(12) United States Patent
`Ogasawara
`
`USOO6512919B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,512,919 B2
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jan. 28, 2003
`
`(54) ELECTRONIC SHOPPING SYSTEM
`UTILIZING A PROGRAM DOWNLOADABLE
`WIRELESS VIDEOPHONE
`
`(75) Inventor: Nobuo Ogasawara, San Diego, CA
`(US)
`(73) Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki (JP)
`(*) Notice:
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/281,557
`(22) Filed:
`Mar. 30, 1999
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2002/0065728 A1 May 30, 2002
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/211,308, filed on
`Dec. 14, 1998.
`(51) Int. Cl." .......................... H04Q 7/20; G06K 15/00;
`G06F 17/60; H04N 7/14
`(52) U.S. Cl. ....................... 455/422; 235/383; 235/385;
`186/61; 705/23; 455/403; 348/1401
`(58) Field of Search .............................. 705/23, 26, 16,
`705/17; 379/14; 455/3.03, 3.05, 403, 405,
`406, 409, 410, 411, 414, 418, 419, 422;
`235/383,385; 709/217, 224; 186/52, 61;
`348/14.01, 14.02, 14.04
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(56)
`
`5,410,326 A 4/1995 Goldstein
`5,424,524 A 6/1995 Ruppert et al.
`5,594.779 A
`1/1997 Goodman
`(List continued on next page.)
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`EP
`EP
`NL
`WO
`WO
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`0865219 A2 9/1998
`90O2296
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`WO-97/.50222
`12/1997
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`* 9/1999 ........... GO6F/17/60
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Blankenhorn, D., Phones win Headlines during CES
`Week, Newsbytes, May 28, 1992.: Dialog Information
`Services, file 275: Gale Group Computer DB (TM), Dialog
`Accession i O1516628.
`Nuttall, N., “First the PC, now the Videophone, Times of
`London (TL), Apr. 24, 1992. Retrieved from: Dialog Infor
`mation Services, file 710: Times/Sun. Times (London),
`Dialog Accession # 06875280.*
`Fenner, E., AT&T. The Store without Walls’, Money, v22,
`n12, pp. 88-96, Dec. 1993. Retrieved from: Dialog Infor
`mation Services, file 15: ABI/Inform (R, Dialog Accession if
`OOT88284.
`Radio Communications Report, v 18, n. 48, p. 24 “Millicom
`releases GSM online payment system.” Nov. 29, 1999.
`Business Wire, “Lava2140 Introduces Wireless E-com
`merce Application at PCS '99; E-Shop Mobile Delivers
`Unified Internet and Wireless Shopping Solution” Sep. 23,
`1999.
`Newsbytes News Network, “France Telecom Readies
`E-Commerce By Phone Service", Feb. 24, 1999.
`Primary Examiner Richard Chilcot
`Assistant Examiner Andrew Joseph Rudy
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Christie, Parker & Hale,
`LLP
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`An electronic shopping System facilitates purchase transac
`tions via a wireless Videophone. A purchase transaction
`program is downloaded from the Seller's Server to a pur
`chaser's wireleSS Videophone via a program loader con
`tained within the purchaser's wireless videophone. The
`purchase transaction program is Stored in a program memory
`and is used by the purchaser to facilitate the Selection of
`items to be purchased, as well as payment therefor. An
`integral digital camera is attached to the wireleSS telephone
`to facilitate the Selection of items to be purchased and is
`controlled via the downloaded purchase transaction program
`to function as a bar code or product icon image capture
`device. Character or pattern recognition Software translates
`the bar or icon code image into an appropriate item identi
`fier.
`
`58 Claims, 13 Drawing Sheets
`
`OUT OF STORE
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`IN-STORE
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`4
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`28
`-26
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`16
`
`17
`
`12
`
`-102
`sist1 ...A. -8
`
`BAR CODE
`SCANNER
`
`
`
`-1
`
`-8.
`
`EXTENSION
`PBX
`-24
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 1 of 31
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`US 6512,919 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`:
`5,606,361 A 2/1997 Davidsohn et al. ........... 348/14
`32. A : 3. E. hn et al
`348/14
`2 : 1
`- 2
`f
`avidsohn et al. ...........
`f
`5,825,002 A 10/1998 Roslak
`5,832,115 A * 11/1998 Rosenberg .................. 382/199
`5,867,712 A * 2/1999 Shaw et al.
`... 395/704
`5,918,211 A 6/1999 Sloane ............
`... 705/16
`5,970,473 A * 10/1999 Gerszberg et al.
`... 705/26
`6,055,513 A * 4/2000 Katz et al. ....
`... 705/26
`6,085,176 A * 7/2000 Woolston ..................... 705/37
`
`9/2000 Voois et al. .................. 348/15
`6,124.882. A
`6,134,548. A 10/2000 Gottsman et al. .
`... 705/26
`6,144,848 A 11/2000 Walsh et al. ......
`... 455/419
`6,199,753 B1 * 3/2001 Tracy et al. ................ 235/375
`6,202,051 B1
`3/2001 Woolston ..................... 705/27
`6,226,031 B1 * 5/2001 Barraclough et al. ... 348/14.13
`6,313.864 B1 * 11/2001 Tabata et al. ..
`348/14.02
`2
`6,314,406 B1 * 11/2001 O'Hagan ..................... 705/14
`6.377570 B1 * 4/2002 Vaziri et a
`370/352
`2- .
`.
`.
`f
`aZIII C al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`f
`
`
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 2 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 1 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`FIC. 1
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`OUT OF STORE
`
`N-STORE
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`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 2 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`SPINES
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 4 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 3 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`Sheet 4 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 5 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
`
`CALL SERVER WITH WIRELESS us
`TELEPHONE
`
`-
`
`DOWNLOAD PROGRAM FROM
`SERVER INTO WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE/
`AUTHENTICATE PASSPORD
`
`u 53
`
`USE PROGRAMTO PERFORM
`PURCHASE TRANSACTION
`
`55
`
`FIG. 5
`
`
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`
`SELECTITEMS TO PURCHASE WITH |
`BARCODE SCANNER
`f
`
`AFTER ALL ITEMS TO PURCHASE
`HAVE BEEN SELECTED, THEN PAY
`FOR PURCHASE
`
`70
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 6 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`DIAL SERVER WITH WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE
`
`SERVER ANSWERS AND USES
`TELEPHONE INTERFACE TO
`COMMUNICATE WITH WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE
`
`5a
`
`51b
`
`TELEPHONE INTERFACE OBTANS
`WIRELESS TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`51C
`
`
`
`
`
`CUSTOMER INFORMATION DATABASE IS
`SEARCHED TO PROVIDE DOWNLOAD
`PROGRAM ID, CUSTOMER ID &
`CUSTOMERNAME
`
`51d
`
`CUSTOMER ID AND CUSTOMERNAME
`ARE PROVIDED BY TELEPHONE
`INTERFACE TO SERVER PERSONAL
`SHOPPINGAPPLICATION
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 8 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 7 of 13
`
`US 6,512,919 B2
`
`
`
`SERVERTRANSMITS PURCHASE
`TRANSACTION PROGRAM TO WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE BASED ON SEARCHED
`DOWNLOAD PROGRAM ID
`
`53a.
`
`MICROPROCESSOR OF WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE PERFORMS DOWNLOAD
`ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS STORED
`IN PROGRAMLOADER FIRMWARE
`
`53b
`
`DOWNLOADED PROGRAM STORED IN
`PROGRAMMEMORY
`
`REQUESTS PASSWORD
`FROM WIRELESS TELEPHONE
`
`53c
`
`53d
`
`WIRELESS TELEPHONE TRANSMITS
`PASSWORD TO SERVER
`
`53e
`
`SERVER AUTHENTICATES PASSWORD -53f
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 9 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 8 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`FIG. 9
`
`Telephone Download Program ID Password Customer Customer Other customer
`Phone
`number type
`D
`?tate
`profile information
`
`
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 10 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 9 of 13
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 11 of 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 10 of 13
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 12 of 31
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`U.S. Patent
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 12 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 14 of 31
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`III.34
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`236
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`28
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
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`Jan. 28, 2003
`Jan. 28, 2003
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`Sheet 13 of 13
`Sheet 13 of 13
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`US 6,512,919 B2
`US 6,512,919 B2
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`mn 3 218
`
`FIG. 14
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 15 of 31
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`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 15 of 31
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`US 6,512,919 B2
`
`1
`ELECTRONIC SHOPPING SYSTEM
`UTILIZING A PROGRAM DOWNLOADABLE
`WIRELESS VIDEOPHONE
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`The present application is a continuation-in-part of
`co-pending application Ser. No. 09/211,308, filed Dec. 14,
`1998 entitled ELECTRONIC SHOPPING-SYSTEM UTI
`LIZING A PROGRAM DOWNLOADABLE WIRELESS
`TELEPHONE, commonly owned by the Assignee of the
`present invention, the entire disclosure of which is expressly
`incorporated herein by reference.
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates generally to electronic Shop
`ping Systems and, more particularly to an electronic Shop
`ping System which utilizes a program downloadable wireleSS
`Video phone as a purpose-type dedicated terminal which
`enables a shopper to capture, recognize and decode captured
`images.
`
`15
`
`2
`Shopping from locations away from the home. For example,
`a purchaser may wish to order items from the workplace,
`over lunch in a restaurant, while traveling, and in a variety
`of other, different circumstances wherein the purchaser does
`not have access to his or her home television or computer.
`It is also known to use a personal shopping System (PSS)
`wherein the purchaser carries a Scanner embedded hand-held
`terminal within a store. Bar codes of products to be pur
`chased are Scanned with the hand-held Scanner. A display on
`the Scanner embedded hand-held terminal displays an item
`price and a running total of the purchase prices of the
`products which have been Scanned. Payment for the Scanned
`products is accomplished at a checkout counter in a con
`ventional manner.
`However, contemporary personal Shopping Systems
`require the use of a dedicated personal shopping System
`terminal, which has a Small display, a number keypad, and
`a built-in bar code Scanner. Of course, the use of Such a
`contemporary dedicated portable personal shopping System
`requires a Substantial financial investment by the retailer in
`the portable personal Shopping System terminals.
`WireleSS telephones, Such as cellular telephones, are very
`popular. AS the price of wireleSS telephones and the cost of
`making calls there with continue to decrease, more people
`are purchasing and using wireleSS telephones.
`AS used herein, the term wireleSS telephone is defined to
`include mobile telephones, cellular telephones, Satellite tele
`phones and any other telephones not requiring a wired
`connection, Such as cordless home telephones which have a
`limited range and must generally therefore be used close to
`the house.
`In view of the low cost and ubiquitous nature of wireless
`telephones, it is desirable to provide a System for performing
`electronic Shopping which utilizes a customer's own wire
`leSS telephone for the Selection of items to be purchased, as
`well as for providing payment for Such purchased items. By
`utilizing the customer's own wireleSS telephone for elec
`tronic shopping, rather than using a dedicated personal
`Shopping System terminal, the Substantial investment asso
`ciated with the use of Such dedicated personal shopping
`System terminals is eliminated.
`Further, additional efficiencies can be realized if wireless
`telephones are provided with a graphic display, Such as a
`Small color or monochrome LCD display and a visual image
`capture device, Such as a CCD digital camera, i.e., is
`configured as a wireleSS Videophone. In this particular case,
`a wireleSS Videophone is able to extend the capabilities of
`electronic Shipping by eliminating altogether the require
`ment for dedicated terminals to Scan machine-readable code,
`as well as reduce a vendor's investment in these dedicated
`terminals. Wireless videophones would, thus, provide the
`most cost effective way of accommodating an electronic
`Shopping System Since a customer need only carry a single,
`personalized commodity apparatus which Serves multiple
`functions, including electronic Shopping, thus minimizing
`the customer's investment.
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Electronic Shopping Systems for allowing a shopper to
`purchase products without necessarily having to travel to a
`Store are well known. One example of a contemporary
`electronic shopping System is a cable television shopping
`channel, wherein products are advertised on television. A
`Shopper merely watches the television and when an item is
`shown for which a purchase is desired, the Shopper uses a
`telephone to call an agent of the Seller to place an order for
`the desired product. Usually, a credit card number is given
`over the telephone to facilitate payment for the purchased
`item. The purchased product is then Shipped directly to the
`buyer.
`In an improved version of cable television shopping, an
`interactive or bidirectional cable System allows the pur
`chaser to make Selections directly from the television Screen.
`This may be accomplished by using a menu driven System
`controlled by the television remote control. In this manner,
`the need to make a telephone call is avoided. The added
`convenience of Shopping directly from the television is
`expected to enhance consumer response to Such advertise
`mentS.
`Similar to cable television shopping is the use of the
`Internet to make desired purchases from the home. Many
`companies presently offer their products for Sale on the
`Internet, and the number doing So is increasing rapidly.
`Products as diverse as pizzas, books and automobiles can
`readily be purchased from the comfort of a person's home,
`Simply by locating the web page of a company Selling the
`desired item, Selecting the item to be purchased, providing
`an address to which the item is to be delivered, and provid
`ing a credit card number to pay for the purchased item.
`However, one disadvantage of Such contemporary elec
`tronic Shopping Systems is that they require that the pro
`Spective purchaser Subscribe to either cable television or to
`an Internet Service, for which a Subscription fee is charged.
`Further, Such contemporary electronic shopping Systems
`require that purchases be made from either the purchaser's
`television or computer, both of which are typically located
`in the purchaser's home and cannot usually be easily trans
`ported. Thus, the purchaser is undesirably constrained to
`Shopping from the home.
`Because of the highly mobile nature of modern Society, it
`is desirable to provide the ability to conduct electronic
`
`60
`
`65
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention specifically addresses and allevi
`ates the above-mentioned deficiencies associated with the
`prior art. More particularly, the present invention comprises
`an electronic shopping System for facilitating purchase
`transactions via a wireleSS Videophone to which a program
`download function, a downloaded program execution func
`tion and an integral digital camera and display Screen have
`been added. However, since the functionality added to the
`
`Patent Owner’s Ex. 2004, Page 16 of 31
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`

`

`3
`wireleSS Videophone is Small, the wireleSS Videophone is still
`capable of being produced as an inexpensive commodity
`product.
`The electronic Shopping System comprises a Server and at
`least one wireleSS Videophone for communicating with the
`Server. Thus, according to one preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, once a customer Visits a Store, the cus
`tomer Simply dials the number of the Store's personal
`Shopping System Service. The personal shopping System
`application is then automatically downloaded into the cus
`tomer's Videophone. The downloaded program automati
`cally begins execution and provides the desired functionality
`of a personal Shopping System. An integral digital camera is
`used to Scan the images of bar codes of purchased items, and
`pattern recognition Software resident either in the video
`phone or in the Server, translates the bar code image data into
`an alpha-numeric product identification. Thus, the present
`invention allows retailers to implement a personal Shopping
`System while minimizing the cost investment necessary to
`do So.
`More particularly, according to the present invention a
`Store maintains a Server which provides a downloadable
`purchase transaction program to a purchaser's wireleSS
`Videophone when the purchaser calls the Store's Server via
`the purchaser's wireleSS Videophone. After downloading the
`purchase transaction program from the Server to the wireleSS
`Videophone, the Server communicates with the wireleSS
`Videophone So as to use the downloaded purchase transac
`tion program to facilitate Selection of the desired product(s)
`for purchase, as well as to facilitate payment therefore.
`It is desirable to download the purchase transaction pro
`gram into a wireleSS Videophone as needed, rather than to
`permanently Store the purchase transaction program in the
`wireleSS Videophone, because downloading allows a plural
`ity of different Sellers to utilize their own programs, rather
`than requiring a single, universal program for all Sellers. It
`should be appreciated that different sellers will desire to
`incorporate different messages, advertisements, menus, etc.
`into their own purchase transaction program and to further
`customize their own purchase transaction program So as to
`tailor it to the particular products being Sold.
`Further, Since different types of wireleSS Videophones are
`contemplated to have different displays, keypads, camera
`and display types, etc., it is desirable to download a purchase
`transaction program which is specifically tailored to a par
`ticular type of wireleSS Videophone, So as to make the best
`use of that particular wireleSS Videophone's features.
`The purchase transaction program transmitted from the
`Server to the wireleSS telephone is loaded into a program
`memory of the wireleSS Videophone via a program loader of
`the wireleSS Videophone. The program loader effects loading
`of the purchase transaction program into the program
`memory as the purchase transaction program is being trans
`mitted from the server to the wireless videophone. The
`downloaded purchase transaction program contains instruc
`tions for facilitating product Selection and payment via the
`wireleSS Videophone. Thus, the purchase transaction pro
`gram converts the wireleSS Videophone into a point of
`purchase electronic Shopping terminal.
`Although the electronic Shopping System of the present
`invention is described herein as being used to purchase
`products, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
`electronic Shopping System is likewise Suitable for purchas
`ing Services, or anything else which is desired. Thus, use of
`the term “product” is by way of illustration only and not by
`way of limitation. Further, as used herein the term “store' is
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`4
`defined to include any Seller of goods or Services, including
`a retail Store, a wholesale Store, or any other vendor.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
`present invention will be more fully understood when con
`sidered with respect to the following detailed description,
`appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a Schematic Overview of the electronic Shopping
`System of the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the wireleSS telephone
`and a server in further detail;
`FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the wireless
`telephone of the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the wireless telephone of the
`present invention showing the interrelationship of the com
`ponents of the present invention (shown with bold or heavy
`lines) with the components of a contemporary wireless
`telephone,
`FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing operation of the electronic
`Shopping System of the present invention;
`FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the step of calling the
`server with the wireless telephone according to FIG. 5, in
`further detail;
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the step of downloading the
`program from the Server into the wireleSS telephone accord
`ing to FIG. 5, in further detail;
`FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the step of using the
`program to perform a purchase transaction according to FIG.
`5, in further detail;
`FIG. 9 is a customer information table;
`FIG. 10 is a block diagram depicting a wireless video
`phone embodiment of the electronic Shopping System
`according to the invention;
`FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of a wireless
`Videophone according to the present invention;
`FIG. 12 is a block diagram of the wireless videophone of
`the present invention depicting the inner relationship of the
`components of the present invention (shown with bold or
`heavy lines) with the components of a contemporary wire
`leSS telephone System;
`FIG. 13 is a flow chart depicting the steps associated with
`using a downloaded program to acquire and decode bar code
`information according to the invention; and
`FIG. 14 is a Semi-Schematic representation of a wireleSS
`Videophone in accord with practice of principles of the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`The detailed description set forth below in connection
`with the appended drawings is intended as a description of
`the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is
`not intended to represent the only form in which the present
`invention may be constructed or utilized. The detailed
`description Sets forth the construction and functions of the
`invention, as well as the Sequence of Steps for operating the
`invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment. It
`is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent
`functions may be accomplished by different embodiments
`that are also intended to be encompassed within the Spirit
`and Scope of the invention.
`Referring now to FIG. 1, the present invention generally
`comprises a Store Server 10 in communication with a com
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`US 6,512,919 B2
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`mercial telephone network 14, typically via a wire connec
`tion 12. Alternatively, the store server 10 may communicate
`with the commercial telephone network 14 via any other
`desired means, Such as via fiber optics, radio signals, etc.
`Such commercial telephone networks are those commonly
`used to communicate voice and data both locally and over
`long distances. Example of Such commercial telephone
`networks include Pacific Bell, General Telephone, AT&T,
`MCI and Sprint.
`The commercial telephone network 14 facilitates connec
`tion of the store server 10 to a wireless telephone 18 via a
`cellular telephone network 17, to which the conventional
`telephone network 14 is in communication, typically via a
`wire connection 16. Examples of Such cellular telephone
`networks include L.A. Cellular and Pacific Bell. Again, the
`wired connection 16 may alternatively comprise a fiber
`optic, radio or other means of communication.
`The cellular telephone network 17 communicates with the
`wireleSS telephone 18 via radio transmission according to
`well known principles.
`Alternatively, a remote Server 26, rather than the Store
`server 10, communicates with the wired telephone network
`14, again preferably via a wire connection 28. The wire
`connection 28 may alternatively comprise fiber optic, radio,
`or other communication means.
`Optionally, the store server 10 is in communication with
`an extension PBX 24 or the like, preferably via a wired
`connection 11. The extension PBX 24 communicates with
`the wireleSS telephone 18 via a radio connection.
`Optionally, an external bar code Scanner 20 communi
`cates with the wireless telephone 18 via wire connection 19.
`Alternatively, the bar code Scanner 20 communicates with
`the wireleSS telephone 18 via infrared, laser, radio, or any
`other desired means.
`Alternatively, a built-in bar code scanner 25 and/or a
`built-in IC card reader/writer 27 are formed integrally with
`the wireleSS telephone 18. In a Store, a bar code on a
`purchased item 33 is scanned by bar code scanner 20
`attached to a wireless telephone 18.
`A catalog 21 of the items which can be purchased contains
`a bar code 22 for each Such item, and preferably also
`contains descriptive text 13 and a picture 15 of each item.
`The use of Such a catalog 21 or the like facilitates the
`purchasing of products via the electronic Shopping System of
`the present invention when the purchaser is not in the Store
`where the items are Sold. Typically, each item 33 also has a
`bar code 31 applied thereto.
`The store server 10, as well as any remote server 26, if
`used, Stores the purchase transaction program which is to be
`downloaded into the wireless telephone 18 when a call is
`made from the wireless telephone 18 to the store server 10
`or the remote server 26. The store server 10 and the remote
`Server 26 also contain a program, i.e., the Server personal
`Shopping application (FIG. 2), which cooperates with the
`purchase transaction program downloaded to the wireleSS
`telephone 18 to effect purchase transactions, including the
`Selection of items to be purchased and payment therefore, as
`discussed in detail below.
`When the wireless telephone 18 is used within or close to
`the Store where the Store Server is located, then the optional
`extension PBX 24 may be utilized to facilitate radio com
`munication between the store server 10 and the wireless
`telephone 18, thereby eliminating the need for the cellular
`telephone network 17. By using an extension PBX 24,
`reliable communication between the store server 10 and the
`wireleSS telephone 18 is assured and costs associated with
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`use of the cellular network 17 are avoided. Those skilled in
`the art will appreciate various other means of providing
`in-house radio communication between the wireleSS tele
`phone 18 and the store server 10 are likewise Suitable.
`In use, a purchaser merely dials the telephone number of
`the store server 10 or remote server 26 with the wireless
`telephone 18. Upon connection of the wireless telephone 18
`to the store server 10 or the remote server 26, the purchase
`transaction program is downloaded from the Store Server 10
`or the remote server 26 into the wireless telephone 18 under
`the direction of a program loader 32 (FIG. 2).
`More particularly, the telephone interface of the Store
`server 10 or remote server 26 facilitates receipt of the
`telephone call from the customer and downloading of the
`appropriate purchase transaction program to the wireleSS
`telephone 18. The Server personal Shopping application
`facilitates Sending and receiving of information between the
`customer's wireless telephone 18 and the store server 10 or
`remote server 26. When the store server 10 or remote server
`26 is called by the customer's wireless telephone 18, then
`the telephone interface obtains the customer's phone number
`and then Searches the customer information database in the
`store server 10 or remote server 26 in order to obtain the
`following information: customer's telephone number, down
`load program ID, customer ID, and customer name. This
`information is preferably stored in the store server 10 or
`remote Server 26 when the customer enrolls in the personal
`Shopping application. In this manner, the customer's tele
`phone number provides a degree of validation, and thus
`Serves to indicate that the customer is authorized to make
`purchases.
`Based upon the download program ID, the appropriate
`download program is downloaded from the store server 10
`or remote server 26 to the wireless telephone 18. The
`particular purchase transaction program (which has a unique
`ID) which is transmitted from the store server 10 or remote
`server 26 to the wireless telephone 18 is selected so as to be
`consistent with the purchaser's profile, e.g., telephone type,
`as well as the purchaser's personal preferences, Such as
`language and particular interests.
`The store server 10 or remote server 26 personal shopping
`application facilitates purchase transactions. Each message
`coming from a wireleSS telephone 18 is associated with the
`customer's telephone number, the customer ID, or Some
`other unique identification. When the store server 10 or
`remote Server 26 receives bar code data from the customer's
`wireless telephone 18, then the store server 10 or remote
`Server 26 Searches a database and obtains a description and
`price for the item Scanned. The item description and price is
`then transmitted to the customer's wireless telephone 18 and
`is preferably displayed upon the display 42 thereof. All of
`the data received from the customer's wireless telephone 18,
`including data regarding returned items (those which the
`customer has decided not to purchase) are kept by the store
`server 10 or remote server 26 so as to facilitate a subsequent
`payment procedure.
`Optionally, the store server 10 or remote server 26 also
`Sends other information to the customer's wireleSS telephone
`18. Such other information may comprise promotional
`information, discount information, a personal, etc.
`After being downloaded, the purchase transaction pro
`gram optionally requests that the purchaser enter a pass
`word. The use of Such a password provides further valida
`tion of the customer. The use of Such a password is
`particularly useful in preventing the use of a Stolen wireleSS
`telephone 18 in the performance of unauthorized purchase
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`7
`transactions. The purchase transaction program may display
`instructions and/or provide voice guidance to the user for
`using the keypad to input the password. Voice recognition
`may be used to enter the password. Preferably, the download
`program, the Server, or Store perSonnel provide guidance for
`entering the password, as described below. The purchase
`transaction program may either verify the password or
`communicate the password to the Server for verification. If
`the password is determined to be valid, then the customer is
`prompted to Scan bar codes of items which are to be
`purchased. If the password is determined to be invalid, then
`the user is prompted to re-enter the password.
`After the password is verified, the purchase transaction
`program facilitates use of the wireless telephone 18 to both
`Select items to be purchased and pay for those items. Items
`are preferably Selected for purchase by Scanning bar codes
`31 or 22 indicative of the item to be purchased via bar code
`scanner 20 which is connected to the wireless telephone 18
`or via built-in bar code scanner 25. Alternatively, items to be
`purchased may be Selected by entering a Stock number,