Method for providing purchase incentives

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing a purchase incentive, comprising the following method steps: detecting a behavior of a person in the environment of a detection device by means of the detection device; and-automatically triggering a signaling action related to the provision of the purchase incentive based on the detected behavior of the person.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for providing purchasing incentives. Background Art

[0002] Advertising at points of sale, especially in supermarkets, has always been crucial for the sales success of products or goods offered there and serves the purpose of creating incentives for purchase. In addition to printed advertising on signs and the like, acoustic advertising is also used for this purpose. These are constructed similarly to audio advertising, but are broadcast at the point of sale via a loudspeaker system installed there.

[0003] However, such advertisements are perceived by many consumers as "auditory background noise" and are largely ignored, indeed even considered to be disruptive, so that despite the costly production of the advertisements, the purchasing incentives conveyed by the advertisements are often ineffectively dissipated by the consumers.

[0004] The present invention therefore addresses the following task: to create an improved offer of purchasing incentives. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1. The subject matter of the invention is therefore a method for providing a purchase incentive, comprising the method steps of detecting a person's behavior in the environment of the detection device by means of a detection device and automatically triggering a signaling action associated with providing the purchase incentive based on the detected behavior of the person.

[0006] The measures according to the present invention offer the advantage that purchasing incentives perceptible to the person can be automatically provided in a manner that responds to the person's behavior, that is, the behavior of the customer or potential buyer, and is therefore coordinated with that behavior. This ensures that purchasing incentives are not unnecessarily automatically generated when the potential buyer is clearly uninterested or is clearly in a hurry, and the person in question is indeed fundamentally uninterested in the purchase incentive. However, the customer's detected hesitation can also be used to draw the customer's attention to a particular product and ultimately to purchase it.

[0007] For example, the method can be applied at a point of sale, such as a market or supermarket. It is preferably applied in the local environment of a display device used to display products. Typical examples of such display devices include shelves or display tables. Therefore, the behavior of people is preferably detected in the spatial vicinity of the display device.

[0008] Purchase incentives are designed to motivate customers to purchase goods or products. Depending on their importance, purchase incentives are typically structured to act on a sensory level. To this end, purchase incentives can take a variety of forms, which will be discussed in detail below.

[0009] Goods or products can be understood as physical items such as those available on shelves in supermarkets. However, the terms "goods" or "products" can also refer to services that can be purchased at a sales station in the form of, for example, a voucher or ticket.

[0010] Further particularly advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are apparent from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0011] The purchase incentive may be provided in different forms. The method is preferably configured such that automatically triggering a signaling action associated with providing the purchase incentive comprises outputting at least one of the following signals: an auditory perceptible signal, a visual perceptible signal, an olfactory perceptible signal.

[0012] These signals—alone or in combination with one another, which may mean simultaneously or sequentially—allow the product to be brought to the attention of the person and / or, in particular, to be increased over time.

[0013] The visually perceptible signal can be emitted, for example, by a light signal emitting device, in particular by a light emitting diode (LED for short).

[0014] However, with regard to visually perceptible signals, it has proven particularly advantageous if they are emitted by an electronic product and / or price display, preferably by a video display, particularly preferably by a video shelf rail display. This allows a large amount of information to be made available to the person at once as images, texts and / or videos. For this purpose, the electronic product and / or price display can, for example, have a liquid crystal screen (LCD screen), which is also referred to by its English name "LC Display", where "LC" stands for "liquid crystal". Such an LCD screen allows the display of high-resolution images and / or videos, which generally, but especially also for use in the case of video shelf rail displays, makes it possible to display detailed information there and to provide particularly well-perceivable visual purchasing incentives. In order to provide an energy-saving electronic product and / or price display, the electronic product and / or price display can, for example, have a screen based on electronic paper (E-paper for short), i.e. in particular an electrophoretic screen. Electronic product and / or price displays can be implemented as electronic shelf labels (ESLs) (ESLs are an abbreviation of the English term "Electronic Shelf Label") and can be placed in front of the corresponding product on a shelf rail (or the like). In the case of a video shelf rail display, virtual ESLs can be displayed on the shelf rail display, each of these virtual ESLs being assigned to a product similar to a real ESL. In this case, the visually perceptible signal can be displayed on the virtual ESL or can also be displayed beyond the boundaries of the virtual ESL, i.e., for example, as a luminous background of the virtual ESL within the boundaries of the screen.

[0015] The information provided by means of the electronic product and / or price display is preferably at least partially human-readable.

[0016] It is also advantageous if the visually perceptible signal comprises a machine-readable code, in particular a QR code, preferably a barcode or a dynamic code.

[0017] QR code here stands for Quick Response Code.

[0018] Such a code allows a person to retrieve further information, in particular about the advertised product, using their mobile device, in particular a smartphone, smartwatch, etc. To do this, the person simply has to scan the code using the camera of the mobile device, for example, whereupon a corresponding app calls up the information thus made available, or a link encoded in the code opens a website, which provides the information.

[0019] At the same time, the code allows tracking the retrieval of the information mentioned in the previous paragraph, making it possible to track whether and when the displayed code has also been scanned, thereby making it possible to determine whether the purchase incentive has been realized or has achieved its desired effect.

[0020] Therefore, information that can be retrieved by means of a machine-readable code can be provided to simplify the purchase decision for the customer. For example, the information can thereby contain other product information that is attractive to the customer, such as cooking or structural instructions.

[0021] However, according to one aspect of the present invention, the machine-readable code represents discount information, preferably for a specific product.

[0022] This allows, on the one hand, a clearly targeted presentation of offers to customers. On the other hand, this also enables precise tracing and thus evaluation of the customer's purchasing behavior in various scenarios, thereby, for example, being able to determine which purchase incentives actually led to a purchase.

[0023] It is preferred to store in a discount information database: which discount information is applicable to which products, so that when necessary, the discount information matching the displayed product is transmitted to the electronic product and / or price display and provided by the electronic product and / or price display as a machine-readable code.

[0024] Discount information is preferably provided only when the detected behavior of the person makes this seem meaningful, as will be discussed further below.

[0025] As mentioned, the discount information provided as a machine-readable code may be scanned by a customer's mobile device and then applied at a cash register terminal to reduce the regular price to a discounted price.

[0026] According to another aspect of the invention, the machine-readable code represents loyalty program information, in particular loyalty points.

[0027] In this case, similar advantages apply as in the case of discount information. However, in the case of loyalty program information, it is recorded, for example in a digital counter, how many such loyalty program information have been scanned, from which a loyalty point can be calculated.

[0028] The previously mentioned acoustically perceptible signal is generated by an audio signal generator, preferably a loudspeaker, which may be an integral part of the audio signal generator or may be implemented separately from the audio signal generator. The audio signal generator may be configured or used to reproduce advertisements or music simultaneously with the special acoustically perceptible signal. However, the advertisements or music are preferably reproduced outside the time interval during which the special acoustically perceptible signal is emitted.

[0029] The audio signal generator can generally be positioned anywhere within the environment of the detection device, as long as the generated acoustic signal is loud and clear enough for people in the environment of the detection device to hear. However, to avoid annoying people other than the one for whom the purchase incentive is to be transmitted or triggered by the specific acoustically perceptible signal, or confusing them with unassignable "background noise," it has proven advantageous to emit the acoustically perceptible signal only in the environment of the detection device and / or in the environment of the relevant product, in a locally perceptible manner. This can be set, for example, by the volume at which the acoustically perceptible signal is emitted. To this end, the audio signal generator is advantageously placed within the environment of the detection device and / or in the environment of the product. Particularly preferably, the audio signal generator is placed on a product display, particularly on a shelf provided for the product in question. Particularly good results are achieved if the audio signal generator is positioned on a shelf rail and / or is particularly configured as a component of an electronic product and / or price display (preferably implemented as a video display, particularly preferably as a video shelf rail display). The person's attention can thus be directed to the relevant electronic product and / or price display, which indeed belongs to the relevant product and which now suddenly comes into the person's range of increased attention due to his or her directional hearing ability.

[0030] If, in the case of this method, the acoustically perceptible signal is generated by an audio signal generator having a directional audio signal emission characteristic and is emitted directionally by said audio signal generator, an even better spatial confinement of the acoustic signal can be achieved.

[0031] This measure allows the acoustically offered purchase incentive to be delivered specifically to the person whose behavior is or has been detected, even when there are many people at the point of sale, without disturbing other people or annoying them with additional "acoustic background noise." This results in a person-specific emission of the auditory perceptible signal. Ultimately, the auditory perceptible signal is emitted in a direction-specific manner, focusing on the direction indicated by the person whose behavior has been detected. Two design options are possible in this case.

[0032] According to a first embodiment, the rigid emission direction of the sound-generating element of the audio signal generator results in a direction-specific emission of the signal. The detection range of the detection device is also coordinated with this, so that only the person located in the emission range of the audio signal generator is always detected and their behavior analyzed, and the detection range of the detection device can be filled with sound if necessary.

[0033] According to a second embodiment, the emission direction can also be variably implemented, for example, because the sound-generating element of the audio signal generator can be mechanically adjusted in terms of its emission characteristics, or the sound-generating element is designed to be directional (so-called "beam shaping"). In this embodiment, the signal can be directed specifically at persons located in the sound-filled area whose detected behavior makes this necessary or meaningful.

[0034] For a better or more precise focusing of the acoustically perceptible signal, the directional aspect can also be combined with the volume aspect in order to locally or spatially limit the perceptibility of the directed, possibly focused, sound emission.

[0035] In this case, the best results can be achieved if the directional audio signal generator is arranged on a product display device, in particular a shelf, in particular if the audio signal generator is placed on a shelf rail as mentioned, particularly preferably positioned corresponding to the position of the goods for which the purchase incentive is to be conveyed.

[0036] In addition, if send olfactory perceptible signal by odor emitting device, then be advantageous.Such odor emitting device has at least one odorant reservoir, and odorant is stored in the odorant reservoir, by sending level, described odorant is sent in the environment of detection device or the air in the environment of product display equipment.Therefore, these measures allow just when personnel's behavior can infer that corresponding smell can be used as purchase incentive, promptly be used for the motivation of purchase and send olfactory perceptible signal.Therefore, odorant is sent according to demand, and compared with the method that sends odorant permanently or periodically, the consumption of odorant is extremely reduced.Therefore, from the consumption that reduces, not only obtain economic advantage, but also obtain ecological advantage.Similarly with the discussion to auditory perceptible signal, under the situation of olfactory perceptible signal, also can be set with direction-related or direction-variable sending (for example by means of nozzle), also combine (for example by means of controllable pump) with variable sending intensity if necessary, described variable sending intensity can have clear and targeted effect on the effective distance of olfactory perceptible signal.

[0037] The signals mentioned so far can be detected by the human senses, namely, vision, hearing, and smell. However, the signal for providing a purchase incentive can also be implemented as a signal detectable by a device. Therefore, it has proven advantageous if the automatic triggering of the signaling action associated with providing a purchase incentive includes emitting at least one radio signal.

[0038] In this case, the signal is preferably sent to a mobile device of the person, such as a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet computer, etc. There, the signal is then intermediately stored and / or displayed as a machine-readable code and / or human-readable content. Thus, here, as previously discussed in the context of visually perceptible signals, discount information or loyalty program information can be transmitted. In this case, known technologies or standards such as near-field communication (NFC for short), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, etc. can be used to provide the radio signal. Analogously to the discussion of the auditory perceptible signal, in the case of the radio signal, it can also be provided that the signal is emitted in a direction-dependent or direction-variable manner, if necessary in combination with a variable transmission power, which can have a specific and targeted influence on the effective range of the wireless signal.

[0039] However, in addition to or in the absence of a signal to a user or customer device, the signal can also be transmitted within the system via radio or wired communication. In this context, "within the system" means within a system for providing purchase incentives, where the system, for example, includes electronic products and / or price displays controlled by a commodity management system or a display management system. In this case, a detection device can be used to detect biometric data (in anonymous form) in addition to the person's behavior and transmit it to a central cash register system used to pay for goods. This cash register system provides the biometric data at the cash register terminal where the person physically or electronically pays for the goods. Alternatively, another detection device can be used to detect the person at the cash register terminal and, based on previously acquired biometric data, check whether a special purchase incentive should be made available directly to the person at the cash register terminal. This can help motivate the person to purchase goods directly at checkout, i.e., "last minute," for which significant interest has been previously determined based on the person's detected behavior.

[0040] Furthermore, it has proven particularly advantageous if the signaling action causes the provision of a purchase incentive to be adapted as a function of the detected behavior of the person.

[0041] This makes it possible to provide purchase incentives in a clearly targeted manner. For example, a purchase incentive can be provided precisely for that product in which the person currently appears to be interested and for which this is automatically determined. The behavior automatically determined using technical aids that appears to show interest in a product or last showed interest in a product is used as a trigger (Trigger) for a data processing action so that an adapted technical provision of a purchase incentive is carried out by the data processing action. Thus, for example, the volume can be increased when an advertisement is acoustically reproduced, because this can cause the person to focus further on the product in question. On the other hand, in the case of unchanged behavior, that is, in the case of assumed indifference, an initial attention stimulus can be set, which can be achieved, for example, by a change in the pronunciation or image content of only a short duration. Similarly, in the case of assumed indifference, the currently provided purchase incentive can also be maintained by the unchanged reproduction of the sound or image until a change in the automatically detected behavior of the person is determined to exceed a previously or dynamically specified threshold value.

[0042] Thus, the adaptation can be performed directly at or near the location of the person detection, in particular virtually in real time. In this case, the adaptation occurs at the device responsible for the local emission of the acoustic, visual, or olfactory perceptible signal. However, the adaptation can also be performed with a time delay and at another location, such as a central device, where the reproduced content that should trigger the purchase incentive is automatically adapted and then transmitted from there to the device via wireless or wired communication for issuing the corresponding purchase incentive.

[0043] The method steps for detecting a person's behavior are discussed in more detail below. Advantageously, the detection device performs the detection within a detection area defined by the detection device, preferably within a detection area limited around the detection device, particularly preferably within a detection sector that opens out toward the detection device on one side. This limits the area in which the person's behavior can be observed. This simplifies the interpretation of the behavior, as less detected information must be evaluated. This leads to the following advantages: in particular, less computing power is required at the point of detection, enabling faster interpretation of the behavior and, thus, faster automatic triggering of signaling actions, as well as avoiding misunderstandings caused by erroneously detected persons who are actually interested in a product different from the one being advertised. Thus, the defined detection area can be used to limit detection to a hypothetical relevant area in front of the product.

[0044] In this case, it is advantageous if the detection device performs detection from a position adjacent to the product, preferably from the shelf, particularly preferably from the shelf rails. This measure allows the behavior of people within the detection area to be directly in the vicinity of the product. This allows for precise analysis of behavior at the relevant time of purchase consideration, as the person is ideally positioned within the detection device's detection area in front of the shelf, in front of the shelf rail, or in front of the product at that point in time.

[0045] Particularly advantageously, the detection device is integrated into an electronic product and / or a price display with a screen, and the detection by the detection device is limited to the detection area in front of the screen, preferably limited to the defined detection sector in front of the screen, particularly preferably limited to the detection sector starting from the screen. Therefore, the detection device can be implemented in a space-saving manner and installed without additional expense compared to the placement of the electronic product and / or price display that would otherwise be performed. On the other hand, an advantage is also obtained by being integrated into the electronic product and / or price display: the starting point for detection, i.e. the starting point of the sector-shaped detection area, automatically coincides with the electronic product and / or price display. Such a sector can, for example, have an opening angle of 45 °, preferably 30 °, particularly preferably 20 ° or narrower, so as to ensure that the detection of only a single person is limited as much as possible by the opening angle. The setting of the opening angle can also be related to the width of the shelf aisle and can be, for example, manually or automatically (electronically) settable.

[0046] Different sensors can be used to detect the behavior of the person. It has proven to be advantageous if the detection by the detection device is carried out with the aid of at least one of the following sensors:

[0047] -Radio or optical signal sensors

[0048] -Motion sensor

[0049] - a viewing sensor, preferably based on a camera, preferably with integrated artificial intelligence;

[0050] - A gaze-based attention sensor, preferably based on a camera, preferably also with integrated artificial intelligence.

[0051] Radio or light signal sensors can be used, for example, to detect the presence and / or movement of a person. This can be done, for example, by means of a run-time measurement.

[0052] However, radio or optical signal sensors can also be used to detect the presence or activity of a person's mobile device, such as a smartphone, and thus indirectly detect the person's behavior. For example, this can be done by detecting the entry of a mobile device with "Bluetooth activated," i.e., a Bluetooth device that is ready to communicate, into the detection area. This mobile device can also be used as a transmitter for Bluetooth beacon signals for the purposes discussed here.

[0053] In this context, the duration of stay in the detection area can be interpreted as the behavior of the person, so that a corresponding signaling action is triggered based on the duration of stay. For example, it may happen that the person is undecided about which product to buy and therefore stands in front of a shelf in the detection area of the detection device for longer than a certain threshold, such as 20 seconds. Since it can be inferred from the person's behavior that the person may have a positive attitude towards purchase incentives, the signaling action is triggered. In this case, such a signaling action may, for example, consist in transmitting discount information to the person's mobile device via a radio signal, wherein the discount information provides a purchase incentive for one of the products to be selected. This can influence the person's decision-making and thus shorten the time required for the person's purchase. As a result, the space in front of the shelf is freed up again more quickly for the next potential buyer, which may lead to increased sales because congestion in front of the shelf is avoided or cleared more quickly.

[0054] For example, the same or different technologies or standards as those already discussed for the radio signals can be used as radio or optical signal sensors. The same technical means as used for emitting radio signals, i.e., for example, the same Bluetooth chip, or different technical means can also be used to detect the behavior of a person using an optical signal sensor.

[0055] The motion sensor can be implemented, for example, by means of an infrared light sensor or by means of a light barrier, so that it is detected when a person enters a detection area or when a person's hand moves into a specific area.

[0056] The motion sensors, as well as the gaze direction sensors and gaze-based attention sensors, are preferably implemented based on a camera, in particular directly via the camera. In this case, the behavior of people in the camera's detection range is preferably detected and evaluated by means of image recognition, in particular directly in the camera equipped with correspondingly efficient hardware and software.

[0057] In the context of motion sensors, for example, people are identified in the detected image data (or video data) based on contours (edge detection) and their movements are further interpreted. Furthermore, the person's head, legs, arms, hands, etc. can be identified and their posture, gestures, or changes in facial expression determined from these. Artificial intelligence is preferably trained to interpret these body regions. This allows for determining whether the person is, for example, observing a product, thinking, or simply standing in front of a shelf and actually engaged in another activity, such as making a phone call.

[0058] In the context of gaze sensors, the same technical approaches as those used in the previously discussed motion sensors can be applied. In the case of gaze sensors, artificial intelligence is trained to recognize eye positions, allowing for the determination of where a person is looking (with a sufficiently high probability), specifically, which product they are looking at. If a camera is placed on or in a shelf, and its detection area is focused on the area in front of the shelf, then when a person stands in front of the shelf and looks at a product, their eyes are precisely within the camera's detection area, making it possible to interpret the detected behavior very precisely. If the camera is additionally integrated into product and / or price displays, this interpretation becomes even more precise, as looking at a product or the associated product and / or price display essentially occurs by looking in the direction of a camera located directly adjacent to the product. It then only needs to be determined whether the person is looking essentially in the direction of the camera. Therefore, there is no further need to calculate which product is in the person's field of view.

[0059] For example, such a viewing direction sensor can be used to provide a person with a purchase incentive adapted to a product, for example as a focused or directional auditory perceptible signal, as soon as the person looks at the corresponding product.

[0060] In the case of gaze-based attention sensors, it is also determined how long a product and / or electronic product and / or price display and / or an existing purchase incentive, for example, provided by means of an electronic product and / or price display, is viewed. Thus, for example, product and price information can be presented in the form of an advertising video as a first purchase incentive, wherein the person's behavior and, in particular, their attention, is detected. If the person watches the entire video attentively, a signaling action is automatically triggered, which provides the person with a second purchase incentive, for example, in the form of a discount, on the screen of the electronic product and / or price display.

[0061] A gaze-based attention sensor can thus be used, for example, to detect whether the eyes or face of a person changes only insignificantly during the provision of information, in particular during the playing of an advertisement, ie whether the person remains focused, in particular on the screen or the product.

[0062] However, in addition to the gaze-based attention sensor, other sensors may also be used alone or in addition to determine the attentiveness of a person.

[0063] Thus, advantageously, detecting the person's behavior comprises determining their degree of attention, and the triggered signaling action communicates the detected degree of attention.

[0064] Thus, as discussed in the context of gaze-based attention sensors, a person's increased attentiveness (e.g., watching an ad in its entirety) can be rewarded with a purchase incentive. However, determining the degree of attentiveness can also be used to enhance attention. Thus, for example, if a person is distracted from a product, an adapted signal can be emitted that directs the person's attention back to the product.

[0065] Therefore, the device or apparatus provided for emitting the aforementioned signal is designed to interpret the degree of attention conveyed by means of the signaling action and to influence the signaling accordingly in order to adapt the purchase incentive to the degree of attention.

[0066] The behavior detected under the influence of the purchase incentive can now be recorded and, furthermore, used to improve the purchase incentive, in particular to automatically improve the purchase incentive.

[0067] For this purpose, it has proven advantageous if the detected behavior is digitally stored and used, in particular for providing future purchase incentives, in particular for automatically adapting the purchase incentives.

[0068] In order to automatically adapt the purchase incentive, a plurality of purchase incentive data related to providing a defined purchase incentive, for example in the form of an image, video, sound and / or fragrance, can be stored in a purchase incentive data memory and / or automatically generated. These purchase incentive data can be activated in response to a signaling action so that the corresponding purchase incentive is provided. Therefore, the automatic adaptation of the purchase incentive can be carried out, for example, so that an advertising video is played as a purchase incentive and the behavior of the person (or multiple people) watching the advertising video is detected. If it is determined in this case that the person (or multiple people) did not perceive or was not staring at the advertising video attentively, the next advertising video stored in the purchase incentive data memory is automatically retrieved and provided in response to the signaling action. Of course, it is also possible to use other purchase incentives for the same content. It is thus possible to automatically determine which purchase incentives are well received by potential customers and which are less successful.

[0069] However, the purchase incentive can also be adapted at a later point in time. To this end, the acquired information about the person's behavior can be used to generate a new purchase incentive that is adapted to the person. Thus, the above-described measures allow for both qualitative and quantitative, in particular statistical, evaluation of the person's behavior.

[0070] The above-described measures and the resulting method according to the invention allow for various optimization possibilities when offering purchasing incentives.

[0071] Thus, according to a first aspect, the method can be used, for example, to monitor how a purchase incentive, i.e., for example, a visually perceptible advertisement, is perceived, and whether (target) persons actually viewed the promotion and how they (ostensibly) felt about it. Thus, the method can be used to control the perception of the promotion in a real retail environment.

[0072] In this case, for example, at a point of sale (i.e., in a store), an advertisement in the form of an advertising video is displayed as a first purchase incentive on an electronic product and / or price display, which is implemented as a video shelf rail. A detection device equipped with various sensors discussed above detects the behavior of a person in front of the electronic product and / or price display, which displays the advertisement as the first purchase incentive. The detection device detects the person's behavior while viewing the purchase incentive. In this case, artificial intelligence is used to determine whether the person is concentrating on or viewing the entire advertising video. If the person is concentrating on viewing the entire advertising video, an action is triggered in response, whereby a discount, for example, in the form of a QR code, is displayed on the screen of the electronic product and / or price display as a second purchase incentive. In this case, the discount information contains a unique code that, when redeemed, allows the user to deduce where and why the discount was offered. The user can scan the discount information, i.e., the QR code, with their smartphone and subsequently redeem the corresponding discount at the checkout counter or upon payment. At the time of payment, the entry of discount information automatically detects which purchase incentives have led to sales. This measure allows sellers to check the conversion rate of promotions or purchase incentives and improve their offers.

[0073] According to the second aspect, however, the method can also be used, for example, to provide a person with a purchasing incentive precisely when he or she looks at a product.

[0074] To this end, for example, a camera of the detection device can be integrated into the electronic product and / or price display and detect the area in front of the electronic product and / or price display from the surroundings of the screen. To provide a purchase incentive, an audio signal generator with a directional audio signal emission feature is provided in the surroundings of the shelf (preferably also integrated into the electronic product and / or price display). If a person approaches the shelf and looks at a product located therein, this is detected by the camera. The camera uses artificial intelligence to assess where the person is looking, and in particular, whether the person is looking at the camera (or at the camera's surroundings, where products assigned to the electronic product and / or price display are located). Therefore, if the person now looks at a specific product, such as a bottle of beer, a data processing action is triggered as a result of the automatic triggering of the signaling action, wherein an auditory perceptible purchase incentive is provided by the audio signal generator. In this example, this purchase incentive can be the sound of a beer bottle being opened. Therefore, at the moment a person looks at a product, they are provided with an auditory perceptible purchase incentive that matches the product. Due to the audio signal emission feature, the purchase incentive is essentially only perceptible to the person detected by the camera. The method thus enables the provision of advertising that is individually adapted to the behavior of the person and thereby provides a special customer experience.

[0075] In summary, the method or the system implementing the method provides the following functionality: it becomes possible to automatically verify the effect of an automatically generated purchase incentive (preferably focused on a single potential buyer—particularly preferably provided in the vicinity of a product or at the product's location) by determining whether the purchase incentive actually led to the purchase of the product by the potential buyer. Thus, the method or the system provides a technical feedback loop in the store, by means of which the marketing-technical effect of the automatically provided purchase incentive can be verified very precisely and quickly, if necessary even in real time, with respect to its promotional effect, and indeed can even be adapted.

[0076] Finally, it should also be mentioned that the electronic devices in question (ESL, smartphone, tablet computer, video shelf rail, etc.) currently have electronic components. The electronic components can be constructed discretely or by integrated electronic components, or a combination of the two. Microcomputers, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) can also be used, if necessary, in combination with analog or digital electronic peripheral components. Many of the functionalities mentioned in the device are implemented (if necessary in interaction with hardware components) by means of software executed on the processor of the electronic device. Devices designed for radio communication usually have an antenna configuration for transmitting and receiving radio signals as a component of the transceiver module. The electronic devices can also have an internal power supply, which can be implemented, for example, using a replaceable or rechargeable battery. These devices can also be powered by wire, either via an external power supply unit or by means of "power over LAN".

[0077] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from the figures discussed below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described. In this context, identical components are provided with identical reference numerals in the various figures. In schematic form:

[0079] Figure 1 An application scenario of the method according to the present invention in a system for providing purchase incentives is shown;

[0080] Figure 2 An electronic product and / or price display in the temporal context of the method is shown;

[0081] Figure 3 showing information provision through electronic product and / or price displays having integrated detection devices for detecting a person's behavior over time;

[0082] Figure 4 A illustrates the method according to a flow chart;

[0083] Figure 4 B shows the Figure 4 The basis for the three method segments of A's method Figure 3 Information provision;

[0084] Figure 4 C shows the mobile phone participation according to Figure 4 Method A is intended to test whether the purchase incentive has been successful. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0085] Figure 1 The first application scenario of the method according to the present invention in a system for providing purchase incentives is shown, wherein Figure 1 A section of a supermarket aisle is shown—specifically, only the left side of the aisle—where shelves are set up for displaying merchandise or products. For clarity, only the front shelf rail 1 of the shelf is shown, on which electronic product and / or price displays 2 to 11 (hereinafter referred to as ESLs 2 to 11) are mounted. ESLs stand for "Electronic Shelf Labels" in English. The ESLs 2 to 11 are connected via a radio 12 to an access point 13, which in turn is connected via a LAN network 14 to a server 15, on which merchandise management software, ESL management software, and cash register software are executed and provide corresponding functions. The merchandise management software is used to manage the merchandise or its inventory in the supermarket. The ESL management software is used to manage the ESLs 2-11, in particular the information to be displayed by the ESLs. The cash register software is used to operate or manage a cash register terminal (not shown), which allows customers to pay for the merchandise selected by them during the payment process. The merchandise economic management software, the ESL management software and the cash register software can exchange data with each other, so that, for example, a logical connection can be established between a product and one of the ESLs 2-11, that is, a clear assignment can be established between the corresponding ESL 2-11 and the corresponding merchandise, and, for example, discount information displayed and made available to customers with the aid of the ESL 2-11 is also available or known at the cash register software and can be used during the payment process.

[0086] exist Figure 1 In the illustration, customer 16 is simplified to his head 17, which is shown from a bird's-eye view, i.e., from directly above customer 16, as this is sufficient for discussing the present invention. Furthermore, ears 18 and 19, eyes 20 and 21, and nose 22 are outlined on head 17. A viewing direction arrow 23 indicates the direction in which customer 16 is looking, which is referred to as the viewing direction.

[0087] Figure 3 The structure of ESL 2-11 is shown in detail, where ESL 2-11 is divided into three functional blocks. The first functional block involves detecting customer behavior, where this function is provided by detection device 24. The second functional block involves displaying product and / or price information, where this function is provided by display device 25. The third functional block involves radio communication with access point 13, where this function is provided by radio device 26.

[0088] The detection device 24 has a camera 27, whose lens 28 is shown. The camera 27 has image capture electronics 29 and image processing electronics 30. The image capture device 29 has conventional electronic components, such as a CCD sensor (charge coupled device sensor, not shown), a first processor or microcontroller (not shown), and a digital memory (not shown). By means of the lens 28, which defines a detection area 31 delimited at the edge by a dotted line 32, objects located within the detection area 31, such as the customer 16 or his head 17, are imaged on the CCD sensor, electronically detected and digitized there, pre-processed and / or compressed if necessary, and at least temporarily stored in the camera 27 with the aid of a digital memory for further processing. Image processing electronics 30 is designed for this purpose and is used to recognize and analyze electronically captured images of an object, specifically head 17 with the face of customer 16 in this case, and to determine whether customer 16's face is directed toward camera 27. This is essentially determined by eyes 20 and 21 looking in the direction of camera 17, which is equivalent to looking focused at the corresponding ESL 2-11. By definition, this is interpreted as a product-specific interest behavior by customer 16. When this occurs, image processing electronics 30 is designed or programmed to transmit a trigger signal S as a signaling action to display device 25, triggering a data processing response at display device 25, as will be discussed below.

[0089] The display device 25 is used to display product and / or price information and the previously mentioned discount information, and has its own processing level 33, such as a second processor or microcontroller, which is programmed to display the product and / or price information and discount information that has been received via the radio device 26 with the aid of the electrophoretic screen 34, i.e., to operate the screen 34 and to initiate internal communication with the radio device 26.

[0090] Radio device 26 is configured to communicate with access point 13 according to a radio communication protocol and receive data representing product and / or price information or discount information provided by server 15 and transmit it to display device 25. For this purpose, radio device 26 includes its own processing stage 35, such as a third processor or microcontroller, and a transceiver stage 36 connected thereto, which is connected to an antenna arrangement 37. Transceiver stage 36 includes the usual electronic components required to receive radio signals and convert them into electrical signals, and vice versa. Processing stage 35 is programmed to implement the radio communication protocol and transmit the received data to display device 25. Data can also be retrieved from ESL 2-11 and transmitted to server 14 via access point 13.

[0091] Each ESL 2 - 11 further comprises a battery 38 , which is provided for providing the supply voltage VCC necessary for its operation relative to a reference potential GND.

[0092] The display device 25 is further designed to differentiate or distinguish between the display of pure product and / or price information and discount information, namely as follows. In the present exemplary embodiment, the display device always displays product and / or price information, wherein the product and / or price information is supplemented with discount information when the trigger signal S occurs or during the time when the trigger signal S is present. Figure 1 and 2 Discuss this.

[0093] Three function blocks can be connected in series, as shown in Figure 3 . However, the functional blocks can also exchange data and signals with each other via a common data signal bus. Thus, the trigger signal S can be present as an analog signal and have an "on" or "off" state, or can be interpreted according to its (gradual or continuously) variable value, which can be used, for example, to indicate the customer's stay time or to indicate their attention or to scale their attention level, or in other words, to scale their interest. However, the trigger signal S can also be present as a digital representation, such as, for example, as an instruction containing the mentioned indication of attention or scaled interest as an independent variable.

[0094] As in Figure 1 As can be seen in FIG, a customer 16 moves along a path X, which is indicated by a dotted line and on which three positions X1, X2, and X3 are marked for the purpose of demonstrating the present invention. At position X1, the customer 16 shifts his or her gaze slightly to the right, away from the ESLs 2-11. This is determined at least by the first ESL 2, and no trigger signal S is subsequently generated at the first ESL 2. Even at position X2, where the customer 16's gaze is slightly more aligned along the shelf rail 1, this situation does not cause both ESLs 3 and 9 to generate a trigger signal S. Only in position X3, when the customer 16's gaze is focused on the ninth ESL 10, is this determined at the ninth ESL 10 and thus indicates an interest in the products displayed there, leading to the generation of a trigger signal S, which causes the ninth ESL 10 to display, in addition to the product and / or price information displayed there, a discount information as an (additional) purchase incentive. As soon as the customer 16 looks away again, only the original product and / or price information is displayed again at the ninth ESL 10 , and the discount information is faded out.

[0095] For the ninth ESL 10, Figure 2The sequence consisting of the following is visualized in the middle: a display of the product and / or price information without a discount, followed by a display of the product and / or price information with discount information, followed by a display of the product and / or price information without a discount. In the present case, the QR code 39 is faded in fully explicitly as discount information, where previously only the price was visible. The price itself continues to be displayed, however, smaller than before and displayed below the QR code. To the left of the QR code, a text is now displayed, which informs the customer that by scanning the QR code, a discount can be obtained on the price of the advertised product. As long as the face of the customer 16 is located within the detection area 31 of the ninth ESL 10 along the path X in a manner focused on the ninth ESL 10, i.e. between the two time marks T1 and T2 along the time axis t, the QR code 39 is displayed as described (center illustration of the ESL 10). Temporally upstream of the left time mark T1 (left inset of the ESL 10) and temporally downstream of the right time mark T2 (right inset of the ESL 10), the QR code 39 is not shown at the ninth ESL 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, it does not matter whether the customer moves quickly past the ninth ESL 10 with a view directed toward the ninth ESL 10 or even stops in front of it.

[0096] Similar to the QR code 39 that is displayed for discounting the normal price, even when a quick movement is detected, an action invitation such as "Get it now" may be displayed instead of a QR code. In this case, the QR code 39 can only be displayed as discount information when it is determined that the customer 16 has stopped in front of the shelf.

[0097] The displayed QR code 39 can be accessed by the customer 16 using his mobile phone 40 (see Figure 4 C) is scanned, stored, and redeemed without any problems at the cashier terminal in the store or during a complete mobile payment transaction via the mobile phone 40. This functionality can be implemented with the help of an application (APP for short), which is executed on the mobile phone 40 and which the customer 16 has previously installed on his mobile phone 40.

[0098] Later, in Figure 4 The functionality of the present invention is discussed in the overviews of Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C. Here, Figure 4 A shows the method sequence of the method according to the invention, wherein the method sequence is divided into five method sections V1 to V5. Figure 4 B shows, by way of example, the ninth ESL 10 with its information reproduction in method sections VI to V3 associated with ESL 2-11 in its entirety, and Figure 4 C shows that the mobile phone 40 participates in the method in method steps V2 , V4 and V5 .

[0099] exist Figure 4 In A, the method starts in block I. In block II, product and / or price information is displayed by the ESL 2-11, i.e., the QR code 39 provided as a purchase incentive is not displayed. In block III, it is checked whether the customer 16 is essentially looking towards the camera 27 of the corresponding ESL 2-11, and if this is not the case, a branch is made to block II, i.e., the display at the corresponding ESL 2-11 remains unchanged.

[0100] However, if it is determined in block III that the customer 16 has directed his or her gaze towards the camera 27, i.e. focused on the corresponding ESL 2-11 (at Figure 1 In the context of the ninth ESL 10, a trigger signal S is generated there, and in block IV the display is changed such that the QR code 39 is now also displayed. This display is maintained as long as the customer focuses on ESL 10, looping through block V to block IV. In block V, a check is performed to see whether customer 16 has shifted his focus from the relevant ESL 2-11. Customer 16 can now respond to the purchase incentive and scan the QR code 39 using his mobile phone 40 into the supermarket operator's mobile phone app, where it is indicated for the relevant item: if customer 16 actually purchases the item, a discount of, for example, 10% will apply. This is visualized for mobile phone 40 in method section V2. As soon as the customer 16 shifts his or her attention from the relevant ESL 2-11 (here, as described, the ninth ESL 10), in block VI the product and / or price information is displayed by the ESL 2-11 in question (i.e., the ninth ESL 10) without displaying the QR code 39, as is visualized in method segment V3. Here, the method essentially ends for ESL 2-11, as indicated by the loop returning to block II.

[0101] However, in the overall connection of the merchandise management process up to the payment process, the method is continued in block VII, where the customer 16 uses his mobile phone 40 for the payment process. In block VII, it is checked whether the QR code 39 is transmitted from the mobile phone 40 to the payment terminal (not shown) during the payment process. To this end, the customer 16 holds the mobile phone 40 toward the payment terminal, and the discount information (if any) is transmitted during the NFC transmission (Near-Field Communication transmission). If discount information exists for the relevant merchandise, the method is continued at block VIII and the discount information transmitted by means of the QR code 39 is applied, which reduces the price of the relevant merchandise by 10%, which is also displayed on the screen of the mobile phone 40 (see in the context of the fifth method segment V5). Figure 4C). If no discount information exists for the relevant product, the method continues at block IX, where the price of the product is not discounted. In this case, the sequence of blocks VIII to IX can only be traversed once, since, for example, by definition, only a single discount can be applied. If multiple discounts can be applied, such as for each product, the sequence of blocks can be traversed at least according to the number of discount information stored in the mobile phone 40 in order to apply all of these discount information. Multiple discount information (e.g., all discount information) can also be transmitted in a single NFC transmission, so that the sequence of blocks VII to IX must be traversed less frequently or even only once in order to make all discount information available at the payment terminal.

[0102] In this way, it is possible to automatically verify whether the product and / or price information provided by means of the ESL 2-11, or more precisely, the purchase incentive conveyed by means of the QR code, leads to the purchase of the corresponding goods. For example, if customer behavior is determined to be interested in the product, an increase in sales of the products targeted by the relevant QR code can be specifically displayed. With this knowledge, the provision of purchase incentives can also be adapted and changed over time until the desired marketing success is achieved. Thus, the system for providing purchase incentives has been expanded with functionality to verify whether the purchase incentive has been successful.

[0103] According to another application scenario, namely the second application scenario, the detection device 24 can be combined with a flavoring agent emission device (Geruchsstoffabgabeeinrichtung), such as an electronically controllable dispenser or a metering applicator, and form a first combination device. Such a flavoring agent emission device is constructed to store flavoring agents, for example in the form of liquid concentrates, and emits flavoring agents when needed in a metered manner, for example with the help of a pump or a device with an equivalent effect. In this combination, the signaling action on the side of the flavoring agent emission device causes the flavoring agent to be emitted, for example in the form of an aerosol, when a trigger signal S occurs. In this case, the intensity and / or duration can be controlled by the degree of behavior detected by means of the detection device. Reference Figure 1 , so that if the first combination device is integrated into the ESL 2-11, an incentive can be created for the customer 16, for example already at position X1, with the targeted aerosol impact of the first ESL 2, in order to then turn to the shelf or stop and aim at the source of the aerosol impact, which is equivalent to an incentive to purchase the product advertised with the aid of the first ESL 2.

[0104] According to another application scenario, namely the third application scenario, the detection device 24 can be combined with a sound emitting device and form a second combined device. The sound emitting device can be implemented with the aid of a piezoelectric speaker. The sound emitting device is preferably constructed for directional sound emission. Directional sound emission can be achieved, for example, with the aid of a so-called "ultrasonic / ultrasound directional speaker", whereby sound can be emitted in a beam manner with a narrow beam angle. In this combination, the signaling action on the side of the sound emitting device causes sound to be emitted when a trigger signal S occurs, for example as noise and / or music and / or speech and singing. In this case, the intensity and / or duration can be controlled by the behavior or degree of interest detected with the aid of the detection device. Reference Figure 1 , so that if the second combination is integrated into the ESL 2-11, then for example the directional sound emission with the seventh ESL 9 at position X2 can create an incentive for the customer 16 to then turn to this shelf or stop and align with the source of the sound emission, which is equivalent to an incentive to buy the product advertised with the help of the seventh ESL 9. Since humans are able to localize sounds well within a certain frequency range and the sound emission also still takes place in a beamed manner, i.e. directionally, it is easy for the customer 16 to distinguish between the "silent" second ESL 3 and the "loud" seventh ESL 9, even if they are only arranged in different positions, sometimes placed side by side or on top of each other quite close to each other. Figure 1 In the context of [ ], a determined line of sight to a product or the associated ESL (such as that shown at position X3) can also be used, for example, to emit a specific noise, where this noise can be characteristic of the product. If the product is beer, for example, a noise such as that emitted when a beer bottle is opened can be radiated directionally by the eighth ESL 10, which is equivalent to an incentive to buy the beer advertised by the eighth ESL 10. Directed sound events can also be used as highlights in an acoustic background, where the acoustic background is created, for example, by flooding a commercial space with sound over a large area with radio-like audio advertising.

[0105] Of course, the two combination devices discussed above can also be used without the wireless or wired display functionality that characterizes the ESL 2-11, that is, they can actually be used as "stand-alone devices." It can also be provided that the functionality of the two combination devices is combined in a third combination device, which then has precisely the detection device 24, the flavoring device, and the sound emission device. In this third combination device, the detection device can control the two emission devices independently of each other and use them in a specific situation, in particular specifically according to the detection results, in order to convey the corresponding auditory or olfactory purchase incentive to be triggered, such as initially introducing the purchase incentive unobtrusively and then explicitly terminating it.

[0106] The measures according to the invention can also be used in the case of so-called video shelf rails. Such video shelf rails with their relatively wide video screens cover a much larger area of the shelf rail 1 than is the case with ESL 2-11. The video shelf rails often even cover the entire shelf rail 1 and are designed to play videos, i.e. to display dynamic content. For example, such videos can be advertising videos for advertising goods or videos with the help of which the desired impression is to be created in the viewing customer or the desired feelings are to be aroused in the viewing customer. Figure 3 Similarly to the ESL 2-11, whose basic structure was discussed, the video shelf rail can be supplied with video data and other data, such as data representing the mentioned purchase incentives, for example as a QR code, by radio. However, the video shelf rail is sometimes also supplied in a wired manner, since the energy supply can also be realized in the same way as without any problems. In combination with a detection device 24 (if necessary also separately) or with the complete integration of the detection device in the device, it can be used in the case of a video shelf rail to specifically reward interested viewers of the video. That is, with the help of the detection device 24, it can be detected whether the customer watches the advertising video in its entirety or diverts his attention from the advertising video before it ends. In both cases, the detection device 24 is allowed to react in a situation-specific manner.

[0107] If the customer watches the video essentially completely, the mentioned QR code can be faded in as a reward near the end of the video, for example as a static element. As soon as the customer then removes his attention from the video shelf rail, the QR code is faded out.

[0108] If it is determined that the customer has clearly begun to move away from the video shelf rail before the video ends, a highly visible or even unobtrusive invitation to continue watching can be played. This can occur with the announcement of a QR code that is usable for a discount, but the QR code is only usable on the screen near the end of the video if the customer has actually consumed the entire video.

[0109] The three aforementioned combinations can of course also be provided in the case of ESLs 1-11 or video racks to provide different purchase incentives there than a purely visual one. The individual ESLs 2-11 or video racks can all have the same design, i.e., be equipped in the same way with the corresponding combinations, for example, to provide individual location-specific purchase incentives; or they can all have a uniform configuration with respect to the aforementioned combinations, so that—for example, depending on requirements—they can be used selectively and freely.

[0110] Finally, it is pointed out again that the figures described in detail above are only exemplary embodiments and that those skilled in the art may modify these embodiments in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For the sake of completeness, it is also pointed out that the use of the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude that the relevant feature may also be present multiple times.

Claims

1. A method for providing a purchase incentive, comprising the following steps: - detecting the behavior of a person in the environment of said detection device (24) by means of a detection device (24); and - Based on the detected behavior of the person, automatically triggering a signaling action related to providing the purchase incentive.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically triggering a signaling action associated with providing the purchase incentive comprises issuing at least one of the following signals: +Auditory perceptible signals; +Visually perceptible signals; +Smell can detect signals.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the visually perceptible signal is emitted by an electronic product and / or price display (2-11), preferably by a video display, particularly preferably by a video shelf rail display.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the visually perceptible signal comprises a machine-readable code (39), in particular a two-dimensional code, preferably a QR code, a barcode or a dynamic code.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the machine-readable code (39) represents discount information, preferably for a specific product.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the machine-readable code (39) represents loyalty program information, in particular loyalty points.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the auditory perceptible signal is generated by a directional audio signal generator having a directional audio signal emission characteristic and is directionally emitted by the directional audio signal generator.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the olfactory perceptible signal is emitted by an odor emitting device.

9. The method of any preceding claim, wherein automatically triggering a signal associated with providing the purchase incentive comprises emitting at least one radio signal.

10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the signaling act causes the provision of the purchase incentive to be adapted as a function of the detected behavior of the person.

11. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein detection is performed by the detection device (24) in a detection area defined by the detection device (24), preferably in a detection area limited around the detection device (24), and particularly preferably in a detection sector that is unilaterally extended toward the detection device (24).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the detection by the detection device (24) is performed from a position adjacent to the product, preferably from a shelf, particularly preferably from a shelf rail.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the detection device (24) is integrated into an electronic product and / or price display (2-11) having a screen (34), and the detection by the detection device (24) is limited to a detection area in front of the screen (34), preferably to a defined detection sector in front of the screen (34), particularly preferably to a detection sector starting from the screen (34).

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the detection by the detection device ( 24 ) is performed by means of at least one of the following sensors: -Radio or optical signal sensors -Motion sensor - a viewing sensor, preferably based on a camera, preferably with integrated artificial intelligence; - A gaze-based attention sensor, preferably camera-based, preferably with integrated artificial intelligence.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the detection of the person's behavior comprises determining their level of attention, and wherein the triggered signaling action communicates the detected level of attention. 16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detected behavior is digitally stored and used, in particular for providing the purchase incentive in the future, in particular for automatically adapting the purchase incentive.

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