Customer recognition through use of an optical head-mounted display in a wearable computing device

• US 9,588,342 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Grigg, David M., Starbuck, Richard Andrew, Hanson, Carrie Anne, Jones, Alicia C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUBEDI, DEEPROSE D
• Application Number:
  US14/251,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for implementing a wearable computing device having an Optical Head-Mounted Display (OHMD) to automatically determine which individuals within a business environment, such as a retail store, banking center or the like, are established customers. Such a determination of established customer status is conducted without requiring any action on behalf of the individuals/customers currently located within the business environment and can be accomplished when the established customer enters the business location or shortly thereafter. Once established customers are identified, customer indicators are provided within the view of the OHMD, so that a business associate/employee can readily identity which individual within their field of view are established customers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for recognizing and identifying established customers within a business location, the apparatus comprising:

a wearable computing device including a memory, a processor in communication with the memory and an Optical Head-Mounted Display (OHMD) in communication with the processor; and

a customer recognition and identification module stored in the memory, executable by the processor and configured to;

provide a user, via the OHMD, a view of a business location occupied by one or more individuals,

determine which of the individuals within the view are established customers of the business by;

communicating, via short-range wireless communication, a request for customer identification, wherein the request is configured to be received by mobile communication devices that (i) are in possession of corresponding individuals within the view, and (ii) store an application associated with the business, wherein the application is not required to be executing to receive the request,

in response to communicating the request, receiving, from the mobile communication devices, an Operating System (OS)-level stored electronic token, wherein the electronic token includes a digital signature that identifies an individual in possession of one of the mobile communication devices as an established customer, wherein the electronic token is electronically communicated from the mobile communication device absent user input, and

determining that the individual in possession of the mobile communication device is an established customer based on matching the digital signature in the electronic token with a known digital signature stored in a database associated with the business, and

present, within the OHMD, one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each of the identifiers are associated with one of the individuals determined to be an established customer of the business.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer recognition and identification module is further configured to determine which of the individuals within the views are established customers by:

capturing, by the wearable computing device, a facial image of the individuals;

determining one or more matches between the facial images of the individuals and facial images of established customers by comparing characteristics of the facial images of the individuals to a database of facial images of established customers; and

identifying one or more individuals within the view as established customers based on the one or more determined matches.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer recognition and identification module is further configured to determine the location of the mobile communication devices determined to be in possession of the established customers and wherein the customer identifiers are presented, within the OHMD, proximate to the location of the mobile communication devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer recognition and identification module is further configured to present, within the OHMD, one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each customer identifier attaches to a corresponding established customer displayed within the OHMD and follows the corresponding established customer as they move within the view of the user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer recognition and identification module is further configured to provide the user selectable access to display, on the OHMD, of customer profile information associated with each of the established customer.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the customer recognition and identification module is further configured to provide the user selectable access to display, on the OHMD, of the customer profile information including at least one of customer status, customer affinity, accounts held by the established customer at the business or products purchased at the business by the established customer.

7. A method for automated customer recognition and identification within a business location, the method comprising:

providing a user, via an Optical-Head Mounted Display (OHMD) of a wearable computing device, a view of a business location occupied by one or more individuals;

determining, by a computing device processor, which of the individuals within the view are established customers of the business by;

communicating, via short-range wireless communication, a request for customer identification, wherein the request is configured to be received by mobile communication devices that (i) are in possession of corresponding individuals within the view and (ii) store an application associated with the business, wherein the application is not required to be executing to receive the request,

in response to communicating the request, receiving an Operating-System (OS)-level stored electronic token from the mobile communication devices, wherein the electronic token includes a digital signature that identifies an individual in possession of one of the mobile communication devices as an established customer and is electronically communicated from the mobile communication device absent user input, and

determining that the individual in possession of the mobile communication device is an established customer based on matching the digital signature in the electronic token with a known digital signature stored in a database associated with the business; and

presenting, within the OHMD, one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each of the identifiers are associated with one of the individuals determined to be an established customer of the business.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining which of the individuals within the views are established customers further comprises:

capturing, by the wearable computing device, a facial image of the individuals;

determining, by a computing device, one or more matches between the facial images of the individuals and facial images of established customers by comparing characteristics of the facial images of the individuals to a database of facial images of established customers; and

identifying, by a computing device, one or more individuals within the view as established customers based on the one or more determined matches.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by a computing device processor, the location of the mobile communication devices determined to be in possession of the established customers and wherein presenting, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers further comprises presenting, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers proximate to the location of the mobile communication devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein presenting, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers within the view further comprises presenting, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each customer identifier attaches to a corresponding established customer displayed within the OHMD and follows the corresponding established customer as they move within the view of the user.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing, by a computing device processor, selectable access to display, on the OHMD, of customer profile information associated with each of the established customer, wherein the customer profile information includes at least one of customer status, customer affinity, accounts held by the established customer at the business or products purchased at the business by the established customer.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to determine which of one or more individuals displayed within a view of an Optical-Head Mounted Display (OHMD) are established customers of a business by;

communicating, via short-range wireless communication, a request for customer identification, wherein the request is configured to be received by mobile communication devices that (i) are in possession of corresponding individuals within the view and (ii) store an application associated with the business, wherein the application is not required to be executing to receive the request,

in response to communicating the request, receiving an Operating-System (OS)-level stored electronic token from the mobile communication devices, wherein the electronic token includes a digital signature that identifies an individual in possession of one of the mobile communication devices as an established customer and is electronically communicated from the mobile communication device absent user input, and

determining that the individual in possession of the mobile communication device is an established customer based on matching the digital signature in the electronic token with a known digital signature stored in a database associated with the business; and

a second set of codes for causing a computer to present, within the OHMD, one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each of the identifiers are associated with one of the individuals determined to be an established customer of the business.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the first set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to (1) capture a facial image of the individuals, (2) determine one or more matches between the facial images of the individuals and facial images of established customers by comparing characteristics of the facial images of the individuals to a database of facial images of established customers, and (3) identify one or more individuals within the view as established customers based on the one or more determined matches.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising a third set of codes for causing a computer to determine the location of the mobile communication devices determined to be in possession of the established customers and the second set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to present, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers proximate to the location of the mobile communication devices.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the second set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to present, within the OHMD, the one or more customer identifiers within the view, wherein each customer identifier attaches to a corresponding established customer displayed within the OHMD and follows the corresponding established customer as they move within the view of the user.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the second set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to provide selectable access to display, on the OHMD, of customer profile information associated with each of the established customer, wherein the customer profile information includes at least one of customer status, customer affinity, accounts held by the established customer at the business or products purchased at the business by the established customer.