RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION POINT OF SALE UNASSISTED RETAIL TRANSACTION AND DIGITAL MEDIA KIOSK

• US 20080266099A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Patricia A Anderson Revocable Trust
• Original Assignee: Freedom Shopping, Inc.
• Inventors: Daily, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-checkout system that selectively activates an alarm when an item is determined to be stolen, engages the user regarding the purchase of the item, and informs the user of the purchase status of the item. When an item is determined to be stolen, and a number of occurrences of the item in the database indicating it is stolen is greater than a predetermined amount over a predetermined period of time, a theft detection module does not transmit a security signal to activate an alarm. The invention can also include a touch-screen display including a first portion dedicated to displaying POS transactions and online shopping and a second portion dedicated to displaying interactive digital media related to the item. Furthermore, the invention can include indicators on the touch screen display to indicate the status of an item.

Claims

1. A self-checkout kiosk system, comprising:

a main housing having a first non-metallic panel;

a first RF antenna positioned adjacent the first non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward an RFID tag corresponding to an item and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag;

a first RFID reader positioned in the main housing and connected to the first RF antenna to detect an RFID tag using the RX signal;

a remote housing having a second non-metallic panel;

a second RF antenna positioned adjacent to the second non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward the RFID tag and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag; and

a second RFID reader positioned in the remote housing and connected to the second RF antenna to receive the RX signal from the RFID tag.

2. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 1, further comprising:

a theft detection module connected to the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader to determine whether the RFID tag has been processed for sale when the RX signal from the RFID tag is received by the second RFID reader; and

an alarm connected to the theft detection module,

wherein when the RFID tag has not been processed for sale when the RX signal from the RFID tag is received by the second RFID reader, the theft detection module transmits a security signal to activate the alarm and the theft detection module receives a description of an item with the RFID tag.

3. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 2, wherein when the RFID tag has not been processed for sale when the RX signal from the RFID tag is received by the second RFID reader, the theft detection module stores in a database the description of the item with the RFID tag.

4. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 3, wherein when the RFID tag has not been processed for sale when the RX signal from the RFID tag is received by the second RFID reader, the theft detection module stores in a database a current time and associates the current time with the description of the item with the RFID tag.

5. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 4 wherein when the RFID tag has not been processed for sale when the RX signal from the RFID tag is received by the second RFID reader, and when the number of occurrences of the description of the item in the database is greater than a predetermined amount over a predetermined period of time, the theft detection module does not transmit the security signal to activate the alarm.

6. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 5 further comprising a touch-screen display connected to the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader.

7. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 6 wherein a first portion of the touch-screen display is dedicated to displaying POS transactions and online shopping and a second portion of the display is dedicated to displaying interactive digital media related to the item.

8. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 7 wherein when the first RFID reader detects the RFID tag and when the interactive digital media related to the item is displayed, a user can interact with the touch-screen display to display a piece of content related to the item on the first portion of the touch-screen display.

9. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 8 wherein the first portion comprises approximately 60% of the touch-screen display and the second portion comprises approximately 40% of the touch-screen display.

10. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 6 wherein the touch-screen display displays a first indicator associated with the first RF antenna such that

the first indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna,

the first indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the first indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale, and

the first indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale.

11. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 10 wherein the touch-screen display displays a second indicator associated with the second RF antenna such that

the second indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna,

the second indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the second indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale, and

the second indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale.

12. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 11 wherein the main housing further comprises a third non-metallic panel substantially perpendicular to the first non-metallic panel.

13. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 12 further comprising a third RF antenna positioned adjacent the third non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward a RFID tag corresponding to an item and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag positioned adjacent the third non-metallic panel.

14. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 13 wherein the touch-screen display displays a third indicator associated with the third RF antenna such that

the third indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna,

the third indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the third indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale, and

the third indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale.

15. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 1, further comprising a call device positioned with the main housing to communicate with a remote call device positioned away from the main housing.

16. A self-checkout apparatus for detecting an RFID tag on an item, comprising:

a main housing having a first non-metallic panel;

a processor located in the main housing;

a memory connected to the processor storing a database;

a first RF antenna positioned adjacent the first non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward an RFID tag corresponding to an item and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag;

a first RFID reader positioned in the main housing and connected to the first RF antenna and the processor, to detect an RFID tag using the RX signal;

a remote housing having a second non-metallic panel;

a second RF antenna positioned adjacent to the second non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward the RFID tag and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag;

a second RFID reader positioned in the remote housing and connected to the second RF antenna and the processor, to receive the RX signal from the RFID tag; and

an alarm connected to the processor.

17. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader are controlled by the processor.

18. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first RFID reader, the second RFID reader and the processor determines whether the RFID tag is stolen, and when the RFID tag is determined to be stolen, the processor transmits a security signal to the alarm and stores a description of an item with the RFID tag in the database of the memory.

19. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 18, wherein the alarm is activated upon receipt of the security signal.

20. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a security camera connected to the processor to receive a security signal and to record a patron upon receipt of the security signal.

21. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a call device positioned with the housing connected to the processor to communicate with a remote call device positioned away from the housing.

22. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 18, wherein when the processor determines that the RFID tag is stolen, the processor stores in a database a current time and associates the current time with the description of the item with the RFID tag.

23. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 22 wherein when the processor determines that the RFID tag is stolen, and when the number of occurrences of the description of the item in the database is greater than a predetermined amount over a predetermined period of time, the processor does not transmit the security signal to the alarm.

24. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 23 further comprising a touch-screen display connected to the first RFID reader and the second RFID reader, the touch-screen display including a first portion dedicated to displaying POS transactions and online shopping and a second portion dedicated to displaying interactive digital media related to the item.

25. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 24 wherein when the first RFID reader detects the RFID tag and when the interactive digital media related to the item is displayed, a user can interact with the touch-screen display to display a piece of content related to the item on the first portion of the touch-screen display.

26. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 25 wherein the first portion comprises approximately 60% of the touch-screen display and the second portion comprises approximately 40% of the touch-screen display.

27. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 24 wherein the touch-screen display displays a first indicator associated with the first RF antenna and a second indicator associated with the second RF antenna such that

the first indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna,

the first indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the first indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale,

the first indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the first RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale,

the second indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna,

the second indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the second indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale,

the second indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the second RF reader using the second RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale.

28. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 16 wherein the main housing further comprises

a third non-metallic panel substantially perpendicular to the first non-metallic panel, and

a third RF antenna positioned adjacent the third non-metallic panel to transmit a TX signal toward a RFID tag corresponding to an item and to receive a RX signal from the RFID tag positioned adjacent the third non-metallic panel.

29. The self-checkout kiosk system of claim 28 wherein the touch-screen display displays a third indicator associated with the third RF antenna such that

the third indicator is a first indication when the RFID tag has not been detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna,

the third indicator is a second indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna, but the RFID tag is not stored within the database,

the third indicator is a third indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna and the RFID tag is stored within the database, but the RFID tag has not been processed for sale, and

the third indicator is a fourth indication when the RFID tag is detected by the first RF reader using the third RF antenna, the RFID tag is stored within the database, and the RFID tag has been processed for sale.

30. A method for activating an alarm when an item is stolen:

transmitting a first signal to an RFID tag;

receiving a second signal from the RFID tag;

determining the description of an item associated with the RFID tag using the second signal;

storing the description of the item associated with the RFID tag in a database if the item is stolen;

activating an alarm if a number of occurrences of the description of the item in the database is less than a predetermined amount over a predetermined period of time.