Methods of mobile self-checkout shopping for produce items in a retail grocery store

• US 8,915,429 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Muniz, Javier Artime
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/839,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 235/462.01, 235/462.45, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 9/047 for recording self-service articles without cashier or assistant
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/40 with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided of operating a produce weighing scale having a weighing platform. The method comprises prompting a customer to scan a barcode containing barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale, receiving the barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale, and after the barcode data has been received, prompting the customer to place produce items one-by-one onto the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale. Another method is provided of operating a mobile device of a customer shopping for produce items in aisles of a produce section of a retail grocery store. Still another method is provided of operating a self-checkout station to enable a customer in a retail grocery store to check out grocery items including produce items.

Claims

1. A method of operating a produce weighing scale having a weighing platform, the method comprising:

prompting, by the produce weighing scale, a customer to scan a barcode containing barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale;

receiving, by the produce weighing scale, the barcode data which identifies the produce weighing scale; and

after the barcode data has been received, prompting, by the produce weighing scale, the customer to place produce items one-by-one onto the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining weight of the produce items on the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising (i) communicating the weight of the produce items and a produce scale ID to a product data server, and (ii) receiving produce item details from the product data server based upon the weight of the abuse items and the produce scale ID communicated to the product data server.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising determining price of the produce items based upon the produce item details received from the product data server.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising displaying the weight of the produce items and the price of the produce items for that weight.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising directing the customer to remove the produce items which have been weighed on the weighing platform of the produce weighing scale.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.