In-store navigation without electronic positioning

• US 9,324,106 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• 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): Frech, Karl D
• Application Number:
  US14/473,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/472.01, 235/380, 235/379
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

A shopping list is received from the user and locations of items in the list are obtained. A route visiting the locations of the items is generated and a corresponding ordering of items is also generated. Directions to a next item in the shopping list are provided in response to detecting checking off or scanning of a previous item. In response to detecting scanning of an item out of order or an item not in the shopping list, a new route is generated originated at the item and passing by the locations of items of the shopping list that have not been checked off or scanned. Routes may be generated according to a route optimization algorithm. The directions to items in a list may be provided on a user'"'"'s mobile device without use of an electronic locating means such as GPS, beacons, or the like.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, from a user device, a shopping list including a plurality of item identifiers;

generating, by the computer system, a first route through a floor plan of a retail establishment, the first route visiting locations corresponding to the plurality of item identifiers of the shopping list in an order corresponding to a plurality of factors related to the item identifiers and the retail establishment;

transmitting, by the computer system, the first route to the user device;

receiving, by the computer system, from the user device, a scan of an optical code associated with an item identifier of the shopping list;

determining, by the computer system. the location of the item associated with item identifier on the first route;

determining, by the computer system, that the item is scanned out of an order corresponding to the first route

and in response generating, by the computer system, a second route through the floor plan of the retail establishment, the second route starting at the location of the item and visiting locations corresponding to a portion of the plurality of item identifiers for which corresponding items have not been scanned in an order corresponding to the plurality of factors related to the remaining item identifiers and the retail establishment; and

transmitting, by the computer system, the second route to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer system, notification of the scan of the optical code by the user device;

in response to receiving notification of the scan of the optical code, transmitting, by the computer system, notification of the item identifier scanned by the user device to a sales device; and

receiving, by the computer system, notification of purchase of an item corresponding to the item identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the computer system, directions between a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of contiguous item identifiers of the shopping list according to the first route;

transmitting, by the computer system, the directions to the user device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating directions between the plurality of locations without any locational information from an electronic navigational system of the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first and second routes comprises performing a route optimization algorithm.

7. A system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices operably coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing executable and operational code effective to cause the one or more processors to:

receive from a user device, a shopping list including a plurality of item identifiers;

generate a first route through a floor plan of a retail establishment, the first route visiting locations corresponding to the plurality of item identifiers of the shopping list in an order corresponding to a plurality of factors related to the item identifiers and the retail establishment;

transmit the first route to the user device;

receive from the user device, a scan of an optical code associated with an item identifier of the shopping list;

determine the location of the item associated with item identifier on the first route;

determine that the item is scanned out of an order corresponding to the first route.

and in response generate a second route through the floor plan of the retail establishment, the second route starting at the location of the item and visiting locations corresponding to a portion of the plurality of item identifiers for which corresponding items have not been scanned in an order corresponding to the plurality of factors related to the remaining item identifiers and the retail establishment; and

transmit the second route to the user device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or more processors to:

receive notification of the scan of the optical code by the user device;

in response to receiving notification of the scan of the optical code, transmit notification of the item identifier scanned by the user device to a sales device; and

receive notification of purchase of an item corresponding to the item identifier.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or more processors to:

generate directions between a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of contiguous item identifiers of the shopping list according to the first route;

transmit the directions to the user device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or more processors to generate directions between the a plurality of locations without any locational information from an electronic navigational system of the user device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or more processors to generate the first and second routes by performing a route optimization algorithm.

13. A system comprising one or more processors and one or more memory devices operably coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memory devices storing executable and operational code effective to cause the one or more processors to:

receive from a user device, a shopping list including a plurality of item identifiers;

generate a first route through a floor plan of a retail establishment, the first route visiting locations corresponding to the plurality of item identifiers of the shopping list such that the locations of the plurality of item identifiers are visited in an initial ordering corresponding to a plurality of factors related to the item identifiers and the retail establishment;

transmit the first route to the user device;

select as a current item a first item identifier in the initial ordering;

select as a current ordering of the item identifiers, the initial ordering and select as the current route, the first route;

(a) present directions to the current item;

(b) detect scanning of a scanned item by the user device by way of a scan of an optical code associated with an item identifier of the shopping list;

(c) (i) if the scanned item is the current item, (1) determining a next item in the current ordering following the current item, (2) setting as the current item the next item, and repeating (a) through (c);

(ii) if the scanned item is not the current item, (1) determine a location of the scanned item, (2) generate an updated route starting at the location of the scanned item and visiting, according to an updated ordering, locations corresponding to item identifiers of the shopping list for which an item has not been scanned, (3) setting as the current ordering the updated ordering and as the current route the updated route, and (4) repeating (a) through (c).

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or more processors to:

receive notification of the scan of the optical code by the user device;

in response to receiving notification of the scan of the optical code, transmit notification of the item identifier scanned by the user device to a sales device; and

receive notification of purchase of an item corresponding to the item identifier.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the executable and operational data are further effective to cause the one or snore processors to generate the initial and updated routes by performing a route optimization algorithm.