US 6,681,896 B1 · System and method for monitoring a bag supply in a self-checkout station

Abstract

A monitoring system signals a low bag supply condition in a bag supply of a self-checkout station before the bag supply is depleted and requires immediate attention to enable use of the self-checkout station. The monitoring system includes a low bag supply sensor that detects the removal a bag from the bagwell of the self-checkout station. A counter then records the detection of a bag removal either by incrementing an accumulated count of removed bags or by decreasing a count of the number of bags in a supply. A signal generator generates a low bag supply signal in response to the count exceeding a low bag supply threshold. The threshold corresponds to the number of remaining bags or the number of bags removed depending upon the direction of the counting. The low bag supply signal may be a visual or audible signal sent to an attendant's station so the attendant may schedule the replenishment of the bag supply at a time when the self-checkout station is not being heavily used. The bag removal sensor may be a scale monitor, a movable arm that engages the bags of the bag supply, or a radiation detector that recognizes fluctuations in radiation levels as bag removals. The monitoring system enables an attendant of multiple self-checkout stations to remain available for customer assistance rather than being diverted by station maintenance.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A system for detecting a low bag supply in a checkout station comprising:

a bag supply monitor for measuring a bag supply in a checkout counter including
a horizontally displaceable member;
a biased movable arm mounted to the horizontally displaceable member proximately an outboard wall of a bag in the bag supply so that removal of the bag against which the biased moveable arm is mounted causes the biased moveable arm to rotate outwardly to release the bag and return to rest against a next available bag;
an electrical switch coupled to the biased moveable arm so that outward movement of the moveable arm and return of the moveable arm open and close the electrical switch to generate a low bag supply signal;
and
a counter coupled to the electrical switch to count removed bags;
and
a low supply signal generator coupled to the bag supply monitor for generating a low bag supply signal in response to the bag supply monitor detecting a low bag supply.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for monitoring a bag supply in a self-checkout station

Life of this patent

System and method for monitoring a bag supply in a self-checkout station

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17