Retail store configured for bidirectional communication between a plurality of product shelf areas and a plurality of portable cards
First Claim
1. A method of operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store includinga plurality of areas each includinga shelf,a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, anda respective interface with an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, and a battery, the interface being supported by the shelf, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units,the method comprising the steps, performed for each interface, of:
- recording a respective first signal, in the interface, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface;
detecting, in the interface, a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting step being performed after the recording step; and
sending the recorded first signal through the interface contact to the card detected in the previous step, the sending step being performed while powering the interface from the battery, the sending step being performed for multiple cards per performance of the recording step.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for creating, dispensing, and redeeming electronic discount coupons in a store. The system includes a "smart card", product stations adjacent to selected products in the store, and a checkout station in the checkout area. To create an electronic coupon, the customer inserts the card into the product station adjacent to an product the customer wishes to purchase, and the product station then writes an electronic coupon onto the card. The customer thus shops throughout the store collecting electronic coupons for products of interest. Upon completion of shopping, the customer redeems the electronic coupons at the checkout area, by inserting the card into the checkout station. During checkout, when UPC data snatches data stored on the card, the customer is credited with the value of the corresponding coupon. Periodically, the electronic coupon data is transferred to a remote clearing house.
98 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a plurality of areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, and a respective interface with an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, and a battery, the interface being supported by the shelf, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, the method comprising the steps, performed for each interface, of: -
recording a respective first signal, in the interface, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface; detecting, in the interface, a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting step being performed after the recording step; and sending the recorded first signal through the interface contact to the card detected in the previous step, the sending step being performed while powering the interface from the battery, the sending step being performed for multiple cards per performance of the recording step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for operating with a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, and a store having a plurality of areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, the system comprising:
- a plurality of interfaces, each interface supported by the shelf of one of the areas in the store, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including
an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, a storage device that stores a respective first signal, the first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface, a writer that writes the respective first signal into the storage device, a detector that detects, at a time when the respective first signal is in the storage device, a card in the plurality of cards, a sender that sends a signal through the interface contact to a card detected by the detector, the sender being responsive to the detector, the sender being activated for multiple cards per activation of the writer, and a battery for powering the sender. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a plurality of interfaces, each interface supported by the shelf of one of the areas in the store, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including
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12. A method of operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a plurality of first areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, a respective interface with an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, and a battery, the interface being supported by the shelf, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, and a checkout area including an electromagnetic detector, spatially removed from the plurality of first areas, the method comprising the steps, performed for each interface, of: -
recording a respective first signal, in the interface, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface; detecting, in the interface, a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting step being performed after the recording step; sending the recorded first signal through the interface contact to the card detected in the previous step, the sending step being performed while powering the interface from the battery, the sending step being performed for multiple cards per performance of the recording step, and further comprising the steps, performed after the cards, in the plurality of cards, is carried to the checkout area, of receiving, in a computer, signals corresponding to pricing information from the memory of the card, in the plurality of cards, carried to the checkout area; generating, in the electromagnetic detector, a second signal corresponding to a product; receiving, in the computer, the second signal; and determining, in the computer, a price depending on whether the second signal corresponds to one of the received signals corresponding to pricing information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for operating with a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, and a store having a plurality of first areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, and a checkout area, spatially removed from the plurality of first areas, the system comprising:
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a plurality of interfaces, each interface supported by the shelf of one of the areas in the store, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, a storage device that stores a respective first signal, the first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface, a writer that writes the respective first signal into the storage device, a detector that detects, at a time when the respective first signal is in the storage device, a card in the plurality of cards, a sender that sends a signal through the interface contact to a card detected by the detector, the sender being responsive to the detector, the sender being activated for multiple cards per activation of the writer, a battery for powering the sender; and the following elements, located in the checkout area; a receiver for receiving signals corresponding to pricing information from the memory of the card, in the plurality of cards; an electromagnetic detector for generating a second signal corresponding to a product; a receiver for receiving the second signal; and a price determiner for determining a price depending on whether the second signal corresponds to one of the received signals corresponding to pricing information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a plurality of areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, the system comprising: a plurality of interfaces, each interface supported by the shelf of one of the areas, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards; means for recording a respective first signal, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface; means for detecting a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting means being activated after the recording means; means for sending, responsive to the detecting means, the recorded first signal through the interface contact to a card detected by the detecting means, the sending means being activated after the detecting means, the sending means being activated for multiple cards per activation of the recording means; and a battery for powering the means for sending. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system of operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a plurality of first areas each including a shelf, a plurality of units of a respective product, the plurality of units being on the shelf, the plurality of units having a common symbol different than a symbol of units of another product, a checkout area including an electromagnetic detector, spatially removed from the plurality of first areas, the system comprising: -
a plurality of interfaces, each interface supported by the shelf of one of the first area, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including an interface contact for touching a card in the plurality of cards, means for recording a respective first signal, the respective first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface, means for detecting a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting means being activated after the recording means, means for sending, responsive to the detecting means, the recorded first signal from the interface contact to a card detected by the detecting means, the sending means being activated after the detecting means, the sending means being activated for multiple cards per activation of the recording means; and a battery for powering the means for sending; means for receiving, in a computer, signals corresponding to pricing information from the memory of the card, in the plurality of cards, carried to the checkout area; means for generating, in the electromagnetic detector, a second signal corresponding to a product; means for receiving, in the computer, the second signal; and a price determiner for determining a price depending on whether the second signal corresponds to one of the received signals corresponding to pricing information. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification