Abstract: The present invention features a Product Information System (PISYS) which presents advertising and product information to grocery shoppers. The system includes one or more shopping carts with a bar code scanner to read Universal Product Codes (UPCs) from merchandise. An artificial intelligence system presents advertising and general product information. The system determines the shopper's tastes from choices which the shopper expresses explicitly and from characterizations which it infers by examining the shopper's buying habits. When the shopping session is complete, the PISYS shopping cart transfers relevant information to a PISYS check-out counter, which transfers it directly to an in-house central computer. Because a PISYS shopping cart interacts with a shopper at the very moment he is making a purchase decision, it provides the most effective means for advertising.

Abstract: A price verification method for retail stores using shelf pricing, and apparatus therefor, in which the shelf labels are provided with an extended bar code having the item number and price of the item. A remote unit scans the item number and price, and uses the item number to look up the item in a database which is identical to the store checkout scanner database, and compares the shelf price to the database price. If they are not the same, a new shelf label may be printed immediately. Also, the UPC or other barcode on the product itself is scanned and compared to the shelf price label.

Abstract: The present invention teaches apparatus, method and use for a portable shopper product information remote unit. A plurality of remote units are provided to shoppers within a retail establishment which uses bar code scanners at a cashier's counter to record products of the shopper's purchase. The units are retrieved from each shopper subsequent to a finished purchase and returned to a central maintenance system. The remote units' batteries are recharged and data updated with at least updated pricing information such that the bar code scanners at the cashier's counters and the remote units are provided with the same updated product pricing information.