Retail Analytics Employee Exclusion via Sensor Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Retailers face challenges in accurately excluding employees from retail analytics data, as existing systems often fail to differentiate between employee and customer movements effectively, leading to inaccurate customer traffic counts and behavior analysis.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a system that combines video sensor data with wireless sensor data to identify and differentiate between employee and customer movements by using video timestamps and wireless timestamps, allowing for the exclusion of employee traffic from customer analytics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If video sensors alone are used to monitor pedestrian traffic, then customer behavior analysis can be performed, but employee movements cannot be effectively differentiated from customer movements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of customer traffic countVSAvoidinability to differentiate employee vs customer

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the monitoring system into two independent components: video sensors for visual tracking and wireless sensors (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) for device-based tracking. By segmenting the detection methods, the system can cross-reference data from both sources to identify and exclude employee movements from customer analytics, thereby improving measurement precision without losing information about movement types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces wireless sensors as an intermediary detection mechanism that works in conjunction with video sensors. The wireless sensors detect mobile devices carried by employees, serving as a mediator that enables differentiation between employees and customers. This intermediary layer allows the system to accurately identify employee presence and exclude them from customer traffic counts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If wireless sensors alone are used to track individuals, then device-based tracking is achieved, but visual verification and path analysis are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of traffic monitoringVSAvoidaccuracy of path and behavior analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges video sensor data with wireless sensor data into a unified analytics platform. By combining these two detection methods, the system achieves both the efficiency of automated device-based tracking and the precision of visual path analysis. The merged data allows for accurate customer behavior analysis while maintaining high monitoring efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different detection qualities to different analytical needs: wireless sensors provide efficient, continuous tracking for overall traffic patterns, while video sensors provide high-quality visual verification for detailed path and behavior analysis. This local quality differentiation ensures both productivity and measurement precision are optimized for their respective functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If employee exclusion is attempted using only video analysis, then visual identification is possible, but automated differentiation and real-time exclusion are difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of employee identificationVSAvoidautomated employee exclusion capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual video analysis with automated sensor fusion technology. Instead of relying on operators to visually identify and exclude employees, the system uses wireless sensors to automatically detect employee devices and excludes them programmatically. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated electronic systems greatly enhances the extent of automation while maintaining ease of operation through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a multi-functional analytics platform that handles both customer behavior analysis and employee exclusion through a single integrated system. The universal platform processes video and wireless sensor data to simultaneously perform traffic counting, path analysis, and automated employee differentiation, making the system easy to operate while highly automated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9569786B2Methods and systems for excluding individuals from retail analytics

Publication Date: 2017.02.14 RETAILNEXT

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for excluding individuals from retail analytics. Pedestrian traffic within a predetermined area is monitored via a video sensor to determine a video entrance. The video entrance may correspond to entrances of the predetermined area by a first set of individuals. The pedestrian traffic may also be monitored via a plurality of wireless sensors to determine a wireless entrance. The wireless entrance may correspond to entrances by a second set of individuals. The video entrance and the wireless entrance are compared to determine if any of the entrances associated with a video timestamp match any of the entrances with a wireless timestamp. An overall entrance count corresponding to the number of customers entering the predetermined area is determined. Retail analytics excluding employees may subsequently be calculated using the overall entrance count.