Portable electronic terminal and data processing system
First Claim
1. A personal shopping system for combined use in both a home of a user and at least one shopping establishment, said system comprising:
- a host computer;
a host modem coupled to said host computer;
at least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle coupled to said host computer, said at least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle in turn comprising;
a kiosk portable terminal-receiving station; and
a kiosk data interface associated with said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station;
a home cradle associated with the home of the user, said home cradle in turn comprising;
a home portable terminal-receiving station;
a home data interface associated with said home portable terminal-receiving station; and
a home data transfer circuit, said home data transfer circuit being coupled to said home data interface for data exchange therewith, said home data transfer circuit being configured for data exchange with said host modem; and
a portable terminal, said portable terminal in turn comprising;
a memory for storing data associated with bar codes which are in turn associated with items related to shopping; and
a two-way terminal data interface coupled to said memory, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said kiosk data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said home data interface when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for reading the bar codes associated with the items related to shopping;
wherein;
said home data transfer circuit supplies said host computer with the data associated with the bar codes when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station;
said shopping establishment kiosk cradle accepts the data associated with the bar codes from said portable terminal through said kiosk data interface and said terminal data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, and then downloads the data associated with the bar codes to said host computer; and
said host computer receives the data associated with the bar codes and stores the data in a shopping list database.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a personal shopping system for combined use in both the home of a user and a shopping establishment. The system includes a host computer which is coupled to a host modem and, optionally, to at least one wireless multi-access point. At least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle is employed to interface with a portable terminal which is also part of the system. The portable terminal can be used in both the shopping establishment and the home of the user. It is configured to read bar codes associated with items related to shopping, and includes a memory, a bar code reader, a wireless transceiver, and a data interface. The data interface of the terminal communicates with a data interface of the shopping establishment kiosk cradle. A home cradle for the portable terminal is also provided and is adapted to remain in the home of the user. It includes a home portable terminal-receiving station and a home data interface to communicate with the data interface of the portable terminal. A home data transfer circuit is also included to permit data exchange between the home data interface and the modem coupled to the host computer. The portable terminal can be provided with unique identifying indicia so that the terminal can serve as a form of identification for a user of the system. Database management of shopping lists for multiple establishments, including customer preferences, can be performed.
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Citations
80 Claims
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1. A personal shopping system for combined use in both a home of a user and at least one shopping establishment, said system comprising:
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a host computer;
a host modem coupled to said host computer;
at least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle coupled to said host computer, said at least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle in turn comprising;
a kiosk portable terminal-receiving station; and
a kiosk data interface associated with said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station;
a home cradle associated with the home of the user, said home cradle in turn comprising;
a home portable terminal-receiving station;
a home data interface associated with said home portable terminal-receiving station; and
a home data transfer circuit, said home data transfer circuit being coupled to said home data interface for data exchange therewith, said home data transfer circuit being configured for data exchange with said host modem; and
a portable terminal, said portable terminal in turn comprising;
a memory for storing data associated with bar codes which are in turn associated with items related to shopping; and
a two-way terminal data interface coupled to said memory, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said kiosk data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said home data interface when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for reading the bar codes associated with the items related to shopping;
wherein;
said home data transfer circuit supplies said host computer with the data associated with the bar codes when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station;
said shopping establishment kiosk cradle accepts the data associated with the bar codes from said portable terminal through said kiosk data interface and said terminal data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, and then downloads the data associated with the bar codes to said host computer; and
said host computer receives the data associated with the bar codes and stores the data in a shopping list database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 46, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74)
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9. A personal shopping system home station adapted for use with a personal shopping system which is in turn adapted for use in both a home of a user and at least one shopping establishment, the personal shopping system including a host computer coupled to a host modem, the personal shopping system also including a shopping establishment kiosk cradle having a kiosk portable terminal-receiving station and a kiosk data interface, said home station comprising:
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a home cradle associated with the home of the user and adapted to remain therein, said home cradle in turn comprising;
a home portable terminal-receiving station;
a home data interface associated with said home portable terminal-receiving station; and
a home data transfer circuit, said home data transfer circuit being coupled to said home data interface for data exchange therewith, said home data transfer circuit being configured for data exchange with the host modem; and
a portable terminal which is portable between the home of the user and the at least one shopping establishment, said portable terminal in turn comprising;
a memory for storing data associated with bar codes which are in turn associated with items related to shopping; and
a two-way terminal data interface coupled to said memory, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said kiosk data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said home data interface when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for reading the bar codes associated with the items related to shopping;
wherein;
said home data transfer circuit supplies the host computer with the data associated with the bar codes when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station;
the shopping establishment kiosk cradle accepts the data associated with the bar codes from said portable terminal through the kiosk data interface and said terminal data interface when said portable terminal is received in the kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, and then downloads the data associated with the bar codes to the host computer; and
the host computer receives the data associated with the bar codes and stores the data in a shopping list database. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 72)
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16. A personal shopping system portable terminal adapted for use with a personal shopping system which is in turn adapted for use in both a home of a user and at least one shopping establishment, the personal shopping system including a host computer coupled to a host modem, the personal shopping system also including a shopping establishment kiosk cradle coupled to the host computer and having a kiosk portable terminal-receiving station and a kiosk data interface, the personal shopping system further including a home cradle having a home portable terminal-receiving station and a home data interface, said personal shopping system portable terminal comprising:
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a memory for storing data associated with bar codes which are in turn associated with items related to shopping;
a two-way terminal data interface coupled to said memory, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said kiosk data interface when said portable terminal is received in said kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for data exchange with said home data interface when said portable terminal is received in said home portable terminal-receiving station, said terminal data interface being configured for reading the bar codes associated with the items related to shopping; and
intrinsic identifying indicia, contained in said portable terminal, to identify the user to the host computer;
wherein;
said home data transfer circuit supplies the host computer with the data associated with the bar codes when said portable terminal is received in the home portable terminal-receiving station;
the shopping establishment kiosk cradle accepts the data associated with the bar codes from said portable terminal through the kiosk data interface and said terminal data interface when said portable terminal is received in the kiosk portable terminal-receiving station, and then downloads the data associated with the bar codes to the host computer; and
the host computer receives the data associated with the bar codes and stores the data in a shopping list database. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of placing an order for items including at least one of goods and services, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading bar codes associated with the items with a two-way terminal data interface of a portable terminal;
storing data associated with the bar codes in a memory of said portable terminal;
transferring the data associated with the bar codes to a host computer for storage in a shopping list database, said transferring step including the sub-steps of;
transferring the data associated with the bar codes from said memory of said portable terminal to said two-way terminal data interface of said portable terminal;
transferring the data associated with the bar codes from said two-way terminal data interface to a data interface of one of;
a kiosk portable terminal-receiving station of a shopping establishment kiosk cradle which is coupled to said host computer; and
a home portable terminal-receiving station of a home cradle associated with a home of a user, said home cradle being coupled to said host computer; and
then transferring the data to said host computer; and
transmitting identifying indicia to said host computer to identify the user to the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 75, 76, 77)
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36. A system for ordering and supplying selected goods and services, comprising:
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a host computer having a host computer memory for providing centrally stored data;
one or more stackable cradle assemblies coupled to and in communication with said host computer, each of said cradle assemblies in turn comprising;
a plurality of docking stations each having a corresponding cradle data interface;
a data transfer circuit coupled to said cradle data interface for exchanging said centrally stored data and newly entered personnel management data therewith, said data transfer circuit being configured for exchanging said centrally stored and newly entered data with said host computer; and
a plurality of portable terminals for displaying said centrally stored data and for providing said newly entered data to said host computer, each of said portable terminals in turn comprising;
a memory for storing said centrally stored and newly entered, personnel management data; and
a terminal data interface coupled to said memory, said terminal data interface being configured for exchanging said centrally stored and newly entered data with said cradle data interface when said portable terminal is docked within said corresponding one of said cradle docking stations;
wherein said cradle data transfer circuit supplies said host computer with said newly entered data when said portable terminal is docked within said corresponding one of said cradle docking stations, and said host computer receives said newly entered data and stores said newly entered data in said host computer memory. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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51. The system of claim 50, wherein said portable terminal further comprises intrinsic identifying indicia to identify the user to said host computer.
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52. The system of claim 50, wherein said home data transfer circuit comprises an interface card for coupling said home cradle to a separate home personal computer and home modem, which in turn communicate with said host modem.
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53. The system of claim 50, wherein said portable terminal further comprises:
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a display for displaying information to the user; and
a plurality of control keys for permitting the user to interact with the display.
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54. The system of claim 50, wherein said portable terminal further comprises an elongate pen-shaping housing having an end with an optically transparent passage therethrough, said memory and said two-way terminal data interface being arranged in said housing with said two-way terminal data interface positioned for data communication through said transparent passage.
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55. The system of claim 50, further comprising at least one wireless multi-access point coupled to said host computer, wherein said portable terminal further comprises:
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a wireless transceiver coupled to said memory and configured for wireless communication with said at least one wireless multi-access point; and
a position-sensing module which senses position of the user and which enables communication with the user.
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56. In system for ordering and supplying selected goods and services, said system having a portable bar code reader having a battery, a bar code scanning motor and a bar code scanner laser source, a method for minimizing the power consumption of said portable bar code reader, said method comprising the steps of:
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activating said scanner motor; and
activating said laser source after said bar scanner motor has been powered.
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57. In system for ordering and supplying selected goods and services, said system having a portable bar code reader having a battery, a bar code scanning motor and a bar code scanner laser source, a method for preventing complete drainage of the battery during a bar code scanning action, said method comprising the steps of:
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activating said bar scanner motor;
sampling the battery voltage of said battery;
comparing said sampled battery voltage to a threshold battery voltage, and activating said laser source only if said sampled battery voltage exceeds said threshold battery voltage. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
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60. A portable hand-held terminal device for use with a host computing device, comprising:
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a scanning device for reading bar code data and for generating a corresponding digital bar code pattern;
a scanner decoder coupled to said scanning device for interpreting said digital bar code pattern and generating corresponding decoded bar code data a communications interface coupled to said scanner decoder for converting said decoded bar code data for further processing, said communications interface comprising memory means for storing a terminal operating system, terminal application programs and related data; and
a microprocessor coupled to said communications interface for processing said converted decoded bar code data, executing said terminal operating system and said terminal applications, and controlling the operation of said terminal device, said microprocessor in turn comprising;
an interface for coupling said microprocessor to a touch sensitive display;
one or more interfaces for receiving user-activated function commands; and
a synchronization port for automatically synchronizing said terminal to said host computing device. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63)
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64. An improved portable terminal device comprising:
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a housing having a generally elongated rectangular design which fits into user'"'"'s hand, said housing having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces;
a touch sensitive display disposed on said front surface, a touch sensitive area within said touch sensitive display for receiving data inputs from a stylus pen;
a plurality of buttons disposed on said front surface wherein each of said buttons is associated with at least one application upon activation;
a bar code reader for reading bar codes, said bar code reader having a visible light source for displaying the area of reading for the bar code reader upon activation of a bar code reading function on said terminal, said bar code reader being configured to transmit the visible light away from said top surface of said terminal'"'"'s housing such that said light is visible to said user holding said terminal; and
at least two bar code activation buttons located on said two side surfaces of said housing such that said user'"'"'s hand is supporting said terminal from said bottom and side surfaces of said terminal upon activation of said bar code reader with either of said bar code actuation buttons, whereby the user can view said display and said visible light source upon actuation of either of said bar code actuation buttons. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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78. In an information system having a host computer and at least one portable terminal having a bar code reader, a shopping method comprising the steps of:
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generating a list of ingredients based of one or more recipes stored in said host computer;
generating bar codes corresponding to said list;
forwarding said bar codes and list to said portable terminal;
displaying said list at said portable terminal;
scanning, as required, goods corresponding to said ingredients until all goods corresponding to said ingredients have been scanned;
logging said scanning of goods to verify complete scanning of said goods corresponding to said ingredients. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80)
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Specification