Food product scale-based incentive system

Abstract

In a scale-based incentive system, a scale located in a store perishables department prints incentive information for one or more incentive items based upon the identify of the weighed item. A computerized checkout system automatically applies a price adjustment when the customer presents both the weighed item and one or more of the incentive items at checkout. The scale may also print an incentive code (such as a bar code) and the computerized checkout system may use the incentive code to identify (as from an incentive database) multiple incentive items associated with that code and the weighed item.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An incentive system within a store for providing at least one incentive in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a scale located in a department of the store, the scale including a weighing device for producing weight indicative signals, at least one label printing mechanism for printing labels, an input device for inputting product identifying information for weighed products, the scale adapted for operation in at least one mode in which, in connection with a weighing operation of an item: (i) a weight dependent price is established for the weighed item and the weight dependent price is printed on a product label along with a product code; and (ii) incentive identifying information is printed for at least one incentive items based upon the weighed item, where the incentive item is different than the weighed item;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a product code reader for reading product codes, wherein the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment when a customer presents both the weighed item and the incentive item at checkout as determined by reading of both the product code for the weighed item and a product code for the incentive item.    
     
     
         2 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on the product label.  
     
     
         3 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on a label separate from the product label.  
     
     
         4 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the scale includes at least one other printing mechanism with non-label media and the incentive identifying information is printed on non-label media.  
     
     
         5 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the scale is adapted such that incentive identifying information is printed for multiple incentive items based upon the weighed item, where each of the incentive items is different than the weighed item, and when the customer presents both the weighed item and a multiplicity of the incentive items at checkout, the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment corresponding to each of the multiplicity of incentive items.  
     
     
         6 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the product code for the weighed item comprises at least part of a bar code and wherein the product code for the at least one incentive item comprises at least part of a bar code, and the product code reader comprises a bar code scanner.  
     
     
         7 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the incentive identifying information is information other than any incentive code.  
     
     
         8 . The incentive system of  claim 1  wherein the scale is located in a perishables department of the store.  
     
     
         9 . An incentive system within a store for providing at least one possible incentive in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a scale located in a perishables department of the store, the scale including a weighing device for producing weight indicative signals, at least one label printing mechanism for printing labels, the scale adapted for operation in at least one mode in which, in connection with a weighing operation of an item: (i) a price for the weighed item is established and printed on a product label along with a product identifier and (ii) incentive identifying information is printed for at least one incentive item based upon the weighed item, where the incentive item is different than the weighed item, and the incentive identifying information is incentive code free;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a product identifier input device for inputting product identifiers, where the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment when a customer presents both the weighed item and the incentive item at checkout as determined by input of both the product identifier for the weighed item and a product identifier for the at least one incentive item.    
     
     
         10 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on the product label.  
     
     
         11 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on a label separate from the product label.  
     
     
         12 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the scale includes at least one other printing mechanism with non-label media and the incentive identifying information is printed on non-label media.  
     
     
         13 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the scale is adapted such that incentive identifying information is printed for multiple incentive items based upon the weighed item, where each of the incentive items is different than the weighed item, and when the customer presents both the weighed item and a multiplicity of the incentive items at checkout, the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment corresponding to each of the multiplicity of incentive items.  
     
     
         14 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the product identifier for the weighed item comprises at least part of a bar code and wherein the product code for the at least one incentive item comprises at least part of a bar code, and the product identifier input device comprises a bar code scanner.  
     
     
         15 . The incentive system of  claim 9  wherein the incentive identifying information for the incentive items includes information identifying a location of the incentive item within the store.  
     
     
         16 . An incentive system within a store for providing at least one incentive in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a packaged, random weight food product having at least one adhesive label applied thereto including price information and a store-selected product code thereon, the at least one label further including at least one incentive code free incentive printed thereon, where the incentive is for an incentive item that is different than the food product;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a product code input device for inputting product codes, where the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment when a customer presents both the packaged, random weight food product and the incentive item at checkout as determined by input of both the store-selected product code for the packaged, random weight food product and a product code for the incentive item.    
     
     
         17 . The incentive system of  claim 16  wherein the at least one label comprises both a product label and an incentive label, the product label includes the price information and the store-selected product code thereon, the incentive label includes the incentive thereon.  
     
     
         18 . An incentive system within a store for providing multiple incentives in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a scale located in a perishables department of the store, the scale including a weighing device for producing weight indicative signals, at least one label printing mechanism for printing labels, the scale adapted for operation in at least one mode in which, in connection with a weighing operation of an item: (i) a price for the weighed item is established and printed on a product label along with a product code, (ii) incentive identifying information is printed for a plurality of incentive items based upon the weighed item along with a single incentive code, where the plurality of incentive items are different than the weighed item;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a code reader for reading product codes and incentive codes, wherein the computerized checkout system applies an appropriate price adjustment when each of (i) a product code of at least one of the incentive items and (ii) the incentive code are read by the code reader during a customer checkout transaction, where the computerized checkout system utilizes the incentive code to identify the plurality of incentive items and to determine which of the plurality of incentive items was included in the customer checkout transaction.    
     
     
         19 . The incentive system of  claim 18  wherein the computerized checkout system accesses a database to identify incentive items associated with the incentive code.  
     
     
         20 . The incentive system of  claim 18  wherein when product codes for a multiplicity of the incentive items are read by the code reader, the computerized checkout system applies an appropriate price adjustment corresponding to each of the multiplicity of incentive items.  
     
     
         21 . An incentive system within a store for providing multiple incentives in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a scale located in a perishables department of the store, the scale including a weighing device for producing weight indicative signals, at least one label printing mechanism for printing labels, the scale adapted for operation in at least one mode in which, in connection with a weighing operation of an item: (i) a price for the weighed item is established and printed on a product label along with a product code, (ii) incentive identifying information is printed for a plurality of incentive items based upon the weighed item along with an incentive code, where the plurality of incentive items are different than the weighed item;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a code reader for reading product codes and incentive codes, wherein the computerized checkout system applies an appropriate price adjustment when each of (i) the weighed item product code, (ii) a product code of at least one of the incentive items and (iii) the incentive code are read by the code reader during a customer checkout transaction, where the computerized checkout system utilizes the incentive code to identify the plurality of incentive items and to determine which of the plurality of incentive items was included in the customer checkout transaction.    
     
     
         22 . An incentive system within a store for providing multiple possible incentives in relation to an item purchased, the incentive system comprising: 
 a packaged, random weight food product having at least one adhesive label applied thereto including price information and a store-selected product code thereon, the at least one label further including multiple incentives thereon, each for a respective incentive item that is different than the food product, and an incentive code thereon;    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system having access to an incentive database that links the incentive code to the multiple incentive items.    
     
     
         23 . A random weight item pricing scale, comprising: 
 a weighing device for producing weight indicative signals, at least one label printing mechanism for printing labels, an input device for inputting product identifying information for weighed products, wherein the scale is adapted for operation in at least one mode in which, in connection with a weighing operation of an item: (i) a weight dependent price is established for the weighed item and the weight dependent price is printed on a product label along with a product code; (ii) a database is accessed, the database linking a plurality of incentive items to the weighed item, where the plurality of incentive items are different than the weighed item and (iii) incentive identifying information is printed for the plurality of incentive items based upon the weighed item.    
     
     
         24 . The scale of  claim 23  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on the product label.  
     
     
         25 . The scale of  claim 23  wherein the incentive identifying information is printed on a label separate from the product label.  
     
     
         26 . The scale of  claim 23  wherein the scale includes at least one other printing mechanism with non-label media and the incentive identifying information is printed on non-label media.  
     
     
         27 . An incentive system within a store for providing multiple possible incentives in relation to an item purchased, the system comprising: 
 the scale of  claim 23  located within the store; and    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a product code reader for reading product codes, wherein the computerized checkout system automatically applies an appropriate price adjustment when a customer presents both the weighed item and at least one of the incentive items at checkout as determined by reading of both the product code for the weighed item and a product code for the at least one incentive item.    
     
     
         28 . An incentive system within a store for providing multiple possible incentives in relation to an item purchased, the system comprising: 
 the scale of  claim 23  located within the store, wherein the scale also prints an incentive code for the plurality of incentives; and    a computerized checkout system for determining a total price due for a given customer transaction involving a plurality of products, the computerized checkout system including a code reader for reading product codes and incentive codes, wherein the computerized checkout system applies an appropriate price adjustment when each of (i) the weighed item product code, (ii) a product code of at least one of the incentive items and (iii) the incentive code are read by the code reader during a customer checkout transaction, where the computerized checkout system utilizes the incentive code to identify the plurality of incentive items and to determine which of the plurality of incentive items was included in the customer checkout transaction.