Method for providing security and enhancing efficiency during operation of a self-service checkout terminal

• US 6,047,262 A
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Lutz, Dusty L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alvarez, Raquel
• Application Number:
  US09/032,933
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 380/24, 380/23, 705/73, 705/16, 705/26, 705/18, 705/414, 705/64, 705/72, 705/60, 705/418, 713/152, 713/166, 713/200
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A method of providing security for a self-service checkout terminal includes the step of determining a time-of-day value and a day-of-week value. The method also includes the step of operating the terminal at a first security level if (i) the time-of-day value is within a first predetermined time-of-day range, and (ii) the day-of-week value is within a first predetermined day-of-week range. The method further includes the step of operating the terminal at a second security level if (i) the time-of-day value is within a second predetermined time-of-day range, and (ii) the day-of-week value is within a second predetermined day-of-week range.

Claims

1. A method of providing security for a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

determining a current time value;

operating the terminal at a first security level if the current time value is within a first predetermined time range; and

operating the terminal at a second security level if the current time value is within a second predetermined time range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the current time value includes a time-of-day value,

the first security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the first security level if the time-of-day value is within a first predetermined time-of-day range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the second security level if the time-of-day value is within a second predetermined time-of-day range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the current time value includes a day-of-week value,

the first security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the first security level if the day-of-week value is within a first predetermined day-of-week range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the second security level if the day-of-week value is within a second predetermined day-of-week range.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining an electronic log during operation of the terminal, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a first log threshold value, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a second log threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal includes a weight scale, further comprising the step of verifying the weight of an item with the weight scale, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a first tolerance range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a second tolerance range.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a total coupon value of a transaction, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a first dollar amount, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a second dollar amount.

7. A method of providing security for a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

determining a time-of-day value and a day-of-week value;

operating the terminal at a first security level if (i) the time-of-day value is within a first predetermined time-of-day range, and (ii) the day-of-week value is within a first predetermined day-of-week range; and

operating the terminal at a second security level if (i) the time-of-day value is within a second predetermined time-of-day range, and (ii) the day-of-week value is within a second predetermined day-of-week range.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of maintaining an electronic log during operation of the terminal, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a first log threshold value, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a second log threshold value.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the terminal includes a weight scale, further comprising the step of verifying the weight of an item with the weight scale, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a first tolerance range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a second tolerance range.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of determining a total coupon value of a transaction, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a first dollar amount, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a second dollar amount.

11. A method of providing security for a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

detecting a terminal parameter value;

operating the terminal at a first security level if the terminal parameter value is within a first predetermined terminal parameter range; and

operating the terminal at a second security level if the terminal parameter value is within a second predetermined terminal parameter range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the terminal parameter value includes a time-of-day value,

the first security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the first security level if the time-of-day value is within a first predetermined time-of-day range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the second security level if the time-of-day value is within a second predetermined time-of-day range.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the terminal parameter value includes a day-of-week value,

the first security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the first security level if the day-of-week value is within a first predetermined day-of-week range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of operating the terminal at the second security level if the day-of-week value is within a second predetermined day-of-week range.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of maintaining an electronic log during operation of the terminal, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a first log threshold value, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the magnitude of the electronic log is greater than or equal to a second log threshold value.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the terminal includes a weight scale, further comprising the step of verifying the weight of an item with the weight scale, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a first tolerance range, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the weight of the item is outside of a second tolerance range.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining a total coupon value of a transaction, wherein:

the first security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a first dollar amount, and

the second security level operating step includes the step of requesting intervention if the total coupon value exceeds a second dollar amount.