Method, system, and medium for calculating an emissions allowance

• US 8,010,413 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jari Natunen
• Original Assignee: Jari Natunen
• Inventors: Natunen, Juha, Natunen, Jari
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US12/294,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.35, 705/19, 705/26.1, 705/37, 705/35, 705/36.T, 705/30
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

The invention describes a novel integrated data-system, a personal device for the system, and methods for operating the system. The invention produces means and technology for providing quantitative information about products. A key function of the system is to provide information about product-based emissions, such as carbon dioxide emissions.

Claims

1. A method of charging an individual consumer for greenhouse gas emissions related to the purchase of a product, comprising:

providing a database of products including greenhouse gas emission data for the products, wherein the emission data includes one or more of raw materials, transportation, production, and sale for each of the plurality of products;

calculating a greenhouse gas daily emissions allowance for a consumer based on a calculated estimate of daily emissions of a global population multiplied by a target emission reduction percentage set by a third-party organization;

receiving a purchase request from the consumer for a product;

if emission data for the product exists in the database then calculating an emission value of the product based, at least in part, on emission data of the product in the database;

if emission data for the product does not exist in the database then calculating an emission value of an associated product based, at least in part, on emission data of the associated product in the database;

calculating an emission balance for the consumer based on the daily emissions allowance and the emission value;

charging the consumer for the product and for an amount based on the emission balance;

wherein the steps above are performed using a computer processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a personal emission control device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a personal emission trade interface which buys units of greenhouse gas emissions from other organizations to sell to consumers through a personal emission control device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising compensating the emission balance by personal carbon accumulation measures.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising documenting the units of greenhouse gas emissions using cameras connected to the Internet.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the personal emission control device is selected from a group comprising:

a mobile station, a mobile phone, mobile shopping device, MP3 player, game device, radio, mobile TV, camera, computer, handheld computer, watch, music player, video game, electric notebook or diary, health device measuring a health parameter such as heart rate and/or steps taken, calculator, or currency calculator or combination thereof.

7. The method the claim 1, further comprising using a cash register machine for providing payment.

8. The method the claim 1, further comprising using a customer identification system having personal identification.

9. The method the claim 1, wherein the method of receiving the purchase request includes the use of a bar code scanner or RFID reader or other scanning or reading device.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying greenhouse emission data in a form of a quantitative product mark.

10. A system configured to charge an individual consumer for greenhouse gas emissions related to the purchase of a product, comprising:

a computer processor;

a memory configured with instructions to perform the following steps when executed by the computer processor;

providing a database of products including greenhouse gas emission data for the products, wherein the emission data includes one or more of raw materials, transportation, production, and sale for each of the plurality of products;

calculating a greenhouse gas daily emissions allowance for a consumer based on a calculated estimate of daily emissions of a global population multiplied by a target emission reduction percentage set by a third-party organization;

receiving a purchase request from the consumer for a product;

if emission data for the product exists in the database then calculating an emission value of the product based, at least in part, on emission data of the product in the database;

if emission data for the product does not exist in the database then calculating an emission value of an associated product based, at least in part, on emission data of the associated product in the database;

calculating an emission balance for the consumer based on the daily emissions allowance and the emission value;

charging the consumer for the product and for an amount based on the emission balance.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a personal emission control device.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a personal emission trade interface configured to buy units of greenhouse gas emissions from other organizations to sell to consumers through a personal emission control device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is further configured to cause the processor to compensate the emission balance by personal carbon accumulation measures.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory is further configured to cause the processor to document the units of greenhouse gas emissions using cameras connected to the internet.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the personal emission control device is selected from a group comprising:

a mobile station, a mobile phone, mobile shopping device, MP3 player, game device, radio, mobile TV, camera, computer, handheld computer, watch, music player, video game, electric notebook or diary, health device measuring a health parameter such as heart rate and/or steps taken, calculator, or currency calculator or combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a cash register machine for providing payment.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is further configured to cause the processor to use a customer identification system having personal identification.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory is further configured to cause the processor to use a bar code scanner or RFID reader or other scanning or reading device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform the following steps:

providing a database of products including greenhouse gas emission data for the products, wherein the emission data includes one or more of raw materials, transportation, production, and sale for each of the plurality of products;

calculating a greenhouse gas daily emissions allowance for a consumer based on a calculated estimate of daily emissions of a global population multiplied by a target emission reduction percentage set by a third-party organization;

receiving a purchase request from the consumer for a product;

if emission data for the product exists in the database then calculating an emission value of the product based, at least in part, on emission data of the product in the database;

if emission data for the product does not exist in the database then calculating an emission value of an associated product based, at least in part, on emission data of the associated product in the database;

calculating an emission balance for the consumer based on the daily emissions allowance and the emission value;

charging the consumer for the product and for an amount based on the emission balance;

wherein the steps above are performed using a computer processor.

20. The medium of claim 19, further comprising the step of communicating with a personal emission control device.

21. The medium of claim 19, further comprising communicating with a personal emission trade interface which buys units of greenhouse gas emissions from other organizations to sell to consumers through a personal emission control device.

22. The medium of claim 19, further comprising compensating the emission balance by personal carbon accumulation measures.

23. The medium of claim 21, further comprising documenting the units of greenhouse gas emissions using cameras connected to the Internet.

24. The medium of claim 20, wherein the personal emission control device is selected from a group comprising:

a mobile station, a mobile phone, mobile shopping device, MP3 player, game device, radio, mobile TV, camera, computer, handheld computer, watch, music player, video game, electric notebook or diary, health device measuring a health parameter such as heart rate and/or steps taken, calculator, or currency calculator or combination thereof.

25. The medium the claim 19, further comprising communicating with a cash register machine used for providing payment.

26. The medium the claim 19, further comprising using a customer identification system having personal information.

27. The medium the claim 19, wherein the method of receiving the purchase request includes the use of a bar code scanner or RFID reader or other scanning or reading device.