System and method for a complete and convenient shopping experience

• US 20020161658A1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lester Sussman
• Original Assignee: Lester Sussman
• Inventors: Sussman, Lester
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method and system in which a consumer creates a shopping list using a small wireless bar code scanner and an intelligent base station that gets related bar code information from a merchant'"'"'s database via the Internet. The consumer uses this method to shop in a store, Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO) or on the Internet using the created shopping list. The consumer creates the shopping list by using a small wireless bar code scanner to scan in the merchandise Universal Product Codes (UPCs), which are available on product labels, and in product catalog. The consumer then transmits the scanned bar codes to an intelligent device owned by the consumer, which known as a base station. Examples of a base station are an Internet Appliance, or a PDA, or a PC or a cell phone. Data transmission between the bar code scanner and the base station is via radio frequency standards, such as Bluetooth. The bar code scanner uses the Bluetooth protocol to check to see if a registered base station is within its communications perimeter, and finding an available device transmits any available UPCs that it has stored. A process running on the base station stores the transmitted UPCs in a local database. The local UPC database eliminates duplicate UPCs, but records the date and time which it received the UPC, as well as any new additional information. The base station connects via the Internet to a UPC database stored at a merchant, or to a central UPC database and downloads the textual description of the UPC. Coupons and other information are also downloaded at this time. This data is known as the UPC'"'"'s supporting information. Using Bluetooth, the base station transmits UPC supporting information to the bar code scanner, or other registered base stations within its communications perimeter. An advantage of this system is that copies of a shopping list can be resident and kept in synch on multiple base stations. This multiplicity of synchronized copies is maintained without the consumer'"'"'s constant intervention. The consumer can print out the created shopping list on any printer available on a base station, or one that is Bluetooth enabled. The barcode scanner stores, and displays UPC descriptions on the device, that have been transmitted from the base station. This allows the consumer to take the barcode scanner on a shopping expedition, or simply reference the shopping list without having to access a base station. The consumer can then order the system'"'"'s created shopping list items via the telephone (MOTO), on the Internet, or the consumer can go to a store and purchase the items. The system provides various ways for the consumer to the get the shopping list in hand, i.e. delivery, drive through pickup or in-store pickup.

Claims

1. A method for creating a shopping list, purchasing items on the shopping list, and obtaining the purchased shopping list items in hand, comprising the steps of:

(a) a portable interface unit including a data system for receiving product identification data representing a product selected by a consumer for inquiry and a data communication system for communicating data on a first network infrastructure;

(b) a consumer gateway for providing an interface between the first network infrastructure and the portable interface unit;

(c) a merchant'"'"'s computer system including a communication system for receiving identification data requests over a second network infrastructure and a memory for storing data representing the product data identification, the first network infrastructure being coupled to the second infrastructure; and

(d) displaying the information associated with the product identifier on a display.

2. The system for creating shopping list information of claim 1, wherein the first network infrastructure is a local area network in a consumer'"'"'s home or workplace and the second network infrastructure is the Internet.

3. The system for creating shopping list information of claim 1, where the merchant'"'"'s computer system includes a database matching the product identification data to product descriptive information related to the product identifier.

4. The system for building shopping list information of claim 3, where the merchant'"'"'s computer system includes a database matching the product identification data to complimentary information related to the product, the complimentary information representing other products which are complimentary with the product.

5. A method for creating a shopping list as recited in claim 1, including the step of utilizing the uniform product code for the product identifier.

6. A method for obtaining the purchased shopping list items in hand as recited in claim 1, including one of the following steps;

(a) the customer shopping in a store'"'"'s aisles for the shopping list items;

(b) the shopping list items being delivered to the customer; and

(c) the customer picking up the items, which have been picked and packed by the merchant, in a drive through service offered by the merchant.

7. The system for building a shopping list of claim 1, wherein the data communication system for communicating data on a first network infrastructure is compatible with the Bluetooth radio frequency standard.

8. The system for building a shopping list of claim 1, wherein the consumer gateway is a personal computer, or a personal digital assistant, or an Internet appliance, or a cell phone.

9. A system for scanning shopping list item bar codes, comprising:

(a) one or more host computers, each host computer having an associated communications interface channel to receive data from a portable bar code scanner;

(b) logic on the host computers that stores frequently used shopping list information under the control of the item'"'"'s bar code;

(c) a portable bar code scanner, comprising;

(i) a processor;

(ii) a memory that stores information under the control of the processor;

(iii) logic that obtains a product identifier;

(iv) logic that creates a query based on the product identifier;

(v) logic that transmits the product identifier to one or more host computers;

(vi) logic that displays the information associated with the product identifier, received from one or more host computers, on a display; and

(vii) wherein the information relates to at least one of product description, product cost, date on which product identifier was scanned and required quantity of said product.

10. The system for building a shopping list of claim 9, wherein the host computer '"'"'s communications interface channel is a radio frequency channel for communicating data between a host computer and the portable bar code scanner.

11. The system for building a shopping list of claim 10, wherein the radio frequency channel is compatible with the Bluetooth radio frequency standard.

12. A method for creating a shopping list as recited in claim 9, including the step of utilizing the uniform product code for the product identifier.

13. The system for building a shopping list of claim 9, wherein the host computer is a personal computer, or a personal digital assistant, or an Internet appliance, or a cell phone.