 |
Description  |
|
|
The present invention relates to methods of and apparatus for enabling the
remote ordering of merchandise and/or services from purveyors of the same,
such as home terminals for use over the telephone with remote stores and
the like. The term "telephone", as used herein, is intended generically to
embrace telephone networks interconnected by lines, fiber optics, radio
and other communication links; and the word "store", generically to
embrace a central location having the required inventory and/or a data
base relating to the same for enabling servicing of the customers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most retail stores keep their inventory and pricing information in a
computer to expedite the selling of inventory and restocking process.
Until recently, this information was only accessible to the cash registers
and store personnel. Given the right interface, customers could interact
with the information in the store computer to order items that are sold by
the store and that are in stock, and also find out the current price of
those items.
Recently, Sears and IBM have teamed up to create software, called
"Prodigy", that allows people using a home computer to connect with a
database maintained by several types of stores, including grocery stores
and airlines, to determine what items are available and at what price. If
interested, the users can then place an order with that store and have the
item delivered, having the cost of that item charged to their credit
cards.
In order to use this method of purchasing merchandise, however, the user
must have a personal computer (IBM/PC/XT/AT or compatible or Apple
Macintosh computer, for example), a modem, and a copy of the software and
accompanying manuals. Using the modem and software, the user may connect
to the "Prodigy" computer network which maintains a merchandise and
pricing database, through the phone lines coming into the home. The user
is provided with a series of menus for determining what items are
available for purchase. When the selections are made, the user indicates
the desire to order the items, and a delivery schedule is arranged.
Non-perishable items are often sent through the mail, while perishable
goods such as groceries are only available in areas which have a
sponsoring grocery delivery service within range.
Although this approach to ordering and delivering merchandise is effective,
it is inaccessible to many because of the expensive initial investment for
the computer system and associated hardware. The on-line service also
charges a monthly usage fee to offset the cost of providing all of the
other services offered by the server. Training is another disadvantage,
because people who do not use computers will take a while to understand
how computers work, and many people feel computers to be foreboding.
The software used to access "Prodigy" or similar systems is graphically
based in order to make it easier to use; but this makes it inherently slow
on inexpensive computers, and even expensive computers experience delays
resulting from the amount of information that has to be sent over the
phone lines. The ordering process, moreover, involves the user deciding
upon what is wanted by wading through many computer screens of offerings,
though with on-line indices.
Finally, because the merchandise information and pricing information is
kept centrally at the server, instead of at the merchant's place of
business, there is no real-time pricing or inventory information, and such
must be transferred from the computer at regularly scheduled intervals.
Another prior proposal involves dedicated home merchandise ordering
terminals for allowing a user to order merchandise remotely, as in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,654,482. The device employs a terminal, with a bar code reader,
that is connected to the phone lines in the home. Catalogs or other
printed materials that contain merchandise information in both human
readable and bar code form are used. The bar code wand connected to the
merchandise ordering terminal is passed over the bar codes, and the
terminal recognizes the bar code and converts it into merchandise
information. The merchandise information, including price, is stored in
memory in the terminal. The scanned information is kept as a list in
memory that will later be transmitted to the remote location (retail
merchant) for ordering.
The terminal in this type of system consists of a bar code reader wand,
some processing electronics, including a central processing unit (CPU),
some memory for temporary storage, some memory to store merchandise
recognition information, a modem for communicating with the merchant's
computer, a display and some buttons. The CPU monitors the bar code input
and translates the bar code signals into merchandise information using
data stored in the memory of the terminal. The order is stored in memory
until the operator of the terminal places the order by dialing the phone
number of the store. Using the modem, the terminal transmits the order
information to the computer at the merchant's location. The order is
interactive, with the store verifying that each item is in stock and
displaying the current price of the item through the terminal. Using the
buttons on the terminal, the operator indicates his or her willingness to
pay the price indicated, by pressing either the "yes" or "no" button.
Other information can be sent to the terminal from the merchant for
display to the user.
While using the bar code to input the order data is a good way to save time
and reduce errors, there are, however, difficulties with such a scheme,
residing primarily in the prohibitively expensive home unit, which limits
the number of people that would be able to participate, including the
disabled and the elderly, and the high degree of complexity in the
interface of such a device.
The present invention, on the other hand, provides a low-cost ordering
terminal of different philosophy and construction that overcomes many of
these problems associated with the aforementioned devices. While a bar
code wand is most useful for reducing errors associated with inputting
data to an ordering terminal, the information connected to the bar code
reader is not very useful if it is out of date. In accordance with the
invention, when a bar code reader is employed, as preferred, such is
directly connected with the database containing up-to-date inventory and
price information. The use of modems, moreover, is completely obviated by
connecting the bar code wand preferably to a Dual Tone Multiple Frequency
(DTMF) generator, such that the printed bar codes are translated into
corresponding DTMF tones representing the item data-to-be ordered as
contained in the bar code, and transmitted over the telephone to the
remote location. Any receiving device that can recognize such tones can
provide database access to the bar code user.
While, as before stated, bar code reading has been used in other systems
including, also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,513 involving a voice-prompted bar
code reading satellite system, the present invention contemplates in a
best mode embodiment, a home device containing the bar code reader wand
connected directly to bar code decoding electronics and to a DTMF
generator, all simply hooked to the user phone to allow ordering data to
be inputted using the bar code wand and the printed bar codes.
This direct conversion of the ordered item alphanumeric information
contained in the wand-read bar code into corresponding DTMF tones
representing the very same information, and the transmission of this
information in DTMF tone form to the remote location is thus not to be
confused with mere DTMF dialing, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,948, or
data transmission use in other applications, such as the use of DTMF tone
protocol data transmission to a computer as, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
4,799,254. While, moreover, standard DTMF tones are preferred, other
analog tones may also be employed if desired, and such are intended to be
generically included in the present specification and claims by the term
"DTMF".
The device at the receiving end (merchant's database) decodes the DTMF
tones representing the ordered items, with the receiver communicating back
with the user of the bar code wand by voice signals (digital, analog,
synthesized, or otherwise) of confirmatory, error-eliminating ordered item
information, pricing, etc., as later more fully explained. The bar code
decoding unit and the receiver unit constitute a pair of devices that
allows the user at a remote location to access a distant database; and
using printed bar codes, the user may thus input or retrieve information
from the database. This is to be contrasted, again, with prior art
concepts of mere oral response to touch-tone telephone queries as, for
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,129.
Other prior proposals for remote merchandise ordering include those of U.S.
Pat. No. 4,797,913 for an ordering system that permits calling customers
to place originating calls and orders with an ordering service office
located within a Local Access and Transport Area (LATA) for subsequent
routing to the appropriate ordering service vendor; U.S. Pat. No.
4,734,858 for a data terminal and system for placing orders that
contemplates the orders being routed by the local processing center to
local merchants or to a regional processing center; and U.S. Pat. No.
4,654,482 utilizing a terminal to store ordering information and to order
goods or merchandise from any one of several merchants from the home and
over the direct distance dial telephone network. Such alternative schemes,
however, provide inadequate user-friendliness, high start-up cost and
complexity of user learning, and lack simple error-free transmission of
order requests among other deficiencies.
The present invention provides a user, thus, with direct contact with the
vendor's product database in real time via the telephone network. Since
this contact is direct, it is not necessary to be routed by an
intermediate service to the vendor. Further, all processing and storing of
information is accomplished at the vendor's site rather than at the user's
site.
Objects of Invention
An object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide a new and
improved method of and apparatus for remote location ordering of
merchandise and/or services (i.e., any items) and the like that overcomes
the limitations and disadvantages of prior proposals above explained, and,
to the contrary, provides an inexpensive, user-friendly and substantially
error-free remote ordering technique, enabling simple home or office user
inputting and/or retrieving of merchandise and/or service information and
the like from the remote database at the merchant's location.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a new and improved
system for remote item ordering by phone, providing communication (without
the need for human vendor interaction) with a vendor database via
recognizable inputs and responses.
Another object is to provide a novel synergistic combination of user
optical sensing and direct DTMF (or in some cases digital) conversion
thereof for telephone transmission to a location, remote from the user,
and, from the remote location, automatic voice verification and
supplementation of the user-transmitted information for remote ordering
and servicing functions and the like.
A further object is to provide such a novel remote ordering and interfacing
technique that is also useful in other information communication
applications, as well.
Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and are more
particularly delineated in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In summary, however, and from one of its viewpoints, the invention embraces
in a method of user telephone ordering from remote location user terminals
at the user telephone, such as at home and office, of items such as
merchandise and/or services from a central location, such as a store, the
improvement comprising providing for the user machine-readable coded
information descriptive of such items; user-initiating the successive
machine reading at the user telephone terminals of such coded information
corresponding to selected items desired to be ordered from the store by
the user; directly, at the user terminal, converting the signals resulting
from such machine reading to DTMF signals corresponding to such selected
item information and transmitting the same over the telephone to a
telephone terminal at the store; receiving and storing the DTMF signals at
the store terminal for use in compiling the user's order of items; and
automatically responding over the telephone back to the user telephone
terminal with successive corresponding voice confirmations of the
successive ordered item information descriptions.
Preferred and best mode implementations and available modifications are
hereinafter described in detail.
A summary example of an illustrative application of the invention may
employ a database at a grocery store. A user at home may use a catalog or
any other printed material containing Universal Produce Code (UPC) symbols
or other machine readable codes in concert with the before-described
preferred remote bar code reading device to access a database at a grocery
store. As items are scanned in by the user passing the bar code reader or
wand over the bar codes in the catalog that represent the items to be
ordered and are transmitted preferably in DTMF form over the telephone to
the remote store, they may be added to a list of items at the store that
the user is requesting to be delivered. The database at the grocery store
may contain personal information about the shopper, including address and
billing information that facilitates grocery delivery, and also
information about the products available at the store, including price and
availability. This ordering example, of course, can be extended from the
grocery stores to any retail outlet that provides goods or services or the
like. Item codes can be printed in the catalog with the description of the
item. The phone number of the merchant can be dialed, and, once connected
with the merchant, items can be ordered from the catalog by simply passing
the wand over the item's printed code. Videos, pizzas, clothing, and many
other goods may thus be ordered using the bar code device. It is possible,
furthermore, for other items and remote services, such as bank account
transactions, and up-to-date weather and event information, to be
accomplished using the bar code device.
The preferred bar code wand device of the invention, moreover, has many
advantages over the types described in the before-mentioned prior art. It
need contain only relatively few components in order to accomplish its
function, reducing size and cost of the device, and enabling many more
people to purchase and use the device. Because it connects directly to the
phone and uses voice response, the implementation of the invention is less
complex, and the software on the receiving end can readily guide the user
through its use. The invention is also very general and can easily be
incorporated into a phone and used for almost any kind of transaction.
Many people are currently put off by high-technology complexity, even in
the form of video cassette recorders and fancy audio equipment; but the
utter simplicity of the device herein will allow many people to understand
its use easily and to be very comfortable therewith.
Another major advantage of the way bar code information is used in the
present invention resides in its direct connection to the remote database
during use. A fundamental principle of database design is to eliminate
redundant information which allows for errors, particularly because many
locations have to be updated every time information changes. If any
locations are either incorrectly updated or not updated at all, the
database is inaccurate. Information updates, in addition, take time, and
the time spent trying to keep redundant information accurate is
unnecessarily wasted. A better way to maintain information is to keep it
in one central location, and keep that central location updated as needed.
Anyone requiring access to that information can then connect to the
central location and find out the data required. The bar code reader use
of the present invention, accordingly, relies on centrally located
information for its use and avoids the danger of spreading dated
information around to numerous homes or remote locations. For instance, in
large grocery stores, price changes can occur daily. The price changes
often encompass over 1,000 items each week. Trying to keep the data stored
in remote locations accurate would be an overbearing task.
The voice response of the invention which repeats the very bar code ordered
information transmitted in its directly converted DTMF tone form back to
the user unit in voice form confirmation over the telephone, is also a
great advantage. Adding a visual display or printer to the remote ordering
device would increase the cost of the unit, though the system may also
provide LCD information. Most people, however, can understand voice
response, and TDD (Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf) devices for
hearing impaired may be provided for those with limited hearing. Since the
phone system already provides a means to transmit voice, an expensive
modem is unnecessary in accordance with the invention.
While DTMF tone use is presently preferred, the growing ISDN (Integrated
Digital Services Network) technology may not in some instances require
that tones be sent over the phone. The phone service may be all digital,
so that digital and converted analog data may be sent at the same time.
For instance, instead of being required to send audible information over
the phone and have it decoded (like the Touch-Tones), the bar code wand
reader could use the digital portion of the line that is multiplexed with
the voice signal to indicate the proper information to the computer. An
audio signal output at the same time would indicate to the user that the
tones were being sent out and that the bar code was read correctly. Thus
digital ordering information, not necessarily DTMF tones, may be sent over
the line at the same time as audio information is being sent. Printers,
displays, indicators, and other types of input may also be added quite
easily, because information can then be sent quickly and transparently
from the store to the home and back. The user, for example, may scan a bar
code with the wand and have the voice respond with the name and price of
the item, and at the same time see the price displayed on the LCD
terminal. The user may also request a printout that either prints out the
items as ordered or just prints all of them out at the end of the ordering
session. Although this type of a setup would be more expensive for the
home user, some users may desire that type of feedback.
DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, FIG. 1 of which is a block diagram of the user (home, office,
etc.) code-reading-ordering system constructed in accordance with a
preferred bar code reader technique of the present invention;
FIG. 2A is an isometric view of a central location unit hardware system (at
merchant's location, warehouse, etc.) cooperating with the telephone
network over which users are to communicate to order merchandise and/or
services and the like, with FIG. 2B presenting a block diagram similar to
FIG. 1 of the contents of the CPU;
FIG. 3A is a flow chart of the operation of the user system of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3B a diagram of typical storage and calculation transition times in
the microprocessor reception of the bar code-read signals;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the cooperative operation and interfacing of the
merchant's remote central information unit CIU;
FIG. 5 is a more detailed flow chart of the customer ID "Identify Customer"
block of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a similar program flow chart of the "Accept Product and Command
Codes" portion of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a similar program chart of the details of the "Accept Code" steps
of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 similarly presents the detailed program of the "Add Product or
Service to List" section of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 9 presents the detailed program of the voice or "Speak Confirmation
Information" function of FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, the user ordering unit provided at the telephone
instrument T (or ultimately as an integral part built into the telephone
instrument), powered by batteries BT, or from the mains, or the phone unit
itself, if desired, is shown comprising the preferred bar code reader wand
W for scanning selected items-to-be-ordered as listed in a catalog C or
the like containing identified machine (wand)-readable bar codes BC
describing those items. The dashed line in FIG. 1 illustrates an
alternative power supply approach for powering the unit from the phone
line instead of using battery power.
As before discussed, underlying the invention is the direct conversion of
the machine-readable bar code item description information to
corresponding DTMF tone signals, representing that very same information,
for digital transmission over the telephone T to the remote store or other
location. This conversion is effected with the aid of a microprocessor M
cooperating with a local program storage ROM, which ROM may or may not be
part of the microprocessor, a tone generator DTMF, and with a conventional
telephone connection circuit P comprising well-known line switch, signal
coupling and off-hook detector circuits, etc.
Turning, first, to the role played by the microprocessor M, it receives
input at L, FIG. 1, from the bar code wand reader W, decodes it, and,
through the phone connection circuits P, sends the decoded information in
special form to the remote database (merchant) over the phone lines T. The
bar code wand output consists of a series of pulses of various widths. The
pulse voltage levels are compatible with the microprocessor in that the
microprocessor recognizes the transitions of the bar code wand as the wand
output varies between 1 and 0 digital logic levels. The microprocessor
converts the pulse train into the ASCII (alphanumeric) representation of
the bar code in well-known fashion. The numbers that are temporarily
stored in the microprocessor after the conversion are the same as the
numbers that the bar code represents, as later explained. These numbers
contain merchant and item information, but because the microprocessor does
not have immediate access to a database containing that information, it
does not translate it further into specific item information such as price
and item name.
When the microprocessor M has successfully converted the bar code wand
output into the corresponding alphanumeric representation, it can, if
desired, trigger a small speaker or beeper or other transducer S in the
device to indicate success, though such is not essential. If such a beeper
is used, for instance, it could beep at a specified frequency for a given
amount of time when there is a successful conversion. If the conversion
fails because of the inadequacy of the printed symbol, or if an uneven
motion by the user hand employing the wand W to scan the bar code BC does
not allow a conversion, the microprocessor could indicate failure by not
beeping. Other ways could also be used to indicate failure, including a
different beep than the one used for a successful decoding.
The microprocessor M then takes the string of digital data temporarily
stored in on-board random-access memory (RAM), and drives another
transducer directly connected to the telephone line in the form of a DTMF
tone generating chip connected to an impedance matching transformer. The
tones sent over the line will usually consist of the tones corresponding
to the numbers or digits that were encoded in the bar code symbol BC--the
very same ordered item information or description. It is possible to
encode and send sequences of tones that also stand for alphabetic
information in addition to strictly numeric information, as later
discussed in detail.
To operate the ordering system of FIG. 1, the system must be connected to
the same line as the phone T, as shown. The phone will always operate
properly when connected to the device because the connection is the same
as if the phone were attached directly to the wall. An on/off switch is
not necessarily required for the device, because a button B on the wand W
and the microprocessor M may together control the power switching of the
device. For instance, when the button B is pressed, the wand electronics
and the microprocessor electronics may be connected to the power source
BT. The microprocessor M is initialized automatically, and begins to run a
program stored in the read-only memory ROM. The program consists of a
sequence of instructions to the microprocessor M that monitor the output
of the bar code wand W, as detailed in FIG. 3A. When a valid bar code BC
is read and the tones are transmitted over the phone line, the
microprocessor M shuts itself off, unless the operator continues to press
the button on the wand B. Any time that the operator releases the button
B, if the microprocessor M has not by that time decoded a valid bar code,
the system is powered down.
In the preferred embodiment, the power is drawn from a 9-volt battery BT,
but the phone line could, as before stated, supply the necessary power for
the electronics with a small change in circuit. An adapter could also
convert the power from a wall outlet into power usable by the device
directly and obviate the need for the battery BT. The wand button B,
however, is not an essential part of the device because the electronics
could be turned on by the phone being taken off hook, using the
before-mentioned off hook detector P. The power management function of the
wand button B is, however, a useful technique for increasing the life of
the battery BT.
As the user passes the wand W over a valid bar code BC, the microprocessor
M decodes the bar code. When the bar code has been decoded successfully,
the bar coded information is converted to DTMF tones, as before outlined.
The initial bar code that can be scanned during the ordering process could
contain the encoded phone number of the remote merchant from whom the user
of the device wishes to place an order, with the microprocessor dialing
the correct merchant phone number as is well known, or the merchant may be
directly dialed or dialed from stored memory at the phone.
It is conceivable that the user of the bar code reader device would not
like to hear the tones that are sent over the phone by the device. In such
event, it is possible to disconnect the phone from the line without
hanging up the phone during tone generation. This would mean that the
central location would hear the tone, but the operator of the bar code
reader would not. While, as before explained, a beep from the optional
beeper S could indicate success in reading the bar code, in the preferred
embodiment, the tones heard by the operator on the phone are an indication
of the success of the device in reading the bar code, and the phone would
not be taken off-line during tone generation.
The bar code reader program and microprocessor operational details are
shown in the program of FIG. 3A, wherein, when the button B on the wand W
is pressed, the microprocessor M is powered and reset as at 1, and awaits
the first white-to-black scanned or read bar or code transaction at 2. The
first transition starts a timer, while every subsequent transition causes
the time since the last transition to be stored, FIG. 3B, and the
transition pointer to be incremented. When the appropriate number of
transitions has been received, as at 3, the transition times are
transferred to a different storage area and the relative widths of the
code bars and spaces are calculated (4). The widths are compared to a
table of valid width combinations, and when a match is found, the
character is stored in the storage area 5; and when the terminating code
is reached, the microprocessor shuts off the transition timer (6). The
DTMF-generated tones corresponding to the stored characters are then sent
over the phone line at 7 by the tone generator. When the last tone has
been sent, the microprocessor M turns the circuit off at 8. The
microprocessor M resets if the time between two transitions (FIG. 3B) is
too long for a valid code.
While instructions on the use of the device may be supplied with the device
and can be spelled out in detail in the ordering catalog, the invention
enables the Central Information Unit (CIU) at the store to provide a mode
of operation that allows those using the device to simply follow
instructions given over the phone lines once connected to the CIU.
At the store or other database central location, there is provided a
computer C' and various peripherals, FIG. 2A, the components of which are
shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B. The computer C' contains a central
processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), a single or multiple
voice response board so-labelled, a FAX/modem board, and non-volatile mass
storage (e.g., hard disk) containing CIU software, customer database,
product or item/service database and voice files. A CD-ROM drive with
additional voice files and a tape backup unit may also be provided, if
required. Connected to the computer C', as labelled in FIG. 2B, are a
keyboard, display device, printer, optional bar code wand W and the
telephone lines.
The method of communication from the store CIU to the remote user device
(bar code interpreter) will, as before discussed, preferably be voice. The
voice signal sent from the CIU to the remote user device may be generated
synthetically by converting text using a text-to-speech conversion
algorithm and special well-known hardware which is readily available.
Another option for high-quality speech generation is digitized voice that
is stored on the CIU. Several interface boards that perform speech
digitization and playback are commercially available for IBM PCs and
compatibles. The preferred embodiment employs a sound digitizing board for
generating the voice signal for transmission to the user phone.
A typical database access session would begin with a user lifting the
handset of the remote telephone T, FIG. 1, and removing the bar code wand
W from its holder with the other hand. The user may begin the
communication process by passing the bar code wand over the encoded
telephone number of the CIU, such as presented in one of the bar codes BC.
When the CIU connects to the phone line by taking the line off-hook, it
begins a communication session by speaking a welcome message, FIGS. 4 and
5, over the line as in other present-day response systems. When the user
hears the welcome message, the CIU at the store is ready to accept
information, including commands and data.
For illustrative purposes, as before discussed, consider a merchandise
ordering system as an example of a possible transaction with the CIU. Many
other examples are possible, including remote banking, credit checki | | |
