Automated zone location characterization
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLisa Seacat DeLuca, Jeremy A. Greenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for automatically characterizing retail zones is provided. The method includes determining, via a mobile device of a user, that a user has entered a first zone of a plurality of zones internal to a first entity structure. Product information is scanned via the mobile device in response to the user locating a first product. The product information describes the first product. Historical product and zone related data is analyzed with respect to the first zone and the product information and it is determined, based on the analysis, if the first product is currently associated with being located within the first zone.
Claims20
An automated zone detection and characterization technology improvement method comprising:
- first determining, by a processor of a special purpose hardware based computing device via a mobile device of a user, that a user has entered a first zone of a plurality of zones internal to a first entity structure, wherein said special purpose hardware based computing device comprises electronic circuitry comprising a programmable logic array utilizing state information of specialized firmware program code configured to execute specialized software for personalizing said electronic circuitry for performing said automated zone detection and characterization technology improvement method;
- tracking, by said processor via location sensors executing a mobile device triangulation detection process, said mobile device of said user;
- receiving, by said processor from said mobile device of said user executing via an RFID detection process via hardware sensors of said mobile device in response to detecting via said tracking that said user is locating a first product, product information from said first product, wherein said product information describes said first product;
- second determining, by said processor based on results of analyzing historical product and zone related data with respect to said first zone and said product information, if said first product is currently associated with being located within said first zone, wherein results of said second determining indicate that said first product is not currently associated with being located within said first zone;
- associating, by said processor, said first product with being located within said first zone;
- determining, by said processor via said mobile device, a precise location of said user and said first product occurring during said receiving said product information, wherein said precise location is within said first zone;
- receiving, by said processor via an additional mobile device of an additional user, a request for said first product at said first entity structure;
- and
- directing, by said processor via said additional mobile device, said additional user to said precise location such that said additional user proceeds to said precise location and retrieves said first product thereby improving a product location detection and retrieval process.
A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a processor of a special purpose hardware based computing device implements an automated zone detection and characterization technology improvement method, said method comprising:
- first determining, by said processor via a mobile device of a user, that a user has entered a first zone of a plurality of zones internal to a first entity structure, wherein said special purpose hardware based computing device comprises electronic circuitry comprising a programmable logic array utilizing state information of specialized firmware program code configured to execute specialized software for personalizing said electronic circuitry for performing said automated zone detection and characterization improvement method;
- tracking, by said processor via location sensors executing a mobile device triangulation detection process, said mobile device of said user;
- receiving, by said processor from said mobile device of said user executing via an RFID detection process via hardware sensors of said mobile device in response to detecting via said tracking that said user is locating a first product, product information from said first product, wherein said product information describes said first product;
- second determining, by said processor based on results of analyzing historical product and zone related data with respect to said first zone and said product information, if said first product is currently associated with being located within said first zone, wherein results of said second determining indicate that said first product is not currently associated with being located within said first zone;
- associating, by said processor, said first product with being located within said first zone;
- determining, by said processor via said mobile device, a precise location of said user and said first product occurring during said receiving said product information, wherein said precise location is within said first zone;
- receiving, by said processor via an additional mobile device of an additional user, a request for said first product at said first entity structure;
- and
- directing, by said processor via said additional mobile device, said additional user to said precise location such that said additional user proceeds to said precise location and retrieves said first product thereby improving a product location detection and retrieval process.
A special purpose hardware based computer device comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor executes an automated zone detection and characterization technology improvement method, said method comprising:
- first determining, by said processor via a mobile device of a user, that a user has entered a first zone of a plurality of zones internal to a first entity structure, wherein said special purpose hardware based computing device comprises electronic circuitry comprising a programmable logic array utilizing state information of specialized firmware program code configured to execute specialized software for personalizing said electronic circuitry for performing said automated zone detection and characterization improvement method;
- tracking, by said processor via location sensors executing a mobile device triangulation detection process, said mobile device of said user;
- receiving, by said processor from said mobile device of said user executing via an RFID detection process via hardware sensors of said mobile device in response to detecting via said tracking that said user is locating a first product, product information from said first product, wherein said product information describes said first product;
- second determining, by said processor based on results of analyzing historical product and zone related data with respect to said first zone and said product information, if said first product is currently associated with being located within said first zone, wherein results of said second determining indicate that said first product is not currently associated with being located within said first zone;
- associating, by said processor, said first product with being located within said first zone;
- determining, by said processor via said mobile device, a precise location of said user and said first product occurring during said receiving said product information, wherein said precise location is within said first zone;
- receiving, by said processor via an additional mobile device of an additional user, a request for said first product at said first entity structure;
- and
- directing, by said processor via said additional mobile device, said additional user to said precise location such that said additional user proceeds to said precise location and retrieves said first product thereby improving a product location detection and retrieval process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.