Scanner Swipe Guidance System for Checkout Kiosks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional self-service kiosks fail to provide effective feedback to customers when items cannot be successfully scanned, leading to frustration and delays due to issues like dirty or obstructed scanners, or incorrect scanning paths.
Innovation Solution
The generation of a 3D model of the region of effectiveness for scanning, utilizing machine learning and statistical methods, which adjusts in response to environmental changes, provides feedback to customers and employees on the correct path to pass items over the scanner for successful scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the customer continues to re-scan the item using the same path, then the customer attempts to add the item to the transaction, but the item will never be successfully scanned due to scanner issues or incorrect scanning zone
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying the three-dimensional scanning path on a display screen, showing customers the correct path to scan items. This feedback mechanism guides customers to adjust their scanning approach, improving scan success rates and reducing repeated failed scanning attempts that cause delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a three-dimensional scanning path model with vertical, horizontal, and depth components, transforming the traditional two-dimensional scanning concept. This 3D visualization helps customers understand the spatial requirements for successful scanning, addressing issues related to scanning height and path orientation.
2Measurement precision
If the scanner is dirty or obstructed, then scanning accuracy deteriorates, but the customer does not know the scanner is dirty and continues to attempt scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The system monitors scanning attempts and provides feedback to customers when scans are unsuccessful. By analyzing multiple failed scanning attempts, the system can infer scanner issues and communicate this information to customers, enabling them to understand when the scanner may be dirty or obstructed rather than blaming themselves for scanning errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The display screen acts as an intermediary between the scanner and the customer, translating scanner performance data into visual feedback about scanning paths and success. This intermediary communicates scanner status information to customers in an understandable format, bridging the information gap when scanners are dirty or obstructed.
3Measurement precision
If the customer scans the item too high or too low, then the scanner cannot read the bar code, but the customer continues to pass the item in the same path without success
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a three-dimensional scanning path model that explicitly defines vertical height, horizontal position, and depth distance. This 3D approach provides customers with precise spatial guidance on where to position items during scanning, making it easier to understand and achieve the correct scanning zone rather than relying on trial and error.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback displaying the correct three-dimensional scanning path on the display screen. This feedback shows customers the optimal path and position for scanning items, enabling them to adjust their scanning technique immediately and improving the ease of operation by eliminating guesswork about proper scanning height and position.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for generating a window of effectiveness are provided. A region of effectiveness for a scanner at a checkout kiosk is provided, wherein the region of effectiveness defines a volume where successful scans occur. It is determined that a first path of an item is outside the region of effectiveness. Feedback to change a path of the item to be within the region of effectiveness during a rescan of the item is outputted, using the checkout kiosk.