Self-checkout system
First Claim
1. A retail terminal comprising:
- a processor;
a memory in communication with said processor and containing program instructions operative to control said processor, said memory further storing a weight learning database (WLDB) containing a list of predetermined weights for items for sale;
a scale in communication with said processor and operative to obtain a weight measurement of an item for sale placed on said scale;
a means for determining the identification of the item, at the weight scale;
a scan error indicator in communication with the processor; and
a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna in communication with the processor, and focused on a bagging area of the terminal;
the program instructions operative to control said processor to compare the stored and measured weights for the identified item and to actuate the first RFID antenna to verify the identification of the item if there is a perceived error in the weight of the item as measured by the scale,the program instructions further operative to control said processor to compare the item identification determined by the means for determining the identification of the item and by the first RFID antenna,the scan error indicator only being actuated if the comparison of the identification of the item raises a discrepancy.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A retail terminal and method of operation thereof. The retail terminal has a weight scale, a bar code scanner, RFID tag antenna, a scan error indicator, means for communicating with a processor and a memory containing a weight learning database (WLDB). The method comprises the steps of: allowing placement of an item, having an RFID tag, to be weighed on the weight scale; allowing scanning of the item via the bar code scanner; allowing RFID tag to be read by antenna located in the scanner; obtaining a weight measurement of the item on the scale upon successful scanning of the item; and comparing the measured weight of the scanned item with a predetermined weight for that item stored in the WLDB. Wherein the comparison detects a discrepancy between the measured and pre-determined weights for the item actuating the RFID antenna in order to detect the RFID tag on the scanned item; and wherein the item identified by the RFID tag matches the scanned item de-actuating the scan error indicator, which would otherwise have been actuated by the discrepancy between the stored and measured weights for the scanned item.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A retail terminal comprising:
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a processor; a memory in communication with said processor and containing program instructions operative to control said processor, said memory further storing a weight learning database (WLDB) containing a list of predetermined weights for items for sale; a scale in communication with said processor and operative to obtain a weight measurement of an item for sale placed on said scale; a means for determining the identification of the item, at the weight scale; a scan error indicator in communication with the processor; and a first radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna in communication with the processor, and focused on a bagging area of the terminal; the program instructions operative to control said processor to compare the stored and measured weights for the identified item and to actuate the first RFID antenna to verify the identification of the item if there is a perceived error in the weight of the item as measured by the scale, the program instructions further operative to control said processor to compare the item identification determined by the means for determining the identification of the item and by the first RFID antenna, the scan error indicator only being actuated if the comparison of the identification of the item raises a discrepancy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A checkout system comprising:
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a processor; a scale in communication with said processor and operative to obtain a weight measurement of an item placed on said scale; a means for identifying the item, at the scale, and in communication with said processor; and memory in communication with said processor and containing program instructions operative to control said processor, said memory further storing a weight learning database (WLDB) containing a list of predetermined weights for items for sale; the program instructions operative to control said processor to compare the stored and measured weights for the identified item and to actuate a first radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna if there is a perceived error in the weight of the item as measured by the scale, the program instructions further operative to control said processor to compare the identification of the item identified by the means for identification and the RFID antenna, the scan error indicator only being actuated if the comparison of the identification of the item raises a discrepancy. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A retail terminal comprising:
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a scale for generating scale data; a processor for executing program instructions and operably connected the scale and to a weight learning database (WLDB) containing a list of predetermined items and associated weights for the items; and a memory in communication with the processor and containing program instructions for controlling the processor to; obtain scale data for an item placed on the scale, identify the item placed on the scale as one of the items in the list of items; obtain the associated weight for the one of the items in the list of items, actuate a first radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna to obtain RFID data from the item that was placed on the scale in response to identification of a discrepancy between the obtained scale data and the obtained associated weight, compare the identity of the item placed on the scale with an identification based upon the RFID data, and generate an indication if the RFID data identification does not match the identity of the item placed on the scale. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification