Self-checkout system having minimal footprint

• US 8,290,814 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Walter, Joanne, Morrison, James, Lin, Horng Jaan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US11/290,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20060080177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: 705/16
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/046 Arrangement of recording means in or on check-out counters record carriers or readers per se G06K
• 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 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A self-checkout system, particularly for retail areas of constrained floor space, has a small to zero footprint while being fully functional. In one form, the self-checkout comprises a unit mountable to a wall, pillar, or other support. In another form, the self-checkout has or is part of a columnar support. The self-checkout system has security in the form of video and weight verification. A visual and/or audio indicator provides indicia of modes of use of the self-checkout. The self-checkout further includes an interactive customer interface terminal, a scanner, and a scale. The self-checkout provides an open visual area that allows easy viewing by store personnel of transactions being performed on the self-checkout system.

Claims

1. A self-checkout system, comprising:

a vertical support member;

a user interface attached to said vertical support member, said user interface including (i) a user input device operative to receive input from a user during operation of the self-checkout system, and (ii) a display device operative to display retail information to the user during operation of the self-checkout system;

a scanner positioned vertically below said user interface;

a bag retainer positioned vertically below said scanner and defining a bag space;

a scale assembly attached to said vertical support member and positioned vertically below said bag retainer, said scale assembly including an item support surface,

wherein said user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly are positioned in relation to each other such that, when said self-checkout system is viewed in a front elevational view, a vertical line intersects said user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly.

2. The self-checkout system of claim 1, further comprising a bag retained by said bag retainer and positioned in said bag space.

3. The self-checkout system of claim 1, further comprising a basket positioned in said basket space and configured to receive retail items therein.

4. The self-checkout system of claim 1, further comprising a mode indicator operative to display use status of the self-checkout system,

wherein said mode indicator, user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly are positioned in relation to each other such that, when said self-checkout system is viewed in a front elevational view, a vertical line intersects said mode indicator, said user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly.

5. The self-checkout system of claim 4, further comprising a security camera operative to generate an image of the user,

wherein said security camera, said mode indicator, user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly are positioned in relation to each other such that, when said self-checkout system is viewed in a front elevational view, a vertical line intersects said security camera, said mode indicator, said user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, and said scale assembly.

6. The self-checkout system of claim 1, further comprising a basket positioned in a basket space located vertically below said shelf and configured to receive retail items therein,

wherein user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, said scale assembly, and said basket are positioned in relation to each other such that, when said self-checkout system is viewed in a front elevational view, a vertical line intersects said user interface, said scanner, said bag retainer, said scale assembly, and said basket.

7. The self-checkout system of claim 1, wherein said user input device includes a touch screen input device.

8. The self-checkout system of claim 1, wherein said scanner is at least partially supported by said user interface.

9. The self-checkout system of claim 1, wherein said bag retainer is supported on said scale assembly.

10. The self-checkout system of claim 1, wherein:

said user interface is positioned at a first vertical height of approximately four feet, and

said scale assembly is positioned at a second vertical height of approximately two feet.