Method and apparatus for multiple format image capture for use in retail transactions

• US 6,726,094 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindacher, Joseph M., Rantze, Edward G., Wike, Charles Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US09/488,059
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 186/61, 186/59, 235/462.11, 235/462.13, 235/462.41, 235/379, 235/381, 705/16-25, 348/150, 725/60
• US Class Current: 235/379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/207 Surveillance aspects at ATMs
• 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
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A customer self-service terminal for use in conducting retail transactions. The terminal includes a camera having multi-mode image capability. When a customer wishes to conduct a transaction, the camera is used to scan product barcodes. The camera is set to capture an image of a barcode for extraction of data contained in the barcode. When all desired products have been scanned, the camera is used to record steps in the tendering of payment. The customer presents a financial identification card such as a credit or debit card and swipes it through a magnetic stripe reader. The customer then places the card in the field of view of the camera which is set to a video graphic mode to capture an image of the card for storage. The customer is then presented with a transaction document for signing. The camera is set to a live video mode to record the act of signing. After the transaction document has been signed, the camera captures an image of the signature. The captured images are associated with the transaction record and stored along with the transaction record, and the transaction is completed. The camera may also be set to provide a live video feed, which may be used sent to a remote security station for monitoring by a store employee.

Claims

1. A self-service retail terminal for conducting retail point of sale transactions comprising:

a communication interface for communicating retail transaction information to and from a central processor;

a multi-mode camera;

a terminal processor controlling operation of the self-service terminal in response to customer inputs, the terminal processor receiving video information relating to stages of a transaction, the terminal processor selecting an operating mode for the multi-mode camera based on stages of the transaction;

a customer interface for receiving the customer inputs;

the multi-mode camera having a first mode to provide an image of an item to the terminal processor, said terminal processor operative to extract bar code information from the image to identify the item, said multi-mode camera having a second mode to provide an image of a financial card being used to pay for the item, and said multi-mode camera having a third mode to provide a video clip of a customer signing a financial receipt.

2. The self-service terminal of claim 1 wherein the multi-mode camera is operative to provide an image of the signed financial receipt to the terminal processor.

3. The self-service terminal of claim 1 the multi-mode camera further having a fourth mode to provide a continuous live video stream to a remote monitor.

4. The self-service terminal of claim 1 wherein the multi-mode camera produces output video in one of a plurality of formats.

5. The self-service terminal of claim 4 wherein the multi-mode camera selects one of the plurality of formats based on commands from the terminal processor.

6. The self-service terminal of claim 5 wherein the terminal processor issues said commands to the camera based on the stage of the transaction.

7. The self-service terminal of claim 2 further comprising a tangible storage medium for storing the image of the financial card, the image of the signed financial receipt and the video clip with a transaction record.

8. A self-service retail terminal for conducting retail point of sale transactions comprising:

a communication interface for communicating retail transaction information to and from a central processor;

a multi-mode camera;

a terminal processor controlling operation of the self-service terminal in response to customer inputs, the terminal processor receiving video information relating to stages of a transaction, the terminal processor selecting an operating mode for the multi-mode camera based on stages of the transaction;

a customer interface for receiving the customer inputs;

the multi-mode camera having a first mode to provide an image of an item to the terminal processor, said terminal processor operative to extract bar code information from the image to identify the item, said multi-mode camera having a second mode to provide a video clip of a customer signing a financial receipt, and said multi-mode camera having a third mode to provide an image of the signed financial receipt.