Navigation systems and methods for wheeled objects
First Claim
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1. A navigation system for a non-motor-propelled vehicle for a retail environment and having a wheel, the system comprising:
- a magnetic sensor configured to measure at least two components of a magnetic field;
a wheel rotation sensor configured to measure an amount of rotation of the wheel;
a processor configured to (a) combine the measured magnetic field components and the amount of rotation so as to estimate a position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle and (b) determine an inhibition signal based at least in part on the estimated position;
an anti-theft system configured to inhibit motion of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to receipt of the inhibition signal;
an activation system configured to receive a start navigation signal and information representative of a reference position at an entry to a tracking area, the start navigation signal received from a first source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the reference position comprising at least two coordinates indicative of the position of the entry to the tracking area, the processor configured to update the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle based at least in part on the information representative of the reference position and to start estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the start navigation signal,the activation system further configured to receive a stop navigation signal at an exit from the tracking area, the stop navigation signal received from a second source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the processor configured to stop estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the stop navigation signal;
wherein the first source and the second source are the same source or different sources; and
wherein the navigation system is disposed in or on the non-motor-propelled vehicle.
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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.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A navigation system for a non-motor-propelled vehicle for a retail environment and having a wheel, the system comprising:
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a magnetic sensor configured to measure at least two components of a magnetic field; a wheel rotation sensor configured to measure an amount of rotation of the wheel; a processor configured to (a) combine the measured magnetic field components and the amount of rotation so as to estimate a position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle and (b) determine an inhibition signal based at least in part on the estimated position; an anti-theft system configured to inhibit motion of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to receipt of the inhibition signal; an activation system configured to receive a start navigation signal and information representative of a reference position at an entry to a tracking area, the start navigation signal received from a first source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the reference position comprising at least two coordinates indicative of the position of the entry to the tracking area, the processor configured to update the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle based at least in part on the information representative of the reference position and to start estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the start navigation signal, the activation system further configured to receive a stop navigation signal at an exit from the tracking area, the stop navigation signal received from a second source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the processor configured to stop estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the stop navigation signal; wherein the first source and the second source are the same source or different sources; and wherein the navigation system is disposed in or on the non-motor-propelled vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, 46)
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24. An apparatus for estimating an updated position of a non-motor-propelled vehicle for a retail environment, the apparatus comprising:
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means for measuring a direction of travel of the non-motor-propelled vehicle; means for measuring an amount of rotation of a wheel of the non-motor-propelled vehicle; and means for estimating the updated position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle from the direction of travel and the amount of rotation; means for inhibiting motion of the non-motor-propelled vehicle, the inhibiting means configured to be actuated in response to a signal communicated from the estimating means, the signal determined at least in part from the updated position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle; means for activating a navigation system of the non-motor-propelled vehicle, the activating means configured to receive a start navigation signal and reference position data at an entry to a tracking area, the start navigation signal received from a first source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the reference position data comprising information representative of at least two coordinates indicative of the position of the entry to the tracking area, the estimating means configured to update the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle based at least in part on the reference position data and to start estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the start navigation signal, the activating means further configured to receive a stop navigation signal at an exit from the tracking area, the stop navigation signal received from a second source external to the non-motor propelled vehicle, the estimating means configured to stop estimating the position of the non-motor-propelled vehicle in response to the receipt of the stop navigation signal; wherein the first source and the second source are the same source or different sources; and wherein at least the direction measuring means and the rotation measuring means are disposed within the wheel. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 45, 47)
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28. An anti-theft system for a non-motor-propelled shopping cart, the anti-theft system comprising:
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a navigation system for a shopping cart, the navigation system comprising a magnetic heading sensor and a wheel rotation sensor; a brake system operable to provide a braking force to a wheel of the shopping cart and responsive to a braking signal from the navigation system; wherein the navigation system is configured to receive a first signal from a first source disposed near a checkout lane of a store and second and third signals from at least a second source disposed near an exit of the store, the first signal indicative of the shopping cart passing though the checkout lane, the second signal indicative of the shopping cart leaving the store, the third signal indicative of the shopping cart entering the store; wherein the navigation system is configured to provide the braking signal to the brake system upon the second signal being received without the first signal having been previously received; and wherein the navigation system is configured to begin estimating the position of the shopping cart upon receiving the second signal and to stop estimating the position of the shopping cart upon receiving the third signal. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 42, 43)
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Specification