Abstract:
A system modifies the status of a surveillance tag indicator in a product data record corresponding to an article being processed at checkout stand. The system comprises a product database having product records corresponding to articles sold in a store, a surveillance tag interrogator associated with the checkout station that generates a surveillance tag present signal in response to detection of a surveillance tag, and a database modifier communicatively coupled to the database and the interrogator for modifying a surveillance tag indicator of a product record in response to the surveillance tag present signal from the interrogator. The database modifier, in response to the surveillance tag present signal, may set the surveillance tag indicator of a product record corresponding to an article being processed for checkout to indicate a surveillance tag is expected for the article thereafter. Subsequent queries of the product database using the barcode or other product identification data for the article retrieve a product record with an active surveillance tag indicator. One or more interrogators may be included in the system. Preferably, two interrogators are used with one being associated with the EAS deactivator of the checkout stand and the other being associated with the bag well of the checkout stand. Thus, the database modifier of the present invention updates the surveillance tag indicator to an active status in response to the unexpected detection of a surveillance tag being attached to the article being processed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to article surveillance tags and, more particularly, to the deactivation of article surveillance tags at checkout stations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Self-checkout stations at grocery stores and other retail stores are well known. The stations permit a consumer to scan articles for purchase so the station may identify the articles and a corresponding price. When the consumer indicates all articles for purchase have been presented to the terminal, a sub-total is accumulated, any taxes and discounts are computed, and a total amount due is displayed for the consumer. The station then allows the consumer to select a payment method. The station presents menu selections to the consumer so funds may be transferred to the retailer&#39;s account. Upon confirmation of payment, the articles are released to the consumer. 
     A self-checkout station typically includes a terminal, a scanner and scales for reading unit price codes (UPC) and determining article weight, a cashier keypad and display, a POS terminal for payment entry, a receipt printer, a change unit, and a checkout area for holding articles once they have been scanned. The terminal also includes a display, a processor, memory, programmed instructions, and data peripherals to control the operations of the station. The programmed instructions may contain modules for querying for article prices, computing totals and performing other functions related to the purchase of articles through a self-checkout station. Some checkout stations may also include a security application program that uses data from sensors such as scales to reduce the likelihood that the consumer leaves without scanning all of the articles or exchanges scanned articles with more expensive articles that have not been scanned. 
     Typically, two or more self-checkout stations are located proximately to one another with a checkout attendant station nearby. The checkout attendant may help consumers who may be using a self-checkout station for the first time, who are having trouble with scanning an article, or who are having difficulty with a payment method or the like. That is, the primary duty of the attendant is to provide assistance to customers who are using the self-checkout stations so they are efficiently used and quickly process customers with their checkouts. Although these attendants are available to assist in security monitoring, such duties actually detract from the performance of their primary duty. 
     In some retail stores, electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are used to detect the unauthorized removal of merchandise from the store. EAS systems include surveillance tags that may be attached to articles of merchandise and detection devices that sound an alarm upon detection of a tag. The detection devices are typically located at the doorways of the retail store to reduce the likelihood that the articles are removed from the store without authorization. For articles bearing such tags that are properly purchased at a self-checkout counter, the consumer may present the articles to a checkout attendant who either deactivates the tag or mechanically removes the tag from the article. The removal or deactivation of the tag from a purchased article allows the consumer to proceed past the detection device located at a store exit without activation of an alarm unless the consumer has concealed articles having tags for which the consumer did not pay. 
     The tags that may be attached to articles of merchandise are well-known and include radio frequency tags, magnetic tags, microwave tags, and resonant tuned tags. The radio frequency, microwave, and resonant tuned tags typically include a fusible link that may be disconnected to deactivate the tag by altering the characteristics of the electrical circuit in a tag. At least two known methods are used to rupture fusible links. One method radiates the tag with radio frequency energy at a power level sufficient to rupture the fusible link while the other method uses a deactivation frequency to open the fusible link in a multi-frequency resonant tag circuit. These methods may be used to deactivate a tag that uses a radio frequency circuit. Other tags may use magnetic components and appropriate degaussing methods may be used to deactivate such tags. Typically, magnetic tags include two magnetic circuit components and one of the magnetic circuit components may be selectively magnetized or degaussed. A magnetic EAS tag deactivator may degauss or magnetize the circuit component that has the alterable magnetic characteristic so that the tag no longer responds to the tag interrogation signal emitted by a tag detection device. Of course, tags may also be deactivated by methods that physically remove a tag from an article. 
     Previously known systems have included tag deactivators in checkout counters for deactivating EAS tags during checkout. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,135 discloses a bagging area in which a scanner is proximately mounted at the opening of the bag well and a tag deactivator is located at the bottom of the bagging area. When the checkout attendant reaches a hand towards the bag rails extending outwardly from the bag well to remove the bag being filled, a capacitor in a circuit associated with the bag rail senses the attendant&#39;s approach and triggers the deactivator. In response, the energized deactivator applies a signal that deactivates the EAS tags attached to articles in the bag above the tag deactivator. U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,290 requires the deactivator to include an indicia reader so that an identification code located on the EAS tag being deactivated may be compared to an identification code read from a hanger tag. This comparison verifies that the tag being deactivated is indeed the one attached to the last article scanned. U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,951 is directed to an integrated barcode scanner and tag deactivator that may be coupled to one another to make sure that the data capturing and tag deactivation functions are completed before an article is given to a consumer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,125 describes an EAS tag detector that generates a signal to activate an EAS tag deactivator in response to detection of an EAS tag and that helps one orient the EAS tag for effective deactivation. U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,290 discloses a system that selectively enables EAS tag deactivation so tag deactivation cannot occur until the bar code corresponding to the tagged article has been scanned at the self-checkout station. The enabling of the EAS deactivation device requires correspondence between a symbol read from a hanger tag and a symbol read from the surveillance tag. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,692 is directed to a system that uses data scanned from an article to query a database and determine whether a surveillance tag should be deactivated. The deactivator is energized in response to the database indicating the scanned article should have a surveillance tag. Deactivations are counted and discrepancies between the number of tagged articles scanned and the number of deactivations performed is sent to an in-store processor for storage and audit processing. 
     While all of these patents address the deactivation of EAS tags after the articles to which the tags are attached are scanned for product information, they do not facilitate deactivation of EAS tags on articles identified in the product database as not having an EAS tag. For example, the system of the &#39;692 patent activates the EAS deactivator in response to a database record that indicates that a scanned article should have an EAS tag so it may evaluate whether the expected EAS tag deactivation occurred. Consequently, the attachment of an EAS tag to an article that is not identified by the product database has having an EAS tag would not activate the EAS deactivator and a mismatch condition would result. The mismatch would occur because the deactivation of the EAS tag in this scenario would not be expected so the actual deactivations would be greater than the expected number of deactivations. The system of the &#39;780 patent constructs a product database from surveillance tags prior to placement of the articles in the retail space of a store. Consequently, only articles to which EAS tags are attached have data records in the database and the processing of articles without EAS tags at the checkout station of the &#39;780 patent occurs without reference to data stored in the product database. Thus, previously known checkout stations that interrogate a product database data regarding attachment of a surveillance tag to a scanned article, do not facilitate deactivation of EAS tags on articles for which no corresponding database record is returned or surveillance tag is expected. 
     While some vendors attach surveillance tags before sending them to a retail establishment, others do not. After receiving articles that do not have attached EAS tags, the retailer may attach surveillance tags. The decision to apply surveillance tags to an article may be affected by several considerations. For example, the number of units stocked in the store, the feasibility of physically attaching a tag to the article, or the amount of shrinkage occurring for the article may affect the decision to attach tags to the article. These and other such factors are considered by a retailer before the retailer determines that the expense of attaching surveillance tags and of dealing with their removal at checkout is worthwhile. In some instances, a department manager may make the decision without initiating the procedure to update the product database to include that information or may implement the decision before the database is updated. Consequently, systems that use a surveillance tag indicator stored in the product database to activate an EAS tag deactivator do not enable the EAS deactivator for the EAS tags attached to such articles. The EAS tag deactivation for the surveillance tags attached to articles not having a corresponding surveillance tag indicator in the database require offline processing during checkout. Systems that count discrepancies between data elements that indicate a surveillance tag should be attached to an article and the number of actual occurrences of EAS tag deactivations simply report the discrepancy without updating the product database. 
     In some previously known POS transaction systems, articles having labels with barcodes or other indicia that may be read by a barcode scanner may not have a corresponding data record in the product database. To process the article through checkout, the checkout operator enters a price through the checkout station terminal so checkout processing may continue. Likewise, the operator may visually detect a surveillance tag on an article and manually activate an EAS tag deactivator for processing the EAS tag. However, neither the price data entry nor the visual detection of the EAS tag results in updates to the product database. Consequently, subsequent scans for other occurrences of the article require another entry of the price data or offline processing of the EAS tag. 
     What is needed is a way of processing articles through checkout that have attached EAS tags without a corresponding surveillance tag indicator in the product database. 
     What is needed is a way of updating a product database to modify a surveillance tag indicator to indicate an EAS tag is expected with a scanned article. 
     What is needed is a way of updating a product database with data for a scanned article that has no corresponding data record in the database. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above-noted limitations of previously known checkout stations with EAS tag deactivators have been overcome by a system and method that operate in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The system of the present invention comprises a product database, a surveillance tag interrogator, and a database modifier. The database stores product records corresponding to articles sold in a store and the product records include a surveillance tag indicator. The surveillance tag interrogator generates a surveillance tag present signal in response to detection of a surveillance tag attached to an article submitted for processing at a checkout station. The database modifier is communicatively coupled to the database and the interrogator so it may modify the surveillance tag indicator of a product record in response to the surveillance tag present signal generated by the interrogator. The database modifier, in response to the EAS tag present signal, may set the EAS tag indicator of a product record corresponding to an article being processed for checkout to indicate an EAS tag is expected for the article thereafter. Subsequent queries of the product database using the barcode or other product identification data for the article retrieve a product record with an active surveillance tag indicator. Thus, the system of the present invention updates the surveillance tag indicators of product records in the database to correspond to the detection of EAS tags attached to articles processed at the checkout station. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the interrogator is associated with the EAS deactivator so that the interrogator detects an EAS tag in the EAS deactivator. The detection of EAS tags in the EAS deactivator may be used to detect articles that a consumer may put in the deactivator after visually determining the presence of the EAS tag during checkout. If the surveillance tag indicator of the product record retrieved from the product database with a query incorporating the product identification data obtained by the scanner does not indicate the article should have an EAS tag attached, the database modifier updates the indicator to an active state. 
     In another embodiment, the interrogator may be associated with the bag well of the checkout station so that the interrogator is located proximately the bag well and detects an active EAS tag in the bag well. This system, preferably, includes a prompter for providing a message to the checkout station operator to place the article with the EAS tag in the deactivator. In response to the EAS tag present signal from the interrogator associated with the bag well, the database modifier updates the surveillance tag indicator for the product record corresponding to the product identification data obtained from the article being processed for checkout. 
     Preferably, the system of the present invention may be implemented with a checkout station having an interrogator associated with the bag well and another interrogator associated with the EAS deactivator. This system allows the database modifier to activate surveillance tag indicators by setting them to an active state in response to EAS tag present signals from either interrogator. The inclusion of a prompter enables the checkout station operator to be notified of the need for an EAS tag deactivation via an active surveillance tag indicator in a retrieved product record or detection of an EAS tag in the deactivator or the bag well. Preferably, the prompter that may be used in a system incorporating the present invention may be an annunciator, or a display, such as the one typically associated with the terminal of a self-checkout station, or a combination of both. 
     Preferably, the system of the present invention includes a scanner for reading product identification data from an article being processed for checkout. The product identification data may be used to query the product database for a product record corresponding to the product identification data. In response to no product record being returned, the database modifier generates a product record corresponding to the product identification data read by the scanner. The price data for the generated record may be obtained from data entry at the checkout station and the surveillance tag indicator of the record may be set to an active state if an interrogator generates an EAS tag present signal. Thus, the system of the present invention may be used to generate product records for articles placed in the store before their corresponding data are entered into the product database. 
     The method of the present invention includes generating a surveillance tag present signal in response to detection of a surveillance tag attached to an article being processed at a checkout station and modifying a surveillance tag indicator in a product record of a product database in response to the surveillance tag present signal. The generation of the surveillance tag present signal may be generated by interrogating a surveillance tag in an EAS deactivator associated with the checkout station or by interrogating a surveillance tag in the bag well of the station. The surveillance present signal may also be used for prompting an operator to perform a surveillance tag deactivation for an active surveillance tag. The prompting action may be in the form of an audible message, a displayed message, or a combination of an audible and visible message. 
     It is an object of the present invention to enable checkout processing of articles to which surveillance tags are attached despite the lack of an active surveillance tag indicator in the corresponding data record for an article stored in a product database. 
     It is an object of the present invention to update a product database with data for a scanned article that has no corresponding data record in the database by generating a product record that indicates detection of an active surveillance tag attached to an article corresponding to the product record. 
     These and other advantages and features of the present invention may be discerned from reviewing the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention may take form in various system and method components and arrangement of system and method components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. 
     FIG. 1A depicts a typical self-checkout station; 
     FIG. 1B depicts the self-checkout station of FIG. 1A modified to incorporate the system and method of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective view partially cut away that shows one embodiment of an EAS deactivator that may be used to implement the present invention; 
     FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a self-checkout station showing a preferred location of an EAS deactivator proximate the scanner of the self-checkout station; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system of the present invention that may be incorporated in the self-checkout station shown in FIG. 1B; 
     FIG. 4A is a block diagram of an interrogator that may be used with the system and method of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a self-checkout station with a take away module in which an interrogator may be located for detecting surveillance tags on scanned articles; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an EAS tag deactivator that may be used in the system of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6A is a flowchart of an exemplary method that may be used in a system incorporating the principles of the present invention that has a single surveillance tag interrogator; 
     FIG. 6B is a flowchart of an exemplary method that may be used in a system incorporating the principles of the present invention that includes two surveillance tag interrogators; and 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram of a portion of an exemplary product data record that may be used in the database of a system of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A checkout station incorporating the system and method of the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 A. Checkout station  10  may include a feeder unit  14  and a checkstand  18 . Feeder unit  14  includes a feeder belt  20  and housing  22  for the motor and control circuitry that operates feeder belt  20 . Feeder unit  14  is movably coupled to checkstand  18  so the feeder belt may be aligned with scanner/scale unit  26 . Checkstand  18  includes scanner/scale unit  26 , consumer terminal  34 , a payment terminal  38  for entry of payment data, and receipt printer  44 . Scanner/scale unit  26  uses a laser shining on a glass or other transparent platen to input data from bar codes applied to products or packages. Unit  26  may also include a scale for measuring the weight of articles that are sold on a price/unit of weight basis. Consumer terminal  34  displays article data as it is entered through scanner/scale unit  26 . Payment terminal  38  may be any known POS terminal that incorporates a keypad and card reader to support credit card, debit card, and other payment methods. Receipt printer  44  provides a consumer with a receipt itemizing the articles purchased and the method of payment. 
     Receipt printer  44  and scanner/scale unit  26  may be separated by a bag well  46  having a security scale  48  integrated in its floor. Bags for storing articles that consumers have scanned and weighed are hung from hanging rails  50  in bag well  46 . Security scale  48  uses article weight data derived from scanner/scale  26  or a database using a scanned unit product code (UPC) to verify that only the articles scanned are placed on the security scale. Security application programs operating within terminal  34  monitor security scale  48  to determine whether articles not scanned have been added to the security scale area. An anomalous condition that requires investigation may be signaled by lighting a warning. or alert light color within the tri-color indicator mounted at the terminal end of indicator pole  52  of checkstand  18 . A security camera  56  may be mounted onto indicator pole  52  for providing a video signal to a security officer surveillance area or to some storage media. A database, disk drive, or other computer peripheral required for station operation may be housed within peripheral tray  60  located within checkstand  18 . Checkstand  18  also includes upper currency module  40  for receiving currency and coins from a consumer as payment for a transaction. Upper currency module  40  returns the coin portion of a consumer&#39;s change while lower currency module  42  returns the bills for a consumer&#39;s change. 
     As shown in FIG. 1A, a consumer may place articles on feeder belt  20  and belt  20  is driven to bring articles to the end of belt  20  where a shut-off mechanism stops belt  20 . The consumer may then remove articles from belt  20  and move them, one at a time, over scanner/scale  26  for article product data retrieval from a product database and/or weighing. Alternatively, the consumer may pull a cart containing articles for purchase so it is adjacent feeder unit  22  and place articles from the cart onto scanner/scale  26 . The scanned articles may then be placed in bags on security scale  48 . Once all of the articles are scanned, a consumer may provide payment through payment terminal  38  or currency module  40 , receive change from modules  40  and/or  42 , and a receipt from printer  44 . The consumer may then remove the bags from security scale  48  and leave station  10 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the self-checkout station of FIG. 1A may be modified to incorporate the system and method of the present invention as shown in FIG.  1 B. In FIG. 1B, the portion of bag well  46  adjacent scanner/scale  26  in FIG. 1A is modified to house a surveillance tag deactivator  70  so that the bagging area of bag well  46  is comprised of rack  50  and the portion of bag well  46  adjacent receipt printer  44 . In embodiments that separate a cavity for deactivator  70  and bag well  46 , security scale  48  may be located so it does not measure weight of articles placed in surveillance deactivator  70  but only those articles that impinge on the floor of bag well  46  as shown in FIG.  1 B. In embodiments where bag well  46  and deactivator  70  are integrated, interrogator  108  may be located in an area where bagged articles are placed to detect active surveillance tags. 
     A surveillance tag deactivator  70  for deactivating surveillance tags, such as EAS tags, may be constructed as shown in FIG.  2 A. EAS deactivator  70  may include sidewalls  72 ,  74 , back wall  76 , and bottom  78 . Mounted substantially parallel with sidewalls  72  and  74  are deactivation coils  84  and  86 , respectively. Deactivation coil  88  is comprised of diagonal sections  94  and  96  that are joined by section  90  in bottom  78  and section  92  in back wall  76 . Electrical energy may be selectively or continually supplied to deactivation coils  84 ,  86 , and  88  for the purpose of deactivating EAS tags on articles placed in EAS deactivator  70 . While the embodiment of FIG. 2A emits magnetic fields for the deactivation of magnetic EAS tags, similar embodiments may be constructed for the deactivation of radio frequency (RF or RFID) or intelligent EAS tags. Such embodiments may include antennas for the emission of electrical power at appropriate power levels and/or frequencies for the rupture of a fusible link or the modification of data in a RF, RFID or intelligent EAS tag. 
     Deactivator  70  may be located proximate scanner  26  of a self-checkout station either as shown in FIG. 1B or FIG.  2 B. Deactivator  70  may also be implemented to provide a planar surface for deactivating a surveillance tag. 
     Preferably, a deactivator  70  having a planar surface for surveillance tag deactivation may be located proximate scanner  26  as shown in FIG.  2 B. This embodiment allows a consumer to scan an article and then place the surveillance tag on window or platen  68  of deactivator  70  for deactivating the tag. An interrogator may be located proximate bagwell  46  to detect surveillance tags that were not fully deactivated by the consumer. The interrogator may be located behind the back wall or bottom wall of bag well  46  for detecting surveillance tags. 
     A block diagram of an exemplary system incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown in FIG.  3 . System  100  includes a processor/database modifier 104  communicatively coupled to scanner  26 , a prompter  110 , tag deactivator  70 , product database  106 , and interrogator  108 . Processor  104  may be the processor of terminal  34  that controls the operation of station  10  or it may be a processor dedicated to the control of system  100 . Processor  104  may be any Pentium processor or the like with sufficient volatile memory and hard disk storage for control of system  100 . For example, 64 MB of SDRAM and 4 GB of hard drive storage may be deemed adequate for most applications of the present invention. Also appropriate signal interfaces for performing the control actions described below are required as is well known within the art. The database modifier may be a function implemented in programmed instructions executed by processor  104 . Alternatively, the database modifier may be a function of a database management system (not shown) for database  106 . Also, the function may be implemented by a computer (not shown) dedicated to the task of modifying product database  106  in response to data received from scanner  26 , tag deactivator  70 , interrogator  108 , and processor  104  either directly or through processor  104 . Product database  106  may be located in peripheral tray  60  of checkout station  10  or it may located at a central site so it may be accessible by all or most of the checkout stations in a retail store. If product database  106  is downloaded from a central repository for the store to provide a local copy at a station  10 , updates to the local copy of database  106  may be transmitted to the central repository for updating of a master database. Modifications at the master database may then be distributed to the other local copies maintained at other stations in the store. Alternatively, modifications transmitted by database modifier  104  to a central database accessible for querying by all of the stations in a store may be evaluated by the database management system at the central database before modifying the central database. 
     Interrogator  108  may be any of a variety of known devices that emit a radio frequency, magnetic field, or microwave transmission for the purpose of ascertaining whether a surveillance tag is present in the vicinity of interrogator  108 . An exemplary interrogator that may be used in the system of the present invention is shown in FIG.  4 A. Interrogator  108  includes an antenna assembly  128  to which a transmitter  124  and a receiver  126  are coupled. Receiver  124  and transmitter  126  are coupled to and controlled by data processing and control module  130 . Under the control of module  130 , transmitter  124  provides an electrical signal to antenna assembly  128  for emission. A tag in the emitted field responds with a radiated signal that is converted by antenna assembly  128  into an electrical signal that is provided to receiver  126 . The signal may be further conditioned before being provided to control module  130 . Preferably, control module  130  of interrogator  108  provides the received signal to processor  104  as an indication that a surveillance tag has responded to the emitted interrogation signal from transmitter  124  and that the ongoing checkout process should be disabled until the surveillance tag has been completely deactivated. Processor/database modifier  104  may use this EAS tag present signal from interrogator  108  to determine whether database  106  should be modified. 
     In response to the surveillance tag signal from interrogator  108 , processor/database modifier  104  may determine whether an active surveillance tag indicator should be added to a new record for the last scanned article or whether the surveillance tag indicator of a retrieved record should be activated. As described in co-pending patent application entitled “System and Method for Verifying Surveillance Tag Deactivation in a Self-Checkout Station,” which is owned by the assignee of the present invention, filed on Aug. 30, 2002, processor/database modifier  104  may use the signal from interrogator  108  to disable the checkout process. That application is hereby expressly incorporated in the present application. As explained in that application, processor/database modifier  104  may confirm complete deactivation of a surveillance tag by disabling the checkout process. Specifically, processor/database modifier  104  may disable the operation of scanner  26 , ignore further data received from scanner  26 , suspend product database queries, or suspend the accumulation of price or subtotal data at checkout station  10 . Additionally, processor  104  may inform the consumer of the need to completely deactivate the surveillance tag placed in the vicinity of interrogator  108  by providing a prompting signal to prompter  110 . 
     Prompter  110  may be an annunciator, a visual display such as the display associated with terminal  34  of checkout station  10 , or a combination of an annunciator and visual display. The visual data may include a statement informing the consumer of the need to place the last scanned article with the surveillance tag in tag deactivator  70  for complete deactivation. Alternatively, prompter  110  may emit an audible message, either in voice or tone form, to alert the consumer to the need for deactivating the EAS tag. Preferably, prompter  110  includes audible and visual components to attract the consumer&#39;s attention to the active surveillance tag. The suspension of checkout processing should direct the consumer&#39;s efforts to the problem with the last scanned article or lead to consultation with a self-checkout attendant for assistance. Should the consumer withdraw the article with the active surveillance tag from checkout, scale  48  detects the absence of the last scanned article from bag well  46  and may send a signal to processor/database modifier  104  indicating the anomaly. In response, processor/database modifier  104  may display or announce a message to the consumer requesting that the consumer delete the last scanned article from the checkout process so the process may continue. In this manner, a consumer may withdraw an article from the checkout process without requiring attendant assistance. 
     Interrogator  108  may be incorporated within bag well  46  as explained above to detect surveillance tags. In self-checkout stations having a take away belt for scanned items, such as station  400  shown in FIG. 4B, interrogator  108  may be placed proximate outboard end  402  of take way belt module  408  to detect active surveillance tags. For example, an interrogator  108  may be located in housing  404  underneath the traveling belt of take away belt module  408  to detect surveillance tags as articles travel along the belt so a consumer may be warned of articles having active tags before bagging the articles. 
     Preferably, tag deactivator of system  100  includes an interrogator such as interrogator  108  along with the deactivation circuitry and controller. As shown in FIG. 5, surveillance tag deactivator  70  may include an interrogating signal transmission coil  142  that is driven by an amplifier  144  under control of microprocessor  146 . The emitted response of a surveillance tag is delivered by detection receiving coil  150  to receiving filter  154  for extraction of the surveillance tag response signal. The extracted response signal is converted to a digital form for microprocessor  146 . In response, microprocessor  146  may generate the surveillance tag present signal that may be provided to processor/database modifier  104  for a determination regarding modification of database  106  or other control actions. Also, microprocessor  146  may activate switch  158  to couple power source  160  to deactivation coil  164 . When the tag that is generating the surveillance response signal is deactivated by the emission from coil  164 , the surveillance tag no longer responds to the signal from transmitting coil  142  and the extracted response signal is not supplied to microprocessor  146 . As a consequence, switch  158  is deactivated and deactivation coil  164  is de-coupled from power source  160 . Unfortunately, termination of the signal from deactivation coil  164  also occurs in response to the removal of the article to which the surveillance tag is attached from the vicinity of detection coil  150 . Hence the proximity of interrogator  108  to bag well  46  permits system  100  to detect surveillance tags that have not been deactivated so the surveillance tag present signal may be generated and the need for database modification evaluated. Detection of surveillance tags at the checkout station may be used to activate the surveillance tag indicator of a new or existing product data record. The signal may also be used as a checkout disable signal to suspend the checkout process and encourage the consumer to return the article with the surveillance tag to deactivator  70  for completion of the deactivation process. 
     An exemplary method that may be used with the system of the present invention is shown in FIG.  6 A. The method begins by checking for a scan of an article (block  200 ). Once a scan is detected, the product code read by scanner  26  or entered through terminal  34  may be used to query database  106  for a corresponding product record (block  204 ). A determination is made as to whether a corresponding product record was returned (block  208 ). A depiction of a portion of an exemplary data record  178  is shown in FIG.  7 . The record includes the product code  180  that may be used as a key for the record in a relational database. The exemplary record may also include a description field  182 , a surveillance tag indicator  184 , price data  186 , and weight data  188 . While the exemplary record structure is shown as a relational database record, database  106  may be an object repository and a product record may be structured accordingly as is well known in the art. 
     If a record is returned in response to a database query, the surveillance tag indicator  184  of the retrieved record is examined to determine whether it is active (block  210 ). An active surveillance tag indicator means a surveillance tag should be coupled to the scanned article and deactivation is required. If indicator  184  is inactive, an article not expected to have an EAS attached to it has been scanned and it is processed for checkout (block  256 ) as is well known before determining whether another article has been scanned (block  258 ). If surveillance tag indicator  184  is active, a prompt is provided to the station operator via prompter  110  advising the operator that the EAS tag requires deactivation and the article is to be placed in deactivator  70  (block  220 ). If no record was returned in response to the database query incorporating the scanned product code, database modifier  106  is activated to build a product data record for the last scanned article (block  214 ). A build new record variable is set to indicate a new database record is being constructed (block  218 ). The operator is prompted to place the article in deactivator  70  so system  100  may determine whether an EAS tag is attached to the article (block  220 ). 
     The method determines whether an EAS tag is present in deactivator  70  (block  224 ). If it is not, the method determines whether a delay timer has already been set (block  228 ). If the timer has been set, the method determines whether the timer has expired (block  230 ). Otherwise, the timer is set (block  234 ) and checked to see if it has expired (block  230 ). The method continues to evaluate whether an EAS tag is detected in deactivator  70  (block  224 ) until the delay timer expires (block  230 ). If the timer expires without detection of an EAS tag in deactivator  70 , the method determines whether a new database record is being built (block  238 ). If one is not being generated a checkout manager or checkout attendant is signaled for operator assistance (block  240 ) because an expected EAS tag has not been submitted for deactivation. If a new record is being generated, the method determines whether the article is in bag well  46  (block  244 ). As is well known, scale  48  and weight data  188  may be used to verify the placement of the last scanned article in bag well  46 . For an article not having a corresponding product record in database  106 , a weight differential measured at scale  48  may be used to confirm placement of the article in bag well  46  and the weight differential is written as weight data  188  for the new record being constructed. If the article is not detected as being in bag well  46 , a checkout manager or attendant is signaled for operator assistance (block  240 ) because the article has been improperly withdrawn from the checkout process. If the article is in bag well  46  and a new record is being constructed, the surveillance tag indicator is set to an inactive state (block  248 ) because no EAS tag was detected for the article. The product code, surveillance tag indicator, and weight data may be used to construct at least a partial product record for the last scanned article and the record is stored in database  106  by database modifier  104 . 
     If an EAS tag was detected in deactivator  70 , the method determines whether a new record is being generated (block  254 ). If it is not, the article may then be processed for checkout as is well known (block  256 ). Preferably, checkout processing includes the method disclosed in the application expressly incorporated above to verify the deactivation of the EAS tag detected as being attached to the article. If a new record is being generated, surveillance tag indicator is set to an active state (block  248 ) and at least a partial product data record is constructed and stored in database  106  by modifier  104  (block  250 ). After the checkout processing for the last scanned article is complete, the method determines whether another scan is being performed (block  258 ). If an article is being scanned, the method processes the article beginning with the reading of the product code (block  200 ). If no other scan is detected, the checkout process is completed (block  260 ) as is well known. 
     An embodiment having two interrogators, one preferably associated with EAS deactivator  70  and the other associated with bag well  46  so the two interrogators are located proximate the EAS deactivator  70  and bag well  46 , may use the exemplary method depicted in FIG.  6 B. That method is similar to the method of FIG. 6A except both interrogators may generate a surveillance tag present signal in response to an EAS tag being in either the EAS deactivator  70  or bagwell  46 . The process operates as the one described with respect to FIG. 6A with the addition of evaluating and responding to the presence or absence of an article and EAS tag in bag well  46 . That processing includes an evaluation as to whether scale  48  indicates an article has been detected in bag well  46  (block  270 ). If one has not been detected, a prompt is provided to the operator to either withdraw the article from the checkout process or place it in the bagwell (block  272 ). The process may then determine whether a delay timer has been set (block  274 ) and if one has, whether it has expired (block  278 ). If the timer expires before an article is detected in the bag well, a checkout attendant or manager is signaled (block  240 ). If no timer has been set, it is initialized with a delay time value (block  280 ) and checked to see if the timer has expired (block  278 ). If the article is detected as being in the bag well through an increase in weight at the bag well or other known detection scheme, the process determines whether an EAS tag is attached to the article (block  284 ). If a surveillance tag is not present in the bag well, the process continues the checkout process in a known manner that is preferably augmented with the method for verifying deactivation of the surveillance tag as disclosed in the application expressly incorporated by reference above (block  256 ). Otherwise, a prompt is issued to the operator to place the article with the EAS tag in the deactivator (block  220 ) and the process continues as discussed above with reference to FIG.  6 A. 
     In operation, a self-checkout station with access to a product database is modified to include an EAS deactivator and at least one interrogator for detecting active EAS tags in the bag well. Preferably, the EAS deactivator is located between the scanner and the bag well of the checkout station to facilitate access to the deactivator and encourage its use by the consumer. The program for interfacing a processor with a database modifying function to the interrogator, deactivator, and other station components is then loaded into memory or otherwise made available for execution by the processor as is well known. Thereafter, scanning or otherwise entering a product code results in a query of the product database for a corresponding product record. If one is not returned, the database modifier builds a product record from the data acquired for the article during the checkout process and stores the new record into the product database. If a record is retrieved, the record is parsed to determine whether the article should have an EAS tag attached to it and if one should be present, prompt the operator to deactivate the tag. If the record indicates no EAS tag should be attached to the article but one is detected, either at the EAS deactivator or bag well, the surveillance tag indicator of the returned product record is modified to an active status and stored in the database. In this manner, articles that are unexpectedly detected as having an attached EAS tag result in the updating of the surveillance tag indicator in the product data record corresponding to product code for the last scanned article. Likewise, the detection of articles for which no data record exists in the database causes the generation of a data record for the last scanned article. 
     While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary processes and system components, and while the various processes and components have been described in considerable detail, applicant does not intend to restrict or in any limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. For example, the system and method of the present invention have been generally described in relation to a self-checkout station, however, the system and method may be incorporated within an attendant operated checkout station. Additional advantages and modifications will also readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broadest aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, implementations, or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.