Method and system for interrogating and processing codes

• US 10,192,209 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Reblin, Gary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gudorf, Laura
• Application Number:
  US15/266,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20170004479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

An interrogating and processing system and method is described. A wireless communication device interrogates an information source, having a barcode or tag, and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the information source. The interrogator can be built into or adjunct to the wireless communication device. An automated processing subsystem receives the transmitted data and identifies an item corresponding to the data. A fulfillment subsystem effects delivery of the item to a destination. There can be a coupon code scanning and processing system and method. A wireless computing device having an interrogator reads a coupon code. An automated processing subsystem receives the corresponding data and provides a benefit associated with the coupon. The benefit can be a discount on a product or service. Alternatively, at least a portion of the coupon including a code is displayed on a screen of the computing device for processing at a point of sale terminal.

Claims

1. An interrogation and processing system, comprising:

a wireless communication device having a non-volatile memory that persistently stores an interrogation software program and an interrogator configured to read information from an information source and, in response to said read, to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the read information from the information source to an automated processing subsystem;

wherein the device interrogates the information source to obtain at least an electronic communication address embedded therein for accessing the automated processing subsystem, wherein the device has a data storage storing data associated with the information source; and

wherein the wireless communication device is configured to determine geographic information associated with the information source and the electronic communication address for a transportation entity based on a data presenter associated with the information source, and to contact the transportation entity based on the electronic communication address and the geographic information to facilitate a transportation pickup.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data presenter includes a barcode that is scanned and decoded by the wireless communication device and converted to a uniform resource locator (URL) address.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system includes a server configured to receive the data indicative of the information source, decode the data and convert the decoded information to a URL address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interrogator captures a bitmap representing a URL address corresponding with the information source, and wherein the wireless communication device converts the bitmap to the URL address via optical character recognition.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device further receives an acknowledgement of the transportation pickup.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data presenter includes one of a radio frequency identifier or a source of infrared communication.

7. An interrogation and processing method using a wireless communication device having an interrogator, the method comprising:

receiving encoded data corresponding to an information source via a wireless communication device having an associated interrogator, wherein the wireless communication device includes a non-volatile memory that persistently stores an interrogation software program,

wherein receiving the encoded data further comprises interrogating the information sources to obtain an electronic communication address embedded therein for accessing an automated processing subsystem;

transmitting data indicative of a service request based on at least a portion of the encoded data to the automated processing subsystem via a wireless protocol;

wherein the wireless communication device is configured to determine geographic information associated with the information source and the electronic communication address for a service entity based on a data presenter associated with the information source, and to contact the service entity based on the electronic communication address and the geographic information to facilitate a service associated with the geographic information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the interrogator comprises one of a scanner, a radio frequency receiver, and an infrared communication receiver.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the data presenter comprises one of a barcode, a radio frequency identifier, and an infrared communication source.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the encoded data corresponding to an information source includes communication information for accessing the automated processing subsystem.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the service entity comprises a transportation entity and the service associated with the geographic information comprises a transportation pickup.

12. An interrogation and processing system, comprising:

a wireless communication device comprising;

a non-volatile memory that persistently stores an inventory software program;

an interrogator responsive to the inventory software program and configured to read information from a plurality of information sources and in response to said read, to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the information from the plurality of information sources to an automatic ordering subsystem, wherein the device is configured to interrogate the information sources to obtain at least electronic codes for determining product replenishment amounts via the automatic ordering subsystem,

wherein the device is further configured to receive a request for shipping information from the automatic ordering subsystem for one or more portions of a product replenishment order according to an urgency of need, and wherein the device is configured to transmit the shipping information to the automatic ordering subsystem;

a display configured to display a user interface responsive to the inventory software program; and

a data storage configured to store data associated with the plurality of information sources.

13. The system of claim 12, additionally comprising a fulfillment subsystem configured to receive information from the automatic ordering subsystem and to effect delivery of at least portions of the product replenishment order and/or new products to a destination.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the urgency of need is based on the electronic codes indicative of a quantity of at least a portion of products present at a business.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface is utilized to display product information for items currently not carried by a business, wherein the information regarding carried products is read from the plurality of information sources.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication device is utilized to select items currently not carried by the business utilizing the user interface, wherein the wireless communication device wirelessly transmits electronic codes for the selected items to the automatic ordering subsystem for fulfilment.

17. A scanning and processing method using a wireless communication device having an interrogator, the method comprising:

receiving encoded data corresponding to a plurality of information sources associated with a plurality of products at an entity via the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes a non-volatile memory that persistently stores a product inventory software program, and wherein receiving the encoded data comprises interrogating the information sources to obtain electronic codes for determining product replenishment amounts via an automated processing subsystem;

transmitting data indicative of a replenishment order based on at least a. portion of the encoded data to the automated processing subsystem via a wireless protocol;

receiving a request for shipping information from the automated processing subsystem;

obtaining the shipping information; and

transmitting the shipping information to the automated processing subsystem.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the interrogator comprises a scanner.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the information source comprises a data presenter comprising at least one of a barcode and a radio frequency identifier.