IP Library Granted Patent US 7,448,542
Granted Patent B1
US 7,448,542 · App. 12/115,238 · Granted Nov 11, 2008

Method for detecting a non-scan at a retail checkout station

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,448,542
App. No.
12/115,238
Granted
Nov 11, 2008
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method for detecting a non-scan at a retail checkout station includes detecting the passing of an item across a scanner device of a retail checkout station, obtaining an image of the item passing across the scanner, detecting a scan of an item passing across the scanner to establish a scanned item, and establishing a register associated with the scanned item. A scan occurs if the image of the item passing across the scanner substantially matches the register associated with the scanned item. Conversely, a non-scan is triggered when the image of the item passing across the scanner does not match the register associated with the scanned item.

Claims (17)

1. A method for detecting a non-scan at a retail checkout station comprising:

detecting the passing of an item across a scanner device of a retail checkout station;

determining that the item passing across the scanner device was not registered as a scan;

establishing a potential non-scanned item based on the item not being registered as a scan;

obtaining an image of the potential non-scanned item;

establishing a scanned item based on an item passing across the scanner device being registered as a scan;

extracting features associated with the scanned item;

comparing the features associated with the scanned item with the image of the potential non-scanned item; and

triggering an actual non-scan if the features of the scanned item do not substantially match the image of the potential non-scanned item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting an object not associated with the potential non-scanned item; and

removing the object not associated with the potential non-scanned from the image of the potential non-scanned item.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting the object not associated with the potential non-scanned item includes detecting a portion of a cashier moving the potential non-scanned item across the scanner device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting multiple attempts to scan an item;

establishing multiple potential non-scanned items based on the item not being registered as a scan; and

evaluating each of the multiple potential non-scanned items prior to indicating an actual non-scan of the item.

Assignments (4)
PATENT ASSIGNMENT AND RESERVATION Recorded Sep 4, 2012
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: TOSHIBA GLOBAL COMMERCE SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028895/0935 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RESPONSE TO NOTICE OF NON-RECORDATION OF DOCUMENT AND DEFECTIVE ASSIGNMENT RECORDATION COVER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020948 FRAME 0505. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 25, 2008
From: BOBBITT, RUSSELL P.; FLICKNER, MYRON; HAMPAPUR, ARUN; OTTO, CHARLES A.; PANKANTI, SHARATHCHANDRA U.; PARK, UNSANG; YANAGAWA, AKIRA; ZHAI, YUN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021293/0166 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020901 FRAME 0543. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 15, 2008
From: BOBBITT, RUSSELL P.; FLICKNER, MYRON; HAMPAPUR, ARUN; OTTO, CHARLES A.; PANKANTI, SHARATHCHANDRA U.; PARK, UNSANG; YANAGAWA, AKIRA; ZHAI, YUN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020948/0505 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2008
From: BOBBITT, RUSSELL P.; FLICKNER, MYRON; HAMPAPUR, ARUN; OTTO, CHALES A.; PANKANTI, SHARATHCHANDRA U.; PARK, UNSANG; YANAGAWA, AKIRA; ZHAI, YUN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020901/0543 →