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Self-checkout, point-of-transaction system including removable, electro-optically coded surveillance tags

  • US 5,814,799 A
  • Filed: 11/12/1996
  • Issued: 09/29/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1988
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A point of-transaction system for processing articles having attached surveillance tags, each surveillance tag having an activated state and a deactivated state, each of the surveillance tags bearing coded indicia and being initially in an activated state, the point-of-transaction system defining a deactivated region in space in which only one of the surveillance tags at a given time may be positioned in order to change the surveillance tag from an activated state into a deactivated state, the system comprising:

  • a) a plurality of surveillance tags, each surveillance tag being attached to one of a plurality of articles available for purchase, each tag bearing coded indicia;

    b) a deactivator for deactivating a selected one of the plurality surveillance tags positioned in the deactivation region;

    c) a reader for electro-optically reading the indicia on the selected one of the plurality of tags while the tag is positioned in the deactivation region and when a reader activation signal is obtained; and

    d) a controller for detecting when the deactivator deactivates the selected one of the plurality of tags and for forming a reader activation signal.

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