Customer e-label apparatus and method

• US 20040079797A1
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wadley, Donald K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,021,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• 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 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A customer e-label apparatus and method includes an electronic tag for storing information electronically. A device for writing information on the electronic tag at the point of sale of an item to a customer is provided at the point of sale. An attachment device is provided for attaching the electronic tag to the customer'"'"'s item at the point of sale.

Claims

1. A customer e-label apparatus comprising:

an electronic tag means for storing information electronically;

a means for writing information on the electronic tag means at a point of sale of an item to a customer; and

a means for attaching the electronic tag means to the customer'"'"'s item at the point of sale.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic tag means is selected from a group including:

read-write and read only electronic tag means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic tag means is selected from a group including:

passive, semi-passive and active electronic tag means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electronic tag reader means for reading the information on the electronic tag means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is selected from a group of customer information including:

name, address, and social security number.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is selected from a group of item information including:

manufacturer, brand, size, type, style, and color.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is selected from a group of item warranty information including:

warranty turn on date, valid period, and service dates.

8. In a system wherein consumer products are sold, a customer e-label apparatus comprising:

an electronic tag;

a device for writing information on the electronic tag at a point of sale of the consumer product to a customer; and

a device for attaching the electronic tag to the customer'"'"'s consumer product at the point of sale.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic tag is selected from a group including:

read-write and read only electronic tags.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electronic tag is selected from a group including:

passive, semi-passive and active electronic tags.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an electronic tag information reader.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information is selected from a group of information including:

customer name, customer address and customer social security number.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information is selected from a group of consumer product information including:

manufacturer, brand, size, type, style, and color.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the information is selected from a group of consumer product warranty information including:

warranty turn on date, valid period, and service dates.

15. In a system wherein consumer goods are sold to end users, a point of sale customer e-label apparatus comprising:

an electronic tag selected from a group including read-write, read only, passive, semi-passive and active electronic tags;

an electronic tag writer for writing information on the electronic tag, the information selected from a group including;

customer name, address and social security number, consumer good manufacturer, brand, size, style and color, and warranty turn on date, valid period and service dates; and

a device for attaching the electronic tag with information to the customer'"'"'s consumer goods at the point of sale.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an electronic tag reader at the point of sale.

17. In a marketing system including at least one computer wherein goods are sold to customers and a customer e-label is attached to the goods at the point of sale, a program product comprising:

instructions for identifying the customer e-label selected from a group including;

read-write and read only e-labels and passive, semi-passive and active e-labels;

instructions for writing information to the customer e-label; and

instructions for reading information on the customer e-label.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for writing information to the customer e-label include instructions selected from a group including:

customer name, address, and social security number, manufacturer, brand, size, type, style, and color and warranty turn on date, valid period and service dates.

19. The program product of claim 17, further comprising instructions for creating a database of information read from the customer e-label and instructions for creating a display of information obtained from reading the customer e-label on the at least one computer.

20. In a marketing system, a method of recording and obtaining customer information, the method comprising:

writing customer information concerning a customer'"'"'s purchase of a consumer item on a customer e-label at the time, and point, of sale of the consumer item;

attaching the customer e-label to the consumer item; and

reading the customer information on the customer e-label at any time and location after the time of sale.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the writing step comprises the step of selecting customer information from a group including:

name, address and social security number.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the writing step comprises the step of selecting customer information from a group including:

consumer item manufacturer, brand, size, type, style, and color.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the writing step comprises the step of selecting customer information from a group including:

consumer item warranty turn on date, valid period, and service dates.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of selecting the customer e-label from a group including:

read-write and read only e-labels and passive, semi-passive and active e-labels.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of creating a customer profile from reading customer e-labels attached to a plurality of consumer items worn by a customer.