Dynamically-tunable interventions for user transactions

Abstract

The present disclosure provides techniques to selectively provide user interventions. A transaction is initiated for a user device, and data describing a user of the user device during the transaction is collected. A preferred level of intervention for the transaction is determined based on the collected data. Interventions are selectively provided to the user device during the transaction based on the preferred level of intervention.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by an intervention component from one or more cameras arranged in a physical environment, a user gesture associated with a user of a point of sale device in the physical environment;   determining, by the intervention component, that a stored user gesture matches the user gesture associated with the user of the point of sale device in the physical environment based on a comparison between the stored user gesture and the user gesture; and   causing, by the intervention component, an intervention to the point of sale device during a transaction in response to the user gesture matching the stored user gesture, wherein the intervention reduces the point of sale device transaction processing rate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user gesture matching the stored user gesture indicates that the user is attempting to steal during the transaction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein causing, by the intervention component, the intervention to the point of sale device during the transaction comprises dispatching an employee to intervene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user gesture matching the stored user gesture indicates that the user has made a mistake during the transaction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving and the determining by the intervention component occur prior to the user beginning a checkout process to complete the transaction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intervention component has one or more computer processors and a memory, and wherein the stored user gesture is stored on the memory as one of a plurality of historical patterns. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in causing, by the intervention component, the intervention to the point of sale device during the transaction in response to the user gesture matching the stored user gesture, the intervention directed to the point of sale device is different than a default intervention that was to be directed to the point of sale device prior had the user gesture not matched the stored user gesture. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intervention component iteratively receives and evaluates user gestures associated with the user of the point of sale device in the physical environment to determine if any of the user gestures match one of a plurality of stored user gestures. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the intervention component from one or more microphones arranged in the physical environment, audio data associated with the user; and   evaluating the audio data, and   wherein the intervention directed to the point of sale device is based on the audio data.   
     
     
         10 . A computer-readable storage medium containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising:
 receiving, by an intervention component from one or more cameras arranged in a physical environment, a user gesture associated with a user of a point of sale device in the physical environment;   determining, by the intervention component, that a stored user gesture matches the user gesture associated with the user of the point of sale device in the physical environment based on a comparison between the stored user gesture and the user gesture; and   causing, by the intervention component, an intervention to the point of sale device during a transaction in response to the user gesture matching the stored user gesture, wherein the intervention reduces the point of sale device transaction processing rate.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the user gesture matching the stored user gesture indicates that the user is attempting to steal during the transaction. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein causing, by the intervention component, the intervention to the point of sale device during the transaction comprises dispatching an employee to intervene. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving and the determining by the intervention component occur prior to the user beginning a checkout process to complete the transaction. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the intervention component has one or more computer processors and a memory, and wherein the stored user gesture is stored on the memory as one of a plurality of historical patterns. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein in causing, by the intervention component, the intervention to the point of sale device during the transaction in response to the user gesture matching the stored user gesture, the intervention directed to the point of sale device is different than a default intervention that was to be directed to the point of sale device prior had the user gesture not matched the stored user gesture. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   a memory containing a program which when executed by the one or more computer processors performs an operation, the operation comprising:
 receiving, by an intervention component from one or more cameras arranged in a physical environment, a user gesture associated with a user of a point of sale device in the physical environment; 
 determining, by the intervention component, that a stored user gesture matches the user gesture associated with the user of the point of sale device in the physical environment based on a comparison between the stored user gesture and the user gesture; and 
 causing, by the intervention component, an intervention to the point of sale device during a transaction in response to the user gesture matching the stored user gesture, wherein the intervention reduces the point of sale device transaction processing rate. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the user gesture matching the stored user gesture indicates that the user is attempting to steal during the transaction. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein causing, by the intervention component, the intervention to the point of sale device during the transaction comprises dispatching an employee to intervene. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the receiving and the determining by the intervention component occur prior to the user beginning a checkout process to complete the transaction. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the intervention component has one or more computer processors and a memory, and wherein the stored user gesture is stored on the memory as one of a plurality of historical patterns.