Self-checkout stations at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The stations permit a consumer to scan items for purchase so the station may identify the items and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all items for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The station then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The station presents menu selections to the consumer so funds are transferred to the retailer's account. Upon confirmation of payment, the items are released to the consumer.
A self-checkout station typically includes a terminal, a scanner and scales for reading unit price codes (UPC) and determining item weight, a cashier keypad and display, a POS terminal for payment entry, a receipt printer, a change unit, and a checkout area for holding items once they have been scanned. The terminal also includes a display, a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the station. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for item prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of items through a self-checkout station. Some checkout station may also include a security application program that operates to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the items or exchanges scanned items with more expensive items that have not been scanned.
Because a self-checkout station includes the components typically found in a cashier-assisted station, self-checkout stations have been constructed that support the conversion of a self-checkout station into a cashier-assisted station. Self-checkout stations that may be converted to cashier-assisted stations and vice versa typically include a conveyor belt for moving items to a scanner/scale of the checkout terminal. In these convertible checkout stations, the scanner is mounted on a swivel atop a sliding drawer so the scanner may be pulled from the checkout station and turned to either face consumers in self-checkout station operation or away from the consumer in cashier-assisted station operation. Typically, the sliding drawer is released by depressing a drawer latch and pulling the drawer away from the checkstand. When the drawer is fully retracted, the scanner may be rotated and realigned with the sliding drawer. The drawer is then pushed into engagement with the checkstand and adjustments are made to align the scanner with the conveyor belt for cashier-assisted operation. A cashier display and keypad are mounted on a swivel to the top of a consumer display for the scanner. After the scanner is rotated, the cashier display is rotated on its swivel so it is returned to a position that faces away from the consumer side of the station. In this manner, a cashier may use a keypad or the scanner and scales for item data entry. The keypad remains accessible to the consumer for payment. To return to self-checkout mode, the described procedure is reversed so the sliding drawer may be released and pulled out, the scanner and scales rotated, the drawer returned to the checkstand in an orientation that permits consumer operation and the cashier display rotated towards the cashier side.
Once the scanner has been oriented for either cashier-assisted or consumer operation, the station software needs to be configured for the appropriate mode of operation. For example, the security application may operate differently with respect to certain events regarding the movement of items into and out of the checkout area depending upon the mode in which the scanner is operating. Typically, the person who is converting the station from one type of operational mode to another configures the software for the operational mode of the station. Unfortunately, this person may forget to reconfigure the software for the current operational mode. Improperly configured software may permit a consumer to more easily defraud the store or make errors that impede the unattended operation of the self-checkout station. The requirement of manually reconfiguring the software also increases the time associated with the conversion of the station, especially if the one who is converting the station is distracted during the conversion process and leaves the station for customer service.
Another problem with conversion of a checkout station occurs during the reboot or reapplication of power following system failure. In event of such a failure, the system reboot or power application causes the station to configure the software operating the station. If the station did not store some indicator of its last operational mode, the station does not know whether to configure the software for cashier-assisted or self-checkout mode. If its default configuration is cashier-assisted and the station is physically configured for self-checkout mode, the same erroneous operations or conditions for defrauding the store may exist.
What is needed is a way of identifying the physical configuration of the station so the software configuration of the station is correlated to the proper operational mode.
What is needed is a way of reducing the time required for converting a checkout station from one operational mode to another.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds