Tracking a mobile device

• US 8,972,168 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Acker, Joel Bennett Jr., Cancro, Richard Neil, Pedley, Douglas James
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US13/722,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 701/410, 701/533, 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.6, 709/217
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Embodiments for determining a route a consumer takes while traversing a retail store are disclosed. The embodiments include determining a store location of a retail store and a map corresponding to the layout of the retail store, receiving waypoint data including a plurality of positions within the map corresponding timestamps, determining a route in response to the waypoint data, and providing the route and the map for display.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, at a processing device, a store location of a retail store and a map corresponding to a layout of the retail store;

receiving, at the processing device, waypoint data including a plurality of positions within the map and timestamps corresponding to the waypoint data;

determining, at the processing device, a route in response to the waypoint data;

providing, at the processing device, the route and the map for display;

determining a position of the plurality of positions that is selected by a customer, the position indicating a location where an item associated with the customer has been lost in the retail store; and

transmitting a notification including the position, the route, and the map to a computing device associated with the retail store to notify the retail store that the item has been lost.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the route includes extrapolating data associated with the plurality of positions within the map and the corresponding timestamps to determine an estimated position.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of positions and the timestamps are received at repetitive intervals.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the route is superimposed on the map.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the route is associated with a path that a consumer takes while traversing the store location.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the route includes indicators corresponding to how long the consumer was at a specific position in response to the timestamps.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, at the processing device, the route and the map to a device that is not associated with the received waypoint data.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the processing device, a position on the route where an item was lost.

9. A server comprising:

a map module configured to determine a store location of a retail store and a map corresponding to a layout of the retail store;

a tracking module configured to receive waypoint data including a plurality of positions within the map and timestamps corresponding to the waypoint data;

a route module configured to determine a route in response to the waypoint data; and

a processor configured to;

provide the route and the map over a network connection for display on a graphical user interface;

determine a position of the plurality of positions selected by a customer, the position indicating a location where an item associated with the customer has been lost in the retail store; and

receive a notification including the position of the plurality of positions, the route, and the map, the position indicating a location where an item associated with a customer has been lost in the retail store.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the route module is further configured to determine the route by extrapolating data associated with the plurality of positions within the map and the corresponding timestamps to determine an estimated position.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein the plurality of positions and the timestamps are received at repetitive intervals.

12. The server of claim 9, wherein the route is superimposed on the map.

13. The server of claim 9, wherein the route is associated with a path that a consumer takes while traversing the store location.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein the route includes indicators corresponding to how long the consumer was at a specific position in response to the timestamps.

15. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to provide the route and the map to a device that is not associated with the received waypoint data.

16. The server of claim 9, wherein the route module is configured to receive a position on the route where an item was lost.

17. A mobile computing device comprising:

a map module configured to determine a store location of a retail store and receive a map corresponding to a layout of the retail store;

a tracking module configured to receive waypoint data including a plurality of positions within the map and timestamps corresponding to the waypoint;

a route module configured to determine a route in response to the waypoint data; and

a graphical user interface configured to display the route and the map; and

a processor configured to;

determine a position of the plurality of positions that is selected by a customer, the position indicating a location where an item associated with the customer has been lost in the retail store, and

transmit a notification including the position, the route, and the map to a computing device associated with the retail store to notify the retail store that the item has been lost.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the route module is further configured to determine the route by extrapolating data associated with the plurality of positions within the map and the corresponding timestamps to determine an estimated position.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the route is associated with a path that a mobile computing device takes while traversing the store location.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive a position on the route where an item was lost.