Patent ID: 7036726

Claim:
A method of operating a retail terminal having (i) a housing, (ii) a scanner supported by said housing, (iii) a take away belt with a first end thereof positioned adjacent to said housing, and a second end thereof positioned remote from said housing, (iv) a cover plate positioned over a gap defined between said housing and said first end of said take away belt, (v) a first sensor positioned adjacent to said first end of said take away belt, and (vi) a scale configured to measure weight of items placed on said take away belt, comprising the steps of: (a) moving an item positioned on said take away belt in a first direction away from said scanner and said gap; (b) determining if said item positioned on said take away belt is a new weight item; (c) in response to said item being determined to be a new weight item in step (b), reversing movement of said take away belt so as to move said item with said take away belt in a second direction toward said scanner and said gap until said item is detected by said first sensor; and (d) in response to said item being detected by said first sensor in step (c), again reversing movement of said take away belt so as to move said item in said first direction away from said scanner and said gap with said take away belt.