System and method for communicating information to a customer at a point-of-sale via a wireless link within a retail store

Abstract

A system and method for providing a customer of a retailer with information during checkout may include pairing with a mobile device during checkout of a customer at a POS system. Prior to communicating data to the mobile device, permission may be received from the customer via the mobile device to allow for data to be communicated to the mobile device. The data may be communicated to the mobile device during checkout by the customer.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A mobile device for communicating with a POS system, said mobile device comprising:
 an electronic display;   an input/output (I/O) unit configured to communicate data to a communications network using a first communications protocol and to a wireless access point via a second communications protocol;   a processing unit in communication with said electronic display and I/O unit, and configured to:   receive, via the wireless access point, a first request to pair with the POS system, based on the mobile device generating the highest signal power detectable to the POS system;   pair, via the wireless access point, with the POS system using the second communications protocol;   receive, via the wireless access point, a second request to from the POS system for transmitting data;   transmit, via the wireless access point, a permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device, wherein in response to the mobile device transmitting the permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device the mobile device being prevented from transmitting further data to the POS system by the wireless access point;
 receive, via the wireless access point, the data from the POS system; 
 determine a type of the data received from the POS system; 
 store the data in a memory based on data type; 
 distinguish the data received from the POS system from other data received from other data sources in the memory; 
 receive a request for a search; and 
 execute a search for the data received from the POS system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the second communications protocol being a shorter range communications protocol than the first communications protocol. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access point is a Near Field Communications (NFC) device. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes a barcode. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein said processing unit is further configured to have a default setting to automatically accept or deny data to be communicated from the POS. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit the permission in response to receiving input via the I/O unit. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to render the data on the electronic display. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein in response to executing a search for the data received from the POS system, the processing unit is configured to render search results including the data received from the POS system on the electronic display. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is associated with a user profile. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is configured to edit the user profile in response to receiving input via the I/O unit. 
     
     
         11 . A method of a mobile device communicating with a POS system, said method comprising:
 receiving, via a processing unit of a mobile device, the processing unit in communication with an electronic display and an input/output (I/O) unit of the mobile device, using a wireless access point, a first request to pair with the POS system, based on the mobile device generating the highest signal power detectable to the POS system, wherein the I/O unit is configured to communicate data to communications network using a first communications protocol and to a wireless access point via a second communications protocol;   pairing, via the processing unit, using the wireless access point, with the POS system using the second communications protocol;   receiving, via the processing unit, using the wireless access point, a second request to from the POS system for transmitting data;   transmitting, via the processing unit, using the wireless access point, a permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device, wherein in response to the mobile device transmitting the permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device the mobile device being prevented from transmitting further data to the POS system by the wireless access point;   receiving, via the processing unit, using the wireless access point the data from the POS system;   determining, via the processing unit, a type of the data received from the POS system;   storing, via the processing unit, the data in a memory based on data type;   distinguishing, via the processing unit, the data received from the POS system from other data received from other data sources in the memory;   receiving, via the processing unit, a request for a search; and   executing, via the processing unit, a search for the data received from the POS system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second communications protocol being a shorter range communications protocol than the first communications protocol. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless access point is a Near Field Communications (NFC) device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the data includes a barcode. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to have a default setting to automatically accept or deny data to be communicated from the POS. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, via the processing unit, the permission in response to receiving input from the I/O unit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising rendering, via the processing unit, the data on the electronic display. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising rendering, via the processing unit, search results including the data received from the POS system on the electronic display, in response to executing a search for the data received from the POS system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile device is associated with a user profile. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising editing, via the processing unit, the user profile in response to receiving input from the I/O unit.