Patent Publication Number: US-11657683-B2

Title: Transaction terminal with vertical weigh scale and methods of operation

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/664,385, filed Oct. 25, 2019, which application and publication are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Increasingly consumers and retailers are relying on Self-Service (SS) checkout stations. These stations provide consumers with the ability to self-scan item barcodes, self-weigh produce items, and self-pay for their transactions without the assistance of any store staff. These stations save the retailers in staffing costs by allowing the refocusing of existing staff towards customer attention and experience, and by also improving customer checkout queue wait times by moving customers from cashier-assisted lanes to the SS checkout stations, which is especially beneficial during heavy traffic at the retailer. 
     However, existing SS checkout stations are bulky and occupy valuable space within the retail stores. Moreover, these stations are challenging to customers attempting to check out with more than just a few items. Customers must place items on an entry shelf, scan the items, and place the items in bags. Typically, all bags must remain on the bag carousel during the checkout process because a bagging scale located under the bag carousel maintains weights for the bags as items are scanned and placed in the bags. Any discrepancy in weights automatically trigger an interrupt at the checkout stations requiring staff to come over, briefly inspect the transaction items, and usually override the interrupt, so that the customer can continue with their transaction at the station. 
     Furthermore, with produce items, the items must be placed on the scanner/weigh plate by itself and weighed by the station and then removed from the scanner/weigh plate and placed in a bag on the bagging carousel, where weights are again inspected by the station to include the added weight of the already weighed produce item. 
     Moreover, the combined scanner/weigh plate of existing SS checkout stations is designed to both scan item barcodes from items that do not requiring weighing and weigh produce items. The glass through which the scanner images the item barcodes can be susceptible to spillage damage and can collect debris, which is especially true as produce is placed on the combined scanner/weigh plate. Because of this, retailers often deploy bioptic scanners, which use mirrors and image sensors to scan item barcodes both horizontally (on the plate that also weighs produce items) and vertically to ensure that the item barcode is captured from a variety of angles and ensure that the item barcode can be captured when the horizontal plate is dirty with debris. These combined function devices require a larger space footprint within the stations and are expensive but appear to be a necessity in the industry. Furthermore, the combined function devices are not the most user friendly for wheelchair users, which often requires to add external interface navigation devices in order to meet current disability-accessibility regulations. 
     SUMMARY 
     In various embodiments, a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh scale and methods of operation are presented. 
     According to an aspect, a transaction terminal with a vertically integrated weigh scale is presented. The transaction terminal comprises a vertically integrated scanner. The vertically integrated weigh scale comprises two horizontally extending posts configured to hold a bag on one end and attach to a weight sensor on a different end. As items are identified during a transaction at the transaction terminal and placed in the bag, the vertically integrated scale is configured to report a current weight for the bag having the items to a transaction manager of the transaction terminal for item pricing when needed and item-weight security processing during the transaction at the transaction terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a diagram of a transaction terminal with a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG.  1 B  is a diagram of a front view of a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG.  1 C  is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG.  1 D  is a block diagram of components of the transaction terminal having a vertical weigh/bagging scale and a vertical scanner, according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a diagram of a method for operating a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh/bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1 A  is a diagram of a transaction terminal with a vertical bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. It is to be noted that the components are shown schematically in greatly simplified form, with only those components relevant to understanding of the embodiments being illustrated. 
     Furthermore, the various components (that are identified in the  FIGS.  1 A- 1 D ) are illustrated and the arrangement of the components is presented for purposes of illustration only. It is to be noted that other arrangements with more or less components are possible without departing from the teachings of a transaction terminal with a vertical weigh scale and methods of operation presented herein and below. 
     As used herein “weigh scale” and “bagging scale” may be used interchangeably and synonymously. Further, the terms “customer,” “consumer,” “user,”, and “operator” may be used interchangeably and synonymously herein; these terms refer to an individual that is conducting a transaction to checkout at transaction terminal  100  having an integrated vertical bagging scale  130 . 
     The transaction terminal  100  includes a display  110 , a vertically integrated scanner  120 , and a vertically integrated bagging scale  130 . Terminal  100  also includes a processor and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a variety of executable instructions executed by the processor. Similarly, both the bagging scale  130  and the scanner  120  may include their own processors and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions executed by their corresponding processors. 
     As a consumer scans item for purchase at terminal  100  via the scanner  120 , the items are placed in bags  140  that vertically hang from the vertically integrated weigh scale  130 . Weights are reported back to a transaction manager  121  (shown in the  FIG.  1 D ), Produce items that require weights during the transaction are placed in a bag  140  and the item weight reported back to transaction manager  121  for a price assignment based on an identified produce type. Existing mechanism to identify the produce type may be used, such as image identification by a camera integrated into terminal  100  and/or customer input through a transaction interface presented on a touchscreen display  110 . 
     Terminal  100  is vertically oriented such that a customer can stand directly in front of terminal  100  and access scanner  120  and touchscreen display  110 . Although not shown in  FIGS.  1 A- 1 D , terminal  100  also minimally includes a payment card reader, cash accepter and dispenser, coin accepter and dispenser, and receipt printer. Terminal  100  may also include wireless transceivers for Bluetooth® and/or Near Field Communication (NFC). 
     Conventional SS checkout stations require a large protruding front area that separates the customer from the display and other peripherals such as payment devices and currency/coin acceptors/dispensers. The combines scale/scanner protrudes significantly forward toward the users, which takes away from optimal usability of the station and its peripherals (including touch screen) and occupies valuable retail space. Moreover, when a produce item is purchased, the customer takes at least two steps with conventional stations for placing the item on the combined scanner/scale and then placing the produce item in a bag (where it is weighed a second time for security cross checking). 
     These issues are solved with terminal  100  and vertically integrated bagging scale  130 . The space between the customer and the display  110  is removed and the customer is directly proximate to both vertically integrated scanner  120 , bagging scale  130 , and display  110  (as well other payment peripherals and currency/coin accepters/dispensers). There is just one step when purchasing produce, which is the customer inserting the produce into a bag  140  that is already hanging from scale  130 . 
     Furthermore, the sensitivity issues associated with horizontal bagging security carrousels are removed with bagging scale  130 . Convention weight-checking bagging carrousels have far too many false positives because customers may purchase items that do not cause a bottom of the bag to even reach the weigh plate. Typically, if the weight of an item from an item database is below a predefined threshold, the weight of the purchased item is not even checked because of this issue. Furthermore, customers may place purses or personal effects on the scale causing issues. Because bagging scale  130  hangs vertically items can be dropped into the bag  140  with ease by the customer and weighed. All items (produce and non-produce) can have weights checked against an item weight database for security. The weights are more accurate and less inclined to have any interference by customer personal effects. Once a bag  140  is full, it is removed and placed in customer cart, there is no need to maintain a total weight for all the bags as is typically the case for conventional horizontal bagging carrousels. There is no need to track items from scale to bag and reweigh the items with terminal  100 . 
     As an example, considering the following example transaction. A customer scans an item barcode of a bottle of window cleaner by passing the item barcode across the field-of-view of scanner  120 . Bagging scale  130  reports the weight through a weight reporter  136  to transaction manager  121 . Transaction manager  121  retrieves weight of that item from the item weight database, which indicates the item weighs 2 lbs. The 2 lbs. expected for the item is checked against the reported weight received from the bagging scale  130  and the item weight is verified assuming the reported weight is within an allowed threshold difference from the expected 2 lbs. Next, the customer scans a can of tuna, the weight addition to bag  140  is reported, transaction manager  121  retrieves the expected item weight from the item weight database as 0.5 lbs. The reported weight for the bag  140  having the window cleaner and the tuna is compared against 2.5 lbs. and if the reported weight for the bag  140  is within a permitted threshold weight of the 2.5 lbs., item verification is obtained. A produce item can simply then be identified through the user-facing interface of transaction manager  121  using touchscreen display  110  by the customer, dropped into bag  140  with the window cleaner and the tuna, the bagging scale  130  reports the total weight, and transaction manager computes the price for the produce item based on the additional weight being reported for the bag when the produce item was inserted into the bag  140 . 
       FIG.  1 B  is a diagram of a front view and isolated view of a vertical bagging scale  130 , according to an example embodiment. 
     The scale  130  includes tabs  131  and posts  132 . Bags  140  freely hang from posts  131 , as items are added to bag  140 , the posts  132  are pulled by weight of the item downward and weight sensor  133  (shown in  FIG.  1 C ) then records the weight for the bag based on the displacement of or pressure exerted downward on posts  131  from supporting the weight of the bag  140  with the item. 
     In an embodiment, the scale  130  includes the two horizontal or protruding hook posts  132  using a vertical linear digital scale where weight is measured by sensor  133  as the bag  140  slides down on a rail that measures pressure and translates into a weight for the bag  130 . 
       FIG.  1 C  is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the vertical bagging scale  130 , according to an example embodiment. 
     Bagging scale  130  includes a bagging assembly that allows a single bag from a collection of bags  140  to be pulled over a bag dispensing hook  141  onto post  132 . Dispensing hook  141  includes a space  142  on the top and the bottom to prevent the weight associated with the collection of bags  140  to affect any weight measurement captured by sensor  133  from a bag  140  with items that is on posts  132 . That is gap  142  ensures that the weight from the collection of bags is supported by the hooks  141  and does not apply any downward force on posts  132 . 
     A customer pulls a single bag  140  forward over dispensing hook  141  onto post  132 , inserts items as scanned by scanner  120  or as produce items are identified from a pick list of produce presented through a transaction interface of transaction manager  121  on touchscreen display  110  for customer selection. Sensor  133  records the weight of just the bag  132  hanging from posts  132  and weights are reported to transaction manager  121  for transaction processing. 
     Bagging scale  133  reports weights through a connection  134  to terminal  100 . 
     In embodiment, bagging scale  130  also includes a wireless transceiver  135  for reporting wireless tag information, such as when a specialized bag includes a unique identifier, which can be associated with a specific customer and a specific customer account and payment method. In this embodiment, the bag is a reusable bag that may be separately purchased by the customer. This also permits automatic account payment for items of the transaction by the transaction manager  121  using the reported unique bag identifier from wireless transceiver  135 . In an embodiment, the wireless transceiver  135  is a Near Field Communication (NFC) or Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver. 
     In an embodiment, bagging scale  130  may include a security de-tagging or de-activating sensor  135  that automatically deactivates any security tag of an item placed in bag  140  during transaction processing. 
     In an embodiment, bagging scale  130  includes both a wireless bag transceiver  135  and a secure deactivation sensor  135 . 
       FIG.  1 D  is a block diagram of components of the transaction terminal  100  having a vertical weigh/bagging scale  130 , a vertical scanner  120 , and touchscreen display  110 , according to an example embodiment. 
     Scale  130  includes processor and non-transitory computer-readable storage media having executable instructions that when executed by the processor performs operations associated with self-calibration  136 , a weight reporter  137 , and a bag identifier reporter  138 . Scale  130  also includes an NFC sensor/transceiver  135 . 
     In an embodiment, self-calibration allows a customer to remove a bag  140  and place a customer&#39;s reusable bag onto posts  132 . The transaction interface of transaction manager  121  provides an option at the start of a transaction on terminal  100  for the customer to use the customer&#39;s provided reusable bag. Customer is then instructed through the interface to remove the supplied bag  140  and place the customer&#39;s bag on posts  132 . Once the customer confirms that this was done, transaction manager  121  instructs the self-calibration  136  to be processed on scale  130 . Self-calibration  136  recalibrates the sensor  133  to report zero weight for the customer&#39;s bag. The transaction then begins. Alternatively, customer may (before any item is scanned at terminal  100 ) remove the provided bag  140  and place the customer&#39;s reusable bag on posts  132 , weight reporter reports the weight to transaction manager  121 . Transaction manager  121  recognizes that no transaction has been initiated, starts a transaction, and ask the customer to confirm that a reusable customer bag was empty and placed on posts  132 . Self-calibration  136  is then initiated on scale  130 . 
     Weight reporter  137  reports weights from sensors  133  during the transaction to transaction manager  121 . NFC sensor translates wireless bag tags sensed on posts  132  into unique bag identifiers, which bag identifier (ID) reporter  138  reports to transaction manager  121  for embodiments with unique bags linked to customer accounts. 
     Scanner  120  reports item bar codes read by scanner  120  to transaction manager  121  using an item ID reporter  121 . 
     In an embodiment, the vertical location of display  110  can be adjusted by a customer to raise or lower the height of the display relative to the customer on the terminal  100 . 
     In an embodiment, the vertical location of scale  120  can be adjusted by a customer to raise of lower the height of the scale  120  relative to the customer on the terminal  100 . 
     In an embodiment, the vertical locations of both the display  110  and the scanner  120  can be custom adjusted to a preferred height desired by the customer on terminal  100  together or independent of one another. 
     In an embodiment, terminal  100  is a Self-Service Terminal (SST), a SS checkout station/terminal, a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal operated by a cashier assisting the customer with a transaction checkout, or a kiosk. 
     These and other embodiments are now discussed with reference to the  FIGS.  2 - 4   . 
       FIG.  2    is a diagram of a method  200  for operating a vertically integrated weigh/bagging scale, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) that implements the method  200  is referred to as a “weigh scale manager.” The weigh scale manager is implemented as executable instructions programmed and residing within memory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a device. The processor of the device that executes the weigh scale manager are specifically configured and programmed to process the weigh scale manager. The weigh scale manager may include one or more connections during operation; any such network connections may be wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless. 
     In an embodiment, the device that executes the weigh scale manager is vertical weigh scale  130 . 
     The device that executes the weigh scale manager is vertically integrated into a transaction terminal  110 . In an embodiment, terminal  110  is an SST, a POS terminal, a kiosk, or a SS checkout terminal. 
     In an embodiment, the weigh scale manager is all of or some combination of: self-calibration  136 , weight reporter  137 , and bag ID reporter  138 . 
     At  210 , the weigh scale manager detects a change in weight for a bag that hangs vertically from two horizontally extending posts of the vertically integrated weigh scale  130 . 
     At  220 , a weigh sensor  133  of the vertically integrated weigh scale  130  obtains a current weight for the bag based on the change in weight detected at  210 . 
     At  230 , weigh scale manager provides the current weight to a transaction manager of the transaction terminal during a transaction being conducted at the transaction terminal. 
     In an embodiment, at  240 , the weigh scale manager detects removal of the bag from the two horizontally extending posts and further detects a new weight (through the weigh sensor  133 ) for a new bag placed on the two horizontally extending posts. The new weight exceeds a calibrated weight associated with the original bag from  210 . 
     In an embodiment of  240  and at  241 , the weigh scale manager processes a self-calibration on the vertically integrated weigh scale  130  to account for a new weight of the new bag, and the weigh scale manager iterates back to  210  after calibration waiting for a change in weight for the new bag indicating that an item is added to the new bag during the transaction. 
     In an embodiment of  241  and at  242 , the weigh scale manager detects a wireless tag associated with the new bag and reports a bag identifier associated with the wireless tag to the transaction manager of the transaction terminal during the transaction. 
     Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executing on one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multiple processors or in any other convenient manner. 
     The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.