Method and apparatus for operating a configurable remote supervisor terminal of a self-service retail checkout system

• US 7,209,891 B1
• Filed: 02/08/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Addy, John C., Barnhart, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wasylchak; Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/245,592
• Time in Patent Office: 2,997 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16, 705/21, 705/17, 705/18, 235/376, 235/377, 235/378, 186/59
• US Class Current: 705/21
• 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 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A method of operating a retail system which includes a plurality of self-service checkout terminals, a first remote supervisor terminal, and a second remote supervisor terminal includes the step of operating the first remote supervisor terminal such that the first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a first period of time. The method also includes the step of maintaining the second remote supervisor terminal in an idle mode of operation such that the second remote supervisor terminal does not monitor operation of any of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during the first period of time. Yet further, the method includes the step of operating the first remote supervisor terminal such that the first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a first group of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a second period of time. In addition, the method includes the step of operating the second remote supervisor terminal such that the second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a second group of the plurality of self-service checkout terminals during the second period of time. A self-service retail system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a retail system which includes (i) a plurality of self-service checkout terminals, (ii) a first remote supervisor terminal, and (iii) a second remote supervisor terminal, comprising the steps of:

(a) operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a first period of time;

(b) maintaining said second remote supervisor terminal in an idle mode of operation such that said second remote supervisor terminal does not monitor operation of any of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time;

(c) operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a second period of time; and

(d) operating said second remote supervisor terminal such that said second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time,

wherein said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals is different from said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals,

wherein said first remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said first remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (c), and

wherein said second remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said second remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (d).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals so as to assist a plurality of customers respectively operating each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals so as to assist a first group of customers respectively operating each of said first group of self-service checkout terminals, and

said step of operating said second remote supervisor terminal such that said second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second remote supervisor terminal such that said second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals so as to assist a second group of customers respectively operating each of said second group of self-service checkout terminals.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal so as to provide security to each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first remote supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time, and

said step of operating said second remote supervisor terminal such that said second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second remote supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said retail system further includes a third remote supervisor terminal, further comprising the steps of:

operating said first remote supervisor terminal such that said first remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a third group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a third period of time;

operating said second remote supervisor terminal such that said second remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a fourth group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said third period of time; and

operating a third remote supervisor terminal such that said third remote supervisor terminal monitors operation of a fifth group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said third period of time,

wherein each of said first group of self-service checkout terminals, said second group of self-service checkout terminals, said third group of self-service checkout terminals, said fourth group of self-service checkout terminals, and said fifth group of self-service checkout terminals is different from one another.

7. A method of operating a retail system, comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a first remote supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of a first group of self-service checkout terminals during a first period of time;

(b) operating a second remote supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of a second group of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time;

(c) operating said first remote supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said second group of self-service checkout terminals during a second period of time; and

(d) operating said second remote supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said first group of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time,

wherein said first group of self-service checkout terminals is different from said second group of self-service checkout terminals,

wherein said first remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said first remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said first group of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (a),

wherein said second remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said second remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said second group of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (b),

wherein said first remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said first remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said second group of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (c)

wherein said second remote supervisor terminal is configured to enable a store employee located at said second remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said first group of self-service checkout terminals via audio, video, and data connection during step (d).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said first group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to assist a first group of customers respectively operating said first group of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time, and

said step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said second group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to assist a second group of customers respectively operating said second group of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

said step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said second group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to assist a third group of customers respectively operating said second group of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time, and

said step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said first group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to assist a fourth group of customers respectively operating said first group of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said first group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said first group of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time, and

said step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said second group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said second group of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said second group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said first supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said second group of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time, and

said step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of said first group of self-service checkout terminals includes the step of operating said second supervisor terminal so as to provide security to said first group of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of operating a third remote supervisor terminal so as to monitor operation of both said first group of self-service checkout terminals and said second group of self-service checkout terminals during a third period of time.

13. A self-service retail system, comprising:

a plurality of self-service checkout terminals for allowing a plurality of customers to checkout items for purchase;

a first remote supervisor terminal electrically coupled via audio, video and data connection to each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals so as to enable a store employee located at said first remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals via said audio, video, and data connection; and

a second remote supervisor terminal electrically coupled via audio, video and data connection to each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals so as to enable a store employee located at said second remote supervisor terminal to communicate with customers respectively located at each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals via said audio, video, and data connection,

wherein (i) said first remote supervisor terminal is configured to monitor operation of each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a first period of time, (ii) said second remote supervisor terminal is maintained in an idle mode of operation during said first period of time, (iii) said first remote supervisor terminal is further configured to monitor operation of a first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during a second period of time, (iv) said second remote supervisor terminal is further configured to monitor operation a second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time, and (v) said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals is different from said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals.

14. The self-service retail system of claim 13, wherein said first remote supervisor terminal is further configured to assist each of said plurality of customers during said first period of time.

15. The self-service retail system of claim 13, wherein:

said first remote supervisor terminal is further configured to assist a first group of said plurality of customers during said second period of time, and

said second remote supervisor terminal is further configured to assist a second group of said plurality of customers during said second period of time.

16. The self-service retail system of claim 13, wherein said first remote supervisor terminal is further configured to provide security to each of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said first period of time.

17. The self-service retail system of claim 13, wherein:

said first remote supervisor terminal is further configured to provide security to said first group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time, and

said second remote supervisor terminal is further configured to provide security to said second group of said plurality of self-service checkout terminals during said second period of time.