Apparatus and method for operating a checkout system having a display monitor which displays both transaction information and customer-specific messages during a checkout transaction

• US 6,296,185 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Dejaeger, Wilfried E. Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US09/432,639
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 709/224
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• 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 operating a retail terminal having a display monitor includes the step of generating an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase of a customer is entered into the retail terminal by retail personnel. The method also includes the step of retrieving retail history information associated with the customer from a customer profile database The method further includes the step of displaying item information associated with the item for purchase on a first portion of the display monitor in response to generation of the item-entered control signal. Moreover, the method includes the step of displaying a customer-specific retail message based on the retail history information on a second portion of the display monitor. The step of displaying the customer-specific retail message is performed contemporaneously with the step of displaying the item information associated with the item for purchase. A retail terminal is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a retail terminal having a display monitor, comprising the steps of:

generating an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal;

displaying item information associated with said item for purchase on a first portion of said display monitor in response to generation of said item-entered control signal; and

displaying a customer-specific retail message on a second portion of said display monitor, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message is performed contemporaneously with said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message includes the step of displaying said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor based on identity of said item for purchase.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message further includes the step of displaying a customer-specific advertisement on said second portion of said display monitor based on identity of said item for purchase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying a price associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said step of generating said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal includes the step of generating said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal by retail personnel, and

said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying said customer-specific retail message to a customer on said second portion of said display monitor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said step of generating said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal includes the step of generating said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal by retail personnel, and

said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying said customer-specific retail message to said retail personnel on said second portion of said display monitor.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal in response to a scanner reading a product identification code associated with said item for purchase.

7. A retail terminal, comprising:

a display monitor;

a processing unit electrically coupled to said display monitor; and

a memory device electrically coupled to said processing unit, wherein said memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;

(a) generate an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal,

(b) display item information associated with said item for purchase on a first portion of said display monitor in response to generation of said item-entered control signal, and

(c) display a customer-specific retail message on a second portion of said display monitor contemporaneously with display of said item information associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor.

8. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to display said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor based on identity of said item for purchase.

9. The retail terminal of claim 8, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to display a customer-specific advertisement on said second portion of said display monitor based on identity of said item for purchase.

10. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to display a price associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor.

11. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

(a) generate said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal by retail personnel, and

(b) display said customer-specific retail message to said customer on said second portion of said display monitor.

12. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

(a) generate said item-entered control signal when said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal by retail personnel, and

(b) display said customer-specific retail message to said retail personnel on said second portion of said display monitor.

24. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal in response to a scanner reading a product identification code associated with said item for purchase.

13. A method of operating a retail terminal having a display monitor, comprising the steps of:

generating an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase of a customer is entered into said retail terminal by retail personnel;

retrieving retail history information associated with said customer from a customer profile database;

displaying item information associated with said item for purchase on a first portion of said display monitor in response to generation of said item-entered control signal; and

displaying a customer-specific retail message based on said retail history information on a second portion of said display monitor, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message is performed contemporaneously with said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message further includes the step of displaying a customer-specific advertisement on said second portion of said display monitor based on said retail information associated with the said customer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying a price associated with said item for purchase on said first portion of said display monitor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying said customer-specific retail message to said customer on said second portion of said display monitor.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message on said second portion of said display monitor includes the step of displaying said customer-specific retail message to said retail personnel on said second portion of said display monitor.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of reading a customer identity code from a customer card of said customer, wherein said retrieving step includes the step of retrieving said retail history information associated with said customer from said customer profile database based on said customer identity code.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein said item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal in response to a scanner reading a product identification code associated with said item for purchase.

19. A method of operating a retail terminal, comprising the steps of:

operating said retail terminal by retail personnel while said retail terminal is configured in an assisted mode of operation;

generating an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal;

displaying item information associated with said item for purchase on a first portion of a display monitor during said operating step in response to generation of said item-entered control signal; and

displaying a customer-specific retail message on a second portion of said display monitor during said operating step, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message is performed contemporaneously with said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said retail terminal is configured to be convertible between an assisted mode of operation and a self-service mode of operation.

21. A method of operating an assisted retail terminal, comprising the steps of:

generating an item-entered control signal when an item for purchase is entered into said retail terminal;

displaying item information associated with said item for purchase on a first portion of a display monitor while said retail terminal is configured to be in an assisted mode of operation in response to generation of said item-entered control signal; and

displaying a customer-specific retail message on a second portion of said display monitor while said retail terminal is configured to be in an assisted mode of operation, wherein said step of displaying said customer-specific retail message is performed contemporaneously with said step of displaying said item information associated with said item for purchase.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said retail terminal is configured to be convertible between an assisted mode of operation and a self-service mode of operation.