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Title:
ELECTRONIC CART TERMINAL
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/114525
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an electronic cart terminal configured for mounting on a shopping cart. The electronic cart terminal is configured with a screen configured to display information based on input from a terminal processor in connection with a terminal storage with a graphical library. The electronic cart terminal is further configured with a terminal wireless communicator configured to link and to communicate with an external handheld device. Furthermore, the electronic cart terminal is configured with a power unit with power storage. The terminal is furthermore being configured to execute a terminal program capable of exchanging item information and instructions with a handheld device program executed on a handheld device via the terminal communicator to display screen content from the graphical library as a function of the exchange of item information and instructions with the external handheld device.

Inventors:
ELLEMOSE STEEN KRONBORG (DK)
Application Number:
PCT/DK2016/050095
Publication Date:
July 06, 2017
Filing Date:
April 05, 2016
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
KE AARHUS HOLDING APS (DK)
International Classes:
B62B3/14; B62B3/00; B62B5/00; G06Q30/00; H02J50/00; H04W88/02
Domestic Patent References:
WO2007000294A12007-01-04
WO2014154782A12014-10-02
Foreign References:
US20090153322A12009-06-18
US20020167916A12002-11-14
US20150102680A12015-04-16
US20130162392A12013-06-27
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
PATRADE A/S (DK)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. An electronic cart terminal (10) configured for mounting on a shopping cart (12) and configured with

- a screen (14) configured to display information (210) based on input (50) from a terminal processor (16) in connection with a terminal storage (18) with a graphical library (116);

- a terminal wireless communicator (22) configured to link (212) and to communicate (214) with an external handheld device (24);

- a power unit (26) with power storage (28);

- the terminal (10) being configured to execute a terminal program (110) capable of exchanging item information (54) and instructions (52) with a handheld device program (112) executed on a handheld device (24) via the terminal communicator (22) to display screen content (60) from the graphical library (116) as a function of the exchange of item information (54) and instructions (52) with an external handheld de- vice (24).

2. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to claim 1, wherein the power unit (26) is configured with charging means (30) for recharging the power storage (28). 3. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the charging means (30) comprises a radio frequency (RF) power receiver (32) for receiving RF-signals at one or more frequencies from one or more RF power transmitters (34). 4. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the charging means (30) comprises an ultrasound power receiver (36) for receiving ultrasound signals from at least one or more ultrasound power transmitters (38).

5. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the charging means (30) comprises an optical power receiver (46) for receiving optical signals from at least one or more optical power transmitters (48).

6. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the terminal wireless communicator (22) comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy unit (40) for external communication. 7. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the terminal wireless communicator (22) comprises a Wi-Fi unit (42) for external communication and where the Wi-Fi unit (42) is configured to power on or power off as function of the amount of data to be exchanged. 8. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the terminal wireless communicator (22) comprises a Wi-Fi unit (42) with an in-built timer configured to power on and power off to fetch cache data at configured time intervals. 9. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 6, wherein the terminal wireless communicator (22) comprises a Li-Fi unit (43) for external communication and where the Li-Fi unit (43) is configured to power on or power off as function of the amount of data to be exchanged. 10. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims 1 to 6 or 9, wherein the terminal wireless communicator (22) comprises a Li-Fi unit (43) with an in-built timer configured to power on and power off to fetch cache data at configured time intervals. 11. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims and configured to adjust screen intensity (62) as a function of input (50) from a vibration sensor (44).

12. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, wherein the terminal (10) is configured with an algorithm (114) for analysing the screen content (60) and for updating the screen content (60) with new or updated graphical elements (64) compared to preceding screen content (60).

13. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any preceding claims, comprising a beacon means (130) for transmitting a beacon signal (132), for receiving a beacon signal (132) or for both. 14. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to claim 13 wherein the beacon signals (132) are RF-signals.

15. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to claim 13 wherein the beacon signals (132) are optical signals.

16. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any of the preceding claims 13-15 configured to adjust screen content and/or screen intensity (62) as a function of a beacon signal (132). 17. The electronic cart terminal (10) according to any of the claims 13-16 and configured to split the screen content (60) in a first screen (14A) for displaying item information (54) from a handheld device (24) and a second screen (14B) with screen content (60) determined as a function of a received beacon signal (132). 18. A system (300) of at least one electronic cart terminal (10) according to any of the preceding claims configured to interact with at least one base station (310) comprising base charger means (320).

19. A system (300) according to claim 18, wherein the base charger means (320) comprises at least one base charger transmitter (322) configured with beam focus

(324) as a function of a received beacon signal (132).

20. A system (300) according to any of claims 18-19, wherein the base charger transmitter (322) comprises one or more RF power transmitters (34), one or more ultra- sound power transmitters (38) or a combination of both.

21. A system (300) according to any of claims 18-20, wherein the base charger transmitter (322) comprises one or more optical power transmitters (48).

22. A system (300) of at least one electronic cart terminal (10) according to any of the preceding claims configured to interact with a central server (330) for updating the terminal programme (110), the graphical library (116) or both.

Description:
[Electronic cart terminal] Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic cart terminal configured for mounting on a shopping cart. The electronic cart terminal is configured with a screen configured to display information based on input from a terminal processor in connection with a terminal storage with a graphical library. The electronic cart terminal is further configured with a terminal wireless communicator configured to link and to communicate with an external handheld device. Furthermore, the electronic cart terminal is config- ured with a power unit with power storage. The terminal is furthermore being configured to execute a terminal program capable of exchanging item information and instructions with a handheld device program executed on a handheld device via the terminal communicator to display screen content from the graphical library as a function of the exchange of item information and instructions with the external handheld de- vice.

Background of the Invention

Mobile handheld devices are becoming more and more integrated in our daily activities. We register, record, note and plan many of our activities on mobile handheld de- vices such as smartphones and tablets. As the computing devices have matured the mobile handheld devices computing capacity has increased which increases the use of mobile handheld devices. This again increases the demand for mobile handheld devices computing capacity and in this ascending loop the mobile handheld devices are used for more and more activities.

In connection with shopping several attempts to develop applications for mobile handheld devices and integrate the use of mobile handheld devices have been made.

In this connection the shopping or shopping event concerns shopping where a shop- ping cart is in use. This may be grocery shopping, shopping in malls, DIY markets or other retail stores where carts are available for the customers/users.

In general, the approach has been that the shopping list is the core interaction object and that the shopping cart is the natural touch point. However, today still only a small group is active users of mobile applications when doing grocery shopping where they use a shopping list entered into a handheld mobile computing device and where the consumer interaction is based on the mobile touch point only. Some of the objectives which are found to hinder the use of mobile handheld devices to penetrate into the grocery shopping are in connection with, that the user uses his/her own mobile handheld device comprising the shopping list: Where should the mobile handheld device be placed? Must I bring it along with me from the cart to avoid theft? If the device is not placed on the cart how can I hold it while I pick the groceries with my hands?

It is often the case that the consumer ends up carrying the device by hand, in the pocket or in the handbag with the activities of: activating the device over and over again to avoid the screen to enter sleeping mode, has to relocate the device from the handbag, carry one thing at a time to avoid dropping the device, re-enter pin code to see what the next item is.

Significant barriers for market entry of systems used during shopping events, which system uses terminal interacting with mobile handheld devices, encounter to high power consumption of the terminals during the shopping event and thus to low use- lifetime, manually handling of charging power unit or charge of power unit with high daily operational cost as a result, high level of maintenance of the system also resulting in increased daily costs, and the issue described above of user interaction with a mobile handheld device during the shopping event.

Object of the Invention

It is an objective to overcome one or more of the before mentioned shortcomings of the prior art. Description of the Invention

The aforementioned aspects may be achieved by an electronic cart terminal configured for mounting on a shopping cart. The electronic cart terminal is configured with a screen configured to display information based on input from a terminal processor in connection with a terminal storage with a graphical library. The electronic cart termi- nal is further configured with a terminal wireless communicator configured to link and to communicate with an external handheld device. Furthermore, the electronic cart terminal is configured with a power unit with power storage. The terminal is furthermore being configured to execute a terminal program capable of exchanging item in- formation and instructions with a handheld device program executed on a handheld device via the terminal communicator to display screen content from the graphical library as a function of the exchange of item information and instructions with the external handheld device. The external handheld device and the shopping cart is not part of the claimed subject matter. The external handheld device may also be referred to as mobile handheld device.

One effect of the embodiment is that the electronic cart terminal may be the touch point.

The terminal may communicate with an external handheld device and the terminal is able to show the content of the handheld device application such as shopping list from the external handheld device. Which information to be displayed on the information terminal may be controlled by the application on the external handheld device.

The functionality may be obtained when a mobile handheld device is connected or linked to the information terminal. The linking of the external handheld device to the terminal may be obtained by entering an identification code to application on the ex- ternal handheld device which identification code is associated with the terminal. This identification code may be a shopping cart ID onto which the terminal is mounted.

The application on the external handheld device controls subsequently the graphic presentation on the terminal screen by transferring one or more shopping list items from the external device to the electronic cart terminal along with for example images of the shopping list item(s), associated advertising information or other information contained in application on the external handheld device. The subsequent physical interaction takes place on the information terminal, which transmits user interaction back to the application on the external handheld device, whereupon the application process and transmits next content item to the electronic cart terminal - and so on.

One advantage of the electronic cart terminal being the touch point may be that the external handheld device do not need to be user activated during the shopping event once the handheld device and the cart terminal is linked. All user interaction takes place on the electronic cart terminal.

A further effect of the embodiment may be that the primary computational perfor- mance takes place on the external handheld device. This is advantageous in regard to that cheaper hardware may be used in the cart terminal. Further effects may be reduced power consumption and more efficient power regulation which is advantageous in regard to reduced daily operational costs. In one aspect the Cortec-M hardware platform comprising 'TouchGFX' graphical library may be key elements for achieving a power efficient graphical representation on the electronic cart terminal.

Cortec-M is a trademark of ARM and the Cortec-M hardware platform comprises ARM processors from the Cortex-M series, which to-date includes up til Cortex M7 processors.

The 'TouchGFX' graphical library is provided by Draupner Graphics. "TouchGFX" is a software framework written in C++ that enables high-end graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on embedded systems with very limited hardware resources. The "TouchGFX" technology optimizes the utilization of small hardware platforms, such as the ARM Cortex M-range microcontrollers (MCUs), resulting in faster image updates with less MCU load, outperforming competing frameworks. A person skilled in the art will know how to implement the Cortec-M hardware platform in the terminal with the TouchGFX' graphical library. Furthermore a person skilled in the art will appreciate that other graphical libraries and/or other microcontrollers may be used in the terminal if the same purpose of a power efficient graphical representation is achieve. Yet a further effect is that data is transmitted directly to the electronic cart terminal without central communication to a host. This is advantageous in regard to omitting expenses for acquisition, maintenance, and daily operation of a host.

In one aspect an updating algorithm run by the terminal program executed by the terminal processor is used for analysing the screen's graphical elements with the effect of only updating the screen content with altered graphical elements or parts of graphical elements while repeating the non-altered graphical element. This is advantageous in regard to reducing the power consumption of the cart terminal.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the power unit is configured with charging means for recharging the power storage. One effect of this is that manually battery change is avoided with the advantage of reduced expenses to manual labour.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the charging means comprises a radio frequency power receiver for receiving RF-signals at one or more frequencies from one or more RF power transmitters. In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the charging means comprises an ultrasound power receiver for receiving ultrasound signals from at least one or more ultrasound power transmitters.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the charging means comprises an optical power receiver for receiving optical signals from at least one or more optical power transmitters.

The scope of the invention is by no means limited to the above-mentioned three embodiments of the charging means. Other aspects may include wireless charging means, renewable power sources or power sources which do not require manually handling.

One effect of the abovementioned embodiments is that physical handling for battery charging is omitted and thus significant lower operational costs may be obtained. In immediate continuation of the above embodiments and charging means the embodiment may in one aspect use Cota technology for wireless charging.

Cota is a registered trademark of Ossia Inc. The technology concerns remote and au- tomatically charging of small devices based on antenna technology. Cota uses a vast network of compact antennas and a power receiver to send and receive Cota power signals. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the concept of the Cota technology and will know how to implement this or a similar wireless charging system. Furthermore, in immediate continuation of the above embodiments and charging means the embodiment may in one aspect use U-beam technology for wireless charging.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the terminal wireless communica- tor comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy unit for external communication.

One effect of this embodiment is the communication between the terminal and the external handheld device is wireless with the advantage that the communication do not require user interaction with the external handheld device during the shopping event.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the terminal wireless communicator comprises a Wi-Fi unit for external communication and where the Wi-Fi unit is configured to power on or power off as function of the amount of data to be exchanged.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the terminal wireless communicator comprises a Li-Fi unit (43) for external communication and where the Li-Fi unit is configured to power on or power off as function of the amount of data to be exchanged.

In line with the embodiment using a Bluetooth Low Energy unit for external communication one effect of the two embodiments described immediate above is that the communication between the terminal and the external handheld device for both em- bodiments are wireless with the advantage that the communication do not require user interaction with the external handheld device during the shopping event.

A further effect of the two embodiments described immediate above is that the wire- less communication unit of the terminal reduces on-time to a minimum and thus reduces power consumption which may be advantageous in regard to longer life-time and longer continuous use-time.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the terminal wireless communica- tor comprises a Wi-Fi unit with an in-built timer configured to power on and power off to fetch cache data at configured time intervals.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the terminal wireless communicator comprises a Li-Fi unit with an in-built timer configured to power on and power off to fetch cache data at configured time intervals.

In line with the embodiment using a Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi or Li-Fi units for external communication one effect of the two embodiments described immediate above is that the communication between the terminal and the external handheld de- vice for both embodiments are wireless with the advantage that the communication do not require user interaction with the external handheld device during the shopping event.

A further effect of the two embodiments described immediate above may be that the on-time of the wireless communication unit of the terminal is reduced to a minimum and thus reduces power consumption which may be advantageous in regard to longer life-time and longer continuous use-time. Furthermore, the effect may be a reduced update-rate advantageous to the user who experience a suitable amount of information and to the store, giving the user a better experience with an appropriate update-rate of the screen content on the terminal.

In one embodiment the electronic cart terminal may be configured to adjust screen intensity as a function of input from a vibration sensor. One effect of this embodiment may be that the screen intensity is reduced when the cart in not in motion. This may for example be in the case where the user steps away from the cart to fetch goods away from the cart. Other examples could be that the user is reading the declaration on the goods or the user stops to talk with another person. This may be advantageous in regard to that the energy consumption of the terminal screen is reduced without a user actually noticing it, as the user may have focus away from the screen.

In one embodiment the electronic cart terminal may be configured with an algorithm for analysing the screen content and for updating the screen content with new or updated graphical elements compared to preceding screen content.

One effect of this embodiment may be that the screen content is only updating with altered graphical elements or parts of graphical elements while repeating the non- altered graphical element. This may be advantageous in regard to reducing the power consumption of the cart terminal.

In one embodiment the electronic cart terminal comprises a beacon means for transmitting a beacon signal, for receiving a beacon signal or for both.

One effect of this embodiment may be the store can provide information to the user regarding location or products in the store. This may for example be location of the user compared to an item from the shopping list, information on special offers from the shop, product images, advertisements, the shops slogan, logo or other identifica- tion of the shop. One advantage may be that the shop may utilize promotion push without the user being attentive about it and thus increase sales. Another effect may be that the user has the experience of being guided through the store, with increased customer satisfaction. In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the beacon signals are RF-signals.

In one embodiment of the electronic cart terminal the beacon signals are optical signals. One effect of the two immediate above describe embodiments is that both signal types are wireless thereby achieving wireless communication between the beacon and the terminal. Another effect is that both signal types may be designed for a given signal range of several ranges with different wavelengths and/or intensity. This may be advantageous in regard to obtaining several zones for one beacon.

In one embodiment the electronic cart terminal may be configured to adjust screen content and/or screen intensity as a function of a beacon signal.

One effect of this embodiment may be reduces power consumption which may be advantageous in regard to longer life-time and longer continuous use-time. Another effect may be a adjusted screen update-rate advantageous to the user who experience a suitable amount of information and to the store, giving the user a better experience with an appropriate update-rate of the screen content on the terminal.

In one embodiment the electronic cart terminal may be configured to split the screen content in a first screen for displaying item information from a handheld device and a second screen with screen content determined as a function of a received beacon signal.

One effect of this embodiment may be that while the first screen shows the shopping list and items hereof the second screen may be used to display information from the store. This may be advantageous for the store to use the second screen for promotion push. Another advantage is that the user may still have the shopping list item displayed while the displayed information from the store may be changing. An object of the invention may be achieved by a system of at least one electronic cart terminal configured to interact with at least one base station comprising base charger means. One effect of this embodiment may be that physical handling for battery charging is omitted and thus significant lower operational costs may be obtained.

Another object of the invention may be achieved by a system wherein the base charger means comprises at least one base charger transmitter configured with beam focus as a function of a received beacon signal.

One effect of this embodiment may be that the charging signal is focused onto one electronic cart terminal. This may be advantageous in regard to more efficient charg- ing of the terminals power unit. The efficiency may for example be in regard to faster charging than for an un-focused signal or for example in regard to reduced loss of signal in directions where no charging means are present.

Another object of the invention may be achieved by a system wherein the base charger transmitter comprises one or more RF power transmitters, one or more ultrasound power transmitters or a combination of both.

Yet another object of the invention may be achieved by a system wherein the base charger transmitter comprises one or more optical power transmitters.

One effect of the two embodiments described immediate above is that the charging of the terminal are wireless with the advantage that charging do not require manually interaction. A further advantage may be the terminal may be recharged during use as long as it is within the range of a power transmitter. Furthermore, an advantage is that the terminal and thus the cart should not be placed in a specific place to be recharged. For example, if the stores car park is within the range of a power transmitter, the terminal may be recharged even if the cart is left in a non-designated area for the carts.

In general, the wireless charging may have the effect that the terminal is continuously recharged to achieve continuous use-time of the terminal.

One object of the invention may be achieved by a system of at least one electronic cart terminal configured to interact with a central server for updating the terminal programme, the graphical library or both. One effect of this embodiment may be to maintain updated programmes and algorithms running on the electronic cart terminal. This may be advantageous in regard to displaying new graphical elements. Another effect may be a more effective pro- gramme execution thereby achieving reduced power consumption of the terminal.

Example:

One example of an embodiment of the invention is described below in which the embodiment is referred to as an exemplary model. The embodiment is described by ref- erence to figure 2, 3 and 4.

Description of exemplary model: Exemplary model concerns an information terminal, controlled by a mobile telephone for mounting on shopping cart which is able to show mobile application content such as shopping list from the costumer's mobile unit, product- and advertisement information and other things. Which information to be displayed on the information terminal is controlled by the mobile application on costumer's mobile after these are linked.

The functionality is obtainable when the customer has connected own mobile unit to information terminal (figure 2) by entering shopping cart ID to mobile application. The application on mobile unit controls subsequently the graphic presentation on screen (figure 3) by transferring one shopping list item from mobile telephone to the information terminal along with images on shopping list item and associated advertising information. The subsequent physical interaction (figure 4) takes place on the in- formation terminal, which transmits user interaction back to mobile application, whereupon mobile application process and transmits next content item to the information terminal - and so on.

Prior art: Mounting of information terminals on shopping cart is known from diverse exemplary models. The current use of information terminals for mounting on shopping carts are characterized by independent mobile unit or computer unit. Here, the computer performance and communication is primarily managed by the information terminal, which requires significant power consumption and thus heightened require- ment for battery, including charging. Components, which all are raising the price and have negative impact on the daily operational costs.

The new art: Exemplary model differ from prior art by that the primary computer per- formance takes place on the customer's mobile unit and data is transmitted directly to the information terminal without central communication to host. Hereby, cheaper hardware may be used in the information terminal. Cortec-M hardware platform comprising 'TouchGFX' graphical library are key elements for the power efficient graphical representation on the information terminal. Furthermore, the information terminal supports wireless battery charging from base station, which has significant lower operational costs than known technique.

In summary: Exemplary model concerns an information terminal, controlled by a mobile telephone, for mounting on shopping cart which may display mobile application content such as shopping list from the customer's mobile unit, product- and advertisement information and other things. Which information to be displayed on the information terminal is controlled by the mobile application on costumer's mobile after these are linked.

Hardware based Cortec-M platform comprising 'TouchGFX' graphical library are key elements in information terminal. Along with wireless charging an efficient design with limited operational costs are achieved.

In short the embodiment of the example may comprise the following:

• Mobile application controls screen navigation on information terminal mounted shopping cart

• Cortec-M hardware platform comprising 'TouchGFX' graphical library are used in information terminal mounted shopping cart

• Cota technology are used for wireless charging of information terminal mounted shopping cart

• U-beam technology are used for wireless charging of information terminal mounted shopping cart A person skilled in the art will appreciate the above description of one embodiment of the invention as an exemplary model where different terms have been used. For example: the electronic cart terminal is referred to as information terminal, and the external handheld device is described by a mobile telephone or mobile unit. The refer- ences to Cortec-M hardware platform, 'TouchGFX' graphical library, and Cota technology are the same as previously described.

Description of the Drawing

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of an external handheld device communicating with an electronic cart terminal mounted on a shopping cart.

Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal linking with an external handheld device. Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal communication with an external handheld device.

Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal communication with an external handheld device.

Figure 5 illustrates the range of the beacon signal.

Figure 6 illustrates interaction between elements of the system and the user.

Detailed Description of the Invention

No Item

10 electronic cart terminal

12 shopping cart

14 screen

14A First screen

14B Second screen

16 terminal processor

18 terminal storage 22 terminal wireless communicator

24 external handheld device

26 power unit

28 power storage

30 charging means

32 radio frequency (RF) power receiver

34 radio frequency (RF) power transmitters

36 ultrasound power receiver

38 ultrasound power transmitters

40 Bluetooth Low Energy unit

42 Wi-Fi unit

43 Li-Fi unit

44 vibration sensor

46 optical power receiver

48 optical power transmitters

50 input

52 instructions

54 item information

60 screen content

62 screen intensity

64 graphical elements

70 logo

72 shopping cart ID

74 Predefined content #1

76 Link

78 Add

80 Customer profile

90 Predefined content #2

92 Predefined content #3

94 Predefined content #4

96 external handheld device input, quantity

98 external handheld device input, item

110 terminal program 112 Handheld device program

114 algorithm

116 graphical library

130 beacon means

132 beacon signal

134 immediate beacon zone

136 near beacon zone

138 far beacon zone

200 method

210 display information

212 (to) link

214 communicate

216 transmitting

218 receiving

220 link request

222 link accept

224 add

300 System

310 base station

320 base charger means

322 base charger transmitter

324 beam focus

330 central server

Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal 10 mounted on a shopping cart 12. The electronic cart terminal 10 comprises a screen 14. The electronic cart terminal 10 communicates 214 with an external handheld device 24. The com- munication 214 may be both ways between the electronic cart terminal 10 and the external handheld device 24. The content on the screen 14 may comprise a shopping list entered into the external handheld device 24, product images, advertisements and special offers from the shop, the shops slogan, logo or other identification of the shop. In this embodiment the electronic cart terminal 10 is mounted on the handle of the shopping cart 12. However, the electronic cart terminal 10 may be mounted other places on the cart 12. The electronic cart terminal 10 may be permanently mounted on the cart 12 and the means for mounting may be chosen according to the purpose and placement of the terminal 10. Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal 10 linking with an external handheld device 24. The linking between the two devices is done by that the external handheld device 24 sends a link request 220 to the electronic cart terminal 10 and subsequent a link accept 222 is send from the electronic cart terminal 10 to the external handheld device 24. For this embodiment the screen 14 comprised in the elec- tronic cart terminal 10 displays screen content 60 comprising the stores or companies logo 70 and the shopping cart ID 72.

The handheld device 24 runs an application program comprising a user interface which includes a shopping list entered by the user. For this embodiment the user inter- face comprises a user profile 80, predefined content #1 - #4 74, 90, 92, 94 configured with headlines "Cart ID", "shopping list", "Quantity" and "Item", user defined content 72, 96, 98 and a link activation button 76. The user defined content comprises the shopping cart ID 72, and the content of the shopping list with specification of quantity 96 and item 98.

Pressing the link activation button 76 sends a link request 220 to the electronic cart terminal 10 mounted on the shopping cart with the entered shopping cart ID 72.

Figure 3 and figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of an electronic cart terminal 10 communicating with an external handheld device 24. The handheld device 24 runs an application program comprising a user interface as previously described in connection with figure 2. The illustrated embodiment shows that the external handheld device 24 is transmitting 216 data to the electronic cart terminal 10 and receives 218 data from the electronic cart terminal 10. The data is processed on the external handheld device 24 (not illustrated). For this embodiment the screen 14 comprised in the electronic cart terminal 10 displays a screen content 60 which is spilt into two minor screens: a first screen 14A and a second screen 14B. The content 60 displayed on the first screen 14A may comprise an image associating to the store or company, a field for displaying item information 54 and forward and backward scroll buttons. The item information 54 may display one of the items comprised in the shopping list. If the shopping list comprises an item of a specific brand a product image and information regarding this specific brand item may be displayed. If instead, the shopping list comprises an item without stating a brand, items of different bands may be displayed, special offers of the week for this item may be displayed or other relevant item information 54 may be displayed. The forward and backward scroll buttons may be used to scroll between items of different bands or between the items 98 of the shopping list.

For this embodiment the second screen 14B may comprise a background image and an "add" button 78. The add button may be configured to record that the item is added to the shopping cart and thus the item may be highlighted accordingly on the shopping list as checked off as illustrated in figure 4.

Figure 5 illustrates the range of the beacon signal 132. The range may be divided into zones with one zone, the immediate beacon zone 134, which is in the close vicinity of and comprises the beacon means 132. The next zone may be the near beacon zone 136 surrounding the immediate beacon zone 134 and an exterior zone, the far beacon zone 138 surrounding the near beacon zone 136. Depending on in which zone the electronic cart terminal is the screen may display special offers, additional suggestions of items to add to the shopping list, point the user to the next item on the shopping list or the item on the shopping list which is closest to where the user are.

Figure 6 illustrates one embodiment of interaction between elements of the system and the user when in use during shopping in a store. One beacon 130 is illustrated to send out signals. When an electronic cart terminal 10 is within a beacon zone information is transmitted 216 from the beacon to the electronic cart terminal 10. Depending on the setup, different information may be send depending on, whether the terminal 10 is in the immediate beacon zone, the near beacon zone or the far beacon zone as illustrated in figure 5. The beacon registers when a terminal 10 is within the beacon zone and starts to transmit 216. The information transmitted 216 to the terminal 10 is either processed in the terminal 10 or communicated 214 further on to the external handheld device 24 for further processing. The processing taking place in the terminal is limited to only basic processes otherwise the processing is performed on the external handheld device 24. If the beacon signal motivates a screen update, this is transmitted 216 from the terminal 10 to the external handheld device 24. After processing on the external device 24 of which screen elements or parts of screen elements to be updated, data is send to the terminal 10, which on receives 218 the basic information on which screen elements to update. In the illustrated embodiment the screen may be updated with the beacon information of a special offer. This facilitates user interaction with the terminal 10 or communication 214 between the user and the terminal. The user may for example ignore the offer, accept or refuse the offer. If the user accepts the offer, this action may lead to yet an additional screen update which again requires communication 214 between the terminal 10 and the external handheld device 24 for information processing.