Abstract:
A method, apparatus and system are presented for improving a point of sale terminal by reducing the number of items a cashier must pick up and move for scanning during a purchase transaction. The point of sale terminal includes an optical code scanner that identifies an item by reading an optical code (barcode) affixed to or printed on the item. The scanner further includes a weigh scale that weighs items being scanned and a conveyor belt that moves the items across the scanner during the weighing and scanning operations. Moving the items using the conveyor belt reduces the number of items the cashier must pick up and move.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to improvements to optical code scanning. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to improvements to an optical code scanner, system and method. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Any discussion of prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. 
         [0003]    An assisted point of sale (POS) terminal is a POS terminal operated by a cashier. Customers present items for purchase and the cashier identifies each item by moving the item across an optical code scanner which reads an optical code in the form of a barcode attached to or printed on the item. The cashier is required to pick up and scan most of the items in the customer&#39;s purchase transaction. 
         [0004]    Recent statistical data shows that a cashier picks up and scans an average of 550 items per hour and moves each item across a one foot wide optical code scanner. Over a one year period, a cashier will, on average, move a total of 77 tons of merchandise through a total distance of 292 miles. This is one factor that leads to job dissatisfaction and high turnover rates for cashiers. Thus, among its several aspects, the present invention recognizes there is a need to change how items are scanned so that a cashier does not have to pickup and scan most of the items comprising a purchase transaction. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Among its several aspects, the present invention seeks to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative. 
         [0006]    Among its several aspects, one embodiment of the present invention recognizes a condition where a cashier of a point of sale terminal must pick up and move a large number of items over a period of time that in aggregate weigh many tons. This physical requirement lowers the cashier&#39;s job satisfaction and is one factor in the high turn over rate for cashiers. One aspect of the present invention provides a conveyor belt integrated into an optical code scanner that moves items across or through the field of view of the optical code scanner. This reduces the number of items that a cashier must pickup and move for scanning. 
         [0007]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an optical code scanner for use in a point of sale terminal to read barcodes and weigh items presented for purchase. To this end, a scanner may suitably comprise: a base housing including a top surface wherein the top surface includes a first aperture; a weigh scale located within the base housing; and a conveyor belt disposed within the first aperture and configured to move items from the receiving side of the base housing to the opposite side of the base housing and wherein the conveyor belt is attached to the weigh scale in a configuration that allows the weigh scale to determine the weight of any item on the conveyor belt. 
         [0008]    The scanner may further suitably comprise: an upper housing mounted to the rear and side of the top surface and extending vertically above the top surface; an imaging optical code scanner including a first plurality of image capture devices disposed within the upper housing and configured to have fields of view directed across the top surface of the base housing; and wherein the conveyor belt is operable to receive an item from one side of the base housing and move the item through the field of view of at least one of the plurality of image capture devices and wherein the imaging optical code scanner is operable to capture an image of a bar code on the item and decode the bar code and wherein the weigh scale is operable to determine the weight of the item on the conveyor belt. 
         [0009]    A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following Detailed Description and the accompanying Drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The aspects of the claimed invention can be better understood with reference to the Drawings and the Detailed Description. The Drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
           [0011]    Throughout the Drawings, like element numbers are used to describe the same parts throughout the various drawings, figures and charts. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a high-level drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a point of sale terminal system. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  is a high-level drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment of an optical code scanner/weigh scale. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a high-level cross section diagram illustrating selected internal components of the optical code scanner/weigh scale. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2C  is another high-level cross section diagram illustrating selected internal components of the optical code scanner/weigh scale. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a high-level block diagram illustrating selected components of the point of sale terminal. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a high-level flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for operating the optical code scanner/weigh scale. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the claimed invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the claimed invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments are possible and envisioned. 
         [0019]    As used herein, the term optical code includes machine-readable indicia that includes, but are not limited to, one-dimensional (1D) barcodes and two-dimensional (2D) barcodes. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a high-level drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a point of sale terminal system  100  (“POS terminal”). The POS terminal  100  includes a main housing  150 , a computer housing  160  and a bag well  108 . The main housing  150  includes an input conveyor belt  104 , an optical code scanner/weigh scale  110  (“scanner”) and a take away conveyor belt  106 . A magnetic stripe card reader  130  and a customer display  140  are attached to the main housing  150 . The scanner  110  fits in a standard 12″ wide by 20″ long opening in the main housing  150 . Also shown as part of the scanner  110  is an upper housing  230  and a second aperture  245  which are discussed in more detail below. The computer housing  160  is attached to the main housing  150  and houses a computer unit ( FIG. 3 ,  300 ) and further supports a cashier display and keyboard  120  on its top surface. 
         [0021]    A foot pedal device  165  is attached to the main housing  150 . In some embodiments, the foot pedal device  165  can be moved by a cashier to provide the best ease of use. The pedals on the foot pedal device  165  provide a user interface that allows the cashier to start, stop and reverse the direction of each conveyor belt controlled by the foot pedal device  165 . In some embodiments, the foot pedal device  165  is replaced by cashier operated switches and sensors that determine the presences of an item on a conveyor belt. 
         [0022]    The POS terminal  100  is designed to operate as an assisted terminal. A trained cashier operates the terminal  100  and stands on the near side of the POS terminal  100  next to foot pedal device  165 . A customer wishing to purchase one or more items approaches the POS terminal  100  on the far side of the POS terminal  100  next to the input conveyor belt  104 . The customer places the one or more items for purchase on the input conveyor belt  104  which transports each item to the scanner  110 . As described in more detail below, the scanner  110 : receives items from the input conveyor belt  104 ; scans each item by moving the item across the top of the scanner using a conveyor belt  FIG. 2A ,  225 ; and delivers each item to the take away belt  106 . As an item moves across the scanner  110 , the scanner  110  identifies the item using a barcode on the item and determines the weigh of the item if necessary. The take away conveyor belt  106  receives items from the scanner  110  and transports them to the bag well  108  for bagging. 
         [0023]    The cashier uses the foot pedal device  165  to control all the conveyor belts on the POS terminal  100 . In some embodiments, a processor using sensors tracks the movement of items on the conveyor belts and controls the movement of each conveyor belt relieving the cashier of most of the responsibility for controlling the conveyor belts. The customer display  140  displays details of the purchase transaction to the customer and the cashier display  120  displays details of the purchase transaction to the cashier. The magnetic stripe card reader  130  is used by the customer to read a credit or a debit card as one form of payment. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a high-level drawing illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the optical code scanner/weigh scale  110 . The scanner  110  includes a base housing  200  and an upper housing  230 . The base housing  200  has six sides.  FIG. 2A  depicts a front side  215 , a left side  220  and a top side  205 . The other sides are depicted in  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 2C . The top side or surface  205  includes first aperture  210  and the second aperture  245 . The second aperture  245  is long and narrow and is located proximate to the right edge of the top side  205 . The second aperture  245  is filled with an optically clear material to create a window through the top side  205 . Tempered float glass and sapphire on glass are examples of materials that can be used to fabricate the window. 
         [0025]    The first aperture  210  encompasses a significant portion of the top side  205 . The conveyor belt  225  is located within and substantially fills the first aperture  210 . The top of the conveyor belt  225  is flush with the top side  205 . The conveyor belt  225  is designed to move items from one side of the scanner  110  to the other side of the scanner  110 . In this example, items are received on the right side and moved to the left side as depicted by an arrow  240 . The movement of the conveyor belt  225  can be reversed or stopped and the conveyor belt  225  has variable speeds. The left edge of the first aperture  210  is located proximate to the left edge of the top left side  220  to minimize the distance between the left edge of the first aperture  210  and the left edge of the top left side  220 . 
         [0026]    The upper housing  230  is attached to the top side  205  near the rear of the right edge of the top side  205 . The height of the upper housing  230  above the top side  205  is generally less than two (2) feet. The actual height can vary depending on the size of items the system is designed to scan. In this embodiment, the upper housing  230  includes a first portion  232  that extends vertically from the top side  205  to a second portion  233 . The second portion  233  extends upward at an angle from the vertical and generally out above a rear section of the second aperture  245 . The first portion  232  includes a first image capture device  235 A and a second image capture device  235 B. The second portion  233  includes a third image capture device  235 C. The image capture devices  235 A-C are operable to capture images from their respective fields of view. Each image capture device comprises a CMOS image sensor to capture images. Other embodiments include additional or fewer image capture devices in different configurations. 
         [0027]    The viewing areas of the image capture devices  235 A-C are generally directed toward the second aperture  245  or to an area above the second aperture  245 . The arrows extending from each image capture device represent the general viewing direction of each image capture device  235 A-C. In some embodiments, illumination devices (not shown) are included in the upper housing  230  and the main housing  200 . In some embodiments, additional image capture devices are located below the second aperture  245  and designed to capture images through the second aperture  245 . Their viewing areas are depicted by the arrows extending up through the second aperture  245 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2B  is a cross sectional view of the scanner  110  from the right side illustrating selected internal components. Located below the second aperture  245  are five image capture devices  265 A-E. They are configured to capture images through the second aperture  245  as depicted. The front most image capture device  265 A, is aimed upward and toward the rear of the scanner  110  to receive and capture images of the sides of items passing through the scanner  110 . The other image capture devices  265 B-E are aimed upward to receive and capture images of the bottom sides of items passing through the scanner  110 . The arrows extending from each image capture device and depicts the general direction of the viewing area for each device. 
         [0029]    In addition to image capture devices  265 A-E, light sources (not shown) are located below the second aperture  245  and configured to direct light through the second aperture  245  to illuminate items passing across the scanner  110 . The main housing  200  further includes a bottom side  250 , a rear side  260  and a computer unit  285  that controls the scanner  110 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2C  is another cross sectional view of the scanner  110  from the front side  215  illustrating selected internal components. A weigh scale  270  is located within the main housing  200  and mounted to the bottom side  250 . Two of the mounting attachments  274 A-B are shown. Also, within the main housing  200  is the conveyer belt  225  which fills most of the first aperture  210 . The conveyer belt  225  wraps around a drive pulley  276 A and a tail pulley  276 B. The pulleys  276 A-B extend from the front of the main housing  200  to the rear of the main housing  200 . Both the drive pulley  276 A and tail pulley  276 B are mounted to the weigh scale  270 . The front end of the drive pulley  276 A is fixed to an attachment  272 A that is fixed to the weigh scale  270 . The rear end of the drive pulley  276 A is mounted to the weight scale  270  using a similar attachment (not shown). An electric motor  280  is mounted to the attachment  272 A. The motor  280  drives the conveyor belt  225  using a drive belt  278  that connects the motor  280  to the drive pulley  276 A. The motor  280  has variable speeds and can reverse directions. The front end of the tail pulley  276 B is fixed to a second attachment  272 B that is fixed to the weigh scale  270 . The rear end of the tail pulley  276 B is mounted to the weigh scale  270  using a similar attachment (not shown). 
         [0031]    All the components of the conveyor system are mounted to the weigh scale  270 . To provide accurate weights for items on the conveyor belt  225 , the components of the conveyor system is isolated from the main housing  200 . The weight of the conveyor system is known and subtracted from any weight measured by the weigh scale  270 . The remaining weight is the weight of whatever is resting on the conveyor belt  225 . 
         [0032]    In this embodiment, items moved from right to left across the scanner  110 . However, in other embodiments, items moved from left to right by moving the upper housing  230  and second aperture  245  from the right side to the left side and shifting the first aperture  210  proximate to the right side  255 . 
         [0033]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , there is provided a high-level block diagram illustrating selected components of the point of sale terminal  100 . The computer unit  300  is located in the computer housing  160  of the POS terminal  100 . The computer unit  300  includes a processor  350 , a memory  355 , control circuitry  360 , a communications controller  370  and a video controller  375 . The memory  355  includes both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory may include flash memory or other types of solid state electronic memory. Software stored in the memory  355  is executed by the processor  350  and causes the processor  350  to control the devices attached to the POS terminal  100  and to create the features and functions performed by the POS terminal  100 . The control circuitry  360  provides an interface between the processor  350  and the memory  355  and between the processor  350  and a computer bus  365  used to control the communications controller  370  and the video controller  375 . 
         [0034]    The communications controller  370  includes hardware and software required to communicate with external devices and peripherals over a computer peripheral network  380 . In some embodiments, the computer peripheral network  380  is implemented using the industry standard Universal Serial Bus (USB). In other embodiments, the computer peripheral network  380  may include wired or wireless communications links or both. The scanner  110 , the magnetic card reader  130  and the foot pedal device  165  are connected to the computer peripheral network  380 . The video controller  375  controls the information displayed on the cashier display  120  and the customer display  140 . 
         [0035]    The foot pedal device  165  has a number of pedals that are used by the cashier to control the three conveyor belts on the POS terminal  100 . The cashier can start, stop and reverse the conveyor belts using the pedals. When the cashier activates a pedal that controls the conveyor belt  225  on the scanner  110 , the processor  350  of the POS terminal  100  receives the request from the foot pedal device  165  and sends a command to the scanner  110  over the computer peripheral network  380 . The command causes the processor  310  to implement the request from the foot pedal. The request can be to start, stop or reverse the conveyor belt  225 . In some embodiments, the input conveyor belt  104  and the take away conveyor belt  106  are controlled by switches on the main housing  150  and sensors are used to start and stop the conveyor belts when items are detected on the belts. In these embodiments, the foot pedal device  165  only controls the conveyor belt  225  in the scanner  110  so the foot pedal device  165  is connected to and controlled by the scanner  110  instead of the processor  350  of the POS terminal  100 . 
         [0036]    The scanner  110  includes the computer unit  285 . The computer unit  285  includes a processor  310 , a memory  315 , control circuitry  320  and a communications controller  325 . The memory  315  includes both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory may include flash memory or other types of solid state electronic memory. Software stored in the memory  315  is executed by the processor  310  and causes the processor  310  to control the devices attached to the scanner  110  and to create the features and functions performed by the scanner  110 . The control circuitry  320  provides an interface between the processor  310  and the memory  315  and between the processor  310  and the communications controller  325 . 
         [0037]    The communications controller  325  includes hardware and software required to communicate with external devices and peripherals over the first computer peripheral network  380  and a second computer peripheral network  330 . In some embodiments, the two computer peripheral networks  380 ,  330  are implemented using the industry standard Universal Serial Bus (USB). In other embodiments, the computer peripheral networks  380 , 330  may include wired or wireless communications links or both. 
         [0038]    The scanner  110  uses the second computer peripheral network  330  to control the conveyor belt motor  280 , the imaging scanner  305  and the weigh scale  270 . The conveyer belt motor  280  is controlled by the processor  310  and can be operated at different speeds and in a forward and a reverse direction. The forward direction moves items from the right side to the left side of the scanner  100 . Unless otherwise stated, when the conveyor belt  225  is started, it is moving in the forward direction. The imaging scanner  305  includes all the image capture devices  265 A-E,  225 A-C and any illumination devices. The imaging scanner  305  captures images using the image capture devices  265 A-E,  225 A-C and processes the images to identify and decode optical codes. The imaging scanner  305  is controlled by the processor  310 . In some embodiment, the processor  310  processes the captured images and decodes the optical code. In other embodiments, the imaging scanner  305  includes a separate processor that processes the captured images and decodes the optical code. The weigh scale  270  is controlled by the processor  310  and is used to determine the weight of an item on the conveyor belt  225 . 
         [0039]    When an item is received by the scanner  110  and identified as an item that is sold by weight, the scanner  110  moves the item to the middle of the scanner  110  and stops the conveyor belt  225 . The weight of the item is determined by the weigh scale  270 . The scanner  110  sends the weight to the POS terminal  100  and starts the conveyor belt  225  to move the item to the take away belt  106 . An item sold by weight can be automatically identified by a barcode attached to the item and scanned by the scanner  110  or by using a manual process where the cashier identifies the item and instruct the POS terminal  100  to have the scanner  110  weigh it. 
         [0040]    When an item passes through the scanning area of the scanner  110  and is not identified, the scanner  110  will cause the conveyor belt  225  to reverse direction until the item is moved back into the scanning area to attempt to rescan the item for identification. If the second attempt to identify the item fails, a message will be displayed on the cashier display  120  requesting that the cashier identify the item. In some embodiments, the scanner  110  also sends the POS terminal  100  a command to stop the input conveyor belt  104  when the scanner  110  attempts to rescan an item. When the item is identified, the scanner  110  sends a command to the POS terminal  100  to start the input conveyor belt  104 . In some embodiments, the number of rescans is a software parameter and can be set to a plurality of the different values by an administrator of the POS terminal  100 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a high-level flow chart illustrating an exemplary method  400  of operating the scanner  110 . At step  402 , an item is received for identification by the scanner  110 . In the POS terminal system  100 , the item is delivered to the scanner  110  by the input conveyor belt  104 . At step  405 , the item is moved through the scan area using the conveyor belt  225  in the scanner  110 . As the item moves off the input conveyor belt  104 , it moves onto the scanner&#39;s  110  conveyor belt  225 . The scan area comprises the general area between the two conveyor belts  225 , 104  and an area over the right end of the conveyor belt  225 . The second aperture  245  is located on the top side  205  of the scanner  110  in the area between the two conveyor belts  225 ,  104 . The area between the input conveyor belt  104  and the conveyor belt  225  on the scanner  110  is relatively small. Thus, the input conveyor belt  104  pushes average sized items across the area and partially onto the scanner&#39;s  110  conveyor belt  225 . The partial contact with the conveyor belt  225  is sufficient in most cases for the item to be captured by the conveyor belt  225  and moved across the scanner  110 . In some cases, the cashier may have to nudge the item onto the conveyor belt  225  but this is still an improvement of over picking up each item. 
         [0042]    At step  410 , images of the item are captured by image capture devices  235 A-C located in the upper housing  230  and by image capture devices  265 A-E located under the second aperture  245 . At step  415 , the captured images are processed to decode data for any barcode that was captured. 
         [0043]    Step  420  determines if a barcode was found and the data decoded. If a barcode was decoded, the method continues to step  423 . If a barcode was not decoded, the method continues to step  435 . At step  423 , the decoded barcode data is transmitted to the POS terminal  100  over the computer peripheral network  380 . At step  425 , it is determined if a command has been received to weigh the item. The POS terminal  100  determines if the identified item is sold by weight and must be weighed. Therefore, the POS terminal must send a command that causes the scanner  110  to weigh the item if it is sold by weight. If a weigh command has been received, control is transferred to step  460 . If no command has been received, the method continues at step  430 . At step  430 , the item moved off the scanner  110  using the conveyor belt  225 . In some embodiments, the item is moved onto the take away belt  106  which delivers the item to the bag well  108 . 
         [0044]    The following section of the method  400  weighs the item on the conveyor belt  225 . At step  460 , the conveyor belt  225  is stopped. This removes any vibrations that might prevent an accurate weight reading. At step  465 , the weight of the item is determined by the weigh scale  270 . The weight of the item is determined by taking the weight of the item and all the elements mounted on the weigh scale  270  and subtracting the known weight of all the elements mounted on the weigh scale  270 . At step  470 , the weight of the item is transmitted to the POS terminal  100  over the computer peripheral network  380 . At step  475 , the conveyor belt  225  is started and control is transferred to step  430 . 
         [0045]    The following section of the method  400  is used to rescan an item that was not scanned on the first try. The method  400  allows an item to be rescanned once. However, other embodiments permit additional rescans as a software selectable option. At step  435 , it is determined if the item has been rescanned and the rescanned failed. If it has, control passes to step  480 . If the item has not been rescanned, control passes to step  440 . At step  440 , the direction of the conveyor belt  225  is reversed which moves the item back into the scan area. At step  445 , the direction of the conveyor belt  225  is changed back to the forward direction. In some embodiments, sensors are used to determine when an item is in the scan area. In other embodiments, one or more of the image capture devices are used to capture images that are processed to determine the location of the item and when it is the scan area. Control then passes to step  405  where more images are captured in an attempt to read a barcode on the item. 
         [0046]    The following section of the method  400  is used when a rescan of the item failed to read a barcode. At step  480 , the conveyor belt  225  is stopped with the item still on it. At step  485 , a message is sent for display on the cashier display  120 . The message requests that the cashier identify the item on the conveyor belt  225 . The message is transmitted on the computer peripheral network  380  to the POS terminal  100 . At step  490 , it is determined if a command to continue has been received. The cashier enters the identification for the item using the cashier keyboard  120  which it connected to the POS terminal&#39;s  100  processor  350 . Before the scanner  110  can continue scanning items, the POS terminal&#39;s  100  processor  350  must send a continue command to the scanner  110 . If the command has not been received, control passes back to step  490 . If the command has been received, control passes to step  495 . At step  495 , the conveyor belt  495  is started in the forward direction and control passes to step  425 . 
         [0047]    Although particular reference has been made to an embodiment that includes an assisted service point of sale terminal that includes an optical code scanner with an integrated conveyor belt and weigh scale and examples have been provided illustrating the invention, certain other embodiments, variations and modifications are also envisioned within the spirit and scope of the following claims. For example, there are embodiments where the point of sale terminal is a self-service terminal and the operation of the scanner is fully automated.