MXPA99007439A - Computer network for a retail system - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer network for a retail store. The computer network collects coupon redemption information from a plurality of cash registers and periodically sends the redemption information to a market research center, allowing the correlation of coupon redemptions with customer demographic data. Each cash register includes a special computer for coupon redemption compilation. The special computer interfaces to conventional cash register computer hardware without requiring a substantial change to cash register computer software.

Description

SYSTEM OF TRANSACTIONS AND METHODS TO SEND SIGNALS OF IDENTIFICATION OF PRODUCTS TO TWO PROCESSORS FOR EACH REGISTRAR STATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION In general, this invention relates to a retail system and, more particularly, to a computer network for compiling information in a retail system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE Discount coupons are a popular means to stimulate sales of products such as grocery items. In 1992, about 310 billion coupons were distributed and 11 billion coupons were exchanged. However, it has been difficult to monitor the distribution of conventional coupons and exchange schemes to provide information on the effectiveness of the program and the demographic data of the client.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a network of computers to automatically compile information in a retail system. It is another object of the present invention to provide a computer network to process transactions in a retail system, and to compile information on the effectiveness of the coupon program and the demographic data of the customer. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, in a system including a plurality of products, a plurality of coupons, a first program having a first address space, and a second program having an address space different from that of first address space, a method of operating the system comprising the steps of processing a coupon to generate a first signal corresponding to a product and a second signal corresponding to a person holding the coupon; sending the first signal to the first program; reception of a third signal corresponding to a product; determination of the price by processing the first and third signals; and sending the first and second signals to the second program to determine the market information. According to another aspect of the present invention, a system comprises a plurality of products, a plurality of coupons and a plurality of cash register stations; each station includes a first program having a first address space, a second program having a different address space than the first address space, means for processing a coupon to generate a first signal corresponding to a product and a second signal which corresponds to a person carrying the coupon, means for sending the first signal to the first program, means for receiving the third signal corresponding to a product, means for determining the price by processing the first and third signals, and means for sending the first and second signals to the second program to determine the market information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a retail system in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view of the retail store in the first preferred system. Figures 3A and 3B are another type of view of a part of the retail store. Figures 4A, 4B and 4C are amplified views of some products shown in Figures 3A and 3B. Figure 5A is a plan view of one of the customer cards shown in Figures 3A and 3B.

Figure 5B is a side view of the card shown in Figure 5A. Figure 5C is an enlarged partial view of the card shown in Figure 5A. Figures 6A and 6B are another type of view of another part of the retail store. Figure 7 is a drawing of the interface of the card shown in Figure 6A. Figure 8 is a diagram of a product request message, sent by the computer network from the charging station that appears in Figures 2 and 6A to the financial computer shown in Figure 2. Figure 9 is a diagram of a product response message sent by the computer network from the financial computer that appears in the figure 2 to the charging station shown in Figures 2 and 6A. Figure 10 is a diagram of a coupon request message sent by the computer network from the charging station shown in Figures 2 and 6A to the financial computer shown in Figure 2. Figure 11 is a diagram of a coupon response message, which was sent through the computer network from the financial computer shown in figure 2 to the collection station shown in Figures 2 and 6A.

Figure 12 is a diagram of a redemption report message sent through the computer network from the charging station shown in Figures 2 and 6A to the financial computer shown in Figure 2. Figure 13 is a block diagram of the first preferred computer network. Figure 14 is a block diagram of the charging station shown in Figure 6A. Figure 15 is a block diagram of the store financial computer shown in Figure 2. Figure 16 is a block diagram of a customer card. Figure 17 is a diagram of some contents of the memory of a card for customers. Figures 18A and 18B are a flow chart of a processing performed by a part of the charging station. Figure 19 is a flowchart of a processing performed elsewhere on the charging station. Figure 20 is a flowchart of a processing performed by a customer card. Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of a retail system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 22 is a plan view of a retail store in the second preferred system. Figure 23 is a diagram of a redemption report message sent through the computer network from a charging station to the market research computer shown in Figure 22. Figure 24 is a block diagram of the second preferred computer network. Figure 25 is a block diagram of a charging station in the second preferred system. Figure 26 is a block diagram of a financial computer of the store in the second preferred system. Figure 27 is a block diagram of a market research computer in the computer network of the second preferred system. Figure 28 is a flow chart of a processing performed by a part of the charging station in the second preferred system. The accompanying drawings which are incorporated and which constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention, and additional advantages thereof. In all the drawings, the corresponding elements are marked with corresponding reference numbers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES First preferred embodiment Figure 1 shows a store 1000 including roof structure 1017 and computer network 1500 under roof structure 1017, in accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The roof structure 1017 includes a roof section 1010, a window 1015 attached to the roof section 1010, and the roof section 1005 attached to the window 1015. Figure 2 shows a flat view of the store 1000. The shelves 11 , 12, 21, 22, 31 and 32 include product areas 111, 121, 110, 120, 130, 141, 151, 161, 140, 150, 160, 171, 181, 170, 180 and 190. Each area of products includes a plurality of a respective product. Customers buy in the store 1000 by removing the products from the shelves and taking the products to one of the collection counters 900, 901 or 902. The computers in the collection stations 900, 901 or 902 communicate with the financial computer 800 through the computer network cable 1510. Figure 3A and Figure 3B each are a partial view of store 1000. Clients 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 270, 280 and 290, shop in store 1000 The store 1000 has a plurality of product areas, and each corresponds to a particular product. The product area 110 has Acmé brand ammonia. The product area 120 has Oíd World brand pasta. The 130 product area has Lighthouse brand spotlights. The product area 110 has ammonia bottles 112 grouped together in multiple shelves. Ammonia bottles 12 are grouped contiguously, which means that no other product is between two bottles of ammonia 112. Figure 4A shows an amplified view of some bottles of ammonia 1 12. Each bottle of ammonia has a symbol of the Universal Product Code (UPC) 114. symbol 114 codes a 12-digit number that is part of a product identification system documented by the Uniform Code Council, Inc., Dayton, OH. In the format of the UPC Product Code, the first digit is a 0, to designate a product. The next 5 digits are a manufacturer ID. The next 5 digits are an article number. The last digit is a check digit. Each UPC symbol 114 is a group of parallel lines that encode a number (0 17075 00003 3) that only identifies acmé ammonia. In other words, the symbol 114 is different from the UPC symbols of the units of other products. Each bottle of ammonia 112 also has a common character label 113 that verbally describes the product. The character label 113 is "AMMONIA ACME." The 113 label is different to the labels of the units of other products. The product area 120 has pasta boxes 122 grouped together in the multiple shelves. Figure 4B shows an amplified view of some of the pasta boxes 112. Each pasta box 122 has a common UPC symbol 124, which is a group of parallel lines encoding a number (0 17031 00005 3) that only identifies the Old World pasta. In other words, the symbol 124 is different from the UPC symbols of the units of other products. Each pasta box 122 also has a common character label 123 that verbally describes the product. The character label 123 is "PASTA OLD WORLD". The label 123 is different to the labels of the units of other products. The product area 130 has light boxes 132 grouped together in multiple shelves. Figure 4C shows an amplified view of some of the light boxes 132. Each light box 132 has a common UPC symbol 134, which is a group of parallel lines for coding a number (0 17054 1017 6) which only identifies the Lighthouse spotlights. In other words, the symbol 134 is different from the UPC symbols of other products. Each box 132 also has a common character label 133 that verbally describes the product. The character label 133 is "FOCOS LIGHTHOUSE." The 133 label is different to the labels of other products. Similarly, other product areas in store 1000, each have a set of respective products grouped contiguously. The respective units of a given product have a common UPC symbol, different from the UPC symbols in the units of other products, which only identify a particular product. The respective units of a given product have a common label, different from the labels in units of other products, which only identify a given product. The product area 140 has ketchup bottles 142 grouped contiguously. The product area 160 has box bread 162 grouped contiguously. The product area 170 has milk cartons 172 grouped contiguously. The product area 180 has packs of bacon 182. The product area 190 has packs of butter 192 grouped contiguously. The product area 111 has boxes of paper towels grouped contiguously. The product area 121 has rolls of paper towels grouped contiguously. The product area 141 has boxes of salted cookies grouped together. The product area 151 has canned fruits grouped contiguously. The product area 161 has canned vegetables grouped contiguously. The product area 171 has cans of meat grouped together. The product area 181 has boxes of flour grouped together. Figure 5A shows a flat view of the customer card 215 carried by customers 210, and Figure 5B shows a side view of the card 215. The card 215 is 8.5 cm. by 5.4 cm., the length and width of a conventional financial credit card. Card 215 is a little thicker than a conventional financial credit card. The card 215 includes a magnetic stripe 2410, interface contacts 2420 for communication with the charging station, and enhanced area 2430 to display the name of the card owner. The magnetic strip 2410 allows a reader of conventional credit card bands to read the basic data of the card. The magnetic strip 2410 is not necessary for the operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention, described in more detail below. Figure 5C shows the interface contacts 2420 in greater detail. The 2420 interface contacts are configured in accordance with ISO 7816-2: 1998 (E), Identification cards - Integrated circuit cards with contacts - Part 2: Measures and contact locations, promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and available from the National Institute of Standards (ANSÍ, for its acronym in English), 1 1 West 42nd Street, New York, New York 10036. According to ISO 7816-2, contact 2421 is assigned to the VCC (voltage supply), contact 2422 is assigned to the RST (reset signal), contact 2423 is assigned to the CLK (clock signal), contact 2424 is reserved for future use, contact 2425 is assigned to GND (ground), contact 2426 is assigned to VPP (program and voltage), contact 2427 is assigned to I / O (data input / output), and contact 2428 is reserved for future use. The card 215 communicates with the charging stations through the contact 2427 by means of a half-duplex scheme, which means that the contact 2427 serves to communicate data signals to or from the card.

Figures 6A and 6B show another part of store 1000, including charging stations 900, 901 and 902. Each charging station includes a UPC barcode reader that detects an optical (electromagnetic) signal reflected from a symbol CPU. Each charging station also includes an interface computer for cards 920 having an interface slot for cards 914. Figure 7 shows the housing of the interface computer for 920 cards in greater detail. Interface slot 914 is wide enough to fit the width of one of the customer cards. When a customer card is in the interface slot 914, the driver contact 912 within the interface slot 914 touches the contact 2427 (shown in FIG. 5C) of a customer card. The interface slot 914 has other contacts (not shown) to touch the other contacts of the card 2420 (illustrated in FIG. 5C), thereby applying power from the interface with the card. Next, a general summary of the procedure performed by the customers and the circuitry of the first preferred system will be described. Before buying in the store, each of these customers obtained a card for customers. For example, customer 230 obtained the customer card 235 from a bank when filling out an application. The request contained questions to gather demographic data, including date of birth, income level, previous patterns of purchase, geographic location, family size, education level, and employment data. Subsequently, the bank wrote customer identification data for customer 230 on customer card 235, and issued customer card 235 for customer 230, and sent the customer's demographic data to the marketing research center 13100 (see figure 13) which then stored the demographic data on a magnetic disk at center 13100. Each of the clients 210, 220, 240, 250, 270, 280 and 290 obtained a card for customers respectively in a similar manner. A customer can start buying with a card already loaded with electronic coupons. For example, the store may pre-load new cards as an incentive to complete and submit a request for cash verification. Likewise, the customer may also have a device at home to load the coupons on the card, as described in the U.S. Patent Application. of the applicant KEN R. POWELL for the SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION OF COUPONS THROUGH A COMPUTER NETWORK SYSTEM. Serial No. 08 / 603,482, filed on February 20, 1996, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Likewise, the customer can load the coupons on the card while shopping at the store, as described in the US Patent Application. applicant KEN R. POWELL for the MENUDEO SYSTEM, serial No. 08 / 468,816, filed June 6, 1995, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

When buying in the store 1000, each of the customers 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 270, 280 and 290 carries a card for respective customers. The customer 210 carries the card 215, the customer 220 carries the card 225, the customer 230 carries the card 235, the customer 240 carries the card 245, the customer 250 carries the card 255, the customer 270 carries the card 275, the customer 280 carries the card 285 and the client 290 carries the card 295. Each customer pushes a shopping cart to put the selected products. The customer 210 pushes the carriage 212, the customer 220 pushes the carriage 222, the customer 230 pushes the carriage 232, the customer 240 pushes the carriage 242, the customer 250 pushes the carriage 252, the customer 270 pushes the carriage 272, the customer 280 pushes the carriage 282 and the customer 290 pushes the carriage 292. Each customer removes one or more desired products from a shelf and places the removed product in the cart. When finishing the purchases, the customer brings the selected products from the shelves to the collection desk 900, 901 or 902. The customer exchanges the electronic coupons inserting the customer card in the interface for 915 cards. For example, a customer, such as customer 290 in the Figure 6A concludes the purchase of the selected products 293 by transferring the products 293 from the carriage 292 to the counter 900 and inserting the card 295 into the interface slot for cards 914. Subsequently, a clerk in the collection area (not shown) records each product selected that passes through the barcode reader 910. After the coupon exchange data, including the customer identification data from a plurality of cards, are compiled and sent to a market research center, as described below, the research center uses customer identification data to access the corresponding demographic data, which is why It provides manufacturers with market data on the effectiveness of the coupon program and the demographic data of the customer. Figure 8 shows a message 3002 sent by the charging station 900 to the financial computer 800, via a network cable 1510, in response to receipt of a product signal from a bar code reader 910. The message 3002 is a request for the product information for the product that has just been registered 293. Figure 9 shows a message 3004 sent from the financial computer 800 to the charging station 900, via a network cable 1510. The financial computer 800 sends a message 3004 in response to the receipt of a message 3002. After the station 900 determines a price for the product by processing a message 3004, the station 900 displays the price on the screen 917. Therefore, the station 900 acts to detect a product registered by a barcode reader 910 and determine a price for the product by sending a message 3002 to the financial computer 800 and receiving a message 3004 of the financial computer 800. The collection desk 900 registers and processes each product 293 in a similar manner.

The station 900 then receives any coupons exchanged by the customer 290. The station 900 can receive a paper coupon, such as the paper coupon 291 carried by the customer 290, by presenting the paper coupon in the bar code reader 910. In other words, the charging station 900 can process a paper coupon 291 (a substrate encoding a coupon) by means of a detection light, using the bar code reader 910, which is reflected from the paper substrate and generating a conformity with the detected signal. The charging station 900 can also receive a coupon from the card 295 carried by the client 290, via the interface computer for cards 920. Figure 10 shows a message 3006 sent from the charging station 900 to the financial computer 800 through a network cable 1510 in response to receiving the signal from a coupon, from a bar code reader 910 or an interface computer for cards 920. Figure 11 shows a message 3008 sent from the financial computer 800 to the computer station. charge 900, through a network cable 1510. The financial computer 800 sends a message 3008 in response to the receipt of the message 3006. The collection station 900 processes the discount response messages 3008 to deduct the discounts of the purchase price and determine the total price. Station 900 shows the total price on screen 917, to complete the billing transaction for customer 990.

Figure 12 shows a message 3005 sent by the charging station 900, via a network cable 1510, to the financial computer 800. The message 3005 includes an identification code for the client 290 and the information about the exchange of the coupon for the Collection transaction. In a manner to assimilate, the client 390 in Figure 6A will complete the purchase of the selected products 393 by transferring the products 393 from the carriage 392 to the station 901, and inserting the card 395 into the interface slot 914 of the station 901; and the clerk in the collection area (not illustrated) will record each selected product 393 that passes through the UPC 910 barcode reader. The 490 client in Figure 6B will complete the purchase of the selected products 493 transferring the 493 products from the cart 422 to station 902 and inserting card 495 into interface slot 914 of station 902; and the clerk in the collection area (not illustrated) will record each selected product 493 that passes through the UPC 910 bar code reader of station 902. The preferred system and method will be described below in greater detail. Figure 13 shows another aspect of the first preferred system. The 13100 market research center and the 13200 coupons distribution center are located outside the 1000 store. The local area network (LAN, for its acronym in English) 1500 in the store 1000 includes the cable 1510 and 7 computers: 800 financial computer, 920 card interface computer, 930 cash register computer, 921 smart card computer, 931 cash register computer, 922 smart card computer, and 932 cash register computer. The computer of interface for cards 920 and computer of cash registers 930 are in collection station 900, interface computer for cards 921 and cash register 931 are in collection station 901, and interface computer for cards 922 and the computer of the cash registers 932 are in the charging station 902. Each of the computers 800, 920, 930, 921, 931, 922 and 932 has a unique respective network address that identifies the computer network 1500. Each one of the computers 800, 920, 930, 921, 931, 922 and 932 has a respective network interface card to recognize when a packet is sent which contains the address of the computer through the 1510 cable, temporarily storing said package, and alerting the CPU of the computer when that package is recognized. These computers communicate with each other by sending data packets in a format that matches the communication protocol of the network 1500, which means, for example, that the packet has a displacement in the destination address field of a number. determined from bits starting from the start of the packet, and that the destination address field has a certain number of bits. Each package is essentially a type of signal.

In Figure 8, the header 3010 of the message 3002 includes a 20-bit destination address field 3011 that identifies the funding computer 800 in the network 1500. The destination address field 3011 is shifted 16 bits from the start of the packet. data 3002. The header 3010 contains other fields that include a field that contains the sender address of the packet 3002 and a field that contains the data correction bits. Field 3002 contains an identification code for a particular processing running on financial computer 800, as discussed in more detail below. Field 3030 includes the number 53 which is a code indicating that information has been requested for a product. After the product request code 53 is a UPC product code that identifies the product. Message 3002 is a request for information about ammonia acme, because the UPC product code is 0 17075 00003 3. In figure 9, header 3010 of message 3004 includes a 20-bit destination address field 301 1 which identifies the computer of the cash registers in the collection station 900. The field 3031 includes the number 63 which is a code indicating a response to the product request message. After answer code 63 is the price of the product (122) in cents, and the family code of the 3-digit UPC coupon (278) assigned to the product. In Figure 10, header 3010 of message 3006 includes a destination address field 301 1 identifying financial computer 800. Field 3020 contains an identification code for other processing running on financial computer 800. Field 3040 includes the number 55, which is a code that indicates that the information has been requested for a UPC coupon code. After the discount request code 55 is a UPC coupon code. In Figure 11 the header 3011 of the message 3008 includes a destination address field 301 1 identifying the register computer of the station 900. The field 3041 includes the number 65, which is a code indicating that the message is a response to the discount request message. After code 65 is the value of the coupon in cents, which in this case is thirty cents. Figure 14 is a block diagram of the charging station 900 that includes the computer of the cash registers 930 and the computer interface for cards 920. In the computer of the cash registers 930, the disk 925 provides a long-term storage . The CPU 950 executes the instructions in the addressable random access memory 920. The CPU 950 receives a bar code signal through a multiplexer 2-1 939. The bar code signal may originate from a code reader of bars 910 or from an interface computer for 920 cards, as discussed in more detail below. Through the UPC convention, a barcode whose first digit is equal to 5 is a barcode for a coupon. In this way, if the first digit of the bar code signal of the multiplexer 939 is a 5, the CPU 950 sends a message 3006 to the financial computer 800. Otherwise, if the first digit is not 5, the CPU 950 sends a message 3002 to the financial computer 800. In the interface computer for 920 cards, the CPU 952 executes the program 942 in the memory 931. The CPU 952 and the program 942 act to receive an electronic coupon for a smart card, by means of contact interface 915 and send the bar code data to a bar code reader emulator 929. The optical bar code reader 910 sends a bar code signal to the CPU 950 via cable 911. The reader Barcode 910 sends the signal, on cable 911, in an RS-232 serial interface format. the 929 barcode reader emulator also sends a signal, using the 915 cable, in an RS-232 serial interface format. The multiplexer 2-1 939 receives the signal on the cable 911 or the cable 915 and relays the signal to the CPU 950 via the cable 912. The multiplexer 939 relieves the signal, on the cable 912 in the serial interface format RS- 232 In this way, a conventional supermarket billing desk, which would normally have a direct serial interface with an optical bar code reader, can be augmented with an interface computer for 920 cards and a 2-1 939 multiplexer for practicing preferred modes. of the invention, without the need for a change in the software of the conventional charging counter.

The bar code reader 910 also sends the data to the CPU 952 via the cable 916. The bar code signal sent to the CPU 952 via the cable 916 is identical to the bar code signal sent to the CPU 950, by cable 91 1. Cable 916 does not interfere with the normal signal path between barcode reader 910 and CPU 950. Any control signals sent to barcode reader 910 originate in the computer of the cash registers 930; the interface computer for cards 920 only passively monitors the bar code signal generated by the bar code reader 910. The charging stations 901 and 902 each have the same circuitry as the charging station 900, described with prior, except that the computer 921 has a respective network interface card for recognizing the address in the network of computer 921; the computer 931 has a respective network interface card for recognizing the address in the network of the 931 computer; computer 922 has a respective network interface card for recognizing the network address of computer 922; the computer 932 has a respective network interface card for recognizing the network address of the computer 932. Figure 15 shows a block diagram of the financial computer 800. The CPU 850 executes the operating system 851 and the application processing 861 , 862 and 863. The CPU 850 executes the scheduler 852 in the operating system 851 to execute one of the processing 861, 862 and 863 at a particular time. Each of the servers 861, 862 and 863 runs in its own address space, which means that a given address in one of the servers has access to a different memory location than the same address in another of the servers. Various parts of the components shown in the random access memory 820 may be transferred between the memory 820 and the disk memory 825 using a virtual memory map scheme, as is well known in the art. The CPU 850 sends and receives the messages through the network cable 1510 and the network interface card 837. The message router 854 reads the message field 3020 and delivers the message to the application processing identified in field 3020 In response, an application processing may cause a message to be sent by the network interface card 837 and the cable 1510. The product server 861 includes a box for translating a UPC product code into a family ID code of the UPC three-digit coupon, and another box to translate a UPC product code into a retail price of the product. The server 862 includes a box for translating the two-digit value code field into a UPC coupon code, in a value quantity. Periodically, the coupon server 862 sends a swap report signal to the electronic distribution center 13200, via a telephone signal path 812 and a modem 810. The exchange report signal sent to the distribution center 13200 includes the identification of the store 1000, the identification of the coupons exchanged and the respective amounts of the exchanges of the coupons. Periodically, the market research server 863 sends another type of exchange report signal to the market research center 13100, via the 811 telephone signal path and the 810 modem signal. The exchange report signal sent to the exchange center is sent to the exchange center. 13100 research includes the identification of the 1000 store, the identification of the customers who exchanged the electronic coupons and the identification of the redeemed coupons. The format of the exchange report signal sent from server 863 to research center 13100 appears in table 1 below. [Store ID for store 100] [Customer ID 317] [UPC code 1] [Client ID 53] [UPC code 2] [Client ID 3] [UPC code 3] [Client ID 17] [UPC code 4] [Family ID 11] [UPC Code 5] [Family ID 2] [UPC Code 6] [Customer ID n] [UPC Code] [Family ID m] [UPC Code n + m] TABLE 1 Each line in table 1 records a trade transaction. Each customer ID number is a data copy 8467 of a customer card, and the corresponding UPC code comes from a list 8435 of one of the customer cards. Each family ID comes from an extended code of the UCC / EAN-128 coupon of a paper coupon, and the corresponding UPC code comes from a paper coupon. The 13100 research center includes a magnetic disk memory to store the records of the demographic data. Each record is indexed by the customer ID or family ID. As shown in Table 2 below, each line represents a demographic record for a customer. The first entity in each line is the registry key or index. The second entity is the date of birth and the third entity is the annual income.

[Customer ID 1] March 12, 1944 30,100 [Customer ID 2] March 12, 1964 23,700 [Customer ID 3] March 12, 1932 30, 100 [Customer ID 4] March 12, 1905 89,000 [Customer ID x ] January 3, 1947 28,100 [Family ID 1] February 2, 1952 17,300 [Family ID 2] March 12, 1940 85,000 [Family ID 3] July 3, 1907 42,000 [Family ID and] December 12, 1975 19,100 TABLE 2 The 13100 research center processes the report signals, such as the block shown in Table 1, and uses the IDs in the signal blocks to access the demographic records as the record shown in Table 2. The center 13100 then it generates a report that summarizes certain trends, such as the report that appears in table 3 below, and prints the report on paper.

AMOUNTS OF AMMONIUM ACCOUNTS FOR MARCH 1995 Age scale Total bottles sold with coupon 15-25 60,456 (30%) 25-40 102,345 (51%) 40-60 14,345 (7%) more than 60 23,456 (12%) all ages 200,602 (100%) TABLE 3 In other words, the preferred system performs a method to determine the retail buying patterns. The method writes the demographic data obtained from the customer request questionnaires, described previously in a magnetic disk memory in the market research center 13100. The method writes the personal identification data 8467 on the cards for customers with the Family ID data in a coupon that contains the extended voucher code. The 13100 center generates the report by accessing the demographic data, using identification signals 8467 of the customer cards or the family ID data of the coupon extended codes, to generate a demographic signal, and correlating the signal demographic (indication of age) with the second signal (purchases of ammonia). Figure 16 is a block diagram of the customer card 215, which includes a central processing unit 8450, a processor 8450 and a memory of 8460. The random access memory 8460 includes three addressable segments: non-volatile read only memory (ROM) 8461; electrically erasable non-volatile memory (EEPROM) 8462; and 8463 memory for temporary storage. The station interface 8425 includes a serial port for the parallel converter for the transfer of data signals between the contact 8427 and the CPU 8450 via the parallel bus 8452. The ROM 8461 stores a program 8465 executed by the 8450 processor. The EEPROM 8462 stores customer identification data 8467 and authorization data 8468. Customer identification data 8467 includes a sequence of digits that only identifies the cardholder. The customer identification data 8467 includes the social security number of the cardholder. For example, the identification data 8467 on the customer card 235 only identifies the customer 230. The authorization data 8468 may include a sequence of digits that includes a code identifying the store or stores in which the card may be used to obtain a coupon that is not paper. The authorization data 8468 may also include dates data indicating an expiration date for the card. Depending on the contractual relationship of the cardholder with the issuer of the card, the issuer of the card can update this date data regularly to renew the card when the data in course of the dates indicate the expiration of the card. The store authorization data 8468 also contains a field that identifies the card that is a card for customers. EEPROM 8462 also stores product data received from one or more coupon distribution devices. This product data includes a product discount list of 8435. When a customer inserts a customer card into a coupon distributor device, the 8450 processor receives a coupon code for the product from the device and adds the code to the list. Figure 17 shows the list of some contents 8435 that start at offset 30 of EEPROM 8462 of customer card 215. An electronic coupon is a 12-digit number in a UPC coupon code format. In this format, the first digit is a 5, which designates a coupon. The next 5 digits are a manufacturer ID. The next 3 digits are a family code. The next 2 digits are a value code. The last digit is a revision digit. In Figure 17, the customer card has three electronic coupons stored, which reflect the fact that the customer 210 has received electronic coupons from the coupon dispensing devices. In the list 8435, the memory field that has the number 5 17031 268 45 8 corresponds to a coupon to buy a box of paste of Old World 124. The field of memory that has the number 5 17054 235 76 5 corresponds to a coupon for the purchase of a box of lighthouses 134. The field of memory that has the number 5 17075 278 30 7 corresponds to a coupon for the purchase of a bottle of ammonia 112. Each of the cards for customers has the same structure of hardware such as the card for clients 215. Figure 18A shows a processing performed by an interface computer for cards 920. If the clerk in the collection area activates button 919 (step 18001), the interface computer for 920 cards obtains the electronic coupons for a customer card in the interface slot 914 and send the coupons to the computer of the cash register 930 (step 18002). If a bar code having an initial digit of 5, indicating a coupon, is received via cable 916 from barcode reader 910 (step 18060), CPU 952 determines whether a family ID is present in the coupon bar code symbol (step 18065). In step 18065, CPU 952 determines if the bar code symbol encodes a family ID, after the ID of the 12-digit coupon, by looking for numbers 8100 and 21 (which are "application identifiers" indicating that the symbol encodes an 8-digit family ID, as explained in more detail in the UPC Coupon Code Parameter Manual, supra.). If the family ID is present, the CPU 952 sends the coupon to the market research server via cable 1510 (step 18067). Figure 18B shows the step 18002 of Figure 18A in greater detail. The CPU 950 communicates with a card in the interface slot 914 through the contact interface for cards 915. A switch (not shown) in the interface slot 917 alerts the interface 915, which alerts the CPU 952, which A card was inserted in the slot. Subsequently, the CPU 952 causes the contact interface of the card 915 to reset the card by applying a clock signal to the contact of the card 2423. The card then responds to the restart by sending a data block, which includes the identification data 8467 and the authorization data 8468, through the contact of the card 7427. The CPU 952 then receives the response to the restart block, through the contact interface 915, from the card, and temporarily stores the response to the restart block in the memory 931 (step 18003). The CPU 952 then sends a data block containing a station type code indicating a charging station (step 18004). The CPU 952 then receives the contents of box 8435 in the EEPROM 8462 of the customer card, and temporarily stores the contents of frame 8435 in memory 931 (step 18005). CPU 952 selects the first input of frame 8435 of memory 931 (step 18010). The CPU 952 sends the selected input to the bar code reader emulator, (step 18040). The bar code reader emulator 929 translates the data received from the CPU 952 to a signal that emulates the format of the signal generated by the bar code reader 910, and sends this signal to the multiplexer 2-1 939. This emulation allows the 950 CPU in the computer of the 930 cash registers to receive a code through a 2-1 939 multiplexer, using the same processor used for optical bar code reading. If there are remaining entries (step 18042), CPU 952 selects the next entry in box 8435 (step 18045) and processing continues to step 18040. If there are no remaining entries, CPU 952 sends a redemption report message 3005 to 863 market research server in financial computer 800. This exchange report message 3005 includes customer identification data 8467 (received in step 18002) and coupon box 8435 (received in step 18005).

The communication protocol between the CPU 925 and the customer card is described in more detail in ISO / IEC 7816-3: 1989 (E), for Identification cards - Integrated circuit cards with contacts - Part 3: Electronic signals and transmission protocols; and, ISO / IEC 7816-3: 1989 / Amd.1: 1992 (E), Part 3: Electronic signals and transmission protocols, AMENDMENT 1: protocol type T = 1, synchronous half-duplex block transmission protocol . These two standards are promulgated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and distributed through the National Institute of Standards (ANSÍ). Figure 19 shows a processing performed by the CPU 950 and the program 943 on the computer of the cash registers 930, when a customer registers the output of the store 1000. The CPU 950 polls the TOTAL button 949 to see if the clerk in the collection area, he indicated that the collection transaction is complete for the client in progress (step 19042). When the clerk in the collection area (not illustrated) moves a product that passes through the UPC 910 reader, the UPC 910 reader detects the barcode on the product and sends the barcode to the CPU 950. The CPU 950 checks if a barcode was received (step 19045). If a bar code was received and the first digit is a 5 (step 19047), the CPU 950 sends a message 3006 (see figure 10) and receives a message 3008 (see figure 11) to obtain the discount corresponding to the code bars. The CPU 950 then makes a record including the coupon and the discount amount, and adds this record to the list of the temporary coupon 944 in the memory 920 (step 19053). If the first digit is not a 5, the CPU 950 sends a message 3002 (see figure 8) and receives a message 3004 (see figure 9) to obtain the price of the product, and the family code of the UPC coupon of the product, (step 19049). The CPU 950 then displays the price of the product on the screen 917 (step 19051). The CPU 950 then makes a record that includes the product code, the price of the product and the family code of the UPC coupon, and adds this record to a temporary product list 945 in memory 920. When the clerk in the collection area activates the TOTAL button (step 19042), CPU 950 determines the total price for the collection transaction by subtracting any coupon discount from the corresponding product price (step 19060). More specifically, in step 19065, the CPU 950 processes each entry in the product list 945. If a product in the list 945 has a corresponding coupon in the list 944, the CPU 950 subtracts the value of the coupon discount from the price of the product and delete the coupon from the list 944. In other words, for each product the list 945, the CPU 950 looks for a corresponding coupon in the list of coupons 944. A product corresponds to a coupon if the manufacturer's ID of 5 digits the UPC coupon code is equivalent to the manufacturer's 5-digit ID in the UPC coupon code, and the family code of the 3-digit coupon for the product (received in message 3004) corresponds to the 3-digit family code of the coupon . These two family codes correspond if they are the same or if the family code of the coupon is an abbreviated code that matches certain digits of the family code of the product coupon, as described in more detail in the Manual of Paragraphs of UPC Coupon Codes, reprinted in October 1994, from the Uniform Code Council, Inc., Dayton, Ohio. In this way, the CPU 950 determines a total price for the charging transaction, (step 19060). The CPU 950 then displays the resulting total price on the screen 917 (step 19065). Therefore, the interface computer for 920 cards processes a coupon (data from ID 8467 and frame 8435) to generate a first signal (a UPC coupon code having a manufacturer ID and a family code) corresponding to the product, and a second signal (a customer ID) that corresponds to the person carrying the coupon (holder of the card for customers). The contact interface for 915 cards and the CPU 952 send the first signal to program 943, by means of a bar code reader emulator 929, cable 915, and multiplexer 2-1 939. The contact interface for 915 cards sends the first and second signals to program 942 to determine market information. The program 943, in the computer of the cash registers 930, receives a third signal from the barcode reader 910, which corresponds to a product. Subsequently, program 943 determines a price by processing the first and third signals. Similarly, the computer of the cash registers 930 processes a coupon to generate a first signal (the manufacturer's ID and family code) that corresponds to a product, and a second signal (the family's ID) that corresponds to a carrier of the coupon. The bar code reader 910 sends the first signal to program 943 via cable 911, multiplexer 2-1 939 and cable 912. Bar code reader 910 sends the first and second signals to program 942 via cable 916 Figure 20 shows a processing performed by one of the customer cards, such as the customer card 215, in the preferred retail system. After the card is restarted through contacts 2420, the customer card sends a block of data "response to restart" in accordance with the ISO ISO / ICE 7816-3: 1989 (E), mentioned above. The card for clients sends the identification data 2467 and the authorization data 2468 in the data block response to the restart (step 20010). If the station then sends a data block to the customer card, the customer card then receives the data block through contact 2427 (step 20015). If the block contains a station-type code indicating a coupon-distributing device (step 20020), the customer card then adds the coupon information of the product, from a displacement determined in the block to the list 8345 (step 20030 ). If the customer card is not eligible, the station will not send a data block, step 20015, therefore it will not execute, and processing will stop until the customer card is reinserted into the station, at which time the The station will reboot the card, and processing will be restarted in step 20010. Alternatively, if the block contains a station type code indicating a charging station (step 20090), the customer card then sends the list 8345 to the CPU 925 (step 20100). In other words, the CPU 2450 reads the list 8435 from the memory 2460, in response to the inserted card of the client 215 in the interface slot 914, and sends a signal corresponding to the list 8345 to the charging station (step 20100 ). Step 20100 also clears lists 8435 from memory 2460, thereby avoiding multiple swaps of a single coupon. Although the processing of step 20100 unconditionally deletes each coupon in the 8435 lists, the alternative systems can selectively recover and selectively clear the card coupons for customers. An alternative system includes hardware on the 920 computer to display the coupons on a customer card and allow the user to select certain coupons shown for redemption. Under this scheme, only the selected coupons are sent to the 930 computer and only the selected coupons are deleted from the 8435 list. In another alternative system, the 920 interface computer could monitor the messages sent over the LAN cable 1510 using the cash register 930 to detect the product request messages 3002 sent by the computer of the 930 cash registers. Therefore,, the interface computer for 920 cards could detect which products are purchased and only send the coupons from the list 8435 corresponding to the purchased products and delete only the coupons from the list 8435 corresponding to the purchased products.

Second preferred embodiment Figure 21 shows a store 1000 'in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. The store 1000 'includes a roof structure 1017 and a computer network 1500' under the roof structure 1017. Figure 22 is a plan view of the store 1000 '. The collection counters 900 ', 901', 902 'communicate with the financial computer 800 via the network cable 1510. The collection desk 900', 901 'and 902' also communicates with the market research computer 400 through the network cable 1510. i Figure 23 shows a message 3005 'sent by the charging station 900' to the financial computer 800 '. The message 3005 'includes the destination field 3011 which contains the network address for the market research computer 400. The message 3005' also includes a customer identification and information about the redemptions of the coupons for the charging transaction.

Figure 24 shows a block diagram emphasizing another aspect of the second preferred system. Local Area Network (LAN) 1500 'includes 8 computers: 800 financial computer, 400 market research computer, 920' interface card computer, 930 'cash register computer, 921' smart card computer, register computer of 931 cash, 922 'smart card computer and 932 cash register computer. The 920 card interface computer and the 930 cash register computer are in the 900' charging station, the 921 card interface computer and the computer of the cash registers 931 are in the collection station 901 ', and the computer interface card 922 and the computer of the cash registers 932 are in the collection station 902'. Each of these computers has a respective network address to uniquely identify the computer in the 1500 'network. These computers can communicate with each other by sending data packets in a format in accordance with the network communication protocol 1500 '. Figure 25 is a block diagram of the charging station 900 '. In the interface computer for cards 920 ', CPU 925 executes program 942' in memory 931. Figure 26 shows a block diagram of financial computer 800 '. The CPU 850 executes the operating system 851 and the application processing 861 and 862. The financial computer 800 'is similar to the financial computer 800 described in connection with the first preferred embodiment above, except that the financial computer 800' does not have the server of market research to pass market research data to the market research center. Figure 27 shows a block diagram of the market research computer 400. The CPU 450 executes the program 463 in the random access memory 420. Various parts of the program 463 can be transferred between the memory 420 and the disk memory 425 by means of a virtual memory map scheme, as is well known in the art. The CPU 450 receives the messages through the network cable 1510 and the network interface card 437. On a regular basis, the program 463 sends the recovery data to the market research center 13100, via the telephone signal path 81 1 and modem 410. Exchange data sent to the research center 13100 include store identification 1000 ', identification of the customers who exchanged the electronic coupons and identification of the redeemed coupons and respective amounts of the coupon exchanges. Figure 28 shows a processing performed by the interface computer for 920 'cards. The processing shown in Figure 28 is similar to that described in Figure 18, in relation to the first preferred embodiment of the invention, except that Figure 28 contains a step 28055: if there are no remaining entries, the CPU 925 sends a message of exchange report 3005 'to the market research computer 400.

In summary, each of the computers 920 and 930 (each of the first and second computers) has a respective network address that only identifies the network computer 1500 '. The preferred method includes the steps of executing the first program on the first computer and executing the second program on the second computer. Also, the system includes a financial computer 800 'which has a respective network address that only identifies the financial computer 800' in the network 1500 '. The preferred method includes the sending, the response to a product signal from the bar code reader 910 (the third signal), the pack 3002 illustrated in Figure 8 (a request signal) to the financial computer 800 '. Subsequently, the preferred method receives packet 3004 shown in Figure 9 (a response signal) from financial computer 800 '. Package 3004 includes a price for the product and a family coupon code for the product. In this way, the second preferred system allows a supermarket to have a network to increase the processing of price information with a 920 'card interface computer, a 2-1 939 multiplexer, and a 400 market research computer, to carry out the second preferred method of the invention, without requiring a change in the supermarket software. Therefore, the preferred systems process the product price data and the customer's purchase pattern data.

The extended UCC / EAN-128 coupon code is documented in the reprinted UPC Voucher Code Parameter Manual, in October 1994 from the Uniform Code Council, Inc., Dayton. Ohio. Although the illustrated cards are shown with a relatively simple memory organization, there is the possibility of including more memory organizations, allowing a single card to work in other applications in addition to operating in an embodiment of the invention. Those skilled in the art will readily imagine the advantages and additional modifications. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatuses, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, further developments can be made from these details without departing from the spirit and scope of the applicants' general inventive concept. The invention is defined in the following claims.

Claims (36)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - In a system that includes a store with a plurality of products, and a plurality of charging stations, each including a bar code reader, and a first processing unit that executes a first program in a first memory, characterized in that the system further includes a plurality of second processing units each associated with one of the respective charging stations, and each executes a second program in a second memory, a method comprising the steps, carried out several times so that each collection station carry out a collection transaction for several clients, following: the use of the bar code reader of a collection station to generate a first signal that identifies a product selected by a customer; the sending of the first signal to the first processing unit of the charging station; sending the first signal to the second associated processing unit; the subsequent sending, from the second associated processing unit, of a second signal to the first processing unit; and the determination, in the first processing unit, of a total amount to be paid by the consumer, receiving the first signal and second signals.

2. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the system also includes a plurality of portable cards, which each have a card memory, and because the method also includes the step, carried out before sending the second signal to the first processing unit, to receive, in the respective unit of the second processing units, the memory card signals of one of the portable cards.

3. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units includes sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units by means of of a signal path that excludes the first processing unit.

4. The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that each charging station includes a respective unit of the second processing units, and in that the step of sending a second signal is carried out in a charging station.

5. The method according to claim 2, further characterized by including the communication of product price information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

6. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the system includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a memory card, and because the method also includes the step, carried out in the second processing unit , to decide whether or not a second signal is sent to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

7. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units includes sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units by means of of a signal path that excludes the first processing unit.

8. The method according to claim 6, further characterized in that each charging station includes a respective unit of the second processing units and that the step of sending a second signal is carried out in a registration station.

9. The method according to claim 6, further characterized by including the communication of product price information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

10. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units includes sending the first signal to the respective unit of the second processing units by means of a signal path that excludes the first unit of prosecution.

11. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that each charging station includes a respective unit of the second processing units, and in that the step of sending a second signal is carried out in a charging station.

12. The method according to claim 1, further characterized by including the communication of product price information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

13. A system for stores for a commercial system with a plurality of products, the system for stores comprises: a plurality of collection stations, each station includes a bar code reader that generates a first signal that identifies a product selected by a client; a first processing unit executing a first program in a first memory and a signal path that transfers the first signal to the first processing unit, wherein each charging station is associated with a respective second processing unit that executes a second program in a second memory and sends a second signal to the first processing unit, wherein the second processing unit executes the second program several times for several clients; and a signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit, and wherein the first processing unit includes the logic that determines a total amount to be paid by the customer, receiving the first and second signals.

14.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 13, further characterized in that the commercial system further includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a card memory, and because each second program includes the logic for receiving the card memory signals from one of the portable cards, before send the second signal to the first processing unit.

15. The system for stores according to claim 14, further characterized in that the signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

16.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 14, further characterized in that each charging station includes the second associated processing unit.

17. The system for stores according to claim 14, further characterized by including a common computer that sends price information to each of the first processing units.

18. The system according to claim 13, further characterized in that the commercial system includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a card memory, and because every second program includes the logic to decide whether or not to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

19. The system for stores according to claim 18, further characterized in that the signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

20. The system for stores according to claim 18, further characterized in that each charging station includes the second associated processing unit.

21.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 18, further characterized because it includes a common computer that sends price information to each of the first processing units.

22. The system for stores according to claim 13, further characterized in that the signal path that transfers the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

23. The system for stores according to claim 13, further characterized in that each charging station includes a respective unit of the second processing units, and in that the step of sending a second signal is carried out in a charging station. payment.

24. The system for stores in accordance with claim 13, further characterized by including the communication of product price information from a common computer to each of the first processing units.

25.- In a retail system that includes a store with a plurality of products, and a plurality of collection stations, each one including a first processing unit and a second processing unit, a system for stores that comprises next, at each charging station, to process several clients at each charging station: means to generate a first signal that identifies a product selected by a customer; means for sending the first signal to the first processing unit; means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit; means for subsequently sending, from the second processing unit, a second signal to the first processing unit; and means for determining, in the first processing unit, an amount to be paid by the customer, receiving the first signal and the second signals.

26.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 25, further characterized in that the retail system further includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and in that each charging station further includes means for receiving, in the second processing unit, memory signals. on one of the portable cards.

27.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 26, further characterized in that the means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

28. The system for stores according to claim 26, which also includes means for communicating the product price information to each of the first processing units.

29. The system for stores according to claim 25, further characterized in that the retail system includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a card memory, and because the store system also includes the logic to decide whether or not a second signal is sent to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.

30. The system for stores according to claim 29, further characterized in that the means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

31. The system for stores in accordance with claim 29, which also includes means for communicating product price information to each of the first processing units.

32.- The system for stores in accordance with the claim 25, further characterized in that the means for sending the first signal to the second processing unit excludes the first processing unit.

33. - The system for stores according to claim 25, which also includes means for communicating the product price information to each of the first processing units.

34. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the system also includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a memory card, and because the method also includes deciding whether or not to send a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards. 35.- The system according to claim 13, further characterized in that the commercial system also includes a plurality of portable cards that each have a memory card, and because the system for stores also includes the logic to decide whether to send or not a second signal to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards. 36.- The system for stores according to claim 25, further characterized in that the retail system also includes a plurality of portable cards each having a card memory, and because each means for subsequent delivery includes the logic to decide whether or not a second signal is sent to the first processing unit, depending on a content of the card memory of one of the portable cards.