NO20130439A1 - Method of moving in physically configurable space and device for use in the method - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of movement is described in a physically configurable space (1), wherein the space comprises one or more physically configurable elements (11), wherein a first user (2) is in a first position (P1) in the physically configurable space ( 1), and wherein the method comprises: - providing the physically configurable space (1) with at least one sensor (13); - connecting the at least one sensor (13) to a control unit (5); and - using at least one sensor (13) to sense at least the first position (P1) of the first user (2) in the physically configurable space (1), characterized in that the method further comprises the step: - by means of the control unit (5) configuring the at least one configurable element (11) based on sensed information from the at least one sensor (13) so as to instruct the first user (2) to move to a second position (P2) in the physically configurable space (1). A configurable space (1) is also described for use in the method.

Description

PROCEDURE FOR MOVEMENT IN PHYSICALLY CONFIGURABLE SPACE AND DEVICE FOR USE IN THE PROCEDURE

The invention relates to a method for movement in a physically configurable space. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for movement in a physically configurable room, where the physically configurable room comprises one or more physically configurable elements, where one or more sensors associated with a control unit register a user's position in the room, and where the control unit configures at least one configurable the element, among other things, in response to information read by the smallest one sensor. The invention also relates to a physically configurable room for use in the method.

In the following, the at least one physically configurable room will be exemplified by, among other things, a shopping centre, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the physically configurable room could also be a shop, a parking facility or a hub for public transport.

Shopping centers can be large and confusing. Customers will often be left to their own devices, and it can be difficult to find your way around and find the right store and goods. The shopping trip tends to be unexciting and efficient, and the purchases are often routine and not very appropriate for the user.

The purpose of the invention is to remedy or to reduce at least one of the disadvantages of known technology, or at least to provide a useful alternative to known technology.

The purpose is achieved by features that are stated in the description below and in subsequent patent claims.

In the following, a user means a person who is in the physically configurable room, as well as different equipment that the user uses, be it for example hand-held electronic equipment such as mobile phones and tablets, body-worn or clothing-worn electronic devices such as watches, wristbands, glasses, biosensors and other so-called "wearables", a shopping cart or a vehicle in which the user is located

in or on.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for movement in a physically configurable space, where the space comprises one or more physically configurable elements, where a first user is in a first position in the physically configurable space, and where the method comprises: - supplying the physically configurable room with at least one sensor;

- connecting the at least one sensor to a control unit; and

- using the smallest one sensor to sense at least the first user's first position in the physically configurable space, characterized in that the method further comprises the step: - using the control unit to configure the at least one configurable element based on sensed information from the at least one sensor so that an instruction is given to the first user to move to a second position in the physically configurable space.

The physically configurable space can be a shopping mall, a store, a parking facility, a public transport hub, a hospital or an office building

The hub for public transport can, for example, be an airport, a train station, a bus terminal etc.

The configuration of the at least one configurable element can, for example, take place in the form of light, color and/or graphic changes in the at least one configurable element. There may be light signals that are switched on or off or some other type of configuration that can be perceived by a user. It can also be in the form of sound signals.

According to the present invention, instructions about a change of position can for example be information to the user to move towards a specific store in a shopping center, to a specific type of product in a store, to a cash register with an estimated minimum waiting time in a store, to a free parking space in a parking facility or to the right street at an airport. The instructions can, for example, be light signals in the form of arrows that are indicated on the floor, ceiling or walls.

In a more advanced version, the configuration can include live images or animations that are played or projected onto a surface or onto an object in the configurable space. Said object can also be a set of digital glasses used by the user. Furthermore, the configuration may include light sources integrated into the user's hand-held or body-worn electronic equipment and devices. For example, there can be light sources such as LEDs or lasers, integrated in the user's shoes, and which are projected onto the floor, ceiling or walls of the physically configurable room. There can also be light or sound sources integrated in, for example, a shopping basket that is used by the user.

In one embodiment, the method may further comprise storing information about the first user's physical data in the control unit. This could be, for example, the user's weight, height, age, muscle mass, body mass index, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, oxygen uptake, blood sugar level, blood pressure, iron level and general information about health. Said data can be entered manually in the control unit, or the data can be read by the smallest sensor, which can be of various types described in the following. The at least one sensor can, for example, communicate with a user's hand-held or body-worn electronic devices. Body-worn biosensors will, among other things, be able to transmit information to the control unit about the above-mentioned biometric data.

Furthermore, the method may include storing information in the control unit about the first user's movements in the physically configurable space.

The method may additionally include storing information in the control unit about a second user's movement in the physically configurable space.

In one embodiment, the method may further comprise linking sub-users to the first user in the control unit. It may, for example, be appropriate to link children to one of the parents' user profiles in the management unit. The children will then be able to participate, for example on a shopping trip. The children will then be able to be guided in the same way as the parents and the children's contribution when collecting goods etc. will be able to be combined with the parents' contribution.

In one embodiment, the method may comprise using at least portions of the above-mentioned stored information to configure the at least one configurable element. It may be to prepare an instruction for the first user to move to the second position in the physically configurable space. This will be advantageous as the at least one configurable element can be configured to create a movement pattern that is adapted to the individual user and his needs and wishes. According to the present invention, the storage of information could be used, among other things, to obtain information about the user's shopping habits, and thus could later be used to guide the user through a shopping center or a shop. The information will also be able to be used to estimate the expected time consumption until the gate at an airport, as the user's general walking speed will be able to be stored in the control unit. By also storing information about other users' movements, potential movement patterns can be extracted from the control unit and used as guidance and/or inspiration for the first user. Stored information about other users will further be used to compare users with corresponding physical data, and thus be used to recommend to the first user purchases that the second user has made.

In one embodiment, the method can further comprise providing the first user with one or more transmitters arranged to be able to emit a signal that can be sensed by the at least one sensor in the physically configurable room. The first user can, for example, be provided with a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip or a near field communication chip (NFC tag). The RFID chip and the NFC tag can be of active or passive types as far as known. The second user or sub-users can also be supplied with transmitters. This can, among other things, be appropriate for keeping track of sub-users or other users in real time. Sub-users and other users will also be able to interact with each other, for example using hand-held electronic equipment that communicates via the control unit.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a physically configurable room, where the room includes: - one or more physically configurable elements; - at least one sensor arranged to be able to sense at least one first user's position in the room; and - a control unit to which the at least one sensor is connected, characterized in that the control unit is designed to be able to configure the at least one configurable element, based on sensed information from the at least one sensor so that an instruction is given to the first user to move itself to a second position in the physically configurable space.

The control unit may comprise a storage unit designed to be able to store data.

In one embodiment, at least one of said at least one sensor can be taken from the group: - optical sensor; - pressure sensor; - temperature sensor; - electrical resistance sensor;

- radio frequency sensor; and

-near field communication sensor.

Optical sensors can include various forms of electro-optical sensors. It could, for example, be a position sensor where a user's presence is sensed by the user breaking a light beam. Optical sensors can also include various forms of camera, which, by means of, for example, image recognition and associated processing software or by triangulation or the like, are designed to be able to recognize a user and to be able to calculate a user's position and movement in space by means of so widely known algorithms. By pressure sensor is meant a sensor that is designed to be able to sense a user's position in the room by the user's touch in the form of a pressure change on or at the sensor. A temperature sensor will be able to detect a user's position by its contact or proximity to the sensor in the form of a temperature change. By electrical resistance sensor is meant all forms of sensors that read changes in electrical resistance. This includes, among other things, different types of touch screens which are known from mobile phones and tablets, where touch leads to changed electrical voltages either directly or indirectly as a result of changed capacitance or changed flow patterns for surface acoustic waves. The at least one sensor can also be a radio frequency sensor for reading data from the above-mentioned RFID chips or it can be a near-field communication sensor for reading data from the above-mentioned NFC tags. The at least one sensor can also be arranged to read information from the above-mentioned hand-held or body-worn electronic equipment and devices. The above-mentioned sensors can be of known types.

The sensors will be able to be used, individually or in combination, to recognize the user and to sense, among other things, the user's position and time spent at and between positions. The data can be stored in the control unit and subsequently used, among other things, to reproduce a user's movement in the configurable room.

It will also be possible to establish several essentially identical physically configurable rooms, where the various physically configurable rooms are connected to the same control and/or storage unit so that movement sequences performed and data stored in one physically configurable room can be accessed and possibly recreated in another physically configurable space.

In what follows, examples of preferred embodiments are described which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where: Figs. 1-2 show, seen in perspective, a first embodiment according to the present invention; Fig. 3 shows, seen from the side, a second embodiment according to the present one

invention;

Fig. 4 shows, seen from the side, a third embodiment according to the present one

invention; and

Fig. 5 shows a top view of a fourth embodiment according to the present one

invention.

1 below, the reference number 1 denotes a physically configurable room according to the present invention. Like reference numbers indicate like or equivalent elements. The physically configurable room 1 is drawn schematically and very simplified in the figures. Figure 1 shows the method of the present invention in its simplest form. A physically configurable room 1 comprises a physically configurable element 11 in the form of a movement surface on a floor. The movement surface 11 is configurable using a control unit 5 which is designed to regulate a plurality of light sources 111 placed in the movement surface 11. The movement surface 11 is also provided with several sensors 13 designed to be able to sense a user's 2 position on the movement surface 11. The sensors 13 can be of the so far known types mentioned in the general part of the application. There can be, for example, touch-sensitive sensors 13 placed in the movement surface 11. The sensors 13 detect the user 2's first position Pl on the movement surface 11. The sensors 13 are connected to the control unit 5 and are arranged to be able to communicate with it. The communication can take place via electrical and/or optical communication cables, not shown, or via wireless communication of currently known types. Based on sensed information about the user 2's first position Pl on the movement surface 11, the control unit 5 instructs the user 2 to move to a second position P2 on the movement surface 11. This is done by activating light sources 111 on the second position P2 for which it is desirable that user 2 must move. As the user reaches the second position P2, the light sources 111 will be switched off at the second position P2 and new light sources 111 will be switched on to indicate a third position P3, as shown in figure 2. Figure 3 shows a user 2 with a trolley moving in front of a shelf 113 in a shop 1, where the shop 1 in this design example constitutes the physically configurable room 1. The shelf 113, which contains a quantity of goods 115, is provided with a sensor 13 arranged to be able to sense the presence of the user 2. User 2 has previously created a shopping list. The shopping list can be uploaded to the management unit 5 before the user 2 enters the store 1, or the shopping list can be made available to the management unit 5 via

communication with the user's 2 mobile phone or similar. This communication can be established when the user 2 enters the store 1, for example by means of near-field communication between the user's 2 mobile phone and a sensor not shown connected to the control unit 5 at the store's 1 entrance. The control unit 5 will thus be able to guide the user 2 to various goods 115. Physical information about the user 2 can also be stored in the control unit 5, and the control unit 5 can thus be set up to be able to make suggestions for purchases to the user 2. The suggestions can, for example, be based on recommended diet, given the user's 2 physical data, or the suggestions may be based on other users' preferences. Recommendations can also be given on the basis of any body-worn biosensors of the user 2 which communicates with the control unit 5 via the sensor 13. In the embodiment shown, instructions are given about further movement in the store 1 using light sources 111 shaped like arrows. The light sources 111 can be LED lamps integrated in the store's 1 floor. Optionally, the arrows can be projected onto the floor, ceiling and walls in shop 1 from projectors not shown. The control unit 5 can furthermore, by means of the sensor 13, be arranged to be able to sense which goods 115 the user 2 places in the shopping basket. This can be done, for example, by goods 115 being scanned directly at the shelf 113 or on the shopping cart, or by goods 115 being marked with price tags with RFID chips or NFC tags. By the control unit 5 also keeping control of other undisplayed users' positions and amount of goods 115 in the shopping basket, the control unit will be able to guide the user 2 to the checkout with the least estimated waiting time.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the store from Figure 1. Two cameras 131 connected to the control unit 5 are arranged to be able to follow the user 2 through the store 1. Software for face recognition and position determination, of types known so far, are used both to identify the user 2 and to determine the position of the user 2 in the store 1. The user 2 is guided using a screen 117 integrated in the shelf 113. The cameras 131 will also be able to be used together with other sensors 13.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in figure 5. The figure shows a configurable room 1 in the form of a parking facility. A user 2 drives into the parking facility 1. Sensors 13 read the identity of the user 2 as the user 2 drives into the parking facility. Parking facility 1 is also equipped with sensors not shown for locating available parking spaces. Said sensors, not shown, communicate with a control unit 5. The control unit 5 guides the user to a free parking space 119 by projecting arrows 112 on the floor of the parking facility 1. In one embodiment, it can be a parking facility 1 belonging to an airport. The user may have previously uploaded information about his flight number in the control unit 5. If necessary, this information can be made available to the control unit 5 via communication between the user's hand-held or body-worn electronic devices as the user 2 drives into the parking facility 1. The user 2 will thus be able to be guided to the most appropriate free parking lot 119 in relation to their check-in. In a similar way, if the parking facility 1 belongs to a shopping centre, the user 2, by making his agenda available to the control unit 5, will also be able to be guided to the most suitable available parking space 119.

Claims (15)

1. Procedure for movement in a physically configurable room (1), where the physically configurable room (1) comprises one or more physically configurable elements (11), where a first user (2) is located at a first position (Pl) in the physically configurable room (1), and where the method comprises: - supplying the physically configurable room (1) with at least one sensor (13); - connecting the at least one sensor (13) to a control unit (5); and - using the smallest one sensor (13) to sense at least the first position (Pl) of the first user (2) in the physically configurable space (1), characterized in that the method further comprises the step: - using the control unit ( 5) to configure the at least one configurable element (11) based on sensed information from the at least one sensor (13) in such a way that an instruction is given to the first user (2) to move to a second position ( P2) in the physically configurable room (1). 2. Method according to claim 1, where the physically configurable room is: - a shopping centre; - a shop; - a parking facility; - a hub for public transport; - a hospital; or - an office building. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, where the method further comprises storing information about the first user's (2) physical data in the control unit (5). 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises storing information about the first user's (2) movements in the physically configurable space (1) in the control unit (5). 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises storing information about a second user's movement in the physically configurable space (1) in the control unit (5). 6. Method according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein the method further comprises using the stored information to configure the at least one configurable element (11). 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises linking one or more sub-users to the first user (2). 8. Method according to claim 7, where the method further comprises supplying said one or more sub-users with one or more transmitters (15) arranged to be able to emit a signal that can be sensed by the at least one sensor (13). 9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises providing the first user (2) with one or more transmitters (15) arranged to be able to emit a signal that can be sensed by the at least one sensor ( 13). 10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, where the method comprises supplying the first user (2) and/or the sub-users with a radio frequency identification chip (15). 11. Method according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein the method comprises supplying the first user (2) and/or the sub-users with a near-field communication chip. 12. Physically configurable room (1), where the room (1) comprises: - one or more physically configurable elements (11); - at least one sensor (13) arranged to sense at least one first user's (2) first position (Pl) in the room; and - a control unit (5) to which the at least one sensor (13) is connected, characterized in that the control unit (5) is designed to be able to configure the at least one configurable element (11) based on sensed information from the at least one sensor ( 13), so that an instruction is given to the first user (2) to move to a second position (P2) in the physically configurable room (1). 13. Physically configurable room (1) according to claim 12, where the physically configurable room (1) is: - a shopping mall; - a shop; - a parking facility; - a hub for public transport; - a hospital; or - an office building. 14. Physically configurable room (1) according to claim 12 or 13, where the control unit (5) comprises a storage unit. 15. Physically configurable room according to claim 12, 13 or 14, where at least one of said at least one sensor (13) is taken from the group: - optical sensor; - pressure sensor; - temperature sensor; - electrical resistance sensor; - radio frequency sensor; and - near field communication sensor.