Electronic shopping system having self-scanning price check and purchasing terminal
First Claim
1. An electronic shopping system for use in a retail facility, the electronic shopping system comprising:
- a store platform computer coupled to transmit and receive data over a bi-directional network;
a plurality of individually addressable self-scanning terminals, coupled to bi-directionally communicate with the store platform computer over the network, each individually addressable self-scanning terminal including a barcode scanner and each terminal further having a multiplicity of adaptively configureable operational modes, the terminals operative in a first mode as price check terminals, the terminals adaptively configureable to operate in at least a second mode as a transaction terminal; and
wherein each terminal is configured from the first operational mode to the second operational mode in response to unique customer related information data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic shopping system, communicating between a store computer and a customer assistance terminal, for providing item price information for general customers and effecting item transactions for customers carrying a valid customer identification indicia. The shopping assistance terminal operates as a price check terminal in a default mode and is adaptively reconfigurable to a transaction terminal mode upon receipt of a valid customer identification indicia. A Price Look Up table is maintained in the store data base and, as a product is scanned, the item'"'"'s price is verified and displayed on an integral display screen. If the terminal is configured in the transaction terminal mode, the item data is further added to a transaction list maintained in a memory storage area of a customer ID card.
475 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electronic shopping system for use in a retail facility, the electronic shopping system comprising:
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a store platform computer coupled to transmit and receive data over a bi-directional network;
a plurality of individually addressable self-scanning terminals, coupled to bi-directionally communicate with the store platform computer over the network, each individually addressable self-scanning terminal including a barcode scanner and each terminal further having a multiplicity of adaptively configureable operational modes, the terminals operative in a first mode as price check terminals, the terminals adaptively configureable to operate in at least a second mode as a transaction terminal; and
wherein each terminal is configured from the first operational mode to the second operational mode in response to unique customer related information data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
means for communicating with selected ones of the plurality of individually addressable self-scanning terminals;
at least a memory storage area, the memory storage area holding at least a customer indicia, the customer indicia being communicated to the self-scanning terminals so as to adaptively configure the terminal in response thereto.
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3. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 2, the customer indicia held by the memory storage area comprising a unique customer ID, the ID being read from the memory store by a selected one of the plurality of self-scanning terminals.
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4. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 3, further comprising an item data base, organized to hold store merchandise item entries, each entry characterized by an item indicia associated with a corresponding item price entry.
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5. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 4, the memory storage area further configured to hold customer transaction data entries, each entry relating to a particular merchandise item transaction desired by a customer.
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6. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 5, each self-scanning terminal further comprising transaction means, interfacing with a customer'"'"'s personal memory store, for editing and updating transaction data entries to reflect a current list of a customer'"'"'s transactions.
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7. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 6, the transaction means further for determining whether a particular customer'"'"'s most recent transactions qualify that customer for an incentive award.
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8. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 6, wherein each self-scanning terminal operates by default in the first, price check, mode, each terminal accessing the item data base and returning a price thereof in response to an item'"'"'s barcode being scanned by a customer.
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9. An electronic personal shopping system according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the self-scanning terminals are configured to communicate with the host platform computer over an RF communication network.
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10. In an electronic shopping system for use in a retail facility of the type including a store platform computer configured to transmit and receive data over a communication network, an adaptively configureable customer assistance terminal comprising:
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a scanner configured to read item code data, the terminal transmitting said code data to the platform computer as a customer scans an item;
an individually addressable communication interface circuit, the circuit communicating data between the terminal and the platform computer;
a reader/writer unit for interfacing with a personal memory store;
a display; and
wherein each terminal is operable in a multiplicity of adaptively configureable operational modes, the terminals operable in a first, price check, mode, the terminals adaptively configureable to operate in at least a second mode as a transaction terminal each terminal being configured from the first operational mode to the second operational mode in response to unique customer related information data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic shopping system for use in a retail facility, the electronic shopping system comprising:
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a store platform computer coupled to transmit and receive data over a bi-directional network;
a plurality of individually addressable self-scanning terminals, coupled to bi-directionally communicate with the store platform computer over the network, each individually addressable self-scanning terminal including a barcode scanner and each terminal further having a multiplicity of adaptively configureable operational modes, the terminals operative in a first mode as price check terminals, the terminals adaptively configureable to operate in at least a second mode as a transaction terminal;
means for invoking the first operational mode;
means for receiving a unique customer related information data;
means for determining whether the second operational mode is to be invoked based on the unique customer related information data; and
means for configuring from the first operational mode to the second operational mode if the second operational mode is to be invoked.
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Specification