Abstract: A current location of a portable computerized device can be determined within a retail store. A computer-implemented method to provide a directional aid for a consumer within the store includes receiving an item being sought within a retail store, monitoring, at the processing device, the current location of a portable computerized device, determining an in-store location of the item being sought; and displaying to the consumer a graphic describing a direction and a distance from the current location to the in-store location of the item being sought.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The computer-implemented method includes the step of monitoring, at a processing device, regions of a retail location. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of determining, at the processing device, a crowd size for each region based on the monitoring step and indicative of an amount of people in the region when the monitoring step is executed, including identifying at least one over-crowded region. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of generating, at the processing device, a heat map based on the crowd sizes in each region, the heat map being indicative of the amount of people in each of the regions and displaying the over-crowded region. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of offering for sale a product promotion positioned at the over-crowded region identified in the heat map.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The computer-implemented method includes the step of monitoring, at a processing device, regions of a retail location. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of determining, at the processing device, a crowd size for each region based on the monitoring step and indicative of an amount of people in the region when the monitoring step is executed. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of generating, at the processing device, a heat map based on the crowd sizes in each region, the heat map being indicative of the amount of people in each of the regions. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of altering a distribution of employees available for service to customers in the retail store in response to the identification of the over-crowded region.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a heat map for a retail location are disclosed herein. The method includes monitoring a plurality of regions of a retail location and determining a plurality of crowd sizes based on the monitoring. Each crowd size of the plurality of crowd sizes corresponds to one of the plurality of regions. Furthermore each crowd size may be indicative of an amount of people in its corresponding region at a given time. The method further includes generating a heat map based on the plurality of crowd sizes, the heat map being indicative of the amount of people in each of the regions. The heat map and crowd sizes can be used by a customer while shopping at the retail location, to optimize a shopping route of the customer, and/or to estimate wait times at particular regions of the retail location.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed herein. The computer-implemented method includes the step of monitoring, at a processing device, regions of a retail location. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of determining, at the processing device, a crowd size for each region based on the monitoring step and indicative of an amount of people in the region when the monitoring step is executed. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of generating, at the processing device, a heat map based on the crowd sizes in each region, the heat map being indicative of the amount of people in each of the regions. The computer-implemented method also includes the step of promoting a reduction in the crowd size in at least one of the regions.

Abstract: A user can initiate the transmission of data on a mobile device by making physical contact with another device. The physical contact can be any type of physical touch that is referred to as a “tap” or “tapping.” When a tap is detected by a device, the device may initiate near field communication (NFC) with the other tapping device. NFC may be used to communicate data between the two devices, or NFC may be used to exchange sufficient information to allow the devices to establish a communication channel via another communication link. In some embodiments, an NFC-enabled mobile device can be used to gather group data relating to users having mobile devices that are within NFC range of one another and which initiate the aggregation of group data by the tapping of three or more devices.

Abstract: A digital display device having two or more displays that are coupled at angles to each other for displaying content associated with multiple sets of sources of content is described herein. Each display has one or more display regions in which content is displayed. A first display region on one display may be merged with a second display region on the same or a different display to form a merged display region in which content is displayed. The displays may be touch-sensitive. Display regions may be merged by, for example, receiving a first touch from a user of a first touch-sensitive display region and a second touch of a second touch-sensitive display region. In some embodiments, the digital display device has the form of a cube with six displays.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a shopping agenda are disclosed. The techniques include receiving an electronic shopping list containing one or more items, each item indicating a product sold by a retailer. The techniques further include obtaining a store map, the store map being indicative of a layout of a store associated with the retailer. The techniques further include determining one or more product waypoints based on the one or more items in the electronic shopping list and the store map, each product waypoint of the one or more product waypoints corresponding to one of the one or more items and being indicative of a location of the product indicated by the item in the store. The techniques also include determining a route traveling through each of the one or more product waypoints and providing the route for display.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a shopping agenda are disclosed. The techniques include receiving an electronic shopping list containing one or more items, each item indicating a product sold by a retailer. The techniques also include determining, at the processing device, a store location of the retailer, the store location indicating a store where the one or more products indicated by the one or more items are to be purchased. The techniques further include determining one or more product waypoints based on the one or more items in the electronic shopping list and the store map, each product waypoint of the one or more product waypoints respectively corresponding to one of the one or more items and being indicative of a product location of the product indicated by the item in the store. The techniques further include providing the one or more product waypoints for display.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a shopping agenda are disclosed. The techniques include receiving an electronic shopping list containing a plurality of items, each item indicating a product sold by a retailer. Furthermore, for each item in the electronic shopping list, the techniques include determining, at the processing device, a type of the item and assigning, at the processing device, the item to one of a plurality of groupings based on the type. The techniques also include arranging, at the processing device, the items in the electronic shopping list based on the groupings to obtain an ordered electronic shopping list. The techniques further include providing, at the processing device, the ordered electronic shopping list for display.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating an electronic shopping list based on a digital photograph of a handwritten shopping list. The techniques include obtaining a digital photograph of a handwritten shopping list and identifying a handwritten text portion in the digital photograph. The techniques further include determining a set of candidate items corresponding to the handwritten text portion, each candidate item of the set of candidate items representing a different item that may have written in the handwritten text portion of the handwritten shopping list and being indicative of a product sold by a retailer. The techniques further include selecting one of the set of candidate items for inclusion in the electronic shopping list. The techniques can be performed by a mobile computing device or by a shopping list server.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating an electronic shopping list based on a digital photograph of a handwritten shopping list. The techniques include obtaining a digital photograph of a handwritten shopping list and identifying a handwritten text portion in the digital photograph. The techniques further include determining a set of candidate items corresponding to the handwritten text portion, each candidate item of the set of candidate items representing a different item that may have written in the handwritten text portion of the handwritten shopping list and being indicative of a product sold by a retailer. The techniques further include selecting one of the set of candidate items for inclusion in the electronic shopping list. The techniques can be performed by a mobile computing device or by a shopping list server.

Abstract: A charging station for mobile devices that acts as an intermediary device to facilitate communication between mobile devices and other proximate devices. The charging station may receive data with a mobile device via a first communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth) or in a first data format and may transmit the received data to a proximate device via a second communication protocol (e.g., WiFi) or in a second data format. The charging station may then receive responsive data from the proximate device via the second communication protocol (e.g., WiFi) or second data format and transmit the responsive data the mobile device via the first communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth) or first data format. In some embodiments, the charging station may communicate status data about a mobile device to other proximate devices.

Abstract: A user can initiate the transmission of data on a mobile device by making physical contact with another device. The physical contact can be any type of physical touch that is referred to as a ‘tap’ or ‘tapping.’ When a tap is detected by a device, the device may initiate near field communication (NFC) with the other tapping device. NFC may be used to communicate data between the two devices, or NFC may be used to exchange sufficient information to allow the devices to establish a communication channel via another communication link. In some embodiments, an NFC-enabled mobile device can be used to gather group data relating to users having mobile devices that are within NFC range of one another and which initiate the aggregation of group data by the tapping of three or more devices.

Abstract: A method and system for communication between users is described. In some examples, the system provides two or more dedicated communication devices that communicate with one another without voice-based or written communications. In some cases, the devices provide single input/out capabilities. In some cases, the devices provide multiple input/output capabilities.

Abstract: A method and system for communication between users is described. In some examples, the system provides two or more dedicated communication devices that communicate with one another without voice-based or written communications. In some cases, the devices provide single input/out capabilities. In some cases, the devices provide multiple input/output capabilities.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for remotely recording an image using a mobile device. In one embodiment, a user transmits a message using a mobile device to activate a camera pod to record an image. The user makes adjustments to the settings of the camera pod using the mobile device, and in some instances, initiates a trigger sequence using the mobile device. The camera pod records the image and transmits the image to the mobile device, enabling the user to preview the image. In some instances, the camera pod transmits the image to a storage server, where it is stored in an album. In one embodiment, the storage server creates a webpage with the captured visual record that the user can retrieve using a personal computer.

Abstract: A messaging device facilitates delivery of messages to recipients based on availability and preferences associated with recipients. In some embodiments, messages are composed by a user via a touchscreen display. Icons representing potential message recipients are displayed, and the user may deliver a message to a recipient by associating the message with the icon that represents the desired recipient. The facility uses availability information—which reflects recipients' availability and willingness to communicate—and system- and recipient-defined preferences to determine the best method(s) of delivery for a message and other features of message delivery. Recipients' availability and preferences may be displayed to users on an interface. Users may make decisions regarding delivery method, timing, and other details of message delivery based on the displayed availability and preference information.

Abstract: A user can initiate the transmission of data on a mobile device by making physical contact with another device. The physical contact can be any type of physical touch that is referred to as a ‘tap’ or ‘tapping.’ When a tap is detected by a device, the device may initiate near field communication (NFC) with the other tapping device. NFC may be used to communicate data between the two devices, or NFC may be used to exchange sufficient information to allow the devices to establish a communication channel via another communication link. In some embodiments, an NFC-enabled mobile device can be used to gather group data relating to users having mobile devices that are within NFC range of one another and which initiate the aggregation of group data by the tapping of three or more devices.

Abstract: A secondary display system on a mobile device to allow a user to check the status of mobile device services without having to turn on or otherwise rely upon the primary display of the mobile device. The secondary display presents a count of messages that are waiting to be accessed by the mobile device user. When a new message is received for the user, a summary of the message is displayed to the mobile device user. When a user accesses one of the waiting messages, the count of unopened messages is decremented. The secondary display system may perform queue management to ensure that only counts of recently received messages are displayed. The secondary display system may offer different status modes to highlight the status of different mobile device services or states. The secondary display system may also allow a user to respond to a received message in a limited manner.