Method and system of broadcasting item location

• US 6,986,463 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ludtke, Harold A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US10/014,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/378, 235/381, 235/383, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for locating items includes broadcasting the descriptions of multiple product and their locations to remote devices. Preferably, the remote device compares the broadcasted products with pre-stored products, and displays any matches.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

broadcasting a site signal within a site representing a plurality of item records associated with a plurality of items within the site, each said item record comprising item identifier information and item location information, said item identifier information describing said items and said item location information describing the location of said items within the site;

receiving the site signal at a remote device within the site;

using the remote device to compare at least some of the item identifier information in the site signal with user selected item information stored on the remote device; and

displaying to a user the item identifier and item location information that match the user selected item information based on the comparison,

wherein the site signal includes a first broadcasted signal, the first broadcasted signal including the item identifier information and at least some of the item location information, and a second broadcasted signal, the second broadcasted signal relating to one or more of the matched items and being broadcast at a point proximate to the location of the matched item within the site.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the site is a building, the items comprise products within the building, and the site signal is broadcasted from a location within the building.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of broadcasting occurs after the user selected item information is stored in the remote device.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the step of ordering the displayed item identifier and location information based on the item location information transmitted with the site signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the remote device is a personal data assistant.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of broadcasting a site signal is repeated.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of broadcasting comprises broadcasting the signal repetitively regardless of whether said remote device is present at said site.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first signal broadcast range is greater than the second signal broadcast range.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the second signal is generated by a near-field wireless transmitter.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the second signal is generated by a wireless LAN transmitter.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second signal identifies a class to which the matched item belongs.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second signal identifies the matched item.

13. The method of claim 1 further including displaying a notification to the user that the matched item is associated with a coupon stored in the portable device.

14. A system, comprising:

a store transmitter broadcasting information associated with a plurality of products located within the store, the information including product identifier information describing the products and product location information relating to a location of such products within the store,

a plurality of product transmitters each broadcasting identity information of a product or class of products, a location of the product transmitter being associated with the location of the product or class of products, and

a portable device including a broadcast receiver, a memory containing a list of products desired by a user, and a processor capable of executing actions in response to program instructions, the actions including;

receiving the information broadcast by the store transmitter;

selecting at least one of the products or classes by comparing the information broadcast by the store transmitter with the list of products stored in the memory;

receiving the identity information broadcast by the product transmitter associated with selected product or class; and

based on the strength of the product transmitter signal, providing an indication on the remote device that the device is at a location proximate to selected product or class.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein each product transmitter transmits a signal indicative of its associated product or class.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the product transmitters transmit at the same bandwidth and the signal indicates the product or class by transmitting an identifier unique to the product or class.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the store transmitter is located within the store and transmits a signal sufficient to reach the interior of the store.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the store transmitter is located near the entrance of the store.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system further comprises a plurality of local transmitters disposed at locations within the store;

each product transmitter is located near the product and transmits information relating to the product and a location of the product within the store, and each product transmitter determines the location of the product based on a signal from one or more of the a local transmitters;

the system further comprises a central receiver receiving the product and location information from the product transmitters; and

the system further comprises a central transmitter transmitting information relating to the plurality of products and their locations received by the central receiver.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein each product transmitter determines the location of the product based on a signal from a plurality of local transmitters.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein each product transmitter determines the location of the product based on the signal strength of a plurality of local transmitters.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the signal of each local transmitter includes information identifying the local transmitter.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the signal of each local transmitter includes information identifying the location of the local transmitter.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the product transmitters comprise wireless-LAN transmitters.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the local transmitter broadcasts the position of the local transmitter on a shelf of products.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the portable device is operable to receive the information from the central transmitter and to display at least one of the products associated with the information.