Abstract: A wireless tag is integrated into a reusable bag. The tag is registered to a payment account. During a transaction, a unique identifier for the tag is wirelessly acquired from the bag and linked to the payment account. When checkout for the transaction is required, the transaction price for the transaction is charged against the linked account without requiring any additional payment screens or payment interfaces at a transaction terminal where the transaction is being processed. In an embodiment, custom use, price, item type, store type, and/or weight restrictions with respect to the transaction and registered with the tag are enforced during checkout by the transaction terminal.

Abstract: Techniques for employing user interfaces to output information indicative of events occurring in an inventory facility, and receive feedback from a human regarding the events are described herein. In one implementation, an event may take place in an inventory facility, such as a customer taking an item from an inventory location, returning an item to an inventory location, and so forth. An automated system of an inventory management system may process sensor data collected by sensors in the inventory facility to determine details of the event. In some examples, the inventory management system is unable to determine with a high level of confidence what occurred during the event. The inventory management system may provide the sensor data to a human associate through an associate interface, and receive input regarding details of the event from the human associate through the associate interface.

Abstract: Provided are a checkout device, a control method, and a storage medium that can smoothly perform a checkout process for a customer in accordance with a status. The checkout device includes: a first input/output unit; a second input/output unit provided to face a different direction from the first input/output unit; and a control unit that selects an input/output unit which accepts input related to a checkout process from the first input/output unit and the second input/output unit based on at least one of status of the checkout device and time.

Abstract: A payment support system includes a terminal ID acquisition processing unit, a position acquisition processing unit, an association processing unit, and a payment processing unit. The terminal ID acquisition processing unit acquires identification information of a user terminal of a user who entered a facility. The position acquisition processing unit acquires position information of the user terminal. The association processing unit stores the identification information acquired by the terminal ID acquisition processing unit and a use price of the facility of the user in a storage unit in association with each other. The payment processing unit executes a payment process of the use price when a predetermined time has elapsed since the user terminal exited a predetermined area of the facility.

Abstract: A self-checkout (SCO) station for a retail store has a reconfigurable bagging section that receives items scanned by a user. The SCO station determines whether the user does or does not require the SCO station to operate in a mode that complies with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If so, the SCO station automatically reconfigures the bagging section to ensure that the user is able to reach all items in the bagging section.

Abstract: A stackable handcart includes a cart frame, a display, and a restriction member. The cart frame includes a receiving portion on which a shopping basket is placeable and a front end portion that abuts a first stackable handcart when the stackable handcart is stacked with the first stackable handcart from behind the first stackable handcart. The display is attached to the cart frame. The restriction member is attached to the cart frame at a position to abut a front end portion of a second stackable handcart when the second stackable handcart is stacked with the stackable handcart from behind the stackable handcart. The restriction member is positioned such that a display of the second stackable handcart does not abut the display of the stackable handcart when the front end portion of the second stackable handcart abuts the restriction member.

Abstract: A system detects a transaction outcome by obtaining video data associated with a transaction area and analyzing the video data to obtain at least one video transaction parameter concerning transactions associated with the transaction area. The transaction area can be a video count of items indicated in the video data as detected by an automated item detection algorithm applied to the video data. The system obtains at least one expected transaction parameter concerning an expected transaction that occurs in the transaction area, such as a scan count of items scanned at a point of sale terminal. The system automatically compares the video transaction parameter(s) to the expected transaction parameter(s) to identify a transaction outcome that may indicate fraudulent activity such as sweethearting in a retail environment.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided a product registration apparatus including an information acquisition unit that determines a placement position of a product having a placing table surface side to which product information is attached and acquires the product information attached to the product, and an output unit that outputs information indicating at least one of the placement position of the product from which the product information can be acquired and the placement position of the product from which the product information cannot be acquired.

Abstract: Disclosed are visual recognition and sensor fusion weight detection system and method. An example method includes: tracking, by a sensor system, objects and motions within a selected area of a store; activating, by the sensor system, a first computing device positioned in the selected area in response to detecting a presence of a customer within the selected area; identifying, by the sensor system, the customer and at least one item carried by the customer; transmitting, by the sensor system, identifying information of the customer and the at least one item to a computing server system via a communication network; measuring, by the first computing device, a weight of the at least one item; transmitting, by the first computing device, the weight to the computing server system via the communication network; and generating, by the computing server system, via the communication network, transaction information of the at least one item.

Abstract: A self-service checkout apparatus includes dispensers each configured to dispense an article, first sensors each configured to detect a presence of the article in the corresponding dispenser, first indicators each configured to indicate that the presence of the article in the corresponding dispenser, a second sensor configured to detect whether a user is present, and a processor configured to, when one or more articles are detected by the first sensors and the user is detected by the second sensor, perform first notification using the respective one or more of the first indicators, and when one or more articles are detected by the first sensors and the user is not detected by the second sensor, perform second notification according to a priority order predetermined for each article, using at least one of a second indicator of the self-service checkout apparatus and a third indicator of another apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for executing a first transaction at a checkout system at substantially the same time that a second transaction is started at the checkout system. For example, a cashier can scan one or more items, adding the items to a first transaction. When all items have been added to the first transaction and a first customer is making a payment in the first transaction, the cashier can begin to add items to a second transaction, such that execution of the first transaction occurs at substantially the same time that items are added to the second transaction.

Abstract: A system can visually track which items in a store are selected for purchase by a shopper. The system can form a virtual shopping cart by analyzing multiple images, over time, to determine which purchasable items are located with the shopper, such as in a physical shopping cart, in a basket, or held by the shopper. By analyzing multiple images, over time, the system can account for items misidentified in one or more images, or fully or partially obscured in one or more images as the shopper traverses the store. Alternatively, the system can form a virtual shopping cart by analyzing instances in which a purchasable item is removed from a shelf or placed on a shelf. Items removed from, but not returned to, a shelf can be considered to be selected for purchase. The system can include a frictionless checkout that charges the shopper for the selected items.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of preventing products from being carried outside a store without complete a checkout process in a checkout system in which a product, a shopping basket in which the product is accommodated, or a shopping cart in which the product is accommodated is disposed in a checkout device when performing a checkout process. In order to solve the problem, a product registration device (10) registers the product. The checkout device (20) performs the checkout process for the product registered by the product registration device (10). An output unit (320) outputs information indicating that a target object (30) (in the example shown in the drawing, a shopping cart (32) in which a product is accommodated) has moved from the checkout device (20) on the basis of the presence or absence of movement of the target object (30) from the checkout device (20), and the state of the checkout process.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents, when executed by a computing system, can cause the computing system to perform operations for an audited shopping system that include receiving scanned product information identifying a current product and an associated weight of the current product. An indication can be determined to place the current product in a selected bag among a plurality of bags. The associated weight of the current product can be added to a previous calculated weight of products in the selected bag to provide a current calculated weight of products in the selected bag and then all previous operations can be repeated until receiving an indication that shopping is done to provide a plurality of products that are distributed among the plurality of bags, wherein each bag has a respective calculated weight of all products in the bag and indicating a selected one of the plurality of bags as an audited bag for weighing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for message sizing and serialization optimization are disclosed. Communications between a secure payment enclave, other components of a customer terminal, a merchant terminal, and/or a remote system may be optimized depending on a state of the customer terminal and/or the merchant terminal. Message sizing and type may be optimized depending on the state. Additionally, or alternatively, message serialization may be optimized using state-dependent protocol buffers. The communications may pass between components of a POS system to a remote system via two operating-system stacks, which may be customized for a POS system transaction.

Abstract: A point-of-sale system for concurrently processing multiple point of sale transactions, each point of sale transaction including an item input portion and a payment portion of the transaction, each portion performed in series. The point-of-sale system comprises a customer facing terminal and a merchant facing terminal. The system can comprise a plurality of customer facing terminals and can be portable. The customer facing terminal is configured to receive an input of payment information for a first point of sale transaction during a payment portion of the first point of sale transaction. The merchant facing terminal is configured to receive an input of an item selection for a second point of sale transaction during an item input portion of the second point of sale transaction and during the payment portion of the first point of sale transaction.

Abstract: Method, computer program product, and system to provide assistance to at least a first person during a transaction within an environment having a plurality of items. The method includes identifying the first person within the environment, and analyzing acquired image information to determine at least one item interaction of the transaction and thereby associate the identified first person with the transaction. The method further includes determining whether the first person is associated with a personal profile that includes information related to the environment, the information including at least one of personal preferences and personal historical data reflecting one or more previous transactions of the first person. When the first person is determined to be associated with a personal profile, the method further includes determining, based on the information in the personal profile, an amount of assistance to provide to the first person during the transaction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for creating data analysis (DA) systems for generating insights (also known as results) from a plurality of data sources without requiring the designer/implementer of the DA system or the user to understand complicated technology details such as for example coding, big data technology or high-end business analytics algorithms.

Abstract: A register system includes an optical code reader, a data storage, a wireless communication interface through which the register system communicates wirelessly with a user computing device, a display, and a processor. The processor queries a master record stored in the data storage to determine whether or not a product corresponding to a product code read by the code reader is an confirmation-required product, and responsive to determining that the product is an confirmation-required product, controls the wireless communication interface to transmit a pull request for a user attribute stored in the user computing device. The processor further determines whether or not product registration processing for the confirmation-required product should continue with or without special processing based on the user attribute received by the wireless communication interface from the user computing device responsive to the pull request.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a retaining unit that retains a product image acquired from an image capturing unit that captures an image of a product to be registered as an item to be checked out; a storage unit that stores, for each product, panel registration information including a product code, a product image, and screen layout information; a processing unit that causes a display unit to display a checkout panel screen in which each screen part enables to register each product as an item to be checked out, contains the product image, and is arranged according to screen layout information; and a processing unit that acquires a product image of an unspecified product from the image retaining unit, acquires a product code and screen layout information concerning this unspecified product, and stores the acquired product code, the acquired screen layout information, and the product image acquired from the retaining unit, in the panel information storage unit as the panel registration information

Abstract: A system and method for execution of customer-specific marketing, discounts, and promotions which alerts the customer that the customer is to receive the promotion. In one form, the system includes a point-of-sale computer at a checkout counter for processing purchase of items, a customer interface device at the checkout counter which alerts a customer to the existence of a promotion and for transferring details of the promotion to the point-of-sale computer, wherein the details of the promotion appear as bar code data to the point-of-sale computer, and a local promotional server wirelessly connected to the customer interface device for sending the details of the promotion to the customer interface display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using speech recognition technologies to facilitate retail store checkout are disclosed. According to certain aspects, an electronic device may detect a user's speech and analyze the speech to identify a set of matching items that may correspond to items being purchased by a customer. The electronic device may display, via a user interface, the set of matching items as well as a code or identification associated with the set of matching items. The user may interface with a point of sale system to input a code for a desired item, and the point of sale system may add the desired item to an order and may facilitate a checkout for the order.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.

Abstract: Examples provide a transparent scan platform within an item scanning tunnel on the same plane as a set of conveyor belts. The transparent scan platform includes a plurality of interconnected transparent segments or a transparent band forming a continuous transparent platform rotating about a set of rollers. The transparent scan platform includes a scan device embedded within the platform or positioned under the transparent scan platform. The scan device scans an item identifier, such as a barcode, located on an item sitting on a top surface of the transparent scan platform. The transparent scan platform rolls the item out of the scanning tunnel. If the item becomes wedged between an end of the scan platform and an end of a conveyor belt, a sweeper device extends downward behind the item and sweeps the item out of the scanning tunnel. The sweeper device then retracts back upward.

Abstract: A system and method for retail inventory checkout in which the customer selects items from the item shelves and as an item is taken from the shelf, the customer employs an input device, such as a portable data terminal, a smart phone provided with a store application or other suitable device that communicates with the store network, to identify the item either by scanning the optical code on the item or by other means, and then once scanned, the item is added to the purchase list and then placed in a shopping cart, basket or other container.

Abstract: An imaging device captures movements and/or non-movements of an operator of a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal during an ongoing transaction at the POS terminal. Events from the POS terminal are combined with the captured movements and/or non-movements to determine or predict what steps the operator should next do in furtherance of the ongoing transaction. Those steps are automatically communicated to the operator of the POS terminal for the transaction to progress.

Abstract: A system and method for retail inventory checkout in which the customer selects items from the item shelves and as an item is taken from the shelf, the customer employs an input device, such as a portable data terminal, a smart phone provided with a store application or other suitable device that communicates with the store network, to identify the item either by scanning the optical code on the item or by other means, and then once scanned, the item is added to the purchase list and then placed in a shopping cart, basket or other container.

Abstract: A system for communicating the status of a produce product in a retail store is described. The system includes a produce weigh station and a produce status station. The produce weigh station includes a produce scale and a camera. The produce weigh station uses a captured digital image of the produce product to determine a product type of the produce product being weighed, as well as a product status of the produce product. The produce status can include, for example, whether the produce product is ripe, over-ripe, or under-ripe. The produce weigh station communicates the type of the produce product, the digital image, and the produce status to the produce status station. An employee of the retail store can use the produce status station to receive the produce status information without the employee having to be present in the produce sales department.

Abstract: A checkout system for data reading, and related methods of use, the checkout system including one or more data reading devices with a conveyor for transporting items toward a read zone of the data reading devices, and an exception identification system capable of identifying exception items transported through the read zone without being successfully identified by the data reader. An imaging system acquires one or more images of these exception items, and these images are presented to a user on a display screen, whereby the user manipulates the images of the exception items to associate the images with item information (such as item description, price, etc.) to clear any exception items.

Abstract: An asset protection system and method may include detecting that a first item includes a first security device coupled to the first item, in response to the first item being scanned by the user, instructing the user to deactivate the first security device and then place the first item into a bagging area, wherein a deactivator is located at the point of sale computer terminal to deactivate the first security device, directing a detection source to scan the bagging area after the first item and other items have been placed into the bagging area, and determining based on the scanning by the detection source, that a second security device coupled to the at least one item other than the first item in the bagging area has been deactivated, but the at least one item has not been scanned by the user at the point of sale computer terminal.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, software, and devices, such as remote weigh stations and ancillary devices thereof enabled to detect fraud possibilities during a product weighing at facilities, such as retail outlets. Some such embodiments include image processing to identify possible fraud.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a commodity-sales-data processing apparatus includes a display section, an image pickup section, an identifying section, a price-information acquiring section, and an amount calculating section. The image pickup section picks up images of commodities placed in a predetermined image pickup region on a display region of the display section. The identifying section identifies the commodities disposed in the predetermined image pickup region on the basis of the images picked up by the image pickup section. The price-information acquiring section acquires price information concerning prices of the commodities identified by the identifying section. The amount calculating section calculates a payment amount for the commodities on the basis of the price information acquired by the price-information acquiring section.

Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for utilizing a community pantry engine. The techniques include receiving, from a first user, a first order request for a first portion of a bulk item that comprises a first portion a second portion. A second user may be identified based at least in part on geographic locations of the first user and the second user. A notification related to the first order request may be provided to the second user. A second order request for the second portion for the bulk item may be received from the second user. Discounted delivery costs for the first order request and the second order request may be calculated. The first portion of the item may be provided to the first user according to the discounted delivery costs. The second portion of the bulk item may be provided to the second user according to the discounted delivery costs.

Abstract: A checkout unit assembly (1000) has a first checkout unit (100) and a second checkout unit (200) each having a user interface portion (300) at one side portion. The first checkout unit (100) is disposed above the second checkout unit (200) such that the first checkout unit (100) and the second checkout unit (200) overlap when seen in a plan view. The user interface portion (300) of the first checkout unit (100) and the user interface portion (300) of the second checkout unit (200) are disposed on different side surfaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a call button system for a monitor at a self-checkout station of a retail store. The call button system includes an apparatus for coupling the call button to a monitor at the self-checkout station. The call button can be used by customers to summon help from a retail store employee while they are using the self-checkout station. The apparatus for coupling the call button to the monitor places the call button conveniently near the monitor the customer will be using at the self-checkout station. The apparatus for coupling the call button to the monitor includes a coupling bracket that couples the call button to the monitor. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes two S brackets that stabilize the call button and the coupling bracket.

Abstract: Described is a checkout station in a retail store that includes a bumper for preventing dividers from covering a belt end sensor. The belt end sensor senses when items on a checkout station conveyor belt have reached the end of the conveyor belt. If a divider stored on an edge wall alongside the conveyor belt covers the belt end sensor, the conveyor belt stops motion when it should keep moving. The checkout station includes a bumper that couples to the edge wall. The bumper prevents the dividers from covering the belt end sensor and interfering with the operation of the belt end sensor and the conveyor belt. The bumper includes a backbone and a hook coupled to the backbone. The hook couples the bumper to the edge wall. When the bumper is coupled to the edge wall, the bumper blocks dividers from covering the belt end sensor.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods of object identification. Exemplary embodiments can scan, by an optical reader, a machine-readable identifier associated with an original object. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the original object at a first orientation using an image capture device. Exemplary embodiments can transmit the machine-readable identifier and the image of the original object to an image database to store an association between the image of the original object and the machine-readable identifier. Exemplary embodiments can receive a subsequent object having a subsequent machine-readable identifier that is unavailable or incapable of being scanned. Exemplary embodiments can capture an image of the subsequent object with the image capture device.

Abstract: There are provided systems and method for smart table devices and accessories for determining ordering aspects and bills. A smart table may include one or more modules, devices, and/or accessory devices that determine aspects of users and items associated with the smart table, such as movements of the users, quantities of items located on the table, or other aspects. The aspects may be communicated to a merchant device to determine information about the users and items, such as if the user requires attention or if a drink is empty. Based on the information, notifications may be generated, which may be communicated to a merchant or merchant employee to provide assistance or service to the table. The information may also be utilized to generate and update historical sales statistics for the merchant, such as commonly ordered items, time until receipt of service or food, and preferred payment methods.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptively optimizing RFID-based POS performance are described. In various aspects, one or more processors and one or more image sensors are configured to aggregate images, where the images are captured by the image sensor(s) and where the image sensor(s) are associated with an RFID reader. A first density value and a second density value may be determined based on the image(s), where each of the first density value and the second density value is associated with a respective a first or second set of individuals, or a first or second set of products, located within a respective first and second POS lane. The second POS lane is positioned adjacent to the first POS lane. The first density value and the second density value are used to update a reader parameter associated with the RFID reader to optimize the RFID reader.

Abstract: A scan avoidance monitoring system detects instances in which a respective customer in a retail environment fails to properly scan or tally one or more retail items for purchase. To avoid generating false positives, such as flagging of events as scan avoidances when they really are not or likely are not scan avoidances, the scan avoidance system can be configured to require a level of confirmation by one or more other analyzers to flag a particular circumstance as a scan avoidance.

Abstract: A central computer system is configured to simultaneously task various ones of a plurality of motorized transport units to temporarily attach to a corresponding mobile item container and to move the temporarily-attached mobile item container in a retail shopping facility in correspondence to the movement of an authorized consumer while also receiving and analyzing video input provided by video cameras that are included with at least some of the motorized transport units to identify security and safety anomalies in the retail shopping facility. By one approach, the central computer system identifies security and safety anomalies in the retail shopping center by characterizing contents of images as being either expected or unexpected and as being either potentially harmful or not potentially harmful. So configured the central computer system is able to not only identify anomalies but assess a degree of threat posed by a given anomaly.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for generating a recommendation of a retail location on a network-based system. For example, a system may obtain a retail location definition associated with a geographic location. The geographic location may represent the retail location. The system then builds a scan event model from product scan messages received from a plurality of scanning devices located within the geographic location. The scan event model may include one or more scan events each being associated with a product definition and the retail location definition. Next, a recommendation query from the search device is received by the system. The recommendation query may include a product identifier and a query location. The system may generate a recommendation of the retail location based on determining that the product identifier and the query location match the one or more scan events of the scan event model.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software to enable depth-based image element removal. Some embodiments may be implemented in a store checkout context, while other embodiments may be implemented in other contexts such as at price-checking kiosks or devices that may be deployed within a store or other retail establishment, a library at a checkout terminal, and the like. Some embodiments include removing elements of images based at least in part on depth data.

Abstract: A product management device searches for a missing bar-code ID which is not present among bar-code IDs read by a reading section from among a list of bar-code IDs recorded, in advance, in a predetermined order, calculates a reading time of the missing bar-code ID using reading times associated with bar-code IDs before and after the missing bar-code ID, and instructs the outputting of image data of capture times by cameras of the product to which the missing bar-code ID is attached using the calculated reading time, the relative positions of the cameras, and a speed of a belt conveyor.

Abstract: A method of electronically authenticating an electronic ticket upon entry to a venue can include displaying a first scannable code on a display of a user device, placing the user device adjacent to a scannable code reader device, scanning the first scannable code of the user device with the scannable code reader device, generating a second scannable code and displaying the second scannable code on the scannable code reader device, scanning the second scannable code with a camera on the user device, generating a user ticket code on the display of the user device, and displaying the user ticket code on the user device to gain admittance into the venue.

Abstract: The present invention is generally a system and method for providing a measurement device with a point of sale (POS) receipt. In exemplary embodiments, a store such as a building supply store or hardware store, may implement POS devices configured to generate printed media that may be used by customers as a measuring tool. The measuring tool may comprise a printed sheet with measurement markings printed along a longitudinal border of the printed sheet adjacent to transactional information of a registered purchase, and or promotional information that may be relevant to the customer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process aiding a customer scan and rapid checkout process can include monitoring a shopping cart basket weight. The process includes monitoring, in a computerized processor installed to a shopping cart of a customer, a signal from a weight device configured to monitor the shopping cart basket weight. The process further includes automatically generating a basket weight output value based upon the shopping cart basket weight. The basket weight output value includes one of a check against an expected weight of an item from a database, a billing statement total for a bulk good, a check against an expected total order weight to confirm presence of an un-scanned item in the shopping cart basket, and a check against unsafe use of the shopping cart. The process further includes providing a message based upon the basket weight output value.

Abstract: The technology of the application provides an anti-theft self-checkout system to facilitate theft detection. The technology includes a post-purchase product location located in a field of view of an image detector. The post-purchase product location includes a scale to generate an actual weight of purchased products. The technology further includes a scanner that identifies products for purchase where the scanner is within the field of view. The image detector detects and tracks the movement of at least one of limbs or products through the field of view to the post-purchase product location. A processor compares the actual movement to a database of movements and generates a movement violation signal based on the comparison. The processor calculates a running weight of scanned products purchased and compares the running weight to the actual weight and generates a weight violation signal if the running weight and actual weight are outside of a tolerance.

Abstract: Transaction units of video data and transaction data captured from different checkout lanes are prioritized as a function of lane priority values of respective ones of the different checkout lanes from which the transaction units are acquired. Each of the checkout lanes has a different lane priority value. The individual transaction units are processed in the prioritized processing order to automatically detect irregular activities indicated by the transaction unit video and the transaction data of the processed individual transaction units.

Abstract: A recognition dictionary creation apparatus photographs a commodity by an image capturing section to capture the image of the commodity; measures a distance from the image capturing section to the commodity photographed by the image capturing section; generates a quasi-commodity-image in a state in which the commodity is imaginarily moved away from the image capturing section to a given registration distance longer than the measurement distance based on the image of the commodity photographed by the image capturing section; extracts an appearance feature amount of the commodity from the generated quasi-commodity-image; and registers, in a recognition dictionary in association with the registration distance data, the extracted appearance feature amount as the feature amount data of the photographed commodity at the registration distance to create the recognition dictionary.