Retail Micro-Environment Control via Trigger Sensors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Retail stores face challenges in providing personalized shopping experiences due to fluctuating customer preferences, high operational costs, and difficulties in managing inventory and customer satisfaction, leading to lost sales and decreased loyalty.

Innovation Solution

Implementing responsive environment apparatus with trigger event sensors and processing capabilities to create a customized, dynamic micro-environment for each individual customer, adjusting elements like lighting, sounds, and displays based on real-time customer interactions and preferences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional retail operations are used, then operational costs are controlled, but customer satisfaction and loyalty deteriorate due to lack of personal attention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer satisfactionVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the retail environment to automatically detect customer presence, retrieve preferences, and adjust conditions without human intervention. Sensors trigger automated environmental adjustments based on customer profiles, eliminating the need for manual personalization while maintaining high customer satisfaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual processes for personalizing customer experiences are replaced with an automated electronic system comprising sensors, processors, and responsive apparatus. The mechanical interaction between staff and customers is substituted with an automated detection and response system that adjusts environmental conditions based on sensor data and customer profiles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If personalized service is provided to each customer, then customer satisfaction improves, but operational costs and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer satisfactionVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automated customer recognition and environmental personalization without requiring staff intervention. The retail environment serves itself by automatically detecting customers, retrieving their preferences from databases, and adjusting conditions accordingly, thereby maintaining high productivity while delivering personalized service.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A single integrated system performs multiple functions including customer detection, preference retrieval, environmental control, and data management. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems and personnel, improving operational efficiency while maintaining personalized service capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of time

If manual inventory management is used, then system complexity is low, but time management and customer service quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime managementVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Manual inventory tracking and customer service tasks are replaced with automated sensor-based detection and electronic database queries. The system automatically monitors customer presence, retrieves relevant information, and coordinates environmental responses, eliminating time-consuming manual processes while managing complexity through integrated automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Adaptability or versatility

If automated environmental adjustments are made, then customer personalization improves, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental adaptabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system activates environmental adjustments only periodically when customers are detected by sensors, rather than maintaining continuous adjustment. The apparatus remains in standby mode and activates selectively based on trigger events, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining adaptability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

Environmental adjustments are applied locally only in the vicinity of detected customers rather than throughout the entire retail space. The system creates localized micro-environments around customers, concentrating energy use where it provides maximum benefit while minimizing waste in unoccupied areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS7686217B2Retail environment

Publication Date: 2010.03.30 TOSHIBA GLOBAL COMMERCE SOLUTIONS HLDG

AI summary

A retail store has responsive environment apparatus installed which is controlled by processing apparatus. Trigger event sensors coupled to the processing apparatus, are positioned throughout the store. When customers enter and move about the store, the processing apparatus senses various trigger events and in response thereto creates a micro-environment in the vicinity of each customer, catering to the characteristics of that customer. The micro-environment physically moves as the customer moves about the store. The micro-environment is dynamic in that it is engaged in a continual response loop based on the response trigger events of the customer throughout this interactive cycle with the micro-environment.