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US 2012/0074218 A1Published application
Checkout Methods and Apparatus
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorRobert J. Walsh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system readily adaptable to both periods of normal and peak store activity. A primary barcode scanner is employed to scan most items, and a secondary handheld barcode scanner is employed to scan items, such as large or bulk items left in a customer's shopping cart during normal operation. During peak periods, the secondary handheld barcode scanner is employed by a second store employee to prescan a second customer's items.
Claims20
A checkout system comprising:
- a primary bar code scanner for rapidly scanning a majority of items of a first customer;
- a secondary handheld bar code scanner for scanning other items, such as large and bulky items, of the first customer during periods of normal operation;
- means for detecting that the secondary handheld bar code scanner is being utilized to scan items of a second customer during periods of peak operation;
- and
- control means for integrating data from the primary bar code scanner and the secondary handheld bar code scanner during periods of normal operation, and segregating the data from the primary barcode scanner and the secondary handheld scanner upon detecting the secondary handheld scanner is being utilized to scan items of the second customer.
2 more elements
A checkout method comprising:
- rapidly scanning a majority of items of a first customer utilizing a primary bar code scanner;
- scanning other items, such as large and bulky items, of the first customer during periods of normal operation utilizing a secondary handheld bar code scanner;
- detecting that the secondary handheld bar code scanner is being utilized to scan items of a second customer during periods of peak operation;
- integrating data from the primary bar code scanner and the secondary handheld bar code scanner during periods of normal operation;
- and
- upon detecting the secondary handheld scanner is being utilized to scan items of the second customer, segregating the data from the primary barcode scanner and the secondary handheld scanner.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.