Scanner with independent integrated network video capabilities

Abstract

A scanner is integrated into a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal; the scanner provides scanning information during POS transactions over a POS connection and provides video capabilities over a separate and independent network connection.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method, comprising:
 presenting, by a scanner, as an Internet-of-Things (IoTs) device over a network connection for interaction and operation independent of transaction-based processing of the scanner associated with transactions being processed on behalf of a transaction terminal;   capturing and reading, by the scanner, item codes as items are scanned during the transactions and providing the item codes to the transaction terminal;   capturing and buffering, by the scanner, video recorded during the transactions and when there are no transactions being performed by the transaction terminal; and   providing, by the scanner operating as the IoTs device, the video over the network connection during the transaction and when there are no transaction being performed by the transaction terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein capturing and reading further includes capturing and reading the item codes by a first camera and a first processor of the scanner. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein capturing and buffering further includes capturing and buffering the video by a second camera and a second processor of the scanner. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing further includes streaming the video, by the second processor, from a buffer of the scanner. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein presenting further includes maintaining a second network connection between the scanner and the transaction terminal as a second and independent connection from the network connection for the IoTs device, wherein the second network connection is a port connection between the scanner and the transaction terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 operating, by the scanner, as a peripheral device of the transaction terminal for the transaction during the transaction-based processing; and 
 operating, by the scanner, as an independent and a separate device from the peripheral device over the network connection, wherein the independent and separate device is the IoTs device. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein operating as the peripheral device further includes communicating with the transaction terminal during the transactions over an Ethernet port connection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising, processing the method on the scanner, wherein the scanner comprises a multiprocessor architecture comprising multiple processors, at least one processor performs the transaction-based processing and at least one addition processor presents and operates over the network connection as the IoTs device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising, presenting an interface over the network connection for interaction with the IoTs device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 receiving, by the scanner, through the interface video configuration settings for capturing of the video; and 
 configuring, by the scanner, for capturing and providing the video with the video configuration settings. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 maintaining a first port connection between the scanner and the transaction terminal over a first port of the scanner, wherein the first port connection is independent and separate from the network connection of the IoTs device; and 
 maintaining a second port connection between the scanner and a remotely located camera that captures and supplies the video to the scanner for the network connection. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method, comprising:
 selectively activating, by processors of a scanner, a plurality of cameras based on a current processing mode of the scanner;   activating, by a first processor of the scanner, a first camera when the current processing mode is a transaction mode of operation for the scanner during which the first camera captures item codes on items being purchased during transactions with a transaction terminal that is interfaced to the scanner over a first port connection of a first scanner port;   activating, by a second processor of the scanner, at least one second camera when the current processing mode is an Internet-of-Things (IoTs) device mode of operation and recording video captured from the at least one second camera; and   concurrently, by the first processor and the second processor of the scanner, processing the scanner in both the transaction mode of operation and the IoTs device mode of operation.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising, managing, by the first processor and the second processor conflicts between access to the plurality of cameras during the transaction mode of operation and the IoTs device mode of operation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein activating the at least one second camera further includes cycling activation and deactivation, by the second processor, between multiple cameras to record the video from different fields of view associated with each of the multiple cameras. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein activating the at least one second camera further includes maintaining, by the second processor, a second port connection to a remotely located camera over a second scanner port to record the video captured by the remotely located camera. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein activating the at least one second camera further includes integrating, by the second processor, scanner-specific metadata into the video, wherein the scanner-specific metadata comprises scanner-detected events, surveillance events, weigh scale status, and item weights for any of the items being processed in the transaction mode of operation by the first processor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein integrating further includes synchronizing the scanner-specific metadata with frames of the video. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 operating, by the second processor, the scanner as a network video recorder during the IoTs device mode of operation. 
 
     
     
         20 . A scanner, comprising:
 a first processor;   a second processor;   a weigh scale;   a first camera;   a first port;   a second port;   a network port; and   a storage buffer;   wherein the first port adapted to connect the scanner as a peripheral device of a transaction terminal to read item codes of items during a transaction using the first camera and to record item weights during the transaction using the weigh scale;   wherein the second port adapted to connect the scanner to the second camera that is remote from the scanner;   wherein the network port is adapted to present the scanner as an Internet-of-Things (IoTs) device accessible over a network connection to the scanner;   wherein the first processor is adapted to read the item codes, record the item weights, and provide the item codes and the item weights to the transaction terminal during the transaction over the first port;   wherein the second processor is adapted to record video in the storage buffer provided by the second camera over the second port;   wherein the second processor is further adapted to stream and provide the video from the storage buffer to connected devices over the network port simultaneously while the first processor is interacting with the transaction terminal during the transaction, and the second process is adapted to stream and provide the video from the storage buffer to the connected devices over the network port when the first processor is not interacting with the transaction terminal for the transaction.   
     
     
         21 . The scanner of  claim 20 , wherein the transaction terminal is a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal, a Self-Service Terminal (SST), or a kiosk.