36 results about "Grocer's shop" patented technology

Embodiments herein include novel ways of alerting store personnel when various activities, events, conditions, etc., occur at the checkout in retail establishments. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, the alerting can take place in substantially real-time, when the event occurs, allowing personnel to take appropriate measures, corrective or otherwise, to deal with the detected event. Examples of such events may include situations such as when a person of interest is detected as shopping at the store, when a cashier has missed scanning an item at the checkout, or to alert store personnel if a non-empty shopping cart has exited the store without payment (a.k.a., a cart push-out). Although the discussion below uses a grocery store as an example retail environment, embodiments herein can be used in any type of retail environment.

A system for accepting and storing items for subsequent pickup by a commercial carrier includes a storage area which is defined by an outer housing, and a customer interface area that includes a weighing unit and a unit, such as a magnetic card reader, for accepting payment from a customer. The system may also include a control system that accepts address information from the customer through a key pad, and then instructs a printer to print an address label for the item. The system includes safeguards which prevent unauthorized access to the storage area, and will not provide a receipt to the customer until internal sensors verify deposit of the item. A manifest printer may also be provided for the benefit of the commercial carriers who service the system, to print out a summary of the transactions that pertain to each carrier. Alternatively, no storage area is provided. Instead, the item is given to a human attendant, such as a check out clerk of a grocery or hardware store and the like, with the appropriate mailing label for validation of receipt of the item by the attendant.

A germicidal irradiation approach to killing germs on conveyors and other check out surfaces in stores, such as grocery stores, which sell articles such as food items where possible contamination from leaks and the like is a concern. An adaptable, portable ultraviolet light apparatus is provided to irradiate surfaces such as conveyor belts.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a wait time client enables prediction of wait times (e.g., time required to checkout at a grocery store) based on crowdsourced wait data. In operation, the wait time application downloads predicted wait data from a server. The predicted wait data reflects measured wait times for one or more location, such as the ticket line at a movie theater. The wait time client then selects a wait time data point that corresponds to a location of a point-of-interest. Based on the selected wait time data point, the wait time client determines a predicted wait time at the point-of-interest. Advantageously, by leveraging crowdsourced, deterministically measured wait times, the wait time clients enables the incorporation of realistic and up-to-date predicted wait times into the trip planning process.

An enhanced shopping system for facilitating grocery shopping and in-store advertising is disclosed. The system uniquely changes (1) the way grocery retail industry captures and retains customers, (2) how customers organize their shopping efforts in grocery stores, (3) the approach to advertising and reaching customers, and (4) the information available to retailers and merchandisers related to customer (a) shopping patterns, (b) responses to merchandising and advertising, and (c) specific impact of discounting/coupons.

A mobile application for full-service grocery shopping assists users when grocery shopping. The mobile application may be downloaded on the user's mobile electronic device, enabling the user to subscribe to a grocery shopping support service, and provides access to an online database of detailed floor plans and inventories of grocery stores. The application downloads the floor plans and inventory of the grocery store where the user is located, displaying the floor plans on the display of the user's device, and manually or automatically retrieves the locations of the user's items for purchase from the user's grocery list, calculating the cumulative cost of items on the grocery list. Locations of the items on store shelves are highlighted on three-dimensional color displays, and the shortest route to all desired items in the store is calculated using an algorithm. The application exchanges information with support staff, enabling assistance in a timely manner.

This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for hygiene monitoring in chain restaurants and grocery superstores. Four sub-systems are introduced to take care of different aspects of hygiene in restaurants. One sub-system uses contactless and in-contact temperature sensors installed on appliances to constantly monitor the temperature of working appliances to be in pre-defined range and use an Internet of Things gateways to transmit the data to remote control unit. The system generate an alert or report if the temperature of the appliances falls beyond the predefined range for more than a specific period of time. Another sub-system use a combination of temperature, humidity, UV and gas detectors to monitor the environment to be unsuitable for growth of fungus and bacteria and alert in case of exposure to harmful material and sun radiation. This sub-system also use an Internet of Things gateways to transmit the data to remote control unit. The third sub-system use a combination of radio frequency tags attached to the staff, RF tag readers and infrared/proximity/motion/microphone/touch sensors installed over the faucet and dispenser to monitor if the staff wash their hands properly after going to the restroom. The forth sub-system automatically generate food expiring label for opened cans and food container based on RF tag worn by the staff. The system generate and print the label whenever the staff gesture their RF tags in front of them and potentially scan the container bar code or select it from a drop-down menu on its touch screen. The last sub-system can also monitor the inventory of opened cans of food in the refrigerator and provide a report or alert when they the time gets close to expiration date.

A system having a mobile application running thereon to facilitate grocery shopping at a grocery store, the system including a storage unit to store data related to the grocery store, and a first apparatus including an input unit to allow the user to input a request to locate a particular item in the grocery store, and a display unit to display a map of an inside of the grocery store and a blinking beacon dot to show exactly where the particular item is located within the grocery store, based on the user's request and the store data stored within the storage unit.

The present invention is a disposable cover that wraps around a pushcart handle, which protects the pushcart operators using the pushcart from possible contagions on the pushcart handle. The core components of the invention are the malleable metal, bendable frame, plastic cover. The invention can be used to protect pushcart operators from conditions, dirt, and possible disease-spreading methods on a pushcart at grocery stores, home supply stores, or other locations where pushcarts are re-used by multiple pushcart operators. Furthermore, it should be noted that this allows the store, or provider of pushcarts, to reduce workloads and cleaning items should they choose to provide the handles. Some stores may use them as a giveaway with their logo and pushcart operators would use the handle at another location. Pushcart operators will also feel safer as the handle they are using has been in their possession and is free from contagions.

A freezer island (20) for a grocery store includes a frame structure (30) surrounding at least one open or openable product space (23) for frozen food products. The product space (23) of the freezer island (20) includes a shelf part (21) including shelves (27) and a chest part (22) below the shelf part (21) for the frozen products.

Reusable shopping or produce bags are made from a fabric material. The fabric material may be woven or non-woven. The bags may be used with existing grocery store fixtures. For example, a reusable shopping bag can be designed to hang on existing checkout fixtures designed for conventional plastic shopping bags. Similarly, a roll of produce bags can be dispensed from an existing fixture designed for conventional plastic produce bags. Thus, the bags may be used in grocery stores with little to no reconfiguration of existing check outs and product display areas.

A temperature controlled display cabinet (20), in particular a freezer island, for a grocery store includes a frame structure (30) surrounding at least one openable product space (23) for food products, at least one gravitationally closable door (26) that is in inclined position in relation to vertical direction such that from the view of the customer side the main direction of the main surface of the door (26) is backwards and upwards inclined. The door (26) is formed as a door arrangement including the door (26) and an opening and closing mechanism (40).

A composting chamber for commercial on-site (for example, grocery store) processing of organic matter comprises a simple chamber, with an intake for shredded matter and an auger for movement of matter in situ, said auger operating on a feedback loop based upon fill level of chamber.