Surveillance system for observing shopping carts

• US 6,201,473 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1999
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics LLC (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Schaffer, Joel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PREVIL, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US09/298,645
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/568.1, 340/568.5, 340/556, 340/555, 340/674, 340/600, 340/666, 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/572.2
• US Class Current: 340/568.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/046 Arrangement of recording means in or on check-out counters record carriers or readers per se G06K
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1481 with optical detection

Abstract

A surveillance system for use in a checkout stand counter and the like, comprises: a camera mounted near the floor of the checkout stand counter; a monitor mounted to the checkout stand counter and positioned for convenient viewing by a cashier working at the checkout stand counter; and, constraints defining an aisle adjacent to the checkout stand counter for shopping carts moved alongside the checkout stand counter, whereby the surveillance system displays any objects on a lower tray of the shopping carts moved through the aisle. The checkout stand counter can comprise a numerical keyboard and the monitor can be positioned adjacent to the numerical keyboard, whereby the monitor is in a position giving an appearance of being associated with operation of the numerical keyboard.

Claims

1. A surveillance system for use in a checkout stand counter, the system comprising:

a camera mounted near the floor of said checkout stand counter;

a monitor mounted to said checkout stand counter and positioned for viewing by a cashier working at said checkout stand counter, said monitor positioned in an inconspicuous location with respect to an aisle adjacent to said checkout stand, said monitor positioned for viewing by a cashier;

constraints defining said aisle for shopping carts moved alongside said checkout stand counter, and,

wherein said monitor displays to said cashier any objects on a lower tray of said shopping carts moved through said aisle.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said camera comprises:

a camera assembly for holding a camera; and

,

a camera housing for receiving said camera assembly, whereby said camera assembly can be mounted at an angle to look down said aisle without extending into said aisle.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said camera assembly is mounted in said camera housing at an angle ranging from approximately forty degrees to ninety degrees.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said camera housing comprises a single member having a plurality of camera receiving positions at different angles with respect to said aisle, whereby an optimal viewing angle of said aisle for said camera can be selected.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein said camera housing comprises a plurality of camera receiving members defining a plurality of camera receiving positions at different angles with respect to said aisle, whereby an optimal viewing angle of said aisle for said camera can be selected.

6. A system according to claim 2, wherein said camera assembly is concealed from view within said camera housing.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said camera housing comprises a tinted viewing lens for concealing said camera assembly.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein said camera held in said camera assembly is a Class 2, low voltage small board camera.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said checkout stand counter comprises a numerical keyboard and said monitor is positioned adjacent to said numerical keyboard, whereby said monitor is in a position giving an appearance of being associated with operation of said numerical keyboard.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said monitor is an LCD type monitor.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said monitor is a TFT type monitor having a size small enough to fit next to a cashier'"'"'s keyboard.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said monitor is positioned for continuous viewing by said cashier.

13. A method to prevent shoplifting by the concealment of store items on a lower tray of a shopping cart moved through an aisle adjacent to a checkout stand counter, comprising the steps of:

mounting a camera to said checkout stand counter base;

connecting said camera to a monitor mounted on said checkout stand counter in an inconspicuous location with respect to said aisle and positioned for viewing by a cashier; and

,

observing in said monitor objects on lower trays of shopping carts as said carts are moved through said aisle which are not otherwise observable by said cashier from a working position at said checkout stand counter.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said mounting step further comprises mounting said camera approximately twelve to twenty-four inches above floor level.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said mounting step further comprises mounting said camera at an angle to look down said aisle without extending into said aisle.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein said mounting step further comprises mounting said camera at an angle ranging from approximately forty degrees to ninety degrees.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein said connecting step further comprises locating said monitor adjacent to a numerical keyboard associated with said checkout stand counter, whereby said monitor is in a position giving an appearance of being associated with operating said keyboard.

18. A method according to claim 13, wherein said observing step further comprises conveniently viewing said inconspicuously located monitor.

19. A method according to claim 13, wherein said observing in said monitor is continuous.