Automated Integration System

Abstract

Automated integration systems and methods using a broker system to enable the integration of a user's stored online session with a current session on a computing device in a physical facility are discussed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An integration system comprising:
 a first computing system communicatively coupled to a first database and that is configured to store information associated with a plurality of accounts and an online session associated with at least one of the plurality of accounts;   a second computing system disposed in a facility that includes a display and a scanner and is communicatively coupled to a second database, wherein the second database is configured to store information associated with a plurality of physical objects disposed in the facility, the second computing system configured to:
 display on the display a graphical user interface that includes a first machine-readable element encoded with an identification of the second computing system; and 
   a broker system communicatively coupled to the first computing system and the second computing system and configured to:
 establish communication with an application executing on a user's mobile device; 
 receive from the application executing on the user's mobile device the identification of the second computing system and a first identifier, the first identifier identifying the user of the mobile device interacting with the second computing system, the identification of the second computer system obtained by the application executing on the mobile device reading and decoding the first machine-readable element; 
 access, via the first computing system, information in the first database that is associated with the at least one of the plurality of accounts that is associated with the first identifier; 
 retrieve via the first computing system information associated with the stored online session associated with the at least one account; and 
 transmit a set of information from the retrieved information to the second computing system for integration into the graphical user interface being displayed by the second computing system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second computing system is further configured to:
 scan a second machine-readable element using the scanner, and   decode a second identifier from a second machine-readable element using the scanner, wherein the second machine-readable element is associated with a first physical object disposed in the facility.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of information includes information associated with a second physical object. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the broker system is further configured to:
 query the second database using the information associated with the second physical object and display the information associated with second physical object on the display.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the information associated with a second physical object includes an image. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the broker system is further configured to:
 display the image of the second physical object on the graphical user interface of the display of the second computing system.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second computing systems are located in different geographic locations. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the second computing system is further configured to:
 display a layaway option on the graphical user interface based on layaway information included in the retrieved information. 
 
     
     
         9 . An integration method comprising:
 storing, via, a first computing system communicatively coupled with a first database that stores information associated with a plurality of accounts, an online session associated with at least one of the plurality of accounts; displaying, via a second computing system that includes a display and a scanner and is communicatively coupled to a second database that stores information associated with a plurality of physical objects disposed in a facility, a graphical user interface on the display that includes a first machine-readable element encoded with an identification of the second computing system;   establishing, at a broker system communicatively coupled to the first computing system and the second computing system, communication with an application executing on a user's mobile device;   receiving, at the broker system, from the application executing on the user's mobile device the identification of the second computing system and a first identifier, the first identifier identifying the user of the mobile device interacting with the second computing system, the identification of the second computer system obtained by the application executing on the mobile device reading and decoding the first machine-readable element;   accessing, at the broker system, via the first computing system, information in the first database that is associated with the at least one of the plurality of accounts that is associated with the first identifier;   retrieving, at the broker system, via the first computing system information associated with the stored online session associated with the at least one account; and   transmitting, from the broker system, a set of information from the retrieved information to the second computing system for integration into the graphical user interface being displayed by the second computing system.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 scanning, via the second computing system, a second machine-readable element using the scanner; and   decoding, via the second computing system, a second identifier from the second machine-readable element wherein the second machine-readable element is associated with a first physical object disposed in the facility.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the set of information includes information associated to a second physical object. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 querying, via the broker system, the second database using the information associated with the second physical object; and   displaying, via the broker system, the information associated with second physical object on the display of the second computing system.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the information associated with a second physical object includes an image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 displaying, via the broker system, the image of the second physical object on the graphical user interface of the display of the second computing system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second computing systems are located in different geographic locations. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 displaying a layaway option on the graphical user interface based on layaway information included in the retrieved information.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable memory medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions are executable by a processor to:
 store, via, a first computing system communicatively coupled with a first database that stores information associated with a plurality of accounts, an online session associated with at least one of the plurality of accounts;   display, via a second computing system that includes a display and a scanner and is communicatively coupled to a second database that stores information associated with a plurality of physical objects disposed in a facility, a graphical user interface on the display that includes a first machine-readable element encoded with an identification of the second computing system;   establish, at a broker system communicatively coupled to the first computing system and the second computing system, communication with an application executing on a user's mobile device;   receive, at the broker system, from the application executing on the user's mobile device the identification of the second computing system and a first identifier, the first identifier identifying the user of the mobile device interacting with the second computing system, the identification of the second computer system obtained by the application executing on the mobile device reading and decoding the first machine-readable element;   access, at the broker system, via the first computing system, information in the first database that is associated with the at least one of the plurality of accounts that is associated with the first identifier;   retrieve, at the broker system, via the first computing system information associated with the stored online session associated with the at least one account; and   transmit, from the broker system, a set of information from the retrieved information to the second computing system for integration into the graphical user interface being displayed by the second computing system.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium in  claim 19 , further comprising
 scan, via the second computing system, a second machine-readable element using the scanner; and   decode, via the second computing system, a second identifier from the second machine-readable element wherein the second machine-readable element is associated with a first physical object disposed in the facility.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium in  claim 18 , wherein the set of information includes information associated with a second physical object. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable memory medium in  claim 19 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:
 query, via the broker system, the second database using the information associated with the second physical object; and   display, via the broker system, the information associated with second physical object on the display of the second computing system.