Abstract:
A customer activity data system and method which generate reports for manufacturers, sellers, and other suppliers. The system includes a computer for analyzing transaction data obtained from a transaction terminal and information characterizing customer activity at an information terminal specific to an item bearing a radio frequency identification (RFID) label, and for generating a report.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     The present invention relates generally to point of sales (POS) terminals, and, more specifically, to a customer activity data system and method. 
     RFID technology provides an alternative to bar code reader technology for distinguishing and recording items for purchase. Some of the uses of RFID technology are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,394 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Price verifiers have been introduced into stores to complement point-of-sale (POS) terminals. Like POS terminals, price verifiers include a barcode reader for reading a barcode label on an item. Price verifiers determine prices from a price look-up file (PLU) file shared with the POS terminals. 
     Manufacturers and retailers manage the various categories of items displayed in a retail store based primarily on items sold and on quantities of items sold. This data is obtained from inventory records as products are sold. 
     Merchandise management information may be obtained from a price verifier. For example, a customer may use a price verifier to scan two similar products from two different manufacturers. Other activities are also possible. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,995 entitled, “Product Activity Data Collection System”, describes the use of a Price Verifier to enhance merchandise management in a retail store. However, without item identification information, this method produces data which is only marginally useful. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method of collecting item activity data to improve promotion of compared items. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a customer activity data system and method is provided. 
     The system includes a computer for analyzing transaction data obtained from a transaction terminal and information characterizing customer activity at an information terminal specific to an item bearing a radio frequency identification (RFID) label, and for generating a report. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a customer activity data system and method. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method of collecting and analyzing customer activity data. 
     It is another object of the present invention to collect customer activity data during reading of RFID labels attached to items. 
     It is another object of the present invention to collect customer activity data from a price verifier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a transaction processing system; and 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , system  10  primarily includes information terminal  12 , information server  14 , transaction terminal  16 , and radio frequency identification (RFID) labels  18 . 
     Information terminal  12  provides item information to customers. Information terminal  12  may include a kiosk, such as a price verifier. An example information terminal  12  includes processor  20 , RFID reader  22 , barcode reader  24 , touch screen  26 , and storage medium  28 . 
     Processor  20  executes information software  30  which identifies items  28  presented by customers and displays information about items  28 . Information software  30  may obtain such information locally or from server  14 . 
     For example, information software  30  may provide price information to customers. In this role, information software  30  causes one or both of RFID reader  22  and barcode reader  24  to seek information from items  28 . Information software  30  identifies items  28  from the obtained information and requests price information from information server  14 . Information server  14  returns the requested price information from price look-up (PLU) file  40  to information software  30  and information software  30  displays the information on touch screen  26 . 
     Processor  20  also executes customer activity monitoring software  32  which recognizes predetermined types of customer activity at information terminal  12 . Types of customer activity include information gathering, such as price checks, and purchases. Customer activity monitoring software  32  logs information characterizing the activity in customer activity data file  36 . Customer activity data file  36  may be stored locally or at server  14 . 
     Server  14  provides information to information terminal  12  and transaction terminal  16 . The information is typically price information. Server  14  additionally executes report software  50 , which analyses relationships between data from transaction data file  34  and data from customer activity data file  36  to provide insights to store management and to manufacturers and other suppliers. Server  14  stores reports in report data file  38 . 
     Transaction terminal  16  records sales of items. For this purpose, transaction terminal includes RFID reader  54 , which reads RFID labels  18  on purchased items. Transaction terminal  16  stores transaction information in transaction data file  34 . 
     Storage medium stores transaction data file  34 , customer activity data file  36 , report data file  38 , and PLU file  40 . Some of these files may also be stored locally in information terminal  12  or transaction terminal  16 . 
     RFID labels  18  store information about items and communicate the information to RFID readers  22  and  54 . One embodiment of RFID label  18  is active and includes RFID communicator  60 , memory  62 , and power source  64 . RFID communicator  60  sends item information stored in RFID memory  62  to RFID readers  22  and  54 . RFID communicator  60  may include an RF transceiver. 
     Memory  62  stores the information and may include a read-only memory (ROM) for one-time use, or a programmable ROM (EPROM) for repeated use. 
     Power source  64  may include a battery. 
     RFID label  18  may also be a passive label. Passive RFID labels use very little energy and may only include RFID communicator  60 . Power may be derived from radio waves. 
     RFID communicator  60  may include a reflective antenna which has a frequency which is unique among RFID labels  18 . RFID communicator  60  communicates RFID label identification information which must be cross-referenced to obtain item identification information. RFID communicator  60  may include a number of antennas, such as conductive ink antennas. 
     RFID labels  18  may vary in size, depending upon product size, and may be visible or hidden when attached to products. RFID label  18  may be removably or permanently attached to products. 
     In one example operation, customer activity monitoring software  32  recognizes comparison price checks on different items  28   a  and  60   b  at information terminal  12 . Customer activity monitoring software  32  obtains RFID label identification information from items  28   a  and  60   b  and stores the RFID label identification information in customer activity data file  36 . 
     This information, linked with purchase information from transaction terminal  16  in transaction data file  34  could provide valuable insight to sellers, manufacturers, and suppliers of items  28   a  and  60   b.  The information could answer questions like “whose product was compared to mine when mine was purchased”, “whose product was compared to mine when mine was not purchased”, “was my product examined but not compared to any other product”, “was my product examined but not purchased”, “was my product examined and purchased”, and “was my product examined and were complementary or related items purchased”. 
     Advantageously, capture of RFID identification information facilitates a higher level of accuracy in merchandising data. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , operation is further illustrated in more detail beginning with START  70 . 
     In step  72 , information software  30  obtains RFID identification information from one or more items  28  using RFID reader  22 . 
     In step  74 , customer activity monitoring software  32  recognizes the customer activity at information terminal  12  and logs information characterizing the activity in customer activity data file  36 , including the RFID identification information. 
     In step  76 , transaction terminal  16  records purchase of none, some, or all of the items at transaction terminal  16 . Transaction terminal  16  stores the transaction data, including the RFID identification numbers, in transaction data file  34 . 
     In step  78 , report software  50  analyzes the transaction data and the customer activity data of items with identified RFID labels and generates a report. 
     In step  80 , operation ends. 
     Store management, suppliers, and manufacturers benefit from seeing how customers react to specific products. They can use the report information to alter the products or how they sell the products. 
     Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.