Method and apparatus for customer performed article scanning in self-service shopping
First Claim
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1. A system for self-service selection and purchasing of articles bearing coded indicia in a retail establishment, comprising:
- a plurality of customer-operated carts moveable about the retail establishment, each cart including a multi-walled receptacle for receiving and transporting articles having product codes thereon, which articles may be selected for purchase;
a plurality of detachable modules, one for each cart, which are secured to said carts adjacent one end of said receptacle;
each said module including a scanner for scanning said product code on said articles, each said module also including video camera means capable of covering a first area to record images of articles being scanned by the scanner and capable of covering a second area to record images of articles being placed in the receptacle;
each said module also including data processing means for associating the information scanned by the scanner with the images recorded by the video camera means and for storing such associated information;
each said module also including display means for displaying the data scanned by the scanner; and
each said module also including a power supply; and
checkout means to which the carts are directed when the purchasing of articles to be placed in their receptacles has been completed;
said checkout means including means for receiving the module for each cart;
said checkout means also including means for totaling and printing out the information scanned by the scanner and stored by the data processing means of said module; and
said checkout means also including means for displaying the video information recorded by the module to enable an operator at the checkout means to verify the correctness of the actions of the customer in scanning and transporting articles to be purchased.
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Abstract
An electronic module detachably mounted on a shopping cart includes a scanner for scanning bar coded information on items selected for purchase, a data processing device for data storage and control purposes and video recording apparatus capable of recording a view of the selected item as it is scanned and again as it is placed in a receptacle in the shopping cart to enable a customer to generate a record of items selected, which record can be used to facilitate checkout operations, and to provide security against improper scanning, or failure to scan, items selected for purchase.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for self-service selection and purchasing of articles bearing coded indicia in a retail establishment, comprising:
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a plurality of customer-operated carts moveable about the retail establishment, each cart including a multi-walled receptacle for receiving and transporting articles having product codes thereon, which articles may be selected for purchase; a plurality of detachable modules, one for each cart, which are secured to said carts adjacent one end of said receptacle;
each said module including a scanner for scanning said product code on said articles, each said module also including video camera means capable of covering a first area to record images of articles being scanned by the scanner and capable of covering a second area to record images of articles being placed in the receptacle;
each said module also including data processing means for associating the information scanned by the scanner with the images recorded by the video camera means and for storing such associated information;
each said module also including display means for displaying the data scanned by the scanner; and
each said module also including a power supply; andcheckout means to which the carts are directed when the purchasing of articles to be placed in their receptacles has been completed;
said checkout means including means for receiving the module for each cart;
said checkout means also including means for totaling and printing out the information scanned by the scanner and stored by the data processing means of said module; and
said checkout means also including means for displaying the video information recorded by the module to enable an operator at the checkout means to verify the correctness of the actions of the customer in scanning and transporting articles to be purchased. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for self-service selection and purchasing of articles bearing code indicia in a retail establishment provided with a plurality of customer operated carts, each cart having a walled receptacle for receiving goods selected by the customer and a detachable module containing a scanner for scanning the code indicia on the goods and video camera means capable of covering a first area to record images of articles being scanned by the scanner and capable of covering a second area to record images of articles being placed in the receptacle, said establishment also being provided with a checkout counter having data processing means and video playback means, said method comprising the following steps:
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selecting and initiating of movement of a cart by the customer; selecting of articles to be purchased by the customer; scanning one by one of the articles to be purchased by the customer using the module scanner and simultaneous recording of the scanning operation by the video recording means; placing of the articles to be purchased by the customer in the receptacle of the cart and simultaneous recording of said placement operation by the video recording means; transporting of the selected articles in the receptacle cart by the customer to the checkout counter; coupling said module to the data processing means and the video playback means by a cashier at the checkout counter; printing a transaction record by the data processing means of the information scanned from the selected articles by the scanner; playing back the video record of the scanning and article placement transactions by the cashier to assure that these transactions have been properly performed by the customer; and making payment by the customer to the cashier to complete the purchase transaction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification