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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing customers of a retailer with information while purchasing products, the system comprising:
 a point-of-sale (POS) system that permits the customers of the retailer to purchase the products;   a wireless access point in communication with the POS system and configured to operate as   
       an access point that permits mobile devices of the customers to communicate with the POS system, wherein the wireless access point is configured to:
 detect a mobile device of the customer when the customer is located proximate the POS system; 
 transmit a first request to the mobile device of the customer detected by the wireless access point, the first request configured to request permission of the customer to pair the mobile device of the customer with the POS system; 
 in response to the customer accepting the first request via the mobile device of the customer, pair the mobile device of the customer with the POS system via the wireless access point; 
 transmit a second request to the mobile device of the customer detected by the wireless access point, the second request being from the POS system and prompting the user to accept or reject a transmission of data from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer in connection with a first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system; 
 in response to the customer accepting the second request via the mobile device of the customer, transmit a permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device of the customer; 
 wherein the data transmitted from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer is at least one of an electronic receipt for the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system and a discount coupon usable by the customer in connection with a second purchase transaction via the POS system; and 
 wherein the data transmitted from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer is configured to be stored in a memory of the mobile device of the customer and to be retrieved via the mobile device of the customer from the memory to generate, on an electronic display of the mobile device of the customer, electronic data configured to be scanned by the POS system in connection with the second purchase transaction of the user. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access point is a Near Field Communications (NFC) device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic data configured to be scanned by the POS system in connection with the second purchase transaction of the user includes a barcode. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access point is configured to detect a mobile identifier associated with the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access point is configured to detect a profile of the customer associated with the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the POS system is configured to select the data to transmit to the mobile device of the customer via the wireless access point based on the profile of the customer detected by the wireless access point. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the POS system is configured to transmit the data for generation on the electronic display of the mobile display of the customer via a mobile application that is installed and executed on the mobile device of the customer. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a server configured to store the data and communicate the data via a communications network, the data including information related to the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system and information unrelated to the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the POS system is configured to receive the data from the server and communicate the data received from the server to the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in response to a transmission by the mobile device of the customer to the POS system of electronic data indicating acceptance of the second request by the customer and permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device of the customer, the wireless access point is configured to restrict the mobile device from transmitting additional data to the POS system via the wireless access point. 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing customers of a retailer with information while purchasing products, the method comprising:
 providing a point-of-sale (POS) system that permits the customers of the retailer to purchase the products;   providing a wireless access point in communication with the POS system and configured to operate as an access point that permits mobile devices of the customers to communicate with the POS system;   via the wireless access point:
 detecting a mobile device of the customer when the customer is located proximate the POS system; 
 transmitting a first request to the mobile device of the customer detected by the wireless access point, the first request configured to request permission of the customer to pair the mobile device of the customer with the POS system; 
 in response to the customer accepting the first request, pairing the mobile device of the customer with the POS system via the wireless access point; 
 transmitting a second request to the mobile device of the customer detected by the wireless access point, the second request being from the POS system and prompting the user to accept or reject a transmission of data from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer in connection with a first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system; 
 in response to the customer accepting the second request, transmitting a permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device of the customer; 
   transmitting, from the POS system and via the wireless access point, the data to the mobile device of the customer, wherein the data transmitted from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer is at least one of an electronic receipt for the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system and a discount coupon usable by the customer in connection with a second purchase transaction via the POS system; and   permitting the data transmitted from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer to be stored in a memory of the mobile device of the customer and to be retrieved via the mobile device of the customer from the memory to generate, on an electronic display of the mobile device of the customer, electronic data configured to be scanned by the POS system in connection with the second purchase transaction of the user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless access point is a Near Field Communications (NFC) device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the electronic data configured to be scanned by the POS system in connection with the second purchase transaction of the user includes a barcode. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, detecting, via the wireless access point, a mobile identifier associated with the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, detecting, via the wireless access point, a profile of the customer associated with the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting, by the POS system, the data to transmit to the mobile device of the customer via the wireless access point based on the profile of the customer detected by the wireless access point. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting, from the POS system, the data for generation on the electronic display of the mobile display of the customer via a mobile application that is installed and executed on the mobile device of the customer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising providing a server configured to store the data and communicate the data via a communications network, the data including information related to the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system and information unrelated to the first purchase transaction of the customer via the POS system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising receiving, by the POS system, the data from the server and communicating the data received from the server from the POS system to the mobile device of the customer detected when the customer is located proximate the POS system. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein in response to a transmission by the mobile device of the customer to the POS system of electronic data indicating acceptance of the second request by the customer and permission for the POS system to transmit the data to the mobile device of the customer, the wireless access point is configured to restrict the mobile device from transmitting additional data to the POS system via the wireless access point.