Method and apparatus for a product information interface utilizing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology

• US 7,423,525 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Bandy, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/190,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.9, 340/505, 340/5.91, 340/5.92
• US Class Current: 340/505
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses to improve an interface between customers and products in warehouse, shopping, and additional environments, including an improved interface with items associated with RFID tags, are described. In an aspect, a product database associated with a merchant is downloaded from a computer system into a mobile device. The downloaded product database is stored. A user interacts with data of the downloaded product database on the mobile device. In a further aspect, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is read by the mobile device to determine an identification number corresponding to the RFID tag. The identification number of the RFID tag is transmitted to the computer system. A response from the computer system is received that includes information regarding an item associated with the RFID tag.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

at least one antenna;

a storage device;

a user interface;

a communications module coupled to said at least one antenna, wherein the communications module is configured to download a product database from a computer system of a merchant through the at least one antenna upon interaction by a user with the user interface; and

a reader module coupled to said at least one antenna configured to read a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag to determine an identification number corresponding to the RFID tag;

wherein the product database includes data associated with items on sale by the merchant;

wherein the storage device stores the downloaded product database; and

wherein the user interface enables display of data from the downloaded product database.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the identification number of the RFID tag to the computer system, and to receive a response from the computer system that includes information regarding an item associated with the RFID tag.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the user interface enables display of the received information.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the user interface enables a user of the mobile device to input an information request to the mobile device regarding an item;

wherein the communications module is further configured to transmit the information request to the computer system, and to receive a response from the computer system that includes item information regarding the information request; and

wherein the user interface enables the display of the received item information.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the item information includes at least one of price data for the item, special price data for the user regarding the item, alternate configurations for the item, specification data for the item, performance data for the item, location data regarding the item in a store of the merchant, and availability data for the item.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the communications module comprises a network interface module coupled to the at least one antenna.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the user interface enables a user of the mobile device to search a network for an item through the network interface module, wherein the user interface enables the user to select an entity that has the item.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the user interface enables the user to select an entity that has the item to notify the selected entity that the user desires the item.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the communications module is further configured to receive a phone call from the selected entity, and to transmit an identification number associated with the item to the selected entity during the phone call.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the communications module is further configured to download information from the computer system regarding a location of the item in a store associated with the merchant.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a cell phone, a mobile hand-held computer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

12. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag is associated with an item.

13. A method for enhanced shopping by a user, comprising:

(a) downloading a product database associated with a merchant from a computer system into a mobile device;

(b) storing the downloaded product database;

(c) enabling a user to interact with data of the downloaded product database on the mobile device to provide to the user information regarding at least one item on sale by the merchant; and

(d) reading a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with the mobile device to determine an identification number corresponding to the RFID tag.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(e) transmitting the identification number of the RFID tag to the computer system; and

(f) receiving a response from the computer system that includes information regarding an item associated with the RFID tag.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(g) displaying the received information on the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein step (a) comprises:

enabling a user to interact with a user interface of the mobile device to initiate the downloading.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(d) enabling the user to input an information request to the mobile device regarding an item;

(e) transmitting the information request to the computer system;

(f) receiving a response from the computer system that includes item information regarding the information request; and

(g) displaying the received item information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (f) comprises

receiving the item information that includes at least one of price data for the item, special price data for the user regarding the item, alternate configurations for the item, specification data for the item, performance data for the item, location data regarding the item in a store of the merchant, and availability data for the item.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(d) enabling the user to interact with the mobile device to search a network for an item; and

(e) enabling the user to select an entity that has the item.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein step (e) comprises:

enabling the user to select the entity that has the item to notify the selected entity that the user desires the item.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

(f) receiving a phone call from the selected entity; and

(g) transmitting an identification number associated with the item to the selected entity during the phone call.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

(f) downloading information from the computer system regarding a location of the item in a store associated with the merchant.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(d) prior to step (a), entering a store of the merchant with the mobile device.

24. A mobile device, comprising:

at least one antenna;

a storage device;

a user interface;

a reader module coupled to said at least one antenna configured to read a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with an item in a store of a merchant to determine an identification number corresponding to the RFID tag; and

a communications module coupled to said at least one antenna, wherein the communications module is configured to transmit the identification number of the RFID tag to a computer system of the merchant through the at least one antenna upon interaction by a user with the user interface, and to receive a response from the computer system that includes information regarding the item;

wherein the storage device stores the received information;

wherein the user interface enables display of the received information.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the mobile device is a cell phone, a mobile hand-held computer, or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the received information includes at least one of price data for the item, special price data for the user regarding the item, alternate configurations for the item, specification data for the item, and performance data for the item.

27. A method for enhanced shopping by a user, comprising:

(a) reading with a mobile device a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with an item in the store of a merchant to determine an identification number corresponding to the RFID tag;

(b) transmitting the identification number of the RFID tag from the mobile device to a computer system associated with the merchant;

(c) receiving a response that includes information regarding the item at the mobile device from the computer system; and

(d) enabling a user to interact with the received information on the mobile device to provide to the user information regarding the item.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein step (c) comprises:

receiving the information that includes at least one of price data for the item, special price data for the user regarding the item, alternate configurations for the item, specification data for the item, and performance data for the item.