Personal Shopping Assistant

Abstract

A portable data terminal device configured as a personal shopping assistant (PSA) may display information about product locations in a store, product features, and alternative product recommendations upon request by a customer visiting the store's physical location. The PSA may detect and identify items placed into a shopping container, maintain an inventory of items selected for purchase, and communicate the inventory to a check-out station for rapid and convenient check-out and payment by the customer before leaving the store. The PSA may detect its location in a store and may activate an alarm when the PSA is moved outside a geofence boundary.

1 . A personal shopping assistant, comprising:
 an enclosure configured for removable attachment to a shopping container;   a flat panel display mounted in said enclosure;   a product code reader mounted in said enclosure;   a first video camera mounted in said enclosure with a first video camera field of view extending outward from an enclosure front side;   a second video camera mounted in said enclosure with a second video camera field of view extending downward from said enclosure;   a light bar attached to said enclosure, said light bar comprising a plurality of individually-addressable illuminated elements; and   a processor in said enclosure, said processor connected for data communication with said flat panel display, said product code reader, said first video camera, said second video camera, and said light bar, and said processor configured to display assert an alarm indication when said PSA is outside a geofence boundary,   wherein said personal shopping assistant is configured to be operable when separated from said shopping container.   
     
     
         2 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a personal shopping assistant (PSA) dock including a PSA receptacle configured to receive said enclosure, said PSA dock further configured for attachment to said shopping container; and   said enclosure further comprising an electrical connector configured for connection to an electrical connector on said PSA dock.   
     
     
         3 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 2 , wherein said PSA dock includes a clamp configured for attachment to a said shopping container. 
     
     
         4 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 2 , further comprising a power management circuit and a battery mounted in said enclosure, said battery electrically connected to said power management circuit and said power management circuit electrically connected to said processor. 
     
     
         5 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 4 , wherein said power management circuit is electrically connected to said electrical connector, and said power management circuit is configured to recharge said battery with power received through said PSA dock. 
     
     
         6 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 5 , wherein said power management circuit is configured to recharge said battery with power received from a PSA dispensing station. 
     
     
         7 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory connected for data communication with said processor;   said processor configured to retrieve a promotional message from said memory; and   said processor configured to send said promotional message to said flat panel display.   
     
     
         8 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a wireless communications interface connected for data communication with said processor; and   said processor configured to receive said promotional message from said wireless communications interface.   
     
     
         9 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an under-cart video camera configured for wireless data communication with said processor; and   an under-cart motion detector configured for wireless data communication with said processor,   wherein said under-cart video camera and said under-cart motion detector are configured to detect an item placed beneath a basket on a shopping cart.   
     
     
         10 . The personal shopping assistant of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a wireless communication controller connected for data communication with said processor; and   a motion detector connected for data communication with said processor, said motion detector positioned to detect an item moving into a said shopping container,   wherein said processor is configured to:
 detect in an image from said second video camera said item; 
 detect from a signal output from said motion detector said item; 
 form an inventory list in said memory; 
 store a product identification code for said item into said inventory list; 
 store a customer identification number in said memory;
 communicate over a wireless communication link with a checkout station; and 
 send said inventory list and said customer identification number to said checkout station.