Systems and methods for location sensing for purchases

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for assisting a customer with purchasing a merchandise item in a store. Assisting the customer may include determining a location of a customer (i.e., customer device) in the store, identifying merchandise items located adjacent to the customer, receiving selection of a merchandise item for purchase from the identified merchandise items, receiving payment authorization information for the purchase, and initiating delivery of the merchandise item to the customer. Additionally, systems and methods are provided for inventory management in a store. Consistent with certain embodiments, computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for selecting a sensor, receiving a sensor identifier and a position of the sensor, receiving merchandise identifiers for merchandise items located near the sensor, and storing the merchandise identifiers in association with the sensor identifier. Additionally, systems and methods are provided for providing directions to a customer for locating a selected merchandise item in the store.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method for purchase assistance in a store, the method comprising:
 determining, using at least one sensor, a location of a user device associated with a customer;   determining whether a customer assistance application is in an executed state on the user device;   in response to determine that the customer assistance application is not in the executed state, sending, to the user device, a notification to launch the customer assistance application; and   in response to determining that the customer assistance application is in an executed state:
 identifying at least one first item located within a first distance of the user device; and 
 transmitting, for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the user device, information regarding the at least one first item; 
 wherein the GUI includes a user interface element that, when selected, causes identification of at least one second item within a second distance of the user device and transmission of an indication of the at least one second item for display at the user device, and 
 wherein the second distance is less than the largest dimension of the entirety of a store. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein determining the location of the user device associated with the customer further comprises:
 receiving a signal from the user device; and   identifying the location of the user device as a location of the at least one sensor that received the signal.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors, and determining the location of the user device further includes:
 receiving at least one signal from the user device at a plurality of sensors;   determining a distance between each of the plurality of sensors and the user device based on the received signal; and   selecting, from the plurality of sensors, one or ore sensors having a minimum distance from the user device.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one signal is a near-field signal. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein identifying at least one first item located within a first distance of the user device includes:
 determining a location of the at least one sensor within the first distance to the user device; and   identifying the at least one first item located within a first distance from the location of the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the user interface element, at the GUI, to display at least one second item located near the at least one sensor;   identifying the at least one second item located within the second distance from the location of the at least one sensor; and   transmitting, to the display, an indication of the at least one second item for display.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the first distance ranges between 2 and 4 feet from the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the second distance is determined by adding a third distance to the first distance. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein the third distance ranges between 2 and 4 feet from the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 determining whether the at least one first item is available at the store; and   providing, using the customer assistance application, a notification to the user device indicating whet her the at least one first item is available at the store.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving a first selection of the user interface element;   determining whether the at least one first item is available at the first store; and   when the at least one first item is not available at the first store:
 identifying a second store where the at least one first item is available; 
 displaying information regarding the at least one first item at the second store; and 
 receiving a second selection of the at least one first item for purchase from the second store. 
   
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the GUI includes an additional user interface element to shrink or rotate a magnified image of the at least one first item. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 32 , wherein the notification includes at least one of: a text message, an email, or a message on a display of the user device. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor its a Bluetooth low energy beacon. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor is an RFID tag. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one sensor is a wireless sensor. 
     
     
         37 . A purchase assistance system for a store, comprising:
 at least one sensor located in the store;   a database, storing a position of the at least one sensor and information regarding at least one at least one item located within a first distance from each position;   a memory storing instructions; and   at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
 determining, using at least one sensor, a location of user device associated with a customer; 
 determining whether a customer assistance application is in an executed state on the user device; 
 in response to determine that the customer assistance application is not in the executed state, sending, to the user device, a notification to launch the customer assistance application; and 
 in response to determining that the customer assistance application is in an executed state:
 identifying at least one first item located within a first distance of the user device; and 
 transmitting, for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the user device, information regarding the at least one first item; 
 wherein the GUI includes a user interface element that, when selected, causes identification of at least one second item within a second distance of the user device and transmission of an indication of the at least one second item for display at the user device, and 
 wherein the second distance is less than the largest dimension of the entirety of a store. 
 
   
     
     
         38 . The purchase assistance system of  claim 37 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the user interface element, at the GUI, to display at least one second item located near the at least one sensor;   identifying the at least one second item located within the second distance from the location of the at least one sensor; and   transmitting, to the display, an indication of the at least one second item for display.   
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for purchase assistance at a store that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations of:
 determining, using at least one sensor, a location of a user device associated with a customer;   determining whether a customer assistance application is in an executed state on the user device;   in response to determine that the customer assistance application s not in the executed state, sending, to the user device, a notification to launch the customer assistance application; and   in response to determining that the customer assistance application is in an executed state:
 identifying at least one first item located within a first distance of the user device; and 
 transmitting, for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the user device, information regarding the at least one first item; 
 wherein the GUI includes a user interface element that, when selected, causes identification of at least one second item within a second distance of the user device and transmission of an indication of the at least one second item for display at the user device, and 
 wherein the second distance is less than the largest dimension of the entirety of a store. 
   
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 39 , the operations further comprising:
 receiving a selection of the user interface element, at the GUI, to display at least one second item located near the at least one sensor;   identifying the at least one second item located within the second distance from the location of the at least one sensor; and   transmitting, to the display, an indication the at least one second item for display.