Patent ID: 7817034
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: G06Q,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
1. A monitoring system for developing information data, for use in association with an opening that provides access within a perimeter of said opening for manual removal by a customer of articles stored in an article storage area, comprising: a beam forming device adapted to be arranged about the perimeter of said opening so as to form at least one radiation beam that spans said opening, said radiation beam having a position with respect to said opening sufficient to detect manual removal by said customer of one or more of said articles from inside the article storage area, by at least one of said article and said hand of said customer causing a temporary blockage of at least a portion of the radiation beam as said article and hand of said customer pass through said opening; and a processing circuit coupled to the beam forming device for sensing the blockage of said radiation beam, and in response to said sensing developing said information data.