Scale having a machine-readable code display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12423669-B2
Application number	US-202318198336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2023
Priority date	Jul 20, 2017
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

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:
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 control circuit coupled to the weight sensor, the control circuit configured to receive the weight determined by the weight sensor and encode the weight into a single code;
a first display configured to receive a first signal from the control circuit to display the single code;
a second display that is separate from the first display and configured to receive a second signal from the control circuit to display the weight, the weight being displayed on the second display in entirely numeric form and not as a code or alphanumeric value;
wherein the first display and the second display are incorporated into a unitary housing;
wherein a customer utilizes a user electronic device to enter product information about the products to associate the product information with the weight after the code is scanned by the user electronic device;
wherein the user electronic device receives pricing information of the products at the shopping facility and calculates the price of the products using the pricing information and the weight.

2. The scale system of claim 1 , further comprising a power source coupled to the assembly.

3. The scale system of claim 2 , wherein the power source comprises 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.

5. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the user electronic device retrieves the pricing information from an external source.

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

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

8. The scale system of claim 1 , wherein the code is a QR code or a UPC code.

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

10. 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;
at a weight sensor, determining a weight of the products on the assembly;
at a control circuit coupled to the weight sensor, receiving the weight determined by the weight sensor and encoding the weight into a single code;
displaying the single code on a first display;
displaying the weight on a second display that is separate from the first display, the weight being displayed on the second display in entirely numeric form and not as a code or alphanumeric value;
wherein the first display and the second display are incorporated into a unitary housing;
wherein a customer uses a user electronic device to enter product information about the products to associate the product information with the weight after the code is scanned by the user electronic device and wherein the user electronic device receives pricing information of the products at the shopping facility and calculates the price of the products using the pricing information and the weight.

11. The method of claim 10 , 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.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user electronic device retrieves the pricing information from an external source.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user electronic device is a smartphone or a tablet.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shopping facility is a retail store.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the code is a QR code or a UPC code.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pricing information includes current price structures at point-of-sale devices and applicable sales tax.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Fishburn Lindsay A
• Caution Stephen
• Smith Thomas P

Classifications

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G07G1/01

  Details for indicating · CPC title

• 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

• G01G19/4144

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

• G06Q20/208 Primary

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