Shopping list creator and optimizer

Abstract

A mobile app creates and optimizes a shopping list of items based on one or more predetermined objectives for a shopping trip. The objectives include total cost, time, number of stops, preferred stores, preferred brands, and others. The mobile app may calculate total costs for the items from prices at one or more stores near the shopper. The app. divides the items among multiple stores, factoring in travel, fuel, preferences, discounts, coupons, store loyalty cards, item availability, and the like and optimizes the order the items are purchased from multiple stores, based on the objective(s). Shopping may also be ordered by sequence of item selection within stores.

1 . A method of optimizing an electronic shopping list comprising:
 receiving, by a computer processor, the electronic shopping list;   receiving at least one predetermined objective from the group consisting of a shopping history, mode of transportation, user demographic data, and vehicle carrying capacity;   optimizing the shopping list based on the at least one predetermined objective; and   providing the optimized shopping list.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the shopping history includes a preference from the group of (preferences consisting of a store preference, a brand preference, and an item type preference. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one objective further includes an objective from the group consisting of price, miles traveled, fuel costs, route of travel, and number of stops. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the at least one objective is the route of travel and optimizing the shopping list includes providing an indication of traffic along the route of travel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one shopping objective further includes allowing entry of a preorder for an item for pickup at a business establishment at a desired time, and executing the shopping list within a time that allows picking up the preordered item at approximately the desired time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein an item on the shopping list does not include a type designation and optimization includes detecting the item without a type designation and adding the item type designation based on the item type preference. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising detecting use of the optimized shopping list, the use including selecting items and checking the selected items of the optimized shopping list using at least one of the group consisting of gestures, taking a photo of selected items, and scanning a bar code of the selected items. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the identity of the selected items is transmitted to an information system for generating a point of sale receipt concurrently with the selection of the items. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further including checking out the items at a point of sale, and obtaining an electronic copy of a point of sale receipt for the checked out items for updating a preference list. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further including obtaining an electronic copy of redeemed coupons for at least some of the selected items for updating a preference list. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further including determining whether a selected item has the same brand as the brand for the item on a preference list and, responsive to a determination that the item purchased has a different brand than the brand for the item on the preference list, using the determination for updating the preference list. 
     
     
         12 . A method of creating a shopping list comprising:
 scanning, by a computer processor executing a mobile app, at least one of the group consisting of emails, text messages, voice mails, and photographs;   detecting members of the scanned at least one of the group which include shopping list content; and   adding the detected members to a shopping list.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by a machine, causes execution of the following operations:
 receiving the electronic shopping list;   receiving at least one predetermined objective from the group consisting of a shopping history, mode of transportation, user demographic data, and vehicle carrying capacity;   optimizing the shopping list based on the at least one predetermined objective; and   providing the optimized shopping list.   
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 14  wherein the shopping history includes a preference from the group of preferences consisting of a store preference, a brand preference, and an item type preference. 
     
     
         16 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 14  wherein the at least one objective further includes an objective from the group consisting of price, miles traveled, fuel costs, route of travel, and number of stops. 
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 14  wherein the at least one objective is the route of travel and optimizing the shopping list includes providing an indication of traffic along the route of travel. 
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 14  wherein at least one shopping objective further includes allowing entry of a preorder for an item for pickup at a business establishment at a desired time, and executing the shopping list within a time that allows picking up the preordered item at approximately the desired time. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 15  wherein the preference is an item type preference and optimization includes detecting an item without a type designation and adding the item type designation based on the item type preference. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 14  further comprising detecting use of the optimized shopping list, the use including selecting items and checking the selected items off the optimized shopping list using at least one of the group consisting of gestures, taking a photo of selected items, and scanning a bar code of the selected items. 
     
     
         21 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 20  wherein the identity of the selected items is transmitted to an information system for generating a point of sale receipt concurrently with the selection of the items. 
     
     
         22 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 20  further including checking out the items at a point of sale, and obtaining an electronic copy of a point of sale receipt for updating a preference list. 
     
     
         23 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 20  further including obtaining an electronic copy of redeemed coupons for at least some of the selected items for updating a preference list. 
     
     
         24 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 20  further including determining whether a selected item has the same brand as the brand for the item on a preference list and, responsive to a determination that the item purchased has a different brand than the brand for the item on the preference list, using the determination for updating the preference list. 
     
     
         25 . A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by a machine, causes execution of the following operations:
 scanning, by a computer processor executing a mobile app, at least one of the group consisting of emails, text messages, voice mails, and photographs;   detecting members of the scanned at least one of the group which include shopping list content; and   adding the detected members to a shopping list.   
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A system for optimizing an electronic shopping list comprising:
 at least one computer processor and computer storage configured to receive the electronic shopping list;   receive at least one predetermined objective from the group consisting of a shopping history, a mode of transportation, user demographic data, and vehicle carrying capacity;   optimize the shopping list based on the at least one predetermined objective; and   provide the optimized shopping list.   
     
     
         28 . A system for creating a shopping list comprising:
 at least one computer processor computer processor and computer storage configured to   use a mobile app to scan at least one of the group consisting of emails, text messages, voice mails, and photographs;   detect members of the scanned at least one of the group which include a designation as including shopping list content; and   add the detected members to a shopping list.   
     
     
         29 . A machine-readable storage device having embedded therein a set of instructions which, when executed by a machine, causes execution of the following operations:
 scanning, by a processor executing a mobile device, at least one of the group consisting of emails, text messages, voice mails, and photographs;   detecting members of the scanned at least one of the group which include a designation as including shopping list content;   adding the detected members to a shopping list;   receiving at least one predetermined objective;   optimizing the shopping list based on the at least one predetermined objective; and   providing the optimized shopping list.   
     
     
         30 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 29  wherein the objective includes shopping history that includes a preference from the group of preferences consisting of a store preference, a brand preference, and an item type preference. 
     
     
         31 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 29  wherein the at least one objective further includes an objective from the group consisting of price, miles traveled, fuel costs, route of travel, and number of stops. 
     
     
         32 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 29  wherein the at least one objective is the route of travel and optimizing the shopping list includes providing an indication of traffic along the route of travel. 
     
     
         33 . The machine-readable storage device of  claim 29  wherein at least one shopping objective further includes allowing entry of a preorder for an item for pickup at a business establishment at a desired time, and executing the shopping list within a time that allows picking up the preordered item at approximately the desired time. 
     
     
         34 . The machine-readable of  claim 29  wherein an item on the shopping list does not include a type designation and optimization includes detecting the item without a type designation and adding the item type designation based on the item type preference.