Checkout station to reduce retail theft
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A checkout station for reducing theft from a store containing items bearing theft prevention indicators, said checkout station comprising:
- means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper;
a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper;
egress means, located between said secure area and said pick-up area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper; and
exit means, located between said secure area and said pick-up area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including sensing means for detecting the presence of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means.
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Abstract
A checkout station dispossesses a shopper of items identified by the shopper for purchase, which items contain theft-prevention indicators, and then detects the presence of any of such items in the possession of the shopper after the shopper has been dispossessed of the items. After the total cost of the items is printed and paid, the shopper is returned possession of the items.
75 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A checkout station for reducing theft from a store containing items bearing theft prevention indicators, said checkout station comprising:
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means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase; a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper; a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper; egress means, located between said secure area and said pick-up area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper; and exit means, located between said secure area and said pick-up area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including sensing means for detecting the presence of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for reducing theft from a store containing items with theft preventing indicators, said method comprising the steps of:
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dispossessing a shopper from those of said items bearing theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase; passing said items identified for purchase by said shopper out of a secure area and into a pickup area without said shopper; detecting the presence of any said items with said theft prevention indicators still in the possession of said shopper after said shopper has been dispossessed of said items identified for purchase and before said shopper enters said pickup area; and giving possession of said items identified for purchase to said shopper in said pickup area. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification