METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTERROGATING AND PROCESSING CODES

• US 20070138270A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,936,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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. In one embodiment, 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. In another embodiment, there is 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 scanning and ordering system, comprising:

a wireless communication device having a scanner configured to scan an information source and wirelessly transmit data indicative of the information source;

an automated processing subsystem configured to receive the transmitted data and identify an item corresponding to the data; and

a fulfillment subsystem configured to receive information from the automated processing subsystem and to effect delivery of the item to a destination.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to store shipping address data in a data storage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to store payment information data in a data storage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to store delivery preference data in a data storage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises a barcode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of a shipping address and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the shipping address.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of a delivery preference and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the delivery preference.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of an item quantity and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the item quantity.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of an item size and/or item color and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the item size and/or item color.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of payment information and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the payment information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner scans an information source representative of a telephone number associated with the automated processing subsystem and wirelessly transmits data indicative of the telephone number associated with the automated processing subsystem.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the information source comprises a telephone number associated with the automated processing subsystem.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises an input device configured to provide additional data to be transmitted to the automated processing subsystem.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises an input device configured to provide additional data to be stored in a data storage.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device transmits data via a cellular or personal communications service protocol.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination is to a user of the wireless communication device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination is to a third party.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a mobile cellular or personal communications service telephone having a persistent data storage.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a laptop computer, mobile computer, palm-top computer, hand-held computer, or personal digital assistant.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner is built into the wireless communication device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner is adjunct to the wireless communication device.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system uses interactive voice response technology.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system requests the wireless communication device to provide additional information about the item.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system requests delivery preferences from the wireless communication device.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system provides a price total to the wireless communication device.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system requests payment information from the wireless communication device.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated processing system sends confirmation information to the wireless communication device or other predetermined location.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the fulfillment subsystem ships the item via the delivery preference provided by the automated processing system.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the fulfillment subsystem ships the item via the United States Postal Service.

30. A scanning and ordering method using a wireless communication device having an interrogator, the method comprising:

scanning an information source via a wireless communication device;

transmitting data indicative of the information source via a wireless protocol;

receiving the transmitted data at an automated processing subsystem;

identifying an item corresponding to the data; and

delivering the item to a destination.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the interrogator comprises a scanner.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the information source comprises a barcode.

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

a wireless computing device having a scanner configured to scan a coupon code and store data indicative of the coupon code; and

an automated processing subsystem configured to receive the data via a wireless protocol from the wireless computing device and provide the benefit associated with the coupon corresponding to the data.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the coupon corresponds to a retail product.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the code comprises a barcode.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the wireless computing device has a mobile wireless cellular or personal communications service telephone capability.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the automated processing subsystem is a point of sale terminal or a coupon kiosk.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed outside of a business having the automated processing subsystem.

39. The system of claim 33, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed at a location of a product or service in a business.

40. The system of claim 33, wherein the scanning of the coupon is performed on an electronic display of a coupon.

41. The system of claim 33, wherein the coupon comprises a code.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein the automated processing subsystem is located in a retail business location.

43. The system of claim 33, wherein the wireless computing device notifies the user of the device of applicable coupons.

44. The system of claim 33, wherein the wireless computing device transmits the data to the automated processing subsystem via a Bluetooth or infrared protocol.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein the wireless computing device transmits the data to the automated processing subsystem via a cellular or personal communications service protocol.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

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

scanning a coupon code via the mobile computing device;

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

transmitting the data to an automated processing subsystem via a wireless protocol; and

providing a benefit associated with the coupon corresponding to the data.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the code comprises a barcode.

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

scanning a coupon barcode via the mobile computing device;

storing data indicative of the coupon barcode in the mobile computing device;

displaying at least a portion of the coupon including the barcode on a screen of the mobile computing device; and

providing a benefit associated with the displayed at least portion of the coupon at a point of sale terminal.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the benefit is a discount on a product or service.

52. A coupon code scanning and processing system having a mobile computing device, the system comprising:

means for scanning a coupon code;

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

means for transmitting the data to an automated processing subsystem via a wireless protocol; and

means for providing a benefit associated with the coupon corresponding to the data.

53. A interrogation and processing system, comprising:

a wireless communication device having an interrogator configured to read an information source and wirelessly transmit data indicative of the information source; and

an automated processing subsystem configured to receive the transmitted data, identify an item corresponding to the data, and provide a response to the wireless communication device based on the item.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the information source includes a barcode that is decoded by the wireless communication device and converted to a uniform resource locator (URL) address.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the URL address is indicative of a web page listing a product or service on a website.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the URL address is indicative of a web page having a coupon for a product or service on a website.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein the automated processing subsystem includes a server configured to receive the data indicative of the information source, decode the data and convert the decoded information to a URL address.

58. The system of claim 53, wherein the interrogator reads a bitmap of a URL address corresponding with the information source, and wherein the wireless communication device converts the bitmap to an encoding scheme representative of the URL address via optical character recognition.

59. The system of claim 53, wherein the response comprises a receipt for a product or service corresponding to the item.

60. The system of claim 53, wherein the response comprises a coupon for a product or service corresponding to the item.

61. The system of claim 53, wherein the information source includes a barcode indicative of a geographic location of the information source and a telephone number of a transportation entity so as to obtain transportation services.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the response comprises an acknowledgement of a transportation pickup.

63. The system of claim 53, wherein the information source includes an active radio frequency identification tag configured to limit a particular business to a specified number of total coupon readings.

64. The system of claim 53, wherein the information source includes an active radio frequency identification tag configured to limit the wireless communication device to one reading for a particular coupon.

65. The system of claim 53, additionally comprising a fulfillment subsystem configured to receive information from the automated processing subsystem and to effect delivery of the item to a destination.