Shopping system comprising product item and reading device

• US 7,900,841 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Rusman, Jan, Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US12/500,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.44, 235/462.45, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 : for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/77 : Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/7795 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/78 : Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A shopping system comprises a product item having an interface surface and a reading device for reading coded data disposed on the interface surface. The reading device includes: (a) a radiation source for emitting radiation which exposes a coded data portion on the interface surface; (b) an image sensor for sensing the exposed coded data portion; (c) a force sensor coupled to a nib of the reading device; and (d) a processor for determining product identity data and/or position data. The reading device is adapted to sense the coded data in response to contact between the nib and the interface surface.

Claims

1. A shopping system comprising:

a product item having an interface surface, said interface surface having disposed thereon coded data which includes, at a plurality of locations on the interface surface, a corresponding plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item and the location of the coded data portion; and

a reading device adapted to read the coded data disposed on the interface surface, the reading device including;

(a) a radiation source for emitting radiation such that it exposes at least one coded data portion;

(b) an image sensor for sensing the at least one exposed coded data portion;

(c) at least one force sensor coupled to a nib of the reading device; and

(d) a processor for determining, using at least some of the sensed coded data;

product identity data indicative of the identity of the product item; and

position data indicative of the position of the sensed coded data portion on the interface surface and/or a position of the reading device relative to the interface surface,

wherein the reading device is adapted to sense coded data in response to contact between the nib and the interface surface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the reading device is a handheld device comprising a housing adapted to be held by a user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing includes:

(a) a grip for holding by the user; and

,

(b) a nose having an aperture for emitting the radiation and for receiving radiation reflected from product items in a sensing region.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the housing is in the form of a pen housing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the coded data encodes an EPC associated with the product item, and wherein the processor determines the EPC.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the product identity data distinguishes the product item from every other product item.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface surface includes at least one region, the region including coded data indicative of an identity of the region, and wherein the processor determines the identity of the at least one region from at least some of the sensed coded data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one region includes at least one coded data portion, and wherein the coded data portion is indicative of the region identity.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the coded data is disposed over at least one of:

(a) substantially all of any one of;

(i) an entire product surface;

(ii) a packaging; and

,

(iii) a label;

(b) more than 25% of any one of;

(i) an entire product surface;

(ii) a packaging; and

,

(iii) a label;

(c) more than 50% of any one of;

(i) an entire product surface;

(ii) a packaging; and

,

(iii) a label; and

,

(d) more than 75% of any one of;

(i) an entire product surface;

(ii) a packaging; and

,

(iii) a label.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the coded data is printed with infrared ink.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the reading device further comprises a transmitter for transmitting at least one of the product identity data and the position data to a computer system.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising the computer system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer system is adapted to interpret at least one of the product identity data and the position data, and identify a shopping interaction.