Intelligent video verification of point of sale (pos) transactions

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for monitoring a point of sale (POS) transaction. Operations performed by the methods and systems include generating POS primitives by processing non-video data of a transaction recorded at the POS terminal. The operations also include generating video primitives by processing video data of the transaction recorded at the POS terminal. The operations further include determining that the transaction comprises and exceptional transaction by comparing the non-video data and/or the video data to exceptional transaction rules. Additionally, the operations include determining that that exceptional transaction comprises a verified exceptional transaction by generating a video event based on the vide primitives and a corresponding video rule.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A computing system comprising:
 a processor;   a computer-readable memory device; and   program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory device that, when executed by the processor, causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
 generating one or more point of sale (POS) primitives by processing non-video data of a transaction recorded at a POS terminal, the one or more POS primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the non-video data; 
 generating one or more video primitives by processing video data of the transaction recorded at the POS terminal; the one or more video primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the video data; 
 determining that the transaction comprises an exceptional transaction by comparing the non-video data and/or the video data to a plurality of exceptional transaction rules; and 
 determining that the exceptional transaction comprises a verified exceptional transaction by generating a video event based on the one or more video primitives and a corresponding video rule. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the plurality of the exceptional transaction rules comprises a predefined combination of POS events and/or video events;   the POS events include predefined types of transactions detected at the POS terminal; and   the video events include predefined types of individuals detected at the POS terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the ope ions further comprise:
 determining that a combination of the exceptional transaction and at least one other exceptional transaction violates a first policy definition of a plurality of policy definitions, wherein the plurality of policy definitions define combinations of exceptional transaction data that constitute breach of policy; and   generating a policy violation report based on the violation.   
     
     
         4 . A method comprising:
 generating one or more point of sale (POS) primitives by processing non-video data of a transaction recorded at a POS terminal; the one or more POS primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the non-video data;   generating one or more video primitives by processing video data of the transaction recorded at the POS terminal, the one or more video primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the video data;   determining that the transaction comprises an exceptional transaction by comparing the non-video data and/or the video data to a plurality of exceptional transaction rules; and   determining that the exceptional transaction comprises a verified exceptional transaction by generating a video event based on the one or more video primitives and a corresponding video rule.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the exceptional transaction rules comprises a predefined combination of POS events and/or video events. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the POS events include predefined types of transactions detected at the POS terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the video events include predefined types of individuals detected at the POS terminal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising determining that a combination of the exceptional transaction and at least one other exceptional transaction violates a first policy definition of a plurality of policy definitions, wherein the plurality of policy definitions define combinations of exceptional transactions that constitute breaches of policy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising generating a policy violation report based on the violation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising generating an exceptional transaction report based on the exceptional transaction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising defining the plurality of the exceptional transaction rules based on one or more predetermined non-video data events and/or one or more predetermined video data events. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising downloading software to a computer system that, when executed by the computer system, causes the computer system to perform operations comprising the method of  claim 4 , 
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable memory device storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes a computer system to perform operations comprising:
 generating one or more point of sale (POS) primitives by processing non-video data of a transaction recorded at a POS terminal, the one or more POS primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the non-video data;   generating one or more video primitives by processing video data of the transaction recorded at the POS terminal, the one or more video primitives comprising data descriptions of the content of the video data;   determining that the transaction comprises an exceptional transaction by comparing the non-video data and/or the video data to a plurality of exceptional transaction rules; and   determining that the exceptional transaction comprises a verified exceptional transaction by generating a video event based on the one or more video primitives and a corresponding video rule.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the exceptional transaction rules comprises a predefined combination of POS events and/or video events. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 14 , wherein the POS events include predefined types of transactions detected at the POS terminal. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 14 , wherein the video events include predefined types of individuals detected at the POS terminal. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise determining that a combination of the exceptional transaction and at least one other exceptional transaction violates a first policy definition of a plurality of policy definitions, wherein the plurality of policy definitions define combinations of exceptional transaction data that constitute breach of policy. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a policy violation report based on the violation. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise generating an exceptional transaction report based on the exceptional transaction. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise defining the plurality of the exceptional transaction rules based on one or more predetermined non-video data events and/or one or more predetermined video data events.