Patent ID: 12236464

Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes systems and methods for helping customers at merchant physical locations. Such systems and methods may be utilized to provide a merchant or merchant employee (hereinafter, a “merchant”) a variety of information about a customer that they are helping so that a purchase by that customer may be facilitated. In some embodiments, the customer may be detected entering the merchant physical location, and a wide variety of actions performed by that customer within the physical location may be tracked. For example, the location of the customer within the merchant physical location, the amount of time the customer spends in different or designated areas in the merchant physical location, the products the customer handles, views, or otherwise interacts with, and/or a variety of other customer actions within the merchant physical location may be detected, tracked, and/or otherwise monitored. Furthermore, in some embodiments, previous purchases made by the customer may be retrieved. In many embodiments, the merchant is provided a mobile merchant device for use in helping the customer, and when the merchant approaches the customer, any information tracked, monitored, retrieved, or otherwise determined may be displayed as merchant-customer engagement information on the merchant mobile device so that the merchant may leverage that information to help the customer. For example, using information such as time spent in designation locations in the merchant physical location, products handled or viewed, and previous purchases, product recommendations may be determined and displayed on the merchant mobile device so that the merchant may recommend those products to the customer. In some embodiments, the merchant mobile device may be a wearable mobile device that can display the merchant-customer engagement information adjacent the merchant's view of the customer such that any help from the merchant provided using the merchant-customer engagement information will occur in a seamless manner.

Referring now toFIGS.1and2, embodiments of a method100and system200for providing merchant-customer engagement are illustrated. While the embodiment of the system200illustrated and discussed below is directed to a “brick and mortar” merchant physical location, other types of merchant physical locations such as, for example, mobile merchant locations, temporary merchant locations, and/or a variety of other merchant locations known in the art may benefit from the systems and methods taught herein. Furthermore, while the embodiment of the method100illustrated and discussed below includes a plurality of method blocks performed in a specific order, some of those blocks may be optional and/or not performed in different embodiments, or may be performed at different times or in a different order than presented herein. Thus, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that a wide variety of modification to the specific embodiments illustrated and discussed herein will fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now toFIG.2, an embodiment of a physical merchant location200is illustrated. The physical merchant location200ofFIG.2is a simplified schematic provided for clarity of illustration and discussion that includes a plurality of walls202that define the merchant physical location200between them, along with an entrance204that provides access to the merchant physical location200. A plurality of product areas206are located in the merchant physical location200and define a plurality of aisles208between them. A checkout area210is provided in the merchant physical location200as a merchant or merchant employee central location and, in some situations, to allow for customers to pay for products. However, mobile payment systems (e.g., the mobile merchant devices discussed below) may allow for customers to pay for products anywhere in the merchant physical location200.

In the illustrated embodiment, a system provider device211is included in the merchant physical location200and may be operated by the merchant associated with the merchant physical location200in order to provide the merchant-customer engagement system described herein. However, the system provider device211may also be a computing system that is connected through a network to a system provider device that helps provides the merchant-customer engagement system described herein. In some embodiments, a plurality of sensors212are positioned around the merchant physical location200and may be coupled to the system provider device211to enable the tracking and monitoring of customers within the merchant physical location200as discussed below. The sensors212may include cameras, Near Field Communication (NFC) devices, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices, location tracking devices (e.g., Global Positioning System (GPS) device, micro-GPS devices, Wifi devices, etc.), and/or any other sensor known in the art that may be used to provide the customer tracking and monitoring functionality discussed below. In addition, products located in the product areas206may also include devices for communicating with the system provider device211, customer devices, and/or other devices utilized in the merchant-customer engagement system.

In an embodiment, the method100begins at block102where a customer is identified in a merchant physical location. In one embodiment of block102the customer may be identified as that customer enters the physical merchant location200. However, in other embodiments, the customer may be identified at designated locations within the merchant physical location200, upon viewing or otherwise interacting with a product in the merchant physical location200, upon interacting with a merchant through a mobile merchant device, discussed below, and/or at any time or in response to any other customer action known in the art. In some embodiments, any of the sensors212in the merchant physical location200may interact with the customer or a customer device of the customer in order to identify the customer entering the merchant physical location200.

For example, the customer may include a customer device that includes a “check-in” application (e.g., the Foursquare™ application available from Foursquare Labs, Inc. of New York City, New York), and at block102the customer may use the check-in application to check into the merchant physical location200by sending information from the customer device over a network (e.g., the Internet) to a check-in application provider. The system provider device211may then operate to identify the customer entering the merchant physical location200after communicating with the check-in application provider about the customer check in at the merchant physical location200. Information retrieved from the check-in application provider may include a customer identity, a customer device identifier, NFC communication information associated with the customer device, RFID information associated with the customer device, an image of the customer associated with the customer device, and/or a variety of other information known in the art that identifies the customer and that may allow the customer to be tracked and/or monitored in the merchant physical location200as discussed below.

In another example, the customer may use the customer device at block102to join a wireless network (e.g., a WiFi network, a Bluetooth network, etc.) provided in the merchant physical location200, and the joining of that network will cause the system provider device211to identify that customer. The joining of the network using the customer device may result in the automatic retrieval of (or request for the provision of) customer information that identifies the customer or customer device of that customer and that may allow the customer to be tracked and/or monitored in the merchant physical location200as discussed below.

In another example, any of the sensors212(e.g., the sensors212on either side of the entrance204) may communicate with a customer device of the customer to identify the customer entreating the merchant physical location200at block102. In such examples, the customer device may include an NFC or RFID system that interacts with the sensors212to communicate customer information that identifies the customer or the customer device of the customer and that may allow the customer to be tracked and/or monitored in the merchant physical location200as discussed below.

In another example, the sensors may include cameras that capture an image of the customer entering the merchant physical location200and provide that image to the system provider device211. At block102, the image captured of the customer entering the merchant physical location200may be analyzed and checked against a database of customer images using facial recognition techniques to identify the customer.

While a few examples have been provided, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that a variety of other systems, methods, and/or techniques for identifying a customer at a physical location will fall within the scope of the present disclosure. More technically complicated embodiments may involve the provision of customer device GPS information to a third party tracking system that informs the system provider device211when the customer is near or within the merchant physical location200, while less technically complicated embodiments may include the merchant at the merchant physical location200asking the customer for identifying information as they enter the merchant physical location200, or handing the customer a tracking unit that may be used to track the customer through the merchant physical location200as discussed below. Furthermore, the provision of customer identification information from the customer to the merchant-customer engagement system provider device may include scanning a card (e.g., via a magnetic scanning system) provided by the customer, scanning a Quick Response (QR) code (via an optical scanning system) displayed by customer device of the customer, reading a fingerprint or other biometric identification (via a biometric identification system) of the customer, etc. As such, the present disclosure is not meant to be limited to the customer identification techniques explicitly described herein.

Thus, the customer entering the merchant physical location200at block102may be identified by a name, a customer account number, a customer device identifier (e.g., a phone number, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, etc.), a customer image (e.g., a facial image), a customer biometric identification (e.g., finger print), a customer address, and/or a variety of other customer identification information known in the art.

The method100then proceeds to block104where customer account information for the identified customer is retrieved. In some embodiments, a customer account may have previously been associated with the customer identified at block102in a database accessible by the system provider device211. For example, the customer may have previously opened a payment account (e.g., a credit account) with the merchant or other system provider associated with the physical merchant location200. In another example, the merchant or other system provider associated with the physical merchant location200may have associated a customer tracking account (e.g., an account used to associate the identity of a customer with that customers actions in the merchant physical location200) with the customer on a previous visit of that customer to the merchant physical location200. In another example, the customer may have a payment account provided by a payment account provider or payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal Inc. of San Jose, CA. Thus, customer account information for a variety of different customer accounts may be retrieved at block104, including accounts associated with the merchant physical location200, accounts unassociated with the merchant physical location200, payment accounts, non-payment tracking accounts, and/or a variety of other customer accounts known in the art.

Furthermore, customer accounts may be created “on-the-fly” for customers that are identified at block102but that are previously unknown to the system. In an embodiment, identification of a customer at block102may include receiving some distinguishing information from a customer that was previously unknown to the system, such as a name, address, email address, image, customer device identifier, and/or a variety of other customer identification information known in the art. In such embodiments, the retrieval of customer account information at block104may occur as a result of the creating of a customer account for that previously unknown customer. For example, at block102the customer entering the merchant physical location200may be identified by capturing an image of the customer, retrieving a customer device identifier from a customer device of the customer, receiving a name, address, or email address of the customer, etc. At subsequent block104, retrieval of the customer account information may include the system provider device211creating a customer account for that customer. Thus, customer account information may be retrieved from existing customer accounts, or customer accounts may be created, in order to allow tracking and monitoring information about those customers to be associated with those customers for use later in the method100, discussed below.

In an embodiment, the customer account information retrieved at block104may be as simple as an account number with which to associated the tracking and monitoring information discussed below with reference to blocks106,108, and110. In other embodiments, the customer account information retrieved at block104may include previous tracking and monitoring information, previous purchases made by the identified customer, access information to other accounts held by the identified customer (e.g., such information may provide access to a plurality of different payment accounts), previous images provided by or taken of the customer, and/or a variety of other customer account information known in the art.

The method100then proceeds to block106where the location of the identified customer is tracked within the merchant physical location200. In an embodiment of block106, the customer may be tracked throughout the physical merchant location200using the sensors212, a customer device of the customer, combinations thereof, and/or using a variety of other tracking components known in the art. For example, the customer device and the sensors212may include NFC or RFID functionality that allows for communication between the customer device and sensors212as well as the determination of the proximity of the customer device to one or more of the sensors212(e.g., based on signal strength or other communication factors.) In another embodiment, the customer device and/or sensors212may provide a GPS, micro-GPS, or other location determination system that allow for the tracking and/or monitoring of the location of the customer throughout the merchant physical location200. In another embodiment, the sensors may include cameras that take images and/or video of the customer as that customer moves throughout the merchant physical location200, and those images and/or video may be provided to the system provider device211for recognition processing to track and/or monitor the location of the customer anywhere within the merchant physical location200.

The tracking of the location of the customer within the merchant physical location200at block106may include the collection and storage (e.g., in the database accessible by the system provider device211and in association with the customer account retrieved at block104) of a variety of different information describing the customer actions in the merchant physical location200. For example, such information may include details of how the customer moved through the merchant physical location200including, but not limited to, physical coordinates of the customer within the merchant physical location200, acceleration or velocity of the customer between particular areas within the merchant physical location, and/or any other location tracking information known in the art. In a specific example, upon entering the merchant physical location200the customer may be tracked moving through one or more of the aisles208, stopping in an aisle at a particular location adjacent a product area206, moving quickly towards a different product area206, wandering up and down the same aisle208, etc. Any information that results from the tracking and monitoring at block106may be stored by the system provider device211in a database in association with the customer account retrieved at block104.

The method100then proceeds to block108where the amount of time the identified customer spends in designated areas within the merchant physical location are tracked. In an embodiment, as the customer moves through the merchant physical location200(and during the tracking of the location of that customer), timing data associated with those movements may be captured by the system provider device211. For example, timing data may be captured and stored about the customer that details how long that customer may stop in an aisle208at a particular location adjacent a product area206, how quickly that customer may move towards a different product area206, how long that customer may wander up and down the same aisle208, how long that customer has been in the merchant physical location200, etc. Any timing data captured at block106may be stored by the system provider device211in a database in association with the customer account retrieved at block104

The method100then proceeds to block110where products viewed by the identified customer are tracked. In an embodiment, the merchant physical location200may include one of a variety of systems that may include one or more of the sensors212, the customer device of the customer, and the products located in the product areas210, and those systems are configured to allow the products viewed by the customer while in the merchant physical location200to be tracked. In one embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement system provider device may use the location tracking performed at block106and the time data tracked at block108to infer when the customer has viewed a product located in a product area206. For example, a customer stopping in an aisle208for a particular length of time next to a particular portion of a product area206may be inferred to be viewing the product located in that product area206(e.g., particularly when the product is relatively large, such as in the case of an appliance like a refrigerator or washing machine). In such embodiments, the system provider device211may include information about the location and types of products within the merchant physical location200in order to match a location of a customer with a particular product adjacent that location that the customer may be inferred to be viewing. Furthermore, the location and timing data tracked for the customer may be used with the systems described in the product viewing tracking examples below to help determine which products the customer has viewed in the merchant physical location200.

In another example, the customer device of the customer may be used to send product viewing information to the system provider device211. For example, the customer device of the customer may include a scanning application such as for example, the RedLaser® application available from eBay, Inc. of San Jose, CA. In such an example, the customer may use the scanning application and the customer device to scan one or more products located in the product areas206of the merchant physical location200, and that scanning information may be provided to the system provider device211(e.g., over a network from the customer device to the scanning application provider device, and over the network from the scanning application provider device to the system provider device211.)

In another embodiment, products located in the product areas may include NFC or RFID devices that may interact with an NFC or RFID device in the customer device (or otherwise associated with the customer as that customers move through the merchant physical location200) to record products viewed and/or handled by the customer. For example, NFC or RFID systems may allow the customer device to detect only products handled by the customer, and report those products to the system provider device211.

In another embodiment, the sensors may include cameras that capture images and/or video of the customer's actions in the merchant physical location211, and those images and/or video may be provided to the system provider device211for analysis to determine which products in the merchant physical location200are being viewed, handled, or otherwise interacted with by the customer. For example, cameras may capture images or video of the customer handling products from the product areas206, looking at particular products in the product areas206, or otherwise viewing or interacting with products such that the customer's interest in that product may be detected (e.g., by an image of the customer holding the product) or inferred (e.g., by an image of the customer looking at the product).

In another embodiment, the customer may include a bag, cart, or other product carrying device that is used to collect products within the merchant physical location prior to paying the merchant for those products. Using the systems in the product viewing tracking examples discussed above (e.g., NFC or RFID enabled carts and products, images captured of products in the cart, etc.), the products selected by the customer for purchase may be tracked.

While a few examples of the tracking of products viewed by the customer have been described above, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will appreciate that variety of systems known in the art may be incorporated into the merchant-customer engagement system to allows products that are viewed, handled, or otherwise interacted with by the customer in the merchant physical location200to be tracked while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

The method100may then proceed to block112where a purchase history for the identified customer is retrieved. In an embodiment, using the customer account information retrieved at block104, a purchase history of the identified customer may be retrieved by the system provider device211over the network. For example, the customer account information may include information identifying a payment account the customer has with the merchant associated with the merchant physical location200, and at block112, the purchase history that includes a plurality of products purchased from that merchant may be retrieved. The purchase history may include purchases of product made at the merchant physical location200, purchases of products made at other physical locations associated with that merchant, online purchases of products through an online store of the merchant, etc.

In another example, the customer account information may include information identifying a payment account the customer has with a payment account provider or payment service provider, and at block112, the purchase history that includes a plurality of products purchased from one or more merchants may be retrieved. The purchase history may include purchases of product made at any merchant physical locations, online purchases of products through online store of any merchants, etc. For example, any purchases made by the customer on their credit card from any of a variety of merchants may be retrieved or reviewed.

In an embodiment, the purchase history retrieved at block112may be limited to product types. In one embodiment, if the merchant physical location sells products of a particular product type or class, the purchase history retrieved at block112may be restricted to purchases of products that are of that product type or class. For example, the merchant physical location200may be a grocery store, and at block112, the purchase history retrieved for the customer may be limited or restricted to grocery purchases. In another example, the merchant physical location200may be a clothing store, and at block112, the purchase history retrieved for the customer may be limited or restricted to clothing purchases. In some embodiments, the purchase history retrieved at block112may be limited by a current location of the customer within the merchant physical location200as tracked at block106, (e.g., limited to cheese purchases if the customer is located in a cheese section of a grocery store, limited to blouses if the customer is located in a blouse section of a clothing store, etc.) or by a product or products viewed by the identified customer as tracked at block110(e.g., limited to wine if a customer is currently viewing wine products.)

In some embodiments, the purchase history retrieved at block112may be limited by time periods. For example, only purchases made by the identified customer in the previous month, week, day, etc. may be considered for retrieval as the purchase history at block112. In some embodiments, the merchant and/or system provider associated with the merchant physical location200may be able to adjust the time period for which purchase histories may be retrieved at block112. While a few examples of purchase histories have been provided, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize how the retrieval of purchase histories and filtering of purchase histories to determine particular products previously purchased by the customer provides benefits in the merchant-customer engagement system and will fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

The method100may then proceed to block114where recommended products for the identified customer are determined. As discussed below, any of the retrieved customer account information, the location tracking, the time tracking, the product viewing tracking, the purchase history of the identified customer, and/or any other customer information available to the system provider device211may be used to determine recommended products for the customer. Thus, while many of the examples below with regard to determining recommended products reference information retrieved from only one of these method blocks, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that different combinations of information retrieved from multiple blocks of the method100may provide for more accurate and/or useful product recommendations for a customer.

In an embodiment, the customer account information retrieved at block104may include customer preferences (e.g., provided by the customer in opening the customer account), previous customer tracking information, and/or a variety of other customer account information that may be used to determine one or more products to recommend to the customer. Furthermore, customer account information may link to multiple customer accounts from which information may be retrieved in order to determine the recommended products at block114. In a specific example, the customer account information may include a customer gender and customer preferences of brands or other product indicators that are used in making the product recommendation at block114. In another specific example, the customer account information may include a social media profile address for the customer, and the social media profile associated with that social media profile address may be accessed and the information in that social media profile (e.g., hobbies, likes, dislikes, groups the customer belongs to, etc.) may be used to determine the recommended products at block114.

In an embodiment, the tracked location of the customer within the merchant physical location200may be used to determine one or more products to recommend to the customer. For example, the customer's current location in the merchant physical location200may coincide with a particular product type or class that may then be used to determine a recommended product at block114. In another example, the identified customer's movement towards a particular area of the merchant physical location200may be used to determine a recommended product that is located in that particular area to which the customer is headed.

In an embodiment, the tracked amount of time the customer spends in designated areas within the merchant physical location may be used to determine one or more products to recommend to the customer. For example, the customer's being stopped or located in the same aisle208for a period of time may be used to determine recommended products in that aisle at block114. In another example, the customer's movement quickly into a particular area of the merchant physical location200(e.g., immediately upon entering the merchant physical location200) may be used to determine recommended products located in that area at block114.

In an embodiment, the tracked products viewed by the customer may be used to determine one or more products to recommend to the customer at block114. For example, the viewing by the customer of a particular product may be used to determine recommended products (e.g., similar products, complementary products, etc.) at block114.

In an embodiment, the purchase history or histories retrieved for the customer may be used to determine one or more products to recommend to the customer at block114. For example, purchase histories may be used to determine a type, style, brand, or other product characteristic that is preferable to the customer, and may be used to determine recommended products at block114. In another example, a plurality of recent purchases by the customer that are detailed in the purchase history or histories may be used to determine a complementary product (associated with the recent purchases) to recommend to the customer. In another example, a plurality of recent purchases by the customer may be used to determine products that should not be recommended to the identified customer (e.g., a particular shirt associated with a recent purchase and/or similar shirts may not be recommended to the customer because they already own that shirt or a similar shirt.)

Thus, the recommended products for the customer may be determined using a variety of information retrieved and/or collected for the customer based on preference information associated with the customer, based on previous actions of the customer in the merchant physical location200, based their current actions of the customer in the merchant physical location200, based on a history of purchases by the customer from the merchant associated with the merchant physical location200, based on a history of purchases by the customer elsewhere (e.g., different location and/or different merchants, and/or a variety of other product recommendation information known in the art. Furthermore, the tracking of the customer with regard to location, time data, and products viewed may be continuously performed by the system provider device211and used, by itself and/or with the retrieved product history or histories, to determined recommended products for the customer throughout the method100. Thus, as the customer moves about the merchant physical location200, different product recommendations may be determined as described above, based on that customers actions within the merchant physical location200such that product recommendations for that customer change as the customer performs different actions within the merchant physical location200.

The method100may then proceed to block116where the identified customer is detected by a merchant mobile device, and then to block118where merchant-customer engagement information for the identified customer is provided on the merchant mobile device. The embodiments discussed below provide a few examples of mobile merchant devices displaying merchant-customer engagement information, but those examples are not meant to be limiting, and other merchant devices and displays of merchant-customer engagement information will fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now toFIG.3, an embodiment of a merchant physical location300is illustrated that may be the merchant physical location200discussed above with reference toFIG.2. The merchant physical location300includes product areas302that may be the product areas206discussed above with reference toFIG.2, and a product aisle304between the product areas302that may be one of the product aisles208discussed above with reference toFIG.2. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant physical location300is a grocery store, and a customer306is located in the merchant physical location300in the aisle304. As discussed above with reference to blocks102-114of the method100, the customer306may have been identified at the merchant physical location300, had their customer account information retrieved, their location throughout the merchant physical location300tracked, timing data within the merchant physical location300tracked, products viewed in the merchant physical location300tracked, purchase history or histories retrieved, and recommended products periodically determined prior to the customer306being located in the aisle304of the merchant physical location300as illustrated inFIG.3.

Referring now toFIGS.4a,4b,4c, and4d, embodiments of screen shots from a wearable mobile merchant device are illustrated to provide an example of how merchant-customer engagement information may be provided on a mobile merchant device and used to help the customer306at the merchant physical location300discussed above with reference toFIG.3. The wearable mobile merchant device used to provide the screen shots illustrated inFIGS.4a,4b,4c, and4dmay be a wearable computing device such as, for example, Google Glass® available from Google Inc. of Mountain View, CA, and is discussed more fully below with reference toFIG.10. However, for the purposes of the embodiment illustrated inFIGS.4a-d, the wearable mobile merchant device is being worn by a merchant or merchant employee (“merchant” hereinafter), and includes a transparent display that is positioned between the merchant and the customer306such that images generated by the wearable mobile merchant device may be superimposed over the merchant's view of the customer306.

FIG.4aillustrates an embodiment of a customer detection screen400that is provided at block116of the method100when the merchant physically approaches the customer306in the merchant physical location300. In the illustrated embodiment, the customer detection screen400includes a customer detection box402that is superimposed over the merchant's view of the customer306such that it highlights the face of the customer detected at block116. In different embodiments, the detection of the identified customer at block116may be performed in a variety of ways, a few of which are discussed below.

In one embodiment, the wearable mobile merchant device may capture an image (e.g., via a camera on the wearable mobile merchant device, discussed below with reference toFIG.10) of the customer and send that image to the system provider device211, and the system provider device211may then use facial recognition techniques and/or a database image search to determine whether that image matches an image of the customer306(e.g., previously stored in a database, captured and stored at block102of the method100, etc.)

In another embodiment, the location of the wearable mobile merchant device in the merchant physical location300(e.g., periodically provided to the system provider device211) may be used along with the location tracking information of customers in the merchant physical location300to detect that the customer306is adjacent the merchant and wearable mobile merchant device. In such embodiments, the wearable mobile merchant device may include a compass or other direction determination system to help determine which direction the merchant is facing to assist in detecting the identified customer306(e.g., directionality and location of the wearable mobile merchant device may help to distinguish between customers when multiple customers are located adjacent the merchant with the wearable mobile merchant device). In some embodiments, the wearable mobile merchant device may then use facial recognition techniques to provide the customer detection box402for the customer that has been detected, and/or to confirm the detected customer.

In another embodiment, NFC or RFID communication between the wearable mobile merchant device and a customer device may be used to detect the identified customer306. Thus, as the merchant approaches the customer306, the wearable mobile merchant device and a customer device of the customer306may communicate to exchange information identifying the customer306such that the customer is detected at block116. In some embodiments, the wearable mobile merchant device may then use facial recognition techniques to provide the customer detection box402for the customer that has been detected, and/or to confirm the detected customer.

Thus, at block116of the method100, the customer306is detected by a wearable mobile merchant device worn by a merchant located adjacent the customer306in the merchant physical location200, and the method proceeds to block118where merchant-customer engagement information for the customer is provided on the wearable mobile merchant device. As discussed above, the detection of the customer using the wearable mobile merchant device at block116include the wearable mobile merchant device receiving some identifying information about the customer such as, for example, an image of the customer306that is used to detect the customer306, a location of the customer device of the customer306that is used to detect the customer306, communication of the identity of the customer306between the customer device of the customer306and the wearable mobile merchant device, etc. At block118, that identifying information is used by the system provider device211and matched against a customer identified in the merchant physical location300at block102. As discussed above, at block102of the method100, customers in the merchant physical location are identified, and thus the identifying information for the customer detected by the wearable mobile merchant device may be used by the system provider device211at block118to allow any information collected about that customer306to be transmitted to the wearable mobile merchant device.FIGS.4band4cbelow illustrate just a few examples of merchant-customer engagement information that may be displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device at block118.

Referring now toFIG.4b, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen404displayed on a wearable mobile merchant device is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen404is provided at block118of the method100after detecting the customer306at block116. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the identified customer306in the aisle304, and the wearable mobile merchant device detected the identified customer306as discussed above. The system provider device211then used the detection of the customer306to send back merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include any information tracked or retrieved for the customer306during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.4b, the wearable mobile merchant device then provides a merchant-customer engagement information window406adjacent the customer detection box402that includes a plurality of merchant-customer engagement information located adjacent the merchant's view of the customer306through the wearable mobile merchant device.

In the example illustrated inFIG.4b, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed in the merchant-customer engagement information window406on the wearable mobile merchant device includes customer account information such as a customer identification406a(e.g., “Daniel ‘Dan’ Smith” in the illustrated embodiment) that may have been retrieved at block104of the method100and that, the illustrated example, includes a name and nickname of the customer306. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes timing data406b(e.g., “Time in aisle: 3 m 27 s”) that may have been tracked at block108of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, how long the customer306has been located in the aisle304. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information406c(e.g., “Avg. purchase: $45.55”) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100or determined from information retrieved at block112and that includes, in the illustrated example, the average amount the customer306spends at the merchant physical location300. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information406d(e.g., “Last purchase: Stag's Leap Cabernet (Jun. 23, 2013—in store—$35.00)”) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, the most recent purchase of a product associated with a product type in product area302. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes product viewing information406e(e.g., “In card: Salmon filter (1.48 lb); Broccoli; Basmati Rice”) that may have been tracked at block110of the method100or based on the tracking at block110(e.g., a customer cart may include an RFID system that reads RFID on products to determine what the customer306has put in their cart; images of a customer cart may be captured and analyzed to determined what the customer has put in their cart, etc.) The merchant-customer engagement information also includes recommended product information406f(e.g., “Recommend: Stag's Leap Chardonnay (On sale—$26.50)”) that may have been determined at block114of the method100based on, for example, the products located in the cart of the customer306(e.g., a wine pairing for the food located in the cart of the customer.)

Referring now toFIG.4c, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen408is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen408may be selected for display by the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device after the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen404, or may be presented by itself or prior to the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen404. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the customer306in the aisle304, the wearable mobile merchant device detected the customer306as discussed above and received and displayed the merchant-customer engagement information screen404. The system provider device211then sends further merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include other information tracked or retrieved for the customer306during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.4c, the wearable mobile merchant device has minimized and moved the merchant-customer engagement information window406to a different location adjacent the customer detection box402, and the merchant-customer engagement information window406includes some of the plurality of merchant-customer engagement information discussed above positioned adjacent the merchant's view of the customer306through the wearable mobile merchant device. Furthermore, the further merchant-customer engagement information received by the wearable mobile merchant device may then be displayed adjacent the merchant's view of the customer306, adjacent products in the product areas302, adjacent the aisle304, and any superimposed over any other feature detected in the view of the merchant.

In the example illustrated inFIG.4c, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device includes designated area tracking information410a(e.g., “LAST AISLE STOP— Cheese case (2B)” along with a directional arrow towards a designated area in the merchant physical location200) that may have been tracked at blocks106and/or108of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, an indication of the aisle the customer306was previously located in. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes product viewing information410b(e.g., “VIEWING Mondavi Pinot Grigio” along with an indicator in the view of the merchant that attaches to a product being currently viewed by the customer306) that may have been tracked at block110of the method100or determined from information tracked at block110and that includes, in the illustrated example, the name of a product currently being handled by the customer306. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes product viewing information410c(e.g., “HANDLED” along with an indicator in the view of the merchant that attaches to a product previously handled by the customer306) that may have been tracked at block110of the method100or determined from information tracked at block110and that includes, in the illustrated example, an indication of a product in the product area302that the customer recently handled. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information410d(e.g., “BUYS MOST OFTEN Charles Shaw White” along with an indicator in the view of the merchant that attaches to a product typically purchased by the customer306) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100or based on the information retrieved at block112and that includes, in the illustrated example, an indication of a product in the product area that the customer306purchases most often. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information410e(e.g., “LAST PURCHASE Stags Leap Cabernet” along with an indicator in the view of the merchant that attaches to a product most recently purchased by the customer306) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100or based on the information retrieved at block112and that includes, in the illustrated example, an indication of a product in the product area302that the customer306most recently purchased.

Referring now toFIG.4d, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen412is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen412may be provided for display to the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device at any time after the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen404. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the customer306in the aisle304, the wearable mobile merchant device detected the customer306as discussed above, and the system provider device211then sends merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include other information tracked or retrieved for the customer306during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.4d, the wearable mobile merchant device has provided the merchant-customer engagement information window406adjacent the customer detection box402, and the merchant-customer engagement information window406includes some of the plurality of merchant-customer engagement information discussed above positioned adjacent the merchant's view of the customer306through the wearable mobile merchant device. Furthermore, the further merchant-customer engagement information received by the wearable mobile merchant device may then be displayed adjacent the merchant's view of the customer306.

In the example illustrated inFIG.4d, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device includes shopping list information retrieved from the customer device of the customer306. For example, the customer device of the customer306may include a shopping application, notepad, or other list recording application known in the art that allows the customer306to create a shopping list of products to purchase when at a merchant physical location, and prior to entering the merchant physical location300, the customer306may have created such a shopping list by providing products in the shopping list for purchase at the merchant physical location300. In an embodiment of block104, the system provider device may have used the customer account information (e.g., access information for the customer device, shopping application, etc.) to retrieve the shopping information from the customer device. In other embodiments, the shopping list may be retrieved from an online website that allows the customer306to create shopping lists substantially as discussed above.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.4d, the merchant-customer engagement information screen412includes a shopping list section414that includes a plurality of products that were included on the shopping list of the customer306retrieved at block104. Furthermore, the shopping list section414may have been dynamically changed as the customer306interacted with products within the merchant physical location300. For example, as discussed above, the merchant physical location300may include the ability to track products that the customer306has put in their cart, and when a product in the shopping list section is put in the cart of the customer306, that product may be “crossed off”, as illustrated for the toothpaste, shaving cream, Kleenex, and milk products414ain the shopping list section414. As such, a plurality of products not “crossed off”, as illustrated for the salmon, broccoli, rice, and ice cream products414b, that are not in the cart of the customer306may be used for product recommendations for the customer306. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the system provider device has used the products in the shopping list section414to determine product recommendations416based on the location of the customer306in the merchant physical location300. For example, the location of the customer306in the illustrated embodiment is a wine section of the merchant physical location, and the product recommendations includes a suggestion of a particular type of wine (e.g., “Stag's Leap Chardonnay”) based on the salmon product414bin the shopping list section414, as well as a suggestion of another particular type of wine (e.g., Fonseca Port) based on the ice cream product414bin the shopping list section414. While a few examples of product recommendations generated by the system provider device has been discussed, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that the display of the shopping list section414on the merchant-customer engagement information screen412provides the merchant with the ability to provide a wide variety of help for the customer306that will fall within the scope of the present disclosure, including suggestions for particular products in the shopping list section414but not in the cart of the customer306(e.g., Sockeye Salmon on sale for the salmon product414b, Ben and Jerry's® ice cream for the ice cream product414b, etc.)

Thus, a variety of merchant-customer engagement information may be displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device such that the merchant may offer to help the customer306in determining products to purchase. One of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that a wide variety of merchant-customer engagement information not included in the example above may be beneficial in providing help to a customer, and will fall within the scope of the present disclosure. While the display of the merchant-customer engagement information adjacent the view of the customer306may provide several benefits including, for example, seamless merchant-customer engagement information lookup and use by the merchant when interacting with the customer306, such wearable mobile merchant devices are not required in some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

For example,FIG.5illustrates a mobile merchant device500, described in more detail with reference toFIG.11below, which is displaying the customer detection screen400on a display502(e.g., the mobile merchant device500may include a camera opposite the display502that captures the image of the customer306in the merchant physical location300and provides the customer detection screen400over that image, as illustrated.) The mobile merchant device500may also display selection buttons that may be selected by the merchant to display particular types of merchant-customer engagement information tracked and/or retrieved during the method100, including a location button504afor displaying merchant-customer engagement information related to the location of the customer306in the merchant physical location300, a timing data button504bfor displaying merchant-customer engagement information related to the timing data associated with the customer306in the merchant physical location300, a product viewing button504cfor displaying merchant-customer engagement information related to the products viewed by the customer306in the merchant physical location300, a purchase history button504dfor displaying merchant-customer engagement information related to the previous purchases by the customer306, and a recommended products button504efor displaying products recommended for the customer306in the merchant physical location300. As such, the mobile merchant device500may display a variety of merchant-customer engagement information screens similar to the merchant-customer engagement information screens404and408discussed above.

Referring now toFIG.6, an embodiment of a merchant physical location600is illustrated that may be the merchant physical location200discussed above with reference toFIG.2. The merchant physical location600includes a product area602that may be one of the product areas206discussed above with reference toFIG.2, and product aisles adjacent either side of the product area602that may be the product aisles208discussed above with reference toFIG.2. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant physical location600is a clothing store, and a customer604is shopping in the merchant physical location600in an aisle adjacent the product area602. As discussed above with reference to blocks102-114of the method100, the customer604may have been identified at the merchant physical location600, had their customer account information retrieved, their location throughout the merchant physical location600tracked, timing data within the merchant physical location600tracked, products viewed in the merchant physical location tracked, their purchase history or histories retrieved, and recommended products periodically determined prior to the customer604being located in the aisle of the merchant physical location300as illustrated inFIG.3.

Referring now toFIGS.7a,7b,7c, and7d, embodiments of screen shots from a wearable mobile merchant device are illustrated to provide an example of how merchant-customer engagement information may be provided on a mobile merchant device and used to help a customer at the merchant physical location600discussed above with reference toFIG.6. Similarly as discussed above, the wearable mobile merchant device used to provide the screen shots illustrated inFIGS.7a,7b,7c, and7dmay be a wearable computing device such as, for example, Google Glass® available from Google Inc. of Mountain View, CA, and is discussed more fully below with reference toFIG.10. However, for the purposes of the embodiment illustrated inFIGS.7a-d, the wearable mobile merchant device is being worn by a merchant or merchant employee (“merchant” hereinafter) and includes a transparent display that is positioned between the merchant and the customer604such that images generated by the wearable mobile merchant device may be superimposed over the merchant's view of the customer604.

FIG.7aillustrates an embodiment of a customer detection screen700that is provided at block116of the method100when the merchant approaches the customer604. In the illustrated embodiment, the customer detection screen700includes a customer detection box702that is superimposed over the merchant's view of the customer604such that it highlights the face of the customer detected at block116. In different embodiments, the detection of the identified customer at block116may be performed in a variety of ways, a few of which are discussed above with reference toFIGS.4a-c.

Thus, at block116of the method100, the customer604is detected by a wearable mobile merchant device, and the method proceeds to block118where merchant-customer engagement information for the customer is provided on the wearable mobile merchant device. As discussed above, the detection of the customer by the wearable mobile merchant device at block116include the wearable mobile merchant device receiving some identifying information about the customer such as, for example, an image of the customer604that is used to detect the customer604, a location of the customer device of the customer604that is used to detect the customer306, communication of the identity of the customer604between the customer device of the customer306and the wearable mobile merchant device, etc. At block118, that identifying information may be used by the system provider device211and matched against a customer identified in the merchant physical location600at block102. As discussed above, at block102of the method100, customers in the merchant physical location600are identified, and thus the identifying information for the customer detected at block116may be used by system provider device211at block118to allow any information collected about that customer604to be transmitted to the wearable mobile merchant device.FIGS.7b,7c, and7dbelow illustrate just a few examples of merchant-customer engagement information that may be displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device at block118.

Referring now toFIG.7b, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen704is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen704is provided at block118of the method100after detecting the identified customer604at block116. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the identified customer604from an aisle opposite the product area602from the customer604, and the wearable mobile merchant device detected the identified customer604as discussed above. The system provider device211then sends back merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include any information tracked or retrieved for the customer604during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.7b, the wearable mobile merchant device then provides a merchant-customer engagement information window706adjacent the customer detection box702that includes a plurality of merchant-customer engagement information located adjacent the merchant's view of the customer604through the wearable mobile merchant device.

In the example illustrated inFIG.7b, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device includes customer account information such as a customer identification706a(e.g., “Caroline ‘Cara’ Jones” in the illustrated embodiment) that may have been retrieved at block104of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, a name and nickname of the customer604. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes timing data706b(e.g., “Time in store: 35 m 42 s”) that may have been tracked at block108of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, a total amount of time the customer604has spent in the merchant physical location600. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information706cand706d(e.g., “Last purchase: Men's dress shirt (Yesterday—online—$89.95” along with an image of the product purchased) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100or determined from information retrieved at block112and that includes, in the illustrated example, a description, price, location of purchase, time of purchase, and image of a recently purchased product. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes recommended product information706eand706f(e.g., “Recommend: Men's tie” along with images of recommended ties for the shirt associated with the purchase history information706cand706d) that may have been determined at block114of the method100and that includes, in the illustrated example, a description and a plurality of images of recommended products. Thus, the customer604(a woman) may have recently (e.g., the previous day) purchased a men's shirt online, and that information may be displayed to the merchant along with recommendations for ties that go with the previously purchased shirt.

Referring now toFIG.7c, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen708is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen708may be selected for display by the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device after the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen704, or may be presented by itself or prior to the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen704. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the customer604in the aisle across from the product area602, the wearable mobile merchant device detected the customer604as discussed above and received and displayed the merchant-customer engagement information screen704. The merchant-customer engagement system provider device then sends further merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include other information tracked or retrieved for the customer604during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.7c, the wearable mobile merchant device has minimized and moved the merchant-customer engagement information window706to a different location adjacent the customer detection box702, and that merchant-customer engagement information window706includes some of the plurality of merchant-customer engagement information discussed above and positioned adjacent the merchant's view of the customer706through the wearable mobile merchant device. Furthermore, the further merchant-customer engagement information received by the wearable mobile merchant device may then be displayed adjacent the merchant's view of the customer604.

In the example illustrated inFIG.7c, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device includes product viewing information708and708a(e.g., “ITEMS BROWSED” along with images of the items that the customer604has viewed I the merchant physical location600) that may have been tracked at block110of the method100. The merchant-customer engagement information also includes purchase history information710and710a(e.g., “ITEMS PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED” along with images of products previously purchased by the customer604) that may have been retrieved at block112of the method100or determined from information retrieved at block112. Thus, the merchant may be presented with a plurality of a products that the customer604has viewed in their current visit to the merchant physical location600, along with products previously purchased by that customer604, and may use that information to recommend products to the customer604or help search for products for the customer604without recommending or searching for products the customer has already viewed or purchased.

Referring now toFIG.7d, an embodiment of a merchant-customer engagement information screen712is illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the merchant-customer engagement information screen712may be selected for display by the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device after the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen708, or may be presented by itself or prior to the display of the merchant-customer engagement information screen708. For example, the merchant wearing the wearable mobile merchant device approached the customer604in the aisle across from the product area602, the wearable mobile merchant device detected the customer604as discussed above and received and displayed the merchant-customer engagement information screen708. The merchant-customer engagement system provider device then sends further merchant-customer engagement information to the wearable mobile merchant device that may include other information tracked or retrieved for the customer604during the method100. As illustrated inFIG.7d, the wearable mobile merchant device has continued to provide the minimized merchant-customer engagement information window706(relative to the provision of that window on the merchant-customer engagement information screen704) adjacent the customer detection box702, and that merchant-customer engagement information window706continues to include some of the plurality of merchant-customer engagement information discussed above and positioned adjacent the merchant's view of the customer706through the wearable mobile merchant device. Furthermore, the further merchant-customer engagement information received by the wearable mobile merchant device may then be displayed adjacent the merchant's view of the customer604.

In the example illustrated inFIG.7d, the merchant-customer engagement information displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device includes product viewing information714(e.g., “BROWSING BEHAVIOR”) that may have been tracked at block110of the method100. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.7d, the product viewing information714includes products viewed716by the customer604prior to or during their current visit to the merchant physical location600at a website (e.g., an “online store” of the merchant associated with the merchant physical location600, an online store not associated with the merchant but that sells similar products as the merchant, etc.), as well as products viewed718by the customer604prior to or during to their current visit to the merchant physical location600(e.g., “In store”). The products viewed716at the website of the merchant and the products viewed718at the merchant physical location include, for each product viewed, an image of the product viewed, an amount of time the customer604spent viewing that product, and a date the customer604viewed the product. Therefore, the merchant website and merchant physical location600may provide for the tracking of product viewing information for customer actions on the website and at the merchant physical location600, along with the association of that information with the customer604for retrieval and provision on the wearable mobile merchant device. The system provider device may operate to rank the products viewed by amount of time spent viewing, date viewed, based on products currently being viewed in the merchant physical location600, and/or using a variety of other product ranking criteria known in the art. One of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that the longer a customer spends browsing a particular product, the higher then interest is in that product or similar products regardless of whether they actually purchase that product, and such information allows for targeting product recommendations by a merchant at the merchant physical location600.

Thus, the merchant may be presented with product viewing information for the customer604that details the products the customer604has expressed interest in both previously and on their current visit to the merchant physical location600. The presentation of the previous online product viewing actions, the current online product viewing actions, the previous in-store product viewing actions, and the current in-store product viewing actions by the customer604allow the merchant to make determinations about which products the customer604is most interested in (e.g., which items were browsed online and in-store; which products were browsed for the longest amount of time; etc.), and then make product recommendations for those or similar products to drive in-store purchasing by the customer604. The provision of such product viewing activities may allow the merchant to reverse the “showrooming” behavior discussed above by, for example, capturing the customer's interest in products as expressed by product viewing activities, and then making product recommendations based on those activities. In addition, showrooming behavior may neutralized by, for example, determining current online product viewing activities of the customer604(e.g., the use of the customer device by the customer604while in the merchant physical location600), retrieval of prices for similar products viewed online by the customer604, and the possible discounting of product price or other leveraging of that information to drive a purchase by the customer from the merchant physical location600.

Therefore, a variety of merchant-customer engagement information may be displayed on the wearable mobile merchant device such that the merchant may offer to help the customer604in determining products to purchase. One of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that a wide variety of merchant-customer engagement information not included in the example above may be beneficial in providing help to a customer, and will fall within the scope of the present disclosure. While the display of the merchant-customer engagement information adjacent the view of the customer604may provide several benefits including, for example, seamless merchant-customer engagement information lookup and use when the merchant is interacting with the customer604, such wearable mobile merchant devices are not required in some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosure, and a mobile merchant devices similar to the mobile merchant device500discussed above may provide merchant-customer engagement information screens similar to the merchant-customer engagement information screens704and708.

Thus, systems and methods for providing merchant-customer engagement have been described that provide a merchant with a wide variety of information about a customer in a merchant physical location that allows that merchant to provide the most pertinent help to that customer. In specific embodiments, the merchant may wear a wearable mobile merchant device that displays merchant-customer engagement information adjacent the merchant's view of the customer so that the merchant-customer engagement information is quickly and easily referenced by the merchant while dealing with and helping that customer. Furthermore, merchant-customer engagement information may be determined from a variety of customer actions prior to the visit to the merchant physical location (e.g., previous purchases from the merchant or others) and/or a variety of customer actions in the merchant physical location (based on the tracking of the customer's movements through the merchant physical location, the products viewed by the customer in the merchant physical location, etc.) Providing the merchant with such pertinent information in such a manner allows the merchant to provide help to the customer that increases the chances of the customer making a purchase and returning to the merchant physical location to make further purchases, as the merchant-customer engagement information provides the merchant an intimate knowledge of the customer and allows help to be provided that is very specifically tailored to that customer.

Referring now toFIG.8, an embodiment of a network-based system800for implementing one or more processes described herein is illustrated. As shown, network-based system800may comprise or implement a plurality of servers and/or software components that operate to perform various methodologies in accordance with the described embodiments. Exemplary servers may include, for example, stand-alone and enterprise-class servers operating a server OS such as a MICROSOFT® OS, a UNIX® OS, a LINUX® OS, or other suitable server-based OS. It can be appreciated that the servers illustrated inFIG.8may be deployed in other ways and that the operations performed and/or the services provided by such servers may be combined or separated for a given implementation and may be performed by a greater number or fewer number of servers. One or more servers may be operated and/or maintained by the same or different entities.

The embodiment of the networked system800illustrated inFIG.8includes a plurality of customer devices802, a plurality of merchant devices804, a payment service provider device806, an account holder device808, and/or a system provider device809coupled together through a network810. The customer devices802may be the customer devices discussed above and may be operated by the customers, discussed above. The merchant devices804may be the system provider device and/or mobile merchant devices discussed above and may be operated by the merchants discussed above. The payment service provider device806may be the payment service provider devices discussed above and may be operated by a payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal Inc. of San Jose, CA. The account provider device808may be the account provider devices discussed above and may be operated by the account providers discussed above such as, for example, credit card account providers, bank account providers, savings account providers, and a variety of other account providers known in the art. The system provider device809may be the system provider devices discussed above and may be operated by the system providers discussed above.

The customer devices802, merchant devices804, payment service provider device806, account provider device808, and/or system provider device809may each include one or more processors, memories, and other appropriate components for executing instructions such as program code and/or data stored on one or more computer readable mediums to implement the various applications, data, and steps described herein. For example, such instructions may be stored in one or more computer readable mediums such as memories or data storage devices internal and/or external to various components of the system800, and/or accessible over the network810.

The network810may be implemented as a single network or a combination of multiple networks. For example, in various embodiments, the network810may include the Internet and/or one or more intranets, landline networks, wireless networks, and/or other appropriate types of networks.

The customer devices802may be implemented using any appropriate combination of hardware and/or software configured for wired and/or wireless communication over network810. For example, in one embodiment, the customer devices802may be implemented as a personal computer of a customer in communication with the Internet. In other embodiments, the customer devices802may be a smart phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, and/or other types of computing devices.

The customer devices802may include one or more browser applications which may be used, for example, to provide a convenient interface to permit the customer to browse information available over the network810. For example, in one embodiment, the browser application may be implemented as a web browser configured to view information available over the Internet.

The customer devices802may also include one or more toolbar applications which may be used, for example, to provide user-side processing for performing desired tasks in response to operations selected by the customer. In one embodiment, the toolbar application may display a user interface in connection with the browser application.

The customer devices802may further include other applications as may be desired in particular embodiments to provide desired features to the customer devices802. In particular, the other applications may include a payment application for payments assisted by a payment service provider through the payment service provider device806. The other applications may also include security applications for implementing user-side security features, programmatic user applications for interfacing with appropriate application programming interfaces (APIs) over the network810, or other types of applications. Email and/or text applications may also be included, which allow the customer to send and receive emails and/or text messages through the network810. The customer devices802include one or more user and/or device identifiers which may be implemented, for example, as operating system registry entries, cookies associated with the browser application, identifiers associated with hardware of the customer devices802, or other appropriate identifiers, such as a phone number. In one embodiment, the customer identifier may be used by the merchant devices804, payment service provider device806, account provider device808, and/or system provider device809to associate the customer with a particular account as further described herein.

The merchant devices804may be maintained, for example, by a conventional or on-line merchant, conventional or digital goods seller, individual seller, and/or application developer offering various products and/or services in exchange for payment to be received conventionally or over the network810. In this regard, the merchant devices804may include a database identifying available products and/or services (e.g., collectively referred to as items) which may be made available for viewing and purchase by the customer.

The merchant devices804also include a checkout application which may be configured to facilitate the purchase by the payer of items. The checkout application may be configured to accept payment information from the customer through the customer devices802, the account provider through the account provider device808, and/or from the payment service provider through the payment service provider device806over the network810.

Referring now toFIG.9, an embodiment of a customer device900is illustrated. The customer device900may be any of the customer devices discussed above. The customer device900includes a chassis902having a display904and an input device including the display904and a plurality of input buttons906. One of skill in the art will recognize that the customer device900is a portable or mobile phone including a touch screen input device and a plurality of input buttons that allow the functionality discussed above with reference to the method100. However, a variety of other portable/mobile customer devices and/or desktop customer devices may be used in the method100without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now toFIG.10, an embodiment of a wearable mobile merchant device1000is illustrated. The wearable mobile merchant device1000may be any of the wearable mobile merchant devices discussed above. The wearable mobile merchant device1000includes a wearable frame902that, in the illustrated embodiment, is similar to an eyeglass frame. A computing chassis904is affixed to the wearable frame902and includes a transparent display906that extends from the computing chassis904and into a field of view of a user of the wearable mobile merchant device1000. The computing chassis904also includes a microphone908and a camera910. One of skill in the art will recognize that the wearable mobile merchant device1000is Google Glass® type wearable mobile device available from Google, Inc. of Mountain View, CA that allow the functionality discussed above with reference to the method100. However, a variety of other wearable portable/mobile devices may be used in the method100without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now toFIG.11, an embodiment of a mobile merchant device1100is illustrated. The mobile merchant device11000may be any of the mobile merchant devices discussed above. The mobile merchant device1100includes a chassis1102having a display1104and an input device including the display1104and an input button1106. One of skill in the art will recognize that the mobile merchant device1100is a portable or mobile tablet computer including a touch screen input device and input button that allow the functionality discussed above with reference to the method100. However, a variety of other portable/mobile devices and/or desktop devices may be used in the method100without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now toFIG.12, an embodiment of a computer system1200suitable for implementing, for example, the customer devices discussed above, the merchant devices discussed above, the payment service provider devices discussed above, the account provider devices discussed above, and/or the system provider devices discussed above, is illustrated. It should be appreciated that other devices utilized by customers, merchants, payment service providers, account providers, and/or system providers in the merchant-customer engagement system discussed above may be implemented as the computer system1200in a manner as follows.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, computer system1200, such as a computer and/or a network server, includes a bus1202or other communication mechanism for communicating information, which interconnects subsystems and components, such as a processing component1204(e.g., processor, micro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP), etc.), a system memory component1206(e.g., RAM), a static storage component808(e.g., ROM), a disk drive component1210(e.g., magnetic or optical), a network interface component1212(e.g., modem or Ethernet card), a display component1214(e.g., CRT or LCD), an input component1218(e.g., keyboard, keypad, or virtual keyboard), a cursor control component1220(e.g., mouse, pointer, or trackball), a location determination component1222(e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) device as illustrated, a cell tower triangulation device, and/or a variety of other location determination devices known in the art), and/or a camera component1223In one implementation, the disk drive component1210may comprise a database having one or more disk drive components.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the computer system1200performs specific operations by the processor1204executing one or more sequences of instructions contained in the memory component1206, such as described herein with respect to the customer devices, the merchant devices, the payment service provider devices, the account provider devices, and/or the system provider devices. Such instructions may be read into the system memory component1206from another computer readable medium, such as the static storage component1208or the disk drive component1210. In other embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the present disclosure.

Logic may be encoded in a computer readable medium, which may refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to the processor1204for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. In one embodiment, the computer readable medium is non-transitory. In various implementations, non-volatile media includes optical or magnetic disks, such as the disk drive component1210, volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as the system memory component1206, and transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including wires that comprise the bus1202. In one example, transmission media may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example, floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or any other medium from which a computer is adapted to read. In one embodiment, the computer readable media is non-transitory.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, execution of instruction sequences to practice the present disclosure may be performed by the computer system1200. In various other embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of the computer systems1200coupled by a communication link1224to the network810(e.g., such as a LAN, WLAN, PTSN, and/or various other wired or wireless networks, including telecommunications, mobile, and cellular phone networks) may perform instruction sequences to practice the present disclosure in coordination with one another.

The computer system1200may transmit and receive messages, data, information and instructions, including one or more programs (i.e., application code) through the communication link1224and the network interface component1212. The network interface component1212may include an antenna, either separate or integrated, to enable transmission and reception via the communication link1224. Received program code may be executed by processor1204as received and/or stored in disk drive component1210or some other non-volatile storage component for execution.

Referring now toFIG.13, an embodiment of a system provider device1300is illustrated. In an embodiment, the device1300may be the system provider devices discussed above, the mobile merchant devices discussed above, and/or combinations thereof. The device1300includes a communication engine1302that is coupled to the network810and to user help engine1304that is coupled to a customer account database1306. The communication engine1302may be software or instructions stored on one or more computer-readable mediums that allows the device1300to send and receive information over the network810. The merchant-customer engagement engine1304may be software or instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that is operable to identify customers in a merchant physical location, retrieve and/or create customer accounts for identified customers, track customer locations within the merchant physical location, track timing data for identified customers, track products viewed for identified customers, retrieve purchase histories for identified customers, determine product recommendations for identified customers, detect customer (e.g., via a mobile merchant device), display merchant-customer engagement information (e.g., on a mobile merchant device), and provide any of the other functionality that is discussed above. While the database1306has been illustrated as located in the system provider device1300, one of skill in the art will recognize that it may be connected to the merchant-customer engagement engine1304through the network810without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosure may be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardware and software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware components and/or software components set forth herein may be combined into composite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Where applicable, the various hardware components and/or software components set forth herein may be separated into sub-components comprising software, hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated that software components may be implemented as hardware components and vice-versa.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as program code and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readable mediums. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may be implemented using one or more general purpose or specific purpose computers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Where applicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may be changed, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-steps to provide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. For example, the above embodiments have focused on merchants and customers; however, a customer or consumer can pay, or otherwise interact with any type of recipient, including charities and individuals. The payment does not have to involve a purchase, but may be a loan, a charitable contribution, a gift, etc. Thus, merchant as used herein can also include charities, individuals, and any other entity or person receiving a payment from a payer. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.