Self-checkout apparatus and self-checkout method

• US 9,858,769 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hattori, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Masud, Rokib
• Application Number:
  US14/689,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 235382, 235383, 705 16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10336 the antenna being of the near field type, inductive coil
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10356 using a plurality of antennas, e.g. configurations including means to resolve interference between the plurality of antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0018 Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/04 for varying one co-ordinate of the orientation

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment, a self-checkout apparatus comprises a reading module configured to read information of a wireless tag from a commodity attached with the wireless tag and housed in a storage room, and a data processing module configured to carry out sales registration and checkout processing of the commodity of which the wireless tag information is read by the reading module; wherein the reading module includes, inside the storage room, an antenna section for reading the information of the wireless tag from the commodity housed in the storage room, and a moving section for changing communication range of the antenna section with the wireless tag.

Claims

1. A self-checkout apparatus comprising:

a casing including

a storage room for housing a commodity attached with a wireless tag, and

a placing table for placing the commodity with the wireless tag inside the storage room,

a reading module configured to read information of the wireless tag from the commodity attached with the wireless tag and housed in the storage room, and

a data processing module configured to carry out sales registration and checkout processing of the commodity of which the wireless tag information is read by the reading module;

wherein

the reading module includes,

a moving antenna section for reading the information of the wireless tag from the commodity housed in the storage room, wherein the moving antenna section is arranged at a gap between the placing table and a bottom of the storage room, and

a moving section for changing a communication range with the wireless tag by moving the moving antenna section in a direction parallel to a placing surface of the placing table intermittently, wherein the moving section moves the moving antenna section a pre-determined distance and stops the moving antenna section for a defined time.

2. The self-checkout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the reading module includes a fixed antenna section of which the communication range with the wireless tag is fixed;

and

the moving section moves the moving antenna section intermittently when the fixed antenna section communicates with the wireless tag.

3. The self-checkout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving section moves the moving antenna section in one direction to change the communication range with the wireless tag.

4. The self-checkout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the moving section moves the moving antenna section in two directions to change the communication range with the wireless tag.

9. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moving section, after the defined time, moves the moving antenna section another pre-determined distance and, after the moving antenna section is moved the pre-determined distance, the moving section stops the moving antenna section for another defined time.

10. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moving section moves the moving antenna section at a high speed.

11. The self-checkout apparatus of claim 1, wherein the defined time is selected for completion of a communication with the wireless tag.

5. A self-checkout method including:

reading information of a wireless tag from a commodity attached with the wireless tag and housed in a storage room while intermittently moving a moving antenna section in a direction parallel to a placing surface of a placing table to change communication range between the moving antenna section and the wireless tag, wherein

the moving antenna section is arranged at a gap between the placing table and a bottom of the storage room,

the placing table is a table for placing the commodity with the wireless tag inside the storage room, and

the intermittently moving the moving antenna section comprises moving the moving antenna section a pre-determined distance and stopping the moving antenna section for a defined time; and

carrying out sales registration and checkout processing of the commodity of which the wireless tag information is read.

6. The self-checkout method of claim 5, further comprising:

after the defined time, moving the moving antenna section another pre-determined distance; and

stopping the moving antenna section at the another pre-determined distance for another defined time.

7. The self-checkout method of claim 5, wherein the moving the moving antenna section is at a high speed.

8. The self-checkout method of claim 5, wherein the defined time is selected for completion of a communication with the wireless tag.