System for purchase check-out arrangement in retail system

• US 7,558,743 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trentsway International Limited
• Original Assignee: Sergey N. Razumov
• Inventors: Razumov, Sergey N.
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/788,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,058 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/7, 705/22
• US Class Current: 705/26.7
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/10 for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property
• 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

Abstract

A novel retail system with a purchase check-out mechanism enabling customers to pick up pre-ordered purchases is provided. The retail system comprises at least one purchase check-out facility having multiple purchase pick-up points, and an assignment arrangement for assigning the purchase pick-up points to the customers. A customer is provided with information identifying a purchase pick-up point assigned to that customer. A request for collecting a purchase pre-ordered by a customer is issued simultaneously with assigning a purchase pick-up point for that customer. The collected purchase is delivered to the assigned purchase pick-up point.

Claims

1. A system for selling goods having multiple purchase obtaining facilities for enabling customers to obtain pre-ordered purchases, comprising:

a storage facility for storing the goods,

an ordering device enabling a customer to place a purchase order, and

a telecommunication system that in response to the purchase order placed by the customer requests an ordered purchase to be delivered from the storage facility to a selected purchase obtaining facility,

the selected purchase obtaining facility comprising;

multiple purchase pick-up points,

a service area keeping purchases delivered from the storage facility,

an identification station receiving identification (ID) data provided by the customer arriving at the selected purchase obtaining facility to obtain the ordered purchase, and

a control system that;

receives the ID data from the identification station,

in response to the ID data received from the identification station, automatically assigns a purchase pick-up point of the multiple purchase pick-up points to the customer,

determines purchase information on the purchase order placed by the customer based on the ID data provided by the customer, and

based on the determined purchase information, issues a request for delivery of the ordered purchase from the service area to the purchase pick-up point assigned to the customer,

wherein the control system automatically releases from assignment to the customer the purchase pick-up point in response to payment by the customer, and assigns the purchase pick-up point to another customer as soon as the purchase pick-up point is released.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification station provides the customer with information identifying the specific purchase pick-up point assigned to the customer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system provides a reference value to compare weight of a purchase held at the service area with the reference value in order to inspect the purchase.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the reference value is determined at the storage facility of the system before delivery of the purchase to said selected purchase obtaining facility.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the purchase pick-up points provides a purchase pick-up arrangement movable within said selected purchase obtaining facility.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an arrangement for delivery a purchase to the customer from the service area is used as said movable purchase pick-up arrangement.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase pick-up point enables the customer to inspect the ordered purchase before the payment is made.