Retail terminal utilizing an imaging scanner for product attribute identification and consumer interactive querying

• US 6,744,938 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Lindacher, Joseph M., Rantze, Edward G.
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/519,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 382/312, 382/313, 382/321, 235/462.25, 235/462.45, 235/462.01, 235/375, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/1, 705/1-3, 705/7, 705/27
• US Class Current: 382/312
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• 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 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for identifying a product through reading of the product label by a retail terminal. The product/product label is scanned by an imager of a retail terminal. An attribute recognition program such as an optical character recognition (OCR) program is used on the scanned product label which generates text strings from alphanumeric label information and graphics maps/images from graphics/logos. Text strings and/or graphics data are then compared to various text strings and graphics data in a database or look-up table to return information relative to the scanned text string(s)/graphic(s). In one form, kiosks, incorporating an imager and the necessary hardware and software to scan a product label and process the scanned information in accordance with the present principles, may provide printouts of product information, instructions, order forms or the like for the scanned product. Additionally, standard queries or user-generated queries may be answered relative to the scanned product label. Data, stored either locally or at a remote site accessible via a network or the like, is correlated to a plurality of text strings/graphics that correspond to alphanumeric text/graphics on a plurality of product labels.

Claims

1. A retail terminal comprising:

an imager;

a processing unit electronically coupled to said imager; and

a memory device electronically coupled to said processing unit and said imager, wherein said memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;

(a) cause said imager to scan a label of a product;

(b) convert alphanumeric information on said label into label data;

(c) compare at least some of the label data to stored data; and

(d) return information relative to a user query and corresponding to the stored data.

2. The retail terminal of claim 1, wherein said plurality of instructions includes optical character recognition instructions for converting the alphanumeric information on said label data into said label data.

3. The retail terminal of claim 2, wherein the retail terminal includes a display, and the information returned to the user relative to the user query and the compared stored data is shown on said display.

4. The retail terminal of claim 2, further comprising a user interface operable to input a user query.

5. A method of operating a retail terminal, comprising the steps of:

(a) imaging a product label with an imager;

(b) converting alphanumeric information on the product label into label data;

(c) comparing at least some of the label data to stored data on a storage device dependent upon a user query; and

(d) obtaining data associated with said stored data on said storage device dependent upon said user query.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of converting alphanumeric information on the product label into label data includes utilizing an optical character recognition program.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of obtaining data associated with said stored data on said storage device dependent upon user query includes showing the data on a display.

8. A retail terminal comprising:

an imaging scanner;

a processing unit electronically coupled to said imaging scanner; and

a memory device electronically coupled to said processing unit and said imaging scanner, wherein said memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;

(a) cause said imaging scanner to scan a product;

(b) convert alphanumeric product information located on said product into product attribute data;

(c) compare the product attribute data to stored product attribute data; and

(d) return information in response to a query that corresponds to the stored product attribute data.

9. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said plurality of instructions includes an optical character recognition program for converting the alphanumeric product information into said product attribute data.

10. The retail terminal of claim 9, wherein the retail terminal includes a display, and the information returned to a user relative to the query and the stored product attribute data is shown on said display.

11. The retail terminal of claim 9, wherein said product attribute data includes text strings.

12. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a plurality of symbols, each constituting a unit of an alphabet.

13. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a word represented by a string of alphabetic symbols.

14. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe ingredients contained in said product.

15. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe a manufacturer of said product.

16. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe contents of said product.

17. A method of operating a retail terminal, comprising the steps of:

(a) imaging a product with a scanner;

(b) converting alphanumeric product information located on the product into product attribute data;

(c) comparing at least one of the product attribute data to product attribute data stored on a storage device dependent upon a query; and

(d) obtaining data associated with said product attribute data stored on said storage device dependent upon said query.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the converting step includes utilizing an optical character recognition program to convert said product information into said product attribute data.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of obtaining data associated with said product attribute data stored on said storage device dependent upon said query includes showing the obtained data on a display.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a plurality of symbols, each constituting a unit of an alphabet.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a word represented by a string of alphabetic symbols.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe ingredients contained in said product.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe a manufacturer of said product.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said alphanumeric product information consists essentially of:

a number of words that describe contents of said product.