Portable point of purchase user interfaces

• US 9,026,462 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Gloria, Mikhak, Amir Mahmood, Nakajima, Taido Lantz, Mayo, Sean Anthony, Rosenblatt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): AN, IG TAI
• Application Number:
  US12/286,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 705 17- 22
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for conducting sales transactions are provided. Embodiments include handheld, portable, electronic, point of purchase devices configured to acquire identification information from articles to be purchased, to determine a purchase price, and to acquire payment information for the purchase price. The point of purchase devices may include one or more input devices such as a near field communication device, a camera, a scanner, and a biometric sensor for acquiring the identification information and/or the payment information. In some embodiments, the near field communication device may be detachable from the point of purchase device. The point of purchase devices also may contain communication interfaces, such as a near field communication interface, a local area network interface, a short message service interface, and a personal area network interface, for transmitting the information to an external server.

Claims

1. A handheld portable point of purchase device, comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) device configured to sense connection to an NFC-enabled shopping container and to acquire identification information from one or more NFC-tagged articles disposed in the NFC-enabled shopping container;

a processor configured to;

transmit the identification information to an external server in a remote location;

retrieve article information for the one or more NFC-tagged articles from the external server based on the identification information;

a display configured to display the article information for the one or more NFC-tagged articles;

an input configured to receive transaction information based on the identification information;

a communication interface configured to;

transmit the transaction information to an external device, and

receive a transaction authorization based on the transaction information; and

an NFC writer configured to;

send a first signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles for activating an in-store security feature of the one or more NFC-tagged articles, wherein the in-store security feature triggers an in-store security system when activated;

send a second signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles for deactivating the in-store security feature of the one or more NFC-tagged articles;

wherein the processor is configured to cause the NFC writer to send the second signal when the transaction authorization is for a purchase of the one or more NFC-tagged articles and wherein the processor is configured to cause the NFC writer to send the first signal when the transaction authorization is for a return of the one or more NFC-tagged articles; and

send a third signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles to determine an activation status for each of the one or more NFC-tagged articles, wherein the processor configures the display to prompt for removal of the one or more NFC-tagged articles from the NFC-enabled shopping container when each of the one or more NFC-tagged articles has been deactivated.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising control logic for selecting the communication interface from a plurality of different type communication interfaces, wherein the selection is based on a preference stored within the portable point of purchase device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the article information comprises names of the one or more articles, or prices for the one or more articles, or a combination thereof.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the near field communication device is configured to read the identification information for the one or more articles from a near field communication device of the shopping container.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the near field communication device is configured to acquire the identification information in response to sensing connection to the shopping container.

6. A handheld portable point of purchase device, comprising:

a connection port configured to mate with a receptacle on a near field enabled shopping container to establish a physical connection between the portable point of purchase device and the shopping container;

a processor configured to sense connection to the shopping container, to acquire identification information, through the connection port, for one or more NFC-tagged articles disposed in the shopping container, to transmit identification information to an external server, and to retrieve article information for the one or more NFC-tagged articles based on the identification information;

a display configured to display the article information for the one or more NFC-tagged articles;

a near field communication device configured to receive transaction information based on the identification information;

a communication interface configured to transmit the transaction information to an external device and configured to receive a transaction authorization based on the transaction information; and

an NFC writer configured to;

send a first signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles for activating an in-store security feature of the one or more NFC-tagged articles, wherein the in-store security feature triggers an in-store security system when activated;

send a first signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles for deactivating the in-store security feature of the one or more NFC-tagged articles;

wherein the processor configures the NFC writer to send the second signal when the transaction authorization is for a purchase of the one or more NFC-tagged articles and wherein the processor configures the NFC writer to send the first signal when the transaction authorization is for a return of the one or more NFC-tagged articles; and

send a third signal to the one or more NFC-tagged articles to determine an activation status for each of the one or more NFC-tagged articles, wherein the processor configures the display to prompt for removal of the one or more NFC-tagged articles from the NFC-enabled shopping container when each of the one or more NFC-tagged articles has been deactivated.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to display a notification on the handheld device that indicates establishment of the connection in response to sensing connection to the shopping container.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the portable point of purchase device is connected to the shopping container in response to receiving the payment authorization.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to display a notification prompting a user to connect the portable point of purchase device to the shopping container in response to determining that the portable point of purchase device is not connected to the shopping container.