GB2035647A

GB2035647A - Bill preparation for self-service store

Info

Publication number: GB2035647A
Application number: GB7934591A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-10-06
Filing date: 1979-10-05
Publication date: 1980-06-18
Also published as: GB2035647B

Abstract

To facilitate the check-out procedure in a self-service store, a customer trolley is provided having means 16 for sensing a parameter, preferably the weight, of articles placed in the container 11 of the trolley, and also a data handling unit 17. This unit 17 has a device 63 for receiving data supplied by the customer uniquely identifying the articles selected for purchase. The unit is arranged so that this data can be stored in correlation with the sensed weight so that the sensed weight can be checked against a nominal weight value for the respective article to make a validity check on the identifying data. Then, the price of the article can be selected automatically enabling automatic preparation of the bill without removing articles from the trolley. The unit 17 may store the identifying data and sensed weight values and have means for communicating with a central fixed computer 80 in the store so that the checking and bill preparation is performed by the computer 80 when the trolley unit 17 is plugged in at a terminal 30. Instead the units 17 may themselves have memories containing the nominal weights and prices so that bills can be prepared by the units 17 as articles are selected. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A bill preparation system for a self-service store and a purchase collection trolley therefor The present invention is concerned with apparatus employed in self-service stores for preparation of bills for payment and with purchase collection trolleys for use therewith.

The usual manual check-out system employed at the present time can cause customers a considerable amount of aggravation and delay. Once the customer has proceeded about the store, typically a supermarket, collecting his or her purchases and loading them into the usual collection trolley, the customer may then have to waste a period of time in a queue at the check-out. When each customers turn to be checked out comes, the articles in his or her trolley are unloaded one by one and rung up on the usual cash till. When all the articles have been rung up, the bill is totalled and presented in the form of a tear off from the till roll, to the customer for payment. There is no way in which the customer can be ready with the correct money except by accurately adding up the price of all items as they are selected for purchase.The articles unloaded at the check-out have to be reloaded into one or more containers to be taken away by the customer. Finally, it is practically impossible for the customer to check accurately his or her bill before, or even immediately after, payment, because of the pressure from other customers waiting to be checked out.

Various systems are now coming into use or are proposed to speed up the customer check-outs at such self-service stores. For example an article numbering system is being introduced in some countries, whereby each article which can be purchased at the store is marked with a coded identification number, typically in the form of a row of bars of varying spacings. At the check-out of a store, these article number codes can be read automatically by a laser scanning system. The check-out assistant merely has to slide each article across a scanning window so that the bar code can be read. The description and correct price of the article is then recovered automatically from a central computer store and printed on the till roll.This system is intended to speed-up the check-out process by avoiding the necessity for the check-out assistant to read the price of each article and key it into the till.

Further, since all purchases are automatically notified to a central computer, the computer can keep a continuous record of sales thereby greatly facilitating stocktaking and reordering. Also the central computer can warn the store staff that particular shelves in the store may be getting low in stock.

However, this computerised system does not overcome the basic problem of the need to unload the articles one by one from the collection trolley at the check-out station.

Various other systems for speeding up supermarket check-outs are proposed and a useful review of the latest proposals can be obtained from the Journal of The Data Pro Research Corporation, Data Pro Report May, 1978.

According to the present invention, a purchase collection trolley for use by a customer in a selfservice store, has means for sensing a predetermined parameter of each article of purchase placed in the trolley and data handling means which is mounted on the trolley and includes data input means for receiving data supplied by the customer identifying each article selected for purchase, and means enabling storage of said article identifying data in correlation with the sensed values of said predetermined parameter of articles placed in the trolley so that the value for the nth article placed in the trolley is related to the nth set of identifying data received by the input means, whereby said correlated sensed parameter values can be checked against predetermined nominal said values for the appropriate articles for validating the identifying data for the various articles selected for purchase andfurtherthebillforthearticlesto be purchased can be prepared automatically by reference to said stored article identifying data.

With such a trolley, data identifying the articles selected for purchase by the customer can readily be stored as the customer moves about the self-service store, and the record of the articles can then easily be used to prepare the bill for the customer without the need to unload the trolley as in the normal check-out process. Further, the bill can be prepared before the customer presents it for payment so that the customer can check it at leisure. Thus, the bill preparation and payment process in a self-service store can be speeded up.

In one arrangement, said storage enabling means comprises means for data communication between the data handling means and a central store computing means and arranged to transmit said article identifying data and said sensed parameter values to the computer means for correlated storage therein and subsequent checking and bill preparation.

In another arrangement, said storage enabling means includes data storage means in the data handling means for said correlated storage of article identifying data and sensed parameter values. Then, conveniently, said enabling means further comprises data communication means for connecting the data handling means in data communication with an external computing means and for supplying said stored article identifying data and correlated parameter values to the computing means for said checking and bill preparation.

With this latter arrangement, a record of the identity of each of the articles placed in the trolley is stored in the data handling means. When the customer has completed his or her purchases, the data handling means of the trolley can be connected, bythedata communication means to an external computing means which may be a central computer in the store. The computer can then access the article identification data in the data storage means of the trolley and from a central data store recover details of each of the articles identified, including a description of the article and the price of the article. The computer can also arrange for these descriptions and prices to be printed out automatically so that the customer is presented with a bill for the articles in the trolley without the need to unload the trolley again.The customer can then proceed with this bill to a simple payment station and, if appropriate, can have the correct money ready for payment. Also, the bill can be checked by the customer before proceeding to the payment station.

As well as recovering the description and price of each article identified by the identification data in the trolley storage means, the computer can also recover a mean or nominal value for said predetermined parameter of the relevant article. The computer can then compare this mean value with the sensed parameter value stored in the trolley storage means in correlation with the relevant article identification.

This can provide a degree of checking thatthe article identifying data supplied to the data input means of the trolley by the customer correctly corresponds to the article actually placed by the customer in the trolley.

In a different arrangement, said storage enabling means further includes a memory containing the prices of the various articles displayed for purchase in the self-service store, the prices being catalogued in the memory against said article identifying data for the respective articles, and said enabling means being arranged to select from the memory the price of each article as identified by said data supplied by the customer and to store also said price in correlation with said article identifying data. Preferrably, then, the enabling means further includes a hard copy unitfor producing a print out of said stored article prices, and conveniently the enabling means is arranged to produce from the hard copy unit a print out of at least said article identifying data and the price for each article.Then a hard copy list of the purchases selected and their prices can be prepared by the data handling means as the customer proceeds about the store and this list can easily be used to form the final bill.

Further, said enabling means may include a memory containing the nominal values of said predetermined parameter of the various articles displayed for purchase in the self-service store, said nominal values being catalogued in the memory against said article identifying data for the respective articles, and the enabling means being arranged to select from the memory the nominal parameter value of each article as identified by said data supplied by the customer, to compare said nominal value for the article with the sensed value stored in correlation with the identifying data for the article, and to provide an indication if the sensed value differs from the nominal value by more than a predetermined proportion.Then, the customer can be warned by the data handling means that the sensed parameter value for an article' does not correspond to the nominal value, so that corrective action can be taken, or staff assistance called for.

With the above arrangements having a memory containing article prices in the data handling means, it may still be desirable for the enabling means to include data communication means for connecting the data handling means in data communication with an external computing means and for supplying to the computing means at least said stored article identifying data and said correlated sensed parameter values.

In a preferred example, said sensing means of the trolley comprises means for sensing the weight increase of the trolley corresponding to placing an article for purchase in the trolley. Thus, in effect, said predetermined parameter of the articles selected for purchase is the weight of these articles and the sensed article weight can then be compared with a nominal weight value. If a discrepancy between the stored nominal weight and the sensed weight for the relevant article is discovered by the computer than a warning indication can be provided, such as a warning sign on the bill adjacent the relevant entry, to alert the store staff.

In a convenient arrangement, the trolley has a carrier for holding articles placed in the trolley, and said means for sensing includes at least one load sensor sensing the weight of the carrier and contents and a means responsive to a sustained change in said weight to record the change for supply to the data handling means as the predetermined parameter of an article placed in the trolley.

Although the preferred predetermined parameter of articles placed in the trolley is the weight of the articles, other parameters such as the magnetic effect, thermal effect or the colour of articles may be selected and sensed in order to check the accuracy of the identification data supplied by the customer.

More than one parameter of each article may be sensed at the same time.

Preferably, said data handling means includes a guidance display for the customer and is arranged to provide on the display instructions to the customer to supply identifying data to the input means if an article has been placed inthetrolleyfirstorinstruc- tions to place an appropriate article in the trolley if the identifying data has been supplied first. In this way, the customer can be guided to supply a single set of identifying data for each article placed in the trolley. Further said data handling means may be arranged to provide on the display the relevant instruction in a stressed manner if a second set of identifying data is supplied or a second article is placed in the trolley, as the case may be, before the instruction has been followed.For example, the instruction may be stressed by causing the instruction to flash and accompanying it with an audible tone, or if the instruction is displayed in a flashing manner in any case, the instruction may be stressed by increasing the rate of flashing.

Further also, said data handling means may be arranged to provide an alarm to summon a store employee if yet a further set of identifying data is supplied or a further article is placed in the trolley, as the case may be, before the relevant instruction has been followed. The store employee or supervisor can then assist the customer in operating the system correctly.

In a preferred embodiment, the data input means comprises a ticket or card reader for reading said identifying data from a ticket or card applied to the reader by the customer. With this arrangement, the customer supplies such a ticket or card to the reader in respect of each article placed in the trolley. The tickets or cards may be provided by the store proprietor already attached to the articles of merchandise on display so that they can be removed by the customer for supply to the reader. However, in another arrangement the tickets may be dispensed by dispensing units located in the store immediately adjacent the shelves displaying the relevant articles.

The dispensers may each be marked with a description of a relevant one of the articles on display on adjacent shelves, together with an article identifying code number for that article and preferably also the correct price for the article.

In another embodiment, the data input means may comprise an article number code reader for reading automatically said identifying data in the form of article number codes provided on the articles of purchase or at convenient fixed locations adjacent the display positions of the respective articles.

Article number codes, normally in the form of bar codes, are known which can be read automatically by an appropriate reader. For example the European Article Number code is being used increasingly and is administered in the United Kingdom by the Article Numbering Association (U.K.) Ltd. The article number code reader may be in the form of a hand holdable device so that it can be presented by the customer to the codes to read them. Preferably, the code reader is a bar code reading wand for reading said codes in the form of bar codes.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the present invention also envisages bill preparation apparatus for a self-service store comprising one or more trolleys of the kind described above without a price memory, together with a fixed computing means having a central store and one or more trolley communication terminals for connecting the data handling means of a trolley in data communication with the computing means, the or each said terminal including a bill printer operable on instructions from the computing means, the computing means being operative in association with the data receiving and storage means of the trolley to read each stored set of identifying data and correllated parameter value, to use the identifying data to recover from the central store details of the article identified by said identifying data including a description of the article, the price of the article and the mean value of said predetermined parameterforthe article, to compare the correllated parameter value with said mean value and to instruct the printer at the terminal to print the article description and price and also a warning flag if the correllated parameter value differs from said mean value by more than a predetermined portion. In this way, bills can be printed automatically by simply plugging in, for example, the data handling means of a trolley at a trolley terminal. As the bill is printed any items on the bill for which the measured parameter of the article placed in the trolley differs from the stored mean parameter value by more than the predetermined proportion are flagged to alert the cashier when the bill is being paid. The flag may for example comprise an asterisk printed against the item on the bill.

The bill preparation apparatus may further include ticket or card dispensers located about the store and for dispensing to customers tickets or cards carrying identifying data for identifying articles on display adjacent the respective dispensers.

Examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 gives side and front views of a purchase collection trolley embodying the present invention, Figure 2 illustrates the trolley of Figure 1 in use in a self-service store when operating an example of the bill preparation apparatus of the present invention, Figure 3 illustrates a check-out and bill payment area for an example of the apparatus of the present invention, Figure 4 is a view of the operating panel of the data handling unit on the trolley of Figure 1, Figure is a block schematic diagram illustrating the component parts of an example of the bill preparation apparatus on each trolley, Figure 6 is a block schematic diagram illustrating the central store computing means with which the trolleys can be used and Figure 7 illustrates the trolley of Figure 1 in use operating a different example of the present invention incorporating a reading device for reading article number codes.

Referring to 1, a trolley is shown both in side view and in front view for the collection of purchases selected by a customer as he or she pushes the trolley around a self-service store, such as a supermarket. The trolley may be of a substantially standard design but with provision to sense the weight of the container and contents and in particular to sense changes in weight as articles are loaded into the trolley. In the example illustrated, the trolley is formed of a foldable frame 10 to which a removable container 11 can be mounted. The frame 10 can be folded away for storage with the container 11 removed, as illustrated in ghost at 12. When deployed as shown in the Figure, the frame 10 runs on the usual wheels 13 of which two may be mounted on castors 14. The container 11 preferably comprises a stiff but light disposable container made of a cheap material such as cardboard.The container 11 is mounted in the frame 10 on a tray 15 which is itself connected to the frame 10 by means of a weight sensor 16. The weight sensor provides an output signal representative of the weight of the container 11 and contents. Although a single sensor 16 is illustrated in the figure, several sensors may be provided together with means for producing a single signal from the output signals of the sensors representative of the total weight of the container and contents.

The output signal of the sensor 16 is fed to a data handling unit 17 which is mounted on the frame 10 nearthehandle 18 by which the trolley can be pushed by the customer. The unit 17 is oriented on the frame 10 so as to be conveniently accessable to the customer for the customer to supply data to the unit and observe displays on the unit which will be explained in the following description. The unit 17 is associated with a battery 19 mounted underneath the unit 17 to provide electrical power for the unit.

The battery may be rechargeable.

As has been explained previously herein, the trolley with the weight sensor 16 and the unit 17 can be used in a supermarket check-out system for the automatic preparation of the customer's bill without the need to unload articles to be purchased from the container 11 one by one. As explained, the unit 17 can receive data supplied by the customer identifying each article selected for purchase. Referring to Figure 2, this article identifying data is conveniently provided on a ticket 20 which can be obtained by the customer from a dispenser 21 mounted in the supermarket for example on a display shelf 22. In the present example, the dispenser 21 is arranged to dispense tickets carrying data identifying a single type of article, for example packets of cereal 23.The dispenser 21 itself will be marked with a description of the relevant article, together with a code number uniquely identifying the article and the price of the article. Thus, the customer wishing to purchase a packet of cereal 23, simply takes a packet from the shelf places it in the container 11 of the trolley and subsequently takes a ticket 20 from the dispenser 21.

The customer then supplies the ticket 20 to the unit 17 on the trolley so that the unit 17 can read from the ticket the data identifying the packet 23. As will be explained in more detail later, the unit 17 stores this identifying data read from the ticket 20 and simultaneously stores in correlation with this identifying data the weight increase sensed by the sensor 16 corresponding to placing the packet 23 in the container 11.

Referring now to Figure 3, the check-out area is illustrated where the customer brings the trolley when he or she wishes to pay the bill. The check-out area includes a number of terminals 30. A customer can push the trolley into a terminal 30 so that connecting plugs (not shown) on the unit 17 of the trolley mate with sockets 31 at the terminal. These sockets 31 connect the unit 17 with a central computer in the supermarket which has a central store containing details of all articles on display in the sales area of the store catalogued against their identification codes. Once a unit 17 is plugged into a terminal, the computer can read from a store in the unit 17 the identifications of all the articles for which tickets 20 have been read by the unit 17.The computer can then obtain from its central store the description and price of the corresponding articles and thereby print out a bill for the customer on a printer 32 provided attheterminal 30. Once the bill has been completed, it can be checked by the customer at leisure, the correct money to pay the bill can be prepared and the customer can then pass through one of the payment channels 33 to pay the bill. Once the bill is paid, the customer can remove the container 11 from the trolley complete with all purchases. At no time does the container 11 have to be unloaded except when the customer wishes.

The components and operation of the bill preparation system will now be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 4, and 6. Figure 4 shows a view as seen by a customer of the top panel of a data receiving and storage unit 17 on a trolley. Figure 5 shows in block schematic form the main compo nents of the unit 17. The functions ofthe unit 17 are controlled by a Microprocessor 40 with an associated random access store 41. The various electronic components of the unit 17 are powered from the battery and power supply unit 19. Input data is supplied to the Microprocessor 40 on an input line 43. The input data may comprise sensed weight values derived from the weight sensor 44 located in the trolley outside the unit 17 and fed via a sensor interface 45.Other inputs to the Microprocessor 40 include article identifying data provided by a ticket reader 46 for reading tickets 20, via a decoder 47. A further optional data input may comprise a customer price keyboard 48 which may be operated by the customer to keep a running total of the price of articles being selected for purchase. Output data from the Microprocessor 40 is supplied on a line 49 to decoders and displays 50 which provide information to guide the customer in operating the system.

The Microprocessor 40 can also be connected via a plug connection 51 and a communication interface 52 with the central store computer when the unit 17 is plugged in at a communication terminal 30.

The functioning of the unit 17 can best be understood by considering a typical operational sequence with particular reference to Figure 4. In a preferred arrangement, trolleys ready for use are stacked in a folded condition and facilities may be provided to charge the batteries of the unit 17 when the trolleys are not being used. A customer on entering the store takes a trolley from the stack stopping the battery charging and switching on the battery and power supply unit 42. The customer then deploys the trolley, if it is of the folding kind, and inserts a carrier 11 on to the tray 15. Once the trolley is fully deployed and assuming the trolley is fully functional, a guidance display 60 on the top panel of the unit 17 displays the word READY. The number of the trolley is displayed in a trolley number display 61. The customer then wheels the trolley about the store to select purchases.When a customer places an article of purchase in the container 11, the weight sensor 16 senses a sustained increase in the weight of the carrier 11. The sensor interface 45 monitors the output of the weight sensor 16 and on detecting a sustained change in this output flags the Microprocessor 40 to tell it that a new article has been placed in the container 11 and that a fresh weight reading is ready. The Microprocessor 40 then instructs the displays 50 so that the guidance display 60 shows INSERT TICKET. If the customer operates the system correctly, he or she then takes a ticket from a dispenser adjacent the shelf from which the article was taken which has just been placed in the container 11. The dispensers are each marked with a description of a particular article stocked on one of the immediately adjacent shelves together with the price of the article. Thus, the customer looks for the correct dispenser and takes a ticket. The customer then inserts the ticket in a slot 63 provided in the ticket reader 46. The reader 46 reads the identification data from the ticket. If the reading process is successful, the data is decoded in decoder 47 and recorded by the Micro processor 40 in the store 41.

The Micro processor 40 also then records the new weight value in association with the article identification data, instructs the displays 50 so that the guidance display 60 reads READY and gives a further short bleep on the loudspeaker 62. The Micro processor 40 also keeps a count of the number of articles placed in the container 11 and on storing a fresh set of identification data and weight value, this count is increased by one. Finally, at the end of each storing operation, the Micro Processor 40 instructs the displays 50 so that the identification number on the ticket just read is displayed in a result display 64 and the newly increased article count is displayed in a count display 65. The customer can than check that the article number shown in display 64 corresponds with the article in the container 11.The customer can then proceed to select further articles and follow the same procedure as above.

Instead of first placing an article in the container 11, a customer may select a ticket for the article he or she wants and insert this in the slot 63 before taking the article and putting it in the container 11. In this case, on successfully reading the information on the ticket placed in the slot 63, the Micro processor 40 will give a short bleep and instruct the displays 50 so that the guidance display 60 shows TAKE ITEM NUMBER, and the result display 64 shows the article number decoded from the data on the ticket just read by the reader 46. In order to draw the customer's attention to this advice, it may be convenient if the article number on the results display 64 is made to flash. If the customer then places an article in the container 11, the weight sensor 16 senses an increase in the weight of the container which causes the interface 45 to flag the Micro processor 40.The Micro processor 40 then records the article number just read, and also the new weight value, as before, simultaneously giving a further short bleep, adding one to the article count on the display 65 and returning the guidance display 60 to read READY. If the article number in the result display 64 was made to flash previously, the number will now be displayed continuously.

The system also operates to cope with certain incorrect customer operations. For example, the customer may place a second article in the container 11 before inserting a ticket for the first article in the slot 63. In this case, the Micro processor 40 detects that a further sustained weight increase has occurred and instructs the displays 50 so that the guidance display 60 reads INSERT TICKETS and flashes quickly. The Processor 40 also produces a continuous tone from the loudspeaker 62. The result display 64 continues to show the article number of the article for which a ticket was last inserted into the reader 46.

If a customer then selects and places a ticket for the first of the two articles into the slot 63, the guidance display then read INSERT TICKET and flashes only slowly together with a relatively long intermittent bleep. The Micro processor 40 at this time stores the identification data read from this latest ticket together with the weight value after the first sensed increase. The system then reverts to the condition described previously in which a single article has been placed in the container 11 before the relevant ticket.

It will be appreciated that if the customer in correcting this fault condition, first inserts the ticket for the second of the two articles placed in the container, then this second article number will be stored in association with the weight value for the first of the two articles. This may cause a flag, such as an asterisk to be printed on the bill adjacent one or both of these two items.

If the customer takes yet a third article and places it in the container before inserting a ticket for either of the previous two articles, then the guidance display 60 flashes quickly and reads NEEDS TICK ETS. Further, the Micro processor 40 activates an audible alarm which may again be produced from the loudspeaker 62. Also a "call for assistance" lamp 66 may be lit. A Store Supervisor can switch off the audible alarm with a key inserted in a key switch 67 and this causes the Micro processor 40 to write an error indication into the store 41 immediately after the last correctly recorded entry. As a result, the unit 17 cannot subsequently be used to produce a full bill automatically and the customer will have to proceed to a manual check-out.

Instead of placing a second article in the container 11 before taking a ticket for the previous article, the customer may insert a second ticket in a slot 63 before placing the article for the first ticket in the container. In this case, the guidance display 60 flashes quickly TAKE ITEM NUMBER and the result display displays the article number read from the first of the two tickets inserted. If the customer then places an article in the container 11, the Micro processor 40 stores the article number read from the first inserted ticket together with the increased sensed weight and will cause the guidance display to slowly flash TAKE ITEM NUMBER and change the result display 64 to give the number read from the second of the two tickets. The customer can then take the second article and place it in the container 11 as before.

Instead of the above procedure, the customer may press a correction button 68 on the unit 17 which causes the unit to ignore the last ticket inserted in the reader 46. This correction button 68 can also be used if the customer accidentally places the wrong ticket in the slot 63.

If the customer inserts a third ticket into the slot 63 before placing an article in the container 11, the Micro processor 40 sounds the audible alarm and cause the guidance display 60 to flash NEEDS ITEM NUMBER, and the result display 64to show the number read from the first of the three tickets inserted. A Store Supervisor can correct the error condition by switching off the alarm with a key as before and then inserting into the container 11 the articles as displayed on the result display 64.

If there should be a malfunction ofthe weight sensor 16, then one of the error conditions described above will arise which will summon a Store Supervisor who can get a spare trolley. The Supervisor can then open a box containing the tickets inserted into the unit 17 of the malfunctioning trolley and reregister these tickets in the new trolley whilst transferring the load.

If a ticket inserted into the slot 63 is misread at any time, e.g. by detecting a check digit error, the Micro-processor 40 produces an intermittent bleep from the loudspeaker 62 and instruct the guidance display 60 to flash ERROR ANOTHER TICKET. The customer should then insert a second identical ticket and if this is read correctly, the system proceeds normally. After three unsuccessful attempts to read a ticket the system sets off the alarm calling for assistance.

For articles in the store sold by weight, each article can have affixed to it a label with a tear-off portion forming a ticket for use in the system. These tickets carry not only data identifying the article itself but also data identifying the weight of the particular article and on inserting such tickets into the slot 63, both the article number and the weight read from the ticket is stored in the store 41.

If a customer wishes to return an item which he or she has previously placed in the container 1 1,then the weight sensor 16 will sense a sustained reduction in weight as the article is removed from the container. The sensor interface 45 flags the Microprocessor 40 to expect a "returned item" entry. The customerthen presses a Return Item key 69 and the Micro Processor 40 instructs the guidance display 60 to show INSERT TICKET. The customer takes a fresh ticket for the article being returned and inserts it in the slot 63. The Micro-processor 40 records the item number and the new reduced weight in the store and flags the record as a return. This will then be printed on the customers bill as a negative item.The Micro processor 40 simultaneously instructs the result display 64 to show the number read from the ticket inserted together with a minus sign and the article count display 65 is reduced by one.

The unit 17 may also include as an optional feature a price record unit 70 by which the customer may keep a running total of his or her purchases. The unit 70 includes a keyboard 71 by which the customer can key in the price of each article. On pressing the ENTER KEY 72 the keyed in price is added to the previous total and displayed as the running total in a display 73. If the customer wishes to correct an entry, he or she can press a CANCEL LAST ENTRY key 74 and repeat the entry. If the running total option 70 is employed, the Micro-processor 40 may operate to light a lamp 75 to prompt the customer to enter the price each time a ticket inserted in the slot 63 is correctly read. Also, the Processor 40 may store article placed in the container 11, the price of the article entered by the customer.This price will then be printed on the final bill against the true price of the article as supplied by the Central Store Computer.

It may be desirable as a security measure to arrange for the Micro-processor 40 to record the time between the placing of a fresh article in the container 11 as sensed by the sensor 16 and the inserting of a ticket in the slot 63, or vice versa. A clock 76 may be provided for this purpose. If the measured time exceeds a predetermined delay, the Micro-processor 40 then stores a flag next to the article number and weight value for the item in store 41 for which the delay occurred. This flag is then eventually printed on the bill and can warn the cashier to check whether the bill tallies with the articles in the container.

Once the customer has completed his purchases and inserted a ticket for each article placed in the container 11, he or she can proceed to one of the communications terminals 30 and plug in the unit 17. Figure 6 illustrates in block schemeatic form a central store computer system with a communications system linking a central processor 80 to the input sockets 31 and the bill printers 32 of the communications terminals 30. The central processor 80, which may for example be any suitably program- med mini computer system such as an ICL system 10, is connected to the input sockets 31 and printers 32 by a number of Input'Output channels 81 associated with standby switching circuits 82.The central processor 80 has a central store 83 which may comprise an exchangeable disc store (EDS), and the processor 80 is linked to the EDS 83 by the usual fast access control (FAC) system 84. The store 83 contains details of all the articles displayed for sale in the supermarket catalogued against their unique identification numbers. The details include a description of the article, the price of the article and a mean weight of the article.

Whilst the unit 17 is plugged in to a socket 31 at a terminal 30, the processor 80 via channels 81 and standby switching 82 instructs the associated printer 32 at the terminal 30 to print a heading on the bill.

The processor 80 then interrogates the unit 17 successively reading from the store 41 of the unit 17 the identification numbers of articles placed in the container 11 together with the associated stored values of weight sensed by the sensor 16. The processor 80 uses the stored article number to access from the central store 83 details of the relevant article and instructs the printer 32 to print the description of the article, the price of the article and the mean weight. If the customer has been using the price record option, the processor 80 also instructs the printer to print the customers recorded price for the article. The processor 80 compares the weight increase sensed by the sensor 16 for the article against the mean weight stored in the store 83 and if there is a discrepancy of more than say 10%, the processor 80 instructs the printer to print an asterisk against this item.Further, if a flag was stored by the Micro-processor 40 indicating an undue time delay between inserting a ticket in the slot 63 and loading an article in the container 11 (or vice versa), then the processor 80 instructs the printer to print a T against this item.

The processor 80 proceeds through the items recorded in the store 41 summing the prices and on reaching the last stored item, the Process .- SO instructs the printer 32 to print the total price and the total sensed weight for all the items. The printer also prints the number of the trolley, the number of the printer, and the date and time. Preferably, the processor 80 then performs a fault testing routine in the unit 17 and the printer 32 and stores the results of the routine against the trolley number and the printer number. The processor 80 may also monitor the status of the print roll or ribbon in the printer 32 and initiate warnings if low. Further, the processor 80 clears the store 41 in the trolley.

As a security measure, it may be desirable if a Store Supervisor who sees a customer acting suspiciously or for some other reason, can instruct the processor 80 to print an identification mark on the bill for a selected trolley. In this way, when the bill is presented to a cashier for payment, the Supervisor may be summoned.

Once the bill is fully prepared, the customer can check it against his purchases and if he or she desires prepare the correct money for payment. A customer then proceeds with the loaded trolley through one of the payment channels 33 and presents the bill to a cashier who can check it for any alerting flags, i.e. asterisks, 7, and also cursorily check it against the contents of the container 11. A number of tills 86 are connected to the central processor 80 via Input/Output channels 81 and standby switching 82. The cashier can then enter the number of the trolley together with the amount of the bill on one of the tills 86. The central processor 80 then checks that the entered amount tallies with the previously stored bill total for that trolley.Instead, the cash till may receive details of the bill total by direct data communication with the central processor80 or with the unit 17 of the trolley itself.

As shown in Figure 6, Supervisor Input Terminals 87 may also be provided in communication with the central processor 80 for flagging suspect trolleys as mentioned previously.

Instead of providing dispensers 21 for the tickets 20, the tickets may be removably attached to respective articles of merchandise directly. The customer then removes the ticket from each selected article and inserts it in the slot 63 of the reader 46 as before.

In another arrangement, the data receiving and storage unit has a keyboard by which the customer can supply the article identification numbers directly, without the use of a ticket. The identification numbers are simply read from the respective articles selected and punched out on the keyboard.

In a further arrangement, illustrated in Figure 7, each trolley has a hand holdable device, such as a wand 100, which the customer can use to read article identifying data, in the form of a bar code 101 for example, provided either on the shelf edge adjacent the article selected, or preferably on the article itself as shown. The wand 100 is connected to the rest of the data receiving and storage unit 17 by a cable 102 or instead by a cordless communication channel, e.g. radio, inductive, ultra sonic, so that the data identifying the article selected can be read and supplied to the unit 17 simply by passing the device overthe code 101.

A Abar code system suitable for code 101 is already in use and known as European Article Number (EAN) code. EAN code is administered in the United Kingdom by Article Numbering Association (U.K.) Ltd. The codes are represented by combinations of light and dark "bars" each 0.33 mm wide and with interspersed "guard bars". The code is also represented in human readable form using OCRB characters. The codes represent the European Article Number uniquely identifying the article of purchase.

The European Article Number is a 13 digit number comprising a two digit national identity "flag", a five digit manufacturing number, a five digit article number and a single check digit.

Using EAN codes 101 and the reading wand 100 can be simplerforthe customer whilst improving the operational integrity of the system and also fraud detection. Normally the data receiving and storage unit 17 will operate to display a warning to the customer if the weight sensor senses that an article has been added to the trolley before its identifying data has been read in via the wand 100.

Thus, the correct way to operate the system is for the customer to use the wand 100 to read the EAN on the selected article. The unit 17 then displays this identifying code on the display 64 so that the customer can check it against the Arabic numerals alongside the bar code 101. The selected article is then placed in the trolley.

Instead of providing a visual guidance display, such as display 60 in unit 17, a synthetic voice unit may be provided to give the customer aural guidance.

Instead of the plug and socket connection between the units 17 and the communications terminals 30, the data connections may be made by other means such as proximity detectors, or magnetic or capacitative connections.

Further, each unit 17 may have means enabling direct communication with a store supervisor when the trolley carrying the unit is anywhere in the sales area of the store. This enables the units 17 to inform the supervisor of error conditions arising in the units. The units may also be arranged to send data defining their approximate locations in the store so that the supervisor can find them to give assistance.

The units 17 may communicate in this manner directly with the central store computer and then the various data normally received and stored by units 17 during their operation as described above, can be transmitted directly to the store computer as received by the units 17. There is then no need for the storage means in the units 17 for storing this data.

It will be appreciated that the described bill preparation system can be used to debit directly customer accounts held with the store rather than requiring cash payment of each bill.

In the foregoing, a record of the prices and nominal weights of the articles of purchase on display in the self-seervice store is kept only in the central store of the fixed computer. However, it is possible for memories to be provided in each of the units 17 on the trolleys containing up-to-date data defining either or both of the prices and the nominal weight values.

Then the units 17 may conveniently include hard copy units such as printers 105 shown in ghost in Figures 4 and 5. The micro-processor 40 in each unit 17 is then arranged to select the price from memory of the relevant article, using the identifying data supplied by the customer, and print it out at the printer.

Further, if the nominal weight values are contained in memory in the units 17, the processor 40 may be arranged to select also the relevant nominal weight for the article and compare this with the sensed weight when the next article is placed in the container 11. If there is a discrepancy in excess of a predetermined amount which may be, say, 7%, a warning may be given either enabling the customer to correct the error by replacing the last article with the correct one, or directly notifying the store staff that assistance is required.

With this arrangement, the bill can be prepared progressively by the unit 17 as the customer selects his or her purchases. However, when the customer has finished shopping, it is still desirable to provide forthe unit 17 to be connected for data communication with the central store computer, e.g., at a terminal 30. The computer then, in conjunction with the unit 17, arranges for the bill total to be printed by the printer 105 and also transfers into its central store all the correlated data held by the unit 17 so that this can be used for statistical purposes. The computer can also run a check program on the unit 17 to confirm that it is still serviceable.

Claims

1. A purchase collection trc;:eyforusebya customer in a self-service store, having means for sensing a predetermined parameter of each article of purchase placed in the trolley and data handling means which is mounted on the trolley and includes data input means for receiving data supplied by the customer identifying each article selected for purchase, and means enabling storage of said article identifying data in correlation with the sensed values of said predetermined parameter of articles placed in the trolley so that the value for the nth article placed in the trolley is related to the nth set of identifying data received by the input means, whereby said correlated sensed parameter values can be checked against predetermined nominal said values for the appropriate articles for validating the identifying data for the various articles selected for purchase and further the bill for the articles to be purchased can be prepared automatically by reference to said stored article identifying data.

2. Atrolley as claimed in claim 1 wherein said storage enabling means comprises means for data communication between the data handling means and a central store computing means and arranged to transmit said article identifying data and said sensed parameter values to the computer means for correlated storage therein and subsequent checking and bill preparation.

3. A trolley as claimed in claim 1 wherein said storage enabling means includes data storage means in the data handling means for said correlated storage of article identifying data and sensed parameter values.

4. Atrolley as claimed in claim 3 wherein said storage enabling means further includes a memory containing the prices of the various articles displayed for purchase in the self-service store, the prices being catalogued in the memory against said article identifying data for the respective articles, and said enabling means being arranged to select from the memory the price of each article as identified by said data supplied by the customer and to store also said price in correlation with said article identifying data.

5. A trolley as claimed in claim 4 wherein the enabling means further includes a hard copy unit for producing a print out of said stored article prices.

6. A trolley as claimed in claim 5 wherein said enabling means is arranged to produce from the hard copy unit a print out af at least said article identifying data and the J,ice for each article.

7. A trolley as claimed in any of claims 3 ts 6 wherein said enabling means includes a memory containing the nominal values of said predetermined parameter of the various articles displayed for purchase in the self-service store, said nominal values being catalogued in the memory against said article identifying data for the respective articles, and the enabling means being arranged to select from the memory the nominal parameter value of each article as identified by said data supplied by the customer, to compare said nominal value for the article with the sensed value stored in correlation with the identifying data for the article, and to provide an indication if the sensed value differs from the nominal value by more than a predetermined proportion.

8. A trolley as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the enabling means includes data communication means for connecting the data handling means in data communication with an external computing means and for supplying to the computing means at least said stored article identifying data and said correlated sensed parameter values.

9. A trolley as claimed in claim 3, wherein said enabling means further comprises data communication means for connecting the data handling means in data communication with an external computing means and for supplying said stored article identifying data and correlated parameter values to the computing means for said checking and bill preparation.

10. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said sensing means comprises means for sensing the weight increase of the trolley corresponding to placing an article of purchase in the trolley.

11. Atrolley as claimed in claim 10, wherein the trolley has a carrier for holding articles placed in the trolley, and said means for sensing includes at least one load sensor sensing the weight of the carrier and contents and means responsive to a sustained change in said weight to record the change for supply to the data handling means as the predetermined parameter of an article placed in the trolley.

12. Atrolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said data handling means includes a guidance display for the customer and is area need to provide on the display instructions to the customer to supply identifying data to the input means if an article has been placed in the trolley first, or to place an appropriate article in the trolley if the identifying data has been supplied first.

13. A trolley as claimed in claim 12 wherein said data handling means is arranged to provide on the display the relevant instruction in a stressed manner, if a second set of identifying data is supplied or a second article is placed in the trolley, as the case may be, before the instruction has been followed.

14. Atrolley as claimed in claim 13 wherein said data handling means is further arranged to provide an alarm to summon a store employee if yet a further set of identifying data is supplied or a further article is placed in the trolley, as the case may be, before the relevant instruction has been followed.

15. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the data input means comprises a ticket or card reader for reading said identifying data from a ticket or card applied to the reader by the customer.

16. A trolley as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 wherein the data input means comprises an article number code reader for reading automatically said identifying data in the form of article number codes provided on the articles of purchase or at convenient fixed locations adjacent the display positions of the respective articles.

17. Atrolley as claimed in claim 16, wherein the article number code reader is in the form of a hand holdable device so that it can be present by the customer to the codes to read them.

18. Atrolley as claimed in claim 17, wherein the code reader is a bar code reading wand for reading said codes in the form of bar codes.

19. Bill preparation apparatus for a self-service store comprising one or more trolleys as claimed in claim 9 or any of claims 10 to 18 as dependent on claim 9, together with a fixed computing means having a central store and one or more trolley communication terminals for connecting the data handling means of a trolley in data communication with the computing means, the or each said terminal including a bill printer operable on instructions from the computing means, the computing means being operative in association with the data receiving and storage means of the trolley to read each stored set of identifying data and correlated parameter value, to use the identifying data to recover from the central store details of the article identified by said identifying data including a description of the article, the price of the article and the mean value of said predetermined parameter for the article, to compare the correlated parameter value with said mean value and to instruct the printer at the terminal to print the article description and the price and also a warning flag if the correlated parameter value differs from said mean value by more than a predetermined proportion.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 and where the or each trolley is as claimed in claim 15 and further including ticket or card dispensers located about the store and for dispensing to customers tickets or cards carrying identifying data for identifying articles on display adjacent the respective dispensers.

21. Bill preparation apparatus for use in a selfservice store, comprising one or more trolleys as claimed in claim 8 or any of claims 10 to 18 as dependent on claim 8, where claim 8 is dependent on claim 5, the apparatus further comprising a fixed computing means having a central store and one or more trolley communication terminals for connecting the data receiving and storage means of a trolley in data communication with the computing means, the computing means being operative in association with the data receiving and storage means of the trolley to read into the central store said correlated article identifying data, sensed parameter values and prices for statistical analysis by the computer means, and to calculate the bill total and control the hard copy unit to print out said total on said print out of prices for use by the customer as the bill.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 19 to 21, wherein the fixed computing means is further operative to carry out a checking operation on the data receiving and storage means of the associated trolley and to provide an indication if a fault condition is located.

23. A purchase collection trolley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in figures 1,4 and 5 or figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A Bill preparation apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.