Searching Digital Receipts At A Mobile Device

• US 20140188648A1
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Argue, Stuart, Marcar, Anthony Emile
• Application Number:
  US13/730,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/047 using payment protocols involving electronic receipts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for searching digital receipts at a mobile device. A customer mobile device receives and stores one or more digital receipts. The one or more digital receipts correspond to transactions conducted with a merchant. A user captures an image (e.g., a barcode scan, picture, etc.) from or of an item. Search criteria (e.g., barcode data, item characteristics, etc.) are derived from the captured image. The search criteria are used to search digital receipts stored at the customer mobile device for instances of the item. One or more instances of the item are identified from among the stored digital receipts. The one or more instances of the item are presented at a display.

Claims

1. At a mobile device of a customer, the mobile having a processor, system memory, a camera, and a display, a method of searching digital receipts, the method comprising:

receiving a digital receipt search request, the digital receipt search request for digital receipts corresponding to the mobile device, the digital receipt search request including item characteristics for an item, the item characteristics derived from a picture or video of the item;

accessing one or more digital receipts from a receipt database, each of the one of more digital receipts;

corresponding to a transaction at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system; and

containing item data for items purchased during the transaction;

using the item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts;

returning the one or more instances of the item as satisfying the digital receipt search request; and

presenting the one or more instances of the item at the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a digital receipt search request comprises receiving user input at one or more user interface controls presented on a user interface at the display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein presenting the one or more instances of the item at the display comprises presenting a portion of a digital receipt on the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the camera to photograph the item; and

generating the picture from the photograph of the item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the camera to record the item; and

generating the video from the recording of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts comprises:

deriving item characteristics of the item from the picture or video; and

matching the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein deriving item characteristics of the item from the picture or video comprises deriving barcode data for the item;

and

wherein matching the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item comprises matching the barcode data to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to receiving the digital receipt search request:

requesting a digital receipt update from a receipt data sever;

receiving one or more digital receipts from the receipt data server; and

storing the one or more digital receipts locally at the mobile device.

9. A computer program product for use at a mobile device of a customer, the mobile device having a camera and a display, the computer program product for implementing a method of searching digital receipts, the computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the mobile device to perform the method, including the following:

receive a digital receipt search request, the digital receipt search request for digital receipts corresponding to the mobile device, the digital receipt search request including item characteristics for an item, the item characteristics derived from a picture or video of the item;

access one or more digital receipts from a receipt database, each of the one of more digital receipts;

corresponding to a transaction at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system; and

containing item data for items purchased during the transaction;

use the item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts;

return the one or more instances of the item as satisfying the digital receipt search request; and

present the one or more instances of the item at the display.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to receive a digital receipt search request comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to receive user input at one or more user interface controls presented on a user interface at the display.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to present the one or more instances of the item at the display comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to present a portion of a digital receipt on the user interface.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to:

use the camera to photograph the item; and

generate the picture from the photograph of the item.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to use the item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to:

derive item characteristics of the item from the picture or video; and

match the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to derive item characteristics of the item from the picture or video comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to derive barcode data for the item;

and

wherein computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to match the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item comprise computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to match the barcode data to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to prior to receiving the digital receipt search request:

request a digital receipt update from a receipt data sever;

receive one or more digital receipts from the receipt data server; and

store the one or more digital receipts locally at the mobile device.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, furthering comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the mobile device to cache the search criteria for use in subsequent digital receipt searches.

17. A computer system having a processor, system memory, and a display, the computer system comprising:

a communication module configured to request and receive digital receipts from a receipt data server, wherein digital receipts are associated with an application identifier, each digital receipt containing item data for one or more items purchased in a transaction;

a storage module for storing digital receipts;

a receipt management module configured to;

present user interface controls; and

receive search criteria for searching the stored digital receipts in response to selection of user interface controls, the search criteria including item characteristics for an item, the item characteristics derived from a picture or video of the item;

a search module, the search module configured to;

access one or more digital receipts from a receipt database, each of the one of more digital receipts;

corresponding to a transaction at a Point-Of-Sale (POS) system; and

containing item data for items purchased during the transaction;

use the item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts; and

return the one or more instances of the item as satisfying the digital receipt search request; and

wherein the receipt management module is further configured to present the one or more instances of the item at the display.

18. The computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein the search module being configured to use the item characteristics to identify one or more instances of the item from among the one or more accessed digital receipts comprises the search module being configured to:

derive item characteristics of the item from the picture; and

match the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.

19. The computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein the search module being configured to derive item characteristics of the item from the picture or video comprises the search module being configured to derive barcode data from the picture or video.

20. The computer system as recited in claim 19, wherein the search module being configured to match the item characteristics to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item comprises the search module being configured to match the barcode data to a portion of contained item data for each of the one or more instances of the item.