Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6105002?dq=patent:4807115
Timestamp: 2018-01-18 22:07:33
Document Index: 616844694

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 2']

Patent US6105002 - Retail store efficiently configured to distribute electronic coupons at ... - Google Patents
A system for creating, dispensing, and redeeming electronic discount coupons in a store. The system includes a "smart card", product stations adjacent to selected products in the store, and a checkout station in the checkout area. To create an electronic coupon, the customer inserts the card into the...http://www.google.com/patents/US6105002?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6105002 - Retail store efficiently configured to distribute electronic coupons at multiple product locations
Publication number US6105002 A
Application number US 08/940,197
Also published as CA2223051A1, EP0836726A1, EP0836726A4, US6339762, WO1996039671A1
Publication number 08940197, 940197, US 6105002 A, US 6105002A, US-A-6105002, US6105002 A, US6105002A
Inventors Ken Powell
Patent Citations (23), Non-Patent Citations (12), Referenced by (89), Classifications (25), Legal Events (9)
US 6105002 A
1. A method of operating a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
recording a respective first signal in the interface;
causing the respective first signal to correspond to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface;
detecting, in the interface, a card in the plurality of cards, the detecting step being performed after completion of the recording step; and
causing the sender to transfer the recorded first signal whenever the detecting step detects a qualified card in the plurality of cards, and further comprising the steps, performed after the card, in the plurality of cards, is carried to the checkout area, of
receiving, in a computer, signals corresponding to pricing information from the memory of the card, in the plurality of cards, carried to the checkout area;
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer is located in the card and the method further includes the step of sending the second signal to the card.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the steps of
reading a third signal identifying a person:
4. The method of claim 1 wherein each interface includes a battery for powering the interface and has no external wires connecting the interface to another device, and the step of causing the sender to transfer the recorded first signal is performed while powering the interface from the battery.
7. A store configured to process a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store comprising:
a storage device that stores a respective first signal, the first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface,
a detector that detects, at a time when the respective first signal is in the storage device, a qualified card in the plurality of cards,
a sender that sends the stored first signal to the card whenever the detector detects the card;
a receiver for receiving signals corresponding to pricing information from the memory of the card, in the plurality of cards,
8. The store of claim 7 wherein each the storage device, in each of the plurality of interfaces, includes an electronic memory.
12. The store of claim 7 further including:
13. A method of operating a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
causing the sender to transfer the recorded first signal whenever the detecting step detects a qualified card in the plurality of cards.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the interface in each first area includes an electronic memory and the recording step includes the step of writing the first signal into the electronic memory.
17. A store configured to process a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store comprising:
a sender that sends the stored first signal to the card whenever the detector detects the card.
18. The store of claim 17 wherein each the storage device, in each of the plurality of interfaces, includes an electronic memory.
21. A system for operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a checkout area spatially removed from the plurality of first areas, the system comprising:
a plurality of interfaces each supported by the shelf in a respective one of the first areas, and located adjacent to the plurality of units of the respective product in the respective one of the first areas, such that no units of another product are between the interface and the plurality of units, each interface including
a sender for sending signals to the plurality of cards, and
means for recording a respective first signal,
means for detecting a card in the plurality of cards, after the means for recording has recorded the respective first signal, and
means for causing the sender to send the first signal from the recording means, whenever the detecting means detects a qualified card in the plurality of cards, the first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface;
means for determining, in the computer, a price depending on whether the second signal corresponds to one of the received signals corresponding to pricing information.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein the computer is located in the card.
23. The system of claim 21 further including
means for reading a third signal identifying a person;
means for generating a fourth signal by processing the first, second, and third signals; and
means for sending the fourth signal out of the store.
24. The system of claim 21 wherein each interface includes a battery for powering the interface and has no external wires connecting the interface to another device.
27. A system for operating with a store and a plurality of portable cards transported by consumers, each card including a flat substrate, and a memory for storing a plurality of signals corresponding to pricing information for a plurality of products, the store including
a checkout area including an electromagnetic detector, spatially removed from the plurality of first areas, the system comprising:
means for causing the sender to send the first signal from the recording means, whenever the detecting means detects a qualified card in the plurality of cards, the first signal corresponding to pricing information for the product represented by the units adjacent to the interface.
28. The system of claim 27 wherein the means for recording includes an electronic memory.
1 * C. O Leary, Kroger to Test Electronic Displays , Supermarket News, Sep. 5, 1994, v 44, N 36, p. 14(1).
2 C. O'Leary, "Kroger to Test Electronic Displays", Supermarket News, Sep. 5, 1994, v 44, N 36, p. 14(1).
3 * ISO/IEC 7816 3: 1989 (E), Identification cards Integrated circuits(s) cards with contacts Part 3: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
4 * ISO/IEC 7816 3: 1989/Amd.1: 1992 (E), Part 3: Amendment 1: Protocol type T 1, asynchrous half duplex block transmission protocol., International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
5 ISO/IEC 7816-3: 1989 (E), Identification cards--Integrated circuits(s) cards with contacts--Part 3: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
6 ISO/IEC 7816-3: 1989/Amd.1: 1992 (E), Part 3: Amendment 1: Protocol type T=1, asynchrous half duplex block transmission protocol., International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
7 * ISO7816 2: 1988(E), Identification cards Integrated circuits (s) cards with contact Part 2, International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
8 ISO7816-2: 1988(E), Identification cards--Integrated circuits (s) cards with contact--Part 2, International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
9 Latamore, Bert, "The Smart Card," Desktop Computing, Aug. 1982, pp. 46-51.
10 * Latamore, Bert, The Smart Card, Desktop Computing, Aug. 1982, pp. 46 51.
11 P. Masterson, "Targeted Discounts Scrap Paper Coupons," Jun. 13, 1994, Advertising Age, p. 40. Trying again, with less hype, electronic marketing efforts continue,Chain Store Age Executive with Shopping Center Age, Aug., 1994, v 70, N 8, p. 38(2).
12 * P. Masterson, Targeted Discounts Scrap Paper Coupons, Jun. 13, 1994, Advertising Age, p. 40. Trying again, with less hype, electronic marketing efforts continue,Chain Store Age Executive with Shopping Center Age, Aug., 1994, v 70, N 8, p. 38(2).
International Classification G06Q20/38, G06Q30/02, G06Q20/34, G07F7/02, G07F7/00, G07G1/00
Cooperative Classification G06Q30/0207, G06Q20/387, G07F7/025, G07G1/0036, G06Q20/342, G06Q30/0241, G07F7/00, G06Q30/02
European Classification G06Q30/02, G06Q30/0207, G06Q20/342, G06Q20/387, G06Q30/0241, G07G1/00C, G07F7/02E, G07F7/00