Systems and methods for presence estimation for missing products

1 . A system for presence accuracy enhancement in a wireless tag tracking environment, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

access a data structure linking each of a plurality of wireless identification tags with an associated product, wherein each associated product is linked to an associated product family;

receive in a first time period, first identification transmissions from a first set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determine locations of the first set of wireless identification tags during the first time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received first identification transmissions;

receive in a second time period, following the first time period, second identification transmissions from a second set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determine locations of the second set of wireless identification tags during the second time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received second identification transmissions;

determine, based on a difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions, a cessation of reception of a missing wireless identification tag, wherein the difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions includes an absence in the second identification transmissions of transmission of a wireless identification tag which existed in the first identification transmission;

determine a percentage likelihood that the missing wireless identification tag remains present at a particular location of the missing wireless identification tag, the particular location being a determined location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, wherein determining the percentage likelihood is based on at least two of:

the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

other products detected during the second time period in proximity to a previously known location of the missing wireless identification tag,

locations determined during the second time period of other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of a same product family as the missing wireless identification tag,

identification transmissions received during the second time period from other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of the same product family as the missing wireless identification tag whose identification transmissions were not received during the first time period, structures in proximity to the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

a total number of other products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag detected during the second time period, or

a total number of products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag expected to be present during the second time period; and

adjust an inventory based on the determined percentage likelihood;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the first identification transmissions from the first set of wireless identification tags and the second identification transmissions from the second set of wireless identification tags via at least one reader in a retail establishment, the at least one reader being configured to automatically receive signals transmitted by the wireless identification tags; and

wherein the at least one reader includes at least one of a handheld scanner or a fixed scanner.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when the determined percentage likelihood is equal to or greater than an upper limit value, adjusting the inventory includes at least one of:

designating the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period as a current location of the missing wireless identification tag;

designating the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period as a current location of the associated product linked to the missing wireless identification tag; or

changing a count of the total number of products in the product family that are present in a retail establishment.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein when the determined percentage likelihood is less than or equal to a lower limit value, adjusting the inventory includes at least one of:

generating a missing product alert;

changing a count of the total number of products in the product family that are present in a retail establishment; or

generating a replenishment request for the associated product linked to the missing wireless identification tag.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive an indication of a sale in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag;

determine that the missing wireless identification tag corresponds to a product purchased in the sale, based on the total number of other products in the product family detected during the second time period and the total number of products in the product family expected to be present during the second time period; and

forgo adjusting the inventory for the missing wireless identification tag.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

detect an identification transmission received during the second time period from a specific wireless identification tag whose identification transmission was not received during the first time period;

access in the data structure the associated product family linked to the specific wireless identification tag; and

determine the percentage likelihood based on:

the associated product family of the specific wireless identification tag, and

at least one of the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, or a determined location of the specific wireless identification tag during the second time period.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine if the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period corresponds to a location of an interference structure.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to set the percentage likelihood equal to a first predetermined value when:

the missing wireless identification tag and the specific wireless identification tag are determined to be linked to the same associated product family, and

the missing wireless identification tag and the specific wireless identification tag are determined to have respective locations corresponding to the location of the interference structure.

8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein when the determined percentage likelihood is equal to or greater than an upper limit value, the at least one processor is configured to adjust the inventory to include both the missing wireless identification tag and the specific wireless identification tag.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

calculate a signal frequency score of the missing wireless identification tag based on a frequency of identification transmissions received from the missing wireless identification tag prior to the second time period;

establish a time threshold based on the calculated signal frequency score; and

determine the percentage likelihood based on the established time threshold and a timestamp of the identification transmission received from the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to set the percentage likelihood equal to a second predetermined value when a length of time following the identification transmission from the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period exceeds the time threshold.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive in a third time period, following the second time period, third identification transmissions from a third set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

calculate, when the third identification transmissions include an identification transmission of the missing wireless identification tag, an updated signal frequency score of the missing wireless identification tag based on the identification transmission of the missing wireless identification tag during the third time period; and

establish an updated time threshold of the missing wireless identification tag based on the updated signal frequency score.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive information of one or more interference structures in proximity to the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period; and

determine the percentage likelihood based on at least one of a number of the one or more interference structures, a material of the one or more interference structures, a shape of the one or more interference structures, and a distance between the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag and a location of each of the one or more interference structures.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

access in the data structure attributes of the specific associated product linked to the missing wireless identification tag, the attributes including at least one material of the specific associated product; and

determine the percentage likelihood based on the at least one material of the specific associated product.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless identification tags lack batteries.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations for presence accuracy enhancement in a wireless tag tracking environment, the operations comprising:

accessing a data structure linking each of a plurality of wireless identification tags with an associated product, wherein each associated product is linked to an associated product family;

receiving in a first time period, first identification transmissions from a first set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determining locations of the first set of wireless identification tags during the first time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received first identification transmissions;

receiving in a second time period, following the first time period, second identification transmissions from a second set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determining locations of the second set of wireless identification tags during the second time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received second identification transmissions;

determining, based on a difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions, a cessation of reception of a missing wireless identification tag, wherein the difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions includes an absence in the second identification transmissions of transmission of a wireless identification tag which existed in the first identification transmission;

determining a percentage likelihood that the missing wireless identification tag remains present at a particular location of the missing wireless identification tag, the particular location being a determined location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, wherein determining the percentage likelihood is based on at least two of:

the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

other products detected during the second time period in proximity to a previously known location of the missing wireless identification tag,

locations determined during the second time period of other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of a same product family as the missing wireless identification tag,

identification transmissions received during the second time period from other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of the same product family as the missing wireless identification tag whose identification transmissions were not received during the first time period,

structures in proximity to the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

a total number of other products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag detected during the second time period, or

a total number of products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag expected to be present during the second time period; and

adjusting an inventory based on the determined percentage likelihood;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the first identification transmissions from the first set of wireless identification tags and the second identification transmissions from the second set of wireless identification tags via at least one reader in a retail establishment, the at least one reader being configured to automatically receive signals transmitted by the wireless identification tags; and

wherein the at least one reader includes at least one of a handheld scanner or a fixed scanner.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

detecting an identification transmission received during the second time period from a specific wireless identification tag whose identification transmission was not received during the first time period;

accessing in the data structure the associated product family linked to the specific wireless identification tag; and

determining the percentage likelihood based on:

the associated product family of the specific wireless identification tag, and

at least one of the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, or a determined location of the specific wireless identification tag during the second time period.

17 . A method for presence accuracy enhancement in a wireless tag tracking environment, the method including steps executed by at least one processor, the steps comprising:

accessing a data structure linking each of a plurality of wireless identification tags with an associated product, wherein each associated product is linked to an associated product family;

receiving in a first time period, first identification transmissions from a first set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determining locations of the first set of wireless identification tags during the first time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received first identification transmissions;

receiving in a second time period, following the first time period, second identification transmissions from a second set of at least some of the plurality of wireless identification tags;

determining locations of the second set of wireless identification tags during the second time period based on at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or data content of the received second identification transmissions;

determining, based on a difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions, a cessation of reception of a missing wireless identification tag, wherein the difference between the first identification transmissions and the second identification transmissions includes an absence in the second identification transmissions of transmission of a wireless identification tag which existed in the first identification transmission;

determining a percentage likelihood that the missing wireless identification tag remains present at a particular location of the missing wireless identification tag, the particular location being a determined location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, wherein determining the percentage likelihood is based on at least two of:

the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

other products detected during the second time period in proximity to a previously known location of the missing wireless identification tag,

locations determined during the second time period of other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of a same product family as the missing wireless identification tag,

identification transmissions received during the second time period from other wireless identification tags linked to associated products of the same product family as the missing wireless identification tag whose identification transmissions were not received during the first time period,

structures in proximity to the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period,

a total number of other products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag detected during the second time period, or

a total number of products in the product family of the missing wireless identification tag expected to be present during the second time period; and

adjusting an inventory based on the determined percentage likelihood;

wherein the at least one processor receives the first identification transmissions from the first set of wireless identification tags and the second identification transmissions from the second set of wireless identification tags via at least one reader in a retail establishment, the at least one reader being configured to automatically receive signals transmitted by the wireless identification tags; and

wherein the at least one reader includes at least one of a handheld scanner or a fixed scanner.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:

detecting an identification transmission received during the second time period from a specific wireless identification tag whose identification transmission was not received during the first time period;

accessing in the data structure the associated product family linked to the specific wireless identification tag; and

determining the percentage likelihood based on:

the associated product family of the specific wireless identification tag, and

at least one of the particular location of the missing wireless identification tag during the first time period, or a determined location of the specific wireless identification tag during the second time period.