# US 2024/0202804 A1 · System and method for collecting item location information based on crowd-sourced data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0202804 A1 - Document ID: US20240202804A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/083,411 - Filed: 2022-12-16 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-16 - Assignees: NCR Corporation - Applicants: NCR Corporation - Inventors: Kip Morgan; Andrew Reusche; Monte Schultz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240202804A1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0639: {Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility} - G01C 21/206: {specially adapted for indoor navigation} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/08724: {by shelf level inventory management, e.g. planograms} - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06Q 30/0207: Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates - G06Q 30/0208: Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards - G06Q 10/08741: {by picking of items from inventory for fulfillment} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) ## Abstract A system and method are disclosed for identifying item locations via crowd-sourced information. The system includes a server having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The server is coupled to a mobile shopping application on a mobile device of a user. The processor performs a series of operations constituting the following method. The user of the mobile shopping application on the mobile device is selectively requested to locate an item in a retail store via the mobile shopping application. The user is directed to an expected location of the item via the mobile shopping application. Confirmation is received from the user that the item has been located via the mobile shopping application. The precise location of the item is captured in conjunction with the mobile shopping application. An item location database is updated to include the captured precise location of the item. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: selectively requesting a user of a mobile shopping application on a mobile device to locate an item in a retail store via the mobile shopping application, the user being one of a plurality of users; directing the user to an expected location of the item via the mobile shopping application; receiving confirmation from the user that the item has been located via the mobile shopping application; capturing a precise location of the item in conjunction with the mobile shopping application; and updating an item location database to include the captured precise location of the item. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising offering to the user, via the mobile shopping application, a coupon in exchange for locating the item within the retail store. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user is directed to the expected location of the item via an augmented reality indoor navigation interface provided via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user is directed to the expected location of the item by providing store location coordinates via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user confirms a location of the item by capturing a photograph of the item via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the user confirms a location of the item by capturing a barcode on the item via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the precise location of the item is captured by a tracker module operating in conjunction with the mobile shopping application that monitors user movements via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the item location database is updated based on a weighted algorithm that gives more weight to more recent location identifications by users. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the item location database is updated based on a weighted algorithm that gives more weight to location identifications by users having a history of more successful item locations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a notification from the user of a location of a potentially hazardous condition within the retail store. ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: a server having a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the server coupled to a mobile shopping application on a mobile device of a user, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions, which when executed, cause the processor to perform the following operations: selectively request the user of the mobile shopping application on the mobile device to locate an item in a retail store via the mobile shopping application; direct the user to an expected location of the item via the mobile shopping application; receive confirmation from the user that the item has been located via the mobile shopping application; capture a precise location of the item in conjunction with the mobile shopping application; and update an item location database to include the captured precise location of the item. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising executable instructions which cause the processor to offer to the user, via the mobile shopping application, a coupon in exchange for locating the item within the retail store. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the user is directed to the expected location of the item via an augmented reality indoor navigation interface provided via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the user is directed to the expected location of the item by providing store location coordinates via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the user confirms a location of the item by capturing a photograph of the item via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the user confirms a location of the item by capturing a barcode on the item via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the precise location of the item is captured by a tracker module operating in conjunction with the mobile shopping application that monitors user movements via the mobile shopping application. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the item location database is updated based on a weighted algorithm that gives more weight to more recent location identifications by users. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the item location database is updated based on a weighted algorithm that gives more weight to location identifications by users having a history of more successful item locations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising executable instructions which cause the processor to receive a notification from the user of a location of a potentially hazardous condition within the retail store.