Method and system for interrogating and processing codes

• US 9,449,317 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Reblin, Gary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUDORF, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US14/540,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20150073927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

An interrogating and processing system and method is described. A wireless communication device interrogates an information source, having a barcode or tag, and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the information source. The interrogator can be built into or adjunct to the wireless communication device. An automated processing subsystem receives the transmitted data and identifies an item corresponding to the data. A fulfillment subsystem effects delivery of the item to a destination. There can be a coupon code scanning and processing system and method. A wireless computing device having an interrogator reads a coupon code. An automated processing subsystem receives the corresponding data and provides a benefit associated with the coupon. The benefit can be a discount on a product or service. Alternatively, at least a portion of the coupon including a code is displayed on a screen of the computing device for processing at a point of sale terminal.

Claims

1. A coupon code scanning and processing system, comprising:

a wireless computing device comprising;

a scanner configured to scan a coupon and an item code, the coupon relating to an item, and the item code identifying the item;

a memory configured to store data indicative of the coupon and to store data associated with the coupon, the stored data associated with the coupon comprising a whole or partial bitmap of the coupon and a coupon code;

a processor configured to receive the item code and to character recognize the whole or partial bitmap to identify a particular coupon code, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether data indicative of the particular coupon code relating to the item identified by the item code is present in the memory;

a display configured to display the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon received in the scanner;

wherein the processor is further configured to provide a notification if the data indicative of the particular coupon code relating to the item identified by the item code is present in the memory; and

an automated processing subsystem configured to receive the coupon code from the whole or partial bitmap displayed on the wireless computing device and to provide, in response to the notification, a benefit associated with the coupon corresponding to the data associated with the coupon during a transaction involving the item identified by the item code.

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

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device has a mobile wireless cellular or personal communications service voice capability and belongs to a customer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing subsystem is a point of sale terminal or a coupon kiosk.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed remote from a business having the automated processing subsystem.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed on an electronic signage display of a coupon at a point of display in a business.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing subsystem is located in a retail business location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device notifies the user of the device of applicable coupons.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device transmits the data to the automated processing subsystem via a Bluetooth or infrared protocol.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device transmits the data to the automated processing subsystem via a cellular or personal communications service protocol.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing subsystem receives the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a notification if data indicative of a coupon code related to an item similar to, but distinct from, the item identified by the item code is present in the memory.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the benefit is a mailed rebate.

15. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner to limit coupon scans.

16. A coupon code scanning and processing method using a mobile computing device having a scanner and a display, the method comprising:

receiving data associated with a coupon scanned via the mobile computing device, the coupon relating to an item;

receiving an item code scanned via the mobile computing device, the item code identifying the item, wherein the scanning of the item code is performed at a location of a product or service in a business;

character recognizing the coupon scanned via the mobile computing device to identify a coupon code;

storing data indicative of the coupon code in a memory of the mobile computing device;

storing data associated with the coupon in the mobile computing device, the stored data associated with the coupon comprising a whole or partial bitmap of the coupon;

searching the memory to determine whether data indicative of a coupon code relating to the item identified by the received item code is present in the memory;

providing a notification if the data indicative of a coupon relating to the item identified by the received item code is present in the memory;

in response to the notification, displaying the stored whole or partial bitmap of the scanned coupon on the display; and

obtaining data indicative of the coupon code at an automated processing subsystem from the displaying whole or partial bitmap of the coupon scanned via the mobile computing device so as to receive a benefit associated with the displayed whole or partial bitmap of the coupon corresponding to the data associated with the coupon code.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the automated processing subsystem receives the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon.

19. A coupon scanning and processing method using a mobile computing device having a scanner and a display screen, the method comprising:

scanning a coupon via the mobile computing device at a non-point of sale location;

character recognizing the coupon to identify a coupon code;

storing data indicative of the coupon code in a memory of the mobile computing device, the coupon code relating to an item;

storing data associated with the coupon, the stored data associated with the coupon comprising a whole or partial bitmap of the coupon;

scanning an item code of the item, the item code identifying the item;

searching the memory to determine whether the data indicative of a coupon code relating to the item identified by the scanned item code is present in the memory;

providing a notification if data indicative of a coupon code relating to the item identified by the scanned item code is present in the memory;

in response to the notification, displaying at least a portion of the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon including the coupon code received from the scanning of the coupon on a screen of the mobile computing device; and

using the displayed at least a portion of the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon including the coupon code on the screen of the mobile computing device to receive a benefit associated with the displayed at least a portion of the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the displayed at least a portion of the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon is scanned at the point of sale terminal.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein data associated with the displayed at least a portion of the whole or partial bitmap of the coupon is manually entered at the point of sale terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed at a display location of a product or service in a business.