METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENTERING ITEMS INTO A GIFT REGISTRY

• US 20090265387A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Gabriel, Michael R., Mount, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,983,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that enters items into a gift registry. During operation, the system photographically captures images of items at stores containing the items. Moreover, the images include a set of barcodes identifying the items. Next, the system obtains a set of product codes for the one or more items from the barcodes in the images. Finally, the system enters the one or more items in the gift registry using the product codes.

Claims

1. A method for entering items into a gift registry, comprising:

photographically capturing images of one or more items, wherein the images are captured at one or more stores containing the items, and wherein the images comprise a set of barcodes identifying the one or more items;

obtaining a set of product codes for the one or more items from the barcodes in the images; and

entering the one or more items in the gift registry using the product codes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining store information associated with the one or more stores; and

updating the one or more items in the gift registry with the store information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items are entered into the gift registry by:

looking up product information for the one or more items using the product codes; and

entering the product information into the gift registry.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the product information includes at least one of a product name, a product description, a product image, a product price, a product availability, and a product review.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the images are captured using at least one of a still camera, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a barcode reader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the barcodes comprise Universal Product Codes (UPCs).

7. A method for entering items into a gift registry for a user, comprising:

obtaining images of a set of barcodes identifying one or more items from the user, wherein the images are photographically captured at one or more stores containing the one or more items;

analyzing the images to obtain a set of product codes for the one or more items from the barcodes; and

entering the one or more items into the gift registry using the product codes.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining store information associated with the one or more stores from the user; and

updating the one or more items in the gift registry with the store information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein entering the one or more items into the gift registry involves:

looking up product information for the one or more items using the product codes; and

entering the product information into the gift registry.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the product information includes at least one of a product name, a product description, a product image, a product price, a product availability, and a product review.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the images are captured using at least one of a still camera, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a barcode reader.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the barcodes comprise Universal Product Codes (UPCs).

13. A system for entering items into a gift registry, comprising:

a camera device configured to capture images of one or more items at one or more stores containing the one or more items, wherein the images comprise a set of barcodes identifying the one or more items;

an image processor configured to analyze the images to obtain a set of product codes for the one or more items from the barcodes; and

a registry application configured to enter the one or more items into the gift registry using the product codes.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a product information repository comprising product information for the one or more items,

wherein the registry application is configured to enter the one or more items into the gift registry by;

looking up the product information for the one or more items from the product information repository using the product codes; and

entering the product information into the gift registry.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the product information includes at least one of a product name, a product description, a product image, a product price, a product availability, and a product review.

16. The system of claim 13,

wherein the registry application comprises a user interface configured to obtain store information associated with the one or more stores, and

wherein the registry application is further configured to update the one or more items in the gift registry with the store information.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the camera device is at least one of a still camera, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a barcode reader.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the barcodes comprise Universal Product Codes (UPCs).

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for entering items into a gift registry, the method comprising:

photographically capturing images of one or more items, wherein the images are captured at one or more stores containing the items, and wherein the images comprise a set of barcodes identifying the one or more items;

obtaining a set of product codes for the one or more items from the barcodes in the images; and

entering the one or more items in the gift registry using the product codes.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, the method further comprising:

obtaining store information associated with the one or more stores; and

updating the one or more items in the gift registry with the store information.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the items are entered into the gift registry by:

looking up product information for the one or more items using the product codes; and

entering the product information into the gift registry.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the product information includes at least one of a product name, a product description, a product image, a product price, a product availability, and a product review.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the images are captured using at least one of a still camera, a digital camera, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a barcode reader.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the barcodes comprise Universal Product Codes (UPCs).