Methods and systems for assisting a purchase at a physical point of sale

A system comprising a device for assisting a purchase by a customer at a self-service retail point of sale, the device including:

• a central portion,
• suspension arms which are connected to the central portion and extend on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container provided with an opening enabling an item offered for sale at the point of sale to be placed in this portable container so as to allow the portable container to be carried by the device, the central portion facing the opening when the device is being used to carry the portable container,
• at least one movement sensor which is configured to detect a movement through the opening of the portable container, when the device is being used to carry the portable container,
• at least one image sensor which is configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening, when the device is being used to carry the portable container and the movement sensor has detected a movement through the opening,
• a position sensor which is configured to determine the current position of the device in the point of sale,
• the system also including:
• a processor provided with information on a list of items offered for sale at the point of sale and that are configured to recognize, with a predetermined confidence level, an item appearing in the at least one image, this item being recognized from a reduced list of items included in the list of items, this reduced list of items being determined as a function of a position of the device determined by the position sensor,
• the suspension arms including a retainer that are designed to hold this portable container open when the device is being used to carry the portable container,
• the retainer including a contact sensor that is configured to detect the use of the device to carry a portable container.