Selective radio frequency identification shield

Abstract

To provide an improved device for a selective radio frequency identification shield, and to provide a storage part.SOLUTION: A storage part includes a plurality of side surfaces including a bottom side surface on which items can be placed and one or more wall side surfaces for storing the items. At least one out of the plurality of side surfaces is permeable to a radio frequency (RF) used to identify the items in the storage part, and one or more side surfaces out of the plurality of side surfaces include an RF shield arranged to block the one or more side surfaces. Thereby, radio waves used to identify the items in the storage part are blocked by the one or more blocked side surfaces. The storage part further includes at least one opening through which items can be placed into the storage part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Background technology]

[0001]

[0001] Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology generally allows for the identification of items using radio waves. In some cases, RFID systems use sensors or readers to identify nearby RFID tags. Typically, the sensor or reader emits radio waves that are detected by the tags, which may be self-powered (e.g., from a battery source) or may receive their power from the radio waves themselves. When the sensor's radio waves are detected, the tag generally responds, providing the tag's identifier. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0002] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary shopping cart container having a selective RF shield according to one embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary shopping cart container with selective RF shielding according to one embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 2A]

[0003] FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary shopping basket container having a selective RF shield according to one embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary shopping basket container having a selective RF shield according to one embodiment disclosed herein. [Diagram 3]

[0004] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary removable RF shield according to an embodiment disclosed herein. [Figure 4]

[0005] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary environment for a shielded RFID sensor according to one embodiment disclosed herein. [Diagram 5]

[0006] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary environment for using a shielded RFID sensor and a selectively shielded shopping container according to one embodiment disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0003]

[0007] RFID can be used for a variety of purposes, including inventory tracking and management, as well as item identification, etc. However, while RFID technology allows a system to identify an item, it does not allow the system to determine where a particular item is located, which person the item or tag is associated with, etc. This can be particularly problematic in crowded situations where many RFID tags may be present, when it is desirable to identify an item more specifically.

[0004]

[0008] In some aspects, RFID tags may be used to identify items in a retail environment (e.g., a grocery store), etc. For example, each item available for purchase at a store may have an RFID tag (e.g., integrated into or in some way attached to the item and / or the item's packaging). In general, RFID tags may include active tags (e.g., having their own power source) and / or passive tags (powered by an RFID sensor). An item may be identified based on the RFID tag by mapping the RFID tag's unique identifier to a product identifier (e.g., a barcode, or Universal Product Code (UPC)). For example, when a user brings an item near an RFID sensor (also referred to in some aspects as a reader), the sensor may detect the RFID identifier and determine what the item is based on the mapping.

[0005]

[0009] In some embodiments, RFID technology may be used to detect or identify items without requiring a user to manually scan or even present the items. For example, rather than requiring a customer or employee to manually place the items on a conveyor or scan section, the items may remain in the shopping container (e.g., cart or basket) and the entire container may be moved past or near an RFID sensor (or, in some cases, the RFID sensor may be moved past or near the container). In some aspects, this allows the system to identify the items in the container based on the detected RFID tag. This may allow a user to seamlessly purchase items, such as by automatically logging the items and completing the purchase as the user leaves the store and / or by automatically identifying them (e.g., at the checkout) and allowing the user to complete the purchase.

[0006]

[0010] However, to enable such aspects, it is important to distinguish which items correspond to which users. For example, if multiple users (each with a shopping container filled with items) are in the same area (e.g., leaving a store, waiting in line at the checkout, etc.), the system should know which items belong to each user (or at least which items belong to the user currently checking out). However, traditional RFID is non-directional and typically detects any RFID tag within a fixed or configurable range.

[0007]

[0011] Thus, in some embodiments, selective RF shielding is provided. In some embodiments, an RF shield is used to block RF signals (e.g., from an RFID reader) on one or more sides of a shopping container, while one or more other sides are left unshielded (so that the RFID signals can penetrate through the unshielded sides). That is, an RF impermeable shield can be used to block RFID signals from entering the shopping container (and triggering or identifying tags therein) from certain angle(s) or side(s), while allowing RFID signals to enter the shopping container (and trigger or identify tags therein) from other angle(s) or side(s).

[0008]

[0012] For example, a shopping cart may have shielding on the bottom and three of the four sides. The fourth side (e.g., the right side) may be exposed to an RFID sensor (e.g., by rolling the cart past the sensor), allowing the sensor to detect tags therein (through the RF transparent right side). However, items in other nearby carts may be shielded until the cart is in the proper position and / or orientation relative to the sensor. In some embodiments, this may be referred to as the "sensing position."

[0009]

[0013] In some embodiments, the RFID sensor may also include or use an RF shield to control its directionality. For example, the RFID sensor may be located within a box or tube of RF opaque material, allowing the tag to be read only when the tag is directly in front of the open end of the box or tube.

[0010]

[0014] In general, the specific configurations of the RF shield and the RFID sensor(s) may vary depending on the particular implementation, and are generally complementary. That is, the specific configuration of the RFID sensors (e.g., their location and orientation) may be used to define the configuration of the RF shield of the shopping container, and / or vice versa. For example, if the RFID sensor(s) are located on the left side of the path the shopping container follows (e.g., along a queue or conveyor belt), the shopping container may include RF shielding on the front and back as well as the right side, but the left side may be unshielded. As another example, if the RFID sensor(s) are located below the path (e.g., facing up on the floor), the shopping container may have RF shielding on all four sides and an unshielded bottom.

[0011]

[0015] In general, an RF shield can comprise any material or structure that is opaque to radio frequencies or electromagnetic fields used by an RFID system. For example, the shield can comprise a fine conductive mesh (e.g., a metal Faraday cage), a solid sheet of conductive material (e.g., metal), etc. In some embodiments, some or all of the RF shield is rigid (e.g., a sheet or grid of rigid metal). In some embodiments, some or all of the RF shield is flexible or deformable (e.g., a thin net of material).

[0012]

[0016] In some embodiments, the RF shield is integrated into the shopping container; that is, one or more sides of the shopping container may be constructed from the shield itself (e.g., using a solid metal sheet on one side as opposed to a traditional wire or plastic construction). In some embodiments, the RF shield may be a separate component that can be selectively added and / or removed from the shopping container. For example, the RF shield may comprise one or more panels (which may include solid or mesh panels) that can be affixed (permanently or temporarily) to a desired side of the container, such as by cable ties (also known as zip ties), clips, magnets, bolts and nuts, or any other suitable fasteners. In some embodiments, the RF shield comprises a mesh fabric that can be stretched or otherwise attached to cover a traditional shopping container.

[0013]

[0017] In this manner, the scanning system cannot identify or detect items in any container that are not at the sensing location and / or orientation of the RFID sensor. By allowing only one container at a time to be at a given RFID sensor sensing location and / or orientation, the system can easily determine that any identified item(s) are in one shopping container and therefore belong to a group corresponding to the container's associated user (e.g., customer). This can greatly reduce inaccuracies and errors in item or inventory management by preventing a user from forgetting to scan any item, preventing the system from erroneously identifying item(s) from other users, etc. Furthermore, by automatically identifying all items in a given container, the system can speed up or streamline checkout or other processes since the user does not need to manually scan each item.

[0014]

[0018] 1A and 1B show an exemplary shopping cart container 100 with selective RF shielding according to one embodiment disclosed herein. Specifically, FIG. 1A shows a shopping container 100A that includes shielding on some of the walls of the enclosure, and FIG. 1B shows a shopping container 100B that has shielding on all of the walls. In the illustrated example, shopping containers 100A and 100B are shopping carts that can be pushed or pulled by a user.

[0015]

[0019] 1A, the shopping container 100A generally comprises a receptacle 120 for storing or holding items, a frame 110, wheels 115 (or some other means of transport), and a handle 105 for holding, pushing, lifting, or otherwise moving the shopping container 100A. In general, the specific design of the shopping container 100A may vary depending on the particular implementation. For example, the shopping container 100A may include one or more additional handles 105 (or no handles), one or more additional receptacles 120 (e.g., a second or third receptacle for holding items), a frame 110 of a different size or shape, and a different number of wheels 115 (or other means of transport without wheels), etc.

[0016]

[0020] As shown, the receptacle 120 of the shopping container 100A generally has multiple sides, which may include one or more bottom sides (e.g., at the bottom of the receptacle) on which an item may be placed (e.g., to support an item against gravity), one or more wall sides, and / or one or more top sides (e.g., if the receptacle has a lid). In general, the specific presence (or absence) and arrangement of the sides may vary depending on the particular implementation. In the illustrated example, the receptacle 120 includes a front or front wall side (also referred to in some embodiments as a transverse or axial side), which may be defined by the intended or designed direction in which the shopping container is pushed during use, a back or rear wall side (also referred to in some embodiments as a transverse or axial side), which may be the side closest to the handle 105 on which a user stands when pushing the cart, and two side wall sides (also referred to in some embodiments as longitudinal sides). In some aspects, the side walls are also referred to as left and right sides, as defined by the intended direction of movement. The receptacle 120 includes an opening at the top to allow a user to place items in the receptacle 120 or remove items from the receptacle 120.

[0017]

[0021] In the illustrated example, the container 120 of the shopping container 100A includes RF shields 130A-130C on three sides (in some embodiments, such sides are referred to as blocked or shielded sides). Specifically, the RF shield 130 covers the front side (with RF shield 130A), the right side (with RF shield 130B), and the back side (with RF shield 130C). The left side of the container 120 is the unshielded side 125 (in some embodiments, this is referred to as the unblocked side or unblocked side). In this way, RF can penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from the left side (or from above and below (if these sides are also unshielded)) of the container 120, but cannot penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from the right side, front, or back of the container 120. That is, RF can be blocked by the RF shield 130. As used herein, "blocking" RF can generally include any technique or event that prevents RF from penetrating or passing through a space or enclosure, including reflecting RF, absorbing RF, etc.

[0018]

[0022] Although shown as separate segments of RF shields 130A-130C, in some embodiments, the RF shield may be implemented as a single component (e.g., three panels bolted together, a monolithic part formed by folding a flat panel, and / or a flexible mesh wrapped around housing 120).

[0019]

[0023] In some embodiments, the configuration of the RF shield 130 of the shopping container 100A is selected or determined based on the configuration of a corresponding RFID sensor. For example, the shopping container 100A may be used with an RFID sensor positioned to scan items when the container is moved from the right to the left of the sensor (with the unshielded left side 125 of the container facing the sensor).

[0020]

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1B, the shopping container 100B similarly includes a storage section 120 for storing or holding items, a frame 110, wheels 115 (or some other means of transportation), and a handle 105 for holding, pushing, lifting, or otherwise moving the shopping container 100B.

[0021]

[0025] As shown, the container 120 of the shopping container 100B also has multiple sides, and the container 120 of the shopping container 100B includes RF shields 130A-130D on four sides (referred to in some embodiments as blocked or shielded sides). Specifically, the RF shield 130 covers all four side walls of the container 120. In this way, RF cannot penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from any side wall of the container 120, but may penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from directly above (through an opening in the container) or directly below (which may not be shielded).

[0022]

[0026] In some embodiments, the configuration of the RF shield 130 of the shopping container 100B is similarly selected or determined based on the configuration of the corresponding RFID sensor. For example, the shopping container 100B may be used with an RFID sensor positioned to scan items from above or below as the container is moved over or under the sensor.

[0023]

[0027] 2A and 2B show an exemplary shopping basket container 100 with selective RF shielding according to one embodiment disclosed herein. Specifically, FIG. 2A shows a shopping container 100C that includes shielding on some of the walls of the enclosure, and FIG. 2B shows a shopping container 100D that has shielding on all of the walls. In the illustrated example, shopping containers 100C and 100D are shopping baskets that can be carried by a user.

[0024]

[0028] 2A, the shopping container 100C generally includes a receptacle 120 for storing or holding items and one or more handles 105 for holding, pushing, lifting, or otherwise moving the shopping container 100C. In general, the specific design of the shopping container 100C may vary depending on the particular implementation. For example, the shopping container 100C may include one or more additional handles 105 (or no handles), one or more additional receptacles 120 (e.g., a second or third receptacle for holding items), etc.

[0025]

[0029] As shown, the receptacle 120 of the shopping container 100C generally has multiple sides, which may include one or more bottom sides (e.g., at the bottom of the receptacle) on which an item may be placed (e.g., to support the item against gravity), one or more wall sides, and / or one or more top sides (e.g., if the receptacle has a lid). In general, the specific presence (or absence) and arrangement of the sides may vary depending on the particular implementation. In the illustrated example, the receptacle 120 includes four wall sides. The receptacle 120 includes an opening at the top to allow a user to place an item in the receptacle 120 or remove an item from the receptacle 120.

[0026]

[0030] In some aspects, all four wall sides of the receptacle 120 may be the same (e.g., there may be no front or rear side, since the shopping container 100C may have multiple orientations). In some embodiments, the receptacle 120 includes two long or axial sides (opposite each other) and two short sides. In some embodiments, the long and short sides may be defined based on a defined orientation of the shopping container 100C, such as based on the location and / or orientation of the handle 105. For example, the long sides may be longer than the short sides (e.g., if the shopping container 100C is rectangular). In some embodiments, the long and short sides may be defined based on the orientation in which the shopping container 100C is placed when the items are scanned. For example, a shopping container 100C may be placed on a conveyor belt that is narrower than the length of its long sides, so that the shopping container 100C needs to be oriented with one of its short sides facing forward in the direction of conveyor movement and its long sides facing toward the right and left sides of the conveyor.

[0027]

[0031] In the illustrated example, the container 120 of the shopping container 100C includes RF shields 130A-130B on two sides (in some embodiments, these sides are referred to as blocked or shielded sides). Specifically, the RF shield 130 covers the short side walls (e.g., the front and back of the container 120). The left and right long side walls of the container 120 are unshielded sides 125A-125B. In this way, RF can penetrate or penetrate the container 120 when transmitted from the left or right side of the container 120 (or from above and below, if these sides are also unshielded) but cannot penetrate or penetrate the container 120 when transmitted from the front or back of the container 120.

[0028]

[0032] In some embodiments, as described above, the configuration of the RF shield 130 of the shopping container 100C is selected or determined based on the configuration of the corresponding RFID sensor. For example, the shopping container 100C may be used with an RFID sensor positioned to scan items when the container is moved from right to left or left to right of the sensor (with either of the unshielded sides 125A-125B of the container facing the sensor). That is, the illustrated shopping basket may be placed facing forward or backward, so that both long sides are left unshielded to ensure that the items within the container are visible to the sensor.

[0029]

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2B, the shopping container 100D similarly includes a storage portion 120 for storing or holding items and one or more handles 105 for holding, pushing, lifting or otherwise moving the shopping container 100D.

[0030]

[0034] As shown, the container 120 of the shopping container 100D also has multiple sides, and the container 120 of the shopping container 100D includes RF shields 130A-130D on four sides (which in some embodiments are referred to as blocked or shielded sides). Specifically, the RF shield 130 covers all four side walls of the container 120. In this way, RF cannot penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from any side wall of the container 120, but may penetrate or pass through the container 120 when transmitted from directly above (through an opening in the container) or directly below (which may not be shielded).

[0031]

[0035] In some embodiments, the configuration of the RF shield 130 of the shopping container 100D is similarly selected or determined based on the configuration of the corresponding RFID sensor. For example, the shopping container 100D may be used with an RFID sensor positioned to scan items from above or below as the container is moved above or below the sensor. In this manner, the particular orientation of the shopping container 100D may be irrelevant during scanning (as long as the bottom surface remains on the bottom), and the shopping container 100D may be placed in any suitable orientation to be scanned (although the shopping container 100C should generally be placed with one of its unshielded long sides 125 facing the sensor).

[0032]

[0036] For conceptual clarity, the illustrated examples of Figures 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B show specific static configurations of RF shields, although in embodiments, RF shields may generally be arranged in any suitable configuration. For example, while the illustrated shopping containers 100A-100D include shields that entirely cover one or more sides, in some aspects, one or more sides may be partially shielded (e.g., with an RF shield covering a portion of the side). Additionally, while the illustrated shopping containers 100A-100D include an opening on the top surface, in some embodiments, the shopping container may include a lid (with or without an RF shield). For example, a shopping container may include a lid and an RF shield on all sides, such that RF radiation cannot penetrate the container until the lid is opened.

[0033]

[0037] Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary removable RF shield 305 according to one embodiment disclosed herein. Specifically, Figure 3 illustrates a shopping container 100E (having a handle 105, frame 110, wheels 115, and housing 120) without an RF shield. That is, radio waves from an RFID sensor may be able to penetrate the housing 120 of the shopping container 100E from any direction. For example, the shopping container 100E may be a conventional shopping cart.

[0034]

[0038] As shown, the RF shield 305 may be a removable shield that may be permanently or temporarily attached to the receptacle 120 of the shopping container 100E. For example, the RF shield 305 may comprise a flexible mesh that may be wrapped around one or more sides of the shopping container 100E, one or more panels that may be attached to one or more sides, etc. In some embodiments, the RF shield 305 may be designed to allow for the conversion of a conventional shopping container into a shopping container that includes a shield suitable for automated RFID-based item detection.

[0035]

[0039] In general, RF shield 305 may be attached using a variety of techniques or fasteners such that each side of housing 120 may be selectively blocked or unblocked by attaching or removing all or a portion of RF shield 305. For example, RF shield 305 may be selectively installed on one or more sides of housing 120 depending on the particular configuration of the RFID sensor(s) being used, as discussed above.

[0036]

[0040] 4 illustrates an example environment 400 of a shielded RFID sensor according to one embodiment disclosed herein. In some embodiments, as described above, an RFID sensor or reader may generally be relatively non-directional in that it can sense or detect an RFID tag anywhere (as long as the tag is within the detection range of the sensor). Thus, in some embodiments, the system may use RF shielding to limit the visibility of the RFID sensor(s), thereby improving item detection and allowing the system to associate the item with a particular user.

[0037]

[0041] In the illustrated example, the RF shield 415 is positioned to partially surround the RFID sensor 405. As described above, the RF shield 415 may generally comprise a variety of materials and structures, such as, for example, a conductive (e.g., metal) mesh, and a solid panel. The RF shield 415 is generally impermeable to the radio waves 410 used by the RFID sensor 405, such that the RFID sensor 405 cannot detect an RFID tag that is blocked by the RF shield 415. The RF shield 415 may generally be configured to cover or block one or more sides of the RFID sensor 405, but leave one or more other sides unblocked. For example, the RF shield 415 may be a tube or box that is open at one end, allowing the radio waves 410 to enter and exit through the opening. In this manner, the RFID sensor 405 may only be able to identify an RFID tag if the RFID tag is in front of this opening (e.g., within the line of sight of the RFID sensor 405).

[0038]

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the RFID sensor 405 is communicatively coupled to a scanning system 425. The scanning system 425 generally corresponds to a computing system that controls the RFID sensor 405 and / or receives information collected by the RFID sensor 405. For example, the RFID sensor 405 may inform the scanning system 425 of any unique identifier of the detected RFID tag.

[0039]

[0043] In some embodiments, the scanning system 425 is part of an inventory or item management system, such as a checkout system in a retail facility, as described above. For example, the scanning system may be used to identify a particular item(s) in a shopping bin (e.g., based on mapping an RFID identifier to a UPC) to facilitate or perform checkout. For example, the scanning system 425 may identify a user of the shopping bin (e.g., using facial recognition, manual self-identification, scanning a unique identifier such as the user's RFID card, etc.) and associate the detected items with the user's account or profile (e.g., to automatically bill accordingly). As another example, the scanning system 425 may present the detected items and / or price information (e.g., via a display at the checkout) to enable the user to complete the transaction.

[0040]

[0044] In this manner, the scanning system 425 and shielded RFID sensor 405 can significantly reduce errors and provide improved efficiency and operability in a retail environment.

[0041]

[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates an example environment 500 for using a shielded RFID sensor and a selectively shielded shopping container according to one embodiment disclosed herein.

[0042]

[0046] Specifically, in the illustrated example, RFID sensor 405 (having RF shield 415) is configured to scan or detect items within shopping containers 100A-100C. In the illustrated example, shopping containers 100A-100C are moved past RFID sensor 405 along conveyor component 505. In general, conveyor component 505 may comprise a variety of active or passive components. For example, in some embodiments, conveyor component 505 includes one or more active or moving components for physically moving shopping container 100 along a directed path. Such moving components may generally take a variety of forms depending on the particular implementation. For example, conveyor component 505 may comprise one or more components (e.g., a conveyor belt or system of rollers) on which shopping container 100 rests, one or more components (e.g., pushers, pullers, arms, or protrusions, and the like that engage with the container) and the like.

[0043]

[0047] In some embodiments, the conveyor component 505 uses one or more passive components, such as an inclined ramp, to move the shopping container 100 along the path (e.g., allowing the container to slide down the ramp by gravity). In some embodiments, the conveyor component 505 may be completely passive, allowing a user to move the shopping container 100 along the path. For example, in some embodiments, the conveyor component 505 may be a defined path (e.g., visually defined using lines or arrows on the ground) along which the user pushes, pulls, or carries the shopping container 100. In some embodiments, the conveyor component 505 comprises physical guides, such as rails or walls, to aid or constrain movement along the path (e.g., to constrain the shopping basket in a desired orientation for scanning, to ensure that the shopping container 100 is sufficiently close to the RFID sensor 405, etc.).

[0044]

[0048] In the illustrated example, RFID sensor 405 is able to detect an RFID tag located within shopping container 100B, as indicated by line of sight 510. However, due to the RF shield 415 around RFID sensor 405 and / or the RF shield 130 of each shopping container 100, the items within shopping containers 100A and 100C are not detectable by RFID sensor 405. That is, shopping container 100B is in sensing position 520 of RFID sensor 405, while shopping containers 100A and 100C are in non-sensing positions 515A and 515B, respectively.

[0045]

[0049] As discussed above, the sensing location (e.g., sensing location 520) of an RFID sensor (e.g., RFID sensor 405) generally corresponds to a location (also referred to as a place or area) and / or orientation (or range of orientations) of shopping container 100 where items within the shopping container may be detected by the RFID sensor. As illustrated, when shopping container 100 and / or a receptacle is in sensing location 520, the unshielded side 125 of the container faces toward RFID sensor 405 (and the unshielded side of RF shield 415 faces toward the receptacle or container in sensing location 520). In general, any position or orientation of shopping container 100 where an RF shield (which may include RF shield 415, RF shield 130, or both) is between RFID sensor 405 and the contents of the container may be referred to as a non-sensing position.

[0046]

[0050] In general, the shopping containers 100 may be moved past the RFID sensor 405 (by the conveyor component 505) continuously or intermittently. That is, in some embodiments, each shopping container 100 may be placed at the sensing location 520 and held stationary for a period of time while the RFID sensor 405 identifies the items therein. In other embodiments, the shopping containers 100 may be moved continuously past the sensing location 520, and the RFID sensor 405 may identify the items as each container moves past.

[0047]

[0051] Although shown as a sequence in which shopping container 100 moves along conveyor component 505, in some embodiments the system may use a stationary approach. For example, rather than identifying items as the container moves past RFID sensor 405, a user may place shopping container 100 within a designated area (e.g., place a shopping basket within a marked box on a counter), wait for the scan to be completed, and then proceed with the items.

[0048]

[0052] The description of various embodiments of the present disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used in this specification is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements to the technology found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0049]

[0053] The above description refers to the embodiments presented in the present disclosure. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments. Rather, any combination of the features and elements described above, whether related to different embodiments or not, is contemplated to implement and practice the contemplated embodiments. Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed herein may achieve other possible solutions or advantages over the prior art, but whether or not a particular advantage is achieved by a given embodiment does not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the above aspects, features, embodiments, and advantages are merely exemplary and are not considered elements or limitations of the appended claims unless expressly stated in the claim(s).

[0050]

[0054] Aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects, which may all be collectively referred to herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system."

[0051]

[0055] The present disclosure may be a system, a method, and / or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium or media having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to implement aspects of the present disclosure.

[0052]

[0056] A computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of further examples of computer-readable storage media includes portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs or flash memories), static random access memories (SRAMs), portable compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanically encoded devices such as punch cards or raised structures in grooves with instructions recorded therein, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer-readable storage medium, as used herein, should not itself be considered to be a transitory signal, such as an electric wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., light pulses through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted through a wire.

[0053]

[0057] The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device or to an external computer or storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fiber, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer-readable program instructions to a computer-readable storage medium in the respective computing / processing device for storage.

[0054]

[0058] The computer readable program instructions for carrying out the operations of the present disclosure may be either assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including, for example, object oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk or C++, or traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), may execute computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to perform aspects of the present disclosure.

[0055]

[0059] Aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

[0056]

[0060] These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus provide means for implementing the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored on a computer readable storage medium capable of directing a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to function in a particular manner, such that a computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon comprises an article of manufacture including instructions that implement aspects of the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0057]

[0061] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a sequence of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executing on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0058]

[0062] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions described in the blocks may occur out of the order described in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or operations, or that implements a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0059]

[0063] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be provided to end users through a cloud computing infrastructure. Cloud computing generally refers to the provisioning of scalable computing resources as a service over a network. More formally, cloud computing may be defined as a computing capability that provides an abstraction between computing resources and their underlying technical architecture (e.g., servers, storage, network), enabling convenient on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction. Thus, cloud computing allows users to access virtual computing resources (e.g., storage, data, applications, and even complete virtualized computing systems) in the "cloud" without worrying about the underlying physical systems (or the location of these systems) used to provide the computing resources.

[0060]

[0064] Typically, cloud computing resources are provided to users on a pay-per-use basis, where the user is charged only for the computing resources that the user actually uses (e.g., the amount of storage space consumed by the user or the number of virtualization systems instantiated by the user). The user can access any of the resources present in the cloud at any time from anywhere across the Internet. In the context of the present disclosure, the user may access the available applications or related data in the cloud. For example, the scanning system 425 may be executed on a computing system in the cloud. Doing so allows the user to access this information from any computing system attached to a network (e.g., the Internet) connected to the cloud.

[0061]

[0065] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, which scope is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A shopping container having a container, The storage section has a bottom surface on which an item can be placed and a plurality of side surfaces having one or more walls for storing the item; at least one of the sides is transparent to radio frequency (RF) signals used to identify an item in the receptacle; an RF shield is disposed on one or more of the side surfaces so that radio waves used to identify an item in the storage section are blocked by the one or more side surfaces; The container has at least one opening through which an item can be placed in the container. Shopping container.

2. 2. The shopping container of claim 1, wherein the one or more blocked sides are at least partially defined by the RF shield.

3. 10. The shopping container of claim 1, wherein the RF shield is removable such that the one or more blocked sides can be selectively blocked or unblocked by the RF shield.

4. The RF shield comprises: when the shopping container is placed in a sensing position relative to a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, radio waves from the RFID sensor can penetrate the container and identify items within the container; When the shopping container is placed in a non-detection position with respect to the RFID sensor, radio waves from the RFID sensor are blocked from passing through the container.

2. The shopping container of claim 1 arranged as follows:

5. 5. The shopping container of claim 4, wherein the RFID sensor is a component of a sensing system that includes a transport component for moving the shopping container past the RFID sensor.

6. the RFID sensor comprising a second RF shield positioned to block one or more sides of the RFID sensor; one or more unblocked sides of the RFID sensor face the shopping container when the shopping container is placed in the sensing position; the one or more sides of the container that are not blocked face the RFID sensor when the shopping container is placed in the sensing position; 5. A shopping container according to claim 4.

7. 5. The shopping container of claim 4, wherein the one or more blocked sides comprise short wall sides of the plurality of sides of the shopping container.

8. 5. The shopping container of claim 4, wherein the one or more sides that are blocked comprise the bottom surface.

9. 5. The shopping container of claim 4, wherein the one or more blocked sides comprise at least one longitudinal wall side of the plurality of sides of the shopping container.

10. 10. The shopping container of claim 9, wherein at least one longitudinal wall side of said plurality of sides is unshielded.

11. A container, A plurality of sides including a bottom surface on which an item can be placed and one or more wall sides for receiving the item, at least one of the sides is transparent to radio frequency (RF) signals used to identify an item in the receptacle; one or more of the plurality of sides includes an RF shield disposed to block the one or more sides, whereby radio waves used to identify an item in the receptacle are blocked by the one or more blocked sides; With multiple aspects, at least one opening through which an article can be placed in the receptacle; A storage section comprising:

12. The receptacle of claim 11 , wherein the one or more blocked sides are at least partially defined by the RF shield.

13. The housing of claim 11 , wherein the RF shield is removable such that the one or more blocked sides can be selectively blocked or unblocked by the RF shield.

14. The RF shield comprises: when the container is positioned in a sensing position relative to a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, radio waves from the RFID sensor can penetrate the container and identify items within the container; When the housing is disposed in a non-detection position with respect to the RFID sensor, radio waves from the RFID sensor are blocked from passing through the housing. The container according to claim 11 , arranged as follows:

15. The enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the RFID sensor is a component of a sensing system that includes a transport component for moving the enclosure past the RFID sensor.

16. the RFID sensor comprising a second RF shield positioned to block one or more sides of the RFID sensor; one or more unblocked sides of the RFID sensor face the housing when the housing is disposed in the sensing position; the one or more unblocked sides of the housing face the RFID sensor when the housing is disposed in the sensing position; The container according to claim 14.

17. The housing of claim 14 , wherein the one or more blocked sides comprise short wall sides of the plurality of sides of the housing.

18. The receptacle of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sides that are blocked comprise the bottom surface.

19. The receptacle of claim 14 , wherein the one or more blocked sides comprise at least one longitudinal wall side of the plurality of sides of the receptacle.

20. A container, With multiple aspects, at least one of the sides is transparent to radio frequency (RF) signals used to identify an item in the receptacle; One or more of the sides include an RF shield disposed to block the one or more sides, whereby when the housing is disposed in a sensing position relative to a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor, radio waves from the RFID sensor can be transmitted through the housing; A housing portion, in which radio waves from the RFID sensor are blocked from passing through the housing portion when the housing portion is placed in a non-sensing position with respect to the RFID sensor.

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