Method of maintaining product status

• US 7,874,481 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel A
• Application Number:
  US12/169,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20080265027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/494, 705/16
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10623 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0217 involving input on products or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0236 Incentive or reward received by requiring registration or ID from user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/59 by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/767 : Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/778 : comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/1568 : for disturbance correction or prevention within the image-sensor, e.g. biasing, blooming, smearing correction circuits H04N25/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 : Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A method of maintaining a status of a product item is provided. The product item includes an associated interface surface which has coded data including a plurality of coded data portions indicative of the product item'"'"'s identity. The method includes, in a sensing device, sensing at least one coded data portion, generating indicating data indicative of the product item identity therefrom, and transferring the indicating data to a computer system. The computer system is responsive to the indicating data to update product status information stored in a data store. The interface surface includes at least one region having visible markings representing a respective product item status. The method including, in the sensing device, sensing coded data in the region and generating therefrom indicating data indicative of the respective product item status. The computer system is responsive to the indicating data to update the status information using the product item status.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining a status of a product item, the product item including an associated interface surface, the interface surface including at least one region having visible markings representing a respective product item status and having disposed thereon or therein coded data including a plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item, the method including:

sensing by a sensing device at least one coded data portion;

generating by the sensing device, using the sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the product item identity;

transferring by the sensing device the indicating data to a computer system;

updating by the computer system an inventory stored in a data store using the product item identity, the inventory including at least an indication of a predetermined number of product items of respective product types;

sensing by the sensing device coded data provided in the region;

generating by the sensing device, using the sensed coded data, indicating data indicative of the respective product item status;

transferring by the sensing device the indicating data to the computer system; and

updating the inventory using the respective product item status,

the updating steps including the sub-steps of;

determining , using the indicating data, the product item type;

determining the number of product items of the respective product item type;

comparing the number of product items to the predetermined number; and

in response to the comparison, at least one of;

providing an indication of the product item type on a shopping list;

updating the inventory; and

taking no action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes, in the sensing device:

selecting a status mode; and

generating indicating data indicative of the selected status mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes, selecting the status mode by at least one of:

using an input provided on the sensing device; and

sensing a further interface surface, the interface surface including coded data disposed thereon or therein, the sensing device being responsive to the coded data to select the sensing mode.

4. The method of claim 2, the method including, in the computer system:

receiving the indicating data;

generating, using the received indicating data;

identity data indicative of the identity of the product item; and

mode data indicative of the status mode;

updating, using the identity data and the mode data, the inventory.

5. The method of claim 1, the method including, in the computer system:

selecting a status mode;

receiving the indicating data;

generating, using the received indicating data, identity data indicative of the identity of the product item;

updating, using the identity data and the mode data, the inventory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method includes, selecting the status mode by at least one of:

using an input provided on the computer system; and

in the computer system;

receiving mode indicating data from a sensing device, the sensing device being responsive to sensing of coded data provided on a respective mode interface surface to generate indicating data indicative of the status mode;

generating, using the received indicating data, mode data indicative of the status mode; and

using the mode data to select the status mode.