Managing customer interactions with a product being presented at a physical location

• US 9,984,381 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burkhart, Michael J., Carlson, Michael P., Shrader, Theodore J. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandenburg, William A
• Application Number:
  US14/574,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system detects and manages customer interactions with a product being presented at a physical location. A customer tracking device detects a customer within a predefined distance of a product during a first time period. A product motion sensor detects a movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the first time period. One or more processors identify and record a first price of the product during the first time period. The customer tracking device further detects the customer within the predefined distance of the product during a second time period. One or more processors further determine a second price of the product during the second time period, and then determine a lower price of the product by comparing the first price with the second price. A price transmitter transmits the lower price to the customer during the second time period.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and managing customer interactions with a product being presented at a physical location, the system comprising:

a customer tracking device, wherein the customer tracking device detects a customer within a predefined distance of a product during a first time period;

a product motion sensor, wherein the product motion sensor detects a movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the first time period, wherein the product motion sensor is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, wherein the RFID device is a backscatter passive RFID device that is affixed to the product, wherein the RFID device comprises;

an antenna;

a variable resistor coupling the antenna to ground; and

a weighted object within the variable resistor that moves in response to the product moving, wherein movement of the product causes the weighted object to move, wherein movement of the weighted object adjusts a resistance of the variable resistor, and wherein adjusting the resistance of the variable resistor causes the different amplitude of a subsequent backscatter signal during a second time period that is after the first time period, and wherein the change in the resistance is caused by movement of the product;

an RFID interrogator, wherein the RFID interrogator receives an initial backscatter signal from the RFID device, wherein the initial backscatter signal is detected during the first time period, and wherein the RFID interrogator receives the subsequent backscatter signal from the RFID device during the second time period;

one or more processors for identifying and recording a first price of the product during the first time period;

wherein the customer tracking device further detects the customer within the predefined distance of the product during a second time period, wherein the second time period and the first time period are separated by a predefined amount of time;

wherein said one or more processors further identify a second price of the product during the second time period; and

wherein said one or more processors further determine a lower price of the product by comparing the first price with the second price; and

a price transmitter, wherein the price transmitter transmits the lower price to the customer in response to determining the lower price of the product, and wherein the price transmitter, in response to the subsequent backscatter signal having a predetermined amplitude, presents the lower price to the customer, wherein the subsequent backscatter signal having the predetermined amplitude is a prerequisite for presenting the lower price to the customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID device comprises:

an antenna head;

a first antenna wire connected to the antenna head;

a weighted object connected to the first antenna wire; and

a second antenna wire connecting the weighted object to ground, wherein movement of the product causes the weighted object to stretch the first antenna wire to increase a resistance in the first antenna wire, wherein increasing the resistance in the first antenna wire causes the different amplitude of the subsequent backscatter signal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises a counter affixed to the product, and wherein the counter comprises:

a movement detector, wherein the movement detector generates a mechanical signal in response to the movement of the product; and

a movement counter, wherein the movement counter sums mechanical signals generated by the movement detector, wherein the price transmitter transmits the lower price to the customer in response to a sum of the mechanical signals reaching a predetermined limit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises a counter affixed to the product, and wherein the counter comprises:

a movement detector, wherein the movement detector generates an electrical signal in response to the movement of the product; and

a movement counter, wherein the movement counter sums electrical signals generated by the movement detector, wherein the price transmitter transmits the lower price to the customer in response to a sum of the electrical signals reaching a predetermined limit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises an optical sensor, wherein the optical sensor comprises:

an optical transmitter; and

an optical receiver, wherein the product is initially positioned between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver to block an optical signal, and wherein the optical receiver receives the optical signal in response to the product being moved to clear an optical pathway between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises a weight scale, wherein the product is initially positioned atop the weight scale, and wherein the weight scale detects a change in pressure in response to the product being moved from the weight scale.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the product motion sensor detects the movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the second time period, wherein detecting the movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the second time period is a prerequisite for presenting the lower price to the customer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the product is a first product being presented at the physical location, wherein the one or more processors determine that the first product and a second product satisfy a same customer interest, wherein the customer tracking device detects the customer within a predefined distance of the second product during the second time period, and wherein the price transmitter presents a discounted price for the second product to the customer while the customer is within the predefined distance of the second product during the second time period.

9. A method of detecting and managing customer interactions with a product being presented at a physical location, the method comprising:

detecting, by a customer tracking device, a customer within a predefined distance of a product during a first time period;

detecting, by a product motion sensor, a movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the first time period, wherein the movement includes the product being removed from and then returned to the display location, wherein the product motion sensor is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, wherein the RFID device is a backscatter passive RFID device that is affixed to the product, wherein the RFID device comprises;

an antenna head;

a first antenna wire connected to the antenna head;

a weighted object connected to the first antenna wire; and

a second antenna wire connecting the weighted object to ground, wherein movement of the product causes the weighted object to stretch the first antenna wire to increase a resistance in the first antenna wire, wherein increasing the resistance in the first antenna wire causes the different amplitude of the subsequent backscatter signal during a second time period that is after the first time period;

receiving by an RFID interrogator, an initial backscatter signal from the RFID device, wherein the initial backscatter signal is detected during the first time period;

receiving, by the RFID interrogator, the subsequent backscatter signal from the RFID device, wherein the subsequent backscatter signal has a different amplitude due to a change in a resistance within the first antenna wire in the RFID device, and wherein the change in the resistance is caused by movement of the product;

identifying and recording, by a product tracker device, a first price of the product during the first time period;

detecting, by the customer tracking device, the customer within the predefined distance of the product during a second time period, wherein the second time period and the first time period are separated by a predefined amount of time;

identifying, by the product tracker device, a second price of the product during the second time period;

determining, by the product tracker device, a lower price of the product by comparing the first price with the second price; and

presenting, by a price transmitter, the lower price to the customer, wherein the price transmitter, in response to the subsequent backscatter signal having a predetermined amplitude, presents the lower price to the customer, wherein the subsequent backscatter signal having the predetermined amplitude is a prerequisite for presenting the lower price to the customer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises an optical sensor, wherein the product is initially positioned between an optical transmitter and an optical receiver to block an optical signal, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the optical receiver, the optical signal in response to the product being moved to clear an optical pathway between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the product motion sensor further comprises a weight scale, wherein the product is initially positioned atop the weight scale, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the weight scale, a change in pressure in response to the product being moved from the weight scale, wherein the change in pressure indicates the movement of the product.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting, by the product motion sensor, the movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the second time period, wherein detecting the movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the second time period is a prerequisite for presenting the lower price to the customer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the product is a first product being presented at the physical location, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the product tracker device, that the first product and a second product satisfy a same customer interest;

detecting, by the customer tracking device, the customer within a predefined distance of the second product during the first time period; and

presenting, by the price transmitter, a discounted price for the second product to the customer while the customer is within the predefined distance of the second product during the first time period.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the product is a first product being presented at the physical location, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by one or more processors, that the first product and a second product satisfy a same customer interest;

detecting, by the product tracker device, the customer within a predefined distance of the second product during the second time period; and

presenting, by the price transmitter, a discounted price for the second product to the customer while the customer is within the predefined distance of the second product during the second time period.

15. A computer program product for detecting and managing customer interactions with a product being presented at a physical location, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, and wherein the program code is readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a customer tracking device, a message indicating that a customer is within a predefined distance of a product during a first time period;

receiving, from a product motion sensor, a message describing a movement of the product while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the first time period, wherein the movement includes the product being removed from and then returned to a display location, wherein the product motion sensor is a radio frequency identification (RFID) device, wherein the RFID device is a backscatter passive RFID device that is affixed to the product, wherein the RFID device comprises;

an antenna head;

a first antenna wire connected to the antenna head;

a weighted object connected to the first antenna wire; and

a second antenna wire connecting the weighted object to ground, wherein movement of the product causes the weighted object to stretch the first antenna wire to increase a resistance in the first antenna wire, wherein increasing the resistance in the first antenna wire causes the different amplitude of a subsequent backscatter signal during a second time period that is after the first time period;

receiving by an RFID interrogator, an initial backscatter signal from the RFID device, wherein the initial backscatter signal is detected during the first time period;

receiving, by the RFID interrogator, the subsequent backscatter signal from the RFID device during a second time period that is after the first time period, wherein the subsequent backscatter signal has a different amplitude due to a change in a resistance within the first antenna wire in the RFID device, and wherein the change in the resistance is caused by movement of the product;

recording a first price of the product during the first time period;

receiving, from the customer tracking device, a message indicating that the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during a second time period, wherein the second time period and the first time period are separated by a predefined amount of time;

identifying a second price of the product during the second time period;

determining a lower price of the product by comparing the first price with the second price; and

presenting, to a price transmitter, the lower price, wherein the price transmitter transmits the lower price to the customer while the customer is within the predefined distance of the product during the second time period, wherein the price transmitter, in response to the subsequent backscatter signal having a predetermined amplitude, presents the lower price to the customer, wherein the subsequent backscatter signal having the predetermined amplitude is a prerequisite for presenting the lower price to the customer.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the product is a first product being presented at the physical location, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the first product and a second product satisfy a same customer interest;

receiving a signal, from the customer tracking device, indicating that the customer is within a predefined distance of the second product during the second time period; and

sending, to the price transmitter, a discounted price for the second product, wherein the price transmitter transmits the discounted price to the customer while the customer is within the predefined distance of the second product during the second time period.