IP Library Granted Patent US 9,563,914
Granted Patent B2
US 9,563,914 · App. 14/253,074 · Granted Feb 7, 2017

Using head mountable displays to provide real-time assistance to employees in a retail environment

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,563,914
App. No.
14/253,074
Granted
Feb 7, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for delivering one of a good and service to a customer in a retail environment includes a computer located at an order station. The computer is configured to receive an order for the one good and service. The system includes a first image capture device in communication with the computer. The first image capture device captures a first image of a customer ordering the one good and service in response to the order being submitted. The system further includes a wearable computer peripheral device configured to acquire the first image from the first image capture device and electronically display the first image to a user tasked with delivering the one good and service while carrying the second wearable computer peripheral device. In this manner, an identity of the customer can be compared against the first image upon a delivery of the one good and service.

Claims (49)

1. A system for delivering one of a good and service to a customer in a retail environment, the system comprising:

a computer located at an order station and being configured to receive an order for the one good and service;

a first image capture device in communication with the computer and being configured to capture a first image of a customer ordering the one good and service in response to the order being submitted; and,

a wearable computer peripheral device configured to acquire the first image from the first image capture device and electronically display the first image to a user tasked with delivering the one good and service while carrying the second wearable computer peripheral device such that an identify of the customer can be compared against the first image upon a delivery of the one good and service.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the wearable computer peripheral device includes a second image capture device, the wearable computer peripheral device being configured to:

receive a first set of facial features generated from the first image;

capture a second image of the customer upon the delivery of the one good and service;

extract a second set of facial features from the second image; and,

compare the first set against the second set of features using a face recognition module in order to verify the delivery of the one good and service to a correct customer.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the wearable computer peripheral device is further configured to:

confirm the delivery of the one good and service by capturing the second image of the customer in response to an identity of the customer being verified.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is configured to generate at least one of a description and features of the customer's appearance, an order identification, a real-time location of the customer in the retail environment, and a combination of the above and provide the at least one features, description, identification, and location to one of a central store database and the wearable computer peripheral device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer is further configured to:

detect a payment gesture made by the customer; and,

in response to detecting the payment gesture, capture the at least one image of the customer using the first image capture device.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a central store database in communication with the computer and the wearable computer peripheral device, wherein the computer is configured to transmit the first image to the central store database and the central store database is configured to relay the first image to at least the wearable computer peripheral device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the image capture device is located at the order station.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a sensor and image capture device in communication with the wearable computer peripheral device, the one sensor and image capture device being configured to automatically track movement of the customer through the retail environment and transmit a location of the customer to the wearable computer peripheral device.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wearable computer peripheral device is further configured to display directions to the employee of a location of the customer for delivering the one of the good and service to the customer.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the wearable computer peripheral device includes a display provided on a head mounted computer.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the order station includes at least one of an employee manned counter, window, and food cart and an electronic kiosk.

12. A method for delivering one of a good and service to a customer in a retail environment, the method comprising:

receiving an order for the one good and service at a computer located at an order station;

in response to the order for the one good and service being submitted, capturing a first image of a customer submitting the order using a first image capture device in communication with the computer;

using a wearable computer peripheral device, electronically providing an employee of the retail environment the first image of the customer for comparing an identify of the customer against the first image upon a delivery of the one good and service.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising, using a second image capture device on the wearable computer peripheral device, confirming the delivery of the one good and service by capturing a second image of the customer in response to an identity of the customer being verified.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving at the wearable computer peripheral device a first set of facial features generated from the first image;

using a second image capture device included on the wearable computer peripheral device, capturing a second image of the customer upon the delivery of the one good and service;

extracting a second set of facial features from the second image using the wearable computer peripheral device; and,

comparing the first set against the second set using a face recognition module to verify the delivery of the one good and service to a correct customer.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

confirming the delivery of the one good and service by capturing the second image of the customer in response to an identity of the customer being verified.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising generating at least one of a description of the customer's appearance, an order identification, a real-time location of the customer in the retail environment, and a combination of the above; and,

providing the at least one description, identification, and location to one of a central store database and the wearable computer peripheral device.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

detecting a payment gesture made by the customer; and,

in response to detecting the payment gesture, capturing the at least one image of the customer using the first image capture device.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

transmitting the first image to a central store database in communication with the computer and the wearable computer peripheral device; and,

transmitting the first image from the central store database to at least the wearable computer peripheral device.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the image capture device is located at the order station.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

automatically tracking movement of the customer through the retail environment using at least one of a sensor and image capture device in communication with the wearable computer peripheral device; and,

transmitting a location of the customer to the wearable computer peripheral device.

21. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

displaying directions at the wearable computer peripheral device to a location of the customer for delivering the one of the good and service to the customer.

22. The method of claim 12 , providing a display device on the wearable computer peripheral device.

23. The method of claim 12 , wherein the order station includes at least one of an employee manned counter, window, and food cart and an electronic kiosk.

Assignments (10)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: GENESEE VALLEY INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 073842/0479 →
SECOND LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071785/0550 →
FIRST LIEN NOTES PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2025
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 070824/0001 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RF 064760/0389 Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068261/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2024
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066741/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065628/0019 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2023
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064760/0389 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT R/F 062740/0214 Recorded May 18, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063694/0122 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2022
From: XEROX CORPORATION
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 062740/0214 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2014
From: SHREVE, MATTHEW A.; MONGEON, MICHAEL C.; LOCE, ROBERT P.
To: XEROX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032675/0507 →