Product Information Systems and Methods

• US 20100282836A1
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Original Assignee: General Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Kempf, Thomas P., Kaiser, Richard J., Schiro, Francis G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Embodiments provide product information to a person viewing a product by capturing a product identifier image associated with the product, determining a product identifier from the image, and retrieving product information from a product database using the product identifier. In some cases the product information is filtered prior to display using a profile that includes criteria set by the user. Embodiments provide product information via a handheld computing device, which in some cases can be a mobile phone or other such device that also includes a camera for capturing product identifier images.

Claims

1. A method for providing product information, comprising:

generating a digital characterization of a product identifier image with a handheld device, the product identifier image being associated with a product;

determining a product identifier of the product with the handheld device based on the digital characterization of the product identifier image;

retrieving product information for the product from a computer-readable storage medium within the handheld device using the product identifier;

filtering the product information using a profile stored in the handheld device to generate filtered product information; and

displaying at least part of the filtered product information with the handheld device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to the product information only based on generating the digital characterization of the product identifier image and determining the product identifier from the product identifier image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is a food product.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the profile includes dietary restrictions and/or food preferences.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising retrieving and displaying recipe information and/or meal information related to the product with the handheld device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising adding one or more ingredients from the recipe and/or the meal information to a shopping list with the handheld device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving and displaying promotional information related to the product with the handheld device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving and displaying information for a related product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the handheld device is a mobile telephone comprising an integrated camera.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the filtered product information during consideration of the product prior to a point-of-sale.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the filtered product information after a point-of-sale during use of the product.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a query after retrieving the product information, receiving an input in response to the query, and displaying at least part of the filtered product information based on the input.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the handheld device to a remote server through a network and retrieving at least part of the product information from the remote server using the product identifier.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the product information is stored within a product database in the computer-readable storage medium within the handheld device, and further comprising connecting the handheld device to a remote server through a network and receiving the product database from the remote server.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting the handheld device to the remote server through the network and receiving an update to the product database from the remote server.

16. A handheld device for providing product information, the device comprising:

a processor;

a display; and

a computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by the processor for providing product information, comprising

generating a digital characterization of a product identifier image with the handheld device, the product identifier image being associated with a product,

determining a product identifier of the product with the handheld device based on the digital characterization of the product identifier image,

retrieving product information for the product from the computer-readable storage medium using the product identifier,

filtering the product information using a profile stored in the handheld device to generate filtered product information, and

displaying at least part of the filtered product information with the display of the handheld device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the product is a food product and the profile includes dietary restrictions and/or food preferences.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the instructions executable by the processor for providing product information further comprise retrieving and displaying with the handheld device product information from the group consisting of promotional information related to the product, recipe information related to the product, and meal information related to the product.

19. A system for providing product information, the system comprising:

a plurality of product identifier images associated with respective products; and

the handheld device according to claim 16.

20. A method for providing product information, comprising:

providing packaging for a product with a product identifier image;

providing access to a product information application for a handheld device through a product information web server;

receiving through the product information web server a request from a user to use the product information application on the handheld device; and

requesting information from the user and generating a profile based on requested information received from the user, wherein

the product information application comprises instructions executable by a processor of the handheld device to

generate a digital characterization of the product identifier image,

determine a product identifier of the product based on the digital characterization of the product identifier image,

retrieve product information for the product from a computer-readable storage medium in the handheld device using the product identifier,

filter the product information with the profile to generate filtered product information, and

cause at least part of the filtered product information to be displayed with the handheld device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the product is a food product and the profile includes dietary restrictions and/or food preferences.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising retrieving and displaying with the handheld device product information from the group consisting of promotional information related to the product, recipe information related to the product, and meal information related to the product.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing access to one or more product databases for the handheld device through the product information web server.