Directional wayfinding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582826-B2
Application number	US-201213355932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2012
Priority date	Jan 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products that provide for a unique directional wayfinding system. In one embodiment of the invention, products are received from the user, such as a shopping list or wish list. The system determines the location of the user, determines the location of the product in the business, determines a route from the user to the product, and provides instructions to the user along the route. In an embodiment, the system identifies and/or confirms the product when the user reaches the product. In at least one embodiment, the systems, methods, and computer-program products provide functionality for the visually-impaired to assist in everyday shopping for products in businesses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for directing a user to locations of two or more products in a facility using product location data provided from a plurality of individuals via their associated mobile devices, wherein locations of a plurality of products in the facility is input by the plurality of individuals into one or more data sources, wherein the facility is a physical facility, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more computing devices:
identifying the plurality of products offered at the facility from one or more sources associated with the plurality of individuals, wherein the one or more sources include social media feeds that are accessed by the plurality of individuals while the plurality of individuals are at a location of at least one product of the plurality of products in the facility;
receiving, from multiple data feeds over a distributed network from the one or more sources associated with the plurality of individuals, location information associated with the plurality of products in the facility;
augmenting, a planogram of the facility with the location information associated with the plurality of products, wherein the planogram further comprises a facility map that provides a layout of the facility;
providing an installable application to a mobile device of the user for directing the user to the two or more products in the facility, wherein the installable application displays the planogram to the user based on augmenting the location information of the two or more products on the planogram of the facility;
receiving, via the installable application installed on the mobile device of the user, a request from the user for directions to the two or more products in the facility, wherein receiving the request further comprises:
receiving, from the user via installable the application installed on the mobile device, at least one primary product that the user wishes to be directed to; and
receiving, at the installable application installed on the mobile device, an email request to direct the user to at least one secondary product, from a secondary user device of a secondary user associated with the user;
wherein, the two or more products that the user is directed to in the facility comprise the at least one primary product received from the user, and the at least one secondary product received from the second user;

determining a location of the user based on a first positioning system and a second positioning system, wherein the first positioning system is employed when the user is located outside the facility and the second positioning system is employed when the user is located inside the facility, wherein the first positioning system comprises identifying the location of the user based on communicating with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device associated with the user and wherein the second positioning system comprises identifying the location of the user based on the mobile device of the user interacting with one or more detector devices, positioned within the facility;
determining a location of each of the two or more products in the facility based on augmenting the location information on the planogram of the facility;
determining a product characteristic for each of the two or more products, wherein the product characteristic comprises a product size and wherein determining the product characteristic further comprises ordering the two or more products in ascending order of their product sizes;
determining a route within the facility that would lead the user to the two or more products, wherein the route is determined based on the ordering of the two or more products in ascending order of their product sizes;
transmitting instructions that cause the installable application installed on the mobile device to present the route for locating the two or more products in the facility;
determining an intermediate location of the user, wherein determining comprises receiving an updated location for the user from the second positioning system, communicating with the mobile device of the user;
identifying that the user deviated from the route based on determining that the intermediate location of the user deviates from the route;
in response to determining that the intermediate location of the user deviates from the route:
identifying, one or more deviation products of the plurality of products, located at a deviated intermediate location, wherein the one or more deviation products are identified based on the location information associated with the plurality of products in the facility received from the one or more sources associated with the plurality of individuals;
determining a length of time spent by the user at the deviated intermediate location;
determining a predicted plan for the user based on the identified one or more deviation products and the length of time spent by the user at the deviated intermediate location;
determining a related product based on the predicted plan, wherein the related product is different from the one or more deviation products; and
modifying the route such that the related product is located along the route;
retrieving transaction history of the user, wherein the transaction history comprises one of more purchases made by the user for the two or more products;

determining, based on the transaction history, a second product that the user previously purchased in conjunction with the two or more products;
determining that the second product is located along the route;
identifying, using the one or more computing devices, an offer for the second product;
receiving an updated location for the user from the one or more detector devices, positioned within the facility, communicating with the mobile device of the user;
determining that the user is located proximate to the second product based on receiving the updated location for the user; and
transmitting instructions that cause the installable application installed on the mobile device of the user to present the offer based on determining that the user is located proximate to the second product.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein presenting the route comprises instructing the mobile device to communicate audible instructions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the audible instructions are provided to the user in stereo.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the user is determined by:
identifying an initial location of the user; and
tracking movement of the mobile device associated with the user from the initial location of the user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the planogram of the facility further comprises a layout of rows and aisles in the facility.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the planogram of the facility further comprises congestion data in paths of the facility.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route is determined to direct the user past the second product before reaching the two or more products.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request from the user for directions to the two or more products;
determining that the user is located within a predetermined distance from the facility, based on the first positioning system;
determining that the facility includes the two or more products based on analyzing the plurality of products in the facility received from the plurality of individuals;
transmitting, automatically, instructions to the mobile device that activate the installable application installed on the mobile device to direct the user to the two or more products, based

Assignees

• Calman Matthew A
• Thomas Susan Smith
• Ross Erik Stephen
• Lee Jooyong
• Fang Zhenshuo
• Mulholland James
• Kiu Brendan
• Tan Nastasha
• Bank Of America

Inventors

• Calman Matthew A
• Thomas Susan Smith
• Ross Erik Stephen
• Lee Jooyong
• Fang Zhenshuo
• Mulholland James
• Kiu Brendan
• Tan Nastasha

Classifications

• G06Q30/0639 Primary

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