Retail store method and system

• US 7,168,618 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schwartz, Robyn
• Primary Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US10/918,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/462.13, 235/462.08, 235/470, 705/17, 705/20, 705/22, 705/23, 705/29, 348/143, 348/150, 902/6
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip

Abstract

Image capture devices attached to a computer processor are located in a retail store. Items of merchandise for sale are tracked from their display position to a shopping container using optical tracking software. The software is capable of identifying the items and containers optically. A list of items in each container is maintained in a database. A customer may request a listing of items in a cart at any time via a query. At checkout time, there is no need to scan the items.

Claims

1. A method of operating a retail store, comprising the steps of:

providing an image capture device in a retail store having items of merchandise;

identifying a customer shopping container using said image capture device;

using said image capture device to identify one of said items when selected by said customer;

tracking said one of said items using said image capture device from the time selected until said one of said items is placed in said container or returned to a store display shelf;

storing a list of all of said items in a said container in a database; and

displaying said listing in response to a query of said database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said image capture device is operatively connected to a computer processor, said computer processor having access to said database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said image capture device further comprises a plurality of digital imaging cameras positioned about said retail store in a manner to facilitate said tracking.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one of said items has an optical identifier attached thereto.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said database is stored in the operating memory of said computer processor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said listing is continuously updated as said shopper places additional selected items in, or removes previously selected items from said container.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said listing is displayed on a display device attached to said container.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said query is made by a point of sale terminal in said retail store and said listing is displayed on a display device attached to said point of sale terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said query is made by said customer while shopping in said retail store.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said query is made by said customer after leaving said retail store.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said query is made by said customer on a workstation located in a home of said customer.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said query is a query made by said customer on a workstation located in a home of said customer.

12. A system in a retail store for selling items of merchandise, comprising:

an image capture device in said store, operatively coupled to a computer processor;

a shopping container for use by a customer, said container having an optical identification capable of being identified by said image capture device;

means for tracking one of said items when selected by said customer, from the time selected until said item is placed in said container;

means for storing a listing of all of said items in said container in a database; and

means for displaying said listing in response to a query of said database.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said computer processor has access to said database.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said one of said items has an optical identification.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said database is stored in the operating memory of said computer processor.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for storing further comprises means for continuously updating said listing as said customer places additional items in or removes items from said container.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said means for displaying further comprises a display device in communication with said computer processor and attached to said container.

19. A computer program product for instructing a processor to operate a retail store, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instruction means for operating an image capture device in a retail store having items of merchandise;

second program instruction means for identifying a customer shopping container using said image capture device;

third program instruction means for using said image capture device to identify one of said items when selected by said customer;

fourth program instruction means for tracking said one of said items using said image capture device from the time selected until said one of said items is placed in said container or returned to a store display shelf;

fifth program instruction means for storing a listing of all of said items in said container in a database; and

sixth program instruction means for displaying said listing in response to a query of said database, and wherein

all said program instructions means are recorded on said medium.

20. A computer system for selling items of merchandise in a retail store, said system comprising:

an image capture device in said store, operatively coupled to a computer processor;

means for identifying a shopping container for use by a customer, said container having an optical identification capable of being identified by said image capture device;

means for tracking one of said items when selected by said customer, from the time selected until said item is placed in said container;

means for storing a listing of all of said items in said container in a database;

means for displaying said listing in response to a query of said database; and

A multimedia display attached to said computer processor, for showing images based on said items in said container.