Method and system for facilitating a shopping experience

• US 20050038718A1
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Bonalle, David S., Saunders, Peter D., Barnes, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,960,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]

Abstract

A system and method for using RFID technology to track resource performance and task completion is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a system for facilitating a transaction comprising a transponder, an RF reader, a transaction completion system, and a resource engine. In another exemplary embodiment, the transponder system is configured to provide an account number in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track1/Track 2 format. In accordance with another aspect the transponder may transmit to the RFID reader information identifying the resource'"'"'s performance tracking account to which the transponder is associated. The RFID reader may receive and forward the information to facilitate performance tracking.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a transaction comprising

a. a transponder system responsive to a Radio Frequency (RF) interrogation signal, said transponder system operable to provide an account number via RF communication, said transponder system operable to provide said account number in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track1/Track 2 format;

b. a RF reader in RF communication with said transponder system, said RF reader operable to provide an interrogation signal to said transponder system and receive said account number via RF communication;

c. a transaction completion system in communication with said RF reader for receiving said account number; and

d. a resource engine associated with an employer identifier, said resource engine including a point of interaction terminal, said point of interaction terminal in communication with said RF reader;

wherein said RF reader provides said account number to said point of interaction terminal, said point of interaction terminal associating said employer identifier and said account number to a resource transaction request, forming a performance tracking request, said point of interaction terminal providing said performance tracking request to a resource engine server.

2. A system for facilitating a transaction according to claim 1 wherein said resource engine includes a computer-implemented device configured to facilitate at least one of the management, assignment, grading, pricing, checking-out, inventorying, stocking, shipping, scoring, manipulation, tracking, control, and allocation of at least one of resources, tasks, shoppers, products, and supplies, said resource engine further including:

a device configured to facilitate obtaining information on applications problems;

a device configured to facilitate the defining of tasks associated with said application problems;

a device configured to facilitate a determination of the desired resource skills sets to complete said tasks; and

a device configured to facilitate the management of said resources and tasks, wherein said device includes at least one of;

a device configured to facilitate the automatic grading of skills sets of at least one of local and remote resources to determine resource skills sets scores;

a device configured to facilitate the automatic assignment of said resources to said tasks based on said desired resource skills sets and said resource skills sets scores, and a device configured to facilitate the automatic tracking of said resources based on task start and completion times.

3. A transponder system according to claim 1, wherein said RFID reader is configured to be at least one of a free standing and a computer implemented device.

4. A transponder system according to claim 2, wherein said resource engine further comprises:

a device configured to facilitate grading and tracking said resources and said tasks by the use of an algorithm, said algorithm based upon at least one of;

the start times for said application tasks, the completion times for said application tasks and comparisons of resource efficiencies relating to application tasks.

5. A transponder system according to claim 1, wherein, said RFID reader is further configured with at least one biometric security devices;

wherein said biometric security devices include at least one of pre-registration biometric information, a biometric sensor, and current biometric information.

6. A transponder system according to claim 5, wherein said biometric information includes at least one of fingerprints, a facial scan, a retinal image, an iris image, a voice print, and a vascular pattern scan.

7. A transponder system according to claim 1, wherein said RFID reader is further configured to communicate with at least one third-party merchant systems.

8. A transponder system according to claim 7, wherein said RFID reader is configured to facilitate at least one of transactions, security, and check-out.

9. A performance tracking system of claim 1, wherein said RFID reader is further configured with a device to monitor and track locational information.

10. A method for facilitating performance tracking comprising:

using a transponder to provide a transponder account identifier to a radio frequency identification reader via a radio frequency signal, said transponder operable to provide said account identifier in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track1/Track 2 format;

associating the transponder account identifier with an employer account identifier to form a performance tracking request;

communicating said performance tracking request to a point of interaction terminal;

wherein said point of interaction terminal further communicates with a resource engine using said resource engine to facilitate tracking the performance of a resource associated with said transponder; and

wherein said tracking includes at least one of management, assignment, grading, pricing, checking-out, inventorying, stocking, shipping, scoring, manipulation, tracking, control, and allocation at least one of resources, tasks, shoppers, products, and supplies.

11. A method for facilitating performance tracking comprising:

facilitating receiving a transponder account identifier into a radio frequency identification reader via a radio frequency signal, said radio frequency identification reader operable to receive said account identifier in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track1/Track 2 format;

facilitating associating the transponder account identifier with an employer account identifier to form a performance tracking request; and

facilitating tracking the performance of a resource using said performance tracking request, wherein said tracking includes at least one of;

management, assignment, grading, pricing, checking-out, inventorying, stocking, shipping scoring, manipulation, tracking, control, and allocation of at least one of resources, tasks, shoppers, products, and supplies.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, said steps of receiving a transponder account identifier and associating the transponder account identifier with an employer account identifier further comprise using one or more biometric security devices;

wherein said biometric security devices include at least one of pre-registration biometric information, a biometric sensor, and current biometric information and wherein said biometric information includes at least one of fingerprints, a facial scan, a retinal image, a voice print, an iris scan, and a tongue scan.

13. The method for facilitating performance tracking of claim 11, said method comprising:

obtaining information on applications problems;

defining of tasks associated with said application problems;

determining the desired resource skills sets to complete said tasks; and

managing said resources and tasks, wherein managing includes at least one of;

grading the skills sets of at least one of local and remote resources to determine resource skills sets scores;

assigning said resources to said tasks based on said desired resource skills sets and said resource skills sets scores, and tracking of said resources based on task start and completion times.

14. The method for facilitating performance tracking of claim 11, comprising an additional step of communicating with at least one third-party merchant systems to facilitate at least one of performing a transaction, purchasing at least one product, checking out and facilitating security measures.

15. The method for facilitating performance tracking of claim 11, further comprising using a device to monitor and track locational information.

16. A system for facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a consumer comprising:

a consumer interface configured to provide a consumer identity signal configured to identify a consumer, said consumer interface including a transponder to provide a consumer identity signal to a radio frequency identification reader via a radio frequency signal, said transponder operable to provide said account identifier in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track 1/Track 2 format;

a settlement administrator is configured to receive said consumer identity signal and to receive an amount owing signal indicative of an amount owing from said consumer; and

wherein said settlement administrator is further configured to facilitate one or more payments between an account of said merchant and an account of said consumer upon receipt of said consumer identity signal and said amount owing signal.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said amount owing signal is indicative of an inventory of purchases of said consumer and wherein said settlement administrator is configured to determine an amount owing based at least in part on said inventory.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said consumer interface is further configured to receive and retain an offer signal indicative of an incentive offer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said consumer interface is further configured to emit said offer signal.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said settlement administrator is further configured to receive an offer signal indicative of an incentive offer.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said payment is based at least in part on said offer signal.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising an incentive administrator configured to emit an offer signal indicative of an incentive offer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said incentive administrator is configured to receive a consumer identity signal and wherein said incentive offer is based at least in part on said consumer identity signal.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising a merchandising administrator in communication with said settlement administrator and said incentive administrator;

wherein said settlement administrator is further configured to provide merchandizing information to said merchandising administrator;

wherein said merchandising administrator is configured to receive said merchandising information and to provide incentive information to said incentive administrator; and

wherein said incentive offer is based at least in part on said merchandising information.

25. A method for facilitating a transaction between a merchant and a consumer comprising:

providing a consumer interface configured to emit a consumer identity signal configured to identify a consumer, said consumer interface including a transponder to provide said consumer identity signal to a radio frequency identification reader via a radio frequency signal, said transponder operable to provide said account identifier in ISO/IEC 7816 magnetic stripe Track1/Track 2 format;

receiving said consumer identity signal;

receiving an amount owing signal indicative of an amount owing from said consumer; and

facilitating one or more payments between an account of said merchant and an account of said consumer.