Determination of customer proximity to a register through use of sound and methods thereof
AssigneeWal-Mart Stores, Inc.
InventorsStuart Argue, Anthony Emile Marcar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is disclosed for determining a customer's progress through a checkout line at a store and for correlating customer satisfaction thereto. A mobile electronic device with mobile self checkout software thereon may record and analyze ambient noise to determine when a customer is in a checkout line as well as to track the customer's progress through the checkout line. The software may provide detailed data about the shopping and checkout experience. This information may be correlated to customer satisfaction and used identify particular strengths and weaknesses in the shopping experience offered by a store.
Claims18
A method for determining customer satisfaction, wherein a mobile electronic device executes checkout software to perform the method, the method comprising:
- determining that the customer has entered a checkout line approaching a point-of-sale (POS) terminal by analyzing ambient sounds to detect noises indicative of the POS terminal, the checkout line starting a specified distance from the POS terminal;
- transitioning between different operating modes as the customer progresses through the checkout line, including:
- operating in a first mode upon determining that the customer has entered the checkout line;
- determining that the customer has moved in the checkout line to within a specified proximity of the POS terminal by again analyzing ambient sounds to detect noises indicative of the POS terminal, the specified proximity being closer to the POS terminal than the specified distance;
- and
- transitioning to operate in a second different mode upon determining that the customer is within the specified proximity of the POS terminal;
- and
- correlating customer satisfaction to the customer's movements through the checkout line.
A method for determining customer satisfaction, wherein a mobile electronic device executes checkout software to perform the method, the method comprising:
- recording ambient noises;
- analyzing the ambient noises to detect sounds from a point-of-sale (POS) terminal;
- determining that the customer has entered a checkout line based on said analysis;
- transitioning between different operating modes as the customer progresses through the checkout line, including:
- operating in a first mode upon determining that the customer has entered the checkout line;
- determining that the customer has moved to within a specified proximity of the POS terminal by again analyzing ambient noises to detect sounds indicative of the POS terminal;
- and
- transitioning to operate in a second different mode upon determining that the customer is within the specified proximity of the POS terminal;
- determining a level of satisfaction for the customer;
- and
- correlating satisfaction to the information obtained about the checkout line.
A computer program product for use at a mobile device, the computer program product for implementing a method for determining customer satisfaction, the computer program product comprising one or more computer storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the mobile device to perform the method, including the following:
- determining that the customer has entered a checkout line approaching a point-of sale (POS) terminal by analyzing ambient sounds to detect noises indicative of the POS terminal, the checkout line starting a specified distance from the POS terminal;
- transitioning between different operating modes as the customer progresses through the checkout line, including:
- operating in a first mode upon determining that the customer has entered the checkout line;
- determining that the customer has moved in the checkout line to within a specified proximity of the POS terminal by again analyzing ambient sounds to detect noises indicative of the POS terminal, the specified proximity being closer to the POS terminal than the specified distance;
- and
- transitioning to operate in a second different mode upon determining that the customer is within the specified proximity of the POS terminal;
- and
- correlating customer satisfaction to the customer's movements through the checkout line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.