Patent Publication Number: US-2012029994-A1

Title: Coupon organization using a bar code reader

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a system comprising a method and apparatus for imaging and interpreting discount coupons using a portable communications device such as a cell phone. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Existing barcode readers can be either handheld or stationary. When used at a point of sale checkout station, target objects, e.g., a product package that includes a target barcode, are brought within a field-of-view (“FOV”) of the barcode reader. Bar code readers can also image and interpret a coupon the customer has clipped at home and brought to the store. 
     For a handheld reader the user aims a visible aiming pattern to strike the package at a region of the barcode. In stationary bar code readers the product is moved through a stationary field of view. Once a bar code is properly identified, the barcode reader typically provides an audible and/or visual signal to indicate the target barcode has been successfully imaged and decoded and an item identifier and price displayed on a point of sale display. 
     Both stationary and portable imaging-based barcode readers include at least one camera or scan engine. A typical scan engine has a pixel array having photosensitive elements such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device. The scan engine also typically includes an illumination system having light emitting diodes (LEDs) or a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) that directs illumination toward a target object, e.g., a target bar code. Light reflected from the target bar code is focused through a lens located near or on the scan engine by an imaging system such that focused light is concentrated onto the pixel array of photosensitive elements. The pixels of the array are sequentially read out by the scan engine, generating an analog signal representative of a captured image frame. The analog signal is amplified by a gain factor and the amplified analog signal is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter. Decoding circuitry of the imaging system processes the digitized signals and decodes the imaged bar code. 
     Various systems have been devised for delivering coupon barcodes to a cell phone screen for point of sale scanning in a store. None, however, combine this capability with the ability to eliminate a need for clipping, collecting and scanning paper coupons. Some stores provide coupon dispensers mounted to edges of shelves (such as those supplied by New America). This requires printing paper coupons, service employees to replenish coupons, loss of sales due to coupon outages, loss of coupons due to children pulling out large numbers of coupons from a dispenser etc. 
     United States Published application 2008/0183576 concerns a mobile service system using a two-dimensional coupon code. A user captures the two-dimensional coupon code printed on a coupon and transmits the captured two-dimensional coupon code to a server, and captures a two-dimensional store code printed on a store medium and transmits the captured two-dimensional store code to a server, using his or her cellular phone. The server transmits data that allows the user to use a coupon to the user&#39;s cellular phone, and the data is inputted into a terminal of a store to use the coupon. 
     SUMMARY 
     An exemplary system allows information that corresponds to one or more discount coupons to be stored in a portable communications device such as a cell phone and redeemed at a point of sale terminal by reading a bar code off from a display. 
     A consumer can use his or her cell phone to image barcodes from newspaper circulars at home, on a computer screen at home and/or to scan coupon barcodes positioned on the edge of shelves in a store or displayed on a kiosk in a store. The data from all these coupons can be combined into (preferably) a single 2D barcode or in the event of a large number of coupons, into a small number of 2D barcodes and then displayed on the cell phone&#39;s display, for scanning by an imaging barcode scanner at the point of sale. This 2D barcode can also include the user&#39;s loyalty card information, so reading a single barcode off the screen of the phone can accomplish what formerly required multiple individual scans to accomplish. 
     The invention greatly simplifies use of coupons clipped out of newspapers, gathered from shelf dispensers in the store and/or received electronically for display on a cell phone for scanning at a point of sale scanner in a store. The prior art check out process is cumbersome and time consuming A consumer presents multiple paper coupons to the store check-out clerk, as well as presenting a barcode loyalty card for scanning, and also presenting multiple bar codes on a cell phone screen which have to be individually scanned. In accordance with the invention all this information can be greatly condensed into for example one bar code. In the exemplary system this is a 2D bar code and could in the case of many coupons be a few 2D bar codes. 
     Additionally, the prior art does not allow customized discounts or other offers based on the buying habits of the consumer. For example a retailer may wish to grant larger discounts to loyal shoppers, or to shoppers who have previously made purchases above a threshold dollar value. This information can also be condensed into the bar code presented for scanning that also contains the coupon identifying information. These and other advantages and features of the invention are described in greatly detail with respect to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates upon consideration of the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals, unless otherwise described refer to like parts throughout the drawings and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bar code reader having a scan engine for imaging a display or a portable communications device; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic depiction of components of a portable communications device such as a cell phone; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portable communication device imaging a discount coupon; 
         FIG. 4  is schematic depiction of components of an image based bar code reader; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic depiction of a network for communicating coupon related information amongst communications devices that access the network; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart of one exemplary process for coupon capture using a portable communications device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The figures depict a system for organizing, imaging and giving credit to customers for discount coupons by presenting coupon information on a display of a portable communications device  20  such as a cell phone or other hand held communications device. The device  20  has the ability to take pictures. The exemplary device  20  includes a controller  22  ( FIG. 2 ) having a memory and an image sensor  24  coupled to optics  26  for capturing an image of a discount coupon  30 . The device  20  has a user controlled actuator forming part of a user interface  32  that signals the controller to capture an image of the coupon. The device also includes a display screen  40  for presenting an image corresponding to the discount coupon. The exemplary device  20  can send and receive voice signals and therefore also includes encode/decode circuitry  42  and a transceiver  44 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 3  a consumer can use the device  20  to image barcodes from newspaper circulars at home, on a computer screen at home and/or to image a coupon  30  having a barcode  31  positioned on the edge of shelves in a store or displayed on a kiosk in a store. Each coupon typically contains a 1D barcode that is unique to the coupon. The data from all these coupons can be combined into (preferably) a single 2D barcode or in the event of a large number of coupons, into a smaller number of 2D barcodes on the cell phone&#39;s display, for imaging by an imaging barcode reader  50  ( FIG. 1 ) at the point of sale. In one embodiment the 2D barcode can also include the user&#39;s loyalty card information, so reading a single barcode off the screen of the device  20  can accomplish what formerly required many individual reader scans to accomplish. 
     The process of encoding a 2D bar code is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,655 to Wang which issued Sep. 7, 1993 and which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The &#39;655 patent describes the PDF417 bar code specification and describes how data is encoded into this type of 2D bar code. PDF417 is capable of encoding more than 1100 bytes, 1800 text characters or 2710 digits. Large data files can be encoded into a series of linked PDF417 symbols using a standard methodology referred to as Macro PDF417. Further details describing encoding of information into a 2D barcode are available in ISO standard 15438. 
     The controller  22  contains software for determining the information contained within the individual 1D barcodes  31  on the coupon  30  and converts that information for encoding into the 2D format. In one embodiment the controller  22  separates the information for each coupon with a special ASCII delimiter that signals the end of information for one coupon and the beginning of information to a next subsequent coupon. The 1D information includes designating information regarding the product (SKU number, for example) it is associated with as well as a supplier designator so that the store&#39;s point of sale reader  50  can properly credit the purchaser if the coupon and product are presented during the same sales transaction. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a point of sale bar code reader  50  capable of capturing an image of the display screen  40  of the portable communications device  20  within the reader imaging field of view FV. The reader includes illumination and imaging optics that form the field of view FV for imaging a target object.  FIG. 4  is a schematic depiction of reader components including a memory  52  and imaging circuitry  60  that acquires and stores captured images  62  from the display screen  40  of the portable communications device within the field of view. The reader decodes bar codes within the field of view and specifically decodes barcodes  64  corresponding to multiple coupons that were previously imaged. In one embodiment the reader  50  transmits the information contained in the barcode  64  for evaluation by a point of sale computer  66  coupled to the reader  50 . The computer  66  gives the customer a discount at the point of sale once the point of sale computer identifies the item or items associated with the coupon and confirms that the item has also been presented for purchase. 
     The store may include multiple portable or stationary point of sale bar code readers ( FIG. 5 ) all coupled through an in store network to a store server  68  within a store  69 . A portable reader  50  is shown in  FIG. 1 . It has a housing having a head  70 , handle  72 , and an optional trigger  74 . Located in the housing is a protective window for protecting an imaging subsystem or scan engine  78 . 
     The scan engine  78  projects an aiming pattern toward a target bar code  64  (or bar codes) on the display  40  and attempts to decode that bar code to extract coupon information. The reader may also be aimed at a coupon  30  within the reader field of view for interpreting a 1D barcode on the coupon. The process of decoding a barcode is well known in the art. The scan engine  78  comprises a chassis that supports a printed circuit board (not shown). Attached to the printed circuit board are several optical components that include, illumination optics  110 , aiming optics for generating the aiming pattern, and imaging optics  112 . Each of the optical components have a designed field-of-view for projecting or receiving light directed during operation. Also coupled to the printed circuit board are various electrical components that assist in imaging and decoding the bar codes on the display  40 . The imaging optics  112  includes focusing lens or lenses  114  that focus the reflected image from the display  40  onto a sensor array  116  located behind the focusing lens(es). An aiming pattern is generated by a laser diode (not shown) and facilitates a user in locating a center of the captured image. 
     When enabled by a controller  60  ( FIG. 4 ), the imaging optics  112  captures an image frame of a field of view FV of the reader  50 . When imaging a target bar code  64 , the imaging process may need to capture and store in the memory a series of image frames  62  ( FIG. 4 ) in response to multiple user actuations of the trigger. A decoding system  120  analyzes each image frame of the series of image frames  62  and attempts to decode the imaged bar code. All or portions of the images may be stored in a the memory  52 . 
     The bar code reader circuitry is electrically coupled to a power supply, which may be in the form of an on-board battery or a connected off-board power supply. If powered by an on-board battery, the reader  10  may be a stand-alone, portable unit as depicted in  FIG. 1 . If powered by an off-board power supply, the reader  10  may have some or all of the reader&#39;s functionality provided by a connected host computer  66 . Circuitry associated with the imaging and decoding systems  60 ,  120  may be embodied in hardware, software, firmware, electrical circuitry or any combination thereof and may be disposed within, partially within, or external to a reader housing. The reader  50  also includes a display  122  which in the instance of a stationary reader includes a display which enables the customer to view messages relating to discounts and special offers appearing on the reader display. 
     The sensor array  116  may comprise a charged coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), or other imaging pixel array, operating under the control of the imaging circuitry  24 . In one exemplary embodiment, the pixel array  150  comprises a two dimensional (2D) mega pixel array with a typical size of the pixel array being on the order of 1280×1024 pixels. 
     During an imaging session, multiple images of the field of view FV may be obtained by the imaging system  10 . An imaging session may be instituted by an operator, for example, pressing the trigger  74  to institute an imaging. Alternately, for a stationary imaging system, an imaging session might start when a lower or bottom edge of an item begin to move through a portion of the field of view FV. After an exposure period, some or all of the pixels of pixel array  116  are successively read out by the controller  60 , thereby generating an analog signal scaled by a gain factor which is converted by an analog to digital converter that forms part of the controller  60 . In some sensors, particularly CMOS sensors, all pixels of the pixel array  116  are not exposed at the same time, thus, reading out of some pixels may coincide in time with an exposure period for some other pixels. The digitized signal comprises a sequence of digital gray scale values typically ranging from 0-255 (for an eight bit processor, i.e., 2 8 =256), where a 0 gray scale value would represent an absence of any reflected light received by a pixel (characterized as low pixel brightness) and a 255 gray scale value would represent a very intense level of reflected light received by a pixel during an integration period (characterized as high pixel brightness). 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart  140  of one system implemented by a processor of the portable communications device  20 . Since the user can be identified by his or her customer loyalty information which may be included in the barcode  64  displayed on the display, discounts or offers can be customized for that customer. Furthermore, the phone can contain information about the discount level available to that consumer and therefore be able to display to the consumer information about how much he or she will save based on that information, should he purchase that product. The consumer can then decide if they wish to buy that product. This ‘discount level’ information can be loaded into the phone wirelessly through a network  130  directly from a retailer server  132  when the consumer achieves the desired threshold, or can be loaded by scanning a barcode that was mailed to the consumer or made available to them in the store  69 . 
     An additional possibility is to provide special offers, such as accessories for a particular product only if that specific product is purchased. The phone  20  can contain offer information (received wirelessly from the retailer) that is presented to the consumer upon scanning the shelf label associated with the product that has the special offer, or the phone display can prompt the consumer to buy that product because the special off is available. Should the consumer decide to avail himself of the offer by buying the product, the 2D barcode  64  that is ultimately imaged at the point of sale will include the special discount or offer information, so the consumer will automatically receive the special discount. 
     Another possibility is to use the phone simply to capture images of paper barcodes or barcodes displayed on a home computer or by a kiosk in the store and to re-display them individually for scanning in the store. This requires no application software in the phone, and no special software running on the store point of sale system since the store scanner will simply interpret the displayed images as the original paper coupons (or displayed coupons). This last option has the benefit of eliminating the need to clip and collect paper coupons. 
     What have been described above are examples of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.