US6155489A — Item checkout device including a bar code data co…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 133 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing, including a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and a shutter for obscuring ambient light; control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price and which opens and closes the shutter to take reference ambient light readings.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 133 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing, including a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and a shutter for obscuring ambient light; control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price and which opens and closes the shutter to take reference ambient light readings.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the shutter comprises: a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 1, wherein the shutter comprises: a door; and a motor for moving the door to an open position and to a closed position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 156 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a window in the aperture having an inner side with an anti-reflective coating which minimizes a portion of the substantially uniform light which reflects from the inner side of the window; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 156 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a window in the aperture having an inner side with an anti-reflective coating which minimizes a portion of the substantially uniform light which reflects from the inner side of the window; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 207 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a number of mirrors for directing collected light to the light separating element including a first mirror oriented at about a forty-five degree angle for re-directing the collected light from a first direction to a second direction at about ninety degrees from the first direction; and a second mirror oriented at about a forty-five degree angle for re-directing the collected light from the second direction to a third direction towards the light separating element at about ninety degrees from the second direction; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 207 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a number of mirrors for directing collected light to the light separating element including a first mirror oriented at about a forty-five degree angle for re-directing the collected light from a first direction to a second direction at about ninety degrees from the first direction; and a second mirror oriented at about a forty-five degree angle for re-directing the collected light from the second direction to a third direction towards the light separating element at about ninety degrees from the second direction; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 5, wherein the first and second mirrors comprise planar mirrors.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 5, wherein one of the first and second mirrors also mixes the collected light to produce equalized light of average reflected illumination.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 53 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 7, wherein the one mirror comprises: an optical element having a inner concave inner surface and a planar surface; and a textured reflective layer on the planar surface which diffuses and scatters the collected light; wherein the inner concave inner surface converges scattered collected light.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 8, wherein the optical element is made of molded transparent acrylic.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 17 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 8, wherein the textured reflective layer comprises enhanced aluminum.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 156 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a baffle between the light source and the light separating element for minimizing an amount of the light from the light source which is directly incident upon the light separating element; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 156 words

An item checkout device comprising: a housing; a bar code data collector within the housing; and a produce data collector within the housing including a housing containing an aperture; a light source for illuminating a produce item with substantially uniform light through the aperture during a transaction; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item through the aperture into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a baffle between the light source and the light separating element for minimizing an amount of the light from the light source which is directly incident upon the light separating element; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining the item unit price.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 48 words

The item checkout device as recited in claim 11, wherein the baffle comprises: a plurality of adjacent chambers, including a first chamber closest to the light source and a second chamber farthest away from the light source; wherein the light separating element is located in the second chamber.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 303 words

A system for processing a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising: a checkout station for completing the transaction; an item checkout device in the checkout station including an optical bar code data collector including a first housing; a scale within the first housing; a weigh plate on the scale including a first window for allowing scanning light beams from optical bar code data collector to pass and a second window; and a produce data collector within the first housing, including a second housing containing an aperture adjacent the second window; a light source for illuminating a produce item on the second window with substantially uniform light; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price during a transaction; a first database of reference digital spectra; a second database of price information correlated to item identification information; a computer within the checkout station and coupled to the control circuitry, the first and second databases, and the scale, which compares the digital spectrum from the produce item with the reference digital spectra in the first database to determine item identification information for the produce item, which obtains unit price information from the second database using the item identification information for the item, and which determines a price for the produce item from the unit price information and weight information from the scale, and which adds the price of the produce item to the transaction.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 303 words

A system for processing a produce item as part of a transaction in a transaction establishment comprising: a checkout station for completing the transaction; an item checkout device in the checkout station including an optical bar code data collector including a first housing; a scale within the first housing; a weigh plate on the scale including a first window for allowing scanning light beams from optical bar code data collector to pass and a second window; and a produce data collector within the first housing, including a second housing containing an aperture adjacent the second window; a light source for illuminating a produce item on the second window with substantially uniform light; a light separating element for splitting light collected from the produce item into a plurality of different light portions having different wavelengths; a detector for converting energy in the plurality of light portions into a plurality of electrical signals; and control circuitry which digitizes the plurality of electrical signals to produce a digital spectrum from the produce item which contains information to identify the produce item for the purpose of determining its unit price during a transaction; a first database of reference digital spectra; a second database of price information correlated to item identification information; a computer within the checkout station and coupled to the control circuitry, the first and second databases, and the scale, which compares the digital spectrum from the produce item with the reference digital spectra in the first database to determine item identification information for the produce item, which obtains unit price information from the second database using the item identification information for the item, and which determines a price for the produce item from the unit price information and weight information from the scale, and which adds the price of the produce item to the transaction.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-12-05	2004-06-05	2004-12-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-12-05	2008-06-05	2008-12-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-12-05	2012-06-05	2012-12-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Item checkout device including a bar code data collector and a produce data collector

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