Shopping and payment/credit handling

• US 20030149663A1
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scan & Pay AS
• Original Assignee: Scan & Pay AS
• Inventors: Vonholm, Christian, Knutsen, Stian Valentin
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• 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 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system for implementing a sequence for sales and provision of information at a retail establishment or in a similar area where a local radio communication is established between a central computer unit (30) and mobile terminals (20), equipped with bar code readers. For implementation of the sequence, the unit (30) first receives an initiation order from a terminal (20), transmitted via a telecommunication network via a second unit (40) at a service provider. The telecommunication is then disconnected, and local radio communication is employed for the communication between the customer'"'"'s terminal and the shop'"'"'s unit (30). A unique identification is created for the sequence, and a registration list is established associated with the sequence. The unit (30) further receives data input by means of the bar code reader in the terminal (20), comprising information (101) concerning each item. The registration list is updated with data associated with the goods, and these data can also be displayed on the terminals (20). Finally a payment or credit transaction is initiated based on the updated registration list and the identification for the sequence.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a sequence for sales and provision of information in an area where there is located at least one local communication device (31) which can communicate with mobile communication units (20) located in the area, and where there exists accessible information associated with goods on offer, including services,

characterized in that a first central unit (30), connected to the local communication device (31) performs the following steps:

a) receiving an initiation order from a mobile communication unit (20) via a telecommunication network, possibly via a second unit (40), providing an identification for the sequence and establishing a registration list associated with the sequence,

b) receiving data comprising information (101) associated with an item (100) from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network, and updating the registration list with data associated with the item,

c) repeating step b) until a termination order is received from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network,

d) transferring data associated with the registration list to the mobile communication unit via the local communication network,

e) receiving a payment order from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network,

f) initiating a payment or credit transaction based on the updated registration list and the identification for the sequence.

2. A method according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the initiation order from the mobile communication unit (20) is received via a second central unit (40), and that

the identification for the sequence is provided by being received from the second unit (40).

3. A method according to claims 1-2,

characterized in that

the registration list is updated by means of data from a database, where the data comprise price information and are retrieved from the database by means of the data received from the mobile communication unit (20), and which comprise information (101) concerning the item (100).

4. A method according to claim 3,

characterized in that step b) of receiving data comprising information (101) associated with an item (100) from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network further comprises

providing data from the database, including information on the price of the item,

transmitting the-said data to the local communication unit (20), and

receiving a goods acknowledgement from the local communication unit (20) before the registration list is updated with data associated with the item.

5. A method according to one of the claims 1-4,

characterized in that the initiation order comprises user identification data expressing an identification by means of the mobile communication unit (20).

6. A method according to one of the claims 1-5,

characterized in that the updating of the registration list comprises registering a type identification for the item in the registration list.

7. A method according to one of the claims 2-6,

characterized in that the updating of the registration list comprises providing price data for each item from a database, and registering data for an accumulated total price for the goods covered by the registration list.

8. A method according to one of the claims 1-7,

characterized in that the payment or credit transaction comprises

transferring data from the first central unit (30) to a second central unit (70) at a payment provider, which data comprise data derived from the said user identification data and data concerning the accumulated total price of the goods.

17. A computer program stored on a storage medium or in a memory, for execution of a computer,

characterized in that it comprises instructions which on execution perform a method according to one of the claims 1-8.

18. A computer device, containing a computer program stored on a storage medium or in a memory,

characterized in that the computer program comprises instructions which on execution perform a method according to one of the claims 1-8.

9. A system for implementing a sequence for sales and provision of information in an area where there is located at least one local communication device (31) which is connected to the system and which can communicate with mobile communication units (20) located in the area, and where there exists in the area accessible information associated with goods on offer, including services,

the system comprising a first central unit (30) containing a computer device with processing, storage, input/output units and communication equipment for communication with a telecommunication network (60)

characterized in that the computer device is arranged for:

a) receiving an initiation order from a mobile communication unit (20) via the telecommunication network (60), possibly via a second unit (40), providing an identification for the sequence and establishing a registration list associated with the sequence,

b) receiving data comprising information (101) associated with an item (100) from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network, and updating the registration list with data associated with the item,

c) repeating step b) until a termination order is received from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network,

d) transferring data associated with the registration list to the mobile communication unit via the local communication network,

e) receiving a-payment order from the mobile communication unit via the. local communication network,

f) initiating a payment or credit transaction based on the updated registration list and the identification for the sequence.

10. A system according to claim 9,

characterized in that the computer device is arranged so that

the initiation order from the mobile communication unit (20) is received via a second central unit (40), and that

the identification for the sequence is provided by being received from the second unit (40).

11. A system according to claims 9-10,

characterized in that the computer device is arranged so that

the registration list is updated by means of data from a database, where the data comprise price information and are retrieved from the database by means of the data received from the mobile communication unit (20), and which comprise information (101) concerning the item (100).

12. A system according to claim 11,

characterized in that the computer device is arranged so that step b) of receiving data comprising information (101) associated with an item (100) from the mobile communication unit via the local communication network further comprises

providing data from the database, including information on the price of the item,

transmitting the said data to the local communication unit (20), and

receiving a goods acknowledgement from the local communication unit (20) before the registration list is updated with data associated with the item.

13. A system according to one of the claims 9-12,

characterized in that the initiation order comprises user identification data expressing an identification by means of the -mobile communication unit (20).

14. A system according to one of the claims 9-13,

characterized in that the updating of the registration list comprises registering a type identification for the item in the registration list.

15. A system according to one of the claims 10-14,

characterized in that the updating of the registration list comprises providing price data for each item from a database, and registering data for an accumulated total price for the goods covered by the registration list.

16. A system according to one of the claims 9-15,

characterized in that the payment or credit transaction comprises

transferring data from the first central unit (30) to a second central unit (70) at a payment provider, which data comprise data derived from the said user identification data and data concerning the accumulated total price of the goods.