Apparatus and method for operating a checkout system having a scanner which is rotatable between an assisted scanner position and a self-service scanner position

• US 6,213,395 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Glogovsky, Terrence M., Dejaeger, Wilfried E. Y., Hutcheon, Alfred J., Hoffman, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/432,641
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 186/61
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader

Abstract

A checkout terminal includes a terminal base. The terminal also includes a scanner movably secured to the terminal base. The scanner is configured to be moved relative to the terminal base so as to be positionable between an assisted scanner position and a self-service scanner position. The scanner is operated so as to perform an assisted checkout transaction in which a first number of items are scanned with the scanner by retail personnel when the scanner is positioned in the assisted scanner position. The scanner is operated so as to perform a self-service checkout transaction in which a second number of items are scanned with the scanner by a customer when the scanner is positioned in the self-service scanner position. A method of operating a checkout terminal is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a checkout terminal having a scanner which is movable between an assisted scanner position and a self-service scanner position, comprising the steps of:

positioning said scanner in said assisted scanner position;

operating said scanner so as to perform an assisted checkout transaction in which a first number of items are scanned with said scanner by retail personnel while said scanner is positioned in said assisted scanner position;

moving said scanner from said assisted scanner position to said self-service scanner position; and

operating said scanner so as to perform a self-service checkout transaction in which a second number of items are scanned with said scanner by a customer while said scanner is positioned in said self-service scanner position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said checkout terminal further has a terminal base, and

said moving step includes the step of rotating said scanner relative to said terminal base such that said scanner is rotated from said assisted scanner position to said self-service scanner position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said scanner includes a first scanning window and a second scanning window,

said terminal base has a substantially horizontal upper surface,

said first scanning window of said scanner is disposed substantially parallel with said upper surface of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in both said assisted scanner position and said self-service scanner position, and

said second scanning window of said scanner is disposed substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in both said assisted scanner position and said self-service scanner position.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said terminal base has a customer side and a personnel side which is opposite said customer side,

said scanner is interposed between said customer side of said terminal base and said personnel side of said terminal base,

said step of positioning said scanner in said assisted scanner position includes the step of positioning said scanner such that said second scanning window of said scanner faces said personnel side of said terminal base, and

said step of rotating said scanner from said assisted scanner position to said self-service scanner position includes the step of rotating said scanner from said assisted scanner position to said self-service scanner position such that said second scanning window of said scanner faces said customer side of said terminal base.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said checkout terminal further has a support platform slidably secured thereto such that said support platform is positionable between (i) a retracted position in which said support platform is received into an interior portion of said terminal base, and (ii) an extended position in which said support platform extends out of said interior portion of said terminal base,

said scanner is rotatably secured to said support platform, and

said moving step includes the steps of (i) sliding said support platform to said extended position, (ii) rotating said scanner relative to said support platform such that said scanner is rotated from said assisted position to said self-service position while said support platform is positioned in said extended position, and (iii) sliding said support platform to said retracted position.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said scanner is rotatably secured to said terminal base by a support platform, and

said moving step includes the step of manipulating said support platform so as to rotate said scanner relative to said terminal base such that said scanner is rotated from said assisted scanner position to said self-service scanner position.

7. A checkout terminal, comprising:

a terminal base; and

a scanner movably secured to said terminal base, wherein (i) said scanner is configured to be moved relative to said terminal base so as to be positionable between an assisted scanner position and a self-service scanner position, (ii) said scanner is operated so as to perform an assisted checkout transaction in which a first number of items are scanned with said scanner by retail personnel when said scanner is positioned in said assisted scanner position, and (iii) said scanner is operated so as to perform a self-service checkout transaction in which a second number of items are scanned with said scanner by a customer when said scanner is positioned in said self-service scanner position.

8. The checkout terminal of claim 7, wherein:

said scanner includes a first scanning window and a second scanning window,

said terminal base has a substantially horizontal upper surface,

said first scanning window of said scanner is disposed substantially parallel with said upper surface of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in both said assisted scanner position and said self-service scanner position, and

said second scanning window of said scanner is disposed substantially perpendicular to said upper surface of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in both said assisted scanner position and said self-service scanner position.

9. The checkout terminal of claim 8, wherein:

said terminal base further has a customer side and a personnel side which is opposite said customer side,

said scanner is interposed between said customer side of said terminal base and said personnel side of said terminal base,

said second scanning window of said scanner faces said personnel side of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in said assisted scanner position, and

said second scanning window of said scanner faces said customer side of said terminal base when said scanner is positioned in said self-service scanner position.

10. The checkout terminal of claim 7, further comprising a support platform slidably secured to said terminal base such that said support platform is positionable between (i) a retracted position in which said support platform is received into an interior portion of said terminal base, and (ii) an extended position in which said support platform extends out of said interior portion of said terminal base, wherein:

said scanner is rotatably secured to said support platform,

said support platform is positioned in said extended position during movement of said scanner between said self-service scanner position and said assisted scanner position, and

said support platform is positioned in said retracted position during operation of said scanner.

11. The checkout terminal of claim 7, wherein said scanner is rotatably secured to said terminal base so as to be rotated relative to said terminal base thereby being positionable between said assisted scanner position and said self-service scanner position.

12. A reconfigurable checkout system comprising:

a first portion of a terminal base including a dual-aperture bar code scanner rotatably mounted within said first portion of said terminal base, wherein said dual-aperture bar code scanner is rotatable between an assisted scanner position and a self-service scanner position; and

a second portion of said terminal base coupled to said first portion of said terminal base containing a bagging area for use in an assisted checkout transaction and a self-service checkout transaction.