Appeal No. 2004-0528 Page 6
Application No. 09/204,018
create a registry list, and desired items purchased by the customer are
associated with the registry database to create an updated list reflecting the
purchase of said desired items. The registry database is thereby automatically
updated so that one customer does not purchase items that have already been
purchased by another customer.
In another aspect of the invention, an inter-site product information system
is provided for use in a plurality of retail establishments. A product selection
device and a data processor are located at a registry enrollment site for
identifying desired items selected by a registrant and routing the desired items to
the registry database on a host computer. A registry retrieval device, a
point-of-sale data input device, and another data processor are located at a
separate customer purchase site for allowing a customer to retrieve updated
registry information. A host computer is also provided to maintain the registry
database and process selection and purchasing transactions. Thus, desired
items consecutively selected by the registrant at the registry enrollment site are
added to the registry database to create a registry count, and desired items
subsequently purchased by the customer at the customer purchase site are
associated with the registry database to create an updated list reflecting the
purchase of the desired items. Preferably, a registry retrieval device and a
point-of-sale input device are also provided at the registry enrollment site to allow
customers to purchase items at that site as well as the customer purchase site.
Furthermore, a product selection device is preferably provided at the registry
enrollment site to allow the registrants to update the registry database at that site
if desired.
LeRoy further teaches (column 5, lines 47-51) that "a registrant may be able to
enroll at home over a public access system such as the Internet, and purchasing
customers can retrieve updated registry lists and make purchases with credit cards at
home over such a public access system." LeRoy instructs (column 6, lines 27-33) that
devices other than a handheld scanner could be utilized so that a registrant can identify
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