ESTIMATING DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONS IN A PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

摘要

Tracking systems and methods of estimating a distribution of persons in a physical environment are provided. A tracking system may comprise a wireless receiver configured to detect instances of a wireless signal from each mobile device passing through an entryway in and out of the environment and a computing device configured to identify an identifier transmitted in each instance and compute a trip time for each mobile device and an aggregate trip time spent by all mobile devices during an analysis period. The computing device may read a probability map that indicates a probability that one of the mobile devices is located in each predetermined location and oriented in a predetermined direction. The computing device may assign each time unit a predetermined location and orientation based on the probability map, and for a selected target location, compute and display an aggregate time and a probability distribution of shopper orientation.

主权项

1. A tracking system estimating a distribution of persons in a physical environment, comprising:
a wireless receiver configured to:
detect a first instance of a wireless signal of a mobile device of each of a plurality of persons passing through an entryway into a shopping environment; anddetect a second instance of the wireless signal from each mobile device passing through the entryway out of the shopping environment; and a computing device configured to:
identify an identifier transmitted in each of the first instances of the wireless signals;mark an entrance time for each of the mobile devices to the shopping environment based on the identification of the wireless identifier;detect the wireless identifier transmitted in each of the second instances of the wireless signals;mark an exit time for each of the mobile devices based upon the detection of the wireless identifier;compute a trip time for each of the mobile devices based on the entrance time and exit time of each mobile device;compute an aggregate trip time spent by all mobile devices in the shopping environment during an analysis period;read a probability map of the shopping environment that indicates for a plurality of predetermined locations in the shopping environment, a probability that one of the mobile devices is located in each predetermined location, and a probability that the mobile device is oriented in a predetermined direction within each predetermined location;divide the aggregate trip time into multiple time units;allocate the time units to each of the predetermined locations based on the probability map, such that each time unit is assigned a predetermined location and orientation;for a target location selected from the predetermined locations within the shopping environment, compute an aggregate time estimation indicating the aggregate time spent by shoppers in that location, and a probability distribution of shopper orientation, based on the time units allocated to the target location based upon the probability map; anddisplay on a display associated with the computing device, for the target location, the probability distribution.