Abstract:
A method includes electronically identifying a first item that a customer intends to purchase while the customer is shopping and electronically providing content to the customer in response to the identifying to entice the customer to purchase a second, different item.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/177,559, filed Jul. 11, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Implementations consistent with the principles of the invention relate generally to communications networks and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing content to customers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Retailers typically invest a large amount of time attempting to develop various techniques for influencing the purchasing decisions made by retail customers. One such technique involves advertising the items (e.g., goods and/or services) provided by the retailer, using direct mailings, newspapers, fliers, magazines, radio, television, and banners, in an attempt to entice customers to buy these items. 
     While these techniques may entice customers to visit the particular retail establishment to purchase an advertised item, these techniques do not, however, influence a customer&#39;s buying decision regarding other items provided by the retail establishment while the customer is shopping at the retail establishment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, a method includes reading, via a device, a tag associated with a first item that a customer intends to purchase. The method further includes presenting content to the customer in response to the identifying, where the content identifies a second item relating to the first item. 
     In another implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, a system includes a first component, a second component, and a third component. The first component is configured to read information from a first tag associated with a first item, and transmit the information. The second component is configured to receive the transmitted information, use the transmitted information to identify content for a user, where the content relates to a second item, and transmit the identified content. The third component is configured to receive the identified content, and present the identified content to the user. 
     In still another implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, a method includes reading an RFID tag associated with a first item that a customer intends to purchase and providing content about a second item to the customer in response to the reading. 
     In a further implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, a method includes electronically identifying a first item that a customer intends to purchase while the customer is shopping and electronically providing content to the customer in response to the identifying to entice the customer to purchase a second, different item. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, explain the invention. In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system in which systems and methods, consistent with the principles of the invention, may be implemented; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the content server of  FIG. 1  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the database of  FIG. 1  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary configuration of a retail location of  FIG. 1  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the tag of  FIG. 4  in an exemplary implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the sensor of  FIG. 4  in an exemplary implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary configuration of the retail server of  FIG. 4  in an exemplary implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary database that may be associated with the retail server of  FIG. 4  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary process for providing content to retail locations in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary process for providing content to customers in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary shopping scenario consistent with the principles of the invention; and 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary system consistent with other implementations of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description of implementations consistent with the principles of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     Implementations consistent with the principles of the invention provide content to customers while they are shopping at a store. In one exemplary implementation, items placed in a customer&#39;s shopping cart or shopping basket are detected and content provided to the customer based on the detected items. For example, if a customer&#39;s cart included a box of cereal, content may be provided to the customer indicating that milk is currently on sale at the store. The content may be visually and/or audibly provided to the customer. In this way, anonymous customers may be enticed into buying additional items before the point of sale (i.e., before reaching the cash register), thereby improving in-store sales. 
     Exemplary System 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system  100  in which systems and methods, consistent with the principles of the invention, may be implemented. For explanatory purposes only, system  100  will be described in relation to a group of retail locations that sells items, such as a department store, a grocery store, etc. It will be appreciated, however, that the techniques described herein are equally applicable to other types of environments. 
     As illustrated, system  100  may include a group of retail locations  140 - 1  through  140 -N (referred to collectively as “retail locations  140 ”) that connect to a centralized content server  120  via a network  110 . Centralized content server  120  may be associated with a database  130 . The number of centralized content servers  120 , databases  130 , and retail locations  140  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is provided for simplicity. In practice, system  100  may include more or fewer centralized content servers  120 , databases  130 , and retail locations  140  than illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Network  110  may include, for example, the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a public switched telephone network (PSTN), and/or some other type of network. In fact, network  110  may include any type of network or combination of networks that permits routing of information from a particular source to a particular destination. 
     Centralized content server  120  may include any type of computer-like device, such as a personal computer, a mainframe computer, a laptop, etc., threads or processes running on these devices or other types of devices, and/or objects executable by these devices. In one implementation, server  140  may receive information from retail locations  140  and provide content to retail locations  140  via network  110 . 
     Database  130  may store content to be provided to retail locations  140 . The content may include, for example, audible or visual content relating to items provided at retail locations  140 . Database  130  may be located within centralized content server  120  or external to centralized content server  120 . 
     Each retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N may include a retail establishment (or store), such as a department store, a grocery store, a sporting goods store, or any other type of retail establishment. As will be described in detail below, each retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N may provide content to anonymous customers while the customers are still shopping at the retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N. In this way, anonymous customers are enticed to purchase additional items prior to reaching the cash register. 
     Centralized content server  120 , database  130 , and retail locations  140  may communicate with each other via wired, wireless, and/or optical connections. It will be appreciated that while a single centralized content server  120  and database  130  are illustrated in  FIG. 1 , centralized content server  120  and/or database  130  may be implemented as two or more possibly distributed devices in other implementations consistent with the principles of the invention. 
     Exemplary Content Server Configuration 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary configuration of centralized content server  120  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. As illustrated, server  120  may include a bus  210 , processing logic  220 , a memory  230 , a read only memory (ROM)  240 , a storage device  250 , an input device  260 , an output device  270 , and a communication interface  280 . It will be appreciated that server  120  may include other components (not shown) that aid in receiving, transmitting, and/or processing data. Moreover, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. 
     Bus  210  may permit communication among the components of server  120 . Processing logic  220  may include any type of processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. In other implementations, processing logic  220  may be implemented as or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. Memory  230  may include a RAM or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processing logic  220 . ROM  240  may include a ROM device and/or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for processing logic  220 . Storage device  250  may include a type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive for storing information and/or instructions. 
     Input device  260  may include a device that permits an operator to input information to server  120 , such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a pen, a microphone, one or more biometric mechanisms, and the like. Output device  270  may include a device that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a printer, a speaker, etc. 
     Communication interface  280  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables server  120  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  280  may include mechanisms for receiving information from and transmitting information to retail locations  140  via a network, such as network  110 . 
     As will be described in detail below, server  120 , consistent with the principles of the invention, may receive information from retail locations  140  and provide content to retail locations  140 . Server  120  may perform these and other services in response to processing logic  220  executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  230 . A computer-readable medium may be defined as one or more memory devices and/or carrier waves. The software instructions may be read into memory  230  from another computer-readable medium, such as data storage device  250 , or from another device via communication interface  280 . The software instructions contained in memory  230  may cause processing logic  220  to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the principles of the invention. Thus, systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
     Exemplary Database Configuration 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary configuration of database  130  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. While only one database is described below, it will be appreciated that database  130  may consist of multiple databases stored locally at server  120 , or stored at one or more different and possibly remote locations. 
     As illustrated, database  130  may include a group of entries in a content field  310 . Database  130  may contain additional fields (not shown) that aid server  120  in providing content to retail locations  140 . 
     Content field  310  may store or identify content that is to be provided to retail locations  140 . The content may relate to items or combination of items provided at retail locations  140 . For example, if retail location  140 - 1  is an electronics store, then content field  310  may store or identify content relating to electronic items offered by retail location  140 - 1 . 
     The content may include visual and/or audible content. For example, the content may include visual content, such as video or text, or audio content about the items provided at retail locations  140 . The content may also indicate the location of an item at the retail location to facilitate the customer&#39;s ability to obtain the item. 
     In one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, database  130  may also store information identifying items provided at retail locations  140 . For example, database  130  may associate a particular content in content field  310  with an item (or combination of items) provided at one or more of retail locations  140  in a manner similar to that described below with respect to  FIG. 8 . The association of content to items may be configurable by an administrator and changed as often as is needed. For example, if DVD movies are currently on sale at retail location  140 - 1 , an administrator may change the content in field  310  relating to DVD players and cause this new content to be transmitted to retail location  140 - 1  so that this sale item is presented to any customer intending to purchase a DVD player at retail location  140 - 1 . When the sale is over, the administrator may, for example, change the content to identify other items that relate to DVD players (e.g., cables) that are available for purchase at retail location  140 - 1 . 
     As will be described in detail below, server  120  may use database  130  to provide content to retail locations  140 . Server  120  may cause the content to be provided to retail locations  140  in response to a command from an administrator of server  120 , automatically upon new content being provided to database  130 , in response to a request from a retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N, or the like. 
     Exemplary Retail Location Configuration 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary configuration of a retail location, such as retail location  140 - 1 , in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. As illustrated, retail location  140 - 1  includes a tag  410 , sensors  420 , output devices  430 , and a retail server  440 . The number of tags  410 , sensors  420 , output devices  430 , and retail servers  440  illustrated in  FIG. 4  is provided for simplicity. In practice, a typical system could include more or fewer tags  410 , sensors  420 , output devices  430 , and retail servers  440  than illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     Tag  410  may include any type of tag that may be associated with an item at retail location  140 - 1  and that may store information regarding the item. In one implementation, tag  410  may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. In this implementation, tag  410  may transmit stored information in response to radio frequency waves. In exemplary implementations consistent with the principles of the invention, tag  410  may be affixed to the item in a well-known manner. For example, tag  410  may be embedded in the item, attached to the surface of the item by a label or adhesive, or otherwise physically associated with the item. 
     Each sensor  420  may include one or more devices that are capable of obtaining information from tag  410 . In one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, each sensor  420  may include one or more RFID sensors. Each sensor  420  may receive information from any tags  410  that are in proximity to sensor  420  and forward the information (or some portion of the information) to server  440 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , sensors  420  may, in one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, be positioned in locations within retail location  140 - 1 . For example, sensors  420  may be located in aisles of retail location  140 - 1 . 
     Each output device  430  may include one or more devices capable of providing content to customers of retail location  140 - 1 . For example, each output device  430  may include a display device (e.g., a monitor, a television, etc.), an audio device (e.g., a speaker), and/or a printing device. In one implementation, each output device  430  may be positioned in close proximity to one or more sensors  420 . 
     Retail server  440  may include any type of computer-like device, such as a personal computer, a mainframe computer, a laptop, etc., threads or processes running on these devices or other types of devices, and/or objects executable by these devices. In one implementation, retail server  440  may receive information from sensors  420  and provide content for customers to output devices  430 . Retail server  440  may be located within retail location  140 - 1  or external to retail location  140 - 1 . Retail server  440  may obtain content for providing to customers from database  130  associated with centralized content server  120 . In one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, centralized content server  120  and retail server  440  may form part of an Enterprise Content Delivery Network (ECDN). Retail server  440  may include caching software that enables retail server  440  to store content from centralized content server  120 . In this way, content may be served many times at retail locations  140 , but only traverse network  110  once. By storing needed content locally at retail server  440 , content may be quickly provided to customers at retail location  140 - 1 . 
     Sensors  420 , output devices  430 , and server  440  may communicate with each other via wired, wireless, and/or optical connections. In some situations, a sensor  420  may perform a function of an output device  430  and/or server  440 , an output device  430  may perform a function of a sensor  420  and/or server  440 , or server  440  may perform a function of a sensor  420  and/or output device  430 . Moreover, it will be appreciated that one or more sensors  420 , output devices  430 , and servers  440  may be included within a single device (e.g., a single hand-held device). 
     Exemplary Tag Configuration 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary configuration of a tag, such as tag  410 , in an exemplary implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. As illustrated, tag  410  may include a bus  510 , processing logic  520 , a memory  530 , and an antenna  540 . It will be appreciated that tag  410  may include other components (not shown) that aid in receiving, transmitting, and/or processing data. Moreover, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, tag  410  may not include processing logic  520  and/or memory  530  in other implementations consistent with the principles of the invention. 
     Bus  510  may permit communication among the components of tag  410 . Processing logic  520  may include any type of processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. In other implementations, processing logic  520  may be implemented as or include an ASIC, FPGA, or the like. Memory  530  may include a RAM or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processing logic  520  and/or a ROM or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for processing logic  520 . Antenna  540  may include any type of antenna capable of receiving and/or transmitting data. In one implementation, antenna  540  may include any type of antenna commonly used in RFID tags, such as, for example, an inductive antenna, a capacitive antenna, a printed dipole antenna, a coil antenna, etc. 
     As will be described in detail below, tag  410 , consistent with the principles of the invention, may perform functions in response to processing logic  520  executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  530 . The software instructions may be read into memory  530  from another computer-readable medium or from another device via antenna  540 . The software instructions contained in memory  530  may cause processing logic  520  to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the principles of the invention. Thus, systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
     Exemplary Sensor Configuration 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary configuration of a sensor, such as sensor  420 , in an exemplary implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. As illustrated, sensor  420  may include a bus  610 , processing logic  620 , a memory  630 , and a communications interface  640 . It will be appreciated that sensor  420  may include other components (not shown) that aid in receiving, transmitting, and/or processing data. Moreover, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. 
     Bus  610  may permit communication among the components of sensor  420 . Processing logic  620  may include any type of processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. In other implementations, processing logic  620  may be implemented as or include an ASIC, FPGA, or the like. Memory  630  may include a RAM or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processing logic  620  and/or a ROM or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for processing logic  620 . Communication interface  640  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables sensor  420  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  640  may include mechanisms for reading information from tags  410  and mechanisms for communicating with, for example, retail server  440 . 
     As will be described in detail below, sensor  420  may perform functions in response to processing logic  620  executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  630 . The software instructions may be read into memory  630  from another computer-readable medium or from another device via communication interface  640 . The software instructions contained in memory  630  may cause processing logic  620  to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the principles of the invention. Thus, systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
     Exemplary Server Configuration 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary configuration of retail server  440  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. As illustrated, retail server  440  may include a bus  710 , processing logic  720 , a memory  730 , an input device  740 , an output device  750 , and a communication interface  760 . It will be appreciated that retail server  440  may include other components (not shown) that aid in receiving, transmitting, and/or processing data. Moreover, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. 
     Bus  710  may permit communication among the components of retail server  440 . Processing logic  720  may include any type of processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. In other implementations, processing logic  720  may be implemented as or include an ASIC, FPGA, or the like. Memory  730  may include a RAM or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processing logic  720 , a ROM or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for the processing logic  720 , and/or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive for storing information and/or instructions. 
     Input device  740  may include a device that permits an operator to input information to server  440 , such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a pen, a microphone, one or more biometric mechanisms, and the like. Output device  750  may include a device that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a printer, a speaker, etc. 
     Communication interface  760  may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables retail server  440  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  760  may include mechanisms for receiving information from and possibly transmitting information to sensors  420  and output devices  430 . Moreover, retail server  440  may include mechanisms for communicating with centralized content server  120  via a network, such as network  110 . 
     As will be described in detail below, retail server  440 , consistent with the principles of the invention, may receive information from sensors  420  and provide content to customers via, for example, output devices  430 , that relates to the information received from sensors  420 . Retail server  440  may perform these and other services in response to processing logic  720  executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  730 . The software instructions may be read into memory  730  from another computer-readable medium or from another device via communication interface  760 . The software instructions contained in memory  730  may cause processing logic  720  to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the principles of the invention. Thus, systems and methods consistent with the principles of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary diagram of a database  800  that may be associated with retail server  440  in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. While only one database is described below, it will be appreciated that database  800  may consist of multiple databases stored locally at retail server  440 , or stored at one or more different and possibly remote locations. 
     As illustrated, database  800  may include a group of entries in the following exemplary fields: item field  810  and content field  820 . Database  800  may contain additional fields (not shown) that aid retail server  440  in providing content to customers that relates to items with which the customers are associated (e.g., items that the customers intend to purchase). 
     Item field  810  may store information identifying one or more items that are available for purchase at retail location  140 - 1 . For example, the item may include clothes, electronic devices, mechanical devices, grocery items, or any other type of item that may be purchased at retail location  140 - 1  with which database  800  is associated. The item may, for example, be identified in field  810  by name (e.g., television, running shoe, etc.) or as a product code (or some other unique identification code). 
     Content field  820  may identify the content that is to be provided to a customer when the item in item field  810  is detected by a sensor  420 . The content may relate to the item or combination of items identified in field  810 . For example, if the item identified in field  810  is a digital video disc (DVD) player, content field  820  may, for example, identify content relating to cables for connecting the DVD player to a television and/or DVD movies. As another example, if the item is a blue dress, the content may identify a particular pair of shoes that the retail location carries that perfectly matches the dress. As yet a further example, if the item is a computer, the content may identify one or more accessories for the computer, such as software, wireless keyboard and mouse, or the like. 
     In one implementation, the content may be based on other customers&#39; past buying trends. For example, if customers who typically buy DVD players also buy surround sound systems, field  820  may store information identifying surround sound systems offered by the retail location. This type of buying trend may be determined or predicted, for example, by monitoring items that customers purchased together. 
     The content may include visual and/or audible content. For example, the content may include visual content, such as video or text, or audio content about an item. The content may also indicate the location of the item in the retail location to facilitate the customer&#39;s ability to obtain the item. 
     The content stored in content field  820  for each item (or combination of items) in field  810  may be configurable by an administrator and changed as often as is needed. For example, if DVD movies are currently on sale at the retail location with which database  800  is associated, an administrator may change the content in field  820  relating to DVD players in field  810  so that this sale item is presented to any customer intending to purchase a DVD player. Alternatively, as described above, this change in content may be provided to database  800  by centralized content server  120 . When the sale is over, the administrator may, for example, change the content to identify other items that relate to DVD players (e.g., cables) that are available for purchase at the retail location. 
     As will be described in detail below, retail server  440  may use database  800  to provide relevant content to customers while they are still shopping at retail location  140 - 1 . Retail server  440  may cause the content to be provided to the customer via an output device, such as device  430 . 
     Exemplary Processing 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary process for providing content to retail locations in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. Processing may begin with centralized content server  120  optionally receiving sensor information from one or more retail servers  440  (act  905 ). Retail servers  440  may receive sensor information from sensors  420  and forward that information to centralized content server  120 . The sensor information may provide an indication of items of interest to customers. 
     Centralized content server  120  may determine content to provide to one or more retail servers  440  at retail locations  140  (act  910 ). In one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, the particular content to provide to a retail server  440  may be based on sensor information received from the retail server or another retail server. For example, if the sensor information from a particular retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N indicates that a particular video game console is very popular, then content may be identified relating to video games for that video game console. 
     Once content has been determined, centralized content server  120  may provide the content to retail server(s)  440 . The content may be provided automatically, for example, in response to some event, such as new content being identified for a particular retail server  440 , or manually, for example, in response to an administrator causing centralized content server  120  to transmit the content to one or more retail servers  440 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary process for providing content to customers in an implementation consistent with the principles of the invention. Processing may begin with a sensor, such as a sensor  420 , identifying an item (or combination of items) that is associated with a customer (act  1005 ). In one implementation, sensor  420  may identify that a customer has placed the item (or combination of items) in a shopping cart, a shopping basket, or is carrying the item when the customer brings the item within range of sensor  420 . In each of these cases, it is assumed that the customer intends to purchase the item or is at least thinking about purchasing the item. For explanatory purposes, it is assumed hereafter that the customer has placed a DVD player into his/her shopping cart. When the DVD player comes in range of a sensor  420 , sensor  420  may, for example, identify the DVD player by transmitting a signal to a tag  410  associated with the DVD player, which causes tag  410  to transmit back information to sensor  420 . The information may include, for example, a product code number or other information that uniquely identifies the DVD player. 
     Sensor  420  may provide information to retail server  440  regarding the identified item. For example, sensor  420  may provide a product code number (or other unique identification code) associated with the item to retail server  440 . 
     In some situations, sensor  420  may identify multiple items substantially simultaneously (e.g., when a customer has several items in their shopping cart or several customers carrying one or items comes in proximity to sensor  420  substantially simultaneously). In these situations, sensor  420  may provide information relating to all or some portion of the identified items to retail server  440 . 
     Retail server  440  may identify content to provide to the customer based on the information from sensor  420  (act  1010 ). In one implementation, retail server  440  may identify the content using a database, such as database  800 . For example, retail server  440  may lookup the content from database  800  that should be provided based on the information from sensor  420 . 
     In those situations where sensor  420  provides information regarding multiple items to retail server  440 , retail server  440  may, in one implementation consistent with the principles of the invention, use information relating to one of the items for identifying the appropriate content to provide to a customer. Retail server  440  may use one or more criteria for selecting the item in a group of items to use for identifying content. For example, the decision as to which item in a group of items should be selected for identifying content to provide to a customer may be based on the margin of the items (e.g., the item that provides the greatest margin may be selected), price of the items (e.g., the item that costs the most may be selected), the amount of promotion for the items (e.g., the item that is most heavily promoted may be selected), or a combination of these criteria (e.g., where some of the criterion may be weighted more heavily than other criterion) or other criteria. It will be appreciated that the selection criteria may be configurable and updated or changed at any time. 
     Retail server  440  may provide the appropriate content to the customer (act  1015 ). Retail server  440  may provide the content to the customer via any conventional technique. In one implementation, retail server  440  may provide the content to a device, such as output device  430 , which can visually or audibly present the content to the customer. For example, output device  430  may audibly and/or visually provide an advertisement for an item at the retail location to the customer. Output device  430  may also or alternatively provide a printed coupon to the customer for one or more items at the retail location. The coupon may be for the detected item or another item at the retail location. In this way, anonymous customers may be enticed into buying additional items before the point of sale, thereby improving in-store sales. 
     The following example illustrates the above processing. Assume for this example that a customer picks up a pair of running shoes  1110  to purchase, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . Running shoes  1110  include a tag  410 . Assume that the customer comes within range of a sensor  420 , causing sensor  420  to detect the pair of running shoes  1110 . Upon reading tag  410 , sensor  420  may send information regarding running shoes  1110  to retail server  440 . In one implementation, sensor  420  may simply forward information received from tag  410  to retail server  440 . Retail server  440  may then identify content to provide to the customer. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the content may include information regarding a sale on running attire. Retail server  440  may then cause this content to be presented to the customer. For example, retail server  440  may send the content to an output device  430  that either visually or audibly presents the content to the customer. The content may entice the anonymous customer to purchase additional items from the retail location while the customer is shopping at the retail location (e.g., before the point of sale). 
     Although the above implementations described sensors  420  and output devices  430  being located at certain locations throughout a retail location  140 - 1  through  140 -N, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example,  FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary system  1200  consistent with other implementations of the invention. As illustrated, one or more sensors  420  and/or output devices  430  may be attached to a shopping cart (or shopping basket) via any well-known technique. In this way, sensor  420  may identify an item placed into the shopping cart by, for example, reading tag  410  associated with the item. Sensor  420  may forward information identifying the item to retail server  440 . Retail server  440  may identify content to provide to the customer based on the information from sensor  420 . Retail server  440  may provide the identified content to the customer via output device  430  to thereby entice the customer to purchase additional items prior to the customer reaching the cash register. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Implementations consistent with the principles of the invention provide content to anonymous customers while shopping at a store. The content may relate to an item that the customer intends to purchase. The content is provided in order to entice the customer to buy additional items from the store. 
     The foregoing description of exemplary implementations of the invention provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. For example, while the above description focused on providing content to customers shopping at a store, implementations consistent with the invention are not so limited. For example, implementations consistent with the principles of the invention may use the above techniques to direct other types of useful content to users, such as map information, status items, warnings, etc. As one example, a person entering a national park may be given a tag, such as tag  410 . The national park may include sensors, such as sensors  420 , and output devices, such as output devices  430 , to provide the person with information as to their location within the park, the location of emergency personnel and/or wild life (e.g., the emergency personnel and/or wild life may be associated with tags that enable their locations to be identified), restrooms, etc. As another example, an amusement park, a shopping mall, or other similar establishments may provide tags  410  to customers. A parent may attach one of the tags to a child (e.g., as a wristband) to be able to track the location of the child within the amusement park, shopping mall, etc. 
     Moreover, while the above description focused on detecting items using radio frequency technology, implementations consistent with the invention are not so limited. The techniques described herein are equally applicable to other technologies, such as infrared technology. 
     While series of acts have been described with respect to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the order of the acts may be varied in other implementations consistent with the invention. Moreover, non-dependent acts may be implemented in parallel. 
     It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that aspects of the invention, as described above, may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement aspects consistent with the principles of the invention is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of the aspects of the invention were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the aspects based on the description herein. 
     Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as “logic” that performs one or more functions. This logic may include hardware, such as an application specific integrated circuit or a field programmable gate array, software, or a combination of hardware and software. 
     No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.