Mobile-computing-device-securement apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9953362-B2
Application number	US-201414312444-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2014
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A shopping system may include a mobile shopping aid sized to support thereon or therewithin one or more items to be purchased. A holder may be connected to the mobile shopping aid to travel therewith. The holder may be sized and shaped to hold a mobile computing device. The holder may have a front aperture enabling an owner of the mobile computing device to view a display screen of the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The holder may also have a back aperture enabling a back-facing camera of the mobile computing device to scan one or more barcodes while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder. The system may also include an anti-theft program or module programmed to initiate an alarm protocol in the event that the mobile computing device is untimely removed from the holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shopping system comprising:
a mobile shopping aid sized to support thereon or therewithin one or more items to be purchased at a brick and mortar store;
a holder connected to the mobile shopping aid to assist shopping at the brick and mortar store; and
a security icon coupled to at least one of the holder or the mobile shopping aid;
wherein:
the holder is sized and shaped to hold a mobile computing device;
the holder has a front aperture enabling a customer of the brick and mortar store to use the mobile computing device to view a display screen of the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid;
the holder has a back aperture enabling a back-facing camera of the mobile computing device to scan one or more barcodes of the one or more items while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid; and
while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid, the back-facing camera of the mobile computing device captures the security icon so that an anti-theft application on the mobile computing device does not generate an alarm.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the mobile computing device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the security icon is positioned on the mobile shopping aid so as to be captured by the back-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the security icon is positioned on the holder so as to be captured by the back-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more security icons are positioned so as to be captured by a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the holder comprises an icon support; and
one or more security icons are located on the icon support and positioned so as to be captured by a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein, the anti-theft application running on the mobile computing device comprises a user interface to authenticate at least a security code, an access code, or a biometric authorization, entered into the mobile computing device by the customer to activate an alarm protocol.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the anti-theft application is programmed to initiate the alarm protocol and generate the alarm in an event that the back-facing camera of the mobile computing device does not capture the security icon.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the anti-theft application is further programmed to terminate the alarm protocol upon receipt of at least a security code, an access code, or a biometric authorization entered into the mobile computing device by the customer.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the anti-theft application is programmed to initiate the alarm protocol in an event that a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device does not capture the security icon.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile shopping aid comprises one of a shopping basket or a shopping cart.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the front aperture provides the customer an unobstructed view of the display screen.

13. A method comprising:
offering, to a customer at a brick-and-mortar store, a mobile shopping aid sized to support thereon or therewithin one or more items to be purchased;
the offering further comprising offering, to the customer at the brick-and-mortar store, the mobile shopping aid with a holder connected thereto to assist shopping at the brick and mortar store; and
the offering further comprising a security icon coupled to at least one of the holder or the mobile shopping aid, wherein:
the holder is sized and shaped to hold a mobile computing device;
the holder has a front aperture enabling the customer of the brick and mortar store to use the mobile computing device to view a display screen of the mobile computing device while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid;
the holder has a back aperture enabling a back-facing camera of the mobile computing device to scan one or more barcodes of the one or more items while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid; and
while the mobile computing device is being held by the holder connected to the mobile shopping aid, the back-facing camera of the mobile computing device captures the security icon so that an anti-theft application on the mobile computing device does not generate an alarm.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the security icon is positioned so as to be captured by a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the holder comprises an icon support; and
one or more security icons located on the icon support and positioned so as to be captured by a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-theft application running on the mobile computing device comprises a user interface to authenticate at least a security code, an access code, or a biometric authorization, entered into the mobile computing device by the customer to activate an alarm protocol.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-theft application is further programmed to terminate an alarm protocol upon receipt of at least a security code, an access code, or a biometric authorization entered into the mobile computing device by the customer.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the anti-theft application is programmed to initiate an alarm protocol and generate the alarm in an event that the back-facing camera or a front-facing camera of the mobile computing device does not capture the security icon.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mobile shopping aid comprises one of a shopping basket or a shopping cart.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Argue Stuart
• Marcar Anthony Emile

Classifications

• B62B3/14

  characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys {(collapsible shopping trolleys B62B3/027)} · CPC title

• G06Q30/0641 Primary

  utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• H04M1/04

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• B62B3/142

  mounted on the basket · CPC title