Methods and systems for receipt management and price comparison

• US 7,792,709 B1
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Brahm, David S. Trandal
• Original Assignee: David Brahm, David S. Trandal
• Inventors: Trandal, David S., Brahm, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Haq; Naeem
• Application Number:
  US12/247,511
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The present invention relates to shopping assistance solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for maintaining purchase records, creating shopping lists, and comparing merchant pricing. The user experience in performing shopping functions is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.

Claims

1. A method of processing user transactions in a data network comprising:

receiving at a user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a first list of purchased items purchased from a first merchant by a first user wherein the first list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the first list of purchased items purchased from the first merchant by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a second list of purchased items purchased from a second merchant by the first user wherein the second list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the second list of purchased items purchased from the second merchant by the first user;

providing by the user transaction processing system, a first list of items to be purchased generation instruction to the first user prior to receiving the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction from the first user wherein the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction directs the first user regarding how to provide the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction;

receiving at the user transaction processing system, the generation instruction from the first user;

generating by a user transaction processing system computing device, a first list of items to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the recorded first and second lists of purchased items by the first user;

transmitting over the data network to the first user, the first list of items to be purchased by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by a second user wherein the third list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by the second user;

comparing by the computing device, transaction information for items on the first list of items to be purchased by the first user wherein the comparison is based at least in part on the third list of purchased items;

generating by the computing device, a second list of items to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the comparison wherein the second list includes one or more merchant identifiers for each item;

and, transmitting from the computing device to the first user over the data network, the second list of items to be purchased by the first user.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first list of purchased items is received from the first merchant'"'"'s stored customer purchase transactions associated with the first user.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the generation of the first list of items to be purchased is based at least in part on repeat items purchased.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising notifying the first user by the user computing device when previously out-of-stock items become in-stock at the first or second merchants.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising selecting by the computing device which merchants to include in the transaction information comparison based at least in part on the first user'"'"'s location.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the first user'"'"'s location is determined based at least in part on the user'"'"'s GPS coordinates.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising specifying by the first user which merchants to include in the transaction information comparison based at least in part on one or more locations wherein the one or more specified locations may or may not be local to each other.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transaction information comparison includes discounts the first user could receive as a member of the merchant'"'"'s customer loyalty program.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transaction information comparison includes rewards points the first user could receive as a member of the merchant'"'"'s customer loyalty program.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transaction information comparison includes travel costs the first user would incur to travel to the merchant.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transaction information comparison includes travel and shopping time the first user would incur to travel and shop at the merchant.

12. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the third list of purchased items is received from the associated merchant'"'"'s stored customer transactions associated with the second user.

13. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the merchant identifiers is the identifier for the operator of the user transaction processing system.

14. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the merchant identifiers is the identifier for a preferred provider of the user transaction processing system.

15. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the merchant identifier'"'"'s is the identifier for a merchant that delivers the item to be purchased to the first user.

16. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein one of the merchant identifiers is the identifier for a merchant that ships the item to be purchased to the first user.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second user is a plurality of users other than the first user.

18. A method of processing user transactions in a data network comprising:

receiving at a user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a first list of purchased items purchased from a first merchant by a first user wherein the first list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the first list of purchased items purchased from the first merchant by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a second list of purchased items purchased from a second merchant by the first user wherein the second list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the second list of purchased items purchased from the second merchant by the first user;

providing by the user transaction processing system, a first list of items to be purchased generation instruction to the first user prior to receiving the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction from the first user wherein the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction directs the first user regarding how to provide the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction;

receiving at the user transaction processing system, the generation instruction from the first user;

generating by a user transaction processing system computing device, a first list of items to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the recorded first and second lists of purchased items by the first user;

transmitting over the data network to the first user, the first list of items to be purchased by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by a second user wherein the third list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by the second user;

comparing by the computing device, transaction information for items on the first list of items to be purchased by the first user wherein the comparison includes item pricing based at least in part on the third list of purchased items;

generating by the computing device, a second list of items to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the comparison wherein the second list includes one or more merchant identifiers for each item;

and, transmitting from the computing device to the first user over the data network the second list of items to be purchased by the first user.

19. A method of processing user transactions in a data network comprising:

receiving at a user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a first list of purchased items purchased from a first merchant by a first user wherein the first list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the first list of purchased items purchased from the first merchant by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a second list of purchased items purchased from a second merchant by the first user wherein the second list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the second list of purchased items purchased from the second merchant by the first user;

providing by the user transaction processing system, a first list of items to be purchased generation instruction to the first user prior to receiving the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction from the first user wherein the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction directs the first user regarding how to provide the first list of items to be purchased generation instruction;

receiving at the user transaction processing system, the generation instruction from the first user;

generating by a user transaction processing system computing device, a first list of items to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the recorded first and second lists of purchased items by the first user;

transmitting over the data network, to the first user the first list of items to be purchased by the first user;

receiving at the user transaction processing system coupled to at least one data network, a third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by a second user wherein the third list of purchased items includes associated item transaction information;

recording in computer readable memory, the third list of purchased items purchased from the first or second merchant by the second user;

comparing by the computing device, transaction information for items on the first list of items to be purchased by the first user wherein the comparison includes item pricing and item availability based at least in part on the third list of purchased items;

generating by the computing device, a second list of items to be purchased to be purchased by the first user based at least in part on the comparison wherein the second list includes one or more merchant identifiers for each item;

and, transmitting from the computing device, to the first user over the data network the second list of items to be purchased by the first user.