METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LABELING AND MANAGING THE SALE OF MANUFACTURED CONCRETE BLOCKS

• US 20090294530A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pro Shop Plans Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pro Shop Plans Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffman, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/508,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20090294530A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 23/0031 with product identification means, e.g. labels on test products or integrated circuit tags inside products RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures

Abstract

In a method for identifying manufactured concrete or masonry blocks and managing the sale thereof to a customer in a retail establishment, the retail establishment having a computer system configured to monitor inventory, a database operatively coupled to the computer system, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) terminals operatively coupled to the computer system. The method includes a) applying a releasably secured label to the concrete block or a layer of concrete blocks contained on a pallet, where the label has UPC information affixed thereon and is releasable from the concrete block or layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, b) selecting for purchase by the customer, a number of concrete blocks from a selected pallet, c) removing the label from the concrete block or the layer of concrete blocks on the pallet, d) presenting the label at the POS terminal, e) scanning the label via the POS terminal to process the UPC information, and entering the number of concrete blocks intended for purchase, f) transmitting data encoded in the UPC information to the computer system along with an indication of the number of concrete blocks purchased to effect maintenance of the inventory of concrete blocks, and g) issuing a receipt to the purchaser evidencing purchase of the concrete blocks.

Claims

1. A method for identifying manufactured concrete or masonry blocks and managing the sale thereof to customers in a retail establishment, the retail establishment having a computer system configured to monitor inventory, a database operatively coupled to the computer system, and a plurality of point of sale (POS) terminals operatively coupled to the computer system, the method comprising:

providing concrete masonry blocks stacked in like kinds on pallets;

providing a plurality of different sized and shaped labels selectable to conjunctively relate to angular an planar features of each kind of block and pallet;

applying a selected label to one or more blocks contained on a pallet, the label having UPC information affixed thereon each label and being releasable form the blocks or layers of concrete blocks on each pallet;

selecting for purchase by a customer, a number of releasably labeled blocks from a selected pallet wherein each following customer is also presented with one or more releasably labeled blocks contained within the same pallet;

presenting the blocks and releasable label at the POS terminal;

scanning the label via the POS terminal to process the UPC information, and entering the number of blocks intended for purchase;

transmitting data encoded in the UPC information to the computer system along with an indication of the number of blocks purchased; and

issuing a receipt to the purchaser of the blocks.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including providing the issued receipt to an employee of the retail establishment to authorize distribution of the purchased blocks to the customer.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the pallet of blocks is located in an external peripheral location to the main structure of the retail establishment, such that purchase is made by removing the labels from one or more blocks or layer of blocks and presenting labels at the POS terminal thereby permitting completion of the sale of blocks without the transport and physical manipulation of the blocks at the POS terminal.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the releasable label is generally configured to fit a structural portion of the block.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the label is formed of plasticized material.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the label includes barcode indicia printed or included thereon.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the label includes a universal product code identifier printed or included thereon.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the label is subjoined to a second label portion of similar shape, the second label portion including additional pictorial and/or graphical information.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the block includes a recessed area integrally formed in a portion of the block, the label having a shape to generally fit within the recessed area.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the label further includes a body portion and two tab portions extending from sides of the body portion, the tabs bent at an angle conforming to the body portion so that when placed in the recessed area, the tabs grip a portion of the block to releasably secure the label on the block.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the label is formed of flexible material so that the tabs retain the bent configuration, and wherein the tabs create a releasable fit with a portion of the concrete block.

50. The method according to claim 1 wherein the UPC information is manually entered into the POS terminal.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

16-49. -49. (canceled)