COMMUNICATION METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM FOR A RETAIL ORGANIZATION

• US 20090199102A1
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PHM Associates Limited
• Original Assignee: PHM Associates Limited
• Inventors: Hookham-Miller, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A data communication method and apparatus for a retail organization is disclosed. In the method an intermediate data processing entity generates a set of data for sending to at least one mobile terminal based on data from at least one data processing device associated with the retail organization and send the generated set of data to the at least one mobile terminal. At least one mobile terminal may send user data to the intermediate data processing entity. Upon receipt of user data from at least one mobile terminal the received user data is processed in the intermediate data processing entity to determine if data is to be communicated from the intermediate data processing entity. If it is determined that communication of data is needed, data can be communicated to at least one of a data processing device associated with the retail organization and at least one mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A data communication method for a retail organization, comprising:

generating at an intermediate data processing entity a set of data for sending to at least one mobile terminal based on data from at least one data processing device associated with the retail organization;

sending the generated set of data to the at least one mobile terminal;

receiving at the intermediate data processing entity user data from the at least one mobile terminal; and

processing the received user data in the intermediate data processing entity to determine if data is to be communicated from the intermediate data processing entity to at least one of a data processing device associated with the retail organization and at least one mobile terminal.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising

presenting a user interface by the at least one mobile terminal based on data received from the intermediate data processing entity;

allowing a user of the at least one mobile terminal to input data via the user interface; and

sending the input to the intermediate data processing entity for further processing.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising providing a plurality of remote users each with a mobile terminal of a first type and communicating selected data only to said mobile terminals of the first type.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, comprising providing all remote users with a mobile terminal of the first type.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising pushing data from the intermediate data processing entity to the at least one mobile terminal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, comprising pushing at least a part of an application to the at least one mobile data terminal.

7. The method as claimed claim 5, comprising pushing content data to the at least one mobile data terminal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising

assigning a mobile terminal to a recipient user;

and

tailoring data in the intermediate data processing entity based on information regarding the recipient user.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of tailoring comprises adapting communications to a mobile data terminal based on the said information regarding the recipient user.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of tailoring comprises adapting data to be communicated to a mobile data terminal based on the said information regarding the recipient user.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising managing the intermediate data processing entity by a party that is separate from the retail organization.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising detecting a predefined event in the intermediate data processing entity, and in response thereto sending instructions to present information by means of the at least one mobile terminal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, comprising presenting information by the at least one mobile terminal substantially in real-time after said detection of the triggering event.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising adapting the set of data for presentation on a relatively small display.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing at least a part of data received by the intermediate data processing entity in a database associated with the intermediate data processing entity.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, comprising generating a report based on the said data in the database.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, comprising generating content data based on the said data in the database.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises assigning validation information to the generated set of data.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising communication of data between the intermediate data processing entity and the at least one mobile terminal at predefined times.

20. An apparatus for managing data communications with at least one mobile terminal, comprising:

an interface configured for data communication with at least one mobile data terminal and at least one data processing device associated with a retail organization;

at least one processor configured to generate a set of data for sending to the at least one mobile terminal based on data from the retail organization, to control sending of the generated set of data to the at least one mobile terminal, to process user data received from the at least one mobile terminal to determine if data is to be communicated from the intermediate data processing entity to at least one of a data processing device associated with the retail organization and at least one mobile terminal.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to communicate selected data based on the type of the mobile terminals.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, configured to push data to the at least one mobile terminal.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to tailor data based on information regarding recipient users.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to, in response to a predefined event, send instructions to present information by means of the at least one mobile terminal.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adapt the set of data for presentation on a relatively small display.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a report based on data from the at least one mobile terminal.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to assign validation information to generated data.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to communicate data to the at least one mobile terminal at predefined times.

29. A system for data communications in a retail organization, comprising:

at least one data processing device associated with a retail organization;

an intermediate data processing entity connected to the at lest one data processing device and to a data network; and

at least one mobile terminal configured to receive data received from the intermediate data processing entity, to present information based on the said data, to allow a user thereof to input data, and to send the input to the intermediate data processing entity for further processing,

wherein the intermediate data processing entity is configured to generate sets of data based on data from the at least one data processing device and to process data received from the at least one mobile terminal to determine if data is to be communicated from the intermediate data processing entity to at least one of a data processing device associated with the retail organization and at least one mobile terminal.

30. The communications system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the mobile terminals are of one type.

31. The communications system as claimed in claim 29, wherein a plurality of remote users each is provided with a mobile terminal of a first type and the intermediate data processing entity is configured to communicate selected data only to said mobile terminals of the first type.

32. The communications system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the intermediate data processing entity is configured to tailor data based on information regarding recipient users.

33. A computer program comprising program code means adapted to perform the steps of:

generating a set of data for sending from an intermediate data processing entity to at least one mobile terminal based on data from a data processing device associated with a retail organization;

sending the generated set of data to the at least one mobile terminal;

receiving user data from the at least one mobile terminal; and

processing the received user data to determine if data is to be communicated from the intermediate data processing entity to at least one of a data processing device associated with the retail organization and at least one mobile terminal.

34. A computer program product comprising program code means of claim 33 stored in a computer readable medium.