Sensor-Based Customer Arrival Detection Using Mobile Device Motion Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to accurately determine a customer's arrival time at a merchant location for pick-up, leading to uncertainty in wait times and potential customer dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses sensor data from customer devices, such as GPS and motion sensors, to estimate arrival times by identifying stop events and determining the most recent stop event prior to interaction with the merchant, allowing for the calculation of wait times without requiring infrastructure at the merchant location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the merchant uses traditional methods to track customer arrival, then the system complexity is low, but the measurement precision of arrival time is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensor data from the customer's mobile device as an intermediary to detect arrival events. The sensors (GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope) act as mediators that capture movement patterns and translate them into arrival time information, enabling precise measurement without complex merchant-side infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or manual arrival detection methods with sensor-based detection. Instead of using physical presence sensors or manual logging at the merchant location, the system uses mobile device sensors to detect movement patterns and determine arrival automatically.
2Measurement precision
If the merchant installs detection infrastructure at the location, then the measurement precision improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The customer's mobile device performs self-service detection of arrival events. The device's own sensors monitor the customer's movement and automatically generate arrival detection data without requiring any additional infrastructure or operational effort from the merchant. The system leverages the customer's existing device capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as the customer's communication tool, navigation device, and arrival detection sensor array. By leveraging the universal multi-functionality of modern smartphones, the system avoids needing dedicated arrival detection infrastructure at the merchant location.
3Loss of time
If the merchant wants to minimize customer wait time, then the customer satisfaction improves, but the loss of information about actual arrival time worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring sensor data and comparing it against known interaction times. The sensor-based arrival detection provides real-time feedback about actual arrival moments, enabling the merchant to calculate accurate wait times and adjust operations to minimize customer waiting.
Data Source
AI summary
Upon receiving an indication that a customer is initiating travel to a merchant location to pick up one or more items, sensor data may be obtained by, and received from, a customer device of the customer. After the customer has arrived at the merchant location, the customer may be greeted or otherwise interacted with and a corresponding interaction time may be determined. The service provider may identify one or more stop events based on the sensor data, where a stop event indicates that a customer stopped while in transit to the merchant location. A most recent stop event prior to the interaction time may constitute the customer arriving/stopping at the merchant location, and a corresponding arrival time may be estimated. A wait time of the customer may be determined based on a difference between the interaction time and the arrival time.