System of Tracking the Real Time Location of Shoppers, Associates, Managers and Vendors through a Communication Multi-Network within a Store

• US 20090179753A1
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Hjelm, Christopher Todd, Perkins, Dion Brent, Osborne, John Edward II
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.320
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The invention relates to one or more systems for locating a shopper'"'"'s, associate'"'"'s, manager'"'"'s or vendor'"'"'s presumed position in a store using a communication multi-network for communication in the store. Specifically, at least one location device is positioned in proximity to, for example, a shopper such that the shopper'"'"'s presumed position about the store may be known continuously or upon demand to the store.

Claims

1. A system for locating a presumed position of an operator in a store, comprising:

a communication multi-network;

at least one logic engine operatively connected to said communication multi-network;

at least one location tracking device positioned in a proximate position to said operator whereby said at least one location tracking device is operatively connected to said communication multi-network and communicates through said communication multi-network to said at least one logic engine;

whereby each said at least one location tracking device operates as a blind node within said communication multi-network;

a map of said store;

an X and Y two-dimensional grid superimposed over said map of said store; and

a set of X and Y positional coordinates that correspond with each said presumed position of said operator on said X and Y two-dimensional grid superimposed over said map of said store;

whereby said at least one logic engines tracks each said set of X and Y positional coordinates that correspond with each said presumed position of said operator in said store.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said operator is selected from the group consisting of a shopper, an associate, a manager, or a vendor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication multi-network comprises an at least two mesh communication networks.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication multi-network comprises an at least two star communication networks.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication multi-network comprises an at least one mesh communication network and an at least one star communication network.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is positioned within a wireless end device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is attached to a shopping cart.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is attached to a shopping basket.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one logic engine generates a historical progression of substantially all of the presumed positions of the operator as the operator operates throughout the store.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein each said at least one location tracking device represents said set of X and Y positional coordinates in said store.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication multi-network comprises at least two information routers having a range of transmission of signal data, said at least two information routers being positioned about said store whereby said at least two information routers operate to receive and transmit said signal data throughout said communications multi-network.

12. The system of claim 11 whereby each said at least one location tracking device transmits and receives said signal data from said at least two information routers thereby communicating within said communication multi-network in said store.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said at least two information routers are positioned about said store each said at least two information routers having a fixed position and a known set of X and Y positional coordinates that relate to the X and Y two-dimensional grid superimposed over said map of said store.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said fixed position and said known set of X and Y positional coordinates of said store of each said at least two information routers are substantially transmitted in a continuous fashion through said signal data to each said at least one location tracking device within said range of transmission of each said at least two information routers, said signal data having a received signal strength whereby said received signal strength is contingent upon the proximity of each said at least one location tracking device to each said at least two information routers.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said one or more logic engines calculate a calculated position, the set of X and Y positional coordinates that correspond with each said presumed position of said operator in said store, by measuring said received signal strength of each said received signal data from each said at least two information routers in range of each said at least one location tracking device.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein each said at least one location tracking device calculates a calculated position, which is the set of X and Y positional coordinates that correspond with each said presumed position of said operator in said store, by measuring said received signal strength of each said received signal data from each said at least two information router in range of each said location tracking device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each said at least one location tracking device transmits its said calculated position to said at least one logic engine through said communication multi-network.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said at least one logic engine retains in memory each of the calculated positions of each said at least one location tracking device transmitting each said calculated position to said at least one logic engine creating an historical progression of each said presumed position of each said operator operating in said store with said at least one logic engine.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one logic engine device calculates the proximity of said at least one location tracking device to each said at least two information routers that provide a signal to said at least one location tracking device by using ray tracing calculations, whereby said at least one logic engine device creates location tracking information.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said at least one logic engine operating to manage, organize and route location tracking information.