Systems and methods for price searching and customer self-checkout using a mobile device

• US 8,086,497 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Oakes, Charles Lee III
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian, Mila
• Application Number:
  US12/042,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Price searching and customer self-checkout on a mobile device is provided. A system for purchasing products comprises at least one subsystem that receives from a mobile device at least price and seller identification data of a product, (at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device), and at least one subsystem that charges a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.

Claims

1. A system for self-checkout within a store, the system having a processor and memory in a computing apparatus that:

reads a customer'"'"'s credit card number;

uses the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular store from which the customer claims to have purchased one or more products;

uses the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular amount equal to that of a total price plus any sales tax on items the customer claims to have purchased from the store; and

uses the credit card number to check for individual products bought by the customer from a particular store in what appears to be in a single visit by the customer to the store; and

verifies that a total weight of items carried out of the store by the customer for a single visit matches that of what a weight should be for all items that appeared to have been purchased in the single visit when checking individual products using the credit card number.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one subsystem that uses the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under that credit card number is for a particular store comprises at least one subsystem that verifies that the transaction was made payable to a particular store having a code matching that of the transaction being checked.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one subsystem that prints a receipt for the customer if after using the credit card number to check for a particular store and check for a particular amount, it is determined the user did purchase items from the store that the user claims to have purchased.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the at least one subsystem that reads the credit card number comprises at least one subsystem that receives a wireless signal from a user'"'"'s mobile device containing the credit card number.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one subsystem that uses the credit card number to check whether a transaction is for a particular amount or for a particular store comprises at least one subsystem that communicates with a credit card payment center located remotely from the store.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one subsystem that first receives from a mobile device at a payment center at least price and seller identification data of a product wherein at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device; and

at least one subsystem that charges a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.

7. A method for self-checkout within a store, comprising:

reading a customer'"'"'s credit card number with a computing device;

using the credit card number to check, with the computing device, whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular store from which the customer claims to have purchased one or more products;

using the credit card number to check, with the computing device, whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular amount equal to that of a total price plus any sales tax on items the customer claims to have purchased from the store; and

using the credit card number to check for individual products bought by the customer from a particular store in what appears to be in a single visit by the customer to the store; and

verifying that a total weight of items carried out of the store by the customer for a single visit matches that of what a weight should be for all items that appeared to have been purchased in the single visit when checking individual products using the credit card number.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the using the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under that credit card number is for a particular store comprises verifying that the transaction was made payable to a particular store having a code matching that of the transaction being checked.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising printing a receipt for the customer if after using the credit card number to check for a particular store and check for a particular amount, it is determined the user did purchase items from the store that the user claims to have purchased.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the reading the credit card number comprises receiving a wireless signal from a user'"'"'s mobile device containing the credit card number.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the using the credit card number to check whether a transaction is for a particular amount or for a particular store comprises communicating with a credit card payment center located remotely from the store.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

first receiving from a mobile device at a payment center at least price and seller identification data of a product wherein at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device; and

charging a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for self-checkout within a store, said computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

reading a customer'"'"'s credit card number;

using the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular store from which the customer claims to have purchased one or more products;

using the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under the credit card number is for a particular amount equal to that of a total price plus any sales tax on items the customer claims to have purchased from the store; and

using the credit card number to check for individual products bought by the customer from a particular store in what appears to be in a single visit by the customer to the store; and

verifying that a total weight of items carried out of the store by the customer for a single visit matches that of what a weight should be for all items that appeared to have been purchased in the single visit when checking individual products using the credit card number.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions for using the credit card number to check whether a transaction stored under that credit card number is for a particular store comprise instructions for verifying that the transaction was made payable to a particular store having a code matching that of the transaction being checked.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions for printing a receipt for the customer if after using the credit card number to check for a particular store and check for a particular amount, it is determined the user did purchase items from the store that the user claims to have purchased.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions for reading the credit card number comprise instructions for receiving a wireless signal from a user'"'"'s mobile device containing the credit card number.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions for using the credit card number to check whether a transaction is for a particular amount or for a particular store comprise instructions for communicating with a credit card payment center located remotely from the store.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions for:

first receiving from a mobile device at a payment center at least price and seller identification data of a product wherein at least the price of said product having been electronically read by the mobile device; and

charging a user for the product based upon the received price and identification data.