Self-guiding interface for customer service machines
First Claim
1. A method for guiding a customer in the use of a customer service machine having a plurality of stations at which a customer performs an activity in accordance with a sequence of pre-determined steps in furtherance of a transaction to be completed at the machine, comprising the steps of:
- detecting the presence of the customer by a proximity sensor immediately adjacent one of the plurality of stations, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding proximity sensor;
determining by a processor whether an activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence at the one station where the customer presence is detected in accordance with a current one of the pre-determined steps;
providing a first visual indication by an indicator adjacent the one station encouraging the activity when the activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is a next station in the sequence, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding indicator; and
providing a second visual indication by the indicator deterring the activity when the activity is not to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is not the next station in the sequence.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A customer service machine, such as a self check-out terminal, includes a visual indicator and a proximity sensor associated with certain functional components or stations of the terminal, such as itemization, bagging and payment stations. The visual indicator is configured to provide a visual signal to either encourage or deter customer activity at the particular station, depending upon whether any activity is required to further a transaction being conducted at the terminal. The proximity sensor at each station determines whether the customer is about to take action at that station. A controller determines whether the action is appropriate, and if not activates the visual indicator to deter such action, or if so activates the visual indicator to encourage such action. In one embodiment, the visual indicator includes a red light that is illuminated to deter action and a green light that is activated to encourage action.
43 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for guiding a customer in the use of a customer service machine having a plurality of stations at which a customer performs an activity in accordance with a sequence of pre-determined steps in furtherance of a transaction to be completed at the machine, comprising the steps of:
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detecting the presence of the customer by a proximity sensor immediately adjacent one of the plurality of stations, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding proximity sensor; determining by a processor whether an activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence at the one station where the customer presence is detected in accordance with a current one of the pre-determined steps; providing a first visual indication by an indicator adjacent the one station encouraging the activity when the activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is a next station in the sequence, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding indicator; and providing a second visual indication by the indicator deterring the activity when the activity is not to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is not the next station in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for guiding a customer through a pre-determined sequence of steps in a check-out transaction at a self check-out (SCO) terminal having an itemization station including a scanner for scanning a coded product, a bagging station including a scale for registering the weight of a product placed at the bagging station, and a payment station including a payment acceptor with a cash acceptor, a coin acceptor and a card reader, the method comprising the steps of:
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polling a proximity sensor immediately adjacent one of the plurality of stations by a processor, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding proximity sensor; detecting by the processor the presence of the customer immediately adjacent the one station; determining by the processor whether an activity is to be performed by the customer at the one station in furtherance of the check-out transaction; activating a first indicator light adjacent the one station by the processor to encourage the activity when the activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is a next station in the sequence, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding first indicator light; and activating a second indicator light adjacent the one station by the processor to discourage the activity when the activity is not to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is not the next station in the sequence, wherein each of the plurality of stations has a corresponding second indicator light. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A self-service checkout (SCO) terminal at which a customer conducts a transaction, the SCO terminal comprising:
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an itemization station including a scanner to scan a coded product, an itemization station proximity sensor, a first itemization station indicator light, and a second itemization station indicator light; a bagging station including a scale to register the weight of product placed at the bagging station, a bagging station proximity sensor, a first bagging station indicator light, and a second bagging station indicator light; a payment station including a payment acceptor with a cash acceptor and a coin acceptor, a card reader, a payment station proximity sensor, a first payment station indicator light, and a second bagging station indicator light; a central processor to process a transaction conducted at the terminal and to issue control instructions to activate each of the stations according to a pre-determined sequence of steps in the transaction; a display coupled to the central processor and operable to direct the customer to perform an activity at each of the stations according to the pre-determined steps in the transaction; wherein the itemization station proximity sensor, the bagging station proximity sensor, and the payment station proximity sensor are operable to detect the presence of the customer when the customer is immediately adjacent the itemization station, the bagging station, and the payment station and to generate an itemization station proximity signal, a bagging station proximity signal, and a payment station proximity signal in response thereto; and wherein the central processor receives one of the itemization station proximity signal, the bagging station proximity signal, and the payment station proximity signal, determines whether a corresponding activity at one of the itemization station, the payment station, and the bagging station is to be performed by the customer in furtherance of the check-out transaction, activates a corresponding first indicator light of the first itemization station indicator light, the first bagging station indicator light, and the first payment station indicator light to encourage the activity when the activity is to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is the next station in the sequence, and activates a corresponding second indicator light of the second itemization station indicator light, the second bagging station indicator light, and the second payment station indicator light to discourage the activity when the activity is not to be performed in accordance with the sequence and the one station is not the next station in the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification