CA1246225A - Checkout station to reduce retail theft - Google Patents
Checkout station to reduce retail theftInfo
- Publication number
- CA1246225A CA1246225A CA000485405A CA485405A CA1246225A CA 1246225 A CA1246225 A CA 1246225A CA 000485405 A CA000485405 A CA 000485405A CA 485405 A CA485405 A CA 485405A CA 1246225 A CA1246225 A CA 1246225A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- shopper
- items
- purchase
- checkout
- checkout station
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F9/00—Shop, bar, bank or like counters
- A47F9/02—Paying counters
- A47F9/04—Check-out counters, e.g. for self-service stores
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- G07G1/00—Cash registers
- G07G1/0036—Checkout procedures
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- G07G1/00—Cash registers
- G07G1/0036—Checkout procedures
- G07G1/0045—Checkout procedures with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
- G07G1/0054—Checkout procedures with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- G07G1/00—Cash registers
- G07G1/01—Details for indicating
- G07G1/06—Details for indicating with provision for the noting of the money to be paid
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- G07G3/00—Alarm indicators, e.g. bells
- G07G3/003—Anti-theft control
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A checkout station dispossesses a shopper of items identi-fied by the shopper for purchase, which items contain theft-prevention indicators, and then detects the presence of any of such items in the possession of the shopper after the shopper has been dispossessed of the items. After the total cost of the items is printed and paid, the shopper is returned possession of the items.
A checkout station dispossesses a shopper of items identi-fied by the shopper for purchase, which items contain theft-prevention indicators, and then detects the presence of any of such items in the possession of the shopper after the shopper has been dispossessed of the items. After the total cost of the items is printed and paid, the shopper is returned possession of the items.
Description
lZ~6~25 ,I BACKGROU~D OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention concerns checkout statlons and, more particularly, checkout stations for stores which contain items having theft-prevention indicators.
Theft in retail stores has become staggering. The impact of theft is felt not only by the retailers, but also by the consum-ers who bear the loss from theft either by increased prices or by store closings.
In supermarkets alone, a conservative estimate is that in 1983 theft accounted for more than one billion dollars in losses.
Conventional theft detection or prevention techniques have done little to alleviate the problem. Training store personnel to de-tect and prevent thet is, a-t best, only a limited solution.
Such personnel have other responsibilities, and the large number and high turnover of personnel in most stores makes it difficult to assess whether all employees are effectively spotting and pre-venting shoplifting.
Use of store detectives is also an inadequate solution.
~ Store detectives are expensive, which limits the number of de-3 20 tectives each store can economically employ, and each store de , tective sees only a small part of the entire store.
The need for an effective and inexpensive technique to re-duce thefts is, and has been for some time, extremely great. In many retail establishments, especially supermarkets, profits are only a small percentage of total sales, many stores' profits are less than one percent of total sales. Since such small profit ~' margins cannot support much "set-off," the effects of theft loss in these stores is magnified.
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One device which was developed to reduce supermarket theft is the SensorGate system sold by Sensormatic Electronics Corporation. In that system, soft metal strips, called labels, act as theft-prevention indicators and are attached to a store's retail items. When items with such indicators pass through a sensing gate, for example sensing gate 10 shown in Figures la and lb, the gate detects the presence of the strip and activates an alarm. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,394,645 to Humble et al. and 4,309,647 to Weaver, both assigned to Sensormatic Electronics, Corp., provide a more complete description of a sensing gate.
As it now will be necessary to refer to the drawings, these will first be briefly described as follows:
Figure la shows a perspective view of a sensing gate which can be used with this invention;
Figure lb shows the top view of the sensing gate in Figure la;
Figure 2 shows a supermarket checkout station using the gate shown in Figures la and lb;
20Figure 3 shows another supermarket checkout station using a modified sensing gate;
Figure 4 shows another supermarket checkout station using the sensing gate shown in Figures la and lb;
Figure 5 shows a supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 shows another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 7 shows yet another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
30Figure 8 shows another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 9 shows a video camera which can be used with the checkout system of this invention.
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The present invention concerns checkout statlons and, more particularly, checkout stations for stores which contain items having theft-prevention indicators.
Theft in retail stores has become staggering. The impact of theft is felt not only by the retailers, but also by the consum-ers who bear the loss from theft either by increased prices or by store closings.
In supermarkets alone, a conservative estimate is that in 1983 theft accounted for more than one billion dollars in losses.
Conventional theft detection or prevention techniques have done little to alleviate the problem. Training store personnel to de-tect and prevent thet is, a-t best, only a limited solution.
Such personnel have other responsibilities, and the large number and high turnover of personnel in most stores makes it difficult to assess whether all employees are effectively spotting and pre-venting shoplifting.
Use of store detectives is also an inadequate solution.
~ Store detectives are expensive, which limits the number of de-3 20 tectives each store can economically employ, and each store de , tective sees only a small part of the entire store.
The need for an effective and inexpensive technique to re-duce thefts is, and has been for some time, extremely great. In many retail establishments, especially supermarkets, profits are only a small percentage of total sales, many stores' profits are less than one percent of total sales. Since such small profit ~' margins cannot support much "set-off," the effects of theft loss in these stores is magnified.
., ! r. ~
, . . .
,., --1--~, .
One device which was developed to reduce supermarket theft is the SensorGate system sold by Sensormatic Electronics Corporation. In that system, soft metal strips, called labels, act as theft-prevention indicators and are attached to a store's retail items. When items with such indicators pass through a sensing gate, for example sensing gate 10 shown in Figures la and lb, the gate detects the presence of the strip and activates an alarm. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,394,645 to Humble et al. and 4,309,647 to Weaver, both assigned to Sensormatic Electronics, Corp., provide a more complete description of a sensing gate.
As it now will be necessary to refer to the drawings, these will first be briefly described as follows:
Figure la shows a perspective view of a sensing gate which can be used with this invention;
Figure lb shows the top view of the sensing gate in Figure la;
Figure 2 shows a supermarket checkout station using the gate shown in Figures la and lb;
20Figure 3 shows another supermarket checkout station using a modified sensing gate;
Figure 4 shows another supermarket checkout station using the sensing gate shown in Figures la and lb;
Figure 5 shows a supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 shows another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 7 shows yet another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention;
30Figure 8 shows another supermarket checkout station in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 9 shows a video camera which can be used with the checkout system of this invention.
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Figure lb shows a typical placement of the gate 10 relative to a conveyor belt 15 in a checkout station of a typical supermarket. The detection area 40 in Fig. lb is that area through which theft-prevention indicators must pass for the gate to detect them.
Other types of sensing systems which have been developed for similar purposes electromagnetically sense, for example by radio beams, detection tags on the items to be purchased.
Figure 2 shows a checkout station 5 in a supermarket 1.
The items available for purchase from the store which are determined to be "high-theft" items have theft-prevention indicators which, as described above, include soft metal labels. Sensing gates 10 similar to the gate shown in Figures la and lb, are placed in entrance aisle 85.
When a shopper approaches a gate 10 with a shopping basket full of items from the store, that shopper places all those items on conveyor 15. A cashier using cash register system 70, which typically includes a universal product code scanner and printer determines the total cost of items on conveyer 15 and receives z~ l payment from the shopper for those items. Gate 10 is designed to detect any "high-theft" items remaining on the shopper's person instead of on conveyor 15 and to set off an appropriate alarm Iwhen the shopper walks through that gate.
l The problems with the checkout station ;n Figure 2 make its use undesirable. First, since gate 10 is sensitive to the pres-ence of metal, it would normally set off an alarm when a shopping ! cart or basket is pushed through it. To avoid this, sensing gate 10 has an inhibitor which disarms the gate when an object which has a very high metal content, like a shopping cart, is near the gate. In theory, after the shopper pushes his cart through gate 10 and into checkout aisle 60, the gate closes and "rearms,"
i.e., becomes active again, so when the shopper later passes through gate 10, the gate can determine whether the shopper has retained any items on his or her person.
In practice, however, it has been determined that when a shopper has a child or a pocketbook in the shopping cart, the shopper pulls the cart back in contact with gate 10 or at least into the gate's detection area, thereby disarming the system.
Disarming the gate also occurs if the cashier, in loading bags onto a cart, moves the cart too close to gate 10. As a result, the system in Figure 2 is "armed" only a small part of the time, thus reducing its effectiveness.
Also, the sensitivity of the system in Figure 2 must be set very low to prevent false alarms from the excessive electrical noise, e.g., from scanner printers in register 70. False alarms not only slow the checkout operation but also generate shoppers' ill will toward the store.
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Fire codes dictate that stores as large as grocery stores Iprovide 60 inch openings at locations X and Y shown in Figure 2.
!, Present sensing technology cannot span this distance with a sin-lgle system, and use of two systems creates fire code problems be-'Icause of the need for a pedestal at t~e center of the 60 inch opening. As a result, systems are placed at 60 inch distances with no middle pedestal for deterrent purposes, but they seldom ; alarm because systems cannot function effectively at 60 inches.
These problems reduce the detection rate to an unacceptably low level, especially in view of the system's cost, which can be significant due to the number of systems needed and the structur-al changes which would be required for each checkout station.
The width of entrance aisle 85, through which the shopper with a shopping cart passes prior to entering checkout aisle 60, is typically only one or two inches wider than a shopping cart.
The width of the supporting structure on gate 10, however, is more than two inches on each side, so gate ~0 cannot be used in Fig~ 2 without enlarging the entrance aisle. Such enlargement is estimated to cost at least $12,000 per store, and some selling spac~ or the numbers of aisles may need to be reduced to accommo-date the widened entrance aisles. The Figure 2 system is thus both costly and ineffective.
To avoid widening the entrance aisles, a checkout station 5', shown in Figure 3, uses a modified single gate 10' placed as shown in the checkout aisle 60. A shopper in entrance aisle 85 places items for purchase on belt 15 and pushes the shopping cart past gate 10' and into checkout aisle 60. The cashier takes the items from belt 15 and places them in the cart. Any other items containing a theft-prevention indicator would be detected by gate 3Q 10' if they remain on the shopper's person.
'.i The problems with this system are still that gate 10' is very close to the scanner printer in the adjacent cash register station, thus requiring a lowering of sensitivity and, in the normal basket loading position, the basket cart could be in the gate detection area, thereby disarming the system. Furthermore, the cashier must make awkward and time consuming movèments to load this cart.
Checkout station 5" in Figure 4 eliminates some of the problems of the systems in Figures 2 and 3, bu-t still has some major disadvantages. In Figure 4, gates 10 are placed in checkout aisle 60 far enough back to avoid interference from adjacent scanner printers. A shopper entering a checkout aisle proceeds as in the systems in Figures 2 and 3. A-t the checkout station, however, when the cashier places the bags into the shopper's cart, the cart may contact and disarm the gates. Cashiers could make sure the carts are pushed all the way through the gate after loading them and before the shopper passes through the gate, but this requires that the cashiers all be trained and constan-tly supervised to ensure that they follow this very important procedure.
An objective of an aspect of the presen-t invention is, therefore, a checkout station to reduce the amount of theft from a store.
An objective of an aspect of the present inven-tion is a checkout station to reduce theft which requires minimal redesign of existing checkout s-tations.
An objective of an aspect of -the present invention is a checkout method which allows the use of self-checkout stations while reducing theft in retail establishments.
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An objective of an aspect of the invention is a checkout station which does not require aisles to be moved, which eliminates congestion, and which reduces the number of theft-prevention systems required per store.
~nother objective of an aspect of the invention is high-speed checkout and self-checkout which requires fewer cashiers and checkout aisles and yield more sales space.
An objective of an aspect of the invention is to increase sensor sensitivity by reducing interference and to obtain a high pick rate with fewer or no false alarms in order to have greater deterrent effect and apprehension identification potential.
An objective of an aspect of the invention is an effectivP theft prevention system in accord with the fire codes.
An objective of an aspect of the present invention is an automated checkout station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The checkout station of this invention attains these objectives and overcomes the problems of the prior art by separating shoppers from items to be purchased while shoppers pass through a sensing gate, which can be set to a high sensitivity because of the location of the gate.
Various aspects of the invention are as follows:
A checkout station for reducing theft from a store containing items bearing theft prevention indicators, said checkout station comprising:
means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper;
a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper;
egress means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper;
and exit means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including ssnsing means for detecting the presen~e of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means.
A method for reducing theft from a store containing items with theft preventing indicators, said method comprising the steps of:
dispossessing a shopper from those of sa d items bearing theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
passing said items identified for purchase by said shopper out of a secure area and into a pickup area without said shopper;
detecting the presence of any said items with said theft prevention indicators still in the possession of said shopper after said shopper has been dispossessed of said items identified for purchase and before said shopper enters said pickup area; and giving possession of said items identified for purchase to said shopper in said pickup area.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF_THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
s Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention for a checkout station to reduce theft from a store. Elements of the checkout station which have been described previously are identified by like reference numerals and will not be further discussed.
As in the systems described previously, a shopper gathers from store 1 items which are available for purchase from the store and which have theft-prevention indicators. The shopper usually puts those items in a carrying basket or shopping cart and, when finished shopping, enters the checkout station identified generally by 100. The purpose of checkout station 100 is to l ~ i ~detect any items which the shopper has not identified for pur-chase, but with which the shopper intends to leave the store without paying. The shopper enters checkout station 100 via checkout aisle 85.
In accordance with the present inventlon, there are means ~through which a shopper must pass to leave the store for dispos-sessing the shopper of those items which the shopper identifies for purchase. In the checkout station in Figure 5, the dispos-sessing means includes conveyor 15, bag console 80 and secure area 110 located adjacent to console 80.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is sensing means for detecting the presence of items with the theft-prevention indicators which are in the possession of the shopper after the shopper has been dispossessed of the items identified lS for purchase. In Figure 5, this means includes sensing gate 10 which is located adjacent to bag console 80. Because sensing gate 10 is no longer in checkout aisle 85, gate 10 can be the standard sensing gate shown in Figs. la and lb which is recessed into console 80 and an adjacent console.
The checkout station of this invention also includes cashier stations for printing the total cost of the items identified by the shopper for purchase and for receiving payment from said shopper corresyonding to said total cost after such items have been dispossessed from the shopper. To avoid the interference problems, and corresponding low sensitivity, present in the prior art systems, such cashier stations are separated from -the sensing means. In Figure 5, cashier stations 140 each contain a cash register 145 similar to cash register 70 in Figures 2-4, which prints the total cost of the items identified for purchase and _9_ , 1,1 , .
zs which receives payment for said items. In the system in Figure 5, cashier stations 140 are located adjacent secure area 710 such llthat secure area 110 is between the bag consoles 80 and the cash-I ier stations 140.
ll Preferably, scanner 82 reads codes, like the Universal Prod-! uct Code, on items identified for purchase to compute their price. In the present invention, this information would be sent to cash register station 140 for printing of each item's price and the items' total cost. Scanner 82 is, in one embodiment, used by a store employee who passes the items over the scanner 82. The store employee could, for example, be a bag boy.
To increase the throughput of the checkout station 100 in Figure 5 even more, scanner 82 can be used by the shopper, there-by creating a self-checkout station. After the items pass over scanner 82, they are placed on bag console 80. When all the items have passed through the self-checkout equipment, that equipment computes a total cost for the items which is printed at the cashier station.
Preferably bag boys (B in Figure 5) would place the items on the console into bags both to speed the checkout and to help with self-checkout. The advantage of using self-checkout stations in ; this invention is that the cashiers at station 140 only need to receive the money for the items identified for purchase since the total cost of the items has already been computed and printed.
Such a system could also improve aisle production and reduce the total number of cashiers needed in the store.
The present invention is particularly advantageous for use with self-checkout stations since the checkout station of this invention will reduce theft that other self-checkout stations may 11 .
1.~4622S
experience due to the lack of cashier supervision. Since the self-checkout stations compute the total cost of the items before the shopper reaches the cashier's station, area 110 need not be Ilunder such great supervision because gate 10 will prevent the l shopper from leaving the store with items that have not been scanned. Bag boys can provide all the supexvision that is neces-sary to ensure that the shopper scans all items before they are placed on the console. In addition, the present invention is consistent with the trend towards greater automation reflected by self-checkout stations.
After the total cost of the items is printed and payment is received, the shopper is returned possession of the items identi-fied for purchase in a pickup area, which in Figure 5 can be in-; side pickup area lS0, located adjacent cash register stations 145 or outside pickup area 155.
In operation without self-checkout, after entering checkout station 100 via checkout aisle 85, a shopper places the items identified for purchase onto conveyor 15. A store employee pas-ses the items over a scanner 82 and places them onto console 80.
A bag boy B would then take the i-tems identified for purchase and either place them in bags or in another cart and then move the cart or bags to one of cashier stations 145.
The shopper, with or without self-checkout, places all the items in the cart or basket onto conveyer 15. A bag boy B then pulls the cart or basket completely through sensing gate 10 while, for example, the items are still being scanned. The shop-per then walks through gate 10 without the shopping cart or bas-ket, when gate 10 is fully rearmed.
l Also, because gate 10 is not adjacent any cash registers or scanner printers, the gate's sensitivity can be made high to de-llltect with high reliability the presence of items having the ¦Itheft-prevention indicators if such items remain with the shopper 1! when walXing through sensing gate 10. Shoppers thus will not be able to conceal on their person or in their accessories, such as ~,their handbags, any items containing the theft-prevention indica-~tors.
At station 140, a cashier, having the total cost printed, receives payment from the shopper corresponding to that cost.
The shopper is then given possession of such items and may leave the store.
One advantage of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5 is that it uses presently-known sensing gate technology and enhances the value of that technology by increasing the gates' sensitivity to theft-prevention devices. The efficacy of the system is increased further since the shopping carts are not loaded by the cashier, so there is no reason for shoppers to pull them back into the sensing gate and disarm the gate. Also, self-checkout needs only minimal supervision, e.g., by bag boys or other personnel in the manager's office 150, to ensure that shop-pers pass all items over the scanner.
Because checkout aisles 85 need not be widened, the cost for installing the checkout station shown in Figure 5 is much less than that of the systems in Figs. 2-4. Also, since the checkout aisles' throughput will be increased by moving the cashier opera-tion from the checkout aisles and bag consoles, additional sales space may be gained by removal of one or more checkout aisles.
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Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
The checkout station of this invention can ~urther include egress ;
means, adjacent to the secure area, for removing items identified i for purchase from the store. As shown in Figure ~, such means , includes conveyor 250 located adjacent to secure area 210. Con-veyor 250 is an endless-loop conveyor in which the carrying sur-face of the conveyor, which can either be a belt or interlocking sections such as are used for transporting luggage in airports, remains parallel to the floor. As shown in Figure 6, portions of conveyor 250 lie within store 1, and portions lie outside of store 1 in pickup area 255.
The present invention can also include means for providing an exit for the shopper from the store without the items identi-fied for purchase. As shown in Figure 6, such exit means in-cludes door 240 which leads from store 1 into pickup area 255.
In the checkout station in Figure 6, the sensing means, shown by gate 230, is located just before the shopper exit means.
In the operation of checkout station 200, the shopper puts the items to be purchased onto belt 15, where they are then read by scanner 82 and sent to console 80 for bagging by bag boy B.
Preferably, the total cost of the items is either determined at console 80 by means of a self-checkout station or is computed by a cashier.
After the total cost of the items is computed, the items identified for purchase are placed on conveyor 250 and, via open-ing 252 in wall 251, transported into pickup area 255 where the shopper would pick up the items. Preferably, in pickup area 255, an employee of the store would remove the items from conveyor belt 250 so they did not reenter the store before the shopper could retrieve them.
1~4~Z5 ¦l The shopper, still separated from the items to be purchased, would proceed past cashier statiors 140, pay the cashier for the ~¦items purchased, and leave store 1 through door 240. Before lleaving through door 240, however, the shopper would pass through llgate 230 which would then detect any items still in the posses-sion of the shopper which had the theft identification device.
Such items would not have been paid for, because all purchased items would have already been placed on conveyor 250. In this l'way, theft from store 1 could be reduced significantly.
i The advantages of the station in Figure 6 include reduced cost due to the station's requirement for fewer sensing gate s~s-tems and the placement of those systems only at the store exits.
Also, the sensitivity of the sensing gate can be greater with the system in Figure 6 than with even the Figure 5 system because there are fewer sources of interferences or causes of false alarms at the exit. Furthermore, in addition to the advantages discussed with regard to Figure 5, an advantage of the checkout station in Figure 6 is that carts or baskets need not clutter the aisles at the cashier stations and need not leave the store.
Another embodiment of the present invention, sho~n in Figure 7, uses basket doors 350 in outer wall 351 of store 1 to provide egress means for removing the items identified for purchase from the store. As shown in Figure 7, basket doors 350 lead from se-cure area 310 to the pickup area 355.
In addition to the advantages listed of the embodiment in Figure 6, the basket doors 350 are relatively inexpensive and basket carts can leave secure area 310, thus reducing congestion in that area.
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I I ~Z~ 5 , Figure 8, which is another embodiment of the invention, fur-,ther illustrates the flexibility of this invention. In this in-, vention, conveyor 15, aisle 85, register 70 and console 80 are as llshown in Figure 4, and in the way most supermarkets are presently l configured. In addition, basket doors 350 in wall 351 and sensing gate 230 operate as shown in Figure 7. There can also be an optional basket door 352 which operates in the same manner as basket door 350.
In operation, a shopper, as in conventional supermarkets, places items to be purchased on a conveyor belt 15. A cashier at register 70 determines the total cost of such items and places such items on the console 80. A bag boy at console 80 places ali such items into bags, places the bags into shopping carts and then pushes the carts through basket doors 350 or 352.
The shopper pays for the items purchased at register 70 and leaves through door 240 via gate 230. If the shopper has con~
cealed on his or her person any items containing a theft-preven-tion indicator, gate 230 will detect such items.
The advantages of the system in Figure 8 include all the ad-vantages indicated above with regard to the system shown in Fig-ure 7. In addition, the embodiment of the invention in Figure 8 requires the least amount of redesign with the maximum sensitivi-ty.
Although Figures 5-8 show different embodiments of the in-vention, it ls possible that a store can embody any combination of those concepts. For example, a conveyor and basket doors can be used with the checkout station in Figure 5, or both basket doors and a conveyor can be used simultaneously.
., .1 1 s To enhance the checkout stations of this invention further, a video camera ~ay be added above the scanner. This camera would be coupled to a monitor, for example, in the manager's office.
I The camera and monitor augment the store's supervision of the I scanner and relieve the bag boys of the responsibility of watching the customers at the scanner. Figure 9 shows a camera 500 positioned over a scanner 82. One camera can be used for each scanner or a single camera can pan many scanners. An exam-ple of a camera and monitor which can be used in accordance with the present invention is the Sensor Vision~ Video System from Sensormatic Electronics Corp. Camera 500 can be used with any of the embodiments of the checkout station of the present invention, but the camera is particularly advantageous when self-checkout is used because the present invention allows the use of self-lS checkout and a camera to maximize automation of checkout sta-tions.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifi-cations and variations can be made in the checkout stations meth~
ods and apparatus of this invention. This invention in its broader aspect is not limited to the specific details, represen-tative methods and apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departure may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inven-tive concept~
Figure lb shows a typical placement of the gate 10 relative to a conveyor belt 15 in a checkout station of a typical supermarket. The detection area 40 in Fig. lb is that area through which theft-prevention indicators must pass for the gate to detect them.
Other types of sensing systems which have been developed for similar purposes electromagnetically sense, for example by radio beams, detection tags on the items to be purchased.
Figure 2 shows a checkout station 5 in a supermarket 1.
The items available for purchase from the store which are determined to be "high-theft" items have theft-prevention indicators which, as described above, include soft metal labels. Sensing gates 10 similar to the gate shown in Figures la and lb, are placed in entrance aisle 85.
When a shopper approaches a gate 10 with a shopping basket full of items from the store, that shopper places all those items on conveyor 15. A cashier using cash register system 70, which typically includes a universal product code scanner and printer determines the total cost of items on conveyer 15 and receives z~ l payment from the shopper for those items. Gate 10 is designed to detect any "high-theft" items remaining on the shopper's person instead of on conveyor 15 and to set off an appropriate alarm Iwhen the shopper walks through that gate.
l The problems with the checkout station ;n Figure 2 make its use undesirable. First, since gate 10 is sensitive to the pres-ence of metal, it would normally set off an alarm when a shopping ! cart or basket is pushed through it. To avoid this, sensing gate 10 has an inhibitor which disarms the gate when an object which has a very high metal content, like a shopping cart, is near the gate. In theory, after the shopper pushes his cart through gate 10 and into checkout aisle 60, the gate closes and "rearms,"
i.e., becomes active again, so when the shopper later passes through gate 10, the gate can determine whether the shopper has retained any items on his or her person.
In practice, however, it has been determined that when a shopper has a child or a pocketbook in the shopping cart, the shopper pulls the cart back in contact with gate 10 or at least into the gate's detection area, thereby disarming the system.
Disarming the gate also occurs if the cashier, in loading bags onto a cart, moves the cart too close to gate 10. As a result, the system in Figure 2 is "armed" only a small part of the time, thus reducing its effectiveness.
Also, the sensitivity of the system in Figure 2 must be set very low to prevent false alarms from the excessive electrical noise, e.g., from scanner printers in register 70. False alarms not only slow the checkout operation but also generate shoppers' ill will toward the store.
6,~Z~ii ;
Fire codes dictate that stores as large as grocery stores Iprovide 60 inch openings at locations X and Y shown in Figure 2.
!, Present sensing technology cannot span this distance with a sin-lgle system, and use of two systems creates fire code problems be-'Icause of the need for a pedestal at t~e center of the 60 inch opening. As a result, systems are placed at 60 inch distances with no middle pedestal for deterrent purposes, but they seldom ; alarm because systems cannot function effectively at 60 inches.
These problems reduce the detection rate to an unacceptably low level, especially in view of the system's cost, which can be significant due to the number of systems needed and the structur-al changes which would be required for each checkout station.
The width of entrance aisle 85, through which the shopper with a shopping cart passes prior to entering checkout aisle 60, is typically only one or two inches wider than a shopping cart.
The width of the supporting structure on gate 10, however, is more than two inches on each side, so gate ~0 cannot be used in Fig~ 2 without enlarging the entrance aisle. Such enlargement is estimated to cost at least $12,000 per store, and some selling spac~ or the numbers of aisles may need to be reduced to accommo-date the widened entrance aisles. The Figure 2 system is thus both costly and ineffective.
To avoid widening the entrance aisles, a checkout station 5', shown in Figure 3, uses a modified single gate 10' placed as shown in the checkout aisle 60. A shopper in entrance aisle 85 places items for purchase on belt 15 and pushes the shopping cart past gate 10' and into checkout aisle 60. The cashier takes the items from belt 15 and places them in the cart. Any other items containing a theft-prevention indicator would be detected by gate 3Q 10' if they remain on the shopper's person.
'.i The problems with this system are still that gate 10' is very close to the scanner printer in the adjacent cash register station, thus requiring a lowering of sensitivity and, in the normal basket loading position, the basket cart could be in the gate detection area, thereby disarming the system. Furthermore, the cashier must make awkward and time consuming movèments to load this cart.
Checkout station 5" in Figure 4 eliminates some of the problems of the systems in Figures 2 and 3, bu-t still has some major disadvantages. In Figure 4, gates 10 are placed in checkout aisle 60 far enough back to avoid interference from adjacent scanner printers. A shopper entering a checkout aisle proceeds as in the systems in Figures 2 and 3. A-t the checkout station, however, when the cashier places the bags into the shopper's cart, the cart may contact and disarm the gates. Cashiers could make sure the carts are pushed all the way through the gate after loading them and before the shopper passes through the gate, but this requires that the cashiers all be trained and constan-tly supervised to ensure that they follow this very important procedure.
An objective of an aspect of the presen-t invention is, therefore, a checkout station to reduce the amount of theft from a store.
An objective of an aspect of the present inven-tion is a checkout station to reduce theft which requires minimal redesign of existing checkout s-tations.
An objective of an aspect of -the present invention is a checkout method which allows the use of self-checkout stations while reducing theft in retail establishments.
~2~
An objective of an aspect of the invention is a checkout station which does not require aisles to be moved, which eliminates congestion, and which reduces the number of theft-prevention systems required per store.
~nother objective of an aspect of the invention is high-speed checkout and self-checkout which requires fewer cashiers and checkout aisles and yield more sales space.
An objective of an aspect of the invention is to increase sensor sensitivity by reducing interference and to obtain a high pick rate with fewer or no false alarms in order to have greater deterrent effect and apprehension identification potential.
An objective of an aspect of the invention is an effectivP theft prevention system in accord with the fire codes.
An objective of an aspect of the present invention is an automated checkout station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The checkout station of this invention attains these objectives and overcomes the problems of the prior art by separating shoppers from items to be purchased while shoppers pass through a sensing gate, which can be set to a high sensitivity because of the location of the gate.
Various aspects of the invention are as follows:
A checkout station for reducing theft from a store containing items bearing theft prevention indicators, said checkout station comprising:
means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper;
a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper;
egress means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper;
and exit means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including ssnsing means for detecting the presen~e of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means.
A method for reducing theft from a store containing items with theft preventing indicators, said method comprising the steps of:
dispossessing a shopper from those of sa d items bearing theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
passing said items identified for purchase by said shopper out of a secure area and into a pickup area without said shopper;
detecting the presence of any said items with said theft prevention indicators still in the possession of said shopper after said shopper has been dispossessed of said items identified for purchase and before said shopper enters said pickup area; and giving possession of said items identified for purchase to said shopper in said pickup area.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF_THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
s Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the present invention for a checkout station to reduce theft from a store. Elements of the checkout station which have been described previously are identified by like reference numerals and will not be further discussed.
As in the systems described previously, a shopper gathers from store 1 items which are available for purchase from the store and which have theft-prevention indicators. The shopper usually puts those items in a carrying basket or shopping cart and, when finished shopping, enters the checkout station identified generally by 100. The purpose of checkout station 100 is to l ~ i ~detect any items which the shopper has not identified for pur-chase, but with which the shopper intends to leave the store without paying. The shopper enters checkout station 100 via checkout aisle 85.
In accordance with the present inventlon, there are means ~through which a shopper must pass to leave the store for dispos-sessing the shopper of those items which the shopper identifies for purchase. In the checkout station in Figure 5, the dispos-sessing means includes conveyor 15, bag console 80 and secure area 110 located adjacent to console 80.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is sensing means for detecting the presence of items with the theft-prevention indicators which are in the possession of the shopper after the shopper has been dispossessed of the items identified lS for purchase. In Figure 5, this means includes sensing gate 10 which is located adjacent to bag console 80. Because sensing gate 10 is no longer in checkout aisle 85, gate 10 can be the standard sensing gate shown in Figs. la and lb which is recessed into console 80 and an adjacent console.
The checkout station of this invention also includes cashier stations for printing the total cost of the items identified by the shopper for purchase and for receiving payment from said shopper corresyonding to said total cost after such items have been dispossessed from the shopper. To avoid the interference problems, and corresponding low sensitivity, present in the prior art systems, such cashier stations are separated from -the sensing means. In Figure 5, cashier stations 140 each contain a cash register 145 similar to cash register 70 in Figures 2-4, which prints the total cost of the items identified for purchase and _9_ , 1,1 , .
zs which receives payment for said items. In the system in Figure 5, cashier stations 140 are located adjacent secure area 710 such llthat secure area 110 is between the bag consoles 80 and the cash-I ier stations 140.
ll Preferably, scanner 82 reads codes, like the Universal Prod-! uct Code, on items identified for purchase to compute their price. In the present invention, this information would be sent to cash register station 140 for printing of each item's price and the items' total cost. Scanner 82 is, in one embodiment, used by a store employee who passes the items over the scanner 82. The store employee could, for example, be a bag boy.
To increase the throughput of the checkout station 100 in Figure 5 even more, scanner 82 can be used by the shopper, there-by creating a self-checkout station. After the items pass over scanner 82, they are placed on bag console 80. When all the items have passed through the self-checkout equipment, that equipment computes a total cost for the items which is printed at the cashier station.
Preferably bag boys (B in Figure 5) would place the items on the console into bags both to speed the checkout and to help with self-checkout. The advantage of using self-checkout stations in ; this invention is that the cashiers at station 140 only need to receive the money for the items identified for purchase since the total cost of the items has already been computed and printed.
Such a system could also improve aisle production and reduce the total number of cashiers needed in the store.
The present invention is particularly advantageous for use with self-checkout stations since the checkout station of this invention will reduce theft that other self-checkout stations may 11 .
1.~4622S
experience due to the lack of cashier supervision. Since the self-checkout stations compute the total cost of the items before the shopper reaches the cashier's station, area 110 need not be Ilunder such great supervision because gate 10 will prevent the l shopper from leaving the store with items that have not been scanned. Bag boys can provide all the supexvision that is neces-sary to ensure that the shopper scans all items before they are placed on the console. In addition, the present invention is consistent with the trend towards greater automation reflected by self-checkout stations.
After the total cost of the items is printed and payment is received, the shopper is returned possession of the items identi-fied for purchase in a pickup area, which in Figure 5 can be in-; side pickup area lS0, located adjacent cash register stations 145 or outside pickup area 155.
In operation without self-checkout, after entering checkout station 100 via checkout aisle 85, a shopper places the items identified for purchase onto conveyor 15. A store employee pas-ses the items over a scanner 82 and places them onto console 80.
A bag boy B would then take the i-tems identified for purchase and either place them in bags or in another cart and then move the cart or bags to one of cashier stations 145.
The shopper, with or without self-checkout, places all the items in the cart or basket onto conveyer 15. A bag boy B then pulls the cart or basket completely through sensing gate 10 while, for example, the items are still being scanned. The shop-per then walks through gate 10 without the shopping cart or bas-ket, when gate 10 is fully rearmed.
l Also, because gate 10 is not adjacent any cash registers or scanner printers, the gate's sensitivity can be made high to de-llltect with high reliability the presence of items having the ¦Itheft-prevention indicators if such items remain with the shopper 1! when walXing through sensing gate 10. Shoppers thus will not be able to conceal on their person or in their accessories, such as ~,their handbags, any items containing the theft-prevention indica-~tors.
At station 140, a cashier, having the total cost printed, receives payment from the shopper corresponding to that cost.
The shopper is then given possession of such items and may leave the store.
One advantage of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5 is that it uses presently-known sensing gate technology and enhances the value of that technology by increasing the gates' sensitivity to theft-prevention devices. The efficacy of the system is increased further since the shopping carts are not loaded by the cashier, so there is no reason for shoppers to pull them back into the sensing gate and disarm the gate. Also, self-checkout needs only minimal supervision, e.g., by bag boys or other personnel in the manager's office 150, to ensure that shop-pers pass all items over the scanner.
Because checkout aisles 85 need not be widened, the cost for installing the checkout station shown in Figure 5 is much less than that of the systems in Figs. 2-4. Also, since the checkout aisles' throughput will be increased by moving the cashier opera-tion from the checkout aisles and bag consoles, additional sales space may be gained by removal of one or more checkout aisles.
~ L'~
Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
The checkout station of this invention can ~urther include egress ;
means, adjacent to the secure area, for removing items identified i for purchase from the store. As shown in Figure ~, such means , includes conveyor 250 located adjacent to secure area 210. Con-veyor 250 is an endless-loop conveyor in which the carrying sur-face of the conveyor, which can either be a belt or interlocking sections such as are used for transporting luggage in airports, remains parallel to the floor. As shown in Figure 6, portions of conveyor 250 lie within store 1, and portions lie outside of store 1 in pickup area 255.
The present invention can also include means for providing an exit for the shopper from the store without the items identi-fied for purchase. As shown in Figure 6, such exit means in-cludes door 240 which leads from store 1 into pickup area 255.
In the checkout station in Figure 6, the sensing means, shown by gate 230, is located just before the shopper exit means.
In the operation of checkout station 200, the shopper puts the items to be purchased onto belt 15, where they are then read by scanner 82 and sent to console 80 for bagging by bag boy B.
Preferably, the total cost of the items is either determined at console 80 by means of a self-checkout station or is computed by a cashier.
After the total cost of the items is computed, the items identified for purchase are placed on conveyor 250 and, via open-ing 252 in wall 251, transported into pickup area 255 where the shopper would pick up the items. Preferably, in pickup area 255, an employee of the store would remove the items from conveyor belt 250 so they did not reenter the store before the shopper could retrieve them.
1~4~Z5 ¦l The shopper, still separated from the items to be purchased, would proceed past cashier statiors 140, pay the cashier for the ~¦items purchased, and leave store 1 through door 240. Before lleaving through door 240, however, the shopper would pass through llgate 230 which would then detect any items still in the posses-sion of the shopper which had the theft identification device.
Such items would not have been paid for, because all purchased items would have already been placed on conveyor 250. In this l'way, theft from store 1 could be reduced significantly.
i The advantages of the station in Figure 6 include reduced cost due to the station's requirement for fewer sensing gate s~s-tems and the placement of those systems only at the store exits.
Also, the sensitivity of the sensing gate can be greater with the system in Figure 6 than with even the Figure 5 system because there are fewer sources of interferences or causes of false alarms at the exit. Furthermore, in addition to the advantages discussed with regard to Figure 5, an advantage of the checkout station in Figure 6 is that carts or baskets need not clutter the aisles at the cashier stations and need not leave the store.
Another embodiment of the present invention, sho~n in Figure 7, uses basket doors 350 in outer wall 351 of store 1 to provide egress means for removing the items identified for purchase from the store. As shown in Figure 7, basket doors 350 lead from se-cure area 310 to the pickup area 355.
In addition to the advantages listed of the embodiment in Figure 6, the basket doors 350 are relatively inexpensive and basket carts can leave secure area 310, thus reducing congestion in that area.
.
, .
I I ~Z~ 5 , Figure 8, which is another embodiment of the invention, fur-,ther illustrates the flexibility of this invention. In this in-, vention, conveyor 15, aisle 85, register 70 and console 80 are as llshown in Figure 4, and in the way most supermarkets are presently l configured. In addition, basket doors 350 in wall 351 and sensing gate 230 operate as shown in Figure 7. There can also be an optional basket door 352 which operates in the same manner as basket door 350.
In operation, a shopper, as in conventional supermarkets, places items to be purchased on a conveyor belt 15. A cashier at register 70 determines the total cost of such items and places such items on the console 80. A bag boy at console 80 places ali such items into bags, places the bags into shopping carts and then pushes the carts through basket doors 350 or 352.
The shopper pays for the items purchased at register 70 and leaves through door 240 via gate 230. If the shopper has con~
cealed on his or her person any items containing a theft-preven-tion indicator, gate 230 will detect such items.
The advantages of the system in Figure 8 include all the ad-vantages indicated above with regard to the system shown in Fig-ure 7. In addition, the embodiment of the invention in Figure 8 requires the least amount of redesign with the maximum sensitivi-ty.
Although Figures 5-8 show different embodiments of the in-vention, it ls possible that a store can embody any combination of those concepts. For example, a conveyor and basket doors can be used with the checkout station in Figure 5, or both basket doors and a conveyor can be used simultaneously.
., .1 1 s To enhance the checkout stations of this invention further, a video camera ~ay be added above the scanner. This camera would be coupled to a monitor, for example, in the manager's office.
I The camera and monitor augment the store's supervision of the I scanner and relieve the bag boys of the responsibility of watching the customers at the scanner. Figure 9 shows a camera 500 positioned over a scanner 82. One camera can be used for each scanner or a single camera can pan many scanners. An exam-ple of a camera and monitor which can be used in accordance with the present invention is the Sensor Vision~ Video System from Sensormatic Electronics Corp. Camera 500 can be used with any of the embodiments of the checkout station of the present invention, but the camera is particularly advantageous when self-checkout is used because the present invention allows the use of self-lS checkout and a camera to maximize automation of checkout sta-tions.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifi-cations and variations can be made in the checkout stations meth~
ods and apparatus of this invention. This invention in its broader aspect is not limited to the specific details, represen-tative methods and apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departure may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inven-tive concept~
Claims (22)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A checkout station for reducing theft from a store containing items bearing theft prevention indicators, said checkout station comprising:
means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper;
a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper;
egress means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper;
and exit means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including sensing means for detecting the presence of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means.
means, through which a shopper must pass to leave said store, for dispossessing said shopper from those of said items bearing said theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
a secure area into which said shopper and said items identified for purchase enter after said items identified for purchase have been dispossessed from said shopper;
a pickup area in which said items identified for purchase are returned to the possession of said shopper;
egress means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for removing said items identified for purchase from said secure area without said shopper;
and exit means, located between said secure area and said pickup area, for permitting said shopper to leave said secure area without said items designated for purchase, said exit means including sensing means for detecting the presence of any items bearing theft prevention indicators remaining with said shopper as said shopper leaves said secure area through said exit means.
2. The checkout station in claim 1 wherein said dispossessing means includes a console onto which said items designated for purchase are placed.
3. The checkout station in claim 2 further including self-checkout means.
4. The checkout station in claim 2 further including a scanner adjacent said dispossessing means for reading information on said items identified for purchase to determine the total cost, and a video camera mounted above said scanner.
5. The checkout station in claim 1 wherein said egress means includes a conveyor system operating between the interior and exterior or said store to carry said items identified for purchase out of said store.
6. The checkout station in claim 5 further including self-checkout means.
7. The checkout station in claim 1 further including a scanner adjacent said dispossessing means for reading information on said items identified for purchase to determine the total cost, and a video camera mounted above said scanner.
8. The checkout station in claim 1 wherein said egress means include basket doors in an exterior wall of said store.
9. The checkout station in claim 1 further including self-checkout means.
10. The checkout station in claim 1 further including a scanner adjacent said dispossessing means for reading information on said items identified for purchase to determine the total cost, and a video camera mounted above said scanner.
11. The checkout station of claim 1 wherein said store is a supermarket.
12. The checkout station of claim 1 further including cashier stations located in said secure area for printing the total cost of said items designated for purchase by said shopper.
13. The checkout station in claim 12 wherein each said cashier station includes a cash register.
14. A method for reducing theft from a store containing items with theft preventing indicators, said method comprising the steps of:
dispossessing a shopper from those of said items bearing theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
passing said items identified for purchase by said shopper out of a secure area and into a pickup area without said shopper;
detecting the presence of any said items with said theft prevention indicators still in the possession of said shopper after said shopper has been dispossessed of said items identified for purchase and before said shopper enters said pickup area; and giving possession of said items identified for purchase to said shopper in said pickup area.
dispossessing a shopper from those of said items bearing theft prevention indicators which said shopper designates for purchase;
passing said items identified for purchase by said shopper out of a secure area and into a pickup area without said shopper;
detecting the presence of any said items with said theft prevention indicators still in the possession of said shopper after said shopper has been dispossessed of said items identified for purchase and before said shopper enters said pickup area; and giving possession of said items identified for purchase to said shopper in said pickup area.
15. The method in claim 14 wherein said detecting step includes the step of magnetically sensing soft metal strips on said items identified for purchase.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein said detecting step includes the step of electromagnetically sensing detection tags on said items identified for purchase.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein said dispossessing step includes the step of placing said items identified for purchase on a bag console.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein said dispossessing step includes the step of removing said items identified for purchase from said store via a conveyor.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein said dispossessing step includes the step of removing said items identified for purchase from said store via basket doors.
20. The method of claim 14 further including the step of viewing, by a video camera, a scanner which reads information on said items identified for purchase to determine said total cost to be printed.
21. The method of claim 14 further including the step of determining the total cost of said items identified by said shopper for purchase.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein said cost determining steps include the step of automatically determining said cost by said shopper using a self-checkout technique.
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|---|---|---|---|
| US06/625,821 US4583083A (en) | 1984-06-28 | 1984-06-28 | Checkout station to reduce retail theft |
| US625,821 | 1984-06-28 |
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| CA1246225A true CA1246225A (en) | 1988-12-06 |
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| CA000485405A Expired CA1246225A (en) | 1984-06-28 | 1985-06-26 | Checkout station to reduce retail theft |
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| US4135184A (en) * | 1977-08-31 | 1979-01-16 | Knogo Corporation | Electronic theft detection system for monitoring wide passageways |
| US4139844A (en) * | 1977-10-07 | 1979-02-13 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Surveillance method and system with electromagnetic carrier and plural range limiting signals |
| US4293266A (en) * | 1978-09-08 | 1981-10-06 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Anti-theft security enclosure and releasing mechanism |
| US4254868A (en) * | 1979-02-05 | 1981-03-10 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Enclosure for a security tag and extraction implement |
| US4299870A (en) * | 1980-05-27 | 1981-11-10 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Reusable theft deterrent security tag |
| US4281321A (en) * | 1980-06-09 | 1981-07-28 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Surveillance system employing a floor mat radiator |
| US4309697A (en) * | 1980-10-02 | 1982-01-05 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Magnetic surveillance system with odd-even harmonic and phase discrimination |
| US4318090A (en) * | 1980-10-27 | 1982-03-02 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Apparatus for deactivating a surveillance tag |
| US4384281A (en) * | 1980-10-31 | 1983-05-17 | Knogo Corporation | Theft detection apparatus using saturable magnetic targets |
| US4392553A (en) * | 1981-01-30 | 1983-07-12 | Almor Corporation | Two hand scanning check-out counter |
| US4430645A (en) * | 1981-04-07 | 1984-02-07 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Surveillance system employing a dual function floor mat radiator |
| US4413254A (en) * | 1981-09-04 | 1983-11-01 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Combined radio and magnetic energy responsive surveillance marker and system |
| US4394645A (en) * | 1981-09-10 | 1983-07-19 | Sensormatic Electronics Corporation | Electrical surveillance apparatus with moveable antenna elements |
-
1984
- 1984-06-28 US US06/625,821 patent/US4583083A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1985
- 1985-06-13 DE DE8585304219T patent/DE3582972D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-06-13 AT AT85304219T patent/ATE64021T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1985-06-13 EP EP85304219A patent/EP0169649B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1985-06-26 CA CA000485405A patent/CA1246225A/en not_active Expired
- 1985-06-27 MX MX205804A patent/MX159586A/en unknown
- 1985-06-28 JP JP60142373A patent/JPS6168695A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP0169649A3 (en) | 1987-03-04 |
| ATE64021T1 (en) | 1991-06-15 |
| US4583083A (en) | 1986-04-15 |
| DE3582972D1 (en) | 1991-07-04 |
| MX159586A (en) | 1989-07-06 |
| EP0169649A2 (en) | 1986-01-29 |
| JPS6168695A (en) | 1986-04-09 |
| EP0169649B1 (en) | 1991-05-29 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |