Shopping cart
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A weight sensing system for use with a cart and an interrogating system, the system comprising:
- a tray assembly configured to attach to the cart;
a weight sensing system configured to detect one or more items on the tray assembly based at least in part on the weight of the one or more items; and
a passive radio frequency transponder system on the cart, wherein the transponder system is connected to the weight sensing system;
wherein the transponder system is configured to transmit a signal when interrogated by the interrogating system, said signal for indicating the presence of the one or more items detected by the weight sensing system.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention teaches and discloses method and apparatus for alerting a grocery store check out cashier of merchandise placed on the bottom tray of a typical grocery shopping cart. A passive RFID transponder is incorporated into the structure of the cart which when interrogated by an associated reader, located at the cashier'"'"'s check out station, responds with a signal verifying the presence, or absence, of an unseen item upon the carts bottom tray.
47 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A weight sensing system for use with a cart and an interrogating system, the system comprising:
-
a tray assembly configured to attach to the cart; a weight sensing system configured to detect one or more items on the tray assembly based at least in part on the weight of the one or more items; and a passive radio frequency transponder system on the cart, wherein the transponder system is connected to the weight sensing system; wherein the transponder system is configured to transmit a signal when interrogated by the interrogating system, said signal for indicating the presence of the one or more items detected by the weight sensing system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A weight sensing system for use with a cart and an interrogating system, the system comprising:
-
a tray assembly configured to attach to a shopping cart; a weight sensing system configured to detect one or more items on the tray based on their weight; and a passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder on the shopping cart; wherein the transponder is configured to transmit a signal when interrogated by the interrogating system, said signal indicating; a) the presence of the one or more items detected by the weight sensing system;
orb) the absence of one or more items on the tray assembly.
-
-
21. A weight sensing system comprising:
-
an RFID interrogating system; a shopping cart comprising; a) a tray assembly; b) a weight sensing system configured to sense a weight of one or more items on the tray; and a passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder comprising an antenna, wherein the transponder is configured to acquire power from the RFID interrogating system with the antenna, and to transmit a signal when interrogated by the interrogating system, said signal indicating; the presence of the one or more items detected by the weight sensing system, and the absence of one or more items on the tray assembly; and a warning device configured to generate an alert based on the sensed weight.
-
-
22. A weight sensing system for use with a cart and an interrogating system, the system comprising:
-
a tray assembly configured to attach to the cart; a weight sensing system configured to detect one or more items on the tray assembly based at least in part on a weight of the one or more items; and a passive radio frequency transponder system on the cart, wherein the transponder system is connected to the weight sensing system; wherein the transponder system is configured to transmit a signal when interrogated by the interrogating system, said signal for indicating the weight detected by the weight sensing system.
-
Specification