System and method for performing real-time market researches

• US 20060089918A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massimo Pescia, Umberto Avanzi
• Original Assignee: Massimo Pescia, Umberto Avanzi
• Inventors: Avanzi, Umberto, Pescia, Massimo
• Application Number:
  US10/962,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system for performing market researches is proposed. The system includes a sniffer for detecting an event relating to the selection of one or more goods by a consumer (for example, the insertion of each product on sale in a supermarket into a shopping cart), a transmitter for notifying the event to a service center, and a processing unit for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the product in response to the notification of the event.

Claims

1. A system for performing market researches including:

means for detecting an event relating to the selection of at least one good by a consumer,

means for notifying the event to a service center, and

means for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the at least one good in response to the notification of the event.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a transponder is associated with each good available to be selected for emitting a response signal indicative of the good in response to an interrogation signal, the means for detecting the event including:

means for broadcasting the interrogation signal in an area of interest, and

means for sensing the response signal of each transponder in the area of interest.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein each good consists of a product on sale in a shopping center of the self-service type, the means for detecting the event including means for detecting the insertion of each product into a shopping container of the consumer.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the means for detecting the event further includes means for detecting the removal of the product from the shopping container before reaching a checkout area of the shopping center.

5. The system according to claim 3, further including:

means for transmitting a set of questions relating to the product from the service center to the consumer,

means for returning a set of answers to the questions from the consumer to the service center,

means for accumulating a discount for the product in response to the returning of the answers, and

means for applying the discount to a price of the product.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the event includes means for detecting the purchase of the at least one good.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the means for causing the service center to contact the consumer includes:

means for providing an access code identifying the purchase to the consumer, and

at least one kiosk having means for entering the access code, means for downloading a set of questions relating to the at least one good from the service center in response to the access code, means for entering a set of answers to the questions by the consumer, and means for returning the set of answers to the service center.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the means for causing the service center to contact the consumer further includes:

means for disabling the means for providing the access code according to an availability condition of the at least one kiosk.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the event includes means for detecting the consumption of each good.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the good consists of a product provided in a corresponding package, the means for detecting the consumption including means for detecting an insertion of the package into a rubbish bin.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for causing the service center to contact the consumer includes:

means for comparing the event with a selection criterion, and

means for enabling the service center to contact the consumer only when the event satisfies the selection criterion.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for comparing includes means for determining the selection of multiple goods belonging to a common category.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for comparing includes:

means for storing historical information of the consumer, and

means for determining a significant divergence of the event from the historical information.

14. A system for performing market researches including:

a sniffer for detecting an event relating to the selection of at least one good by a consumer,

a transmitter for notifying the event to a service center, and

a processing unit for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the at least one good in response to the notification of the event.

15. An accessory device for a shopping container to be used by a consumer in a shopping center of the self-service type, the device including means for detecting the insertion of a product on sale in the shopping center into the shopping container, and means for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the product in response to the notification of the insertion.

16. A personal shopping assistant device for a shopping cart to be used by a consumer in a shopping center of the self-service type, the device including a sniffer for detecting the insertion of a product on sale in the shopping center into the shopping cart, and a transceiver for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer on the device for collecting market data relating to the product in response to the notification of the insertion.

17. A shopping container for use by a consumer in a shopping center of the self-service type, the shopping container including a basket for products to be purchased, an accessory device having means for detecting the insertion of a product into the basket, and means for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the product in response to the notification of the insertion.

18. A shopping cart for use by a consumer in a shopping center of the self-service type, the shopping cart including a basket for products to be purchased, a personal shopping assistant device with a sniffer for detecting the insertion of a product into the basket, and a transceiver for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer on the device for collecting market data relating to the product in response to the notification of the insertion.

19. A rubbish bin having a container for packages of products being consumed, and a control device including means for detecting the insertion of a package into the container and means for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the corresponding product in response to the notification of the insertion.

20. A rubbish bin having a container for packages of products being consumed, and a control device including a sniffer for detecting the insertion of a package into the container and a transmitter for notifying the insertion to a service center for causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the corresponding product in response to the notification of the insertion.

21. A method for performing market researches including the steps of:

detecting an event relating to the selection of at least one good by a consumer,

notifying the event to a service center, and

causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the at least one good in response to the notification of the event.

22. A computer program including program code means directly loadable into a working memory of a data processing system for executing a method for performing market researches when the program is run on the system, the method including the steps of:

detecting an event relating to the selection of at least one good by a consumer,

notifying the event to a service center, and

causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the at least one good in response to the notification of the event.

23. A program product including a computer readable medium embodying a computer program, the program being directly loadable into a working memory of a data processing system for executing a method for performing market researches when the program is run on the system, wherein the method includes the steps of:

detecting an event relating to the selection of a at least one good by a consumer,

notifying the event to a service center, and

causing the service center to contact the consumer for collecting market data relating to the at least one good in response to the notification of the event.