Self-checkout method and apparatus

• US 7,845,554 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech North America Incorporated (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Frontech North America Incorporated (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Eric L. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rudy; Andrew Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/150,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,126 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 235/472.01, 235/375, 235/376, 235/383, 235/385, 705/16, 705/20, 705/26, 705/27, 704/236, 704/246, 704/251, 340/5.92, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 235/383
• 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 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• 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 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

A point-of-sale self-checkout terminal includes a code reader device for automated entry of a product identification code present on items for purchase and a customer input device for receipt of data from a customer. A customer can initiate a purchase of a non-scannable item and, in response, a database is queried to identify items based on a prediction of purchase of the items, and the identified items are displayed for selection by the customer to purchase the item. Inage processing and voice processing, can also be implemented to assist customers with the purchase of non-scannable items.

Claims

1. A point-of-sale self-checkout apparatus comprising:

an audio input device;

an audio processing module configured to process an audio input signal comprising item terminology received from the audio input device, and to query a database based on a received audio input to determine a query result, wherein the query result comprises one or more identified products based on a match between the processed audio input and keywords associated with the identified one or more products, wherein at least one of the one or more of the identified products was obtained as a result of a prediction process derived from terminology that is different from the item terminology used in the audio input; and

a display for displaying to the purchaser a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of icons, each icon depicting one of the products identified in the query result;

wherein the display in configured to receive from the purchaser a selection of one of the displayed icons.

2. A product purchasing method comprising:

at a point-of-sale self-checkout terminal comprising a code reader device, a customer input device, an image capture device, a touch-sensor device and an audio input device,

receiving from a customer a first input at the customer input device initiating a purchase of an item non-scannable by the code reader device;

capturing an image of a checkout item through the image capture device;

receiving an audio input through the audio input device;

processing said first input, captured image and audio input;

querying a database to identify a first plurality of items based on a prediction of purchase of the items;

in response to any or all of the first input, the captured image and the audio input, displaying to the customer a graphical user interface comprising a first plurality of user-selectable icons, each of said icons representing one of the first plurality of items, and at least one additional user-selectable icon representing an item resulting from a prediction process that is based on information other than information obtained through the code reader device, the customer input device, the image capture device, the touch-sensor device or the audio input device;

receiving from the user a second input through the touch-sensor device selecting at least one of the first plurality of icons; and

processing a purchase transaction for an item corresponding to the selected icon.

3. A point-of-sale self-checkout terminal comprising:

a code reader device for automated entry of a product identification code present on items for purchase;

a customer input device for receipt of data from a customer;

an audio input device;

a database comprising stored data indicating expectation of purchase of items;

a video display;

a processor coupled to the code reader, the input device, the audio device, the database, and the video display and a memory comprising stored instructions to configure the processor to;

receive from the self-checkout customer a first input at the customer input device to initiate a purchase of an item non-scannable by the reader device;

receive and process from the audio input device an audio signal;

query the database to identify a first plurality of items based on either the first input or the audio signal;

in response to either the first input or the audio signal, display to the customer on the video display a graphical user interface comprising a first plurality of user-selectable icons each of said icons representing one of the first plurality of items, and at least one additional user-selectable icon representing an item resulting from a prediction process that is based on information other than information obtained through the code reader device, the customer input device or the audio input device;

receive from the user a second input selecting at least one of the first plurality of icons; and

process a purchase transaction for an item corresponding to the selected icon.