Distributed personal automation and shopping method, apparatus, and process

• US 7,797,204 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce F. Balent
• Inventors: Balent, Bruce F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US10/315,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20030158796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,836 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/26, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06234 miniature-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A business method utilizing a system comprising one or more distributed computers, application software, off-the-shelf peripheral components including keyboard-and-mouseless data entry (KDE) devices, business processes, human and KDE device readable data, related information on removable data storage media or available from external databases, and existing communications systems for speeding and improving: 1) personal or business automation, efficiency and productivity, goal attainment; 2) improving, speeding and automating the person-computer interface; 3) selection, acquisition, and tracking usage of items acquired from an existing supply chain; 4) marketing items and retaining customers buying the products, controlling their usage, and disseminating information about the products.

Claims

1. A system for a user to manage the buying and/or selling of goods or services identified with a code for managing a completion of tasks, attendance at events and appointments, said system comprising:

at least one data entry device for reading said code;

at least one programmable data processor including a CPU, memory and nonvolatile data storage, and input/output peripherals, in communication with said data entry device, further including;

(1) means for receiving input from the user and entering the input into said data processor;

(2) software for manipulating, sorting, categorizing goods or services and/or adding information associated with particular goods, services, event, appointment, and tasks from said input peripherals;

(3) means for providing output to the user responsive to said user'"'"'s command;

(4) means for storing data concerning said goods, services, events, appointments and tasks forming a database accessible by the user whereby the system provides automated collection, storage, sorting and/or manipulation, and output of data concerning goods and services being purchased, tasks to be accomplished, events to be attended and appointments to keep.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said code includes Universal Product Code, other barcodes or other symbologies, alphanumeric indicators, or radio frequency identification tags on products or product packaging, pictures, or words on product packaging of said goods and said means for providing output to the user includes a printer and/or a display screen, which displays said database file contents at the user'"'"'s command.

3. The system of claim 2 for automating the purchase of products identified with said code from a sources of supplies using a communication device, said system comprising:

at least one keyless data entry device for receiving and/or interpreting said code;

at least one programmable computer including one or more data processors, memory and input and output devices, said computer in connection with said data entry device and said communication network;

a catalog identifying items, with said code, available to be purchased from each of said sources and said catalog may be stored in said memory or provided in a printable format;

removable data storage device connected to said memory for storing or updating said catalog;

one or more output device(s) for printing data or transmitting said data to said source computer from said data storage device utilizing a modem, and/or the internet or other communications network or more input device(s) for receiving said code from the user representing the product desired to be purchased and;

software used by said data processor for processing said codes received by said keyless data entry device and received by said input devices, and for connecting to said communications network and for storing in said memory and data storage device wherein the user'"'"'s computer connects to said source'"'"'s computer using said communications network such that products selected by the user utilizing said keyless data entry device or input device(s) are purchased by user from the supplier.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the users are a buyer having a data processor and seller of products having a data processor, said system further including:

means for downloading a list of product items to be purchased from said buyer'"'"'s data processor to said seller'"'"'s data processor and;

means for informing the user that said list of product items has been received by the seller'"'"'s data processor.

5. The system of claim 1 for use by a buyer at a seller'"'"'s store, said system further comprising:

graphical user interface in connection with said data processor and;

means for displaying images of said goods and product identification and product information available for purchase from said seller, said images retained in said data storage and/or said memory of said processor wherein said images, product identification and product information may be viewed via said output means and the buyer may select products desired for purchase by utilizing said graphical user interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said data entry means is keyless.

7. The system of claim 1 further including recipes having ingredients wherein each ingredient has an associated code and the whole recipe has another unique recipe list code which will store said recipe list code in said memory or said data storage so said software and said data processor may automatically add all recipe ingredients to said shopping list from said memory.

8. The system of claim 3 further including:

a voice synthesizer adaptable to function with a data processor, means for inputting and storing directions associated with each recipe, and software for controlling said voice synthesizer such that output means directs said voice synthesizer to provide speech reading said directions with said ingredients enabling the user to create recipes stored in said data storage by following the directions from said voice synthesizer.

9. The system of claim 1 for use by a buyer in conjunction with seller'"'"'s store having an inventory, said system further comprising:

means for providing a representation of the locations of said seller'"'"'s store inventory and storing said locations of inventory with said memory or data storage device;

software for creating a shopping list organized in order of the layout of said store

whereby said stored locations of store inventory comprise the buyer'"'"'s preferred route through said seller'"'"'s store.