Self-checkout arrangements

Abstract

Self-checkout technologies for retail stores are improved by incorporation of enhanced fraud detection arrangements. For example, if a shopper enters an item on a self-checkout tally, while positioned at a location remote from the normal stock location for that item, a responsive action may be taken Likewise, if a shopper enters the same item on a self-checkout tally twice, at widely separated times, a responsive action may be taken. These responsive actions can include dispatching a store clerk to assist the shopper, or increasing a risk score that is repeatedly re-calculated during the shopper's visit. A great variety of other features and arrangements (e.g., powering arrangements for mobile phones in shopping carts) are also detailed.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method comprising:
 with a camera of a shopper's mobile device conveyed by shopping cart, capturing a product identifier from a retail item placed in the cart, and adding associated information to a purchase tally;   with a second sensor mounted to store infrastructure, capturing data about the shopper during an act of moving the item from a store shelf into the cart; and   determining if a product identifier was captured by the shopper's mobile device camera from each item placed in the shopper's cart.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  in which the second sensor comprises a second camera, and said determining is performed using imagery captured by said second camera. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  in which said determining includes determining, using data captured by the second camera, a time at which an item was placed in the shopper's cart, and checking said tally to confirm that a product identifier was captured from an item at said time. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising the acts:
 determining, by detection of a signal emitted by a wireless beacon, a shopper's location in an aisle of a retail store;   adding, to a checkout tally, an item scanned at said location by the shopper, using a camera in a mobile phone device, the device extracting an item identifier encoded on the item;   checking a database to determine a stock location where said scanned item is stocked in the store; and   taking a responsive action when the stock location is remote from the shopper's location.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  in which the stock location is more than ten feet from the shopper's location, and the method includes taking said responsive action. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  in which the stock location is more than twenty feet from the shopper's location, and the method includes taking said responsive action. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  in which the stock location is in an aisle different that the aisle in which the shopper is located. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  in which the responsive action comprises issuing an alert to store personnel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  in which the responsive action comprises increasing a risk score. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising the acts:
 analyzing imagery captured by a camera fixedly-mounted in a retail store, to detect an event, namely that a shopper has removed an item from a store shelf, or placed an item in a shopping basket;   storing data indicating a time of said event;   checking a shopper-compiled tally of items, the tally including, for each item, time-stamp data indicating a time that the item was added to the tally; and   taking a responsive action when no item was added to the tally within a threshold interval of time around the time indicated by said stored data.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  in which no item was added to the tally within 15 seconds of the time of said event, and the method includes taking said responsive action. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  in which the responsive action includes issuing an alert to store personnel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  in which the responsive action includes increasing a risk score. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising the acts:
 extracting identifier data from imagery captured by a user device from an item, consulting a data structure with the extracted identifier to obtain a corresponding item identifier, and entering the item identifier on a tally with associated time-stamp data;   examining the tally for duplicate item identifiers;   determining that a time difference between entry of a first of said item identifiers on the tally, and entry of a second of said item identifiers on the tally, is greater than a threshold value; and   taking an action in response to said determining.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  in which said time difference is greater than 15 seconds, and the method includes taking said responsive action. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  that further includes:
 determining, by detection of a signals emitted by one or more wireless beacons, the shopper's location in an aisle of a retail store, at times that said duplicate items were added to the tally; 
 consulting a database to identify a stock location for said duplicate items; 
 when said stock location is within six feet of the determined shopper location, taking a first action in response to said determining; and 
 when said stock location is greater than six feet away from the determined shopper location, taking a second action in response to said determining, the second action being different than said first action. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  that further includes:
 when said stock location is greater than six feet away from the determined shopper location but in the same aisle as the determined shopper location, taking one second action; and 
 when said stock location is great than six feet away from the determined shopper location but in a different aisle than the determined shopper location, taking a different second action. 
 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)