Method and System for Automatically Measuring Retail Store Display Compliance

• US 20080306787A1
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merchant-Eyes, LLC
• Original Assignee: Store Eyes, Inc.
• Inventors: Spencer, Wayne, Ring, Alexander, Hamilton, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations

Abstract

Methods and systems for measuring retail store display compliance are provided. One or more images of one or more retail store conditions are captured and associated with related information. The one or more captured images and the related information are transmitted to a processing location for storage and processing. The one or more captured images and the related information are received at the processing location, stored in a repository and processed. The one or more retail store conditions in the one or more captured images are compared with a library to identify them and obtain identification information. The one or more identified captured images and identification information for the one or more retail store conditions are stored in the repository. The one or more retail store conditions in the one or more captured images and identification information are analyzed and one or more summary reports or one or more alerts are generated based upon the analysis.

Claims

1. A method for measuring retail store display compliance, comprising:

capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products using an image capture unit capable of obtaining the images at multiple locations;

associating the one or more captured images with related information;

transmitting the one or more captured images and the related information to a processing location for storage and processing;

receiving the one or more captured images and the related information at the processing location and storing the one or more captured images and related information in a repository;

processing the one or more captured images;

comparing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images with a library to identify the one or more product displays, product shelves or products and obtain identification information about the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

storing the one or more identified captured images and identification information for the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the repository;

analyzing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images and identification information; and

generating one or more summary reports or one or more alerts based upon the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a raw picture feed and/or a raw data feed of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing automated alerts when one or more product displays, product shelves or products meet or exceed certain predetermined criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to any captured image in any retail store at any location within the retail store for any given time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of capturing, associating, transmitting, receiving, processing, comparing, storing and analyzing are automated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein image capture is obtained by a mobile unit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying and verifying a location of the image capture unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more images are captured using one or more of the following:

in-store security cameras, digital cameras, camera phones, fixed video digital cameras, web cameras, moving video digital cameras, a hand-held mobile capture unit, an automated mobile capture unit, and a self-propelled robot.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing further comprises determining whether the image quality and image content for the one or more captured images is sufficient.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the related information comprises date, time, product information and location information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more summary reports or alerts may be sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alerts are combined together and then sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing includes reviewing each captured image and approving its quality and content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing location comprises a web portal for uploading the one or more captured images.

15. A system for measuring retail store display compliance, comprising:

an image capture unit for capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products, wherein the image capture unit is capable of obtaining the images at multiple locations;

means for associating the one or more captured images with related information;

means for transmitting the one or more captured images and the related information; and

a processing location including means for receiving the one or more captured images and related information, means for processing the one or more captured images, an image recognition module for comparing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images with a library to identify the one or more product displays, product shelves or products and obtain identification information about the one or more product displays, product shelves or products, a repository for storing the one or more identified captured images and identification information; and

a reporting engine for analyzing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images and identification information and generating one or more summary reports or one or more alerts based upon the analysis.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for providing a raw picture feed and/or a raw data feed of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for providing automated alerts when one or more product displays, product shelves or products meet or exceed certain predetermined criteria.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for providing access to any captured image in any retail store at any location within the retail store for any given time.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the image capture unit, means for associating, means for transmitting, and the processing location are automated.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein image capture is obtained by a mobile unit.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the image capture unit comprises:

identification and verification means for identifying and verifying the location of the image capture unit;

capturing means for capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

storing means for storing the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

processing means for processing the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

transmitting means for transmitting the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products to a processing location;

receiving means for receiving information from the processing location; and

generating means for generating a confirmation indicating whether the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products were successfully sent to the processing location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the image capture unit is in the form of a cart unit or self-propelled robot.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the cart unit contains two or more fixed cameras on opposite sides of the cart unit.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more images are captured using one or more of the following:

in-store security cameras, digital cameras, camera phones, fixed video digital cameras, web cameras, moving video digital cameras, a hand-held mobile capture unit, an automated mobile capture unit, and a self-propelled robot.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the step of processing further comprises determining whether the image quality and image content for the one or more captured images is sufficient.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the related information comprises date, time, product information and location information.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more summary reports or alerts may be sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more alerts are combined together and then sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

29. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for processing includes means for reviewing each captured image and approving its quality and content.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing location is centrally located and further comprises a web portal for uploading the one or more captured images.

31. A computer storage medium, including computer executable code for measuring retail store display compliance, comprising:

code for capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products using an image capture unit capable of obtaining the images at multiple locations;

code for associating the one or more captured images with related information;

code for transmitting the one or more captured images and the related information to a processing location for storage and processing;

code for receiving the one or more captured images and the related information at the processing location and storing the one or more captured images and related information in a repository;

code for processing the one or more captured images;

code for comparing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images with a library to identify the one or more product displays, product shelves or products and obtain identification information about the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

code for storing the one or more identified captured images and identification information for the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the repository;

code for analyzing the one or more product displays, product shelves or products in the one or more captured images and identification information; and

code for generating one or more summary reports or one or more alerts based upon the analysis.

32. The computer storage medium of claim 31, further comprising code for providing a raw picture feed and/or a raw data feed of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products.

33. The computer storage medium of claim 31, further comprising code for providing automated alerts when one or more product displays, product shelves or products meet or exceed certain predetermined criteria.

34. The computer storage medium of claim 31, further comprising code for providing access to any captured image in any retail store at any location within the retail store for any given time.

35. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the code for capturing, associating, transmitting, receiving, processing, comparing, storing and analyzing is automated.

36. The computer storage medium of claim 31, further comprising code for identifying and verifying a location of the image capture unit.

37. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the code for processing further comprises code for determining whether the image quality and image content for the one or more captured images is sufficient.

38. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the related information comprises date, time, product information and location information.

39. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the one or more summary reports or alerts may be sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

40. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the one or more alerts are combined together and then sent to a client by a telecommunications link.

41. The computer storage medium of claim 31, wherein the code for capturing Includes reviewing each captured image and approving its quality and content.

42. A computer storage medium, including computer executable code for measuring retail store display compliance, comprising:

code for identifying and verifying the location of an apparatus;

code for capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products using an image capture unit capable of obtaining the images at multiple locations;

code for storing the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

code for processing the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products;

code for transmitting the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products to a processing location;

code for receiving information from the processing location; and

code for generating a confirmation indicating whether the one or more captured images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products were successfully sent to the processing location.

43. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the image capture unit is in the form of a cart unit or self-propelled robot.

44. The computer storage medium of claim 42, wherein the cart unit contains two or more fixed cameras on opposite sides of the cart unit.