Head-Mounted Camera Shopper View Tracking System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shopper behavior tracking systems are expensive, generate excessive video data, rely on inconsistent corneal reflections, require significant calibration, and are undesirable due to the need for specialized eyeglasses, making them unsuitable for large-scale studies in retail environments.
Innovation Solution
A shopper view tracking system that includes a camera mounted on the head to capture images, an analysis computing device to estimate the shopper's field of view and line of sight, and an analysis program to generate statistical measures, using image recognition technologies to impute shopper paths and recognize shopping events without the need for accurate focal distance measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If corneal reflection method is used to detect focal point, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to inconsistent results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical corneal reflection detection system with a camera-based image capture system. Instead of using second camera to detect corneal reflections and calculate focal points, the system uses a first camera to capture images of the environment from the shopper's viewpoint. This substitution eliminates the inconsistency of corneal reflection methods while maintaining the ability to track and analyze shopper behavior and field of view.
2Measurement precision
If specialized eyeglasses with multiple cameras are used, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to fashion concerns and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the camera system from the eyeglasses framework. Instead of mounting cameras on specialized eyeglasses, the system uses a camera that can be attached to standard eyeglasses or held in the shopper's hand. This extraction removes the fashion and comfort constraints while preserving the first-person viewpoint capture capability essential for measuring field of view and tracking shopper behavior.
3Measurement precision
If corneal reflection system is used, then focal point detection is achieved, but device complexity increases due to calibration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service approach where the camera automatically captures images from the shopper's viewpoint without requiring manual calibration. The system processes the captured images to determine field of view and track shopper behavior automatically, eliminating the need for complex calibration procedures that would be required for corneal reflection systems to establish accurate focal point measurements.
4Measurement precision
If corneal reflection method is used, then focal point measurement is achieved, but loss of information increases due to large video data generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information from the captured images - specifically the field of view boundaries and focal point locations - rather than processing and storing complete video sequences. The system identifies and tracks relevant visual elements within the captured images, significantly reducing data volume while maintaining the precision needed for shopper behavior analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for tracking a view of a shopper are disclosed. The system may include camera coupled with a head of a shopper, and configured to capture one or more images in a field of view of the camera as captured image data. The shopper view tracking system may also include an analysis computing device configured to receive the captured image data, and an analysis program configured to determine an estimated shopper field of view having a boundary that is calculated to represent a probability of a person in a data sample having an actual measured focal point that occurs within the boundary, and to display the estimated shopper field of view superimposed on the one or more images in the captured image data. The analysis program further may be configured to generate an output including statistical measures based on the estimated field of view.