Checkout Queue Virtualization System for Retail Establishments

• US 20130103486A1
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sutanto, Juliana, von Reischach, Felix, Hess, Basil
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and mechanism that virtualizes a physical queue in a retail establishment. Customers using this system have the ability to indicate they would like to pay now (i.e., enter the virtual queue) using a button on their mobile device, and then they continue shopping until the mobile device informs them to proceed to a checkout counter. In addition, the system implements features that address users waiting in the queue. One feature is about transactions within the queue. This means that customers can buy priority using their mobile device, while waiting. Another feature is targeted advertisement and recommendation of products, leading to increased impulsive purchases.

Claims

1. A method on a mobile device to queue up for checkout processing in a retail establishment comprising operating the mobile device to perform steps of:

transmitting a checkout request message;

receiving a queuing message comprising information indicative of a position in a checkout queue;

conducting a queue transaction process with one or more transactors, the queue transaction designating an offered position in the checkout queue and an offered compensation amount;

concluding the queue transaction process with one of the one or more transactors, wherein the offered position becomes a current position in the checkout queue; and

receiving a notification message informing to proceed to a checkout counter, the notification message including an identity of a checkout counter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein conducting a queue transaction process comprises the mobile device sending the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount to the one or more transactors, wherein concluding the queue transaction process comprises receiving an acceptance of the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount from said one of the one or more transactors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein conducting a queue transaction process comprises the mobile device receiving the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation from a first transactor, wherein concluding the queue transaction process comprises sending an acceptance of the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount to the first transactor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more transactors comprise one or more customers in the checkout queue.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more transactors is a retailer of the retail establishment.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating the mobile device to perform a step of receiving information for goods or services offered in the retail establishment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps include the mobile device communicating with a queue management server.

8. The method of claim 1 the queuing information further indicative of a queue wait time.

9. A mobile device comprising a processing unit and a memory, the memory having stored therein executable program code, the executable program code configured to cause the processing unit to:

transmit a checkout request message;

receive a queuing message comprising information indicative of a position in a checkout queue;

conduct a queue transaction process with one or more transactors, the queue transaction designating an offered position in the checkout queue and an offered compensation amount;

conclude the queue transaction process with one of the one or more transactors, wherein the offered position becomes a current position in the checkout queue; and

receive a notification message informing to proceed to a checkout counter, the notification message including an identity of a checkout counter.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the mobile device sends the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount to the one or more transactors and receives an acceptance of the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount from said one of the one or more transactors.

11. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the mobile device receives the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation from a first transactor and sends an acceptance of the offered position in the checkout queue and the offered compensation amount to the first transactor.

12. A method for a virtual checkout queue comprising operating a computer system to perform steps of:

receiving a checkout request from a customer of a retail establishment of a retailer;

assigning the customer to a queue position in a checkout queue;

advancing the customer'"'"'s queue position toward a head of the checkout queue as other customers in the checkout queue are removed therefrom when they are processed at a checkout counter;

informing the customer to proceed to a checkout counter by sending a checkout summons message to the customer when the customer'"'"'s queue position is at the head of the checkout queue;

mediating a queue transaction between the customer and a transactor prior to the customer'"'"'s queue position being at the head of the checkout queue; and

changing the customer'"'"'s queue position in the checkout queue in response to an outcome of a queue transaction between the customer and the transactor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the transactor is another customer of the retail establishment.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the transactor is the retailer.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising a first checkout queue and a second checkout queue, wherein the step assigning the customer to a queue position in a checkout queue comprises:

assigning the customer to a queue position in the first checkout queue if the customer does not satisfy a first predetermined criterion; and

assigning the customer to a queue position in the second checkout queue if the customer does satisfy the first predetermined criterion.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising a first checkout queue and a second checkout queue, wherein the step assigning the customer to a queue position in a checkout queue comprises assigning the customer to a queue position in the first checkout queue, the method further comprising subsequently assigning the customer to a queue position in the second checkout queue.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising activating at least an additional checkout counter if a number of customers in the checkout queue increases beyond a first predetermined value, and deactivating a checkout counter if a number of customers in the checkout queue falls below a second predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving location information indicative of a location of the customer in the retail establishment and sending one or more messages relating to the sale of goods or services which are selected based on the location information and the customers queue position in the checkout queue.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more messages include offers for goods in proximity of the customer.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more messages include coupons for goods in proximity of the customer.