NAVIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WHEELED OBJECTS
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A navigation system uses a dead reckoning method to estimate an object'"'"'s present position relative to one or more prior positions. In some embodiments, the dead reckoning method determines a change in position from the object'"'"'s heading and speed during an elapsed time interval. In embodiments suitable for use with wheeled objects, the dead reckoning method determines the change in position by measuring the heading and the amount of wheel rotation. Some or all of the components of the navigation system may be disposed within a wheel, such as a wheel of a shopping cart.
77 Citations
33 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. (canceled)
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3. (canceled)
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4. A method for controlling movement of a non-motorized cart with regard to a confinement area of a retail environment, the method comprising:
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providing a non-motorized cart comprising a navigation system and a movement inhibition system, the navigation system configured to calculate a position of the cart, the movement inhibition system configured to inhibit movement of the cart in response to a signal from the navigation system; transferring confinement information to the navigation system of the cart, the confinement information comprising a reference direction and coordinate data related to the shape and extent of a confinement area of a retail environment; calculating, using the navigation system, a position of the cart with respect to the confinement area; and signaling the inhibition system when the position of the cart relative to the confinement area satisfies an inhibition condition. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for training a non-motorized cart with regard to a boundary of a tracking area for the non-motorized cart, the method comprising:
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determining a representation of a tracking area for a non-motorized cart; moving a training object along at least a portion of a boundary of the tracking area, the training object configured to determine coordinates of the boundary; transferring the coordinates of the boundary from the training object to a controller; and transferring the coordinates of the boundary to a navigation system on the cart. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for training a non-motorized retail cart, the system comprising:
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a portable training object configured to record and store coordinate data related to the shape and extent of a confinement area of a retail environment; a transmitter configured to provide a signal indicative of a reference direction; a receiver positioned on a non-motorized cart, the receiver configured to receive the signal indicative of the reference direction; a navigation system positioned on the non-motorized cart and in communication with the receiver, the navigation system configured to receive the coordinate data and the reference direction, the navigation system also configured to calculate a position and heading of the non-motorized cart based at least in part on the coordinate data and the reference direction; a movement inhibition system on the non-motorized cart, the movement inhibition system configured to inhibit movement of the non-motorized cart in response to an inhibition signal from the navigation system, the inhibition signal provided when a theft condition is satisfied. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification