Methods for facilitating a retail environment

• US 7,206,753 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axxon Robotics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Axxon Robotics, LLC
• Inventors: Bancroft, Allen, Ward, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Application Number:
  US09/906,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 705/10, 705/7, 705/28, 705/14, 705/18, 705/22, 705/24, 705/400, 705/8, 705/9, 705/27, 235/376, 235/375, 235/378, 235/384, 235/385, 235/383, 901/1, 182/52
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

The methods of the invention provide a variety of processes that may be performed by a mobile retail system or a mobile robot system. In accordance with one process, the invention provides a method of facilitating a retail environment, comprising the steps of providing a mobile system for operation in the retail environment, the mobile system including a processor portion, a memory portion storing retail data relating to retail activity, the processor portion storing data in the memory portion and retrieving data from the memory portion, an interaction portion, and a transport portion. The method further includes traveling from at least a first location to a second location by the mobile system; monitoring the retail environment by the mobile system; and accepting input from a customer in the retail environment by the mobile system. Various other operations may be performed by the mobile system in accordance with the system and method of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a retail environment, comprising:

providing a robot for operation in the retail environment, the robot including a processor portion, a memory portion storing retail data relating to retail activity, the processor portion storing data in the memory portion and retrieving data from the memory portion, an interaction portion, and a transport portion, wherein the processor portion controls the transport portion;

traveling from at least a first location to a second location by the robot;

monitoring the retail environment by the robot for tasks to be completed;

wherein monitoring the retail environment includes transmitting observed visual information to a purchasing company, the purchasing company purchasing a portion of time of use of the robot;

accepting input from a customer by the robot; and

outputting information to the customer by the robot based on the input from the customer and the retail data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a request for a specified item, the method further including:

retrieving an item location for the specified item from the memory portion; and

the outputting information to the customer comprising outputting the item location to the customer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the outputting information to the customer further comprises traveling from the first location to the second location, the first location being where the input from the customer was received and the second location being the item location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein accepting input from the customer is an e-mail containing a shopping list, the method further including:

storing the shopping list in the memory portion;

identifying a requesting customer as an owner of the shopping list;

retrieving the shopping list from the memory portion; and

the outputting information to the customer including outputting the shopping list to the requesting customer.

5. The method of claim 4, further including providing a plurality of robots, and wherein the step of storing the shopping list in the memory portion includes storing the shopping list in the memory portion of each of the plurality of robots.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the outputting information to the customer further includes outputting product information related to items on the shopping list.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input from the customer is a shopping list, the robot retrieving at least one of price information and product information relating to an item on the shopping list and communicating such information to the customer.

8. The method according to claim 1, further including:

storing personal dated information of the customer in the memory portion; and

outputting the personal dated information to the customer on the date of the personal dated information.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the personal dated information is a birthday of the customer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the outputting the personal dated information to the customer is performed utilizing e-mail.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the outputting the personal dated information to the customer is performed utilizing the interaction portion, the interaction portion being physically disposed on the robot.

12. The method of claim 1, further including providing a plurality of robots for operation in the retail environment, the plurality of robots communicating with each other.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of robots communicates with a central controller.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication between two of the plurality of robots includes communication relating to respective tasks of each of the two robots.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the purchasing company uses the visual information to determine the placing of products in the retail environment.

16. A method of facilitating a retail environment, comprising:

providing a mobile retail apparatus for mobile operation in the retail environment, the apparatus including a processor portion, a memory portion storing retail data relating to retail activity, the processor portion storing data in the memory portion and retrieving data from the memory portion, an interaction portion, and a transport portion that effects transport of the mobile retail apparatus;

monitoring the retail environment by the retail apparatus, the monitoring including visually observing activity in the retail environment;

displaying at least one of sales information or product information based on observed activity in the retail environment, the at least one of sales information or product information changing based on changing observed activity, wherein the changing observed activity includes observing a child and then an adult, the changing observed activity being based on height;

accepting input from a customer in the retail environment by the retail apparatus;

outputting information to the customer by the retail apparatus based on the input from the customer and the retail data;

providing a holding container attached to the retail apparatus, the holding container holding items, the accepting input from the customer in the retail environment by the retail apparatus step including accepting a request from the customer for at least one of the items in the holding container; and

presenting the at least one item to the customer by the retail apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including:

detecting at least one of audio and visual information in the retail environment; and

inputting any detected audio or visual information to the processor portion for processing.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the retail apparatus is in the form of a persona, the persona selected from the group consisting of an English robot, an old west robot, and a clown robot.

19. A method of facilitating a retail environment, comprising:

providing a mobile retail apparatus for operation in the retail environment, the retail apparatus including a processor portion, a memory portion storing retail data relating to retail activity, the processor portion storing data in the memory portion and retrieving data from the memory portion, an interaction portion and a transport portion that effects transport of the mobile retail apparatus, from a first location to a second location;

monitoring the retail environment by the retail apparatus, the monitoring including visually observing activity in the retail environment;

accepting input from a customer in the retail environment by the retail apparatus;

outputting information to the customer by the retail apparatus based on the input from the customer and the retail data; and

displaying by the retail apparatus at least one of sales information or product information based on observed activity in the retail environment, the at least one of sales information or product information changing based on changing observed activity, the changing observed activity includes observing a child and then an adult, the changing observed activity being based on height.