Abstract:
Selectively deploying barriers for intra-order separation at a retail checkout terminal includes scanning products purchased by a consumer, determining a position of at least one product in a bagging portion of the retail checkout station relative to a plurality of selectively deployable barrier members, and activating a selector element on a user interface of the retail checkout station to deploy a select one of the plurality of selectively deployable barrier members based upon the position of the at least one product in the bagging portion serve to provide an intra-order separator that shields the at least one product resting in the bagging portion from other products moving toward the bagging portion on a product transport assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/017,143, filed Jan. 21, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND 
   This invention relates to the art of retail checkout systems and, more particularly, to selectively deploying barriers for intra-order separation of items purchased at a retail check out system. 
   While shopping, retail customers add items to a shopping cart in no particular order. That is, most shoppers do not have the time or inclination to stage or set up their shopping cart in a particular order with a mind on final check out. At checkout it is desirable to stage a shopping cart such that all heavy items are scanned before light and crushable items. However, it is more likely that light and crushable items are placed on top of heavy items to avoid their being damaged during shopping. Thus, at check out, the light and crushable items are scanned first followed by the heavy items. In this manner, the heavy items are transported down a conveyor belt and brought to rest against the light and crushable items. With the heavy items piling up against the light and crushable items damage often occurs. Requiring a shopper to run and bag all light and crushable items before initiating a scan of the heavy items will decrease both throughput and customer satisfaction. Add additional customer distractions such as children, impulse items, other customers and inexperience, and the shopper is even more likely to end up with flattened bread and cracked eggs. 
   SUMMARY 
   Selectively deploying barriers for intra-order separation at a retail checkout terminal includes scanning products purchased by a consumer, determining a position of at least one product in a bagging portion of the retail checkout station relative to a plurality of selectively deployable barrier members, and activating a selector element on a user interface of the retail checkout station to deploy a select one of the plurality of selectively deployable barrier members based upon the position of the at least one product in the bagging portion serve to provide an intra-order separator that shields the at least one product resting in the bagging portion from other products moving toward the bagging portion on a product transport assembly. 
   Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a left perspective view of a retail checkout system having a plurality of barrier members constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and shown with the plurality of barrier members in an undeployed configuration; 
       FIG. 2  is a left perspective view of the retail checkout system of  FIG. 1  shown with select ones of the plurality of barrier members in a deployed configuration; and 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of selectively deploying barriers at a retail checkout station to facilitate intra-order separation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   The detailed description explains the exemplary embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   With initial reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a retail checkout station constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally at  2 . Checkout station  2  includes a product scanning portion  5  and a user interface portion  8 . Product scanning portion  5  includes a product scale  12 , a stationary scanner  14  having a vertical scanning surface  16  and a horizontal scanning surface  18 , and a hand-held scanner  22 . Stationary scanner  14  and hand-held scanner  22  scan or read product identification codes, such as Universal Product Code (UPC), industrial symbol(s), alphanumeric character(s) or other indicia associated with items to be purchased. Scanner portion  5  is further shown to include a housing  30  having a counter surface  33 , and a holder  34  that serves as a housing for hand-held scanner  22 . 
   User interface portion  8  includes a housing  44  having a card reader  47 , a bill acceptor/validator  48 , a display monitor  50 , a keypad  53 , a receipt printer  55  for printing receipts, and a change well  58  for selectively returning change to customers upon completion of a purchase transaction. User interface  8  further includes a computer  61  including a CPU  62 . Checkout station  2  is also shown to include a status light  70  that signals customers that terminal  2  is open or store personnel that help is required. 
   As further shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , checkout station  2  includes a product support member  90  having first and second raised wall members  91  and  92  that define a product support/transport zone  95 . Product support/transport zone  95  includes a first end portion  97 , positioned adjacent product scanning portion  5  that extends to a second end portion  98  through an intermediate portion  99 . Checkout station  2  is further shown to include a bagging portion  104  that abuts product support/transport zone  95 . Bagging portion  104  includes a first end  106  that ends from second end portion  98  of product support/transport zone  95  to a second end  107  through an intermediate zone  108 . A product transport assembly or conveyor  116  carries purchased items from scanning portion  5  to bagging portion  104 . Towards that end, conveyor  116  is positioned on product support/transport zone  95 . Conveyor  116  includes a first end section  120  that extends to a second end section  121  through an intermediate section  122 . As shown, first end section  120  is positioned adjacent scanning portion  5  while second end second  121  terminates at first end  106  of bagging portion  104 . 
   In accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown, checkout terminal  2  includes a plurality of selectively deployable barriers  140 - 145  positioned between first and second ends  106  and  107  of bagging portion  104 . Each barrier  140 - 145  includes a corresponding sensor element  147 - 152  positioned upon first side wall member  91 . As will become more fully evident below, sensor elements  147 - 152  detect a position of items in bagging portion  104  relative to barriers  140 - 145 . In this manner, a select one(s) of barriers  140 - 145  is deployed in order to shield one or more food items on bagging portion  104  from other food items moving along conveyor  116 . 
   During a transaction, a customer approaches checkout station  2  with a shopping cart, such as indicated at  200 , full of various items/products indicated generally at  208 . During the transaction, the customer scans each of items  200  through stationary scanner  14 . Conventionally, products scanned at a first portion of the transaction are lightweight, crushable and or delicate items, for example, a carton of eggs  210  that are placed on top of larger/heavier items in cart  200 . Once the light weight and/or crushable items are scanned and resting in bagging portion  104 , the customer scans larger/heavier items, for example, bottles of soda, canned goods, meat and the like such as indicated at  220  in  FIG. 2 . In order to prevent the lightweight item from being damaged by the heavier item, one of the plurality of barrier members is deployed. More specifically, computer  61  receives signals from sensors  147 - 152  regarding a location of food item  210  relative to barriers  140 - 145 . At this point, a select one of barriers  140 - 145  is extended vertically upward to shield food item  210 . In the present case, barrier  142  is closest to food item  210  and is thus deployed as a shield. If sensor  149  detected that barrier  142  was blocked by a food item, the next barrier, i.e., barrier  143  would be deployed. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, user interface portion  8  includes a selector member  250  provided on display  50 . Selector member  250  is shown as a graphical user interface or GUI element on display  50 , however it should be understood that selector member  250  could also be a hardware button provided on user interface  8 . With this arrangement, a select one(s) of barriers  140 - 145  is deployed upon the customer activating selector member  250 . Of course it should be understood that the particular location of selector member  250  can vary. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a method  300  of automatically selectively deploying barriers  140 - 145  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As each product is scanned, as illustrated in block  302 , a product or item parameter is identified in block  304 . The item parameter can be a weight parameter determined at product scale  12 , or a preconfigured list of items stored in a memory (not shown) of computer  61 . In any event, the item parameter is stored in the memory in computer  61  in block  308  and compared to an item parameter of a previously scanned item in block  310 . If the item parameter is greater than a predetermined threshold, as determined in block  312 , sensors  147 - 152  are scanned to determine which of barriers  140 - 145  should be deployed in block  314 , a select one of barriers  140 - 145  is deployed in block  316  and the process returns to block  304 . If the item parameter is less than the predetermined threshold, the process returned to block  304  and the next item is scanned. 
   At this point, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides an intra-order separation of items at a retail checkout station. In this manner, if a heavy item is sent down conveyor  116  after a light or crushable item, a select one of barriers  140 - 145  is deployed to serves as a shield to protect the light/crushable item. In this manner, customers can stand at one location and scan all products to be purchased without having to dash down and bag lightweight/crushable items before scanning larger items. In addition, customers are saved the time and effort involved with staging or setting up a shopping cart such that lightweight/crushable items are conveniently arranged to be scanned after the heavier items. It should be further understood that while described in connection with food items, exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be employed in a wide range of retail locations. Finally, it should be appreciated that the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention. 
   While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.