Patent ID: 7870028

Claim:
A method for providing supervisory support in a customer self-checkout system comprised of a plurality of checkout stations and a plurality of supervisory stations, wherein each of the checkout stations and the supervisory stations are capable of communicating with each other electronically using a data network, the method comprising: monitoring operation of a checkout station and detecting a request for supervisory activity by using a signal processor circuitry at the checkout station; transmitting through the data network the request for supervisory activity including a supervisory request electronic message describing the request for supervisory activity to a local terminal and to the plurality of supervisory stations, wherein the transmission is done simultaneously to both the local terminal and the plurality of supervisory stations; coordinating communication through the data network between the checkout station, the local terminal and the plurality of supervisory stations to enable a responding supervisor to assert control over the checkout station; the supervisory activity comprises a plurality of supervisory functions that can be performed to administer operation of the checkout station; conducting supervisory activities consisting of a first subset of the supervisory functions at a first one of the plurality of supervisory stations; and conducting a second subset of the supervisory functions at a second one of the plurality of supervisory stations can, wherein the first and second subsets of the supervisory functions are different and can be performed simultaneously.