An aspect is to provide a scanning device, a system, and a method in which an available communication band is not used up even if a plurality of scanning devices are connected to one unit of dedicated hardware. According to one embodiment, a scanning device includes: a camera configured to pick up an image; a reduction unit configured to reduce a data volume of an image corresponding to a merchandise to be outputted to an image recognition device from the image picked up by the camera; and an output unit configured to output the image with the reduced data volume to the image recognition device.

A checkout system includes a mobile point-of-sale (POS) apparatus and a server. The mobile POS apparatus includes a code reader, a user interface, a display, a wireless communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the wireless communication interface to transmit a product code read by the code reader and a settlement instruction based on a user operation on the user interface. The server is configured to generate a data record including the product code and transmit a settlement request to a settlement server upon receiving the settlement instruction. If a settlement non-completion response is received from the settlement server, the server stores transaction data including a first identifier indicating the settlement request and a second identifier indicating the transaction data in a database and causes the display of the mobile POS apparatus to display a code symbol representing the second identifier.

A method or a system, automatically and electronically ensures that customer pays for all goods picked up and the customer takes out of the shop only goods paid for. All this is done without the need of a shop teller and finally without the need of a shop supervisor to periodically crosscheck and ensure that the total amount of money collected by the shop teller (within a period) equals the total value of goods disbursed. The resultant of this system are the shop runs can run a totally cashless shop; reduce human resource by a significant percentage; shop can be opened 24/7; no more queues at shop teller points even during peak periods or major sales.

A check-out system according to an embodiment includes an image capturing device that captures an image of a merchandise item. A processor determines whether the captured image includes a symbol on the merchandise item corresponding to a merchandise ID. If the captured image includes the symbol, the processor retrieves the merchandise ID. If the captured image does not include the symbol, the processor identifies the merchandise item based on an object recognition processing. The processor retrieves a corresponding merchandise ID and a merchandise category. The processor determines whether the merchandise item is likely to include the symbol based on the merchandise category. If the merchandise item likely includes the symbol, the processor controls a display to display a message instructing an operator to check for the symbol. The processor performs a settlement processing with respect to the merchandise items corresponding to one or more of the retrieved merchandise IDs.

Various embodiments are described herein that relate to network-connected data cables (i.e., “smart” data cables) that are connected to a merchant's point of sale system and a receipt printer. When a transaction is initiated at the point of sale system, transaction data is created by the point of sale system and passed to the smart data cable for transmission downstream to the receipt printer. The smart data cable can parse the transaction data, copy certain elements from the transaction data, and transmit the copied elements to a cloud-based platform that processes the transaction. For example, the cloud-based platform may compare the copied elements to information supplied by the customer through a messaging application executing on the customer's user device. The information may be provided by the customer to a chat bot that is supported by the cloud-based platform.

A retail shopping facility having at least one public entrance, a customer service area, a product display area, and at least one point-of-sale (POS) station also has at least one scanner configured to remotely and uniquely identify a product previously purchased from the product display area as that product re-enters the retail shopping facility via the public entrance with a customer. That scanner provides corresponding identifying information regarding that returning product to a control circuit that in turn uses that information to automatically process an exchange transaction of the returning product for a substitute product in the product display area such that the exchange transaction occurs without the customer engaging either the customer service area or one of the POS stations.

Systems and methods electronically provide information regarding digital rules related to a potential relationship instance. Users often wish to know which digital rules apply to a specified item before engaging in a relationship instance with a host entity regarding the item. The system and methods described herein allow a computing facility to identify an item and receive resource information related to the item and the digital rules applicable to the item.

A privilege display system includes a storage unit that stores product ID information set for each product, additional information set for each product, and privilege information set for each additional information in association with each other; an imaging unit that acquires a video including a first code attached to the product and a second code attached to the product; a display unit that displays the video as a real-time moving image; and a processing unit that acquires the product ID information represented by the first code and the additional information represented by the second code from the video, determines a privilege based on the privilege information stored in the storage unit in association with the acquired product ID information and the acquired additional information, and displays a content of the privilege at a predetermined position with respect to the second code in the real-time moving image.

A reading device includes a first support member extending vertically, a scanner attached to the first support member and including a window facing a first direction and through which an item can be scanned by an operator, an extension member attached to an upper portion of the first support member and extending in the first direction above the scanner, a camera attached to an end of the extension member in the first direction and configured to capture an image of the operator, and a controller configured to issue a notification signal when the controller detects from the captured image that the operator is carrying out a predetermined operation.

An image sensor is used to capture an image that includes a plurality of objects. Presence and location data is identified for the plurality of objects. The image and the presence and location data is utilized to create individual representations of the plurality of objects. The plurality of objects are classified through employment of the individual representations. A machine learning model is updated with the classification data generated by classifying the plurality of objects.