Settled weight scale for a checkout system

• US 7,070,097 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Maddox, Craig E., Blanford, Denis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US10/034,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20030121974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 235/375, 235/385, 235/380, 705/1, 705/23, 705/21, 705/61, 186/61, 186/59
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A retail terminal includes a scale for weighing items to be purchased. The scale is operative to obtain a settled or stable weight of items placed thereon either after a predetermined time delay from when the items were placed on the scale or the receipt of an actuation signal from a trigger or actuator. This allows time for the scanning of an item of the items on the scale via a scanner of the retail terminal generally associated with the lifting of the item from the scale in order for the item to be scanned.

Claims

1. A method of operating a retail terminal comprising the steps of:

placing items of a type of items to be weighed on a scale of the retail terminal;

scanning one item of the type of items via a scanner of the retail terminal;

obtaining a first weight measurement of the items of the type of items on the scale upon successful scanning of the one item of the type of items;

initiating a timer after the step of obtaining a first weight measurement, the timer having a time duration; and

obtaining a second weight measurement of the items of the type of items on the same scale utilized in the obtaining a first weight measurement step upon actuation of a trigger or the timer reaching the time duration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein actuation of a trigger comprises sensing a change of weight on the scale.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein actuation of a trigger comprises user-actuation of an actuator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein actuation of a trigger comprises user-actuation of an actuator comprising a key of the retail terminal.

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

providing an indication if the second weight measurement has been successfully obtained.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of providing an indication includes providing one of an audio indication and a visual indication.

7. A retail terminal comprising:

a processor;

memory in communication with said processor and containing program instructions operative to control said processor;

a scale in communication with said processor; and

a scanner in communication with said processor;

said scale operative to obtain a first weight measurement of items of a type of items placed on said scale;

said scanner operative to obtain machine-readable data from one of the items of the type of items;

said processor operative to initiate a timer after said scale obtains the first weight measurement, the timer having a time duration; and

said scale further operative to obtain a second weight measurement of the items of the type of items on said scale upon receipt of a trigger signal or the timer reaching the time duration.

8. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said trigger signal is generated by said scale sensing a change of weight.

9. The retail terminal of claim 7, wherein said trigger signal is generated by user-actuation of a trigger.

10. The retail terminal of claim 7, further comprising:

an indicator in communication with said processor, said indicator operative to provide an indication of a successful attainment of said second weight measurement by said scale.

11. The retail terminal of claim 10, wherein said indicator comprises one of an audio device and a video device.

12. A checkout system comprising:

a processor;

a scale in communication with said processor and operative to obtain weight measurement of items placed on said scale;

a scanner in communication with said processor and operative to read bar codes; and

memory in communication with said processor and containing program instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to;

obtain a first weight measurement from said scale of items of a type of items placed on said scale;

obtain a bar code associated with one of said items of the items of the type of items from said scanner;

initiate a timer after said processor obtains a first weight measurement, the timer having a time duration; and

obtain a second weight measurement from said same scale of items of the type of items placed on said scale upon actuation of a trigger or said timer reaching said time duration.

13. The checkout system of claim 12, wherein said trigger comprises sensing a weight change by said scale.

14. The checkout system of claim 12, wherein said trigger comprises a user-actuated actuator.

15. The checkout system of claim 12, further comprising:

an indicator in communication with said processor, said indicator operative to provide an indication of a successful attainment of said second weight measurement by said scale.

16. The checkout system of claim 15, wherein said indicator comprises one of an audio device and a video device.