System and methods for tracking consumers in a store environment

• US 20070067221A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marshall Haine, Mary Scheid, Ronald Godsey
• Original Assignee: Marshall Haine, Mary Scheid, Ronald Godsey
• Inventors: Scheid, Mary, Godsey, Ronald, Haine, Marshall
• Application Number:
  US11/602,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0237 at kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

A method of determining whether a product is removed from a display is provided.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether a product is removed from a display in a store by a consumer comprising the steps:

(a) displaying the product on the display in the store, wherein the product comprises a radio frequency (“

RF”

) identification tag on the product;

(b) detecting when the product is removed from the display by the consumer comprising using a RF identification tag sensor in the store;

(c) transmitting detection data generated from said RF identification tag sensor to a remote data repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF identification tag sensor in the store is:

in the floor;

in the ceiling;

integrated in shelving;

integrated in store displays;

or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF identification tag sensor in the store comprises the display displaying the product in the store.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF identification tag sensor in the store comprises a shelf, wherein the display displaying the product comprises said shelf.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF tag uniquely identifies the product.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote data repository is a single remote data repository.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of transmitting detection data comprises transmitting via Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of gathering the detection data generated from said RF identification tag sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of gathering further comprises using a processor configured to receive the detection data from the sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprises the steps:

(i) obtaining point-of-sale (“

POS”

) data regarding the product; and

(ii) transmitting the POS data to the remote data repository.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of mathematically analyzing the detection data and the POS data.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the store comprises multiple stores.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of advertising the product in the store using signage.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of comparing detection data generated from said RF identification tag sensor with and without an advertisement advertising the product, wherein said advertisement is located in the store.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step further comprising comparing the POS data regarding the product with and without the advertisement advertising the product.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is a beauty care product.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the store is chosen from a grocery store, supermarket, drug store, mass merchant, or club store.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the product is a beauty care product.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

(i) the RF identification tag sensor in the store is;

integrated in shelving;

integrated in store displays;

or a combination thereof;

(ii) the remote data repository is a single remote data repository;

and further comprising the steps;

(iii) obtaining point-of-sale (“

POS”

) data regarding the product; and

(iv) transmitting the POS data to the remote data repository.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product is a beauty care product and the store is a retail store.