Mobile Checkout System Distributes Transactions to Reduce Wait Times

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customers face inefficiencies and long wait times at traditional checkout counters in retail stores, where they must unload items from shopping carts for scanning, leading to congestion and increased shopping time.

Innovation Solution

A system where customers use a mobile computing device to scan items and transmit a notification including their location and shopping list to a nearby associate, allowing for purchase transactions to be completed at any location within the store using a mobile transaction device, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated checkout lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If customers use traditional checkout counters to complete transactions, then purchase transactions can be completed systematically, but customers experience long wait times and congestion in shopping aisles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction completionVSAvoidwait time at checkout

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized checkout process into distributed transaction points throughout the store. Multiple associates equipped with mobile computing devices serve as distributed checkout stations, eliminating the single-point bottleneck of traditional checkout counters and reducing customer wait times while maintaining systematic transaction completion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional checkout process (customer brings items to fixed counter) to a three-dimensional system where transaction points are distributed throughout the store space. Associates move through aisles to reach customers at various locations, adding the dimension of spatial distribution and eliminating congestion in traditional checkout areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If customers unload items from shopping carts at checkout counters, then transactions can be processed efficiently, but this creates congestion and extends lines into shopping aisles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction processing efficiencyVSAvoidcongestion in shopping aisles

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional checkout flow by having associates bring the scanning and transaction capabilities to the customer's location rather than requiring the customer to bring items to a fixed counter. This reversal eliminates the need for customers to unload and reload items, removing the source of congestion while maintaining efficient transaction processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

Customers continue shopping with their carts and items without interruption. The mobile computing device displayed at the associate's device enables customers to view transaction details and approve payments autonomously, maintaining productivity while eliminating the physical congestion associated with traditional unloading and reloading processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If customers manually unload and reload items at checkout, then transactions can be completed with traditional systems, but this increases transaction time and customer burden

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction completionVSAvoidtransaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously tracking items as they are placed in the shopping cart using imaging devices and sensors. The shopping list is generated and transmitted to the associate's mobile device before the customer reaches the transaction point, eliminating the time-consuming manual unloading and reloading process while ensuring accurate transaction completion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical process of manually unloading and reloading items with an automated imaging and recognition system. Imaging devices capture item data, which is then processed and transmitted electronically to the associate's device, substituting physical handling with digital information transfer to reduce transaction time while maintaining reliable transaction completion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9633390B2Completing a purchase transaction at various locations within a retail store

Publication Date: 2017.04.25 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

Embodiments for determining a completing a purchase transaction at a waypoint where a customer is located within a retail store are disclosed. The embodiments include determining waypoint of the customer, receiving waypoint data including the location of the customer positions within the retail store and a shopping list identifying items that the customer desires to purchase, and completing the purchase transaction for the items at the waypoint.