Personal product locator on store-owned shopping aid

• US 7,010,498 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berstis, Viktors
• Primary Examiner(s): DURAN, ARTHUR D
• Application Number:
  US09/404,398
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/14.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A method for providing a location of products to a customer in a retail environment. A product locator unit is attached to a shopping aid utilized within the retail environment. The product locator unit has an access point for entering a customer ID, a signalling mechanism for alerting the customer to a location of a desired product, and a program algorithm for correctly identifying the desired product. A user specifies a desired product which has been linked to the user'"'"'s customer ID. A signal is transmitted with the product information and location within the retail environment. The signal is received by the product locator unit and the products are compared to the desired products to determine a match and subsequent location of said desired products. The customer is then alerted to the location of the desired product via the signalling mechanism.

Claims

1. A method for providing a location of products to a customer in a retail environment, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching a product locator unit to a shopping aid that is utilized within said retail environment, said product locator unit having an access point for entering a customer ID, a storage location for electronically storing a list of customer desired products, an infra red (IR) receiver that receives IR signals with localized product information at specific locations in which said IR signal is broadcasted, a program algorithm for comparing said localized product information with product identifiers (IDs) of said customer desired products, and, a signaling mechanism for alerting said customer to a location of a desired product, said location being identified by said received IR signal; and

enabling in-shopping signaling to said customer of the presence of a desired product when said customer is in the vicinity of said desired product, wherein said signaling is completed responsive to a (1) receipt of an IR signal at a particular location by the IR receiver of the product locator unit; and

(2) correct matching of the ID of said desired product with said localized product information within said IR signal received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said product locator unit in said attaching step comprises a base unit and a portable unit, said enabling step further comprising:

receiving product signals being projected within said retail environment utilizing a signal sensor of said portable unit; and

transmitting said product signals back to said base unit, wherein said base unit completes the comparison of said product signals with said product IDs of said desired products; and

signaling back to said portable unit when said comparing step results in a match, wherein said customer is immediately alerted via said portable unit of a location of said desired product.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling storage of electronic coupons along with said desired products within said product locator unit; and

providing remote electronic redemption of coupons associated with said desired products during checkout at a checkout register by beaming said coupon information from said product locator to said checkout register when said desired product is scanned at said checkout register.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing a signaling mechanism for projecting said digitized product information within particular areas of said retail environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said enabling step includes the step of printing a report for said customer, said report including a list of desired products and their location.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said portable unit has a tag which identifies the particular shopping aid, said enabling step includes the steps of:

linking said tag to said customer ID following entry of said customer ID in said product locator unit; and

remotely identifying said customer ID to a cash register when said tag is brought towards said cash register, thereby allowing for the application of product discounts associated with said desired products via said customer ID.

20. The method claim 1, wherein said enabling step comprises receiving a download of product IDs and associated electronic coupon data when said customer ID is entered into said product locator unit.

21. The system of claim 6, wherein said product locator unit further comprises means for receiving a download of product IDs and associated electronic coupon data when said customer ID is entered into said product locator unit.

7. A system for providing a location of products to a customer in a retail environment, said system comprising:

a product locator unit that is attachable to a shopping aid utilized within said retail environment, said product locator unit comprising;

an access point for entering a customer ID;

a storage location for storing a list of customer desired products;

an infra red (IR) sensor that receives IR signals with digitized product identification information while said product locator unit is within a location in which said IR signal is being broadcasted;

a program algorithm for deciphering said digitized product identification information and comparing said digitized product identification information with product IDs of said customer desired products for a match; and

means for signaling to said customer that a desired product is within the vicinity of said customer when said program algorithm finds a match; and

means for providing in-shopping product location and coupon redemption services to said customer utilizing said product locator unit, wherein said customer is alerted to the presence of a desired item when that desired item is in the vicinity of said customer.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said product locator unit comprises a base unit and a portable unit, and further comprises:

means for receiving product signals being projected within said retail environment utilizing a signal sensor of said portable unit; and

means for transmitting said product signals back to said base unit, wherein said base unit completes the comparison of said product signals with said product IDs of said desired products; and

means for signaling said portable unit when said comparing results in a match, wherein said customer is immediately alerted via said portable unit of a location of said desired product.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for storing electronic coupon information associated with said desired products;

means for providing remote electronic redemption of coupons/discounts associated with said desired products during checkout at a checkout register by beaming said coupon/discount information from said product locator unit to said checkout register when said desired product is scanned at said checkout register.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising an IR signaling mechanism for projecting product identification information within specific areas of said retail environment.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said product locator unit further comprises a display screen for visually displaying a location of a desired product within the vicinity of said product locator unit.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising means for printing a report for said customer, said report including a list of desired products and their location.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said portable unit has a tag, which identifies the particular shopping aid, said system further comprising:

means for linking said tag to said customer ID following entry of said customer ID in said product locator unit; and

means for remotely identifying said customer ID to a cash register when said tag is brought towards said cash register, thereby allowing for the application of product discounts associated with said desired products via said customer ID.

14. A computer program product for providing a location of products to a customer in a retail environment, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

program instructions on said computer readable medium for;

enabling a product locator unit attached to a shopping aid utilized within said retail environment to identify customer desired products located within a vicinity of the shopping aid, signal that said desired product is located in the vicinity, and remotely redeem electronic coupons for said desired product during checkout by beaming coupon data to a checkout register.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said product locator unit is comprised of a base unit and a portable unit, said program instructions further comprising program instructions for:

receiving product signals being projected within said retail environment as input;

encoding and transmitting said product signals back to said base unit;

comparing said product signals with said desired products to determine a match;

signaling back to said portable unit when said comparing step results in a match; and

in response to said signaling step, alerting said customer via said portable unit of a location of said desired product.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, said product locator having an access point for entering a customer ID, a signaling mechanism for alerting said customer to a location of a desired product, and a program algorithm for correctly identifying said desired product, said program product further comprising program instructions for:

receiving a list of user specified desired products, said desired product being linked to said customer ID;

comparing said desired products to products found in particular locations of said retail environment to determine a location of said desired products; and

signaling to said customer the location of said desired product via said signaling mechanism.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said program instructions further comprises program instructions for receiving a download of coupon data along with product IDs from a database upon entry of said customer ID.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said program instructions for said signalling step includes program instructions for visually displaying a location of a desired product on a display screen of said product locator unit.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said program instructions for said signalling step includes program instructions for printing a report for said customer, said report including a list of desired products and their location.

22. A product locator unit for use within a retail environment, said unit comprising:

connection means for connecting said unit to a shopping aid utilized within said retail environment;

an access point for entering a customer ID;

means for receiving data associated with an electronic list of customer desired products;

a storage location for storing said electronic list of customer desired products;

an infra red (IR) sensor that receives IR signals with digitized product identification information while said product locator unit is within a location in which said IR signal is being broadcasted;

a program algorithm for deciphering said digitized product identification information and comparing said digitized product identification information with product IDs of said customer desired products for a match; and

means for signaling to said customer that a desired product is within the vicinity of said customer when said program algorithm finds a match;

means for receiving and storing electronic coupon information associated with said desired products;

means for providing remote electronic redemption of coupons/discounts associated with said desired products during checkout at a checkout register by beaming said coupon/discount information from said product locator unit to said checkout register when said desired product is scanned at said checkout register.