Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software implementing a data-driven classifier. One method embodiment includes receiving a transaction dataset including data representative of transactions including data representative of at least one product purchased within the respective transactions. This method then processes the dataset according to a contextualizing algorithm to generate a data representation for at least some products included in transactions of the transaction dataset. Each generated data representation represents a context of a product with regard to each of the other products of the data representation. This method further includes processing the generated data representations according to a clustering algorithm to partition products represented by the generated data representations into a number of product clusters.

Abstract: A machine-learning algorithm is trained with features relevant to predict a time-series value or rate for a current interval of time. The actual rate is compared against the predicted rate and when a deviation between the actual rate and the predicted rate is outside a threshold deviation, an automated action is processed to attempt to remedy the deviation.

Abstract: An image of a transaction receipt is obtained and optical character recognition (OCR) is processed on the image to identify a transaction identifier, a transaction total, and a handwritten amount associated with a transaction. When a confidence value associated with the OCR is above a threshold value, the handwritten amount is processed automatically through a transaction interface for the transaction to update the transaction total for the transaction.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software for model-based data validation to identify when self-scan checkout data requires validation. Some embodiments, in the form of a method includes receiving, via a network from a self-scanning device, a self-scan dataset of items for purchase within a purchase data processing transaction and evaluating the self-scan dataset to determine whether to require a rescan of items represented in the self-scan dataset. In such embodiments when a rescan is determined to be required, the method includes transmitting via the network to at least one of the self-scan device and at least one device of a store employee data indicating a rescan is required. However, when a rescan is not determined to be required, the method includes permitting the purchase data processing transaction to proceed.

Abstract: Various embodiments herein each include at least one of systems, methods, and software for model-based data validation to identify when self-scan checkout data requires validation. Some embodiments, in the form of a method includes receiving, via a network from a self-scanning device, a self-scan dataset of items for purchase within a purchase data processing transaction and evaluating the self-scan dataset to determine whether to require a rescan of items represented in the self-scan dataset. In such embodiments when a rescan is determined to be required, the method includes transmitting via the network to at least one of the self-scan device and at least one device of a store employee data indicating a rescan is required. However, when a rescan is not determined to be required, the method includes permitting the purchase data processing transaction to proceed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a disk drive, wherein: a sensor element measures the temperature of a disk drive; a heating element heats the disk drive; and a logic device coupled to the sensor element and the heating element monitors the temperature measured by the sensor element and controls the heating element to cause the heating element to heat the disk drive when the temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature threshold.