GB2425637A

GB2425637A - A supermarket trolley with a tracking device

Info

Publication number: GB2425637A
Application number: GB0508247A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Bee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-25
Filing date: 2005-04-25
Publication date: 2006-11-01
Also published as: GB0508247D0

Abstract

A supermarket trolley is fitted with a tracking device. The device may enable the motion of a trolley around a store to be followed by providing a plurality of sensors in the supermarket aisles. An alarm system may be fitted that is activated when the trolley enters a store and sounds an alarm if the trolley leaves the store without the alarm being deactivated. Alternatively, the tracking system may be activated when the trolley leaves the store. The tracking device may be activated by a light beam and may comprise a transmitter to allow the trolley to be located by means of the transmitted signal. The tracking device may be fitted into the handle of the trolley. The tracker system may be activated or deactivated remotely.

Description

TRACKABLE SHOPPING SYSTEMS

This invention relates to trackable shopping systems. In particular the invention relates to trackable systems that may be used to monitor and/or determine the location of a shopping trolley.

Shopping trolleys and in particular supermarket trolleys are frequently removed from shops and discarded. This is not only wasteful but causes litter and an environmental hazard. The recently enacted Clean Neighbourhoods Act is in part concerned with dealing with abandoned shopping trolleys and places an onus on the trolley owners to ensure that they are recovered and not abandoned. In our co- pending United Kingdom Patent Application 0506507.3 we describe shopping security systems that may be used with supermarket trolleys and we also suggest that the system may be used to track the location of the trolley.

We have now developed a system to enable monitoring and/or determination of the location of the shopping trolley.

Accordingly the present invention provides a shopping trolley provided with a tracking device.

In addition to tracking the location of the trolley if it is removed from the shop the tracking device can enable the use of the trolley within the shop to be monitored. For instance the aisles in a supermarket may be provided with sensors which monitor the movement of the trolley through the supermarket. In this way information can be collected to gain an understanding of shoppers habits and preferences by the frequency and length of time that is devoted to a particular type of goods as indicated by the presence of the trolley in a particular location.

In a further embodiment the present invention the shopping trolley may also be provided with an alarm system which may be activated when the trolley is moved to within the shopping environment and which will be triggered if the trolley is removed from the shopping environment without deactivation of the alarm system. The alarm system and the tracking device may conveniently be part of the same system.

The trolley is typically trolleys used in supermarkets although they may equally be containers used for collecting a plurality of purchases in any store. For example the invention may be used in multipurpose stores and warehouses, garden centres, do-it- yourself materials suppliers and in a variety of similar outlets. In most of these shopping environments the shopper will collect a trolley at the entrance to the shop or store. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the trolley is provided with a tracking device that is automatically activated as the shopper collects the trolley or enters the shopping environment with the trolley. For example the device may be activated by a beam through which the container must pass as it is moved into the shopping environment. Alternatively the tracking device may be activated as the trolley leaves the shopping environment which may, for example, include the shop car park. The device may also contain means whereby it may be deactivated if the trolley is returned to the shopping environment.

When the system also contains an alarm device it preferably remains activated for so long as the container remains within the shopping environment. The alarm device is however deactivated once the goods within the container have been purchased.

Various methods may be used for deactivation for instance deactivating sensors may be provided in the device which detect a signal, such as a light beam at the end of the check out or alternatively the deactivating means may be a link from the cash till to the alarm system provided on the container.

In a preferred embodiment the tracking device is an electrical device which is attached to or is part of the trolley and is activated by sensors which detect a light beam through which the trolley must pass as it moves into the shopping environment.

Tracker devices are known and have been proposed for use with luggage in conjunction with airlines. For example a device such as those marketed by i-Trak may be used. Conveniently the device is such that it emits a signal which can be detected to indicate the location of the trolley. For example the signal may be a radio frequency signal such that it can be picked up by a GPRS. In a preferred embodiment the signal identifies the trolley and its location so that it may be recovered. In certain instances the signals may be relayed to a Call Centre of a body that performs trolley recovery on behalf of one or more superstores.

The tracker device must be securely attacked to the trolley so that it can not be readily removed and discarded. In addition it is preferred that the tracker device is not visible and is not readily accessible to the user of the trolley. Accordingly in a preferred embodiment the tracker device is located within the handle of the trolley and is preferably rigidly attacked within the handle of the trolley. The ends of the handles are preferably closed so that the tracker device remains hidden. The information from the tracker can be detected to give notification of the location of the trolley by text message, e-mail, internet account or telephone call and can also be unique to a particular trolley. The tracker device may be a transmitter which emits a signal if the container is removed from the shopping environment this can act as a tracker to enable the location of the container to be determined. This may be particularly useful if the activated container is taken into a vehicle and driven away from the store.

Use of the tracker device of the present invention will help to reduce the losses companies are suffering and will enable recovery and thus the avoidance of penalties and fines.

In a further embodiment the device incorporates an indicator to show that the tracker system device is activated or deactivated. The indicator is preferably a light, a coloured light, red or green, being most convenient.

In a further embodiment the tracker system may additionally be activated or deactivated remotely. This can allow periodic checking for missing trolleys.

The invention will now be illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a tracker device which can be used in the present invention.

Figure 2 shows how the tracker device shown in Figure 1 can be located in a tube which as illustrated in Figure 3 can form the handle of the trolley and thus be hidden from vision.

Claims

1. A shopping trolley provided with a tracking device.

2. A shopping trolley according to Claim 1 wherein the tracking device enables the use of the trolley within the shop to be monitored.

3. A shopping trolley according to Claim 1 in which the tracking device interacts with sensors provided on the aisles in a supermarket to monitor the movement of the trolley through the supermarket.

4. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims provided with an alarm system which may be activated when the trolley is moved to within the shopping environment and which will be triggered if the trolley is removed from the shopping environment without deactivation of the alarm system.

5. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the tracking device that is automatically activated as the shopper collects the trolley or enters the shopping environment with the trolley.

6. A trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the tracking device is activated as the trolley leaves the shopping environment.

7. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the device contains means whereby it may be deactivated if the trolley is returned to the shopping environment.

8. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the tracking device is an electrical device which is attached to or is part of the trolley and is activated by sensors which detect a light beam through which the trolley must pass as it moves into the shopping environment.

9. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the device emits a signal which can be detected to indicate the location of the trolley.

10. A trolley In which the tracker device Is not visible and Is not readily accessible to the user of the trolley.

11. A trolley according to any of the preceding Claims in which the tracker device Is located within the handle of the trolley.

12. A shopping trolley according to any of the preceding Claims In which the tracker device transmitter whIch emIts a signal If the trolley Is removed from the shopping environment.

13. A shopping trolley accordIng to any of the preceding Claims In which the tracker system may be activated or deactivated remotely.