Patent Publication Number: US-10325294-B2

Title: System and method for notifying customers of checkout queue activity

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/090,134, filed Dec. 10, 2014, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for providing information to customers relating to the operation of a brick-and-mortar store in which the customers are shopping, and more specifically to systems and methods for providing information to customers relating to the availability of one or more point-of-sale systems to process items to be purchased by the customers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Retailers of goods and services typically offer such goods and services for purchase via one or more conventional brick-and-mortar retail stores. Such brick-and-mortar stores typically include at least one point-of-sale system, and many brick-and-mortar stores include several point-of-sale systems grouped together in a so-called “checkout” area. The one or more point-of-sale systems may be or include one or more self-checkout point-of-sale systems and/or one or more employee-operated point-of-sale systems. In any case, each such point-of-sale system further typically defines a “checkout queue” or “checkout lane” through which customers pass when making purchases at the point-of-sale system. 
     When any such point-of-sale system is available to process a purchase transaction, a customer typically advances into the checkout lane or queue of the point-of-sale system and presents one or more items for purchase, and the point-of-sale system is then operated in a conventional manner to process the purchase transaction. When a point-of-sale system is currently busy processing a purchase transaction, customers wishing to conduct a purchase transaction at the point-of-sale system typically wait in the checkout lane or queue for the point-of-sale system to become available to process their purchase transaction. At any one time, the checkout lane or queue of any such point-of-sale system may be open and the point-of-sale system available to process a purchase transaction, or be populated by one or more customers currently conducting a purchase transaction or awaiting availability of the point-of-sale system to conduct a purchase transaction. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention may comprise one or more of the features recited in the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof. In one aspect, a method of notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity may comprise storing an identification code, with a processor in a first database, the identification code identifying a location in or near a customer entry area to a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, associating, with the processor in the first or a second database, each of a plurality of customer codes with a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise, monitoring, with the processor, purchase transaction activity at each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems, determining, with the processor, an operating state of each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems based on the monitored purchase transaction activity thereof, and in response to a wirelessly received customer code and identification code, identifying with the processor the one of the plurality of customer codes in the first or second database that matches the wirelessly received customer code, comparing, with the processor, the wirelessly received identification code with the identification code stored in the first database, and wirelessly transmitting, under control of the processor, a notification message to a mobile communication device identified by the matching one of the plurality of customer codes if the wirelessly received identification code matches the identification code stored in the first database, the notification message including information identifying the operating state of one or more of the plurality of point-of-sale systems. 
     In another aspect, a system for notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity may comprise a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, a plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices located in or near a customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems, at least one database having stored therein a plurality of device codes each identifying a different one of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices and, and a plurality of customer codes each identifying a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise and each associated in the at least one database with a mobile communication device, means for monitoring purchase transaction activity at each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems, a processor, and memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine an operating state of each of the plurality of point-of-sale devices based on the monitored purchase activity thereof and, in response to a wirelessly received customer code and device code, if the wirelessly received device code matches one of the plurality of device codes in the at least one database and the wirelessly received customer code matches one of the plurality of customer codes stored in the at least one database, to wirelessly transmit a notification message to a mobile communication device associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes, the notification message including information identifying the operating state of one or more of the plurality of point-of-sale systems. 
     In yet another aspect, a system for notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity may comprise a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, a plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices located in or near a customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems, at least one database having stored therein a plurality of device codes each identifying a different one of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices and, and a plurality of customer codes each identifying a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise and each associated in the at least one database with a mobile communication device, a plurality of customer traffic monitoring devices each positioned to monitor customer traffic at a different one of the plurality of point-of-sale systems and each configured to produce a customer traffic signal, a processor, and memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to estimate a wait time for each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems based on a corresponding one of the plurality of customer traffic signals, each of the plurality of wait times defining an estimated amount of time from the present that the corresponding one of the plurality of point-of-sale systems will be available to conduct a customer purchase transaction, and, in response to a wirelessly received customer code and device code, if the wirelessly received device code matches one of the plurality of device codes in the at least one database and the wirelessly received customer code matches one of the plurality of customer codes stored in the at least one database, to wirelessly transmit a notification message to a mobile communication device associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes, the notification message including information identifying one or more of the plurality of wait times. 
     In yet another aspect, a system for notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity may comprise a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, a plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices located in or near a customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems, at least one database having stored therein a plurality of device codes each identifying a different one of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices and, and a plurality of customer codes each identifying a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise and each associated in the at least one database with a mobile communication device, means for monitoring purchase transaction activity at each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems, and a server including at least one module to determine an operating state of each of the plurality of point-of-sale devices based on the monitored purchase activity thereof and, in response to a wirelessly received customer code and device code, if the wirelessly received device code matches one of the plurality of device codes in the at least one database and the wirelessly received customer code matches one of the plurality of customer codes stored in the at least one database, to wirelessly transmit a notification message to a mobile communication device associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes, the notification message including information identifying the operating state of one or more of the plurality of point-of-sale systems. 
     In a further aspect, a system for notifying customers of a retail enterprise of checkout queue activity may comprise a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, a plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices located in or near a customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems, at least one database having stored therein a plurality of device codes each identifying a different one of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices and, and a plurality of customer codes each identifying a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise and each associated in the at least one database with a mobile communication device, a plurality of customer traffic monitoring devices each positioned to monitor customer traffic at a different one of the plurality of point-of-sale systems and each configured to produce a customer traffic signal, and a server including at least one module to estimate a wait time for each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems based on a corresponding one of the plurality of customer traffic signals, each of the plurality of wait times defining an estimated amount of time from the present that the corresponding one of the plurality of point-of-sale systems will be available to conduct a customer purchase transaction, and, in response to a wirelessly received customer code and device code, if the wirelessly received device code matches one of the plurality of device codes in the at least one database and the wirelessly received customer code matches one of the plurality of customer codes stored in the at least one database, to wirelessly transmit a notification message to a mobile communication device associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes, the notification message including information identifying one or more of the plurality of wait times. 
     In still a further aspect, a non-transitory machine-readable medium may comprise a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, result in the at least one processor storing in a first database an identification code identifying a location in or near a customer entry area to a plurality of point-of-sale systems grouped together in a brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise, associating, in the first or a second database, each of a plurality of customer codes with a different one of a plurality of customers of the retail enterprise, monitoring purchase transaction activity at each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems, determining an operating state of each of the plurality of point-of-sale systems based on the monitored purchase transaction activity thereof, and in response to a wirelessly received customer code and identification code, identifying the one of the plurality of customer codes in the first or second database that matches the wirelessly received customer code the wirelessly received identification code with the identification code stored in the first database, and controlling a communication circuit to wirelessly transmit a notification message to a mobile communication device identified by the matching one of the plurality of customer codes if the wirelessly received identification code matches the identification code stored in the first database, the notification message including information identifying the operating state of one or more of the plurality of point-of-sale systems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       This disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures. Where considered appropriate, reference labels have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a system for notifying customers of checkout queue activity. 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of one of the point-of-sale systems illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of one of the mobile communication devices illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3B  is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of one of the user computing devices illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of an environment of the main server of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified block diagram of an example implementation of the system of  FIG. 1  in a brick-and-mortar store of a retail enterprise. 
         FIG. 6  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of a process for notifying customers of checkout queue activity. 
         FIG. 7A  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the checkout notification process illustrated in the flow diagram of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7B  is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of the checkout notification process illustrated in the flow diagram of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7C  is a simplified flow diagram of yet another embodiment of the checkout notification process illustrated in the flow diagram of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the point-of-sale traffic monitoring process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the checkout area traffic monitoring process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 10A  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the POS type process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 10B  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the assisted POS process illustrated in the flow diagram of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 10C  is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of the POS type process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 10D  is a simplified flow diagram of yet another embodiment of the POS type process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 11  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the rating filter process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 12  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the POS weighting process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIG. 13A  is a simplified flow diagram of an embodiment of the all lanes busy process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7B and 7C . 
         FIG. 13B  is a simplified flow diagram of another embodiment of the all lanes busy process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7B and 7C . 
         FIG. 13C  is a simplified flow diagram of yet another embodiment of the all lanes busy process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7B and 7C . 
         FIG. 13D  is a simplified flow diagram of still another embodiment of the all lanes busy process illustrated in the flow diagrams of  FIGS. 7B and 7C . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives consistent with the present disclosure and the appended claims. 
     References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases may or may not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, process, process step or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, process, process step or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Further still, it is contemplated that any single feature, structure, process, process step or characteristic disclosed herein may be combined with any one or more other disclosed feature, structure, process, process step or characteristic, whether or not explicitly described, and that no limitations on the types and/or number of such combinations should therefore be inferred. 
     Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Embodiments of the invention implemented in a computer system may include one or more bus-based interconnects between components and/or one or more point-to-point interconnects between components. Embodiments of the invention may also be implemented as instructions stored on one or more machine-readable media, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. A machine-readable medium may be embodied as any device or physical structure for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computing device). For example, a machine-readable medium may be embodied as any one or combination of read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; and others. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a system  10  is shown for system for notifying customers of checkout queue activity. The system  10  includes a retail enterprise  11  having a main server  12  configured to communicate with shoppers via a public network  14 , e.g., the Internet, and shoppers may access the public network  14  using any conventional public network accessible electronic device and/or system. In the illustrated embodiment, for example a number, J, of mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J , and a number, K, of user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K , are shown. Each is configured to communicatively connect to the public network  14 , and J and K may each be any positive integer. The retail enterprise  11  may include any number of brick-and-mortar retail outlets each having one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  operating therein. The main server  12  is configured to communicate with each such point-of-sale (POS) system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , each of which operate in a conventional manner to process items to be purchased by shoppers during purchase transactions. 
     Each of the brick-and-mortar stores may further include at least one conventional WiFi Access Point  28  which may be coupled to the corresponding local hub server  22 , or directly to the main server  12  in any one or more of the brick-and-mortar stores not having an associated local hub server  22 . Each such WiFi Access Point  28  is illustratively controlled by the main server  12  (or corresponding local hub server  22 ) in a conventional manner to establish at least one corresponding Internet hotspot within the brick-and-mortar store via which customers (and employees) can access the public network  14 , e.g., to access the Internet, using any conventional public network accessible electronic device and/or system, e.g., such as with any of the plurality of mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   K . 
     In some embodiments, the main server  12  illustratively hosts an enterprise member or membership services (EMS) program which includes or otherwise has access to a virtual coupon bank and a customer purchase history database containing purchase histories of one or more customers of the retail enterprise  11 . As used herein, the term “enterprise member services program,” “enterprise membership services program” and “EMS program” are interchangeable and refer to a shopper or customer service which may offer to customer-members one or more services such as making available to customers one or more virtual discount coupons that may be redeemable by the retail enterprise against the purchase of from the retail enterprise of various goods and/or services and/or tracking and maintaining customer purchase histories in a customer purchase history database accessible by the main server  12 . In this regard, the terms “customer membership account” and “EMS account” are likewise interchangeable and refer to a mechanism by which the retail enterprise  11  may make available to customers one or more virtual discount coupons and/or by which a customer&#39;s purchase history and information about the customer can be maintained by the main server  12  in a database separately from purchase histories of and information about other customer-members. Further in this regard, the term “EMS identification code” or “EMSID” illustratively refers to at least one collection of letters, symbols and/or numbers that is different for, and therefore unique to, each customer-member of the enterprise membership services program, and which is used to uniquely identify a customer&#39;s EMS account within the EMS program. In one embodiment, for example, the EMSID for each customer may include a unique, several-digit access code and a separate and unique, several-digit password, although in other embodiments the EMSID may include more, fewer and/or different codes and/or passwords. 
     As will be discussed in further detail below, the main server  12  illustratively includes an EMS module that manages and controls a customer-member interface, e.g., a web-based interface, to the EMS program via which customers can access and manage their individual EMS accounts. Illustratively, each customer may access their individual (and private from other customer-members) EMS account, i.e., their individual EMS page(s) within the web-based EMS interface, which may be referred to hereinafter as an “EMS website,” by entering that customer&#39;s EMSID into a graphic user interface element of the web-based EMS interface. Therein, the customer may access, establish, modify and otherwise manage the customer&#39;s EMS account information including, for example, but not limited to, the customer&#39;s name, address, email address, communication information (CI), e.g. such as a mobile telephone number or other communication identifier, which identifies one or more customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  for purposes of communicating information between such one or more devices  16   1 - 16   J  and the main server  12 , and the like. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the main server  12  is coupled via a private network  20  to a plurality of local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L , where L may be any positive integer, and each local hub server  22   1 - 22   L  is coupled to one or more conventional point-of-sale systems, e.g.,  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . Each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  is configured to process items selected by customers for purchase and to process payment for such items. Some retail enterprises may include a single brick and mortar outlet, and other larger enterprises may include two or more physically remote brick and mortar outlets. In the latter case, the retail enterprise may include, for example, a main physical location with two or more remote physical locations, and for purposes of this document the two or remote physical locations in such an arrangement are referred to as “hub” locations. In this disclosure, the system  10  will be illustrated and described in the context of such a larger retail enterprise having a main physical location and two or more physical hub locations. In this regard, the main server  12  in the system  10  shown in  FIG. 1  will typically be located at a main business location of the retail enterprise, and will be coupled via the network  20  to two or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L , each of which will typically be located at a different one of the two or more hub locations. 
     Each hub location may include any number of point-of-sale systems coupled to a corresponding local hub server, and in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , for example, the local hub server  22   1  is communicatively coupled to “M” such point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M , where M may be any positive integer, and the local hub server  22   K  is communicatively coupled to “N” such point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N , where N may be any positive integer and where M may or may not be equal to N. Communicative coupling between the local hub server  22   1  and the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M , and between the local hub server  22   L  and the one or more point-of-sale systems  22   1 - 22   N , may be accomplished using any known communication coupling, and communications over any such hardwire and/or wireless coupling may be accomplished using any known communication protocol. 
     In some alternative embodiments of such a large retail enterprise, one or more of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  may be omitted, and the main server  12  may be coupled directly, via the network  20 , to one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , or the main server  12  may be omitted and at least one of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  may be configured to act as a so-called master server with the remaining local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  configured to act as so-called slave servers. In other alternative embodiments in which the retail enterprise includes only a single brick and mortar outlet, the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  may be or include the main server  12  or vice versa. For purposes of the following description, any process disclosed as being controlled by the main server  12  may, in some embodiments, instead be controlled, in whole or in part, by one or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  and vice versa, and/or may be controlled, in whole or in part, by one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  and vice versa. 
     The local hub server  22   1  may be embodied as any type of server (e.g., a web server) or similar computing device capable of performing the functions described herein. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the local hub server  22   1  illustratively includes a processor  30 , an I/O subsystem  32 , a memory  34 , a data storage  36 , communication circuitry  38 , and one or more peripheral devices  40 . It should be appreciated that the local hub server  22   1  may include other components, sub-components, and devices commonly found in a server and/or computing device, which are not illustrated in  FIG. 1  for clarity of the description. 
     The processor  30  of the local hub server  22   1  may be embodied as any type of processor capable of executing software/firmware, such as a microprocessor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, or the like. The processor  30  may be a single processor or include multiple processors. The I/O subsystem  32  of the local hub server  22   1  may be embodied as circuitry and/or components to facilitate input/output operations with the processor  30  and/or other components of the local hub server  22   1 . The processor  30  is communicatively coupled to the I/O subsystem  32 . 
     The memory  34  of the user local hub server  104  may be embodied as or otherwise include one or more conventional volatile and/or non-volatile memory devices. The memory  34  is communicatively coupled to the I/O subsystem  32  via a number of signal paths. Although only a single memory device  34  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the local hub server  22   1  may include additional memory devices in other embodiments. Various data and software may be stored in the memory  34 . The data storage  36  is also communicatively coupled to the I/O subsystem  32  via a number of signal paths, and may be embodied as any type of device or devices configured for the short-term or long-term storage of data such as, for example, memory devices and circuits, memory cards, hard disk drives, solid-state drives, or other data storage devices. 
     The communication circuitry  38  of the local hub server  22   1  may include any number of devices and circuitry for enabling communications between the local hub sever  22   1  and the main server  12  and between the local hub server  22   1  and the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M . In the illustrated embodiment, for example, communication between the local hub server  22   1  and the main server  12  takes place wirelessly via the network  20 , wherein the network  20  may represent, for example, a private local area network (LAN), personal area network (PAN), storage area network (SAN), backbone network, global area network (GAN), wide area network (WAN), or collection of any such computer networks such as an intranet, extranet or the Internet (i.e., a global system of interconnected network upon which various applications or service run including, for example, the World Wide Web). In alternative embodiments, the communication path between the local hub server  22   1  and the main server  12  may be a non-private network and/or may be, in whole or in part, a wired connection. Generally, the communication circuitry  38  may be configured to use any one or more, or combination, of conventional secure and/or unsecure communication protocols to communicate with the main server  12 . As such, the network  20  may include any number of additional devices, such as additional computers, routers, and switches, to facilitate communications between the local hub server  22   1  and the main server  12 . Communication between the local hub server  22   1  and the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  may take place via one or more such wireless communication interfaces and/or via one or more conventional wired interfaces. 
     In some embodiments, the local hub server  22   1  may also include one or more peripheral devices  40 . Such peripheral devices  40  may include any number of additional input/output devices, interface devices, and/or other peripheral devices. For example, the peripheral devices  40  may include a display, a keyboard, a mouse, audio processing circuitry, and/or other input/output devices. 
     The local hub server  22   L  may be substantially similar to the local hub server  22   1  and include similar components. As such, the description provided above of the components of the local hub server  22   1  may be equally applicable to such similar components of the local hub server  22   L  and are not repeated herein so as not to obscure the present disclosure. Of course, it should be appreciated that in some embodiments one or more of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  and may be dissimilar to others of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L . 
     Also depicted in  FIG. 1  are a number of conventional position identification devices (PIDs)  26   1 - 26   P  each illustratively coupled to the local hub server  22  in a different one of the brick-and-mortar enterprise locations such that each brick-and-mortar enterprise location includes a plurality of such position identification devices  26   1 - 26   P . In alternate embodiments, one or more or all of the PIDs  26   1 - 26   P  may not be coupled to the local hub server  22 . In one embodiment, the position identification devices  26   1 - 26   P  are provided in the form of conventional electronic wireless signal broadcasting devices, e.g., conventional radio frequency broadcasting beacons, for the purpose of broadcasting radio signals carrying information corresponding to the location and/or identity thereof, and will be described in the remainder of this document as such. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure contemplates other embodiments in which one or more of the position identification devices  26   1 - 26   P  is/are provided in another form. Examples of such other forms will be described at the end of this document. 
     The wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  will, for purposes of this disclosure, be described as being implemented in the form of such wireless signal broadcasting devices, although it will be understood that one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  may alternatively take the form of one or more other conventional wireless signal broadcasting devices operable to broadcast wireless signals carrying information corresponding to the location and/or identity of thereof. 
     Illustratively, the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  in each of the plurality of brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets are, for purposes of this disclosure, located or positioned in a customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof in each of the plurality of brick-and-mortar stores or outlets of the retail enterprise, as will be described in further detail below with respect to an example implementation of the system illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In some embodiments, for example, each of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  is mounted or placed relative to the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof such that signals broadcast by at least one of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  will be detected at any entry point into the customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof. In any case, each such wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P  is configured to periodically broadcast one or more unique wireless identification signals, i.e., one or more identification signals that distinguish the particular wireless signal broadcasting device  26  from other wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P . 
     In some embodiments, the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  are each configured to periodically broadcast wireless identification signals in the radio frequency (RF) range, although any of the one or more wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  may be configured to alternatively broadcast wireless identification signals in one or more other frequency ranges. In any case, the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  are further each illustratively configured to broadcast wireless identification signals with a predefined broadcast range and/or orientation (i.e., direction). 
     Illustratively, the unique wireless identification signals broadcast by each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P  carry decodable information in the form of a unique identification code (UID). Generally, the UID of each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P  uniquely identifies that wireless signal broadcasting device and distinguishes that wireless signal broadcasting device from all other wireless signal broadcasting devices within the retail enterprise  11  or at least those located in any one brick-and-mortar enterprise store or outlet. In some embodiments, the UID may further include, and/or the unique wireless identification signals broadcast by one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  may further carry, wireless signal broadcasting device type information in the form of a wireless signal broadcasting device type code (BT). Generally, the wireless signal broadcasting device type code, BT, identifies the general location or use of each of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  16   1 - 16   J . Example wireless signal broadcasting device types may include, but should not be limited to, point-of-sale wireless signal broadcasting devices, point-of-sale entrance area wireless signal broadcasting devices, e.g., one or more wireless signal broadcasting devices placed at, in or at least partially about a customer entrance or entry area to the point of-sale systems  24   1 - 24 M, or subset thereof, in any retail enterprise store or outlet, brick-and-mortar location entrance wireless signal broadcasting devices, wireless signal broadcasting devices associated with specific departments or product category locations within the retail enterprise  11 , general store location wireless signal broadcasting devices, or the like. The wireless signal broadcasting device type code, BT, of each of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in embodiments in which include such wireless signal broadcasting device type codes, is illustratively a point-of-sale customer entry area wireless signal broadcasting device type, or as used hereinafter a “POS area entry wireless signal broadcasting device” type. Those skilled in the art will recognize additional and/or alternative information that may be included within or appended to the UID, and/or carried by the unique wireless identification signals broadcast by one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P , and it will be understood that any such additional and/or alternative information is contemplated by this disclosure. 
     An embodiment of the main server  12  is also illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and generally includes the same components as the local hub server  22   1 . For example, a processor  50  is coupled to an I/O subsystem  52 , and the I/O subsystem  52  is coupled to a memory  54 , a data storage unit  56 , communication circuitry  58  and one or more peripheral devices  60 . In some embodiments, each of the foregoing components may be identical to corresponding components of the local hub server  22   1  described above, and a detailed explanation of such components will not be repeated here for brevity. In other embodiments, the main server  12  may be configured differently than the local hub server  22   1  described above. In any case, the communication circuitry  58  of each of the main server  12  facilitates communication with the communication circuitry  38  of the local hub servers  221 - 22 L and vice versa so that information can be shared between the main server  12  and each of the one or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  via the network  20 . Although only one such main server  12  is shown in  FIG. 1 , it should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, the system  10  may include any number of shopper main servers, and in still other embodiments the main server  12  may be communicatively coupled to one or more remote servers of the retail enterprise, and an example of one such remote enterprise server  28  is shown in  FIG. 1 . In such embodiments, the one or more remote servers  28  may include any structure or feature illustrated and described herein with respect to the main server  12 , and may be configured to execute any one or more functions described with respect to the main server  12  either alternatively to the main server  12  or in addition to the main server  12 . In any case, the main server  12  may be embodied as any type of server (e.g., a web server) or similar computing device capable of performing the functions described herein. 
     The mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  illustrated in  FIG. 1  are intended to depict mobile communication devices that are each separately owned and/or operated by a different shopper. No limit on the total number of such mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  that may be owned and operated by any one shopper, or on the total number of such mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  that may communicate with the main server  12 , is intended or should be inferred. The mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  may be or include any mobile electronic device capable of executing one or more software application programs as described herein and of communicating with the main server  12  via the public network  14 . Examples of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  include, but should not be limited to, mobile telephones, smart phones, tablet computers, personal data assistants (PDAs), and the like. 
     The user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K  illustrated in  FIG. 1  are intended to include any of privately owned and accessed computers, such as those residing in shopper&#39;s residences, to include semi-privately owned and accessed computers, such as those residing at single or multiple-employee business enterprises, and publicly accessible computers, such as those available at internet cafés and kiosks. The user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K  may be or include any computer capable of executing one or more software programs and of communicating with the main server  12  via the public network  14 . Examples of the user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K  include, but should not be limited to, personal computers (PCs), laptop computers, notebook computers and the like, whether or not networked with one or more other computing devices. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment 24 of one of the one or more point-of-sale systems,  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , is shown which includes components similar to the main server  12  and also to the one or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L , such as a processor  200 , an I/O subsystem  204 , a memory  202 , a data storage device  206 , communication circuitry  210  and a number of peripheral devices  212 . In some embodiments, each of the foregoing components may be identical to corresponding components of the local hub server  22   1  described above, and a detailed explanation of such components will not be repeated here for brevity. In other embodiments, any of the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  may be configured differently than the local hub server  22   1  described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the memory  202  illustratively includes an EMS module  208  in the form of, e.g., instructions executable by the processor  200 , to communicate customer-member information relating to the customer&#39;s EMS account to and from the main server  12 , and to control one or more local peripheral devices to facilitate communications between customer-members of the enterprise membership service (EMS) program and the main server  12  and to facilitate manual customer input of customer-identifying information, e.g., an EMS identifying number and/or code (EMSID). 
     Additionally, the illustrated point-of-sale system  24  includes one or more actuators  228  and hardware infrastructure  230 , examples of which will be described below. It will be appreciated that the point-of-sale system  24  may include other components, sub-components, and devices commonly found in a computer and/or computing device. In any case, the communication circuitry  210  is configured to facilitate communication with a corresponding one of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  and the point-of-sale system  24  may use any suitable communication protocol to communicate with the corresponding local hub server  22   1 - 22   L . 
     In addition to, or alternatively to, the number of peripheral devices  40  of the local hub server  22   1  described above, the number of peripheral devices  212  of the point-of-sale system  24  may include any number of other peripheral or interface devices. Examples of some of the peripheral devices  212  illustrated in  FIG. 2  include, but should not be limited to, one or more conventional payment interfaces  214 , one or more conventional item price scanners  216 , one or more conventional display monitors  218 , one or more conventional produce scales  220 , one or more conventional checkout lane traffic sensors  222 , and one or more conventional controllers  226  for controlling one or more conventional actuators  228  associated with the operation of the point-of-sale system  24 . The one or more payment interfaces  214  are provided, e.g., to facilitate physical receipt of credit/debit card and/or other form of payment from customers (shoppers), and each such interface  214  may illustratively include one or more of a display, a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, external speakers, and/or other peripheral devices. One or more of the payment interfaces  214  may further include a produce scale  220 , and one or more produce scales  220  may alternatively be coupled to the point-of-sale system  24  separately from the one or more customer payment interfaces  214 . The one or more item scanner(s)  216  is/are configured to scan price code labels or other such indicators for items being purchased by customers and to also scan print media coupons. 
     The one or more display monitor(s)  218  provide item and/or pricing information to customers and/or enterprise employees, and may further provide additional information regarding cost and/or discounts for one or more items being purchased as well as information regarding discounts realized by customers through the use of print media and/or virtual coupons. The display monitor(s)  218  may additionally provide an interface, e.g., touchscreen or a co-located keypad, via which customers may input information such as their EMSID into the system  10 . 
     The peripheral devices  212  of the point-of-sale system  24  further include at least one checkout lane traffic sensor  222 . The checkout lane traffic sensor(s)  222  may be mounted to or near the point-of-sale system  24 , and is/are configured to monitor customer traffic in and through a checkout lane defined by and between the point-of-sale system  24  and an adjacent point-of-sale system  24 , or by and between the point-of-sale system  24  and another structure, and to produce one or more customer traffic signals corresponding thereto. In some embodiments, each point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  has a single checkout lane traffic sensor  222  associated therewith, i.e., located at or near the point-of-sale system, configured to monitor customer traffic at or through a single section, area or zone of the checkout lane. The single area or zone may be a portion of the checkout lane or the entire checkout lane. In other embodiments, each point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  has multiple checkout lane traffic sensors  222  associated therewith, and in such embodiments each checkout lane traffic sensor  222  is configured to monitor customer traffic at or through a different section, area or zone of the checkout lane. In any case, each checkout lane traffic sensor  222  is illustratively configured to monitor customer traffic at or through some or all of the checkout lane by detecting the presence of one or more customers, or detecting the presence of each customer, in at least one section, area or zone of the checkout lane and producing one or more signals corresponding thereto. 
     In one embodiment, the checkout lane traffic sensors  222  are each illustratively implemented in the form of one or more conventional image-capturing or video cameras configured to produce corresponding image or video signals. In such embodiments, the processor  50  of the main server  12  is illustratively operable to process the image or video signals produced by each image-capturing or video camera to determine, in some embodiments, whether any customers presently occupy one or more corresponding checkout lanes, and in other embodiments the processor  50  is operable to determine from the image or video signals how many customers presently occupy one or more of the corresponding checkout lanes and/or to determine or estimate other information relating to the processing of customers through the various point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  based on the image or video signals. Such other information that may be determined or estimated by the processor  50  based on the image or video signals produced by the image-capturing or video cameras  222  mounted or placed at or near the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  may include, for example, but is not limited to, average processing times of customers through one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , quantity of merchandise, e.g., number of items, to be purchased by one or more customers, and the like. Those skilled in the art will recognize other conventional devices and/or systems which could be alternatively or additionally used to implement one or more of the checkout lane traffic sensors  222 , and any such other devices and/or systems are contemplated by this disclosure. 
     The peripheral devices  212  of the point-of-sale system  24  may further optionally include a near-field communication interface  224 , as illustrated in dashed-line configuration in  FIG. 2 , which may be included in embodiments in which one or more of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  also has such a near-field communication device such that customer information, e.g., customer identification information such as EMSIDs, user names, passwords, or the like, and/or customer payment information, e.g., credit/debit card information or the like, can be transferred from such one or more of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  to the point-of-sale system  24  by tapping the two near-field communication devices together or by passing the near-field communication device of a so-equipped mobile communication device  16   1 - 16   J  sufficiently close to the near-field communication device  222  to effectuate such communication. Illustratively, customers may additionally transfer customer identification information to the point-of-sale system  24  via the payment interface  214 , item scanner  216  or other peripheral device(s). 
     The point-of-sale system  24  further includes hardware infrastructure  230  which forms the structural backbone of the point-of-sale system  24 . Examples of structural components that may be included in the hardware infrastructure  230  include, but should not be limited to, one or more purchased item transport units, e.g., one or more purchased item conveyance units or systems, one or more conventional purchased item bagging areas, e.g., one or more conventional item bagging carousals, one or more purchased item support units, and the like. In some embodiments, the customer checkout lane of each point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  is illustratively defined along such one or more purchased item conveyance systems, and may typically extend along such one or more conveyance systems from an entrance thereof to one or more bagging carousals located at an opposite end thereof. In some embodiments, the customer checkout lane may begin before the entrance to, or beginning of, the one or more conveyance systems. In some embodiments, the customer checkout lane may extend some distance from the beginning of the one or more conveyance systems out into the customer entry area to the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . In any case, the one or more actuators  228  may be or include any actuator that is controllable by at least one of the one or more conventional controllers  226 , and which may facilitate operation and/or control of the hardware infrastructure of the point-of-sale system  24 . Examples of such one or more actuators may include, but should not be limited to, one or more linear and/or rotational drive motors, one or more electronically controlled switches, and the like. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3A , an embodiment of one of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is shown, which includes components similar to the main server  12  and also to the one or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  and the one or more POS systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , such as a processor  300 , an I/O subsystem  302 , a memory  304  including an EMS module  308 , a data storage device  306 , communication circuitry  312  and a number of peripheral devices  314 . In some embodiments, each of the foregoing components may be identical to corresponding components of the local hub server  22   1  and/or POS system  24  described above, and a detailed explanation of such components will not be repeated here for brevity. In other embodiments, any of the one or more mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  may be configured differently than the local hub server  22   1  described above. It will be appreciated that the mobile communication device  16  may include other components, sub-components, and devices commonly found in a computer and/or computing device. 
     The memory  304  illustratively includes an EMS module  308  in the form of, e.g., instructions executable by the processor  300  to communicate customer-member information to and from the main server  12 , and to control one or more local peripheral devices to facilitate communications between customer-members of the enterprise membership service (EMS) program. The memory  304  further illustratively includes a checkout queue notification (CQN) application  310  in the form of, e.g., instructions executable by the processor  300  to wirelessly receive from the main server  12 , and display to the customer, information relating to the customer processing status of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M . As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the processor  50  of the main server  12  is illustratively operable to determine the customer processing status, which will also be referred to herein as purchase transaction activity, of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , at least in part based on the signals produced by the customer traffic sensors  222 , to identify customer-members of the EMS program as they enter the customer entry area of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof via the customer-member mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J , and to communicate to such customer-members via their mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  information relating to the availability of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  to process the customer-member&#39;s purchase transaction. Example embodiments of the CQN application  310  will be described in greater detail hereinafter with respect to  FIG. 6 . 
     The communication circuitry  312  illustratively includes conventional wireless communication circuitry  316 . In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuitry  316  is configured to conduct and facilitate cellular telephone communications with other cellular and land-based communication devices. In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuitry  316  is configured to conduct and facilitate communication with the main server  12  via the network  14 . In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuitry  316  is configured to access the network  14  via at least one hotspot established in any of the brick-and-mortar stores by a corresponding at least one WiFi Access Point  28 . In some embodiments, the wireless communication circuitry  316  may further be configured to conduct and facilitate communication with one or more of the position identification devices  26   1 - 26   N  in any of the brick-and-mortar stores. The wireless communication circuitry  316  may illustratively include conventional communication circuitry for conducting and facilitating any such communication, and examples of such conventional communication circuitry include, but are not limited to, one or more conventional radio frequency (RF) transceivers configured to receive and transmit signals at multiple radio frequencies, one or more conventional modem or other communication circuits configured to access and conduct communications via the Internet, and the like. The mobile communication device  16  may illustratively use any suitable communication protocol via the network  14  or other network to communicate with the main server  12 , with other cellular and land-based communication devices and/or with one or more of the position identification devices  26   1 - 26   P  in any of the brick-and-mortar stores. 
     The communication circuitry  312  of the mobile communication device  16  may further optionally include conventional contact-less communication circuitry  318 , which may include a conventional near-field communication device  320 , as illustrated by dashed-line representation in  FIG. 3A . The near-field communication device  320  may be included, for example, in embodiments in which one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  also has/have a near-field communication interface  222  such that customer information, e.g., customer identification information in the form of one or more identification codes (e.g., EMSID), user names, passwords, or the like, and/or customer payment information, e.g., credit/debit card information or the like, can be transferred from the mobile communication device  16  to such one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  by tapping the two near-field communication devices together or by passing the near-field communication device  320  of the mobile communication device  16  sufficiently close to the near-field communication interface  222  to effectuate such communication. In addition to, or alternatively to, the number of peripheral devices  40  of the local hub server  22  described above, the number of peripheral devices  310  of the mobile communication device  16  may include any number of other or additional peripheral or interface devices. Examples of such additional peripheral devices illustrated in  FIG. 3A  include, but should not be limited to, a conventional visual display unit or screen  322 , a conventional global positioning system (GPS) receiver  324 , a conventional camera  326 , a conventional keypad  328 , a conventional microphone  330  and a conventional magnetometer  332 . The display  322  is configured, in a conventional manner, to be responsive to instructions produced by the processor  300  to display information thereon. The GPS receiver  324  is configured, in a conventional manner, to receive radio-frequency signals transmitted by earth-orbiting satellites and to produce corresponding signals from which geographical coordinates of the receiver  324  are or can be determined. The camera  326  is configured, in a conventional manner, to capture images and/or video and to display the same on the display  322 . The keypad  328  is configured, in a conventional manner, to provide signals corresponding to manual selection and activation thereof to the processor  300 , and the microphone  330  is configured, in a conventional manner, to capture sound waves and to provide signals corresponding thereto to the processor  300 . The magnetometer  332  is configured, in a conventional manner, to detect local geomagnetic fields, to produce magnetic signature signals based thereon and to provide such signals to the processor  300 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3B , an embodiment of one of the user computing devices  18  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is shown, which includes components similar to the main server  12  and also to the one or more local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  and the one or more POS systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , such as a processor  350 , an I/O subsystem  352 , a memory  354  including an EMS module  358 , a data storage device  356 , communication circuitry  360  and a number of peripheral devices  366 . In some embodiments, each of the foregoing components may be identical to corresponding components of the local hub server  22   1  and/or POS system  24  described above, and a detailed explanation of such components will not be repeated here for brevity. In other embodiments, any of the one or more user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K  may be configured differently than the local hub server  22   1  described above. It will be appreciated that the user computing device  18  may include other components, sub-components, and devices commonly found in a computer and/or computing device. In any case, the communication circuitry  360  illustratively includes conventional wireless communication circuitry  364  configured to facilitate communication with the main server  12  via the network  14 , and the user computing device  18  may use any suitable communication protocol to communicate with the corresponding main server  12 . In addition to, or alternatively to, the number of peripheral devices  40  of the local hub server  22   1  described above, the number of peripheral devices  366  of the user computing device  18  may include any number of other or additional peripheral or interface devices. One example of such an additional peripheral device illustrated in  FIG. 3B  includes, but should not be limited to, a conventional visual display unit  366 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a simplified block diagram is shown of an embodiment of an environment  400  of the main server  12  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , the environment  400  includes a server database  402  which illustratively includes customer account data  404 , product/service and pricing data  406 , a virtual coupon database  408 , a virtual coupon repository  410 , customer purchase history data  412 , customer checkout preference/history database  414 , employee schedule/performance database  416 , PID data  418  and store location data  420 . 
     Customers may elect to participate in an enterprise membership services (EMS) program offered, managed and maintained by the retail enterprise  11 , by establishing a user account (which may be referred to herein as an “EMS account” or “customer account”) within the server  12 , which user account may in some cases be an individual account accessible only by an individual person, e.g., an individual customer, and in other cases may be a group or “household” account accessible by each of a plurality of members of a predefined group of persons, e.g., members of a family or household, one or more employees of a business enterprise, etc. The terms “shopper,” “member,” “customer member,” “customer” and “household,” and variants thereof, are used interchangeably in the following description, and such terms should be understood to refer interchangeably to an individual shopper or a predefined group of individual shoppers (referred to herein as a “household”) who shop at and purchase items from a retail enterprise, and who are members of an enterprise membership service (EMS) of the type described herein and provided and managed by the retail enterprise  11 . 
     Illustratively, a software application program is available for download from the main server  12  via the public network  14  for shoppers electing to access the EMS program via their mobile communication device, e.g., one of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J . Once downloaded and activated, shoppers can access and manage their EMS account and program features via the software application program executed by their mobile communication device  16   1 - 16   J . Illustratively, the main server  12  additionally hosts and controls an EMS website accessible via the public network  14 , and in such embodiments shoppers can access and manage their EMS accounts and program features by accessing their EMS page(s) of the EMS website hosted by the main server  12  via a computing device  18   1 - 18   L  and/or via their mobile communication device  16   1 - 16   J  if the latter is equipped with a web browser. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the customer account data  404  of the server database  402  has stored therein information relating to user accounts and profile data for each of the members of the EMS program. As shoppers join the EMS program, the server  12  establishes an EMS account within the customer account data  404  that is unique to the customer, and assigns to the shopper, and/or the shopper selects, a unique, corresponding enterprise membership services identification code, EMSID, as briefly described hereinabove. The EMSID associated with each customer is entered into the server  12  is stored along with the customer&#39;s profile data in the customer account data  404 , and can be used thereafter to access the customer&#39;s EMS account. The customer account data  404  illustratively further includes additional information relating to the various customer-members of the EMS program. Examples of such additional information include, but are not limited to, customer name, customer address, communication information (CI) of a mobile communication device  16  carried by the customer, and the like. In one embodiment, the communication information (CI) may be or include the telephone number of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . In other embodiments, the communication information (CI) may be or include a serial number, electronic identification code or other communication identifier associated with the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  19 . In still other embodiments, the communication information (CI) may be or include, in place of or in addition to a telephone number or communication identifier of the customer&#39;s mobile electronic device, one or more other unique mobile electronic device identification codes that identify the specified mobile electronic device  16  for purposes of wireless communication therewith. In any case, all such customer identity information is illustratively associated, i.e., linked or mapped together, in the customer account data  402  such that a search of one customer identity parameter will provide access to the lined customer identity parameters. 
     In some embodiments, the EMSID may be provided on or as part of one or more of a shopper&#39;s ID card, an ID associated with an RFID tag, which RFID tag may be part of the NFC communication circuitry of the mobile communication device  16   1 , a shopper&#39;s incentive card, or the like. In other embodiments, the EMSID may not be provided in or as part of any tangible form, and may instead be or include one or more easily remembered sequences of numbers, letters, symbols or other characters. In any case, customer members of the EMS program described herein may scan or otherwise communicate or enter via a keypad or touchscreen their EMSID at one of the point-of-sale terminals  24   1 - 24   M  (or  24   1 - 24   N ), and it is through the customer&#39;s EMSID that the main server  12  makes virtual discount offers available to the customer and/or associates purchases made by the customer with the customer&#39;s purchase history to thereby monitor and track purchases made by the customer from the retail enterprise  11  during purchase transactions. All purchase transaction data relating to items purchased by such an identified customer during a purchase transaction carried out via one of the point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  of the retail enterprise  11  is illustratively stored in the customer purchase history database  414  where it is associated with the identified customer via the customer&#39;s EMSID. MPERKS®, a virtual customer coupon collection and redemption program offered to customers by Meijer, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Mich., is an example of one such EMS program of the type described herein, although it will be appreciated that any retail enterprise membership service which offers virtual discount coupons and/or other benefits to shopper members, and/or which tracks items purchased by shopper members during item purchase transactions at point-of-sale systems or terminals may be alternatively be used. 
     As will be described in greater detail below, the member shopper&#39;s EMSID may, in some embodiments, be automatically provided, via the member shopper&#39;s mobile communication device  16 , to the main server  12  in a manner that is transparent to the member shopper and that does not require the member shopper to perform any manual acts other than to carry the member shopper&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . 
     The product/service and pricing data  406  contains information relating to the retail products and services sold by the retail enterprise  11  which the main server  12  serves. Illustratively such information may include, but is not limited to, product/service description information including product/service manufacturer, product/service family or brand, primary product type (e.g., canned tomatoes), secondary product type (e.g., canned diced tomatoes), tertiary product type (e.g., canned diced tomatoes Italian style), etc., product container size (e.g., 12 oz. can, 32 oz. can, 16 oz. package, etc.), product/service pricing information, product/service unit pricing information, current product inventory, ordered product data, product sales history, product/service location within the corresponding retail outlet, and the like. Illustratively, product/service pricing information is linked to product/service identification information via scan codes, e.g., scannable bar codes such as Universal Product Codes (UPC) or the like, such that when items are scanned for purchase, the scan code of each item will identify a particular item at a particular price in the product/service and pricing database  406 . 
     In some embodiments, the main server  12  illustratively provides, as part of the EMS program described herein, discount offers to member shoppers for one or more items purchasable from the business enterprise, e.g., in the form of one or more corresponding virtual discount coupons. In this regard, each member shopper is provided by the main server  12  with access to dedicated portion of a customer virtual coupon repository database in which virtual discount coupons specific to the member shopper or customer are stored and via which the member shopper may access and redeem one or more virtual discount coupons. In one embodiment, the server database  402  includes a plurality of customer virtual coupon repositories; one for each of the plurality of member shoppers. Alternatively, the server database  402  may include a single repository, and each member shopper of the EMS program is provided with access to a dedicated portion of the repository; i.e., which can be accessed by one shopper to the exclusion of all other shopper members. The server database  402  further illustratively includes a clipped virtual coupon repository  410  in which virtual discount coupons “clipped” by shopper members, i.e., selected for redemption, are stored. The server database  402  may include a single such repository  410 , and each member shopper of the EMS program may be provided with access to a dedicated portion of the repository  410 ; i.e., which can be accessed by one shopper to the exclusion of all other shopper members, or a separate repository  410  for each member shopper. The virtual coupon bank  408  illustratively has stored therein virtual discount coupons that are received from an external source and from which the customer virtual coupon repositories may be populated, e.g., periodically, aperiodically and/or on an ad hoc basis. 
     The environment  400  of the main server  12  further includes a payment interface module  422 , an EMS module  424 , a transaction module  426  and a communication module  428 . In one embodiment, the payment interface module  422  is configured, in a conventional manner, to process tangible forms of electronic payment systems (EPS), e.g., tangible electronic funds transfer instruments such as credit cards, debit cards, etc., used at the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . In an example of such embodiments, the payment interface module  422  illustratively is or includes a conventional magnetic strip reading device configured to read payment information stored in magnetic form on a strip affixed to a conventional credit or debit card. Alternatively or additionally, the payment interface module  422  may be or include the NFC interface  224 , and in such embodiments the NFC interface  224  is configured to access, via contact or near-contact with a portable electronic device having a like-configured NFC device  320 , electronically readable customer payment system (EPS) information stored on or accessible by the portable electronic device. 
     The EMS module  424  is configured to control and manage EMS-related activity of shopper members of the EMS program. The communication module  428  is configured, in a conventional manner, to control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  in embodiments that include the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L , and to control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and all point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  in embodiments that do not include a local hub server  22   1 - 22   L . The communication module  428  is further configured, in a conventional manner, to control and manage all wireless communications conducted between the main server  12  and the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J . 
     The customer payment interface  214  and item scanner  216  of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , together with the payment interface module  422  of the main server  12 , make up a product purchase interface a customer-accessible portion of which is provided in the form of the point-of-sale terminals or systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1   24   N  physically located at a brick-and-mortar location of the business enterprise. In some embodiments, the payment interface module  422  and the transaction module  426  of the main server  12  are operable to control all purchase transactions made at any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and in such embodiments the processors  200  of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  are operable to control the various peripheral devices  212  based on instructions from the processor  50  of the main server and to provide information relating to purchase transactions taking place at the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  back to the processor  50 . In other embodiments, the processors  200  of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  may control some or all aspects of the purchase transactions made thereat. In any case, the communication module  428  is configured, in a conventional manner, to control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L  via the network  20  (an to thereby control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N ), to control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  via the network  14  and to also control and manage all communications between the main server  12  and the user computing devices  18   1 - 18   K  via the network  14 . 
     The transaction module  426  is configured to oversee and monitor purchase transactions conducted by customers at any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . The transaction module  426  is further operable to monitor purchases of products and services made by customer-members of the EMS program at the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and to store purchase transaction data associated with such purchases in the customer purchase history database  412 . Illustratively, the customer purchase history database  412  is partitioned or otherwise configured to store such purchase transaction data in a manner that provides for the separate tracking and identification of some or all of the shopper purchase history of each shopper (or household) member. 
     The customer checkout preference/history database  414  illustratively contains customer preferences, i.e., for each EMS customer member, for one or more checkout lanes, POS system types, POS operators or attendants, and the like. In some embodiments, the customer checkout preference/history database  414  also illustratively contains historical information relating the historical use by each EMS customer member of individual POS systems  24  in any one or more of the stores. 
     The employee schedule/performance data  416  illustratively includes information relating to employee identification information for each employee of the retail enterprise, examples of which may include, but should are not limited to, one or any combination of employee name, one or more digital photographs of the employee, brick-and-mortar location at which the employee is located, work schedule of the employee, the position or function of the employee at the retail enterprise  11 , employee work performance evaluations and/or rankings, communication information (CI), of an enterprise mobile communication device  18  assigned to or otherwise carried by the employee, and the like. Any such employee information is illustratively associated, e.g., linked or mapped, in the employee data  416  such that the processor  50  may be configured to search employee records within the employee data  416  according to any employee identifier. 
     The PID data  418  illustratively has stored therein information from which each position identification device  26   1 - 26   P  in the retail enterprise  11  can be uniquely identified and/or located. In some embodiments, for example, the PID data  418  may include only PID identity information which identifies each particular PID  26   1 - 26   P  and/or which identifies some aspect, property or characteristic thereof. In other embodiments, the PID data  418  may illustratively include PID location information which identifies a location or position of each PID  26   1 - 26   P  geographically and/or relative to one or more references positions. In still other embodiments, the PID data  418  may include a combination of any such PID identity information and PID location information. 
     The store location data  420  illustratively has stored therein reference location information identifying each of the brick-and-mortar stores of the retail enterprise and a geographic location thereof. In some embodiments, the store location data  420  may include various physical locations within each brick-and-mortar store. In some embodiments, the store location data  420  may alternatively or additionally include physical and/or product location information identifying various merchandise areas, product display areas, shelving units, shelves or other physical locations within the brick-and-mortar stores. In still other embodiments, the store location data  420  may alternatively or additionally include topographical map, planogram or other such data, some or all of which may be in graphical form, corresponding to one or more locations or areas within each of the brick-and-mortar stores. 
     The environment  400  of the main server  12  further illustratively includes a checkout queue notification (CQN) management module  430  which illustratively includes a checkout queue module  432 , a customer notification module  434 , a POS traffic monitoring module  436 , a checkout area traffic monitoring module  438 , a POS type processing module  440 , a customer filter module  442 , an all lanes busy module  444  and a virtual discount coupon (VDC) module  446 . The CQN module  432  is illustratively operable to manage one or more processes for providing customers with notifications as they enter the customer entry area to the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , or subset thereof, of checkout queue activity, i.e., of customer processing status or purchase transaction activity, of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , via wireless transmission by the main server  12  of one or more messages to customer module communication devices  16   1 - 16   J . As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the CQN module  432  is generally operable to determine the customer processing status, or purchase transaction activity, of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , at least in part based on the signals produced by the customer traffic sensors  222 , to identify customer-members of the EMS program as they enter the customer entry area of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof via the customer-member mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J , and to communicate to such customer-members via their mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  information relating to the availability of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  to process the customer-member&#39;s purchase transaction. 
     The CQN module  432  further illustratively contains information about each of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  in each store or outlet of the retail enterprise  11 . In some embodiments, such wireless signal broadcasting device information includes unique identification codes (U ID) of each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P . In other embodiments, the wireless signal broadcasting device information may additionally include wireless signal broadcasting device type information identifying or associating a wireless signal broadcasting device type, BT, with each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P . In some such embodiments, the wireless signal broadcasting device information may be stored, e.g., separately, in the module  432  according to wireless signal broadcasting device type. In some embodiments, the CQN module  432  may include additional information including, for example, but not limited to, positional information corresponding to the coordinates of some or all of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  of the retail enterprise  11  and/or of one or more brick-and-mortar stores or outlets thereof, relative to one or more sets of base coordinates. The CQN module  432  is further illustratively operable to process wireless signal broadcasting device-related information transmitted to the main server  12  by customers&#39; mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J , and to control transmission of corresponding and related information back to the customers&#39; mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J . 
     The customer notification module  434  is illustratively operable to determine manage and control information provided to customer mobile communication devices. 
     The POS traffic monitoring module  436  is illustratively operable to acquire customer traffic data and/or purchase transaction activity associated with one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  and determine a wait time therefor and/or an operating status thereof based on the customer traffic data and/or purchase transaction activity. 
     The all lanes busy module  444  is illustratively operable to determine and wirelessly transmit loyalty rewards to customers, e.g., in the form of one or more virtual discount coupons, in the event that all checkout lanes are busy at the time such customers enter the customer entry area of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  or subset thereof. 
     The VDC module  446  is illustratively operable to generate and/or retrieve from the virtual coupon bank  408  one or more virtual discount coupons for wireless transmission to customers when the all lanes busy module  442  determines that all of the checkout lanes of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , or subset thereof, are busy. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a simplified block diagram is shown of an illustrative example of the system  10  of  FIG. 1  implemented a brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  of the retail enterprise  11 . In the illustrate example embodiment, the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  includes a plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  grouped together in a customer checkout area  501  of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 . It will be understood that the grouped-together point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  may illustratively include any number of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1  - 24   N  of the type described hereinabove. It will be further understood that the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  may include one or more point-of-sale systems in addition to, but separate from and located elsewhere relative to, the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  positioned or located in the customer checkout area  501 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, each point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N  is part of, i.e., one component of, a different one of a corresponding plurality of customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN. Each customer checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN further includes a different and dedicated one of a corresponding plurality of customer traffic sensors  222   1   222   N  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In the illustrated embodiment, the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  and the customer traffic sensors  222   1 - 222   N  are all coupled to the local hub server  22 , and the local hub server  22  is illustratively coupled to the main server  12  via the private network  20  as illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . In some alternate embodiments, one or more of the customer traffic sensors  222   1 - 222   N  may alternatively or additionally be coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     Each customer checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN illustratively includes one or more conveyance systems and/or stationary counters or shelves  503  upon which customers place items to be purchased or to be processed for purchase. In some embodiments, each of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN is illustratively an attended, i.e., cashier-staffed, customer checkout station, and in such embodiments each checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN includes one or more conveyance systems  503 . In other embodiments, each of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN is illustratively a so-called self-checkout station or self-service checkout station which does not include a dedicated attendee, but may include one or more attendees which oversee operation of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, and in such embodiments each such checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN may typically include at least one counter or shelf  503 . In still other embodiments, one or more of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN may be a so-called hybrid customer checkout station configured to allow the checkout station to be switched between a cashier-operated checkout station and a self-service checkout station or to allow simultaneous cashier-operated and self-checkout modes of operation, and in such embodiments such one or more customer checkout stations may include one or more conveyor systems and/or counters or shelves  503 . In still further embodiments, one or more of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN may include a high-speed price scanning device such that the checkout station can sequentially process a high volume of customer throughput, and in such embodiments such one or more customer checkout stations may include one or multiple conveyor systems and/or counters/shelves  503 . 
     In any case, the customer checkout area  501  further includes a plurality of customer checkout lanes or queues L 1 -L N  each generally positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, and more specifically each defined adjacent to and along, e.g., parallel with, the one or more conveyor systems and/or counters/shelves  503  of a corresponding one of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN. Each customer checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN further illustratively defines a bagging area B 1 -B N  at one end thereof, i.e., at a customer outlet thereof. An opposite end of each customer checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN illustratively defines a customer inlet to the corresponding checkout station CHK 1 -CHKN, and each customer checkout lane or queue L 1 -L N  generally extends between the customer inlet and the bagging area B 1 -B N . 
     The brick-and-mortar outlet  500  of the retail enterprise  11  illustratively includes one or more merchandise areas, locations, zones or sections where items to be sold are displayed. In the illustrated example, the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  illustratively includes two or more shelving units  550 ,  552 , which illustratively hold items offered for sale by the retail establishment and define conventional shopping aisles therebetween, and a separate merchandise area  554  adjacent to the two or more shelving units  550 ,  552 . Between the customer checkout area  501  and the one or more merchandise areas, the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  illustratively defines a customer entry area  505  to the customer checkout area  501 . Customers that have completed selection of one or more items for purchase and wish to pay for such items accordingly advance from the one or more merchandise areas to the customer checkout area  501 , and in doing so all such customers pass through the customer entry area  505 . Within the customer entry area  505  to the customer checkout area  501 , as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , are positioned a number of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N . Generally, the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may be located anywhere within, along, above, partially about or about the customer entry area  505 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , for example, the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  are shown distributed substantially centrally and equally spaced through the customer entry area  505 , although it will be understood that such an arrangement is provided only by way of example and should not be considered to be limiting in any way. 
     As described hereinabove with respect to  FIG. 1 , each of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  is operable to broadcast wireless identification signals. Such signals may be broadcast continuously, continually or on demand, and may be periodic or non-periodic. In some embodiments, as illustrated by example in  FIG. 5 , each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  is communicatively coupled directly to the local hub server  22 , although in other embodiments one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may be communicatively coupled to one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N , and in still other embodiments one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may not communicatively coupled to the local hub server  22  or to any point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N , or may be coupled to the local hub server  22  or to one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  only for purposes of diagnostic monitoring thereof. 
     Each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  is illustratively configured to broadcast wireless identification signals with a predefined orientation (i.e., direction) and broadcast range. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , for example, each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  is illustratively operable to broadcast wireless identification signals radially thereabout as indicated in  FIG. 5  by the dashed-line ring about each such wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N , and each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  is further illustratively configured to broadcast a wireless identification signal with a corresponding broadcast range represented in  FIG. 5  as R 1 -R N . Generally, the broadcast range of any wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  should be understood to be defined by an area relative to that wireless signal broadcasting device  26  within which the signal strength of wireless signals broadcast thereby is sufficient to be detected by the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J , and outside of which the signal strength of wireless signals broadcast thereby is undetectable by the communication circuitry  38  carried by the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J . As used in the previous sentence, the term “undetectable” should be understood to mean any of indistinguishable by the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  from background electromagnetic noise, distinguishable by the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  from background electromagnetic noise but not decodable by the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  or distinguishable by the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1   16   J  from background electromagnetic noise but not decodable by communication circuitry of any electronic device or system to which the communication circuitry  38  of the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  may transmit or otherwise relay the wireless broadcast signal(s). 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the broadcast ranges R 1 -R N  are illustratively substantially equal to each other, and the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  are illustratively placed relative to each other such that the broadcast ranges R 1 -R N  of adjacent ones of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  overlap as shown. The wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  are further illustratively placed relative to the customer entry area  505  of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  so that the broadcast ranges R 1 -R N  sufficiently cover the customer entry area  505  such that a customer mobile communication device  16  passing from any of the one or more merchandise areas of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  through the customer entry area  505  to the customer checkout area  501  will detect wireless identification signals broadcast by at least one of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N . It will thus be understood that the number and arrangement of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  as well as the orientations and broadcast ranges R 1 -R N  illustrated in  FIG. 5  are provided only by way of example, and should not be considered to be limiting in any way. It will be further understood that this disclosure contemplates other arrangements which include more or fewer wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26 N placed at more, fewer and/or different locations than that shown in  FIG. 5 , and in which any such wireless signal broadcasting devices are configured to broadcast wireless identification signals with the same or different broadcast orientations or patters and/or with the same or different broadcast ranges. 
     Further in the example illustrated in  FIG. 5 , several customers are shown in various locations within the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 . For example, two customers  502  and  504  are shown in the customer checkout lane or queue L 1 , in which the customer  502  is presently engaging in a purchase transaction with the point-of-sale system  24   1  and the customer  504  is waiting in the checkout lane or queue L 1  for the purchase transaction of the customer  502  to conclude so that the customer  504  may likewise engage in a purchase transaction with the point-of-sale system  24   1 . Similarly, three customers  506 ,  508  and  510  occupy the customer checkout lane or queue L 2  with one customer  506  engaging in a purchase transaction with the point-of-sale system  24   2 , and with the customers  508  and  510  each waiting sequentially in the checkout lane or queue L 2  for their turn to check out, and a single customer  512  in the customer checkout lane or queue L N  is presently engaging in a purchase transaction with the point-of-sale system  24   N . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , it can be appreciated that the checkout lanes or queues L 1 -L N  are not necessarily limited by the physical boundaries of the various customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, and the length of any checkout lane or queue L 1 -L N  may vary depending upon the number of customers occupying the lane or queue at any one time and, as illustrated by the checkout lane or queue L 2  in  FIG. 5 , may extend well into the customer entry area  505  of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 . In any case, another customer  514  in the example of  FIG. 5  is shopping among the shelving units, and yet another customer  516  is shopping in the merchandise area  554 . Still another customer  518  has completed shopping and has passed from the merchandise area of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  into the customer entry area  505  in route to the customer checkout area  501 . For purposes of this example, the customer  518  is a illustratively a customer-member of the EMS program and is carrying a mobile communication device  16  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 5  further illustrates a communications framework for detecting by customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  of wireless signals produced by any of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  and for conducting wireless communications relating thereto between the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  and the main server  12  of the retail enterprise  11 . As described hereinabove with respect to  FIG. 1 , each of the wireless communication devices  26   1 - 26   N  is operable to broadcast one or more unique wireless identification signals. In some embodiments, the unique identification signals distinguish each particular wireless communication device  26  from others of the wireless communication devices  26   1 - 26   N  located at the same brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 , and in other embodiments also from all others of the wireless communication devices  26   1 - 26   N  within the retail enterprise  11 . At some point, while the wireless communication devices  26   1 - 26   N  are broadcasting one or more unique wireless signals, a customer carrying the customer&#39;s the mobile communication device  16  may approach a location at which at one or more of the wireless communication devices  26   1 - 26   N  are positioned, such as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     The customer&#39;s mobile electronic device  16  and the main server  12  are each illustratively configured to communicate wirelessly with each other via the public network  14  as shown. In some embodiments, the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  may illustratively implement one or more local or wide area networks for the purpose of providing or enhancing wireless communication access by customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  to the public network  14 . In any case, as the mobile communication device  16  carried by the customer  518  enters the customer entry area  505  to the customer checkout area  501  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is within the broadcast range of the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   N , and when within the broadcast range of the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   N , the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is able to detect the unique identification signals being broadcast thereby. Illustratively, the broadcast ranges of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  are sufficiently large, wide and/or oriented so as to be detectable by customers&#39; mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  during normal entry of customers carrying their mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  into the customer entry area  505  of the customer checkout area  501  from any merchandise area of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 , while at the same time are sufficiently small, narrow and/or oriented so as to provide a desired amount or degree of resolution in determining the location of a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  relative to one or a subset of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N . In any case, the general communication framework illustrated in  FIG. 5  is used in the process  600  illustrated and described below with reference to  FIG. 6  for detecting by customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  of wireless identification signals broadcast by any of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  and for conducting wireless communications between the customer mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  and the main server  12  of the retail enterprise 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a simplified flow diagram is shown depicting an embodiment of a process  600  for notifying customers of checkout lane or queue activity. As indicated by the framework of the process  600  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a portion of the process  600 , i.e., the portion to the left of the left-most vertical line and centered under the heading “MCD,” illustratively represents one or more software applications executed by the processor  300  of a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 , i.e., one of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16   J  associated in the customer account data  404  with a customer member of the EMS program. In one embodiment, this portion of the process  600  is or includes the CQN application module  314  stored in the memory  304  (and/or data storage  306 ) of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  (see  FIG. 3A ) in the form of instructions executable by the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . The process steps of this portion of the process  600  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . In the following description, a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  may be referred to as “MCD,” and will be understood to refer generally to one of the mobile communication devices  16   1 - 16 J associated in the customer account data  404  with one of the customer members of the EMS program. 
     Another portion of the process  600 , i.e., the portion between the left-most vertical line and the right-most vertical line in  FIG. 6 , and centered under the heading “Wireless signal broadcasting device(s),” does not necessarily represent a portion of the process  600  that is stored in a memory of any system or server in the form of instructions executable by a processor, but rather represents operation of the various wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  illustrated and described with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 5  as such operation relates to the broadcast of wireless signals as described hereinabove. 
     Yet another portion of the process  600 , i.e., the portion to the right of the right-most vertical line in  FIG. 6 , and centered under the heading “Main Server,” illustratively represents one or more software applications executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12 . In one embodiment, this portion of the process  600  is or includes one or more of the CQN module  432 , the checkout notification module  438 , the POS traffic monitoring module  440 , the all lanes busy module  442  and the VDC module  444 , all stored in the CQN management module  430  (see  FIG. 4 ) in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 . The process steps of this portion of the process  600  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , this portion of the process  600  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . 
     It will further be understood that portions of the process  600  illustrated as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In the process  600  illustrated in  FIG. 6 , item  602  identifies action taken by one or more of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  positioned within, along, above and/or at least partially about the customer entry area, e.g., area  505 , of the customer checkout area, e.g., area  501 , of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  operate to continuously or continually broadcast wireless identification signals, each of which carry decodable information in the form of a unique identification code (UID) as described hereinabove with respect to  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, such signals may be periodically or non-periodically broadcast by the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N , and in other embodiments some of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may periodically broadcast wireless signals and others of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may broadcast wireless signals non-periodically. In still other embodiments, one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may sometimes periodically broadcast wireless signals and at other times broadcast wireless signals non-periodically. In any case in embodiments in which the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  continuously or continually broadcast wireless signals, the process advances to step  604  where the wireless communication circuitry  316  of the MCD 16 is operable to detect any such broadcast wireless signals within the broadcast range of which the MCD 16 is located as described above with respect to  FIG. 5 . 
     In some alternative embodiments, one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may be selectively operable to periodically or non-periodically broadcast wireless identification signals. In such embodiments, one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  may, for example, be responsive to one or more control signals produced by the processor  50  of the main server, the processor  30  of one of the local hub servers  22   1 - 22   L , a processor  200  associated with one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  located in the brick-and-mortar store or outlet and/or other processor(s) associated with the one or more devices  26   1 - 26   N , to selectively wake up or otherwise activate and begin broadcasting wireless identification signals and to selectively deactivate and cease broadcasting wireless signals. In some embodiments, the brick-and-mortar store or outlet may include a plurality of conventional proximity or motion-detecting sensors, e.g., one or more such sensors at or near one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N , and production of such control signals may be triggered by proximity or motion signals produced by such sensors. In other embodiments, production of such control signals may, for example, be triggered by the processor  50 , e.g., in response to certain operating hours of one or more of the brick-and-mortar stores or outlets of the retail enterprise  11 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that any modifications required to implement and integrate one or more steps of any such alternate embodiment into the process  600  would be a mechanical step for a skilled programmer, and that such alternate embodiments therefore fall within the scope of this disclosure. 
     As used hereinafter, the term “in-range” will be understood to refer to one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  within the broadcast range of which a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is presently located. Thus, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 5  the customer  518  is within the broadcast range of the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   N  but not within the broadcast range of any others of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N , and in this example the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   N  is an in-range wireless signal broadcasting device relative to the customer mobile communication device  16 , but none of the others of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  are in-range wireless signal broadcasting devices relative to the mobile communication device  16 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 6 , the processor  300  is responsive at step  604  to detect the unique identification signals wirelessly broadcast by any in-range ones of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  at the time of execution of step  604 . Following step  604 , the process  600  advances to step  606  where the processor  600  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is responsive to detection of wireless identification signals broadcast by any in-range wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  to wake up and activate the CQN application  310  stored in the memory  304  or data storage  306  of the mobile communication device  16 . Thereafter at step  608 , the processor  300  is operable to transmit one or more wireless signals to the main server  12 , e.g., to control the communication circuitry  316  in the device  16  to wirelessly transmit one or more signals to the main server  12  via the public network  14 . The one or more wireless signals illustratively contain(s) the unique identification (UID) of each in-range wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N , and also illustratively contain(s) an identification of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . The identification of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  may be, for example, the communication information (CI), e.g., cellular telephone number and/or other communication identifier, which identifies the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  to the main server  12  for the purpose of communicating information from the main server  12  back to the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 . 
     In one embodiment, the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is operable at step  606  to process the wireless broadcast signal broadcast by each in-range wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  to determine therefrom the UID of each such in-range wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N , and to include each such UID in the one or more wireless signals transmitted by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  to the main server  12  at step  606 . In other embodiments, the processor  300  may be operable at step  606  to process one or more of the wireless broadcast signals broadcast by in-range ones of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  and detected by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 , and to include in the in the one or more wireless signals transmitted by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  to the main server  12  at step  608  only the raw signal content of one or more of the wireless broadcast signals broadcast by in-range ones of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N . In such embodiments, the processor  50  of the main server  12  may be operable to thereafter process the raw signal content transmitted thereto by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  to determine therefrom the UID of each corresponding in-range wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N . 
     Following step  608 , the main server  12  is operable at step  610  to receive the one or more wireless signals transmitted by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  608 , and the processor  50  of the main server  12  is thereafter operable at step  612  to process the UIDs contained therein to determine the identities of each of the in-range ones of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  whose wirelessly broadcast signals were detected by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  604 , and to process the resulting wireless signal broadcasting device identity data to determine one or more of the location or identity of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet in which the detected wireless signal broadcasting device(s)  26   1 - 26   N  is/are located, the type of wireless signal broadcasting device(s) detected, and the location of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  within the identified brick-and-mortar location. 
     As described briefly above with respect to  FIG. 4 , the CQN module  432  illustratively has stored therein wireless signal broadcasting device identity information for each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P  in the retail enterprise  11  as well as additional information from which the processor  50  can determine, for each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P , the identity of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet at which each such wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   P  is located as well as the location or position of that wireless signal broadcasting device within the identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet. In one embodiment, for example, the wireless signal broadcasting device identity information stored in the CQN module  432  includes the UIDs for each of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  in the retail enterprise, and each such UID includes or is associated with, e.g., linked to, mapped to, or otherwise identified in the CQN module  432  with, a brick-and-mortar store or outlet identifier (BMID), e.g., in the form of a designation number or code, which identifies the corresponding one of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in which the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device is located, and further includes or is associated in the CQN module  432  with, e.g., linked to, mapped to, or otherwise identified with, a wireless signal broadcasting device location identifier (BID), e.g., in the form of a designation number or code, which identifies the location of the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device within the brick-and-mortar enterprise store or outlet identified by BMID. In some embodiments, each UID is further associated CQN module  432  with, e.g., linked to, mapped to or otherwise identified with, a wireless signal broadcasting device type identifier (BT), e.g., in the form of a designation code or other identifier which identifies the type of the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device. In some embodiments, the brick-and-mortar location identifiers, BMID, are illustratively stored in the form of store or outlet numbers or codes, such as store  10  or outlet JS-3. In other embodiments, the brick-and-mortar location identifiers may include additional information such as city, state or country identifier or the like. The wireless signal broadcasting device type identifiers, BT, in embodiments which include wireless signal broadcasting device type identifiers, are illustratively stored in the form of wireless signal broadcasting device identity codes, such as POS for point-of-sale wireless signal broadcasting devices, CE wireless signal broadcasting devices for those wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  located in the customer entry area  505 , SE wireless signal broadcasting devices for wireless signal broadcasting devices located at a store entrance, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, the wireless signal broadcasting device location identifiers, BID, are illustratively stored in the form of location coordinates relative to a base or reference set of coordinates. In some alternate embodiments, the wireless signal broadcasting device location identifiers, BID, may be stored in the form of one or more location codes identifying one or more of an aisle, shelf, section, merchandise area, customer entry area, point-of-sale system and/or other identifier which identifies a particular location within a corresponding one of the plurality of brick-and-mortar stores or outlets. For example, one particular BID may include two location codes CE, 1 which identify the location of the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1  to be customer entry area  505 , checkout station CHK 1 . Other techniques for storing and/or processing wireless signal broadcasting device identity information to determine the relative or precise location of any of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   P  within any of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets will occur to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that any such other techniques are contemplated by this disclosure. 
     In any of the foregoing embodiments, the processor  50  is illustratively operable at step  610  to process each UID by searching for a matching UID stored in the CQN module  432 , identifying the BMID associated in the CQN module  432  or other database with the matched UID and determining from the identified BMID the identity of the corresponding one of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets at which the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device  26  is located. The processor  50  is further illustratively operable at step  610  to identify the BID associated in the CQN module  432  or other database with the matched UID and determining from the identified BID the location of the corresponding wireless signal broadcasting device  26  within the one of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets identified by BMID. 
     The processor  50  is further illustratively operable at step  610  to process the identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet and the wireless signal broadcasting device location information for each UID received at step  612  from the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  to determine, e.g., estimate, the location of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  relative to one or more reference locations within the identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet. The identity of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet is determined from the BMID values associated with each received UID, and the locations of each wireless signal broadcasting device  26   1 - 26   N  from which a UID was received are determined from the BID values associated with each received UID, and the customer&#39;s location can therefore be estimated within the identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet based on the locations of the various wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  from which a UID was received. Thus, in the example illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a UID would be received only from the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   N  because the wireless signal broadcasting device  26   B  is the only in-range ones of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  relative to the mobile communication device  16  associated with the customer  518 . Accordingly, the processor  50  may be operable at step  610  to estimate the location of the customer  518  to be near the customer checkout station CHKN in the customer entry area  505  of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500 . 
     In some embodiments, the processor  50  may be further operable at step  610  to determine the identity of the customer, e.g., the identity of the customer  518 , e.g., by processing the communication information (CI) received at step  608 , searching the customer account data  404  for a matching CI and identifying the EMSID associated therewith in the customer account data  404 . Further illustratively, the processor  50  may be operable at step  610  to determine further information, e.g., name, etc., about the customer via customer identification information associated in the customer account data  404  with the CI and/or EMSID. In some alternative embodiments, the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  may, at step  608 , wirelessly transmit the customer&#39;s EMSID or other customer identifier in addition to or in place of the communication information, CI. In such embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable at step  610  to compare the wirelessly received EMSID or other customer identifier with corresponding information stored in the customer account data  404  to determine the customer&#39;s CI and/or further information relating to the identity of the corresponding customer. 
     Execution of step  610  identifies a customer, e.g., a customer-member of the EMS program, that is carrying an identified mobile communication device  16  located in the customer entry area  505  of, and to, a customer checkout area  501  of an identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet of the retail enterprise  11 , and further identifies a location of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  relative to one or more of the wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N , relative to one or more of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, relative to one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  and/or relative to one or more other structures or locations within the brick-and-mortar store or outlet (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5 ). The process  600  advances from step  610  to step  612  where the processor  50  is then operable to execute a checkout notification process in which the processor  50  is operable to determine customer notification information (CNI) relating to the availability of one or more of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, at which corresponding ones of the point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  are located, to process a purchase transaction, i.e., a transaction for the purchase by the customer of one or more items selected for purchase by the customer from the identified brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise  11 . Following execution of step  612 , the processor  50  is operable at step  614  to wirelessly transmit the CNI to the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 , and the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is thereafter operable to receive the wirelessly transmitted CNI at step  616  and to process the wirelessly transmitted CNI at step  618  and control the display  322  of the mobile communication device  16  to display the CNI to the customer as will be described in greater detail hereinafter following a description of various embodiments of the checkout notification process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7A , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 700 of the checkout notification process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  612  of the process  600 . In one embodiment, the process  700  is illustratively stored in the checkout notification module  432  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  700  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  700  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  700  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In some embodiments, the checkout notification process  700  may include step  706 , and step  706  is illustrated in  FIG. 7A  in dashed line representation to indicate that step  706  is optional in some embodiments. In embodiments which include step  706 , the processor  50  is operable to execute a POS type preference process. Example processes for executing the POS type preferences process of step  706  are illustrated in  FIGS. 10A-10D  and will be described in detail below. 
     In embodiments which do not include step  706 , the process  700  begins at step  708  where the processor  50  is operable to identify one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within a predefined proximity of the in-range wireless signal broadcasting device or wireless signal broadcasting devices, B ID , detected by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  604  of the process  600 , e.g., the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  located in the customer checkout area  501  of the identified brick-and-mortar store or outlet  500  illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Illustratively, the processor  50  is operable in one embodiment to execute step  708  by identifying the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  located in the customer checkout area  501  of the brick-and-mortar store or outlet identified at step  610  of the process  600 . In some alternative embodiments, the processor  50  is operable to execute step  708  by identifying the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  that are located within a predefined distance of, or are associated in at least one database with, the one or more in-range wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  from which UIDs were received by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  and wirelessly transmitted to the main server  12  at step  608  of the process  600 . In still other alternative embodiments, the processor  50  is operable to execute step  704  by identifying the one or more point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  located in a customer checkout area  501  associated in at least one database with at least one of the one or more in-range wireless signal broadcasting devices  26   1 - 26   N  from which UIDs were received by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  and wirelessly transmitted to the main server  12  at step  608  of the process  600 . Those skilled in the art will recognize other techniques for identifying one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within a predefined proximity of, or otherwise associated with, the one or more in-range wireless signal broadcasting device or wireless signal broadcasting devices, B ID , detected by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  604  of the process  600 , and such other techniques are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Illustratively, the processor  50  is operable to continually or periodically execute a point-of-sale traffic monitoring process  702  in parallel with the process  700 , in which the processor  50  is operable to continually or periodically determine the present purchase transaction activity and/or customer traffic at each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  in the retail enterprise  11  generally, and as it relates to the brick-and-mortar outlet identified at step  610  of the process  600 , at each of the point-of-sale systems, e.g.,  24   1 - 24   N , identified at step  704  of the process  700 , and to determine an operational state and/or to estimate a wait time, E, for each such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N . An embodiment of the point-of-sale traffic monitoring process executed by the processor  50  at step  702  is illustrated in  FIG. 8  and will be described in detail hereinafter. As will be described in detail with respect to the process illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the “wait time” for any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  is generally an estimate of an amount of elapsed time between the most recent execution of the process executed at step  702  and subsequent (or current) availability of the point-of-sale system to process a purchase transaction, i.e., a transaction for the purchase by the customer of one or more items selected for purchase by the customer from the identified brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise  11 . 
     In some embodiments, the processor  50  is operable to continually or periodically execute a checkout area traffic monitoring process  704  in parallel with the process  700 , in which the processor  50  is operable to continually or periodically determine the present traffic into and out of the checkout area of the store, e.g., the are  505  illustrated in  FIG. 5 . An embodiment of the point-of-sale traffic monitoring process executed by the processor  50  at step  704 , in embodiments which include step  704 , is illustrated in  FIG. 9  and will be described in detail hereinafter. Some embodiments may not include step  704 , and step  704  is therefore illustrated in  FIG. 7A  with dashed-line representation to indicate that this step may be optional in some embodiments. 
     Following execution of step  708 , the processor  50  is operable, in some embodiments, at step  710  to execute a rating filter process in which the processor  50  is operable to determine, based on customer preferences stored in the customer checkout preference/history database  414 , rating values for one or more POS operators currently working at a POS system  24 . An embodiment of the rating filter process executed by the processor  50  at step  710 , in embodiments which include step  710 , is illustrated in  FIG. 11  and will be described in detail hereinafter. Some embodiments may not include step  710 , and step  710  is therefore illustrated in  FIG. 7A  with dashed-line representation to indicate that this step may be optional in some embodiments. 
     In embodiments that include step  710 , the process  700  advances from step  710  to step  712  and in embodiments which do not include step  710  the process  700  advances from step  708  to step  712 . In any case, at step  712 , the processor  50  is operable to access current wait time information, E, for each identified point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N , wherein such current wait time information, E, is illustratively determined and/or estimated by the processor  50  in the point-of-sale traffic monitoring process executed at step  702 . 
     Following execution of step  712 , the processor  50  is operable, in some embodiments, at step  714  to execute a POS weighting process in which the processor  50  is operable to determine, based on customer preferences and/or history stored in the customer checkout preference/history database  414 , weighting values for one or more POS systems  24 , and the processor  50  may be operable in some embodiments to base one or more checkout lane recommendations thereon. An embodiment of the POS weighting process executed by the processor  50  at step  714 , in embodiments which include step  714 , is illustrated in  FIG. 12  and will be described in detail hereinafter. Some embodiments may not include step  714 , and step  714  is therefore illustrated in  FIG. 7A  with dashed-line representation to indicate that this step may be optional in some embodiments. 
     In embodiments that include step  714 , the process  700  advances from step  714  to step  716  and in embodiments which do not include step  714  the process  700  advances from step  702  to step  716 . In any case, the processor  50  is operable at step  716  to sort POS 1 -POS N  by estimated wait time. In one embodiment, the processor  50  is operable to sort the subsets of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  in ascending order of wait time, e.g., such that the subset with the smallest or least amount of wait time is first and the subset with the largest or greatest amount of wait time is last. In other embodiments, the processor  50  may be alternatively operable to sort the subsets in descending order wait time. In alternate embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable to execute step  714  in accordance with one or more other conventional sorting techniques. In some embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable at step  716  to sort the list of POS systems  24  alternatively or additionally based on rating values determined in accordance with the rating process illustrated in  FIG. 11 . In some embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable to additionally or alternatively operable at step  716  to sort the list of POS systems  24  based on weighting factors determined in accordance with the weighting process illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
     In some embodiments, the process  700  the process  700  may include a step  718  to which the process  700  advances from step  716 . In embodiments which include step  718 , the processor  50  is operable to truncate the sorted POS list to some number L, which is less than N, and wherein L may be any positive integer that is less than N. Some embodiments may not include step  718 , and step  718  is therefore illustrated in  FIG. 7A  with dashed-line representation to indicate that this step may be optional in some embodiments. In embodiments which include step  718 , the process  700  advances from step  718  to step  720 , and in embodiments which do not include step  718  the process  700  advances from step  716  to step  720 . In any case, the processor  50  is illustratively operable at step  720  to identify as the customer notification information, CN I, the sorted, and in some embodiments truncated, list of POS systems. Alternatively or additionally, the CNI may be or include the wait time values E i  for each POS system or a subset thereof. Thereafter the process  700  returns to step  612  of the process  600 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7B , a simplified flow diagram is shown of another embodiment 730 of the checkout notification process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  612  of the process  600 . In one embodiment, the process  730  is illustratively stored in the checkout notification module  432  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  730  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  700  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  730  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the checkout notification process  730  is similar in many respects to the process  700  illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 7A . Many of the steps of the process  730  will thus be self-evident as similar or identical to corresponding steps of the process  700  described in detail above, as will be some of the optional steps illustrated with dashed-line representation. The process  730  includes two additional steps of note; namely, steps  736  and  748 . At step  736 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine whether the wait times, E i , for all of the POS systems  24   1 - 24   N  are all greater than a threshold value, TH 2 , where TH 2  is illustratively a time period beyond which the processor  50  will recommend any checkout lanes to which a customer should proceed and wait for checkout. In such embodiments, the process  730  illustratively includes an optional step  748 , and in embodiments which include step  748  the processor  50  is operable at step  750  to execute an “all lanes busy” process, and to thereafter identify the CNI as “all lanes busy” (ALB) information produced in accordance with the all lanes busy process. Embodiments of the all lanes busy process are illustrated in  FIGS. 13A-13D  and will be described in detail hereinafter. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7C , a simplified flow diagram is shown of yet another embodiment 760 of the checkout notification process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  612  of the process  600 . In one embodiment, the process  760  is illustratively stored in the checkout notification module  432  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  760  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  700  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  760  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7C , the checkout notification process  760  is similar in many respects to the process  700  illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 7A  and to the process  730  illustrated in  FIG. 7B . Many of the steps of the process  760  will thus be self-evident as similar or identical to corresponding steps of the process  700  and/or of the process  730  described in detail above, as will be some of the optional steps illustrated with dashed-line representation. The process  760  includes some additional steps which require determinations of subsets of the POS systems  24   1 - 24   N  based on the wait time threshold TH 2  described above and/or on a wait time threshold TH 1  which may be an arbitrary time period that is less than TH 2 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 800 of the point-of-sale traffic monitoring process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  702  of the process  700  (and of the processes  730  and  760  to be described below with respect to  FIGS. 7B and 7C  respectively). In one embodiment, the process  800  is illustratively stored in the POS traffic monitoring module  440  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  800  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  800  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  800  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  800  begins at step  802  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to acquire purchase transaction activity information for each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  in the retail establishment  11 . In one embodiment, the processor  50  is illustratively operable to execute step  802  by acquiring customer traffic information for each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  in the retail enterprise  11 . As shown in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and also in the example implementation illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable in such embodiments to acquire the customer traffic information by monitoring the customer traffic signals produced by one or more customer traffic sensors  222  associated with, e.g., located at or near, each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . Alternatively or additionally, the processor  50  may be operable at step  802  to acquire purchase transaction activity information for each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  by monitoring the purchase transaction state or status of each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , e.g., via the transaction module  424  illustrated and described with respect to  FIG. 4 . As described with respect to  FIG. 4 , the transaction module  424  is illustratively configured to oversee and monitor purchase transactions conducted by customers at any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and some such embodiments the processor  50  is configured to determine an operating state or status of each such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  as one of presently processing a purchase transaction for a customer or presently inactive. 
     The process  800  advances from step  802  to step  804  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to process the acquired purchase transaction activity information for each point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  to determine an operating state thereof and/or an estimated wait time therefor. In embodiments in which the processor  50  is operable to acquire purchase transaction activity at step  802  by acquiring customer traffic information for each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to estimate a wait time for each point of sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  based on the customer traffic signal(s) produced by the customer traffic sensor(s) associated therewith. In one embodiment, the processor  50  is illustratively operable to estimate the wait time for any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  by determining from the corresponding customer traffic signal(s) the total number of customers occupying the customer checkout lane L 1 -L N  of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN associated with the point-of-sale system and then estimating the wait time as time duration between the present time, i.e., the time of execution of step  804 , and a typical or average time required to process the purchase transactions for each customer occupying the associated customer checkout lane L 1 -L N . 
     In embodiments in which the processor  50  is operable to acquire purchase transaction activity at step  802  by monitoring the purchase transaction state or status of each of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine the operating state or status of each such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  as presently processing a purchase transaction or presently inactive. In some embodiments, the processor  50  is operable to determine an estimated wait time and an operating state of each of the point of sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N . In some embodiments of step  804  of the process  800 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to include the operating states of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  in the estimated wait times therefore. As one illustrative example, the estimated wait time for any point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  that is presently inactive may be equal to zero or some small positive value if the point-of-sale system is presently inactive, and may be a larger value, based primarily on the customer traffic signal(s) associated with the point-of-sale system, if the point-of-sale system is presently processing a purchase transaction. In any case, from the perspective of the identified client located in the customer entry area to the grouped point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , e.g., from the perspective of the client  518  illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the “wait time” for any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  is generally an estimate of an amount of elapsed time or time duration between the most recent execution of the process  800  and subsequent (or current) availability of the point-of-sale system to process a purchase transaction, i.e., a transaction for the purchase by the customer of one or more items selected for purchase by the customer from the identified brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise  11 . Those skilled in the art will recognize other techniques for monitoring purchase transaction activity at one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  and determining or estimating a wait time and/or operational state or status for one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  or other indicator of the availability or unavailability of one or more of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  to process a purchase transaction , i.e., a transaction for the purchase by the customer of one or more items selected for purchase by the customer from the identified brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise  11 , and it will be understood that any such other techniques are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a simplified flow diagram is shown of embodiments  900 ,  920  and  940  of the checkout area traffic monitoring process executed at step  704  in some embodiments of one or more of the processes  700 ,  730  and  760  illustrated in  FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C  respectively. In one embodiment, the processes  900 ,  920  and  940  are each illustratively stored in the checkout area traffic monitoring module  438  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the processes  900 ,  920  and  940  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the processes  900 ,  920  and  940  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the processes  900 ,  920  and  940  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the process  900  begins at step  920  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate a total number of customers awaiting checkout at each of the currently operating POS systems  24   1 - 24   M . The processor  50  may be operable to execute step  902  by accessing camera data, customer location information provided to the server  12  via the use of one or more of the PIDs  26   1 - 26   P , by monitoring operation of POS systems  24   1 - 24   M , and the like, and then processing any such data to determine the number of waiting customers. Thereafter at step  904 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine a current rate, e.g., average rate over a recent time period, of purchase transactions through each of the POS systems  24   1 - 24   M . Illustratively, the processor  50  may be operable to execute step  904  by monitoring the operation of each POS system  24   1 - 24   M  and computing the rates based on the rate of customer throughput. Thereafter at step  906 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine a current checkout demand as a function of the total number of customer awaiting checkout and the average rate of purchase transactions through each presently operating POS system  24   1 - 24   M . Thereafter at step  908 , the processor  50  may, in some embodiments, use the current checkout demand in the estimations of wait times, E i , carried out in one or more of the processes  700 ,  730 ,  760 . Alternatively or additionally, the processor  50  may use the current checkout demand to automatically request additional checkout attendants and/or to request fewer checkout attendants based on the determined checkout demand. Alternatively or additionally still, the processor  50  may be operable at step  908  to control a display, e.g., a display  560  illustrated in  FIG. 5  or other display, to display the current checkout demand to inform store and/or enterprise leadership of the current checkout demand so that such leadership may staff the POS systems  24   1 - 24   M  accordingly. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the process  920  begins at step  922  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate a total number of customers with mobile communication devices that will enter the checkout area  505  in a next time window, TW. The processor  50  may be operable to execute step  922  by accessing customer location information provided to the server  12  via the use of one or more of the PIDs  26   1 - 26   P , number and/or rate of customers entering and/or exiting the store, e.g., via one or more PIDs  26  positioned at such store entrances and exits, and the like, and then processing any such data to predict the number and/or rate of customers expected to enter the checkout area  505  in the next time window, TW. Illustratively, TW may typically be hours or minutes, but may be any time value. Thereafter at step  924 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate a total number of customers that will enter the checkout area  505  in a next time window, TW. Illustratively, the processor  50  may be operable to execute step  924  by monitoring camera information, monitoring the operation of each POS system  24   1 - 24   M  and computing the rates based on the rate of customer throughput, and the like, and then estimating the total number of customers based on such information. In other embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable to execute step  924  by estimating a percentage of customers presently in the store that are carrying mobile communication devices and then computing the total number of customers as a function of the total number of in-store customers carrying mobile communication devices and the estimated percentage value. In any case, the process  920  advances from step  924  to step  926  where the processor  50  is operable to determine or predict the checkout demand in the next time window, TW, as a function of the customer numbers determined or estimated at steps  924  and  926 . Thereafter at step  928 , the processor  50  may, in some embodiments, use the predicted checkout demand in the estimations of wait times, E i , carried out in one or more of the processes  700 ,  730 ,  760 . Alternatively or additionally, the processor  50  may use the predicted checkout demand to automatically request additional checkout attendants and/or to request fewer checkout attendants based on the determined checkout demand. Alternatively or additionally still, the processor  50  may be operable at step  908  to control a display, e.g., a display  560  illustrated in  FIG. 5  or other display, to display the predicted checkout demand to inform store and/or enterprise leadership of the current checkout demand so that such leadership may staff the POS systems  24   1 - 24   M  accordingly. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the process  940  begins at step  942  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate a rate of customers entering the store. The processor  50  may be operable to execute step  942  by accessing camera information, accessing customer location information provided to the server  12  via the use of one or more of the PIDs  26  positioned at such store entrances and exits, and the like, and then processing any such data to predict the current rate of customer entry into the store. Thereafter at step  944 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate the rate of customers with mobile communication devices entering each POS system  26 , e.g., via location information provided to the server  12  via the use of one or more of the PIDs  26 , etc. Thereafter at step  946 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to determine or estimate the total rate, i.e., of all customers, entering each POS system  26 , e.g., using any information of the type previously discussed. At step  946 , the processor  50  is further operable to determine or predict the current checkout demand or the checkout demand in the next time window, TW, as a function of the information collected at steps  942 ,  944  and  946 . Thereafter at step  928 , the processor  50  may, in some embodiments, use the predicted checkout demand in the estimations of wait times, E i , carried out in one or more of the processes  700 ,  730 ,  760 . Alternatively or additionally, the processor  50  may use the predicted checkout demand to automatically request additional checkout attendants and/or to request fewer checkout attendants based on the determined checkout demand. Alternatively or additionally still, the processor  50  may be operable at step  908  to control a display, e.g., a display  560  illustrated in  FIG. 5  or other display, to display the predicted checkout demand to inform store and/or enterprise leadership of the current checkout demand so that such leadership may staff the POS systems  24   1 - 24   M  accordingly. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10A , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 1000 of the POS type process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  706  of the process  700 , at step  738  of the process  730  and/or at step  706  of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1000  is an interactive process executed in part by the processor  300  of a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  300  and in part by the processor  50  of the main server  12  and in part by. The former portion is illustratively part of the CQN application  310  stored in the memory  304  of the mobile communication device  16  and the latter portion is illustratively stored in the POS type processing module  440  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1000  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1000  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1000  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1000  illustratively begins at step  1002  where the processor  50  of the server  12  is operable to transmit a wireless signal to the mobile communication device  16  including a request for instructions for customer preference for self checkout, assisted checkout, i.e., a POS system staffed with a POS attendant or operator, or either. Thereafter at step  1004 , the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  receives the signal and at step  1006  the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  controls the display  322  to display the preference requests. Thereafter at step  1008 , the processor  50  awaits selection by the customer, and at step  1010  the processor  300  determines the customer selection to be self checkout (S), assisted checkout (A) or either (E 1 ), and the processor  300  is illustratively operable to control the communication circuitry  312  to wirelessly transmit the customer&#39;s selection at steps  1012 ,  1014  and  1016  respectively. The server  12  receives the customer&#39;s selection at step  1018 , and if the processor  50  determines the customer selection to be A or E 1 , the process advances to step  1048  where the processor  50  (and the processor  300  of the mobile communication device) execute an assisted POS process, and example of which is illustrated in  FIG. 10B . If, at step  1020  the processor  50  determines the customer selection to be S, the processor  50  is operable at step  1022  to transmit a second request to the customer for instructions for customer preference of self checkout location. 
     In some embodiments, for example, the POS systems  26  may be arranged such that one or more self checkout POS systems are positioned on either side of a bank of multiple customer assisted checkout POS systems. Those skilled in the art will recognize other such grouping arrangements, and any such alternate grouping arrangements, and or quantity thereof, is contemplated by this disclosure. In the example embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 10A , the self checkout POS systems  26  are illustratively arranged in two separate groups, G 1  and G 2 , and the request transmitted at step  1022  therefore illustratively includes a choice of G 1 , G 2  or either. The customer&#39;s mobile communication device receives the request at step  1024 , and thereafter at step  1026  the processor  300  is operable to control the display to display the self checkout preference choices. The processor  300  awaits the customer selection at step  1028 , and at step  1030  the processor  300  determines the customer selection to be group I (G 1 ), group II (G 2 ) or either (E 2 ), and the processor  300  is illustratively operable to control the communication circuitry  312  to wirelessly transmit the customer&#39;s selection at steps  1032 ,  1034  and  1036  respectively. 
     The main server  12  receives the customer selection at step  1038  and thereafter at step  1040  the processor  50  is operable to determine the customer&#39;s selection as G 1 , G 2  or E 2 . If G 1 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable at step  1042  to restrict the list of POS systems to recommend to the customer to only the group I self checkout POS systems  26 . If G 2 , the processor  50  is likewise operable at step  1044  to restrict the list of POS systems to recommend to the customer to only the group II self checkout POS systems  26 . Finally, if E 2 , the processor  50  is operable at step  1046  to restrict the list of POS systems to recommend to the customer to only the group I and group II self checkout POS systems  26 . Thereafter, and following execution of step  1048 , the process  1000  returns to the process  700 ,  730  or  760 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10B , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 1048 of the assisted POS process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  1048  of the process  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 10A . In one embodiment, the process  1048  is an interactive process executed in part by the processor  300  of a customer&#39;s mobile communication device  300  and in part by the processor  50  of the main server  12  and in part by. The former portion is illustratively part of the CQN application  310  stored in the memory  304  of the mobile communication device  16  and the latter portion is illustratively stored in the POS type processing module  440  of the POS type processing module  440  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1048  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1048  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1048  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1048  illustratively begins at step  1050  where the processor  50  of the server  12  is operable to transmit a wireless signal to the mobile communication device  16  including a request for instructions for customer preference for express lane assisted checkout, i.e., a POS system established to process customer purchase of less than or equal to a predefined number of items, non-express lane assisted checkout or either. Thereafter at step  1052 , the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  receives the signal and at step  1054  the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  controls the display  322  to display the preference requests. Thereafter at step  1056 , the processor  50  awaits selection by the customer, and ultimately determines the customer selection to be express lane assisted checkout (E), non-express lane assisted checkout (NE) or either (E), and the processor  300  is illustratively operable to control the communication circuitry  312  to wirelessly transmit the customer&#39;s selection at steps  1058  and  1060  respectively. The server  12  receives the customer&#39;s selection at step  1062 , and if at step  1064  the processor  50  determines the customer selection to be E the processor  50  is operable to store the customer selection at step  1066  and if NE to store that customer selection at step  1068 . Following step  1066  or step  1068 , the process  1048  advances to step  1070  where the processor  50  is operable to control the communication circuitry  58  to transmit a second request to the customer for instructions for customer preference of a high-speed scanning POS. 
     In some embodiments, for example, the POS systems  26  may be include one or more so-called high-speed scanning systems operable to bulk scan items for purchase. In some implementations, such POS systems are staffed by an attendant, and in others they may not be. In any case, the customer&#39;s mobile communication device receives the second request at step  1072 , and thereafter at step  1074  the processor  300  is operable to control the display to display the self checkout preference choices. The processor  300  awaits the customer selection at step  1076  ultimately determines the customer selection to be high speed scanning systems (HSS), or not high speed scanning system (NHSS), and the processor  300  is illustratively operable to control the communication circuitry  312  to wirelessly transmit the customer&#39;s selection at steps  1078  and  1080  respectively. 
     The main server  12  receives the customer selection at step  1082  and thereafter at step  1084  the processor  50  is operable to determine the customer&#39;s selection as HSS or NHSS. If HSS, the processor  50  is illustratively operable at step  1086  to store the HSS selection in memory and at step  1088  to store the NHSS selection in memory. Following steps  1086  and  1088 , the process  1048  advances to step  1090  where the processor  50  is operable to determine whether the customer selected E 1  or A at step  1010  of the process  1000  illustrated in  FIG. 10A . If A, the processor  50  is operable at step  1092  to restrict the list of POS systems to recommend to the customer to E, NE, HSS and/or NHSS depending upon the assisted checkout POS choices made by the customer at steps  1056  and  1076 . If El, the processor  50  is operable at step to place no customer preference restrictions on the POS systems to recommend to the customer. The process  1048  illustratively terminates following step  1092  or step  1094 , and thereafter returns to step  1048  of the process  1000 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 100 , a simplified flow diagram is shown of another embodiment 1015 of the POS type process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  706  of the process  700 , at step  738  of the process  730  and/or at step  706  of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1015  is stored in the POS type processing module  440  of the POS type processing module  440  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1015  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1015  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1015  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1015  begins at step  1021  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to access the purchase history associated with the customer in the customer purchase history database  412 , and thereafter at step  1023  the processor  50  is operable to predict the customer&#39;s POS preference(s) based on the customer&#39;s historical POS choice(s). Thereafter at step  1025 , the processor  50  is operable to define the POS identification restriction(s) based on the POS prediction(s) made at step  1023 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10D , a simplified flow diagram is shown of yet another embodiment 1045 of the POS type process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  706  of the process  700 , at step  738  of the process  730  and/or at step  706  of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1045  is stored in the POS type processing module  440  of the POS type processing module  440  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1045  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1045  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1045  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     In some embodiments, the database  402  may include in the customer checkout preference/history database  414  stored preferences previously selected by one or more customers, e.g., via the customer EMS page or other such mechanism, such that the database  414  includes customer-selected checkout preferences of one or more EMS customer members. In such embodiments, the process  1045  begins at step  1051  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to access the checkout preference(s) associated with the identified customer in the customer checkout/preference history database  414 , and thereafter at step  1053  the processor  50  is operable to predict the customer&#39;s POS preference(s) based on the customer&#39;s stored POS choice(s). Thereafter at step  1055 , the processor  50  is operable to define the POS identification restriction(s) based on the customer&#39;s stored POS choice(s). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , an embodiment 1100 is shown of the rating filter process executed at step  710  of the process  700 , at step  740  of the process  730  and/or at step  710  of the process  760 . Illustratively, the process  1100  is stored in the customer filter module  442  of the MCA module  440  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 . The process  1100  illustratively begins at step  1102  where the processor  50  is operable to access the employee schedule database  416 , and thereafter at step  1104  the processor  50  is operable to access the checkout preference(s)/history database  414 . The processor  50  is operable at step  1106  and  1108  to determine therefrom each employee currently working at one of the assisted checkout POS systems  26  POS i  where i=1, M and M is any positive integer. In accordance with step  1106 , the customer may establish ratings for store employees which have operated an assisted POS previously used by the customer, and such customer assigned ratings may be stored in the database  414 . In such embodiments, a rating value is stored in the database  414  and linked to the customer&#39;s EMSID so that the processor  50  may use the customer rating values to inform the choice of one or more POS systems to recommend to the customer. In this regard, the processor  50  is illustratively operable at steps  1108  and  1110  to determine for each employee currently working at a POS a stored rating value, i.e., a rating value, if any, previously assigned by the customer to that employee based on the customer&#39;s previous experience with the employee. At steps  1112  and  1114 , the processor  50  is operable to mark with an indicator of the customer&#39;s corresponding stored rating value each identified employee that is not on a scheduled break or due for one in the next several minutes. At step  1116 , the process  1100  ensures that each of the M current POS attendants or operators are processed with rating values, if any. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 1200 of the POS weighting process executed at step  714  of the process  700 , at step  740  of the process  730  and/or at step  714  of the process  760 . Illustratively, the process  1200  is stored in the customer filter module  442  of the MCA module  440  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 . The process  1200  illustratively begins at step  1202  where the processor  50  is operable to access the checkout history associated with the customer in the preference(s)/history database  414 . At step  1206 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to assign a weighting factor, W 1   i , to each POS i  marked at step  1204  with a stored rating value based on historical use by the customer when recommended by the server  12 . 
     Thereafter at step 1208  the processor  50  is operable to access the purchase history associated with the customer in the purchase history database  412 . At step  1212 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to assign a weighting factor, W 2   i , to each POS i  marked with a stored rating value. Illustratively, each weighting value W 2   i  is based on a correlation, if any, between stored performance data for the employee working at the identified POS and the customer&#39;s purchase history. The weighting factors W 2   i  are illustratively higher for employees whose performance rates are higher with items typically purchased by the customer. In any case, the processor may be operable at step  1214  to select POS systems  26  to recommend based on one or both sets of weighting values and, in some embodiments, the processor  50  may be operable at steps  1216 - 1218  to recommend one or more additional checkout lanes, e.g. “no waiting” or other checkout lane(s), for customers identified as having preferred status. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13A  a simplified flow diagram is shown of an embodiment 1300 of the all lanes busy (ALB) process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  748  in some embodiments of the process  730  and/or at step  786  in some embodiments of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1300  is illustratively stored in the all lanes busy module  444  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1300  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1300  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1300  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1300  begins at step  1302  where the processor  50  is operable to retrieve one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC) from the virtual coupon database  408 , and thereafter at step  1304  the processor  50  is operable to identify as, or as part of, the all lanes busy (ALB) information the retrieved one or more virtual discount coupons. The process  1300  thereafter returns to the process  730  or  760  with the ALB information. The process  1300  thus produces at least part of the ALB information that gets returned to the process  600  by the process  730  or  760 . In some embodiments, the ALB information, in the form of VDC, is returned by the process  1300  to the process  730  or the process  760 , and the processor  50  is thereafter operable to forward the received ALB information to the process  600 . In some alternative embodiments, the processor  50  is illustratively operable to add one or more messages to the ALB information received from the all lanes busy process  1300 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13B  a simplified flow diagram is shown of an alternate embodiment 1320 of the all lanes busy (ALB) process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  748  in some embodiments of the process  730  and/or at step  786  in some embodiments of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1320  is illustratively stored in the all lanes busy module  444  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1320  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1320  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  22   1 - 22   L  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1320  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1320  begins at step  1322  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to process the communication information (CI) received by the processor  50  from the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  610  of the process  600  to determine the EMSID or other identifier associated in the customer account data  404  with the communication information, CI. In alternate embodiments in which the customer&#39;s EMSID is wirelessly transmitted by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  608  of the process  600  as described above, step  1322  of the process  1320  may be omitted or skipped. At step  1324 , the processor  50  is then illustratively operable to access the customer&#39;s purchase history in the customer purchase history database  412 , i.e., to access the purchase history associated in the customer purchase history database  412  with the EMSID determined at step  1322  or received from the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  610  of the process  600 . Thereafter at step  1326 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to generate one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC) or retrieve one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC) based on the purchase history associated in the customer purchase history database  412  with the EMSID. In some embodiments, for example, the processor  50  may be operable at step  1326  to generate or retrieve one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC) that match one or more items identified in the customer&#39;s purchase history as having been previously purchased by the customer. Those skilled in the art will recognize other conventional techniques and/or other considerations for generating or retrieving one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC) based on the customer&#39;s purchase history, and any such other techniques and/or considerations are contemplated by this disclosure. 
     Following step  1326 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable at step  1328  to identify as, or as part of, the all lanes busy (ALB) information the generated or retrieved one or more virtual discount coupons (VDC). The process  1320  thereafter returns to the process  730  or  760  with the ALB information. As described above with respect to step  1304  of the process  1300 , the process  1320  thus likewise produces at least part of the ALB information that gets returned to the process  600  by the process  730  or  760 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13C , a simplified flow diagram is shown of an alternate embodiment 1340 of the all lanes busy (ALB) process executed by the processor  50  of the main server  12  at step  748  in some embodiments of the process  730  and/or at step  786  in some embodiments of the process  760 . In one embodiment, the process  1340  is illustratively stored in the all lanes busy module  444  of the CQN management module  430  in the form of instructions executable by the processor  50  of the main server  12 , and the steps of the process  1340  will be described below for purposes of this disclosure as being executed by the processor  50  of the main server. In some alternate embodiments, e.g., that may or may not include a main server  12 , the process  1340  may alternatively be stored in the memory  34  (and/or data storage  36 ) of one or more of the local servers  221 - 22 L in the form of instructions executable by the processor  30  of the one or more local servers  22   1 - 22   L , stored in the memory of one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  within one or more of the brick-and-mortar enterprise stores or outlets in the form of instructions executable by a processor  200  associated with any such point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N , and/or stored in a memory and executable by a processor of another system external to or supplemental to the system  10  illustrated  FIG. 1 . It will further be understood that the process  1340  illustrated and described as being executed by one processor/device or one processor/server or one processor/system may alternatively be executed by a different processor/device or processor/server or processor/system in the system  10 , and/or by two or more such processors in any one or combination of such devices, servers and/or systems, some examples of which are described above. 
     The process  1340  begins at step  1342  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to process the communication information (CI) received by the processor  50  from the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  610  of the process  600  to determine the EMSID or other identifier associated in the customer account data  404  with the communication information, CI. In alternate embodiments in which the customer&#39;s EMSID is wirelessly transmitted by the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  608  of the process  600  as described above, step  1342  of the process  1340  may be omitted or skipped. At step  1344 , the processor  50  is then illustratively operable to access the customer&#39;s purchase history in the customer purchase history database  412 , i.e., to access the purchase history associated in the customer purchase history database  412  with the EMSID determined at step  1342  or received from the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  at step  610  of the process  600 . Thereafter at step  1346 , the processor  50  is illustratively operable to process the customer account data  404  associated with the EMSID and/or the purchase history associated with the EMSID to determine whether the customer associated with the EMSID has preferred status, PS. In some embodiments, for example, customers may earn preferred status, PS, by spending at least a threshold dollar amount per specified time period, e.g., week, month, year, etc., and in other embodiments the retail enterprise  11  may periodically or on an ad hoc basis run one or more promotions in which customer&#39;s may earn preferred status by spending a threshold dollar amount on specified goods, categories of goods, or the like, and/or in which customers may be awarded with preferred status, e.g., randomly or as part of lottery. In any case, the customer account data  404  may, in some embodiments, include a preferred status indicator associate in the data  404  with the EMSIDs of customers having such preferred status, and in other embodiments the customer&#39;s purchase history may include such a preferred status indicator. In still other embodiments, neither database  404  or  412  location includes such a preferred status indicator, and the processor  50  is instead operable at step  1346  to make a determination of whether any particular customer has preferred status, PS, based on the customer&#39;s purchase history. Those skilled in the art will recognize other techniques for determining whether any customer is deserving of a preferred status, and any such other techniques are contemplated by this disclosure. 
     Following step  1346 , the processor  50  is operable to determine whether the identified customer has preferred status, PS. If not, the processor  50  is operable in one embodiment to execute step  1352 , which may include steps  1354  and  1356  that are illustratively identical to steps  1326  and  1328  respectively of the process  1320  illustrated in  FIG. 13B . In other embodiments, step  1352  may include only step  1356  in which the all lanes busy (ALB) information may be or include an indicator that the identified customer does not have preferred status, PS. 
     If, at step  1348 , the processor  950  determines that the customer does have preferred status, the process  1340  advances to step  1350  where the processor  50  is illustratively operable to identify as, or as part of, the all lanes busy (ALB) information one or more messages or other indicators indicating or otherwise identifying the customer for a “no waiting” point-of-sale system. In this embodiment, at least one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  or an additional point-of-sale system separate from the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  is illustratively designated at a “no waiting” point-of-sale system reserved only for customers having preferred status, PS. In such embodiments, the checkout notification information, CNI, produced by the checkout notification process  730  or  760  will include one or more messages that will direct the customer  16  to the “no waiting” point-of-sale system, or to one of the “no waiting” point-of-sales systems in embodiments that include more than one such “no waiting” point-of-sale system. In any case, the process  1340  returns following step  1350  or  962  to the process  730  or  760  with the ALB information. As described above with respect to the processes  1300  and  1320 , the process  1340  likewise produces at least part of the ALB information that gets returned to the process  600  by the process  730  or  760 . 
     Referring once again to  FIG. 6 , the checkout notification process executed at step  612  of the process  600  returns with customer notification information (CNI) relating to the availability of one or more of the customer checkout stations CHK 1 -CHKN, at which corresponding ones of the point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  are located, to process a purchase transaction, i.e., a transaction for the purchase by the customer of one or more items selected for purchase by the customer from the identified brick-and-mortar outlet of the retail enterprise  11 . In embodiments in which the process executed at step  612  is the process  700  illustrated in  FIG. 7A , for example, CNI is or includes the sorted subsets POS S1 , POS S2  and POS S3  of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N . In embodiments in which the process executed at step  612  is the process  730  illustrated in  FIG. 7B , in contrast, CNI is or includes the sorted subsets POS S1 , POS S2  and POS S3  of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  if the estimated wait times for all of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  are not all greater than TH 2 , and otherwise is or includes the “all lanes busy” (ALB) information produced by one of the ALB processes of  FIGS. 13A-13C  or information indicating that all lanes are currently busy. Such “all lanes busy” (ALB) information may be or include one or more virtual discount coupons or “no waiting” point-of-sale system identification information. Alternatively still, in embodiments in which the process executed at step  612  is the process  760  illustrated in  FIG. 7C , CNI is or includes the sorted subset POS S1  of all of the identified point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N  for which the estimated wait time, E, is less than or equal to TH 1  if the estimate wait time, E, is less than or equal to TH 1  for at least one of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N , or if none of the estimated wait times, E, is less than or equal to TH 1  but at least one estimated wait time, E, is less than or equal to TH 2 , CNI is or includes the sorted subset POS S2  of all of the identified point-of-sale system  24   1   24   N  for which the estimated wait time, E, is greater than TH 1  but less than or equal to TH 2 , or further still if none of the estimated wait times, E, is less than or equal to TH 2 , CNI is or includes the “all lanes busy” (ALB) information produced by one of the ALB processes of  FIGS. 13A-13C  or information indicating that all lanes are currently busy. 
     Following execution of step  612 , the processor  50  is operable at step  614  to wirelessly transmit the CNI to the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16 , and the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is thereafter operable to receive the wirelessly transmitted CNI at step  616 , and the processor  300  of the customer&#39; mobile communication device  16  is thereafter operable at step  618  to process the wirelessly transmitted CNI and to control the display  322  of the mobile communication device  16  to display the CNI to the customer. In embodiments in which CNI is or includes one or more sorted lists of one or more subsets of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N , the processor  300  is illustratively operable to control the display  322  to display such sorted lists. In embodiments in which the checkout notification process execute at step  612  is the process  700  illustrated in  FIG. 7A , for example, the processor  300  is illustratively operable to display the sorted subsets of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  in accordance with an order thereof specified by the processor  50 . As one example, the specified order may be all point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  having an estimated wait time, E, less than or equal to TH 1 , i.e., those in subset POS S1 , followed by all point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  having an estimated wait time, E, less than or equal to TH 2 , i.e., those in subset POS S2 , followed by all point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  having an estimated wait time, E, greater than TH 2 , i.e., those in subset POS S3 . The customer may then proceed to one of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  of the customer&#39;s choosing; presumably one identified as having an estimated wait time, E, less than or equal to TH 1 . In some embodiments, the processor  50  may further arrange the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  in any such subset POS S1 , POS S2 , POS S3  according to the proximity or location of the determined location of the identified customer relative to the locations of the point-of-sale systems in the subset, e.g., such that all point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  in one or more of the POS subsets are arranged in order of closest to the identified customer&#39;s location to furthest from the identified customer&#39;s location. 
     In embodiments in which the checkout notification process execute at step  612  is the process  730  illustrated in  FIG. 7B , the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  may illustratively be operable at step  618  of the process  600  to control the display  322  to display the sorted subsets of the identified point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  in accordance with any of the techniques just described in the previous paragraph if the estimated wait time, E, for any of the point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   N  is less than TH 2 . If all of the estimated wait times, E, are greater than TH 2 , the processor  300  is illustratively operable at step  618  to control the display  322  to display the “all lanes busy” (ALB) information produced by any of the processes illustrated in  FIGS. 9A-9C , or to produce one or more “all lanes busy” messages wirelessly transmitted thereto by the main server  12  in embodiments that do not include an “all lanes busy” process. In some embodiments of the former case, the process  600  may further illustratively include a step  620  following step  618  in which the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is operable to determine whether the customer notification information CNI received at step  616  includes one or more virtual discount coupons. If so, the process  600  illustratively advances to step  622  where the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  is operable to execute a conventional process to control the display  322  to display the one or more virtual discount coupons and to be responsive to the customer selection thereof to store the one or more virtual discounts in the memory  304  or data storage  306 , or in one or more storage locations external to the device  16 . If, at step  620 , the processor  300  determines that the CNI does not include one or more virtual discount coupons, the process bypasses step  622 . In embodiments of the process  730  which include the “all lanes busy” process  1340  illustrated in  FIG. 13C  and if, in such embodiments, CNI includes a “no waiting” identifier, the processor  300  is illustratively operable at step  618  to control the display  322  to display an identification of the “no waiting” point-of-sale system along with instructions or an invitation to proceed to the “no waiting” point-of-sale system. 
     In embodiments in which the checkout notification process execute at step  612  is the process  750  illustrated in  FIG. 7C , the processor  300  of the customer&#39;s mobile communication device  16  may illustratively be operable at step  618  of the process  600  to control the display  322  to display only the sorted subset POS S1 , or the sorted subset POS S2  or the “all lanes busy” (ALB) information produced by any of the processes illustrated in  FIGS. 13A-13C  (or to produce one or more “all lanes busy” messages wirelessly transmitted thereto by the main server  12  in embodiments that do not include an “all lanes busy” process). In some embodiments, the process  600  may further illustratively include steps  620  and  622  as described above, and in embodiments of the process  750  which include the “all lanes busy” process  950  illustrated in  FIG. 9C  and CNI includes a “no waiting” identifier, the processor  300  is illustratively operable at step  618  to control the display  322  to display an identification of the “no waiting” point-of-sale system along with instructions or an invitation to proceed to the “no waiting” point-of-sale system. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize other techniques and processes for displaying available and/or unavailable point-of-sale systems to the identified customer  16 , and it will be understood that any such other techniques and/or processes are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. 
     While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such an illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications consistent with the disclosure and recited claims are desired to be protected. Moreover, it will be understood that while several process steps in various sequences have been illustrated and described herein with respect to the processes  600 ,  700 ,  730 ,  760 ,  800 ,  900 ,  920 ,  940 ,  1000 ,  1048 ,  1015 ,  1045 ,  1100 ,  1200 ,  1300 ,  1320 ,  1340  and  1360 , any one or more such processes  600 ,  700 ,  730 ,  760 ,  800 ,  900 ,  920 ,  940 ,  1000 ,  1048 ,  1015 ,  1045 ,  1100 ,  1200 ,  1300 ,  1320 ,  1340  and  1360  may alternatively include more, fewer and/or different steps, and that any such steps may be executed in different sequences from those illustrated and described, without departing from the scope of the concepts and techniques described herein. As another example, it will be further understood that while the customer traffic sensors  222  associated with the various point-of-sale systems  24   1 - 24   M ,  24   1 - 24   N  have been illustrated and described herein as being implemented in the form of video and/or photographic cameras, in some alternative embodiments one or more of the customer traffic sensors  222  may be replaced or augmented by one or more wireless signal broadcasting devices such as one or more wireless signal broadcasting devices  24 . In such embodiments, the process  800  illustrated in  FIG. 8  may be modified to include some of the steps of the process  600 , e.g., at least steps  602 - 610 , whereby the mobile communication device of a customer in one of the customer checkout lanes L 1 -L N  wirelessly transmits the UID(s) of such one or more wireless signal broadcasting devices to the main server  12 , and may further include one or more steps by which the processor  50  of the main server  12  identifies such customers as occupying a corresponding one of the customer checkout lanes L 1 -L N . The process  800  may further include one or more additional steps by which the processor  50  may be operable to process the CI or EMSID information wirelessly transmitted thereto by a customer&#39;s mobile communication device to access that customer&#39;s purchase history in the customer purchase history database  412  to estimate an average or typical quantity of items purchased by the customer and to use such information in the determination by the processor  50  of the wait time, E, for the corresponding point-of-sale system  24   1 - 24   N . Those skilled in the art will recognize that any such modifications required to implement any such alternate embodiment in the process  800  would be a mechanical step for a skilled programmer. 
     In the embodiments described herein, the position identification devise  261 - 26 N have been described as being implemented as wireless signal broadcasting devices, e.g., conventional radio frequency broadcasting beacons, configured to broadcast wireless signals each containing UID. In some alternate embodiments, one or more of the PIDs may be implemented as wireless signal transceivers configured to can broadcast and receive wireless signals and/or as wireless signal receivers configured to receive broadcast wireless signals, e.g., broadcast by a mobile communication device or other device and, in some cases, to communicate directly (wired and/or wirelessly) with the main server  12 , one or more of the local hub servers  22  and/or one or more of the POS systems  24 . In some such embodiments, one or more of the wireless signal transceivers and/or receivers may include one or more conventional processors and one or more memory devices having instructions stored therein executable by the one or more processors to execute one or more of steps for determining an identity of an individual carrying a mobile communication device within and/or near a store  25 . 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more PIDs  26  may be implemented in the form of a combination of conventional Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and a GPS receiver on-board a mobile communication device. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more PIDs  26  may be implemented in the form of one or more in-store WiFi Access Points which establish one or more in-store or store-wide hotspot having a unique internet access ID (HotSpotlD) accessible by a mobile communication device. In such embodiments, the server  12  may determine a location of a mobile communication device in accordance with the unique internet access ID used by the mobile communication device to communicate with the mobile communication device. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more PIDs  26  may be implemented in the form of a combination of the earth&#39;s Geomagnetic Field and a magnetometer on-board a mobile communication device. In such embodiments, the server  12  may determine the location of a mobile communication device in accordance with the unique magnetic field signature captured by the magnetometer and wirelessly transmitted to the server  12  by the mobile communication device. In such embodiments, the server database may have one or more maps, tables, lists or the like mapping magnetic signature profiles within one or more of the stores to locations or positions within one or more of the stores, and the server  12  may be operable in such embodiments to determine the in-store location or position of a mobile communication device by comparing the unique magnetic field signature wirelessly transmitted by the mobile communication device to the stored magnetic signature profiles. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more of the PIDs may be implemented in the form of a combination of a camera on-board a mobile communication device and a product label affixed to product or product location within a store. In such embodiments, the camera may be operated to capture an image of the product label and wirelessly transmit the image to the server. The server may then compare the image to stored product data to determine the in-store location thereof. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more of the PIDs may be implemented in the form of a combination of a mobile communication device with a keypad and a customer/employee application operating on the mobile communication device. In such embodiments, the customer/employee application may display one or more manually selectable GUI elements for manually entering the location of the mobile communication device, and the mobile communication device may then wirelessly transmit the location information to the server. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more of the PIDs may be implemented in the form of a wireless signal transmission device, e.g., RFID Tag, NFC device, etc., attached to customer-selected product. In such embodiments, the wireless signal transmission device may be configured to wirelessly transmit product information (e.g., brand, size, etc.) and/or location (e.g., department, aisle, shelf position, etc.) to a mobile communication device which then wirelessly transmits the information to the server. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more of the PIDs may be implemented in the form of a combination of one or more in-store Cameras and a server-based facial and/or product recognition application. In some such embodiments, the server may process camera images and/or video and compare facial images with stored customer images to identify customers. In other embodiments, the server may process the camera images and/or video and compare product images, e.g., in customer&#39;s possession (basket, hand-carried, etc.) with stored product images, and then predict the customer&#39;s identity based on information contained in customer shopping histories. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more PIDs may be implemented in the form of a combination of one or more electromagnetic radiation (EMR) generators positioned within a store  25  and a mobile communication device with a camera and/or microphone. In such embodiments, the EMR may be generated in one or more spectral ranges, and be made to vary locally from store-to-store and throughout each store in one or more detectable EMR properties or characteristics, and/or EMR having different properties or characteristics may be generated in each store and in different areas of each store, such that in any case different stores, and different areas within each store, will be subject to different generated EMR properties or characteristics. The different EMR properties and/or characteristics generated in each store and in each area of each store may be stored in an EMR database, and local EMR properties/characteristics may be detected by a mobile communication device and wirelessly transmitted to the server which may then compare such received information to the EMR database to determine the location of the mobile communication device. Examples of such EMR generators and corresponding EMR detectors include, but are not limited to, one or more visible Light Generators and a camera on-board a mobile communication device, one or more audible frequency Generators and a microphone on-board a mobile communication device, one or more radio frequency generators and a radio frequency generator on board a mobile communication device, and the like. 
     In other alternate embodiments, one or more PIDs may be implemented in the form of one or more mobile communication devices of one or more in-store customers or in-store Employees. In such embodiments, in-store mobile communication devices may be configured to periodically broadcast signals detected by a customer&#39;s mobile communication device and/or transmitted directly to the server. Such broadcast signals be or include “location information” signals based on one or more “hard events” such as a recently received unique identification signal transmitted by an in-store wireless signal broadcasting device, a recently scanned or imaged product code, detected product device data, recently received GPS data, recently used HotSpotlD data, recently detected EMR data, and/or the like. Alternatively or additionally, the one or more broadcast signals may be or include location information signals based on one or more “soft events” such as locally detected sounds (generated or not), locally detected light (generated or not), locally detected RF signals, and/or the like. 
     In any of the foregoing embodiments, information may be transmitted, receive and/or processed by any one or combination of any system or device disclosed herein.