In-store item alert architecture

• US 9,818,148 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Bynum, Anthony Eugene, Johnson, Bradley Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US13/785,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/04 Electronic labels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A method and apparatus for alerting an individual is described. A determination as to whether an individual is within a sensing area of a first device is made. The first device may be configured to provide information about a product on a shelf on which the first device is attached. In response to determining that the individual is within the sensing area, a determination as to whether to notify an occurrence of the determination that the individual is within the sensing area of the first device to at least one second device is made. In response to determining to notify, a notification may be transmitted to the at least one second device that the individual is within the sensing area of the first device. An alert may be triggered at the at least one second device based upon the transmitted notification.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a first shelf label device, whether an individual is within a sensing area of the first shelf label device, the first shelf label device configured to provide information about a first product on a first shelf on which the first shelf label device is attached;

in response to determining that the individual is within the sensing area, determining, by the first shelf label device, whether to notify an occurrence of the determination that the individual is within the sensing area of the first shelf label device to at least one second shelf label device;

in response to determining to notify, transmitting, from the first shelf label device, a notification to the at least one second shelf label device that the individual is within the sensing area of the first shelf label device;

triggering an alert at the at least one second shelf label device based upon the transmitted notification;

determining whether the individual is within a sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device, and

disengaging the alert at the at least one second shelf label based upon determining that the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the notification, outputting default data at the least one second shelf label device,

wherein the triggering the alert includes outputting non-default data at the least one second shelf label device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the outputting non-default data includes at least one of:

an audio alert, at least one flashing light, and data outputted on a display of the at least one second shelf label device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is an instruction that the first product on the first shelf on which the first shelf label device is attached is in conflict with a product on an at least one second shelf on which the at least one second shelf label device is attached.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determining whether the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device includes determining whether the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device in a threshold period of time, and

wherein disengaging the alert at the at least one second shelf label device based upon determining that the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device includes disengaging the alert at the at least one second shelf label device based upon determining the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device in the threshold period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to triggering the alert at the at least one second shelf label device, determining whether the individual is within a sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device, wherein the triggering the event is responsive to determining the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering the alert at the at least one second shelf label device includes triggering a plurality of alerts at a plurality of the at least one second shelf label devices to draw the individual to a third shelf label device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a list of products for purchase by the individual; and

determining whether the first product is on the list of products.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein upon determining the first product is on the list of products, triggering an alert at the first shelf label device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining the list of products for purchase by the individual includes accessing data from a mobile device of the individual.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining the list of products for purchase by the individual includes receiving data representative of the list from a third shelf label device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining the list of products for purchase by the individual includes receiving data representative of the list from a server.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining whether at least one second product is on the list of products, the at least one second shelf label device configured to provide information about the at least one second product on at least one second shelf on which the at least one second shelf label device is attached.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first shelf and the at least one second shelf are the same shelf.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining whether to notify the occurrence of the determination that the individual is within the sensing area of the first shelf label device to the at least one second shelf label device is based upon determining that the at least one second product is on the list of products.

6. The method of claim wherein the disengaging the alert at the at least one second shelf label device based upon determining that the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device includes outputting default data at the least one second shelf label device.

17. An apparatus comprising:

at one least processor;

at least one sensor; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform;

determining whether an individual is within a sensing area of the at least one sensor, the apparatus configured to provide information about a first product on a first shelf on which the apparatus is attached;

in response to determining that the individual is within the sensing area, determining whether to notify at least one second apparatus to trigger an alert at the at least one second apparatus;

in response to determining to notify, transmitting a notification to trigger the alert at the at least one second apparatus;

determining whether the individual is within a sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device, and

disengaging the alert at the at least one second shelf label based upon determining that the individual is within the sensing area of the at least one second shelf label device.