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

• US 8,473,363 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• 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:
  US13/335,379
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 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 non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that are executed by a processor to:

read product identification information from a product in a store with a mobile device, wherein the product identification information includes at least a price of the product in the store;

compare a price of a product that is the same as the product in the store with the price of the product in the store;

receive a selection, at the mobile device, to purchase the product in the store;

verify that the product the customer is leaving the particular store with is the same product for which the customer has been charged; and

receive a purchase confirmation with the mobile device, wherein the purchase confirmation serves as a receipt for the product in the store.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions executed to receive a wireless signal from the store that includes store identification information.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions executed to receive a selection to purchase at least one of the product in the store and a product that is the same as the product in the store.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions executed to receive a purchase confirmation include instructions to receive an image of a receipt and display the image of the receipt on the mobile device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer-executable instructions executed to display a product that is the same as the product in the store and is within a predetermined price range of the product in the store.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions executed to receive a selection to purchase at least one of the product in the store and the product that is the same as the product in the store include instructions to purchase a plurality of products.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions executed to compare the price of the product that is the same as the product in the store include instructions to perform price searching on auction sites for the product that is the same as the product in the store.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions executed to compare the price of the product that is the same as the product in the store include instructions to perform price searching in physical stores and on the Internet for the product that is the same as the product in the store.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that are executed by a processor to:

scan, with a bar code reader in communication with a mobile device, product identification information from packaging of a product in a store;

send the product identification information, a customer'"'"'s credit card number, and store identifying information to a payment clearinghouse via the mobile device to purchase the product in the store, wherein the customer is charged for the product in the store according to the product identification information, the customer'"'"'s credit card number, and the store identifying information;

cause the mobile device to wirelessly communicate with a security kiosk located in the store to verify that the customer has been charged for the product in the store;

receive an image of a receipt as confirmation of the customer being charged for the product in the store; and

display the image of the receipt on the mobile device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the mobile device wirelessly communicates the customer'"'"'s credit card number to the security kiosk.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising computer executable instructions executed to cause the mobile device to wirelessly receive the store identifying information from the store.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions executed to cause the mobile device to wirelessly receive the store identifying information from the store include instructions to receive the store identifying information when the customer is in a location proximate to the store.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing computer-readable instructions for allowing self-checkout within a store, the computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to;

scan, with a bar code reader in communication with a mobile device, product identification information from packaging of a product in a store;

receive a customer'"'"'s credit card number, product identifying information, and store identifying information via the mobile device to purchase the product in the store, wherein at least the product identifying information is read by the mobile device;

charge the customer'"'"'s credit card number for thea product according to the product identifying information and store identifying information;

verify that a product the customer is leaving the store with is the same product for which the customer has been charged; and

send a purchase confirmation wirelessly to the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable instructions executable to print a receipt for the customer upon verification that the product the customer is leaving the store with is the same product for which the customer has been charged.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one subsystem that verifies that a weight of the product the customer is leaving the store with is the same weight as the product for which the customer has been charged.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

computer-readable instructions executable to receive the customer'"'"'s credit card number at a security kiosk wirelessly from the mobile device; and

computer-readable instructions executable to verify that a payment has been made with the credit card to the store.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable instructions executable to use the customer'"'"'s credit card number to check for individual products bought by the customer from the particular store.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer-readable instructions executable to receive the product identifying information include computer-readable instructions executable to receive a price of the product.