Locating products in stores using voice search from a communication device

Abstract

A user can locate products by dialing a number from any phone and accessing an automatic voice recognition system. Reply is made to the user with information locating the product using a store's product location data converted to automatic voice responses, smart phone and mobile web access to a product database is enabled using voice-to-text and text search. A taxonomy enables product search requests by product descriptions and/or product brand names, and enable synonyms and phonetic enhancements to the system. Search results are related to products and product categories with concise organization. Relevant advertisements, promotional offers and coupons are delivered based upon search and taxonomy elements. Search requests generate dynamic interior maps of a products location inside the shoppers' location, assisting a shopper to efficiently shop the location for listed items. Business intelligence of product categories enable rapid scaling across retail segments.

1 . A method for product location assistance in a retail location, said method comprising executing on a processor the method steps of:
 receiving retailer inventory data for a plurality of products, said inventory data comprising a location of said products in a retail store;   formatting said received retailer inventory data to include a searchable taxonomy for said products, said taxonomy comprising slang, synonyms, or phonetic data;   receiving from a user device over a data telecommunications network a user search request comprising an indication of a desired product, said desired product being a product in said plurality of products;   identifying a location of said desired product in said retail store, said identification based at least in part on matching said indication of said desired product to said taxonomy for said desired product; and   sending via said data telecommunications network an indication of said identified location of said desired product in said retail store.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said data telecommunications network is the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said user device is a mobile smart phone and said user search request is received via a mobile smart phone application executing on a processor of said mobile smart phone. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said mobile smart phone application is a web browser. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , said method further comprising executing on said processor of said mobile smart phone the method steps of:
 displaying on a display of said mobile smart phone a map of said retail store; and   displaying on said displayed map of said retail store a visual representation of said identified location at a location on said displayed map corresponding to said identified location in said retail store.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sending step further comprises sending additional product information for said desired product. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said additional product information comprises advertisements, coupons, and promotional offers for said desired product. 
     
     
         8 . A method for mapping a large plurality of product locations to a smaller number of landmarks in a retail location comprising:
 providing a plurality of landmarks in said retail location;   providing a server computer having a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon retailer inventory data for a plurality of products, said inventory data comprising a location of each of said products in said retail location, the total number of unique locations in said retailer inventory data being larger than the total number of landmarks in said plurality of landmarks, and said retailer inventory data formatted as a product taxonomy database;   mapping each of said locations of each of said products to at least one of said landmarks;   receiving a user search request comprising an indication of a desired product;   searching said product taxonomy database for at least one product matching said indication;   responding to said user search request with, for each of said at least one matching product, an indication of said landmark to which said location of said each of said at least one matching product is mapped.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said user search request is received from a user phone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said product taxonomy database is in a plain text format. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said product taxonomy database comprises synonyms, slang, and phonetic data for said plurality of products. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said indication of said landmark to which said location of said each of said at least one matching product is mapped comprises displaying a map having a visual representation of said indicated landmark thereon. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said responding step further comprises responding to said user search request with additional product information for said at least one matching product. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said additional product information for said at least one matching product comprises advertisements, coupons, and promotional offers for said at least one matching product. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 said user search request comprises a search string comprising one or more terms;   said searching said product taxonomy database for at least one product matching said indication comprises:
 performing an exact-match search of said product taxonomy database based on said received user search request; and 
 if said exact-match search does not result in any matches, performing a search of said product taxonomy database for each of said one or more terms of said search string. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said mapping each of said locations of each of said products to at least one of said landmarks is based on category data associated with said each product. 
     
     
         17 . A system for mapping a large plurality of product locations to a smaller number of landmarks in a retail location comprising:
 a user device of a user;   a server computer communicating with said user device over a telecommunications network, said server comprising:
 a microprocessor, 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium operating coupled to said microprocessor and having stored thereon; 
 data for a plurality of landmarks in said retail location; 
 retailer inventory data for a plurality of products, said inventory data comprising a location of each of said products in said retail location, the total number of unique locations in said retailer inventory data being larger than the total number of landmarks in said plurality of landmarks, and said retailer inventory data formatted as a product taxonomy database; and 
 computer-readable program instructions which, when executed by said microprocessor, cause said server computer to perform the steps of:
 mapping each of said locations of each of said products to at least one of said landmarks; 
 
 receiving from said user device a user search request comprising an indication of a desired product; 
 searching said product taxonomy database for at least one product matching said indication; 
 responding to said user search request with, for each of said at least one matching product, an indication of said landmark to which said location of said each of said at least one matching product is mapped. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said user device is a mobile smart phone and said search request is received via a mobile smart phone applications running on said mobile smart phone. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said mobile smart phone application is a web browser. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said product taxonomy database is in a plain text format. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said product taxonomy database comprises synonyms, slang, and phonetic data for said plurality of products. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said indication of said landmark to which said location of said each of said at least one matching product is mapped comprises displaying a map having a visual representation of said indicated landmark thereon. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said responding step further comprises responding to said user search request with additional product information for said at least one matching product. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said additional product information for said at least one matching product comprises advertisements, coupons, and promotional offers for said at least one matching product. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said user search request comprises a search string comprising one or more terms;   said searching said product taxonomy database for at least one product matching said indication comprises:
 performing an exact-match search of said product taxonomy database based on said received user search request; and 
 if said exact-match search does not result in any matches, performing a search of said product taxonomy database for each of said one or more terms of said search string. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein said mapping each of said locations of each of said products to at least one of said landmarks is based on category data associated with said each product.