An information reading apparatus is provided. The information reading apparatus enables stable contactless communication with a contactless communication medium even when the apparatus includes a display device for displaying information associated with reading results, in addition to an information reading device and a contactless communication device. The information stored in the contactless communication medium held over a reading surface is read by the contactless communication device according to transmission/reception of electromagnetic waves via an antenna. The reading surface includes a reading port on the inside of the antenna in plan view of the reading surface, and includes a mark arranged not to overlap the antenna.

A register system includes a first code scanner that includes a circuit configured to disable a security tag, a second code scanner that does not include the circuit, a data storage in which a product code is stored in association with a flag, for each product registered for sale, and a processor. The processor is configured to carry out purchase registration of a product based on a product code obtained through the second code scanner or cause a notification to be generated without carrying out the purchase registration of the product based on the product code obtained through the second code scanner, depending on a state of a flag associated with the obtained product code in the data storage.

Disclosed herein is a method where a consumer employs a device associated with the user to scans tags associated with items for purchase. The consumer can pay for the items using the device associated with the user. A point of sale (“POS”) terminal or other such device associated with the merchant scans tags associated with items associated with the user and reconciles the items scanned by the device associated with the user with the items scanned by the device associated with the merchant.

A checkout station includes a display that is rotatable between a first position and a second position and a barcode scanner that is directed in a first direction in the first position and in a second direction in the second position.

Systems, devices, methods, and computer readable media are provided in various embodiments relating to generating a dynamic challenge passphrase data object. The method includes establishing, a plurality of data record clusters, representing a mutually exclusive set of structured data records of an individual, ranking the plurality of feature data fields based on a determined contribution value of each feature data field relative to the establishing of the data record cluster, and identifying, using the ranked plurality of feature data fields, a first and a second feature data field of the plurality of feature data fields. The method includes generating the dynamic challenge passphrase data object, wherein the first or the second feature data field is used to establish a statement string portion, and a remaining one of the first or the second feature data field is used to establish a question string portion and a correct response string.

Computerized apparatus and methods useful for causing provision of location-based services to users via a user portable wireless computerized device or other device. In one embodiment, the user device establishes a secure communication session with a network server (e.g., proxy process for a service coordinator or provider) to provide user-specific location-based services such as a time-limited rental of a tangible object or space. In one variant, dynamic generation of a response to the user included providing image data relating to provision of the user-specific location-based service, the image data enabling the user to authenticate at least one aspect of the provision of the user-specific location-based service by the third party service provider.

Devices and systems using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to facilitate sale transactions are disclosed. The devices can be in the form of a credit card, debit card, smart phone, wearable device such as a watch or glasses. A virtual payment card can store information relevant to a plurality of preexisting accounts and can provide outputs that include wirelessly communicating account information to a wireless device such as the emulation device, programming a dynamically alterable magnetic strip to include magnetized sectors that are magnetized in a fashion that reflects account information, and a visual output of the transaction card whose relevant card information has been communicated wirelessly or to the magnetic strip. Bluetooth-enabled electronic devices are configured to alternately scan and operate as beacons and employ various technologies to detect the signal strengths of other Bluetooth devices, and such signal strength values are wirelessly communicated to a server that resolves the various signal strength values into relative locations of each of the Bluetooth electronic devices. The electronic device that has the closest proximity to the emulation device is instructed to communicate information regarding a preexisting account to the emulation device. A proximity detection apparatus employs an RF transceiver and a pair of antennas at two spaced locations that are located at different distances from each of a plurality of signal sources. The signal source whose signal strengths detected at the two locations are of the greatest difference in magnitude is the relatively closest signal source.

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for a customer to purchase an item or items on “layaway,” that is, by purchasing a product by placing a deposit on the item. The disclosed invention provides for a cell phone application, or “app,” that would assist a shopper in making such a layaway purchase. The disclosed app allows the user, as a physical customer inside a retail store, to scan an item that the user is interested in purchasing, and then purchase the item via stored merchandise data if so desired.

A checkout-system for retail is disclosed for secure and comfortable checkout of collected articles, whereby the customer scans the articles with a mobile article scanner by itself, and whereby the checkout-system includes a security system with an RFID scanner to scan RFID-transponder placed on the articles to identify whether all articles bought by the customer were scanned.

An order re-check system, comprising: electronic tags arranged on turnover boxes; RFID readers/writers arranged on goods allocations, when the turnover boxed are located on the goods allocations, RFID readers/writers acquiring number information of the turnover boxes via the electronic tags; a first information binding module, used for binding the first number information and the second number information in a one to one manner; a second information binding module, used for binding the second number information and orders in a one to one manner; a commodity information acquisition module, used for acquiring commodity information; a commodity information processing module, used for determining an order for a commodity according to the commodity information, and determining the first number information corresponding to the commodity according to a binding relationship between the first number information and the orders; and control indication modules, used for instructing the corresponding goods allocations or turnover boxes.