Method for producing a bill, apparatus for collecting items, and a self-service shop
First Claim
1. A self-service shop comprising(a) a plurality of storage locations for items to be bought by customers,(b) a plurality of movable receptacles for use by customers to form a collection of items to be bought by selection from said storage locations,(c) a plurality of movable electronic recording units associated with said movable receptables, each said unit comprising (i) a memory store programmed, arranged and adapted to record at least data identifying the items selected by a customer for inclusion in said collection (ii) means for inputting to said recording unit information identifying the selected items, (iii) price summing means for summing, on the basis of the said information input into said electronic recording unit, the price of each selected item so as to provide an aggregate price indication for the collection and (iv) means for visually displaying said aggregate price indication to the customer while the collection is being formed,(d) weight summing means for summing the gross weight of each selected item recorded in a said memory store to provide an aggregate gross weight indication for the collection, and(e) at least one check-out station including means for weighing the collection of items made by a customer to provide a measured gross wieght indication for the collection, which can then be compared with the summed aggregate gross weight.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
To reduce time spent at the check-out of a self-service shop, each customer is provided with an electronic recording unit mounted on the receptacle used to collect items for purchase. The unit has a memory store for data identifying the items collected. The prices and gross weights of the items are summed, e.g. by extraction of data from a data store in the unit or from data input from a bar code on the items themselves. The collection of items is weighed as a whole at the checkout for comparison of the measured weight with the computed sum of the gross weight of the individual items.
143 Citations
5 Claims
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1. A self-service shop comprising
(a) a plurality of storage locations for items to be bought by customers, (b) a plurality of movable receptacles for use by customers to form a collection of items to be bought by selection from said storage locations, (c) a plurality of movable electronic recording units associated with said movable receptables, each said unit comprising (i) a memory store programmed, arranged and adapted to record at least data identifying the items selected by a customer for inclusion in said collection (ii) means for inputting to said recording unit information identifying the selected items, (iii) price summing means for summing, on the basis of the said information input into said electronic recording unit, the price of each selected item so as to provide an aggregate price indication for the collection and (iv) means for visually displaying said aggregate price indication to the customer while the collection is being formed, (d) weight summing means for summing the gross weight of each selected item recorded in a said memory store to provide an aggregate gross weight indication for the collection, and (e) at least one check-out station including means for weighing the collection of items made by a customer to provide a measured gross wieght indication for the collection, which can then be compared with the summed aggregate gross weight.
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2. A container apparatus for use by a customer in a self-service shop comprising
(a) a container for receiving a collection of items selected for purchase by the customer, (b) an electronic recording unit mounted on said container and having a memory store for recording data identifying each item included in the collection and (ii) data relating to the aggregate weight and price of the items of the collection, and (c) means for inputting said data identifying said item into said memory store at the time of inclusion of the item in the collection, said electronic recording unit further including (i) programmed data storage means for storing data relating to weight and price of items available for inclusion in the collection, (ii) programmed calculation means for receiving from said inputting means data identifying each item selected for inclusion in the collection, for extracting the corresponding data of weight and price for each item from said data storage means, for calculating, on the basis of this corresponding data, the aggregate weight and price to the said memory store, and (iii) display means for displaying the aggregate price of the collection stored in the memory store during formation of the collection.
Specification