System and method of encoding item information from a scale in a self-service scanning solution

• US 9,062,999 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Catalina Marketing Corporation
• Inventors: Brouhard, Jesse, Grimes, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Macchiarolo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): HULS, NATALIE F
• Application Number:
  US14/137,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 177/1, 177/4, 177/25.11, 177/25.13, 177/25.15, 702/173, 705/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/44 Coding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

This invention relates to a system including a scale that weighs an item placed on the scale and encodes the weight and/or other item information into a machine readable code. The system may include a display that is coupled to the scale and displays the machine readable code. The scale may encode the item in Quick Response (QR) code format, Universal Product Code (UPC) format, and/or other computer-readable format. A mobile device may take a picture of or otherwise scan the machine readable code to determine the weight and/or other information encoded therein. The system may include a wireless transmitter that wirelessly transmits the weight. The mobile device may include a wireless receiver that wirelessly receives the weight transmitted from the scale. The mobile device may execute a self-scan application that uses the de-encoded or otherwise obtained weight for pricing the item based on the weight or other purposes.

Claims

1. A system for encoding item information related to an item weighed by a scale operated by a user in a self-service scanning solution, the system comprising:

a display device comprising an electronic display screen; and

a physical processor in electrical communication with the display device, the physical processor programmed by computer program instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, cause the physical processor to;

obtain a weight of the item;

obtain an applicable discount off a price of the item;

encode at least a weight of the item and the applicable discount in a single machine readable code; and

cause the electronic display screen to display at least the machine readable code.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the item comprises a produce item.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code comprises a Quick Response (QR) code format.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC) format.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display screen is further configured to display at least the weight of the item alphanumerically.

6. The system of claim 1, the system further comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image of the item, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to identify the item or a quantity of the item based on the captured image.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable code comprises a SnapTag, SPARQCode, Touchatag, Aztec Code, MaxiCode, or Semacode format.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to encode, in the machine readable code, a number of units, a volume, an item name, a unit price, a date of manufacture, a date of expiration, a date of packaging, a geographical location of harvesting, a taxonomic information, a medical use, an alternative use, or a recipe.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to:

receive manually inputted item information; and

encode the manually inputted item information in the machine readable code.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the item is a bulk item.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to:

establish a wireless communication channel with a mobile device;

receive item identifying information from the mobile device via the established wireless communication channel, wherein the applicable discount is obtained based on the item identifying information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to:

receive item identifying information based on manually input information, wherein the applicable discount is obtained based on the item identifying information.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to:

establish a wireless communication channel with a mobile device;

communicate at least the weight of the item to the mobile device via the wireless communication channel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicable discount relates to a coupon for the item.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical processor is further programmed to:

obtain a promotion for a second item that is within a proximity to the scale; and

cause the promotion to be stored at and provided by the scale.

16. A method for encoding item information related to an item weighed by a scale operated by a user in a self-service scanning solution, the method being implemented by a physical processor programmed by computer program instructions that, when executed by the physical processor, causes the physical processor to perform the method, the method comprising:

obtaining, by the physical processor, a weight of the item;

obtaining, by the physical processor, an applicable discount off a price of the item;

encoding, by the physical processor, at least the weight of the item and the applicable discount in a single machine readable code; and

causing, by the physical processor, the machine readable code to be displayed via an electronic display screen.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the item is a produce item.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine readable code comprises a Quick Response (QR) code format.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine readable code comprises a Universal Product Code (UPC) format.

20. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

causing the electronic display screen to display at least the weight of the item alphanumerically.

21. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the physical processor, an image of the item; and

identifying, by the physical processor, at least the item or a quantity of the item based on the image.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine readable code comprises a SnapTag, SPARQCode, Touchatag, Aztec Code, MaxiCode, or Semacode format.

23. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

encoding, by the physical processor, a number of units, in the machine readable code, a volume, an item name, a unit price, a date of manufacture, a date of expiration, a date of packaging, a geographical location of harvesting, a taxonomic information, a medical use, an alternative use, or a recipe.

24. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the physical processor, manually inputted item information; and

encoding, by the physical processor, the manually inputted item information.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the item is a bulk item.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, by the physical processor, a configurable setting used to select a particular machine readable code; and

encoding, by the physical processor, at least the weight of the item based on the configurable setting.