Method and apparatus for detecting item placement and item removal during operation of a self-service checkout terminal

• US 6,032,128 A
• Filed: 12/15/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Morrison, James, Lutz, Dusty L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nga B.
• Application Number:
  US08/990,241
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 705/23, 235/462, 186/61
• US Class Current: 705/23
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/048 automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A method of providing security during operation of a checkout terminal, with the terminal having a first scale, includes the step of storing a first identification code associated with an input item in a memory in response to entry of the input item into the terminal. The method also includes the step of detecting the weight of the input item with the first scale and storing an input weight value associated with the weight of the input item in the memory in response thereto. The method further includes the step of retrieving a second identification code associated with a removal item from the memory in response to a user voiding entry of the removal item. Moreover, the method includes the step of detecting the weight of the removal item with the first scale and generating a removal weight value associated with the weight of the removal item in response thereto. The method yet further includes the step of generating a wrong-item-removed control signal if (1) the first identification code is the same as the second identification code, and (2) the input weight value does not match the removal weight value.

Claims

1. A method of providing security during operation of a checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

creating a database during a checkout procedure which includes a first record corresponding to an input item entered into the terminal during the checkout procedure, the first record including (1) a first identification code associated with the input item, and (2) an input weight value corresponding to the weight of the input item;

determining a second identification code associated with a removal item in response to a user voiding entry of the removal item;

detecting the weight of the removal item and generating a removal weight value in response thereto; and

generating a wrong-item-removed control signal if (1) the first identification code is the same as the second identification code, and (2) the input weight value does not match the removal weight value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

updating an electronic log value in response to generation of the wrong-item-removed control signal; and

comparing the electronic log value to a log threshold and generating a personnel signal in response thereto.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the terminal includes a first scale, and

the detection step includes the step of detecting the weight of the removal item with the first scale and generating the removal weight value in response thereto.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a correct-item-removed control signal if (1) the first identification code is the same as the second identification code, and (2) the input weight value matches the removal weight value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

generating a personnel control signal in response to generation of the wrong-item-removed control signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

suspending operation of the terminal in response to generation of the personnel control signal.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein (1) the first scale is positioned in a first area associated with the terminal, (2) the terminal further has a second scale positioned in a second area associated with the terminal, and (3) the first area is located at a position downstream from the second area, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the weight of the removal item with the second scale and generating a return weight value associated with the weight of the removal item in response thereto; and

generating a wrong-item-returned control signal if the return weight value does not match the removal weight value.

8. A method of providing security during operation of a checkout terminal, with the terminal having a first scale, comprising the steps of:

storing a first identification code associated with an input item in a memory in response to entry of the input item into the terminal;

detecting the weight of the input item with the first scale and storing an input weight value associated with the weight of the input item in the memory in response thereto;

retrieving a second identification code associated with a removal item from the memory in response to a user voiding entry of the removal item;

detecting the weight of the removal item with the first scale and generating a removal weight value associated with the weight of the removal item in response thereto; and

generating a wrong-item-removed control signal if (1) the first identification code is the same as the second identification code, and (2) the input weight value does not match the removal weight value.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

updating an electronic log value in response to generation of the wrong-item-removed control signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

comparing the electronic log value to a log threshold and generating a personnel signal in response thereto.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

generating a correct-item-removed control signal if (1) the first identification code is the same as the second identification code, and (2) the input weight value matches the removal weight value.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

generating a personnel control signal in response to generation of the wrong-item-removed control signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

suspending operation of the terminal in response to generation of the personnel control signal.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein (1) the first stale is positioned in a first area associated with the terminal, (2) the terminal further has a second scale positioned in a second area associated with the terminal, and (3) the first area is located at a position downstream from the second area, further comprising the steps of:

detecting the weight of the removal item with the second scale and generating a return weight value associated with the weight of the removal item in response thereto; and

generating a wrong-item-returned control signal if the return weight value does not match the removal weight value.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the terminal includes a bagwell having a grocery container therein,

the first scale is configured to detect the weight of the grocery container and any items located therein,

the step of detecting the weight of the input item includes the step of detecting the weight of the input item when the input item is located within the grocery container, and

the step of detecting the weight of the removal item includes the step of detecting the weight of the removal item when the removal item is located outside of the grocery container.

16. A checkout terminal, comprising:

a first weight scale;

a memory;

means for storing a first identification code associated with an input item in said memory in response to entry of said input item into said terminal;

means for detecting the weight of said input item with said first weight scale and storing an input weight value associated with the weight of said input item in said memory in response thereto;

means for retrieving a second identification code associated with a removal item from said memory in response to a user voiding entry of said removal item;

means for detecting the weight of said removal item with said first weight scale and generating a removal weight value associated with the weight of said removal item in response thereto; and

means for generating a wrong-item-removed control signal if (1) said first identification code is the same as said second identification code, and (2) said input weight value does not match said removal weight value.

17. The checkout terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

means for updating an electronic log value in response to generation of said wrong-item-removed control signal;

arid means for comparing said electronic log value to a log threshold and generating a personnel signal in response thereto.

18. The checkout terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

means for generating a correct-item-removed control signal if (1) said first identification code is the same as said second identification code, and (2) said input weight value matches said removal weight value.

19. The checkout terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

means for generating a personnel control signal in response to generation of said wrong-item-removed control signal; and

means for suspending operation of said terminal in response to generation of said personnel control signal.

20. The checkout terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

a second weight scale;

means for detecting the weight of said removal item with said second scale and generating a return weight value associated with the weight of said removal item in response thereto; and

means for generating a wrong-item-returned control signal if said return weight value does not match said removal weight value,

wherein (1) said first weight scale is positioned in a first area associated with said terminal, (2) said second weight scale is positioned in a second area associated with said terminal, and (3) said first area is located at a position downstream from said second area.

21. The checkout terminal of claim 16, further comprising:

a bagwell having a grocery container therein, wherein said first weight scale is configured to detect the weight of said grocery container and any items located therein;

means for detecting the weight of said input item when said input item is located within said grocery container; and

means for detecting the weight of said removal item when said removal item is located outside of said grocery container.