U.S. patent number 3,737,631 [Application Number 05/161,899] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-05 for automatic checkout and inventory control.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Super Key Associates. Invention is credited to Joseph I. Harris.
United States Patent |
3,737,631 |
Harris |
June 5, 1973 |
AUTOMATIC CHECKOUT AND INVENTORY CONTROL
Abstract
Individual tags attached to shelf merchandise in a self-service
supermarket have a detachable portion whose weight represents the
price of the merchandise to which the tag is attached. The
detachable tag portion also contains an inventory control number.
At a checkout station, the detachable tag portions are removed from
all merchandise selected by a customer and the detached tag
portions are counted and weighed. The collective weight of the tags
is used to give a real time indication of the total price of the
customer's purchases. Subsequent to checkout, the detached tag
portions are scanned individually to identify merchandise sold
through the checkout station. This information is thereafter
processed and used for inventory control.
Inventors: |
Harris; Joseph I. (Birmingham,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Super Key Associates
(Birmingham, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
22583267 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/161,899 |
Filed: |
July 12, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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832629 |
Jun 12, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
235/383; 177/1;
235/61PS; 235/61M; 235/385; 705/22; 177/25.19; 235/91L |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K
19/06 (20130101); G06Q 20/203 (20130101); G07G
1/10 (20130101); G07G 1/0036 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07G
1/00 (20060101); G07G 1/10 (20060101); G06K
19/06 (20060101); G06k 007/00 (); G06m 007/02 ();
G09f 003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;235/61.6,61.12,61.9,91.13,61.11,61M,61PS,91L ;271/26 ;250/223
;186/1 ;40/2R,2A,2G,27.5 ;214/310 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wilbur; Maynard R.
Assistant Examiner: Sloyan; Thomas J.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation of my prior copending
application Ser. No. 832,629, filed June 12, 1969 and entitled
"Automatic Checkout And Inventory Control" (now abandoned).
Claims
I claim:
1. In the method of merchandising articles wherein a plurality of
articles are selected from stock and transferred to a checkout
station for totaling the total price of said selected articles by
use of gravitational weighing means, the steps of forming a group
of individual pricing media having incremental gravitational weight
variations therebetween corresponding to respective price
variations over a price range of said stock articles, associating
with each stock article prior to article selection an individual
pricing media having a predetermined gravitational weight
representing a price of the corresponding article associated
therewith and distinguishing that price from all other prices,
disassociating said pricing media from articles after selection,
and then simultaneously weighing with said weighing means said
disassociated pricing media to obtain a collective gravitational
weight thereof whereby said total price can be determined from said
collective gravitational weight without identifying either the
individual price of a selected article or the gravitational weight
of an individual pricing media.
2. The combination of a first article of merchandise having a first
predetermined price, first pricing means attached to said article,
said first pricing means being separable from said first article
itself and having a first gravitational weight that represents said
first predetermined price and distinguishes said first
predetermined price from all other prices, a second article of
merchandise having a second predetermined price different from said
first predetermined price and second pricing means attached to said
second article, said second pricing means being separable from said
second article itself and having a second gravitational weight that
is different from said first gravitational weight and represents
said second predetermined price and distinguishes said second
predetermined price from all other prices whereby said first and
second pricing means can be separated from said first and second
articles and gravitationally weighed to indicate said prices.
3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein each pricing means
comprises a tag of sheet material having a first portion attached
to its respective article and a second portion detachable from said
first portion, and wherein said second portion has a gravitational
weight representing price.
4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein each pricing means
comprises a length of filamentary material detachably fastened to
its respective article.
5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said filamentary
material has a predetermined weight-per-unit length and the length
of said filamentary material in each pricing means is such that its
gravitational weight represents its respective price.
6. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said filamentary
material is semi-rigid wire.
7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein each wire has a
predetermined configuration identifying its respective article.
8. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein each pricing means
comprises a tag of sheet material and a piece of wire attached
thereto.
9. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said first price is
greater than said second price and said first gravitational weight
is greater than said second gravitational weight.
10. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said first price
is greater than said second price and wherein said first
gravitational weight is less than said second gravitational
weight.
11. In the method of merchandising articles wherein a plurality of
articles are selected from stock and transferred to a checkout
station for totaling the total price of said selected plurality of
articles by using gravitational weighing means, the steps of
providing a group of individual pricing media exclusive of the
article itself, attachable thereto and separable therefrom, each of
said pricing media having at least a portion thereof having a
predetermined gravitational weight representing an individual
article price, said group containing incremental individual pricing
media portions having incremental gravitational weight variations
therebetween over a price range corresponding to a price range of
said stock articles, associating with each stock article prior to
article selection an individual pricing media selected from said
group and representing the price of the corresponding article
associated therewith, disassociating from articles after selection
at least said pricing portions of said pricing media, collecting
said disassociated pricing media portions at said checkout station
into an accumulation having a corresponding total gravitational
weight representing the sum of the individual gravitational weights
of said pricing portions associated with said selected articles,
and then measuring said total weight of accumulated pricing media
portions with said gravitational weighing means and without
separately identifying either the individual price of a selected
article or the individual gravitational weight of corresponding
selected pricing media portions whereby said total price can be
determined from said total weight.
12. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein said pricing media is
provided by providing individual tags of sheet material and wherein
the weight of said material in respective tags is varied
incrementally according to corresponding incremental price
variations.
13. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein said pricing media are
provided by providing individual lengths of filamentary
material.
14. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein said pricing media is
provided by providing individual lengths of wire.
15. The method set forth in claim 14 implemented by automatic
apparatus including scanning means and further comprising imparting
to individual lengths of said wire respective different
configurations identifying respective articles with which said
lengths are to be associated, separating individual lengths of wire
from said accumulation and scanning each wire to determine its
configuration and thereby obtain an identification of the articles
selected from stock.
16. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein said pricing media are
provided by providing individual tags of sheet material reinforced
with rigid filamentary material.
17. The method set forth in claim 11 wherein said pricing media are
provided from material having a predetermined uniform
weight-per-unit length and wherein said incremental weight
variations are provided by incrementally varying the length of
individual pricing media within said group according to
corresponding incremental price variations.
18. The method set forth in claim 11 implemented by automatic
apparatus including scanning means and wherein said method further
comprises providing each pricing media portion with indicia
identifying a respective article to which said pricing media
portion is to be attached, separating individual pricing media
portions from said accumulation, and scanning each individual
pricing media portion with said scanning means to identify the
indicia on each pricing media portion and thereby obtain an
indication of the articles that have been selected from stock.
19. The method of merchandising articles selected from a stock of
articles by using gravitational weighing means to obtain a total
price of said selected articles comprising the steps of providing
respective pricing means on individual associated stock articles
with each pricing means being attached to its associated article
and having at least a portion thereof removable from its associated
article and whose gravitational weight represents a predetermined
price of its associated article, selecting articles from said stock
articles, removing individual pricing means portions from said
selected articles and then with said gravitational weighing means
collectively weighing the removed pricing means portions to
determine a total gravitational weight of said removed pricing
means portions to thereby obtain an indication of said total
price.
20. The method set forth in claim 19 further comprising the step of
imparting on each pricing means an inventory control number
identifying that particular stock article to which said pricing
means is attached.
21. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein each of said pricing
means portions is referenced to a substantially identical
predetermined gravitational base weight and incremental deviations
in actual gravitational weight of said pricing means from said base
weight are correlated to different prices, and wherein said
indication of total price is obtained by determining a collective
total of said incremental weight deviations.
22. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said weighing means
provides a first signal representing said total weight and said
method is further implemented by automatic apparatus including
counting means and computing means, and wherein said method further
comprises counting with said counting means the total number of
removed pricing means portions and generating a second signal
representing said total number and then processing said first and
said second signals with said computing means to obtain said total
price indication.
23. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein merchandising is
implemented by automatic apparatus including counting means and
automatic visual indicating means, and wherein said method further
comprises counting with said counting means the total number of
pricing means portions removed from said selected articles and then
providing with said visual indicating means a visual indication of
said total number to thereby verify that the number of pricing
means portions being weighed equals the number of said selected
articles.
24. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein merchandising is
implemented by automatic apparatus including counting means and
computing means, and wherein said method further comprises counting
with said counting means the total number of pricing means portions
removed from said selected articles and then obtaining said
indication of said total price by said computing means as a
function of said total number and said total weight.
25. The method set forth in claim 19 implemented by automatic
apparatus including scanning means and further comprising providing
indicia on each individual pricing means portion identifying the
article to which each pricing means portion is attached and
scanning with said scanning means each pricing means portion
removed from said selected article to identify the indicia thereon
and thereby obtain an identification of each article which has been
selected from stock.
26. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said pricing means are
formed from material having a predetermined uniform weight-per-unit
length and wherein pricing variations are obtained by varying the
length of material attached to corresponding stock articles.
27. The method set forth in claim 26 implemented by automatic
apparatus including scanning means and by pricing means comprising
lengths of semi-rigid wire, and wherein said method further
comprises imparting to each length of wire a predetermined
configuration identifying that article to which that length of
material is attached and scanning with said scanning means each
length of wire after removal from said selected articles to
identify the configuration of each individual length of wire and
thereby identify that article which has been selected from
stock.
28. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said pricing means are
provided on said stock articles by means of individual tags of
material having at least a portion thereof whose gravitational
weight represents the price of that article to which that tag is
attached and pricing variations for stock articles having different
prices are provided by incrementally varying the gravitational
weight of said tag portions.
29. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said pricing means are
provided on articles having different prices by forming individual
lengths of semi-rigid wire with incremental gravitational weight
variations therebetween corresponding to incremental price
variations.
30. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said pricing means are
provided on articles having different prices by forming individual
tags of sheet material with incremental gravitational weight
variations therebetween corresponding to incremental price
variations.
31. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein said pricing means are
provided on articles having different prices by forming individual
lengths of filamentary material with incremental gravitational
weight variations therebetween corresponding to incremental price
variations.
32. The method set forth in claim 24 wherein said pricing means are
provided on articles having different prices by forming pricing
means portions that have equal predetermined base gravitational
weights and respective incremental gravitational weight increases
over said base weight corresponding to increases in price of
corresponding articles to which pricing means portions are
attached, and said method further comprises determining said total
price with said computing means by multiplying said base weight
times said total number and then subtracting the resulting
multiplication product from said total weight of said removed
pricing means portions.
33. The method set forth in claim 24 wherein said pricing means are
provided on articles having different prices by forming pricing
means portions that have equal predetermined base gravitational
weights with respective decreases in actual gravitational weight of
pricing means portions from said base weight corresponding to
increases in price of corresponding articles to which the pricing
means portions are attached, and wherein said method further
comprises determining with said computing means said total price by
multiplying said base weight times said total number and then
subtracting said total weight of said removed pricing means
portions from the resulting multiplication product.
34. The method set forth in claim 29 wherein said incremental
weight variations are provided by forming said lengths of wire with
length variations therebetween.
35. The method set forth in claim 30 wherein said incremental
weight variations are provided by forming said tags with
incremental length variations therebetween.
36. In the method of merchandising articles that are to be selected
for purchase wherein a total price of selected articles is to be
determined by measuring the gravitational weight of pricing means
after separation from the articles themselves and wherein a first
article has a first predetermined price and a second article has a
second predetermined price, the steps of providing on said first
article a first pricing means that is attached to and separable
from said first article itself and has a first predetermined
gravitational weight that represents said first predetermined price
and distinguishes said first predetermined price from said second
predetermined price and from all other prices, and providing on
said second article a second pricing means that is attached to and
separable from said second article itself and has a second
predetermined gravitational weight that represents said second
predetermined price and distinguishes said second predetermined
price from said first predetermined price and from all other
prices.
37. The method set forth in claim 36 wherein said first and said
second pricing means are provided on said first and second articles
by first forming said first and second pricing means and then
attaching said first pricing means to said first article and said
second pricing means to said second article.
38. The method set forth in claim 36 further comprising separating
said first pricing means from said first article after said first
article has been selected for purchase, separating said second
pricing means from said second article after said second article
has been selected for purchase, and then determining the sum of
said first and second predetermined prices using gravitational
weighing means by simultaneously weighing said first pricing means
and said second pricing means with said gravitational weighing
means.
39. In the method of merchandising articles wherein a plurality of
articles are selected from stock and transferred to a checkout
station for totaling the total price of said selected articles by
use of gravitational weighing means and wherein each stock article
has a respective pricing means associated therewith, attached
thereto and separable from each article itself, and each pricing
means has a predetermined gravitational weight representing a
predetermined price of its associated article and distinguishing
that predetermined price of its associated article from other
prices, the steps of detaching said pricing means from each of said
plurality of articles after selection thereof and then
simultaneously weighing said detached pricing means with said
gravitational weighing means to determine the total gravitational
weight of said detached pricing means whereby said total price can
be obtained from said total gravitational weight of said detached
pricing means.
40. In the method of merchandising articles wherein a first article
has a first predetermined price and a second article has a second
predetermined price, the steps of providing on said first article a
first pricing means that is attached to and separable from said
first article itself and has a first predetermined gravitational
weight that represents said first predetermined price and
distinguishes said first price from other prices, providing on said
second article a second pricing means that is attached to and
separable from said second article itself and has a second
predetermined gravitational weight that represents said second
predetermined price and distinguishes said second price from other
prices, separating said first pricing means from said first article
after said article has been selected and then measuring said first
predetermined gravitational weight of said first pricing means
after separation from said first article to determine said first
predetermined price.
41. Price totaling apparatus for use in selling articles wherein
each article has a pricing tag attached thereto and separable from
each said article itself and with each tag having a respective
gravitational weight representing the selling price of the article
to which the tag is attached and distinguishing that price from all
other prices comprising a checkout station for processing said
articles after selection by a customer, first transfer means at
said station for receiving said tags after separation from said
selected articles, gravitational weighing scale means at said
station for providing a first signal representing a collective
gravitational weight of a number of said separated tags greater
than one, said gravitational weighing scale means having a tag
inlet communicating with said first transfer means to receive said
separated tags therefrom, second transfer means at said checkout
station for transferring said tags away from said gravitational
weighing scale means after said separated tags have been weighed,
and first automatic means operatively coupled to said gravitational
weighing scale means and responsive to said first signal to provide
an indication of a total selling price represented by said
collective gravitational weight.
42. The apparatus set forth in claim 41 further comprising
automatic counting means operatively associated with one of said
transfer means to count said separated tags and provide a second
signal representing said number, and wherein said first automatic
means is responsive to both said first and said second signals to
provide said indication of total price.
43. The apparatus set forth in claim 41 further comprising
automatic scanning means operatively associated with one of said
transfer means to identify indicia on each of said pricing means,
said indicia identifying the article to which each pricing means
was attached so that an identification of each article which has
been selected is obtained from said scanning means.
44. The apparatus set forth in claim 41 wherein said first signal
provided by said gravitational weighing scale means is a first
electrical signal and said first automatic means comprises register
means coupled to said gravitational weighing scale means and
responsive to said first electrical signal to compute said total
selling price.
45. The apparatus set forth in claim 44 wherein said first
automatic means further comprises manual entry pricing means
operatively coupled to said register means for modifying said total
price in response to an instruction entered manually by an operator
of said price totaling apparatus.
46. The apparatus set forth in claim 44 further comprising
automatic counting means operatively associated with one of said
transfer means to count said separated tags and provide a second
electrical signal representing said number and wherein said first
automatic means is responsive to both said first and second
electrical signals to provide said indication of total price.
47. The apparatus set forth in claim 44 wherein said gravitational
weighing scale means includes a scale pan enclosed in a housing,
said first transfer means has an outlet communicating with the
interior of said housing to deliver said separated tags to said
pan, said housing having a portion thereof forming a collection
chamber, means forming a tag outlet in said housing communicating
with said collection chamber, said second transfer means
communicating with said tag outlet, means for transferring tags
from said pan to said chamber and means for creating a current of
air moving through said chamber and exhausting therefrom through
said outlet to thereby transfer tags away from said gravitational
weighing scale means.
48. The apparatus set forth in claim 47 wherein said collection
chamber is located in said housing below said pan, said pan is made
of resiliently flexible material and has a normally concave
transverse cross section so that said pan opens in an upward
direction to receive tags from said first transfer means and
wherein said means for transferring tags from said pan to said
chamber comprises means for flexing said pan to cause said pan to
assume a convex transverse cross section to thereby dump said tags
into said collection chamber.
Description
In self-service merchandising, for example, in department stores
and food markets, the usual procedure is for a customer to select
merchandise marked with the price, either upon a separate label or
stamped directly on the goods. The checkout cashier looks for the
label or the price imprinted on the goods and then enters each
individual price into a cash register to obtain a total selling
price. A significant problem with high-volume merchandising of
goods such as food is the bottle neck at the checkout station.
Rapid and smooth flow of customers through checkout is not realized
because of the time required for the cashier to locate the price
and manually enter the price into the cash register. Conventional
checkout using a cashier also introduces human error, for example,
errors in reading prices and in entering prices into the register.
A very significant cost factor is also incurred by the conventional
checkout cashier when salary, overtime and fringe benefits are
taken into consideration. Slow checkout also gives rise to indirect
losses; for example, prospective customers may not shop at crowded
stores with slow checkout.
Although existing data processing technology is capable of
computerized automatic inventory control, prior attempts to
commercialize such systems have emphasized the value of inventory
control as contrasted to satisfying the need to improved checkout.
Data processing has received limited commercial acceptance with
certain types of merchandising where the benefit for inventory
control purposes justifies the cost, even though checkout is not
improved and, in some applications, checkout is even impaired.
However, data processing checkout and inventory control systems
have not received commercial acceptance for high-volume food
merchandising even though the inventory control problem with
respect to food is a major concern.
One type of data processing system that has been suggested for
checkout and inventory control uses indicia or perforations on a
label which is scanned by special equipment to derive pricing and
inventory control data. The scanning equipment is, in general,
expensive, cumbersome and not suited to high-volume merchandising.
For example, one typical automatic inventory control system that
has been suggested uses an optical scanner. The present state of
the optical scanner art is such that such systems have not been
adopted commercially for high-volume merchandising because they are
expensive, they lack the accuracy and reliability required and they
fail to accomplish any real speed-up in checkout due to the time
required to sort and handle individual labels during scanning.
Other types of checkout and inventory control systems using
processed data have also been suggested where the customer is not
permitted to freely inspect and select the specific goods to be
purchased. It is desirable in almost all automatic checkout systems
that the customer should be free to inspect and accept or reject
any item for purchase. The customer should actively participate in
the selection of his purchases and in the checkout process without
losing visual contact of his purchases.
Objects of the present invention include providing improved
automatic checkout and/or inventory control that is particularly
suited to high-volume merchandising; that overcomes the
aforementioned disadvantages of prior systems; and that achieves
fast, accurate, reliable and effective checkout and/or inventory
control at low cost and without depriving a customer of freedom of
individual selection.
Further objects of the present invention are to provide automated
checkout that is simple to operate and minimizes the transfer of
pricing data into a register by a cashier but yet allows for manual
price transfer into the register when required.
A further and equally important object of this invention is to
provide automated automatic checkout that minimizes manpower
requirements and losses due to cashier error and to avoidance of
shopping by customers by comparison to present commercial checkouts
and/or that provides an inventory control capability to thereby
further effect a substantial saving to high-volume
merchandising.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a small
tag is affixed to each item in the store. The tag is coded with an
inventory control number, and the weight of the tag is related to
the price of its associated item. The customer selects items from
shelf stock and takes them to the checkout counter in a cart or the
like. The items are removed from the customer's cart by a
semi-skilled checkout cashier and/or the customer, detagged, and
the tags are dropped through a slot in the checkout counter top
past a counting device and onto a scale. The total price of the
items purchased is determined by the collective weight of the tags.
The tags are then collected for subsequent processing to identify
the inventory control numbers for inventory control purposes.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent in connection with the following description,
the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automated checkout and inventory
control system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates four different types of tags having detachable
portions whose weight represents the price of goods;
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section taken on line 3--3 of one of
the tags of FIG. 2;
FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate two techniques for printing inventory
control numbers on a tag;
FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate further embodiments of tags formed from
wire strips;
FIG. 6 is a plot illustrating a principle of incremental tag weight
variation applicable to the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a checkout counter incorporating a
scale and a pneumatic tag transfer mechanism according to one
embodiment of the present invention.
Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, a plurality of items 10
selected by a customer are placed on a checkout counter 12. Each of
the items 10 has affixed thereon a small tag 14 having a detachable
portion 14' which is removed during checkout and inserted in a
chute 16. The tag portions 14' are conveyed by chute 16 past a
photocell counter which includes a light source 18, a photocell
pickup 22 and a counter 24. Counter 24 receives an input pulse from
photocell 22 in response to each removed tag portion 14' passing
down chute 16. The output of counter 24 is fed, respectively, to a
visual indicator 26 and a totalizing register 28. Indicator 26 is a
light which flashes on in response to the passage of a tag portion
14' to verify that the tag has been counted.
Chute 16 empties into a tag weight scale 30 that accumulates all of
the tags removed from the items 10 purchased by the customer. Scale
30 provides an output signal to register 28 representing the total
weight of the accumulated tag portions 14' for a complete purchase
by the customer of the items 10. Register 28 is also connected to a
manual input 32, such as a keyboard or the like, under the control
of the checkout cashier. Data that can be transferred into register
28 via the manual input 32 includes instructions to register 28 to
totalize the amount of the purchases; prices of goods without tags,
if any; sales tax; and the amount given the cashier by the customer
for which change must be given.
Register 28 calculates the total price of the merchandise or goods
10 purchased by the customer as a function of the two inputs
received from the tag counter 24 and the tag weight scale 30, i.e.,
the total number and the collective weight of tag portions 14'
accumulated in scale 30. In response to the data from manual input
32, tag counter 24 and scale 30, register 28 calculates the total
price of the purchase, including sales tax, and the change
required, and feeds this information, together with the number of
items purchased, to a digital readout 36 and a printer 40. The
readout 36 provides a visual display of the information received
from register 28 and printer 40 provides a printed receipt for the
customer and a printed record for the store. Register 28 also
actuates a changer 41 which delivers change to the customer. The
checkout apparatus and procedure described generally hereinabove is
simple, accurate and reliable and operates rapidly without skilled
operators. The total purchase price will, in general, be determined
automatically by the information from either scale 30 alone or
scale 30 together with the count from counter 24, as will later be
explained in greater detail. Rapid checkout is achieved because the
tag portions 14' are not examined individually, as by scanning; and
hence elaborate sorting and handling of individual tags is not
required during checkout.
After a sale is completed, the tags 14' accumulated in scale 30 are
transferred via a conduit 42 to a temporary tag storage unit 44.
Tags are removed from the temporary storage 44 periodically via a
conduit 46 and transferred to an inventory scanner-reader 48 for
processing of inventory control numbers. After processing in the
scanner-reader 48, the used tag portions 14' are collected for
destruction or other disposition. Scanner-reader 48 reads the
inventory control number upon each of the tag portions 14' and
supplies that information to a central inventory control computer
50. Computer 50 performs functions conventionally associated with
inventory control as, for example, providing a printed tabulation
of inventory changes via the printer 52 and/or periodically
initiating orders for a store as illustrated by the inventory
control function 54.
The present invention contemplates using conventional equipment for
the scanner-reader 48, computer 50, printer 52 and inventory
control 54. However, a significant feature of the present invention
is that the tag portions 14' are not scanned and read on a real
time basis during checkout; and hence tag portions 14' can be
scanned and read for inventory purposes by commercially available
scanning and reading equipment. For example, although the input for
scanner-reader 48 has been described as directly from temporary
storage 44, the scanner-reader 48 could be centrally located to
service several stores. The tag portions 14' from one store can be
transported periodically, for example, once a day, to the location
of the scanner-reader 48 for processing. This avoids duplication of
expensive scanner-reader equipment at each checkout station or at
each individual store. Whether a scanner-reader 48 is provided at
each checkout station, at each store for a plurality of checkout
stations, or at a central location for a plurality of stores, the
scanner-reader can process tag portions 14' at a rate determined by
the capabilities of the scanner-reader independent of the rate of
the checkout operation, per se.
FIG. 2 shows four of the different possible types of planar tags
60, 62, 64, 66, any one of which could be used in a set of tags 14
for a given merchandising application. Each of the tags 60, 62, 64,
66 generally comprises a body portion designated by the letter "a"
and a tab portion designated by the letter "b." The body portions
60a, 62a, 64a, 66a are detachable from their respective tab
portions 60b, 62b, 64b, 66b along lines of separation designated by
the letter "c." Each of the body portions 60a, 62a, 64a, 66a has a
weight corresponding to a given price for an item to which the tag
is to be attached. A set of tags will have body portions
incrementally graduated in weight to accommodate retail price
variations within the merchandising price variations for a given
merchandising application. The tabs 60b, 62b, 64b, 66b are adhered
to the merchandise as by adhesive. For articles to which the tabs
will not adhere, the tabs can be stapled, wired or otherwise
affixed to the articles. Tag 66 also includes a length of wire 66d
laminated between top and bottom layers 66f, 66g (FIG. 3). With tag
66, the weight of the body portion 66a includes the weight of the
wire 66d. When the body portion 66a is removed from the tab portion
66b along the separation line 66c, wire 66d is retained in the body
portion and the lower end of the wire as viewed in FIG. 2 pulls out
or tears through the tab portion 66b.
For a given merchandising application, the tag configuration will
be selected to provide the best compromise between at least the
following factors: (a) production cost and control; (b) cost and
design of a suitable tagging device for applying the tags to the
article; (c) minimizing fraud by deterring customers from removing
body portions from one tag and inserting them into tab portions of
tags on higher priced items; (d) minimizing accidental separation
of the body portion from the tab portion; and (e) facilitating
removal of the body portion from the tab with accurate
repeatability, i.e., minimum weight variation between detached body
portions representing a given price. For example, with tag 60, the
interface formed by the separation line 60c between the body
portion 60a and the tab 60b, forms a key 60d on the body portion
60a. This configuration minimizes accidental separation and
undetectable interchange of body portions by the customer. The size
of the key 60d can be varied for different price ranges to provide
a weight variation for that price range. Different sized keys 60d
for different price ranges also further deters removal and
reinsertion of a body portion 60a from one price range tag to
another price range tag.
With the tag 62, the line of separation 62c forms legs 62d. This
configuration also minimizes accidental separation of the body
portion 62a from the tab portion 62b and the size or number of the
legs 62d can be varied from price range to price range to minimize
exchange of body portions from one price range tag to another price
range tag and provide a weight variation between tags in different
price ranges. Tag 64 has the simplest interface configuration along
the line of separation 64c and hence is most susceptible to
accidental separation. On the other hand, this configuration
provides for easy separation without variation in the weight of the
body portions as they are removed from the tab portions. The wire
66d in tag 66 minimizes accidental separation and provides a
convenient mechanism for varying the weight of tags representing
different prices. Wires 66d of different diameters provide a
convenient means to provide different weight ranges for different
price ranges.
The tags 60, 62, 64, 66 can be made of paper or plastic and, for
example, have dimensions on the order of 2 inches long, 1/2 inch
wide and one-thirty-second of an inch thick with each tag weighing
about 1/2 gram. The tags can be manufactured to substantially the
form shown in FIG. 2 in complete sets to accommodate the required
price variations. The tags would then be applied to the articles by
a suitable tagging device which would simultaneously mark a visible
price on the item and/or the tag and also code the tag with an
inventory number. Alternatively, for example, the tags can be
partly formed during production by forming rolls of strip material
having uniform thickness, width and weight-per-unit length. The
tagging device would then form the individual tags 60, 62, 64, 66
(form the separation lines c and cut the tag so that the body
portions a have the desired weight for given prices), code the tag
with an inventory number, mark the price on the tag or the item,
and affix the tag to the item.
In order to accommodate retail price variations over a total price
range for a given merchandising operation, the weight of the body
portions 60a, 62a, 64a, 66a should be incrementally graduated from
a non-zero base weight 74 as illustrated in FIG. 6. Tag weight
increments can be obtained by varying the configuration as
described hereinabove or by varying the length, width, thickness
and/or density of the material of which the tags are made. In the
preferred embodiment, the length is varied while the width and
thickness are held constant to facilitate sorting and handling in
the scanner-reader 48. A typical merchandising operation might, for
example, require on the order of 500 to 2,000 steps to obtain the
required number of incremental graduations in weight corresponding
to pricing variations of the merchandise being handled by the
system. An allowable variance 76 in tag weight at each price step
should be taken into consideration to compensate for weight
variations due to manufacturing tolerances, scale accuracy and
variations in detaching the body portions a from the tab portions
b.
The allowable weight variation 76 and the optimum separation 75
between adjacent price steps will be selected depending upon the
accuracy of the scale 30, the accuracy in producing the tags 14 and
the expected weight variation occurring when the body portions are
detached from the tab portions b. Although theoretically it would
appear that the separation 75 between weight (price) steps should
be at least as great as the maximum permitted variance 76 at each
price step multiplied by the total number of allowable purchases,
in any given merchandising application, the variance 76 can be
substantially less depending on the sales frequency of each price
step. Ideally, the variance in the base weight 74 should be
significantly smaller than the incremental weight or separation 75
associated with a price step. On the other hand, the total variance
(the sum of the variances 76) that one could expect in an allowable
set of purchases would statistically not be significant. Cumulative
pricing errors arising from the variance of the base weight and
from the variance of the incremental weight at each price step
should be dependent upon the distribution of tag weights within the
allowable variance and could thus be minimized at the tag
production level. At most, the expected total variance would not
exceed a predetermined price step, for example, 1 cent; and this
amount could be deducted from the total purchase price. The present
invention also contemplates a complete tag that is removed from the
article and whose weight identifies price. This would avoid weight
variation incident to detaching the body portions a from the tab
portions b with the tags of FIG. 2.
FIGS. 4a and 4b show two tags 80, 82 illustrating different
techniques for providing inventory control numbers on the tags. On
tag 80, the inventory control number is printed in binary form by
the bar markings 84. The lower half of the bars 84 provide clock
information whereas the presence or absence of the upper half of
the bar represents a one or a zero, respectively. On the tag 82,
the inventory control number 86 is imprinted with stylized numerals
compatible with available optical scanning equipment. It will be
understood that the form of the inventory control number is not an
essential feature of the present invention. It is significant,
however, that for checkout purposes the tags 80, 82 have body
portions 80a, 82a, respectively, whose weight represents the price
of the item to which the tags are attached; and the same tags 80,
82 provide an effective media for inventory control numbers
associated with the items being merchandised through the checkout
system. Although inventory control via the tags 14 is preferred,
the improvements in checkout alone provided by the present
invention would justify adoption of the system without inventory
control for many merchandising operations.
FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate embodiments of the present invention
wherein the tags 14 are in the form of wire tags 90, 92. Wire tags
such as the tags 90, 92 are cut from spools of wire having a
constant weight-per-unit length, i.e., uniform density and
diameter. Incremental weight variations representing different
prices are thus obtained by varying the length of the wire tag. As
with the embodiment of the tag 66 in FIG. 2, weight variations
between price ranges can be obtained by varying the diameter of the
wire. The wire tags are fixed to the articles 10 via an adhesive
tab 94 or a staple tab 96. The free end of the wire tag may be
rolled into a loop to facilitate removal from the item as
illustrated by the tag 90; or the loop can be omitted as
illustrated by the tag 92. Inventory control numbers, where
desired, can be provided on the wire tags by techniques that do not
remove material and hence do not vary the weight of the tag as, for
example, rolled or struck notches 98 illustrated on the tag 90 or
toothed deformations 100 illustrated on the tag 92. The sequence
(presence or absence) of notches 98 or teeth 100 provides a binary
number that could be read by either a contacting or a
non-contacting scanner. The adhesive tab 94 or the staple tab 96
allows the entire length of wire to be pulled out from underneath
or tear through the tab during checkout.
Although semi-rigid wire tags such as the tags 90, 92 have been
described and offer a media capable of being coded with inventory
control numbers, the present invention also contemplates tags of
other materials formed in incremental lengths and hence incremental
weights to cover a price range as, for example, a tag made of
string, nylon line or plastic-coated wire.
FIG. 7 shows in greater detail an exemplary arrangement of the
scale 30, the counting arrangement including photocell 22 and a
pneumatic tag handling system 100 for transferring tags from the
checkout counter 12 through the scale 30 and to the temporary tag
storage 44. The tag weight scale 30 (FIG. 1) generally includes the
scale mechanism, per se, 102, a scale beam 104 and a pan 106. Pan
106 is a dish-shaped disc opening upwardly and is made of flexible
spring sheet metal. The pan is supported on the outer free end of
the scale beam 104 by upright arms 108 mounted on beam 104 at 110.
The bottom of pan 106 is apertured at 112. Scale 30 also generally
includes a plunger rod 114 vertically slideable in guides 116 and
actuated by a cam 118 driven by a motor 120. When rod 114 is raised
by cam 118, pan 106 flexes from a concave state (full lines) to a
convex state (dashed lines) to dump the tags from the pan. Pan 106
has its upper surface highly polished to facilitate removal of the
tags. When rod 114 is lowered, pan 106 returns to its concave state
due to the spring action of the pan. Beam 104 is provided with a
stop arm mechanism 122 which normally restrains motion of the beam
104 until the arm 122 is withdrawn from the end of the beam. Pan
106 is enclosed in a housing 130.
Chute 16 (FIG. 1) is in the form of an inverted cone 132 that
extends from counter 12 through the top of housing 100 and has its
lower open end communicating with pan 106. In the preferred
embodiment, the chute 132 is made of transparent material such as
plastic, and counter 12 has a transparent insert 134 containing a
slot 136 that communicates with the upper end of the chute 132. The
transparent insert 134 and chute 132 enable a cashier to visually
monitor the scale pan 106 and the transfer of portions 14' into and
out of the pan. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the lamp 18 and the
photocell 22 may be mounted directly on the bottom face of the
insert 134 to count the tags as they pass through the slot 136.
Arms 108 and rod 114 project upwardly through a cylindrical wall
140 in the bottom of housing 130. The opening formed by wall 140 is
closed by a resilient flexible diaphragm 144 provided with suitable
collars permitting arms 108 and rod 114 to pass freely
therethrough. The top of wall 140 has a horizontal annular flange
142 that terminates just inward of the lateral edges of pan 106
when it is flexed to its convex position. Flange 142 forms an
annular collecting duct 146 in the bottom of housing 130 that
communicates with an outlet 148 to the duct 42. The duct 42 is
preferably under suction created by a suction fan (not shown)
downstream of an air control valve 150. Valve 150, arm stop 122,
motor 120 and scale 102 are all actuated in the desired sequence by
a controller 152.
In the operation of the apparatus described in connection with FIG.
7, all of the tag portions 14' inserted in the slot 136 from the
items 10 in one order are collected in the scale pan 106. Upon
instructions from the cashier via the manual input 32 (FIG. 1),
controller 152 disengages arm stop 122. Scale 102 weighs the tags
in the scale pan 106; and, upon command from controller 152, scale
102 feeds this information to register 28 via the lead 160. After
the signal indicating the weight of the tags in pan 106 is
transferred to register 28, controller 152 engages arm stop 122 in
the scale beam 104 and actuates motor 120. Motor 120 rotates cam
118 to raise and lower rod 114, dumping the tags in pan 106 into
the collecting duct 146. During this dumping operation, the valve
150 is opened so that the suction in duct 42 collects the tags in
duct 146 and transfers them to the temporary tag storage 44.
Preferably, cam 118 undergoes several revolutions to assure that
all of the tags have been removed from the scale pan 106. Depending
upon the construction of the tags being used, it may be desirable
to open valve 150 slightly while tags are being inserted in slot
136. This provides a very weak air flow through the slot 136 and
apertures 112 in the bottom of pan 106 to assure that tags entering
slot 136 come to rest in pan 106. Valve 150 is then closed while
measurements are taken by scale 102. The apparatus of FIG. 7
minimizes the possibility that tags will hang up on the scale
mechanism.
The apparatus described in connection with FIG. 7 is particularly
suited to handling planar tags made of paper or plastic such as the
tags 60, 62, 64, 66. However, with nonplanar tags such as the wire
tags 90, 92, a substantially simpler scale and pan arrangement
could be used. For example, the wire tags could be made of magnetic
material and the tags can be removed by an electromagnet.
Based on the tag count data from counter 24 and the total tag
weight data from tag scale 30, the calculations by register 28 in
the exemplary system described in connection with FIG. 1 will be
readily apparent. Assuming that the tag base weight 74 (FIG. 6) is
other than zero and equal for all tags used in the system, the
predetermined base weight of the tag portions 14' is programmed in
register 28; and register 28 multiplies the predetermined base
weight 74 times the number of tags counted by counter 24. For the
system being described where increases in price are indicated by a
corresponding increase in weight (FIG. 6), the resulting
multiplication product is then subtracted from the total tag weight
data received from scale 30 and the result is a direct indication
of the price of the items purchased. By way of example, for a tag
base weight of 1/2 gram and weight increments of 20 micrograms for
each 1 cent of price, for a purchase of a 1-cent item together with
a 2-cent item, the total tag weight would be 1 gram plus 60
micrograms. Hence by subtracting twice the base weight or 1 gram,
the result is 60 micrograms or 3 cents.
For the above example, it will be apparent that scale 30 must be
accurate over a relatively wide weight range. This disadvantage can
be easily overcome by utilizing a scale corresponding to scale 30
which also receives the tag count from counter 24 and adjusts the
scale range according to the number of tags being weighed. For
example, with the above base weight of 1/2 gram, and assuming two
purchases, i.e., a total tag base weight of 1 gram, the range of
scale 30 would be compensated with a factor of 1 gram (a two-tag
count) so that the scale, in effect, measures only the weight
increments indicating price, namely, 60 micrograms. In this
embodiment, the scale would give a direct indication of the total
price of the purchase, that is, 3 cents. Preferably, the scale
range would be changed as each tag portion 14' is counted by the
counter 24.
Although the apparatus in FIG. 1 has been described for purposes of
illustration as utilizing a separate counter 24, the present
invention also contemplates a scale that will change scale ranges
according to the weight of the tag portions 14' on the scale. This
operation can be achieved by assuring that the tag base weight is
greater than the total incremental weight associated with any
allowable set of purchases. For the example described hereinabove,
assuming that the maximum allowable number of price steps is two,
i.e., 1 cent and 2 cents, and that the maximum allowable number of
purchases is also 2, then the total incremental weight associated
with the maximum allowable purchase would be 80 micrograms. Based
on these assumptions, if the scale weight was on the order of 1/2
gram, the scale would know that only one tag was present and could
set its own scale range to determine whether the tag weighed 20
micrograms (1 cent) or 40 micrograms (2 cents). Similarly, if the
total weight was on the order of 1 gram, the scale would know that
two tags were present and it would readjust its scale range
accordingly to find out what combination of tags were present,
i.e., 40, 60 or 80 micrograms. In this embodiment, the tag counter
corresponding to the counter 24 of FIG. 1 would not be required and
the modified scale would also provide a count of the number of tags
corresponding to the number of items purchased.
The present invention also contemplates automatic checkout using
tags wherein a decrease in tag weight corresponds to an increase in
price. This embodiment is very similar to that disclosed in
connection with FIGS. 1 and 6 except that the base weight
corresponding to base weight 74 (FIG. 6) is chosen to correspond to
the maximum purchase price to be encountered in the merchandising
operation. Also the register corresponding to register 28 is
programmed with the base weight and modified so as to multiply the
base weight by the tag count from counter 24 and then subtract from
the resulting multiplication product the total tag weight from
scale 30. Hence, for example, assuming a maximum purchase price of
3 cents and a base weight of 1/2 gram, 1 cent would be indicated by
a tag weighing 1/2 gram less 20 micrograms; 2 cents would be 1/2
gram less 40 micrograms; and 3 cents would be 1/2 gram less 60
micrograms. For a purchase consisting of a 1-cent item and a 2-cent
item, the register would yield a result of 60 micrograms which
indicates a 3-cent total purchase. In this embodiment, where a
decrease in base weight represents an increase in price, the
present invention also contemplates direct price readout by a scale
that automatically sets its scale range according to the number of
tags on the scale to thereby weigh only the incremental tag weight
as described hereinabove.
The checkout system described hereinabove in connection with FIG. 1
is such that customer participation could be utilized to even
further reduce the operations performed by the checkout cashier.
For example, the customer could detach tags from articles as they
are selected and place the tags in a receptacle that is handed to
the cashier at checkout. Articles could then be bagged by the
customer as they are selected. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is
not essential that counter 12 be used since an unskilled bagger
could remove articles from the customer's cart, remove the price
tag and place the articles directly into a bag.
As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the terms
"weight" and/or "gravitational weight" in connection with the
price-by-tag-weight feature of the present invention are used in
the physics sense; namely, that property of matter that is
expressed in force units and is related to the mass of a body of
matter, including, without limitation, the force of gravitational
attraction which the earth exerts on a body, e.g., the tags.
It will be understood that automatic checkout and inventory control
have been described hereinabove for purposes of illustration of the
present invention, the scope of which is defined by the following
claims.
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