Apparatus and method for locating items

• US 20050177445A1
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Church, Craig D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,580,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations

Abstract

A method, a system and a device for locating items are provided. The device sends a selection of at least one item to the server. The server receives the selection and accesses location information regarding the at least one item. The server sends the location information to the device, which outputs the location information. In some implementations, a user may indicate a desire to receive the location information via e-mail at an e-mail address indicated by the user. In other implementations the user may select the at least one item by using a touch screen, by saying a name of the at least one item, or by writing the name of the item on a display.

Claims

1. A method for requesting and receiving item location information from a portable device, the method comprising:

establishing a session between the portable device and a server;

sending, from the portable device to the server, a selection of at least one item;

receiving the selection at the server;

accessing, by the server, location information regarding the at least one item;

sending, by the server, the location information to the portable device;

receiving, at the portable device, the location information from the server; and

outputting, by the portable device, the location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the session is established via a direct wireless connection between the portable device and the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the session is established from the portable device to a wireless access device that establishes a connection to the server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection between the wireless access device and the server is one of a WiFi connection and an optical connection.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the connection between the wireless access device and the server is via a network to which the server is connected.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the server, whether the portable device is located at a particular site;

when the server determines that the portable device is located at the particular site;

sending, by the server, a menu of items located at the particular site to the portable device,

receiving and outputting, by the portable device, the menu of items, and

selecting, by a user via the portable device, the at least one item from the menu of items at the particular site; and

when the server determines that the portable device is not located at the particular site;

sending, by the server, to the portable device a menu of particular sites located in a vicinity of a location of the portable device,

receiving the menu of particular sites at the portable device and outputting the menu of particular sites,

selecting, at the portable device by the user, one of the particular sites and sending an indication of the one of the particular sites to the server,

sending, from the server to the portable device, a menu of items located at the particular site,

receiving and outputting, at the portable device, the menu of items located at the selected particular site, and

selecting, by a user via the portable device, the at least one item from the menu of items at the particular site.

7. The method of claims 6, wherein the particular sites include a plurality of stores.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the server, a menu of items to the portable device;

receiving and outputting, by the portable device, the menu of items; and

selecting, by a user via the portable device, the at least one item from the output menu of items.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the server, to the portable device, a menu of particular sites located in a vicinity of a location of the portable device;

receiving the menu of particular sites at the portable device and outputting the menu of particular sites;

selecting, at the portable device by a user, one of the particular sites and sending an indication of the one of the particular sites to the server;

sending, from the server to the portable device, a menu of items located at the particular site;

receiving and outputting, at the portable device, the menu of items located at the particular site; and

selecting, by a user via the portable device, the at least one item from the menu of items at the particular site.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user of the portable device with an option of having results sent via e-mail to an e-mail address provided by the user via the portable device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes a location of each of the at least one selected item.

12. A device comprising:

processing logic;

an input device coupled to the processing logic;

a display coupled to the processing logic; and

a wireless communication interface coupled to the processing logic, wherein;

the processing logic is configured to;

receive a selection of at least one item from a user via the input device,

send the selection of the at least one item to a server via the wireless communication interface,

receive, via the wireless communication interface, location information regarding the at least one item from the server, and

output the location information on the display.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing logic is further configured to:

output, to the display, a menu of items received from the server, wherein the receiving the selection occurs as a result of the user selecting the at least one item from the displayed menu of items.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing logic is further configured to provide the user with an option to have the location information sent to a user-supplied e-mail address.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the input device includes a touch screen, and wherein the processing logic is further configured to receive the selection of the at least one item when the user touches the touch screen with one of an electronic pen, a stylus, and a finger in an area where a representation of each of the at least one item is displayed on the display.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the input device includes a touch screen, wherein the processing logic is further configured to receive the selection of the at least one item when the user writes a name of the at least one item on the touch screen with one of an electronic pen, a stylus, and a finger.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the input device includes means for recognizing speech, wherein the processing logic is further configured to receive the selection of the at least one item when the user says a name of the at least one item.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing logic is further configured to send the selection of the at least one item to the server via an e-mail message.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing logic is configured to receive the location information about the at least one item from the server via an e-mail message.

20. A system for obtaining item location information, the system comprises:

a server including;

first processing logic,

a communication interface connected to the first processing logic and configured to communicate via one of a wireless connection and a wired connection, the first processing logic being configured to;

establish communications with a device,

receive an indication of at least one item via the communication interface,

access location information regarding the at least one item, and

send the location information to the device via the communication interface.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

the device configured to communicate wirelessly, the device including;

second processing logic,

an input device connected to the second processing logic,

a display connected to the second processing logic, and

a wireless communication interface connected to the second processing logic, wherein;

the second processing logic is configured to;

receive an indication of at least one item from a user via the input device,

send the indication of the at least one item to the server via the wireless communication interface,

receive, via the wireless communication interface, the location information regarding the at least one item from the server, and

output the location information on the display.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the first processing logic is further configured to determine whether the device is at a particular site.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first processing logic is further configured to send an indication to the portable device indicating whether the portable device is located at a particular site.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the second processing logic is further configured to:

cause at least one menu to be displayed when the second processing logic determines that the device is not located at a particular site, and

refrain from causing the at least one menu to be displayed when the second processing logic determines that the device is located at the particular site.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the input device comprises a touch screen, wherein the second processing logic is further configured to receive the indication of the at least one item when the user touches the touch screen with one of an electronic pen, a stylus, and a finger in an area where a representation of the at least one item is displayed on the display.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the input device comprises at least one of means for recognizing speech and means for recognizing a character written on a surface of the display of the device.

27. A device for requesting and receiving item location information, the device comprising:

means for inputting information representing at least one item;

means for sending and receiving messages wirelessly, at least some of the messages being destined for a server, the means for sending and receiving being configured to send the information representing the at least one item to the server;

means for receiving item location information, pertaining to the at least one item, from the server; and

means for displaying the item location information.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

means for indicating an e-mail address to which the server is to send the item location information.

29. The device of claim 27, further comprising means for selecting a particular menu for display.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for inputting information representing at least one item is configured to recognize one of a spoken word representing a characteristic of the at least one item and a written word representing a characteristic of the at least one item.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for displaying the item location information is configured to display a location where each of the at least one item is located in a store.

32. A machine-readable medium having a plurality of instructions, for at least one processor, stored therein, wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor is configured to:

establish communication with a server;

send a selection of at least one item to the server;

receive location information, regarding the at least one item, from the server; and

output the location information.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the server, a menu of items located at a particular site,

output the menu of items; and

allow a user to select the at least one item from the menu of items.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the server a menu of particular sites from the server;

output the menu of particular sites;

allow a user to select one of the particular sites;

send an indication of the selected one of the particular sites to the server;

receive, from the server, a menu of items located at the selected one of the particular sites,

output the menu of items; and

allow a user to select the at least one item from the menu of items.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the particular sites include a plurality of stores.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

allow a user to provide an e-mail address for receiving the location information from the server.

37. A machine-readable medium having a plurality of instructions, for at least one processor, stored therein, wherein when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor is configured to:

establish communications with a device;

receive a selection of at least one item from the device;

access location information regarding the at least one item; and

send the location information to the device.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

send a menu of items located at a particular site to the device.

39. The machine-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

send a menu of particular sites, located in a vicinity of the device, to the device;

receive an indication of a selection of one of the particular sites from the device; and

send a menu of items located at the selected one of the particular sites to the device.

40. The machine-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the particular sites include a plurality of stores.

41. The machine-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the device, a user-supplied e-mail address and an indication that the location information is to be sent to the user-supplied e-mail address; and

send, via e-mail, the location information to the user-supplied e-mail address.