SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING TASKS

• US 20100131377A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbins, William S., Karnalkar, Anup D., Wallis, R. Tyler, Steele, Susan S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to receive a grocery list from a communication device of a user, identify a location in a store for each item in the grocery list, determine a selection order for the items in the grocery list based on the identified location of each item, adjust the grocery list according to the selection order and the location of each item, and transmit the adjusted grocery list to a device in the store for conducting grocery shopping according to the adjusted grocery list. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system having a processor comprising a controller to:

receive a grocery list from a communication device of a user;

identify a location in a store for each item in the grocery list;

determine a selection order for the items in the grocery list based on the identified location of each item and based on minimizing exposure time of at least one of the items to ambient temperature;

adjust the grocery list according to the selection order, the location of each item and at least one characteristic of at least one of the items; and

transmit the adjusted grocery list to a device in the store for conducting grocery shopping according to the adjusted grocery list.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises one of a wireline phone, a cordless phone, and a cellular phone.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the cordless phone operates according to a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device corresponds to a barcode scanner, wherein the barcode scanner provides navigation instructions to the user according to the selection order in the adjusted grocery list and the location of each item, and wherein the user scans with the barcode scanner items selected by the user from the aisles of the store.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the barcode scanner is presented to a fulfillment system which reads the scanned items and presents the user a fee for the scanned items.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to determine a behavioral profile from at least one of the grocery list supplied by the communication device and past grocery lists of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to:

determine from the behavioral profile one or more suggestions for updating the grocery list; and

adjust the grocery list according to the one or more suggestions.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is adapted to:

identify one or more advertisements, coupons or promotions for updating the grocery list according to the behavioral profile; and

adjust the grocery list according to the identified one or more advertisements, coupons or promotions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is used by an agent of the store to select the items in the adjusted grocery list on behalf of the user, and wherein the items are delivered to an establishment of the user by the agent or another agent of the store.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device corresponds to the communication device that supplied the grocery list or another communication device of the user.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer-readable instructions, which, when loaded in and executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

receive a grocery list from a communication device of a user;

determine a selection order for the items in the grocery list based on a location of each item in a store and based on minimizing exposure time of at least one of the items to ambient temperature;

identify one or more promotions associated with items on the grocery list;

update the grocery list according to the selection order, the location of each item, the one or more promotions, and at least one characteristic of at least one of the items; and

transmit the updated grocery list to a device for conducting grocery shopping according to the adjusted grocery list.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the communication device comprises one of a wireline phone, a cordless phone, and a cellular phone, and wherein the cordless phone operates according to a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) protocol.

13. The storage medium of claim 11, comprising computer instructions to

determine a behavioral profile from at least one of the grocery list supplied by the communication device and past grocery lists of the user;

determine one or more suggestions for updating the grocery list according to the behavioral profile; and

adjust the grocery list according to the one or more suggestions.

14. A communication device, comprising a controller to:

present a user a plurality of meal options;

detect one or more selections by the user from the plurality of meal options;

generate a grocery list from the one or more meal options selected; and

transmit the grocery list to a system adapted to;

receive the grocery list from the communication device;

determine a selection order for the items in the grocery list based on a location of each item in a store and based on minimizing exposure time of at least one of the items to ambient temperature;

update the grocery list according to the selection order, the location of each item and at least one characteristic of at least one of the items; and

transmit the updated grocery list to a device for conducting grocery shopping according to the adjusted grocery list.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to:

retrieve the plurality of meals from a source; and

highlight in the plurality of meal options prior selections made by the user.

16. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to:

retrieve a behavioral profile of the user; and

select the plurality of meal options according to the behavioral profile.

17. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the communication device comprises one of a wireline phone, a cordless phone, and a cellular phone, and wherein the cordless phone operates according to a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) protocol.

18. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the device corresponds to a barcode scanner, wherein the barcode scanner provides navigation instructions to the user according to the selection order in the adjusted grocery list and the location of each item, and wherein the user scans with the barcode scanner items selected by the user from the aisles of the store.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the barcode scanner is presented to a fulfillment system which reads the scanned items and presents the user a fee for the scanned items.

20. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the system is adapted to:

determine a behavioral profile of the user from at least one of the grocery list supplied by the communication device and past grocery lists of the user;

determine from the behavioral profile one or more suggestions, advertisements, coupons or promotions for updating the grocery list; and

adjust the grocery list according to the one or more suggestions, advertisements, coupons or promotions.

21. A device, comprising a controller to:

receive a grocery list with a selection order for items in the grocery list and a location of each item in a store, the selection order being based on at least one characteristic of at least one of the items;

receive a selection of an item in the grocery list;

determine the location of the item in the store; and

present a user the item and one or more navigation instructions to locate the item in the store based on the determined location of each item and based on minimizing exposure time of at least one of the items to ambient temperature.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the device corresponds to a barcode scanner, and wherein the user scans with the barcode scanner items selected by the user from the aisles of the store.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the controller is adapted to present the scanned items to a fulfillment system to charge the user for the items scanned.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the controller is adapted to receive the grocery list from a system, wherein the system is adapted to:

receive an initial grocery list from a communication device;

determine the selection order for the items in the grocery list based on the location of each item in the store;

create the grocery list by modifying the initial grocery list according to the selection order and the location of each item; and

transmit the grocery list to the device.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the device comprises one of a wireline phone, a cordless phone, and a cellular phone.

26. A method, comprising:

receiving a list of shopping items;

determining a selection order for the items in the shopping list based on a location of each item in a store and based on minimizing exposure time of at least one of the items to ambient temperature by utilizing a processor;

updating the received list of shopping items according to the selection order, the location of each item and at least one characteristic of at least one of the items by utilizing a processor; and

transmitting the updated shopping list to a device to shop for the items in the store according to the updated list of shopping items.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising:

presenting one of the items in the updated list of shopping items according to the selection order; and

presenting instructions for navigating within the store according to the location of the item supplied with the updated list of shopping items.