Theft detection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11861997-B2
Application number	US-202017074128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Oct 19, 2020
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A method includes supporting, by a support, a bag containing one or more items of an order and detecting, by a sensor coupled to an end of the support, a weight of the bag and the one or more items when the bag is suspended on the support such that the weight of the bag and the one or more items is exerted on the support. The method also includes comparing, by a hardware processor, the detected weight to an expected weight of the order and communicating, by the hardware processor, an alert when the expected weight is unequal to the detected weight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
supporting, by a support, a handle of a bag containing one or more items of an order as the bag hangs by the handle on the support;
detecting, by a sensor coupled to an end of the support such that the support extends laterally from the sensor and parallel to the ground, a weight of the bag and the one or more items when the bag is hanging by the handle on the support such that the weight of the bag and the one or more items is exerted on the support through the handle;
comparing, by a hardware processor, the detected weight to an expected weight of the order; and
communicating, by the hardware processor, an alert when the expected weight is unequal to the detected weight.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising converting, by the sensor, a tension experienced by the sensor to the detected weight.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising scanning, by a scanner, an identifier on the bag.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
determining, by the hardware processor, a weight of the bag based on the scanned identifier; and
removing, by the hardware processor, the weight of the bag from the detected weight before comparing the detected weight to the expected weight.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating a light in response to the alert being communicated.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the hardware processor, the expected weight as the one or more items are scanned.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected weight exceeding the expected weight indicates that an item in the bag is unaccounted for.

8. A system comprising:
a support configured to support a handle of a bag containing one or more items of an order as the bag hangs by the handle on the support;
a sensor coupled to an end of the support such that the support extends laterally from the sensor and parallel to the ground, the sensor configured to detect a weight of the bag and the one or more items when the bag is hanging by the handle on the support such that the weight of the bag and the one or more items is exerted on the support through the handle;
a computer system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the computer system comprising a memory and a hardware processor configured to:
compare the detected weight to an expected weight of the order; and
communicate an alert when the expected weight is unequal to the detected weight.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a tension sensor configured to convert a tension experienced by the sensor to the detected weight.

10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a scanner configured to scan an identifier on the bag.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine a weight of the bag based on the scanned identifier; and
remove the weight of the bag from the detected weight before comparing the detected weight to the expected weight.

12. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a light configured to activate in response to the alert being communicated.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine the expected weight as the one or more items are scanned.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the detected weight exceeding the expected weight indicates that an item in the bag is unaccounted for.

15. A system comprising:
a support configured to support a handle of a bag containing one or more items of an order as the bag hangs by the handle on the support;
a sensor coupled to an end of the support such that the support extends laterally from the sensor and parallel to the ground, the sensor configured to detect a weight of the bag and the one or more items when the bag is hanging by the handle on the support such that the weight of the bag and the one or more items is exerted on the support through the handle;
a scanner configured to scan an identifier on the bag;
a computer system communicatively coupled to the sensor, the computer system comprising a memory and a hardware processor configured to:
determine a weight of the bag based on the scanned identifier;
remove the weight of the bag from the detected weight;
compare the detected weight to an expected weight of the order; and
communicate an alert when the expected weight is unequal to the detected weight.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a tension sensor configured to convert a tension experienced by the sensor to the detected weight.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the weight of the bag is stored prior to detecting the weight of the bag and the one or more items.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to retrieve the weight of the bag based on the scanned identifier.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a light configured to activate in response to the alert being communicated.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine the expected weight as the one or more items are scanned.

Assignees

• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corp

Inventors

• Freedman Sharon
• Graham Scott
• Bleakley Suzanne M
• Bui Tuyen

Classifications

• G08B13/1472 Primary

  with force or weight detection · CPC title

• G01G19/52

  Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture (with walking sticks A45B3/08) · CPC title

• G01G19/62

  Over or under weighing apparatus · CPC title

• G01G23/32

  Indicating the weight by optical projection means · CPC title

• G06Q20/208

  Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing · CPC title