Patent ID: 7673796

Claim:
A system for intervening in the operation of a checkout station from a remote location comprising: a checkout station located at a retail establishment including a processor, a plurality of peripherals, and a first hub coupling the processor to the plurality of peripherals; a video camera and microphone mounted at the checkout station; a second hub for collecting video and audio data from the video camera and the microphone, and for collecting operational data from the processor and the plurality of peripherals through the first hub; and an intervention service station for receiving the video data, the audio data, and the operational data from the second hub, the intervention service station being located off-site from the retail establishment and connected to the second hub via a wide area network; wherein the intervention service station includes a checkout station command generator for generating and sending checkout station commands to the processor through the wide area network, the first hub, and the second hub in response to the operational data received from the second hub so that an operator at the intervention service station can intervene in checkout station operation.