Location tracking of products and product display assemblies in a wirelessly connected environment
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of product display assemblies, wherein each of a plurality of the product display assemblies comprises a puck assembly configured to connect with a product for merchandising to consumers;
a plurality of wireless nodes arranged as a wireless network, wherein each of a plurality of the wireless nodes includes a wireless transceiver for wireless communication over the wireless network, and wherein a plurality of the wireless nodes are parts of different puck assemblies of the product display assemblies; and
a computer system configured for wireless communication with the wireless network;
wherein each of a plurality of the wireless transceivers is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the computer system via the wireless network that pairs an identifier for the puck assembly of which that wireless transceiver is a part with an identifier for the product connected to the puck assembly of which that wireless transceiver is a part; and
wherein the computer system is further configured to (1) receive the wirelessly transmitted data via the wireless network, (2) store data that identifies a location for each of a plurality of the product display assemblies in association with identifiers for the puck assemblies, and (3) create a data structure based on the received data and the stored data, wherein the data structure tracks locations for the products based on the pairings between puck assembly identifiers and product identifiers and the associations between locations and puck assembly identifiers.
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are a number of example embodiments where wireless nodes are arranged in a wirelessly connected environment to support a variety of remote management operations, including location tracking, status monitoring, and remote control. In an example embodiment, the wireless nodes can be deployed in a retail store and provide remote management and control over any combination of product display assemblies, locks, power strips, display shelves, display hooks, and other node types.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a plurality of product display assemblies, wherein each of a plurality of the product display assemblies comprises a puck assembly configured to connect with a product for merchandising to consumers; a plurality of wireless nodes arranged as a wireless network, wherein each of a plurality of the wireless nodes includes a wireless transceiver for wireless communication over the wireless network, and wherein a plurality of the wireless nodes are parts of different puck assemblies of the product display assemblies; and a computer system configured for wireless communication with the wireless network; wherein each of a plurality of the wireless transceivers is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the computer system via the wireless network that pairs an identifier for the puck assembly of which that wireless transceiver is a part with an identifier for the product connected to the puck assembly of which that wireless transceiver is a part; and wherein the computer system is further configured to (1) receive the wirelessly transmitted data via the wireless network, (2) store data that identifies a location for each of a plurality of the product display assemblies in association with identifiers for the puck assemblies, and (3) create a data structure based on the received data and the stored data, wherein the data structure tracks locations for the products based on the pairings between puck assembly identifiers and product identifiers and the associations between locations and puck assembly identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a plurality of product display assemblies for merchandising products to consumers, wherein each of a plurality of the product display assemblies comprises a base assembly; a plurality of wireless nodes arranged as a wireless network, wherein each of a plurality of the wireless nodes includes a wireless transceiver for wireless communication over the wireless network, and wherein a plurality of the wireless nodes are parts of different base assemblies of the product display assemblies; and a computer system configured for wireless communication with the wireless network; wherein each of a plurality of the wireless transceivers is configured to wirelessly transmit data to the computer system via the wireless network that pairs an identifier for the base assembly of which that wireless transceiver is a part with an identifier for the product merchandised by the product display assembly with the base assembly for which that wireless transceiver is a part; and wherein the computer system is further configured to (1) receive the wirelessly transmitted data via the wireless network, (2) store data that identifies a location for each of a plurality of the base assemblies in association with identifiers for the base assemblies, and (3) create a data structure based on the received data and the stored data, wherein the data structure tracks locations for the products based on the pairings between base assembly identifiers and product identifiers and the associations between locations and base assembly identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification