SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING MERCHANDISE INFORMATION

• US 20080270249A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walter Steven Rosenbaum
• Original Assignee: Walter Steven Rosenbaum
• Inventors: Rosenbaum, Walter Steven, Rosenbaum, Nathaniel E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

In a method of obtaining merchandise information from a store system using speech processing technology to determine a spoken query entry, an information inquiry from a customer regarding a particular product is received via a communication network. The location of the customer is determined, which is then used to determine a store closest to the customer. A merchandise database is searched for the inquired information regarding the particular product, wherein searching the merchandise database is limited to products available at the store closest to the customer location. The inquired information is retrieved from the merchandise database, and transmitted to the customer.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining merchandise information from a store system, comprising:

receiving via a communication network an information inquiry from a customer regarding a particular product;

determining a location of the customer;

using the customer location to determine a store closest to the customer;

searching a merchandise database for the inquired information regarding the particular product, wherein searching the merchandise database is limited to products available at the store closest to the customer location;

retrieving the inquired information from the merchandise database; and

transmitting the inquired information to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information inquiry includes receiving at the store system a telephone call from the customer speaking the information inquiry.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the location of the customer includes processing at least one of a telephone number assigned to the customer, a location of a base station of a mobile phone system, a post code and a store identification data.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising using speech recognition technology to recognize the information inquiry spoken by the customer.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating a synthesized announcement based on a speech recognition result, and playing the announcement to the customer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising prompting the customer to confirm whether the synthesized announcement corresponds to the spoken information inquiry.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising redirecting the telephone call to a staff member.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the inquired information to the customer includes sending at least one of a text message, an audio message and an image to the customer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information inquiry is for a location of the particular product in the store.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the information inquiry includes receiving at the store system an electronic message sent by the customer using a telephone keypad.

11. A system for obtaining merchandise information, comprising a store system coupled to a communication network to receive an information inquiry from a customer regarding a particular product, wherein the store system comprises:

means for receiving via a communication network an information inquiry from a customer regarding a particular product;

means for determining a location of the customer;

means for determining a store closest to the customer by means of the customer location;

means for searching a merchandise database for the inquired information regarding the particular product, wherein searching the merchandise database is limited to products available at the store closest to the customer location;

means for retrieving the inquired information from the merchandise database; and

means for transmitting the inquired information to the customer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the location of the customer are configured to process at least one of a telephone number assigned to the customer, a location of a base station of a mobile phone system, a post code and a store identification data.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for recognizing speech to recognize the information inquiry spoken by the customer.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for generating a synthesized announcement based on a speech recognition result, and means for playing the announcement to the customer.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for prompting the customer to confirm whether the synthesized announcement corresponds to the spoken information inquiry.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for redirecting the telephone call to a customer representative.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the inquired information to the customer are configured to send at least one of a text message, an audio message and an image to the customer.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the information inquiry is for a location of the particular product in the store.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for processing an electronic message sent by customer using a telephone keypad.

20. A method of generating a merchandise database used in a system for obtaining merchandise information, comprising:

receiving from an operator having a telephony device via a communication network a request for entering information to the merchandise database;

requesting the operator to speak a current operator location with respect to at least one of an aisle and shelf in a store;

requesting the operator to enter at least one of a predetermined product indicium and name of a product at the current operator location; and

storing data representing the current operator location and data representing the product indicium as a data set in the merchandise data base.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the operator enters a product indicium configured as a bar code by means of a scanner.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the operator enters a product indicium configured as an RFID product code by means of an RFID reader.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the operator enters a product name by speaking the product name.