Customer checkout system

• US 20040059614A1
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Spring, Eduardo N., Brown, Michael Wayne, Ravi, Kumar
• Application Number:
  US10/232,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for facilitating customer checkout with an electronic communication between a commercial establishment and a customer of the commercial establishment. A checkout line of the establishment can be monitored with respect to a number of customers in a queue waiting to checkout and for a time spent checking each customer out. In addition, an indication that a customer is intending to checkout can be received via an electronic communication from a network access device. The customer can similarly be notified when to approach a checkout line for checkout, taking into consideration a time to travel to the checkout line from the customer'"'"'s location and information determined from monitoring the checkout line, thereby minimizing a checkout wait time while the customer is physically present at the checkout line.

Claims

1. A method for enabling an electronic communication between a commercial establishment and a customer of the commercial establishment, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one checkout line of the establishment with respect to a number of customers in a virtual queue waiting to checkout and for an estimated time spent checking each customer out;

receiving, from a network access device used by a customer of the commercial establishment, an indication that the customer is intending to checkout; and

notifying the customer when the customer can approach a checkout station for checkout taking into consideration a time to travel to the checkout line from the customer'"'"'s location and information determined from monitoring the checkout line, thereby minimizing a checkout wait time while the customer is physically present at the checkout line.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing to the customer a unique customer identification; and

ordering priority of a checkout queue according to the unique customer identification.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of directing the customer to a particular checkout station.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting to the customer a confirmation of a particular checkout time; and

receiving a verification of the confirmation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of a number of items to be checked out by the customer; and

considering the number of items to be checked out by the customer when notifying a subsequent customer when to approach the checkout line for checkout.

6. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the network access device used by a customer a request for a particular checkout time; and

transmitting to the network access device an indication if the requested checkout time is available.

7. The method of claim 6 additionally comprising the step of determining the availability of a checkout station at the requested time.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication that the customer is intending to checkout is received from a network access device comprising a wireless communication device attached to a shopping cart.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the indication that the customer is intending to checkout is received from a network access device comprising a personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the request for a particular checkout time is received from a network access device accessing the Internet.

11. A system for facilitating customer checkout at a commercial establishment, the system comprising:

a computerized server for receiving the request for checkout from a network access device;

a means for creating a schedule of customers to be checked out at a checkout station; and

a means for notifying the customer when to proceed to the checkout station for checkout.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the request for checkout comprises a preferred payment type.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the network access device comprises a wireless communications device associated with a shopping cart.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the network access device comprises a personal digital assistant.

15. Computer executable program code residing on a computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive a request for a checkout at a commercial establishment, wherein the request indicates a preferred time for checkout;

create a checkout schedule taking into consideration a checkout queue for at least one checkout station and the preferred time for checkout; and

indicating details of the checkout schedule to the customer and the checkout station.

16. The computer executable code of claim 15 wherein the computer executable code additionally comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

transmit a confirmation of a scheduled checkout; and

receive a verification of the confirmed scheduled checkout.

17. The computer executable code of claim 15 wherein the computer executable code additionally comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

receive details of additional services requested at checkout.

18. The computer executable code of claim 15 wherein the computer executable code additionally comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

receive an estimated number of items to be checked out.

19. The computer executable code of claim 15 wherein the computer executable code additionally comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

receive a request to re-schedule a scheduled checkout; and

transmit a response to the reschedule request.

20. A method for communicating with a commercial establishment, the method comprising:

transmitting an indication of preferences related to checkout;

receiving an indication of a scheduled time suitable to proceed to checkout; and

transmitting an indication of an acceptance of the scheduled time suitable to proceed to checkout.

21. The method of claim 20 additionally comprising the step of receiving an indication of a checkout station to proceed to for checkout.

22. The method of claim 20 additionally comprising the step of transmitting at least one of a) an estimated number of items to be checked out, b) a preferred payment type and c) additional service requested at checkout.

23. A system for communicating with a commercial establishment, the system comprising:

a network access device comprising a processor and storage medium;

executable software operative with the processor to enable the network access to;

transmit an indication of preferences related to checkout;

receive an indication of a scheduled time suitable to proceed to checkout; and

transmit an indication of an acceptance of the scheduled time suitable to proceed to checkout.

24. The system for communicating with a commercial establishment of claim 23 additionally comprising:

a means for transmitting at least one of a) an estimated number of items to be checked out, b) a preferred payment type and c) additional service requested at checkout.

25. The system for communicating with a commercial establishment of claim 23 additionally comprising a means for receiving an indication of a checkout station to proceed to for checkout.