Systems and methods for providing information to a customer

• US 7,825,343 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Invatron Systems Corp.
• Original Assignee: Invatron Systems Corp.
• Inventors: Doerwald, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US12/117,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20080277168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 177/4, 177/5, 177/25.15, 235/383, 705/14.38, 705/414, 705/415, 705/416
• US Class Current: 177/25.15
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0072 with means for detecting the weight of the article of which the code is read, for the verification of the registration weighing combined with recording means, e.g. in weighing scale, G01G19/415

Abstract

Described embodiments relate to systems and methods for providing information to a customer. A weigh station has an input module for receiving a product identifier corresponding to a product and a scale for weighing the product. A storage module stores product information for a plurality of products. An information retrieval module identifies a related information profile from the product information based on the product identifier. An interactive customer display displays visual information based on the related information profile to the customer, which includes a plurality of customer-selectable items. The interactive customer display includes a customer-operated input module operable by the customer to select a selected item from the plurality of customer-selectable items.

Claims

1. A system for providing information to a customer, the system comprising:

a weigh station, the weigh station comprising an input module for receiving a product identifier corresponding to a product and a scale for weighing the product;

a storage module for storing product information for a plurality of products;

an information retrieval module for identifying a related information profile from the product information based on the product identifier, the information retrieval module being linked for communication to the input module and to the storage module; and

an interactive customer display for displaying visual information based on the related information profile to the customer, the interactive customer display being linked for communication to the information retrieval module to receive the related information profile, wherein the visual information comprises a plurality of customer-selectable items, and the interactive customer display comprises a customer-operated input module operable by the customer to select a selected item from the plurality of customer-selectable items.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the customer-operated input module comprises an active portion of the interactive customer display, the active portion being touchable by the customer to select the selected item from the plurality of customer-selectable items.

3. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the interactive customer display and the weigh station are located in a store;

the product information comprises an inventory list for identifying a plurality of store products, each store product being available in the store; and

each customer-selectable item in the plurality of customer-selectable items identifies at least one store product in the plurality of store products.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein for each customer-selectable item in the plurality of customer-selectable items, the at least one store product identified differs from the product.

5. The system as defined in claim 3 further comprising a customer printer module for printing a customer-selected print item based on the selected item, the customer printer module being linked for communication to the interactive customer display.

6. The system as defined in claim 3 further comprising a point of sale station for purchasing the product, wherein, for each customer-selectable item in the plurality of customer-selectable items

the customer-selected print item comprises a discount code for specifying a discount for the at least one store product identified by the customer-selectable item;

and,

the point of sale station comprises a scanner for scanning the discount code and a price calculation module for calculating a total purchase price based on a price of the product and the at least one store product less the discount, wherein the scanner is linked for communication to the price calculation module.

7. The system as defined in claim 3 further comprising a point of sale station for purchasing the product, wherein, for each customer-selectable item in the plurality of customer-selectable items

the customer-selectable item specifies a discount for the at least one store product identified by the customer-selectable item;

and,

the point of sale station comprises a price calculation module for calculating a total purchase price based on a price of the product and the at least one store product less the discount, wherein the price calculation module is linked for communication with the interactive customer display.

8. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein

each store product in the plurality of store products is located at an associated location in the store;

the product information comprises store product location information for indicating the associated location for each store product in the plurality of store products; and

,

for each customer-selectable item in the plurality of customer-selectable items, at least one of the interactive customer display and the customer-selectable print item is configured to identify the associated location in the store of the at least one store product.

9. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a customer session controller operable by an operator for indicating when a customer session begins and ends; and

a disabling module for rendering the selected item from the plurality of customer-selectable items no longer selectable by the customer for printing during the customer session.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a customer session controller operable by an operator for indicating when a customer session begins and ends; and

a disabling module for rendering the plurality of customer-selectable items no longer selectable by the customer for printing during the customer session.

11. The system as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a customer session controller operable by an operator for indicating when a customer session begins and ends; and

a timer module for determining and storing a customer session duration using a timer, wherein the timer starts when the customer session starts and the timer stops when the customer session ends.

12. The system as defined in claim 5 further comprising a label printer for printing a label item on an adhesive media, the label item being attachable to the product, wherein the customer printer module is operable to print the customer selected print item on a non-adhesive media.

13. The system as defined in claim 5 wherein when the customer selected print item is printed,

the information retrieval module is operable to refresh the interactive customer display to display a second plurality of customer-selectable items based on the product and the customer selected print item,

the customer-operated input module is operable by the customer to select a second selected item from the second plurality of customer-selectable items, and

the customer printer module is operable to print a second customer selected print item based on the second selected item.

14. A method for providing information to a customer, the method comprising:

storing product information for a plurality of products;

receiving a product identifier corresponding to a product at a weigh station comprising a scale for weighing the product;

identifying a related information profile from the product information based on the product identifier; and

establishing an interactive weigh station session between the customer and an interactive customer display comprising a customer operated input module, wherein the interactive weigh station session comprises;

displaying visual information based on the related information profile, wherein the visual information comprises a plurality of customer-selectable items; and

receiving a selected item from the customer operated input module, the customer operated input module being operable by the customer to select the selected item from the plurality of customer-selectable items.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the interactive weigh station session further comprises

identifying an additional related information profile from the product information based on the selected item;

and

refreshing the related information profile to display visual information based on the additional related information profile.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising printing a customer selected print item based on the selected item.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of customer-selectable items identify a plurality of discount products;

and,

the customer selected print item comprises a discount coupon for a discount product identified by the selected item.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein

the plurality of customer-selectable items identify a plurality of recipes, wherein each recipe in the plurality of recipes lists the product as an ingredient;

and,

the customer selected print item comprises a recipe identified by the selected item.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the customer selected print item further comprises a discount coupon for an ingredient product listed in the recipe identified by the selected item, the ingredient product being different from the product.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the visual information identifies a discount on the product, the discount being contingent on a purchase of a second product and the method further comprises transmitting a discount code readable by a point of sale terminal indicating the discount, the product and the second product.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein

the product information comprises a product type and a product brand for at least one product in the plurality of products;

and,

if the product identifier corresponds to the at least one product, then at least one customer-selectable product in the plurality of customer-selectable products identifies a discount coupon for a competitive product, wherein the competitive product and the product correspond in product type and differ in product brand.

22. The method of claim 14 further comprising

identifying a second related information profile from the product information based on at least one of the product and the selected item;

and

continuing the interactive weigh station session between the customer and the interactive customer display, wherein the continued interactive weigh station session comprises;

displaying visual information based on the second related information profile, wherein the visual information comprises a second plurality of customer-selectable items; and

receiving a second selected item from the customer operated input module, the customer operated input module being operable by the customer to select the second selected item from the second plurality of customer-selectable items.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein

the selected item is a recipe that lists a recipe product as an ingredient;

and

the second plurality customer-selectable items identify a discount coupon for the recipe product.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein

the selected item is a discount coupon for a discount product;

and

the second plurality customer-selectable items comprises a recipe that lists the discount product as an ingredient.