POINT OF SALE SYSTEM WITH ITEM IMAGE CAPTURE AND DEFERRED INVOICING CAPABILITY

• US 20100076855A1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Karnin, Ehud Dov, Walach, Eugeniusz
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0063 with means for detecting the geometric dimensions of the article of which the code is read, such as its size or height, for the verification of the registration

Abstract

A novel and useful mechanism and method for processing transactions on a point of sale system comprising of a conveyor system which continuously moves when one ore more items or items are resting on the conveyor system, and a sensing system to capture the information necessary to identify the items on the conveyor. When all items are correctly recognized by the sensing devices, the customer is charged for the items and an invoice is printed. In the event all the items are not correctly recognized the captured information is forwarded to a remote location for automated recognition processing and manual identification, if necessary. Once all the items are successfully identified, the customer is charged for the purchase and an invoice is processed and sent to the customer.

Claims

1. A point of sale system comprising:

a conveyer system, said conveyor system continuously moving when one ore more items are resting on said conveyor system;

means for recognizing one or more items placed on said conveyor system;

means for identifying a customer purchasing said one or more items on said conveyer system; and

means for producing an invoice for said one or more items placed on said conveyer system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for recognizing one or more items resides in close proximity to said conveyor system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for recognizing one or more items resides at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing an invoice resides in close proximity to said conveyor system.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for producing an invoice resides at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.

6. A method of processing a purchase at a point of sale system, said method comprising the steps of:

recognizing one or more items placed on a conveyor system, said conveyor system continuously moving when one ore more items are resting on said conveyor system;

identifying a customer purchasing one or items on said conveyor system; and

invoicing said customer for said one or more items placed on said conveyor system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of recognizing one or more items is performed in close proximity to said conveyor system.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of recognizing one or more items is performed at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of invoicing is performed in close proximity to said conveyor system.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said step of invoicing is performed at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.

11. A point of sale system with deferred billing capability, comprising:

a conveyer system;

means for capturing information for one or more items placed on said conveyer system;

means for recognizing said one or more items placed on said conveyer system;

means for identifying a customer purchasing said one or more items on said conveyer system;

means for displaying said captured information at a remote location;

means for correcting identification of said one or more previously recognized items at said remote location; and

means for invoicing said customer at said remote location for said one or more items placed on said conveyer system.

12. The point of sale system according to claim 11, wherein said conveyor system is continuously moving when one ore more items are resting on said conveyor system.

13. The point of sale system according to claim 11, wherein said captured information comprises one or more digital images.

14. A method of processing a purchase on a point of sale system, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing information for one or more items placed on a conveyer system;

performing an initial analysis to recognize said one or more items placed on said conveyor system;

identifying a customer purchasing said one or more items on said conveyor system;

displaying said captured information at a remote location;

performing a subsequent analysis at said remote location to recognize said one or more items placed on said conveyor system not recognized by said initial analysis; and

invoicing said customer at said remote location for said one or more items placed on said conveyer system.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said captured information comprises one or more digital images.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said captured information comprises the weight of each item placed on said conveyor system.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said initial analysis is performed in close proximity to said conveyor system.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said subsequent analysis is performed at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of performing a subsequent analysis is performed via a computer program product.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said step of performing a subsequent analysis is performed manually.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of invoicing is performed in close proximity to said conveyor system in the event all of said one or more items placed on said conveyor system are correctly recognized during said step of performing an initial analysis.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein said step of invoicing is performed at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system in the event all of said one or more items placed on said conveyor system are correctly recognized during said step of performing a subsequent analysis.

23. A computer program product for processing a transaction on a point of sale system, said point of sale system comprising a conveyor system and means for digitally imaging items placed on said conveyor system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable code embodied therewith, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable code configured for identifying one or more items from a digital image of said one or more items placed on said conveyor system; and

computer usable code configured for producing an invoice for said one or more identified items placed on said conveyor system.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said computer program product resides in close proximity to said conveyor system.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein said computer program product resides at a remote location with respect to said conveyor system.