METHODS OF MOBILE SELF-CHECKOUT SHOPPING FOR PRODUCE ITEMS IN A RETAIL GROCERY STORE

• US 20140263631A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Muniz, Javier Artime
• Granted Patent: US 8,915,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/40 with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided of operating a produce weighing scale having a weighing platform. The method comprises prompting a customer to scan a barcode containing barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale, receiving the barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale, and after the barcode data has been received, prompting the customer to place produce items one-by-one onto the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale. Another method is provided of operating a mobile device of a customer shopping for produce items in aisles of a produce section of a retail grocery store. Still another method is provided of operating a self-checkout station to enable a customer in a retail grocery store to check out grocery items including produce items.

Claims

1. A method of operating a produce weighing scale having a weighing platform, the method comprising:

prompting a customer to scan a barcode containing barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale;

receiving the barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale; and

after the barcode data has been received, prompting the customer to place produce items one-by-one onto the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining weight of the produce items on the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising (i) communicating the weight of the produce items and the produce scale ID to a product data server, and (ii) receiving produce item details from the product data server based upon the weight of the abuse items and the produce scale ID communicated to the product data server.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising determining price of the produce items based upon the produce item details received from the product data server.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising displaying the weight of the produce items and the price of the produce items for that weight.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising directing the customer to remove the produce items which have been weighed on the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.

8. A method of operating a mobile device of a customer shopping for produce items in aisles of a produce section of a retail grocery store, the method comprising:

prompting the customer to scan a barcode associated with a produce item desired to be purchased by the customer;

receiving the barcode of the produce item has been scanned by the customer; and

adding the produce item associated with the scanned barcode to an electronic shopping cart while the customer is shopping for produce items in the aisles of the produce section of the retail grocery store.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising creating a message to remind the customer to weigh the produce item at a produce weighing scale before checkout.

10. A method according to claim 8, further comprising displaying a checkout option for the customer to select when the customer is ready to proceed to a self-checkout station.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising determining if any remaining produce items still need to be weighed at a produce weighing scale.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising instructing the customer of the need to go to a produce scale to weigh the produce item before proceeding to a self-checkout station when a determination is made that remaining produce items still need to be weighed at a produce weighing scale.

13. A method according to claim 11, further comprising transferring mobile shopping information to a self-checkout station when the customer arrives at the self-checkout station when a determination is made that there is no remaining produce item which needs to be weighed at a produce weighing scale.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.

15. A method of operating a self-checkout station to enable a customer in a retail grocery store to check out grocery items including produce items, the method comprising:

receiving an end of transaction signal when the customer is ready to check out the grocery items including produce items at the self-checkout station; and

receiving mobile shopping information from an electronic shopping cart, wherein the mobile shopping information comprises weights and prices associated with produce items.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising determining if weight of produce items which have been scanned in aisles of the retail grocery store matches weight of produce items being bagged at the self-checkout station within a predetermined tolerance range of weight values which are between a predetermined lower weight value and a predetermined higher weight value.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising alerting an attendant when weight of produce items which have been scanned in aisles of the retail grocery store does not match weight of produce items being bagged at the self checkout station within the predetermined tolerance range of weight values.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising receiving payment from the customer for purchase of the grocery items including produce items when weight of produce items which have been scanned in aisles of the grocery store matches weight of produce items being bagged at the self-checkout station within the predetermined tolerance range of values.