Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of navigation technologies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed disclosure, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] Shopping malls and departmental stores offer a diverse range of products across various categories (e.g., clothing, electronics, groceries, home goods) and cater to different customer needs and preferences. Such departmental stores offer a one-stop shopping experience where customers can find everything they need in a single location, increasing convenience and customer satisfaction. It so happens that customers spend a lot of time searching for products at departmental stores, which often lead to frustration and a negative shopping experience. Employees may also waste time if they need to assist customers frequently in finding products, reducing overall efficiency. Difficulty in finding products may lead to missed sales opportunities as customers might give up looking for items or opt for online shopping instead. Difficulty in locating products can complicate inventory management, restocking, and monitoring stock levels. Inefficiencies in customer navigation and employee time spent assisting can lead to higher operational costs. Consistent difficulty in locating products can damage the store's reputation, leading to a negative brand image. A challenging shopping experience can result in lower customer loyalty and a decline in repeat customers.
[0004] Conventional systems of navigation use the existing Wi-Fi infrastructure in the store to determine the location of a user's device. By measuring signal strengths from nearby access points, such systems can estimate the device's position. However, Wi-Fi signals can get affected by obstacles and interference, leading to inaccuracies. BLE beacons, that exist in the prior art, are small, low-cost devices that can be placed throughout a store to provide location-based services. By detecting the signals from these beacons, a mobile app can determine the user's location. BLE beacons offer higher accuracy than Wi-Fi in indoor environments but require more infrastructure setup. Inertial navigation uses sensors in a user's device, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, to track movement and estimate position. While it can provide real-time tracking, it tends to drift over time and requires frequent recalibration. Visual-Based Positioning is a conventional approach that uses computer vision techniques, such as image recognition or indoor mapping, to determine the user's location based on visual cues in the environment. While potentially accurate, it can be computationally intensive and may require additional hardware. There also exists ultrasound-based systems that use ultrasound beacons placed around the store to determine the user's position based on the time it takes for ultrasound signals to travel. While offering good accuracy, ultrasound systems can be expensive to deploy and maintain. There may also exist certain systems that combine multiple technologies, such as Wi-Fi, BLE, and inertial sensors, to improve accuracy and reliability. By using a combination of sensors and signals, these systems can mitigate the limitations of individual technologies.
[0005] To address these limitations, the present invention provides a novel system and method that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies are as listed herein below.
[0007] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enable the user to find products quickly and easily, leading to a more satisfying shopping experience.
[0008] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to help store managers optimize product placement and store layout to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
[0009] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to facilitate the identification of popular routes allowing for strategic placement of promotional items and advertisements where they are most likely to be seen.
[0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to minimize the time and effort needed to locate products thereby reducing customer frustration and increasing the likelihood of repeat visits.

SUMMARY
[0011] This section is provided to introduce certain objects and aspects of the present disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0012] The present disclosure relates to the field of navigation technologies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores.
[0013] In an aspect of the present disclosure, a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores is disclosed. The system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory includes processor-executable instructions, which on execution, causes the processor to execute a sequence of tasks. The system is configured to receive a list of products from a user. The system is further configured to generate a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list. The system is further configured to identify one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map. The system is further configured to locate the products in the one or more shelves of the store. The system is further configured to display a shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.
[0014] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores is disclosed. The method begins with receiving, by the processor, the list of products from a user. The method proceeds with generating, by the processor, a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list. The method proceeds with identifying, by the processor, one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map. The method proceeds with locating, by the processor, the products in the one or more shelves of the store. The method proceeds with displaying, by the processor, shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in, and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
[0016] In the figures, similar components, and/or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label with a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description applies to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of architecture of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram representation of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary view of a flow diagram of the proposed method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of colour-coded sections generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of one or more shelves to be viewed in heat maps generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of date and product details displayed by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the shortest route to the products displayed by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the distribution of customers displayed in the heat maps generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the workings of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit, and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0027] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details.
[0028] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0029] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
[0030] The word “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” and/or “demonstrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to preclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “has,” “contains,” and other similar words are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as an open transition word without precluding any additional or other elements.
[0031] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” or “an instance” or “one instance” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
[0032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0033] The present disclosure relates to the field of navigation technologies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores is disclosed. The system includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory includes processor-executable instructions, which on execution, causes the processor to execute a sequence of tasks. The system is configured to receive a list of products from a user. The system is configured to generate a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list. The system is further configured to identify one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map. The system is further configured to locate the products in the one or more shelves of the store. The system is further configured to display a shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.
[0035] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to convert voice commands obtained from the user into a textual format by applying natural language processing techniques to generate the list of products.
[0036] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to display a plurality of aisles of a store in each of the one or more zones in the heat map to the user.
[0037] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to display crowded areas and sparsely populated areas of the store in the heat map.
[0038] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to analyse the heat map to determine demand for products and restock products when stocks run low.
[0039] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to enable zooming into the heat map to visualize different aisles and the one or more shelves of the store in the heat map.
[0040] In an embodiment, the processor is configured to enable automatic checkout at billing sections by applying computer vision techniques.
[0041] In an embodiment, the processor is operatively coupled to an image scanner unit enabled to capture photos of the products and generate a bill for the products at billing counters.
[0042] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores is disclosed. The method begins with receiving, by the processor, the list of products from a user. The method proceeds with generating, by the processor, a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list. The method proceeds with identifying, by the processor, one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map. The method proceeds with locating, by the processor, the products in the one or more shelves of the store. The method proceeds with displaying, by the processor, shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.
[0043] The various embodiments throughout the disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to Figs. 1-8.
[0044] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary representation of architecture of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0045] Referring to FIG.1, a system 102 automatically detects presence of the at least one user to access a computing device. The system 102 comprises a network 104, one or more computing devices 106-1, 106-2…,106-N (individually referred to as one or more computing devices 106), one or more users 108-1, 108-2…,108-N (individually referred to as one or more users 108), and a centralized server 110. The computing device 106 comprising a processor 202 and a memory 204. The memory 204 may comprise a set of instructions, which when executed, causes the processor 202 to enable navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores. The one or more user transactions are received via one or more computing devices 106.
[0046] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the system 102 may be configured to reduce the shopping time for the user and optimize in-store time by locating products within the shortest path. The system 102 may be further configured to facilitate indoor navigation and automatic billing of products for further reduction of in-store time. The system 102 is essentially configured to provide a colour-coded bird’s eye view of the shopping arena in the store. Identifying a color-coded area is then followed by identification of one or more shelves containing desired products in that colour coded area by the system 102. The system 102 is further configured to identify a shelf out of the one or more shelves which contains the products. The system 102 is then configured to provide a choice to the user pertaining to different products available in the same category. The system 102 is further configured to allow the user to choose the products from the shelf and places the products in a trolley and move on to the next shelf or to the billing counter. The path to be followed by the user, as guided by the system 102, is the shortest and calculated based on the list of products generated by the system 102 thereby reducing in-store navigation time.
[0047] In an embodiment, the system 102 for enabling navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores comprises a processor 202 operatively coupled to a memory 204 that comprises a set of instructions, which upon being executed, causes the processor 202 to enable navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores.
[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram representation of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 2, an exemplary architecture of the proposed system 102 is disclosed. The system 102 comprises one or more processor(s) 202. The one or more processor(s) 202 are implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, one or more processor(s) 202 are configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 204 of the device. The memory 204 stores one or more computer-readable instructions or routines, which are fetched and executed to create or share the data units over a network service. The memory 204 comprises any non-transitory storage device comprising, for example, volatile memory such as RAM, or non-volatile memory such as EPROM, flash memory, and the like.
[0050] In an embodiment, the system 102 also comprises an interface(s) 206. The interface(s) 206 comprises a variety of interfaces, for example, interfaces for data input and output devices referred to as I/O devices, storage devices, and the like. The interface(s) 206 facilitates communication of the user device 102 with various devices or servers coupled to the user device. The interface(s) 206 also provides a communication pathway for one or more components of the user device 108.
[0051] In an embodiment, the processing engine(s) 208 are implemented as a combination of hardware and programming (for example, programmable instructions) to implement one or more functionalities of the processing engine(s) 208. In the examples described herein, such combinations of hardware and programming may be implemented in several different ways. The system 102 further includes the machine-readable storage medium storing the instructions and the processing resource to execute the instructions, or the machine-readable storage medium may be separate but accessible to the system 102 and the processing resource. In other examples, the processing engine(s) 208 is implemented by electronic circuitry. Database 220 comprises data that is either stored or generated as a result of functionalities implemented by any of the components of the processing engine(s) 208.
[0052] In an embodiment, the processing engine(s) 208 can include a data receiving module 210, a heat map generation module 212, an identification module 214, a path display module 216, and other module(s) 218, but not limited to the likes. The other module(s) 218 implements functionalities that supplement applications or functions performed by the system 102 or the processing engine(s) 208. The data (or database 220) serves, amongst other things, as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by one or more of the modules.
[0053] In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to receive the list of products from the user via the data receiving module 210.
[0054] In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to generate a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list via the heat map generation module 212.
[0055] In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to identify one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map and locate the products in the one or more shelves of the store via the identification module 214.
[0056] In an embodiment, the processor 202 may be configured to display a shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user via the path display module 216.
[0057] FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary view of a flow diagram of the proposed method for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] In an embodiment, the proposed method 300 for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores is disclosed. At step 302, receiving, by the processor 202, the list of products from the user. At step 304, generating, by the processor 202, the heat map indicating the one or more zones of the store containing the products in the generated list. At step 306, identifying, by the processor 202, the one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map. At step 308, locating, by the processor 202, the products in the one or more shelves of the store. At step 310, displaying, by the processor 202, the shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.
[0059] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of colour-coded sections generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the system 102 generates a heat map in order to represent different arenas of a store with different colours. The heat map is generated by the system 102 based on data on customer movements and interactions within the store. There may be sensors and cameras positioned at strategic locations to monitor and record foot traffic and customer behaviour. The collected data is processed by the system 102 to determine the density and patterns of customer movement. The number of customers passing through or dwelling in different areas of the store is identified by the system 102 that is further configured to map the common routes taken by customers within the store and measure how long customers spend in specific areas. The system is now configured to assign colours to represent different levels of activity in different arenas of the departmental store. The heat map is then overlaid onto a floor plan of the store by the system 102, creating a visual representation of customer movement and density.
[0061] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat map generated by the system 102 helps in identifying and differentiating various areas of the store. Areas that consistently show red or warm colours indicate high customer activity, such as entrances, exits, popular product sections, or promotional displays. Areas with cooler colours (blue) indicate less activity, which may suggest underutilized space or less popular product sections. Sections where customers spend more time, such as checkout counters, customer service desks, or specific product aisles.
[0062] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of one or more shelves to be viewed in heat maps generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0063] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the system 102 is configured to enable micromanagement of the one or more shelves of the store and the presence of products on the one or more shelves to facilitate identification of the products within a short time. The micromanagement of the products in the one or more shelves may be implemented by zooming into the heat map generated by the system 102. Once a colour-coded area is reached, the user may simply tap on a colour and obtain a detailed representation of the different aisles of the store including the one or more shelves in each aisle of the store and the location of the products on the one or more shelves. The heat map of store, generated by the system 102, not only shows the location of products but also indicates the shortest path to reach all the products in the list to save time while shopping.
[0064] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of date and product details displayed by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the expiry date and product details of the products help inventory managers and customers in buying quality products. Thus, the store earns goodwill of the customers. The products in the store may be tagged with barcodes or RFID tags that contain detailed information, including expiry dates and other product details. The system 102 may be configured to keep track of all product information, including stock levels, expiry dates, and other attributes. The heat map, generated by the system 102, shows areas of the store with high and low foot traffic, which can indicate where the products are more likely to be sold quickly or slowly. The areas where customers spend more time can be identified, helping to understand which products attract more attention. The system 102 may be operatively coupled with handheld scanners or shelf-mounted cameras that periodically scan the products to updating the inventory with current stock levels and expiry dates. The system 102 may be further configured to generate alerts for products nearing their expiry dates, prompting timely action such as moving the products to high-traffic areas to increase the likelihood of sale or marking the products down for quick sale. By combining heat map data with inventory data, the system 102 may be configured to identify areas where the products with short shelf lives are located and assess whether they are in high or low traffic zones. Products nearing their expiry dates may be moved to high-traffic areas identified by the system 102 from the heat map to increase visibility and sales chances.
[0066] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the shortest route to the products displayed by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] As illustrated in FIG. 7, once the placement of products in the list is identified on the shop floor plan, the shortest route to acquire the products is devised by the system 102 which further reduces the in-store time. Further, the system 102 may be configured to analyze customer journeys in-store. The system 102 may be configured to represent a complete picture of the retail space, how people move through a store over time, what section is explored or left unexplored, or which section needs more staff in the heat map generated by the system 102.
[0068] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to represent the complete picture of the retail space and understand customer behaviour, the system 102 may be configured to integrate various technologies and data sources to generate the detailed heat map and accompanying analytics. The data collected from the user may be processed in real-time by the system 102 to identify patterns in customer movements, dwell times, and interactions with different store sections. Historical data may also be analysed by the system 102 to understand long-term trends and changes in customer behaviour over time. The processed data may be visualized by the system 102 using colour gradients on the heat map of the store. High traffic areas may be typically shown in warm colours (reds, oranges), while low traffic areas may be shown in cool colours (blues, greens). The heat map may be layered based on different times of day, days of the week, or seasons to show how customer traffic changes over time. The heat map reveals which paths are most commonly taken by customers, highlighting popular routes and areas. Sections with high foot traffic may be clearly marked, while less visited areas are shown in cooler colours, indicating they might be underutilized. Areas where customers spend more time are highlighted, which can indicate sections of interest or potential bottlenecks. By analysing traffic patterns and dwell times, the system 102 may be configured to identify sections that may need more staff during peak hours or special events.
[0069] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the distribution of customers displayed in the heat maps generated by the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the heat map generated by the system 102 shows the distribution of customers inside the store. The system 102 may be configured to analyse the heat map in order to distinguish between sparsely populated and densely populated areas of the store. This differentiation by the system 102 helps to fulfil the demand of products and plan the procurement of products in future by store managers. The system 102 may be further configured to identify the customer demand by analysing the number of customers accumulated at a particular time in a particular area or colour zone from the heat map. This would help to deploy or distribute more staff in that zone to facilitate faster shopping for customers. Also, the demand of items may be recorded by the system 102 over a particular period and restocking and clearance of old stocks may be initiated accordingly. The system 102 may be further configured to enable automatic checkout by applying computer vision techniques. The system 102 may display the products on a checkout table while the image scanner camera, operatively integrated with the system 102, may capture pictures of displayed products and process the bill from the store inventory list at the billing counters of the store.
[0071] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heat map may be updated in real-time by the system 102 to reflect current customer movements and behaviours. The heat map generated by the system 102 may provide a visual representation of the main paths customers take through the store and provide recommendations for staff deployment based on traffic and dwell time data. Further, the system 102 may be configured to link traffic data with sales data to understand how movement patterns affect purchasing behaviour.
[0072] In an example embodiment of the present disclosure, the system 102 may be configured to track customer movements in the retail space throughout the day. The system 102 may then generate the heat map showing high-traffic areas in red (e.g., entrance, popular aisles) and low-traffic areas in blue (e.g., back corners of the store). The heat map may reveal that certain sections (e.g., kids' toys section) are frequently left unexplored. Based on this insight, the store may reconfigure product placement to make underexplored areas more attractive and assign more staff to the high-traffic zones during peak hours. Over time, the system 102 may be configured to continually update and provide feedback, allowing the store to adapt to changing customer behaviours and optimize operations.
[0073] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary diagram representation of the workings of the proposed system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enhance the shopping experience of the user in retail stores, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0074] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the list of products is obtained by the system 102 from the user. Based on the list, the system 102 generates a heat map with different colours representing different zones of the store. The products available in the store are mapped to the different colour zones of the heat map by the system 102. The system 102 is further configured to enable the user to zoom into the various colour zones to view the one or more shelves of the store. The system 102 is further configured to enable the user to view the placement of the products in the one or more shelves of the store in the heat map generated by the system 102. Further, the system 102 is configured to enable the user to select the desired products and view the selected products on the one or more shelves of the store as represented in the heat map. The system 102 is now configured to determine the shortest path to the selected products by analysing the heat map in order to reduce in-store navigation time of the user. Based on the analysis of the heat map, the shortest path, determined by the system 102, begins at the product on the one or more shelves nearest to the user, and ending at the product a the one or more shelves farthest from the user. Upon reaching the end of the shortest path, the system 102 is configured to guide the user to the billing counter of the store for automated checkout at the billing counter. Thus, the heat map generated by the system 102 provides valuable insights into customer behaviour and movement within the store and allows for a comprehensive approach to managing inventory effectively.
[0075] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are comprised to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0076] The present disclosure provides a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to enable the user to find products quickly and easily, leading to a more satisfying shopping experience.
[0077] The present disclosure provides a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to help store managers optimize product placement and store layout to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
[0078] The present disclosure provides a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to facilitate the identification of popular routes allowing for strategic placement of promotional items and advertisements where they are most likely to be seen.
[0079] The present disclosure provides a system for navigation of a user in indoor spaces to minimize the time and effort needed to locate products thereby reducing customer frustration and increasing the likelihood of repeat visits.

, Claims:1. A system for navigation in indoor spaces (102), the system (102) comprising:
a processor (202); and
a memory (204) coupled to the processor (202), wherein the memory (204) comprises processor-executable instructions, which on execution, causes the processor (202) to:
receive a list of products from a user;
generate a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list;
identify one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map;
locate the products in the one or more shelves of the store; and
display a shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.
2. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to convert voice commands obtained from the user into a textual format by applying natural language processing techniques to generate the list of products.
3. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to display a plurality of aisles of a store in each of the one or more zones in the heat map to the user.
4. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to display crowded areas and sparsely populated areas of the store in the heat map.
5. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to analyse the heat map to determine demand for products and restock products when stocks run low.
6. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to enable zooming into the heat map to visualize different aisles and the one or more shelves of the store in the heat map.
7. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is configured to enable automatic checkout at billing sections by applying computer vision techniques.
8. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor (202) is operatively coupled to an image scanner unit enabled to capture photos of the products and generate a bill for the products at billing counters.
9. A method for navigation in indoor spaces (300), the method (300) comprising steps of:
receiving (302), by a processor (202), a list of products from a user;
generating (304), by the processor (202), a heat map indicating one or more zones of a store containing the products in the generated list;
identifying (306), by the processor (202), one or more shelves of the store in the one or more zones indicated in the heat map;
locating (308), by the processor (202), the products in the one or more shelves of the store; and
displaying (310), by the processor (202), a shortest path to the located products in the heat map to the user.