Tracking movement of physical objects through a confined space

Abstract

Techniques are provided for calculating an average time physical objects spend at a particular location, such as a store. A plurality of entrance times is identified, where each entrance time corresponds to when one or more objects entered the particular location. A plurality of exit times is also identified, where each exit time corresponds to when one or more objects exited the particular location. An average entrance time is determined based on the plurality of entrance times. An average exit time is determined based on the plurality of exit times. An average time people spend at the particular location is determined based on a difference between the average exit time and the average entrance time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for tracking average time physical objects spend at a particular location without tracking staying duration for individual objects, the method comprising:
 obtaining tracking data from one or more devices associated with a particular location;   identifying a plurality of entrance times and a plurality of exit times based on the tracking data, wherein:
 each entrance time of the plurality of entrance times corresponds to when a first plurality of objects entered the particular location, and 
 each exit time of the plurality of exit times corresponds to when a second plurality of objects exited the particular location; 
   determining an average entrance time based on the plurality of entrance times;   determining an average exit time based on the plurality of exit times;   determining the average time objects spend at the particular location based on a difference between the average exit time and the average entrance time;   wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of entrance times includes an entrance time for a particular object, and wherein the plurality of exit times does not include an exit time for the particular object. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of entrance times does not include an entrance time for a particular object, and wherein the plurality of exit times includes an exit time for the particular object. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more devices are card readers at the particular location. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more devices are RFID receivers at the particular location. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more devices are electronic dispensers at the particular location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more devices form a virtual fence around the particular location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the obtaining and identifying are performed by one or more first computing devices associated with a first entity, and the determining is performed by one or more second computing devices associated with a second entity different from the first entity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the tracking data is for a particular time range of a particular day. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 comparing a number of entrance times for the particular location during the particular time range and a number of exit times for the particular location during the particular time range; 
 in response to determining that the number of entrance times is greater than the number of exit times:
 removing one or more entrance times from the plurality of entrance times; 
 wherein determining the average entrance time is not based on the one or more entrance times; 
 
 in response to determining that the number of exit times is greater than the number of entrance times:
 removing one or more exit times from the plurality of exit times; 
 wherein determining the average exit time is not based on the one or more exit times. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for determining an average time objects spend at a particular location without tracking staying duration for individual objects, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 obtaining tracking data from one or more devices associated with a particular location;   identifying a plurality of entrance times and a plurality of exit times based on the tracking data, wherein:
 each entrance time of the plurality of entrance times corresponds to when a first plurality of objects entered the particular location, and 
 each exit time of the plurality of exit times corresponds to when a second plurality of objects exited the particular location; 
   determining an average entrance time based on the plurality of entrance times;   determining an average exit time based on the plurality of exit times;   determining the average time objects spend at the particular location based on a difference between the average exit time and the average entrance time.   
     
     
         12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of entrance times includes an entrance time for a particular object, and wherein the plurality of exit times does not include an exit time for the particular object. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of entrance times does not include an entrance time for a particular object, and wherein the plurality of exit times includes an exit time for the particular object. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more devices are card readers at the particular location. 
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more devices are RFID receivers at the particular location. 
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more devices are electronic dispensers at the particular location. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11  wherein the one or more devices form a virtual fence around the particular location. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11  wherein the obtaining and identifying are performed by one or more first computing devices associated with a first entity, and the determining is performed by one or more second computing devices associated with a second entity different from the first entity. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 11  wherein the tracking data is for a particular time range of a particular day. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 comparing a number of entrance times for the particular location during the particular time range and a number of exit times for the particular location during the particular time range;   in response to determining that the number of entrance times is greater than the number of exit times:
 removing one or more entrance times from the plurality of entrance times; 
 wherein determining the average entrance time is not based on the one or more entrance times; 
   in response to determining that the number of exit times is greater than the number of entrance times:
 removing one or more exit times from the plurality of exit times; 
 wherein determining the average exit time is not based on the one or more exit times.