Crowd-Sourced Item Location Tracking via Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack an efficient method to track the location of items within retail stores and home environments, relying on traditional inventory methods that can be outdated and labor-intensive, and do not effectively utilize crowd-sourced information for real-time location updates.
Innovation Solution
A system that maintains an item location database using crowd-sourced information from mobile devices, incorporating GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, and image recognition to update item locations dynamically, allowing users to submit and verify item locations through mobile applications, and providing navigational information to users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional inventory methods are used to track item locations, then the system is simple to implement, but the location data becomes outdated and requires labor-intensive updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to automatically submit item location information through mobile devices without requiring manual inventory tracking by staff. Users capture images and GPS locations, which are automatically processed and added to the database, making the system self-updating and eliminating labor-intensive traditional inventory methods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inventory tracking with automated electronic systems including mobile device cameras, GPS positioning, and image recognition algorithms. This substitution transforms physical inventory checking into automated digital data collection and processing
2Measurement precision
If crowd-sourced information is collected from multiple users, then the accuracy and freshness of item location data improves, but the system complexity and data verification requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where users can verify item locations by viewing submitted images and location data. The image recognition system provides feedback on whether the submitted item matches the search query, allowing users to confirm or reject location submissions, thereby improving accuracy through iterative verification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary image recognition system that automatically processes user-submitted photos to verify item identity and location. This intermediary layer filters and validates crowd-sourced data before adding it to the database, reducing the burden of manual verification while maintaining accuracy
3Reliability
If real-time location tracking is implemented using mobile devices and GPS, then item location availability improves, but the energy consumption and device resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by only activating GPS and camera when users actively submit item location information, rather than continuously tracking. The mobile device remains in low-power mode between submissions, consuming minimal energy, while still providing real-time updates when data is actually changed
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are systems and methods for receiving a plurality of item submissions from a plurality of mobile user devices (each item submission of the plurality of item submissions including: item identifier data indicative of an item; and item location data indicative of a location of the item), determining a determined location for the item (using the respective item location data for each of the plurality of item submissions), and storing the determined location for the item in an item location database. The determined location for the item is stored in association with an item identifier corresponding to the item, and the item location database stores determined locations for a plurality of items.