System to detect false purchases with a consumer service device

• US 7,398,923 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pierce, Justin Monroe, Do, Phuc Ky
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech; Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US11/847,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.2, 235/462.23, 235/462.31, 235/383
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2402 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS], i.e. systems using tags for detecting removal of a tagged item from a secure area, e.g. tags for detecting shoplifting mechanical aspects of the tags, e.g. related to locking E05B73/0017; RFID readers G06K7/00; RFID tags G06K19/00; access control systems G07C9/00; anti-theft control in point of sale systems G07G3/003; security seals G09F3/03

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for detecting false purchases is disclosed. The method includes detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal and monitoring for a product identifier. In response to failing to detect the product identifier, an alert signal is transmitted.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a motion detector for detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal;

a counter for monitoring for a product identification;

a first signaling unit, in response to failing to detect the product identifier, transmitting an alert signal;

a recording unit, in response to detecting said product identifier, recording said product identifier on a personal shopping device;

a second signaling unit, in response to recording said product identifier on said personal shopping device, sending a product identification signal, indicating a price check, from said personal shopping device;

a correlating unit for correlating an initiation of a purchase transaction to said product identifier; and

a first transmitting unit for, in response to correlating said product identifier to said initiation, transmitting a product purchased from said personal shopping device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second transmitting unit for transmitting a product identified signal from said personal shopping device in response to a product identification that is not correlated to a purchase transaction within a predetermined time.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a pattern matching unit for identifying a pattern in a relationship between a number of said product identified signals, a number of said failure signals, and a number of said product purchased signals; and

a pattern information unit for alerting a security unit to said pattern.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an identifying unit for identifying suspicious activity as being a failure to correlate said product identifier to said initiation of a purchase transaction; and

means for logging said suspicious activity.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a calculating unit for, in response to said alert signal and said product identified signal being repeatedly generated to create respective multiple alert signals and product identified signals, calculating a ratio of a sum of said product identified signals and said alert signals to a quantity of said product purchased signals.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an alerting unit for alerting a security unit when said ratio exceeds a threshold value.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first transmitting unit further comprises electrical devices for transmitting one of a group consisting of a first audible signal, a first color of light outside the visible spectrum from an illumination unit, a first color of visible light from said illumination unit, and a first radio-frequency signal.

8. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium, comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for detecting a motion across a product identifier in a self-service terminal;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for monitoring for a product identifier;

instructions, in response to failing to detect the product identifier, transmitting an alert signal;

instructions, in response to detecting said product identifier, recording said product identifier on a personal shopping device;

instructions, in response to recording said product identifier on said personal shopping device, sending a product identification signal from said personal shopping device;

instructions on the computer-readable medium for correlating an initiation of a purchase transaction to said product identifier; and

instructions, in response to correlating said product identifier to said initiation, transmitting a product purchased from said personal shopping device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising instructions on the computer-readable medium for transmitting a product identified signal from said personal shopping device in response to a product identification that is not correlated to a purchase transaction within a predetermined time.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions on the computer-readable medium for identifying a pattern in a relationship between a number of said product identified signals, a number of said failure signals, and a number of said product purchased signals; and

instructions on the computer-readable medium for alerting a security unit to said pattern.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

instructions on the computer-readable medium for identifying suspicious activity as being a failure to correlate said product identifier to said initiation of a purchase transaction; and

instructions on the computer-readable medium for logging said suspicious activity.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

instructions, in response to said alert signal and said product identified signal being repeatedly generated to create respective multiple alert signals and product identified signals, calculating a ratio of a sum of said product identified signals and said alert signals to a quantity of said product purchased signals.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising instructions on the computer-readable medium for alerting a security unit when said ratio exceeds a threshold value.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said instructions for transmitting said product purchased from said personal shopping device further comprises instructions on the computer-readable medium for transmitting one of a group consisting of a first audible signal, a first color of light outside the visible spectrum from an illumination unit, a first color of visible light from said illumination unit, and a first radio-frequency signal.