Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-04-10
Gibson, Randy W. (Department: 2859)
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
C702S101000, C705S414000, C705S415000, C235S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215078
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 determining a stable weight measurement for use in a security software application 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 a checkout clerk.
A self-service checkout terminal is a system which is operated by a customer without the aid of a checkout clerk. In such a system, the customer scans individual items for purchase across a scanner and then places the scanned item into a grocery bag, if desired. The customer then pays for his or her purchase 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 purchase without the assistance of the retailers personnel.
A customer typically has little or no training in the operation of a self-service checkout terminal prior to his or her initial use of the checkout terminal. One concern that retailers have when evaluating a self-service checkout terminal is the level of supervision provided to inexperienced customers. Moreover, it is also known that some customers may have improper intentions when using a self-service checkout terminal. In traditional checkout systems, the clerk employed by the retailer to operate the checkout terminal provides a level of security against theft or other improprieties. However, in the case of a self-service checkout terminal, the terminal itself must provide the necessary security. Such security includes preventing a customer from either inadvertently or intentionally placing an item in a grocery container such as a grocery bag without scanning the item, or voiding one item from entry, but removing a second item of lesser value, or no item at all, from the grocery bag. Thus, another concern when evaluating a self-service checkout terminal is the level of security provided against illicit use of the self-service checkout terminal by customers.
Therefore, self-service checkout terminals have heretofore been designed with security systems which monitor operation of the self-service checkout terminal. For example, weight scales have been incorporated into self-service checkout terminals to monitor the manner in which a customer handles or otherwise processes items during operation of the self-service checkout terminal. In particular, self-service checkout terminals have heretofore been designed with a weight scale positioned so as to detect placement of items in or removal of items from a bagging area associated with the self-service checkout terminal (including a number of shelves around the bagging area).
In such security systems, a security software application is executed by a processing unit associated with the self-service checkout terminal in order to analyze or otherwise process output from the weight scale and the other terminal components of the security system. It is imperative that the security software application is provided with timely, accurate, stable weight values from the weight scale in order to properly determine when a security breach has occurred. Weight scales which are commonly used in retail applications are relatively sensitive to weight changes, and therefore can sometimes generate output signals indicative of weight changes when in fact no items have been placed in or removed from the bagging area. In particular, most modern, commercially available retail weight scales include a controller which can calculate and thereafter output weight values in a relatively short period of time (e.g. typically measured in milliseconds). Such fast weight value generation may undesirably produce “false alarms” if reported directly to the security software application of the self-service checkout terminal. In particular, many environmental conditions present in a retail store may lead to an increase or decrease in the measured weight value of the items in the bagging area without an item actually being placed in or removed from the bagging area. For example, if a customer bumps into the self-service checkout terminal, the weight scale may actually register a weight change which could cause the security software application to falsely conclude that a security breach has occurred. Moreover, it is known that the cycling of the retail store's air conditioning system can cause changes in the measured weight of the items in the bagging area if the self-service checkout terminal is positioned in a certain location relative to outlets associated with the air conditioning system.
Moreover, items containing liquids (e.g. milk and bleach) typically produce varying weight values when initially placed in the bagging area due to sloshing of the liquid within the bottle. If such varying weight values are utilized by the security software application, false alarms regarding security breaches may also be generated.
What is needed therefore is an apparatus and method for operating a self-service checkout terminal which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks. What is particularly needed is a method and apparatus which provides timely, accurate, stable weights for use by a security software application associated with a self-service checkout terminal.
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 weight scale associated therewith. The method includes the step of determining a current weight value associated with output from the weight scale. The method also includes the step of comparing the current weight value to a previous-stable-weight value and generating a weight change control signal if the current weight value is not within a predetermined tolerance range of the previous-stable-weight value. Moreover, the method includes the step of replacing the previous-stable-weight value with the current weight value in a memory device associated with the retail terminal in response to generation of the weight change control signal.
In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a retail terminal. The retail terminal includes a weight scale. The retail terminal also includes a processing unit electrically coupled to the weight scale. Moreover, the retail terminal includes a memory device electrically coupled to the processing unit. The memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to (a) determine a current weight value associated with output from the weight scale, (b) compare the current weight value to a previous-stable-weight value stored in the memory device and generate a weight change control signal if the current weight value is not within a predetermined tolerance range of the previous-stable-weight value, and (c) replace the previous-stable-weight value with the current weight value in the memory device in response to generation of the weight change control signal.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a retail terminal having a weight scale associated therewith. The method includes the step of executing a security software application so as to provide security to the retail terminal during operation thereof. The method also includes the step of determining a current weight value associated with output from the weight
Lutz Dusty L.
Torres Rafael E.
Gibson Randy W.
Maginot Addison & Moore
NCR Corporation
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