Intelligent shopping cart system having cart position determining and service queue position securing capability

• US 5,295,064 A
• Filed: 07/13/1989
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Klever Marketing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VideOcart, Inc. (DarkPulse, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moser, Joseph P., Malec, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Application Number:
  US07/435,500
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 364/401, 340/825.35
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1408 Display devices mounted on it, e.g. advertisement displays
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1416 mounted on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/1424 Electronic display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/20 Destination assistance within a business structure or complex
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

A shopping cart display system includes a cart mounted display that is responsive to unique trigger signals provided by respective transmitters associated with respective fixed locations. When the display receives a unique trigger signal, it displays advertising associated with the respective location. In one embodiment, the display includes a sensor for determining whether the information is displayed in the presence of a customer, and a memory for storing all trigger signals received during a given shopping trip. The stored data are transmitted to a polling transceiver located at a point of sale register for later analysis. Provision is made for the customer to request and receive information, such as deli numbers.

Claims

1. A system for a prospective customer in a retail store to secure a position in a service queue from locations in the store remote from the queue, said system comprising:

a queuing number dispenser for generating successive electronic queuing number signals corresponding to positions in a service queue in response to a queue number request signal,

a shopping cart movable by a prospective customer about the retail store,

means on said cart and operable by said prospective customer for generating an electronic queue number request signal from substantially any location in the store,

electronic communications means providing electronic communication between said cart and said queuing number dispenser,

means for applying said electronic queue number request signal by way of said electronic communications means to said queuing number dispenser,

means for selectively addressing the cart from which a respective electronic queue request signal originated and applying the electronic queuing number signal currently generated by said queuing number dispenser to said cart by way of said electronic communications means, and

indicator means at said cart for indicating to said prospective customer the position in the queue corresponding to said applied electronic queuing number signal.

2. A system recording to claim 1 further including means for indicating to said prospective customer the queuing number corresponding to the customer in said service queue being currently served.