Method for providing access to local outlets information and system thereof
The method and system address the challenge of finding local outlets by using user inputs and location to determine and display suitable outlets, offering image-based searches and flexible perimeter selection, thus enhancing user convenience and efficiency in accessing local goods or services.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/IB2024/058688
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-01-23
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-31
AI Technical Summary
Users face challenges in identifying local outlets for goods or services due to the time-consuming process of personally searching in their area, especially when competing with large branded outlets, and there is a need for a system to provide easy access to such information.
A method and system that utilize a user's input, location, and a database to determine and display suitable local outlets on a user device, allowing for image-based searches and offering flexible perimeter selection, authentication, and providing offers, using a server and database infrastructure.
Facilitates easy access to local outlets by determining and displaying relevant information, enabling users to make informed decisions based on location, offers, and outlet authenticity, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Smart Images

Figure IB2024058688_31072025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] METHOD FOR PRO VIDING ACCESS TO LOCAL OUTLETS
[0002] INFORMATION AND SYSTEM THEREOF
[0003] RELATED APPLICATION
[0004] The present application claims the benefit of priority to Indian complete Patent Application no. 202441004559 filed on Jan 23, 2024 and the entire complete specification.
[0005] FIELD OF INVENTION
[0006] The present disclosure generally relates to a method for providing an access to local outlet information to a user and a system thereof.
[0007] BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0008] Recently, a number of goods or service providers has increased tremendously. It has become crucial, especially for local goods or service providers to get noticed with the competitions of large branded outlets or supermarkets. Advertisements and promotional offers are also important for such local goods or service providers. Users or consumers, on the other hand, continuously look for different outlets for better quality and price of products. Identifying a new outlet in a local area is a time-consuming process as the users have to personally move around the local area for the same.
[0009] Hence, there is a need to provide a solution to address limitations in the existing system and provide a system and a method that provides an access to local outlets information to a user.
[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In a first aspect, the present disclosure sets forth a method for providing access to local outlet information. The method includes receiving an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device. The input corresponds to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user and determining a current location of the user. The method further includes determining one or more suitable outlets from the database based on the input from the user and the current location of the user, extracting the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets; and displaying the extracted information on a second user interface of the user device.
[0012] Therefore, the method may facilitate the user to select a desired goods or services and provide an easy access to information related to local outlets. Hence, the user may easily get desired information.
[0013] In some embodiments, the method includes receiving the plurality of information corresponding to the plurality of outlets, the plurality of information comprising, for each of the plurality of outlets, a type of goods or services provided by the outlet and an outlet information, and storing the plurality of information of the plurality of outlets into the database.
[0014] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving a user defined perimeter and determining the one or more suitable outlets within the user defined perimeter from the current location. Hence, the method may facilitate the user to limit a perimeter for the one or more suitable outlets.
[0015] In some embodiments, the method includes determining a second input corresponding to a sub-good or a sub-service from the type of goods or services. Hence, the method may provide better selection in terms of specific goods or service.
[0016] In some embodiments, the method includes allowing a user to select a new location other than the current location and determining the one or more suitable outlets based on the input from the user and the new location. Hence, the method may facilitate the user to select a location other than the current location of the user for extracting information related to the one or more suitable outlets. In some embodiments, the method includes registering the user for accessing the local outlet information. Accordingly, the method may authenticate the user.
[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving a feedback from the user corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets.
[0018] In some embodiments, the method includes providing a plurality of offers available at each of the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface. Accordingly, the user may have multiple options and may readily decide if the user would like to avail any of the offers or not.
[0019] In some embodiments, the method further includes authenticating the plurality of outlets before storing the corresponding plurality of information in the database. Accordingly, the method may facilitate access of genuine outlets to the user.
[0020] In some embodiments, the method includes receiving an image of a product of interest of the user, identifying a type of product from the image, determining the one or more suitable outlets related to the identified type of product, and displaying the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface. Accordingly, the method may facilitate image based search also for a desired product.
[0021] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure sets forth a system for providing access to local outlets information. The system includes a server having at least one processor and a database communicatively coupled to the server. The server is configured to receive an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device, determine a current location of the user, and determine one or more suitable outlets from the database based on the input from the user and the current location of the user. The server is further configured to extract the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets and displaying the extracted information on a second user interface. According to a third aspect, the present disclosure sets forth a non-transitory machine readable for providing access to local outlet information, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a server to receive an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device, determine a current location of the user, determine one or more suitable outlets from the database based on the input from the user and the current location of the user; extract the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets, and display the extracted information on a second user interface.
[0022] Therefore, the present disclosure may use the current location of the user and the desired type of goods or services of the user to determine the one or more suitable outlets for the user. Hence, the user may get the information of the one or more outlets in the desired area. Further, the information related to the one or more outlets includes the location and the contact information, the user may get easy access to the one or more outlets. Accordingly, the present disclosure may readily provide access to the user information about the one or more outlets.
[0023] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0024] Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system for providing access to local outlet information, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0025] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary flow-chart of a method for providing access to local outlet information, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0026] Fig. 3 shows an exemplary flow chart for determining the local outlet information from an image, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0027] Fig. 4 shows an exemplary block diagram of an exemplary non-transitory machine readable medium, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The present disclosure now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Figures shown and described herein are provided in order to illustrate key principles of operation and a number of these figures are not drawn with intent to show actual size or scale.
[0029] Unless defined otherwise herein, all technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.
[0030] The present disclosure provides a system and a method for providing access to local outlets information to a user.
[0031] Referring to figures, Fig. 1 illustrates a system 100 for providing access to local outlets information. The system 100 includes a server 104. The server 104 includes at least one processor 106 and a memory 108 coupled with the at least one processor 106.
[0032] The at least one processor 106 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, edge or fog microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, logic circuitries, and / or any devices that process data based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the at least one processor 106 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory 108 of the server 104. The memory 108 may be configured to store one or more computer-readable instructions or routines in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, which may be fetched and executed to create or share data packets over a network service.
[0033] The memory 108 may comprise any non-transitory storage device including, for example, volatile memory such as Random Access Memory (RAM), or non-volatile memory such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory 108 (EPROM), flash memory, and the like. The memory 108 may store a program that is executable by the processor, or can be implemented at least partly by corresponding software modules or program modules for the server 104. The instructions can be chosen in such a fashion that during their execution by the at least one processor 106, an allocation of a position of the respective document of value in the intermediate repository in the sequence of the other intermediately stored documents of value to the kind and / or type and / or the value of the document of value is carried out and stored. Furthermore, the control device can comprise the access control device, for which purpose the stored instructions can comprise instructions for checking detected access data for the fulfilment of the at least one predetermined access criterion. These embodiments have the advantage that only one processor and one memory have to be provided, representing a substantial constructive simplification.
[0034] The server 104 is communicatively coupled with a database 110. The database 110 is configured to store a plurality of information corresponding to a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets may provide different goods or services. The plurality of information of the plurality of outlets includes a location and a contact information of each of the plurality of outlets. The contact information may include a contact number, an address of the outlet, an email address, and the like.
[0035] The server 104 may be connected with the database 110 using a communication network (not shown). Some non-limiting examples of the communication network may include a wireless network, a wired network, an internet, an intranet, a public network, a private network, a packet-switched network, a circuit-switched network, an ad hoc network, an infrastructure network, a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a cable network, a cellular network, a satellite network, a fibre optic network, or some combination thereof.
[0036] The server 104 is configured to be communicatively connected to a user device 102. Some non-limiting examples of the user device 102 are a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer, a PDA, and the like. The user device 102 may include a plurality of interfaces (not shown) for receiving and transmitting data from and to the server 104. The plurality of interfaces may include at least one input interface and at least one output interface. The plurality of interfaces may include an input / output (I / O) interface for receiving and displaying the data.
[0037] The at least one processor 106 is configured to receive an input from a user through a first user interface of the user device 102. The user device 102 may be communicatively coupled with the server 104 for transmitting and receiving data. The input corresponds to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user.
[0038] The at least one processor 106 is configured to determine a current location of the user device 102. The at least one processor 106 may determine the current location of the user device 102 based on a global positioning system 100 (GPS) of the user device 102. Any other suitable method known to a skilled person may be used to determine the current location of the user device 102. It is to be noted that the current location of the user device 102 may be interpreted as a current location of the user.
[0039] The at least one processor 106 is configured to determine one or more suitable outlets from the database 110 based on the input from the user within a predefined perimeter of the current location of the user. The predefined perimeter may be 2 kilometers (km), 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, or the like.
[0040] The at least one processor 106 is configured to extract the plurality of information corresponding to each of the one or more suitable outlets. The at least one processor 106 may extract an outlet that has matching goods or services as desired by the user. The at least one processor 106 extracts relevant outlets matching the input from the user. The at least one processor 106 then extracts a set of outlets having the goods or services desired by the user, and determines the location of the set of outlets to determine one or more suitable outlets that are within the predefined perimeter of the current location of the user device 102, i.e., within the current location of the user.
[0041] The at least one processor 106 is further configured to display the extracted plurality of information on a second user interface (not shown) of the user device 102.
[0042] Hence, the system 100 is configured to determine the current location of the user to determine one or more suitable outlets having goods or services of user’s desire. Hence, the system 100 may facilitate the user in easily locating nearby goods or services outlets. Further, the system 100 also provides the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets. The user may readily utilize the plurality of information to contact any of the one or more suitable outlets. Hence, the system 100 may readily provide the user the required information to avail the goods or services of the likes of the user. Accordingly, the system 100 may work as an information provider entity similar to a directory for different goods or services.
[0043] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to receive the plurality of information corresponding to the plurality of outlets and store the plurality of information of the plurality of outlets into the database 110.
[0044] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to authenticate the plurality of outlets before storing the corresponding plurality of information in the database 110. Hence, the at least one processor 106 ensures that the plurality of outlets are genuine or not. In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 receives registration and other legal information from each of the plurality of outlets to determine the authenticity thereof.
[0045] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is further configured to receive a user defined perimeter and determine the one or more suitable outlets within the user defined perimeter from the current location. For instance, the system 100 is configured to determine the current location of the user device 102 and determine the one or more suitable outlets within the predefined perimeter of the current location, where the predefined perimeter is, e.g., 10 km. The system 100 facilitates the user to change the predefined perimeter as per the need of the user. For instance, the user is able to change the predefined perimeter and use a user defined perimeter, e.g., of 5 km or 15 km. In such case, the system 100 is configured to determine the one or more suitable outlets within the user defined perimeter, e.g., of 5 km or 15 km. Hence, the system 100 provides ease and flexibility for the user to determine the one or more suitable outlets.
[0046] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is further configured to receive a second input corresponding to a sub-good or a sub-service from the type of goods or services using the first user interface. For instance, an auto repair service may have a sub-services for changing an engine oil, checking brakes, checking bumpers, and the like. In other example, a decoration shop may have sub-categories such as, items for indoor decoration, items for outdoor decoration, items for wall hanging decoration, and the like. The at least one processor 106 facilitates the user to select any of these sub-goods or sub-services of their desire.
[0047] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 allows the user to select a new location other than the current location and determines the one or more suitable outlets based on the input from the user and the new location. For instance, if the user wants to find a good or service in a location other than the current location, for instance, in other city or other state, the at least one processor 106 provides the user the flexibility of finding the one or more suitable outlets in and around the new location.
[0048] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to provide a plurality of offers available at each of the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface. Many goods or service provide different offers on corresponding goods or services to attract customers. By displaying the plurality of offers, the at least one processor 106 facilitates the user to take more informed decision regarding availing the goods or services from any one of the one or more suitable outlets.
[0049] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to receive an image of a product of interest of the user, identify a type of product from the image, determine the one or more suitable outlets related to the identified type of product, and display the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface. The image may be captured by an image capturing unit (not shown) of the user device 102. The captured image may be transferred to the server 104 from the user device 102 using a communication network (not shown). Hence, the at least one processor 106 facilitates an image based search for determining the one or more suitable outlets corresponding to the good or service that the user wants to avail.
[0050] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to register the user for accessing the local outlet information. This feature ensures that the user that is accessing the information of the one or more outlets is a genuine person and is not a fraudulent person or entity.
[0051] In some embodiments, the at least one processor 106 is configured to receive a feedback from the user corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets.
[0052] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary flow-chart of a method 200 for providing access to local outlet information, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method is being performed using the system 100 as discussed in Fig. 1. Specifically, the method is being submitted using the server 104 of the system 100. The server 104 includes the at least one processor 106 and the memory 108, and is communicatively coupled to the database 110. The database 110 is configured to store a plurality of information corresponding to the plurality of outlets.
[0053] At step 202, the method 200 includes receiving an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device 102, the input corresponding to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user.
[0054] At step 204, the method 200 includes determining a current location of the user. At step 206, the method includes determining one or more suitable outlets from the database 110 based on the input from the user within a predefined perimeter of the current location of the user.
[0055] At step 208, the method 200 includes extracting the plurality of information corresponding to each of the one or more suitable outlets. At step 210, the method 200 includes displaying the extracted plurality of information on a second user interface of the user device 102.
[0056] Hence, the method 200 facilitates the user to determine information of the one or more suitable outlets based on the current location of the user. Hence, the method 200 facilitates the user to readily get the required information to avail the goods or services of their desire. Hence, the method 200 may function as a search tool in a directory providing different goods or services.
[0057] In some embodiments, the method 200 further includes receiving the plurality of information corresponding to the plurality of outlets and storing the plurality of information of the plurality of outlets into the database 110. The plurality of information includes, for each of the plurality of outlets, a type of goods or services provided by the outlet and an outlet information. The outlet information includes a location and a contact information of each of the plurality of outlets. The contact information may include a contact number, an address of the outlet, an email address, and the like.
[0058] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes receiving a user defined perimeter, and determining the one or more suitable outlets within the user defined perimeter from the current location. Hence, the method 200 facilitates the user to get information of the one or more suitable locations within the desired perimeter selected by the user.
[0059] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes receiving a second input corresponding to a sub-good or a sub-service from the type of goods or services using the first user interface.
[0060] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes allowing the user to select a new location other than the current location and determining the one or more suitable outlets based on the input from the user and the new location.
[0061] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes providing a plurality of offers available at each of the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface.
[0062] Fig. 3 shows an exemplary flow chart of a method 300 for determining the local outlet information from an image, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At step 302, the method 300 includes receiving the image of a product of interest of the user. The image may be captured an image capturing unit (not shown) of the user device 102. The captured image may be transferred to the server 104 from the user device 102 using a communication network (not shown). At step 304, the method 300 includes identifying a type of product from the image. At step 306, the method 300 includes determining the one or more suitable outlets related to the identified type of product. At step 308, the method 300 includes displaying the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface. In some embodiments, the method 200 includes registering the user for accessing the local outlet information.
[0063] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes receiving a feedback from the user corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets.
[0064] In some embodiments, the method 200 includes authenticating the plurality of outlets before storing the corresponding plurality of information in the database 110.
[0065] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary non-transitory machine readable medium 402, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The non- transitory machine readable medium 402 includes instructions to direct the server 104 to form perform the methods 200, 300 as disclosed with Figs. 2 and 3. The server 104 may access the non-transitory, machine readable medium over a bus. Some non-limiting examples of the non-limiting examples of the non- transitory machine readable medium 402 are a mass storage, optical disks, thumb drives, or any number of other hardware devices.
[0066] Therefore, the present disclosure may use the current location of the user and the desired type of goods or services of the user to determine the one or more suitable outlets for the user. Hence, the user may get the information of the one or more outlets in the desired area. Further, the information related to the one or more outlets includes the location and the contact information, the user may get easy access to the one or more outlets. Accordingly, the present disclosure may readily provide access to the user information about the one or more outlets.
[0067] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to different embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited by the disclosed examples from which the skilled person is able to derive other variations without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
CLAIM1. A method (200) for providing access to local outlet information, the method (200) being performed by a server (104) having at least one processor (106) and communicatively coupled with a database (110), the database (110) being configured to store a plurality of information corresponding to a plurality of outlets, the method (200) comprising: receiving (202) an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device (102), the input corresponding to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user; determining (204) a current location of the user; determining (206) one or more suitable outlets from the database (110) based on the input from the user within a predefined perimeter of the current location of the user; extracting (208) the plurality of information corresponding to each of the one or more suitable outlets; and displaying (210) the extracted plurality of information on a second user interface of the user device (102).
2. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising receiving the plurality of information corresponding to the plurality of outlets, the plurality of information comprising, for each of the plurality of outlets, a type of goods or services provided by the outlet and an outlet information, and storing the plurality of information of the plurality of outlets into the database (110).
3. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising receiving a user defined perimeter; and determining the one or more suitable outlets within the user defined perimeter from the current location.
4. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising receiving a second input corresponding to a sub-good or a sub-service from the type of goods or services using the first user interface.
5. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising allowing the user to select a new location other than the current location and determining the oneor more suitable outlets based on the input from the user and the new location.
6. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising registering the user for accessing the local outlet information.
7. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising receiving a feedback from the user corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets.
8. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising providing a plurality of offers available at each of the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface.
9. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising authenticating the plurality of outlets before storing the corresponding plurality of information in the database (110).
10. The method (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising: receiving (302) an image of a product of interest of the user; identifying (304) a type of product from the image; determining (306) the or more suitable outlets related to the identified type of product; and displaying (308) the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface.
11. A system (100) for providing access to local outlet information, the system (100) comprising a server (104) including at least one processor (106), and a database (110) communicatively coupled to the server (104), the database (110) being configured to store a plurality of information corresponding to a plurality of outlets, the server (104) being configured to: receive an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device (102), the input corresponding to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user; determine a current location of the user device (102); determine one or more suitable outlets from the database (110) based on the input from the user within a predefined perimeter of the current location of the user;extract the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets; and display the extracted information on a second user interface.
12. The system (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the server (104) is configured to: receive a plurality of information corresponding to a plurality of outlets, the plurality of information comprising, for each of the plurality of outlets, a type of goods or services provided by the outlet, an outlet location, and a contact information; and store the plurality of information of the plurality of outlets into the database (HO).
13. The system (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the server (104) is configured to provide a plurality of offers available at each of the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface.
14. The system (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the server (104) is configured to allow a user to select a new location other than the current location and determine the one or more suitable outlets based on the input from the user and the new location.
15. The system (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the server (104) is configured to determine the one or more suitable outlets within a user defined perimeter from the current location.
16. The system (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the server (104) is further configured to: receive an image of a product of interest of the user; identify a type of product from the image; determine the one or more suitable outlets related to the identified type of product; and display the one or more suitable outlets on the second user interface.
17. A non-transitory machine readable medium (402) for providing access to local outlet information, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a server (104) to:receive an input from a user through a first user interface of a user device (102), the input corresponding to a type of goods or services of an interest of the user; determine a current location of the user; determine one or more suitable outlets from the database (110) based on the input from the user within a predefined perimeter of the current location of the user; extract the plurality of information corresponding to the one or more suitable outlets; and display the extracted information on a second user interface.
Citation Information
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Local business and product search system and method
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