System and method for providing sales assistance to a consumer wearing an augmented reality device in a physical store

• US 9,082,149 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US13/770,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The method includes the step of receiving, with a processing device of a commerce server, a help request signal from an augmented reality device worn by a current consumer shopping in a retail store. The method also includes the step of selecting, with the processing device, a sales assistant to help the current consumer. The method also includes the step of linking, with the processing device, the augmented reality device in communication with an electronic computing device operated by the sales assistant. The method also includes the step of receiving, at the processing device, a receipt signal containing a list of items purchased by the current consumer. The method also includes the step of determining, with the processing device, if any item on the list of items was the subject of the help provided to the current consumer by the sales assistant. The sales assistant can enjoy a commission, a performance bonus, a quota, or receive some other form of enhanced remuneration in response to the determining step.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method implemented at a commerce server for a merchant, the merchant having one or more physical retail store locations, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, with a processing device of the commerce server, a consumer initiated electronic help request signal from an augmented reality device worn by a consumer shopping for an item in a physical retail store location, the physical retail store location selected from among the one or more physical retail store locations and with the augmented reality device including a camera configured to generate a video signal relating to the item and at least one of a position sensor, an orientation sensor, a proximity sensor, a distance sensor, a direction sensor, and an accelerometer configured to generate an motion signal indicative of consumer motion relative to the item;

determining, with the processing device, the identity of the item based on the video signal and the motion signal;

accessing consumer characteristics data from a consumer database, the consumer characteristics data defining one or more consumer characteristics of the consumer;

accessing item characteristics data from an item database, the item characteristics data defining one or more item characteristics of the item;

accessing sales assistant characteristics from a sales assistant database, the sales assistant characteristics defining one or more sales assistant characteristics for each of a plurality of sales assistants associated with the merchant, the one or more sales assistant characteristics including indications of past success providing remote assistance with one or more item categories and any specialized training or experience;

selecting, with the processing device, an appropriate sales assistant to help the consumer, including;

for each of the plurality of sales assistants, comparing the defined one or more sales assistant characteristics, including indications of past success with providing remote assistance in an item category including the item and any specialized training or experience, to the defined one or more consumer characteristics and to the defined one or more defined item characteristics;

identifying a remotely located sales assistant having requisite capabilities to assist the consumer based on the comparisons, the remotely located sales assistant at a physical location external to the physical retail store location; and

confirming that the remotely located sales assistant is available to promptly provide the consumer with assistance related to the item via further electronic communication from the physical location based on the one or more sales assistant characteristics for the remotely located sales assistant indicating that the remotely located sales assistant is not engaged in electronic communication with another consumer; and

selecting the remotely located sales assistant as the appropriate sales assistant in response to the confirmation; and

linking, with the processing device, the augmented reality device in communication with an electronic computing device operated by the appropriate sales assistant to facilitate the further electronic communication, including relaying sensor data sensed at the augmented reality device to the electronic computing device through the commerce server, the relayed sensor data relayed to the electronic computing device to make the appropriate sales assistant aware of circumstances associated with the electronic help request for the item;

receiving, at the processing device, a receipt signal containing a list of items purchased by the consumer; and

determining, with the processing device, if the item for which help was provided is on the list of items.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant comprises:

directly selecting, with the processing device, a first sales assistant to help the current consumer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

checking, with the processing device, an availability of the first sales assistant to help the consumer;

determining, with the processing device, that first sales assistant is unavailable; and

directly selecting, with the processing device, the remote sales assistant to help the consumer in response to said determining step.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant further comprises:

selecting, with the processing device, a subset of all sales assistants to help the current consumer.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining, with the processing device, the respective availabilities of the sales assistants in the subset; and

directly selecting, with the processing device, the remote sales assistant from among the subset to help the consumer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining the sales assistant database wherein the one or more sales assistant characteristics for each sales assistant includes past interactions with a plurality of past consumers, wherein each interaction is defined at least in part by an item and wherein each interaction includes data indicative that the interaction has preceded a purchase by the past consumer of the item for which the interaction was initiated.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein:

receiving the help request signal comprises receiving, with the processing device, the help request signal indicative of an item being considered for purchase by the current consumer; and

wherein selecting an appropriate sales associate comprises searching, with the processing device, the sales assistant database to generate a subset of all sales assistants who have previously helped one or more past consumers with the item.

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

maintaining sales assistants database wherein the one or more sales assistant characteristics for each sales assistant includes interactions with past consumers, wherein each interaction is defined at least in part by one or more demographics of the past consumers and wherein each interaction includes data indicative that the interaction has preceded a purchase by the past consumer of an item for which the interaction was initiated.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein:

wherein receiving the help request signal comprises receiving, with the processing device, the help request signal indicative of a demographic of the current consumer; and

wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant comprises searching, with the processing device, the sales assistant database to generate a subset of all sales assistants who have previously helped one or more past consumers sharing the demographic of the current consumer.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said receiving the help request signal comprises receiving, with the processing device, a help request signal that contains an identity of the current consumer.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 further comprising:

maintaining the consumer database wherein one or more consumer characteristics for each consumer includes previous purchases of the consumer as well as demographics possessed by the consumer including at least one of age, gender, occupation, and mailing address.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising:

searching, with the processing device, the consumer database to retrieve the one or more demographics possessed by the consumer.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising:

maintaining the sales assistants database wherein the one or more sales assistant characteristics for each sales assistant includes interactions with past consumers, wherein each interaction is defined at least in part by one or more demographics of the past consumers and wherein each interaction includes data indicative that the interaction has preceded a purchase by the past consumer of an item for which the interaction was initiated.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant comprises:

searching, with the processing device, the sales assistant database to generate a subset of all sales assistants who have previously helped one or more past consumers sharing the one or more demographics possessed by the current consumer.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 wherein linking the augmented reality device in communication with an electronic computing device comprises:

linking, with the processing device, the augmented reality device in communication with an electronic computing device operated by one of the sales assistants in the subset.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining the sales assistants database wherein the one or more sales assistant characteristics for each sales assistant includes interactions with past consumers, wherein each interaction is defined at least in part by one or more demographics of the past consumers as well as an item for which the interaction was initiated, and wherein each interaction includes data indicative that the interaction has preceded a purchase by the past consumer of the item.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein:

receiving the help request signal is comprises receiving, with the processing device, the help request signal from the augmented reality device worn by the current consumer shopping in the retail store wherein the help request signal contains data indicative of a demographic of the current consumer and data indicative of the item that the current consumer is considering for purchase.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant comprises:

searching, with the processing device, the sales assistant database to generate a primary subset of all sales assistants who have previously helped one or more past consumers in considering the item being considered by the consumer.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18 wherein selecting an appropriate sales assistant comprises:

searching, with the processing device, the primary subset to generate a secondary subset of all sales assistants who have previously helped one or more past consumers sharing the one or more demographics of the current consumer.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

increasing a remuneration of the appropriate sales assistant in response to determining that the item for which help was provided is on the list of items.