Cart return loyalty credit system

• US 6,486,768 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1998
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carttronics LLC (Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Carttronics LLC (Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: French, John R., Witham, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIMIZU, MATSUICHIRO
• Application Number:
  US09/153,912
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.92, 194/211, 194/213, 194/905, 705/26, 705/14, 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 340/5.92
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0636 in which the trolleys or carts are kept in a restricted zone such as a coral-like enclosure, or are passing a gate before use is possible
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0681 in which a card, pay-card or card-like object is used as the special token required to get permission or activate the lock to use the trolley or cart
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 194/905 Shopping cart return

Abstract

A system and method for providing an incentive to a cutomer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location. The cart return location, such as a cart corral, has a plurality of detection loops at an entrance to the corral. The system detects a change in inductance of the loops when a cart is returned to the cart corral and generates a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, in response to the change of inductance. The system determines wheather a cart is being removed from or returned to the cart corral by use of the multiple detection loops. Visual and/or audible feedback indicative of an action may be provided to the customer.

Claims

1. A cart return system for use by a store utilizing a computer, the system comprising:

a detection loop arranged at the entrance to a cart return location;

a loop oscillator circuit connected to the detection loop, wherein a frequency is influenced by moving a cart proximate to the detection loop; and

a processing circuit, connected to the loop oscillator circuit, being capable of detecting a change in inductance of the loop and identifying a cart return condition in response to the loop oscillator circuit, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to provide a customer identification code to the computer, wherein the customer identification code is unique to each customer and which is input to the system by the customer.

2. The cart return system defined in claim 1, additionally comprising another detection loop and another loop oscillator circuit so as to detect a direction of a cart in the entrance to the cart return location.

3. The cart return system defined in claim 1, wherein the processing circuit includes a control circuit detecting a change in inductance of the loop so as to specify a cart detected condition in response to the loop oscillator circuit.

4. The cart return system defined in claim 3, wherein the processing circuit includes a processor identifying the cart return condition in response to the control circuit.

5. The cart return system defined in claim 4, wherein the control circuit comprises a first microcontroller and the processor comprises a second microcontroller.

6. The cart return system defined in claim 1, wherein the processing circuit includes a customer identification device that provides the customer identification code responsive to the cart return condition.

7. The cart return system defined in claim 6, wherein the customer identification device is a card reader.

8. The cart return system defined in claim 7, wherein a customer identification card may be swiped in the card reader.

9. The cart return system defined in claim 1, wherein the customer identification code corresponds to a customer who returns a shopping cart to the cart return location.

10. A method of providing an incentive for a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location having a detection loop at the entrance to the cart return location, the method comprising:

detecting a change in inductance of the loop when a cart is moved proximate to the detection loop;

generating a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, responsive to the change of inductance;

inputting a customer identification code proximal in time to the cart return signal, wherein the customer identification code is unique to each customer; and

sending the customer identification code to a computer.

11. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the customer identification code is obtained from a customer identification card.

12. The method defined in claim 10, additionally comprising generating a signal indicative of a cart return status.

13. The method defined in claim 12, additionally comprising activating an indicator responsive to the signal indicative of the cart return status.

14. The method defined in claim 10, additionally comprising generating a signal indicative of an acknowledgment by the computer.

15. The method defined in claim 14, additionally comprising activating an indicator responsive to the signal indicative of the acknowledgment by the computer.

16. The method defined in claim 10, additionally comprising updating a customer loyalty database indexed by the customer identification code with a prespecified number of points associated with a cart return.

17. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the sending comprises wireless signaling between the cart return location and the computer.

18. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the sending comprises wired signaling between the cart return location and the computer.

19. A cart return system, comprising:

a detection loop arranged at the entrance to a cart return location;

a loop oscillator circuit connected to the detection loop, wherein a frequency is influenced by moving a cart proximate to the detection loop; and

a processing circuit, being capable of detecting a change in inductance of the loop and identifying a cart return condition in response to the loop oscillator circuit, wherein the processing circuit is adapted to provide a customer identification code, wherein the customer identification code is unique to each customer and which is input to the system by the customer.

20. The cart return system defined in claim 19, additionally comprising another detection loop and another loop oscillator circuit so as to detect a direction of a cart in the entrance to the cart return location.

21. The cart return system defined in claim 19, wherein the processing circuit includes a control circuit detecting a change in inductance of the loop so as to specify a cart detected condition in response to the loop oscillator circuit.

22. The cart return system defined in claim 21, wherein the processing circuit includes a processor identifying the cart return condition in response to the control circuit.

23. The cart return system defined in claim 22, wherein the control circuit comprises a first microcontroller and the processor comprises a second microcontroller.

24. The cart return system defined in claim 19, wherein the processing circuit includes a customer identification device that provides the customer identification code responsive to the cart return condition.

25. The cart return system defined in claim 24, wherein the customer identification device is a card reader.

26. The cart return system defined in claim 25, wherein a customer identification card may be swiped in the card reader.

27. The cart return system defined in claim 19, wherein the customer identification code corresponds to a customer who returns a shopping cart to the cart return location.

28. The cart return system defined in claim 19, wherein the processing circuit is connected to a computer affiliated with a store and provides the customer identification code via the connection.

29. The cart return system defined in claim 19, wherein the customer identification code is stored in a memory connected to the processing circuit.

30. The cart return system defined in claim 29, wherein the memory is integrated into the processing circuit.

31. A method of providing an incentive for a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location having a detection loop at the entrance to the cart return location, the method comprising:

detecting a change in inductance of the loop when a cart is moved proximate to the detection loop;

generating a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, responsive to the change of inductance;

inputting a customer identification code proximal in time to the cart return signal, wherein the customer identification code is unique to each customer; and

storing the customer identification code in a memory.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the customer identification code is obtained from a customer identification card.

33. The method defined in claim 31, additionally comprising generating a signal indicative of a cart return status.

34. The method defined in claim 33, additionally comprising activating an indicator responsive to the signal indicative of the cart return status.

35. The method defined in claim 31, additionally comprising updating a customer loyalty database indexed by the customer identification code with a prespecified number of points associated with a cart return.

36. The method defined in claim 31, additionally comprising storing the customer identification code in a computer affiliated with the store.

37. The method defined in claim 36, additionally comprising generating a signal indicative of an acknowledgment by the computer.

38. The method defined in claim 37, additionally comprising activating an indicator responsive to the signal indicative of the acknowledgment by the computer.

39. The method defined in claim 36, wherein storing the customer identification code in the computer comprises wireless signaling between the cart return location and the computer.

40. The method defined in claim 36, wherein storing the customer identification code in the computer comprises wired signaling between the cart return location and the computer.

41. A system of providing an incentive for a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location having a detection loop at the entrance to the cart return location, the system comprising:

means for detecting a change in inductance of the loop when a cart is moved proximate to the detection loop;

means for generating a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, responsive to the change of inductance;

means for inputting a customer identification code proximal in time to the cart return signal, wherein the customer identification code is unique to each customer; and

means for storing the customer identification code.

42. A method of providing an incentive for a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location having a detection loop at the entrance to the cart return location, the method comprising:

detecting a change in inductance of the loop;

generating a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, responsive to the change of inductance;

obtaining a customer identification code proximal in time to the cart return signal;

sending the customer identification code to a computer; and

updating a customer loyalty database indexed by the customer identification code with a prespecified number of points associated with a cart return.

43. A method of providing an incentive for a customer of a store to return a shopping cart to a cart return location having a detection loop at the entrance to the cart return location, the method comprising:

detecting a change in inductance of the loop;

generating a cart return signal, which is indicative of a returned cart, responsive to the change of inductance;

obtaining a customer identification code proximal in time to the cart return signal;

storing the customer identification code in a memory; and

updating a customer loyalty database indexed by the customer identification code with a prespecified number of points associated with a cart return.