Patent ID: 7546250

Claim:
A method of selectively deploying barriers for intra-order separation at a retail checkout terminal, the method comprising: scanning products purchased by a consumer at a product scanning portion; providing a user interface portion at the retail checkout terminal, the user interface portion including a card reader, a keypad, a display, and a computer; positioning at least one product on a product support member, the product support member including a first end portion arranged adjacent the product scanning portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion; activating a product transport assembly provided on the product support member, the product transport assembly including a first end section positioned adjacent the product scanning portion that extends to a second end section that terminates at a bagging portion, the bagging portion including a first end, a second end and an intermediate zone for supporting articles scanned at the product scanning portion; shifting the at least one product along the product transport assembly from the scanning portion to the bagging portion; arranging a plurality of barrier members between the second end section of the transport assembly and the second end of the bagging portion; receiving, by the computer, signals from a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors being arranged adjacent a corresponding one of the plurality of barrier members; determining, by the plurality of sensors, a sensed position of the at least one product in the bagging portion of the retail checkout terminal relative to the plurality of barrier members; and activating a selector element on the user interface of the retail checkout terminal to deploy a select one of the plurality of barrier members based upon the position of the at least one sensed product in the bagging portion to provide intra-order separator that shields at least one product resting in the bagging portion from other products moving toward the bagging portion on the product transport assembly.