Item checkout device including a bar code data collector and a produce data collector

• US 6,457,644 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2000
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Collins, Jr., Donald A., Treptau, Jeffrey P., Spencer, Michael A., Seevers, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ST CYR, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US09/672,327
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.11, 235/462.14, 235/462.41, 235/462.42, 235/383, 186/61, 356/328, 356/326
• US Class Current: 235/462.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• 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

An item checkout device which combines a produce data collector with an optical bar code data collector. The item checkout device includes a housing, a bar code data collector within the housing, and a produce data collector within the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the item checkout device includes an optical bar code data collector including a first housing, a scale within the first housing, a weigh plate on the scale including a first window for allowing scanning light beams from optical bar code data collector to pass and a second window, and a produce data collector within the first housing including a second housing containing an aperture adjacent the second window, a light source for illuminating a produce item on the second window with substantially uniform light, a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths, a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals, and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price.

Claims

1. An item checkout device comprising:

a housing including first and second portions;

a scale within the first portion of the housing for weighing a produce item;

a weigh plate on the scale which extends over the first and second portions and which includes first and second apertures;

a bar code data collector within the first portion of the housing which directs a plurality of scanning light beams through the first aperture for reading a barcode label on a barcoded item; and

a produce data collector within the second portion of the housing in non-interfering relation to the bar code data collector which directs substantially uniform light through the second aperture to the produce item and receives reflected light from the produce item through the second aperture, wherein the produce data collector includes

a light source for illuminating the produce item with the substantially uniform light during a transaction;

a linear variable filter for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths;

a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and

control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price.

2. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the bar code data collector comprises an optical bar code data collector.

3. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is mounted within a checkout counter.

4. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises:

a halogen light.

5. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises:

a light emitting diode (LED) which produces substantially white light.

6. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises:

a plurality of LEDs which collectively provide substantially white light.

7. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises:

a plurality of matched LEDs which collectively provide substantially white light.

8. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source provides uniform spectral illumination across a sampled portion of the produce item.

9. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source provides uniform luminosity illumination across a sampled portion of the produce item.

10. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source provides illumination in a range of wavelengths from about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

11. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the detector comprises:

an array of photodetectors for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals.

12. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the control circuitry comprises:

an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter.

13. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the produce data collector further comprises:

a color balancing filter for balancing spectral throughput from the light source and increasing a signal-to-noise ratio of the control circuitry.

14. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the produce data collector further comprises:

a light source sensor for monitoring the light source for variation in intensity and for producing signals indicative of the intensity;

wherein the control circuitry varies drive current to the light source to compensate for the variation in intensity.

15. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the produce data collector further comprises:

an ambient light sensor for sensing intensity of ambient light through the second aperture and for producing signals indicative of the intensity;

wherein the control circuitry turns on the light source after ambient light intensity has fallen to a minimum level.

16. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the produce data collector further comprises:

a shutter for obscuring ambient light through the second aperture;

wherein the control circuitry opers and closes the shutter to take reference ambient light reacings.

17. The item checkout device as recited in claim 16, wherein the shutter comprises:

a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC).

18. The item checkout device as recited in claim 16, wherein the shutter comprises:

a door; and

a motor for moving the door to an open position and to a closed position.

19. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source provides uniform luminosity across the second aperture.

20. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises:

a plurality of LEDs arranged around and substantially equidistantly from a center line through the second aperture.

21. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second aperture is no larger in area than about ¾

inch by ¾

inch.

22. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the weigh plate includes a window in the second aperture and an anti-reflective coating on an inner side of the window which minimizes a portion of the light for illuminating the produce item which reflects from the inner side of the window.

23. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the produce data collector further comprises:

a baffle between the light source and the light separating element for minimizing an amount of the light from the light source which is directly incident upon the light separating element.

24. The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the light separating element comprises:

a first end for processing a first wavelength of the collected light and a second end for processing a second wavelength of the collected light shorter than the first wavelength;

wherein the first end is aligned with a center of the second aperture.