Sensor Data Processing Manager for Retail Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current retail environments face challenges in efficiently managing and processing information acquired by sensors to enhance customer shopping experiences and streamline purchase transactions without the need for traditional point of sale (POS) terminals.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple sensors and computing devices that distribute processing and analysis workload, using a processing manager to determine resource availability and communicate information between devices to accurately identify objects and actions within the environment, allowing for seamless product tracking and purchase transactions without the need for POS terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and computing devices are deployed to enhance customer tracking and product identification, then the accuracy and convenience of purchase transactions are improved, but the system complexity and resource management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the computing devices into multiple independent units, each responsible for processing data from specific sensors. The processing manager segments the overall system into functional modules that can operate independently, reducing the complexity of managing a monolithic system while maintaining high identification accuracy through distributed computation.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing manager acts as an intermediary between sensors and computing devices, coordinating resource allocation and data flow. This mediator simplifies the system architecture by centralizing management functions while allowing distributed processing, thus reducing overall system complexity without compromising measurement precision.
2Productivity
If computing devices process sensor data independently to improve processing speed, then productivity increases, but resource availability management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The processing manager implements feedback mechanisms to monitor resource availability status of computing devices and dynamically adjust task allocation. This feedback loop enables independent processing of multiple devices while maintaining coordinated resource management, resolving the contradiction between processing speed and resource management complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically assigns computing tasks to available devices based on real-time resource availability rather than static allocation. This dynamic approach allows computing devices to operate independently for maximum productivity while the processing manager adapts resource distribution to current system conditions, simplifying management.
3Productivity
If the system processes all sensor information locally to reduce communication overhead, then processing efficiency improves, but the burden on computing devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments processing tasks between edge devices (computing devices processing local sensor data) and the processing manager (handling coordination and resource allocation). This segmentation allows efficient local processing while distributing computational burden, preventing any single device from being overloaded.
Solution Approach 2:
Different levels of processing are applied to different data types and locations. Critical real-time data is processed locally at computing devices, while coordination and resource management functions are centralized at the processing manager. This local quality approach optimizes processing efficiency while managing computing resource consumption through appropriate task distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing the processing of information acquired by sensors within an environment are disclosed herein. According to an aspect, a system includes multiple sensors configured to acquire information about an environment. The system may also include computing devices that are each operatively connected to a respective one of the sensors. Further, each computing device may be configured to determine an object and/or action within the environment based on the acquired information. The system may include a processing manager configured to determine whether a first computing device among the plurality of computing devices does not have predetermined resource availability for determining the object and/or action. The processing manager may control the first computing device to communicate the information to a second computing device for determining the one of the object and action in response to determining that the first computing device does not have the predetermined resource availability.