System & method of deterring theft of consumers using portable personal shopping solutions in a retail environment

• US 20050017071A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Noonan, William
• Granted Patent: US 6,926,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003

Abstract

A method to use electronic tags in stores in conjunction with portable shopping devices by providing a means for deactivating an active electronic tag of a product to be purchased while permitting a consumer to purchase and transact using a portable shopper, while deterring the opportunity for shrinkage by theft associated with the use of portable shopping devices is provided.

Claims

1. A method for deterring theft in a retail environment comprising the steps of:

scanning one or more products selected by consumer for purchase for a transaction in a retail environment via a consumer operable scanning device,

communicating scanned information from said scanned one or more products with a database having product identification information associated with said scanned information in relation to each of said one or more scanned products,

receiving said product identification information from said communication to said consumer via a notification means identifying a scanned product comprising an electronic tag which emits an electronic signal when activated, wherein said notification means informs said consumer to place said scanned product comprising an electronic tag into a predetermined location within said cart,

placing each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag at a deactivation point, and

scanning each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag,

assessing whether each scanned product comprising an electronic tag was scanned by consumer via said scanning device,

deactivating each activated electronic tag of each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag,

updating said transaction to calculate a total purchase amount, and

monitoring said consumer following completion of said transaction for alarm notification of a product comprising an activated electronic tag.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more products comprises an electronic tag that is fixedly secured to said one or more products.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said one or more products includes an electronic tag that is fixedly secured to said one or more by products by a retailer.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said one or more tagged products includes an electronic tag that is fixedly secured to said one or more tagged by products by a manufacturer of one of said one or more tagged products.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said an electronic tag is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tag.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said electronic tag is deactivated upon application to said one or more tagged products and may be activated at said retail environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of signaling an alarm to indicate said consumer possesses at least one product having an active electronic tag.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the consumer to place products having an electronic at a predetermined location at checkout.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of instructing said consumer to place scanned and deactivated products at a predetermined location in said cart.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

calculating a rolling transaction total during consumer'"'"'s shopping wherein each item scanned by consumer is added to said rolling total displayed to consumer,

comparing identified scanned products comprising an electronic tag with said scanned one or more products and adjusting said rolling transaction total in response thereto, and

signaling an alarm in an event that said consumer possesses at least one product having an active electronic tag that was not deactivated in the deactivation step.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification means is a personal display visible to said consumer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning device is a portable personal shopper device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said personal shopper device comprises a processor, a memory, a display, and an electronic communication means for communication with said server wherein said device is affixed to said cart

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said personal shopper device comprises a processor, a memory, a display, and product identification information resident in said memory.

15. A system for deterring theft in a retail environment comprising:

a retail system having at least one checkout station and a POS consisting of a scanner and a terminal comprising a till, a display, a printer, a card reader, an alarm notification means, and electronic tag deactivation sensor,

a portable shopper device comprising a processor, a display, a scanner and a memory, operable by a consumer,

a cart having a main area and a predetermined area for scanned products having an electronic tag, and

a database capable of electronic communication with said POS and said shopper device, containing product identification information for at least one scanned product,

wherein scanned product information obtained from said scanner of said shopper device is electronically transmitted to said database and a response from said database is electronically transmitted to said shopper device for display, and a directive response is displayed in relation to a presence of an electronic tag on said scanned product as determined from said product identification information from said database so as to direct placement of said scanned product at a predetermined location in said cart, and

wherein said POS compares a first list of product having an electronic tag with product presented at checkout for scanning and deactivation, and generates a second list identifying product not presented for scanning and deactivation at checkout.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said database is resident in said memory of said shopper device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said shopper device is a portable device having a display viewable by said consumer.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said shopper device further calculates a running total of each scanned product scanned by a consumer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said alarm notification means transmits an audible signal upon a detection of one or more products having an activated electronic tag that was not deactivated by said deactivation sensor.

20. A system for deterring theft in a retail environment comprising:

a retail system having two or more checkout stations, each station comprising a POS having a scanning means, a display, a printer, a card reader, an alarm notification means, and electronic tag deactivation means,

a portable shopper device comprising a processor, a wireless communication means, a display, a scanner and a memory

a cart having a main area and a predetermined area for scanned products having an electronic tag, and

a database capable of electronic communication with said POS and said shopper device, containing product identification information for at least one scanned product,

wherein said system is operable to

scan one or more products selected by consumer for purchase for a transaction in a retail environment via a scanning device operable by said consumer,

communicate scanned information from said scanned one or more products with a database having product identification information associated with said scanned information in relation to each of said one or more scanned products,

receive said product identification information from said communication to said consumer via a notification means identifying a scanned product comprising an electronic tag which emits an electronic signal when activated, wherein said notification means informs said consumer to place said scanned product comprising an electronic tag into a predetermined location within said cart,

place each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag at a deactivation point, and

scan at a checkout station each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag,

determine whether each scanned product comprising an electronic tag was previously scanned by said scanning device,

deactivate each activated electronic tag of each identified scanned product comprising an electronic tag,

update said transaction to calculate a total purchase amount, and

monitor said consumer following completion of said transaction for alarm notification of a product comprising an activated electronic tag.