Method and apparatus for automated shopper checkout using radio frequency identification technology

A method, comprising:

• providing a plurality of products that are each associated with a respective radio frequency identification tag;
• using a scale coupled to a computer system and located proximate to a point of sale (POS) checkout area to output a signal corresponding to a total weight including at least a container and a group of products collected by a shopper within the container as the shopper enters the POS checkout area;
• using one or more cameras coupled to the computer system and located proximate to the POS checkout area to output digital signaling corresponding to the container and the group of products collected by the shopper as the shopper enters the POS checkout area;
• using radio frequency identification technology obtained from at least one RFID tag reader located proximate to the POS checkout area in real time as the shopper enters the POS checkout area to automatically identify specific products within the group of the products collected by the shopper;
• and
• evaluating, using the computer system and according to a set of rules, whether to obtain payment from the shopper based on the radio frequency identification of products in the group and then, based on the result of the evaluating, carrying out one of:
• obtaining payment from the shopper based on the radio frequency identification of products in the group;
• and
• auditing the products in the group, and then obtaining payment from the shopper based on the products identified by the auditing;
• wherein the evaluating according to the set of rules includes:
• determining, using the computer system, the signal from the scale, the digital signaling from the one or more cameras, and the specific products identified using the radio frequency identification technology, and according to the set of rules, a value for each of a plurality of properties relating to the identified specific products collected by the shopper, wherein the plurality of properties comprises a tag reading difficulty, a tag count, a product weight, a product weight and tag count range, a product weight differential and a product count differential,
• determining, for each of a plurality of different criteria that are each a function of the group of products collected by the shopper and the determined values for each of the plurality of properties, a confidence level having a value from a set of confidence levels corresponding to each criteria, resulting in a plurality of determined confidence levels specific to the products identified using radio frequency identification technology,
• wherein the plurality of different criteria comprises a tag reading difficulty criteria, a tag count criteria, a product weight criteria, a product weight and tag count range criteria, a product weight differential criteria, and a count differential criteria, wherein each of a plurality of different criteria corresponds to a condition that suggests a likelihood that the radio frequency identification of products in the group may not be fully accurate,
• wherein the tag reading difficulty criteria corresponds to a level of difficulty involved in identifying the product using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the tag count criteria corresponds to a number of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the product weight criteria corresponds to a weight of the products based on the signal from the scale;
• the product weight and tag count range criteria corresponds to a relationship between the weight of the products based on the signal from the scale and number of tags of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the product weight differential criteria corresponds to a weight differential between a measured product weight using the signal from the scale and a calculated product weight of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• and the count differential criteria corresponds to a difference between the number of items identified using the radio frequency identification technology and a number of items identified using the one or more cameras,
• wherein each of plurality of determined confidence levels comprise a tag reading difficulty confidence level, a tag count confidence level, a product weight confidence level, a product weight and tag count range confidence level, a product weight differential confidence level, and a count differential confidence level;
• wherein the tag reading difficulty confidence level is associated with a level of difficulty involved in identifying the product using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the tag count confidence level is associated with a number of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the product weight confidence level is associated with a weight of the products based on the signal from the scale;
• the product weight and tag count range confidence level is associated with a relationship between the weight of the products based on the signal from the scale and number of tags of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• the product weight differential confidence level is associated with a weight differential between a measured product weight and a calculated product weight of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• and the count differential confidence level is associated with a difference between the number of items identified using the radio frequency identification technology and a number of items identified using the one or more cameras:
• determining an overall confidence value based on a weighting of the plurality of determined confidence levels;
• and
• determining the result of the evaluating as a function of the overall confidence value relative to a default threshold defined by the seller and selected by the seller from a plurality of default thresholds.

A system, comprising:

• an interrogation zone located proximate to a point of sale (POS) checkout area comprising:
• a weight measuring section comprising a scale configured to output a signal corresponding to a total weight including at least a container and a group of products collected by a shopper within the container as the shopper enters the POS checkout area;
• one or more cameras configured to output digital signaling corresponding to the container and the group of products collected by the shopper as the shopper enters the POS checkout area;
• a radio frequency identification (RFID) section that uses radio frequency identification technology comprising at least one RFID tag reader configured to automatically identify specific products within the group of products collected by the shopper in real time as a shopper enters the POS checkout area, wherein each of the identified specific products is associated with a respective radio frequency identification tag;
• and
• an evaluating section including a computer system coupled to the scale, the one or more cameras and the RFID tag reader and is configured to obtain a business value assigned by a seller from a plurality of values, where each of the plurality of values represents a different threshold level of a current willingness of the seller to tolerate shrinkage ranging between a willingness to tolerate a minimum level of shrinkage, one or more intermediate levels of shrinkage and a maximum level of shrinkage,
• wherein the computer system is configured to automatically select, based on the assigned business value, a value for each of a plurality of thresholds comprising a tag reading difficulty threshold, a tag count threshold, a product weight threshold, a product weight and tag count range threshold, and a product weight differential threshold,
• wherein each of the plurality of thresholds comprises multiple selectable values, the assigned business value defining the value for each threshold,
• wherein tag reading difficulty thresholds represent different levels of difficulty involved in identifying the product using the radio frequency identification technology;
• tag count thresholds represent a different number of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• product weight thresholds represent a different weight of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• product weight and tag count range thresholds represent different relationships between product weight and number of tags of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• and product weight differential thresholds represent different product weight differentials between a measured product weight and a calculated product weight of the products identified using the radio frequency identification technology;
• wherein the computer system is configured to determine, using the signal from the scale, the digital signaling from the one or more cameras, and the specific products identified using the radio frequency identification technology, and according to a set of rules, a value for each of a plurality of properties relating to the identified specific products collected by the shopper, wherein the plurality of properties comprises a tag reading difficulty, a tag count, a product weight, a product weight and tag count range, and a product weight differential;
• wherein the computer system is further configured to evaluate according to a set of rules whether to obtain payment from the shopper based on the radio frequency identification of products in the group and as a function of the business value assigned by the seller;
• and
• wherein the computer system is further configured to evaluate by applying, according to the set of rules, in real time the one or more of the plurality of thresholds having been automatically selected based on the assigned business value to one or more of the determined values of the plurality of properties of the identified specific products collected by the shopper, and then,
• based on the result of the evaluation, the computer system calls for one of:
• obtaining payment from the shopper based on the radio frequency identification of products in the group;
• and
• auditing of the products in the group, followed by obtaining payment from the shopper based on the products identified by the auditing.