WO2013001466A1

WO2013001466A1 - An evaluation system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2013001466A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/053250
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anil Sarper SILAOGLU
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-06-27
Filing date: 2012-06-27
Publication date: 2013-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2013-12-27

Abstract

The present invention relates to an evaluation system (1 ), which enables to determine the location of the user by using radio and/or audio signals, and which basically comprises at least one generator (2) which enables to generate signals specific to the environment and to transmit the said signals, at least one terminal (3) which detects the signals transmitted by the generator (2), at least one database (4) wherein the geographical location of the generator (2) is kept.

Description

AN EVALUATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an evaluation system and method which enables to determine the location of the user and to establish interaction with the user by using radio and/or audio signals.

Background of the Invention

Loyalty programs (rewarding points, bonus and/or frequent flyer programs) occupying an important place in the marketing area enable the consumers to be rewarded after expenditure according to their expenditure amounts and frequencies.

However a personal evaluation about the experiences of the consumers during shopping cannot be made with these programs. Frequency of entrance and exit of the consumer to the retail or service point, the time s/lie spends in the store, how long s/he has stayed in which sections, the products that s/he has been close to and the products that s/he has examined cannot be determined. Additionally, what the consumer shares about which products or product properties with her/his social circles, and what kind of an interaction s/he establishes with the store personnel cannot be determined either.

In the state of the art, there are some systems which enable to evaluate the experiences of the consumers within the store. These systems are placed at the suitable parts of the departments or sections, and they evaluate the human density in front of the department or section by using radio waves. However these evaluations provide only total and anonymous information as the identity of the person cannot be determined. These evaluations are used for optimization of the shopping flow.

It is possible to determine identities and experiences of the consumers in the store via active RFID devices, however within the process of providing these devices to the consumers and conducting evaluation, obliging the consumer to actively use the devices is inconvenient and the cost of the system is too high for the real life applications except for niche applications, and is not efficient in terms of cost.

Kiosks and information terminals with which the users can interact in the store are also used for the puiposes of interaction and evaluation. However these do not evaluate the experience of the consumer in the store, they are only used for providing information to the user or for the user to conduct a query.

In the existing loyalty programs, the consumer goes to the cashier's desk after s/he completes her/his shopping and the cashier evaluates the content of the shopping cart via identification number (ID) of the consumer (or in place of that; magnetic, contactless or integrated circuit cards (ICC), barcode/QR code printed cards, telephone number, credit/bank card number, customer number). Rewarding program is conducted according to the purchase content.

In retailing; establishing sections within the store, organizing departments, shelves, coloring, flooring, illumination elements, music broadcast and odorization, and increasing interest and information of the personnel are used in order to enhance engagement, customer satisfaction and shopping cart conversion rate of the customers in the shop.

In the state of the art, which of the said elements attract which customers, at which time slots, days and seasons they are effective, and how they influence shopping conversion rate and purchasing decision cannot be evaluated.

Location of devices that emit radio signals such as mobile phones, radios, radio transmitters, etc. can be determined by analyzing the emitted radio signals. Thus especially the radio/television transmitters which are pirate broadcasting can be detected. Furthermore, radio waves emitted from the said devices are used also for finding people who are lost in nature. There are various methods for determining locations of the said signals. Triangulation, trilateration and multilateration can be given as examples to these methods.

Apart from these, location determination can also be performed by terminals (telephone, tablet, mobile computer, etc.) which are equipped (hardware and software) to analyze the radio signals emitted via location determination systems such as GPS, GLONASS that emit radio signals, or GSM base stations, Wi-Fi access-points, Bluetooth beacons and RF enabled NFC based devices

The method of analyzing the ambient sound is used for detection of presence (proof of presence) rather than for location estimation. With this method, it is detected that the user is present at an occasion; however it canno be detected at what part of that occasion the user is located.

The International patent document no. WO201 1014292 discloses an invention for presence detection. In the system of the said invention, an identifier signal is transmitted in an open-air environment by an ultrasonic transmitter and this signal is received by a microphone of a mobile phone. The ultrasonic identifier is associated with a location, which may be a store or a department within a store.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide an evaluation system and method which enables to determine the location of the user by using radio and/or audio signals.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an evaluation system and a method which enables to perceive experiences of the customers during shopping and to use the obtained data in loyalty programs. A further objective of the present invention is to provide an evaluation system and method which can be practically applied, low cost and convenient such that it does not bother the consumers. Detailed Description of the Invention

The evaluation system and method developed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of the evaluation system.

Figure 2 is the flowchart of the evaluation method.

The components shown in the figures are each given reference numerals as follows: 1. Evaluation system

2. Generator

21. Clock signal generator

22. Control unit

23. Signal transmitter

3. Terminal

31. Location determining unit

32. Signal receiver

33. Communication unit

34. Image processing unit

35. Control unit

4. Database

The inventive evaluation system (1 ) comprises

— at least one generator (2) which enables to generate signals specific to the occasion and to transmit the said signals,

— at least one terminal (3) which detects (receives) the signals transmitted by the generator (2), — at least one database (4) wherein the geographical location of the generator (2) and the data (location of the user, the products in her/his basket/cart, interactions of the user, time, location and query information regarding these interactions, etc.) related to the user are kept,

The generator (2) in the inventive evaluation system (1 ) comprises

— at least one clock signal generator (21) which generates the clock signals that are used as reference in determining the characteristics of signals such as signal generation time, frequency, pulse width etc.,

— at least one control unit (22) which uses the signal generated by the clock signal generator (21 ) as reference and generates the signal that will be transmitted to this environment in accordance with this reference,

— at least one signal transmitter (23) which enables to transmit the signals generated by the control unit (22) to the environment.

The terminal (3) in the inventive evaluation system (1 ) comprises

— at least one location determining unit (31 ) which enables to determine the geographical location of the terminal (3),

— at least one signal receiver (32) which enables to receive the signals transmitted by the generator (2),

— at least one communication unit (33) which enables to access the database (4) that includes the data related to the generator (2),

— at least one image processing unit (34) which enables to detect visual elements,

— at least one control unit (35) which enables to process the signals received from the signal receiver (32) and the image processing unit (34).

In the inventive evaluation system (1), while the database (4) can be a remote database (4) which the terminal (3) can access via a network connection, it can also be a database (4) which is kept in the memory unit within the terminal (3). Each generator (2) in the inventive evaluation system (1 ) has a unique identity. This identity can also be characterized as the signature of each generator (2). Each generator (2) generates a signal of its own specific message packets which include this signature. The generator (2) is placed at the region where the presence and interactions of the user are desired to be evaluated and where the user is desired to be communicated with. The generator (2) transmits the signal that carries its own specific message packet at the said region. When the terminal (3) receives the signal that is transmitted by the generator (2), it decodes this signal and queries the message packet carried by the decoded signal in the database (4). Thus the terminal (3) receives the generator (2) information included in the database (4) and finds out the location of the generator (2).

The generator (2) in the inventive evaluation system (1 ) generates a signal which carries its own specific message packet. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this signal is transmitted through 4 or more different channels. The amount of data that is carried by the packet can be increased and/or the time the message packets are carried can be decreased by increasing the number of channels. Among the said channels, the preamble bit which indicates the beginning of the message packet is transmitted through the 1^st channel. The 2^nd channel indicates the next bit that will follow. The bit transmitted through the 2^nd channel can be named as the indicator bit. Right after a bit is transmitted at the 2^nd channel, a bit is transmitted through the 3^rd, 4^th or the subsequent channels. The bits at the 3^rd channel are considered as "0" bit and the bits at the 4^th channel are considered as "1" bit. The bits transmitted through the channels following the 4^lh channel can be considered as a new bit by incrementing one by one.

The bits at the 3^rd, 4^th and the following channels can be named as message packets. To put it in a better way, each signal begins with a preamble bit transmitted through the l^sl channel. This signal is followed by an indicator bit transmitted through the 2^nd channel. The said indicator bit is followed by a bit transmitted through the 3^rd, 4^th or other channels. When the message packet transmitted by signals is completed, finally a parity bit is transmitted through one of the channels among the 3^rd, 4^< or the subsequent channels, and this way it can be verified whether the message packet is transmitted flawlessly or not.

When the message packets that should be transmitted by the signal are completed, an indicator bit is transmitted again and following this bit, a stop bit which indicates that the signal is completely transmitted. Before any data bit is transmitted in the said signal, an indicator bit which indicates that that bit will be transmitted is transmitted through the 2^nd channel.

Each generator (2) in the inventive evaluation system (1 ) has its own specific message packet. This message packet changes the order of the bits transmitted through the 3rd, 4th and subsequent channels.

The user makes the mobile device ready for use before entering into the region where evaluation is intended to be conducted. This process may be turning on the mobile device (3), running a software on the device or automatic execution of the application according to the latitude-longitude and deviation information (i.e. when the mobile device enters into the region where evaluation is intended to be conducted) received from the location determining unit (31), however evaluation is not limited to these processes.

When the user enters into the region where evaluation is intended to be conducted, the signal receiver (32) provided on the terminal (3) receives the signals transmitted by the signal transmitter (23) provided in the generator (2). The control unit (35) communicates with the database (4) via the communication unit (33) and receives the location information of the signal transmitters (23) on the world. Then the control unit (35) compares the powers of the signals coming to the signal receiver (32) from each generator (2) with each other and calculates the location of the terminal (3) and thus of the user in relation to these generators (2). This calculated location is communicated to the database (4) via the communication unit (33). When the user desires to obtain information of a product, s/he transfers the visual identifiers such as barcode, QR code, etc. provided on the product to the terminal (3) via the image processing unit (34). The terminal (3) queries this obtained information in the database (4) via the communication unit (33). At the end of the query, the information obtained from the database (4) is transferred to the terminal (3).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the signal receiver (32) can also detect the signals transmitted by the RFID tags. In this application, the RFID tags on the products are transferred to the terminal (3) by means of the signal receiver (32) provided on the terminal (3). The terminal (3) queries this obtained information in the database (4) via the communication unit (33). The information obtained from the database (4) as a result of the query is transferred to the mobile device (3).

In one embodiment of the invention, the visual elements such as barcode, QR code etc. and/or RFID tags are also provided on the objects such as banners, posters etc. and on the personnel. Thus the user can be informed about these elements as well.

In the inventive evaluation system (1), data such as location of the user, the spot s/he is located, which products s/he is close to, which products are in her/his shopping basket/cart, the other interactions of the user are saved into the database (4) such that they include variables such as time, location, query data belonging to the said interaction. This way information such as how much time the user spends in which region, how often s/he visits which region can be obtained from the database (4).

These data included in the database (4) can be analyzed instantly or later on. As a result of these analyses, interaction and engagement of the user can be evaluated. Varied contents such as the products that the user is interested in and/or needs, information about the products, etc. can be determined by using these evaluation data and the other profile information of the user such as expenditure, demography, social media interactions. On the other hand, context sensitive, direct and user-specific communications can be established with the user during evaluation. While these communications can be provided directly via the user's mobile device, an authorized personnel that will serve the user in person can be informed and the personnel can be enabled to contact the user remotely or closely.

This way, the users can be provided with information, rewards, campaigns, etc. according to their interests and needs, and can be supported.

In addition to this, the kind of connection between the changes and arrangements made in certain regions and the user's visit and interaction can be determined based on the evaluation data. For example, it can be understood whether a change made in a store department influences the store customers positively or negatively.

The inventive evaluation method (100) comprises the following steps

each generator (2) transmitting a signal carrying its own specific message packet (101),

the terminal (3) receiving the environmental sounds (102),

the terminal (3) extracting the signals transmitted by the generator (2) from the environmental sounds (103),

the terminal (3) querying the signal transmitted by the generator (2) in the database (4) (104),

the database (4) transmitting the information regarding the queried signal to the terminal (3) (105),

the terminal (3) comparing the received information with its instant data (106),

if the instant data of the terminal (3) is consistent with the information obtained from the database (4), verifying its location (107),

if the instant data of the terminal (3) is inconsistent with the information obtained from the database (4), ignoring the data and restarting the procedures. In the inventive evaluation method (100), each generator (2) transmits its own specific message information in a manner described above (101). The terminal (3) listens to the sounds in the environment in which it is located by using the signal receiver (32) (102) and extracts the signal transmitted by the generator (2) from these sounds (103). The terminal (3) queries this signal, which is transmitted by the generator (2), in the database (4) via the communication unit (33) (104). In response to this query, the database (4) delivers the information it has to the terminal (3). This information can be information such as location, signal characteristic, etc. The terminal (3) which receives the information returning from the database (4) determines its own location by using the location determining unit (31) provided thereon and compares this location with the location indicated in the information returning from the database (4) (106). If the data detected by the terminal (3) is consistent with the information returning from the database (4), the location is verified (107). If the instant data of the terminal (3) is inconsistent with the information obtained from the database (4), the terminal (3) ignores all the data, and the procedures are started again from the step of each generator (2) transmitting its own specific signal (i.e. step 101).

In one embodiment of the invention, as a result of each step of verifying the location of the user (i.e. step 107), the verified location is recorded in the database (4).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the data recorded in the database is analyzed retrospectively. This analysis can be performed immediately or later on. User's interaction, habit profile etc. tendencies can be obtained as a result of this analysis. Additionally, as a result of this analysis, it is possible to determine areas of interest of the user by matching the user's expenditure data and the interaction data; and to calculate the purchasing conversion rates by comparing the location and purchasing data based on the store, department and product.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each time when the user's location is verified, communication is established with the user by using the information obtained as a result of the analysis. While this communication can be established directly via the terminal (3) of the user, it can also be performed by methods such as sending messages to the user, calling up, etc.

In one embodiment of the invention, the ID and location information of the user recorded in the database (4) are instantly shared with the authorized persons. Thus in case of need, support personnel can be directed to the location where the user is situated.

In one embodiment of the invention, procedures can be applied related to the place that the user is close to. In this embodiment, information can be obtained regarding the product, store, section or department at which the user is located. In this embodiment, the user provides information by participating in various surveys, giving points to various products, adding these products to her/his favorites, sharing them in social media or by providing feedback. According to the information obtained from the user, it is possible to organize various campaigns, generate offers and present them to the user, and to inform the user about the other stores, departments or products that are near the region at which the user is located. Additionally, it is also possible, as a result of the procedures carried out regarding the place where the user is located, to give rewarding points (bonus) to the user, providing chances for lotteries, offering promotional products, giving gifts or creating various interaction steps for the user to earn them, and bestowing one chance to the user at the end of each interaction related to the said steps.

In the case that the terminal (3) receives signals generated by a plurality of generators (2), the terminal (3) queries each signal separately in the database (4), and verifies its location according to the information returning from the database (4). For example, if the terminal (3) only receives the signal transmitted by generator (2) A, it is understood that the terminal (3) is at the location where the generator (2) A is located. If the terminal (3) only receives the signal transmitted by generator (2) B, it is understood that the terminal (3) is at the location where the generator (2) B is located. If the terminal (3) receives the signals transmitted by both generator (2) A and generator (2) B, it is understood that the terminal (3) is at a location between generator (2) A and B.

It is possible to establish context sensitive personal communication or interaction via the information obtained upon verifying the location of the user by means of the evaluation system (1) and method (100) described in this invention.

It is possible to develop a wide variety of embodiments of the inventive evaluation system (1) and method (100). The invention cannot be limited to the examples described herein and it is essentially as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. An evaluation system (1) basically characterized by

- at least one generator (2) which enables to generate environmentally specific signals and to transmit the said signals,

- at least one terminal (3) which detects (receives) the signals transmitted by the generator (2),

- at least one database (4) wherein the geographical location of the generator (2) is kept.

2. An evaluation system (1) according to Claim 1 , characterized by the generator (2) comprising

at least one clock signal generator (21) which generates the clock signals that are used as reference in determining the characteristics of signals such as generation time, frequency, pulse width etc.,

at least one control unit (22) which uses the signal generated by the clock signal generator (21) as reference and generates the signal that will be transmitted to this environment in accordance with this reference,

at least one signal transmitter (23) which enables to transmit the signals generated by the control unit (22) to the environment.

3. An evaluation system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the terminal (3) comprising

at least one location determining unit (31 ) which enables to determine the geographical location of the terminal (3),

at least one signal receiver (32) which enables to receive the signals transmitted by the generator (2),

at least one communication unit (33) which enables to access the database (4) that includes the data related to the generator (2),

at least one image processing unit (34) which enables to detect visual elements, at least one control unit (35) which enables to process the signals received from the signal receiver (32) and the image processing unit (34).

4. An evaluation system (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the terminal (3) which receives the signal transmitted by the generator (2), decodes this signal and queries the decoded signal in the database (4).

5. An evaluation system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the generator (2) having an identity specific to itself.

6. An evaluation system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the generator (2) which transmits its own specific signal through at least 4 different channels.

7. An evaluation system (1) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the preamble bit indicating the beginning of the code is transmitted through the 1^st channel, the indicator bit indicating the bit that will follow itself is transmitted through the 2^nd channel and the data bits are transmitted through the 3 ^rd and 4^th channels.

8. An evaluation system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the database (4) which records the location of the user, the products in her/his basket/cart, interactions of the user including the time, location and query information variables regarding these interactions.

9. An evaluation system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by the terminal (3) which, in the case that it receives signals generated by a plurality of generators (2), queries each signal separately in the database (4).

10. An evaluation method (100) characterized by the steps of each generator (2) transmitting its own specific signal (101),

the terminal (3) receiving the environmental sounds (102),

if the instant data of the terminal (3) is inconsistent with the information obtained from the database (4), ignoring the data and restarting the procedures.

11. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the information obtained as a result of each step of verifying the location of the user (107) is recorded in the database (4).

12. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 1 1 , characterized in that the data recorded in the database (4) are analyzed retrospectively. .

13. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 12, characterized in that the tendencies of the user such as interaction, habit profile, etc. are obtained.

14. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 13, characterized in that areas of interest of the user are determined by matching the expenditure data and the interaction data of the user.

15. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 14, characterized in that the purchasing conversion rates of the user are calculated by comparing the store, department, product, location and purchasing information of the user.

16. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 12 to 1 5, characterized in that each time when the user's location is verified, communication is enabled to be established with the user by using the information obtained as a result of the analysis.

17. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the ID and location information of the user recorded in the database (4) are instantly shared with the authorized persons.

18. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 17, characterized in that a support personnel is directed to the location of the user and is enabled to establish contact in person.

19. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 10 to 18, characterized in that information is obtained regarding the product, store, section or department at which the user is located.

20. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 10 to 19, characterized in that the user provides information by participating in various surveys, giving points to various products, adding these products to her/his favorites, sharing them in social media or by providing feedback.

21. An evaluation method (100) according to Claim 20, characterized by organizing various campaigns and generating offers according to the information obtained from the user and presenting them to the user.

22. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 10 to 21, characterized in that the user is informed about the other stores, departments or products that are near the region at which the user is located.

23. An evaluation method (100) according to any of Claims 10 to 22, characterized in that, as a result of the procedures carried out regarding the place where the user is located, points (bonus) are given to the user, chances for lotteries are provided, promotional products are offered, gifts are given or various interaction steps are created for the user to earn them, and one chance is bestowed to the user at the end of each interaction related to the said steps.