METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RFID INITIATED INTERACTIVE RETAIL MERCHANDISING

• US 20070182555A1
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanonation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nanonation Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Bradley, Dorsey, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

An apparatus and method to detect consumer choices of products by use of RFID tags associated with a product and RFID readers to detect movement of the tag, which can initiate a presentation of relevant digital media based on the event and tag detected. The present invention is a new method of utilizing digital merchandising software, and RFID tags or other similar emitter identification tags as a potential input technology. The concept of the present invention can be considered a concept of “reverse RFID”, where the RFID reader and supporting CPU keeps track of tags in proximity to the reader and then triggering events based on separation from reader (i.e. the RFID reader no longer detects the presence of an RFID tag because the tag has been moved out of the range of the reader). The movement of the tag out of the detection range of the reader can be the result of a potential customer picking up a product and removing it from the shelf, where the product has an RFID tag associated therewith.

Claims

1. An apparatus for motion-detection merchandising comprising:

an identification tag reader;

an identification tag at a starting location within range of the identification tag reader; and

a computing system;

wherein the identification tag reader is operable to detect the presence of the identification tag at a starting location and when the identification tag is no longer at the starting location, transmit a signal to the computing system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification tag is associated with a product.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification tag comprises an RFID tag and the identification tag reader comprises an RFID tag reader.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the RFID tag reader comprises an antenna operable to send and receive signals with the RFID tag.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification tag reader is operable to continuously detect the presence of the identification tag at the starting location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification tag reader is operable to periodically detect the presence of the identification tag at the starting location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification tag reader is located on or embedded in a shelf or other fixture.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the shelf or other fixture is in a retail space or a public space.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising a digital display operably connected to the computing system.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the digital display is attached to a shelf or retail fixture comprising the starting location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the digital display comprises an LCD, CRT, plasma, or projection display.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the digital display comprises a touchscreen.

13. A method for motion-detection merchandising comprising:

associating an identification tag with a product;

detecting the identification tag at a starting location with an identification tag reader;

when the identification tag reader does not detect the identification tag at the starting location, transmitting a signal from the identification tag reader to a computing system;

initiating an event in response to the signal received by the computing system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the event comprises sending a message to a store employee for assistance.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the store employee is located in a different geographic location and the assistance is rendered via communication through a digital display proximate to the starting location.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification tag reader continuously detects the identification tag at the starting location.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the identification tag reader periodically detects the identification tag at the starting location.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the event comprises removing the product from a status list.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprising the steps:

detecting the identification tag with the identification tag reader at a second location; and

transmitting a further signal from the identification tag reader to a computing system.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the event comprises displaying selected digital media assets corresponding to the product.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the selected digital media assets comprise celebrity endorsements, technical information, retailer offerings, product information, product endorsements, ordering information, marketing information, or a combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 207 wherein the selected digital media assets comprise movies, images, websites, Flash files, or a combination thereof.

23. A method for reverse-RFID detection merchandising comprising:

detecting the presence of at least one RFID tag with an RFID tag reader;

transmitting a ‘

present’

signal from the RFID tag reader to a computing system; and

when the RFID tag reader does not transmit a ‘

present’

signal to the computing system, initiating a first event directed by the computing system.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the RFID tag is attached to or embedded in a product.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the RFID tag reader is located on or embedded in a shelf or other fixture.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the shelf or other fixture is in a retail space or a public space.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising a step of when the RFID tag reader subsequently does transmit a ‘

present’

signal to the computing system, initiating a second event directed by the computing system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the second event comprises add the product to a status list.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the second event comprises canceling a previously sent message to a store employee for assistance.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the second event comprises displaying selected digital media assets.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising a step of measuring an amount of time between the initiating of the first event and the initiating of the second event.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising a step of adding the amount of time to a log file maintained by the computer system.

33. The method of claim 23, wherein the identification tag reader continuously detects the identification tag at the starting location.

34. The method of claim 23, wherein the identification tag reader periodically detects the identification tag at the starting location.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the first event comprises removing the product from a status list.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the first event comprises displaying selected digital media assets.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected digital media assets comprise celebrity endorsements, technical information, retailer offerings, product information, product endorsements, ordering information, marketing information, or a combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the selected digital media assets comprise movies, images, websites, Flash files, or a combination thereof.