SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ENCODING ITEM INFORMATION FROM A SCALE IN A SELF-SERVICE SCANNING SOLUTION

• US 20140262549A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: BROUHARD, Jesse, GRIMES, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,062,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/44 Coding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

This invention relates to a system including a scale that weighs an item placed on the scale and encodes the weight and/or other item information into a machine readable code. The system may include a display that is coupled to the scale and displays the machine readable code. The scale may encode the item in Quick Response (QR) code format, Universal Product Code (UPC) format, and/or other computer-readable format. A mobile device may take a picture of or otherwise scan the machine readable code to determine the weight and/or other information encoded therein. The system may include a wireless transmitter that wirelessly transmits the weight. The mobile device may include a wireless receiver that wirelessly receives the weight transmitted from the scale. The mobile device may execute a self-scan application that uses the de-encoded or otherwise obtained weight for pricing the item based on the weight or other purposes.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a scale configured to weigh an item;

a processor in electrical communication with the scale that encodes at least a weight of the item in a machine readable code; and

a display, electronically connected to the scale, configured to display at least the weight of the item in the machine readable code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a produce item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to encode at least the weight of the item in a Quick Response (QR) code format.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to encode at least the weight of the item in a Universal Product Code (UPC) format.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display is further configured to display at least the weight of the item alphanumerically.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scale further comprises:

a camera configured to capture an image of the item, wherein the processor is further configured to identify the item or a quantity of the item based on the captured image.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the scale is configured to encode the item in a SnapTag, SPARQCode, Touchatag, Aztec Code, MaxiCode, or Semacode format.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to encode a weight, a number of units, a volume, an item name, a unit price, a date of manufacture, a date of expiration, a date of packaging, a geographical location of harvesting, a taxonomic information, a medical use, an alternative use, or a recipe.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive manually inputted item information;

and encode the manually inputted item information in the machine readable format.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is a bulk item.

19. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, manually inputted item information; and

encoding, by the processor, the manually inputted item information.

21. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a configurable setting used to select a particular machine readable code; and

encoding, by the processor, at least the weight of the item based on the configurable setting.

11. A method, comprising:

weighing, by a scale, an item;

encoding, by a processor, at least the weight of the item determined by the scale in a machine readable code; and

displaying, by a display, the machine readable format.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the item is a produce item.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein encoding at least the weight of the item comprises:

encoding, by the processor, the item in a Quick Response (QR) code format.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein encoding at least the weight of the item comprises:

encoding, by the processor, at least the weight of the item in a Universal Product Code (UPC) format.

15. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

displaying, by the display, at least the weight of the item alphanumerically.

16. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

capturing, by a camera, an image of the item; and

identifying, by the processor, at least the item or a quantity of the item using an object recognition facility associated with the scale.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least the weight of the item comprises:

encoding, by the processor, at least the weight of the item in a SnapTag, SPARQCode, Touchatag, Aztec Code, MaxiCode, or Semacode format.

18. The method of claim 11, the method further comprising:

encoding, by the processor, a number of units, a volume, an item name, a unit price, a date of manufacture, a date of expiration, a date of packaging, a geographical location of harvesting, a taxonomic information, a medical use, an alternative use, or a recipe.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the item is a bulk item.

22. A scale, comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine at least a weight of the item;

encode at least the weight of the item in a machine readable format; and

communicate at least the weight of the item in the machine readable format.

23. The scale of claim 22, further comprising:

a display, wherein the processor is configured to communicate at least the weight of the item via the display.

24. The scale of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

communicate at least the weight of the item in the machine readable code via print instructions for printing the encoded weight.

25. The scale of claim 22, further comprising:

a display, wherein the processor is further configured to;

communicate at least the weight of the item via a human readable format via the display.

26. A handheld device, comprising:

an imaging device; and

a processor coupled to the imaging device, the processor configured to;

execute a self-scan program that generates a listing of scanned items;

receive an identification of an item that is to be weighed;

read, via the imaging device, a machine readable code communicated from a scale;

determine at least a weight of the item from the machine readable code; and

add the identification of the item and the weight to the listing of scanned items.