Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110246301 | METHODS TO ACCESS PRODUCT PLACEMENT DATA - A method is provided to that allows product placement data of specific items to be conveniently accessed. A user may submit a request for a specific item or items via a client device (e.g., a mobile device, laptop, desktop, etc.) to a server. The server responds with product placement data for providers (e.g., retailers, stores, service providers, libraries, etc.) of the item or items that are close geographically to the user's location. Other data may be included with the response including pricing information of the item, distance or directions to the provider, and promotions. | 10-06-2011 |
20110295704 | Techniques for assisted self checkout - Techniques for assisted self checkout are provided. Customers or store personnel use scan devices that are independent of a self-checkout kiosk as they shop in a store to scan goods that are to be purchased. The transactions are independent of any particular checkout terminal. When the customer is ready to checkout, the customer approaches a checkout station and the transaction for the customer is located and recalled. The customer completes payment at the station to end the transaction and exit the store. | 12-01-2011 |
20110320296 | Methods and Apparatus for Self-Service Checkout - A context aware process is utilized to speed self-checkout. In one aspect, such a process is utilized to simplify response to a weight mismatch condition where a produce scale weight and a bagging scale weight for an item differs by more than a predetermined amount. Other examples of the application of such a process to other aspects of self-checkout are provided. | 12-29-2011 |
20120055982 | Checkout Methods and Apparatus - Item characteristic databases, such as item weight databases are employed in a variety of checkout contexts in stores. As one example, a security weight database is often employed in a security check during self-checkout in which an item's weight is checked during bagging against a stored weight for the item. Approaches for extending such security checks for a single item or items sold in small quantities are addressed. | 03-08-2012 |
20120109372 | DISTRIBUTED ITEM DISPENSER MANAGEMENT - Systems and techniques for distributed dispenser management are provided. A list of item selections is received, the list including at least one item with an item type. A collection of one or more dispenser groups may be identified, where each dispenser group in the collection includes a unique combination of one or more item dispensers with a combined unreserved inventory sufficient to dispense each item in the list. An item dispenser group may then be selected from the collection based on even depletion. The items in the list may be reserved from the selected dispenser group. | 05-03-2012 |
20120136736 | PLATFORM AND METHOD FOR INTEGRATING SERVICES IN A TERMINAL OR KIOSK - A software platform and method are presented for integrating loosely coupled services or offerings provided across a retail environment into self-service terminals configured to perform different type of retail functions. The integration is accomplished with little or no modifications to existing software applications that provide the services or offerings. | 05-31-2012 |
20120143704 | Standardizing Point of Sale Services and Leveraging Instances of the PLU Data - An adaptable and extensible interface is described for connecting one or more point of sale (POS) applications to one or more at a wide variety of retail application is described. The interface may be embodied as a programmable state machine employing XML tiles to customize its operation reusable retail applications may be utilized as part of the interface approach. | 06-07-2012 |
20120158529 | DYNAMIC SECURITY FOR A SELF-CHECKOUT TERMINAL - An item level security system is provided that uses dynamic security settings to optimize the competing requirements for high security and transaction throughput. Customer metrics such as customer traffic volume and the number and type of items purchased change over the course of a day and are further influenced by the day of the week and by holidays and certain vacation schedules for local schools and employers. The invention provides dynamic security settings for the item level security system that address the changing customer metrics. | 06-21-2012 |
20130085878 | System and Method for Performing a Security Check at a Checkout Terminal - A system and method for performing a security check at a checkout terminal is disclosed. Various heuristics are utilized to verify that a customer or clerk has properly identified an item being purchased. In various embodiments, the weight or other physical characteristics of an item placed on a product scale are measured and compared with expected physical characteristics for the item. If a mismatch is detected between the actual physical characteristics and the expected physical characteristics, the transaction may be flagged for further investigation. | 04-04-2013 |
20130085879 | Time Multiplexing POS for INAisle Scanning - Multiplexing techniques are addressed to allow multiple in store devices to share point of sale instances thereby reducing the overall number of point of sale instances employed. Customer scanning applications, such as price checking and phone based in aisle scanning are addressed. | 04-04-2013 |
20130191230 | POINT-OF-SALE (POS) DIRECT SUPPORT OF SELF-CHECKOUT - Techniques for Point-Of-Sale (POS) direct support of Self Checkout (SCO) are provided. A checkout station is configured with software to support two different interfaces and workflows: one interface and workflow supporting SCO on the checkout station and the other interface and the other workflow supporting assisted checkout operation. The checkout station can be dynamically switched between the two modes of operation, such that the checkout station is usable within an enterprise for both cashier assisted operations for customers and for self-service checkout operations performed by customers without assistance. | 07-25-2013 |
20130207772 | PROXIMITY DETECTION FOR KIOSK PAYMENT - Techniques for proximity detection of kiosk payments are provided. A kiosk system includes a cash/coin acceptor device and an added sensor. The sensor detects when a hand of a customer is in proximity to the cash/coin acceptor device indicating cash or coins are about to be inserted into the device. The sensor coordinates with a state of the kiosk system and when the state permits and the hand is in proximity to the device, the device is activated or enabled to accept the cash or coins for a transaction of the customer. | 08-15-2013 |
20130211833 | TECHNIQUES FOR OVERLAYING A CUSTOM INTERFACE ONTO AN EXISTING KIOSK INTERFACE - Techniques for overlaying a custom interface onto an existing kiosk interface are provided. An event is detected that triggers a kiosk to process an agent that overlays, and without modifying, the kiosk's existing interface. The agent alters screen features and visual presentation of the existing interface and provides additional alternative operations for navigating and executing features defined in the existing interface. In an embodiment, the agent provides a custom interface overlaid onto the existing interface to provide a customer-facing interface for individuals that are sight impaired. | 08-15-2013 |
20130232037 | TECHNIQUES FOR PERSONALIZING SELF CHECKOUTS - A customer/user registers User Interface (UI) preferences for a self checkout system. Subsequently, when the user properly authenticates with a self checkout system, the preferences are recalled and used to dynamically configure the UI of the self checkout system that the user is interacting with to complete a transaction with an enterprise. | 09-05-2013 |
20140063262 | TECHNIQUES FOR CHECKOUT SECURITY USING VIDEO SURVEILLANCE - Techniques for checkout security using video surveillance are provided. A customer is video tracked while in a store, the pauses made in aisles and the arm movements are recorded. Expected purchased items, based on movements and pauses by the customer within the store, are then compared to actual purchased items and a determination is made whether a checkout audit is needed for the customer. | 03-06-2014 |
20140324613 | High-Velocity Scanned Item Distribution Method and Apparatus - A high-velocity scanned item distribution apparatus and method are presented. The high-velocity scanned item distribution apparatus permits bagging operations for multiple purchase transactions to occur in parallel. Overlapping the bagging operation of multiple purchase transactions allows the scanning and payment operations of the purchase transactions to continue at higher speeds. In addition, point of sale terminals with high-velocity item scanners are allowed to function at higher speeds. | 10-30-2014 |