SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ASSEMBLY FOR A CHECKOUT SYSTEM

• US 20100079593A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Kyle, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/150
• 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: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system

Abstract

A surveillance camera assembly for a checkout system which captures images of a checkout environment. The surveillance camera assembly includes a panoramic mirror and a camera for capturing images of a checkout environment. The camera sends the images to a security computer.

Claims

1. A camera assembly for a checkout system comprising:

a camera for capturing images of a checkout environment; and

a panoramic mirror for directing the images to the camera;

wherein the camera sends the images to a security computer.

2. The camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the panoramic mirror comprises a parabolic mirror.

3. The camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the panoramic mirror comprises a hyperbolic mirror.

4. A checkout lane indicator comprising:

a security portion including

a camera for capturing images; and

a panoramic mirror for directing the images to the camera; and

a light portion adjacent the security portion including a light emitter.

5. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the panoramic mirror comprises a parabolic mirror.

6. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the panoramic mirror comprises a hyperbolic mirror.

7. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the light portion further comprises:

a printed circuit board, wherein the light emitter is mounted to the printed circuit board; and

a conical mirror on the printed circuit board for changing a direction of light from the light emitter.

8. The checkout lane indicator of claim 7, wherein the light portion further comprises a diffuser for scattering the light.

9. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the light emitter comprises a light emitting diode.

10. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the security portion further comprises a substantially transparent window around the panoramic mirror.

11. The checkout lane indicator of claim 4, wherein the security portion is controlled by a security computer.

12. The checkout lane indicator of claim 11, wherein the security computer comprises a checkout computer adjacent the checkout lane indicator.

13. The checkout lane indicator of claim 11, wherein the security computer comprises a server.

14. A checkout lane indicator comprising:

a base;

a light portion on the base including

a printed circuit board;

a plurality of light emitters on the printed circuit board;

a conical mirror on the printed circuit board for reflecting light from the light emitters; and

a diffuser window around the conical mirror; and

a surveillance portion including

a camera in the conical mirror for capturing images of a checkout environment;

a panoramic mirror for directing the images to the camera; and

a substantially transparent window around the panoramic mirror;

wherein the camera sends the images to a security computer.