Integrated point-of-sale and surveillance system

A point-of-sale system for use in a clothing cleaning or clothing repair establishment adapted to receive items of clothing for cleaning or repair from a customer, the system comprising:

• a computer system configured track the items of clothing and associate the items of clothing with a transaction in accordance with a transaction identifier, the computer system including a memory subsystem and a display device;
• a database operatively coupled to the computer system;
• a cash drawer operatively coupled to and controlled by the computer system;
• an image capture device operatively coupled to the computer system and configured to transmit a selected captured image to the computer system for storage;
• the computer system configured to store the captured image in the memory subsystem and operatively link the captured image with the transaction identifier upon receipt of a first predetermined signal;
• and
• the computer system configured to display the transaction on the display device, and upon receipt of a second predetermined signal, display the captured image corresponding to the transaction on the display device.

A method of tracking articles provided by a customer to a retail establishment and returned back to the customer, and for reducing theft by an employee, the retail establishment having a computer system with a memory subsystem, a display device, a database, and a cash drawer, the method comprising:

• operatively coupling an image capture device to the computer system;
• creating a transaction and assigning thereto a transaction identifier when the customer provides the articles to the retail establishment for servicing;
• storing the transaction in the database;
• capturing an image of at least one of the employee and customer when the customer provides the articles to the retail establishment for servicing, when the articles are returned back to the customer, and/or when the employee cancels a transaction;
• storing the captured image and operatively linking the captured image to the transaction via the transaction identifier;
• and
• upon receipt of predetermined signal, displaying on the display device a transaction specified by a selected transaction identifier along with the linked captured images to determine the parties present at the time of the transaction.

A computer readable memory or data storage means encoded with data representing a computer program for a point-of-sale computer system for use in tracking articles provided by a customer to a retail establishment and returned back to the customer, and for reducing theft by an employee, the computer system including a memory subsystem, a display device, a database, a cash drawer, and image capture device, the computer readable memory or data storage system comprising:

• means for operatively coupling the image capture device to the computer system;
• means for creating a transaction and assigning thereto a transaction identifier when the customer provides the articles to the retail establishment for servicing;
• means for storing the transaction in the database;
• means for capturing an image of at least one of the employee and customer when the customer provides the articles to the retail establishment for servicing, when the articles are returned back to the customer, or when the employee cancels a transaction;
• means for storing the captured image and operatively linking the captured image to the transaction via the transaction identifier;
• and
• means for receiving a predetermined signal, and in response thereto, displaying on the display device a transaction specified by a selected transaction identifier along with the linked captured images to determine the parties present at the time of the transaction.