Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Mechanized store
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-02-20
Pitts, Harold I. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Mechanized store
C186S061000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189790
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a retail checkout terminal, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for displaying instructional messages during operation of a self-service checkout terminal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the retail industry, the largest expenditures are typically the cost of the goods sold followed closely by the cost of labor expended. With particular regard to the retail grocery or supermarket industry, the impetus to reduce labor costs has focused on reducing or eliminating the amount of time required to handle and/or process the items or goods to be purchased by a customer. To this end, there have been a number of self-service checkout terminal concepts developed which attempt to substantially eliminate the need for the retail clerk. In particular, a self-service checkout terminal is a system which is operated by a customer without the aid of the retail clerk. What is meant herein by the term “customer” is a person who enters the retailer's store, selects his or her items for purchase from the shopping area of the store, checks out his or items for purchase by use of a self-service checkout terminal (including tendering payment for his or her items for purchase), and then exits the store subsequent to completion of his or her transaction. Hence, as used herein, a customer is distinguished from a retail clerk or other employee of the retailer in that a customer enters the retailer's store for the sole purpose of purchasing items from the store.
Hence, it should be appreciated that in regard to operation of a self-service checkout terminal, the customer scans individual items for purchase across a scanner or weighs items with a product scale and thereafter places the items into a grocery bag, if desired. The customer then pays for his or her purchases either at the self-service checkout terminal if so equipped, or at a central payment area which is staffed by a store employee. Thus, a self-service checkout terminal permits a customer to select, itemize, and in some cases pay for his or her purchases without the assistance of the retailer's personnel.
In general, a customer may have little or no training in the operation of the self-service checkout terminal prior to his or her initial use thereof. Hence, it is generally desirable to provide the customer with a number of instructions which facilitate the customer's use of the self-service checkout terminal. For example, in the case of the operation of a product scanner, it is desirable to instruct the customer as to when the terminal is ready to have item information input through the scanner.
However, heretofore utilized instructional screens are often difficult for the customer to understand thereby rendering the customer reluctant to use the terminal. If this causes a store employee to constantly be required to assist customers in regard to operation of the terminal, the labor savings associated with operation of the self-service checkout terminal are not realized.
What is needed therefore is a retail checkout terminal which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks. What is particularly needed is a self-service checkout terminal which provides instruction to a customer in order to facilitate the customer's operation of the retail checkout terminal in a “user friendly” manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a retail terminal having a display monitor associated therewith. The method includes the step of generating an item-entered control signal when a customer enters an item for purchase into the retail terminal during a retail transaction. The method also includes the step of entering a record corresponding to the item for purchase into an electronic transaction table in response to generation of the item-entered control signal. The method further includes the step of generating an instructional message which instructs the user on operation of the retail terminal during the retail transaction. The instructional message generating step includes the step of displaying an animated character and an associated instructional text message with the display monitor during the retail transaction.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a retail terminal. The retail terminal includes a display monitor, a scanner for entering an item for purchase into the retail terminal, and a processing unit which is electrically coupled to the display monitor and the scanner. The retail terminal further includes a memory device electrically coupled to the processing unit, which has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to: (1) generate an item-entered control signal when a customer enters an item for purchase into the retail terminal during a retail transaction, (2) enter a record corresponding to the item for purchase into the electronic transaction table in response to generation of the item-entered control signal, and (3) generate an instructional message which instructs the user on operation of the retail terminal during the retail transaction. The instructional message includes an animated character and an associated instructional text message which are displayed with the display monitor during the retail transaction.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a self-service check out terminal having a display monitor associated therewith. The method includes the step of generating an item-entered control signal when a customer enters an item for purchase into the retail terminal during a retail transaction. The method also includes the step of entering a record corresponding to the item for purchase into an electronic transaction table in response to generation of the item-entered control signal. The method further includes the step of generating an instructional message which instructs the customer on operation of the self-service checkout terminal during the retail transaction. The message generating step includes the step of displaying an animated character and an associated instructional text message with the display monitor during the retail transaction. The animated character is configured to resemble a commercially recognizable image so as to communicate the commercially recognizable image to the customer with the display monitor.
In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a retail terminal having a display monitor associated therewith. The method includes the step of generating an item-entered control signal when a customer enters an item for purchase into the retail terminal during a retail transaction. The method also includes the step of entering a record corresponding to the item for purchase into an electronic transaction table in response to generation of the item-entered control signal. The method further includes the step of generating an instructional message which instructs the user on operation of the retail terminal during the retail transaction. The instructional message generating step includes the steps of (1) displaying an animated character with the display monitor during the retail transaction, and (2) generating an associated instructional audio message during the animated character displaying step.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful retail checkout terminal.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful method of operating a retail checkout terminal.
It is moreover an object of the present invention to provide an improved retail checkout terminal.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of operating a retail checkout terminal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a retail checkout terminal which provides user friendly instruction to a custo
Maginot Addison & Moore
NCR Corporation
Pitts Harold I.
LandOfFree
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