Method and apparatus for utilizing a smart card to maintain a retail application on a number of portable, wireless hand-held computing devices
First Claim
1. A method of operating retail system having a number of a portable, wireless hand-held computing devices associated therewith, comprising the steps of:
- retrieving retail history information associated with a previous use of said retail system by a customer from a customer profile stored in a card memory device of a smart card; and
operating one of said number of hand-held computing devices so as to perform a customer-specific retail function based on said retail history information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A retail system includes a smart card for use by a customer. The smart card has a card memory device for maintaining a customer profile associated with the customer. The retail system also includes a retail checkout terminal which includes a first smart card interface device. The first smart card interface device is operable to update the customer profile based on use of the retail checkout terminal by the customer when the smart card is inserted in the first smart card interface device. The retail system yet further includes a portable, wireless hand-held computing device which includes a second smart card interface device. The handheld computing device is configured to perform a customer-specific retail function based on the customer profile when the smart card is inserted in the second smart card interface device. A method of operating a retail system is also disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating retail system having a number of a portable, wireless hand-held computing devices associated therewith, comprising the steps of:
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retrieving retail history information associated with a previous use of said retail system by a customer from a customer profile stored in a card memory device of a smart card; and
operating one of said number of hand-held computing devices so as to perform a customer-specific retail function based on said retail history information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A portable, wireless hand-held computing device for use in a retail system, comprising:
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a smart card interface device which is operable to (i) retrieve information from a card memory device of a smart card, and (ii) transfer information to said card memory device of said smart card;
a processing unit electrically coupled to said smart card interface device; and
a unit memory device electrically coupled to said processing unit, wherein said unit memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;
(a) operate said smart card interface device so as to retrieve retail history information associated with a previous use of said retail system by a customer from a customer profile stored in a card memory device of a smart card when said smart card is inserted into said smart card interface device; and
(b) operate said hand-held computing device so as to perform a customer-specific retail function based on said retail history information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. A retail system, comprising:
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a smart card for use by a customer, said smart card having a card memory device for maintaining a customer profile associated with said customer;
a retail checkout terminal which includes a first smart card interface device, said first smart card interface device is operable to update said customer profile based on use of said retail checkout terminal by said customer when said smart card is inserted in said first smart card interface device; and
a portable, wireless hand-held computing device which includes a second smart card interface device, said hand-held computing device being configured to perform a customer-specific retail function based on said customer profile when said smart card is inserted in said second smart card interface device.
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Specification