System and method for tracking the return of loaned or rented items

• US 8,386,347 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoblit, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oyebisi, Ojo O
• Application Number:
  US10/880,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,164 Days
• Field of Search: 705/37, 705/22, 705/25, 705/26, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/06 by returnable containers , i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/069 by box-like containers, e.g. videocassettes, books
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system for tracking a number of items borrowed or rented by customers includes a chute reading identification data from each item as the item is returned through the chute by the customer. Data records associated with the returned items are updated to indicate the items are available, even before the items can be restocked. The time at which an item is returned may be compared with a time at which it is due, with an additional fee being added to an account of a customer borrowing or renting an item that is returned late.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a plurality of items as items within the plurality of items are loaned to customers, wherein the method comprises:

maintaining an item database accessed by a store computer system and including an item data record corresponding to each item in the plurality of items;

storing a loaned item code in the item data record corresponding to an item in the plurality of items as the item is loaned to a customer;

identifying the item as the item is returned through an item return chute accessible to the customer;

storing a recognized item code in the item data record corresponding to the item in response to identifying the item as the item is returned through the item return chute; and

storing a stock location code in the item data record corresponding to the item when the item is returned to a stock location.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

maintaining a customer database, additionally accessed by the store computer system, and including a customer data record corresponding to each customer to which an item in the plurality of items is loaned;

updating a data record to indicate that the item has been loaned to the customer;

updating a data record to indicate a return time at which the item is to be returned;

determining, within the store computer system, whether the item is returned through the return chute after the return time; and

writing, from the store computer system, data indicating a late fee to the customer data record in response to determining that the item is returned after the return time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a customer code identifying the customer to which an item is loaned and data indicating the return time is written from the store computer system to the item data record corresponding to the item.

4. The method of claim 3, additionally comprising

maintaining a loan database accessed by the store computer system and including a data record for each item on loan to a customer;

and

writing from the store computer system a customer code identifying the customer to which an item is loaned and data indicating the return time to the data record for an item within the loan data base; and

removing the data record for the item on loan from the loan database in response to identifying the item as the item is returned through the item return chute.

5. The method of claim 2, additionally comprising

storing an item in a first location in response to identifying the item as the item is returned through the item return chute;

and

storing an item in a second location, separate from the first location, in response to failing to identify the item as the item is returned through the item return chute, wherein a diversion plate is moved to a first position so that the item is stored in the first location and to a second position so that the item is stored in the second location.

6. The method of claim 2, additionally comprising

storing an item in a first location in response to identifying the item as an item loaned to a customer as the item is returned through the item return chute;

and

storing an item in a second location, separate from the first location, in response to failing to identify the item as an item loaned to a customer as the item is returned through the item return chute, wherein a diversion plate is moved to a first position so that the item is stored in the first location and to a second position so that the item is stored in the second location.

7. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising

storing an item in a first location in response to identifying the item as the item is returned through the item return chute;

and

storing an item in a second location, separate from the first location, in response to failing to identify the item as the item is returned through the item return chute, wherein a diversion plate is moved to a first position so that the item is stored in the first location and to a second position so that the item is stored in the second location.

8. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising recording time data within a receipt printer indicating a time an item is returned in response to failing to identify the item as the item is returned though the item return chute.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising

storing an item in a first location in response to identifying the item, within the store computer system, as an item loaned to a customer as the item is returned through the item return chute;

and

storing an item in a second location, separate from the first location, in response to failing to identify, within the store computer system, the item as an item loaned to a customer as the item is returned through the item return chute.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is identified, within the store computer system, by a code generated from a visible pattern on a surface of the item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is identified, within the store computer system, by a code embodied within a radio frequency signal transmitted from the item.

12. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

maintaining a needed item data structure, accessible to the store computer system, including a code representing at least one needed item, which is in particularly high demand, within the plurality of items for which an alert is to be given when the item is returned;

identifying, within the store computer system, the needed item as the needed item is returned through the item return chute; and

displaying an indication that the needed item has been returned.

13. A system for tracking a plurality of items as items within the plurality of items are loaned to customers, wherein the system comprises:

data storage storing a first database including an item data record corresponding to each item in the plurality of items loaned to customers;

an item return chute, accessible to the customers, generating a returned item identifying code when an item in the plurality of items is returned through the item return chute;

a user interface including a display and a selection device;

processor means programmed to perform steps of;

receiving the returned item identifying code;

in response to receiving the returned item identifying code, updating an item data record having an item identification code corresponding to the returned item identifying code to include a recognized item code indicating the item corresponding to the data record has been recognized;

displaying a set of menu entries on the display;

receiving a menu selection signal for changing an item location from the selection device;

in response to receiving the menu selection signal for changing an item location from the selection device, displaying a list of items corresponding to data records including the recognized item code on the display;

receiving an item selection signal from the selection device indicating a choice of a selected item from the list of items; and

in response to receiving the item selection signal, updating a data record stored in the data storage to indicate the selected item has been moved to a stock location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein

the data storage additionally stores a customer database including a customer data record corresponding to each customer to which an item in the plurality of items has been loaned,

each item data record in the first database having an item identification code corresponding to an item loaned to a customer includes data identifying the customer and data identifying a time by which the item is to be returned, and

the processor means is additionally programmed to perform steps of:

determining, in response to receiving the returned item identification code, whether the item has been returned on time by comparing a current time with the data identifying a time by which the item is to be returned; and

in response to determining that the item has not been returned on time, adding data to a customer data record corresponding to the customer indicating that an additional payment is charged.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein

the system additionally comprises a transaction terminal generating loan data, when an item is loaned to a customer, including a loaned item identification code corresponding to the item and a customer identification code corresponding to the customer,

the first database includes an item data record corresponding to each item in the plurality of items, and

the processor means is additionally programmed to perform steps of:

receiving the loan data; and

in response to receiving the loan data, updating an item data record in the first database corresponding to the item to include data indicating the item is loaned to the customer.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein

the system additionally comprises a transaction terminal generating loan data, when an item is loaned to a customer, including a loaned item identification code corresponding to the item and a customer identification code corresponding to the customer,

the data storage additionally stores an item database including an item data record corresponding to each item in the plurality of items, and

the processor means is additionally programmed to perform steps of:

receiving the loan data;

in response to receiving the loan data, adding an item data record to the first database corresponding to the item, including a customer identification code corresponding to the customer; and

in response to receiving the returned item identifying code, removing an item data record from the first database including an item identifying code corresponding to the returned item identifying code.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor means is additionally programmed to perform steps of:

receiving a menu selection signal for adding an item from the selection device;

in response to receiving the menu selection signal for adding an item, receiving data identifying the item to be added and adding an item data record to a database including the data identifying the item to be added;

receiving a menu selection signal for deleting an item from the selection device; and

in response to receiving the menu selection signal for deleting an item, receiving data identifying the item to be deleted and deleting an item data record from a database including the data identifying the item to be deleted.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein

the item return chute includes a deflection plate controlling movement of the items through the return chute

the deflection plate is moved into a first position, causing an item to be moved into a group of recognized items, in response to reading a code identifying the item;

and

the deflection plate is moved into a second position, causing an item to be moved into a group of unrecognized items, in response to failing to read a code identifying the item.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein

the item return chute includes a deflection plate controlling movement of the items through the return chute,

the processor means is additionally programmed to perform, in response to receiving the returned item identifying code, returning a signal to the item return chute indicating whether the first database includes an item record having an item identifying code corresponding to the returned item identifying code, indicating the item is among the plurality of items loaned to customers;

the deflection plate is moved into a first position, causing an item to be moved into a group of recognized items, in response to reading a code identifying the item and finding the item identified by the code among the plurality of items loaned to customers,

the deflection plate is moved into a second position, causing an item to be moved into a group of unrecognized items, in response to failing to read a code identifying the item and additionally in response to failing to find the item identified by reading a code identifying the item among the plurality of items loaned to customers.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the item is identified by a code generated from a visible pattern on a surface of the item.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the item is identified by a code embodied within a radio frequency signal transmitted from the item.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor means is additionally programmed to perform steps of:

receiving a menu selection signal for adding a needed item, which is in particularly high demand, to a list of needed items for which an alert is to be given when the needed item is returned;

in response to receiving the menu selection signal for adding a needed item to the list of needed items, adding a code representing the item to a needed item data structure;

receiving a menu selection signal for deleting a needed item from the list of needed items;

in response to receiving the menu selection signal for deleting the needed item form the list of needed items, deleting a code representing the needed item from the needed item data structure;

in response to receiving the returned item identifying code, determining whether the returned item identifying code corresponds to a code stored in the needed item data structure, and

in response to determining that the returned item identifying code corresponds to a code stored in the needed item data structure, displaying an alert message.