Abstract:
A reconfigurable checkout system which is suited for self-service and full-service operation. The system includes a first portion including a dual-aperture bar code scanner rotatably mounted within the first portion. The dual-aperture bar code scanner is rotatable between a full-service position and a self-service position. The system further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion containing a bagging area for use in full-service and self-service checkout operations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to point-of-service checkout systems and more specifically to a reconfigurable checkout system.  
           [0002]    Traditionally, checkout systems have included islands for servicing one lane and one customer per island at a time. Such systems have included scanners at the end of a conveyor belt and a point-of-service terminal, separated from the scanner and located in front of the point-of-service operator.  
           [0003]    With the evolution of high performance dual-aperture bar code scanners, these systems have been self-service or full-service island, but not a combination of both. The dual-aperture bar code scanners have a vertical window which must face the operator in order to easily scan items. Thus, checkout systems which contain dual-aperture bar code scanners offer retailers very little flexibility to reconfigure their stores with more or less of either full-service and self-service checkout systems.  
           [0004]    Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a checkout system containing a dual-aperture bar code scanner which is suitable for self-service as well as full-service operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a reconfigurable checkout system is provided.  
           [0006]    The system includes a first portion including a dual-aperture bar code scanner rotatably mounted within the first portion. The dual-aperture bar code scanner is rotatable between a full-service position and a self-service position. The system further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion containing a bagging area for use in full-service and self-service checkout operations.  
           [0007]    It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a reconfigurable checkout system.  
           [0008]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a reconfigurable checkout system which easily facilitates full service as well as self-service operations.  
           [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a reconfigurable checkout system which includes a mechanism for rotating a dual-aperture bar code reader between full-service and self-service positions. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a top view of the checkout system of the present invention configured as a full-service checkout island;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a top view of the checkout system of the present invention in the process of being reconfigured as a self-service checkout island;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a side view of the checkout system as shown in FIG. 2 showing a drawer for rotating a dual-aperture bar code reader;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a top view of the checkout system of the present invention configured as a first type of self-service checkout island; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a top view of the checkout system of the present invention configured as a second type of self-service checkout island. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    Referring now to FIG. 1, system  10  of the present invention is configured as a full-service checkout island and includes bagging portion  12 , scanning portion  14 , and receiving portion  16 .  
         [0017]    Bagging portion  12  includes customer service table  18 , conveyor  26 , cash drawer  28 , bagging shelf  30 , and receipt printer  31 .  
         [0018]    Customer service table  18  provides a convenient writing surface and includes card reader with pin keypad  20 , customer receipt printer  22 , and customer display  24 .  
         [0019]    Card reader  20  is operational in both full and self-service configurations.  
         [0020]    Printer  22 , though present in the full-service configuration, is intended primarily for operation as a receipt printer during the self-service mode of operation. Printer  31  is used for full-service operation.  
         [0021]    Customer display  24  operates as a customer information terminal during full-service operation and a customer-operated transaction terminal during self-service operation. Customer display  24  is preferably connected to a store network. An NCR 7401 computer terminal is suitable for use as customer display  24 .  
         [0022]    Conveyor  26  supports and transports merchandise items to bagging shelf  30 . Conveyor  26  preferably telescopes to allow portion  44  of bagging portion  12  to be lowered to become a bagging shelf in the self-service mode of operation.  
         [0023]    Cash drawer  28  is operated by a full-service checkout employee and allows the employee to process cash and check payments and dispense change.  
         [0024]    Scanning portion  14  includes terminal interface  32 , dual-aperture bar code scanner  34 , and terminal  42 .  
         [0025]    Terminal interface  32  provides an operator with control during a full-service checkout operation. Terminal interface  32  includes either a display  46  and keypad  48  or a touch screen and is mounted above the vertical aperture portion of dual-aperture bar code scanner  34 . An NCR Dynakey® terminal is suitable for use as terminal interface  32 .  
         [0026]    Dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  includes vertical aperture  50  and horizontal aperture  52 . Horizontal aperture  52  is substantially flush with the top surface of scanning portion  14  and may be part of a scale weigh plate if dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  is equipped with a scale. An NCR 7875 scanner is suitable for use as scanner  34 .  
         [0027]    Vertical aperture  50  and its associated scanner housing portion are above the top surface of scanning portion  14 . Vertical aperture  50  faces an operator during scanning. Thus, in the full-service configuration of FIG. 1, full-service checkout employee  54  can easily scan merchandise items using scanning light beams from both vertical and horizontal apertures  50  and  52 .  
         [0028]    Terminal  42  is located within scanning portion  14 . Terminal  42  is preferably connected to a store network. During full-service operation, terminal  42  controls card reader  20 , cash drawer  28 , receipt printer  31 , terminal interface  32 , and dual-aperture scanner  34 .  
         [0029]    Receiving portion  16  includes conveyor  38 .  
         [0030]    During full-service operation, customer  56  approaches receiving portion  16  and places merchandise items on conveyor  38 .  
         [0031]    Employee  54  scans barcoded merchandise items using dual-aperture bar code scanner  34 . Employee  54  may alternatively process bar coded merchandise items by entering price look-up numbers into terminal interface  32 . Employee  54  also processes non-barcoded items, such as produce items using the scale of dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  and terminal interface  32 . Employee  54  moves all merchandise items to bagging portion  12 .  
         [0032]    Customer  56  moves to customer service table  18  to wait for all items to be processed by employee  54  and to complete payment. While waiting, customer  56  may view promotional material displayed by display  24  or use customer display to find information about products, answer surveys, or select coupons. Payment may be recorded by card reader  20 .  
         [0033]    Following payment, employee  54  hands a receipt from receipt printer  31  to customer  56 . Customer  56  then removes the items from bagging portion  12 .  
         [0034]    Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the initial step in converting checkout system  10  to a self-service checkout system is to rotate scanner  34  so that it faces customer  56 .  
         [0035]    With reference to FIG. 2, drawer  36  is first removed from scanner well  40 . Terminal interface  32  is then folded down behind the vertical portion of scanner  34 .  
         [0036]    With reference to FIG. 3, scanner  34  is rotatably mounted on drawer  36  using pivot pipe  60 . Wiring  62  from scanner  34  extends through pivot pipe  60  and follows the underside of drawer  36  to terminal  42 .  
         [0037]    Conveyor  26  is reconfigured to allow portion  44  of bagging portion  12  to be lowered to become a bagging shelf in the self-service mode of operation.  
         [0038]    Thus, with reference to FIG. 4, checkout system  10  is shown in a first self-service configuration. In a second self-service configuration (FIG. 5), receiving portion  16  is removed to allow shopping cart  70  to be placed adjacent scanning portion  14 . Otherwise, operation is similar for both the first and second self-service configurations.  
         [0039]    Dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  faces customer  56 .  
         [0040]    Customer display  24  operates as a transaction terminal and takes customer  56  through the steps necessary to process and pay for merchandise items. For this purpose, customer display controls dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  and card reader  20  through terminal  42 . Customer display  24  directly controls customer receipt printer  22 . Cash drawer  28  and receipt printer  31  are inoperative during self-service operation.  
         [0041]    Alternatively, in a single-computer configuration, customer display  24  may instead be a second terminal interface  32  for controlling terminal  42 .  
         [0042]    During self-service operation, customer  56  approaches receiving portion  16  and places merchandise items on conveyor  38  (FIG. 4) or places shopping cart  70  adjacent scanning portion  14  and removes items from shopping cart  70  to be scanned one at a time (FIG. 5).  
         [0043]    Customer  56  looks to customer display  24  for instructions. Customer  56  scans barcoded merchandise items using dual-aperture bar code scanner  34 . Customer  56  may alternatively process bar coded merchandise items by entering price look-up numbers into customer display  24 .  
         [0044]    Customer  56  also processes non-barcoded items, such as produce items using the scale of dual-aperture bar code scanner  34  and customer display  24 . Customer  56  moves all merchandise items to portion  44  of bagging portion  12 .  
         [0045]    Customer  56  moves to customer service table  18  after processing all items to complete payment. Payment may be recorded by card reader  20 . Cash or check payments may be made at a separate payment station. Alternatively, system  10  may include a cash acceptance/cash dispenser unit controlled by terminal  42 . Following payment, receipt printer  22  prints a receipt. Customer  56  then removes the items from portion  44  of bagging portion  12 .  
         [0046]    Advantageously, system  10  provides an ergonomically superior arrangement for the checkout process. The reconfigurable hardware solution provides a self-service option while preserving full-service checkout capability. Most importantly, system  10  allows dual-aperture bar code scanner to be used in both self-service and full-service configurations.  
         [0047]    Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications of the present invention can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.