Handheld communications device in system for and method of enhancing product selection and purchase in retail environments
First Claim
1. A system for enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment, comprising:
- a handheld device including a cellular telephone operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network, a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target, and a communications interface operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment; and
a controller operatively connected to the telephone, the imager and the interface, and operative for automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from a command target code associated with the retail environment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for, and method of, enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment, utilizes a handheld device that includes a cellular telephone operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network, a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target, and a communications interface operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment. A controller is operatively connected to the telephone, the imager and the interface, and is operative for automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from a command target code associated with the retail environment.
29 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment, comprising:
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a handheld device including a cellular telephone operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network, a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target, and a communications interface operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment; and a controller operatively connected to the telephone, the imager and the interface, and operative for automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from a command target code associated with the retail environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment, comprising the steps of:
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supporting a cellular telephone operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network in a handheld device; supporting a solid-state imager having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target in the handheld device; supporting a communications interface operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment in the handheld device; and automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from a command target code associated with the retail environment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A communications device for enhancing product selection and purchase in a retail environment associated with a command target code, comprising:
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a handheld housing; a cellular telephone in the housing and operative for long-range, mobile, wireless communication over a wide cellular network; a solid-state imager in the housing and having an array of image sensors for capturing return light from a target; a communications interface in the housing and operative for short-range, mobile, wireless communication over a local network associated with the retail environment; and a controller in the housing and operatively connected to the telephone, the imager and the interface, and operative for automatically pairing the handheld device with the local network by operating the imager to capture the return light from the command target code. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification