Touchless and touch optimized processing of retail and other commerce transactions

• US 9,152,955 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mathew, Ashvin, Bazlen, Derrick Steven, Blucher, Jeffrey, LaBlanc, Sylvester M., Hofmann, Andreas, Dingle, Gregg Robert, O'Meara, Brendan
• Primary Examiner(s): ZARE, SCOTT A
• Application Number:
  US14/104,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20140100979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A computer implemented method for reducing input performed in a commerce based application is provided. The method includes receiving a sequence of input values from an input device and associating the sequence of input values with an object in the application based on the sequence. A context of the application is determined One or more tasks in the application are automatically performed based on the object, the context and the sequence of input values.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a computer, a first sequence of values from a source user input device;

determining that the first sequence of values corresponds to multiple items;

displaying a user interface on a touch sensitive display device, the user interface having user interface elements representing the multiple items;

receiving a user touch input, on the touch sensitive display device, selecting one of the multiple items;

determining a location of the source user input device;

in response to determining that the location is a point of sale location;

automatically populating a purchase transaction with the selected item based on the first sequence of values;

receiving a second sequence of values related to a method of payment for the purchase transaction; and

tendering a sale based on the second sequence of values;

in response to determining that the location is not a point of sale location;

determining a second task associated with the location; and

performing the second task.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second sequence of values is related to a credit card number.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein tendering the sale comprises:

automatically tendering a sale to a credit card identified by the credit card number.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein performing the second task comprises:

obtaining inventory information pertaining to the selected item,

displaying the inventory information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, and further comprising displaying the multiple items in a list.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first sequence of values are received from a barcode scanner.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first sequence of values are received from an RF identification receiver.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein a first one of the multiple items identifies a customer and a second one of the multiple items identifies a retail item.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim , wherein the selected item comprises a receipt.

10. A hand-held device comprising:

touch sensitive display screen configured to receive user ouch inputs;

a processor; and

instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the device to;

receive a first sequence of values;

determine that the first sequence of values corresponds to multiple items;

display a user interface on the touch sensitive display screen, the user interface having user interface elements representing the multiple items;

receive a user touch input, on the touch sensitive display device, selecting one of the multiple items;

determine a location of the device;

in response to determining that the location is a point of sale location;

automatically populate a purchase transaction with the selected item based on the first sequence of values;

receive a second sequence of values related to a method of payment for the purchase transaction; and

tender a sale based on the second sequence of values;

in response to determining that the location is not a point of sale location;

determine a second task associated with the location; and

perform the second task based on the first sequence of values.

11. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the instructions configure the device to receive a user touch input, on the touch sensitive display screen, selecting an item.

12. The hand-held device of claim 10, and further comprising an RF identification receiver, wherein the first sequence of values is received from the RF identification receiver.

13. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the second sequence of values is related to a credit card number.

14. The hand-held device of claim 13, wherein the instructions configure the device to:

automatically tender a sale to a credit card identified by the credit card number.

15. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the instructions configure the device to perform the second task by:

obtaining inventory information pertaining to the selected item,

displaying the inventory information.

16. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the selected item comprises a receipt.

17. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the instructions configure the device to display the multiple items in a list.

18. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein the first sequence of values are received from a barcode scanner.

19. The hand-held device of claim 10, wherein a first one of the multiple items identifies a customer and a second one of the multiple items identifies a retail item.