Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Application No. | Application Title | Issue Date |
| 20120109761 | APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A POINT OF SALE TERMINAL An apparatus, system and method are presented for a point of sale terminal including a scanner. A display device, a printer device and a magnetic strip reader device are connected to the scanner. A processor in the scanner executes software that causes the processor to ... | 05/03/2012 |
| 20120048925 | CODE READING APPARATUS, PORTABLE TERMINAL, AND COMMODITY INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM According to one embodiment, a code reading apparatus includes an image pickup section, a detecting section, a size recognizing section, and a reading section. The image pickup section picks up an image. The detecting section detects, from the picked-up image, a two-dim... | 03/01/2012 |
| 20120048928 | CODE READING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD According to one embodiment, a code reading apparatus includes: an image capturing section configured to capture an image picked up by an image pickup section; a code reading section configured to detect a Code symbol included in the captured image and read code informa... | 03/01/2012 |
| 20120048926 | CODE READING APPARATUS, CODE READING SYSTEM, AND CODE READING METHOD According to one embodiment, includes a photographing unit, a detection unit, a reading unit and a display control unit. The photographing unit photograph an image. The detection unit detect the code symbol of a commodity-specific information of a specific commodity tha... | 03/01/2012 |
| 20120048927 | CODE READING DEVICE AND CODE READING METHOD A code reading device according to the embodiment includes, an image capturing unit, a code reading unit, and an information reading unit. The image capturing unit captures an image taken by an imaging element. The code reading unit reads code information included in a ... | 03/01/2012 |
| 20120041845 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING CUSTOMERS TO PERFORM SELF CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES IN A RETAIL SETTING Systems and methods are provided for enabling a customer to perform a self check-out procedure during a purchasing transaction. In one embodiment, among others, a software program is stored on a computer-readable medium and configured to be executed by a processing devi... | 02/16/2012 |
| 20120037699 | CODE READING APPARATUS AND CODE READING METHOD According to one embodiment, a code reading apparatus includes an image pickup section, a reading section, and a storage control section. The image pickup section picks up an image including an image of a commodity to be subjected to sales registration. The reading sect... | 02/16/2012 |
| 20120000978 | SELF-SERVICE CHECKOUT PAY STATION LOCATED REMOTE FROM A PRODUCE WEIGHING SCALE AND METHODS OF OPERATING SUCH A SELF-SERVICE CHECKOUT PAY STATION A self-service checkout pay station is located at a store exit section of a retail grocery store and is located remote from a produce weighing scale located in a produce section of the retail grocery store. The self-service checkout pay station comprises a communication... | 01/05/2012 |
| 20110315764 | CODE READING APPARATUS AND CODE READING METHOD A code reading apparatus includes: a photographing section configured to photograph an image; a capturing section configured to capture the photographed image; a reading section configured to detect, out of the captured image, a code symbol that represents commodity inf... | 12/29/2011 |
| 20110311164 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING A SHOPPING ACTIVITY THROUGH A WIRELESS COMPUTING DEVICE The invention provides a method, system and computer program product for performing a shopping activity in a shopping store through a wireless computing device of a customer. The wireless computing device is equipped with an imaging device. The customer uses his/her wir... | 12/22/2011 |
| 20110270682 | Solar panel wind turbine communication server network apparatus method and mechanism The method included herein is an alternative energy wireless solar panel wind turbine communication server appliance node mechanism with built in communications server array, wireless energy and communications mechanism with protection, sharing, storage, accessing, auth... | 11/03/2011 |
| 20110264554 | Personal Barcode Scanning Device and Phone Application A purchase monitoring device, used by a shopper having items with barcodes that identifies the item and the store price. The device includes a portable handset having a barcode scanner that enables pricing and identification data of the selected items to display on an L... | 10/27/2011 |
| 20110259959 | CHECKOUT CONTAINER AND CHECKOUT OPERATION THEREFOR A container for sale as a bulk item container, wherein the container presented for sale includes at least one scannable code affixed thereto indicating the empty weight of the container. The container is received at a checkout counter, where the at least one code is sca... | 10/27/2011 |
| 20110258059 | Processing Separate Items Via A Single Retailer Action A method, system, and medium are provided for processing multiple items for retail sale via a single retailer action. Upon scanning a machine-readable marking that is associated with multiple items provided by various vendors, a marking identifier associated with the ma... | 10/20/2011 |
| 20110215147 | SELF CHECKOUT WITH VISUAL RECOGNITION A system and method is disclosed for using object recognition/verification and weight information to confirm the accuracy of a UPC scan, or to provide an affirmative recognition where no UPC scan was made. In the preferred embodiment, the checkout system comprises: a un... | 09/08/2011 |
| 20110218870 | COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR A ROAMING POINT-OF-SALE SYSTEM A roaming point-of-sale system is disclosed including methods of communicating between the system components. A handheld computing device sends messages to a scanning device, which messages cause the scanning device to scan and return barcode data from a barcode scanner... | 09/08/2011 |
| 20110215146 | MULTI-BARCODE SCAN PROCESS Scanning multiple barcodes, storing different code types, in a single scanning operation and automatically recording the data derived from the barcodes. The data can be stored in a form or database having designated locations for each different code type. In some embodi... | 09/08/2011 |
| 20110192900 | READING APPARATUS A reading apparatus according to an embodiment includes a placing part, a scanner, and a scanner holding part. The placing part has a placing surface on which an article is placed at the upper surface thereof. The scanner has a front wall provided with a reading window.... | 08/11/2011 |
| 20110180600 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMMODITY INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMMODITY INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes: a readout unit configured to read out, from a storing unit, operation unit information including pieces of allocated information respectively allocated to plural operation units configured to rec... | 07/28/2011 |
| 20110155805 | Coupon device A device includes first, second, and third components. The first component scans a coupon. The coupon is moved from the first component to the second component after the first component scans the coupon and the coupon has been validated. The second component holds the c... | 06/30/2011 |
| 20110147454 | SELF-CHECKOUT TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR According to one embodiment, a self-checkout terminal includes a reading unit and a light emitting unit. The reading unit reads commodity information from a commodity held over a reading position. The light emitting unit emits light in a first color to illuminate the re... | 06/23/2011 |
| 20110102155 | DIGITAL PRICE DISPLAYER AND ESL SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAME Disclosed is a digital price displayer and an ESL system comprising the same, wherein the displayer includes a power supplier mounted on a product-displayed shelf for supplying a power; a display main body attachable to and detachable from the shelf and receiving power ... | 05/05/2011 |
| 20110089234 | PURCHASED ARTICLE REGISTRATION APPARATUS AND METHOD According to one embodiment, a purchased article registration apparatus includes a declaration unit, an input unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The declaration unit accepts a declaration input indicating that a customer carries a reusable shopping bag... | 04/21/2011 |
| 20110087592 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING TRANSACTIONS Pursuant to some embodiments, a payment account including multiple subaccounts is provided where each subaccount can be used only for payment for a designated category of products. Pursuant to some embodiments, purchases using the subaccounts can be automatically combin... | 04/14/2011 |
| 20110073646 | Game Presentation In A Retail Establishment According to one embodiment, a game presentation such as a virtual slot machine may be displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal.... | 03/31/2011 |
| 20110073645 | ARTICLE SALES DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND TRANSACTION DISPLAY METHOD According to one embodiment, a search unit searches a data file storing article information, and acquires article information corresponding to the article code inputted by a input unit. A storage unit stores a first transaction number indicating a first transaction and ... | 03/31/2011 |
| 20110060637 | Management server, information processing terminal, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method Distribution information is stored in an information processing apparatus and includes benefit information. A coupon identifier (ID), which identifies the benefit information, is stored in a memory disposed within an information processing terminal. A request for the co... | 03/10/2011 |
| 20110057035 | SELF CHECKOUT TERMINAL AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME According to one embodiment, a self checkout terminal includes a reading section, a main display, a ticker display and a controller. The reading section reads identification information of a commodity from the commodity. The main display displays information relating to... | 03/10/2011 |
| 20110057036 | RECEIVING AND DISPENSING UNIT AND SELF-CHECKOUT SYSTEM A receiving and dispensing unit and a self-checkout system of an embodiment includes a coin receiving and dispensing device which holds received coins in accordance with the denomination and dispenses the held coins, and a bill receiving and dispensing device which hold... | 03/10/2011 |
| 20110049236 | COMMODITY INFORMATION ACQUISITION AND DISPLAY APPARATUS A commodity information acquisition and display apparatus includes a commodity information input unit that has a reading window to read commodity information, and reads a commodity code attached to a commodity through the reading window so that the commodity information... | 03/03/2011 |
| 20110036907 | Shopping Cart A shopping cart is disclosed. The shopping cart comprises a frame, a receptacle for holding items and a scanning apparatus for scanning items to be placed within the receptacle. The shopping cart further comprising weighing means for monitoring the weight of the recepta... | 02/17/2011 |
| 20110031311 | KEYFOB AND IN STORE DEVICE BASED PROMOTION GENERATION SYSTEM AND METHOD A system, method and computer program product for promotion generation and processing, including a keyfob device; a store device associated with a promotion and configured to communicate with the keyfob device, wherein based on a communication with the keyfob device the... | 02/10/2011 |
| 20110029416 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING AN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT A method and system for transferring an electronic payment between a purchaser and a merchant that includes assigning a role of a merchant account to a first account and a role of a purchaser account to a second account within a payment system, adding an item from a pro... | 02/03/2011 |
| 20110011932 | COMMODITY INFORMATION READING AND DISPLAYING APPARATUS According to one embodiment, a commodity information reading and displaying apparatus includes a housing, a reading window, a display device, and a light blocking sheet. The reading window is provided on one surface of the housing and configured to read predetermined in... | 01/20/2011 |
| 20110010256 | COMMODITY SALES SYSTEM, HANDY TERMINAL, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE HANDY TERMINAL According to one embodiment, a handy terminal includes an information detecting unit, a storing unit, and an output unit. The information detecting unit detects commodity information of a commodity purchased by a customer and benefit information indicating content of a ... | 01/13/2011 |
| 20110006114 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING A MOBILE DEVICE TO FOLLOW A PRICE FOR AN ITEM A mobile device, such as a cellular telephone, is used to obtain information that is indicative of an item, such as a photograph of the item or a scan of an information carrying indicia associated with the item. The information obtained is then used to present on the mo... | 01/13/2011 |
| 20110000963 | Methods and Apparatus for Product Price Verification and Information Display Systems and techniques for automated customer display of product information. A price verification and product information station broadcasts a radiofrequency identification (RFID) interrogation signal and receives an RFID return message from an RFID tag affixed to a pr... | 01/06/2011 |
| 20100327058 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING MESSAGES PRINTED BY AN IN-STORE LABEL PRINTER AND RELATED LABEL STRUCTURE A method for selectively printing different messages on labels printed by an in-store scale involves providing an in-store scale including a label printing mechanism with a supply of labels and a communications link for receiving information from a site external to the ... | 12/30/2010 |
| 20100314442 | GIFT CARD ACCOUNT SYSTEM AND METHODS OF A MERCHANT PROCESSING A GIFT CARD A gift card account system is provided for a merchant to process gift cards. The system comprises a merchant terminal for enabling a merchant to access a gift card account to (i) associate a key number with an account number of a gift card when payment is received from ... | 12/16/2010 |
| 20100318440 | Cashierless, Hygienic, Automated, Computerized, Programmed Shopping Store, Storeroom And Supply Pipeline With Administration Cataloguing To Eliminate Retail Fraud; With Innovative Components For Use Therein A Cashierless unattended point of sale, shopping store procurement payment means, with storeroom reordering system using a layered wireless linked monitoring and cataloguing system; includes an interfacing electronic configured self-owned reusable three-wheel fold-up sh... | 12/16/2010 |
