Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20060289637?dq=6437692
Timestamp: 2014-10-23 16:35:55
Document Index: 135157122

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art, 2', 'art, 4', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10', 'art 10']

Patent US20060289637 - Media enabled shopping cart system with basket inventory - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA media enhanced shopping cart system comprises a shopping cart comprising a frame, a basket, a handle, a base tray, and a plurality of wheels, a modular computing device comprising a central processing unit, a memory and a network transceiver configured for wireless communication, the modular computing...http://www.google.com/patents/US20060289637?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20060289637 - Media enabled shopping cart system with basket inventoryAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20060289637 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 11/291,451Publication dateDec 28, 2006Filing dateDec 1, 2005Priority dateJun 28, 2005Publication number11291451, 291451, US 2006/0289637 A1, US 2006/289637 A1, US 20060289637 A1, US 20060289637A1, US 2006289637 A1, US 2006289637A1, US-A1-20060289637, US-A1-2006289637, US2006/0289637A1, US2006/289637A1, US20060289637 A1, US20060289637A1, US2006289637 A1, US2006289637A1InventorsDavid Brice, Steve CarpenterOriginal AssigneeMedia Cart Holdings, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (5), Referenced by (42), Classifications (13), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMedia enabled shopping cart system with basket inventoryUS 20060289637 A1Abstract A media enhanced shopping cart system comprises a shopping cart comprising a frame, a basket, a handle, a base tray, and a plurality of wheels, a modular computing device comprising a central processing unit, a memory and a network transceiver configured for wireless communication, the modular computing device being attached to the shopping cart, an inventory component for determining an inventory contained by the shopping cart, a shopping list component for listing one or more products of a consumer shopping list for purchase by a consumer, and a correlation component for correlating data from the inventory component with the shopping list component. Images(21) Claims(21)
In an embodiment, the locationing component is operable so as to locate a given product being displayed in an advertisement on the video display 75 relative to the shopping cart 10. In an embodiment, the locationing component then displays on the video display 75 the location of the product being advertised in relation to the cart 10. In an embodiment, the location of the product being advertised in relation to the location of the cart 10 may be graphically displayed on the video display, using an indicator, such as an arrow, displayed adjacent to or as part of the advertisement to point towards the location of the product being advertised. In an embodiment, the location of the product being advertised in relation to the location of the cart 10 may be described using words to indicate to the consumer where she may find the product being advertised. For example, in or adjacent to an advertisement for laundry detergent, an indicator reading �Laundry Detergent ahead on the right� may be displayed based on the location of the cart. Referring now to FIGS. 16, 17 and 18, upon determining the proximity of the cart 10 to any particular tag or tags 303 or 304, the MOD 200 causes at least one advertisement 306 to be displayed to the consumer 85 on the video display 75. The advertisement 306 displayed may be selected from a plurality of stored advertisements 307, and the advertisement 306 may be selected based on the proximity of the cart 10 to a particular tag or tags 303 or 304. In an embodiment, the plurality of stored advertisements 307 may be stored in an in-store server 330, streamed to the MOD 200 via a wireless LAN (e.g., transceivers 205 mounted in the store communicating with the network transceiver 204 in MOD 200), and displayed on the video display 75 according to the location of the cart 10. In an embodiment, the plurality of stored advertisements 307 may be stored in local memory 202 in the MOD, accessed, and displayed on the video display 75. When the cart 10 enters a different area of the store and the aisle RFID reader 225 detects different RFID tags 303 or 304, the location of the cart 10 is updated, and the advertisement 306 is changed to reflect a different one of the plurality of the stored advertisements 307 based on the updated location of the cart 10. As shown in FIG. 16, in an embodiment, the screen 77 of the video display 75 may be divided into a plurality of screen segments 308, such that one of the plurality of stored advertisements 307 may be displayed in each screen segment 308. In an embodiment, one of the plurality of screen segments 308 may be designated for display of consumer specific information, such as the running total of the products in the cart 10, loyalty card or other consumer identifying information, product information pertaining to a specific product recently placed in the cart 10, and the like. Referring again to FIG. 16, an exemplary display of advertising is shown. In an embodiment, a selected number of the plurality of stored advertisements 307 (equal to the number of screen segments 308) are displayed in the screen segments 308. Directional arrows 309 may be provided as an indication to point in the general direction of the advertised product on adjacent shelves. In an embodiment, one screen segment 308 a may be more prominently sized than the other screen segments 308 b, such that one of the plurality of stored advertisement 307 is displayed in the more prominently sized screen segment 308 a, while others of the plurality of stored advertisements 307 are displayed in the less prominently sized screen segments 308 b. This division of the screen 77 into screen segments 308 may be analogized to advertisements in a newspaper, wherein various of the advertisements may use one half, one quarter, one third of a page, etc. to fill a page with advertisements, and the cost of running an advertisement in each portion of a page may relate to the size of the advertisement relative to the rest of the page, the prominence of the advertisement on the page, the duration of time the advertisement is on the page, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the selected plurality of stored advertisements 307 may rotate being displayed on each screen segment 308, such that the most prominent screen segment 308 displays each of the selected ones of the plurality of stored advertisements 307, one after another, based on the time each one of the plurality of stored advertisements 307 has been displayed, or based on the location of the cart 10 between the shelves 301 and 302 in proximity to tags 303 and 304, which may be further correlated to the proximity of the cart to the advertised product on the shelf. In an embodiment, the aisle RFID reader 225 with antennas 226 may also scan individual products on the shelves 301 and 302 that are labeled with individual RFID tags. In this embodiment, the aisle RFID reader 225 with antennas 226 may scan, identify, and count each individual product by means of the individual RFID tag, and convey this information via the MOD 200/network transceiver 204 to other network components to be discussed herein in greater detail below, enabling retailers to manage the store inventory to an exacting degree of accuracy on a continuous basis. Furthermore, all or a portion of the aisle tags 303 and 304 may be replaced via products labeled with individual RFID tags, and the system may otherwise function as described herein. The aisle RFID reader 225 and antennas 226 may assist the store management with store planograms and inventory. A planogram is a diagram of fixtures and products that illustrates how and where retail products should be displayed, usually on a store shelf, bin or counter in order to influence consumer selection. Consumer packaged goods manafacturers often release a suggested planogram with their new product, to show how it relates to existing products in the same category, though stores also develop planograms of their own. Because a planogram involves the location of products within the store, the aisle RFID reader 225 and antennas 226 can detect the location of products at the Stock Keeping Unit (�SKU�) level. Many inventory management systems assign a unique SKU for each product and also for its variants, and SKUs are assigned and serialized at the merchant level. In use, when a cart 10 is moved through the store, the aisle RFID reader 225 and antennas 226 scan the SKU assigned to product lines or product bundles on the shelves 301 and 302 that are labeled with individual RFID tags, each RFID tag being associated with a SKU. In this embodiment, the aisle RFID reader 225 with antennas 226 may scan, identify, and locate each product line or bundle by means of the RFID tag, and convey this information via the MOD 200/network transceiver 204 to other network components to be discussed herein in greater detail below, enabling retailers to locate products throughout the store to manage, update and design the store planogram in an efficient and consistent manner. As the consumer checks out (i.e. renders payment) at the Point of Sale 300, the POS computer 326 (e.g., computerized register) or POS server 325 may record the purchases made by that consumer 85 using that particular cart 10. The POS computer 326, the POS server 325, and other systems such as security systems or consumer loyalty systems may be referred to generically as retailer systems. Retailer systems provide automated, computerized services with respect to consumer or store needs. In an embodiment, retailer systems may comprise components of the overall store network. In an embodiment, retailer systems may be stand-alone functional units operating separately from the store network. In an embodiment, a retailer system may comprise a point of sale system to interact with individual carts or consumers for processing payment at the conclusion of a shopping trip. In an embodiment, a retailer system may comprise a consumer loyalty system for rewarding consumer loyalty with discounts and other advantages, while tracking shopping history for advertising purpose. In an embodiment, a retailer system may comprise a security system for tracking the location of carts within the store or areas outside the store, such as, for example, alerting the store management to the location of carts when abandoned or broken, whether carts have left the store premises or when carts remain in the parking lot to be returned to the store. In an embodiment, the cart 10 includes a cart RFID tag that may be read by a POS RFID reader coupled to the POS server computer 326 or POS server 325. The cart RFID tag may be located anywhere on the cart, and in an embodiment is located on or in video display 75, for example in the screen housing 92, 93. In an embodiment, the cart RFID tag is located on or in the video display 75 along with the network transceiver 204. The POS RFID reader may read the cart RFID tag, thereby identifying a specific cart, for example via the cart RFID tag associated with a serial or identification number. Alternatively, the POS system may use a bar code scanner to scan a bar code on the particular cart that uniquely identifies the cart and correlate the bar code with the serial or identification number. Alternatively, the particular cart may be identified and correlated manually at the POS, for example via entry of the serial or identification number labeled on the cart into the POS computer 326. The information obtained, both by checkout (e.g., via bar code and/or basket RFID scanning) and/or by the cart 10 during shopping (e.g., via bar code and/or basket RFID scanning), may be correlated to a particular cart (based on the cart's unique identity) and/or transferred to the In-store Server (�ISS�) 330 and the Host Central Server 340. Such correlation may occur anonymously, for example, without reference to the identity of the consumer. Such information may further be correlated with a specific consumer, for example via scan or entry of a loyalty card, a pin code, a telephone number, or other consumer identifier. Such information may further be correlated with specific advertising displayed during the particular use of the shopping cart. The basket RFID reader 227 in conjunction with the MOD 200 may have identified and stored the identity of each product placed in the cart 10 during shopping, such that upon approaching the Point of Sale 300, the POS computer 326 may initiate checkout services based on the products for purchase known to be in the cart 10 by the MOD 200, as communicated to the POS computer 326 via the network transceiver 204. Thus, the RFID enablement of the shopping cart and the application of RFID tags at the individual product level will facilitate the shopper's Point of Sale checkout efficiency. Alternatively, the consumer 85 may use the scanner 215 to scan each product placed in the basket, such that upon approaching the Point of Sale 300, the POS computer 326 may initiate checkout services based on the products for purchase known the be in the cart 10 by the MOD 200, as communicated to the POS computer 326 via the network transceiver 204. In use, the consumer 85 may also use the cart for services that in the related art would require the consumer to find a store employee. Via voice commands delivered to the voice activated interface 120 operably coupled to the MOD 200 and the in-store network, the consumer 85 may request the location of a specific product or request information pertaining to a particular product such as nutritional information, whether any specials for that product are available, and recipes that may incorporate a product. By activating the voice activated interface 120 by way of the five way navigation device 123, the consumer 85 may also contact various in-store services, such as a pharmacy, deli counter, or automotive service station to initiate an order or check on the status of their order. The consumer 85 may additionally contact customer services within the store without waiting in line at a counter, by calling the customer service desk from the voice activated interface, enabling activities such as requesting a rain check or reporting a safety hazard in the store. In other embodiments, the consumer 85 may use the voice activated interface as a means of calling a person or service outside of the store, by using the MOD 200's communication abilities to connect to the Internet, enabling Voice Over IP (�VOIP�) technology. For example, a consumer 85 may wish to check with their spouse regarding which product to buy or for shopping list products, and may use the VOIP enablement and voice activated interface 120 to call home. Another in-store use is the bar-code scanning. A consumer 85 may choose to scan their own products with the scanner 215 inset into the handle 22 or pod 150, enabling him to view a running total for the products in the cart 10 for purchase. By scanning the products during the shopping trip using the scanner 215, the scanner 215 enables the consumer 85 to avoid waiting in the checkout lanes, as the MOD 200 may communicate the products being purchased, the price of each product, and the running total, as well as the value of any coupons used and scanned by the consumer 85 to the POS computer 326 upon arriving at the Point of Sale 300. Bar-code scanning during shopping, in conjunction with the cart 10 communicating the scanned inventory to the Point of Sale 300, facilitates more efficient check out services for consumers. In addition to the voice activated interface 120, the consumer 85 may use a number of the media enhancements of the cart 10 via the five way navigation device inset in the handle 22 or pod 150. The consumer may press the voice activation button 122 (which preferably is a center button of the five way navigation device 123) to activate the voice recognition system as well as to navigate other applications to access certain functions and information on the cart 10 such as product location and other product information. The five way navigation device 123 may be used to maneuver through the menu of options 124 displayed on the video display 75. With the media enhancements, a consumer 85 will have the capability to formulate a shopping list at home on the Internet, forward the list to the store via email, and upon registering with a cart 10 with a loyalty card or other consumer identifier in the store, have their shopping list displayed on the video display 75 and be guided through the store in aisle and product order, showing specials, promotions, and product location for products on their shopping list. The cart 10, by way of the media enhancements discussed above captures real-time purchasing behavior at the individual consumer level and provides back end data mining and analytical reporting. In an embodiment, when the consumer 85 brings the cart 10 to the Point of Sale 300 at the conclusion of the shopping trip, the MOD 200 may communicate data to an In-Store Server (�ISS�) 330, a POS server 325, a POS computer 326, or combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the MOD 200 communicates with ISS 330, which in turn communicates with POS server 325, which in turn communicates with POS computer 326, and vice-versa. Typically, the POS server 325 and the POS computer 326 are part of an existing local area network in a given store, and the ISS 330 typically would be added as a new component to the existing local area network upon implementation of the media enabled shopping cart at a particular location. While not required, communication with the MOD 200 may be facilitated by directing such communication through the ISS 330, rather than directly with MOD 200. In an embodiment, the cart 10 communicates the identity of the products being purchased to the POS computer 326 or POS server 325 via the ISS 330, as the identity of each product was obtained during shopping when the consumer 85 scanned the product with the scanner 215 or the basket RFID reader 227 identified the product when it was placed in the cart 10. Alternatively, the POS computer 326 or POS server 325 may obtain the identity of the products being purchased by the consumer 85 or a store employee scanning the bar code on each product at the Point of Sale 300. As the consumer checks out (i.e. renders payment) at the Point of Sale 300, the POS computer 326 or POS server 325 may record the purchases made by that consumer 85 using that particular cart 10 as described herein. The information obtained, both by checkout and by the cart 10 during shopping, may be transferred to/from the ISS 330 and/or the Host Central Server 340. Using data mining advances enabled by the cart 10 and its media enhancements, advertisers can individually track the effectiveness of advertising and pricing campaigns without compromising the personal identity of the consumer, alleviating privacy concerns of consumer groups. Alternatively, the information can be correlated to a specific consumer, for example via a loyalty card program, where the consumer is agreeable to such. The data communicated by the MOD 200 may include data programmed to its memory, or data collected and stored in the memory over the course of the consumer's 85 shopping trips (initiated when the consumer 85 first moved the cart 10). In an embodiment, such data may include any of the following: 1) the identity of the cart, 2) where in the store the cart has been, 3) which advertisements have been displayed to the consumer using the cart, 4) the length of time spent with each advertisement displayed and the length of time spent in specific areas or aisles of the store, 5) what products are in the cart 10 for purchase, 6) if known (such as from a loyalty card), consumer statistical or demographic data (gender, age, spending and purchasing habits), 7) store traffic patterns such as time, day, period, duration, etc., and 8) cart usage patterns (e.g., number used, typical user, functions accessed, etc.). Such data may be correlated to determine the effectiveness of advertising presented via the media enable cart to the consumer at the point of purchase (i.e., proximate the point in time when the consumer is selecting a particular product to be placed in the basket and purchased). In particular advertising data may be correlated or integrated with sales data to determine the effectiveness of the ad on an anonymous purchaser, or alternatively on an identifiable consumer such as via further correlation of data provided via a loyalty program. Where the consumer is identified, purchasing data may be tracked over time to determine the effectiveness of advertising and to determine whether additional and/or modified advertising is desired. Such correlations may further provide a wealth of useful data such purchasing patterns based upon consumer demographics; geographic or regional preferences or variations; product placement; ad content, style, timing, etc. For example, reports could be generated indicating store traffic patterns; ad impact; product volume, market share by customer/household/group/store/region, repeat purchases, etc.; consumer purchasing trends (products, dollar amounts, etc.); average size and content of total purchase per time, day, season, etc.; purchases by product category or segment, household, store, region, etc.; consumer survey results; etc. The data mining capabilities of the media enhanced cart 10 described herein enable access to metrics unique to advertising as used in conjunction with the media enhanced cart 10. The communications features of the cart 10 enable advertisers to remotely download to the ISS 330 (and subsequently to each cart 10, in some embodiments) changes in advertising. Changes in advertising may be made in response to information obtained through data mining, as discussed herein. The media enhancements described herein enable advertisers to test advertisements in various demographic or geographic groups, and see the effectiveness in an immediate fashion, in that new statistical data is continuously being generated and reported. Such advertising may then be modified as needed and/or rolled out on in a large scale campaign. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 17, the cart 10 may receive Wireless Local Area Network (�WLAN�) signals including video streams in 802.11x format. In an embodiment, a plurality of wireless access points 320 may be located throughout the store to provide network coverage to each cart 10 located in the store, communicating by way of the network transceiver 204 (e.g., a wireless modem) in MOD 200. The network transceiver 204 may be located anywhere on cart 10 and is operably coupled to MOD 200. In an embodiment, the network transceiver is integrated with display 75, or alternatively is integrated with MOD 200. Data may be transferred to and from the cart 10 via the wireless link between the network transceiver 204 and the POS Server 325. Data may be transferred to and from the cart 10 via the wireless link between the network transceiver 204 and the In-Store Server (�ISS�) 330. The ISS 330 may store cart 10 data and act as an intermediary between the retailer's store systems and each cart 10. The ISS 330 may also connect over a firewall 332 through a broadband modem/router 333 via a network (in an embodiment, the Internet or VPN 335) to a Host Central Server (�HCS�) 340 located at a host company's hosting facility. Advertising data and media may be transferred at regular intervals, such as daily, between each store's ISS 330 and the HCS 340. Data transferred from each store's ISS 330 may be processed by the host company. In an embodiment, both the ISS 330 and HCS 340 utilize standard Microsoft server configurations or equivalents thereof along with supporting database management tools. In an embodiment, the host company is a parent company for a plurality of retail merchant stores which are networked as described herein. An advertising company or product manufacturer may be granted access to the HCS such that product advertising may be remotely and centrally downloaded to the host company for further dissemination to the various individual stores. Likewise, information such as product information, inventory, advertising effectiveness, etc. may be accessed from the HSC and uploaded by the advertising company or product manufacturer. In this way, an advertising company or product manufacturer may have a centralized access point for the upload and download of advertising or other product data, thereby allowing real-time access and adjustment to business activities based upon the effectiveness of a particular activity. For example, a new advertising campaign can be downloaded remotely to the HCS, disseminated on a large scale or small scale (e.g., a pilot run), and the results of the advertising campaign can be closely monitored in real or about real-time to determine if any adjustments need to be made. In an embodiment, the operating system software of the ISS 330 may be based primarily on the Windows Server 2003 Operating System, IIS 6.0 utilizing the .NET Compact Framework, COM+. In an embodiment, the operating system software of the POS Server 325 may be based primarily on the Windows Server 2003 Operating System, IIS 6.0 utilizing the .NET Compact Framework, COM+. It should be understood that specific computing equipment and software are disclosed herein as non-limiting examples, and that equivalent or improved components may be substituted as such become available. In an embodiment, the HCS 340 may comprise one or more of each of the following: a media server, a web server, and a database server. In an embodiment, the one or more media servers may operate on operating system software based primarily on Windows Server 2003 with a DivX Encoder, Media Windows Server, Flash Communications Server, and FTP Service. In an embodiment, the one or more web servers may operate on the operating system software based primarily on the Windows Server 2003 Operating System, IIS 6.0 utilizing the .NET Compact Framework, COM+. In an embodiment, the one or more database servers may operate on the operating system software based primarily on the Windows Server 2003, IIS 6.0 .NET Framework, COM+, SQL Server 2003 (cluster), and MS SQLServer 2003. It should be understood that specific computing equipment and software are disclosed herein as non-limiting examples, and that equivalent or improved components may be substituted as such become available. In an embodiment, various components of the system described herein may be located commonly, for example affixed to or integrated with the cart 10. In an embodiment, various components of the system described herein may be distributed or dispersed over the system as a whole while operably coupled to one another to achieve the functions described herein, for example with one or more components located on the cart and one or more components located on a computing system such as a retailer's POS system, a LAN, a WAN, etc. Likewise, various components, subsystems, and the like as described herein may be implemented in software, hardware, or both and operable coupled within the system as a whole to perform their intended function as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Methods enabled by the present disclosure include mounting a display on a shopping cart basket as well as performing steps to make or carry out all other attachments, configurations, and embodiments described herein. Further, methods of use of a shopping cart having a basket mounted video display will be readily apparent from the present disclosure. Methods enabled by the present disclosure further include adding or retrofitting media enhancing hardware and software to a shopping cart (e.g., plastic and/or metal), as well as performing steps to make or carry out all other attachments, configurations, and embodiments described herein. Further, methods of use of a media enhanced shopping cart, including data mining, will be readily apparent from the present disclosure. In embodiment as shown in the Figures, a cart 10 is provided having a video display 75 mounted on the nose 45 of the cart 10. The cart 10 is further enhanced by the addition of a MOD 200, a voice activated interface 120, a scanner 215, a five-way navigation device, 123, a nose bumper handle 100, an aisle RFID reader 225 with antennas 226 (looking outward from the cart 10), optionally a basket RFID reader 227 with antennas 228 (looking inward on the contents of the basket 20), and battery charger contact plates 105 or 230, 231. The voice activated interface 120, the five-way navigation device 123, and the scanner 215 are grouped in a pod 150 near the center of the handle 22, as shown in FIG. 19. It should be understood that any components described herein as residing in or on the handle 22 can likewise be integrated into the pod 150, and in an embodiment all functional components positioned on the handle 22 are incorporated into the pod 150. The aisle RFID reader 225 is integrated with the MOD 200 and antennas 226 are located on either side of the housing 199 of the MOD 200. The basket RFID reader 227 may be part of MOD 200 with antennas 228 located in the base 76. The battery charger contact plates are positioned and configured as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and/or 12. More specifically, the base 76 is mounted to the inside of front side wall 28 and conforms to the shape of the nose, for example slightly curved as shown. As shown in FIG. 19, the base 76 may extend downward from the front edge 29 along the inside of front side wall 28 and taper downward with the lower edge 83 of the base contacting or about contacting the upper portion of the bottom 21 of basket 20. A base 76 as shown in FIG. 19 forms a conduit for communication cables, power cords, etc. from the MOD and/or battery. Such conduit may further extend under the lower edge of the bottom 21 of basket 20, and may connect with the MOD housing 199. In an embodiment the conduit and/or base 76 may be integral with the basket 20, for example molded in plastic. The video display 75 is attached to the basket 20 such that the viewable area 78 is above the interior 54 of the basket. Likewise, the video display 75 is attached to the basket 20 such that the viewable area 78 is in a field of vision 84 of a consumer 85 pushing the cart 10 via the handle 22. The video display 75 is foldable, and the hinge 79 is positioned about equal to the front edge 29 of the basket 20. The bottom edge 82 of the screen 77 is positioned about equal to the front edge 29, and in some embodiments may rest upon the front edge 29 to provide additional support to the screen 77. For example, the outer bottom edges 98, 99 may rest on the front or side upper edges for additional support. As shown in FIG. 2, the nose 45 and upper edges may be slightly curved and the bottom edge 82 of screen 77 may be less curved such that the outer bottom edges 98, 99 engage one or more of the upper edges in an unfolded position. In a folded position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the screen extends at about a 90 degree angle with respect to the base 76 (or alternatively extends within the plane defining the upper edges of the cart), which clears the nose and exterior of the cart for nesting with a second cart while also keeping the interior 54 of the cart clear such that the rear side wall 31 may swing upward into the interior 54 of the basket to receive the front side wall 28 of a third cart. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the invention. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations and modifications of the invention disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). Use of the term �optionally� with respect to any element of a claim is intended to mean that the subject element is required, or alternatively, is not required. Both alternatives are intended to be within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, having, etc. should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, comprised substantially of, etc. The various embodiments and components thereof disclosed herein may be used singularly or in combination with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Throughout the figures, like numbers correspond to like parts. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is only limited by the claims which follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated into the specification as an embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the claims are a further description and are an addition to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The discussion of a reference herein is not an admission that it is prior art to the present invention, especially any reference that may have a publication date after the priority date of this application. The disclosures of all patents, patent applications, and publications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference, to the extent that they provide exemplary, procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth herein. 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ClassificationB62B3/1424, B62B3/1428, A47F10/02, B62B5/0096, G06Q10/087European ClassificationB62B3/14D8, G06Q10/087, A47F10/02, B62B3/14ELegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 1, 2005ASAssignmentOwner name: MEDIA CART HOLDINGS, INC., TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BRICE, DAVID GEORGE;CARPENTER, STEVE;REEL/FRAME:017282/0560;SIGNING DATES FROM 20051130 TO 20051201RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google