Feedback device

• US 7,551,060 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Seevers, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/254,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 340/384.1
• US Class Current: 340/384.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/01 Details for indicating displaying information in general G09F, G09G
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00

Abstract

A feedback device 1 including an interface 2 for receiving a first signal 3 from a point of sale console 4. A processor 5 is responsive to signal 3 for selectively defining a second signal, in the form of an inaudible ultrasonic transmission 6. An output, in the form of an ultrasonic transducer 7, is responsive to processor 5 for propagating transmission 6 to provide only in a predetermined spatially defined transmission zone 8 an audible signal 9 indicative of signal 3. Signal 9 is substantially inaudible outside of zone 8.

Claims

1. A feedback device including:

an interface for receiving a first signal from a point of sale console;

a processor responsive to the first signal for selectively defining a second signal; and

an ultrasonic transducer responsive to the processor for propagating the second signal as an inaudible ultrasonic transmission to provide an audible signal to an operator of the point of sale console indicative of the first signal, the audible signal being focused towards the operator and being substantially inaudible to another operator of an adjacent point of sale console beyond a predetermined spatially defined transmission zone containing the operator.

2. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the first signal identifies a product and the audible signal is an advertisement related to the product and directed to a customer within the predetermined spatially defined transmission zone.

3. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the transducer outputs the ultrasonic transmission such that inherent properties of air within the transmission zone distort the ultrasonic transmission to provide the audible signal.

4. A feedback device according to claim 3 wherein the audible signal is substantially inaudible outside of the transmission zone.

5. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the transducer is mounted to the console.

6. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the transducer is spaced apart from the console.

7. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the console is operated from a control station defined in three-dimensional space, and the transmission zone includes at least part of the control station.

8. A feedback device according to claim 7 wherein the console and the adjacent console having a second control station are located within a common checkout zone, and the audible signal is not audible in the second control station.

9. A feedback device according to claim 1 wherein the console includes a scanner for reading identification tags, and the first signal is indicative of an identification tag having been read.

10. A feedback device according to claim 9 wherein the console includes a processing unit for validating the identification tag, and the first signal is indicative of the tag having been read and validated.

11. A feedback device according to claim 10 wherein the validation results in an approval or a rejection, and the audible signal is indicative of the approval or the rejection.

12. A method for providing feedback from a point of sale console, the method including the steps of:

receiving a first signal from the point of sale console;

being responsive to the first signal for selectively defining a second signal; and

propagating the second signal as an inaudible ultrasonic transmission to provide an audible signal to an operator of the point of sale console indicative of the first signal, the audible signal being focused towards the operator and being substantially inaudible to another operator of an adjacent point of sale console beyond a predetermined spatially defined transmission zone containing the operator.

13. A scanner including:

an identification system for scanning an item;

an interface for receiving a first signal indicative of an item having been scanned;

a processor responsive to the first signal for selectively defining a second signal; and

an ultrasonic transducer responsive to the processor for propagating the second signal as an inaudible ultrasonic transmission to provide an audible signal to an operator of the scanner indicative of the first signal, the audible signal being focused towards the operator and being substantially inaudible to another operator to of an adjacent point of sale console beyond a predetermined spatially defined transmission zone containing the operator.

14. A scanner according to claim 13 wherein the scanning includes barcode recognition.

15. A scanner according to claim 13 wherein the scanning includes RFID tag interrogation.