Surveillance systems for automatically recording transactions

Claim 1

A system for making and reviewing video recordings of transactions occurring at a plurality of cashier lanes comprising: (a) camera means for developing frames of video signals depicting transactions at two or more cashier lanes; (b) sensor means at each lane responsive to activity at the lane for generating digital signals representing events that occur; (c) first means, including a computer, responsive to the digital signals from the sensor means in each lane for generating a digital transaction signal; (d) recording means responsive to the camera means video signal and the computer digital transaction signal for recording the transaction on a recording medium, the digital transaction signal being recorded so as to substantially not affect the clarity of each video frame; (e) means for playing back the recording medium and generating a playback video frame signal and a playback digital transaction signal, said first means computer being responsive to the playback digital transaction signal and a desired cashier lane signal, and generating an overlay control signal, wherein the recording means has an audio input and wherein an input/output channel of the computer is connected to a modem and the modem is connected to the audio input and output channels of the playback means whereby the digital transaction data is recorded on an audio channel of the recording medium and the playback digital transaction data is transferred to the computer; (f) overlay means responsive to the overlay control signal and the playback video frame signal for providing a composite video signal comprising an alpha-numeric information display of the digital transaction information relating to the desired cashier lane overlaying the video signal, said alpha-numeric information being thereby positioned in the composite video signal so as to preserve the clarity of that portion of the video frame signal that pertains to the desired cashier lane; and (g) a monitor responsive to the composite video signal for displaying a picture and text describing transactions that occur at the desired cashier lane.

Claim 2

A system for making and reviewing video recordings of transactions occurring at a plurality of cashier lanes comprising: (a) camera means for developing frames of video signals depicting transactions at two or more cashier lanes; (b) sensor means at each lane responsive to activity at the lane for generating digital signals representing events that occur; (c) first means, including a computer, responsive to the digital signals from the sensor means in each lane for generating a digital transaction signal; (d) recording means responsive to the camera means video signal and the computer digital transaction signal for recording the transaction on a recording medium, the digital transaction signal being recorded so as to substantially not affect the clarity of each video frame; (e) means for playing back the recording medium and generating a playback video frame signal and a playback digital transaction signal, said first means computer being responsive to the playback digital transaction signal and a desired cashier lane signal, and generating an overlay control signal, wherein the recording means has an audio input and wherein an input/output channel of the computer is connected to a modem and the modem is connected to the audio input and output channels of the playback means whereby the digital transaction data is recorded on an audio channel of the recording medium and the playback digital transaction data is transferred to the computer; (f) overlay means responsive to the overlay control signal and the playback video frame signal for providing a composite video signal comprising an alpha-numeric information display of the digital transaction information relating to the desired cashier lane overlaying the video signal, said alpha-numeric information being thereby positioned in the composite video signal so as to preserve the clarity of that portion of the video frame signal that pertains to the desired cashier lane; and (g) a monitor responsive to the composite video signal for displaying a picture and text describing transactions that occur at the desired cashier lane.

Claim 11

A system for making and reviewing video recordings of transactions occurring at a plurality of cashier lanes comprising: (a) camera means for developing frames of video signals depicting transactions at two or more cashier lanes; wherein the camera means further comprises: (i) a camera at each cashier lane for generating a frame of video signals of transactions occurring at the cashier lane; and (ii) reducer/mixer means responsive to the video frame signals from each camera for generating a combined video signal in which the picture from each camera is reduced in size, said recording means being responsive to the reducer/mixer combined video signal; (b) sensor means at each lane responsive to activity at the lane for generating digital signals representing events that occur; (c) first means, including a computer, responsive to the digital signals from the sensor means in each lane for generating a digital transaction signal; (d) recording means responsive to the camera means video signal and the computer digital transaction signal for recording the transaction on a recording medium, the digital transaction signal being recorded so as to substantially not affect the clarity of each video frame; (e) means for playing back the recording medium and generating a playback video frame signal and a playback digital transaction signal, said first means computer being responsive to the playback digital transaction signal and a desired cashier lane signal, and generating an overlay control signal; (f) overlay means responsive to the overlay control signal and the playback video frame signal for providing a composite video signal comprising an alpha-numeric information display of the digital transaction information relating to the desired cashier lane overlaying the video signal, said alpha-numeric information being thereby positioned in the composite video signal so as to preserve the clarity of that portion of the video frame signal that pertains to the desired cashier lane; and (g) a monitor responsive to the composite video signal for displaying a picture and text describing transactions that occur at the desired cashier lane.

Claim 12

A system for making and reviewing video recordings of transactions occurring at a plurality of cashier lanes comprising: (a) camera means for developing frames of video signals depicting transactions at two or more cashier lanes; wherein the camera means further comprises: (i) a camera at each cashier lane for generating a frame of video signals of transactions occurring at the cashier lane; and (ii) reducer/mixer means responsive to the video frame signals from each camera for generating a combined video signal in which the picture from each camera is reduced in size, said recording means being responsive to the reducer/mixer combined video signal; (b) sensor means at each lane responsive to activity at the lane for generating digital signals representing events that occur; (c) first means, including a computer, responsive to the digital signals from the sensor means in each lane for generating a digital transaction signal; (d) recording means responsive to the camera means video signal and the computer digital transaction signal for recording the transaction on a recording medium, the digital transaction signal being recorded so as to substantially not affect the clarity of each video frame; (e) means for playing back the recording medium and generating a playback video frame signal and a playback digital transaction signal, said first means computer being responsive to the playback digital transaction signal and a desired cashier lane signal, and generating an overlay control signal; (f) overlay means responsive to the overlay control signal and the playback video frame signal for providing a composite video signal comprising an alpha-numeric information display of the digital transaction information relating to the desired cashier lane overlaying the video signal, said alpha-numeric information being thereby positioned in the composite video signal so as to preserve the clarity of that portion of the video frame signal that pertains to the desired cashier lane; and (g) a monitor responsive to the composite video signal for displaying a picture and text describing transactions that occur at the desired cashier lane.