Method of using apparatus, product, and system for a no touch point-of-sale self-checkout

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10825068-B2
Application number	US-201816201194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2018
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system to perform a sale transaction are provided. The method includes identifying each item of a plurality of items, based on at least one image of the plurality of items, determining a cost for each item, optionally identifying a person based on an image of the person, adding each of the items and each of the costs to a sale transaction, and charging the person for the sale transaction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of completing a sale transaction at a checkout area of an environment, the method comprising:
acquiring images using one or more cameras in the environment outside the checkout area, wherein one or more items are represented in the images;
identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more cameras, the one or more items as they are being transported by a customer through the environment;
maintaining, by the one or more processors, a transaction record associated with the customer, wherein maintaining the transaction record comprises updating a list of selected items using the identified one or more items;
authenticating an identity of the customer at the checkout area; and
responsive to authenticating the customer at the checkout area, charging a cost of the selected items to a payment method having a predefined association with the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises at least one of the following:
identifying the customer using one or more other cameras in the environment at the checkout area;
identifying the customer using a voice sample acquired by a microphone disposed at the checkout area;
detecting a mobile computing device of the customer using a wireless network receiver disposed at the checkout area; and
detecting a predefined pass-code associated with the customer by the microphone.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises multiple-factor authentication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
indicating, by an output device disposed at the checkout area and communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a completion of the sale transaction to the customer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output device is at least one of a speaker, a light, and a visual display.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cameras are disposed near shelving units within the environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area occurs at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal within the checkout area.

8. A computer program product for performing a sale transaction at a checkout area of an environment, the computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to perform an operation that comprises:
acquiring images using one or more cameras in the environment outside the checkout area, wherein one or more items are represented in the images;
identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more cameras, the one or more items as they are being transported by a customer through the environment;
maintaining, by the one or more processors, a transaction record associated with the customer, wherein maintaining the transaction record comprises updating a list of selected items using the identified one or more items;
authenticating the customer at the checkout area; and
responsive to authenticating the customer at the checkout area, charging a cost of the selected items to a payment method having a predefined association with the customer.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises at least one of the following:
identifying the customer using one or more other cameras in the environment at the checkout area;
identifying the customer using a voice sample acquired by a microphone disposed at the checkout area;
detecting a mobile computing device of the customer using a wireless network receiver disposed at the checkout area; and
detecting a predefined pass-code associated with the customer by the microphone.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises multiple-factor authentication.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , the operation further comprising:
indicating, by an output device disposed at the checkout area and communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a completion of the sale transaction to the customer.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the output device is at least one of a speaker, a light, and a visual display.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the one or more cameras are disposed near shelving units within the environment.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area occurs at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal within the checkout area.

15. A system for performing a sale transaction at a checkout area of an environment, the system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory containing program code which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the system to perform an operation comprising:
acquiring images using one or more cameras in the environment outside the checkout area, wherein one or more items are represented in the images;
identifying, by one or more processors communicatively coupled with the one or more cameras, the one or more items as they are being transported by a customer through the environment;
maintaining, by the one or more processors, a transaction record associated with the customer, wherein maintaining the transaction record comprises updating a list of selected items using the identified one or more items;
authenticating the customer at the checkout area; and
responsive to authenticating the customer at the checkout area, charging a cost of the selected items to a payment method having a predefined association with the customer.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises at least one of the following:
identifying the customer using one or more other cameras in the environment at the checkout area;
identifying the customer using a voice sample acquired by a microphone disposed at the checkout area;
detecting a mobile computing device of the customer using a wireless network receiver disposed at the checkout area; and
detecting a predefined pass-code associated with the customer by the microphone.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein authenticating the customer at the checkout area comprises multiple-factor authentication.

18. The system of claim 15 , the operation further comprising:
indicating, by an output device disposed at the checkout area and communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a completion of the sale transaction to the customer.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the output device is at least one of a speaker, a light, and a visual display.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more cameras are disposed near shelving units within the environment.

Assignees

• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corp
• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions

Inventors

• Landers Jr John David
• Herring Dean Frederick
• Johnson Brad Matthew
• Smith Jeffrey John
• Steiner David John
• Do Phuc Ky

Classifications

• G07G1/0054 Primary

  with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles · CPC title

• G06F2218/12

  Classification; Matching · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623 Primary

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title

• G06F18/22

  Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title