Method and system for assisted purchasing at a brick-and-mortar point of sale

Abstract

A system comprises a device (41) for assisting purchases, the device comprising: a central portion (411); suspension arms (412) connected to the central portion and extending on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container (4) provided with an opening to allow the portable container to be carried by the device; at least one motion sensor (418) configured to detect movement through the opening of the portable container; at least one image sensor (420) configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening; and a position sensor configured to determine a current position of the device in a point of sale.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of methods and systems for improving the retail shopping experience, and more particularly to methods and systems for facilitating purchases at self-service retail points of sale.

[0002] In this context, a "self-service retail point of sale" is any physical sales location where customers can move freely through the various sections and purchase the items for sale on their own.

[0003] In such a point of sale, as a customer walks around the point of sale with a portable container, such as a shopping basket or tote bag, provided by the point of sale or belonging to the customer, the customer selects items and places these items in the container.

[0004] After completing their shopping, the customer proceeds to a checkout counter, typically located at the exit of the point of sale, to pay for their items.

[0005] Once payment is made, ownership of the item is transferred to the customer, completing the purchase transaction.

[0006] The growth of e-commerce is seen as a means of saving time. As a result, customers who still go to physical stores are increasingly reluctant to spend a significant amount of time there.

[0007] Thus, Amazon recently proposed a grocery store without checkout counters or payment terminals, but equipped with cameras and sensors that detect products removed from or returned to the various sections by customers and add them to a virtual shopping basket. Upon entering the store, customers scan an app on their mobile device to identify them, and their Amazon account is charged upon leaving. The technology used can observe shoppers' habits and behavior and eliminate checkout lines. However, this technology requires thousands of sensors and cameras placed on the store's ceiling, and this expensive and complex implementation is only proposed for a single point of sale.

[0008] In existing conventional points of sale, in addition to having to wait in line for a checkout or payment terminal, customers must remove all items from their shopping baskets and return them to the shopping baskets (or place the items in a bag) after checking out all items at the checkout counter or terminal.

[0009] In other words, when purchasing at a self-service point of sale, the customer places the items they wish to purchase in their shopping basket as they shop and, at checkout, must:

[0010] - If it is busy, wait for your turn,

[0011] - Unload all items from the shopping basket,

[0012] - Wait for the cashier or payment terminal to scan the items one by one and confirm payment, and

[0013] - Return purchased items to the same or another shopping basket.

[0014] These steps cause unnecessary wasted time for the customer, which is often accompanied by a distorted perception of time. In fact, even if the time taken is objectively short, it is often perceived by the customer as much longer than it actually is, which has an impact on the effectiveness of the point of sale.

[0015] In order to improve the effectiveness of self-service points of sale, solutions have been proposed that aim to improve the customer's shopping experience, in particular by reducing the time spent at checkout.

[0016] According to the first solution, known as "self-scanning," customers are invited to scan their purchases using a barcode reader provided at the point of sale entrance. As they move through the various sections of the point of sale, they use the reader to scan the items in their shopping basket. At checkout, the cashier simply downloads the information from the reader and oversees the payment. This makes checkout relatively easy for customers.

[0017] Another solution, known as "self-checkout" or "automated checkout," involves the customer completing the cashier's work. Upon reaching the checkout machine, the customer empties their shopping basket and carefully scans the items themselves, following instructions provided for them. The customer then pays for their purchase and collects their items.

[0018] In another solution, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are embedded in the items for sale so that all items placed in a customer's shopping basket can be identified simultaneously. When the customer goes to the checkout counter to pay for their purchase, an RFID reader reads the RFID tags embedded in the different items without having to remove the items from the customer's shopping basket, thereby speeding up the checkout process.

[0019] However, known solutions have disadvantages both for the customer and the point of sale.

[0020] “Self-scanning” and “self-checkout” approaches based on guided contribution / cooperation of customers require both technical and social acceptance of the tools provided.

[0021] Lack of familiarity with these tools or refusal to make additional efforts to adapt to them hinders customer adoption.

[0022] Furthermore, to ensure successful collaboration, customers must clearly understand their expectations, be motivated to adopt relevant behaviors, and possess the necessary skills to perform the assigned tasks.

[0023] For some customers, using the provided tools requires additional intellectual effort for which they are not necessarily prepared.

[0024] With self-scanning, customers must remember to scan each item they place in their shopping basket.

[0025] However, it is often undesirable for a customer to wonder whether an item they just placed in their shopping basket was scanned, or whether the item was scanned twice, causing a moment of doubt and wasted time.

[0026] Furthermore, these customer engagement-based approaches effectively make customers “executive customers,” which may undermine customer value.

[0027] In fact, by scanning items themselves through self-scanning or automated checkout, customers may feel that they are performing tasks on behalf of the staff at the point of sale (therefore working for the point of sale without receiving any reward). Customers may feel bad about this and therefore have a poor shopping experience.

[0028] The customer's shopping experience is also adversely affected by the basic mechanical aspects of scanning their items one by one.

[0029] Solutions based on the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are costly because they require the configuration and integration of RFID tags in all items to be sold.

[0030] For some products, the cost of integrating RFID tags can easily make their price too high compared to customer expectations.

[0031] Furthermore, this option is practically available only to points of sale that participate in the production chain of the item to be sold.

[0032] Therefore, this solution is not usable for any point of sale that offers sale items of different categories and / or from different manufacturers.

[0033] This last solution also raises the problem of obtaining an accurate count of the entire contents of the shopping basket, ie the ability to accurately identify all items placed in said shopping basket.

[0034] It is worth noting that the RFID tag of an item placed in the center of the shopping basket may be covered by one or more other items (which act as radio wave insulators), thereby preventing communication with the RFID scanner / reader and causing the item in question to not be accurately identified or not be detected at all.

[0035] Partial scanning of shopping baskets results in losses at the point of sale.

[0036] Document WO 2016 / 135142 (Heinrich) describes a shopping cart comprising sensors that collect data for automatically identifying items placed in the cart by a customer.

[0037] However, this solution has disadvantages.

[0038] At the point of sale, shopping carts, due to their size, are often nested and stored outside the point of sale (in a parking lot, near the point of sale entrance, or at the point of sale exit). Consequently, when shopping carts are nested, sensors installed therein can be easily damaged. Furthermore, the sensors are not monitored by the point of sale and are accessible to users outside the point of sale, making them vulnerable to attempts at tampering or damage. Furthermore, shopping carts are susceptible to impacts that could adversely affect the proper operation of the sensors.

[0039] Additionally, a shopping cart may not be suitable for shopping at a point of sale depending on the needs of the customer (e.g., fewer than ten items) and / or the size or space of the point of sale (small items, luxury items, insufficient space to move around with the shopping cart, obstructions, or stairs that prohibit the use of a shopping cart).

[0040] Furthermore, in order to benefit from the advantages of the system described in document WO 2016 / 135142, customers are required to use the shopping cart. This solution is not available to customers with handbags that are not designed for this solution.

[0041] Furthermore, shopping carts are typically provided by the point of sale, requiring customers to retrieve their items and return the used shopping cart to the point of sale once their purchase is complete. While this solution can speed up the checkout process for customers, it does not save the time required to retrieve items from the shopping cart.

[0042] An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0043] Another object of the present invention is to propose a purchase assistance solution that requires less effort on the part of the customer.

[0044] It is another object of the present invention to improve the shopping experience at self-service retail points of sale by minimizing the elapsed time perceived by the customer.

[0045] It is another object of the present invention to improve the shopping experience at self-service brick-and-mortar points of sale by reducing the time required to scan items at checkout.

[0046] Another object of the present invention is to facilitate shopping activities.

[0047] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that provides an updated list of items in a customer's shopping basket as the customer makes a purchase at a self-service point of sale.

[0048] Another object of the present invention is to propose a method and system that simplifies and speeds up the checkout process.

[0049] Another object of the present invention is to propose a purchase assistance device in a self-service point of sale for customers who have their own shopping basket / bag or a portable container provided by the point of sale.

[0050] Another object of the present invention is to propose a purchase assistance system for a customer having any type of portable container, in particular belonging to the customer and which may have virtually any shape.

[0051] Another object of the invention is to encourage the use of connected digital technologies in warehouses (smart shopping) to improve the shopping experience in physical points of sale.

[0052] To this end, a system including a customer purchase assistance device at a self-service retail sales point is first proposed, the system comprising:

[0053] - central part,

[0054] - suspension arms connected to the central portion and extending on either side of the central portion, said suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container provided with an opening enabling articles for sale at the point of sale to be placed in the portable container, so as to allow the portable container to be carried by the device, said opening being such that the central portion faces said opening when the portable container is carried using the device,

[0055] at least one movement sensor configured to detect movement through the opening of the portable container when the portable container is carried using the device,

[0056] at least one image sensor configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening when the portable container is carried using the device and the movement sensor has detected movement through the opening,

[0057] - a position sensor configured to determine the current position of the device in the point of sale,

[0058] The system also includes:

[0059] - processing means provided with information about the list of items sold at the point of sale and configured to identify, with a predetermined confidence level, an item appearing in said at least one image, the item being identified from a reduced list of items included in said list of items, the reduced list of items being determined as a function of the position of said device determined by the position sensor.

[0060] Various additional features may be implemented individually or in combination:

[0061] - determining the simplified inventory list based on the current location and / or previous location of the shopping aid,

[0062] - the central part of the purchasing assistance device comprises an image sensor,

[0063] the purchasing assistance device further comprising a weight sensor configured to measure a change in weight of the portable container when the device is used to carry the portable container, the processing means further using this change to identify the item appearing in the at least one image,

[0064] the purchasing assistance device further comprises at least one distance sensor configured to measure, in a contactless manner and when the portable container is carried using the device, a distance between the distance sensor and an item at least partially located within a measuring range of the distance sensor,

[0065] - the suspension arms comprise holding means designed to keep the portable container open when the device is used to carry it,

[0066] - the holding means comprises a contact sensor configured to detect whether the device is used to carry a portable container,

[0067] - the purchasing aid comprises a handle linked to the central portion,

[0068] - the device comprises a card reader configured to read a customer identifier from a physical or virtual card, the processing means being configured to associate said device with said customer identifier.

[0069] Secondly, an assembly comprising a portable container and the purchasing assistance device is proposed. In some embodiments, the portable container is made of a deformable material.

[0070] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer and more particularly apparent from the following description of embodiments provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0071] - Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a point of sale enabling implementation of different embodiments,

[0072] - Figures 2 to 5 is a non-limiting schematic representation of the functionality of a purchasing assistance device according to various embodiments,

[0073] - Figure 6is a schematic diagram of components included in a purchasing assistance device according to various embodiments,

[0074] - Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a purchase assistance method for customers at a point of sale.

[0075] In this context, a “self-service retail point of sale” means any physical point of sale, whether dedicated to a given product category or otherwise, through which customers can move freely and purchase the items for sale on their own.

[0076] A point of sale is, for example, a boutique, a department store, a specialty store, a big-box store, a supermarket or a hypermarket.

[0077] As non-limiting examples, self-service retail points of sale may include a store specializing in beauty products, a secondary drug store, a duty-free store, a grocery store, a bookstore, a large food store, a mini-mart, a large DIY store, a supermarket, or a hypermarket belonging to a large food retailer.

[0078] In such sales outlets, Figure 1 As shown, articles 1 are sold in a section 2 through which a customer 3 with a portable container 4 can move freely and fill a shopping basket during said movement, without intervention by staff of the point of sale 10 .

[0079] The partition 2 of the point of sale 10 is most commonly a shop display, or more generally a support 5 (display case, rack, shelf, rack, pallet, etc.) designed to support or (in the case of a refrigerated shop display) contain items 1 for sale.

[0080] These store display tables may be provided in various forms, such as an island display table 51 and / or a wall display table 52 and / or a center display table 53 and / or a shelf display table 54 .

[0081] The display stand head 55 may also be arranged at the end of the aisle of the central display stand 53 .

[0082] The article 1 is typically placed on a shelf of a store display or attached to a peg, rod or arm mounted on a store display or any other support 5 .

[0083] refer to Figures 2 to 5 , the customer 3 carries the portable container 4 using a purchasing aid 41 , which is designed to help the customer 3 make a purchase at the point of sale 10 .

[0084] In some embodiments, the purchasing aid 41 is an integral part of the portable container 4 .

[0085] In other embodiments, the purchase assistance device 41 is removably coupled to the portable container 4. In other words, the purchase assistance device 41 can be separated from the portable container 4 and can be installed on or removed from the portable container.

[0086] In some embodiments, purchasing assistance device 41 is provided to customer 3 separately or in combination with portable container 4 , for example, at the entrance of point of sale 10 or at any other location of point of sale 10 .

[0087] The portable container 4 is, for example, a shopping basket with handles which enable the shopping basket to be held and carried comfortably, with or without the shopping aid 41 .

[0088] More generally, the portable container 4 is any receiver / container / shopping basket / bag having fastening points (such as attachment points, holes, slots, anchoring elements, handles) designed to receive the purchasing aid 41 and to be comfortably carried by the customer 3 using the purchasing aid 41.

[0089] The portable container 4 may be made of one or more rigid, semi-rigid or deformable materials.

[0090] For example, the portable container 4 is a shopping basket with handles made of a polymer material or metal wire, a tote bag made of fabric (eg, nylon or cotton), or a brown paper bag.

[0091] The portable container 4 may be provided to the customer 3 by the point of sale 10 , sold at the point of sale 10 , or brought in by the customer 3 .

[0092] In some embodiments, in order to not take up space at the point of sale 10 , the portable container 4 can be folded and / or nested / stacked when separated from the purchasing assistance device 41 .

[0093] The portable container has an opening that provides access to the interior of the portable container 4. The opening enables the customer 3 to insert or remove the item 1. The opening is typically a main opening opposite the bottom of the portable container 4.

[0094] When the customer 3 carries the portable container 4 using the purchase assisting device 41 , the purchase assisting device 41 is above the portable container 4 .

[0095] In other words, the purchasing assistance device 41 is suspended above the opening of the portable container 4 .

[0096] Therefore, the purchasing assistance device 41 faces the opening of the portable container 4 .

[0097] The customer 3 can easily enter the interior of the portable container 4 from spaces on both sides of the purchase assistance device 41 .

[0098] In certain embodiments, the purchasing aid 41 is in the form of a handle or the like.

[0099] In certain embodiments, the purchasing assistance device 41 is pivotally mounted on the portable container 4 with or without a vertical locking system.

[0100] Alternatively, in the case where the purchasing assistance device 41 is an integral part of the portable container 4 (i.e., when the device and the portable container 4 together form a single part), or in the case where the device is mounted thereon, the purchasing assistance device 41 is maintained vertically relative to the opening of the portable container 4 so as to divide the space for entering the interior of the portable container 4 into substantially identical subspaces.

[0101] exist Figure 2 and Figure 4 In the example shown, the purchasing assistance device 41 divides the opening for accessing the interior of the portable container 4 into two substantially identical subspaces.

[0102] The purchasing assistance device 41 has a central portion 411 , suspension arms 412 linked to the central portion 411 and extending from both sides of the central portion 411 , and a handle 413 linked to the central portion 411 .

[0103] exist Figures 2 to 5 In the example shown in FIG. 4 , the purchasing assistance device 41 has two suspension arms 412 extending from two opposite sides of a central portion 411 .

[0104] In another embodiment (not shown), the purchasing assistance device 41 has three, four, or more than four suspension arms 412 .

[0105] In certain embodiments, the suspension arms 412 are substantially identical and evenly distributed around the central portion 411 .

[0106] The hanging arm 412 is designed to hold the portable container 4 open so that its interior or its contents can be seen, especially if the portable container is easily deformed (e.g., a bag made of plastic, fabric or brown paper).

[0107] In some embodiments, the suspension arm 412 is sufficiently retractable and / or rigid to hold the portable container 4 open so that the interior thereof is visible while the portable container is being carried by the shopping assistance device 41 .

[0108] The suspension arms 412 enable the purchasing aid 41 to hold the handles of the portable container 4 apart. To this end, each suspension arm 412 has a holding device 414 at its distal end portion.

[0109] The holding means 414 enables the handles of the portable container 4 to be held apart, thereby allowing the portable container 4 to be held open so that the interior thereof can be viewed.

[0110] In some embodiments, the retaining device 414 comprises a reclosable loop having magnetic ends that enable the loop to be closed around the handle of the portable container 4 and facilitate the retrieval of the purchasing aid 41 .

[0111] The handle 413 of the shopping aid 41 is designed to enable the portable container 4 to be comfortably carried in one hand. In some embodiments (not shown), the handle 413 is pivotally mounted on the central portion 411. To this end, a neck extending from the central portion 411 links the handle 413 to the central portion 411. In some embodiments, the neck can extend telescopically or in the form of a notched handle.

[0112] A central portion 411 facing the interior of the portable container 4 carried by the purchasing assistance device 41 comprises a processing unit 415 linked to a plurality of sensors and to at least one wireless communication interface built into the purchasing assistance device 41 .

[0113] These devices are used to authenticate objects 1 in portable containers 4 carried by customers 3 .

[0114] In this case, the processing unit 415 refers to any physical device (including a processor, memory, bus, and other electronic components for executing computer programs) that can capture data and provide the functions required to implement the data processing method.

[0115] In some embodiments, the purchase assistance device 41 includes a first wireless communication interface 416 that enables direct or indirect communication between the processing unit 415 and a local or remote server, such as a processing server, and / or a payment server, and / or a customer account server, and / or a push notification server, and / or a messaging server. The first wireless communication interface 416 is, for example, interface, interface or an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network interface (such as 3G, 4G or 5G).

[0116] In some embodiments, the first wireless communication interface 416 enables communication over a local network between the processing unit 415 and a plurality of access points distributed throughout the point of sale 10. The access points are arranged in a predetermined grid (such as by level, radius, or area) throughout the point of sale 10. Each of these access points is linked to one or more remote servers and routes communications from the processing unit 415 to the appropriate remote / local server based on the content of the communication, the location of the purchasing assistance device 41 in the point of sale 10, or the availability of the destination server.

[0117] In a variant or combination, the purchase assistance device 41 has a second wireless communication interface 417 that enables communication between the processing unit 415 and a user terminal (such as a smartphone, tablet or phablet), connected objects or beacons arranged according to a predetermined grid in the point of sale 10. This second wireless communication interface 417 is for example interface, interface, ZigBee interface or infrared interface (IR).

[0118] The purchasing assistance device 41 includes a movement sensor 418. The movement sensor 418 is configured to detect any movement associated with inserting or removing the item 1 into or from the portable container 4 (such as any entry into the interior of the portable container 4).

[0119] In some embodiments, a plurality of motion sensors 418 are arranged inside the purchasing assistance device 41 to cover the entire opening of the portable container 4 .

[0120] For example, a plurality of infrared motion sensors 418 are arranged on the lower surface of the central portion 411 of the purchase auxiliary device 41 (at Figure 2 In the case shown) and / or inner surface (in Figure 4 The mobile sensors 418 are oriented so that their fields of view together at least partially cover the opening and / or interior of the portable container 4.

[0121] The movement sensor 418 notifies the processing unit 415 of any movement detected through the opening of the portable container 4 .

[0122] The purchasing assistance device 41 advantageously includes a weight sensor 419, which is used by the processing unit 415 to detect any changes / variations in the weight of the portable container 4 carried by the customer 3. This enables the processing unit 415 to determine the change. The weight change may be caused by placing an item 1 in or removing it from the portable container 4. The processing unit 415 then has the weight value of the item 1 just placed in or removed from the portable container 4. The sensitivity of the weight sensor 419 can be set according to the lowest weight of the item 1 to be sold and / or according to the difference between the weights of different items 1 to be sold. In some embodiments, the weight sensor 419 samples the current weight of the portable container 4 continuously, at a predetermined frequency, or upon request from the processing unit 415.

[0123] The processing unit 415 is always aware of the weight changes of the portable container 4 detected by the weight sensor 419 and, in some embodiments, stores the changes in a buffer memory of a predetermined size.

[0124] In some embodiments, the weight sensor 419 is built into the handle 413 or the hanging arm 412 of the shopping aid 41 .

[0125] The processing unit 415 may request continuous or discrete weight readings from the weight sensor 419 within a predetermined time associated with the detection of movement by the movement sensor 418 .

[0126] In a variant, weight sensor 419 transmits measurements taken at a predetermined frequency. These measurements are stored in a buffer memory and time-stamped by processing unit 415. Thus, when motion sensor 418 signals a detected movement, processing unit 415 can observe changes in the weight measurements provided by weight sensor 419.

[0127] The purchasing assistance device 41 advantageously comprises one or more image sensors 420 (or vision sensors).

[0128] Each image sensor 420 is designed to capture a still image or video of at least a portion of the opening of the portable container 4. When the portable container 4 is carried using the shopping aid 41, the image sensor is used to capture images of the opening of the portable container 4 and / or the items 1 inside.

[0129] To this end, the central portion 411 of the purchase auxiliary device 41 advantageously comprises a central image sensor 420, such as Figures 2 to 5 The central image sensor 420 is arranged centrally on the inner surface of the central portion 411 so that the field of view of the central image sensor 420 includes the interior of the portable container 4. The central image sensor 420 thus enables an image of the interior of the portable container 4 to be acquired.

[0130] The purchasing assistance device 41 advantageously also comprises side image sensors 420 mounted on either side of the central image sensor 420. Each side image sensor 420 enables an image of at least a respective half of the space of the opening of the portable container 4 to be acquired.

[0131] In some embodiments, when the portable container 4 is carried by the purchasing assistance device 41, the central image sensor 420 is oriented (or pointed) toward the interior of the portable container 4, and the side image sensors are oriented toward at least a portion of the outline of the opening of the portable container 4.

[0132] In some embodiments, the purchasing assistance device 41 includes a plurality of side image sensors 420 , which are preferably evenly distributed on the inner surface of the central portion 411 and / or arranged on the surface of the suspension arm 412 opposite the interior of the portable container 4 .

[0133] In certain embodiments, the outline of the opening of the portable container 4 is covered by a combination of the fields of view of the image sensor 420 .

[0134] Acquiring images through image sensor 420 enables visual identification of one or more items 1 that may appear in the acquired images. Acquiring images from multiple image sensors 420 provides images of more than one side or more than one view of an item 1 (images acquired from several viewing angles), thereby facilitating identification of the item 1.

[0135] More generally, the image sensor 420 is advantageously any sensor capable of capturing image data that can be used by the processing unit 415, such as a camera or digital camera, a 2D / 3D camera, a 3D depth sensing camera, or a stereo image sensor. The image sensor 420 may include an omnidirectional lens, a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, etc. In addition, the lens may have a reflective surface, such as a planar, parabolic, or conical mirror, which can be used to provide a relatively large field of view or multiple viewpoints to optimize coverage of the interior of the portable container 4 and the space providing access thereto.

[0136] In certain embodiments, the image sensor 420 is arranged to provide volumetric data, in particular a depth indicator, thereby enabling an assessment of one or more dimensions of an item 1 appearing in the captured image.

[0137] In some embodiments, if desired, image sensor 420 is coupled to a lighting device to illuminate the scene toward which image sensor 420 is directed (particularly, the interior of portable container 4 ).

[0138] Image capture can be selectively commanded by the processing unit 415, i.e., only certain image sensors 420, rather than all image sensors 420, can capture images. For example, only those image sensors 420 having a field of view that overlaps with the field of view of the motion sensor 418 that detects motion can capture one or more images at the request of the processing unit 415 or as a result of being coupled to the motion sensor 418.

[0139] In some embodiments, the motion sensor 418 is coupled to one or more image sensors 420 such that detection of movement through a portion of the opening of the portable container 4 automatically triggers the capture of one or more images by the one or more image sensors covering the portion of the opening.

[0140] For example, when motion is detected, two infrared motion sensors 418 directed toward the interior and / or edges of the opening of the portable container 4 trigger their adjacent side image sensors. If additional images are desired, the center image sensor 420 can be triggered at a later predetermined time (e.g., a second or two, when an item is placed, and / or when a positive change in the weight of the portable container 4 is detected).

[0141] The purchasing aid 41 advantageously also includes a location sensor 421. The location sensor 421 is any device capable of capturing data for determining the location of the purchasing aid 41 in the point of sale 10. For example, the location sensor 421 is an RFID tag, an acoustic sensor (i.e., a microphone), A chip, a network of antennas or a GPS receiver (if the GPS signal is able to locate the device 41 accurately enough within the point of sale 10).

[0142] The location of the purchasing aid 41 within the point of sale 10 can be represented as:

[0143] a two-dimensional XY coordinate system associated with the point of sale 10 (or an XYZ coordinate system if the point of sale 10 is arranged on several floors),

[0144] - a curvilinear coordinate system, in which the customer 3 is required to follow a customer route,

[0145] - a system for dividing the space of the point of sale 10 into several zones, such as zones 2 formed by store displays (e.g. "candy zone", "cultural zone"), areas (e.g. store entrance, central aisle, discount area, promotional area, organic products area, products of a specific category or brand, cashier area) or floors (e.g. basement or first or second floor), or

[0146] - A combination of these systems.

[0147] In certain embodiments, position sensor 421 is configured to receive signals transmitted by:

[0148] - Beacons deployed according to a grid covering the points of sale 10 (e.g. Low power, RFID beacons, Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi beacons, acoustic beacons) or antennas. In some embodiments, these beacons broadcast a signal / frequency attributed to the area or zone 2 and enable precise location of the purchase assistance device 41 in the point of sale 10,

[0149] - electronic price tags fixed to shelves of store displays. In fact, information such as price information or promotional actions, location data (such as an identifier of a zone 2, coordinates in a point of sale 10, or an identifier associated with the location of a point of sale 10) can be stored in this type of electronic tag.

[0150] In order to determine the absolute or relative position of the purchasing aid 41 in the point of sale 10 .

[0151] In some embodiments, the location of purchasing assistance device 41 is determined by listening to radio signals broadcast within point of sale 10 , either continuously, periodically, or upon request of processing unit 415 .

[0152] In some embodiments, the location of the purchasing assistant 41 is dated (time-stamped) and stored in a buffer memory of a predetermined size. The previous location of the purchasing assistant 41 in the point of sale 10 is then made available to the processing unit 415.

[0153] The purchasing assistance device 41 further comprises a distance sensor 424. The distance sensor 424 is configured to measure the distance between the distance sensor 424 and the item 1 or more generally an object at least partially within a measuring range of the distance sensor 424 in a contactless manner.

[0154] The distance sensor 424 may be an ultrasonic distance measuring sensor or an optical distance measuring sensor, such as a laser distance measuring sensor or an infrared distance measuring sensor.

[0155] Contactless distance measurement can be based on the principle of triangulation, for example based on the propagation time of light or sound (in the case of ultrasonic sensors).

[0156] Positioning a distance sensor 424 facing the opening of the portable shopping basket 4 in the shopping aid 41 when the portable shopping basket 4 is being carried using the shopping aid 41 enables monitoring of the height of the contents of the portable container 4. This distance sensor 424 can then detect changes in the height of the contents of the portable container 4 caused by adding or removing items 1 to or from the portable container 4. In one embodiment, upon detecting such changes, the processing unit 415 commands the capture of one or more images using a predetermined image sensor 420. These images may indicate new context to be subsequently considered when processing the captured images. In another embodiment, if the height of the contents of the portable container 4 changes, the processing unit 415 checks whether the weight of the portable container 4 has also changed.

[0157] In one embodiment, the first distance sensor 424 and the second distance sensor 424 are respectively arranged on two opposite surfaces of the purchasing assistance device 41 so that the distance measurement values ​​obtained by the two distance sensors 424 can be used to determine the size of the item 1 in a given direction (longitudinal, transverse, vertical or any other direction) that passes through the opening of the portable container 4 or is at least partially located within its corresponding measurement range.

[0158] In one embodiment, a plurality of sensors arranged in pairs on opposing faces of the purchasing aid 41 provide for dimensional assessment of the item 1 in more than one direction.

[0159] The measurements taken by the distance sensor 424 may be used in conjunction with or in addition to the dimensions determined using the images captured by the image sensor 424 to determine one or more dimensions (width, length, height) of the item 1 .

[0160] In one embodiment, movement sensor 418 detecting movement through the opening of portable container 4 triggers contactless distance measurement by one or more distance sensors 424 .

[0161] In another embodiment, the processing unit 415 controls the image sensor 420 based on one or more distance measurements obtained by the distance sensor 424. For example, the processing unit 415 commands the image sensor 420 to zoom out, zoom in, or point in a given direction based on the distance measured by the distance sensor 424.

[0162] In some embodiments, one or more holding devices 414 advantageously include a contact sensor 422. The contact sensor 422 is used to detect whether the purchase assistance device 41 is mounted on the portable container 4, whether the portable container 4 carried by the purchase assistance device 41 is being carried or has been put down, and to notify the processing unit 415.

[0163] In some embodiments, the contact sensor 422 is disposed on the inner surface of the holding device 414. In other embodiments, the first contact sensor 422 and the second contact sensor 422 are respectively disposed in a ring shape on the lower inner surface and the upper inner surface of the holding device 414. In this case, the first sensor is used to detect that the portable container 4 is hung using the purchase assistance device 41 (the portable container 4 is in contact with the lower inner surface of the holding device 414), while the second sensor 422 is used to detect that the portable container 4 is placed on a stand or on the ground (where the portable container 4 is in contact with the upper inner surface of the holding device 414).

[0164] In certain embodiments, the processing unit 415 is advantageously provided with a storage memory 423. The storage memory 423 comprises a pre-established database containing information about the inventory of items 1 sold at the point of sale 10.

[0165] The information related to the items 1 comprises one or more visual models (visual signatures) for each item 1. A visual model of an item 1 represents any description that distinguishes the item 1 in a list of items for sale at the point of sale 10 based on descriptors and / or visual characteristics.

[0166] More generally, a visual model includes any image data (such as color, texture, contrast, area, outline, geometry, size, 3D model, pixels, and structure) that can be used to establish an association with a captured image and to identify the item 1. For example, a visual model of an item 1 includes multiple different images of the item 1. In some embodiments, these images are different views (sides) of the item 1.

[0167] In certain embodiments, the vision model advantageously comprises a deep learning model or any other model based on machine learning methods, enabling recognition of an item 1 appearing in one or more images.

[0168] In some embodiments, more than one visual model is associated with a given item 1 , these models covering changes in the visual appearance of the item 1 , for example in the case of promotional operations.

[0169] The information related to the items 1 stored in the storage memory 423 also includes metadata related to each item 1, such as weight, location in the point of sale 10, universal product code (UPC) (barcode or QR code), price, internal reference in the point of sale 10, brand name, name, text, or any other description of the item 1, and / or alphanumeric symbols.

[0170] This information is regularly updated to take into account new items 1 and / or changes in the visual signature (such as new packaging) of sold items 1. Furthermore, the stored location / position data of the items 1 in the point of sale 10 are automatically or manually updated after each restocking of the partitions 2 of the point of sale 10.

[0171] In some embodiments, the processing unit 415 also includes an image recognition application. Using the information stored in the database, the image recognition application can identify, with a relevant degree of confidence, an item 1 appearing in an image captured by one or more image sensors 420. In one embodiment, the size of the item 1, determined using distance measurements obtained by the distance sensor 424, is used by the image recognition application as additional data for identifying the item 1.

[0172] To this end, the image recognition application is configured to perform digital analysis and extract relevant parameters from one or more images captured by the one or more image sensors 420 and compare these parameters (using one of the known image recognition algorithms) with previously saved information about a simplified list of items 1 of the list (or set) of items 1 for sale at the point of sale 10. After making this comparison, the image recognition application determines with an associated confidence level whether an item 1 from this simplified list of items 1 is present in the captured image.

[0173] In practice, image recognition applications make it possible to extract visual characteristics of a captured image (such as color, texture, contrast, contours, geometry, size, pixels, areas and structure) in the form of attributes, making it possible to identify the object 1 present in the captured image by comparison with previously stored information (image recognition by content).

[0174] In one embodiment, the image recognition application uses one or more convolutional neural networks that can use deep learning to automatically learn how to extract relevant features from captured image data to identify items 1 appearing in the captured images. In one embodiment, the neural network is assigned to a zone, a group of zones, or a region of the point of sale 10. This enables the location of the purchase assistance device 41 in the point of sale 10 to be used to identify items 1 appearing in the captured images. The neural network can use a previously established image database.

[0175] As a variant or combination, the image recognition application searches the captured image for visual characteristics of certain items 1 selected from the list of items for sale 1 (forming a simplified list). One or more corrections and / or transformations may have been previously applied to the captured image, such as a segmentation for distinguishing the background or a rotation for reorienting the image.

[0176] In certain embodiments, volumetric data (size and shape or three-dimensional structure) of an item is determined from images captured from one or more image sensors 420 , such as a 3D camera or multiple 2D cameras.

[0177] In some embodiments, image recognition involves comparing data obtained from the captured image with stored metadata associated with a simplified list of items 1 for sale 1. The extracted data may include universal product codes, text (typically obtained using optical character recognition (OCR) methods), alphanumeric content, or graphical symbols.

[0178] In some embodiments, using information related to the simplified list of items 1 (visual model and metadata), the image recognition application returns a list of candidate items with a certain confidence level. The list of candidate items can be limited to a predetermined number of candidate items (e.g., the three items with the highest confidence levels) or all candidate items with a confidence level greater than a predetermined value (e.g., 90% or 95%). In a variant, the image recognition application returns only the most likely candidate items, i.e., the items with the highest confidence levels. If the image recognition application determines that the image captured in the simplified list of items 1 used for comparison does not contain any items 1 with a confidence level greater than a predetermined value, an empty list is returned. In other words, the image recognition application did not find the searched item in one or more of the captured images.

[0179] If only a portion of item 1 appears in the captured image due to occlusion by other objects (customer 3's hand, another item 1) or because a portion of item 1 is outside the field of view of image sensor 420, the image recognition application uses information obtained from the visible portion and possibly distance measurements obtained by distance sensor 424 and uses a deep learning model to identify the item 1.

[0180] With or without operator confirmation, the stored visual model of item 1 can be improved through machine learning methods (supervised or otherwise). Images acquired by image sensor 420 under different conditions (e.g., lighting, viewing angle, deformation, presence of dust, occlusion) can be used to improve the performance of image recognition applications. In this case, the visual model can be automatically updated in real time or later upon operator confirmation. This helps improve the ability to recognize and authenticate item 1 under different lighting conditions and using partial or full images of item 1 acquired from different viewing angles.

[0181] Image recognition can be used to authenticate the item 1, preferably by verifying the correspondence between the item's measured weight and the corresponding weight stored in the metadata, without having to search for the associated UPC. However, when identifying the item 1, identifying the item's UPC in one or more captured images advantageously increases confidence.

[0182] In some embodiments, the confidence level used to identify an item is a combination of a first confidence level associated with identifying the item using an image and a second confidence level associated with identifying the item using its weight. The minimum acceptable confidence level may vary between items 1 or categories of items 1, or may vary based on the price of the identified item 1. In other words, if the price of the identified item 1 is:

[0183] - is less than a predetermined amount (e.g. 10 Euros), the identification is accepted if the confidence level obtained is greater than 90%,

[0184] - between the first amount and the second amount (e.g. between 10 and 50 euros), the identification is accepted if the confidence level obtained is greater than 95%,

[0185] - greater than a predetermined amount (e.g. 50 euros), the identification is accepted if the confidence level obtained is greater than 99%,

[0186] In some embodiments, the processing unit 415 is configured to measure the change in weight of the portable container 4 after any movement is detected by the motion sensor 418. To this end, in some embodiments, the processing unit 415 calculates the difference between the weight values ​​acquired by the weight sensor 419 just before and after the movement notified by the motion sensor 418 is captured. The processing unit 415 compares the weight differences between the candidate items identified by the image recognition application to identify the item 1 that has just been placed in or removed from the portable container 4.

[0187] If the weight change detected by the weight sensor 419 is positive, it is assumed that the item 1 has just been placed in the portable container 4. In the opposite case, it is assumed that the item 1 has just been taken out of the portable container 4. Thus, as the customer 3 shops at the point of sale 10, the updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 is kept up to date.

[0188] In some embodiments, if the weight change detected by the weight sensor 419 is negative (i.e., when an item 1 is removed from the portable container 4), the simplified list of items 1 used by the image recognition application to identify the items 1 appearing in the captured image includes a list of the identified items 1 in the portable container 4 before the items were removed.

[0189] In some embodiments, the simplified list of items 1 used to identify items 1 appearing in the captured image includes items whose locations in the point of sale 10 are proximate to the location of the purchasing assistance device 41 .

[0190] In some embodiments, if the distance between the location of item 1 and the location of purchase assistance device 41 is less than a predetermined value, item 1 is considered to be close to the location of purchase assistance device 41 .

[0191] In another embodiment, if the location of the item 1 and the location of the purchasing assistant 41 are within the same predefined area (zone 2 of the point of sale 10 or any other area), the item 1 is considered to be close to the location of the purchasing assistant 41. The area can have any shape, such as a circle, square, rectangle, L-shape, or any other geometric shape. The processing unit 415 is designed to use a geo-fencing method to detect the area containing the purchasing assistant 41.

[0192] In another embodiment, if the distance between the location of the item 1 and the previous location of the purchasing assistant 41 is less than a predetermined value, or if the location of the item 1 and the previous location of the purchasing assistant 41 are in the same predefined area of ​​the point of sale 10 (in particular, if the customer picks up an item but places it in the portable container 4 several meters away), the item 1 is considered to be close to the location of the purchasing assistant 41. In this case, the identification of the item 1 involves items arranged in a section / area of ​​the point of sale 10 that has been passed / visited by the customer 3, and requires a step-by-step review of the movement log of the customer 3.

[0193] In some embodiments, the previous location of the purchasing aid 41 is a location where the device was maintained for at least a predetermined duration (i.e., the time the customer 3 paused and picked up the item 1). This helps to reduce the list of previous locations of the purchasing aid 41 to be considered.

[0194] In some embodiments, the simplified list of items 1 for sale includes items 1 associated with store displays that are considered to be proximate to the location of the purchasing aid 41. The store display is considered to be proximate to the purchasing aid 41 if the store display and the purchasing aid 41 are separated by less than a predetermined distance or if the locations of both are within the same predefined area of ​​the point of sale 10.

[0195] In other embodiments, the store display stand is considered to be close to the purchasing aid 41 if the distance between the previous location of the store display stand and the purchasing aid 41 is less than a predetermined distance, or if the previous location of the store display stand and the purchasing aid 41 is within the same predefined area of ​​the point of sale 10.

[0196] Advantageously, using a simplified list of items 1 to search for items 1 that appear at least partially in the captured image (rather than searching the entire complete list of items 1 for sale) helps to speed up and facilitate the identification of said items 1.

[0197] In this case, the location of the purchase assistance device 41 in the point of sale 10 serves to reduce the search range in order to simplify and speed up the identification of the articles 1 present in the captured images.

[0198] In other embodiments, the simplified list of items 1 used to identify items 1 appearing in the captured image comprises a list of items purchased by the customer 3 in previous purchases (the customer's 3 purchase history at the point of sale 10 ).

[0199] In other embodiments, the simplified item 1 inventory identifying items 1 appearing in the captured image includes items 1 for sale whose weight is substantially equal to the weight variation measured by weight sensor 419 .

[0200] In other embodiments, when a weight change detected by the weight sensor 419 or a height change of the contents of the portable container 4 measured by the distance sensor 424 is detected, the processing unit 415 triggers the use of at least one image sensor 420, particularly the central image sensor 420, to capture one or more images of the interior of the portable container. In certain embodiments, these images serve as an additional verification means for identifying the object 1 placed in / removed from the portable container 4, or as data (particularly representing the background) that enables identification of the object 1 during a subsequent image recognition step.

[0201] The identification of items placed in / removed from the portable container 4 is used to keep an updated list of items 1 deemed to be contained therein. This updated list of items 1 includes the identification of each item (e.g., UPC, internal reference to the point of sale 10, brand name, weight, illustrative photo), the corresponding price, and an updated total number of (identified) items 1 in the portable container 4.

[0202] This updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 is updated as the customer 3 fills the shopping basket in the point of sale 10. In other words, as each new item 1 is placed in or removed from the portable container 4, the item is identified and the list is updated accordingly.

[0203] In some embodiments, due to processing load or battery life, items are authenticated by a remote processing server (not shown) connected to the processing unit 415 via a wireless communication interface 417 (e.g., a Wi-Fi link). The processing server includes an image recognition application and a database (similar to or larger than the database described above) with information about the items 1 to be sold. For each item 1, this information includes a visual model and metadata (e.g., weight, price, location in the point of sale 10, description, UPC, internal reference).

[0204] The processing server makes it possible to use the data collected from the sensors by the processing unit 415 to identify, with a confidence level greater than a predetermined confidence level, an item that has just been placed in or removed from the portable container 4, thereby providing, via the processing unit 415 and / or via the processing server, an updated list of items 1 that are in (or more precisely believed to be in) the portable container 4 of the customer 3.

[0205] In this case, processing unit 415 transmits the data compiled from the sensors to a processing server. In some embodiments, this data is sent to the processing server after motion sensor 418 detects motion. Based on the data provided by processing unit 415 and a database, the processing server identifies the item 1 appearing in one or more captured images with a confidence level greater than a predetermined value, and the processing server sends this and possibly other information about the item 1 to processing unit 415.

[0206] In some embodiments, this processing is shared between processing unit 415 and a processing server. For example, the processing server handles image recognition of the item in question, which is a task that requires relatively more resources than other tasks involved in identifying item 1. In a variant, the processing server is only used when the simplified list of items 1 includes more than a predetermined number of items 1, or when processing unit 415 fails to successfully identify item 1 using the simplified database (in which case the server is provided with a larger database).

[0207] In some embodiments, one or more processing servers are shared among several wireless access points distributed among points of sale 10 belonging to a single brand or other brands. For example, a processing server is shared among several points of sale 10 located in a shopping mall or duty-free zone.

[0208] In other embodiments, the processing server is used when the battery level of the purchasing assistance device 41 is below a given threshold.

[0209] The processing server may, in turn, delegate some or all requests from processing unit 415 to one or more other servers to provide faster responses.

[0210] More generally, an item 1 that has just been placed in or removed from a portable container may be identified locally using the processing unit 415 and / or remotely using a processing server.

[0211] In some embodiments, the processing device (i.e., processing unit 415 or processing server) is in wireless communication (or wired communication in the case of a processing server) with other servers (not shown) of the IT infrastructure of the point of sale 10 (such as a cash register, a payment system, a customer account server, a push notification server, and / or a messaging server).

[0212] In other embodiments, processing unit 415 includes an identifier for uniquely identifying purchasing assistance device 41 .

[0213] In other embodiments, the purchase assistance device 41 has one or more card readers (contactless or otherwise) (not shown) connected to the processing unit 415. The card reader enables the purchase assistance device 41 to associate with a customer identifier read from a card such as a loyalty card, subscription card, payment card, or membership card (either a physical card or a virtual card in the form of a mobile application installed on the user terminal). The customer identifier can be a card number, phone number, membership number, email address, full name, or date of birth.

[0214] The processing unit 415 is configured to associate the updated list of identified items 1 in the portable container 4 with the customer identifier, the identifier of the processing unit, or a combination of these two identifiers.

[0215] In some embodiments, the processing unit 415 includes payment and / or loyalty points management functionality. In practice, an updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 enables the customer to pay for these items 1 using a dedicated mobile application that communicates with the functionality. Upon payment, the loyalty points management functionality automatically updates the customer's account held by the customer account server.

[0216] In order to operate the electronic components in the shopping aid 41 , the shopping aid has a rechargeable power source, in particular a rechargeable battery, and a connection (not shown) enabling recharging.

[0217] Advantageously, the purchasing assistant 41 includes an indicator light (a multi-color LED) to inform the customer 3 of the purchasing assistant 41's operating status (operating, successful reading of the customer identifier, low battery, item authentication failure, successful authentication of an item just placed in / removed from the portable container 4, payment confirmation). Alternatively or in combination, the purchasing assistant 41 includes a display screen connected to the processing unit 415 and configured to automatically or upon request by the customer using a physical or virtual button (touch screen) provide the customer 3 with information about the purchasing assistant session. This information includes, for example, the customer identifier and / or the identifier of the purchasing assistant 41, an updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 (preferably with a detailed total number of these items 1), a log of items 1 placed in / removed from the portable container 4, and comprehensive information regarding the purchasing assistant 41's operating status (a photo and / or name of the last item 1 authenticated, error messages, information about the payment process). In one embodiment, the processing unit 415 is designed to display the current and / or previous location of the purchasing assistant 41 in the point of sale 10 on the display screen. In one embodiment, the processing unit 415 is designed to display on the display screen promotional or advertising content retrieved from a remote server. Preferably, the promotional or advertising content is selected based on the location of the purchasing assistance device 41 and / or the updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 and / or information obtained using the identifier of the customer 3 (the purchase history of the customer 3 at the point of sale 10, the age or gender of the customer 3).

[0218] In a variation or combination, the purchase assistance device 41 uses the wireless communication interface 417 to provide information / notifications (e.g., an updated list of items, an electronic receipt, additional information about a given item, an unauthenticated item warning, a request for the customer 3 to reinsert the last unauthenticated item, a request for the customer to confirm a given item with a confidence level below a predetermined value) to a mobile application installed on the mobile terminal of the customer 3.

[0219] In one use of the above-described purchase aid 41, the device is provided to a customer 3 by the point of sale 10 on a handle holder 6 arranged at the entrance of the point of sale 10. Preferably, the handle holder 6 recharges the rechargeable power supply of the purchase aid 41 held thereby. Thus, the handle holder 6 is also a charging station.

[0220] Figure 7 The simplified diagram in shows an example implementation of a purchase assistance method for a customer 3 .

[0221] The customer 3 picks up the purchasing aid 41 and mounts it on the portable container 4 belonging to said customer or provided by the point of sale 10 .

[0222] In some embodiments, the opening 30 of a purchase assistance session is triggered by the detection by contact sensor 422 that the portable container 4 is being carried by a purchase assistance device 41 (e.g., in the form of a handle). Alternatively, the opening 30 of a purchase assistance session is triggered by identification of the customer 3 by a card reader of the purchase assistance device 41. The customer card can be a physical card (e.g., a loyalty card, subscription card, bank card, contactless card, or other card) or a virtual card in the form of a mobile application installed on a mobile terminal that is capable of communicating with the card reader and uniquely identifying the customer 3. The customer identifier can include one or more data such as a card number, membership number, telephone number, email address, birthday, card issue date, or an alias or given name of the customer. In some embodiments, identification of the customer 3 enables access to other information, such as the customer's 3 purchase history at the point of sale 10 and the customer's 3 age and gender.

[0223] In certain embodiments, a purchase assistance session is opened by processing unit 415 if a change above a predetermined value is detected in any data previously captured by the sensor and saved in buffer memory by processing unit 415 .

[0224] For example, a session is opened when a change in position of the purchasing assistance device 41 and / or a change in weight of the portable container 4 is detected and / or when movement is detected by the movement sensor 418 .

[0225] In other embodiments, the purchasing assistance session is opened manually by pressing a button provided for this purpose on the purchasing assistance device 41 .

[0226] The purchase assistance session identifier is obtained as a result of the session opening. In some embodiments, the session identifier is obtained by combining the customer identifier with other data, such as a randomly generated code, the date or time of authentication, or a code identifying the purchase assistance device 41 that is permanently stored by the processing unit 415.

[0227] In the case where the purchase assistance device is connected to the processing server, a purchase assistance session is opened through the server. Otherwise, the session is opened locally and processed by the processing unit 415.

[0228] If the customer 3 is not authenticated, the session identifier comprises a code identifying the purchasing aid 41 alone or in combination with any other code.

[0229] A purchase assistance session at point of sale 10 has a predetermined lifespan. This lifespan may depend on the size of point of sale 10 or the number of items sold by point of sale 10. Once this lifespan has elapsed or if a sensor disposed in purchase assistance device 41 detects no activity within a predetermined time, the purchase assistance session is closed.

[0230] In other embodiments, the purchase assistance session remains open as long as one or more data captured by sensors of purchase assistance device 41 (e.g., location sensor 421 and / or motion sensor 418) and stored in a buffer memory by processing unit 415 changes before a predetermined idle time expires. In other words, if the data available to processing unit 415 does not change within a predetermined period of time, the purchase assistance session can be closed. In this case, the lifecycle of the purchase assistance session is dynamically determined.

[0231] The purchase assistance session closure may also be instructed by a remote server (eg, a processing server or payment system after payment is confirmed).

[0232] In some embodiments, if the customer has opened a purchase assistance session using a mobile application that communicates with the purchase assistance device 41, once the purchase assistance session is opened, the processing unit 415 automatically or upon the customer's request exchanges data with the mobile application installed on the customer's mobile terminal (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, or phablet) to (temporarily) link or associate the mobile terminal with the purchase assistance device 41, or similarly associate the customer 3 with the portable container 4 (as opposed to all other portable containers 4 in the point of sale 10). The customer 3 can query the updated list of items in the portable container 4, the prices of the items, and the total price of the items on his mobile terminal at any time.

[0233] When the purchase assistance session is opened, it is assumed that customer 3 has not yet placed any items 1 in portable container 4. Therefore, it is assumed that the measurements obtained by weight sensor 419 and distance sensor 424 are the empty weight and empty height of the contents of portable container 4, respectively. These measurements are stored in a buffer memory.

[0234] In certain embodiments, upon opening 30 a purchase assistance session, one or more images of the interior (including the bottom) of the portable container 4 are captured by the image sensor 420. This initial image data can subsequently facilitate identification of items 1 placed in / removed from the portable container 4. Information included in this initial image data makes it possible to subsequently identify the context of the captured images during the purchase assistance session.

[0235] After opening 30 the purchase assistance session and during a purchase assistance step 31 , as the customer 3 adds items to their shopping basket, the purchase assistance device 41 identifies the items 1 placed in or removed from the portable container 4 to provide an updated list of the items in the portable container 4 .

[0236] During the purchase assistance step 31, the processing unit 415 has the following information:

[0237] the current position (and possibly previous positions) of the purchasing aid 41 in the point of sale 10 , provided by the position sensor 421 ,

[0238] - the weight of the item 1 in the portable container 4 measured by the weight sensor 419,

[0239] - One or more images when the motion sensor 418 detects motion.

[0240] As described above, this information can be used locally by the processing unit 415, or remotely by a processing server, to authenticate, with a given confidence level, an item 1 that has just been placed in or removed from the portable container 4.

[0241] In practice, once movement is detected by one of the motion sensors 418 , an image is captured by the one or more image sensors 420 and a distance measurement is obtained by the distance sensor 424 and provided together to the processing unit 415 .

[0242] The measurement value obtained by the weight sensor 419 is used to estimate the change in weight of the portable container 4. If the change is substantially zero, it is assumed that no item has just been placed in / removed from the portable container 4. In this case, no action is taken.

[0243] If the positive change in weight of the portable container 4 (i.e., the addition of an item 1) is greater than a predetermined value, the location of the purchasing assistance device 41 (and possibly its previous location) is used to determine a reduced list of items 1 from the list of items 1 sold at the point of sale 10. The processing unit 415 or processing server then uses the weight of the items (considered to be equal to the change in weight) and the captured image to authenticate the item in question with a certain confidence level.

[0244] In the event of a negative change in the weight of the portable container 4, the simplified inventory is an updated inventory of the contents of the portable container 4 maintained by the processing unit 415 (or by the processing server) just before the weight change.

[0245] In other embodiments, a simplified item 1 list used by a processing device (i.e., a unit and / or a processing server) to identify items 1 appearing in a captured image is determined based on a current location and / or a previous location of the purchasing assistance device 41 (e.g., since opening 30 a purchasing assistance session).

[0246] In some embodiments, the simplified item 1 list includes items 1 common to or in the purchase history of the customer 3 at the point of sale 10 , and items 1 determined based on the location (or previous location) of the purchase assistance device 41 .

[0247] In some embodiments, if the portable container 4 is placed on a stand or on the ground (this information can be obtained using data returned by the contact sensor 422), the processing unit 415 maintains an updated list of items identified in the portable container 4 for a predetermined time and temporarily ignores the measurements obtained by the weight sensor 419 to identify all items placed in / removed from the portable container 4.

[0248] In some embodiments, if the processing device (i.e., processing unit 415 or processing server) does not identify any item 1 with a confidence level above a predetermined threshold, the processing device invites the customer 3 by displaying a notification on the customer's mobile terminal to more clearly display the last item 1 inserted or removed, for example to the central image sensor 420, to facilitate its identification.

[0249] If the item 1 still cannot be authenticated with a predetermined confidence level through the additional images, the captured images are saved by the processing server for subsequent processing by an operator.

[0250] During the payment step 32, the customer 3 provides the cash register with a code identifying the purchase assistance device 41 (by entering the code or showing the device's barcode or QR code to the cash register's reader) and / or a customer identifier (e.g., an email address, alias, given name, phone number) that the processing unit 415 uses to link the purchase assistance device 41 to the customer 3. Using this information, the cash register communicates directly with the processing unit 415 or with a processing server to retrieve an updated list of items 1 in the portable container 4 and process the payment process.

[0251] In some embodiments, the purchase assistance device 41 incorporates mobile payment functionality, enabling the customer 3 to make payments using their mobile terminal. Proof of purchase will be sent electronically to the customer.

[0252] Once the purchase transaction is completed, the purchase assistance session is closed and the purchase assistance device 41 can be returned to the handle holder 6 .

[0253] In the various embodiments described above, reference has been made to customers. However, it should be noted that the purchasing aid 41 may also be used by any other person, such as an employee of the point of sale 10 who is authorized to fill a shopping basket on behalf of a customer.

[0254] Advantageously, the above-described method and system for assisted purchasing can:

[0255] - identifying and counting in real time the items 1 selected for purchase by the customer 3 to facilitate the payment process,

[0256] - continuously scanning the contents of the portable container 4 as the customer 3 makes his purchase,

[0257] - Reduced inconvenience to Customer 3 during the shopping process, where customer participation was not significant,

[0258] - reliably scans the contents of portable containers 4, saving time and increasing efficiency for customers, and

[0259] - Enhances the customer's shopping experience, reducing the time spent at the point of sale to a time that seems useful to the customer, thus ensuring customer satisfaction, especially in terms of perceived elapsed time.

[0260] Although the purchase assistance system is described above with reference to embodiments and variations, those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments and variations are not restrictive and may be combined with each other and / or with any other equivalent embodiments.

Claims

1. A system comprising a purchase assistance device (41) for assisting a customer (3) in making a purchase at a self-service retail point of sale (10), the customer using the purchase assistance device to carry a portable container (4), wherein: The purchasing auxiliary equipment (41) includes: Central part (411), a handle (413), said handle being linked to said central portion, Suspension arms (412) connected to the central portion (411) and extending on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms (412) being intended to be connected to the portable container (4) provided with an opening to allow the portable container (4) to be carried by the purchase aid (41), the opening enabling articles (1) to be sold at the point of sale (10) to be placed in the portable container, the purchase aid (41) being suspended above the opening of the portable container when the portable container (4) is carried using the purchase aid (41) and the central portion The portion (411) faces the opening, the suspension arms (412) are designed to keep the portable container (4) open, wherein the suspension arms include a holding device (414) designed to keep the portable container (4) open when the portable container (4) is carried using the purchase assistance device (41), and the holding device (414) includes a contact sensor (421) configured to detect whether the portable container (4) is carried using the purchase assistance device (41), at least one movement sensor (418) configured to detect movement through the opening of the portable container (4) when the portable container (4) is carried using the purchasing assistance device (41), at least one image sensor (420) configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening when the portable container (4) is carried using the purchasing assistance device (41) and the movement sensor (418) has detected movement through the opening, a position sensor (421) configured to determine a current position of the purchasing assistance device (41) in the point of sale (10), The system also includes: Processing means are provided with information about a list of items (1) sold at the point of sale (10) and are configured to identify, with a predetermined confidence level, an item appearing in the at least one scene image, the item being identified from a simplified list of items included in the list of items (1), the simplified list of items (1) including items in the list of items (1) whose position in the point of sale (10) is close to the position of the purchasing assistance device (41) determined by the position sensor (421).

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein The simplified list of items (1) is determined based on the current location and / or previous location of the purchasing aid (41).

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The central portion (411) of the purchasing assistance device (41) includes an image sensor (420).

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The purchasing assistance device (41) further includes a weight sensor (419) configured to measure a change in weight of the portable container (4) when the purchasing assistance device (41) is used to carry the portable container (4), and the processing device also uses the weight change to identify the item (1) appearing in the at least one scene image.

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The purchasing assistance device (41) further includes at least one distance sensor (424) configured to measure the distance between the distance sensor (424) and an item (1) at least partially located within a measuring range of the distance sensor (424) in a non-contact manner when the purchasing assistance device (41) is used to carry the portable container (4).

6. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The purchase assistance device (41) further comprises a card reader configured to read a customer identifier from a physical card or a virtual card, and the processing device is configured to associate the purchase assistance device (41) with the customer identifier.

7. An assembly comprising a portable container (4) and a system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein The portable container (4) is made of a deformable material.

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