U.S. patent number 3,824,544 [Application Number 05/350,902] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-16 for merchandising arrangement utilizing a coded check.
Invention is credited to Luther G. Simjian.
United States Patent |
3,824,544 |
Simjian |
July 16, 1974 |
MERCHANDISING ARRANGEMENT UTILIZING A CODED CHECK
Abstract
The invention concerns a merchandising arrangement in which a
coded check is used. Upon the issuance of the check the code of the
check is stored in a storage means. For obtaining purchased
articles of merchandise the check is presented to a decoding means
which sends a signal corresponding to the code to the storage
means. If the storage means contains the code, the check is
validated and the code is erased from the storage means. Random
number generators and other features are disclosed to make the code
unpredictable or not available to unauthorized personnel.
Inventors: |
Simjian; Luther G. (Greenwich,
CT) |
Family
ID: |
23378677 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/350,902 |
Filed: |
April 13, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
235/381;
186/56 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
20/04 (20130101); G07F 7/12 (20130101); G07F
7/08 (20130101); G07F 7/00 (20130101); G07F
5/18 (20130101); G07F 9/002 (20200501); G06Q
20/042 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
7/00 (20060101); G07F 5/18 (20060101); G07F
5/00 (20060101); G07F 7/12 (20060101); G06Q
20/00 (20060101); G06k 005/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/149A,147A
;237/61.7B ;186/1B,1R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yusko; Donald J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A merchandising arrangement comprising:
A a payment station which includes:
A-1. encoding means for receiving a check adapted to be encoded
with an identifying code at a first location on the check and with
a code denoting an article of merchandise at a second location on
the check, and
A-2. input control means coupled to said encoding means for
encoding the check at said second location;
B. a code bank means which includes:
B-1. code indicia generating means;
B-2 code storage means, and
B-3 control means coupled to said indicia generating means and said
storage means;
C a dispensing station which includes:
C-1. decoding means for receiving a check encoded at said payment
station, and
C-2. article storage and vending means;
D. means coupling said code bank means to said payment station for
causing responsive to the receipt of a check by said encoding means
said control means to actuate said encoding means for encoding said
check at said first location with code indicia generated by said
indicia generating means, and to cause said code indicia to be
stored in said code storage means;
E. means coupling said dispensing station to said code bank means
for transmitting responsive to the receipt by said decoding means
of a check encoded at said encoding means an interrogation signal
commensurate with the identifying code at said first location to
said code bank means and, responsive to the storage of such
identifying code in said storage means, said control means causing
the transmittal of a validation signal to said dispensing station
for causing said dispensing station to provide a release signal to
said article storage and vending means for effecting the vending of
an article commensurate with the code at said second location,
and
F. erasing means coupled to said code storage means and operative
responsive to the transmittal of said validation signal for causing
said identifying code to be erased from said storage means.
2. A merchandising arrangement as set forth in claim 1, said
article storage and vending means including a plurality of
compartments for storing different kinds of articles.
3. A merchandising arrangement as set forth in claim 1, said check
being in the form of a card and including means for being encoded
magnetically.
4. A merchandising arrangement as set forth in claim 1, said input
control means comprising manually operable means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a merchandising arrangement and more
specifically to one in which valuable articles of merchandise are
sold and dispensed. More specifically, the instant arrangement
involves a unique combination of elements to lessen the pilferage
of goods by inside sales personnel and customers.
It is well known that pilferage of articles of merchandise,
particularly shoplifting, amounts to staggering sums of money and
has been stated to be in excess of 5 billion dollars per year in
the U.S., see U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,133 dated Jan. 23, 1973. Such
losses are not only to the store, but also to the ultimate customer
who in the end must pay for pilfered merchandise by increased
prices.
An incredible amount of effort is being spent to reduce the losses
arising from shoplifting by various means which include, inter
alia, the provision of uniformed guards, store detectives, closed
circuit television, mirrors, etc. In addition, various tags are
known which are attached to articles and, unless the particular tag
is removed by the cashier, an alarm is set off to indicate the
theft of a respective article as the person carrying such article
passes through the exit door. However, the losses continue to mount
depsite these valiant efforts. The losses are particularly
increasing with articles of merchandise that can readily be carried
out of a store by being concealed in pockets and bags, and which
are in great demand. Typical of these items are, for instance, the
popular tape casettes which are relatively small, yet represent a
retail value of several dollars. It will be apparent that there are
many other items of merchandise which fall into this category.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
In accordance with the broad principle of the present invention, a
customer desiring to purchase an article will make his selection
from secured specimens or showcases and then proceed to a payment
station where a check in the form of a sales ticket is inserted
into encoding means. The check will contain such information as the
article, a code number, price and other identifying data. The
encoding means, in one embodiment, is connected to a code bank
means which is interrogated and supplies a respective code in the
form of indicia to the encoding means for encoding the check.
Simultaneously, the indicia supplied are stored also in the code
bank means. The customer receives the check and carries the check
to a dispensing station which contains a decoding means. The
dispensing station may be located at the exit from the store. The
customer inserts the encoded check in the decoding means which
becomes actuated and interrogates the code bank means to ascertain
whether the code or indicia supplied previously is valid and still
stored in the storage means. If the code is valid and stored, a
validation signal is supplied to the decoding means which, in turn,
supplies a release signal to the article vending means for
permitting the customer to receive the selected and previously paid
for article. Concurrently, the previously stored code indicia are
erased from the code bank means so that the particular code is no
longer available. Preferably, in the present embodiment the code
bank means contains a random number generator or a table of random
numbers so that a large quantity of numbers is available for the
many transactions which occur in a store and to provide that the
particular numbers used are not predictable or available in advance
to unauthorized personnel.
Further and other embodiments of the present invention and its use
in the field of commerce will be more clearly apparent from the
following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the several components
forming one of the embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a check used in connection with the
arrangement per FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a variation of the
arrangement shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing a plurality of payment
and dispensing stations coupled to a code bank means, and
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of another modification.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the figures and FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular,
numeral 12 identifies a payment station, which operates in
combination with a dispensing station 14. Both stations are coupled
to a code bank means 16. The payment station 12 may be located
within the store at a convenient place in proximity to the
merchandise to be sold, whereas the dispensing station 14
preferably is disposed at the exit door from the store, or just
outside the store or in the parking lot. When a customer has
selected one or more articles of merchandise which he wishes to
purchase, he will not obtain possession of the particular article
or articles at that time. Instead, he proceeds to the payment
station where a check 20 is inserted in the encoding means 22. The
check, in a typical example see FIG. 2, is provided with a store
identification and a store data 24, an article identification block
26 for denoting therein quantity, price, type, stock number and any
other data a store may desire. In addition, an area 28 is reserved
for encoding the check with code indicia which render this check
specific to this specific purchase.
The check 20 is placed in the encoding means 22 and by means of an
input control 30 a sales clerk or other person affixes the
necessary merchandise identification data to the check 20 and when
this has been done and before the check is released, the encoding
means sends via conductor 32 an indicia request to the code bank
means 16. The code bank means contains as its principal components
a control means 34, an indicia supply means 36 and a signal storage
means 38 which includes signal recording, searching and erasing
means. The storage means can comprise magnetic disk storage or
magnetic tape storage means. The indicia supply means 36, in the
preferred arrangement, comprises a table of ramdom numbers or a
random number signal generator in order to provide a sequence of
random numbers for each transaction, the numbers having a
preselected number of digits but being not predictable and not
available to unauthorized personnel. In response to the indicia
request transmitted by conductor 32, the code bank means is
operated and the control means 34 causes the indicia supply means
to generate or to select from storage a particular code, typically
a five or six digit number. This code number is transmitted via
conductor 40 to the encoding means 22 and is encoded on the check
20 at the location 28 of the check. Simultaneously, the same code
number is supplied to the signal storage means 38 and stored
therein, denoting the fact that this code number has been issued.
The portion 28 on the check 20 may be a magnetizable portion and
the code in such a case is affixed by magnetic coding. It should be
clearly understood, however, that other known techniques may be
used, such as affixing printed indicia, imprinting bar codes, a
pattern of dots and such other coding arrangements, visible or
invisible, as are known in the art.
When the code indicia supplied by the code bank means have been
provided upon the check 20, the check 20 is released and issued to
the customer.
The customer brings the encoded check 20 to the dispensing station
14 which comprises a decoding means 42 and an article storage and
vending means 44. Upon insertion of the check 20 into the decoding
means 42, the decoding means transmits an indicia interrogation
signal via conductor 44 to the code bank means 16 to ascertain
whether or not the coded indicia in block 28 is authentic, that is,
whether the code signal is of the proper kind and whether the code
is stored in the signal storage means 38. If the validity of this
code is established and if the code, for instance the specific six
digit number, is in storage, a validation signal is supplied via
conductor 46 to the decoding means 42. Simultaneously, the
particular digit or code is erased from the signal storage means 38
of the code bank means 16. Upon receipt of the validation signal
along conductor 46 the decoding means 42 provides a release signal
along conductor 50 to the article storage and vending means 44 for
causing the vending of the selected article as indicated in the
block 26 of the check means 20, such article being made available
at a chute 45 of the article storage and vending means 44.
A modification of the above described arrangement is shown in FIG.
3 which discloses an article storage and vending means 144
containing a plurality of different articles in respective storage
compartments 60, 61, 62 and 63. The decoding means 142 supplies an
article select signal to a control unit 70 which becomes
conditioned to release one or more of the respective articles as
encoded on the check 20 in the block 26. However, no article is
released until the validation signal, conductor 46, is supplied by
the code bank means 16 to the control unit 70. In this manner, the
validation signal from the code bank means acts as the final
article release signal. It will be apparent that reset means are
required, not shown, in the event that the validation signal does
not arrive after interrogation in order to cancel the conditioning
of the control unit 70 which may have occurred responsive to the
article select signal from the decoding means.
FIG. 4 discloses an arrangement suitable for larger stores which
require a plurality of payment stations 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, etc.
and which may contain also a plurality of dispensing stations, such
as stations 14A, 14B and 14C. These payment stations and dispensing
stations, whose respective quantity may differ, are connected to a
central code bank means 16 which can be located at a central
location. The conductors interconnecting the payment stations and
dispensing stations with the code bank means comprise ordinary
communication lines, for instance, telephone lines as is well known
in the art.
FIG. 5 depicts another arrangement wherein the code issuing means
80 is embodied in the payment station, being directly coupled to
the encoding means 22. As before, the code issuing means,
preferably, includes a random number generator, a table of random
numbers, etc. Upon the issuance of a random number which is applied
to the check 20, a signal commensurate with the issued code number
is transmitted via conductor 82 to the control means 134 which is
coupled to a signal storage means 116. The article dispensing
station operates as described previously. In the present embodiment
each encoding means, if there is a plurality thereof, includes its
own code issuing means.
Another embodiment comprises the use of precoded checks 20. Each
check when inserted in the encoding means for affixing article
indentifying data thereupon is in position for having its code
indicia sensed and transmitted to the control means 134 and signal
storage means 116, FIG. 5. When the check is presented to the
dispensing station an interrogation signal is transmitted,
conductor 44, and responsive to the presence of the code indicia in
the signal storage means 116 a validation signal, conductor 46, is
returned. Simultaneously, the code indicia is erased in the signal
storage means.
It will be apparent that the above method associates each check
with a particular code which is stored in a storage means during
the time that the check has been issued and the article has been
paid for, but the article has not been dispensed. Responsive to the
dispensing of the article, the specific code is erased from the
code bank means and in a desirable manner also from the check. When
using random coding of the checks, it is most difficult to
fraudulently pre-code checks and use such checks for obtaining
merchandise since it is not readily ascertainable to unauthorized
personnel what code numbers or codes are contained in the storage
portion of the code bank means. Furthermore, the decoding means 42
may be equipped with provisions to retain checks whose authenticity
can not be established after two or three attempts, that is, either
that the check in itself fails to be of a proper authenticity
and/or the validation signal is not issued by the code bank means
subsequent to sending the interrogation signal.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the dispensing of
articles of merchandise may be combined with inventory recording
means. The interrogation signal transmitted along conductor 44,
aside from the code indicia, may be used also to transmit article
data, such as quantity and type, available from the check 20, block
26. The signal storage means 38 includes inventory information
storage means and responsive to the generation of the validation
signal the released quantity of articles is subtracted from the
stored inventory count.
It will be apparent that the heretofore described arrangement is
one which is characterized by extreme simplicity, yet provides
important safeguards to forestall the theft of valuable
merchandise.
* * * * *