Scale having a machine-readable code display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11681996-B2
Application number	US-202117370108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2021
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

In some embodiments, systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to provide a weight of a product in a machine-readable code on a scale. More specifically, the scale can include an associated display that is configured to display a machine-readable code when a product is weighed on the scale, where the machine-readable code informs a scanning computing device of the weighed amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scale system for weighing products in a shopping facility, the scale system comprising:
a user electronic device, the user electronic device including a sensor, the user electronic device being a portable device operable by a customer;
an assembly disposed at a shopping facility and configured to receive products thereon for weighing;
a weight sensor coupled to the assembly and configured to determine a weight of the products on the assembly;
a product identification input device, the product identification input device configured to obtain product identification information that uniquely identifies the product;
a control circuit coupled to the product identification device and the weight sensor, the control circuit configured to receive the weight determined by the weight sensor and the product identification information from the product identification input device, and encode the weight and the product identification into a code;
a first display configured to receive a signal from the control circuit to display the weight of the products;
a second display configured to receive a signal from the control circuit to display only the code;
wherein the first display and the second display are included in physically separate and non-contiguous display devices;
wherein the customer uses the user electronic device to scan the machine-readable code using the sensor of the user electronic device, wherein the user electronic device then retrieves pricing information according to the product identification information in the code and calculates the price of the products using the pricing information and the weight, and wherein the user electronic device causes the calculated price to be displayed on the first display.

2. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to encode the weight into the code comprises the control circuit configured to encode the weight into a QR code.

3. The scale system of claim 1 , further comprising a power source and wherein the power source is a solar panel configured to provide sufficient power for the assembly to operate with a 400 lux light source.

4. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the user electronic device is configured to create a list that includes the products that are weighed and to utilize the list to purchase the products at a checkout in the shopping facility.

5. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the product identification input device is a scanner device.

6. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the product identification input device is a keypad or touchscreen.

7. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the user electronic device is a smartphone or a tablet.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shopping facility is a retail store.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the code is a machine-readable code.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein pricing information includes current price structures at point-of-sales devices and applicable sales tax.

11. A method for encoding a weight of products in a shopping facility into a code, the method comprising:
receiving products on an assembly of a scale disposed at a shopping facility;
obtaining product identification information for the products;
determining a weight of the products with a weight sensor of the scale;
encoding the weight and the product identification information of the products into a code with a control circuit of the scale;
displaying the weight of the products on a first display of the scale;
displaying the code on a second display of the scale;
wherein the first display and the second display are included in separate display devices and are non-contiguous;
providing a user electronic device that includes a sensor;
storing pricing information associated with the products at a memory device;
at the user electronic device, scanning the code using the sensor, the user electronic device then retrieving the pricing information from the memory device according to the product identification information in the code, the user electronic device then calculating the price of the products using the pricing information and the weight, and the user electronic device then displaying the calculated price on the first display, wherein the user electronic device is a portable device operable by a customer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein encoding the weight into the code comprises encoding the weight into a QR code.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising powering the weight sensor, control circuit, first display, and second display with a power source and wherein the powering comprises powering the weight sensor, control circuit, first display, and second display with a 400 lux light source.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user electronic device is configured to create a list that includes the products that are weighed and to utilize the list to purchase the products at a checkout in the shopping facility.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the product identification input device is a scanner device.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the product identification input device is a keypad or touchscreen.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user electronic device is a smartphone or a tablet.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the power source is a solar panel.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the shopping facility is a retail store.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the code is a machine-readable code.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Fishburn Lindsay A
• Caution Stephen
• Smith Thomas P

Classifications

• G07G1/0072

  with means for detecting the weight of the article of which the code is read, for the verification of the registration (weighing combined with recording means, e.g. in weighing scale, G01G19/415) · CPC title

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• G06Q20/208 Primary

  Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing · CPC title

• G01G19/4144

  for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems · CPC title