Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records – Mechanized store
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-28
2004-08-24
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
Mechanized store
C235S375000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06779722
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to methods and systems for facilitating transactions at a self-checkout terminal and more particularly, to methods and systems for facilitating transaction at self-checkout terminals with a scale.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Self-checkout terminals at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The terminals permit a consumer to present items for purchase to sensors at the terminal so the terminal can identify the items and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all items for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The terminal then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The terminal presents menu selections to the consumer so funds are transferred to the retailer's account. Upon confirmation of payment, the items are released to the consumer.
A self-checkout terminal typically includes a display, a scanner for reading unit price codes (UPC), and a checkout area for holding items once they have been scanned. The checkout area may include a motor driven belt to carry items for which a purchase has been verified to a collection area. The terminal also includes a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the terminal. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for item prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of items through a self-checkout terminal. Some checkout terminals may also include a security application program that operates to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the items or exchanges scanned items with more expensive items that have not been scanned. In many self-checkout terminals, the surface area of the checkout area or belt has a scale underneath it to help track items during checkout. By monitoring the weight of items placed on the checkout area, the security application is able to determine some actions of the consumer for purposes of detecting fraud or operator error by a consumer. For example, the change in weight detected by the scales of the checkout area may be used to determine the weight of an item just placed on the checkout area. This item weight may then be compared to the weight of the item last scanned that is stored in a database or other memory. If the weights are different, the security application program notifies the consumer and prompts the consumer to remove the item and scan the item again to rectify the discrepancy. Thus, the application program is capable of tracking the scanning of items and their placement on the checkout area through its monitoring of the scales associated with the checkout area.
The database for items that may be sold in a store is typically organized by item identifiers such as a UPC. Data that may be stored in association with an item identifier includes its price and its weight although other data may also be stored with the identifier. The weight may be a value that is entered at the time that the item identifier is entered in the database. Alternatively, the weight may be a statistical average of weights that have been sensed for an item identifier scanned at a self-checkout station. Such a statistical average may be used to modify a weight stored in a database. Modification based on historical data may be used to adjust a database when a manufacturer alters packaging of an item for a promotional event. For example, a detergent manufacturer may increase the size of its packaging to provide an additional 8 ounces of detergent for the same price as its standard size. The promotional sized packages weigh more than the standard sized packages and the security application would at determine that the promotional packages did not conform to the weight data stored in the database for the item identifier until the data in the database was updated to reflect the promotional package parameters. To avoid the necessity of manually updating the database for such promotional items, the security application may require a consumer to rescan the item to confirm the measured weight for the item and then approve the item for purchase. In other known self-checkout stations, the terminal display may display an error message informing the consumer of the detected weight discrepancy so appropriate action may be taken such as rescanning and weighing the item or having a self-checkout attendant approve the sale. Once the weight is confirmed, the security application may then store a count of weights measured within some narrow range about the newly confirmed weight for the item identifier. When the counter reaches some threshold value, the security application may then update the stored weight for the item identifier with statistical average of the measured values such as the mean or median of the historical weights. In this manner, the weight for an item identifier is confirmed by multiple cycles of consumer rescanning and weighing of the item before permitting the weight stored in the database to be modified or added to the list of approved weights stored for an item identifier.
While this type of database updating reduces the likelihood of loses from fraudulent activity during self-checkout, it does have some drawbacks. For one, consumers are required to rescan items for weighing until the threshold count is reached and the new weight for the item identifier is verified by an adequate history of measured weights. Any time that consumers are required to rescan items there is delay and an opportunity for the introduction of additional errors in the checkout process. In some cases, the checkout process may be adversely impacted to the point that intervention by a cashier or other self-checkout station attendant may be required. Regardless of the manner in which the weight verification occurs, the procedures for such verification are time-consuming and degrade the efficiency of the self-checkout process.
What is needed is a system and method of updating the stored weight data for item identifiers that facilitates the historical analysis of the accurate weight for an item identifier.
What is needed is a system and method for collecting historical weight data for scanned items at a self-checkout station that reduces the necessity of rescanning items or attendant intervention to verify the weight of an item.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-noted limitations of previously known systems and methods for determining weights for items in the checkout area of a self-checkout terminal have been overcome by a system and method that operate in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The system of the present invention comprises an authorized personnel identifier for identifying authorized personnel scanning an item and a provisional weight multiplier operatively coupled to the authorized personnel identifier for multiplying a contribution of a sensed weight for the scanned item to a new weight computation for the scanned item. The system of the present invention preferably counts a measured weight for an item scanned by a store attendant as two or three measurements in computing the total required reaching the threshold for establishing a new data value. Thus, the system utilizes the more trustworthy data obtained by a store employee to confirm a new data value without significantly jeopardizing the integrity of the new data value computation.
In one embodiment of the present invention, authorized personnel of a store carry identification tokens that bear indicia that may be scanned by the scanner of a self-checkout station. When one of the authorized personnel are going to intervene in a transaction at a self-checkout station, he or she scans his or her identification token at the scanner. The identification code may then be used to retrieve data from the database that indicates an authorized person is now operating the self-checkout station. The weight that resulted in the
Le Thien M.
Maginot Moore & Beck LLP
NCR Corporation
Taylor April
LandOfFree
System and method for updating a database of weights at a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for updating a database of weights at a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for updating a database of weights at a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3336592