Shopping Cart With Multifunctional Data Tag Reader

Abstract

A shopping cart includes a receptacle for holding shopping items, a memory storing a shopping cart identity and an optical reading device mounted to the shopping receptacle. The optical reading device is configured for reading coded data tags on a user identity card and on shopping items placed in the receptacle. The shopping cart also includes a computer system configured for associating a user identity with the shopping cart identity and updating a shopping list using the determined identities of the shopping items. The coded data tags on each shopping item and the coded data tags on the user identity card are of the same type so as to both be readable by the optical reading device.

1 . A shopping cart comprising:
 (a) a receptacle for holding shopping items, each shopping item bearing coded data tags identifying a shopping item identity;   (b) a memory storing a shopping cart identity;   (c) an optical reading device mounted to the shopping receptacle, said optical reading device being configured for:
 reading a user identity card bearing coded data tags identifying a user identity; and 
 reading the coded data tags of the shopping items to determine the identity of the shopping items; and 
   (d) a computer system configured for:
 associating the user identity with the shopping cart identity; and 
 updating a shopping list using the determined identities of the shopping items, wherein the coded data tags on each shopping item and the coded data tags on the user identity card are of the same type so as to both be readable by the optical reading device. 
   
   
   
       2 . The shopping cart of  claim 1  further comprising a display for displaying information to a user. 
   
   
       3 . The shopping cart of  claim 2 , wherein said display displays product information to a user, said product information being retrievable from corresponding shopping item identities. 
   
   
       4 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface allowing user enter personalized user selections. 
   
   
       5 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein said personalized user selections are associated with said user identity. 
   
   
       6 . The shopping card of  claim 4 , wherein said processor is configured to compare said personalized user selections with product information retrievable from corresponding shopping item identities. 
   
   
       7 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a weighing device for weighing shopping items placed in the basket. 
   
   
       8 . The shopping cart of  claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further configured for dissociating the user identity from the shopping cart identity and calculating a total cost of shopping items in the shopping list at end of a shopping session. 
   
   
       9 . A shopping system comprising:
 the shopping cart according to  claim 1 ; and   a user identity card, said user identity card bearing coded data tags identifying a user identity.   
   
   
       10 . The shopping system of  claim 6 , wherein the user identity card is a loyalty card.