Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
4
WO 96!05758 PCT/US95110145
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED SHOPPING
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a system and method for automated shopping
and, more particularly, to a system and method for automated shopping wherein
the point of sale occurs simultaneously with the selection of the desired item
by
the customer, thereby providing greater efficiency for the customer and the
retailer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In self service retail establishments, such as grocery stores, drug stores,
department stores and the like, the retail goods are generally arranged on
open
shelves for selection by the customer as they walk around the shop or store.
The
customer pushes a grocery cart or carries a hand-held basket through the
aisles
between the shelves and removes the desired items from each shelf. The
customer
then takes their completed selection of goods to a cashier located at a sales
terminal or check-out area. At the sales terminal, the customer unloads their
purchases from the cart or basket onto a counter or conveyor and the cashier
2198221
W0 96105758 PCTIUS951101.t5
z
enters or scans the price of each item into the cash register, which computes
the
total cost of the purchase. The cashier or the customer then packs the items
into
plastic bags, paper bags, or boxes for the convenience of the customer in
carrying
the selected items home. After the cashier receives the cash, check, or credit
card
payment for the total purchase price of the selected items, the customer takes
the
bags of groceries or other goods and leaves the check-out station to return
home.
The problems associated with this type of retail shopping are well-known.
From the customer's standpoint, there is congestion arising from the use of
shopping carts in narrow aisles, standing in line to reach a check-out
terminal and
to pay for the selected items, and the inconvenience of having to unload the
selected items onto the conveyor just to turn around and Load them back into
the
cart after the items are bagged. From the retailer's perspective, there are
labor
costs associated with providing cashiers at a plurality of check-out
terminals, labor
costs associated with restocking the shelves of products, security costs and
shoplifting losses, and a limited amount of shelf space available for
displaying the
retail items.
Various systems have been proposed to overcome these problems and to
facilitate customer selection of items, communication of the selection to a
supply
area, and transportation of selected items from the supply area to a station
for
delivery to the customer and receipt of payment from the customer. For
example,
U.S. Patent No. 5,047,614 to Bianco provides the customer with a scanner or
portable terminal capable of scanning bar codes of various products while he
is at
home. The customer then takes his portable terminal to the retail store and
connects it with a host computer at the store. The host computer will print
out a
2~~~~~~
WO 96/05758 3 PCTIIJS95It0I45
list for the customer or, in accordance with another embodiment of tfie
invention,
the host computer will transmit the list of desired items to a warehouse where
the
customer's order is manually or automatically packaged and moved to a pick-up
location along with the total invoice for payment of the items selected.
U.S. Patent No. 5,186,281 to Jenkins also discloses a method of shopping
wherein a credit card, debit card or special card issued by the retail
establishment
identifies the customer as they select each item from the display area. A
magnetic
stripe reader is positioned at each display area for receiving the credit card
and
keypads are provided so that the customer can indicate which item they desire
by
an alpha numeric location. This information is transmitted to a pre-check
terminal
and to the product stocking area so that the selected items can be bagged or
boxed
for the customer. In addition, as the items are assembled from the product
stocking area, a record of the selected items is maintained and printed by a
terminal. When the customer has finished shopping, they then proceed to the
check-out terminal and give the cashier the previously used credit card or
debit
card. Here, the customer receives an itemized, totaled receipt prepares! by
the
check-out station including their identification number and account
verification.
The customer then leaves the retail store and proceeds to the finalizing
terminal
to receive his purchase. The operator of the finalizing terminal compares the
receipt obtained by the customer from the checkout terminal with the record
printed by the finalizing terminal and, if the receipts are in agreement, the
operator
charges the customer's account and the purchases are loaded into their vehicle
for
completion of the transaction.
z ~ 9~zz i
VV0 96105758 Lt PCT/IT5951101~15
Further, U.S. Patent No. 4,373,133 to Clyne, et al. discloses a portable
scanner which attaches to the shopping casts or baskets commonly used in
retail
grocery stores. As the customer places the items they select off the shelves
into
the cart, they simultaneously take a scanning wand attached to the scanner and
move ii across the bar code indicia for that item. The scanner device is
adapted
to read both the price and the weight of the selected item. Thus, when the
customer proceeds to the sales terminal, the total weight of their purchases
is
compared to the total weight displayed by the scanner. If the weights are in
agreement, the sales clerk then produces a bill on the cash register equal to
the
total price shown on the scanner.
These prior art systems, however, do not eliminate the lengthy and
sometimes objectional check-out queues in which the customer must wait just to
purchase his selected items.
The present invention overcomes these problems, among others, by providing
a method for automated shopping using a portable bar code scanner. The method
for automated shopping includes the steps of accepting an authorized payment,
releasing a portable bar code scanner, displaying a plurality of items for
purchase,
selecting an item to be purchased, scanning the bar code indicia related to
the
selected item, and debiting the payment medium for the purchase price of the
selected item.
In a preferred embodiment, the scanner is released from its holder to a
customer after an authorized credit card, debit card or like payment medium is
accepted. The customer then proceeds to shop along the aisles of the retail
store
. VVO 96/05758
~J PCTIUS95110145
and scans the bar code indicia on the desired items. When the customer pushes
a button on the scanner to confirm the purchase of a scanned item, the indicia
code
information is transmitted to an in-store computer. The computer performs the
functions of adding the purchased item to the customer's total bill and
receipt,
debitirig the item from the customer's payment card for the price of each item
as
it is scanned, adjusting the inventory total within the store, and
transmitting the
information to an inventory retrieval system. The inventory retrieval system
then
collects each item which the customer purchases and places it into a box or
bag for
pickup by the customer when the shopping is completed. Thus, when the customer
has completed their shopping, they merely return the scanner to iu holder and
receive in exchange the return of their credit card, a receipt showing the
total
amount debited thereto for the sefecied items, and the appropriate bag or box
number or code which will contain the purchased items. In an alternative
preferred embodiment of the invention, the payment or credit card is used for
identification of the customer while they are shopping. Thus, when the
selected
items are scanned, the in-store computer merely records the purchase to the
customer's account and the receipt. Then, once the customer has finished
shopping and returned the scanner to its holder, the customer pushes a button
on
the scanner to confirm the final purchase of the scanned items and the
computer
debits the total purchase to the customer's payment card.
Accordingly, by utilizing a portable scanner and in-store computer such that
the point of sale occurs simultaneously with the point of selection of each
item,
lengthy check-out lines and labor costs are avoided in the preferred
embodiments
of the present invention.
CA 02198221 2003-02-03
Sa
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
method of automated shopping, comprising:
(a) accepting and retaining an authorized payment medium;
(b) releasing a portable bar code scanner means upon acceptance and retention
of the authorized payment medium, the scanner means being secured in a holder
for
limited access;
(c) displaying a plurality of items for purchase in a store;
(d) selecting an item to be purchased from a store display;
(e) scanning bar code indicia information related to the selected item to be
purchased with the bar code scanner means, the bar code indicia indicating at
least a
purchase price for the selected item; and
(f) returning the scanner means to the scanner holder;
(g) debiting the payment medium for the purchase price of the selected item;
and
(h) thereafter, in exchange for the returned scanner means, returning the
payment medium.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a
system for automated shopping comprising:
portable bar code scanner means for scanning the bar code indicia information
on selected items, the bar code indicia indicating at least a purchase price
for each
selected item;
holder means for securing said scanner means within said holder means;
release means for releasing said scanner means from said holder means upon
acceptance of a payment medium, said release means retaining the payment
medium,
until the return of said scanner means thereto;
microprocessor means for processing information received from said scanner
means;
transceiver means for communicating information between said
microprocessor means and a control means for the automated shopping system via
wireless transmission;
CA 02198221 2003-02-03
Sb
control means for receiving from said transceiver means the bar code indicia
information scanned by said scanner means and debiting the payment medium for
the
purchase price of the selected items;
an inventory retrieval means for retrieving and accumulating the selected
items from inventory, said control means transmitting the items to be
retrieved to said
inventory retrieval means;
wherein said release means returns the payment medium after return of said
scanner means to said holder means.
z i ~szz ~
WO 96/05758 6 PCT'IUS95I101.l5
1~ ~F D S u~ION OF THE DRAWINrS
The above description and other objects, advantages, and features of the
present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference
to the
specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. i is a diagrammatic view of the system and method of automated
shopping according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart diagram thereof;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a scanner terminal utilized therein;
and
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a portable hand-held scanner for
use in the system and method of the present invention.
DETAIL~n DFSGRIpTION OF THE PRE~RRFn F~unnr~,rFrrrc
The present invention is directed to a system and method of automated
shopping, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, intended as an exemplary top
down view of a retail store 30. The present invention is ideally suited for
use in
self service shopping facilities, such as supermarkets, convenience stores,
drug
stores and the like. Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the customer enters the
store 30 (FIG. 1) and inserts a credit card, ATM card, store-issued debit
card, or
other such payment card or medium 10 (FIG. 3) containing coded information
into
a receiving mechanism or slot 12 in the scanner terminal 18, where a plurality
of
scanners 14 are secured within holders 16. The receiving slot 12 preferably
has
a magnetic stripe reader or other mechanism for reading the coded information
from the payment medium. Upon insertion of the payment card 10 and
authorization thereof, a hand-held, portable scanner 14 is released from the
CA 02198221 2005-03-O1
7
holder 16 to the customer for use while shopping. The payment card 10 is
authorized if the
coded information reveals to an in-store computer 20 (FIG. 1 ) that at least
some funds are
available for use. Preferably, computer 20 will record the amount of funds
available and the
customer's shopping limit will thereby be established. The in-store computer
20 may be located
with scanner terminal 18 or at a location remote therefrom in store 30 of FIG.
1.
Each scanner 14 has a bar code reading mechanism as is well-known in the prior
art and
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,578,571 to Williams. The scanner 14 further
operates on ultrasonic,
microwave, infrared, or radio frequency or other similar system such that
there are no wires
connecting the portable scanners 14 to communicate with the in-store computer
20 via transceiver
40 on shelf 32 or elsewhere. Preferably, the present invention uses spread
spectrum technology or
other multiple frequency technologies since there are a plurality of scanners
being utilized at any
given time and the use of several standard transmitters simultaneously would
likely clog a single
frequency. Moreover, there may be considerable noise in the transmission
frequency band of
interest. Scanner 14 comprises transmitting receiver circuitry for two-way
communication with
computer 20 via appropriately placed transmitters on the shelves 32 or mounted
in the ceiling or
located at computer 20, for example, in the case of long distance radio
frequency communication.
Consequently, each scanner 14 includes an LCD panel 22 which faces the
customer and preferably
three or more buttons 24, 26, 28 which can be actuated by the customer as they
make the desired
selections. In a preferred embodiment, the buttons are color coded such that
button 24 is green,
button 26 is yellow, and
219~~~~
Wn 96105758 PCTIUS95110145
button 28 is red. As explained in detail below, these buttons are used to
confirm
the purchase of a scanned item via display 22 and to increase the quantity
thetrof,
or cancel the purchase of the scanned item via computer 20.
Portable scanner 14 includes an optical scanner 23 which transmits the
encoded bar bode indicia information to a microprocessor 25, as
diagrammatically
shown in FIG. 4. Keypad buttons 24, 26, 28 also communicate the customer's
selection to the microprocessor 25. Microprocessor 25 then transmits this
received
information to the in-store computer 20 by way of a transceiver 40 and
transaction
encoderldecoder 42. Computer 20 processes this information and returns the
appropriate signal to microprocessor 25 such that the customer is correcxly
informed of their shopping purchase. That is, microprocessor 25 will transmit
the
desired message signal through a character generator 21 in order to make it
visible
on display panel 22 of scanner 14. In doing so, microprocessor may also
utilize
certain pre-programmed messages or product information contained in memory 27.
For example, particular special sale event messages may be transmitted and
stored
via transceiver 40 and microprocessor 25 in memory 27 for display on display
22 t
on a daily basis.
According to the present invention and referring again to FIG. 1, the store
or supermarket 30 is merely a showroom with a sample or two of each product
displayed on a plurality of shelves 32. An empty box prototype could even be
used instead, since the customer could still read the ingredients on the box
and see,
for example, the calorie and fat contents thereof. If empty prototypes are
used,
the store could eliminate refrigeration cases, shelf-life or freshness
problems, and
shoplifting problems. In addition, since the store need only display one or
two of
CA 02198221 2005-03-O1
9
an item rather than thirty or forty of each item as is presently done, the
shelf space within the store
increases dramatically. Further, in a preferred embodiment, the warehouse or
inventory stocking
area is located on a separate floor or downstairs from the display area where
customers shop. Thus,
the usable floor space of current stand-alone stores is doubled. In prior art
supermarkets and other
such stores, two-stories cannot easily be used because of the shopping carts.
However, in the
present invention, the stores can double or even triple their capacity by
building the display
showroom on an upper level floor.
After receiving the portable scanner 14, the customer enters the display
aisles in the store to
select the desired items for purchase. The customer will select a sample item
or an empty prototype
for the item and scan the bar code indicia on the box, can or the like by
passing the scanner 14
thereover. The scanner display panel 22 then shows the item which has been
scanned, i.e. Kellogg's
Corn Flakes~, and the price of the item, i.e., $3.69. The display will also
indicate a choice of the
quantity of the item which the customer desires to purchase. For instance,
above the green button 24
may be numeral "1 ", above the yellow button 26 may be displayed the words
"more", and above the
red button 28 may be displayed "none" or "cancel". Thus, if the customer
desires to purchase one of
this scanned item, he will press the green button 24; if the customer has
decided not to buy any of
this scanned item, he will press the red button 28; and if customer desires
more than one of this
scanned item, he will then push the yellow button 26. Other forms of data
entry well-known in the
art such as a numeric keypad may also be utilized for this purpose. Upon
pushing the yellow button
26, the scanner display 22 may be programmed to display an additional message,
i.e., "great idea
CA 02198221 2005-03-O1
to stock up" and the quantity number above the green button 24 will increase
to 2, or 3, or 4,
depending upon how many times the yellow button 26 is pushed. When the desired
quantity is
displayed above the green button 24, the customer then pushes the green button
to purchase the
displayed quantity of the scanned item. The customer then returns the
prototype or sample item to
the display shelf and proceeds to shop for additional items to purchase, if
desired.
Meanwhile, when the green button is depressed to confirm the purchase of the
scanned item
the transaction is then encoded according to well-known manner, the scanner 14
transmits the
purchase information to a central, in-store computer 20 using one of the above-
mentioned wireless
technologies. The in-store computer 20 performs several functions including (
1 ) keeping a running
total of the customer's purchases, (2) relaying the item selected for purchase
to an inventory
retrieval system 38, (3) adjusting the store's warehouse inventory to reflect
the purchase of the item,
and in one preferred embodiment, (4) debiting the customer's payment card 10
for the purchase
price of the selected item. The inventory retrieval system 38 can be a fully
automated system that
dispatches the selected items by conveyor belt 34 into a box 36 or bag
designated for each customer,
i.e. box #101, or alternatively, the inventory can be retrieved manually and
the customer's order
bagged or boxed by hand.
After the customer depresses the green button 24 to confirm the purchase of
the quantity of
the displayed item, computer 20 transmits to scanner 14 that the transaction
is recorded for
processing, and the scanner will preferably acknowledge this confirmation by
displaying the nmning
total in a message such as "total purchase equals $24.19; you just purchased 1
box of Kellogg's
Corn Flakes~ at
WO 96105758 PC'T/US95110145
T
$3.29 plus tax; this brings you new total to $27.56." The bulk of these types
of
messages are stored in memory 27 of scanner 14 for repeated retrieval by
microprocessor 25. Scanner 14 then fills in the specific product information
and
price based upon the scanned bar code indicia. Thus, the customer is
continually
apprised of the purchase cost after each item is selected and their running
total.
The customer continues to scan the bar code indicia on each selected item,
select
the quantity of the item which is desired to be purchased by pushing the
"more"
button 26 or the green confirmation button 24, until all of the desired items
have
been selected for purchase.
At this point, the inventory retrieval system 38 has already collected the
selected items for the customer and placed them in the box or bags 36
identified
specifically for the customer by the number or code. Therefore, the customer
returns to the scanner terminal 18 and replaces the scanner 14 in the holder
16
from which he originally removed it. Thereafter, the customer's payment card
10
is released for return to the customer and a receipt of the total purchases is
printed
for the customer and, preferably, includes the box or bag number identified
for the
customer. Thus, the customer proceeds to the store exit where the collected
items
in specified boxes are placed and hands the receiptto a clerk and receives his
box
of groceries or other selected items, i.e., box #101.
As discussed above, the computer 20 preferably records the amount of fiends
available to the customer for shopping. Thus, when the custortter selects an
item
which would raise the total purchase amount above this level of authorization,
the
scanner display 22 alerts the customer to this situation and requests the
customer
to return the scanner and receive his receipt.
WO 96105758 f ~ PCTIUS951101~5
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the payment card 10 is
used for identification of the customer during his shopping and the total
purchase
price of the items is deducted from the customer's account at completion of
the
shopping. As the selected items are scanned, the in-store computer 20 merely
records the purchase to the customer's account and the receipt. Then, once the
customer has finished shopping and returned the scanner 14 to its holder 16,
the
display panel 22 will ask the customer to confirm the final pu:chase total by
pressing the green button 24. Once actuated, the computer 20 debits the total
purchase to the customer's payment card 10, and a receipt is issued to the
customer.
The present invention also, in a preferred embodiment, allows the customer
to cancel his purchase of an item at any time prior to returning scanner 14 to
holder 16. If the customer scans the same item a second time, the computer 20
will recognize this as a possible return. In which case, the scanner display
will
question whether the customer wants "more" or "return". When the yellow button
for "more" is depressed, the quantity above the green button will inctrase as
in a
normal purchase. However, when the red button is depressed for "return", the
quantity above the green button will decrease to 0 or -1, or -2, etc. Thus, if
the
customer originally selected six of an item A and later decides only three are
needed, he scans item A, selects "return", and depresses the button therebelow
until -3 appears as the quantity above the green button. By depressing the
green
button, three of item A will be deducted from the previously selected six of
item
A, thereby resulting in the purchase of three of item A.
CA 02198221 2005-03-O1
13
The advantages of the present invention are numerous. There is no waiting in
line to check
out, bag the groceries, or pay for the selected items. The "ringing" out for
the selected items is done
at the point of display. The bagging and collection of the items is done in
the store warehouse either
automatically or manually. Thus, the delays for the customer are virtually
eliminated. For the retail
establishment, the advantages include no cashiers, no restocking of shelves,
no shopping carts at
$300 a piece, and no shoplifting since the sample packages can actually be
empty boxes. The retail
establishment can also save on energy costs by having a larger, more
efficient, single refrigeration
unit in the inventory warehouse, rather than several small refrigeration cases
which customers open
and close the doors to every few seconds. In addition, the change in an item's
price need be made
only once in the in-store computer 20, rather than on each item on the shelf.
The scanner display 22
will show the current price listed in the in-store computer, thus complying
with state unit pricing and
item pricing laws.
The present invention also allows for the following of customers' spending
habits from week
to week. This produces very valuable shopper specific marketing data which can
be sold to
manufacturers to subsidize the cost of the technology in the present
invention. The retail stores could
also sell advertising space on the scanner display to the manufacturers. For
instance, the display on
the scanner could read "Dear Louis: We at Cheerios~ would like you to try our
new Frosted
Cheerios~. Here is a coupon for 25ø off. Just scan this coupon the next time
you scan our new
Frosted Cheerios~ and you will have 25ø taken off the price of the Frosted
Cheerios~."
Alternatively, an advertisement may read "Buy reminder tool for the customer.
For example, once a
customer has purchased the Kellogg's Corn Flakes, the scanner could display
"You bought
Kellogg's Corn Flakes. Do you need milk to go with them?" Standard pairs of
items could be
programmed into the memory (e.g., eggs and bacon, peanut butter and jelly,
chips and salsa, etc.).
CA 02198221 2005-03-O1
14
Although the present invention has been described with respect to preferred
embodiments
thereof, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous
modifications may be
made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present
invention, which is to be
limited only by the appended claims.
