Techniques for locating an item to purchase in a retail environment

• US 9,824,384 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Stefan, Goulart, Valerie
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramphal, Latasha
• Application Number:
  US13/748,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

A current location of a portable computerized device can be determined within a retail store. A computer-implemented method to provide a directional aid for a consumer within the store includes receiving an item being sought within a retail store, monitoring, at the processing device, the current location of a portable computerized device, determining an in-store location of the item being sought; and displaying to the consumer a graphic describing a direction and a distance from the current location to the in-store location of the item being sought.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a position signal from a portable computerized device, wherein the portable computerized device comprises a processor, a computer screen, a transmitter, a receiver, a direction sensor, a position sensor, a distance sensor, a memory operably connected to the processor, and a product location application installed on the portable computerized device, the portable computerized device is located within a retail store, the position sensor is configured to generate the position signal, and the position signal is indicative of a portable computerized device location of the portable computerized device;

receiving an identification of an identified product on a shopping list from the portable computerized device, the identification of the identified product on the shopping list being provided by a user of the portable computerized device using the product location application;

determining the portable computerized device location based on the position signal;

querying a store location database to identify the retail store from a plurality of retail stores based on determining the portable computerized device location;

referencing a product location database to determine an availability of the identified product within the retail store and an identified product location of the identified product within the retail store, wherein the product location database correlates a plurality of products offered for sale within the retail store locations of each product of the plurality of products within the retail store, and the plurality of products comprise the identified product;

comparing the portable computerized device location to the identified product location, wherein comparing the portable computerized device location to the identified product location comprises;

receiving a direction signal from the portable computerized device, wherein the direction sensor is configured to derive a direction that the user of the portable computerized device is facing and generate the direction signal, and the direction signal is indicative of the direction the user of the portable computerized device is facing;

receiving a distance signal from the portable computerized device, wherein the distance sensor is configured to detect a distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device and to generate the distance signal, and the distance signal is indicative of the distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device;

determining the direction that the user of the portable computerized device is facing based on the direction signal; and

determining the distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device based on the distance signal; and

sending location data over a communication network to the portable computerized device, wherein the location data causes the product location application to display the location data on the computer screen of the portable computerized device, and wherein displaying the location data by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device includes;

displaying by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device a graphic pointing directly to the identified product location of the identified product with respect to the portable computerized device;

actively generating by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device other graphics that remain oriented to the portable computerized device as the portable computerized device is moved and changes orientation; and

flashing a message by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device when the portable computerized device arrives at the identified product location of the identified product.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the location data by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device further includes:

displaying by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device a number quantifying the distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the location data by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device further includes:

displaying by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device navigational instructions providing information about turns to traverse within the retail store to get from the portable computerized device location to the identified product location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the location data by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device further includes:

displaying by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device a number quantifying a navigational distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device.

5. A computerized system comprising:

a product location index server comprising a first processor and a first memory operably connected to the first processor; and

a portable computerized device comprising a second processor, a computer screen, a transmitter, a receiver, a direction sensor, a position sensor, a distance sensor, a second memory operably connected to the second processor, and a product location application installed on the portable computerized device;

wherein;

the portable computerized device is configured to communicate with the product location index server via a communication network;

the position sensor is configured to generate a position signal indicative of a portable computerized device location of the portable computerized device;

the direction sensor is configured to derive a direction that a user of the portable computerized device is facing and to generate a direction signal that is indicative of the direction that the user of the portable computerized device is facing;

the distance sensor is configured to detect a distance between an identified product and the portable computerized device and to generate a distance signal that is indicative of the distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device;

the first memory stores;

a product location database correlating a plurality of products offered for sale within a retail store to locations of each product of the plurality of products within the retail store, the plurality of products comprising the identified product;

the second memory stores;

a shopping list module configured to cause the second processor to receive an identification of the identified product on a shopping list, the identification of the identified product on the shopping list being provided by the user of the portable computerized device using the product location application; and

the first memory further stores;

an in-store navigation instruction module configured to cause the first processor to;

receive the position signal from the portable computerized device, the portable computerized device being located within the retail store;

receive the identification of the identified product from the portable computerized device;

determine the portable computerized device location based on the position signal;

query a store location database to identify the retail store from a plurality of retail stores based on determining the portable computerized device location;

reference the product location database to determine an availability of the identified product within the retail store and an identified product location of the identified product within the retail store;

compare the portable computerized device location to the identified product location, wherein comparing the portable computerized device location to the identified product location comprises;

receiving the direction signal from the portable computerized device;

receiving the distance signal from the portable computerized device;

determining the direction that the user of the portable computerized device is facing based on the direction signal; and

determining the distance between the identified product and the portable computerized device based on the distance signal; and

send location data over the communication network to the portable computerized device, wherein the location data causes the product location application to display the location data on the computer screen of the portable computerized device, and wherein displaying the location data by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device includes;

displaying by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device a graphic pointing directly to the identified product location of the identified product with respect to the portable computerized device;

actively generating by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device other graphics that remain oriented to the portable computerized device as the portable computerized device is moved and changes orientation; and

flashing a message by the product location application on the computer screen of the portable computerized device when the portable computerized decide arrives at the identified product location of the identified product.

6. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the identification of the identified product on the shopping list comprises a real-time direct product query.

7. The computerized system of claim 5, wherein the first memory further stores the store location database.