CA2007928A1 - Coupon processing and checkout system - Google Patents
Coupon processing and checkout systemInfo
- Publication number
- CA2007928A1 CA2007928A1 CA002007928A CA2007928A CA2007928A1 CA 2007928 A1 CA2007928 A1 CA 2007928A1 CA 002007928 A CA002007928 A CA 002007928A CA 2007928 A CA2007928 A CA 2007928A CA 2007928 A1 CA2007928 A1 CA 2007928A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- coupon
- indicative
- signal
- identity
- signals
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 25
- 238000010200 validation analysis Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- 241000287107 Passer Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000012790 confirmation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002596 correlated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D7/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency
- G07D7/06—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using wave or particle radiation
- G07D7/12—Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D7/00—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency
- G07D7/004—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
- G07D7/0043—Testing specially adapted to determine the identity or genuineness of valuable papers or for segregating those which are unacceptable, e.g. banknotes that are alien to a currency using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip using barcodes
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07G—REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- G07G1/00—Cash registers
- G07G1/12—Cash registers electronically operated
- G07G1/14—Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit
- G07G1/145—PLU-management
Landscapes
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Finance (AREA)
- Strategic Management (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
- Development Economics (AREA)
- Toxicology (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Economics (AREA)
- Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
- Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
- Cash Registers Or Receiving Machines (AREA)
- Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
Abstract
An operator-unattended system for the processing of articles selected for purchase includes a subsystem for processing coupons bearing codes indicative of the identity of an article and a coupon monetary value. The subsystem comprises a coupon receiver for reading the codes of received coupons and generating first and second output signals per coupon read and respectively indicative of the article identity and the monetary value, the coupon receiver being responsive to a control signal for returning the coupon to a customer of the articles. A
storage device stores signals indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase by the customer as derived from the operator-unattended system. A coupon validator compares the first signals obtained from the coupon receiving means with the stored article identity signals and generates a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison, the coupon validator further generating the control signal upon each negative comparison and applying the same to the coupon receiver. A coupon discount totalizer receives those of the second signals of the coupon receiver for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal, derived from the operator-unattended system and indicative of price totalization for all the articles selected for purchase and substracts the monetary value in each the received second signal from the monetary value indicated in the price totalization signal.
storage device stores signals indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase by the customer as derived from the operator-unattended system. A coupon validator compares the first signals obtained from the coupon receiving means with the stored article identity signals and generates a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison, the coupon validator further generating the control signal upon each negative comparison and applying the same to the coupon receiver. A coupon discount totalizer receives those of the second signals of the coupon receiver for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal, derived from the operator-unattended system and indicative of price totalization for all the articles selected for purchase and substracts the monetary value in each the received second signal from the monetary value indicated in the price totalization signal.
Description
. . B170-010 - 200~9~8 COUPON PROCESSING AND CHECKOUT SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the processing of discount coupons for retailed articles and pertains more , particularly to systems and methods for automated checkout in supermarkets and like facilities with atten~Ant processing of discount coupons.
. i .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commonly-assigned U.S. Patents No. 4,676,343 and No.
4,792,018, incorporated by this reference thereto, disclose systems for the automated checkout of articles selected by a customer for purchase in supermarkets and like facilities. The former patent involves an arrangement addressing articles which bear a so-called "universal product code" ~UPC), typically in the form of a bar code uniquely indicative of the identity of the article bearing the code. The UPC of each article selected for purchase is sc~nne~ or read and a signal indicative of the article identity is generated and applied to a central processing unit which has stored in associated memory the UPCs of all articles available for purchase which are so encoded, correlated with the price and other characteristics of the articles, such as weight.
- ~0~7928 Articles are placed on a conveyor following UPC
scanning and thereby led into a so-called "security tunnel", which is guarded against customer fraud by various light curtains, which are in the form of light sources and associated photocells. In the course of article conveyance, its weight is physically measured and a signal is generated indicative of the measurement.
Comr~rison is made of the stored, weight-indicative signal and the physical measured signal. If the comparison is negative, indicative of potential customer fraud, article processing is interrupted and various courses of action are obt~;n~hle, one being the reverse movement of the conveyor.
Otherwise, in the course of continuing positive comparison results, the customer's order is carried forward, with price totalization effected from stored price-indicative signals.
In the latter patent, a number of further security measures are effected to detect customer fraud or checkout failure. In one such additional measure, article shape is detected, such as by the light curtain at the entry to the security tunnel. The CPU storage includes, with the article identity code a cross-correlation of article shape. This compilation is desirably made from the system itself, as ~y storage of detected article shape in a system set up mode, through use of the light curtain output signals.
A second additional measure is the repeat reading of article UPC in the security tunnel and comparison of the same with that read by the scanner. Checkout failure would be present on negative comparison in this respect.
A third additional measure is the introdùction of electronic article surveillance (EAS) practice in the security tunnel. Here, storage is made with UPC of whether or not the article so encoded should have an EAS tag thereon. If the article is detected as having an EAS tag thereon and storage indicates that it should not, such as would be the case where a customer tries fraudulently to substitute an expensive wine purchase for a cheaper wine subjected to UPC scanning, checkout failure would again occur.
Separately from the above systems, various efforts have been made to automate the processing of discount coupons for articles available for purchase. Thus, the art has looked to encoding coupons with article UPC identity and to automated receipt and scAnning of the coupons for such UPC identity. From applicants' viewpoint, known coupon processing systems independently configured, and those having coordination with a parent automated checkout system, do not meet present industry requirements.
20~)7928 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as its primary object the provision of improved systems for processing discount coupons.
. A more particular object of the invention is to provide enh~nce~ coordination of automated checkout systems and automated coupon processing subsystems for use therewith.
In att~; n; ng the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides a system for operator-unassisted processing of articles selected for purchase and having faciliity for reading codes on the articles indicative of the identity thereof and for providing price totalization for the articles, a subsystem for the processing of coupons bearing codes indicative of the identity of an article and a coupon monetary value, the subsystem comprising:
(a) a receiver for receiving the coupons and for reading the codes thereon and generating first and second output signals per coupon read and respectively indicative of the article identity and the monetary value;
(b) means for storing signals received from said operator-unassisted processing system and indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase;
(c) coupon validation means for co~p~ring the first signals obtained from the coupon receiving means with the stored article identity signals and generating a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison; and .
(d~ coupon discount totalizing means for receiving those of the second signals of the coupon receiving means for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal indicative of price totalization from said operator-unassisted processing system and for subtracting the monetary value in each the received second signal from the monetary value indicated in the price totalization signal.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and practices of the invention and from the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts and components throughout.
' DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the subsystem of the invention in combination with the block diagram of the above referenced, commonly-assigned patents.
Fig. 2 is a flow chart of the operations involved in the system and practice of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND PRACTICES
Referring to Fig. 1, system 10 in accordance with the invention includes upper channel 12 which is configured per the referenced commonly-assigned patents and a lower channel 14 .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . ... . ...
~ ( ~
20¢)7928 -con~igured per the subject invention. Upper channel 12 has a product select aspect 16, wherein a customer selects articles for purchase, dotted line 18 indicating the mechanical passing of the selected articles individually to UPC reader or scanner 20. In following the first referenced patent, the output of the reader is applied over line 22 to price store and totalizer 24, whereby reference is made to the system memory to obtain the ! .
' price of the selected article and to totalize the prices thus . ob~ine~l.
Again, per the disclosure of the first referenced patent, the scanned UPC identification, per selected article, provided on line 26, gives rise to the ob~in;ng of the weight of the article from memory on entry of the article into security tunnel 28. Comparison is effected with an actual weight measurement of the selected article in product weight store and compare unit 30, the comparison result (when negative) being applied over line 32 to checkout failure system 34, which provides suitable output indication of the checkout failure, likely due to customer fraud.
In following the procedures outlined in the second referenced patent, the line 26 UPC identification signal is applied to product shape store and compare unit 36, which effects a comparison of memory stored article shape characteristics with those obt~;ne~ from article e~m;n~tion, 20~)7928 such as would be obtained from the aforementioned entry light curtain associated with the security tunnel of the referenced patents. The U~C identification signal may also be applied from line 26 to second UPC read and compare unit 38, wherein the article UPC is again read in the security tunnel and compared with that obtained from reader 20. Further, the line 26 signal may be applied to EAS store and compare unit 40 which functions as above described. The outputs, on failure of positive results in comparisons in units 36, 38 and 40, apply an actuating input over line 32 to checkout failure system 34.
Lower ch~nnel 14 includes a product UPC store 42, which accumulates signals provided on line 44 provided by reader 20 and indicative of the UPCs of artlcles selected for purchase by a customer. Channel 14 further includes coupon input unit 44, which may be configured in customary ATM (automated teller machine) fashion, to accept paper coupons and to furnish the same to coupon reader 48 as by mechanical passer 46, the reader to ex~m;ne the UPC and value indications thereon. The coupon codes, respectively indicative of UPC indication and monetary value, are applied by reader 48 in the first instance over line 50 to coupon UPC store 52 and in second instance over line 54 to coupon value store 56.
Lower channel 14 further includes lines 58 and 60 which respectively provide the output signals of product UPC store ~0~)~9;2 8 unit 42 and stored coupon reader UPC indications to producticoupon validator 62, which furnishes a validation signal over line 64 where correspondence exists as among the line 58 and line 60 signals. The coupon value signal from store 56 is j furnished on line 66.
~; Should there not be a match as between the signals on " lines 58 and 60, unit 62 applies over line 68 to coupon return unit 70, whereupon the coupon is returned to the customer.
Assuming there to have been a line 64 indication as to confirmation of the coupon as corresponding with articles selecte for purchase, coupon discount totalizer 74 is responsive to the line 64 indication of correspondence to discount the line ; 72 signal from price store and totalizer unit 24 by the indication of discount (coupon value) from line 66. At this ; time also, the coupon is supplied to a coupon depository, wherein the received coupon is suitably defaced or otherwise debilitated as to not be machine readabler but verifiable by human inspection.
Operation of subsystem 14 of Fig. 1 will be further understood from the flow chart of Fig. 2, to which reference is now made.
The subsystem is entered (ENTER) in step 100. In step 102 (OBTAIN PRICE TOTALIZATION & SELECTED ARTICLE UPCs), reference is made to the checkout system, such as system 12 of . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . ....
- 20~9~8 Fig. 1, and the customer's order is noted both as to the total price for all articles selected by the customer and the UPCs for each article.
In step 104 (? DISCOUNT COUPON ENTERED), inquiry is made as to whether a discount coupon has been entered by the customer and, if so, it is verified, and affirmative indication is provided on line 106. If the inquiry is answer in the negative, line 108 returns the subsystem to step 104 for processing of the next entered coupon.
Line 106 leads to step 110 (READ COUPON UPC & MONETARY
VALUE), wherein signals are generated which are respectively indicative of the coupon UPC and the discount monies applicable to the coupon.
Step 112 (? DOES COUPON UPC COMPARE WITH ANY SELECTED
ARTICLE UPC) follows and involves a comparison of the coupon UPC
signal with signals indicative of each of the UPCs obtained in step 102. Where the result of the comparison is negative, line 114 leads to step 116 (RETURN COUPON TO CUSTOMER), and the customer is provided with the coupon as originally entered for use in subsequent shopping. Line 118 returns the subsystem tO
step 104 for further coupon processing.
If the step 112 inquiry is answered in the affirmative, line 120 leads to step 122 (SUBTRACT COUPON VALUE
FROM PRICE TOTALIZATION), the discount monies applicable to the ... . .
20~9X8 coupon indicated in the corresponding signal generated in step 112 are subtracted from the price totalization obtained in step 102. The result of this substraction now replaces the totalization of price obtained in step 102, to be used in step 122 in processing the next coupon entered and found applicable to the customer's purchase order.
In step 124 ~DEBILITATE COUPON), the discounted coupon is treated, as by diagonal black line marking thereon, so as not to be readable thereafter in a UPC reader. The debilitated coupon is desirably now placed in a depository. Flow of the subsystem returns over line 126 to step 104 for processing of the next entered coupon.
At ~he conclusion of processing of all coupons entered, the successively decremented price totalization then available from step 122 is identified as the final checkout price to the consumer and associated checkout electronics. The completion of submission of coupons may be indicated by customer input to the subsystem.
Various changes to the system block diagram and modifications to the practice discussed may be made without departing from the invention. Thus, the particularly described preferred embo~;m~nt and method are intended in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the processing of discount coupons for retailed articles and pertains more , particularly to systems and methods for automated checkout in supermarkets and like facilities with atten~Ant processing of discount coupons.
. i .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Commonly-assigned U.S. Patents No. 4,676,343 and No.
4,792,018, incorporated by this reference thereto, disclose systems for the automated checkout of articles selected by a customer for purchase in supermarkets and like facilities. The former patent involves an arrangement addressing articles which bear a so-called "universal product code" ~UPC), typically in the form of a bar code uniquely indicative of the identity of the article bearing the code. The UPC of each article selected for purchase is sc~nne~ or read and a signal indicative of the article identity is generated and applied to a central processing unit which has stored in associated memory the UPCs of all articles available for purchase which are so encoded, correlated with the price and other characteristics of the articles, such as weight.
- ~0~7928 Articles are placed on a conveyor following UPC
scanning and thereby led into a so-called "security tunnel", which is guarded against customer fraud by various light curtains, which are in the form of light sources and associated photocells. In the course of article conveyance, its weight is physically measured and a signal is generated indicative of the measurement.
Comr~rison is made of the stored, weight-indicative signal and the physical measured signal. If the comparison is negative, indicative of potential customer fraud, article processing is interrupted and various courses of action are obt~;n~hle, one being the reverse movement of the conveyor.
Otherwise, in the course of continuing positive comparison results, the customer's order is carried forward, with price totalization effected from stored price-indicative signals.
In the latter patent, a number of further security measures are effected to detect customer fraud or checkout failure. In one such additional measure, article shape is detected, such as by the light curtain at the entry to the security tunnel. The CPU storage includes, with the article identity code a cross-correlation of article shape. This compilation is desirably made from the system itself, as ~y storage of detected article shape in a system set up mode, through use of the light curtain output signals.
A second additional measure is the repeat reading of article UPC in the security tunnel and comparison of the same with that read by the scanner. Checkout failure would be present on negative comparison in this respect.
A third additional measure is the introdùction of electronic article surveillance (EAS) practice in the security tunnel. Here, storage is made with UPC of whether or not the article so encoded should have an EAS tag thereon. If the article is detected as having an EAS tag thereon and storage indicates that it should not, such as would be the case where a customer tries fraudulently to substitute an expensive wine purchase for a cheaper wine subjected to UPC scanning, checkout failure would again occur.
Separately from the above systems, various efforts have been made to automate the processing of discount coupons for articles available for purchase. Thus, the art has looked to encoding coupons with article UPC identity and to automated receipt and scAnning of the coupons for such UPC identity. From applicants' viewpoint, known coupon processing systems independently configured, and those having coordination with a parent automated checkout system, do not meet present industry requirements.
20~)7928 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as its primary object the provision of improved systems for processing discount coupons.
. A more particular object of the invention is to provide enh~nce~ coordination of automated checkout systems and automated coupon processing subsystems for use therewith.
In att~; n; ng the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides a system for operator-unassisted processing of articles selected for purchase and having faciliity for reading codes on the articles indicative of the identity thereof and for providing price totalization for the articles, a subsystem for the processing of coupons bearing codes indicative of the identity of an article and a coupon monetary value, the subsystem comprising:
(a) a receiver for receiving the coupons and for reading the codes thereon and generating first and second output signals per coupon read and respectively indicative of the article identity and the monetary value;
(b) means for storing signals received from said operator-unassisted processing system and indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase;
(c) coupon validation means for co~p~ring the first signals obtained from the coupon receiving means with the stored article identity signals and generating a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison; and .
(d~ coupon discount totalizing means for receiving those of the second signals of the coupon receiving means for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal indicative of price totalization from said operator-unassisted processing system and for subtracting the monetary value in each the received second signal from the monetary value indicated in the price totalization signal.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and practices of the invention and from the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts and components throughout.
' DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the subsystem of the invention in combination with the block diagram of the above referenced, commonly-assigned patents.
Fig. 2 is a flow chart of the operations involved in the system and practice of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND PRACTICES
Referring to Fig. 1, system 10 in accordance with the invention includes upper channel 12 which is configured per the referenced commonly-assigned patents and a lower channel 14 .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . ... . ...
~ ( ~
20¢)7928 -con~igured per the subject invention. Upper channel 12 has a product select aspect 16, wherein a customer selects articles for purchase, dotted line 18 indicating the mechanical passing of the selected articles individually to UPC reader or scanner 20. In following the first referenced patent, the output of the reader is applied over line 22 to price store and totalizer 24, whereby reference is made to the system memory to obtain the ! .
' price of the selected article and to totalize the prices thus . ob~ine~l.
Again, per the disclosure of the first referenced patent, the scanned UPC identification, per selected article, provided on line 26, gives rise to the ob~in;ng of the weight of the article from memory on entry of the article into security tunnel 28. Comparison is effected with an actual weight measurement of the selected article in product weight store and compare unit 30, the comparison result (when negative) being applied over line 32 to checkout failure system 34, which provides suitable output indication of the checkout failure, likely due to customer fraud.
In following the procedures outlined in the second referenced patent, the line 26 UPC identification signal is applied to product shape store and compare unit 36, which effects a comparison of memory stored article shape characteristics with those obt~;ne~ from article e~m;n~tion, 20~)7928 such as would be obtained from the aforementioned entry light curtain associated with the security tunnel of the referenced patents. The U~C identification signal may also be applied from line 26 to second UPC read and compare unit 38, wherein the article UPC is again read in the security tunnel and compared with that obtained from reader 20. Further, the line 26 signal may be applied to EAS store and compare unit 40 which functions as above described. The outputs, on failure of positive results in comparisons in units 36, 38 and 40, apply an actuating input over line 32 to checkout failure system 34.
Lower ch~nnel 14 includes a product UPC store 42, which accumulates signals provided on line 44 provided by reader 20 and indicative of the UPCs of artlcles selected for purchase by a customer. Channel 14 further includes coupon input unit 44, which may be configured in customary ATM (automated teller machine) fashion, to accept paper coupons and to furnish the same to coupon reader 48 as by mechanical passer 46, the reader to ex~m;ne the UPC and value indications thereon. The coupon codes, respectively indicative of UPC indication and monetary value, are applied by reader 48 in the first instance over line 50 to coupon UPC store 52 and in second instance over line 54 to coupon value store 56.
Lower channel 14 further includes lines 58 and 60 which respectively provide the output signals of product UPC store ~0~)~9;2 8 unit 42 and stored coupon reader UPC indications to producticoupon validator 62, which furnishes a validation signal over line 64 where correspondence exists as among the line 58 and line 60 signals. The coupon value signal from store 56 is j furnished on line 66.
~; Should there not be a match as between the signals on " lines 58 and 60, unit 62 applies over line 68 to coupon return unit 70, whereupon the coupon is returned to the customer.
Assuming there to have been a line 64 indication as to confirmation of the coupon as corresponding with articles selecte for purchase, coupon discount totalizer 74 is responsive to the line 64 indication of correspondence to discount the line ; 72 signal from price store and totalizer unit 24 by the indication of discount (coupon value) from line 66. At this ; time also, the coupon is supplied to a coupon depository, wherein the received coupon is suitably defaced or otherwise debilitated as to not be machine readabler but verifiable by human inspection.
Operation of subsystem 14 of Fig. 1 will be further understood from the flow chart of Fig. 2, to which reference is now made.
The subsystem is entered (ENTER) in step 100. In step 102 (OBTAIN PRICE TOTALIZATION & SELECTED ARTICLE UPCs), reference is made to the checkout system, such as system 12 of . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . ....
- 20~9~8 Fig. 1, and the customer's order is noted both as to the total price for all articles selected by the customer and the UPCs for each article.
In step 104 (? DISCOUNT COUPON ENTERED), inquiry is made as to whether a discount coupon has been entered by the customer and, if so, it is verified, and affirmative indication is provided on line 106. If the inquiry is answer in the negative, line 108 returns the subsystem to step 104 for processing of the next entered coupon.
Line 106 leads to step 110 (READ COUPON UPC & MONETARY
VALUE), wherein signals are generated which are respectively indicative of the coupon UPC and the discount monies applicable to the coupon.
Step 112 (? DOES COUPON UPC COMPARE WITH ANY SELECTED
ARTICLE UPC) follows and involves a comparison of the coupon UPC
signal with signals indicative of each of the UPCs obtained in step 102. Where the result of the comparison is negative, line 114 leads to step 116 (RETURN COUPON TO CUSTOMER), and the customer is provided with the coupon as originally entered for use in subsequent shopping. Line 118 returns the subsystem tO
step 104 for further coupon processing.
If the step 112 inquiry is answered in the affirmative, line 120 leads to step 122 (SUBTRACT COUPON VALUE
FROM PRICE TOTALIZATION), the discount monies applicable to the ... . .
20~9X8 coupon indicated in the corresponding signal generated in step 112 are subtracted from the price totalization obtained in step 102. The result of this substraction now replaces the totalization of price obtained in step 102, to be used in step 122 in processing the next coupon entered and found applicable to the customer's purchase order.
In step 124 ~DEBILITATE COUPON), the discounted coupon is treated, as by diagonal black line marking thereon, so as not to be readable thereafter in a UPC reader. The debilitated coupon is desirably now placed in a depository. Flow of the subsystem returns over line 126 to step 104 for processing of the next entered coupon.
At ~he conclusion of processing of all coupons entered, the successively decremented price totalization then available from step 122 is identified as the final checkout price to the consumer and associated checkout electronics. The completion of submission of coupons may be indicated by customer input to the subsystem.
Various changes to the system block diagram and modifications to the practice discussed may be made without departing from the invention. Thus, the particularly described preferred embo~;m~nt and method are intended in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The true spirit and scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.
Claims (2)
1. An operator-unattended system for processing articles selected for purchase and having faciliity for reading codes on said articles indicative of the identity thereof and for providing price totalization for said articles, including a subsystem for the processing of coupons bearing codes indicative of the identity of an article and a coupon monetary value, said subsystem comprising:
(a) means for receiving said coupons and for reading said codes thereon and generating first and second output signals per coupon read and respectively indicative of said article identity and said monetary value;
(b) means for storing signals received from said operator-unattended system and indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase;
(c) coupon validation means for comparing said first signals obtained from said coupon receiving means with said stored article identity signals and generating a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison; and (d) coupon discount totalizing means for receiving those of said second signals of said coupon receiving means for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal from said operator-unassisted processing system and indicative of price totalization from said processing system and for subtracting the monetary value in each said received second signal from the monetary value indicated in said price totalization signal.
(a) means for receiving said coupons and for reading said codes thereon and generating first and second output signals per coupon read and respectively indicative of said article identity and said monetary value;
(b) means for storing signals received from said operator-unattended system and indicative of the identity of all articles selected for purchase;
(c) coupon validation means for comparing said first signals obtained from said coupon receiving means with said stored article identity signals and generating a coupon validation signal for each positive comparison; and (d) coupon discount totalizing means for receiving those of said second signals of said coupon receiving means for which a coupon validation is generated and a signal from said operator-unassisted processing system and indicative of price totalization from said processing system and for subtracting the monetary value in each said received second signal from the monetary value indicated in said price totalization signal.
2. The invention claimed in claim 1 wherein said coupon receiving means is responsive to a control signal for returning said coupon to a customer of said articles and wherein said coupon validation means generates said control signal upon each negative comparison and applies the same to said coupon receiving means.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US32011389A | 1989-03-07 | 1989-03-07 | |
| US320,113 | 1989-03-07 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2007928A1 true CA2007928A1 (en) | 1990-09-07 |
Family
ID=23244946
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002007928A Abandoned CA2007928A1 (en) | 1989-03-07 | 1990-01-17 | Coupon processing and checkout system |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH02273896A (en) |
| BR (1) | BR9001041A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2007928A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE4006514A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2644266A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2229028A (en) |
| SE (1) | SE9000781L (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL101789A (en) * | 1991-05-06 | 1996-10-31 | Catalina Marketing Int | Method and apparatus for selective distribution of discount coupons |
| JP3022053B2 (en) * | 1993-05-28 | 2000-03-15 | 富士通株式会社 | POS terminal device |
| US7331520B2 (en) | 2004-07-22 | 2008-02-19 | Igt | Electronic image acquisition for gaming systems |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3959624A (en) * | 1974-12-13 | 1976-05-25 | Walter Kaslow | Coded merchandising coupon |
| CA1089989A (en) * | 1977-01-05 | 1980-11-18 | William M. Robnett | Coded coupon |
| US4674041A (en) * | 1983-09-15 | 1987-06-16 | James K. Appleton | Method and apparatus for controlling the distribution of coupons |
| US4676343A (en) * | 1984-07-09 | 1987-06-30 | Checkrobot Inc. | Self-service distribution system |
| US4792018A (en) * | 1984-07-09 | 1988-12-20 | Checkrobot Inc. | System for security processing of retailed articles |
| US4882675A (en) * | 1984-11-26 | 1989-11-21 | Steven Nichtberger | Paperless system for distributing, redeeming and clearing merchandise coupons |
| ES2031090T3 (en) * | 1986-07-03 | 1992-12-01 | Omron Tateisi Electronics Co. | POS TERMINAL DEVICE (POINT OF SALE). |
| AR241726A1 (en) * | 1986-07-24 | 1992-11-30 | Advanced Promotion Tech | A system and a method for checkout counter product promotion |
| US4750119A (en) * | 1986-10-10 | 1988-06-07 | Tradevest, Inc. | Purchasing system with rebate feature |
| CA1286404C (en) * | 1987-01-20 | 1991-07-16 | William C. Smith | Coupon dispensing system |
| JP2501115B2 (en) * | 1987-10-23 | 1996-05-29 | オムロン株式会社 | Electronic cash register |
-
1990
- 1990-01-17 CA CA002007928A patent/CA2007928A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-02-06 FR FR9001363A patent/FR2644266A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-02-22 GB GB9004019A patent/GB2229028A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-03-02 DE DE4006514A patent/DE4006514A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-03-06 BR BR909001041A patent/BR9001041A/en unknown
- 1990-03-06 SE SE9000781A patent/SE9000781L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1990-03-07 JP JP2053892A patent/JPH02273896A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR2644266A1 (en) | 1990-09-14 |
| SE9000781L (en) | 1990-09-08 |
| BR9001041A (en) | 1991-02-26 |
| JPH02273896A (en) | 1990-11-08 |
| GB9004019D0 (en) | 1990-04-18 |
| GB2229028A (en) | 1990-09-12 |
| SE9000781D0 (en) | 1990-03-06 |
| DE4006514A1 (en) | 1990-09-13 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |