Self-Service Kiosk Using Weight Sensors and Imaging for Offline Inventory Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-service kiosks require complex tracking and payment processes, often necessitating network connectivity and immediate payment upon item selection, limiting customer interaction and operational reliability during power outages.
Innovation Solution
An automated and self-service kiosk system that allows customers to access and interact with multiple items without immediate payment, using unique identifier components, weight sensors, and imaging elements to record interactions, with data processing occurring post-session, even in the absence of network connectivity or power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex tracking and payment processes are implemented in existing self-service kiosks, then item selection and payment can be monitored, but system complexity increases and customer interaction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the monitoring function into separate components: weight sensors on individual shelves detect item removal, imaging elements capture customer actions, and processing logic correlates these events. This segmentation allows reliable tracking without requiring a single complex centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
The kiosk enables customers to freely select and handle items without immediate payment or complex interaction. The system automatically detects item picks through weight sensors and imaging elements, processes payments after session completion, and manages inventory without requiring customer participation in tracking or payment processes.
2Reliability
If immediate payment is required upon item selection, then revenue is secured, but customer interaction is limited and operational reliability during power outages decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by recording all customer interactions, item selections, and session events locally during the shopping session. Payment and inventory updates are processed after session completion, allowing the system to maintain full functionality during power outages without requiring immediate network connectivity or payment processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on power availability and network connectivity. During power outages, it continues to accept item returns, process sessions, and update inventory locally. The payment timing is flexible, allowing immediate payment when connected or deferred payment when disconnected, maintaining operational reliability throughout.
3Reliability
If network connectivity is required for payment processing, then payment security is maintained, but operational reliability during connectivity loss decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between online and offline payment processing modes. When network connectivity is available, it processes payments immediately with full security protocols. When connectivity is lost, it automatically transitions to offline mode, continuing to accept items, process sessions, and update inventory locally, then synchronizes with the network when connectivity is restored.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential connectivity loss by maintaining local databases of inventory, customer accounts, and transaction records. This cushioning allows the system to continue operating independently during network outages, processing payments and updating inventory without real-time network connectivity, then synchronizes data when connectivity is restored.
4Productivity
If traditional self-service systems track customer movement and scan items at checkout, then payment accuracy is maintained, but system complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual scanning and tracking mechanisms with automatic detection technologies. Weight sensors on shelves automatically detect when items are removed or returned, imaging elements capture customer actions, and processing logic automatically identifies items and calculates charges. This eliminates the need for customers to manually scan items or interact with checkout interfaces, dramatically reducing checkout time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables customers to freely browse and select items without interaction for tracking or payment. Item identification and payment processing occur automatically after session completion based on sensor data and imaging element records, eliminating time-consuming manual processes while maintaining accurate charging.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables customers to freely select and handle items without immediate payment, ensuring seamless operation during power outages and limited connectivity, with accurate inventory management and charging only upon session completion, enhancing user experience and operational resilience.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of weight sensors included in the interior of the housing are operable to record weight sensor data during the session
Implementation Method 2
one or more imaging elements of the kiosk are operable to record image data during the session
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are systems, methods, and apparatus of an automated and self-service kiosk that allows customers to select inventory items available from the kiosk and walk or move away with selected inventory item(s) without having to process payment, identify the inventory item(s), or provide any other form of checkout. After a customer has picked one or more items and departed the kiosk, the picked items are determined and the customer charged for the items. For example, one or more of detected weight changes measured at the kiosk and/or images generated at the kiosk may be used to identify items picked by the customer from the kiosk.