Flexible merchandise checkout and inventory management system

Claim 2

A merchandise check-out system for checking out a plurality of merchandise items carrying a bar code and carried in a shopping carrier, said system comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) a primary check-out station including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer; and (c) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) an auxiliary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer.

Claim 3

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein: (x) said auxiliary communications link comprises a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter; and (y) said merchandise check-out system further comprises an RF receiver receiving said item-related information signals from said RF transmitter.

Claim 4

The merchandise check-out system of claim 2, wherein said RF transmitter is an RF transceiver.

Claim 5

The merchandise check-out system of claim 2, wherein said RF receiver is mounted in proximity to said primary check-out station.

Claim 6

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said primary check-out station is a fixed station.

Claim 7

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary check-out station comprises a portable auxiliary data terminal.

Claim 8

The merchandise check-out system of claim 6, wherein said portable auxiliary data terminal includes a keyboard.

Claim 9

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said check-out computer is located at a distance from said primary check-out station.

Claim 10

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said primary communications link comprises a communications cable.

Claim 11

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said primary communications link comprises an RF link.

Claim 12

The merchandise check-out system of claim 1, wherein said primary check-out station comprises a portable primary data terminal

Claim 13

The merchandise check-out system of claim 11, wherein said portable primary data terminal includes a keyboard.

Claim 14

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, and (5) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer.

Claim 15

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, and (5) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13, wherein said purchase-price storage system comprises a disk storage device operable as part of said check-out computer.

Claim 17

The system of claim 13, wherein said purchase-price storage system comprises the respective bar codes applied to each said item.

Claim 18

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, and (5) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer; (d) price-retrieval means for retrieving the purchase price of each said item from said purchase-price storage system; (e) price-summing means for computing a total transaction amount as a function of the sum of the respective purchase prices of the items; (f) machine-readable storage means for storing said total transaction amount.

Claim 19

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, and (5) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer; (d) price-retrieval means for retrieving the purchase price of each said item from said purchase-price storage system; (e) price-summing means for computing a total transaction amount as a function of the sum of the respective purchase prices of the items; (f) machine-readable storage means for storing said total transaction amount.

Claim 20

The system of claim 16, wherein said machine-readable storage means comprises a disk storage device operable as part of said check-out computer.

Claim 21

The system of claim 16, wherein: (x) said check-out station further comprises a bar-code printer; (y) said machine-readable storage means comprises a bar-coded sales slip printed by said bar-code printer; (z) said means for retrieving the total transaction amount at said payment station comprises a bar code reader operable to read said bar-coded sales slip.

Claim 22

The system of claim 16, further comprising: (g) a payment station including (1) means for retrieving the total transaction amount from said machine-readable storage; and (2) an amount-due display displaying said total transaction amount.

Claim 23

The system of claim 16, further comprising: (g) a bar code reader operable to read a customer-identification bar code identifying a customer account at a bank; and (h) means for transmitting an electronic funds transfer (EFT) order to said bank to debit said customer account for the total transaction amount.

Claim 24

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, (5) a bar-code printer, and (6) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer; (d) price-retrieval means for retrieving the purchase price of each said item from said purchase-price storage system; (e) price-summing means for computing a total transaction amount as a function of the sum of the respective purchase prices of the items; (f) a bar-coded sales slip printed by said bar-code printer, the bar code on said sales slip encoding said total transaction amount; and (g) a payment station including (1) a bar code reader operable to retrieve the total transaction amount from said bar-coded sales slip; and (2) an amount-due display displaying said total transaction amount.

Claim 25

A point-of-sale (POS) system for checking out items in a shopping carrier, each said item having a bar code label applied thereto and having a purchase price stored in a purchase-price storage system, comprising: (a) a check-out computer; (b) an auxiliary check-out terminal system including (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, and (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, and (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, and (4) an RF transmitter broadcasting said item-related information signals; (c) a primary check-out terminal system located at a distance from said check-out computer and including: (1) a bar code reader operable to read bar code data from selected ones of said items, (2) means for generating item-related information signals derived from said bar code data, (3) a data entry device manually operable to generate item-related information signals, (4) an RF receiver receiving item-related information signals from said auxiliary check-out terminal system, (5) a bar-code printer, and (6) a primary communications link operable to transmit signals including said item-related information to said check-out computer; (d) price-retrieval means for retrieving the purchase price of each said item from said purchase-price storage system; (e) price-summing means for computing a total transaction amount as a function of the sum of the respective purchase prices of the items; (f) a bar-coded sales slip printed by said bar-code printer, the bar code on said sales slip encoding said total transaction amount; and (g) a payment station including (1) a bar code reader operable to retrieve the total transaction amount from said bar-coded sales slip; and (2) an amount-due display displaying said total transaction amount.

Claim 26

A check processing system for processing a check having printed thereon a bank account bar code encoding (1) bank identification data identifying a bank, and (2) account identification data identifying an account at the bank, said system comprising: (a) a reader operable to read said bank account bar code; (b) data entry means for entering the amount of the check; (c) means for transmitting an electronic funds transfer (EFT) order to said bank to debit said account for an amount including the amount of the check.

Claim 27

A check processing system for processing a check having printed thereon a bank account bar code encoding (1) bank identification data identifying a bank, and (2) account identification data identifying an account at the bank, said system comprising: (a) a reader operable to read said bank account bar code; (b) data entry means for entering the amount of the check; (c) means for transmitting an electronic funds transfer (EFT) order to said bank to debit said account for an amount including the amount of the check.

Claim 28

A check processing system as in claim 22, further comprising check marking means for marking the check as a processed check.

Claim 29

A payment processing system for real-time processing, by a store having a store account at a store bank, of a check having printed thereon a bank account code encoding (1) bank identification data identifying a customer bank, and (2) account identification data identifying a customer account at the customer bank, said system comprising: (a) a reader operable to read said bank identification code; (b) data entry means for entering the amount of the check; (c) means for transmitting an electronic funds transfer (EFT) order to said customer bank to transfer an amount including the amount of the check from said customer account to said store account.

Claim 30

A payment processing system for real-time processing, by a store having a store account at a store bank, of a check having printed thereon a bank account code encoding (1) bank identification data identifying a customer bank, and (2) account identification data identifying a customer account at the customer bank, said system comprising: (a) a reader operable to read said bank identification code; (b) data entry means for entering the amount of the check; (c) means for transmitting an electronic funds transfer (EFT) order to said customer bank to transfer an amount including the amount of the check from said customer account to said store account.

Claim 35

As an article of manufacture, a container for transporting a plurality of items from an origination point to a receiving point for redistribution to a plurality of destination points, including a machine-readable label encoding redistribution information for said items.

Claim 36

As an article of manufacture, a container for transporting a plurality of items from an origination point to a receiving point for redistribution to a plurality of destination points, including a machine-readable label encoding redistribution information for said items.

Claim 37

A transportation module comprising: (a) a container; (b) a plurality of items carried in said container, said items having in the aggregate a plurality of destinations, each said item having a destination comprising one of said plurality of destinations; (c) a machine-readable label applied to said container and encoding destination information for said items.

Claim 38

A transportation module comprising: (a) a container; (b) a plurality of items carried in said container, said items having in the aggregate a plurality of destinations, each said item having a destination comprising one of said plurality of destinations; (c) a machine-readable label applied to said container and encoding destination information for said items.

Claim 39

Apparatus for transporting a plurality of items from an origination point to a plurality of destination points via a redistribution point, comprising: (a) a container for carrying said items; (b) means for applying a bar code label to said container, said bar code label encoding destination information for said items; and (c) bar code reader means for decoding said bar code label

Claim 40

Apparatus for transporting a plurality of items from an origination point to a plurality of destination points via a redistribution point, comprising: (a) a container for carrying said items; (b) means for applying a bar code label to said container, said bar code label encoding destination information for said items; and (c) bar code reader means for decoding said bar code label

Claim 45

For use in a system for transporting goods from an origination point to a destination point, a machine-readable destination-information storage device comprising transferable machine-readable destination-information modules.

Claim 46

For use in a system for transporting goods from an origination point to a destination point, a machine-readable destination-information storage device comprising transferable machine-readable destination-information modules.

Claim 47

The machine-readable destination information storage device of claim 32, wherein said device comprises a sheet of detachable bar-code labels encoding said destination information.