WO2017063056A1

WO2017063056A1 - Electronic equipment and system associated with shopping trolleys and cash registers for reading and processing data on labels

Info

Publication number: WO2017063056A1
Application number: PCT/BR2015/000158
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paulo PEREIRA DE ARAUJO
Original assignee: Pereira De Araujo Paulo
Priority date: 2015-10-15
Filing date: 2015-10-15
Publication date: 2017-04-20

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for calculating the value of a purchase instantaneously, comprising a console with a reader coupled to the shopping trolley to capture the information contained on the labels attached to the products placed in the trolley. The console records the value to be spent, lists all the goods with their prices, calculates the total value and the balance. Then, an antenna captures the entire content of the console and transfers it to the cash register, which generates a customer receipt detailing all the products with their respective prices and the total value to be paid. Once data capture is concluded, the console clears all the information and can be reused. Shopping time is reduced and the customers spend only the amount they planned to spend. The central supermarket computer records all the sales and the corresponding bills for the day. The CRM system collects all the relevant customer information and enters it in the data base in order to generate promotions and customer relationship modalities.

Description

"ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTRIDGES AND CARTONS

PURCHASE"

[01] Every invention or launch of products and processes has as its starting point a problem that affects people and / or companies who are accustomed to pre-established processes and accepted as natural and who do not realize that the same thing can be done. otherwise, thus eliminating discomfort, exaggerated delay and results that are not expected, [02] Consumers and retailers live daily with an uncomfortable and even undesirable situation, namely congestion at the cashiers to pay for goods.

[03] For the consumer, in addition to the inconvenience of facing long and lengthy queues, another problem is knowing exactly how much to spend, what to buy, and what to stop buying. Most end up having to make that choice right at the moment they are. in front of the cash register, further increasing the inconvenience mentioned above for both him and the operators and customers behind him in line. Many even go through the embarrassment of returning products in public that they intended to carry, but the short budget did not allow,

[04] Goods abandoned at or near the cash register On the way, they force management to allocate employees specifically to pick them up and put them back on the shelves, not to mention wasting frozen and perishable products that are at risk of becoming unfit for consumption. For operators it is a huge job to have to calculate the purchases of each cart that goes daily through their cashier, which can cause errors in the total value, both for the customer and the supplier.

[05] It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, with all the technological advances we have, there is still such an archaic process encompassing a huge number of people involved, without bringing a single advantage to any of them, only fuss.

[06] The aim of the invention is to streamline the entire process so that both customers and suppliers are satisfied, do not waste time or money on a necessary activity for all, and enjoy the many advantages provided by an innovative solution. This is possible with a computerized system that allows instant calculation of the purchase price and automatic transfer of this value to the merchant cashier.

[07] Simulating a customer entering a supermarket to make the purchase of the month, knowing that - in addition to scarce time, he has to. worry about what. should buy and how much can spend. Many consumers carry lists and calculators in an attempt to control what is being bought so as not to over budget and not have to dispose of products placed in the cart. This hardly works.

[08] Simulating that same customer having a system provided by the merchant that does it all for him. Starting with the cart, technologically prepared for each product placed inside it, show. the accumulated amount that the customer must pay to pay for their purchase.

[09] Suppose he wants to spend $ 800. It enters the value in the console as a limit of, spent. Each product added to the cart will be added to the previous ones and the result will be discounted from what was designed as a limit, and the customer is constantly informed of how much they still have to spend. Suppose the consumer "accrues $ 720, receives information that only $ 80> 00 is left, and realizes that they no longer buy a $ 120 essential item. He can, before he arrives Take the other cashier out of the cart, thereby reducing the accumulated value, and add the item that cannot be missed in your home.If the product is placed in the wrong gondola, it will be detected by an official in charge of daily labeling. RF on all gondolas. [010] Now, most importantly, once the purchase is complete, he does not have to unload all the products on the counter for the cashier to add them one by one; Just bring the cart to the antenna of the cashier and the amount will be automatically transferred to the operator's machine that will issue the coupon with the payment and delivery already chosen. He then returns the console to the operator and goes to a nearby location where plastic bags are located. You pack the goods in the bags and then just unload the goods in your car, taxi or any other form of transportation. If you have made the option of home delivery, simply leave the cart in the reserved area, where employees will pack the products for delivery.

[011] The system may be supported by a technology known as RFID (Radio Frequency IDentificat Ion) or, in Portuguese, Radio Identification. Frequency, or other that may arise in the future. During World War II, a technology was used in radar systems used by various nations. These radars allow notification of approaching aircraft and ^'facilitated the preparation of defenses against enemy attacks; however, it was not possible to differentiate enemy planes from friends. The inventor of the system, Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt, developed, together with the British army, a system for identification of friendly aircraft that made preparation for enemy attacks really effective. Transmitters were deployed on English planes that gave different radar responses, identifying them as friends. Thus, the first radio frequency identification system in the world was implemented.

[012] An RFID system is basically composed of an antenna, a transceiver that reads the signal and transfers the information to a reader device, as well as an RF (radio frequency) transponder or tag containing the circuit and the information. to be transmitted. The antenna transmits the information by sending the integrated circuit signal to pass its data to the reader, which converts the RFID radio waves to digital information. Once converted, the received content can be read and understood by a computer and then analyzed. There are two types of RF tags:

[013] Passives - use the player's radio frequency to transmit your signal and usually come with your information permanently recorded when it is manufactured, but some may be rewritable.

[014] Active - are much more sophisticated and expensive and

They have their own battery to transmit their signal at a reasonable distance and allow storage in memory. RAM capable of storing up to 32 Kb.

[015] The frequencies used in an RFID system vary greatly depending on their use. The radio frequency identification system can work on many fronts, from medical and veterinary applications to payment and bar code replacement to use for inventory control. With RF tags placed on all products, radio waves provide a complete and accurate report of everything in stock, avoiding errors and eliminating the need for tiresome monthly and manual balances.

[016] Experts ensure that the RFID- technology should not replace the barcode, because the two can coexist usually because the demand for each of these technologies may be different, according to the purpose of ^'certain products and equipment.

Considering that one of the most promising uses of RFID is inventory control, that alone would be enough to convince a large, or even small, commercial network of system deployment. Having all of your products already tagged with RF tags, the next step is to apply online system features to calculate purchase value and automatically transfer that value to store cashiers. We will use supermarkets as an example, but the The system can be applied in a wide variety of commercial establishments, tailored to each need.

[018] First, we must adapt the shopping carts that will be differentiated from those without the system, as well as the boxes, attaching them to antennas for reading, and transfer of the information contained in the console. On each cart the consoles must be affixed (reader device responsible for capturing the information of the RF tags). This information is stored in the console, which shows how much is being spent and how much is left to spend if the customer has set a threshold.

[019] In the implementation phase, the supermarket administration should define the number of trolleys to be used as well as the number of adapted boxes separating them from conventional ones. It is advisable to set a trial period and a smaller number of carts and boxes. Currently, mall parking lots already have gates that open automatically for vehicles with RFID system, as well as toll booths that reserve specific spaces for drivers with the technology. Since this is a customer benefit, a specific percentage may be added to the total purchase price.

[020] System Components: [021] Console - is the most visible physical form and allows the user interaction with the machine and its components. With anatomical shape, computerized, liquid crystal display and easy-to-see touchscreen keyboard, it is attached to the cart and positioned to allow the best possible viewing for the driver. Powered by a long battery life and a unique program that allows you to determine the amount you want to spend, record the values of goods launched in the cart, calculate the balance and provide a range of features according to the project developed for the customer. shopkeeper. The console has an antenna, or reader, with the radiofrequency frequency and wavelength technically calculated to cover only the interior area of the cart. The propagation mechanism used for radio communications varies according to the frequency bands, classified according to wavelength. Since the cart area is relatively small, the reader will use the appropriate frequency range for short-range reading, which should be within the frequency range of the tags.

[022] RF tags - tags that use the player's radio frequency to transmit your signal will be used. These labels are affixed to all products, except for those that depend on weighing. For these products, there will always be a weighing scale that emits RF tags that will be glued to each of them. The system makes it possible to detect with a beep if any product was placed without a label in the cart. To _. In the others, the labels also fulfill the warehouse inventory control function, which will have a separate system for its realization. It is important to remember that there are products that, due to their size, do not fit in the cart such as appliances, mattresses, kitchen and gardening utensils among others. In this case, instead of the product, a card (or other better studied device) containing the product label will be affixed to the cart. At the end of the purchase, the customer will present the card or other device to pick up the product or to schedule delivery at home.

[023] Key information recorded on labels

They are the price and the shelf life; If the deadline has expired, an alarm will sound when the product is placed in the cart and the information will appear on the display. In addition to this, other information may be part of the labels, depending on the needs of the merchant.

[024] Antennas - will be used in boxes to capture information contained on the console rather than on hang tags. Cashier antennas capture information contained in the console and store it on the cashier's hard disk, which is connected to a central computer. Once the information is transmitted to the cashier's computer and the purchase is completed, an internal console device erases this information. They will only be on the hard drive of the cashier's computer, where the tax coupon will be issued, and where the payment will be processed. After the cashier's operations are completed, the information is sent to the central computer.

[025] The interaction of the equipment happens from. as follows:

[026] Console, cart and RF tags - Consoles will be next to the box, whether or not connected to battery chargers. The console should be designed in such a way that it is attached to the front arm of the cart and can be easily viewed and manipulated. The radius range of the radio frequency must be restricted to the inside of the cart so that the console can read only products inside it, so that under no circumstances should it read product labels outside it ( on gondolas or another cart that goes by, for example). The system developer must make a thorough study of the cart's internal area so that it can function as a dock, ie prevent waves from radio frequencies leak out of the cart. The system dispenses with any other equipment along the path taken by the buyer, only the antenna attached to the cashier equipment at the end of the purchase.

[027] Cashier Antenna, Console, and Central Computer - When the cart is positioned next to the cashier, it initiates interaction of the cashier antenna with the console, where all the RF tag information is stored, allowing this information to be transmitted to the cashier's equipment, as this will generate a purchase coupon discriminating all the products with their respective prices, the payment option (cash, debit card, credit card, store card, check, voucher , paypal, etc.), plus the delivery option.

[028] Then begins the interaction of cashier equipment with the central computer of the supermarket that will record all sales made and the. respective accumulated billing of the day, which will greatly facilitate the closing of cashiers, the daily balance and inventory control of goods. At the central computer is the CRM system, which will collect all the information and launch it into its database.

[029] Whereas many companies already use enterprise management systems, known as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), provided by large companies such as SAP and TOTVS, among others, the mobile purchasing calculation and payment system can be incorporated into the business management system used by the merchant during project analysis and development. If the business establishment does not have a business management system and acquires it after using the mobile purchasing calculation and payment system, it can easily be incorporated into the purchased business management project.

[030] The console has the following specifications and features:

[031] Format - should be as practical as possible for the customer, similar to a tablet, with a good viewing area (large letters, as a portion of the customers are elderly) and few touch screen commands. It must be resistant to touch and friction, with a clamping and withdrawing system that only the cashier or cashier operator can perform.

[032] Real-time automatic calculation: Determination of how much to spend, automatic value calculation of products that are placed or removed, cart and balance to be used or not.

[033] Date Stamp - Shows the year, month, day of the month, day of the week, hour, minute and second.

[034] Shelf Life Detector - will sound an alarm whenever an expired product is placed.

[035] RF-Tagless Product Detector - In the case of product-s that need to be weighed, the balance will emit an RF tag that will be glued to the product. If the customer acts in bad faith and removes or even accidentally drops the label, an audible alarm will sound. The alarm will also be triggered in cases of products that do not fit in the cart if the card (or other better studied device) does not have the label attached.

[036] Console unauthorized area detector - the console can only travel around the cart. If, due to distraction or forgetfulness of the teller operator, he does not remove the console as soon as the customer moves the cart and leaves the teller area, an alarm will sound. The alarm will also sound in case ¹ if someone who is not an employee loads the console without it being attached to the cart.

[037] Customer Registration - This is a very important feature as it allows you to store customer data in a Customer Relationship Management (CM) system. Registration can be done on the establishment's website or in the store itself, where the customer will fill in a form with the required data and will create a password. This password must be entered at the console at the beginning of each purchase. Whenever this customer makes their purchases, the information will go to CRM, which will provide support for the development of specific promotions, product suggestions., Sending a birthday card along with a special promotion, creating a bonus loyalty system. , gifts and other attractions. The consumer, in turn, will be appreciated to see that he is a special and personalized customer when, for example, putting the password on the console and receiving a welcome message on his behalf, as well as suggestions for promotions and purchases. products that it has affinity for. If the purchase happens on your birthday, you will receive a message congratulating you along with a special discount.

[038] Home delivery option - if the customer wants to have the purchase delivered at home or another address, touches the appropriate location, opens a window where he enters the address and the best time for delivery if he does not have it. a registered password. The system informs how much will be charged, and the value added in the total purchase during the issuance of the tax coupon on cashier equipment.

[039] Fast closing, in emergency cases - allows the consumer to withdraw from the store due to to one. unforeseen or emergency. Imagine that a mother is shopping and gets a phone call informing her that her child is feeling sick. It is obvious that she will forget about shopping and head to her child's location as quickly as possible. If she already has a large volume of products in the cart, the purchase will not be lost due to the speed of payment and the choice of home delivery.

[040] Area reserved for store information - This area may show product promotions, information and announcements, store floor plan with areas of interest, and other notices that the property deems important.

[041] Payment Options - The customer will be able to choose at the time they receive the console the payment option they want, as well as the installment options. All this information will be automatically passed to the teller operator when reading the console.

[042] It is important to consider the capacity for continuous improvement of the system by the very development of the technologies involved and by new ones to come. So much so that we can't even describe the full range of features that the system allows. It should be noted that every new technology, system or process, when it comes to yours. release, may run into technical or even behavioral difficulties not foreseen in your descriptive report, it is up to the system developer to do the validation and implementation studies and testing in addition to the continuous improvement of the system.

Claims

1) "ELECTRONIC READING EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM IS PROCESSING OF TAG DATA ASSOCIATED WITH SHOPPING CARTS AND BOXES", characterized by a console with a reader attached to the front arm of the shopping cart that makes radio identification ^' frequency gives data stored on specific labels by simply placing the goods _. in the cart that the information contained in the. labels are stored and automatically made available on the console display.

2) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH STANDS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 1, characterized by a console with a reader attached to the front arm of the shopping cart, where the consumer enters the limit amount they want to spend.

3) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH PURCHASES AND PURCHASES" according to claim 2, characterized by an RF tag reader device present in the coupled console _. the cart and by a program that records the value of the product stored on the RF tag when it is inserted into the cart and automatically adds each new product added. 4) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABELING DATA SHEETS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 3, characterized by a console program functionality that subtracts from the pre-set threshold the full value products purchased so far, enabling consumers to know how much they still have to buy.

5) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND DATA PROCESSING OF LABELS ASSOCIATED WITH STANDS AND PURCHASES" according to claim A, characterized by a functionality of the console that allows every time a product is removed from the cart its value is subtracted from the total purchase price up to that time, enabling the buyer to control at any time what may or may not be purchased within the limit set by him.

6) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSIGNED WITH SHOPPING CARTS AND BOXES" according to claim 5, characterized by a functionality of the console that triggers an audible alarm and warns that the shelf life of the product is expired.

7) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARS AND SHOPPING BOXES "according to claim 6, characterized by a functionality of the console that enables the determination of essential items not yet purchased when the consumer passes through the area of the establishment where these products are located.

8) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 7, characterized by a functionality of the console that warns when an unlabeled product is placed inside the cart by A buzzer will sound and keep ringing until the product is replaced.

9) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH SHOPPING CARTS AND BOXES" according to claim 8, characterized by an option of the merchant to supply its CRM - Customer Relationship Management system with essential customer information captured from the customer's registration on the ebsite or on the establishment itself so that they have personalized service,

10) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING DATA AND ASSEMBLY DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 9, characterized by a functionality of the console allowing the The consumer chooses the delivery option of the purchase at home or at another that he determines by entering the full address and the best time of day to. If you are a customer already registered in the system, you will not need to enter the address unless he chooses another address for delivery.

11) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 1.0, characterized by a functionality of the console that allows the customer to choose the form of payment (cash, debit card, credit card, store card, check, voucher, paypal, etc.) on the console itself which will automatically pass the information to the cashier operator.

12) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 11, characterized by an appropriate area on the console display where disclosure will be by text message, voice or video, allowing the messages to be connected to the area of the gondolas where the buyer is passing.

13) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 12, characterized by its own area on the console display where the product manufacturer can advertise to the merchant so that the ad is connected with the area of the gondolas where the buyer is passing.

14) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 13, characterized by an antenna coupled to the cashier equipment, responsible for capturing all stored information wire console without having to unload all products on the counter for the cashier to ^" add them one by one."

15) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 14, characterized by a number of system features which allow the consumer to have to withdraw from the store due to unforeseen or emergency, and may interrupt the purchase, pay and choose the option of home delivery _. .

16) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 15, characterized by an integrated connection of the cashier with the console attached to the cart and cashier equipment with the central computer located in an appropriate area in the IT sector that receives the cashier equipment information that contains all the products that were purchased and makes the final download of each stock, ending a process that was started when the product left stock for the gondola.

17) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 16, characterized by two independent processes that integrate via the central computer so that one receives relevant information from the other. which will be stored in your database, classified and released individually for each customer registered in the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system and will be used to compose the profile of each customer, the creation of personalized promotions, events, loyalty bonuses, gifts and everything else. possible to delight and maintain a long-term relationship with your customer base.

18. "ELECTRONIC READING EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM PROCESSING TAG DATA ASSOCIATED WITH SHOPPING CARTS AND BOXES" according to claim 17, characterized by a constant flow of data from the consoles to the boxes and boxes for the system. the computerized department of the merchant 's finance department who will have a detailed view of the business at the end of the day. movement, speeding up the closing of all cashiers, accounting and daily, weekly and monthly balances.

19) "ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEM FOR READING AND PROCESSING LABEL DATA ASSOCIATED WITH CARTS AND PURCHASES" according to claim 18, characterized in that it has the ability to be absorbed and adapted to an Integrated Enterprise Management System (ERP) - Enterprise Resource Planning) that the company may already have or will deploy.