Personalized security method for a self-service checkout system

• US 20050187825A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Kirkley, Adam J.
• Application Number:
  US10/668,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/046 Arrangement of recording means in or on check-out counters record carriers or readers per se G06K
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/206 comprising security or operator identification provisions, e.g. password entry
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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

Abstract

A personalized security method for a self-service checkout system which sets security based on risk. The security method includes the steps of obtaining identification information of a customer involved in a transaction, determining a risk level associated with the identification information of the customer, determining a security level associated with the risk level, and configuring the self-service checkout system for the security level.

Claims

1. A security method for a self-service checkout system comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining identification information of a customer involved in a transaction;

b) determining a risk level associated with the identification information of the customer;

c) determining a security level associated with the risk level; and

d) configuring the self-service checkout system for the security level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) comprises the step of:

a-1) obtaining the identification information from a loyalty card carried by the customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) comprises the steps of:

a-1) obtaining biometric data from the customer; and

a-2) determining that the identification information of the customer is associated with the biometric data of the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b-1) storing shopping history data of the customer; and

b-2) assigning a risk level based upon the shopping history data of the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b-1) storing shopping history data of the customer;

b-2) obtaining current transaction data of the customer; and

b-2) assigning a risk level based upon the shopping history data of the customer and the current transaction data of the customer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step b) comprises the steps of:

b-1) defining categories of shoppers of different risk levels;

b-2) storing shopping history data of the customer;

b-3) determining a category of the customer by comparing the shopping history data of the customer to the categories of shoppers; and

b-4) determining that the risk level is associated with the category of the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises the steps of:

c-1) looking up the risk level of the customer in an established list of risk levels; and

c-2) determining that the security level of the customer is associated with the risk level of the customer in the list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step d) comprises the step of:

d-1) relaxing security for lower security levels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step d) comprises the step of:

d-1) tightening security for higher security levels.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) implementing configured security procedures for the security level until the customer leaves the self-service checkout system; and

f) storing data from the transaction in shopper history data of the customer.

11. A security method for a self-service checkout system comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining identification information of a customer involved in a transaction from a loyalty card carried by the customer;

b) determining a risk level associated with the identification information of the customer, including the steps of

b-1) defining categories of shoppers of different risk levels;

b-2) storing shopping history data of the customer;

b-3) determining a category of the customer by comparing the shopping history data of the customer to the categories of shoppers; and

b-4) determining that the risk level is associated with the category of the customer;

c) determining a security level associated with the risk level from a table of risk levels mapped to security levels;

d) configuring the self-service checkout system for the security level; and

e) implementing configured security procedures for the security level until the customer leaves the self-service checkout system.

12. A self-service checkout system comprising:

a security system, including a computer for obtaining identification information of a customer involved in a transaction, for determining a risk level associated with the identification information of the customer, for determining a security level associated with the risk level, and for configuring the self-service checkout system for the security level.

13. A self-service checkout system comprising:

a security system, including a computer for obtaining identification information of a customer involved in a transaction from a loyalty card carried by the customer, for determining a risk level associated with a category of shopping history data most like the shopping history data of the customer, for determining a security level associated with the risk level from a table of risk levels mapped to security levels, for configuring the self-service checkout system for the security level, and for implementing configured security procedures for the security level until the customer leaves the self-service checkout system.