WO2001008059A1

WO2001008059A1 - Device and system for determining the position of an object

Info

Publication number: WO2001008059A1
Application number: PCT/IT1999/000244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincenzo Basile; Graziella Liuzza; Francesco Rancatore
Original assignee: Vincenzo Basile; Graziella Liuzza; Francesco Rancatore
Priority date: 1999-07-28
Filing date: 1999-07-28
Publication date: 2001-02-01
Also published as: AU5385999A

Abstract

A device (200) for determining the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area (1) where a plurality of objects is arranged, said area (1) being divided into a plurality of zones (A1-A12, B1-B12, C1-C12, D1-D12) and said device (200) comprising: a data bank (210) for storing, for each one of said plurality of objects, an address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12, B1-B12, C1-C12, D1-D12) wherein the object situates; a processing unit (230) connected to said data bank (210) for searching for the object preselected by the user and the corresponding address therefrom; input means (220) for allowing the user to initiate the search by the processing unit (230) through said data bank (210); and output means (240) for providing the user with the address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12, B1-B12, C1-C12, D1-D12) where the preselected object thus searched through the data bank (210) situates.

Description

"Device and system for determining the position of an object"

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to a device for determining the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area wherein a plurality of objects is arranged, and a locating system comprising said device.

The inventors of the present invention perceived the need of a device capable of enabling a user to easily find the position of one among a plurality of objects displayed within a predetermined area such as, for example, a supermarket, a department store, a shopping centre, a library, an art gallery, a files room, a fair, a parking place, a museum or a funfair.

In fact, the search of one or more objects in such establishments may be tiresome and time-consuming for a user. Such search becomes the more difficult and lengthy, the larger is the size of the area where the objects are exhibited and the higher is the number of the objects displayed and/or being looked for.

It is, therefore, a first aspect of the present invention to provide a device for determining the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area wherein a plurality of objects is arranged, said area being divided into a plurality of zones and said device comprising:

- a data bank for storing, for each one of said plurality of objects, an address corresponding to the zone wherein the object is arranged;

- a processing unit connected to said data bank for searching therein for the object preselected by the user and for the address corresponding thereto;

- input means for allowing the user to initiate the search- by the processing unit through said data bank; and

- output means for providing the user with the address correspondmg to the zone where the preselected object thus searched through the data bank situates.

Advantageously, the device of this invention greatly simplify a user's search of a preselected object within a predetermined area .

In fact, the user, instead of roaming about the various zones of the predetermined area to look for the object of interest, can spot the exact zone where the object situates by a simple search through the data bank of the device of the invention.

Advantageously, the device of the invention is of a suitable size and shape to fit comfortably m the hand of a user .

Thus, at the entrance to a large area, such as a supermarket, each customer can be handed over a device according to the invention, whereby he/she can readily spot the zones wherein the objects of his/her interest are located.

Typically, said input means comprises a keyboard and said output means comprises a display screen.

Advantageously, said processing unit and said data bank are comprised into a conventional smart card.

Throughout this specification and the appended claims, the expression "smart card" is used to indicate a predetermined electronic device which comprises a microprocessor and a central memory and is suitable to execute a program stored m a read-only memory (e.g., ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, FLASH MEMORY) .

Preferably, the data bank cf the device of the invention is also capable of storing, additionally to the addresses corresponding to the zones where the plurality of objects situates, further information such as, for example, the prices, the suppliers, the types of the objects, or the special sales at a supermarket, at a bookshop or at a department store offered at predetermined periods of the year. More particularly, m the instance of a bookshop, this information may relate the price, the publisher, the author, the title, the genre (e.g., essay, fiction, history, geography) and/or the number of pages of a book. In the instance of a supermarket, the information may relate the price, the supplier and/or the type (e.g., apricot or plum or strawberry jam) of a food article.

In this way, a user looking for a preselected object within a predetermined area can use the device of this invention not only to find the zone where it is located, but also for learning if any special sales applies to said preselected object, how many and which type of said preselected object are present m said predetermined area, the prices carried by the various types of said object, and so on. For example, a customer of a supermarket who intends to buy a jam, additionally to locating the zone of the supermarket where jams are to be found, could also learn how many and what varieties of jam are available from the supermarket, the price carried by each variety, their brands, and so on.

Advantageously, the device of this invention further comprises transceiver means, which is coupled operationally to said processing unit for determining the device position m cooperation with suitable radio-transmitters placed at the zones of said predetermined area.

Preferably, said processing unit is capable of providing, through said output means, directions on the way the user has to follow to get at the zone where the preselected object is, starting from the device position as determined by the aforesaid metnod.

More preferably, said processing unit provides directions on uhe shortest route the user has to follow to get at the zone wherein the preselected object is. Where the user is looking for a plurality of objects, said processing unit advantageously indicates to the user the most convenient route, so as to minimize the overall time taken to reach the locations of such plurality of objects.

According to one embodiment of the invention, said transceiver means are conventional radio transceivers, conventionally known as "Transponder Readers" or "Transceiver Units" , suitable to pick up electromagnetic waves emitted from the radio-transmitters. In their turn, said radio-transmitters are conventional self -powered microchips, conventionally known as "Transponders" or "Contactless Identification Devices" , which radiate electromagnetic energy to within a range of action currently usually of less than 1 or 2 meters, each according to a predetermined transmission code that distinguishes it from the others. These radio-transmitters are distributed throughout the predetermined area so as to cover all of its zones. This enables the transceiver means of the device of the invention, regardless of where this situates within said predetermined area, to be within the range of action of one of said radio-transmitters and thus to pick up the electromagnetic waves emitted thereby. The map of the codes transmitted by each of the radio- transmitters and the map of their positions m said area are stored m the data bank of the device of the invention. In this way, once electromagnetic waves are picked up from the nearest radio-transmitter, the processing unit of the device of the invention, using suitable algorithms,: a) decodes the electromagnetic waves received from the transceiver means of the device and determines their transmission code; b) compares the transmission code as determined during step a) with the codes stored m the code map, to identify the radio-transmitter that emitted it; c) checks with the radio-transmitter position map for determining the position of the radio-transmitter identified during step b) ; d) compares the position determined during step c) with that corresponding to the address of the object preselected by the user; e) provides the user with suitable directions to get at the zone where the preselected object is, from his/her current position (corresponding to the position of the radio-transmitter found by step c) ) .

This, advantageously, allow to locate the position of the device of the invention within the predetermined area, and to provide the user with directions on the route to follow to get at to the zone where the object he/she is looking for is situated, starting from his/her current position.

Advantageously, during step e) , the user is given directions on the shortest route, from where he/she stands at present, to the zone wherein the preselected object is.

According to an alternative embodiment, said transceiver means and said radio-transmitters are conventional devices suitable to be operated similar to the well known GPS (Global Position System) position-finding system.

A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a system for determining the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area wherein a plurality of objects is arranged, said area being divided into a plurality of zones, said system comprising: - a central apparatus capable of storing, for each object of said plurality of objects, an address corresponding to the zone where it situates within said predetermined area; - at least one locating device capable of communicating with said central apparatus for receiving the addresses of said plurality of objects therefrom, said locating device comprising:

* a data bank for storing, for each one of said plurality of objects, an address corresponding to the zone wnere it situates; * a processing unit connected to said data bank for searching for the object preselected by the user and its corresponding address therein;

* input means for enabling the user to initiate the search by the processing unit through said data bank; and

* output means for providing the user with the address corresponding to the zone where the preselected object searched through said data bank situates.

In the system of the invention, the addresses corresponding to the plurality of objects are first stored into the central apparatus, and then transferred therefrom into the data bank of said at least one locating device.

Thus, should an address require to be modified or a new address added to the data bank of said at least one locating device (e.g., when an object is shifted from one zone into another or a new object is introduced) , it suffice that the modification or addition be made at the central apparatus, such information being later transferred into the locating device.

This aspect of the system of the invention is specially advantageous when it comprises a plurality of locating devices. In fact, in this case, any address modifications or additions can be carried out once at the central apparatus, rather than as many times as there are locating devices in the system.

Furthermore, this aspect is even more of an advantage when it is considered that at such areas as supermarkets, department stores, shopping centers and libraries, these modifications or additions are in general highly frequent occurrences .

Also, in an embodiment of the invention, wherein the locating devices are incorporated to a purposely designed apparatus owned by the user (e.g., a cellular phone, an electronic notebook, a portable computer, a calculator) , the system of the invention advantageously allows relevant information stored m the central apparatus to be transferred into the data bank of the user's own apparatus.

The predetermined area - as, for example, a supermarket, a library, or a museum - where the visitors intend to seek, purchase or consult a predetermined article, is divided, according to the invention, into a plurality of zones; associated with each zone there being a predetermined address, and each object (e.g., food article, book, or painting) having an address associated therewith which corresponds to the zone where it situates. The addresses corresponding to the various objects are stored m the central apparatus of the system of the invention, and transferred therefrom to the data banks of the locating devices. Thus, the users can readily locate the zone where the object sought situates by simply interrogating the data bank of the locating device of the invention.

Typically, the system of the invention comprises a large number of locating devices for dispensation to a correspondingly large number of users.

Preferably, m addition to the addresses corresponding to the zones where the various objects situate, said central apparatus can also store further information and transfer it into the data bank of said at least one locating device.

Typically, said central apparatus communicates to said at least one locating device by wireless transmission. For example, it uses suitable radio-transmitter or infrared radiation means.

As for the structural and functional features of the locating device, the same considerations apply as have been made m connection with the device of the invention.

Features and advantages of the invention will now be discussed m relation to embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of example and not of limitation by the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows an example of application of the system and of the locating device according to the invention; - Figure 2 shows schematically one embodiment of a system according to the invention which comprises a plurality of locating devices according to the invention.

Shown by Figure 1 is an example of application of a system and of a device according to the invention for finding the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area which has been divided into a plurality of zones. In the example shown, the area is represented by a supermarket 1; the objects are articles put on sale at the supermarket 1; and the zones are four aisles A, B, C and D with respective shelves whereon the articles sold at the supermarket 1 are on display.

The shelves are assigned even numbers along one side of an aisle, e.g. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and odd numbers along the other aisle side, e.g. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.

In the embodiment shown, a system 1000 according to the invention comprises a central apparatus 100 and a plurality of locating devices 200 according to the invention (Figure 2) .

The central apparatus 100 may be a conventional computer (such as a PC) having a memory 110 suitable to store data related to the various articles displayed on the shelves 1- 12 siding the aisles A-D, and for each article, the address of the shelf where it is placed. For example, for a "jam" article placed on shelf 2 of aisle B, the memory 110 would store the "jam" article and, with it, the address "B2" .

Once all the articles on sale at the supermarket 1 and their corresponding addresses have been stored into the memory 110 of the central apparatus 100, the data are transferred from it into a data bank 210 of the devices 200 over conventional electric cables, or preferably by conventional radio or infrared transmission.

Thus, if an article is shifted from one shelf to another, or a new article is introduced m the supermarket, this information is advantageously registered only m the memory 110 of the central apparatus 100, whence it will be transferred into the data banks 210 of the devices 200.

Additionally to the data bank 210, the locating device 200 comprises input means 220, a processing unit 230, output means 240, batteries (not shown), a conventional wired or wireless interface (not shown) of connection to the central apparatus 100 and, optionally, a battery charger (not shown) .

In the embodiment shown, the input means 220 comprises a keyboard 220 having a plurality of keys; the processing unit 230 and the data bank 210 are comprised into a suitably designed smart card; and the output means 240 comprises either a conventional alphanumeric and/or graphic display screen - e.g. an LCD (Liquid-Crystal Display) or a CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) display - or a conventional voice synthesizing device reproducing sounds by means of a DSP

(Digital Signal Processor) .

Advantageously, the devices 200 are of such size and shape as to fit comfortably m the hand of a customer of the supermarket 1.

These devices 200 may be dispensed, for example, to the customers at the supermarket 1 entrance, m order to enable them to find, using the keyboard 220 and according to directions presented from time to time on the screen 240, the positions of articles of their interest at the supermarket 1.

For example, to locate the "jam" article within the supermarket 1, a customer enters the word "jam" through the keyboard 220; tne processing unit 230 will then use a conventional search algorithm to search the am article from the data bank 210; the screen 240 will present the address ("B2" m the above example) supplied by the data bank 210 for the jam article; and the customer will ultimately read this address on the display screen 240.

Having read the address on the screen 240, the customer can walk to the shelf corresponding to that address aided, for example, by signs placed within the supermarket to indicate the corresponding address of each shelf.

In this way, a customer can readily find the shelf which contains the article sought by a quick search m the device 200 of the invention.

In a modified embodiment, the devices 200 of the invention are incorporated to a purposely designed cellular phone, electronic notebook, portable computer, calculator, or the like. In this case, the devices 200 of the invention are part of apparatus owned by the customer and purposely designed for communicating with the central apparatus 110, to receive relevant information from it.

In a preferred embodiment, each device 200 of the invention is provided with conventional transceiver means (not shown) suitable to cooperate with conventional radio-transmitters positioned inside the supermarket 1. These transceiver means and radio-transmitters enable the position of the device 200, and hence of the customer, to be conventionally found inside the supermarket 1, and the customer to be directed, from said position, to the shelf that contains the article he/she is seeking.

In one embodiment, the radio-transmitters are conventional self -powered microchips - as, for example, the transponders manufactured by ENDRICH IDENTIFIKATIONSYSTEME GmbH suitable to transmit an electromagnetic signal within a predetermined range of action (currently, usually of less tnan 1 or 2 meters) . Each radio-transmitter transmits a signal according to a predetermined code that distinguishes it from the other radio-transmitters. These radio- transmitters are placed throughout the supermarket 1 interior to cover the whole interesting area. The transceiver means of a device 200 can thus pick up the electromagnetic signal from one of the radio-transmitters anywhere in the supermarket 1. The maps of the codes transmitted from each radio-transmitters and of the radio- transmitter positions inside the supermarket 1 are stored into the memory 110 of the central apparatus 100 and transferred therefrom into the data banks 210 of the devices 200. In this way, once electromagnetic waves are picked up from the nearest radio-transmitter, the processing unit 230 of the device 200 of the invention, using suitable algorithms,: a) decodes the electromagnetic waves received from the transceiver means of the device 200 and determines their transmission code ; b) compares the transmission code as determined in step a) with the codes stored in the code map, thereby identifying the radio-transmitter that originated it; c) checks the map of the radio-transmitter positions for determining the position of the radio-transmitter identified in step b) ; d) compares the position determined during step c) with the one corresponding to the address of the article preselected by the customer; e) provides, on the screen 240, helpful directions ("straight on", "move back", "right", "left") on the route the customer has to follow to get at the address of the preselected article.

Preferably, the route provided by the processing unit 230 during step e) is the shortest route that the customer can follow to get at the zone where the object preselected by the customer is.

In addition, where the customer is looking for a plurality of articles, he/she can enter, on the keyboard 220, a list of the name of such articles, thereby to obtain directions from the processing unit 230 on an optimum route that would minimize his/her total seek time for the plurality of articles within the supermarket 1.

In a modified embodiment, the customer can also write down his/her shopping list at home (or any other convenient place) and then send it to the central apparatus 100, e.g. by Internet, specifying a code for later identification of the list. Thus, on arriving at the supermarket 1, the customer can get a device 200 of the invention and enter said code on its keyboard 220. The device 200, by communicating with the central apparatus 100, will now request to the latter the list of the articles corresponding to said predetermined code and display on the screen 240 directions on the shortest route that the customer can follow to find, within the supermarket 1, the listed articles.

Furthermore, in an emergency, the device of this invention can also be used to provide the customer with the route to get at an emergency exit or with the position where a danger (e.g., a fire) is.

Alternatively, the determining of the position of the device 200 inside the supermarket 1, and hence the processing of the directions to a customer for reaching the zone where a preselected article is, can be obtained by means of a system having characteristics and operation similar to a system conventionally known as GPS (Global Position System) .

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, additionally to the information relating the address of an object, further information, such as price, brand, special offers, and so on, can be stored into the memory 110 of the central apparatus, and hence in the data banks 210 of the devices 200. In a further embodiment of the invention, the information stored in the memory 110 of the central apparatus 100 is transferred dynamically to the data banks 210 of the devices 200. In particular, where the storage capacity of the data banks 210 is inadequate to contain all the information stored in the memory 110, the latter transfers to the data banks 210 only the information that from time to time, depending on the particular object sought by the customer, is appropriate to identify the address corresponding to the shelf where the object is.

Advantageously in the last -mentioned embodiment, said central apparatus 100 communicates with the locating devices 200 by wireless transmission (such as, by radio waves or infrared light) .

In a similar manner as previously described in relation to a supermarket, the system of the invention can be used to facilitate the identification of the position of an object within an area whatever.

For example, in the instance of an art gallery, the zones may be the gallery halls, the objects be the works of art on exhibition at the gallery, the addresses be those of the halls or, optionally, also the walls of each hall, and the additional information - stored in the memory 110 of the central apparatus 100 and in the data banks 210 of the devices 200 - may concern features of the works of art, their historical context, references, their authors' mind, and so on .

Advantageously, the information about each work of art is displayed on the screen 240 (or delivered to the voice synthesizing device) as a user gets near a particular work of art with the device 200 of the invention. In fact, the device 200 can identify the work of art, and accordingly deliver pertinent information to the display 240, by means of said transceiver means of the device 200 and of the radio-transmitters placed at the work of art. Thus, displayed each time on the screen 240 will only be information pertaining to the work of art that lies close to the device 200 of the invention (within a range of action of 1 or 2 meters) .

Furthermore, in the instance of a parking place, the zones may be car or motorbike parks, the objects may be vacant parks, and the addresses may correspond to vacant parks. In this case, the central apparatus 100 would be updated automatically as the parks are freed or occupied.

Claims

C AIMS

1. A device (200) for determining the position of an object within a predetermined area (1) wherein a plurality of objects is arranged, said area (1) being divided into a plurality of zones (A1-A12 , B1-B12 , C1-C12 , D1-D12) , said device (200) comprising:

- a data bank (210) for storing, for each one of said plurality of objects, an address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12 , B1-B12 , C1-C12 , D1-D12 ) wherein the object situates;

- a processing unit (230) connected to said data bank (210) for searching for the object preselected by the user and the corresponding address therein;

- input means (220) for allowing the user to initiate the search by the processing unit (230) through said data bank (210) ; and

- output means (240) for providing the user with the address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12,B1- B12 , C1-C12 ,D1-D12) where the preselected object thus searched through the data bank (210) situates.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein said input means

(220) comprises a keyboard.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein said processing unit (230) is comprised into a smart card.

4. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 3 , wherein said data bank (210) is comprised into a smart card.

5. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 4 , wherein said output means (240) comprises a display screen.

6. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 5, further comprising transceiver means coupled operationally to said processing unit (230) for determining the device (200) position in cooperation with suitable radio- transmitters placed in the zones (A1-A12 , B1-B12 , Cl- C12,D1-D12) of said area (1) . - lb -

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein, through said output means (240) , said processing unit (230) is capable of providing the user with directions on the route to follow for getting at the zone where the preselected object is, starting from the device (200) position thus determined.

8. A system (1000) for determining the position of a preselected object within a predetermined area (1) wherein a plurality of objects is arranged, said area (1) being divided into a plurality of zones (A1-A12,B1- B12,C1-C12,D1-D12) , said system (1000) comprising:

- a central apparatus (100) capable of storing, for each of said plurality of objects, an address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12 , B1-B12 , C1-C12 ,D1- D12) where it situates within said predetermined area (1) ; and

- at least one locating device (200) capable of communicating with said central apparatus (100) for receiving therefrom the addresses of said plurality of objects, said locating device (200) comprising:

* a data bank (210) for storing, for each one of said plurality of objects, an address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12 , B1-B12 , C1-C12 ,D1-D12) where it situates; * a processing unit (230) connected to said data bank (210) for searching for the object preselected by the user and its corresponding address therein;

* input means (220) for enabling the user to initiate the search by the processing unit (230) through said data bank (210) ; and

* output means (240) for providing the user with the address (B2) corresponding to the zone (A1-A12,B1- B12 , C1-C12 ,D1-D12) where the preselected object thus searched through said data bank (210) situates.

9. A system according to Claim 8, wherein said central apparatus (100) communicates with said device (200) by a wireless transmission.