Self-checkout store

A sales device for self-checkout of goods in a store, the store comprising at least one shelf with automatic removal monitoring and with a proximity sensor, and a network for exchanging data, the at least one shelf with automatic removal monitoring for detecting removed items is configured to perform the following:

• receive a signal from at least two weighing cells arranged in corners of a rigid body forming a display area with at least two product areas, the signals corresponding to weight forces in an area of the corners of the rigid body;
• determine coordinates of a center of gravity and a total weight force from the received signals;
• receive a signal corresponding to a new weight force of at least one of the weighing cells, and determine coordinates of the new center of gravity from the data currently received by the weighing cells;
• determine a product area, of the product areas, and a weight of the items removed from the determined product area;
• determine the item data of the item removed from the shelf on the basis of the determined product area, and determine the number of items removed on the basis of the weight removed from the product area and a specific weight of the item, the sales device comprising:
• a controller for controlling the sales device;
• a communication unit configured to receive the data from the network;
• and
• a database configured to store item data and object-describing attributes associated with the items,
• wherein the controller is configured to receive, via the network, from the at least one shelf with automatic removal monitoring, the item data of the removed items and a customer identification number associated with the item data and read out by the proximity sensor,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine, from the item data, the customer identification number, and the read out of the proximity sensor, a list of the items intended for payment, and
• wherein the sales device comprises a detector having at least one sensor and an evaluator, wherein the detector is configured to use the evaluator to determine, on the basis of the data of the sensor and the list of the items intended for payment, for which items a payment transaction is to be executed.

A method for operating a sales device for goods, the method comprising:

• detecting, using a shelf with automatic removal monitoring, a removed item and determining item data of the removed item;
• reading out a customer identification number of a customer in a vicinity of the shelf from which the removed item has been removed;
• receiving, by a controller, the item data of the removed item and the customer identification number;
• adding, with the controller, the item data of the removed item and the customer identification number to a list of items intended for payment;
• and
• detecting, with a detector, items for which a payment transaction is to be executed, the detector comprising at least one sensor and an evaluator and for detecting articles, at least the data of the sensor and the list of items intended for payment are being made available to the evaluator as input variables,
• wherein the reading out of the customer identification number comprises:
• detecting, with a proximity sensor, a shopping cart or shopping basket, wherein the shopping cart or shopping basket comprises a transmitter which is configured to be read out by the proximity sensor,
• wherein a plurality of customer identification numbers is transmitted from the shelf and received by the controller upon the proximity sensor detecting a plurality of shopping carts, shopping baskets, or product scanners, and the controller stores at least two of the customer identification numbers with the item data of the removed item in the list of items intended for payment, and
• wherein the proximity sensor detects the distance of each of the shopping carts, each of the shopping baskets or each of the product scanners to the proximity sensor and, upon the the customer identification number being associated with the item, the distance to the transmitter of the respective customer identification number is stored in the list of items intended for payment.