Cart containment system with integrated cart display unit

• US 8,700,230 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hannah, Stephen E., Carter, Scott J., James, Jesse M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US13/907,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/408, 701/469, 701/470, 701/472, 340/568.5, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/04 for storing or handling self-service hand-carts or baskets
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/08 from a ground wheel, e.g. engaging the wheel tread or rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/14 characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1404 Means for facilitating stowing or transporting of the trolleys; Antitheft arrangements B62B5/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1412 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1424 Electronic display devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1492 Wheel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0003 Adaptations for loading in or on a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0423 braking or blocking when leaving a particular area
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0438 hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/048 Hub brakes; drum brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2434 Tag housing and attachment details
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2448 Tag with at least dual detection means, e.g. combined inductive and ferromagnetic tags, dual frequencies within a single technology, tampering detection or signalling means on the tag
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 : Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 : Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2477 : Antenna or antenna activator circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 : EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 : structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A system is disclosed for tracking and controlling shopping carts and other types of human propelled vehicles. The system includes a wheel assembly that attaches to a cart. The wheel assembly includes a brake unit for inhibiting cart motion, and includes wireless communication circuitry. The wheel assembly is capable of activating the brake unit in response to one or more conditions, such as the receipt of an RF signal or command. In some embodiments, the system also includes a display unit that displays information to a user of the cart, including information regarding the cart'"'"'s proximity to a lock zone in which the brake unit will become activated.

Claims

1. A system for controlling usage of shopping carts, the system comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation signal from a fixed location associated with a brake activation zone;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including wireless communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to detect a wireless transmission of the brake activation signal from the device, and to report the detected transmission of the brake activation signal to the display unit by communicating wirelessly with the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to display a warning indication that warns a shopping cart user, prior to activation of the brake unit, regarding the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to cause the display unit to display the warning indication before the shopping cart enters the brake activation zone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is additionally configured to measure a received signal strength of the detected wireless transmission of the brake activation signal, and to determine, based at least partly on the received signal strength, whether to activate the brake unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is configured to use received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, and to activate the brake unit when the shopping cart is determined to be in the brake activation zone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the brake unit, when activated, inhibits rotation of the shopping cart wheel without preventing the wheel from rotating.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the brake activation signal is a Very Low Frequency (VLF) signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device that transmits the brake activation signal is mounted above-ground.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the device that transmits the brake activation signal comprises a directional antenna that focuses RF transmissions downward toward a surface on which the shopping cart is moved.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the display unit includes an RFID reader that reads RFID tags of merchandise items added to the shopping cart, and is configured to display information regarding said merchandise items.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is configured to report, via wireless communications, a plurality of different types of events to the display unit.

11. A system for controlling usage of shopping carts, the system comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation signal from a fixed location associated with a brake activation zone;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including wireless communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to detect a wireless transmission of the brake activation signal from the device, and to report the detected transmission of the brake activation signal to the display unit by communicating wirelessly with the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to display a warning indication that warns a shopping cart user regarding the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone;

wherein the display unit is responsive to entry of the shopping cart into the brake activation zone by displaying a message instructing the shopping cart user of an action to take to cause the wheel assembly to deactivate the brake unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the message indicates a location of a brake deactivation zone to which the shopping cart can be moved to cause the brake unit to become deactivated.

13. A system for controlling usage of shopping carts, the system comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation signal from a fixed location associated with a brake activation zone;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including wireless communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to detect a wireless transmission of the brake activation signal from the device, and to report the detected transmission of the brake activation signal to the display unit by communicating wirelessly with the display unit;

wherein the wheel assembly is configured to generate a filtered Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) value based on a plurality of RSSI measurements of the brake activation signal, and to compare the filtered RSSI value to an RSSI threshold to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone.

14. A system for controlling shopping cart usage, comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation command from a fixed location, said device thereby creating a brake activation zone in which shopping cart usage is restricted;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to measure received signal strengths of the wireless transmissions of the brake activation command, and to use the received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, said shopping cart wheel assembly additionally configured to report location-based events to the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to warn a user of the shopping cart of the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone before the brake unit is activated.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the display unit is configured to display a warning indication when the shopping cart is approaching the brake activation zone.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the device that transmits the brake activation command comprises a directional antenna that focusses RF transmissions downward toward a surface on which the shopping cart is moved.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the display unit includes an RFID reader that reads RFID tags of merchandise items added to the shopping cart, and is configured to display information regarding said merchandise items.

18. A system for controlling shopping cart usage, comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation command from a fixed location, said device thereby creating a brake activation zone in which shopping cart usage is restricted;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to measure received signal strengths of the wireless transmissions of the brake activation command, and to use the received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, said shopping cart wheel assembly additionally configured to report location-based events to the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to warn a user of the shopping cart of the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone;

wherein the wheel assembly and display unit are configured to communicate wirelessly with each other.

19. A system for controlling shopping cart usage, comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation command from a fixed location, said device thereby creating a brake activation zone in which shopping cart usage is restricted;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to measure received signal strengths of the wireless transmissions of the brake activation command, and to use the received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, said shopping cart wheel assembly additionally configured to report location-based events to the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to warn a user of the shopping cart of the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone;

wherein the display unit is configured to display a message instructing the shopping cart user of an action to take to cause the wheel assembly to deactivate the brake unit when the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the message indicates a location of a brake deactivation zone into which the shopping cart can be moved to cause the brake unit to become deactivated.

21. A system for controlling shopping cart usage, comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation command from a fixed location, said device thereby creating a brake activation zone in which shopping cart usage is restricted;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to measure received signal strengths of the wireless transmissions of the brake activation command, and to use the received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, said shopping cart wheel assembly additionally configured to report location-based events to the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to warn a user of the shopping cart of the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone;

wherein the wheel assembly is configured to generate a filtered Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) value based on a plurality of RSSI measurements, and to compare the filtered RSSI value to an RSSI threshold to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone.

22. A system for controlling shopping cart usage, comprising:

a device that transmits, via wireless transmissions, a brake activation command from a fixed location, said device thereby creating a brake activation zone in which shopping cart usage is restricted;

a device that transmits a brake deactivation command from a fixed location to form a brake deactivation zone adjacent to the brake activation zone;

a display unit that attaches to a shopping cart, said display unit including communication circuitry; and

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to the shopping cart, the shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a shopping cart wheel, a brake unit for inhibiting motion of the shopping cart, and wireless communication circuitry, said shopping cart wheel assembly configured to measure received signal strengths of the wireless transmissions of the brake activation command, and to use the received signal strength measurements to determine whether the shopping cart is in the brake activation zone, said shopping cart wheel assembly additionally configured to report location-based events to the display unit;

wherein the display unit is configured to warn a user of the shopping cart of the shopping cart'"'"'s proximity to the brake activation zone.

23. An automated method of controlling cart usage, comprising:

transmitting, from a fixed location, a brake activation signal that creates a brake activation zone in which cart usage is restricted;

measuring, with circuitry included in a wheel assembly of a cart, a signal strength of a received transmission of the brake activation signal;

determining whether to activate a brake unit of the wheel assembly based at least partly on the measurement of the signal strength of the received transmission of the brake activation signal; and

displaying, on a display unit of the cart prior to activation of the brake unit, a warning indication regarding a proximity of the cart to the brake activation zone.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting, from the wheel assembly to the display unit, information regarding location-based events detected by the wheel assembly.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the warning indication comprises a warning message.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein transmitting the brake activation signal comprises transmitting said signal from a directional antenna that focuses RF transmissions downward toward a surface on which the cart travels.

27. An automated method of controlling cart usage, comprising:

transmitting, from a fixed location, a brake activation signal that creates a brake activation zone in which cart usage is restricted;

measuring, with circuitry included in a wheel assembly of a cart, a signal strength of a received transmission of the brake activation signal;

determining whether to activate a brake unit of the wheel assembly based at least partly on the measurement of the signal strength of the received transmission of the brake activation signal;

displaying, on a display unit of the cart, a warning indication regarding a proximity of the cart to the brake activation zone; and

transmitting, from a fixed location, a brake deactivation signal that creates a brake deactivation zone adjacent to the brake activation zone.

28. A system, comprising:

a shopping cart wheel assembly that attaches to a shopping cart, said shopping cart wheel assembly comprising a wheel, a brake unit, a controller that controls the brake unit, and communication circuitry, said controller configured to activate the brake unit in response to a signal emitted from a fixed device; and

a display that attaches to the shopping cart and communicates with the shopping cart wheel assembly;

wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is responsive to detection of the signal by causing the display to output a warning indication before the brake unit is activated.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is configured to generate a received signal strength measurement of the signal, and to activate the brake unit in response to the received signal strength measurement satisfying a threshold.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly is configured to cause the display to output the warning indication before the shopping cart wheel assembly enters into a lock zone associated with the signal.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the shopping cart wheel assembly communicates wirelessly with the display.