METHOD FOR MEASURING RETAIL DISPLAY AND COMPLIANCE

• US 20100171826A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Store Eyes, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Store Eyes, Inc.
• Inventors: Spencer, Wayne, Ring, Alexander, Hamilton, Craig, Pastor, Peter L., Campbell, Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US12/225,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171826A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

Method and apparatus for measuring retail store display and shelf compliance are provided. A mobile capture unit, (21), determines a movement distance and moves the mobile capture unit, (21), the determined movement distance. The mobile capture unit, (21), captures one or more images of one or more product displays, (22), product shelves or products with the mobile image capture unit (21), using one or more cameras.

Claims

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

(a) verifying a starting location of a mobile image capture unit;

(b) determining a movement distance for the mobile image capture unit;

(c) moving the mobile capture unit the determined movement distance;

(d) capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products with the mobile image capture unit;

(e) determining if there are more images to capture;

(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) if it is determined that there are more images to capture; and

(g) processing the one or more captured images if it is determined that there are no more images to capture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products are captured while the mobile capture unit is moving.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an object distance between the mobile capture unit and the one or more product displays, product shelves or products to be captured.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an alert is provided if the determined object distance exceeds a predetermined amount.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile capture unit is moved by one or more electric motors coupled to one or more wheels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a central processing unit controls the moving of the mobile capture unit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading and storing the bar codes of one or more products.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement distance is determined based on overlap in the one or more images to be captured.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement distance is automatically determined by a central processing unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing step comprises:

(a) assembling the one or more captured images into one or more sets;

(b) stitching the one or more sets together to create one or more images; and

(c) transmitting the one or more stitched images to a processing center.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising converting the one or more captured images into one or more different file formats.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more stitched images are compressed before transmission to the processing center.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more captured images and one or more stitched images are deleted after they are transmitted to the processing center.

14. An apparatus for measuring retail store display and shelf compliance, comprising:

(a) a unit for determining a movement distance for the mobile image capture unit;

(b) a unit for moving the mobile capture unit the determined movement distance;

(c) one or more cameras for capturing one or more images of one or more product displays, product shelves or products with the mobile image capture unit;

(d) a central processing unit for determining if there are more images to capture and processing the one or more captured images;

(e) a power source for the mobile capture unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more images of the one or more product displays, product shelves or products are captured while the mobile capture unit is moving.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a unit for determining an object distance between the mobile capture unit and the one or more product displays, product shelves or products to be captured.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein an alert is provided if the determined object distance exceeds a predetermined amount.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mobile capture unit is moved by one or more electric motors coupled to one or more wheels.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the central processing unit controls the moving of the mobile capture unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a bar-code scanner for reading and storing the bar codes of one or more products.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movement distance is determined based on overlap in the one or more images to be captured.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movement distance is automatically determined by the central processing unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the central processing unit rotates the one or more captured images;

assembles the one or more captured images into one or more sets;

stitches the one or more sets together to create one or more images; and

transmits the one or more stitched images to a processing center.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the central processing unit converts the one or more captured images into one or more different file formats.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more stitched images are compressed before transmission to the processing center.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the one or more captured images and one or more stitched images are deleted after they are transmitted to the processing center.

27. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a navigation sensor for identifying the location of the mobile capture unit.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the navigation sensor utilizes radio frequency identification, global positioning systems, digital compass devices, analog compass devices or ultra-violet sensors to identify the location of the mobile capture unit.