Apparatus and method for providing product location information to customers in a store

• US 8,775,260 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovaport LLC (f/k/a PatentBank LLC)
• Original Assignee: Innovaport LLC (f/k/a PatentBank LLC)
• Inventors: Pienkos, John Thaddeus
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/924,740
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 235/381, 705/15, 705/16, 705/7.11, 705/7.25, 705/22, 705/26.9, 705/28, 705/1.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/238
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/948 Product or catalog
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing product location information within a store. The system comprises a first user interface fixed within the store and an inventory information unit coupled to the first user interface. The first user interface is configured to receive an input signal from a user related to the identity of a product within the store, to process the input signal and to provide a product inquiry signal in response to the input signal. The first user interface is further configured to receive a location information signal, and to provide an output signal in response to the location information signal. The inventory information unit comprises a database containing product location information and is configured to provide the location information signal to the first user interface after receiving the product inquiry signal from the first user interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing product location information within a store, the method comprising:

affixing at least a first input device at a first location within the store, so that the first input device is substantially stationary;

providing an inventory information unit having a database containing product location information and additional product-related information including product availability information;

obtaining a product location inquiry at the first input device, wherein the first input device includes a receiver, and the product location inquiry is a voice signal received by the receiver;

processing the product location inquiry at a signal processing device to determine a product location inquiry signal;

querying a database to obtain product location information in response to the product location inquiry signal;

providing an information signal in response to the product location inquiry signal, the information signal at least sometimes including at least a first portion of the product location information and also depending at least sometimes upon a first portion of the product availability information; and

providing an output signal at an output device, the output signal being a response to the product location inquiry, and being based upon the information signal,

whereby, when the product availability information indicates that a product is unavailable at a location, the information signal is configured so that the output signal does not provide an indication that the product is available at the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional product-related information includes product promotion information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an availability within the store of a product to which the product location inquiry pertains.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input device includes a user interface with a keyboard entry device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output device includes a printer that is configured to print out at least one of listings and maps.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(a) updating at least some of the product location information to reflect changes in inventory occurring within the store;

(b) recording information relating to the inquiry and analyzing the information relating to the inquiry; and

(c) comparing information regarding the product location inquiry with additional information concerning products sold at the store.

7. A method of providing product location information within a store, the method comprising:

affixing at least a first input device at a first location within the store, so that the first input device is substantially stationary;

providing a database containing product location information and additional product-related information including product availability information;

obtaining an inquiry at the first input device;

processing the inquiry at a processing device to determine an inquiry signal;

querying a database to obtain product location information in response to the inquiry signal;

providing an information signal in response to the inquiry signal, the information signal at least sometimes including at least a first portion of the product location information and also depending at least sometimes upon a first portion of the product availability information;

providing an output signal at an output device, the output signal being a response to the inquiry and being based upon the information signal,

whereby, when the product availability information indicates that the product is unavailable at a location, the information signal is configured so that the output signal does not provide an indication that the product is available at the location; and

comparing information regarding the inquiry with additional, information concerning products sold at the store.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising one or more of:

(a) updating at least some of the product location information and some of the additional product-related information to reflect changes in inventory occurring within the store; and

(b) recording information relating to the inquiry and analyzing the information relating to the inquiry.

9. A method of providing product location information regarding locations of products within a store to customers within the store, the method comprising:

affixing a plurality of user interfaces respectively at respective positions within the store in a substantially stationary manner;

receiving input signals representative of inquiries from the customers in the store at the user interfaces, wherein each of the user interfaces includes a memory unit;

conducting periodic communications between the user interfaces and a hub that is at least indirectly in communication with each of the user interfaces and that is capable of accessing at least one database;

querying the at least one database to obtain product location information and additional product-related information;

providing portions of the product location information from the hub to the respective memory units of each of the user interfaces; and

providing output signals to the customers in the store via the user interfaces, the output signals being responses to the inquiries represented by the input signals, the responses being based upon the portions of the product location information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the inquiries are product location inquires, and further comprising one or more of

(a) comparing information regarding the product location inquiries with additional information concerning products sold at the store;

(b) and comparing a first number of product location inquiries regarding at least one of the products with a second number representative of how many of the at least one of the products has been actually sold.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an availability within the store of a first of the products to which a first of the product location inquiries pertains.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the output signals that are provided include providing of map information.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

(c) storing and processing the input signals to obtain information regarding customer preferences;

(d) obtaining identification information concerning a given customer at the first input device; and

(e) determining a customer profile based upon the product location inquiries received from the given customer and providing at least one suggestion or information to the given customer suited to the customer based upon the customer profile.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the inquiry signals is a voice signal.

15. A method of providing product location information within a first store, the method comprising:

providing a hub that is at least indirectly in communication with each of a plurality of user interfaces, and that is capable of accessing at least one database, the at least one database including both product location information and additional product-related information,

wherein the additional product-related information includes;

information concerning a quantity of a first product within the store;

information concerning a price of the product;

information concerning an availability or unavailability of the product within the store; and

information linking the product with another product in a cross-referential manner;

periodically engaging in the communication with each of the user interfaces, wherein the engaging in the communication includes;

receiving inquiry signals from the user interfaces;

querying the database to obtain portions of the product location information in response to the inquiry signals; and

providing information signals in response to the inquiry signals for receipt by the user interfaces, wherein the information signals include portions of both the product location information and the additional product-related information, whereby the user interfaces are able to provide output signals based upon the information signals;

wherein at least some of the communication is wireless communication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the user interfaces is provided by a mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least one of the user interfaces is substantially stationary, and wherein the at least one of the user interfaces provided by the mobile device is utilized by a customer within the store.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the output signals that are provided include providing of map information, wherein the additional product-related information includes information concerning a time at which the product should be available at the store if the product is currently absent from the store, and wherein the at least one database includes a database shared among a plurality of stores including the first store.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising one or more of:

(a) providing automatically a reminder of one or more products including the first product that are of interest to a customer; and

(b) obtaining identification information concerning the customer at the user interface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) is true, and further wherein, upon identifying of the customer by way of the obtained identification information:

(c) the output signals provide reminders of respective locations of the one or more products that are of interest to the customer, or

(d) the output signals provide at least some information individualized for the customer, wherein the individualized information is determined at least in part based upon a customer profile concerning the given customer.