Shopping space route guidance systems, devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258762-A1
Application number	US-201615061671-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

System, method, and apparatus for providing route guidance to a customer in a shopping facility space are provided. A system for providing route guidance comprises a communication device configured to communicate with a user interface device, a store map database storing location information for a plurality of items available for purchase in the retail space, and a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the store map database. The control circuit is configured to receive a list of items for purchase from a user associated with the user interface device via the communication device, retrieve location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase from the store map database, determine a route based on at least one user entered route preference and the location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase, and provide the route to the user interface device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for providing route guidance to a customer in a shopping facility space comprising:
a communication device configured to communicate with a user interface device; a store map database storing location information for a plurality of items available for purchase in the shopping facility space; and a control circuit coupled to the communication device and the store map database and configured to:
receive a list of items for purchase from a user associated with the user interface device via the communication device;
retrieve location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase from the store map database;
determine a route based on at least one user entered route preference and the location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase; and
provide the route to the user interface device.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to accept modification to the route from the user interface device to generate a new route.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the route and the new route is provided to a motorized transport unit configured to lead or follow the customer through the shopping facility space.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user entered route preference comprises one or more of: a store area to avoid, a store area to visit, a store event to avoid, and a store event to visit.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user entered route preference is received from the user interface device via the communication device.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user entered route preference is retrieved from a customer profile associated with the customer.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on one or more of a customer shopping history and a customer demographic profile associated with the customer.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on one or more of detected positions of a plurality of other shoppers in the shopping facility space and estimated congestion conditions of paths in the shopping facility space.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on reducing a time any frozen or refrigerated item on the items for purchase list is exposed to room temperature.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the route provided to the user interface device comprises a three-dimensional map.

11 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the modification to the route comprises one or more store areas to avoid, one or more store areas to visit, items to add and subtract from the list of items for purchase, and a new current position.

12 . A method for providing route guidance to a user in a shopping facility space comprising:
receiving, at a control circuit, a list of items for purchase from a user associated with a user interface device via a communication device coupled to the control circuit; retrieving location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase from a map database coupled to the control circuit; determining, by the control circuit, a route based on at least one user entered route preference and the location information associated with each item of the list of items; and providing, by the control circuit, the route to the user interface device.

13 . The method of claim 12 further comprising: accepting, at the control circuit, modification to the route from the user interface device to generate a new route.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein one of the route and the new route is provided to a motorized transport unit configured to lead or follow the customer through the retail space.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user entered route preference comprises one or more of: a store area to avoid, a store area to visit, a store event to avoid, and a store event to visit.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user entered route preference is received from the user interface device via the communication device.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the user entered route preference is retrieved from a user profile associated with the customer.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on one or more of a customer shopping history and a customer demographic profile associated with the customer.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on one or more of detected positions of a plurality of other shoppers in the shopping facility space and estimated congestion conditions of paths in the shopping facility space.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the determining of the route is further based on reducing a time any frozen or refrigerated item on the items for purchase list is exposed to room temperature.

21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the route provided to the user interface device comprises a three-dimensional map.

22 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the modification to the route comprises one or more store areas to avoid, one or more store areas to visit, items to add and subtract from the list of items for purchase, and a new current position.

23 . An apparatus for providing route guidance to a customer in a shopping facility space comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium storing a set of computer readable instructions; and a control circuit configured to execute the set of computer readable instructions which causes to the control circuit to:
receive a list of items for purchase from a user associated with a user interface device via a communication device coupled to the control circuit;
retrieve location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase from a map database coupled to the control circuit;
determine a route based on at least one user entered route preference and the location information associated with each item of the list of items for purchase; and
provide the route to the user interface device.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Taylor Robert C
• High Donald R
• Atchley Michael D
• Winkle David C

Classifications

• G01S2201/02

  Indoor positioning, e.g. in covered car-parks, mining facilities, warehouses · CPC title

• G01S1/7034

  Mounting or deployment thereof · CPC title

• G01S1/7038

  Signal details · CPC title

• G01S1/02

  using radio waves (G01S19/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/30

  Administration of product recycling or disposal · CPC title