Abstract: A virtual layaway service is provided. A user-facing interface to the service is accessed through a transaction interface associated with transaction terminals of a retailer or associated with mobile retail applications of the retailer provided on user-operated devices. The service flags transaction histories or records with items placed in layaway and payment progress made toward paying off the items using an existing transaction system and an existing loyalty system of the retailer. Customers can view payment progress, add new items to layaway, and make payments via the user-facing interface of the service. Angel donors also view the items designated for layaway and can make donations to specific items or all the items via the user-facing interface.

Abstract: A transaction session is established directly or indirectly between a wearable processing device and a cloud-based server of a store. During the session, items are recognized by placing the items in a field-of-view of a front-facing camera of the device. Item recognition does not require item barcode identification. A depth sensor associated with the camera creates a three-dimensional mapping of a given item. The mapping and image features are processed to uniquely identify the item even when the item is associated with a same category of items. Customer input during the session can be achieved through gestures (hand, eyes, head, fingers, etc.) and/or voice commands. The customer input is translated and mapped into transaction interface commands/options and processed during the session to select items, delete items, view a transaction receipt, identify a quantity of items, obtain item details for a given item, etc.

Abstract: Objects associated with a self-checkout area are identified and tracked through transaction data comprised of transaction details, device statuses, transaction interrupts/events, and video feeds during transactions on Self-Service Terminals (SSTs). Selective objects and selective transaction data are correlated together in a group for each transaction. Actions required of an attendant who is managing the transactions are identified for each group. An Augmented Reality (AR) interface is provided on an attendant-operated device that visually and uniquely identifies the actions, each group requiring a given action, and each object of each group that is to be the subject of the given action. In an embodiment, remote verification, audit, and override actions are processed through gestures made by the attendant and detected by the AR interface.

Abstract: During an in-store shopping journey of a customer, offers are identified based on a variety of personalized information known for the customer, known for the store, whether the customer is at a beginning or an end of their journey, items the customer is in process of buying during a self-checkout, items already in a basket of items for the customer, and/or items in close proximity to the customer’s location within the store. The offers are provided to the customer within an interface of the customer’s mobile shopping application or a Self-Service Terminal (SST). Any selected offer from the interface is automatically stored in an account of or a digital wallet of the customer or any selected offer is sent as a code to the customer’s mobile device. In an embodiment, stored offers are automatically added to a shopping list maintained for the customer for a next visit/journey to the store.

Abstract: When an electronic ticket is purchased, the ticket is maintained electronically (paperless format) on a consumer-operated device via a ticket wallet application (app). Wallet app obtains ticket details via a scan of an image of the ticket captured from a display of a ticket vendor terminal. Only the wallet app maintains ticket details of the ticket; however, a ticket service cooperates with the wallet app to validate the ticket, to track redemption of the ticket, to authorize printing of the ticket, and to manage the ticket with other tickets of a consumer associated with consumer-operated device.

Abstract: Real-time video is captured of a pickup area for orders at a store. The images are analyzed and tracked for unique orders being placed in the pickup area and orders being removed from the pickup area. A customer-operated device is operated by a customer to identify the store where the customer placed an order in a remote location from the pickup area. Images of the orders that are present within the pickup area and order identifying information for the orders are provided to the customer via the customer-operated device.

Abstract: A mobile device establishes an indirect network connection to a User Interface (UI) agent of a terminal. The indirect connection managed as a mobile navigational control session maintained through a server or through the server and a proxy. A keyboard widget/object and a navigation-selection widget/object are rendered within a mobile screen on a display of the mobile device. During the session, a user interacts with the keyboard and/or navigation-selection widgets and corresponding UI key events are forwarded to the UI agent. The UI agent provides the UI key events as Human Interface Device (HID) key events to the terminal causing a transaction interface to update transaction screens being rendered on a transaction display of the terminal during a transaction. The user conducts the transaction at the terminal without touching the transaction display and controls the transaction screens for the transaction via the keyboard and navigational widgets from the mobile device.

Abstract: Location information for a user-operated device is obtained or location information associated with a transaction terminal is obtained. A store associated with the location is resolved based on the location information. Loyalty identifiers for a user who operates the device are identified. The loyalty identifiers are used to obtain a loyalty account of the user with the store and the location information is used to identify a transaction that the user is engaged in at the store. A loyalty account number for the loyalty account is dynamically injected into a transaction workflow for the transaction without requiring entry of the loyalty identifiers or the loyalty account number by the user or a cashier who may be performing the transaction on behalf of the user.

Abstract: A mobile device establishes an indirect network connection to a User Interface (UI) agent of a terminal. The indirect connection managed as a mobile navigational control session maintained through a server or through the server and a proxy. A keyboard widget/object and a navigation-selection widget/object are rendered within a mobile screen on a display of the mobile device. During the session, a user interacts with the keyboard and/or navigation-selection widgets and corresponding UI key events are forwarded to the UI agent. The UI agent provides the UI key events as Human Interface Device (HID) key events to the terminal causing a transaction interface to update transaction screens being rendered on a transaction display of the terminal during a transaction. The user conducts the transaction at the terminal without touching the transaction display and controls the transaction screens for the transaction via the keyboard and navigational widgets from the mobile device.

Abstract: Preferences with respect nutrition and ingredients are established for a user. The preferences are managed and stored on a mobile device. Images of nutrition and ingredient information are captured and analyzed against the preferences. Any ingredient for an item associated with the images that do not conform to the preferences are flagged and the user notified. The user is provided an option to receive a substitute item that does conform with the preferences. In an embodiment, a discount is provided to the user for incentivizing the user to select the substitute item.

Abstract: Cameras capture time-stamped images of customers, carts, and items possessed by the customers. Customer queues at checkout stations/transaction terminals are monitored for queue lengths, opened terminals, closed terminals, and a total number of items possessed by each customer within each queue. Queue wait times are calculated for each queue and the queue wait times are displayed on monitors adjacent to the queues. Customers approaching the checkout stations are directed to specific queues based on the queue wait times. Closed terminals are opened in advance of a time when a shortest expected wait time for the queues is expected to exceed a threshold wait time. In an embodiment, each queue length is managed based on staff performance metrics associated with staff operating the terminals.

Abstract: Cameras capture time-stamped images of customers, carts, and items possessed by the customers. Customer queues at checkout stations/transaction terminals are monitored for queue lengths, opened terminals, closed terminals, and a total number of items possessed by each customer within each queue. Queue wait times are calculated for each queue and the queue wait times are displayed on monitors adjacent to the queues. Customers approaching the checkout stations are directed to specific queues based on the queue wait times. Closed terminals are opened in advance of a time when a shortest expected wait time for the queues is expected to exceed a threshold wait time. In an embodiment, each queue length is managed based on staff performance metrics associated with staff operating the terminals.