Retail Business, Wireless Sensor Network. 1. Introduction. The advent of wireless and mobile technology has created both new business opportunities and new.
Intelligent Retail Business: Location Based Services for Mobile Customers Cain Evans' 'Department of Computing, University of Central England in Birmingham, United Kingdom cain. evans@uce. ac. uk
Abstract Utilising wireless systems within a new environment such as the one proposed in this paper Intelligent Retail Business (IRB) comprises of a number of technical and processual issues. Online and offline integration is regarded as the most innovative way forwardfor hybrid marketing and consumer purchasing. The technologies involved in this paper look at the application of Location Based Services. In addition context is the development of a Use Case for the IRB scenario. Using a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) provides the next step in the evolution of consumer purchasing and retail strategy which can benefit both parties through mutual needs. Ultimately, a new shopping experience is unfolding and improved technologies that support this innovative approach. Keywords: Location Based Services, M2M, Intelligent Retail Business, Wireless Sensor Network.
1. Introduction The advent of wireless and mobile technology has created both new business opportunities and new challenges for business as well as the customer community [8][18] The aim of this paper is to examine the technological requirements of mobile commerce (Mcommerce) to support the relationship between customers and the providers of goods and services. M-commerce is defined by [17], used to conduct commercial transactions via a 'Mobile' network using a communication information payment (CIP) device such as a mobile phone. In its present state, M-commerce can be viewed as an extension of conventional, Internetbased e-commerce, M-commerce utilises a different mode of network and accommodates different endusers' characteristics. Vetter (2001) [24] contends that mobile and wireless computing will dominate the Internet industry in the future. Furthermore, ecommerce and M-commerce could become a singular blended entity. Moreover, in the long run, M-commerce has the ability to emerge as a separate model for use by business. The juxtaposition of retail and merchant trading has led traditional methods of trading throughout the ages. Today, with the advent of mobile technology this position can only be sustainable by moving forward into the realms of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices. The retail industry needs to become closer to individual customers.
According to Seeker (2001) [22] a mobile network is
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categorised into two main capabilities: 1. the ability to maintain communication between non-static locations; 2. the ability to keep track of the location. The second category led to new developments in Location Based Services. Location Based Services is best described as an application that reacts according to a geographical trigger. There are many variables that could be used to trigger the application such as username, address or a Media Access Control (MAC) address. Gustafson (2001) [1o] contends that the M2M market is potentially lucrative and open to innovators. The technology that supports M2M includes sensor technology and synchronous telecommunication transmissions between the sensor and monitor devices. Customers shopping within a shopping mall are able to view, compare and purchase products using M2M. However, all data is exchanged through the main retail server. Businesses have already begun to embark on the journey to developing an intelligent business environment with applications such as Mobile Customer Relationship Management (MCRM) and Mobile Supply Chain Management (MSCM). However, with this foundation there is a need for businesses to harness new mobile technologies; it is required of businesses to invest in the infrastructure to be able to sustain a competitive edge and at the same time serve the needs of customers [19] Leem et al (2004) [14] believe that there are three perspectives where Internet business models can be categorised as (1) Enterprise value chain, (2) Hierarchy, and (3) Business type. The enterprise value chain consists of a wide variety of Internet businesses such as E-Shop, e-auction, virtual community, seller and buyer driven markets, service providers and collaboration platform [2][5][23]. According to Bambury (1998)[4], a number of models are included in the hierarchical perspective that include examples such as web hosting, advertising, direct marketing. Finally the business perspective includes models such as subscription, brokerage and informediary[20] . This paper introduces the main issues relating to developing a robust service to M-Customer. This research brings together the latest technologies and ideas to create an application led model that interacts with its ubiquitous consumer environment. The paper concludes with an Ubiquitous Retail Service Model (URSM) specifically fort he Retail environment.
2. Relevant research
The locality of a mobile device requires the mobile device to be accurately found and this is facilitated through positioning using location based technologies. Location based technologies come in various forms such as PDA, mobiles or network based. A number of different technologies are available to ascertain the position of a mobile customer like Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), Angle of Arrival (AOA), and Location Pattern Matching (LPM), (Cousins, Varshney, 2001) It is important to differentiate GPS from other technologies. GPS is handset based using satellite technologies, TDOA, AOA and LPM are networked based technologies. GPS utilises a number of geo-orbiting satellites that circle the earth continuously, enabling a position to be mapped. Using GPS with a handset is only possible with special handsets. This is further represented with satellites using Line of Sight (LOS) with a base station receiver on Earth. GPS requires a clear LOS. In built up urban areas there could be some noise or performance issues as the signal deteriorates reducing the purpose of using such a positioning approach. This reduces the purpose of implementing GPS as a modus operandi (MO) as an approach to the location of devices. TDOA is one possible solution to the LBS issue.
tracked in real-time within a parameterised area or outside in the 'real-world'. The pace of change has created a number of innovative methods to capture customer data. Gathering data for specific marketing campaigns could be seen as a step forward to personalisation. Personalisation based on pattern behaviour is one of the techniques implemented with Data Warehousing and data marts. Customer analytics represents a way towards providing specific services to end users. Further advances in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and wireless network technologies have created low-cost, low-power, multi-functional miniature sensor devices. It is possible to network MEMS over a wireless medium to provide a detailed map of the environment to provide LBS. This has raised a whole new field of research in wireless sensor networks and their applications. It is expected that wireless sensing technologies will be the dominant driving force behind ubiquitous communications and computing in the years to come. The intelligent business model has some affiliation to the 'intelligent buildings' model term in the 1980s in the USA. According to Cho and Fellows (2000) [6], intelligent buildings have grown out of modemisation of Hong Kong's economy and rapidly changing landscape of new buildings.
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FB-Tinre 14xR e Figure 1. Information and Component flow The investment in wireless network technologies could be seen as a barrier to upgrading the network infrastructure of a business. AOA is used to locate a wireless subscriber's handset. The usual method is to acquire the M\AC address which is specific to a device [7]. The application of AOA looks to determine the angle of the mobile signal i.e., where the signal is arriving from. This type of technology enables the user to be
Cho and Fellow (2000) [6] suggest that intelligent buildings consist of information technologies that enable effective communication, flexibility and multidisciplinary working. Smith (1998) defines an intelligent building as: "... an environment that allows organisations to achieve their business objectives and maximise the effectiveness of its occupants while, at the same time, allowing efficient management of resources within minimum life-time costs."
3. Increasing availability of mobile devices The retail model in recent years within the UK has changed the landscape in which retailers cooperate. For instance, in central Birmingham there is a shopping Mall known as 'The Bull-Ring' which, like many other shopping malls, has many retail outlets residing within its environment. Current practices at the Bull-Ring means that WiFi and associated technologies do not cooperate together. Furthermore, when a device makes an attempt to connect to a wireless 'Hot-Spot' there are no services available. This is detrimental to the whole purpose of providing a service but not enabling users to access it through mobile devices. The IRB study looks to develop a coherent mobile customer application model for the mobile customer. However the LBS model offers an approach to enable devices to communicate with the location services offered by the retail complex. An intelligent retail business requires an infrastructure that encompasses mobile technologies. Software is a requirement to support the intelligent model as shown in Figure 1. In the intelligent retail environment customers will have constant access to product information as soon as they walk into a retail outlet, using an innovative approach would enable a shopping mall to provide a network of sensors that could communicate to customers using technologies such as WAP and context-ware systems. Devices that have potential are PDAs and mobile phones [3].
privacy of end-users and application developers. Hong and Landay (2004) [n1] developed an architecture known as Confab. Confab is a toolkit that provides a framework for developers to protect the privacy of endusers using ubiquitous devices. There are three distinct areas that Confab covers: (1) optimistic: where an application shares personal information and detects violations by default; (2) pessimistic: the emphasis is more on the preventative measures, and (3) mixedinitiative: interactive decision making between endusers sharing information. To develop mobile systems architecture for the intelligent retail business is complex at the best of times but the utmost importance must be with added privacysensitive ubicomp applications. Ensuring privacy increases the possibility of customers using mobile technology and mobile devices in particular. This is discussed in section 6 introduction to security issues.
4. Extent of Location Based Services to users of mobile devices Abowd et al (2000) [1] contend that "location is a common piece of context used in application development. The most widespread applications have been GPS-based car-navigation systems and handheld 'tour-guide' systems that vary the content displayed (audio or video)..." The issue of content-ware application is locating the
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Figure 2. Case of Retail Intelligent retail businesses have available to them new technologies to support their business requirements; it is nonetheless important to appreciate that wireless communication is no longer a novel idea but a leverage that can be applied to the business. Businesses are conscious of the seriousness of security and how best to secure information without making the whole process of using mobile devices cumbersome. Adding to the application security measures will help increase confidence with customers and improve the trust between the retail outlet and its customer's device (PDA/Mobile Device). According to Hong and Landay (2004), an investigation was undertaken to improve the
whereabouts of users within an environment. A number of components are pertinent to content-ware applications such as where is the user; who is the user; what is the user doing; when did the user access information; and how best to serve the needs of its endusers. End-users of mobile technology using component (PDAs and Mobile phones) introduces the need to personalise each end-user's experience. Schwartz (1997) [21] describes personalisation as "... a personal medium in which every user's experience is different to any other's..." Personalising services enhances the scope of intelligent businesses in as much as it enables businesses to streamline services to individual customers. This is supported by [12] the aim of
personalisation is to select data whose content are most relevant to the user from a greater volume of information and to present them in a suitable way for the end-user, as shown in Figure 2. Personalising services combines a number of components and Figure 3 is a model being developed in a laboratory to investigate whether it is a possible solution. Although the wireless trans-data-receivers Wireless Sensors Network (WSN) and ultimately a working model is being developed to provide a prototype in the Computer Laboratory.
6. Security Issues One of the key difficulties facing retail business and consumers alike is the issue concerning security. WAP offers Wireless Encrypted Protocol (WEP) to encrypt information over a wireless network. However, as well as being hard-coded within hardware this can also be achieved using software. Although this solution is a positive one there is still a need for authentication using username and passwords
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Figure 3 Ubiquitous Retail Service Model
5. System Architectural Model for Intelligent Retail Business
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There are a number of mechanics that operate with the Retail Service Model. The following provides a demonstration process that can be resolved using either WAP technology for seamless networking. Figure 3 shows the system model as an overview of the IRB system.
5.1 LBS for Intelligent Retail Business The concept with LBS is not just to ascertain the position but to offer a service to all customers. Providing a service requires a number of issues to be addressed such as security, supporting technologies and accessibility of its services. Without coupling these components it could be an issue to contend with at a later date.
as a conduit to accessing product information and personal information stored on the database(s). Frost and Sullivan (2007) [9] contend that there are a number of integral costs to developing security for WSN: 1. Additional cost is incurred irrespective of the embedded level of intelligence in the system or the sensor itself. 2. Replacing the legacy systems with the smart wireless sensors, could increase the openness of data efficacy. 3. Encryption is a key component to data being transmitted openly over a wireless network or from Sensor Nodes.
7. Pervasive Shopping Experience A number of
processes become activated when a use a mobile device to purchase a
customer decides to
product. According to Lee and Seo (2006) [13] using RFID technologies, retailers' sales volumes diminishes in contrast to their costs as consumers move away from
bricks and mortar stores through comparison shopping. This observation indicates that consumers look for the best price without having to go from store to store checking each itemised price. In principle IRB applied with LBS can offer a method to improve the power of the consumer through comparison shopping. Even before the consumer walks into the retail complex prior messages can be transmitted to their mobile device showing comparative prices for products based on pattern and behaviour modelling. Consumers' mobile devices are ascertained using either a M\AC address which identify's individual devices and is verified with the database to ensure that authentication and security is not encroached. This may well include a process for asking the consumer to type in a passkey once and the device could then store the information in a Midlet or similar client application. However, this may be accomplished through a wired network or locally when the consumer is within the retail environment.
8. Contextual Services and Intelligent Retail Businesses Context-aware is commonly understood as the medium between the user and the device within an environment. Moran discusses the notion that design of computing artefacts must take into account how people draw on and evolve social contexts to make the artefacts understandable, useful, and meaningful [15] [16]
9. Pattern Behaviour of M-Customers Understanding consumers is an ongoing phenomenon as consumer behaviour continues to be a developing area of study. Such tools like data marts (Data Warehousing) store millions of records; this requires the database to be built and managed before it can provide a useful tool to extract relevant customer information. The usefulness of understanding the consumer's shopping behaviour provides the Intelligent Retail Business with a greater understanding of what the consumer needs are through their buying behaviour. Figure 2 provides a Use Case for this particular problem of understanding consumer information and the tailoring of retail store information.
10. Contextual Awareness and LBS Information is continually being driven by the mobile customer. This can be the mobile customer requesting information or uploading personal information into the back-end SQL database. However,
at the same time retail stores can address consumer needs by developing strategies to market specific products for specific consumers. This can be achieved through middle-ware applications that work in parallel with mobile devices. The middle-ware application could be able to route information quickly and efficiently using multiple threads, this is just one method to improve the concurrency issue. Bringing together an IRB and an application like LBS could ultimately improve the level of service and the economic value of such a move toward technological innovation is an important step to this end. 11.
Conclusion
Providing a service to consumers is an area for further consideration, using Location Based Positioning aligned with an Intelligent Retail Environment Using WAP and context tags can be a viable method to attaining a good understanding of the consumer's behaviour without infringing too much on their privacy. However, using Locations Based Services along with an Intelligent Retail Environment would be a support envelope for context tags. There is growing interest and concern about how to handle consumer information that is personal. Who should have access to consumer buying patterns and where should all of the data be stored and for how long? These issues require further invetigations. A large scale mall survey will be developed to ascertain consumer perception and acceptance of mobile retail services. This type of instrument will better support the need for the development of multi-environment and distributed services throughout a mall. This paper presents a ubiquitous service model, a component information flow for illustration and a retail Case scenario. The purpose of this research work is to develop a laboratory application using WSN and a context model to ascertain the validity of such a model. Further work is essential to investigate the middleware integration of context tags, data acquisition and the processing of information using a database.
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Acronyms Name
AOA GPS IRB LBS LPM M2M MAC MCRM MEMS MSCM PDA WSN RFID TDOA URSM URSS WAP WEP
Description
Angle of Arrival Global Positioning System Intelligent Retail Business Location Based Services Location Pattern Matching Machine-to-Machine Media Access Control Mobile Customer Retail Management Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems Mobile Supply Chain Management Personal Digital Assistant Wirelss Sensor Network Radio Frequency Identification Time Difference Of Arrival Ubiquitous Retail Service Model Ubiquitous Retail Store System Wireless Application Protocol Wireless Encryption Protocol
