Security method for a self-service checkout system with RFID capability

• US 8,360,207 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, John C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US10/656,779
• Time in Patent Office: 3,434 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.02, 235375-385, 340/572.1, 705 16- 29, 186 59- 62
• US Class Current: 186/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A security method for a self-service checkout system with radio frequency identification (RFID) capability. The security method includes the steps of obtaining cart identification information from an RFID label attached to a cart by a security computer at a security station, obtaining first item identification information from a self-service computer transaction record using the cart identification information, obtaining second item identification information from a group of RFID labels attached to a group of items in the cart by the security computer, and comparing the first item identification information in the transaction record to the second item identification information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.

Claims

1. A security method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining cart identification information from a radio frequency identification label attached to a cart, obtaining of cart information being performed by a security computer at a security station;

b) obtaining a first set of item identification information from a self-service computer transaction record using the cart identification information as an index to the transaction record;

c) obtaining a second set of item identification information from a group of radio frequency identification labels attached to members of a second group of items in the cart, each of one or more members of the group bearing its own radio frequency identification label, the radio frequency identification label attached to an item providing information identifying that item, obtaining of the second set of item identification information being performed by the security computer; and

d) comparing the first set of item identification information in the transaction record to the second set of item identification information to determine whether the second set of item identification information equals the first set of item identification information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) notifying a security operator if the second set of item identification information fails to equal the first set of item identification information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) displaying additional items present in the second group of items but not in the first group of items if the second set of item identification information fails to equal the first set of item identification information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

e) repeating steps a) through d) if the second set of item identification information fails to equal the first set of item identification information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

e) obtaining first weight information from the transaction record using the cart identification information as an index to look up the transaction record, the step of obtaining the first weight information including examining the transaction record for weight information stored during the transaction;

f) obtaining second weight information for the group of items in the cart by using the security computer; and

g) comparing the second weight information to the first weight information to determine whether the second weight information equals the first weight information.

6. A security method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining cart identification information from a radio frequency identification label attached to a cart using a self-service checkout computer;

b) obtaining a first set of item identification information from a first group of radio frequency identification labels attached to members of a first group of items in the cart, obtaining of the first set of item identification information being performed by the self-service checkout computer;

c) storing the cart identification information and the first set of item identification information in a transaction record using the self-service checkout computer;

d) obtaining the cart identification information from the radio frequency identification label attached to the cart obtaining of the cart information being performed by a security computer at a security station;

e) obtaining the first set of item identification information from the transaction record using the cart identification information;

f) obtaining second item identification information from a second group of radio frequency identification labels attached to a second group of items in the cart obtaining of the second set of item identification information being performed by the security computer; and

g) comparing the first item identification information in the transaction record to the second item identification information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

h) obtaining a first set of weight information for the first group of items in the cart from a weight file, obtaining of the first set of weight information being performed by the self-service checkout computer;

i) totalling the first weight information using the self-service checkout computer;

j) storing a first total weight in the transaction record using the self-service checkout computer;

k) obtaining the first weight information with the first item identification information from the transaction record using the cart identification information;

l) obtaining a second set of weight information for the second group of items in the cart, obtaining of the second set of weight information being performed by the security computer; and

m) comparing the second set of weight information to the first set of weight information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.

8. A security system comprising:

a radio frequency identification label reader at a security station; and

a security computer at a security station for obtaining cart identification information from a radio frequency identification label attached to a cart, for obtaining a first set of item identification information from a self-service computer transaction record using the cart identification information, for obtaining a second set of item identification information from a group of radio frequency identification labels attached to a group of items in the cart, and for comparing the first set of item identification information in the transaction record to the second set of item identification information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security computer also notifies a security operator if the second set of item identification information fails to equal the first set of item identification information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the security computer also displays items reflected in the second set of item identification information but not reflected in the first set of item identification information.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising a security scale, wherein the security computer also obtains a first weight information from the self-service computer transaction record using the cart identification information, obtains second weight information for the group of items in the cart using the security scale, and compares the second weight information to the first weight information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.