Amazon wants to make sure that when you shop at Whole Foods, you won't stray to its competitors, and it has now filed a patent to provide itself with another tool in its arsenal with overtones of monopolistic behavior that is leaving a bitter taste in some people's mouths.

The way it works is simple. Let's say you're out shopping for a TV and you think you've found one that meets all your requirements. Now you're wondering if the big box store down the street is selling it for a cheaper price, so you whip out your cell phone and head to their website. A quick search with the model number lets you know that you could save $50, so off you go. It's normal to want to get the best deal possible, and people are free to do this as often as they'd like.

However, Amazon has found a way to deter you from doing this in Whole Foods stores. It has been awarded a patent for a system that could block access to rival websites by people using the store's Wi-Fi. It could even redirect them to certain "counter-competitive information" like coupons or price match offers. Known as Physical Store Online Shopping Control, it can issue one of several "control actions" if it detects customers trying to do something associated with one of its competitors.