Call forward system
OwnerAndrew FINCHinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated checkout call-forward (ECF) system comprises a queuing area for channelling customers, which leads to one or more checkouts. Each checkout comprises a service area and each checkout can be in either an available condition to accept a new customer, or in an unavailable condition. An indicator is capable of directing a customer to an available checkout. A sensor system is capable of detecting and providing output parameters indicative of the presence of one or more customers in the queuing area and the presence of one or more customers in the service area of each checkout. The automated ECF system is configured to identify any available checkouts based on interpreting the sensor output parameters and to instruct the indicator based on the identified available checkouts.
Claims31
An automated checkout call-forward (ECF) system comprising:
- a queuing area for channelling customers which leads to one or more checkouts, wherein each checkout comprises a service area and wherein each checkout can be in either an available condition to accept a new customer, or in an unavailable condition;
- an indicator capable of directing a customer to an available checkout;
- and
- a sensor system capable of detecting and providing output parameters indicative of the presence of one or more customers in the queuing area and the presence of one or more customers in the service area of each checkout;
- wherein the automated ECF system is configured to identify any available checkouts based on interpreting the sensor output parameters and to instruct the indicator based on the identified available checkouts.
The automated ECF system according to 4, configured to interpret a checkout as an available checkout when the sensor system detects that no customer is present in the loading area of said checkout and no goods are present in the transaction area of said checkout.
An automated service point call-forward, ECF, system comprising:
- a queuing area for channelling customers which leads to one or more service points, and wherein each service point can be associated with an availability status which is either an available status to accept a new customer, or an unavailable status;
- and
- a sensor system capable of detecting and providing output parameters indicative of the number of customers in the queuing area and the presence of one or more customers in the service area of each service point;
- wherein the automated ECF system is configured
- to identify the availability status of said service points based on the presence of a customers in said service areas, and
- to determine an estimated waiting time based on the number of customers in the queuing area and the number of available service points.
A method of automatically calling customers forward from a queuing area to a checkout, the method comprising:
- a) using a sensor system to monitor the queuing area for the presence of a customer;
- b) using the sensor system to detect the presence of a customer within a loading area of said checkout;
- c) determining an availability status of said checkout;
- and
- d) instructing an indicator based on the availability status of said one or more checkouts and the presence of a customer in the queuing area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.