Device, system, and method for determining the status of checkout lanes
First Claim
1. A portable electronic device comprising:
- a camera for gathering video images of a checkout area, the checkout area having multiple checkout lanes;
a graphical user interface (GUI) configured as a viewfinder to display the video images of the checkout area in real-time;
a wireless interface for receiving Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) messages from BLE devices located at each checkout lane; and
a processor, wherein the processor is configured by a software application to (i) process the BLE messages to obtain a checkout lane message for each checkout lane, and (ii) generate an augmented reality view on the GUI, the augmented reality view comprising the checkout lane messages overlaid on the video images of the checkout area.
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Abstract
Customers would like to minimize the time waiting in checkout lines; however, it is often difficult to understand which checkout lane to choose. The present invention embraces a device, system, and method to help customers understand which checkout lanes are open and operating most efficiently. The invention utilizes Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) transmitters located at each checkout lane to transmit updated information related to (i) the lane'"'"'s status (e.g., open or in-use) and (ii) the lane'"'"'s quality (e.g., throughput efficiency). Portable electronic devices used by customers may receive the BLE signals and understand (e.g., using augmented reality) which lane would be most likely to provide a quick checkout.
779 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a camera for gathering video images of a checkout area, the checkout area having multiple checkout lanes; a graphical user interface (GUI) configured as a viewfinder to display the video images of the checkout area in real-time; a wireless interface for receiving Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) messages from BLE devices located at each checkout lane; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured by a software application to (i) process the BLE messages to obtain a checkout lane message for each checkout lane, and (ii) generate an augmented reality view on the GUI, the augmented reality view comprising the checkout lane messages overlaid on the video images of the checkout area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for broadcasting periodically updated checkout lane messages, the method comprising the steps of:
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recording the activity of a Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) enabled barcode scanner for a time-period, the BLE enabled barcode scanner located at a checkout lane and assigned a checkout lane identifier linking the BLE enabled barcode scanner to the checkout lane; updating using the recorded activity a checkout lane status; creating a checkout lane message comprising (i) the checkout lane identifier and (ii) the checkout lane status; broadcasting using the BLE enabled barcode scanner the checkout lane message; starting a new time-period; and repeating the above steps. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A checkout system for a checkout lane, the checkout system comprising:
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a barcode scanning module for scanning barcodes as part of a checkout process; a Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE) module configured to repeatedly broadcast BLE messages to other BLE enabled devices; and a processor communicatively coupled to the barcode scanning module and the BLE module, the processor configured by software to; (i) receive signals from the barcode scanning module and/or activity sensors, (ii) create checkout lane messages using the received signals, and (iii) transmit the checkout lane messages to the BLE module for broadcasting as BLE messages. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification