AUTOMATIC MARKETING SYSTEM

• US 3,716,697 A
• Filed: 05/05/1971
• Issued: 02/13/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley M. Weir
• Original Assignee: Stanley M. Weir
• Inventors: Weir, Stanley M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US05/140,620
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 186/1R,1A,1B 235/91L,61.9R,61.7R,61.7B 340/147A,149,153
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/10 mechanically operated

Abstract

In a self service store, sales display fixtures are provided with means for sensing the weight of articles supported thereon, while card readers are associated with the fixtures to identify customers selecting articles therefrom. Data processing equipment scans the weight sensing means and the card readers while customers are shopping, and upon completion thereof, provides each customer with a printed invoice of the articles selected and the cost of the articles.

Claims

1. An automatic marketing system comprising a plurality of means for supporting articles of merchandise in self service sales display positions;

weight sensing means connected to each of said article support means for translating changes in weight on said article support means into electrical signals;

detecting means associated with each of said weight sensing means for receiving customer identification means and sensing indicia thereon to identify customers at the time articles are placed on or removed from the associated article support means; and

data processing equipment connected with said weight sensing means and said detecting means for recording weight changes produced by article placement or removal by an identified customer and tabulating these data into an invoice.

2. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, wherein each of the weight sensing means has a sensitivity sufficient to determine when one article has been removed from a group of similar articles of uniform weight within the load capacity of the associated article support means.

3. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, wherein each of the weight sensing means has a sensitivity sufficient to determine the actual weight of an article removed from a group of similar articles of random weight within the load capacity of the associateD article support means.

4. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, wherein each of said article support means includes at least one cantilever beam that carries the load of articles of merchandise supported, and each of said weight sensing means includes a strain gage attached to the cantilever beam.

5. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, wherein each of said article support means includes a platform for supporting articles of merchandise, said platform having a downwardly turned peripheral edge, a shelf positioned beneath said platform, cantilever beams for suspending said platform above said shelf, and each of said weight sensing means including strain gages attached to the cantilever beams, said downwardly turned peripheral edge of the platform being spaced above the shelf when no articles are on the platform by a distance equal to a deflection within the elastic limit of the cantilever beams.

6. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1 wherein said customer identification means comprises a card and each of said detecting means comprises a card reader, said system further including a dispenser for distributing an identification card to each customer and indicating to said data processing equipment when each identification card is issued;

and a reclaimer for receiving the identification card from each customer upon completion of shopping and signaling said data processing equipment to prepare an invoice for the customer.

7. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, including an alarm operatively associated with each of the weight sensing means and its associated detecting means to indicate when an article of merchandise has been lifted from the article support means without a customer identification means having been received by the detecting means.

8. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 6, including signal means for indicating that a counterfeit customer-identification card is in use when said data processing equipment detects a card in use without a record of the card having been issued.

9. An automatic marketing system as described in claim 1, including means supporting a bottle rack;

weight sensing means connected to the bottle rack supporting means for translating changes in weight into electrical signals;

detecting means associated with said bottle rack supporting means for receiving said customer identification means and sensing indicia thereon to identify particular customers;

said weight sensing means and said detecting means associated with said bottle rack being connected to said data processing equipment whereby credit is given to a customer'"'"''"'"'s account for bottles inserted into the bottle rack.

10. A method of marketing merchandise comprising the steps of displaying like articles for sale in groups supported by weight-sensitive electric transducers;

identifying each customer selecting articles from each group by customer identification means;

rapidly scanning in sequential order each weight-sensitive electric transducer and any customer identification means associated therewith;

comparing readings received on a current scan with readings received on a prior scan to provide the data required to determine the number of articles removed from each group and the identification of customers removing the articles;

storing data of articles removed by each identified customer in the memory of a computer;

storing price information relative to articles of each group in the memory of the computer;

calculating charges for the number of articles removed from each group and the total charge for all articles removed by each identified customer; and

printing each customer'"'"''"'"'s invoice in accordance with output data from the computer.

11. The method of marketing merchandise according to claim 11 wherein more than one group of like articles are supported by the same weight-sensitive electric transducer and the articles of each group are readily distinguishable by weight;

and identifying The specific article removed by detecting the weight changes on the weight-sensitive electric transducer.