Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7792710?dq=5,241,671
Timestamp: 2016-02-07 15:02:15
Document Index: 323566412

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 52', 'art 56', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50', 'art 50']

Patent US7792710 - Methods of influencing shoppers at the first moment of truth in a retail ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsProvided herein are systems and methods for influencing shoppers while they consider making purchasing decisions in a retail establishment. Specifically, the systems and methods for influencing shoppers may occur during a shopper's first moment of truth by transmitting through a communication network...http://www.google.com/patents/US7792710?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7792710 - Methods of influencing shoppers at the first moment of truth in a retail establishmentAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7792710 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/609,246Publication dateSep 7, 2010Filing dateOct 30, 2009Priority dateSep 21, 2007Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20100049594Publication number12609246, 609246, US 7792710 B2, US 7792710B2, US-B2-7792710, US7792710 B2, US7792710B2InventorsBrett Bracewell Bonner, Christopher Todd Hjelm, Titus Arthur Jones, Edward Osborne II John, Dion Brent Perkins, Gregory Michael MenzOriginal AssigneeSunrise R&D Holdings, LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (106), Non-Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (2), Classifications (14), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethods of influencing shoppers at the first moment of truth in a retail establishment
US 7792710 B2Abstract
Provided herein are systems and methods for influencing shoppers while they consider making purchasing decisions in a retail establishment. Specifically, the systems and methods for influencing shoppers may occur during a shopper's first moment of truth by transmitting through a communication network one or more influential messages to a handheld wireless electronic device or intelligent shopping cart, which is in close proximity to a shopper during a shopping trip throughout a retail establishment.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/110,202 filed on Oct. 31, 2008, U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/353,817 filed on Jan. 14, 2009, U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/353,760 filed on Jan. 14, 2009, and U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/408,581 filed on Mar. 20, 2009, U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/058,705 filed on Mar. 29, 2008, U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/172,326 filed on Jul. 14, 2008, U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 11/859,703 filed on Sep. 21, 2007, which are herein incorporated by reference in full.
The present invention relates to influencing a shopper while she shops within or about a retail establishment. Specifically, influencing a shopper's behavior includes influencing a shopper's purchase decisions at a shopper's first moment of truth by transmitting an influential message through a wireless communications multi-network to a wireless end device held in close proximity to said shopper during her shopping trip throughout the retail establishment.
Retailers are being squeezed. They are being squeezed by high commodity prices, high transportation costs, high labor costs, and the high cost of advertising inside and outside of their retail centers. Retailers now, more than ever, are having their profit margins decimated by events far beyond their control. Importantly, retailers, which control their own retail space, need to optimize use of that space in ways that include keen shopper understanding. Such shopper understanding is costly to obtain and is often incomplete. For example, the collection of shopper buying habits is known to be acquired at the point of sale. Such data collection is widespread but fails to provide granular insight as to a shopper's behavior, namely the reasons a shopper chooses a particular product for purchase. Today, other than following shoppers in a store with one or more persons skilled and trained at conducting focus group testing, the ability to gain shopper insights at the point of decision is lacking.
In an exemplary embodiment of the system of influencing a shopper's product selection during a shopper's shopping trip in a retail establishment, the following are present: (1) a communications multi-network positioned about said retail establishment; (2) a logic engine operatively connected to said communications multi-network, the logic engine managing said communications multi-network; and (3) a wireless end device positioned in close proximity to said shopper. The wireless end device collects product related information from said shopper, and is in tracked communication through said communications multi-network with the logic engine. The logic engine delivers an influential message, intended to influence the shopper's product selection, to the shopper's wireless end device.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, the embodiments will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, in which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:
5 Store 6 Multi-network communication line 7 Shopper 8 Associate 9 Manager 10 Communications multi-network 11 Multi-network router 14 Mesh communication network 16 Star communication network 19 System communication line 20 Data communication radio 21 Multi-network organizer 23 Logic engine 25 Switch 27 Gateway server 29 Store server 31 Location tracking server 40 Wireless end device 42 Interface keys 44 Cart key 50 Intelligent shopping cart 52 Handle 54 Basket 55 Interior surface of shopping cart 56 Under carriage 58 Weighing device 60 Hook DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The term “first moment of truth” is the time of decision that a shopper takes to first consider a product for purchase through to choosing or not choosing the product considered. Additionally, key components of the first moment of truth include 1) the product considered for selection, 2) if selected for purchase, the product selected, 3) the amount of time that a shopper expends to consider a particular product for selection, 4) a shopper's presumed location in a store in relation to a product location at consideration of the product for selection (e.g., in produce, at a display, at an end-cap, etc.) and one, two, three, or four of any one of the four key elements noted hereinabove. Typically, the first moment of truth ranges in time from between about two to about seven seconds. Persons of skill in the art will readily recognize that the first moment of truth may extend beyond the typical threshold and that such extension remains a part of the definition herein for the first moment of truth.
The terms “intended purchase” and “intention of purchase” as used herein mean a shopper's removal of product from a store shelf, kiosk, or display in consideration of potential purchase as well products a shopper has include on her shopping list.
The term “tracked communication” as used herein means the communications multi-network's ability to track wireless end devices when such devices are placed in close proximity to a shopper.
The term “gateway server” as used herein means a server that is receiving data from the communications multi-network of the store through a switch that is being routed by the gateway server to other store servers, such as an associate task managing server, a computer assisted ordering system computer, a point of sale server, location tracking server, an ISP server, or other store computer.
The term “computational functions” as used herein means any and all microprocessor or microcontroller based computational tasks or routines commonly known in the art to occur in a computer or computer-like device that comprises software, memory, and a processor.
The term “computational work” as used herein means those types of common computations associated with known computer and/or server types of devices having complex microcontrollers and/or central processing units (CPUs). Such devices performing computational work typically have the capacity to carry extensive software and execute any various types of routines and sub-routines therein.
The terms “influence” or “influencing” product selection mean the system's ability to make a shopper aware of the following: (1) potential health risks; (2) less expensive alternative product(s); (3) better rated alternative product(s); (4) complementary products to be added to soon-to-be or chosen product(s); and/or (5) product information. It should be noted herein that preferred influencing causes a shopper to act or not act in a manner consistent with a shopper's best interests.
The term “wireless end device” as used herein means an electronic device, and ideally a handheld electronic device, which operates wirelessly through a communications multi-network and is used in close proximity to the shopper as she travels throughout the retail establishment. Each wireless end device operates as a blind node throughout the communication network.
The term “blind node” as used herein means those nodes of the communications multi-network that are would be unknown to the system but for the tracking location subsystem.
In an exemplary embodiment, the wireless end device is coupled with a “product scanning device”. As used herein, the term “product scanning device” refers to an electronic device for scanning readable media. A product scanning device includes but is not limited to imagers capable of taking photographs. A readable medium is a unique identifier for an item or class of items within the retail establishment that is capable of being read and understood by an electronic device and in some cases a human. A bar code is an example of a readable medium. Bar codes include but are not limited to a Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN), UPC, UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN13, EAN8, Databar (multiple versions), GS1-128, and any other product identification code known to persons with skill in the art.
The term “shopper location data” as used herein means the estimated location of the shopper as tracked through a location tracking device associated with a wireless end device in relation to known product locations. Shopper location data is collected as a product of the tracking location subsystem, in which the logic engine tracks the presumed locations of a shopper as she travels with the wireless end device throughout the retail establishment. Because the retail establishment through the location tracking subsystem in fact tracks the location of the location tracking device associated with the wireless end device which is held in close proximity to shoppers, but in fact is not tracking the humans, the shoppers' locations are presumed. On occasion, shoppers walk away from their assigned wireless end device which is coupled with the location tracking device. On these occasions, the shopper location data is inaccurate. To be clear, shopper location data is accurate within a predetermined tolerated range of error.
The term “product selection data” as used herein means the information collected when a product scanning device scans the readable media of products selected for purchase by the shopper. Said product selection data includes but is not limited to each product's identity (by name and/or internal code) and price. In some instances, product selection data includes the identity of the product's manufacturer or supplier to the store. In certain instances, the product selection data includes the weight or some similar unit of measurement (volume) of the product selected by the shopper for purchase. In exemplary embodiments, product selection data also includes a date and time stamp for each product selection datum collected by the product scanning device.
The term “product selection timing data” as used herein means the amount of time that the shopper spends during each time period of product selection, wherein said amount of time is tracked by the logic engine. The logic engine creates product selection timing data by beginning to record the amount of time that passes from the moment the shopper begins to slow her rate of travel throughout the store at the same time that her location matches up with a product location data through the moment that the shopper scans the readable medium of one or more products. Product selection timing data is determined and tracked by either a timing device physically located within the wireless end device, timing software programmed on the wireless end device, or a hardware or software in association with the logic engine. In exemplary embodiments, said product selection timing data is deleted when a false first moment of truth is detected. More on the false first moment of truth detection will be addressed in greater detail below. The product selection timing data is known to the system, since her approximate positions are known as the shopper travels throughout the store, and this location tracking data can be assessed on a moment by moment basis in actual real time.
The term “actual, real time shopper behavior data” as used herein refers to as used herein means the total sum of a shopper's identification data, location tracking data, product scanning data and product selection timing data. Ideally, actual, real-time shopper behavior data also includes a shopper's personal and demographic profile.
The logic engine creates “shopping trip timing data”, which is referred to herein as the entire amount of time each shopper spends on her entire shopping trip. If the shopper has not completed her shopping trip, then the shopping trip timing data is incomplete, but reflects the amount of time said shopper has spent thus far on her current shopping trip. To create said shopping trip timing data, said logic engine records the entire amount of time the shopper spends in the store from the first moment the shopper's wireless end device associates with the store's communications multi-network to the time the shopper checks out from the store.
To be clear, the term “logic engine” as used herein means one or more electronic devices comprising a switch and a server. The logic engine includes hardware such as one or more server-grade computers, but also includes the ability to perform certain computational functions through software. Mechanisms known in the art other than software can be used provided that the mechanism allows the logic engine to go through logic functions to provide location calculations, evaluations, conduct timing, etc. The logic engine is additionally capable of performing the functions of the switch, gateway server, and store computers, such as an associate task managing server, a computer assisted ordering system computer, an in store processor (ISP server), the location tracking server, commerce server, or other store computer. Further, the logic engine serves as the retail establishment's main database, including but not limited to the product database and the shopper profile database. Functionally, the logic engine routes, organizes, manages, and stores data received from other members of the communications multi-network. In exemplary embodiments, the logic engine has the means of performing ray tracing calculations and blind node location calculations. Though the embodiments described herein reference “a logic engine,” it is contemplated that multiple logic engines can be used to perform the same function within the communications multi-network.
To be clear, any computation or storage completed by the logic engine can be performed, in selected embodiments, by a specific server called the location tracking server. Thus, whenever a logic engine is used in this context herein, the use of a location tracking server is contemplated. The wireless end device continuously transmits its unique identifier address to the logic engine, allowing the logic engine to create a shopper location data. As used above, the term “continuously” herein means a predetermined interval of time, for example, every five seconds or every ten seconds, as determined by the software engineer. Moreover, when said wireless end device is stationary for a predetermined period of time programmed in the software of the wireless end device, the wireless end device automatically powers down or turns off and continuous transmission of the wireless end device's unique identifier address ceases. Any period of time can be set to be the predetermined period of time before the wireless end device powers down, such as ten minutes or thirty minutes. The benefit of the ability to automatically power down is reduced energy consumption. Furthermore, in exemplary embodiments, when the wireless end device returns to a state of motion from its stationary position, the wireless end device automatically powers on to restore the continuous transmission and tracking features.
In some embodiments, a corroboration method is used to determine if an assumed first moment of truth is in fact a false moment of truth. To be clear, the logic engine can detect a false first moment of truth when said shopper seems to be considering a product for purchase, but in fact is not considering a product for selection. For instance, with the knowledge of shopper's location tracking data signifying to said logic engine that said shopper is in the meat department and is slowing in speed, the software on the logic engine triggers a possible first moment of truth, which signals that an influential messages should be delivered. However, with additional information, such as knowledge of a “clean up” in the shopper's location (in this example, the meat department), the logic engine determines that the shopper is likely experiencing a false first moment of truth. When the logic engine determines that the assumed first moment of truth is false, the logic engine does not send said influential message to said shopper.
Just as shoppers vary from one to another, so too does the content of the influential messages. The content of the influential messages includes, but is not limited to the following: the form of recipe suggestions; suggested entries for the shopper's shopping list; e-coupons; targeted pricing of an item, which is similar to a coupon yet may better reflect the supply and demand relationship between the retail environment and its customer; alerts when a shopper has passed a product on her shopping list; discounts; product reviews; competitive product offers; enhanced saving opportunities (e.g., a potential system alert could be the following: “We see that you have selected five two liters of soft drinks, purchase five more and receive $2.00 off”); co-branding opportunities (e.g., “We see that you have selected COCA COLA�, a mark registered to The Coca-Cola Company for soft drinks, why not try some LAY'S�, a mark registered to Recot, Inc. for potato crisps, along with your COCA COLA�?”); responses to historical progression of product selection; general product warnings (e.g., “This product contains iron” or “This is a dairy product.”); product warnings tailored to shopper profile (e.g., a shopper's profile includes allergen data that someone in the shopper's family is allergic to peanuts, thus the influential message may be “The product you just selected was produced in a factory that handles peanuts.”); combination product warnings (e.g., “We see that you purchased a prescription medication last week that may conflict with the prescription medication that you have ordered for pick-up today, please consult your physician before taking two prescription medications.”); health awareness alerts that provide specific product information such as sodium content or fat content; product and store surveys; internal maps on how to find products within the retail establishment; and other influential messages known in the art. Furthermore, influential messages can be varied in the type of media employed, such as text messages, electronic photographs, illustrations, videos, audio, hyperlinks, and interactive messages.
In addition to these methods of tailoring the influential messages to the shopper's product consideration, the logic engine tailors the influential messages using information that includes but is not limited to the following: (1) the time and date the shopper is in the retail establishment; (2) the shopper's general preferences already known to the retail establishment; (3) the shopper's personal preferences already known to the retail establishment; (4) the shopper's previous purchases; (5) the shopper's real time intended purchases known to the store through organization by the logic engine of product scanning data and shopper location data; (6) the shopper's shopping list; (7) the shopper's home inventory list; (8) the actual time period the shopper spends considering purchasing a particular product or class of products; (9) the amount of money that the shopper chooses to spend on any one or several items according to the shopper's inputted budget for one or more items; (10) the promotional prices (advertised or otherwise) currently in the retail establishment; (11) the shopper's previously staged electronic coupons or previously scanned paper coupons; (12) the shopper's requests for “health alerts” (ex: allergens) in her profile; and (13) the shopper's request for alerts to marked down individual packages due to close expiration dates for categories that they intend to purchase. The above list is by no means exhaustive and additions to the list can be readily made.
In an exemplary embodiment, shoppers “opt in” to the types of influential messages they want to receive. For instance, some shoppers will want health awareness alerts, while others would rather receive more information on product pricing, saving opportunities, promotions, etc. Examples of the types of influential messages are described in turn below.
As briefly discussed above, in some embodiments, the retail establishment influences shopper behavior by suggesting the shopper make certain recipes. When the retail establishment suggests the purchase of certain items to complete a recipe, the retail establishment is aware of certain shopper information such as the shopper's shopping list, the shopper's home inventory list, or the shopper's already scanned selected items for purchase during the shopping trip. The term “recipe” as used herein includes projects, which requires items to be purchased and assembled in some fashion to achieve the desired result, much like a recipe. For instance, when a hardware store is aware that the shopper is purchasing house paint and brushes, in an exemplary embodiment, the hardware store suggests in an influential message that the shopper purchase sea sponges and glaze, so that the shopper can complete a faux painting project.
FIG. 1 provides a schematic plan view of retail establishment 5. In particular, a top view of a section of retail establishment 5 in which shopper 7, associate 8, and manager 9 are positioned and associated within communications multi-network 10 for wireless communication between members of the communications multi-network 10 is shown. Communications multi-network 10 is positioned within and about retail establishment 5 and the store's premises (e.g., the store's parking lot and other outer areas—not shown).
Other embodiments employ a non-beacon type mesh communication network 14. In a non-beacon enabled network (i.e., those whose beacon order is 15), multi-network routers 11 have data receivers that are preferably continuously active. In these embodiments, when asked by wireless end devices 40, mesh network organizer transmits a signal through the one or more multi-network routers 11 back to the blind nodes. Multi-network organizer 21 manages multi-network routers 11, causes association of wireless end devices 40 to the mesh communication network 14, stores information received from multi-network routers 11, and routes messages between multi-network routers 11 and wireless end devices 40 or intelligent shopping carts as 50. The use of a non-beacon type of mesh communication network 14 additionally allows for heterogeneous networks of multiple device types in which some devices receive continuously, while others only transmit when an external stimulus is detected. One example of an element within a heterogeneous network is a lamp having a wireless light switch. The node at the lamp receives constantly, since it is connected to the lamp's power supply while a battery-powered light switch remains “asleep” or inactive until the light switch is thrown. The light switch then activates, sends a command to the lamp, receives an acknowledgment, and returns to a state of inactivation. In a beacon type network, multi-network routers 11 within mesh communication network 14 transmit periodic beacons to confirm their presence to other network nodes. Such nodes sleep between beacons, thus lowering their duty cycle and extending their battery life.
Step 110 shows that logic engine 23 continuously tracks the location of wireless end device 40 held in close proximity to shopper 7. The use of the word “continuously” as used herein is defined as the increment determined by the software operator. For instance, the interval of time can be, but is not limited to, every 3 seconds, every 5 seconds, or every 10 seconds. The interval will vary, depending on the specific application contemplated.
Step 210 shows that logic engine 23 continuously tracks the location of intelligent shopping cart 50 in close proximity to shopper 7. The use of the word “continuously” as used herein is defined as the increment determined by the software operator. For instance, the interval of time can be, but is not limited to, every 3 seconds, every 5 seconds, or every 10 seconds. The interval can vary depending on the specific application contemplated.
Referring now to FIG. 8, an exemplary intelligent shopping cart 50 used by a shopper 7 in retail establishment 5 is provided. In appearance, intelligent shopping cart 50 looks like most known conventional shopping carts. The intelligent shopping cart 50 has a handle 52, a basket 54 attached to the handle 52, and an under carriage 56 positioned below basket 54. However, intelligent shopping cart 50 is “intelligent” because it is in communication with retail establishment 5 through the communications multi-network 10. When intelligent shopping cart 50 is equipped with MCUs (preferably Texas Instruments CC2431), it is responsible for receipt and transmission of information with logic engine 23 through communications multi-network 10. Furthermore, when intelligent shopping cart 50 either houses an imager and a screen, or is paired with a wireless end device 40 that houses an imager and a screen, shopper 7 can read influential messages received from logic engine 23. In some embodiments, intelligent shopping cart 50 includes a tracking device so that retail establishment 5 can track the location of intelligent shopping cart 50 throughout retail establishment 5.
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