Self-checkout system with plurality of capacity-detecting loading stations

• US 20070007078A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael, Snead, Jessica King
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 186/61
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A system and method for scanning goods and loading the goods into receptacles by a user includes a scanner and a plurality of loading stations. The scanner scans the goods, and the scanned goods are placed on the loading stations. Each loading station separately obtains a weight of the goods within each respective loading station. In response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations exceeding a predetermined first weight, the self-checkout system is configured to initiate a first alarm detectable by the user, and in response to the first alarm being initiated, the self-checkout system is configured to prevent additional goods from being scanned by the scanner. In response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight, the self-checkout system is configured to allow additional goods to be scanned by the scanner after the first alarm is initiated. A computer program product to operate the system is also included.

Claims

1. A self-checkout system for scanning goods and loading the goods into receptacles by a user, comprising:

a scanner for scanning the goods; and

a plurality of loading stations into which scanned goods are placed, each loading station separately obtaining a weight of the goods within the loading station, wherein the self-checkout system configured to initiate a first alarm detectable by the user in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations exceeding a predetermined first weight.

2. The self-checkout system according to claim 1, further comprising a carousel, the plurality of loading stations disposed within the carousel.

3. The self-checkout system according to claim 1, wherein in response to the first alarm being initiated, the self-checkout system configured to prevent additional goods from being scanned by the scanner.

4. The self-checkout system according to claim 3, wherein the self-checkout system configured to allow additional goods to be scanned by the scanner after the first alarm being initiated in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight.

5. The self-checkout system according to claim 3, wherein the self-checkout system configured to initiate a second alarm detectable by the user if each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations not being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight after a predetermined period of time after initiation of the first alarm.

6. The self-checkout system according to claim 5, wherein the second alarm prompts the user for an input into the self-checkout system.

7. The self-checkout system according to claim 6, wherein the self-checkout system configured to initiate a third alarm after a predetermined second period of time after initiation of the first alarm.

8. The self-checkout system according to claim 7, wherein the third alarm is detectable by a central system that is connected to the self-checkout system.

9. The self-checkout system according to claim 7, wherein the third alarm is detectable by a person other than the user.

10. The self-checkout system according to claim 1, wherein the loading station includes a support configured to receive a freely-hanging receptacle, and the support is configured to weigh the freely-hanging receptacle.

11. The self-checkout system according to claim 1, wherein the loading station includes a base upon which a receptacle is placed, and the base is configured to weigh the receptacle placed upon the base.

12. The self-checkout system according to claim 1, wherein the loading station includes a support upon which a receptacle hangs and a base, and the base is configured to weigh the receptacle.

13. A method for scanning goods and loading the goods into receptacles by a user using a self-checkout system, comprising the steps of:

scanning the goods with a scanner;

placing the scanned goods into one of a plurality of loading stations;

separately obtaining a weight of the goods within each of the plurality of loading station; and

initiating a first alarm detectable by the user in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations exceeding a predetermined first weight.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising preventing additional goods from being scanned by the scanner in response to the first alarm being initiated.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising allowing additional goods to be scanned by the scanner after the first alarm being initiated in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising initiating a second alarm detectable by the user if each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations not being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight after a predetermined period of time after initiation of the first alarm.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising prompting the user for an input into the self-checkout system in response to the second alarm being initiated.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes a self-checkout system to:

separately obtain a weight of goods within each of a plurality of loading station of the self-checkout system; and

initiate a first alarm detectable by a user in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations exceeding a predetermined first weight.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, further causing the self-checkout system to prevent additional goods from being scanned by a scanner of the self-checkout system in response to the first alarm being initiated.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, further causing the self-checkout system to allow additional goods to be scanned by the scanner after the first alarm being initiated in response to each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight.

21. The computer program product according to claim 19, further causing the self-checkout system to initiate a second alarm detectable by the user if each of the weights obtained by all of the plurality of loading stations not being below or substantially at a predetermined second weight after a predetermined period of time after initiation of the first alarm.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the second alarm prompts the user for an input into the self-checkout system.