Fixed self-checkout station with cradle for communicating with portable self-scanning units

Abstract

A retail checkout system includes a customer-operated portable terminal with a data reader, such as a barcode scanner, and a customer-operated self-checkout station with an automated payment-accepting subsystem. Customers use the portable terminal to identify and log products that are selected as they move through a store. Item identification data is then transferred to the self-checkout station, where the customer pays for the selected products using the automated payment-accepting subsystem.

1 - 54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . A customer-operated self-checkout system for items bearing identifiers, the system comprising: 
 a portable terminal including a data reader, a memory, and a data output port; and    a self-checkout station including a data input port and a customer-operated automated payment-accepting subsystem,    wherein the portable terminal identifies selected items using the data reader, stores information about the selected items in the memory, and sends the stored information to the self-checkout station via the data output port,    wherein the self-checkout station receives the stored information from the portable terminal via the data input port and accepts payment from the customer for the selected items using the payment-accepting subsystem,    wherein the self-checkout station further includes:    a first controller to determine price for the selected items; and    an interface with a second controller,    wherein in the first controller determines price for the selected items by outputting signals to the second controller via the interface and inputting price information from the second controller via the interface.    
   
   
       56 . The customer-operated self-checkout system of  claim 55  wherein the second controller is a POS store controller.  
   
   
       57 . The customer-operated self-checkout system of  claim 55 , wherein the stored information includes at least one of weight or volume data for each selected items and further comprising at least one of a weight or volume sensor to measure at least one of the actual weight or volume for the selected items, in order to compare the measured weight or volume with an expected weight or volume calculated from the weight or volume data.