Remote Self-Service Checkout Pay Station for Produce Weighing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In self-service checkout systems, customers must handle produce items differently than non-produce items and require printed barcode chits, which is inconvenient and inefficient, especially when produce weighing scales are not integrated with the checkout process.
Innovation Solution
A self-service checkout system that communicates with a produce weighing scale and a barcode gun server, allowing customers to scan produce items electronically without printing barcode chits, enabling seamless integration of produce pricing and weighing into the checkout process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a produce weighing scale is located at the self-service checkout pay station, then the customer can weigh produce items at checkout, but the customer needs to handle produce items differently from non-produce items and does not know the price until checkout
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary weighing and price calculation at the produce section before the customer reaches checkout. The portable scanning device captures weight and price information in advance, allowing the customer to see prices before checkout and eliminating the need for special handling at the checkout station.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical produce weighing scale at checkout with an electronic portable scanning device that wirelessly transmits data. This substitution eliminates the need for physical integration of weighing equipment at the checkout station while maintaining full functionality.
2Reliability
If a retail store clerk weighs produce items and prints barcode chits, then produce items can be tracked, but a clerk is needed and barcode chits must be printed and attached
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses portable scanning devices to capture and transmit produce item data electronically, creating a digital copy of the tracking information. This eliminates the need for physical barcode chits and their associated printing and attachment processes while maintaining reliable tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
Customers use portable scanning devices to self-scan produce items, eliminating the need for clerk assistance in weighing and barcode generation. The system automatically tracks items through wireless data transmission from the portable scanner to the checkout system.
3Extent of automation
If a portable barcode gun is used to self-scan produce items, then customers can scan items themselves, but the same drawbacks of clerk weighing and barcode chit printing remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the scanning, weighing, and data transmission functions into an integrated portable scanning device. This merging allows customers to self-scan produce items while automatically capturing weight and price information, eliminating the separate clerk weighing and barcode printing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable scanning device serves multiple functions: scanning produce items, capturing weight data, transmitting information wirelessly, and integrating with the checkout system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate produce weighing scales and barcode printing equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-service checkout pay station is located at a store exit section of a retail grocery store and is located remote from a produce weighing scale located in a produce section of the retail grocery store. The self-service checkout pay station comprises a communications circuit arranged to (i) communicate with a communications circuit associated with the produce weighing scale, and (ii) communicate with a communications circuit associated with a barcode gun server which is located remote from the produce weighing scale. The self-service checkout pay station further comprises an electronic processor arranged to (i) receive from the barcode gun server a barcode list in response to receiving an end of transaction signal, (ii) recognize from the barcode list at least one barcode chit which is associated with a produce item, (iii) request produce item information from the produce weighing scale based upon at least some barcode information obtained from the at least one barcode chit, and (iv) receive from the produce weighing scale an image of the produce item which was previously captured at the produce weighing scale when a retail customer placed the produce item on the produce weighing scale.