positives caused by ambient lighting on infra-red sensors, and false positives caused by background vibrations on weight sensors, the method comprising:

mounting, within or near at least one inventory zone, weight sensors for measuring weight of at least one retail product

mounting, in or near at least one inventory zone, at least two infra-red sensors, each respectively comprising a transmitter and a receiver;

configuring a volume of space surrounding each of the at least two infra-red sensors as a detection zone of the at least one inventory zone from within which each receiver of each of the at least two infra-red sensors measures a respective reflection of a consumer'"'"'s hand;

projecting a first beam of electromagnetic energy, by a first transmitter of a first infra-red sensor of the at least two infra-red sensors;

reflecting a first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam from the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product;

receiving, by a first receiver of the first infra-red sensor, the first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam emitted from the first transmitter;

measuring, by the first infra-red sensor, using the received first portion of the first electromagnetic energy beam, a first distance from the first infra-red sensor to a first edge of the consumer'"'"'s hand;

projecting a second beam of electromagnetic energy, by a second transmitter of a second infra-red sensor of the at least two infra-red sensors;

reflecting a second portion of the second electromagnetic energy beam from the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product;

receiving, by a second receiver of the second infra-red sensor, the second portion of the electromagnetic energy beam emitted from the second transmitter;

measuring, by the second infra-red sensor, using the received second portion of the second electromagnetic energy beam, a second distance from the second infra-red sensor to a second edge of the consumer'"'"'s hand;

analyzing the measured first and second distances of the consumer'"'"'s hand interacting with the at least one retail product, to identify a position of the consumer'"'"'s hand;

combining the analyzed distances of the first and second infra-red sensors with the measured weight of the at least one retail product by the weight sensors to reduce both the false positives caused by ambient lighting on the first and second infra-red sensors as well as the false positives caused by background vibrations on the weight sensors.