Method of tracking the real time location of shoppers, associates, managers and vendors through a communication multi-network within a store

• US 7,739,157 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sunrise R&D Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Bonner, Brett Bracewell, Jones, Titus Arthur, Hjelm, Christopher Todd, Perkins, Dion Brent, Osborne, John Edward II
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Amee A
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUKANOVICH, BRANDY A
• Application Number:
  US12/353,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20090224977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.9
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/09 for tracking people
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The invention relates to one or more methods for locating a shopper'"'"'s, associate'"'"'s, manager'"'"'s or vendor'"'"'s presumed position in a store using a communication multi-network for communication in the store. Specifically, at least one location device is positioned in proximity to, for example, a shopper such that the shopper'"'"'s presumed position about the store may be known continuously or upon demand to the store.

Claims

1. A method for locating an operator'"'"'s presumed location in a store, comprising:

a. tracking a presumed position of said operator in said store by at least one location tracking device held in a proximate position to said operator said location tracking device operating through a communication multi-network to provide a location tracking function to determine location data of said operator in said store, wherein said communication multi-network comprises

i. at least one star communication network that transfers non-location data from at least one logic engine to said at least one location tracking device; and

ii. at least one mesh communication network that tracks said at least one location tracking device throughout said store based on said location data;

b. Transmitting location data through said mesh communication network of said communication multi-network to said at least one logic engine and

c. Calculating by said at least one logic engine a calculated position of said at least one location tracking device in said store based on said location data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

d. Using said calculated position to track over time said presumed position of said operator in said store.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each said at least one location tracking device operates as a blind node within said system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said communication multi-network further comprises at least one information router having a range of transmission, said at least one information router being positioned about said store whereby said at least one information router operates to receive and send signal data throughout said communications multi-network.

5. The method of claim 4 whereby each said blind node sends and receives signal data from said at least one information routers thereby communicating within said communication multi-network in said store.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said at least one information routers are positioned about said store each said at least one information router has a known and fixed position.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said known and fixed position of each said information router is continuously communicated through signal data to each said at least one location tracking device within said range of transmission of each said at least one information router, said signal data having a received signal strength whereby said received signal strength is contingent upon the proximity of each said at least one location tracking device to each said at least one information router.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said system calculates the position of each said at least one location tracking device in said store through measurement of said received signal strength of each said received signal data from each said information router in range of each said at least one location tracking device.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein each said at least one location tracking device calculates its position in said store through measurement of said received signal strength of each said received signal data from each said information router in range of each said at least one location tracking device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each said at least one location tracking device transmits its said calculated position to said at least one logic engine through said communication multi-network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said at least one logic engine retains in memory the position of each said at least one location tracking device transmitting said positional coordinates to said at least one logic engine.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein said system calculates said proximity of each said at least one location tracking devices to each said at least one information routers within said store.

13. The method of claim 4 further comprising an X and Y two-dimensional grid superimposed over a map of said store;

wherein each said at least one information router is assigned a set of X and Y positional coordinates.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the set of X and Y positional coordinates of each said at least one information router is communicated through said communication multi-network to each said at least one blind node by transmission of a signal from each said at least one stationary reference node to each said at least one blind node, said signal having a received signal strength.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said device calculates the proximity of said at least one blind node to each said at least one stationary reference node that provided said signal to said at least one blind node by using ray tracing calculations.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said device creates an historical progression of each said presumed position of said operator in said store.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said device retains said historical progression.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said one or more logic engines operating to manage, organize and route location tracking information received from said one or more location tracking devices transmitted through said communication multi-network;

wherein said step of operating is conducted by said one or more logic engines.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of correlating said historical progression said presumed position of said operator in said store throughout the store to a one or more items scanned by the operator, wherein said step of correlating is conducted by said one or more logic engines.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said operator is selected from the group consisting of a shopper, an associate, a manager, and a vendor.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is positioned within a wireless end device.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is attached to a shopping cart.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one location tracking device is attached to a shopping basket.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one logic engine generates a historical progression of the location tracking device'"'"'s position throughout the store.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein each said location tracking device represents a pair of positional coordinates in said store.