Produce Weighing Scale Camera Barcode Chit Self-Service

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current produce weighing scales in retail grocery stores require manual handling and separate processes for produce items, necessitating a retail clerk's involvement and the printing of barcode chits, which can be inconvenient for customers.

Innovation Solution

A produce weighing scale equipped with a touchscreen, an actuatable camera, and electronic control circuitry that allows customers to weigh and capture images of produce items, generating a barcode chit on the touchscreen for self-scanning without the need for printing, enabling seamless integration with self-service checkout systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a retail store clerk weighs the produce item on a produce weighing scale located in the produce section, then the produce item can be weighed and a barcode chit can be printed, but a retail store clerk is needed and a barcode chit needs to be printed and adhesively attached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of produce weighing operationVSAvoidcomplexity of produce weighing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The customer service system allows customers to self-weigh produce items using the produce weighing scale and self-scan barcodes using barcode guns, eliminating the need for retail store clerks to manually weigh each item. The system provides automated guidance through display screens and generates barcode chits that customers can scan themselves at checkout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual process of printing barcode chits on paper and adhesively attaching them to produce items is replaced by an electronic system that generates barcode chits on display screens, which are then scanned optically by barcode guns at checkout, eliminating the mechanical printing and adhesive attachment steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If a produce weighing scale is located at the self-service checkout pay station, then the customer can weigh the produce item at checkout, but the customer needs to handle produce items differently from non-produce items and does not know the price until checkout

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecheckout efficiencyVSAvoidease of produce item handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows customers to weigh produce items and obtain barcode chits in advance during shopping, rather than waiting until checkout. This preliminary action enables customers to scan items continuously throughout shopping, maintaining the same workflow as non-produce items, and know prices before reaching checkout.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables produce items to be handled using the same barcode scanning process as non-produce items. By generating electronic barcode chits that can be scanned with standard barcode guns, the system makes the produce weighing and scanning process universal across all item types, eliminating special handling requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Extent of automation

If a customer uses a portable barcode gun to self scan produce items, then the customer can self scan before or at checkout, but a retail store clerk must weigh the produce item or the customer must use a produce weighing scale

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelevel of customer self-serviceVSAvoidease of produce weighing

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables complete customer self-service for produce items. Customers can independently weigh produce on the produce weighing scale, view prices and generate barcode chits on the display screen, and scan these barcodes using their own barcode guns at any point during shopping or at checkout, without requiring clerk assistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8136727B2Produce weighing scale with a camera and methods of operating a produce weighing scale having a camera

Publication Date: 2012.03.20 NCR VOYIX CORP

AI summary

A produce weighing scale is provided for a retail grocery store. The produce weighing scale comprises a base, a weighing platform disposed on the base, and a touchscreen arranged to enable a retail customer to enter produce data associated with a produce item and to view display screens which contains instructions to operate the produce weighing scale. An actuatable camera is positioned over the weighing platform and is provided for, when actuated, capturing at least a partial image of a produce item which has been placed on the weighing platform. Electronic control circuitry is arranged to (i) provide an actuation signal to actuate the camera in response to a retail customer placing a produce item on the weighing platform, and (ii) display a barcode chit on the touchscreen to allow a retail customer to self-scan the displayed barcode chit without having to print the barcode chit.