Wireless LAN Shopping List Relay System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shopping list systems on portable terminals only display ingredient lists without providing real-time sales information from stores, making it difficult for users to comfortably shop as they need to search for products in-store.
Innovation Solution
An information providing system that includes a wireless terminal, a wireless LAN communication apparatus, and an information providing apparatus, which allows users to send shopping lists to the apparatus, receive sales information, and display it on the terminal, enabling users to find product details like prices and availability directly on their device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If shopping list information is only displayed on the portable terminal display unit, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users must manually search for products in-store
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a wireless LAN communication apparatus and information providing apparatus as intermediaries between the portable terminal and the store. The terminal sends shopping list information to the communication apparatus, which relays it to the information providing apparatus. This apparatus then retrieves sales information and sends it back through the communication apparatus to the terminal, enabling users to view product availability and prices without manually searching in-store.
2Ease of operation
If real-time sales information is provided to the terminal, then the ease of operation improves, but the loss of time increases due to network communication delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the wireless LAN communication apparatus and information providing apparatus retrieve and prepare sales information before the user needs it. When the terminal sends the shopping list, the system proactively acquires current sales data, product availability, and pricing information in advance, so that when the user views the information, it is already prepared and displayed without delay.
3Ease of operation
If the system integrates wireless communication and information retrieval functions, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shopping information system into distinct functional modules: the portable terminal for user interaction and display, the wireless LAN communication apparatus for data transmission, and the information providing apparatus for information retrieval and processing. Each component has a specialized function, reducing the complexity burden on any single device while providing integrated functionality through their collaboration.
Data Source
AI summary
An information providing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a terminal information acquiring unit, a store information acquiring unit, and a sending unit. The terminal information acquiring unit acquires information on purchase planned products which is sent from a wireless terminal existing in a store in which a wireless LAN communication apparatus is installed, from the wireless LAN communication apparatus. The store information acquiring unit acquires information on sales products corresponding to the information on the purchase planned products which is acquired by the terminal information acquiring unit, from a store information storage unit which stores pieces of information on the sales products in the store. The sending unit sends the information on the sales products which is acquired by the store information acquiring unit to the wireless terminal through the wireless LAN communication apparatus.