Method to detect false purchases with a consumer service device

• US 20060144933A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pierce, Justin Monroe, Do, Phuc Ky
• Granted Patent: US 7,337,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for detecting false purchases is disclosed. The method includes detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal and monitoring for a product identifier. In response to failing to detect the product identifier, an alert signal is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal;

monitoring for a product identifier; and

in response to failing to detect the product identifier, transmitting an alert signal indicating a failed transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting said product identifier, recording said product identifier on a personal shopping device;

in response to recording said product identifier on said personal shopping device, sending a product identification signal, indicating a price check, from said personal shopping device;

correlating an initiation of a purchase transaction to said product identifier; and

in response to correlating said product identifier to said initiation, transmitting a product purchased signal from said personal shopping device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting a product identified signal from said personal shopping device in response to a product identification that is not correlated to a purchase transaction within a predetermined time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying suspicious activity as being a failure to correlate said product identifier to said initiation of a purchase transaction; and

logging said suspicious activity.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to said alert signal and said product identified signal being repeatedly generated to create respective multiple alert signals and product identified signals, calculating a ratio of a sum of said product identified signals and said alert signals to a quantity of said product purchased signals.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising alerting a security unit when said ratio exceeds a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

identifying a pattern in a relationship between a number of said product identified signals, a number of said failure signals, and a number of said product purchased signals; and

alerting a security unit to said pattern.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of transmitting said product purchased from said personal shopping device further comprises transmitting one of a group consisting of a first audible signal, a first color of light outside the visible spectrum from an illumination unit, a first color of visible light from said illumination unit, and a first radio-frequency signal.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a recording unit, in response to detecting said product identifier, recording said product identifier on a personal shopping device;

a second signaling unit, in response to recording said product identifier on said personal shopping device, sending a product identification signal, indicating a price check, from said personal shopping device;

a correlating unit for correlating an initiation of a purchase transaction to said product identifier; and

a first transmitting unit for, in response to correlating said product identifier to said initiation, transmitting a product purchased from said personal shopping device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second transmitting unit for transmitting a product identified signal from said personal shopping device in response to a product identification that is not correlated to a purchase transaction within a predetermined time.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an identifying unit for identifying suspicious activity as being a failure to correlate said product identifier to said initiation of a purchase transaction; and

means for logging said suspicious activity.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a calculating unit for, in response to said alert signal and said product identified signal being repeatedly generated to create respective multiple alert signals and product identified signals, calculating a ratio of a sum of said product identified signals and said alert signals to a quantity of said product purchased signals.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an alerting unit for alerting a security unit when said ratio exceeds a threshold value.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a pattern matching unit for identifying a pattern in a relationship between a number of said product identified signals, a number of said failure signals, and a number of said product purchased signals; and

a pattern information unit for alerting a security unit to said pattern.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said first transmitting unit further comprises electrical devices for transmitting one of a group consisting of a first audible signal, a first color of light outside the visible spectrum from an illumination unit, a first color of visible light from said illumination unit, and a first radio-frequency signal.

9. A system, comprising:

a motion detector for detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal;

a counter for monitoring for a product identification; and

a first signaling unit, in response to failing to detect the product identifier, transmitting an alert signal.

17. A computer program product in a computer-readable medium, comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for monitoring for a product identifier; and

instructions, in response to failing to detect the product idenfifier, transmitting an alert signal.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions, in response to detecting said product identifier, recording said product identifier on a personal shopping device;

instructions, in response to recording said product identifier on said personal shopping device, sending a product identification signal from said personal shopping device;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for correlating an initiation of a purchase transaction to said product identifier; and

instructions, in response to correlating said product identifier to said initiation, transmitting a product purchased from said personal shopping device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising instructions on the computer-readable medium for transmitting a product identified signal from said personal shopping device in response to a product identification that is not correlated to a purchase transaction within a predetermined time.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

instructions on the computer-readable medium for identifying suspicious activity as being a failure to correlate said product identifier to said initiation of a purchase transaction; and

instructions on the computer-readable medium for logging said suspicious activity.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

instructions, in response to said alert signal and said product identified signal being repeatedly generated to create respective multiple alert signals and product identified signals, calculating a ratio of a sum of said product identified signals and said alert signals to a quantity of said product purchased signals.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising instructions on the computer-readable medium for alerting a security unit when said ratio exceeds a threshold value.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

instructions on the computer-readable medium for identifying a pattern in a relationship between a number of said product identified signals, a number of said failure signals, and a number of said product purchased signals; and

instructions on the computer-readable medium for alerting a security unit to said pattern.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said instructions for transmitting said product purchased from said personal shopping device further comprises instructions on the computer-readable medium for transmitting one of a group consisting of a first audible signal, a first color of light outside the visible spectrum from an illumination unit, a first color of visible light from said illumination unit, and a first radio-frequency signal.