Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism actuated by check – other than coin – which... – Having means to test physical characteristic of check
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2002-04-30
Matecki, Katherine A. (Department: 3653)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism actuated by check, other than coin , which...
Having means to test physical characteristic of check
C194S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06378684
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
A grocery cart detection mechanism and reward system where each grocery cart is equipped with an embedded chip that is read by a radio frequency control unit located in-store and/or in a store parking lot to keep track of cart use and provide a reward system to patrons for return of a cart to the store or to a designated cart storage area, and further allows for tracking cart movement and location utilizing a mobile unit.
2. Prior Art
The invention is in an electronic system for tracking, counting and locating shopping carts as are used in grocery or hardware stores or like commercial enterprises, and provides a reward and as an incentive for encouraging shoppers to return their carts into the store or to a designated cart storage location. Which incentive system also encourages a shopper to return to again shop at the commercial enterprise.
While electronic monitoring and locating systems for keeping track of shopping carts are certainly not new such have generally been directed to protecting shopping carts from theft and/or removal from the commercial enterprise premises to include cart wheel locking systems, alarms and the like. None, however, have involved the combination of a radio frequency detection and locating system in combination with a customer reward system that is like that of the invention.
Removal of shopping carts from their intended use area within and without a commercial enterprise has long been of great concern and their location and recovery has constituted a significant expense. Examples of wheel locking and disabling arrangements are found in a number of U.S. Patents. For example, patents to Lace, U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,144; to Oakley, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,691; to Harris et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,412; to DiPaolo, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,106; to Wolfe, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,.182; to Moreno, U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,290; to Goldstein, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,880; and to Snedeker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,075, show only a few of a large number of patents concerned with prohibiting cart removal by providing electronic wheel locking and disabling systems. Electronic wheel locking systems, alarm systems for alerting store personnel to a removal of a cart from a controlled area are also shown in U.S. Patents to Maclntrye, U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,550 and to Zelda, U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,844, and cart dispensing systems are shown in a number of patents, for example, U.S. Patents to Dipaolo, et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,316; to Allent et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,006; to Parker, et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,962 and to Steier et. Al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,394.945. None of which wheel braking or alarm system patents, however, have involved radio frequency operated remotely to provide for cart locating, monitoring and control systems that function with a customer reward system that rewards patrons for returning their carts to a designated area to both saving the enterprise money and to encourage return shopping.
Electronic sensing of cart movement in and out of a controlled area by sensing a carts metal mass is shown in a U.S. Patent to Thorsen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,274, and a U.S. Patent to Uager, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,495 shows a utilization of a photo diodes for sensing cart travel through a light beam. Unlike these arrangement, the invention utilizes an active radio transmitter that interrogates a chip mounted onto a cart, preferably as part of a placard that is secured onto the cart side and contain individual cart information to provide for monitoring cart use and for scheduling maintenance, as well as for locating the cart by an interrogation system if it is removed from the premises. This cart information gathering and analysis capability of the invention is additional to its primary object of providing a reward to customers for their return of a cart to an identified area within or without the commercial or retail establishment. Accordingly, while devices that provide for active radio monitoring of cart location are shown in U.S. Patents to Havens, U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,544 and to Umanoff, U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,871, such have been for cart locating and retrieval only and have not included nor provided a reward system for cart return. Further, while trolley or cart return reward systems are shown in two U.S. Patents to Gillet, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,424,393 and 4,549,182 and in a U.S. Patent to Eisermann, U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,347, these reward systems do not provide the simple, yet versatile, electronic sensing, command and control system like that of the invention for use with an accurate and reliable client reward system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a shopping cart detection apparatus and patron reward system for sensing and identifying a shopping cart return to a cart collection station that will electronically log in the cart and award a ticket, coupon, or the like, as a patron reward for returning the cart.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart detection apparatus and patron reward system that includes at least one or more radio frequency control units located in or adjacent to a commercial establishment, the control unit or units each to send out an interrogation signal to a receiver unit on the cart consisting of a chip embedded inside a placard, or the like, attached to a shopping cart to identify and record the individual cart identification, keeping a running inventory of cart use for scheduling maintenance, and to alert the merchant if cart has not been returned.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart detection apparatus and patron reward system where low and high power reader units are provided, with a low power unit located in an installation that a cart entering a cart collection area passes closely by, for reading the individual cart identification for activating the patron reward, and with a higher power unit functioning as a long range receiver located proximate to a store entrance to read individual identifications of cart exiting the establishment to collect cart inventory data.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart detection system that is capable of detecting the direction of cart travel out of or into a cart depository located on a cart owners premises and verifying that the direction of cart return is proper to warrant issuance of a reward to that patron for a cart return in the form of a ticket, or the like, and prohibiting such award when the cart is not being returned from a bonafide use.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide, with a shopping cart detection system, a cart mounted receiver unit that, when used with a close proximity radio frequency reader unit does not require a power source to respond to an interrogation signal generated by a control unit to provide to the control unit, location, service, and status information for cart control and to operate the patron reward system, but can include a power source, such as a long life lithium type battery, where a longer range cart sensing is required such as to locate a cart as has been removed from the establishment premises.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shopping cart detection system that is simple and relatively inexpensive to install and will reliably provide data for shopping cart inventory control, cart location information, as well as, cart usage data for use in planned cart service and maintenance, that is used with a customer reward system whereby, for the reward, a customer is encouraged to return a cart to a drop-off location in a cart owner's establishment or on their premises to receive a ticket, or the like, giving the shopper something of value for their cooperation and to encourage them to return to the establishment and shop.
The shopping at detection apparatus of the invention includes at least one radio frequency control unit that can be installed within or without a commercial establishment and is connected to a s
Beauchaine Mark J.
Matecki Katherine A.
Russell M. Reid
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