A point-of-sale terminal is used to process purchases by a customer during normal operation. However, the point-of-sale terminal also may receive, aggregate and/or process information measured by sensors that are co-located with or in the vicinity of the point-of-sale terminal. The point-of-sale terminal may receive information from at least one sensor that indicates that the at least one sensor has sensed a measureable parameter that is outside of a threshold range; establish at least one communication channel with at least one third-party based on the indication that the at least one sensor has sensed a measureable parameter that is outside of the threshold range; and send to the at least one third party at least one communication relating to the at least one sensor indicating that the at least one sensor has sensed a measureable parameter that is outside of the threshold range.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor point of sale terminals and provide information to customers, via a lighting system. In some embodiments, information is provided, via visible light, to consumers and, via invisible light, to the management of a retail shopping facility. For example, a notification system for monitoring point of sale terminals in a retail shopping facility may include one or more visible light emitting status lights, at least one non-visible light emitting status light at each of the point of sale terminals, one or more optical sensors configured to detect the non-visible wavelength and an intensity associated with the non-visible wavelength emitted from the at least one non-visible light emitting status light; and a control circuit.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor point of sale terminals and provide information to customers, via a lighting system. In some embodiments, information is provided, via visible light, to consumers and, via invisible light, to the management of a retail shopping facility. For example, a notification system for monitoring point of sale terminals in a retail shopping facility may include one or more visible light emitting status lights, at least one non-visible light emitting status light at each of the point of sale terminals, one or more optical sensors configured to detect the non-visible wavelength and an intensity associated with the non-visible wavelength emitted from the at least one non-visible light emitting status light; and a control circuit.

A system and method for converting an environmental signal surrounding the checkout terminal to a transmission signal is disclosed. The system verifies the accuracy of the transaction at the checkout terminal by analyzing the transmission signal produced by a signal transmission device, which activates upon a detection of a predetermined environmental signal caused around the vicinity of the checkout terminal. The detection of the predetermined environmental signal is performed by a sensor apparatus placed at the checkout terminal which monitors and senses environmental signals during the transaction of an item being purchased at a store.

A retail store self-checkout area may include a scanner configured to enable a shopper to scan items being purchased. A bagging area may be positioned at the scanner. A top-down facing camera positioned and oriented to image a shopping cart or basket at the self-checkout area and to generate image signals of the shopping cart or basket. A projector may be configured to project dynamically alterable illumination signals onto a surface visible to the shopper when at the self-checkout area to provide visual guidance information to the shopper. The projector may be a smart projector, and may be configured to be a top-down facing projector to illuminate a floor at the self-checkout area. A system controller may be configured to drive the projector (e.g., smart projector) and to process images captured by camera to identify errors or fraudulent behavior during a self-checkout process.

A checkout system for data reading, and related methods of use, the checkout system including one or more data reading devices with a conveyor for transporting items toward a read zone of the data reading devices, and an exception identification system capable of identifying exception items transported through the read zone without being successfully identified by the data reader. An imaging system acquires one or more images of these exception items, and these images are presented to a user on a display screen, whereby the user manipulates the images of the exception items to associate the images with item information (such as item description, price, etc.) to clear any exception items.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor point of sale terminals and provide information to customers, via a lighting system. In some embodiments, information is provided, via visible light, to consumers and, via invisible light, to the management of a retail shopping facility. For example, a notification system for monitoring point of sale terminals in a retail shopping facility may include one or more visible light emitting status lights, at least one non-visible light emitting status light at each of the point of sale terminals, one or more optical sensors configured to detect the non-visible wavelength and an intensity associated with the non-visible wavelength emitted from the at least one non-visible light emitting status light; and a control circuit.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor point of sale terminals and provide information to customers, via a lighting system. In some embodiments, information is provided, via visible light, to consumers and, via invisible light, to the management of a retail shopping facility. For example, a notification system for monitoring point of sale terminals in a retail shopping facility may include one or more visible light emitting status lights, at least one non-visible light emitting status light at each of the point of sale terminals, one or more optical sensors configured to detect the non-visible wavelength and an intensity associated with the non-visible wavelength emitted from the at least one non-visible light emitting status light; and a control circuit.

The invention relates to a product identification system when the goods are purchased by a buyer in a self-service store. The product identification system in the self-service store includes a scanning device, a goods collecting device with an individual identification number, a camera, at least one self-service payment terminal and a server. The scanning device reads the identification number, scans the barcodes of goods, creates a list of goods and a resulting barcode. The camera is installed on the goods collecting device and reads images of the goods and tracks its movement. The terminal sends information to the server, wherein the server receives and analyzes information from the camera and terminal. In case when the information from the camera and from the resulting barcode coincide, the buyer pays for the purchase, and receives a check.

States of a current transaction are monitored at a terminal. The transaction states are mapped to guidance data and the guidance data is dynamically projected onto a surface that is adjacent to a peripheral of the terminal or dynamically rendered on a display situated on the surface. The guidance data corresponds to an action that an operator of the terminal is expected to take or refrain from taking with respect to the peripheral in order to facilitate progression of the transaction at the terminal. The presentation of the guidance data at the surface provides proximity-based and context-based feedback to the operator during the transaction.