US5637847A — Automated shopping basket system with accounting …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 146 words

A shopping basket with an accounting function, the shopping basket comprising: a scanner for reading a code of an article received in the shopping basket; a calculator counting up each received article in accordance with a predetermined price list and deducting a prices of each article retrieved from the shopping basket; a writer checking whether or not the code of the article received in or retrieved from the shopping basket is correctly read, and writing an "invalid" mark onto a portion of the article when the code thereof is not read correctly; and an alarm alerting a shopper to retrieve from the shopping basket the article written with the "invalid" mark while it is being put into the shopping basket, and alerting the shopper to return into the shopping basket the article which is written with the "invalid" mark during its retrieval from the shopping basket.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 146 words

A shopping basket with an accounting function, the shopping basket comprising: a scanner for reading a code of an article received in the shopping basket; a calculator counting up each received article in accordance with a predetermined price list and deducting a prices of each article retrieved from the shopping basket; a writer checking whether or not the code of the article received in or retrieved from the shopping basket is correctly read, and writing an "invalid" mark onto a portion of the article when the code thereof is not read correctly; and an alarm alerting a shopper to retrieve from the shopping basket the article written with the "invalid" mark while it is being put into the shopping basket, and alerting the shopper to return into the shopping basket the article which is written with the "invalid" mark during its retrieval from the shopping basket.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 52 words

The shopping basket of claim 1 further comprising an unsuccessfully-received-article counter which increases its count each time the "invalid" mark is written to an article when it is being put into the shopping basket, and decreases its count each time the article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from the shopping basket.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

The shopping basket of claim 2 further comprising an unsuccessfully-retrieved-article counter which increases its count each time an article is written with the "invalid" mark during the retrieval thereof from the shopping basket, and decreases its count each time the article with the "invalid" mark is returned into the shopping basket.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 77 words

The shopping basket of claim 3 further comprising a reader reading the "invalid" mark on an article, wherein the calculator is prevented from increasing or decreasing its count when the reader reads the "invalid" mark on the article put into or retrieved from the shopping basket, the writer rewrites the "invalid" mark to a "valid" mark, and the alarm is released when the article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from or returned into the shopping basket.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 94 words

The shopping basket of claim 4, wherein the shopping basket has a single opening, the writer includes first writing means which rewrites the "invalid" mark to the "valid" mark each time an article with the "invalid" mark is returned into the shopping basket, and second writing means which rewrites the "invalid" mark to the "valid" mark each time an article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from the shopping basket, the first and second writing means being disposed in the opening in such a manner that they sandwich the scanner and the reader therebetween.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

The shopping basket of claim 5 further comprising a display indicating a price of a last received article and a total of the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The shopping basket of claim 6, wherein the display indicates sale information on the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

The shopping basket of claim 6 further comprising warning means generating an alarm when a total of articles successfully received in the shopping basket does not agree with a total indicated on the display, or when there is a problem preventing the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

The shopping basket of claim 8 further comprising a transmitter transmitting accounting data of the articles present in the shopping basket to accounting means at a casher's counter when the shopping basket arrives at the cashier's counter.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The shopping basket of claim 9, wherein the transmitter further notifies a nearest showcase when there is a problem which prevents the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The shopping basket of claim 9 further comprising a receiver for receiving programs, information of articles and so on from a host computer as an external unit.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The shopping basket of claim 11, wherein the receiver receives sale information from a showcase when the shopping basket approaches the showcase.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The shopping basket of claim 12 further comprising an external memory storing the received program and sale information.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The shopping basket of claim 13 further comprising an accounting system which is connected to the scanner, calculator, reader, writer, unsuccessfully-received-article counter, unsuccessfully-retrieved-article counter, alarm, warning means, receiver, transmitter and external memory, and operates the shopping basket with the accounting function.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 149 words

The shopping basket of claim 4, wherein the shopping basket has a single opening, the reader includes first reading means which reads the "invalid" mark on an article each time an article with the "invalid" mark is returned into the shopping basket and second reading means which reads the "invalid" mark on an article each time an article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from the shopping basket, the scanner includes first scanning means which reads the identification code when an article is put into the shopping basket and second scanning means which reads the identification code when an article is retrieved from the shopping basket, and the first reading means and the first scanning means as a pair, and the second reading means and the second scanning means as a pair are arranged in the opening in such a manner that the respective pairs sandwich the writer therebetween.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The shopping basket of claim 15 further comprising a display indicating a price of the last received article and a grand total of the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The shopping basket of claim 16, wherein the display indicates sale information of the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 46 words

The shopping basket of claim 16 further comprising warning means generating an alarm when a total of articles successfully received in the shopping basket does not agree with a total indicated on the display, or when there is a problem preventing the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 37 words

The shopping basket of claim 18 further comprising a transmitter transmitting accounting data of the articles present in the shopping basket to accounting means at a cashier's counter when the shopping basket arrives at the cashier's counter.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

The shopping basket of claim 19, wherein the transmitter further notifies a nearest showcase when there is a problem which prevents the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 27 words

The shopping basket of claim 19 further comprising a receiver for receiving programs, information of articles and so on from a host computer as an external unit.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

The shopping basket of claim 21, wherein the receiver receives sales information from a showcase when the shopping basket approaches the showcase.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The shopping basket of claim 22 further comprising an external memory storing the received program and sale information.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 41 words

The shopping basket of claim 23 further comprising an accounting system which is connected to the scanner, calculator, reader, writer, unsuccessfully-received-article counter, unsuccessfully-retrieved-article counter, alarm, warning means, receiver, transmitter and external memory, and operates the shopping basket with the accounting function.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 143 words

The shopping basket of claim 4, wherein the shopping basket has a single opening, the writer includes first writing means which rewrites the "invalid" mark to the "valid" mark each time an article with the "invalid" mark is returned into the shopping basket, and second writing means which rewrites the "invalid" mark to the "valid" mark each time an article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from the shopping basket, the reader includes first reading means which reads the identification code each time an article with the "invalid" mark is returned into the shopping basket and second reading means which reads the identification code each time an article with the "invalid" mark is retrieved from the shopping basket, and the first reading means, second writing means, scanner, first writing means, and second reading means are arranged in the opening in the named order.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The shopping basket of claim 25 further comprising a display indicating a price of the last received article and a grand total of the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 20 words

The shopping basket of claim 26, wherein the display indicates sale information of the articles present in the shopping basket.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 46 words

The shopping basket of claim 26 further comprising warning means generating an alarm when a total of articles successfully received in the shopping basket does not agree with a total indicated on the display, or when there is a problem preventing the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

The shopping basket of claim 28 further comprising a transmitter transmitting accounting data of the articles present in the shopping basket to accounting means at a cashier's counter when the shopping basket arrives at the cashier's counter.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

The shopping basket of claim 29, wherein the transmitter further notifies a nearest showcase when there is a problem which prevents the shopper from continuing shopping.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 27 words

The shopping basket of claim 29 further comprising a receiver for receiving programs, information of articles and so on from a host computer as an external unit.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 22 words

The shopping basket of claim 31, wherein the receiver receives sales information from a showcase when the shopping basket approaches the showcase.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 18 words

The shopping basket of claim 32 further comprising an external memory storing the received program and sale information.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 41 words

The shopping basket of claim 33 further comprising an accounting system which is connected to the scanner, calculator, reader, writer, unsuccessfully-received-article counter, unsuccessfully-retrieved-article counter, alarm, warning means, receiver, transmitter and external memory, and operates the shopping basket with the accounting function.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 143 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising an accounting unit including: an arrival sensor detecting the arrival of each shopping basket at a cashier's counter; a transmitter demanding the shopping basket to transmit accounting data, wherein the accounting data includes information about a number of invalid articles in the shopping basket which were not properly registered by the shopping basket; a receiver receiving the accounting data from the shopping basket; a display indicating data necessary for settling an account; a printer issuing a receipt; a departure sensor detecting the departure of the shopping basket from the cashier's counter; a host communication unit transmitting sale information of settled articles to an external host computer; and controls respectively connected to the arrival sensor, transmitter, receiver, display, printer, departure sensor and host transmitter so as to control the operations thereof.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 143 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising an accounting unit including: an arrival sensor detecting the arrival of each shopping basket at a cashier's counter; a transmitter demanding the shopping basket to transmit accounting data, wherein the accounting data includes information about a number of invalid articles in the shopping basket which were not properly registered by the shopping basket; a receiver receiving the accounting data from the shopping basket; a display indicating data necessary for settling an account; a printer issuing a receipt; a departure sensor detecting the departure of the shopping basket from the cashier's counter; a host communication unit transmitting sale information of settled articles to an external host computer; and controls respectively connected to the arrival sensor, transmitter, receiver, display, printer, departure sensor and host transmitter so as to control the operations thereof.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 168 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising an account unit including: an arrival sensor detecting the arrival of each shopping basket at a cashier's counter; an entrance gate positioned at an entrance of the cashier's counter; a transmitter demanding the shopping basket to send accounting data, wherein the accounting data includes information about a number of invalid articles in the shopping basket which were not properly registered by the shopping basket; a receiver receiving the accounting data from the shopping basket; a display indicating accounting data necessary to settle an account; a card reader allowing the account to be settled by a credit or banker's card; a printer issuing a receipt for each settled account; a departure sensor detecting the arrival of the shopping basket at an exit of the cashier's counter; controls respectively connected to the arrival sensor, entrance gate, transmitter, receiver, display, card reader, printer, departure sensor, exit gate and host communication unit so as to control the operation thereof.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 168 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising an account unit including: an arrival sensor detecting the arrival of each shopping basket at a cashier's counter; an entrance gate positioned at an entrance of the cashier's counter; a transmitter demanding the shopping basket to send accounting data, wherein the accounting data includes information about a number of invalid articles in the shopping basket which were not properly registered by the shopping basket; a receiver receiving the accounting data from the shopping basket; a display indicating accounting data necessary to settle an account; a card reader allowing the account to be settled by a credit or banker's card; a printer issuing a receipt for each settled account; a departure sensor detecting the arrival of the shopping basket at an exit of the cashier's counter; controls respectively connected to the arrival sensor, entrance gate, transmitter, receiver, display, card reader, printer, departure sensor, exit gate and host communication unit so as to control the operation thereof.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 105 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising showcases, each showcase including: an approach sensor detecting an approach of the shopping basket; a transmitter transmitting sale information of articles to the shopping basket; a receiver receiving an alarm from the shopping basket when the shopping basket comes across a problem which prevents a shopping from continuing shopping; a host communication unit notifying of the problem to an external computer and/or receiving article sales information from the external host computer; and controls respectively connected to the approach sensor, transmitter, receiver and host communication unit so as to control the operation thereof.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 105 words

A system for operating shopping baskets with an accounting function, the system comprising showcases, each showcase including: an approach sensor detecting an approach of the shopping basket; a transmitter transmitting sale information of articles to the shopping basket; a receiver receiving an alarm from the shopping basket when the shopping basket comes across a problem which prevents a shopping from continuing shopping; a host communication unit notifying of the problem to an external computer and/or receiving article sales information from the external host computer; and controls respectively connected to the approach sensor, transmitter, receiver and host communication unit so as to control the operation thereof.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-06-09	2000-12-09	2001-06-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-06-09	2004-12-09	2005-06-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-06-09	2008-12-09	2009-06-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automated shopping basket system with accounting and article tracking functions

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