Electronic shopping system utilizing a program downloadable wireless videophone

An electronic transaction system comprising:

• a server for storing a transaction program and for facilitating electronic transactions;
• at least one wireless videophone for communicating with the server, the wireless telephone(s) comprising:
• a program memory for storing a downloaded transaction program;
• a program loader comprising a firmware memory, the firmware memory containing instructions for downloading the transaction program from a server into the program memory;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the instructions contained in the firmware memory of the program loader and for executing the downloaded transaction program stored in the program memory;
• and
• a digital camera in communication with the microprocessor, the digital camera being adapted to take pictures of visual images representing indicia of items to be purchased, the digital camera being further adapted to transmit visual image data associated with the acquired visual images to the server for indicating the items to be purchased.

A program downloadable wireless videophone for facilitating performance of purchase transactions, the program downloadable wireless videophone comprising:

• a program memory for storing a downloaded purchase transaction program;
• a program loader comprising a firmware memory, the firmware memory containing instructions for downloading the purchase transaction program from a server into the program memory;
• a microprocessor for executing the instructions contained in the firmware memory of the program loader and for executing the downloaded purchase transaction program stored in the program memory;
• a digital camera in communication with the microprocessor for taking pictures of visual images representing indicia of products to be purchased and for transmitting visual image data associated with the acquired visual images to the server for indicating the products to be purchased;
• and
• an IC card reader/writer in communication with the microprocessor for facilitating payment for products purchased.

An electronic shopping system for facilitating purchase transactions via a wireless videophone, the electronic shopping system comprising:

• a server for storing a purchase transaction program and for facilitating electronic purchase transactions;
• and
• at least one wireless videophone for communicating with the server, the wireless telephones comprising:
• an antenna for receiving a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency signal comprising at least a purchase transaction program;
• a radio frequency receiver/amplifier coupled to receive the radio frequency signal from the antenna for amplifying the radio frequency signal;
• a demodulator coupled to receive the amplified radio frequency signal from the radio frequency receiver/amplifier for demodulating the amplified radio frequency signal;
• a channel decoder coupled to receive a demodulated signal from the demodulator for separating non-speech and non-video digital data from the demodulated signal, the non-speech and non-video digital data comprising the purchase transaction program;
• a program memory coupled to receive the purchase transaction program from the channel decoder for storing the purchase transaction program;
• a program loader for downloading a purchase transaction program from the server into the program memory;
• and
• a digital camera for taking pictures of visual images representing indicia of items to be purchased and for transmitting visual image data associated with the acquired visual images to the server for indicating the items to be purchased.

A program downloadable wireless videophone for bidirectional communication with an electronic shopping system server, comprising:

• a housing;
• a digital camera, disposed on a front end of the housing;
• a display screen disposed on the surface of the housing;
• bidirectional electronic communication circuitry, disposed within the housing, the circuitry including;
• an antenna;
• transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals between the server and the videophone;
• a demodulator coupled to demodulate radio frequency signals received from the server;
• a channel decoder coupled to receive a demodulated signal from the demodulator, the channel decoder separating the received signal into voice, video and data portions;
• program loader circuitry configured to download executable program instructions from the server, the executable program instructions comprising a data portion of the received signal;
• and
• a program memory coupled to the program loader circuitry, the program memory storing the downloaded executable instructions;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the downloaded instructions for using the digital camera to take pictures of visual images representing indicia of items to be purchased and for transmitting visual image data associated with the acquired visual images to the server for indicating the items to be purchased.

A method for performing purchase transactions via a wireless videophone including a digital camera, the method comprising the steps of:

• calling a server with the wireless videophone;
• transmitting a radio frequency signal comprising a purchase transaction program to the wireless videophone, the radio frequency signal being received by an antenna of the wireless videophone;
• amplifying the radio frequency signal received by the antenna to provide an amplified radio frequency signal;
• demodulating the amplified radio frequency signal to provide a demodulated signal;
• separating the purchase transaction program from the demodulated signal;
• and
• using the purchase transaction program to perform a purchase transaction including using the digital camera for taking pictures of visual images representing indicia of items to be purchased and transmitting visual image data associated with the acquired visual images to the server for indicating the items to be purchased.

A program downloadable wireless videophone comprising:

• a program memory for storing a downloaded transaction program from a particular seller, the transaction program allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller, the format being customized based on a purchaser's profile information;
• a program loader comprising a firmware memory, the firmware memory containing instructions for downloading the transaction program from a server into the program memory;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the instructions contained in the firmware memory of the program loader and for executing the downloaded transaction program stored in the program memory.

An electronic transaction system comprising:

• a server for storing a transaction program and for facilitating electronic transactions;
• at least one wireless videophone for communicating with the server, the wireless telephone(s) comprising:
• a program memory for storing a downloaded transaction program from a particular seller, the transaction program allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller, the format being customized based on a purchaser's profile information;
• a program loader comprising a firmware memory, the firmware memory containing instructions for downloading the transaction program from a server into the program memory;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the instructions contained in the firmware memory of the program loader and for executing the downloaded transaction program stored in the program memory.

A program downloadable wireless videophone for facilitating performance of purchase transactions, the program downloadable wireless videophone comprising:

• a program memory for storing a downloaded transaction program from a particular seller, the transaction program allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller;
• a program loader comprising a firmware memory, the firmware memory containing instructions for downloading the transaction program from a server into the program memory;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the instructions contained in the firmware memory of the program loader and for executing the downloaded transaction program stored in the program memory;
• a digital camera in communication with the microprocessor for acquiring visual indicia indicating products to be purchased;
• and
• an IC card reader/write in communication with the microprocessor for facilitating payment for product purchased.

An electronic shopping system for facilitating purchase transactions via a wireless videophone, the electronic shopping system comprising:

• a server for storing a purchase transaction program and for facilitating electronic purchase transactions from a particular seller, the transaction program allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller, the format being customized based on a purchaser's profile information;
• at least one wireless videophone for communicating with the server, the wireless telephone(s) comprising:
• an antenna for receiving a radio frequency signal, the radio frequency signal comprising at least a purchase transaction program;
• a receiver comprising:
• a radio frequency receiver/amplifier coupled to receive the radio frequency signal from the antenna for amplifying the radio frequency signal;
• a demodulator coupled to receive the amplified radio frequency signal from the radio frequency receiver/amplifier for demodulating the amplified radio frequency signal;
• a channel decoder coupled to received a demodulated signal from the demodulator for separating non-speech and non-video digital data from the demodulated signal, the non-speech and non-video digital data comprising the purchase transaction program;
• a program memory coupled to receive the purchase transaction program from the channel decoder for storing the purchase transaction program;
• and
• a program loader for downloading a purchase transaction program from the server into the program memory.

A program downloadable wireless videophone for bi-directional communication with an electronic shopping system server associated with a particular seller, comprising:

• a housing;
• a digital camera, disposed on a front end of the housing;
• a display screen disposed on the surface of the housing;
• bidirectional electronic communication circuitry, disposed within the housing, the circuitry including;
• an antenna;
• transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals between the server and the videophone;
• a demodulator coupled to demodulate radio frequency signals received from the server;
• a channel decoder coupled to receive a demodulated signal from the demodulator, the channel decoder separating the received signal into voice, video and data portions;
• a program loader circuitry configured to download executable program instructions from the server, the executable program instructions comprising a data portion of the received signal, the executable program instructions allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller;
• and
• a program memory coupled to the program loader circuitry, the program memory storing the downloaded executable instructions;
• and
• a microprocessor for executing the downloaded instructions.

A method for performing purchase transactions via a wireless videophone, the method comprising the steps of:

• calling a server with the wireless videophone;
• transmitting a radio frequency signal comprising a purchase transaction program from a particular seller to the wireless videophone, the purchase transaction program allowing display of information in a format specified by the particular seller, the format being customized based on a purchaser's profile information, and the radio frequency signal being received by an antenna of the wireless videophone;
• amplifying the radio frequency signal received by the antenna to provide an amplified radio frequency signal;
• demodulating the amplified radio frequency signal to provide a demodulated signal;
• separating the purchase transaction program from the demodulated signal;
• and
• using the purchase transaction program to perform a purchase transaction.