Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling electronic shelf labels are disclosed. Product data identifying at least one product and a price of the at least one product and layout data of a physical environment including locations of one or more shelves, a respective shelf location of the at least one product, and coordinates of a plurality of electronic shelf labels is received. Coordinates for a first electronic shelf label associated with the respective shelf location is determined. A first emitter of a plurality of emitters that is capable of communicating with the first electronic shelf label is determined and positioned to direct a signal to the coordinates of the first electronic shelf label to establish a link with only the first electronic shelf label. A portion of the product data is transmitted via the signal, which causes the first electronic shelf label to display the portion of the product data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processor-readable storage media for remote controlling of electronic shelf labels. An example method includes receiving, at a computing device, store layout data of a retail store and product data. The product data identifies at least one product and a price of the product. The method causes an optical emitter to emit an optical signal to at least one electronic shelf label based at least in part on the store layout data, the product data, and a predetermined rule. The optical signal bears the product data and is configured to cause the electronic shelf label to change displayable information to reflect new product data. The electronic shelf label can also send feedback to the optical emitter to inform that the optical signal was successfully received.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to determine an internal property of a food product. The system includes one or more analyzing devices, a camera and a central unit in communication with the camera and analyzing device. The analyzing device is configured to analyze an interior region of the food product. The camera is configured to analyze an external property of the food product. The central unit is configured to determine the internal property of the food product based on feedback provided by the analyzing device and the camera.

Abstract: Examples provide a system for monitoring cold-chain compliance via temperature-sensitive, cold-chain indicators on perishable item. A cold-chain indicator includes temperature-sensitive ink configured to activate when a temperature outside a per-item threshold temperature range is detected. The color of the ink fades to decrease visibility of a portion of the indicator or the color of the ink darkens to increase visibility of a portion of the indicator. The temperature-sensitive indicator can include a watermark, a barcode, a quick response code, a label, or any other type of indicator. Temperature data is gathered from one or more cold-chain indicators. An analytics component analyzes the temperature data to determine an item's route outside temperature-controlled areas, an amount of time an item has been outside of a temperature-controlled display case, status of a temperature-controlled display case and/or optimal location of temperature-controlled display case storing perishable items.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing an “always on” offline transaction collection. When networks go down, mobile devices can be used to generate a mesh network, where each device has a list of scheduled, future events which are planned to occur. When the events are performed, the mesh network verifies and/or records the event, so that duplication of the event does not take place. In this manner planned transactions can continue despite a network connection being down.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems in which one or more infrared cameras or sensors are used to measure heat related to the wheels of carts, such as shopping carts. Wheels with bad bearings, that wobble, or that have other issues preventing normal operation tend to generate more heat than wheels that are in good working order, such that an infrared camera or sensor directed at wheel height (e.g., about 2-3 inches off the floor) can detect wheel issues by detecting heat emitted by the wheels.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to determine an internal property of a food product. The system includes one or more analyzing devices, a camera and a central unit in communication with the camera and analyzing device. The analyzing device is configured to analyze an interior region of the food product. The camera is configured to analyze an external property of the food product. The central unit is configured to determine the internal property of the food product based on feedback provided by the analyzing device and the camera.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to determine an internal property of a food product. The system includes one or more analyzing devices, a camera and a central unit in communication with the camera and analyzing device. The analyzing device is configured to analyze an interior region of the food product. The camera is configured to analyze an external property of the food product. The central unit is configured to determine the internal property of the food product based on feedback provided by the analyzing device and the camera.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing an “always on” offline transaction collection. When networks go down, mobile devices can be used to generate a mesh network, where each device has a list of scheduled, future events which are planned to occur. When the events are performed, the mesh network verifies and/or records the event, so that duplication of the event does not take place. In this manner planned transactions can continue despite a network connection being down.

Abstract: Systems for inventory monitoring are provided. An example system can include: a light source emitting a light beam; an array of semi-reflective surfaces configured to receive the emitted light beam; and a plurality of light sensors corresponding to the array of semi-reflective surfaces, the light sensors configured to receive light beams reflected from the semi-reflective surfaces. The light sensors are positioned with respect to a plurality of corresponding products of the inventory such that the reflected light beams are blocked from receiving by the light sensors when the corresponding products are located in the inventory, and the reflected light beams are received by the light sensors upon removal of the corresponding products.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for a store shelving system which can use a scale, a laser tracking system, or other mechanisms for determining how much product remains on the shelf. When the amount of product remaining on the shelf is below a threshold amount, or when the shelf inventory is exhausted, the store shelving system can deploy (1) a hologram of the product, such that customers or store associates in the aisle next to the shelf see the hologram of the product in the location where the product would be if it were available; (2) a user interface which can provide information about the product; or (3) both the hologram of the product and the user interface.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing an “always on” offline transaction collection. When networks go down, mobile devices can be used to generate a mesh network, where each device has a list of scheduled, future events which are planned to occur. When the events are performed, the mesh network verifies and/or records the event, so that duplication of the event does not take place. In this manner planned transactions can continue despite a network connection being down.

Abstract: A perishable product conservation system and related methods for foods and consumable products. One system includes a plurality of perishable products, a perishable product database, and a computing system. The perishable product database includes a plurality of product records for the plurality of perishable products. Each of the plurality of product records includes expiration date information and a current product location. The computing system is communicatively coupled with the perishable product database and includes a customer preference engine, a markdown engine, and a computing device. The customer preference engine is configured to identify a desired perishable product, a desired location for receiving purchases, and a set of customer tolerances for the desired perishable product including a desired expiration date range. The markdown engine is configured to provide dynamic pricing for the desired perishable product, available within the desired expiration date range.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to systems and methods for customer interaction identification and analytics. A system can include a plurality of monitoring devices, a task management system and a customer interaction identification and analytics module. The plurality of monitoring devices can be configured for wear or handheld use and include a housing, a portable electronic computing device, and at least one sensor to sense activity data regarding a person wearing or holding the monitoring device. The task management system is communicatively coupled the plurality of monitoring devices to present at least one task to be completed in a retail environment, the at least one task associated with a temporal reference and a location in the retail environment. The customer interaction identification and analytics module, includes a gesture recognition database, communicatively coupled with the task management system and the plurality of monitoring devices.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to parking management systems and methods in a retail environment. The parking management system can include a plurality of reserved vehicle parking places, a parking registration kiosk, at least one in-store sensor, and an analytics engine. The plurality of reserved vehicle parking places can be located proximate to an entrance of the retail environment. The parking registration kiosk can include a user interface configured to enable a customer-user to register one of the plurality of reserved vehicle parking places for parking use for a limited amount of time, and issue a token configured to display a countdown timer, displaying the permitted parking time remaining. The at least one in-store sensor can be arranged the sensed the location of the customer-user within the retail environment. The analytics engine can be configured to manage the countdown timer based on the sensed location of the customer-user.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processor-readable storage media for remote controlling of electronic shelf labels. An example method includes receiving, at a computing device, store layout data of a retail store and product data. The product data identifies at least one product and a price of the product. The method causes an optical emitter to emit an optical signal to at least one electronic shelf label based at least in part on the store layout data, the product data, and a predetermined rule. The optical signal bears the product data and is configured to cause the electronic shelf label to change displayable information to reflect new product data. The electronic shelf label can also send feedback to the optical emitter to inform that the optical signal was successfully received.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for managing an inventor of food products. The system includes a processor in communication with a memory storage device. The processor is configured to create a database of conditions of a food product available for purchase at a location, monitor one or more of the conditions of the food product at the location over a first period of time, determine the optimal condition of the food product based on the condition of the food product when sold at the location during the first period of time, and determine a state of the food products to be purchased for a second period of time later than the first period of time based on the determined optimal condition of the food product.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing an “always on” offline transaction collection. When networks go down, mobile devices can be used to generate a mesh network, where each device has a list of scheduled, future events which are planned to occur. When the events are performed, the mesh network verifies and/or records the event, so that duplication of the event does not take place. In this manner planned transactions can continue despite a network connection being down.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to determine an internal property of a food product. The system includes one or more analyzing devices, a camera and a central unit in communication with the camera and analyzing device. The analyzing device is configured to analyze an interior region of the food product. The camera is configured to analyze an external property of the food product. The central unit is configured to determine the internal property of the food product based on feedback provided by the analyzing device and the camera.

Abstract: An item packaging carousel is disclosed. The carousel includes a first tier and a second tier, each of the first tier and the second tier including a plurality of item receptacle compartments, each item receptacle compartment configured to hold at least one item receptacle; a motor configured to rotate at least one of the first tier or the second tier to bring one of the plurality of item receptacles to an active filling position; and an item packaging carousel control system including a processor and communications circuitry, the communications circuitry configured to receive item information from an item scanning system, and the item packaging carousel control system configured to provide a rotation signal to the motor to cause at least one of the first tier or the second tier to rotate to bring a selected one of the plurality of item receptacle compartments to an active filling position based on the received item information.