Produce weighing scale with a camera and methods of operating a produce weighing scale having a camera

A produce weighing scale in a produce section which is remote from a store exit section of a retail grocery store, the produce weighing scale comprising:

• a base;
• a weighing platform disposed on the base;
• a user interface arranged to enable a retail customer in the produce section of the retail grocery store to interact with the produce weighing scale;
• a first support arm which extends substantially vertically from the base;
• a second support arm which extends substantially transverse relative to the first support arm and which extends substantially horizontally relative to the weighing platform;
• an actuatable picture camera disposed at a distal end of the second support arm and positioned over the weighing platform and for, when actuated, capturing at least a partial electronic picture of a produce item which has been placed on the weighing platform;
• and
• electronic control circuitry including (i) a communications circuit which can electronically communicate over a store communications network with a communications circuit of a self-service checkout pay station in the store exit section of the retail grocery store, and (ii) an electronic processor which is arranged to provide an actuation signal to actuate the picture camera to capture at least a partial electronic picture of a produce item which has been placed by a retail customer on the weighing platform.

A method of operating a produce weighing scale in a produce section which is remote from a store exit section of a retail grocery store and having a weighing platform, an actuatable picture camera positioned over the weighing platform, and a touchscreen for enabling a retail customer to interact with the produce weighing scale, the method comprising:

• generating an actuation signal in response to a retail customer placing a produce item on the weighing platform;
• applying the actuation signal to the picture camera to actuate the picture camera so that picture camera can capture at least a partial electronic picture of the produce item which has been placed on the weighing platform;
• and
• electronically transmitting the captured electronic picture of the produce item over a store communications network to a self-service checkout pay station in the store exit section of the retail grocery store when a request is received from the self-service checkout pay station in response to the retail customer interacting with the self-service checkout pay station to make payment for purchase of the produce item.