Cashierless checkout system using customer passcard

• US 5,013,896 A
• Filed: 11/09/1988
• Issued: 05/07/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Tsutomu, Nogami, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US07/269,813
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/382.5, 235/383, 235/385, 235/419, 235/462, 364/400, 364/401, 364/405, 186/59, 186/60, 186/61
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/048 automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A checkout system includes a plurality of purchased goods entry terminals having a scanning section, a display section, a printing section and a passcard issuing section for issuing a passcard that includes customer identification and an amount of money, a pluralilty of money receiving terminals separated from the entry terminals and having a passcard read/write section, a money receiving section, a printer, and a displaying section, the read/write section recording the reception of money for goods, an exit gate control unit having a passcard checker for checking the payment of money and an exit gate controller to allow customers to pass through the exit gate, and a control and processing unit (CPU) coupled to the entry terminals, the money receiving terminals and the exit gate control unit to assure correct payment of money for the purchased goods.

Claims

1. A cashierless checkout system in a checkout area comprising a

plurality of consumer goods entry terminals each including a scanning section for scanning code data indicated on consumer goods to be purchased, a displaying section and a printing section for displaying and for printing information corresponding to the consumer goods code data thus scanned, and an issuing section for issuing a passcard on which are recorded an identification number of a customer and an amount of money owed corresponding to the value of the scanned goods, a

plurality of money receiving terminals which are separated from said consumer goods entry terminals, each of said money receiving terminals including a passcard read/write section for performing reading and writing of data on said passcard upon insertion thereof into said money receiving terminal, a money receiving section for receiving an amount of money for the scanned goods, a printer section for issuing a receipt, and a display section for displaying amount data and other information thereon, said passcard being dispensed from said money receiving terminal and said passcard further including money receiving data written from said passcard read/write section after the reception of said received amount of money, an

exit gate control unit which is provided in the vicinity of an exit of said checkout area and including a passcard checker for checking said passcard to check whether or not the amount of money received is equal to the amount of money owed and an exit gate controller for controlling an exit gate under the control of said passcard checker to enable customers to pass through said exit gate, and a

control and processing unit coupled to said consumer goods entry terminals, to said money receiving terminals and to said exit gate control unit to control the operations of said terminals and said control unit thus coupled therewith and to store sold goods data, whereby the reception of said amount of money owed is ensured by checking said passcard and enabling the customer to pass through said checkout area and past said consumer goods entry terminals, said money receiving terminals and said exit gate control unit.

2. The checkout system of claim 1 wherein each of said consumer goods entry terminals includes a control section coupled to said passcard issuing section and to said control and processing unit for outputting the ID number of a customer, for outputting data on the amount of money owed for the scanned goods as calculated by said control and processing unit, and for outputting a signal to said passcard issuing section to issue a passcard.

3. The checkout system of claim 1 wherein each of said purchased goods entry terminals includes a keyboard section to enable said scanning section.

4. The checkout system of claim 1 wherein each of said money receiving terminals includes a control section coupled to said passcard read/write section and to said control and processing unit for outputting data on the amount of money owed for the scanned goods as read out in said passcard R/W section.

5. The checkout system of claim 4 wherein said money receiving section includes a cash receiving section for receiving cash, a counting section coupled to said cash receiving section and to said control section for counting the cash received from the customer and for sending data on such cash received to the control and processing unit, a cash storing section coupled to said counting section for storing cash received therefrom, and a cash disbursing section coupled to said counting section and to said control section for disbursing the difference in cash between the money received and the money owed.

6. A method of checking out goods in an automated system having a plurality of entry terminals, a plurality of money receiving terminals, an exit gate control unit and a control and processing unit comprising the steps of:

scanning coded data displayed on the goods at one of the entry terminals,

displaying information corresponding to the coded data and printing the information for use by a customer,

issuing a read/write passcard having customer identification and an amount of money recorded thereon corresponding to the value of goods that have been scanned,

reading the passcard at one of the money receiving terminals to initiate the payment of money for the scanned goods,

inserting money for said scanned goods into said one money receiving terminal,

recording the amount of inserted money onto said passcard,

conveying information relative to the coded data on said goods to the control and processing unit corresponding to the amount and price of scanned goods and storing the information in such unit,

checking the passcard to determine whether the correct amount of money has been paid for the scanned goods, and

enabling the exit gate control unit to allow the customer to pass through the exit gate upon assurance that payment has been made for the scanned goods.

7. The method of claim 6 including the step of operating a keyboard at the entry terminal to enable scanning the coded data.

8. The method of claim 6 including the steps of receiving money for the scanned goods after conveying the coded data information, counting the money received, and disbursing any change in money received and money owed for the scanned goods at the money receiving terminal.