Method and apparatus for checking out large items with a self-service checkout terminal

• US 6,325,290 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Walter, Joanne S., Forsythe, Donald L., Lin, Horng-Jaan
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANKLIN, JAMARA ALZAIDA
• Application Number:
  US09/205,962
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/385, 235/439, 235/462.48, 235/462.14, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 186/59, 186/61, 307/112, 307/119, 307/125, 307/116, 361/1
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A method of operating a self-service checkout terminal is herein. The self-service checkout terminal has a housing, a stationary scanner secured to the housing, and a hand-held scanner having a holder associated therewith. The hand-held scanner is movable relative to the housing. The method includes the step of detecting when the hand-held scanner is removed from the holder and generating a removed-from-holder control signal in response thereto. The method also includes the step of disabling the stationary scanner in response to generation of the removed-from-holder control signal. The method further includes the step of generating a first item-entered control signal when a first product code associated with a first item for purchase is read by the hand-held scanner. Moreover, the method includes the step of marking the first item for purchase so as to indicate that the first product code was read by the hand-held scanner.

Claims

1. A method of operating a self-service checkout terminal having (i) a housing, (ii) a stationary scanner secured to said housing, and (iii) a hand-held scanner having a holder associated therewith, said hand-held scanner being movable relative to said housing, comprising the steps of:

detecting when said hand-held scanner is removed from said holder and generating a removed-from-holder control signal in response thereto;

disabling said stationary scanner in response to generation of said removed-from-holder control signal; and

generating a first item-entered control signal when a first product code associated with a first item for purchase is read by said hand-held scanner.

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

entering a first record corresponding to said first item for purchase in a transaction table in response to generation of said first item-entered control signal.

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

detecting when said hand-held scanner is replaced into said holder and generating a replaced-in-holder control signal in response thereto;

enabling said stationary scanner in response to generation of said replaced-in-holder control signal; and

generating a second item-entered control signal when a second product code associated with a second item for purchase is read by said stationary scanner.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

entering a second record corresponding to said second item for purchase in said transaction table in response to generation of said second item-entered control signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said self-service checkout terminal further has a security device for providing security during operation of said terminal, further comprising the step of:

disabling said security device in response to generation of said removed-from-holder control signal.

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

marking said first item for purchase so as to indicate that said first product code was read by said hand-held scanner.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

said marking step includes the step of applying ink to said first product code.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

said marking step includes the step of placing a label on said first product code.

9. A method of operating a self-service checkout terminal having (i) a housing, (ii) a stationary scanner secured to said housing, and (iii) a hand-held scanner having a holder associated therewith, said hand-held scanner being movable relative to said housing, comprising the steps of:

detecting when said hand-held scanner is removed from said holder and generating a removed-from-holder control signal in response thereto;

disabling said stationary scanner in response to generation of said removed-from-holder control signal;

generating a first item-entered control signal when a first product code associated with a first item for purchase is read by said hand-held scanner; and

marking said first item for purchase so as to indicate that said first product code was read by said hand-held scanner.

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

entering a first record corresponding to said first item for purchase in a transaction table in response to generation of said first item-entered control signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

detecting when said hand-held scanner is replaced into said holder and generating a replaced-in-holder control signal in response thereto;

enabling said stationary scanner in response to generation of said replaced-in-holder control signal; and

generating a second item-entered control signal when a second product code associated with a second item for purchase is read by said stationary scanner.

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

entering a second record corresponding to said second item for purchase in said transaction table in response to generation of said second item-entered control signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said self-service checkout terminal further has a security device for providing security during operation of said terminal, further comprising the step of:

disabling said security device in response to generation of said removed-from-holder control signal.

14. A self-service checkout terminal, comprising:

a housing;

a stationary scanner secured to said housing;

a hand-held scanner which is movable relative to said housing;

a processing unit electrically coupled to both said stationary scanner and said hand-held scanner; 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;

(i) disable said stationary scanner during use of said hand-held scanner, and

(ii) generate a first item-entered control signal when a first product code associated with a first item for purchase is read by said hand-held scanner.

15. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 14, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to enter a first record corresponding to said first item for purchase in a transaction table in response to generation of said first item-entered control signal.

16. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 15, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

(i) enable said stationary scanner during nonuse of said hand-held scanner, and

(ii) generate a second item-entered control signal when a second product code associated with a second item for purchase is read by said stationary scanner.

17. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 16, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to enter a second record corresponding to said second item for purchase in said transaction table in response to generation of said second item-entered control signal.

18. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

a security device for providing security during operation of said terminal,

wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to disable said security device during use of said hand-held scanner.

19. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 14, further comprising:

a marking device secured to said hand-held scanner, said marking device being configured to mark said first item for purchase so as to indicate that said first product code was read by said hand-held scanner.

20. The self-service checkout terminal of claim 19, wherein:

said marking device includes an ink marking device for applying ink to said first product code.

21. The self-service checkout device of claim 19, wherein:

said marking device includes a labeling device for placing a label on said first product code.