IP Library Granted Patent US 12,133,140
Granted Patent B2
US 12,133,140 · App. 17/429,713 · Granted Oct 29, 2024

Store system, status determination method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Inventors: Kazuya Hirata (Tokyo, JP); Ayumi Kurihara (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H04W4/029G06Q30/0201H04W4/021H04W4/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,133,140
App. No.
17/429,713
Granted
Oct 29, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A store system includes a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of an RFID medium attached to an item and position information of a visitor terminal carried by a visitor, an event detection unit that detects an event that the RFID medium or the visitor terminal enters or leaves a predetermined area in a store space based on the acquired position information, an event information storage unit that stores event information including an ID that identifies the RFID medium or the visitor terminal, information about the predetermined area based on the position information, and a detection time of the event, and a status determination unit that determines a status, which is a state of the item or is an action content of the visitor, based on the event information.

Claims (35)

1. A store system, comprising:

a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire first position information of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) medium attached to an item and second position information of a visitor terminal carried by a visitor;

an event detection unit configured to detect a first event that the RFID medium or the visitor terminal enters or leaves a predetermined area in a store space based on the acquired first position information and second position information;

an event information storage unit configured to store event information of the item including an identifier (ID) that identifies the RFID medium, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the first event and event information of the visitor including an identifier (ID) that identifies the visitor terminal, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the first event; and

a status determination unit configured to determine a status, which is a state of the item or is an action content of the visitor, the state of the item referring to whether i) the item was taken out, ii) the item was returned, iii) a price of a tag of the item was confirmed, or iv) the item was purchased, and the action content of the visitor referring to whether v) the visitor is passing by the item, vi) the visitor is staying in the predetermined area, vii) the visitor is taking out the item, viii) the visitor is confirming the price of the tag of the item, ix) the visitor is returning the item, or x) the visitor is trying on the item, based on an association between the event information of the item and the event information of the visitor.

2. The store system according to claim 1 , wherein

the status determination unit is configured to, in response to a plurality of pieces of event information in which detection times of a plurality of the first event are within a predetermined time difference, associate the plurality of pieces of event information within the predetermined time difference and determine the status based on the pieces of event information.

3. The store system according to claim 2 , wherein

the status determination unit is configured to, in response to times of entering the predetermined area being within the predetermined time difference between the event information by the RFID medium and the event information by the visitor terminal, associate the event information by the RFID medium with the event information by the visitor terminal and determine the status based on each event information.

4. The store system according to claim 2 , wherein

the RFID medium includes a sensor configured to detect a contact with a human body by pressure or bioelectric current, and

the event detection unit is configured to detect a second event that the sensor is activated based on an output signal of the sensor.

5. The store system according to claim 1 , wherein

the position information acquisition unit is configured to acquire third position information of a store clerk terminal used by a store clerk for work,

the event detection unit is configured to detect a third event that the store clerk terminal enters or leaves the predetermined area, and

the status determination unit is configured to update the status based on the event information corresponding to the visitor terminal in response to the visitor terminal and the store clerk terminal being located in the predetermined area at the same time.

6. The store system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a customer service support unit configured to transmit customer service support information to the store clerk terminal based on the event information, wherein

the customer service support unit is configured to, in response to a plurality of pieces of event information indicating that the visitor terminal enters the predetermined area being generated by the visitor terminal, transmit the customer service support information to the store clerk terminal.

7. The store system according to claim 6 , wherein

the customer service support unit is configured to transmit the customer service support information to a wearable display worn by the store clerk.

8. The store system according to claim 1 , wherein

the status determination unit is configured to update the status corresponding to the event information based on a time of leaving the predetermined area.

9. The store system according to claim 1 , wherein

among the acquired first position information and second position information, only the acquired first position information and second position information at the detection time of the first event is stored as the event information.

10. A status determination method, comprising:

acquiring first position information of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) medium attached to an item and second position information of a visitor terminal carried by a visitor;

detecting an event that the RFID medium or the visitor terminal enters or leaves a predetermined area in a store space based on the acquired first position information and second position information;

storing event information of the item including an identifier (ID) that identifies the RFID medium, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the event and event information of the visitor including an identifier (ID) that identifies the visitor terminal, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the first event; and

determining a state of the item or a status of the visitor, which is an action content, the state of the item referring to whether i) the item was taken out, ii) the item was returned, iii) a price of a tag of the item was confirmed, or iv) the item was purchased, and the action content of the visitor referring to whether v) the visitor is passing by the item, vi) the visitor is staying in the predetermined area, vii) the visitor is taking out the item, viii) the visitor is confirming the price of the tag of the item, ix) the visitor is returning the item, or x) the visitor is trying on the item, based on an association between the event information of the item and the event information of the visitor.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that is capable of being executed by a computer in a store system, wherein the program causes the computer to execute instructions for:

acquiring first position information of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) medium attached to an item and second position information of a visitor terminal carried by a visitor;

detecting an event that the RFID medium or the visitor terminal enters or leaves a predetermined area in a store space based on the acquired first position information and second position information;

storing event information of the item including an identifier (ID) that identifies the RFID medium, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the event and event information of the visitor including an identifier (ID) that identifies the visitor terminal, information about the predetermined area based on the acquired first position information and second position information, and a detection time of the first event; and

determining a status, which is a state of the item or is an action content of the visitor, the state of the item referring to whether i) the item was taken out, ii) the item was returned, iii) a price of a tag of the item was confirmed, or iv) the item was purchased, and the action content of the visitor referring to whether v) the visitor is passing by the item, vi) the visitor is staying in the predetermined area, vii) the visitor is taking out the item, viii) the visitor is confirming the price of the tag of the item, ix) the visitor is returning the item, or x) the visitor is trying on the item, based on an association between the event information of the item and the event information of the visitor.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 1, 2025
From: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: SATO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072085/0034 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2021
From: HIRATA, KAZUYA; KURIHARA, AYUMI
To: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 057133/0503 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-026942 · Feb 18, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220132275A1 · Apr 28, 2022