RETAIL SHOPPING

• US 20130080289A1
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rupessh Ranen Roy, Shyam Sundar Challa
• Original Assignee: Rupessh Ranen Roy, Shyam Sundar Challa
• Inventors: Challa, Shyam Sundar, Roy, Rupessh Ranen
• Application Number:
  US13/628,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of improving retail shopping are described. In some examples, product-identifying information associated with a user identifier is received from a remote network node. Respective product identifiers are determined based on the received product identifying information. A personal shopping database of shopping records respectively including the determined product identifiers is maintained in association with the user identifier. Information relating to one or more of the shopping records in the personal shopping database is ascertained. The ascertained information is transmitted to the remote network device. In addition, handheld devices, demagnetizing stations, and labels for improving retail shopping are described.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a remote network node product identifying information associated with a user identifier;

determining respective product identifiers based on the received product identifying information;

maintaining in association with the user identifier a personal shopping database of shopping records respectively comprising the determined product identifiers;

ascertaining information relating to one or more of the shopping records in the personal shopping database; and

transmitting the ascertained information to the remote network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining comprises designating respective ones of the shopping records as being associated with a current shopping list, and designating other respective ones of the shopping records as purchased product shopping records.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the ascertaining comprises ascertaining the product identifiers that are associated with the current shopping list.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting a description of the current shopping list to the remote network node.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising, based on an indication that a product corresponding to a particular product identifier has been purchased, disassociating a particular one of the shopping records from the current shopping list and designating the particular shopping record as a purchased product shopping record.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising, based on an indication that particular product identifying information corresponds to a product that has not been purchased, creating a particular shopping record comprising the respective product identifier determined from the particular produce identifying information, and designating the particular shopping record as being associated with the current shopping list.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the ascertaining comprises, based on the current shopping list, determining product location information comprising one or more locations where one or more products corresponding to respective ones of the product identifiers associated with the current shopping list are located; and

the transmitting comprises transmitting the product location information to the remote network device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the product location information comprises determining one or more retail stores carrying one or more products associated with the current shopping list, and the transmitting comprises transmitting information relating to the one or more determined retails stores to the remote network node.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the product location information comprises identifying a respective one of the retail stores nearest to the remote network node, and the transmitting comprises transmitting information relating to the identified retail store to the remote network node.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining of the product location information comprises identifying a set of one or more of the retail stores collectively carrying all the products in the shopping list at a lowest total purchase price, and the transmitting comprises transmitting information relating to the one or more identified retail stores to the remote network node.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining comprises identifying a respective one of the retail stores carrying a highest number of the products in the shopping list at a lowest total purchase price, and the transmitting comprises transmitting information relating to the identified retail store to the remote network node.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the product location information comprises determining a particular location in a particular retail store carrying a product associated with the current shopping list, and the transmitting comprises transmitting information relating to the particular location in the particular retail store.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the particular location comprises an aisle number and shelf number.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining of the product location information comprises communicating with one or more retail stores administered product inventory databases.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving location information describing a current location of the remote network device, and the determining of the product location information is based on the received location information.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving from the remote network device a request to purchase a list of products from a particular retail store, and transmitting the request to the particular retail store.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the request comprises an indication that the request is for pick-up at a drive-through location associated with the particular retail store.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the ascertaining comprises deriving a current shopping list from respective ones of the shopping records designated as purchased product shopping records, and the transmitting comprises transmitting the derived current shopping list to the remote network node.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the maintaining comprises, for each of the shopping records associated with the current shopping list, recording the user identifier, a date and time indicating when the record is added to the current shopping list, and the respective product identifier.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the maintaining comprises, for each of the shopping records designated as purchased product shopping records, recording the user identifier, a purchase date and time, the respective product identifier, a purchase price, and a purchase location identifier.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the ascertaining comprises ascertaining information relating to a rewards program associated with the user identifier, and the transmitting comprises transmitting the information relating to the rewards program to the remote network node.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing respective ones of the shopping records in the personal shopping database, and based on results of the analyzing determining strategic management information

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the strategic management information comprises purchase quantity information and purchase location information, and further comprising transmitting the purchase quantity and purchase location information to one or more entities managing one or more respective retail stores associated with the purchase location information.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the analyzing comprises determining the purchase quantity information based at least in part on respective ones of the shopping records associated with a current shopping list.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the analyzing comprises identifying one or more target products purchased in association with the user identifier, the strategic management information comprises determining lowest price information for the one or more target products, and the transmitting comprises transmitting the lowest price information for the target products to the remote network node.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the analyzing comprises determining one or more summaries of purchase patterns associated with the user identifier, and the transmitting comprises transmitting the one or more purchase pattern summaries to the remote network node.

27. A handheld device, comprising:

an input component;

an output component;

a transceiver operable to communicate wirelessly with nodes on a network;

a processor operable to perform operations comprising

generating a graphical user interface comprising a shopping list, controls for managing the shopping list, and controls for entering product identifying information through the input component,

via the transceiver, transmitting to the server network node requests associated with queries on the personal shopping database,

in connection with the requests, receiving product information from the server, and

updating the graphical user interface based on the received product information.

28. The handheld device of claim 27, comprising a microphone, and wherein the processor is operable to perform speech recognition operations comprising converting speech signals received from the microphone into commands for managing the shopping list and determining product location information comprising one or more locations where one or more products corresponding to respective ones of the product identifiers associated with the current shopping list are located.

29. A demagnetizing station, comprising:

a demagnetizer;

a scanner operable to produce a scan signal from a scan of an article;

a transceiver;

a processor operable to perform operations comprising

determining product identifying information from the scan signal,

via the transceiver transmitting the product identifying information to a server network node,

via the transceiver receiving purchase information from the server network node,

based on the received purchase information determining whether or not demagnetization of the article is authorized, and

via the demagnetizer demagnetizing the article based on a determination that demagnetization of the article is authorized.

30. A label, comprising:

a substrate carrying

a magnetic region

a machine readable region that encodes information relating to a product including product identifying information;

a human readable region comprising visible human readable characters relating to the product including purchase price information.