PROXIMITY DETECTION USING SENSORS BASED ON A PROGRAMMABLE MULTI-ARRAY STRUCTURES
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- (a) a first communication network;
(b) a computer server coupled to the first communication network and the computer server coupled to a database;
(c) one or more gateway sensor nodes coupled to the computer server using the first communication network;
(d) a second communication network and a third communication network coupled to the one or more gateway sensor nodes;
(e) a wireless mobile device;
(f) wherein the one or more gateway sensor nodes are configured to;
(i) detect the wireless mobile device dynamically over the second communication network;
(ii) collect a device identifier from the wireless mobile device and record a timestamp;
(iii) transmit the timestamp and the device identifier of the wireless mobile device to the computer server;
(iv) transmit a network connectivity offer notification, request for shopper profile information and tag module download offer notification to the wireless mobile device;
(v) receive instructions from the wireless mobile device to couple the wireless mobile device to the second communication network and to download a tag module;
(vi) transmit a link to the wireless mobile device to download the tag module such that the wireless mobile device becomes a tagged wireless mobile device when the tag module is downloaded;
(g) one or more personal communication networks;
(h) a first set of data sensors coupled to the one or more gateway sensor nodes over the third communication network, each of the first set of data sensors having, a media access control (MAC) identifier, a processor and a memory device, and each of the first set of data sensor generating a corresponding personal communication network using a directional antenna;
(i) wherein each data sensor is configured to;
(i) detect the tagged wireless mobile device over of the one or more personal communication networks;
(ii) request and receive the device identifier from the tagged wireless mobile device;
(iii) transmit the device identifier of the tagged wireless mobile device, the MAC identifier of data sensor and a timestamp to the computer server;
(j) wherein the computer server is configured to at least one of generate and update shopper information in the database with the received timestamp and the device identifier of the tagged wireless mobile device, a MAC identifier and a retail product identifier of each of the first set of data sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure is directed to the use of spatially diverse multiple antenna structures and associated radio transmitters and receivers in a sensor for accurate proximity detection. In a retail environment, a system based on a network of such (smart) sensors can accurately detect presence and location of a shopper'"'"'s wireless mobile device as the shopper moves along the shopping aisles carrying the wireless mobile device (e.g. smartphone). Based on the location of the shopper and the duration of the shopper stopping in front of a product shelf in an aisle, embodiments can engage the shopper (through the wireless mobile device) in transaction-oriented interactions using the ‘sense, analyze, and connect’ capability of the various embodiments described herein. Such interactions result in increased revenue for the retailers as well as better understanding of the shopping behavior of the retail shoppers. Such understanding can be embodied in improved analytics.
124 Citations
78 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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(a) a first communication network; (b) a computer server coupled to the first communication network and the computer server coupled to a database; (c) one or more gateway sensor nodes coupled to the computer server using the first communication network; (d) a second communication network and a third communication network coupled to the one or more gateway sensor nodes; (e) a wireless mobile device; (f) wherein the one or more gateway sensor nodes are configured to;
(i) detect the wireless mobile device dynamically over the second communication network;
(ii) collect a device identifier from the wireless mobile device and record a timestamp;
(iii) transmit the timestamp and the device identifier of the wireless mobile device to the computer server;
(iv) transmit a network connectivity offer notification, request for shopper profile information and tag module download offer notification to the wireless mobile device;
(v) receive instructions from the wireless mobile device to couple the wireless mobile device to the second communication network and to download a tag module;
(vi) transmit a link to the wireless mobile device to download the tag module such that the wireless mobile device becomes a tagged wireless mobile device when the tag module is downloaded;(g) one or more personal communication networks; (h) a first set of data sensors coupled to the one or more gateway sensor nodes over the third communication network, each of the first set of data sensors having, a media access control (MAC) identifier, a processor and a memory device, and each of the first set of data sensor generating a corresponding personal communication network using a directional antenna; (i) wherein each data sensor is configured to;
(i) detect the tagged wireless mobile device over of the one or more personal communication networks;
(ii) request and receive the device identifier from the tagged wireless mobile device;
(iii) transmit the device identifier of the tagged wireless mobile device, the MAC identifier of data sensor and a timestamp to the computer server;(j) wherein the computer server is configured to at least one of generate and update shopper information in the database with the received timestamp and the device identifier of the tagged wireless mobile device, a MAC identifier and a retail product identifier of each of the first set of data sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system, comprising:
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(a) a wireless mobile device transmitting and receiving one or more radio signals; (b) one or more sensor devices each having an antenna array, each sensor device detecting the radio signal from the wireless mobile device using the antenna array, the one or more sensor devices is at least one of a gateway sensor node, data sensor, and an aisle marker sensor wherein; (i) each sensor device includes; (a) one or more radio transmitters; (b) one or more radio receivers; (c) a control unit coupled to the one or more radio transmitters and the one or more radio receivers, the control unit providing a time slot scheme for the one or more radio transmitters to radiate radio signals and for the one or more radio receivers to detect radio signals; (ii) the antenna array is coupled to the one or more radio transmitters, one or more radio receivers, and control unit, the antenna array including one or more patch antennas; (iii) each patch antenna detects the radio signal from the wireless mobile device wherein the control unit processes a detected power level associated with the detected radio signal from each patch antenna to determine a distance of the wireless mobile device from a sensor device of the one or more sensor devices wherein the distance is used to determine a location of the wireless mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A gateway sensor node device, comprising:
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(a) one or more radio transmitters; (b) one or more radio receivers; (c) a control unit coupled to the one or more radio transmitters and the one or more radio receivers, the control unit providing a time slot scheme for the one or more radio transmitters to radiate radio signals and for the one or more radio receivers to detect radio signals; (d) antenna array wherein; (i) the antenna array is coupled to the one or more radio transmitters, one or more radio receivers, and control unit, the antenna array including one or more patch antennas; (ii) a patch antenna detects the radio signal from a wireless mobile device wherein the control unit processes a detected power level associated with the detected radio signal from the patch antenna to determine a distance of the wireless mobile device from the device wherein the distance is used to determine a location of the wireless mobile device; (iii) and the antenna array is configured to produce at least one of linear polarization and circular polarization. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A data sensor device, comprising:
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(a) one or more radio transmitters; (b) one or more radio receivers; (c) a control unit coupled to the one or more radio transmitters and the one or more radio receivers, the control unit providing a time slot scheme for the one or more radio transmitters to radiate radio signals and for the one or more radio receivers to detect radio signals; (d) antenna array wherein; (i) the antenna array is coupled to the one or more radio transmitters, one or more radio receivers, and control unit, the antenna array is a multipatch antenna including one or more patch antennas, each patch antenna configured to be a directional antenna; (ii) each patch antenna;
(a) detects a radio signal from the wireless mobile device wherein the control unit processes a detected power level associated with the detected radio signal from each patch antenna to determine a distance of the wireless mobile device from the device wherein the distance is used to determine a location of the wireless mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method, comprising:
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(a) transmitting and receiving one or more radio signals by a wireless mobile device; (b) detecting, by one or more sensor devices each having an antenna array, the radio signal from the wireless mobile device using the antenna array, the one or more sensor devices is at least one of a gateway sensor node, data sensor, and an aisle marker sensor wherein; (i) each sensor device includes; (a) one or more radio transmitters; (b) one or more radio receivers; (c) a control unit coupled to the one or more radio transmitters and the one or more radio receivers, the control unit providing a time slot scheme for the one or more radio transmitters to radiate radio signals and for the one or more radio receivers to detect radio signals; (ii) the antenna array is coupled to the one or more radio transmitters, one or more radio receivers, and control unit, the antenna array including one or more patch antennas; (iii) each patch antenna detects the radio signal from the wireless mobile device wherein the control unit processes a detected power level associated with the detected radio signal from each patch antenna to determine a distance of the wireless mobile device from a sensor device of the one or more sensor devices wherein the distance is used to determine a location of the wireless mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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Specification