Complete integrated self-checkout system and method

• US 6,507,279 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensormatic Electronics Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Loof, Per Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/875,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/572.3, 340/568.1, 340/5.81, 340/5.2, 340/5.92, 235/431, 235/385, 235/383, 235/375, 235/381, 235/376, 235/380, 235/382, 705/10, 705/18, 705/20, 705/21, 705/17, 705/16, 705/28, 705/26, 705/29, 705/34, 700/225
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0238 at point-of-sale [POS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

An integrated self-checkout system and method incorporates access control, electronic article surveillance (EAS), and radio frequency identification (RFID) subsystems, and allows marketing advertisements and pricing to be directed to a specific individual. The customer uses either a cell phone or an interactive personal digital assistant (PDA) when in the store, which displays prices and/or advertisements. The prices and advertisements are selected according to the customer'"'"'s buying habits. The customer'"'"'s buying habits are obtained by tracking the customer in the store and recording selected parameters such as the customer'"'"'s track through the store, the time spent in various locations in the store, items selected by the customer, and items purchased. A database of customer habits is input to a decision program that determines the content of advertisements, and the pricing of various items. In addition to the customer'"'"'s cell phone or PDA, the advertising and pricing can be communicated to the customer through shelf price displays and fixed displays strategically positioned in the store. RFID or bar code scanners are used to identify the items selected by the customer, and EAS functions can be deactivated for the specific items purchased.

Claims

1. An integrated access control and self-checkout system, comprising:

means for restricting access to a controlled area, said means including a database containing a list of authorized members and permitting entry only to an authorized member, the controlled area containing articles of merchandise for sale;

communication means for communicating with the authorized member, said communication means disposed with each authorized member within the controlled area and including a display means for displaying information to the member;

tracking means for tracking the member throughout the controlled area; and

,

means for selecting information to be displayed on said communication means by analyzing data in said database associated with the member and the location of the member within the controlled area, said data including purchasing habits of the member.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for identifying an article selected by the member for purchase; and

,

means for completing a sale of said article to the member.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for deactivating an EAS tag associated only with said article; and

,

means, at each exit of said controlled area, for detecting an active EAS tag associated with said article to signal an alarm when a sale has not been completed for said article and said EAS tag has not been deactivated.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for identifying an article selected by the member for purchase comprises an RFID tag associated with said article, wherein said RFID tag is also said EAS tag.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said means for identifying an article selected by the member for purchase comprises an RFID tag associated with said article.

6. The system of claim 2 further comprising dispensing means for dispensing a coupon, said dispensing means responsive to said means for competing a sale and said means for selecting information wherein coupons are selected based upon said database and are dispensed only after a competed sale.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display pre-positioned in said controlled area to display selected information to the member.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display adjacent said article for sale, to display pricing and other selected information, said information including information intended only for the member.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for restricting access comprises comparing biometrics sensed from a member wanting access to the controlled area to biometrics associated with each member on the list of authorized members.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said tracking means comprises tracking of said communication means.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said database comprises a plurality of files associated with a plurality of authorized members, each of said files containing the purchasing habits of the associated member, said purchasing habits including at least one of the items selected from the group containing the date and time, a record of the location of the customer when in the controlled area, a time associated with the customer in the controlled area, personal data, articles selected by the member, articles purchased by the member, and usage of special offers.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said means for selecting information to be displayed comprises a computer program that includes at least one subroutine selected from the group containing an expert system, a rule-base algorithm, an artificial neural network, and an artificial intelligence algorithm, said computer program using information retrieved from said database.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for communication is selected from the group containing a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, and a pager.

14. A method for operating an integrated self-checkout store, comprising:

restricting access to a controlled area, including accessing a database containing a list of authorized members and permitting entry only to an authorized member, the controlled area containing articles of merchandise for sale;

communicating with the authorized member within the controlled area and including displaying information to the member;

tracking the member throughout the controlled area; and

,

selecting information to be displayed to the member by analyzing data in said database associated with the member and the location of the member within the controlled area, said data including purchasing habits of the member.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

identifying an article selected by the member for purchase; and

,

completing a sale of said article to the member.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

deactivating an EAS tag associated only with said article; and

,

detecting an active EAS tag associated with said article to signal an alarm when a sale has not been completed for said article and said EAS tag has not been deactivated.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising, after completing said sale, dispensing a coupon selected based upon said selecting of information to be displayed and said database.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying selected information to the member in a pre-selected location in the controlled area.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising displaying pricing and other selected information adjacent said article for sale, said information including information intended only for the member.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein restricting access to the controlled area further comprises comparing biometrics sensed from a member wanting access to the controlled area to biometrics associated with each member on the list of authorized members.