METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR TRACKING CONSUMER INTERACTIONS WITH PRODUCTS USING ELECTROMAGNETIC BEAM SENSORS

• US 20140110584A1
• Filed: 12/31/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triangle Strategy Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Triangle Strategy Group, LLC
• Inventors: Campbell, Patrick Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,378,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/340
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for tracking consumer interactions with products using electromagnetic beam sensors. One system includes at least one transmitter configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic energy. The system further includes at least one receiver positioned with respect to the at least one transmitter to detect a portion of the beam of electromagnetic energy reflected from a consumer or a product when the consumer physically interacts with the product. The system further includes the at least one circuit board on which the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are mounted. The at least one circuit board is configured to mount at or near a product location.

Claims

1. A system for tracking consumer interaction with products using electromagnetic beam sensors, the system comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic energy;

at least one receiver positioned with respect to the at least one transmitter to detect a portion of the beam of electromagnetic energy reflected from a consumer or a product when the consumer physically interacts with the product.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one circuit board on which the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are mounted, the at least one circuit board being configured to mount at or near a product location.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transmitter comprises a narrow beam transmitter and wherein at least one receiver comprises a narrow beam receiver wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured to detect the location of an object via infrared triangulation.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board includes a flexible substrate on which the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are mounted.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board includes a plurality of transmitter/receiver pairs and is configured to be cut to length to fit a desired shelf width.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board includes an adhesive backing for mounting to a retail shelf.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount on top of a shelf lip.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount below the retail shelf and wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are configured to project downwards to detect consumer activity on the shelf below the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to project the beam of electromagnetic energy in a plane parallel to a plane of the at least one circuit board.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount inside a shelf lip between the shelf lip and product containers.

11. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount on a shelf divider.

12. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are slidably mounted with respect to a product inventory zone.

13. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount behind and above a product inventory zone.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are configured to detect removal of planar objects from a product inventory zone.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount at the side of a shelf such that the beam projects laterally across a plurality of inventory zones.

16. The system of claim 1 comprising at least one weight sensor and a signal processor for receiving signals from the at least one receiver and the at least one weight sensor to confirm consumer interactions with products.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount above and in front of a peg hook.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount in a product cell array to detect removal of a product from the product cell array.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are configured to mount at or near a gravity feed or push track to detect insertion and removal of products from the gravity feed or push track.

20. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount inside a retail drawer.

21. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount at or near a cash register or payment terminal so as to measure opening and closing of cash drawer or usage of payment terminal.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one circuit board is configured to mount at or near a receipt printer so as to measure use of the receipt printer.

23. A method for tracking consumer interactions with products using electromagnetic beam sensors, the method comprising:

positioning at least one transmitter for projecting a beam of electromagnetic energy at or near a product location;

positioning at least one receiver is positioned with respect to the at least one transmitter to detect a portion of the beam reflected when a consumer interacts with a product and to produce a corresponding output signal; and

processing the signal produced by the at least one receiver to identify a type of consumer interaction with the product.