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 method for item check-out in a retail establishment, comprising the steps of: 
 downloading price and item data into a price look-up table in a portable data reading unit;    providing the portable data reading unit to a customer;    allowing the customer to traverse the retail establishment with the portable data reading unit and to select items for purchase;    updating the price and item data into the price look-up table via a wireless link while the customer traverses the retail establishment;    the customer selecting a plurality of desired items, reading an identifier on each item with the portable data reading unit, and taking the items to a self-checkout station,    establishing a communication link between (a) the self-checkout station incorporating a customer-operated automated payment-accepting subsystem and (b) a data storage unit in which a plurality of data records are stored, each of the plurality of data records corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of identifiers that was read by a portable data reading unit before the communication link was established;    inputting the plurality of data records from the data storage unit via the communication link established in the establishing step;    determining a price total for a plurality of items corresponding to the plurality of identifiers based on the plurality of data records inputted in the inputting step; and    accepting payment for the plurality of items based on the price total determined in the determining step,    wherein the step of accepting payment is performed using a customer-operated automated payment-accepting subsystem.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the data storage unit is contained in the portable data reading unit.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the data storage unit receives data from the portable data reading unit via an RF interface.  
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the portable data reading unit comprises a barcode reader selected from the group consisting of: a flying spot scanner, an optical imaging reader, and a wand reader.  
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the portable data reading unit comprises a radio frequency identification tag reader.  
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the automated payment-accepting subsystem comprises at least one of a credit card transaction device, a debit card transaction device, and a cash accepting device.  
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 55  wherein the data storage unit is located in the portable data reading unit.  
   
   
       62 . The method of  claim 55  further comprising upon reading the identifier on the item, displaying item identification and price on a display screen of the portable data reading unit.  
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 55  further comprising periodically updating the price and item data into the price look-up table via the wireless link.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the price look-up table is updated when stare database information is updated.