Selective treatment of shopping receptacles in checkout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11443598-B2
Application number	US-202117564505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2021
Priority date	Oct 13, 2020
Publication date	Sep 13, 2022
Grant date	Sep 13, 2022

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for tracking frictionless shopping eligibility relative to individual shopping receptacles. In one implementation a method comprises: obtaining image data captured using a plurality of image sensors; analyzing the image data to identify a shopper at one or more locations; detecting, based on the analysis of the image data, a first product interaction event involving a first shopping receptacle associated with the shopper and a second product interaction event involving a second shopping receptacle associated with the shopper; based on the detected first product interaction event, determining whether the first shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout; based on the detected second product interaction event, determining whether the second shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout; and causing delivery of an indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform a method for tracking frictionless shopping eligibility relative to individual shopping receptacles, the method comprising:
obtaining image data captured using a plurality of image sensors positioned in a retail store;
analyzing the image data to identify a shopper at one or more locations of the retail store;
detecting, based on the analysis of the image data, a first product interaction event involving a first shopping receptacle associated with the shopper and a second product interaction event involving a second shopping receptacle associated with the shopper;
based on the detected first product interaction event, determining that the first shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout;
based on the detected second product interaction event, determining that the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout; and
in response to the determination that the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout, causing delivery of an indicator identifying both that the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout and that the first shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is at least one of a shopping bag, a shopping cart, a section of a shopping cart and a shopping basket.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first shopping receptacle includes a first unique identifier and the second shopping receptacle includes a second unique identifier, the first and second unique identifiers enabling the first shopping receptacle and the second shopping receptacle to be automatically distinguished from one another.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is delivered to a wearable device associated with the shopper.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is delivered by a display associated with a shopping cart associated with the shopper.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is delivered to a computing device associated with a store associate of the retail store.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is delivered to the shopper after the shopper enters a checkout area of the retail store.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the indicator identifying which of the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is delivered via a feedback device associated with at least one of the first shopping receptacle and the second shopping receptacle.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the feedback device is at least one of: a display device, a haptic feedback device, a light emitting device, or an audio feedback device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein if the first shopping receptacle is determined to be eligible for frictionless shopping and the second shopping receptacle is determined to be ineligible for frictionless shopping, requiring a manual checkout action with respect to only the second shopping receptacle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising:
obtaining sensor data from a one or more sensors disposed on a retail shelf between the retail shelf and one or more products placed on the retail shelf; and
wherein at least one of the first or second product interaction event is detected based on analysis of the image data and the sensor data.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout is based on at least one indicator of a degree of ambiguity associated with the first product interaction event, and determining whether the second shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout is based on at least one indicator of a degree of ambiguity associated with the second product interaction event.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the at least one indicator of a degree of ambiguity associated with at least one of the first product interaction event and the second product interaction event is determined based on the image data and at least one sensor disposed on a surface of a retail shelf.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first shopping receptacle is eligible for frictionless checkout is based on whether the detected first product interaction event includes the shopper selecting a product that is designated as ineligible for frictionless checkout.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the determination that the first shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout is based on a determination of a product value associated with the first product interaction event.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising:
causing an ambiguity resolution action in response to a detection of at least one ambiguous interaction among the first product interaction event or the second product interaction event; and
causing an eligibility status for frictionless checkout for the first shopping receptacle or the second shopping receptacle to be restored based on data associated with a completion of the ambiguity resolution action.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first shopping receptacle corresponds to a first shopping list and the second shopping receptacle corresponds to a second shopping list, the second shopping list differs from the first shopping list, the first shopping list is used to reduce a degree of ambiguity associated with the first product interaction event, and the second shopping list is used to reduce a degree of ambiguity associated with the second product interaction event.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprising:
detecting, based on the analysis of the image data, a third product interaction event involving an ambiguity between the first shopping receptacle and the second shopping receptacle; and
accessing data related to the first shopping receptacle and data related to the second shopping receptacle to select one of the first and second shopping receptacle; and
causing delivery of an indicator identifying that the selected shopping receptacle is ineligible for frictionless checkout.

19. A method for tracking frictionless shopping eligibility relative to individual shopping receptacles, the method comprising:
obtaining image data captured using a

Assignees

• Trax Technology Solutions Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Bronicki Youval
• Bendler Dan

Classifications

• G08B5/36

  using visible light sources · CPC title

• G07G1/0063 Primary

  with means for detecting the geometric dimensions of the article of which the code is read, such as its size or height, for the verification of the registration · CPC title

• G06Q30/0639

  Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title