Sensing device for shopping cart

• US 10,499,754 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Howell, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Jimenez, Anthony R
• Application Number:
  US15/685,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20180078058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 701409
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/02 for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A sensing device is paired with a shopping cart for assisting an operator of the shopping cart, and comprises a sensor unit that receives and processes telemetry data received from a context source; a processor that reads the telemetry data from the sensor unit; and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits the read telemetry data directly from the sensing device to a mobile computing device. The read telemetry data is processed by the mobile computing device to perform a navigation operation.

Claims

1. A sensing device paired with a shopping cart for assisting an operator of the shopping cart, comprising:

a sensor unit that receives and processes telemetry data received from a context source;

a processor that reads the telemetry data from the sensor unit; and

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits the read telemetry data directly from the sensor unit to a mobile computing device, wherein the sensing device operates as a proxy for an application executed by the mobile computing device which lacks a function performed by the sensor unit such that the read telemetry data is processed by the mobile computing device to perform a navigation calculation operation.

2. The sensing device of claim 1, further comprising a power source configured to supply power to at least one of the sensor unit and the transmitter.

3. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the power source is at least one of a battery, kinetic capacitor, or solar device.

4. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes at least one of a visual light context (VLC) processor or a camera.

5. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the telemetry data includes signal strength information, which is compared to known telemetry, geography, and signal strength levels broadcast in a region of the sensing device.

6. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the telemetry data is not stored on the sensor unit after transmission.

7. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is integrated with a portion of the shopping cart.

8. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is detachable from the shopping cart.

9. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensing device is paired with the shopping cart to allow for ergonomic holstering or pocketing of the sensing device while maintaining system functionality.

10. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the shopping cart is a storage-free shopping cart and the telemetry data is delivered directly from the storage-free shopping cart to the mobile computing device for performing the navigation calculation operation.

11. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit senses a change in context when the sensor unit is moved to different contexts at a store location.

12. The sensing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit and the processor provide the proxy for a mobile device application.

13. A shopper assistance system, comprising:

a mobile computing device application; and

a peripheral device attached to a shopping cart, the peripheral device comprising;

a sensor unit that receives and processes one or more environmental input data;

a processor that reads the environmental input data from the sensor unit; and

a transmitter that wirelessly transmits the read environmental input data to the mobile computing device application, wherein the sensor unit operates as a proxy for the mobile computing device application executed by a mobile computing device which lacks a function performed by the sensor unit such that the read environmental input data is processed by the mobile computing device application to perform a navigation calculation operation.

14. The shopper assistance system of claim 13, wherein the environmental input data includes telemetry data that is delivered directly from the shopping cart to the mobile computing device application executed by the mobile computing device for performing the navigation calculation operation.

15. The shopper assistance system of claim 13, wherein the sensor unit senses a change in context when the sensor unit is moved to different contexts at a store location.

16. The shopper assistance system of claim 13, wherein the sensor unit and the processor provide the proxy for mobile computing device application.

17. A method of navigation in a store, comprising:

collecting telemetry data from one or more sensors in the store by a peripheral device attached to a shopping cart; and

wirelessly transmitting, with a transmitter of the peripheral device, the collected telemetry data to a mobile computing device configured to use the telemetry data to perform a navigation operation, wherein the peripheral device is a proxy for the mobile computing device lacks a function performed by the peripheral device such that the telemetry data is processed by the mobile computing device to perform a navigation calculation operation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the telemetry data is delivered directly from the shopping cart to the mobile computing device for performing navigation operations from a processor of the mobile computing device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the peripheral device senses a change in context when the shopping cart is moved to different contexts at a store location.