Illuminated Floor Pathfinding for Retail Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large retail establishments, navigating to specific items or locations is often cumbersome due to the vastness of the area, relying on store assistants, floor maps, and signage, which can be inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a floor surface with communicating indicators and a mobile device application that calculates and illuminates the shortest path to an item of interest, using visual and tactile cues, and a special-purpose processor to redirect if necessary, ensuring efficient navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional navigation methods (store assistants, floor maps, signage) are used, then customers can receive direction assistance, but the process is cumbersome and inefficient due to the vast store area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical navigation aids (physical floor maps, static signage) with an electronic system comprising a mobile device application and an illuminated floor system. The mobile device communicates with the floor system to dynamically display navigation paths through illuminated indicators on the floor surface, eliminating the need for customers to manually consult maps or ask for directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the customer and the navigation system. The mobile device application receives the customer's destination input, calculates the optimal path, and communicates with the floor system to activate the appropriate illuminated indicators, serving as a mediator that coordinates the navigation information delivery.
2Measurement precision
If dynamic illuminated paths are implemented on the floor, then navigation accuracy and efficiency improve, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the floor surface into multiple segments or zones, each equipped with independent illuminated indicators that can be activated selectively. This segmentation allows the system to display only the relevant portion of the navigation path rather than illuminating the entire floor, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high path indication accuracy for the active route.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic illuminated floor system where the navigation path indicators can change based on real-time conditions. The system can update the illuminated path dynamically as the customer moves through the store or if alternative routes are needed, providing adaptability without requiring complete system redesign.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple navigation paths are provided for different customers, then individualized routing is achieved, but energy consumption and system load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent activates only the necessary portion of the floor indicators required for each customer's specific route rather than illuminating the entire floor system. This partial action approach allows multiple customers to receive personalized routing simultaneously while consuming energy only for the active paths, significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to full-system illumination.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for directing a shopper to an item of interest in a store comprises a floor surface at a store configured with indicators that communicate with each other to identify a path for guiding a store visitor from a current location to a location of an item of interest; a mobile device application executed by a mobile electronic device, the mobile device application generating a request for locating the item of interest; and a special-purpose processor that calculates the path from the current location of the store visitor to the location of the item of interest in response to the request received from the mobile device application. The indicators identify the path in response to the special-purpose processor calculating the path.