Smart and easy shopping using portable RF transceiver-enabled devices and fixed in-store RF transceivers

• US 20060289635A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lin, Jie
• Granted Patent: US 7,775,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Portable handheld transceiver-enabled devices (e.g., PDA or cell phone) and an enterprise system that stores and maintains a digital map and database to enable customers using the portable devices within a store to access information about the location of products in the store and their availability. Several fixed transceivers are installed throughout a store and portable transceiver-enabled handheld devices used by customers within the store communicate within the store. Portable handheld transceiver-enabled devices communicate with fixed transceivers and download the locations and available quantities of desired product. Customers can use portable devices to obtain the shortest walking route within a store to obtain a desired product based on fixed transceiver proximity to portable devices. Customer can also search the store database for the exact location of items within a store using the portable devices.

Claims

1. An in-store shopping system, comprising:

a store computer system adapted to maintain digital map data, store product information in a database and enable customers using portable RF transceiver-enabled devices operating within a store to access information about the location of products in the store and their availability; and

more than one fixed RF transceiver installed throughout the store, wherein the more than one fixed RF transceiver and portable RF transceiver-enabled handheld devices used by customers within the store can communicate within the store.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled device in communication with at least one of the more than one fixed RF transceivers associated with the store computer system.

3. The system of claim 1, adapted with software to enable customers using the portable RF transceiver-enabled devices within a store to access information about the location of products in the store and their availability.

4. The system of claim 1, adapted with software to enable portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices to communicate with the fixed RF transceivers and download the locations and available quantities of desired product.

5. The system of claim 1, adapted with software to enable a user of the at least one portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices to obtain the shortest walking route within a store to obtain a desired product based on at least one of the fixed RF transceiver'"'"'s proximity to the portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices.

6. The system of claim 1, adapted with software to enable a user of a portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled device to search the store computer system for the exact location of items within a store.

7. The system of claim 1, the portable handheld RF transceiver-enable device adapted with software to enable customers using the portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices within a store to access information about the location of products in the store and their availability.

8. The system of claim 1, the portable handheld RF transceiver-enable device adapted with software to enable portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices to communicate with the fixed RF transceivers and download the locations and available quantities of desired product.

9. The system of claim 1, the portable handheld RF transceiver-enable device adapted with software to enable a user of the at least one portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices to obtain the shortest walking route within a store to obtain a desired product based on at least one of the fixed RF transceiver'"'"'s proximity to the portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled devices.

10. The system of claim 1, the portable handheld RF transceiver-enable device adapted with software to enable a user of a portable handheld RF transceiver-enabled device to search the store computer system for the exact location of items within a store.

11. A method of determining product status by a store computer system including short range RF communications hardware, comprising the steps of:

a store'"'"'s computer system wirelessly receiving from a user'"'"'s hand held device a request for product information including the product'"'"'s location within the store;

the store'"'"'s computer system determines the product'"'"'s location within the store; and

the store computer wirelessly transmits product information including the product location to the hand held device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the product'"'"'s location information sent to the handheld device is depicted on a map of the store'"'"'s floor plan which is also transmitted to the handheld device from the store'"'"'s computer system and rendered on a display screen associated with the hand held device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the product location information sent to the handheld device is depicted on a map of the store'"'"'s floor plan which is further rendered on a display screen associated with the hand held device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein product location information sent to the handheld device includes directions regarding the shortest route through the store to the product'"'"'s location.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the product location information sent to the handheld device is depicted on a map of the store'"'"'s floor plan which is further rendered on a display screen associated with the hand held device.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein product location information sent to the handheld device includes directions regarding the shortest route through the store to the product'"'"'s location.

15. A method of determining product status and in-store location, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transmitting from a handheld device to a store computer system using short range RF communications a request for product information including the product'"'"'s in-store location;

the store computer system wirelessly receiving the request for product information including the product'"'"'s in-store location from the handheld device;

the store computer system determining the product'"'"'s location within the store; and

the store computer wirelessly transmitting product information including the product'"'"'s in-store location to the hand held device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the product'"'"'s location information sent to the handheld device is depicted on a map of the store'"'"'s floor plan which is also transmitted to the handheld device from the store'"'"'s computer system and rendered on a display screen associated with the hand held device.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

the in store computer system determining the handheld device'"'"'s location within the store before determining the product'"'"'s in-store location; and

the in store computer transmitting directions regarding the shortest route through the store to the product'"'"'s location base on the handheld device'"'"'s location within the store.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the product'"'"'s location information sent to the handheld device is depicted on a map of the store'"'"'s floor plan which is also transmitted to the handheld device from the store'"'"'s computer system and rendered on a display screen associated with the hand held device.