DE19518888C2 - Device and method for improved control of the customer's self-scanning in self-service shops, supermarkets etc. - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for improved control of the self-scanning of the Customers in self-service shops, supermarkets etc.

Self-scanning means that instead of the Cashier the customer scans by hand, d. H. voluntary can scan instead of going to the cashier. For payment he then goes to a central payment register, where the customers of several self-scanning cash registers sell their own pay the calculated invoice amount.

Methods and devices are also known with which are automatically controlled by the customer instead the cashier carried out independent billing in self-service shops or self-scanning (Self-scanning) is performed. The check is done in this case by comparing measured values, in particular those of Weight values of currently determined with stored weight data of the respective article.

Reference is made to the German patent DE 35 24 231 C2.

As described in the aforementioned patent specification DE 35 24 231 C2  and as in several self-scanning pilot installations of different ones Manufacturer has already been practiced, the self-scanning customer holding a piece of goods in hand Scanner and then puts it on a conveyor belt, of which, possibly after passing through the abovementioned measured values Comparative controls, up to the trough or the Packing area is transported.

As a disadvantage and deficiency of the above-mentioned measured values - Control procedures are used by retailers and cash register manufacturers criticized that a customer can scan a cheap item, but then put it aside and get a more expensive one  equally weighted or approximately equally weighted item places it on the conveyor belt without being scanned and so does this scanning erroneously in automatic weight control as be recognized correctly, analogously with the same volume. So z. B. a cheap bottle of wine against an expensive bottle Wine can be exchanged.

The inclusion of further measured values in a control process is designed become very complicated and expensive, e.g. B. about Camera image evaluation, which is also already being tried.

The exchange problem is of course also not solved also with the already known self-scanning method, where the customer uses a portable scanner Collect and carry the items right after they are removed scans from the shelf.

Also in U.S. Patent 4,071,740, a specially designed one The shopping trolley for self-scanning will be the Exchange problem not solved.

This shopping cart is with 2 scanners, a light curtain on its top, a device for weight detection the scanned piece of goods on the floor of the shopping cart, a control unit, a printer for printing the purchased goods and more.

After the customer has scanned the item, he places it then through the deactivated light process in the shopping cart onto the weight detection device. However, this does not guarantee that the customer will not first scans a cheap item and then without that this is prevented or automatically discovered instead of of the scanned article is a more expensive, unscanned, equilibrium Adds items to the shopping cart, since yes Scan before placing the item in the shopping cart the handling of the customer when scanning So stay out of control and not restricted become.

Even if now after the storage of the goods in the shopping cart the light curtain after a short period of time is reactivated, as stated in the patent specification, to prevent the customer from going unnoticed afterwards Puts goods in the shopping cart - which in turn would also be noticed by the weight detection device - this does not change the fact that no exchange control takes place.

In the already mentioned patent DE 35 24 231 C2 that is Problem of possible article swaps also dealt with and the example with the two interchangeable bottles of wine called. Here too, however, the item reaches a secured one Zone only after the item has already been scanned by the customer has been and thus then, as with the others known self-scanning pilot installations on the part of the customer a commodity / article exchange can be made unnoticed can.

In the above-mentioned patent, a Exchanges suggested that to differentiate more equilibrium Item certain items with an EAS tag or label (EAS = Electronic Article Surveillance = Electronic  Article monitoring) provided by a EAS detector can be detected (see page 15, paragraph 5, 6 and 7 and claim 4 of this patent). However, this is no adequate and satisfactory solution to the Problem. Because it can only make a distinction between two options of equal weight or goods of equal volume take place. With a variety of Wine bottles between DM 1.99 and DM 100, - selling price could e.g. B. yes can now be divided into two classes, e.g. B. wine bottles up to DM 20, and over DM 20, or wine bottles with straight  and odd DM amounts. What if the customer is inside swapped the same class? In addition, these are EAS labels are expensive and there is a lot of work to do Mounting.

Furthermore, it is proposed in the same aforementioned patent specification that, in order to uncover an exchange, the item of goods - after having already been manually scanned and transported further into a secured zone - is scanned again by a second code reading device, but this scanning must be carried out automatically without the customer's involvement or possibility of influencing the positioning (see page 15, paragraph 1 ("In FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of a UPC scanning device 130..........") of this patent specification, also paragraph 4 and Claim 3 of this patent). Here, however, the previous scanning of the customer by hand on the first code reading device could just as well be completely dispensed with, since the repeated scanning on the second code reading device in any case without the possibility of the customer to influence it and thus without the possibility of exchange in a secured zone takes place.

The real problem and the technical difficulty with this must be done automatically by the second Code reading device, however, consists in the fact that this scanning is always purely scanner-technical must be carried out successfully, d. H. the piece of goods must be guided past the scanner by the conveyor belt or positioned in this way be that the scanner can also scan the code. Such a so-called "automatic scanning", in which the customer in contrast to the "self-scanning" of the goods unscanned on the conveyor belt, from which she then first passed by the scanner was done by different people Manufacturers in various pilot markets or installations already tested, but the results were not satisfactory. Above all, the quota was more successful Scans too low or the rejection rate is lacking correct positioning of the item and thus non- The scannability of the code is too high, which Feedback mechanism and / or intervention  required by personnel and with frequent non-scans or rejections the desired savings of Personnel, time and costs are wiped out again. It also refers to the German patent DE 38 13 725 C2 of a method for automatic scanning pointed out, which also the problem at the beginning in the description part shows and further shows how elaborate, complicated and are or would be costly methods and devices for control, feedback, etc. in order to be able to run the automatic scanning in a way that is justifiable, if they work sufficiently successfully at all.

A process for automatic scanning is also used in the US Pat. No. 3,734,286, which is not described in the scannable or non-scannable goods from the Transport device can be controlled.

The invention has for its object a method and to create a device in which the now unresolved or at least inadequately solved problem the automatic control and detection of an exchange of a scanned piece of goods against one or more unscanned Goods during self-scanning by hand of the customer is solved without an automatic scanning with the disadvantages described above required is.

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1, 5, 8, 31 and 32 solved. Further embodiments according to the invention are in the Sub-claims set out.

According to the invention, the following happens.

In contrast to the previously known self-scanning, a Piece of goods first, before it is scanned by the customer by hand is brought to a secure area. This bringing in a secure area before scanning was previously only known for automatic scanning, but not for self-scanning. The customer then guides them into the secured one by hand Scanning into the area on the item Codes through, using appropriate methods and devices it is ensured that the customer does not go unnoticed Exchange of a scanned piece of goods for one or more carries out unscanned goods.

In these aforementioned suitable methods and devices  there are mainly three different execution Possibilities, namely:

Execution option 1 with moving one into a secured one Area of the incoming scanner by the customer from outside the secured area (patent claims 1 / a1 and 2-10 and 13).

Execution option 2 (2a and 2b) with movement of the item to the scanner with partial help and operation one going into a secured area Handling device secured by the customer from outside the Range from (claims 1 / a2 and 11-12 and 13 and 31-32).

Execution option 3 (3a and 3b) with insertion and positioning of the item with the code on it directed by the customer towards the scanner into one alternately released and blocked area, a preliminary positioning scan in particular without price offset in the initially released area takes place, then only in the area blocked thereon the actual scanning with subsequent price offsetting follows with the same scanner (claims 1 / a3 and 14-30 and 31-32). The scanner can also be used from positioning scanning to actual scanning for continuous scanning, i.e. one multiple repeated scanning.

Subsequent to scanning - all of the three listed execution options - the item on transported on the conveyor belt.

Method and device according to the present invention in contrast to the previous self-scanning and automatic-scanning optimally successfully performed scans by the customer while preventing a Article exchange in a cost-effective manner.

In execution option 3 (claims 1 / a3 and 14-30 and 31-32) the self-scanning customer hardly has to do more than what he's already doing in one of the a cashier occupied, namely the goods  one after the other on the conveyor belt, additionally only with the code towards the scanner.

The main attraction here is that the customer on the one hand does the scanning entirely by hand and then on the other hand for the crucial moment when scanning with subsequent price offset takes place, withdraw his hands must be separated from the item and scanner is and can no longer manipulate or swap.

The two-fold scanning described here with the same scanner -for positioning and after positioning the item in connection with alternately released and blocked Area - is also an essential inventive step and was not yet known. It allows for easy and inexpensive way of both the required control Security as well as a much easier usability by the customer, who also uses a traffic light circuit can be managed or informed.

Although in this procedure the customer is in the same way as With automatic scanning, only the goods with the code has to face in the direction of the scanner but not with the disadvantages of automatic scanning, as described above, connected.

With automatic scanning, the customer can only use the item place the code in the specified direction on the conveyor belt. However, as an inexperienced user, he does not have an immediate one Check whether the item is correctly positioned and can then also be scanned. That only becomes apparent when the piece of goods on the conveyor belt passes the scanner and the customer no longer has any influence on the positioning of the piece of goods and thus incorrect positioning the error intervention on the part of the system and / or personnel is required becomes. The item of goods can also be opened fall over or slip on the conveyor belt during transport. In the present method according to the embodiment Option 3, however, gives the customer the option of Position the item in front of the scanner for so long correct - which also gives him practice - until the scanning  works. This also eliminates the requirement from the outset a modulation feedback mechanism for unscanned Items.

That in between it also damaged damaged illegible scanning Can give labels is yet another task but then with the help of the personnel or their palpation of the Article codes, like so far, can be solved.

Execution options:

The secured area in which the item is scanned before is expediently consists of glazing with inlet and outlet or a glass structure above the conveyor belt. Inlet and outlet are through light barriers and a  Secured light curtain or by opening and closing walls or flaps, either manually operated by the customer or by triggered accordingly, secured.

Possibly the glazing and the security can be omitted the area only through light barriers or light curtains respectively.

Execution option 1 (movement of the scanner to the item):

Reference is made to the drawing Fig. 1 accompanying the text. The customer places a piece of goods 1 with the code (bar code, etc.) upwards or in another predetermined direction on the conveyor belt 2 outside the secured area, from which the piece of goods 1 is transported into the secured area or the glass structure 3 , whereupon the conveyor belt 2 stops.

The customer now moves the scanner toward the item of goods 1 and scans it through an opening in the glass structure 3 or through the otherwise secured area. However, the opening in the glass structure 3 does not allow hands to get through. Pulling the scanner out of the opening is also blocked. It would be conceivable, for. B. a hand-held scanner. After scanning has been completed, the item 1 is conveyed on by the conveyor belt 2 in the direction of the removal trough 6 .

On the way to the removal trough 6 , the item 1 can then also run past a scale and / or past a volume measuring device and / or other measuring devices in order to carry out the measurement value comparison checks mentioned at the beginning.

The weight determinations and / or other measurements can but also take place in the same area of the conveyor belt, in which the scanning also takes place.

At the self-scanning station, a notice is attached to the customer that he must not get into the secured area or into the glass structure 3 , but the items of goods to be scanned must be placed one after the other outside the secured area on the conveyor belt.

If the customer nevertheless reaches the secured area, both from the inlet 17 and from the outlet 18 , which is checked by the two light curtains 7 and 9 at the inlet and outlet, an error message and / or alarm is triggered automatically. The piece of goods to be scanned is conveyed out of the inlet again by the conveyor belt return and / or an employee of the supermarket comes to the self-scanning place for checking. The light curtain at the outlet is expediently double-row so that the side of its breakthrough can be defined.

In a simple manner, the scanner to be moved by the customer can consist of a hand-held scanner 5 with an elongated handle, which can be moved up and down by the customer from above through an opening in the glass structure 3 and pivoted back and forth in order to do this Scanning a piece of goods, possibly with the scanner head springing backwards when scanning a piece of goods from the side. The hand-held scanner 5 can be mounted in a lined guide hole 4 or in a guide trough or a guide tube, which can be pivoted and rotated in a movable manner. The hand-held scanner 5 can be resiliently suspended with a spring 10 on the suspension rod 11 , similar to a resiliently suspended pencil on post offices etc.

The customer is prevented from pulling the hand-held scanner out of the opening in the glass structure 3 .

The hand-held scanner can also be used on a carrying body like a plate or a linkage or in guide rails be mounted, which are then moved by the customer, d. H., moved up and down and swung back and forth or pushed to scan the item. This can eventually an electric motor can also be switched on for support.

In the same way, a so-called stationary can Scanner - usually used so that the hand-held A piece of goods with a barcode is guided past it - see above be handled by the customer in the glass structure is moved up and down and swung back and forth and thereby moving towards the piece of goods and the bar code scanned becomes.

In order to bring possibly tilted or unrolled goods with the barcode back into position so that they can be scanned, tools such as a shovel 12 or a rake 13 can be attached to the scanner for support, e.g. B. on the hand-held scanner from the front to the side.

In the case that the scanner as mentioned above on a supporting body the tools can also be attached to them his.

To ensure that once a piece of goods has been scanned and further transport of this item of goods no further item of goods remains on the conveyor belt - the customer could have two Let goods come in one above the other - that the Customer for the purpose of exchange by holding down the moved one Retains scanner, the following can be done.

The entire conveyor belt is divided into three sections: inlet conveyor belt 14 , scanning conveyor belt 15 and outlet conveyor belt 16.

The customer first places a piece of goods 1 on the inlet conveyor belt 14 outside the secured area. From there, the item 1 is then transported to the secured area and taken over by the scanning conveyor belt 15 . The inlet conveyor belt 14 is then switched off, which is controlled via the light curtain 7 . Scanning of the piece of 1 then takes place on the scanning belt 15 after the scanning conveyor belt has stopped 15th After scanning has been completed, the item 1 is then transported from the scanning conveyor belt 15 to the outlet conveyor belt 16 and taken over by it and transported further in the direction of the removal trough 6 .

After scanning has been completed, it is now automatically checked whether the scanning conveyor belt 15 is already free, i. i.e., is unoccupied with goods. This check can be carried out either by light barriers and / or by weight measurement or a scale under the conveyor belt, possibly the same scale, which is also used for weighing the individual items of goods for the purpose of comparison control with stored weight data of the respective article is used as already mentioned. If this check with regard to the free conveyor belt is in order, the inlet conveyor belt 14 is switched on again and the next item of goods can enter the secured area.

If the aforementioned comparison of measured values with regard to the weights etc. of the individual articles brought an error message, the inlet conveyor belt 14 would remain switched off or a conveyor belt return would take place.

The customer can do the workflow continuously with one hand the item to be scanned Remove from the shopping cart with the barcode Place on top of the conveyor belt and with the other hand Scan into the glass structure with the hand-held scanner inside.

Execution option 2 (movement of the item to Scanner):

An illustration has been omitted here. However, it is easy to imagine that in Fig. 1 the hand-held scanner 5 is replaced by a handling device and that a stationary, vertically standing scanner is attached to the edge of the conveyor belt within the glass structure 3 or between the scanning conveyor belt 15 and outlet conveyor belt 16 a stationary lying scanner is attached.

Execution option 2a with vertical scanner:

In the secured area or the glass structure above the conveyor belt is a stationary vertical one Scanner on the edge of the conveyor belt.

The customer places a piece of goods outside the secured area on the conveyor belt from which it is in the secured area or transported into the glass structure and walks past the vertical scanner.

Here the scanning process can now be designed so that it is closed a partial "automatic scanning" comes d. that is, the customer only then needs to continue into the secured area to take action when the scanner is standing upright the code (bar code, etc.) that did not pass by could have been scanned. In this case the conveyor belt remains stand, there may be a short return and an optical and / or acoustic signal is triggered. In the other In this case, the piece of goods is transported on by the conveyor belt up to the trough as in the one already described Execution option 1 set out, also with regard to hedging. A marking line is expediently on the conveyor belt attached to which the customer has the item with the code in  Positioned in the direction of the vertical scanner to create one distance to the scanner. So positioned the piece of goods is conveyed vertically from the conveyor belt Scanner passed; Scan control with light barriers or scales. The above-mentioned signal comes when the item is not scanned and the standstill of the conveyor belt, the customer can continue to work as follows.

The customer operates a handling device in the glass structure or the otherwise secured area and brings the piece of goods with the code to the scanner approach that this is scanned.

This handling device can be used with various individual tools equipped like shovel, rake and tongs, as well with suction cups for lifting the item. Be pointed out also on handling devices such as those used in nuclear reactor Attachments are used.

On the possibility of triple division of the conveyor belt with the corresponding Process and control design as in the above implementation Option 1 described, please note.

Execution option 2b with lying scanner:

In the secured area or the glass structure above the There is a stationary scanner between the conveyor belt Scan conveyor belt and outlet conveyor belt. It is on the Possibility of dividing the conveyor belt in three, as in the above Option 1 described, pointed out.

The customer places a piece of goods outside the secured area with the code down on the conveyor belt from which it is is transported into the glass structure.

The customer then actuates a handling device as above Execution option 2a (with scanner standing vertically) outlined into the glass structure and brings the item from the conveyor belt to the lying scanner.

As a rule, the customer will use the item of a rake on the lying scanner. To do that The individual tools are to protect the glass of the lying scanner the handling device expediently with foam, Wrapped in felt or similar material. The code is no longer  facing downwards, the customer turns the piece of goods with the Handling device in this direction.

The scanning of the goods by the lying scanner is indicated to the customer optically and / or acoustically. This brings the customer moves the piece of goods from the lying scanner to the outlet Conveyor belt, usually by means of a rake. Another possibility would be that the scanner lying down after scanning tilts and thus the piece of goods onto the conveyor belt tilts. Another possibility would be that the piece of goods by an automatically operated slide or scraper is stripped on the conveyor belt or by a other device is automatically brought onto the conveyor belt. The item is then transported from the outlet conveyor belt to the removal Trough forwarded as in the one already described Execution option 1 outlined. Likewise, after completion Scanning can be checked automatically if the scanning conveyor belt and the lying scanner is already free, d. that is, unoccupied with goods are what the next item in the secured Area can enter. The statements regarding tripartite division of the conveyor belt in execution option 1 becomes this pointed out.

Execution option 3 (introduction and positioning of the Piece of goods in front of or on the scanner in an alternating released and blocked area):

Design option 3a with vertical scanner:

Attention is drawn to the drawing Fig. 2 accompanying the text. Here, the customer places a piece of goods 19 directly into the secured area or the glass structure 20 on the conveyor belt 21 with the code (bar code, etc.) positioned in the direction of the vertical scanner 22 , which stands at the edge of the conveyor belt.

In contrast to the previous design options, the inlet 23 into the secured area or the glass structure 20 is expediently not in the direction of the conveyor belt, but transversely thereto at the edge of the conveyor belt, but the outlet 24 is in the direction of the conveyor belt.

The light curtain 25 at the inlet 23 is then used to check and determine whether or not the customer withdraws his hands from the secured area after the item 19 has been inserted and positioned. So long there is no scanning associated with price offset etc. and no further transport of the goods on the conveyor belt, but only after the hands are withdrawn.

Withdrawing the hands of the customer can be achieved more easily in that the customer has to press a button 26 or lever outside the secured area after placing the item of goods 19 in order to trigger the scanning with price offset etc.

In another way, the withdrawal of the customer's hands can also be achieved in that the customer has to actuate a flap or pull a wall forward or trigger it, thus blocking the inlet 23 to the secured area. After scanning, this block would be opened again automatically or by the customer.

In order to avoid unsuccessful scanning after placing the goods 19 and taking back the hands of the customer due to incorrect positioning of the code towards the vertical scanner 22 , the following can be carried out and provided.

The actual scanning with price offset etc. goes first one position scan ahead.

This positioning scan is only used to test whether the code of the item 19 placed in front of the scanner 22 is being scanned. This also means that the customer can find out the position at which the scanning works by moving the item back and forth in front of the scanner. This folding can the customer acoustically and / or optically, for. B. be displayed by a flashing lamp or on the screen. The customer then takes his hands back from the secured area and only then is the actual scanning carried out again, automatically, of the item of goods that has already been positioned in front of the scanner. With this actual scanning, a possible weight and / or other measured value comparison, as mentioned at the beginning, and the price offset are then further connected.

Both the positioning scan and the subsequent one actual scans are carried out by one and the same scanner.

The scanner can also be used from positioning scanning to actual scanning for continuous scanning, i.e. one multiple repeated scanning. An indicator lamp can depending on successfully repeated scanning be kept burning or go out again if that Piece of goods, for example, falls over or buckles and thereby the code becomes unscannable. The customer would then have the item reposition in front of the scanner.

Switching between positioning scanning and actual Scanning can be carried out using a so-called switch, in specialist shops available, the scanners and cash register computers alternately connects and separates.

In the case of positioning scanning, the scanner would initially be separated from the till computer by the switch. Depending on the information or signals that come from the light curtain 25 and possibly the button 26 in connection with the retraction of the hands, the scanner is then connected to the cash register computer through the switch and the actual scanning takes place. The scanner is then separated from the till computer by the switch.

In another way, the positioning scanning and the actual scanning can also be implemented via the user program and / or operating system of the cash register computer. Depending on the information or signals that come from the light curtain 25 and possibly the button 26 in connection with the retraction of the hands, the till computer would either read the scanned code (positioning scan) or the scanned one according to its program Read the code and then carry out the price offset etc. (actual scanning).

After the actual scanning has been carried out, the item of goods is transported on the conveyor belt and passes a further light curtain 27 in the interior of the secured area or the glass structure 20 .

Instead of a tripartite division of the conveyor belt with a corresponding sequence and control configuration, as described in the above embodiment 1, the current embodiment 3a would only have a division of the conveyor belt in two. The customer would therefore initially place the item 19 on the scanning conveyor belt 28 and position it in front of the scanner 22 standing upright. When the light curtain 27 is later passed inside the secured area, as mentioned, the item 19 is then also transferred from the scanning conveyor belt 28 to the outlet conveyor belt 29 and transported further in the direction of the removal trough 30 .

In the manner as described in embodiment 1 above, after the actual scanning has been carried out, it is automatically checked whether the scanning conveyor belt 28 is already free, i. i.e., is unoccupied with goods. If this is the case, the inlet 23 to the glass structure 20 is released again, i. that is, the light curtain 25 can be broken by the customer or a hatch or lock as mentioned above is opened. The customer can now position another piece of goods in front of the vertically standing scanner 22 .

If the customer reaches the above-mentioned light curtain 27 inside the glass structure 20 or in light curtain 31 at the outlet of the glass structure, this leads to alarm triggering and / or item / conveyor belt return in each phase.

If the customer reaches the inlet 23 of the glass structure through the light curtain 25 or tries to forcefully open the above-mentioned flap, this also leads to alarm triggering and / or item / conveyor belt return. The previous scan may become invalid and the customer must reposition the item in front of the scanner.

The individual processes and conditions can be indicated to the customer by colored lamps 32 or a traffic light as follows:
Green - Secured area or scanner is free.
Position the item with the code (bar code etc.) in the direction of the scanner.
Yellow - positioning (position scanning) worked. Take your hands back.
If the hands are not taken back (check via light curtain 25 ) after the customer presses button 26 , the yellow lamp flashes.
Red - After the hands have been taken back, the traffic light switches to red. The secured area around the scanner is blocked. Do not reach into the scanner area / secured area.
The actual scanning takes place and the goods are then transported on the conveyor belt.
After releasing the secured area as described above, the traffic light switches back to green.

Error lamps:
Blue - When the customer reaches red at the traffic light (= after taking back the hands) into the secured area.
Depending on the wish of the supermarket company, alarm triggering and / or return of the item on the conveyor belt, then repositioning of the item on the scanner by the customer.
Then proceed in the same way as for traffic lights on green.
Brown - If the code becomes unscannable after the traffic light on yellow or red, i.e. already successful positioning scanning, because the item falls over, slips or the like.
Repositioning of the goods on the scanner by the customer.
Then proceed in the same way as for traffic lights on green.

Instead of using colored lamps 32 or together with the colored lamps 32 , the individual processes and conditions can also be displayed on the screen.

Design option 3b with lying scanner:

An illustration has been omitted here. It is easy to imagine, however, that in Fig. 2 there is a scanner lying in the glass structure instead of the vertical scanner.

Here the customer lies a piece of goods directly in the secured Area or the glass structure onto the lying scanner with the code facing down towards the scanner. The other processes are the same as under execution Possibility 3a depicted with a vertical scanner, except that after the actual scanning has been completed, the item by tilting the scanner on the conveyor belt is tipped or by an automatically operated Scraper or scraper stripped on the conveyor belt automatically or by another device on the Conveyor belt is brought or by customer using a handling device.

Additional options for execution options 2 and Execution option 3:

In the secured area or glass structure can also be a vertical scanner and a horizontal scanner at the same time to be appropriate.

Both scanners would be connected to the same till computer and could alternate depending on the nature of the goods to be used. Here, for example, are cylindrical Articles such as bottles and cans lighter over the vertical standing scanners can be scanned, non-standing articles however, like chocolate bars, candy bags or pouches with vegetables, on the other hand, more easily over the lying scanner.

At the self-scanning station, appropriate information could be provided for the customer appropriate as it scans the easiest.

Furthermore, scanning could be done with the scanner lying down be carried out that the item with the code down on a conveyor belt over the scanner, which for the Scanner optics is transparent.

This would allow the piece of goods to be manipulated without additional manipulation transported and scanned using the horizontal scanner.

Claims (32)

1. Process for improved control of the customer's self-scanning in self-service shops, supermarkets etc.,
whereby the customer either manually brings a scanner to the code on a piece of goods and scans the code thereon
or brings a piece of goods with the code thereon to the scanner by hand and thereby scans the code, and a conveyor device is used to transport the piece of goods,
characterized in that

• a) when self-scanning the customer, it is ensured by suitable methods and devices that the customer does not exchange a scanned item for one or more unscanned items without being noticed,
  by restricting and controlling the handling options of the customer during the scanning so that he cannot make this exchange unnoticed, which is mainly done by either
  • a1) a piece of goods is brought into a secure area by the customer by hand or by placing it on a conveyor belt
    and then the customer, working from outside the secured area, moves a scanner going into the secured area to the code on the item of goods and the code is scanned thereby,
    or
  • a2) a piece of goods is transported to a secured area by the customer by placing it on a conveyor belt before scanning
    and then the customer, moving from outside the secured area, moves the piece of goods with the code located thereon to the scanner by means of a handling device that goes into the secured area and the code is thereby scanned,
    or
  • a3) the self-scanning takes place in three phases,
    whereby in the first phase a positioning-only scanning takes place without price offset,
    that the customer manually positions a piece of goods in front of or on the scanner with the code facing the scanner,
    either placing it on the conveyor belt or placing it on a scanner attached to the conveyor belt,
    and after scanning has been carried out - which can also be carried out several times in succession - the workpiece positioned in front of or on the scanner is left standing,
    then in the second phase it is automatically ensured that the customer has removed his hands from the scanner and conveyor belt again,
    which either takes place via the signals of a light curtain ( 25 ) through which the customer first got through when positioning the item of goods and then pulls his hands back out of it,
    or via the signals of an activated blocking of the conveyor belt area in front of the scanner or by other suitable devices,
    and the conveyor belt area in front of the scanner is also completely secured against reaching in,
    and then in the third phase the actual scanning with subsequent price offset takes place,
    in which the item already positioned is then scanned again by the same scanner without the customer's intervention,
    and, if this actual scanning does not take place successfully due to the lack of a code being able to be scanned, which can be due to the fact that the previously positioned piece of goods tilts or slips in the meantime, as well as a manipulation or exchange action by the customer, the three aforementioned phases are repeated,
• b) in processes according to a1) and a2) after scanning and in processes according to a3) after the actual scanning (third phase), the goods are transported on the conveyor belt,
• c) the processes according to a1), a2) and a3) can be combined with one another,
• d) the method can be combined with already known methods and devices in which, in order to check the correct price offset, a comparison of currently determined measured values with stored and retrieved measured value data of the individual articles, in particular that of weight values and / or volume values , takes place.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a) the customer places a piece of goods outside the secured area on a conveyor belt, from which it is transported to the secured area,
• b) the customer moves a scanner through an opening in the secured area to the piece of goods transported into the secured area and the code located on the piece of goods, e.g. B. barcode scans,
• c) With regard to point b, the scanner is prevented from being pulled out of said opening in the secured area and the hands cannot be reached through said opening into the secured area,
• d) after scanning, the piece of goods is transported from the conveyor belt towards the outlet or removal trough.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the inlet for the item to be scanned with a light curtain is secured and alarm and / or conveyor belt return is triggered when the customer after a piece of goods is inserted into the secured area for scanning, reaches through the light curtain into the secured area. 4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the outlet for the item to be scanned or scanned is secured with a light curtain and alarm and / or Conveyor belt return is triggered when a customer goes through reaches the light curtain into the secured area. 5. Apparatus for performing the method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the scanner consists of a hand-held scanner ( 5 ) with an elongated handle. 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the scanner head of the hand-held scanner ( 5 ) is provided with a suspension option to the rear for the lateral scanning of a product. 7. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the hand-held scanner ( 5 ) is mounted in a guide hole ( 4 ), gutter or tube, which may be pivoted movably. 8. Device for performing the method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the scanner on a supporting body such as a plate or a stand or in guide rails mounted, which are moved by the customer to scan, d. i.e., moved up and down and swung back and forth and / or - be shoved, among other things, both an assembled hand-held scanner as well as an assembled one  stationary scanner can act. 9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that an electric motor is switched on for support. 10. The device according to claim 5 or 8, characterized in that tools, such as. B. a shovel ( 12 ) and / or rake ( 13 ) on the scanner ( 5 ) and / or said supporting body of the scanner according to claim 8 are attached so that the customer hereby possibly slipped or tilted goods back into a scanned capable position. 11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a) the customer places a piece of goods outside the secured area on a conveyor belt, from which it is transported to the secured area,
• b) the piece of goods is transported from the conveyor belt past a vertical scanner within the secured area and either
  • b1) the code on the item is automatically scanned
    or
  • b2) the code on the item of goods is not automatically scanned, whereupon the conveyor belt stops and an optical and / or acoustic signal is triggered and the conveyor belt may return briefly,
    on what
  • b3) the customer actuates a handling device, equipped with various individual tools such as a shovel, rake, pliers, suction cups, through an opening in the secured area and in doing so brings the item of goods with the code to the scanner so that it is scanned,
• c) after scanning, the goods are transported from the conveyor belt in the direction of the outlet or removal trough,
• d) analog to claim 3 and 4 inlet and outlet of the secured area are secured.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a) the customer places a piece of goods outside the secured area on a conveyor belt, from which it is transported to the secured area,
• b) there is a lying scanner within the secured area,
• c) the customer actuates a handling device, equipped with various individual tools such as a shovel, rake, pliers, suction cups, through an opening in the secured area and brings the item of goods with the code onto the lying scanner so that the code is scanned , whereupon an optical and / or acoustic signal is triggered,
• d) after scanning the handling device is tipped onto the conveyor belt
  or is stripped onto the conveyor belt by an automatically operated slide or stripping device or is automatically brought onto the conveyor belt by another device
  and on that
• e) the piece of goods is transported from the conveyor belt towards the outlet or removal trough,
• f) analog to claims 3 and 4 inlet and outlet of the secured area are secured.

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2 or 11 or 12, characterized in that the conveyor belt is divided into three parts in an inlet conveyor belt ( 14 ), scanning conveyor belt ( 15 ) and outlet conveyor belt ( 16 ), and that after completed scanning of a piece of goods is automatically checked, either by light barriers and / or by weight measurement, whether the scanning conveyor belt ( 15 ) and, if claim 12, the lying scanner, are already free, d. h., are unoccupied with pieces of goods, and depending on this, the inlet conveyor belt ( 14 ) is switched on and is switched off again after the transfer of a piece of goods to the scanning conveyor belt ( 15 ). 14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a) the customer manually positions a piece of goods into the secured area on the conveyor belt in front of a vertical scanner with the code in the direction of the vertical scanner,
• b) that suitable devices are used to check and ensure that and whether the customer has withdrawn his hands from the secured area,
• c) that the actual scanning of the previously positioned item of goods with subsequent price offset etc. then takes place thereon,
• d) after the actual scanning has been carried out, the piece of goods is transported from the conveyor belt in the direction of the outlet or removal trough.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

• a) the customer places a piece of goods in the secured area on a lying scanner by hand, with the code positioned in the direction of the lying scanner,
• b) that suitable devices are used to check and ensure that and whether the customer has withdrawn his hands from the secured area,
• c) that the actual scanning of the previously positioned item of goods with subsequent price offset etc. then takes place thereon,
• d) after the actual scanning has been carried out, the item of goods is brought from the lying scanner onto the conveyor belt by suitable devices, from which it is transported in the direction of the outlet or removal trough.

16. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that the checking and ensuring whether and that the customer has withdrawn his hands from the secured area again, is carried out by a light curtain ( 25 ). 17. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that checking and ensuring that and that the customer his hands withdrawn from the secured area has, that the customer has a flap press or pull a wall forward or trigger it, which blocks the entrance to the secured area. 18. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that in order to achieve the return of the hands of the customer, the customer must press a button ( 26 ) or lever outside the secured area to thereby trigger the scan with price offset, etc. 19. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that
after the actual scanning has been completed, the product is tipped over by tilting the scanner on the conveyor belt
or is stripped onto the conveyor belt by an automatically actuated slide or stripping device
or is automatically brought onto the conveyor belt by another device
or is brought onto the conveyor belt by the customer using a handling device. 20. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that
after the actual scanning has been carried out, the item is transported on the scanning conveyor belt ( 28 ) to the outlet conveyor belt ( 29 )
and in doing so also passes another light curtain ( 27 ) inside the protected area,
and that after the actual scanning of a piece of goods is automatically checked, either by light barriers and / or by weight measurement, whether the scan conveyor belt ( 28 ) and, if claim 15, the lying scanner, are already free, d. h., are unoccupied by pieces of goods, and depending on this, the inlet ( 23 ) to the secured area is released again. 21. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that when the customer enters the inlet ( 23 ) to the secured area before it is released, the alarm and / or conveyor belt return is triggered. 22. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that when the customer gets into the further light curtain ( 27 ) inside the secured area or in the light curtain ( 31 ) at the outlet of the secured area in any case alarm and / or conveyor belt return is triggered. 23. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that after positioning the item by the customer in front of the scanner or on the scanner, a so-called positioning scanning takes place, in which only a scanning of the code takes place without this Price offset etc. is connected,
and that only after checking and ensuring whether and that the customer has withdrawn his hands from the secured area, does the actual scanning with price offset etc. of the item of goods already positioned take place. 24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that the scanner during positioning scanning for continuous scanning, repeated scanning is switched on. 25. The method according to claim 23, characterized, that the successfully performed positioning scanning is displayed to the customer acoustically and / or optically. 26. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that depending on successfully repeated positioning Scanning a lamp is kept burning.   27. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that the switching from positioning scanning to actual scanning is triggered by the signals from the light curtain ( 25 ) according to claim 16, possibly together with the signal from the actuated button ( 26 ) or lever according to Claim 18, come
or which come from operating the flap or pulling forward the wall according to claim 17. 28. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the switching from positioning scanning to actual scanning is carried out by a so-called switch between scanner and cash register computer,
the scanner is separated by the switch from the cash register computer during positioning scanning and the scanner is connected through the switch to the cash register computer during the actual scanning, whereupon the scanner is separated again from the cash register computer by the switch. 29. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that switching from positioning scanning to actual Scan and then back to positioning scanning via the user program and / or operating system of the Cash register computer is realized. 30. The method according to claim 1 or 14 or 15, characterized in that the individual processes and conditions to the customer through colored Lamps or a traffic light and / or displayed on the screen. 31. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that both within the secured area vertical scanner as well as a lying scanner are both connected to the same cash register computer connection to have, so that the customer takes turns over each other depending on the shape of the product more suitable  Scanner can scan whereby the method according to claim 11 and 12 or combined according to claim 14 and 15 can be. 32. Device for performing the method according to claim 12 or 15, characterized in that the item to be scanned by one for the scanner optics permeable or transparent conveyor belt over the lying Scanner is transported and the on the goods the existing code is scanned, which means further manipulations, with which the goods are lying on the lying Scanner must be brought and then brought back by him must be brought down.