Sensor-Based Crowd Detection for Dynamic Bonus Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing casino and retail promotion systems rely on affinity cards, which many consumers do not use, lacking an effective means to include individuals in bonus and promotion programs.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses real-time people counting data from sensors to generate and deliver bonuses and promotions based on crowd location, integrating with existing systems to send targeted offers via various communication technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If affinity cards are used to distribute bonuses and promotions, then consumer engagement can be tracked and targeted, but many consumers do not use these cards, limiting the system's effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensors as an intermediary device that indirectly detects consumer presence and characteristics without requiring direct consumer participation through cards. The sensors capture data about consumers in the retail environment, enabling bonus distribution based on observed behavior rather than card usage, thus bridging the gap between tracking capability and consumer participation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical card-based identification system with sensor-based detection systems. Instead of requiring consumers to physically use affinity cards, the system uses sensors to detect and track consumers automatically, substituting the manual card-swiping mechanism with automated sensing technology that works passively in the background
2Productivity
If real-time people counting systems are implemented, then dynamic promotion strategies can be generated, but system complexity increases with multiple sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the sensor system multi-functional by using the same sensors for multiple purposes: counting people, determining their location, tracking their movement patterns, and identifying demographic characteristics. This universal approach allows the system to generate dynamic promotions based on comprehensive consumer data without requiring separate specialized systems for each function, thereby managing complexity while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple sensor types and detection methods into an integrated system that simultaneously performs crowd counting, location tracking, and behavior analysis. By merging these functions into a unified sensor network and processing system, the patent achieves real-time promotion generation capabilities while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate systems operating in parallel
Data Source
AI summary
A bonus and/or promotion system, such as for a casino or other retail location, includes one or more sensors for detecting the presence of one or more persons at a location and a bonus or promotion generator configured to generate and output bonuses or promotions based upon detected levels of persons in an area. The bonus or promotion generator may provide an output to existing audio and/or visual display devices of the location for announcing bonuses or promotions.