Shopping system and method

• US 7,156,303 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Holzman, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/947,699
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/378, 235/380, 235/487, 235/492, 705/16, 705/17, 705/21
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A shopping system and method which reduces resources necessary for completing transactions. The shopping system includes an item recording computer for recording item identification information associated with an item selected for purchase by a shopper in a store, for recording identifying information about the shopper from an RFID identifier carried by the shopper, and for storing the item identification information in a data file associated with the identifying information of the shopper.

Claims

1. A shopping method comprising

a) recording item identification information associated with an item selected for purchase by a shopper by an item recording computer in a store;

b) recording identifying information about the shopper from an RFID identifier carried by the shopper by the item recording computer;

c) storing the item identification information in a data file associated with the identifying information of the shopper by the item recording computer;

d) recording the identifying information about the shopper from the RFID identifier by a checkout computer;

e) retrieving the item identification information from the data file by the checkout computer; and

f) processing payment for the item from the shopper by the checkout computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) comprises:

f-1) obtaining payment information associated with the shopper from the data file; and

f-2) automatically applying the payment information to the item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data file is located in a server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data file is located in the RFID identifier.

5. A shopping method comprising

a) recording item identification information associated with a plurality of items selected for purchase by a shopper by a number of item recording computers in a store;

b) recording identifying information about the shopper from an RFID identifier carried by the shopper by the item recording computers as the items are recorded;

c) storing the item identification information in a data file associated with the identifying information of the shopper by the item recording computers;

d) retrieving the item identification information from the data file by a checkout computer; and

e) processing payment for the items from the shopper by the checkout computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein step e) comprises:

e-1) processing payment as the items are recorded.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein step e) comprises:

e-1) processing payment after all of the items are recorded.

8. A shopping system comprising:

an item recording computer for recording item identification information associated with an item selected for purchase by a shopper in a store, for recording identifying information about the shopper from an RFID identifier carried by the shopper, and for storing the item identification information in a data file associated with the identifying information of the shopper; and

a checkout computer for recording the identifying information about the shopper from the RFID identifier, for retrieving the item identification information from the data file, and for processing payment for the item from the shopper.

9. A shopping system comprising:

means for identifying an item selected for purchase by a shopper in a store;

an RFID identifier carried by the shopper;

a computer for obtaining item identification information associated with the item from the identifying means, for recording identifying information about the shopper from the RFID identifier, and for storing the item identification information in a data file associated with the identifying information of the shopper; and

a checkout computer for recording the identifying information about the shopper from the RFID identifier, for retrieving the item identification information from the data file, and for processing payment for the item from the shopper.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying means comprises an RFID reader.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying means comprises a bar code reader.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the identifying means comprises a keyboard.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the checkout computer obtains payment information associated with the shopper from the data file, and automatically applies the payment information to the item.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the data file is located in a server.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the data file is located in the RFID identifier.