Apple invents centralized Apple Store floor plan management system

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
A patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday offers a look into how Apple manages retail store operations worldwide, from dynamic product signage to customized floor plan layouts.

Retail Store
Source: USPTO


Apple's aptly-named "System and method for planning layout of a retail store" filing combines a number of interactive features, like dynamic product displays and floor plan blocking, with a centralized management system, ensuring customers have a consistent experience when visiting any Apple Stores in the world. The inclusive application brings together dynamic signage creation and management, customer experience services, floor maps and other details to form a cohesive worldwide retail system.

At the heart of the invention is a central server that is responsible for providing Apple Stores with floor information, including dimensions and orientation of the floor space, product data, dynamic signage information, organization of fixtures, an interactive map and more. This server sends current information to in-store servers which then mete the data out to dynamic product signage.

Server
Block diagram of centralized server system.


The filing notes that conventional retail stores are largely designed individually or locally, with different geological locations setting up displays according to the region's demographic. Apple's system provides an efficient way to roll out new products, display sale items and manage operations to offer customers around the globe uniform shopping experiences.

Products at Apple Stores are arranged according to "fixture blocks" comprised of multiple devices and signage. Depending on the size and space of a given location, these fixture blocks can be implemented in various ways to coordinate a consistent layout and design between stores.

In some embodiments, dynamic signage displays an interactive information, pricing and store guidance tool for demonstration devices. Apple Stores currently utilize iPads as the informational kiosks, allowing customers to browse devices on their own or as ask for help from an in-store representative. Because the system is fed by a central server, updates can be pushed out to quickly coordinate changes in pricing or promotions.

Signage
Dynamic signage for showing an iPad model and corresponding information.


Dynamic signage devices must first enter "retail mode" for certain updates. A device can be configured to enter the non-commercial mode at startup or through gesture input from an employee.

Going further, the wireless capabilities of the iPad signage allows for the display of store-specific information like the schedule of upcoming classes or special events. Inventory levels can also be monitored through the system as each point of sale is connected to the central server.

Other embodiments call for the use of GPS or low-power communications like Bluetooth to triangulate the relative position of a certain product's display signage to single it out on an employee's floor map for over-the-air updates and other functions.

Floor Map
Illustration of system floor map.


Apple's application was first filed for in September 2012 as a continuation of a 2011 pre-grant publication and credits Jason Raskin, Erik Hadden, Jonathan M. Van Keulen and Kuochun Chin as its inventors.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    "The filing notes that conventional retail stores are largely designed individually or locally, with different geological locations "

    Geological locations?
    Jurassic or Precambrian?
  • Reply 2 of 12
    bleh1234bleh1234 Posts: 146member


    They forgot to patent doors and walls? and ceiling? How about POS systems? 


     


     


     


    Quote:


    Apple's aptly-named "System and method fro planning layout of a retail store" filing combines a number of interactive features, like dynamic product displays and floor plan blocking, with a centralized management system, ensuring customers have a consistent experience when visiting any Apple Stores in the world.



    Unless Apple build a Stand-alone buildings of their own and not rent a space, concept already failed. And you can not have consistency if there so many variables.

  • Reply 3 of 12
    You can patent this crap?
  • Reply 4 of 12
    arlorarlor Posts: 532member
    You can patent any kind of crap if you pay the fees.

    Fry's in Manhattan Beach and Burbank used to have a section of the store a lot like this, back when I lived in southern California, long before there were Apple stores anywhere. I don't know if they still do, but I suspect it just plum didn't occur to Fry's to patent it. Apple seems to patent everything.

  • Reply 5 of 12
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,897member
    Love the fact that all these patent diagrams look like they were created with MacDraw.
  • Reply 6 of 12
    darkvaderdarkvader Posts: 1,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by capoeira4u View Post



    You can patent this crap?




    Ridiculous, isn't it?


     


    There's nothing innovative in this.  Any amateur, let alone someone "versed in the art" could do this, it's blatantly obvious.


     


    And yet Apple seems to think there's something patentable here, and files the patent application.  With any luck, the patent office will see this for the silliness it is, and reject the patent.


     


    The only problem is that there's no penalty for filing frivolous patent applications, there really should be a fine/prison time for filing something that anyone could see shouldn't be granted.

  • Reply 7 of 12
    bedouinbedouin Posts: 331member
    Apple was ripped off twice: once by Microsoft and most recently by Google and Sanscum. They have a right to be paranoid and over zealous.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    This patent system must be stopped.
  • Reply 9 of 12
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by DarkVader View Post

    There's nothing innovative in this.


     


    Show examples where everything covered in this patent have been either patented or otherwise protected previously.

  • Reply 10 of 12


    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    Signage


     


    OK this is a unexsting iPad because a dual core A4(all a4 chips are single core).

  • Reply 11 of 12
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post


     


    OK this is a unexsting iPad because a dual core A4(all a4 chips are single core).



    It's notional, as in, it simply shows the idea and how it is accomplished, not exactly what the info is.

  • Reply 12 of 12


    Originally Posted by Chris_CA View Post

    It's notional, as in, it simply shows the idea and how it is accomplished, not exactly what the info is.


     


    The face used for the FaceTime image is slightly humorous. I'm trying to make that expression. What is it, disappointment (and disagreement) just shy of derision? Something like that.

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