Patent ID: 7506808

Claim:
A shopping receptacle, the shopping receptacle being adapted to receive and retain a product item, the product item having an interface surface associated therewith, the interface surface having disposed thereon or therein coded data including a plurality of coded data portions, each coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the product item, wherein the receptacle comprises: a receptacle body adapted to receive and retain the product item and having an opening through which the product item may be placed within the receptacle body; and, a sensing device adapted to: emit at least one scanning beam across the opening of the receptacle body; sense at least one coded data portion on the interface surface of the product item as the product item is positioned in the at least one scanning beam emitted across the receptacle opening; and generate, using the at least one sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the identity of the product item, the sensing device comprising: a laser for emitting the at least one scanning beam directed in first and second orthogonal directions to thereby generate a raster scan pattern over a scanning patch, the scanning patch being provided in the sensing region such that it exposes at least one coded data portion; a sensor for sensing the at least one exposed coded data portion; and a processor for determining, using at least some of the sensed coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the identity of the product item; wherein a user is provided with an identity card, the identity card having disposed thereon or therein coded data having a plurality of card coded data portions, each card coded data portion being indicative of an identity of the user, and wherein the sensing device is further adapted to: sense at least one card coded data portion when the identity card is positioned in the at least one scanning beam emitted across the opening; and generate, using the at least one sensed card coded data portion, indicating data indicative of the identity of the user and the identity of the sensing device.