WEIGHING SCALE SYSTEM

• US 20160138962A1
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: CARTWRIGHT, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 9,891,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/22 Weigh pans or other weighing receptacles; Weighing platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system incorporating a weighing scale in which information is presented to the user based on output of the weighing scale via a portable device and a database.

Claims

1. A system comprising a weighing scale and a store-associated database, characterised in that the system further comprises a portable computer device in communication with the database.

2. System according to claim 1 wherein the portable computer device is additionally in communication with the scale.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein communication between the scale and the portable computer device is achieved via an optical code, or machine-readable text, or a wireless communications protocol.

4. System according to claim 3, wherein communication between the scale and the portable computer device is achieved via an optical code or machine-readable text displayed on a display device comprised in the scale.

5. System according to claim 1 wherein the portable computer device communicates with the store-associated database via a telecommunications network, or an internet connection, or a wireless communications protocol.

6. System according to claim 2 wherein the portable computer device communicates with the store-associated database via the weighing scale.

7. System according to claim 1 further comprising an indoor positioning system.

8. System according to claim 1 wherein the portable computer device is a mobile telephone, tablet computer, laptop, or a computing device worn on the body.

9. System according to claim 1 further comprising a user-associated database.

10. A method of using a system according to claim 1 incorporating the following steps:

a) weighing a product on the scale and inputting data on the type of product into the scale;

b) communicating data based on the weight of product and type of product from the scale to the store-generated database; and

c) communicating data based on the data sent to the store-associated database from the store-associated database to a user of the system;

characterised in that the data of part c) is communicated to the user via the portable computer device.

11. Method according to claim 10 wherein communication of data from the scale to the database occurs via the portable computer device.

12. Method according to claim 10 wherein the data communicated to the user comprises a map.

13. Method according to claim 12 wherein the map comprises an indication of the user'"'"'s position.

14. Method according to claim 10 wherein the data communicated to the user comprises information on products associated with the product weighed.

15. Method according to claim 10 comprising an additional step of accessing and obtaining data from a user-associated database.

16. A method of using a system that includes an in-store weighing scale, a store database and a portable computer device in communication with the store-associated database, the method including the following steps:

weighing a product on the scale and inputting product type data into the scale via a scale input device;

communicating product weight data and product type data for the product from the scale to the store database; and

communicating data based on the product type data and product weight data sent to the store database from the store database to a user of the system via the portable computer device.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein communication of data from the scale to the database occurs via the portable computer device, and the data communicated to the user comprises a map including an indication of the user'"'"'s position.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the data communicated to the user comprises information on products associated with the product weighed.

19. A method according to any of claims 18 comprising an additional step of accessing and obtaining data from a user database.