Use of optical images to authenticate and enable a return with an electronic receipt
First Claim
1. At a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device including a processor, system memory, and a camera, a method for returning a purchased item at a store location, the method comprising:
- opening electronic receipts software in response to user input, the electronic receipts software including item return functionality for selecting items for return at store locations, the return functionality disabled upon opening the electronic receipts software;
selecting an electronic receipt stored on the mobile electronic device in response to additional user input, the electronic receipt identifying one or more purchased items;
capturing a machine readable code via the camera, the machine readable code associated with a returns POS terminal at the store location;
the processor analyzing the machine readable code to determine that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of a returns POS terminal;
enabling the return functionality of the electronic receipts software in response to determining that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of the returns POS terminal;
selecting at least one item for return at the store location in response to further user input subsequent to enabling the return functionality, the at least one item selected from among the identified one or more purchased items;
indicating the selected at least one item for entry at the returns POS terminal; and
receiving an updated electronic receipt, the updated electronic receipt representing the status of the at least one item as returned.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is disclosed for authenticating and enabling returns at a physical store location and based off of an electronic receipt. The electronic receipt may be viewed on a mobile electronic device with electronic receipts software thereon. The electronic receipts software may use machine readable codes to verify whether a customer is present at a returns terminal at a physical store location. More particularly, the electronic receipts software may contain a bar code reader module and use the camera of the mobile electronic device to capture a machine readable code such as a bar code or QR code. The electronics receipts software may recover data from the machine readable code which identifies the store, retail location, etc. This information may be compared against known values to determine that the customer is present at a returns terminal.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. At a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device including a processor, system memory, and a camera, a method for returning a purchased item at a store location, the method comprising:
-
opening electronic receipts software in response to user input, the electronic receipts software including item return functionality for selecting items for return at store locations, the return functionality disabled upon opening the electronic receipts software; selecting an electronic receipt stored on the mobile electronic device in response to additional user input, the electronic receipt identifying one or more purchased items; capturing a machine readable code via the camera, the machine readable code associated with a returns POS terminal at the store location; the processor analyzing the machine readable code to determine that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of a returns POS terminal; enabling the return functionality of the electronic receipts software in response to determining that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of the returns POS terminal; selecting at least one item for return at the store location in response to further user input subsequent to enabling the return functionality, the at least one item selected from among the identified one or more purchased items; indicating the selected at least one item for entry at the returns POS terminal; and receiving an updated electronic receipt, the updated electronic receipt representing the status of the at least one item as returned. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A computer program product for use at a mobile electronic device, the mobile electronic device including a camera, the computer program product for implementing a method for returning a purchased item at a store location, the computer program product including one or more computer storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the mobile electronic device to perform the method including the following:
-
open electronic receipts software in response to user input, the electronic receipts software including item return functionality for selecting items for return at store locations, the return functionality disabled upon opening the electronic receipts software; select an electronic receipt stored on the mobile electronic device in response to additional user input, the electronic receipt identifying one or more purchased items; capture a machine readable code via the camera, the machine readable code associated with a returns POS terminal at the store location; analyze the machine readable code to determine that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of a returns POS terminal; enable the return functionality of the electronic receipts software in response to determining that the mobile electronic device is in the vicinity of the returns POS terminal; select at least one item for return at the store location in response to further user input subsequent to enabling the return functionality, the at least one item selected from among the identified one or more purchased items; indicate the selected at least one item for entry at the returns POS terminal; and receive an updated electronic receipt, the updated electronic receipt representing the status of the at least one item as returned. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification