Apparatus and method for comparing product offers

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for comparing product offers, wherein the apparatus includes acquisition components able to receive product identification information collected from or transmitted by a product (P) and/or a product tag (T) positioned on or close to the product (P), and control and/or processing components configured for receiving, through the acquisition components, the product identification information relating to the product (P), generating a request of product information on the basis of the product identification information, transmitting the request of product information to at least a device that is configured to generate, on the basis of the request of product information, a product information response comprising at least a set of offers relating to the product, receiving the product information response generated by the device, and displaying the at least one set of offers.

1 . An apparatus for comparing product offers, comprising
 acquisition means apt to receive product identification information that can be used to identify a product (P), wherein said product identification information can be collected from or transmitted by the product (P) and/or a product tag (T) positioned on or close to said product (P),   display means for showing said product offers to a user (U) of said apparatus,   communication means for communicating through a telecommunication network (N), and   control and/or processing means for controlling the operations of said apparatus, and configured for
 a. receiving, through said acquisition means, the product identification information relating to said product (P), 
 b. generating a request of product information on the basis of said product identification information, 
 c. transmitting, through said communication means, the request of product information to at least a device that is configured to generate, on the basis of said request of product information, a product information response comprising at least a set of offers relating to said product, 
 d. receiving, through said communication means, said product information response generated by the device, 
 e. displaying, through said displaying means, at least part of said at least one set of offers, 
   so that the user (U) can compare the different offers relating to said product.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a communication device in communication with the acquisition means, wherein said communication device is configured for receiving the product identification information transmitted by an identification transmitter comprised in the product tag (T) or in the product (P). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the product identification information received by the acquisition means comprise a string containing at least a product identifier. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the product identification information received by the acquisition means comprise an image of at least a portion of the surface of the product (P), and wherein the device is also configured to recognize the product (P) on the basis of said image before or during the generation of the product information response. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , comprising an image sensor in communication with the acquisition means, wherein said image sensor is configured for acquiring at least said image of at least a portion of the surface of the product (P) or the product tag (T). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the product information response comprises position information that specifies the location of each offers. 
     
     
         7 . A use of the apparatus according to  claim 6  for determining the position of stalls in a market. 
     
     
         8 . A use of the apparatus according to  claim 4  for comparing product offers of fresh goods. 
     
     
         9 . A system (S) for comparing product offers, comprising:
 the apparatus according to  claim 1 , and   a device in communication with said apparatus through a network (N), wherein said device is configured for:
 a. receiving, through the network (N), the request of product information, 
 b. recognizing, on the basis of said request of product information, a product identification code of said product (P), 
 c. determining, on the basis of said product identification code, at least a set of offers relating to the product (P), 
 d. generating a product information response comprising said at least one set of offers, and 
 e. transmitting, through the network (N), said product information response to said apparatus. 
   
     
     
         10 . A method for comparing product offers, comprising:
 a. a receiving phase, wherein product identification information relating to a product (P) are received through acquisition means, wherein said product identification information can be used to identify said product (P),   b. a generating phase, wherein a request of product information is generated, by means of control and/or processing means, on the basis of said product identification information,   c. a transmitting phase, wherein the request of product information is transmitted, through communication means, to at least a device that is configured to generate, on the basis of said request of product information, a product information response comprising at least a set of offers relating to said product (P),   d. a receiving phase, wherein a product information response generated by the device is received through said communication means,   e. a displaying phase, wherein at least part of said at least one set of offers is displayed through displaying means,   so that a user (U) can compare the different offers relating to said product (P).   
     
     
         11 . A computer program product which can be loaded into the memory of an electronic computer, and which comprises portions of software code for executing the phases of the method according to  claim 10 .