Method for setting up a beacon network inside a retail environment

• US 9,245,160 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm technologies international, ltd. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graube, Nicolas, Jarvis, Murray, Tarlow, Ben, Gibbs, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US13/970,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10316 using at least one antenna particularly designed for interrogating the wireless record carriers antennas in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

A system having multiple short-range transmission devices, each of which is assigned a unique identity and is positioned at a respectively different location within a three dimensional space. The assignment of the identity is according to signals broadcast by short-range device(s) as sensed unambiguously by a listening device or devices proximate to the short-range transmission device(s) and further associating the identity with a reference point.

Claims

1. A method for operating a listening device, the method comprising:

sensing a plurality of signals from a plurality of transponders, at least one of the transponders having an unknown location;

determining a level of proximity between the listening device and one of the transponders having an unknown location based on unambiguously sensing the signal from the one transponder;

assigning a unique identity (ID) to the one transponder based on the determination;

identifying a location of the one transponder using a map in the listening device;

optically scanning a plurality of objects separate from and proximate to the one transponder; and

associating the identified location and the plurality of objects with the one transponder by transmitting, to a remote database, the identified location, information obtained from the optical scans of the plurality of objects, and the assigned unique ID of the one transponder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing communication with the one transponder prior to assigning the unique ID to the one transponder when the listening device is within the proximity level with respect to the one transponder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein unambiguously sensing the signal comprises:

receiving an identification value of the one transponder; and

combining the identification value with at least one of;

a retailer ID or a store ID, or a combination thereof to generate the unique ID.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the level of proximity comprises:

determining a respective distance of the listening device from the one transponder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the identified location and the plurality of objects with the one transponder further comprises:

identifying a reference point of the one transponder using a reference system, in the listening device, containing a reference to at least one of an aisle number, or a shelf identification, or a product name, or a product description, or a combination thereof; and

associating the reference point with the unique ID of the one transponder by transmitting the identified reference point to the remote database with the information obtained from the optical scans of the plurality of objects and the assigned unique ID of the one transponder.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

optically scanning the plurality of objects further comprises:

scanning respective bar codes of the plurality of objects using a bar code reader coupled to the listening device; and

decoding the scanned bar codes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein optically scanning the plurality of objects further comprises:

capturing respective digital images of the plurality of objects, using a camera coupled to the listening device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the unambiguously sensed signal is an encrypted signal and the method further comprises:

decrypting the signal from the one transponder, prior to assigning the unique ID to the one transponder.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein unambiguously sensing the signal further comprises:

sensing the signal of the one transponder independently of a signal from any other transponder of the plurality of transponders.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the unambiguously sensing the signal further comprises:

sensing the signal of the one transponder related to a signal of another transponder of the plurality of transponders; and

establishing a connection with the other transponder.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein associating the identified location and the plurality of objects with the one transponder comprises:

transmitting the decoded bar code information with the unique ID of the one transponder to the remote database.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein associating the plurality of objects with the one transponder comprises:

transmitting the captured images of the plurality of objects with the unique ID of the one transponder to the remote database.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a transceiver configured to;

sense a plurality of signals from a plurality of transponders, at least one of the transponders having an unknown location; and

a processor configured to;

determine a level of proximity between the apparatus and one of the transponders having an unknown location based on an unambiguous sensing of the signal from the one transponder;

assign a unique identity (ID) to the one transponder based on the unambiguously sensed signal; and

identify a location of the one transponder using a map in the apparatus;

the transceiver further configured to optically scan a plurality of objects separate from and proximate to the one transponder; and

the processor further configured to associate the identified location and the plurality of objects with the one transponder by transmitting, to a remote database, the identified location, information obtained from the optical scans of the plurality of objects, and the assigned unique ID of the one transponder.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor and the transceiver are further configured to establish communication with the one transponder prior to the assignment of the unique ID to the one transponder when the processor determines that the apparatus is within the proximity level with respect to the one transponder.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is coupled to a reference system and is further configured to:

identify a reference point of the one transponder using the reference system, the reference system including a reference to at least one of an aisle number, or a shelf identification, or a product name, or a product description, or a combination thereof; and

associate the identified reference point with the unique ID of the one transponder by transmitting the identified reference point to the remote database with the information obtained from the optical scans of the plurality of objects and the unique ID of the one transponder.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the transceiver comprises a camera, and wherein:

the processor is further configured to;

identify each of the plurality of objects based on respective digital images of the plurality of objects, captured by the camera; and

associate the identified plurality of objects with the unique ID of the transponder by transmitting the respective digital images of the plurality objects to the remote database with the unique ID of the one transponder.

17. A method for operating a server, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server, optical image information from a listening device, the optical image information related to a plurality of objects separate from and proximate to a transponder, and a unique identity of the transponder;

processing, at the server, the received image information related to the plurality of objects to identify the plurality of objects;

classifying, at the server, the plurality of objects into an object group, and

associating, at the server, the object group with the transponder in a database on the server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the optical image information includes images of barcodes of the plurality of objects and processing the received image information further comprises decoding barcode information in the images of the plurality of objects.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the received image information includes images of the plurality of objects and processing the received image information further comprises comparing the received optical image information of the plurality of objects to a plurality of images in a planogram stored in the server to identify a location of the transponder.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from the listening device, a coordinate point representing a location of the transponder; and

mapping the location of the transponder to the coordinate point based on a coordinate system stored in the server.