Patent · US Expired

Audio proof of delivery system and method

US5661291A · kind A · utility

130Cited by
3References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 1995
Grant dateAug 26, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 7, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q10/08
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A portable item tracking unit includes a bar code reader for capturing a bar code related to an item, a microphone for capturing an audio identification from a recipient of an item, and a memory. The memory associatively electronically stores a digital signal related to the audio identification along with a digital representation of bar code data to provide audio proof of delivery of the item. A display and a speaker may respectively display the stored bar code related to the item and audibly broadcast the electronically stored audio identification for the item. A user input is preferably included for verifying that the input of the bar code and the audio identification is satisfactory. A transferring circuit transfers the electronically stored bar code and the electronically stored audio identification to a host computer. The host computer includes its own memory for associatively storing a plurality of digital identification indicia having a respective plurality of digital audio identifications for a corresponding plurality of items. A consumer can then access the host computer via a telephone network. After the host computer accepts selection of an item, a reconstruction circuit…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.