US 11004139

US Patent 11004139B2, titled "System and method for providing simplified in store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," was filed on October 31, 2018, and issued on May 11, 2021. The current assignee is Monticello Enterprises LLC, and the inventors are Thomas M. Isaacson and Ryan Connell Durham.

Abstract:
The patent describes applying a browser payment API (Application Programming Interface) to both brick-and-mortar and online shopping experiences. The store server communicates with a user's mobile device browser to get product identification data. The server then uses the browser API to manage the purchase. This system aims to simplify and integrate purchasing, eliminating the need for separate store apps or extensive in-store infrastructure like those found in Amazon Go stores. It enables a consistent purchasing experience across online and physical retail environments.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Independent Claim 1:
This claim describes a computer-implemented method for simplified in-store purchases using a mobile device with a browser. It involves receiving a request at a merchant server from the user's browser, where the user is in a physical store. The system then enables the browser to interact with a hardware component on the mobile device (like a camera or NFC module) to identify a product in the store. This product identification data is sent to the merchant server via the browser. Based on this, the server can then initiate a payment process for the identified product using a browser-based payment API. This means the browser on the user's phone acts as an intermediary for product identification and payment, reducing the need for traditional checkout systems in physical stores.

Independent Claim 12:
This claim outlines a user device (e.g., a smartphone) configured for simplified in-store purchases. The device has a processor, memory storing instructions, and a communication interface. When these instructions are executed, they cause the device to automatically launch a browser and navigate to a specific store's URL upon entering the store, potentially triggered by a wireless signal. The browser then receives user interface data from the store's server. This interface allows the user to interact with products in the physical store (e.g., by scanning codes or using NFC) to identify them for purchase. Finally, the browser is used to manage the payment process for these identified products via a browser-based payment API.

Independent Claim 17:
This claim covers a system for facilitating simplified in-store purchases. It includes a server, a database, and a communication interface. The server is configured to receive product identification data from a user's mobile device browser, where the user is physically in a store. It also establishes communication with the browser via a browser-based API to manage the payment process for the identified product. The system can also modify a user interface (sent to the browser) based on personalized user data received through an API, guiding the user in the store (e.g., to products that fit their preferences or body model). The payment is then managed through the browser-based payment API.

Litigation Status (as of 2026-05-30, based on provided text):
The patent family has ongoing litigation. Specifically, there are US cases filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) with case numbers 26-1717, 26-1730, and 26-1694. There are also US cases filed in the Texas Western District Court with case numbers 6:23-cv-00763, 6:23-cv-00753, and 6:23-cv-00761.

Known litigation involving US patent 11004139 includes several cases filed in the Western District of Texas. These cases were later consolidated into a lead case. Details for associated appeals to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) were not specifically identified in the provided search results.

Here are the known litigation cases:

1. Case Number: 6:23-cv-00763

   • Plaintiff(s): Monticello Enterprises LLC
   • Defendant(s): Starbucks Corporation
   • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
   • Filing Date: November 9, 2023
   • Outcome/Current Status: Administratively closed on April 19, 2024, after being consolidated under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a) into lead case 6:23-cv-753-XR. No merits ruling (i.e., no findings of infringement, validity, or damages) was issued in this specific case. All future litigation activity on the asserted patents against Starbucks will proceed under the lead case number.

2. Case Number: 6:23-cv-00761

   • Plaintiff(s): Monticello Enterprises LLC
   • Defendant(s): Petco Health & Wellness Company Inc., Petco Animal Supply Stores Inc.
   • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
   • Filing Date: November 9, 2023
   • Outcome/Current Status: Administratively closed on April 19, 2024, pursuant to a consolidation order into the lead case 6:23-cv-753-XR. No merits determination was issued. The litigation continues under the consolidated lead case number.

3. Case Number: 6:23-cv-00753 (Lead Case)

   • Plaintiff(s): Monticello Enterprises LLC
   • Defendant(s): Bluemercury Inc., Macy's Retail Holdings Inc., Macys.com Inc., Macys Inc. (and presumably Starbucks and Petco via consolidation).
   • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
   • Filing Date: November 7, 2023
   • Outcome/Current Status: The court issued an Order Adopting Report and Recommendation in Part on March 18, 2026, which granted the Defendants' Joint Motion for Summary Judgment and dismissed these consolidated cases. Earlier, on January 21, 2025, the court adopted a Magistrate Judge's Report and Recommendation, denying the defendants' motions to dismiss on eligibility grounds without prejudice. The motions to dismiss alleged that all six patents asserted by the plaintiff claimed ineligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. § 101. The dismissal on March 18, 2026, was based on the finding that the defendants had an automatic sublicense, precluding the plaintiff's claims.

Regarding the cases filed in the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit with case numbers 26-1717, 26-1730, and 26-1694, the specific details regarding plaintiffs, defendants, filing dates, and outcomes were not found within the provided search results.

The USPTO ODP API returns no AIA trial proceedings for US patent 11004139 as of the most recent ingest. A web search for PTAB proceedings related to US patent 11004139 also did not surface any active or past proceedings.

Proceedings overview

There are no PTAB proceedings on file for US patent 11004139. This means the patent's claims have not been challenged in an Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method patent review. From a defendant's perspective, this means the patent has not been subjected to PTAB scrutiny, and its claims have not been evaluated for patentability against prior art in this forum.

Recommended next steps

Since no PTAB activity exists for US patent 11004139, a defendant facing assertion of this patent would need to initiate a new AIA trial proceeding (e.g., an IPR) if they wished to challenge the patentability of the claims before the PTAB. The absence of prior PTAB challenges suggests that the patent's claims are untested in this forum, and an IPR could be a viable defensive strategy.

Inventors

• Thomas M. Isaacson (Monticello Enterprises LLC)
• Ryan Connell Durham (Monticello Enterprises LLC)

No unusual patterns noted, as both inventors appear to be associated with the original assignee at the time of filing.

Original assignee

Monticello Enterprises LLC. It is unclear from the patent text or publicly available information if Monticello Enterprises LLC shipped a product embodying the claims. Their primary line of business, based on the patent, appears to be intellectual property related to simplified purchasing systems. Their current status is "Active" according to Google Patents.

Assignment timeline

To determine the full assignment record, a direct search of the USPTO Assignment Center for patent number US11004139 is necessary. Unfortunately, I cannot directly access the live USPTO Assignment Center database to retrieve the specific reel/frame and correspondent information for this patent. My search capabilities allow me to find general information about the USPTO Assignment Search tool, but not to execute a live search within it.

Therefore, I cannot provide a detailed chronological list of every recorded assignment, including reel/frame, conveyance type, assignor, assignee, correspondent, and context for US11004139.

However, Google Patents indicates that the "Current Assignee" is Monticello Enterprises LLC and the "Original Assignee" is also Monticello Enterprises LLC. The "reassignment" event on 2019-07-16 states: "Assigned to Monticello Enterprises LLC (ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ISAACSON, THOMAS M, DURHAM, RYAN CONNELL)". This suggests an assignment from the inventors to Monticello Enterprises LLC, which aligns with Monticello Enterprises LLC being both the original and current assignee.

Without direct access to the USPTO Assignment Center to verify any additional assignments, I must state that no further assignments are readily determinable from the provided search results.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 11004139
    2018 : Application filed by Monticello Enterprises LLC
    2019 : Assigned to Monticello Enterprises LLC (inventors to entity)
    2021 : Patent granted to Monticello Enterprises LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

Due to the inability to access the live USPTO Assignment Center and retrieve specific reel/frame and correspondent information, most of these signals cannot be definitively assessed.

1. Shell-entity transfer — unclear. While Monticello Enterprises LLC is the assignee, without full assignment records and information on product shipment, it's not possible to definitively classify it as a shell entity solely for licensing.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Based on the information available, Monticello Enterprises LLC is not explicitly listed as a known NPE.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. This requires access to the correspondent information from the USPTO Assignment Center, which is not available.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment from the inventors to Monticello Enterprises LLC is indicated.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While Google Patents notes "Family has litigation", the exact filing dates of any infringement suits and their relationship to potential assignment dates are not available without further research into the litigation records.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of bankruptcy for the original assignee.
7. Privateering — unclear. There's no information to suggest an operating company transferred the patent to an NPE for assertion.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data.
Based on the available information, only the initial assignment from the inventors to Monticello Enterprises LLC is apparent. Without direct access to the USPTO Assignment Center to review all recorded assignments, including correspondent details, it is not possible to confidently identify NPE/troll-pattern signals. A direct search on the USPTO Assignment Center for patent number US11004139 would be required for a definitive analysis.

Here's an analysis of the most relevant prior art for US patent 11004139, based on its cited "Priority claimed from" patents. Given that US11004139 is a continuation of many of these applications, they often share significant conceptual overlap.

US Patent 11004139 (Monticello Enterprises LLC)

• Title: System and method for providing simplified in store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API
• Filing Date: 2018-10-31
• Publication Date: 2021-05-11
• Abstract/Core Concepts: The patent generally describes systems and methods for simplifying in-store and in-app purchases using a browser-based payment API. It aims to eliminate the need for store-specific applications and complex physical infrastructure by allowing a user's mobile device browser to communicate with a store server, identify products (via camera, NFC, RFID), manage a virtual shopping cart, and process payments using standard browser payment APIs. The system also introduces features like automated browser launching, personalized shopping experiences via API data exchange (e.g., body models, preferences), consolidated shopping carts spanning online/in-store, and fraud detection.

Below are the identified prior art citations from the "Priority claimed from" section of US11004139.

Prior Art Analysis for US11004139

1. US Patent 9,430,794 B2

• Full Citation: US 9,430,794 B2, "System and method for providing personalized data to a website via a browser based API," issued August 30, 2016, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: March 31, 2014; Published: August 30, 2016.
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for enabling a browser to act as an agent to retrieve personalized data (e.g., user preferences, body models) from a user device and transmit it to a website via an API. The website then uses this data to tailor its user interface and content for an enhanced user experience. It focuses on the secure and efficient exchange of personal data between a browser and a website.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates claims in US11004139 related to the use of a browser-based API to exchange personalized data for configuring a user interface and enhancing the shopping experience (e.g., guiding a user to products based on preferences or body models). The core mechanism of the browser acting as an agent for data exchange is foundational to US11004139's personalization aspects.

2. US Patent 9,361,638 B2

• Full Citation: US 9,361,638 B2, "System and method for providing personalized data to a website via a browser based API," issued June 7, 2016, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: March 30, 2015; Published: June 7, 2016.
• Brief Description: Similar to US 9,430,794 B2, this patent also focuses on providing personalized data to a website via a browser-based API. It emphasizes the browser acting as an intermediary to facilitate the secure transfer of user-specific information to customize the web experience.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent, like US 9,430,794 B2, potentially anticipates claims in US11004139 that involve the use of a browser-based API for transmitting personalized data (e.g., body models, preferences) to a store server to tailor the in-store user interface or product recommendations.

3. US Patent 9,824,408 B2

• Full Citation: US 9,824,408 B2, "System and method for using a browser payment API for enhanced purchases," issued November 21, 2017, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: September 12, 2016; Published: November 21, 2017.
• Brief Description: This patent introduces the concept of using a browser payment API (e.g., Payment Request API) to streamline online purchase experiences. It describes how payment data, shipping information, and other details can be communicated securely and efficiently via the browser acting as an agent between the user device and a merchant website.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent directly addresses the use of a browser payment API for enhanced purchases, which is a central theme of US11004139. It potentially anticipates claims relating to the core payment processing mechanism for both online and, by extension, simplified in-store purchases as the underlying API usage would be similar.

4. US Patent 10,121,186 B2

• Full Citation: US 10,121,186 B2, "System and method for using a browser payment API for enhanced purchases and user authentication," issued November 6, 2018, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: May 4, 2017; Published: November 6, 2018.
• Brief Description: This patent extends the concepts of browser payment APIs to include user authentication, such as biometric verification (fingerprint, facial recognition), to enhance security and simplify the purchasing process. It covers how the browser can manage and transmit authentication data for payment authorization.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates claims in US11004139 that involve using browser-based payment APIs with integrated user authentication (e.g., biometric confirmation) for purchase authorization, whether in an online or in-store context.

5. US Patent 10,504,193 B2

• Full Citation: US 10,504,193 B2, "System and method for using a browser payment API for enhanced purchases and user authentication," issued December 10, 2019, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: May 19, 2017; Published: December 10, 2019.
• Brief Description: This patent is another continuation/related patent focusing on browser payment APIs for enhanced purchases and user authentication, reinforcing the principles described in US 10,121,186 B2.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US 10,121,186 B2, this patent further details and claims aspects of browser payment APIs combined with user authentication, potentially anticipating claims in US11004139 covering these specific mechanisms.

6. US Patent Application Publication 2018/0019984 A1

• Full Citation: US 2018/0019984 A1, "System and method for providing simplified in-store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," published January 18, 2018, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: August 16, 2017; Published: January 18, 2018.
• Brief Description: This application explicitly introduces the core inventive concept of US11004139: simplifying in-store and in-app purchases using a browser-based payment API. It describes the use of mobile device cameras or NFC/RFID to identify products in a physical store, automatically launching a browser to a store's URL, and processing payment via a browser API, thereby eliminating traditional POS systems and store-specific apps.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This application is highly relevant as it describes virtually all the foundational concepts of US11004139, including using a browser-based API for in-store purchases, product identification via mobile device components (camera, NFC), automated browser initiation, and streamlining the checkout process. Many claims in US11004139 related to the overall system and method for simplified in-store purchases would likely find strong anticipatory disclosure in this publication.

7. US Patent 10,497,037 B2

• Full Citation: US 10,497,037 B2, "System and method for providing simplified in-store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," issued December 3, 2019, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: September 29, 2017; Published: December 3, 2019.
• Brief Description: This patent is a direct continuation/divisional of applications sharing the same title and core inventive subject matter as US11004139 and US 2018/0019984 A1. It further refines and claims aspects of the simplified in-store and in-app purchasing using a browser-based payment API.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Due to its identical title and direct lineage, this patent likely anticipates many claims of US11004139 related to the system and method for simplified in-store purchases, including the specific interactions between the mobile device, browser, store server, and payment API.

8. US Patent 10,152,756 B2

• Full Citation: US 10,152,756 B2, "System and method for providing simplified in-store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," issued December 11, 2018, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: April 6, 2018; Published: December 11, 2018.
• Brief Description: This patent is another in the family, with the same title as US11004139, focusing on the simplified in-store and in-app purchasing experience via browser-based payment APIs. It provides further details and claims on the interaction flow and technical components involved.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant and likely anticipates a significant portion of the claims in US11004139, particularly those describing the core functionality of detecting products, communicating with a store server via a browser, and facilitating payment using a browser API in a physical store setting.

9. US Patent 10,832,310 B2

• Full Citation: US 10,832,310 B2, "System and method for providing simplified in-store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," issued November 10, 2020, to Monticello Enterprises LLC (Inventors: Isaacson, Thomas M.; Durham, Ryan Connell).
• Publication/Filing Date: Filed: September 10, 2018; Published: November 10, 2020.
• Brief Description: This patent is another direct predecessor/continuation of US11004139, sharing the exact title and core inventive concepts. It further elaborates on the system and method for simplified in-store and in-app purchases utilizing a browser-based payment API, covering aspects of product identification, user interaction, and payment processing.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As a direct predecessor with an identical title and subject matter, this patent is expected to anticipate many, if not most, of the claims in US11004139 related to the fundamental aspects of providing simplified in-store purchases using a user-interface-based payment API.

General Note on Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102):
Since US11004139 claims priority from these patents and applications, and many share identical or highly similar titles and descriptions, there is a strong likelihood of overlap in the inventive subject matter. Under 35 U.S.C. § 102, if the earlier-filed and published applications or patents explicitly disclose every element of a claim in US11004139, they would anticipate those claims. Given the common inventorship and assignee, these are likely part of the same patent family, where later patents build upon or further claim aspects disclosed in earlier applications. Without access to the specific claims of US11004139, a precise claim-by-claim anticipation analysis cannot be performed. However, based on the provided descriptions, the concepts of a browser-based payment API, simplified in-store purchases, product identification via mobile devices, and automated browser functions appear to be extensively disclosed and potentially claimed in the identified prior art, particularly US 2018/0019984 A1 and subsequent granted patents with similar titles.

US patent 11004139, titled "System and method for providing simplified in store purchases and in-app purchases using a use-interface-based payment API," aims to simplify the brick-and-mortar shopping experience by enabling users to identify products and complete purchases using their mobile device's web browser and a browser-based payment API, thereby reducing the need for store-specific applications and extensive point-of-sale infrastructure.

Under 35 U.S.C. § 103, a patent claim is obvious if "the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains."

Based on the provided patent text, the following are identified as relevant prior art:

• Amazon Go Store: Described as a system that improves the user shopping experience by allowing users to pick up items and walk out, with purchases automatically charged to their account. However, the patent notes its downsides, including the requirement for users to download a specific Amazon Go app, scan a visual pattern or code upon entry, and the need for an expensive infrastructure of cameras to monitor user activity and product selections. [cite: "Amazon's Go Store provides an improvement of the user experience when shopping but still retains several downsides. The process is as follows. A user must download the Amazon Go app to coordinate with an Amazon payment account (stored credit card) of the user. As the user enters the store, they start the app and scan a visual pattern or code (called a key) that is shown on their phone.", "a very expensive infrastructure is required to monitor the user's selections for identifying what products they are purchasing."]
• Online Payment Services and Browser-based Payment APIs: The patent explicitly mentions "Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the Payment Request API" as existing online payment services and browser-based APIs. [cite: "Online payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the Payment Request API or the like are thus applied to the brick-and-mortar purchasing experience."]
• NFC-based Point-of-Sale (POS) Checkout Schemes: The patent refers to "brick-and-mortar point of sale check out schemes like Apple Pay and Google Pay" that utilize NFC technology at checkout points. [cite: "brick-and-mortar point of sale check out schemes like Apple Pay and Google Pay would also be eliminated in favor of the browser-based API model described herein in that no checkout point of sale would be needed."]

The problem US11004139 purports to solve includes the high cost and complexity of existing in-store automated purchasing systems (like Amazon Go), the need for store-specific apps, and the desire to create a consistent purchasing experience across online and physical stores.

Obviousness Combinations and Motivation

A person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) would have been motivated to combine elements from the identified prior art to arrive at the invention of US11004139.

Combination 1: Amazon Go Store + Online Browser-based Payment APIs

1. Motivation to Combine: The patent itself clearly articulates the motivation to improve upon the Amazon Go model. It states, "This approach also is much more efficient and inexpensive than the Amazon Go store which requires users to download an app, scan a code at an entry location of the store, and which furthermore requires cameras and expensive infrastructure to monitor users as they select items for sale." [cite: "This approach also is much more efficient and inexpensive than the Amazon Go store which requires users to download an app, scan a code at an entry location of the store, and which furthermore requires cameras and expensive infrastructure to monitor users as they select items for sale."] A PHOSITA, observing the convenience of Amazon Go but recognizing its significant infrastructure costs and the friction of requiring a dedicated app, would be motivated to find a more cost-effective and user-friendly solution. Simultaneously, the widespread adoption and simplicity of browser-based online payment APIs (like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Payment Request API) for online purchases would inspire a PHOSITA to leverage these existing, standardized, and secure payment mechanisms to eliminate the complexities and dedicated infrastructure associated with traditional or even Amazon Go-style in-store payments. The explicit goal is "enabling a consistent purchasing experience both online and in-store." [cite: "Online payment services such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the Payment Request API or the like are thus applied to the brick-and-mortar purchasing experience. Thus enabling a consistent purchasing experience both online and in-store."]

2. How the Combination Renders Claims Obvious:

   • Browser-based Store Interaction and Product Identification: Given the goal of reducing app clutter and infrastructure (from Amazon Go), a PHOSITA would naturally consider replacing Amazon Go's proprietary app and camera system with ubiquitous mobile web browsers and the native capabilities of mobile devices. Web browsers are well-known for accessing online store sites. Mobile devices commonly have cameras (for scanning barcodes/QR codes or general image recognition) and communication modules (NFC, RFID readers, Bluetooth) that can be integrated with browser functionality (e.g., via web APIs or JavaScript). Thus, enabling a mobile device's browser to access a store's website and use its camera or NFC for product identification (instead of Amazon Go's dedicated cameras) would be an obvious step for a PHOSITA. [cite: "the user device 204 can have a code reader/camera or other communication component and as they look at products they like, they can scan a code, or the product could be automatically identified through near field communication or some other wireless protocol."]
   • Virtual Shopping Cart: Once products are identified via the mobile device and communicated to the store's server (accessible via the browser), adding them to a virtual shopping cart is a standard and well-understood e-commerce feature.
   • Browser-based Payment API for In-Store Purchases: Applying existing browser-based payment APIs (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Payment Request API), which were already simplifying online transactions, to finalize purchases within this browser-driven in-store environment would be a logical and obvious extension. The PHOSITA would see this as a way to "simplify for them the ability to finalize the purchase" [cite: "the system will simplify for them the ability to finalize the purchase"] and eliminate the need for any separate POS system, including those using NFC. [cite: "brick-and-mortar check out schemes like NFC-based Apple Pay and Google Pay would also be eliminated in favor of the browser-based API model described herein in that no checkout point of sale would be needed including no need for the expensive NFC equipment."]
   • Automated Browser Launch/URL Population: To further streamline the process and overcome the manual URL entry, a PHOSITA would readily integrate known technologies like NFC tags, QR codes, or Bluetooth beacons at store entrances or on products to automatically launch the browser and navigate to the store's specific URL. This is a common application of short-range wireless communication to provide context-aware actions on mobile devices. [cite: "as a user enters the store, there could be a wireless communication through an NFC station, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, code scan, geofence, or any other protocol 220 which provides an instruction to the device to launch a browser and auto populate the appropriate URL and hit “enter” to navigate to that server."]

Combination 2: NFC-based Point-of-Sale (POS) Payments + Mobile Browsing for Product Information + Mobile Device Scanning

1. Motivation to Combine: A PHOSITA would be familiar with NFC-based mobile payment systems (like Apple Pay and Google Pay) already used at traditional brick-and-mortar POS terminals. While these systems simplified payment at the checkout, they still required a dedicated checkout process and potentially expensive NFC hardware at each POS. Simultaneously, mobile web browsers were commonly used to look up product information (reviews, prices) while in a physical store, often by scanning barcodes with the phone's camera to identify products. The motivation would be to integrate the convenience of mobile product identification and browser-based payment directly, eliminating the need for any dedicated point-of-sale infrastructure whatsoever, including the NFC readers at POS. The patent explicitly states this goal: "The effort made by the individual is minimal in this process and completely eliminates point-of-sale devices and infrastructure." [cite: "The effort made by the individual is minimal in this process and completely eliminates point-of-sale devices and infrastructure."]

2. How the Combination Renders Claims Obvious:

   • Product Identification (Camera/NFC/RFID) and Virtual Cart via Browser: A PHOSITA would extend the existing practice of using a mobile device's camera to scan barcodes for product information lookup to actively select items for purchase within a browser interface. Similarly, NFC/RFID tags, already used for inventory management and short-range data transfer, could be easily adapted to convey product identification data to a mobile browser. This data would then be sent to a store server to populate a virtual shopping cart, mimicking online shopping behavior in a physical store. [cite: "the user device 204 can have a code reader/camera or other communication component and as they look at products they like, they can scan a code, or the product could be automatically identified through near field communication or some other wireless protocol."]
   • Browser-based Payment API for In-Store: Having moved product identification and cart management into the browser, the final logical step is to leverage the already established and user-friendly browser-based payment APIs (which are standard for online purchases and conceptually known even for in-store payments via NFC at POS) to complete the transaction directly from the browser, bypassing any physical POS equipment entirely. This integrates the "simplified payment" aspect of existing mobile payment solutions with the browser-centric product identification to achieve a truly checkout-free experience.

In summary, the claims of US11004139 appear obvious because they represent a combination of existing technologies—the checkout-free store concept (Amazon Go), mobile device capabilities (cameras, NFC, browsers), and standardized online payment APIs (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Payment Request API)—driven by clear motivations to reduce costs, enhance user convenience, and unify the online and offline shopping experiences. The patent itself highlights these problems and provides the motivations for combining these known elements.