Retail system for allowing a customer to perform a retail transaction and associated method

• US 6,382,357 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Morrison, James, Addy, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THUY VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/211,688
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 186/61, 235/383, 235/385
• US Class Current: 186/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/343 Cards including a counter
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• 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 retail system so as to allow a customer to perform a retail transaction, with the retail system having a hand-held scanner device and a self-service checkout terminal, includes the step of storing a first number of records corresponding to a number of items in a scanner memory device of the hand-held scanner device when the customer scans the number of items with the hand-held scanner device. The method also includes the step of transferring the first number of records from the scanner memory device to a terminal memory device of the self-service checkout terminal and generating a transfer-complete control signal in response thereto. The method further includes the step of determining if the retail transaction of the customer is to be audited in response to generation of the transfer-complete control signal and generating an audit-required control signal in response thereto. Moreover, the method includes the step of operating the self-service checkout terminal so as to allow the customer to enter the number of items into the self-service checkout terminal in response to generation of the audit-required control signal. A retail system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a retail system so as to allow a customer to perform a retail transaction, said retail system having (i) a hand-held scanner device, and (ii) a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

storing a first number of records corresponding to a number of items in a scanner memory device of said hand-held scanner device when said customer scans said number of items with said hand-held scanner device;

transferring said first number of records from said scanner memory device to a terminal memory device of said self-service checkout terminal and generating a transfer-complete control signal in response thereto;

determining whether said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited or not be audited in response to generation of said transfer-complete control signal;

generating an audit-required control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to enter said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal in response to generation of said audit-required control signal.

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

generating a no-audit control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is not to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said no-audit control signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing a second number of records corresponding to said number of items in said terminal memory device of said self-service checkout terminal when said customer enters said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal;

comparing said first number of records to said second number of records; and

generating an audit-passed control signal if said second number of records matches said first number of records.

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

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said audit-passed control signal.

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

generating an audit-failed control signal if said second number of records does not match said first number of records;

generating a personnel control signal in response to generation of said audit-failed control signal; and

actuating an indicator device so as to summon retail personnel in response to generation of said personnel control signal.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said self-service checkout terminal has a cart scale associated therewith, further comprising the steps of:

determining weight of a grocery cart and generating a cart-empty control signal if said grocery cart is devoid of items; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said cart-empty control signal.

7. A retail system for allowing a customer to perform a retail transaction, comprising:

a hand-held scanner device having a scanner memory device associated therewith, said hand-held scanner being configured to store a first number of records corresponding to a number of items in said scanner memory device when said customer scans said number of items with said hand-held scanner device; and

a self-service checkout terminal having (i) a docking receptacle for docking said hand-held scanner device, (ii) a processing unit electrically coupled to said scanner memory device when said hand-held scanner device is positioned in said docking receptacle, and (iii) a terminal memory device electrically coupled to said processing unit, wherein said terminal memory device has stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by said processing unit, causes said processing unit to;

(a) transfer said first number of records from said scanner memory device to said terminal memory device and generate a transfer-complete control signal in response thereto,

(b) determine whether said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited or not be audited in response to generation of said transfer-complete control signal,

(c) generate an audit-required control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited, and

(d) operate said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to enter said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal in response to generation of said audit-required control signal.

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

(a) generate a no-audit control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is not to be audited, and

(b) operate said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said no-audit control signal.

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

(a) store a second number of records corresponding to said number of items in said terminal memory device of said self-service checkout terminal when said customer enters said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal,

(b) compare said first number of records to said second number of records; and

(c) generate an audit-passed control signal if said second number of records matches said first number of records.

10. The retail system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

operate said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said audit-passed control signal.

11. The retail system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

generate an audit-failed control signal if said second number of records does not match said first number of records,

generate a personnel control signal in response to generation of said audit-failed control signal, and

actuate an indicator device associated with said self-service checkout terminal so as to summon retail personnel in response to generation of said personnel control signal.

12. The retail system of claim 9, further comprising a cart scale which is electrically coupled to said processing unit, said cart scale being configured to determine weight of a grocery cart, wherein said plurality of instructions, when executed by said processing unit, further causes said processing unit to:

(a) generate a cart-empty control signal if said grocery cart is devoid of items, and

(b) operate said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said cart-empty control signal.

13. A method of operating a retail system so as to allow a customer to perform a retail transaction, said retail system having (i) a hand-held scanner device, and (ii) a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

storing a first number of records corresponding to a number of items in a scanner memory device of said hand-held scanner device when said customer scans said number of items with said hand-held scanner device;

transferring said first number of records from said scanner memory device to a terminal memory device of said self-service checkout terminal and generating a transfer-complete control signal in response thereto;

determining whether said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited or not be audited in response to generation of said transfer-complete control signal;

generating an audit-required control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to enter said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal in response to generation of said audit-required control signal;

storing a second number of records corresponding to said number of items in said terminal memory device of said self-service checkout terminal when said customer enters said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal;

comparing said first number of records to said second number of records; and

generating an audit-passed control signal if said second number of records matches said first number of records.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

generating a no-audit control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is not to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said no-audit control signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said audit-passed control signal.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

generating an audit-failed control signal if said second number of records does not match said first number of records;

generating a personnel control signal in response to generation of said audit-failed control signal; and

actuating an indicator device so as to summon retail personnel in response to generation of said personnel control signal.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said self-service checkout terminal has a cart scale associated therewith, further comprising the steps of:

determining weight of a grocery cart and generating a cart-empty control signal if said grocery cart is devoid of items; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said cart-empty control signal.

18. A method of operating a retail system so as to allow a customer to perform a retail transaction, said retail system having (i) a hand-held scanner device, and (ii) a self-service checkout terminal, comprising the steps of:

operating said hand-held scanner device so as to allow said customer to enter a number of items into said hand-held-scanner device;

determining whether said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited or not to be audited;

generating an audit required control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to enter said number of items into said self-service checkout terminal in response to generation of said audit-required control signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

generating a no-audit control signal if said retail transaction of said customer is not to be audited; and

operating said self-service checkout terminal so as to allow said customer to tender payment for said number of items in response to generation of said no-audit control signal.