User Access to Item Information

• US 20120246023A1
• Filed: 06/07/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,682,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Included is a user device for communicating product information. The user device might include a data storage device and a product identifier input device configured to receive a product identifier. Also included in the user device is logic configured to retrieve at least one user preference, logic configured to retrieve information regarding a product related to the product identifier from a data network, and logic configured to compare the at least one user preference with at least a portion of the information related to the product.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server device within a first retail location, the server device configured to receive a product identifier for a product from a user device; and

a storage database configured to store a listing of products and related product description information available at a plurality of retail stores, wherein;

the server device is configured to retrieve user preference information describing criteria of acceptable products as defined by a user associated with the user device, the user preference information being determined prior to receiving the product identifier for the product;

the server device is configured to retrieve product description information associated with the product identifier from a data network servicing the plurality of retail stores, the data network being accessible from the server device, the data network also being accessible from a second server device within a second retail location, wherein the plurality of retail stores comprise different retail stores from different retail store chains;

the server device is configured to compare the product description information associated with the product identifier with the user preference information and determine whether the product is determined to be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information, wherein the server device is configured to provide the product and related product description information to the user device when the product is determined to be acceptable; and

the server device is configured to retrieve a listing of alternative products that are acceptable based on the user preference information when the product is determined to not be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information and is further configured to remove any one of the alternative products from the listing of alternative products that is not currently being sold at the first retail location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein access to product description information for products not sold at the first retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the first retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the second server device within the second retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the product identifier comprises one of the following:

a universal product code, a radio frequency identification tag, European article numbering code, an image, or a descriptive keyword.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless interface for the user device communicating wirelessly with the data network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device includes at least one of the following:

a personal computer, a telephone, or a Personal Digital Assistant.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is configured to receive data associated with a location of the product related to the product identifier.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the product description information includes at least one of the following:

a product name, a product price, a product ingredient, a product component, nutritional value, product instructions, product preparation directions, a related product, sales data, or a product retailer.

9. A method of providing product information, comprising:

receiving a product identifier for a product from a user device;

retrieving user preference information describing criteria of acceptable products as defined by a user associated with the user device, the user preference information being determined prior to receiving the product identifier for the product;

retrieving product description information associated with the product identifier from a data network servicing the plurality of retail stores, the data network being accessible from a server device, the data network also being accessible from a second server device within a second retail location, wherein the plurality of retail stores comprise different retail stores from different retail store chains;

comparing, by the server device, the product description information associated with the product identifier with the user preference information and determining whether the product is determined to be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information, wherein the server device is configured to provide the product and related product description information to the user device when the product is determined to be acceptable; and

retrieving a listing of alternative products that are acceptable based on the user preference information when the product is determined to not be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information and remove any one of the alternative products from the listing of alternative products that is not currently being sold at the first retail location.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing previously determined user preference information.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a user option to edit the previously determined user preference information.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the product description information includes at least one of the following:

a product name, a product price, a product ingredient, a product component, nutritional value, product instructions, product preparation directions, a related product, sales data, or a product retailer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein access to product description information for products not sold at the first retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the first retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the second server device within the second retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured for providing product information, the computer readable medium storing a program executable by a computer, comprising:

code that receives a product identifier for a product from a user device;

code that retrieves user preference information describing criteria of acceptable products as defined by a user associated with the user device, the user preference information being determined prior to receiving the product identifier for the product;

code that retrieves product description information associated with the product identifier from a data network servicing the plurality of retail stores, the data network being accessible from a server device, the data network also being accessible from a second server device within a second retail location, wherein the plurality of retail stores comprise different retail stores from different retail store chains;

code that compares, by the server device, the product description information associated with the product identifier with the user preference information and determining whether the product is determined to be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information, wherein the server device is configured to provide the product and related product description information to the user device when the product is determined to be acceptable; and

code that retrieves a listing of alternative products that are acceptable based on the user preference information when the product is determined to not be acceptable to the user based on the user preference information and remove any one of the alternative products from the listing of alternative products that is not currently being sold at the first retail location.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the program further comprising code that stores previously determined user preference information.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the program further comprising code that provides a user option to edit the previously determined user preference information.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein access to product description information for products not sold at the first retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the first retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is denied from being sent to the user device over the data network while the server device within the first retail location is used by the user device to access the data network, wherein access to product description information for products sold at the second retail location is granted and allowed to be sent to the user device over the data network while the second server device within the second retail location is used by the user device to access the data network.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the product description information includes at least one of the following:

a product name, a product price, a product ingredient, a product component, nutritional value, product instructions, product preparation directions, a related product, sales data, or a product retailer.