System and method for tracking items at a scale of a self-checkout terminal

Abstract

A system tracks items in the checkout area of a self-checkout terminal to reduce the likelihood of fraud in item substitution. The system includes a plurality of weight sensors operatively coupled to a checkout area for sensing a distributed weight of an item placed in a checkout area; and an item locator coupled to the plurality of weight sensors for determining a location for the item from the distributed weight as sensed by the sensors. The item locator identifies a location for an item from the weight differentials sensed at the weight sensors in response to movement of an item within the checkout area. The weight distribution and location data may be correlated to the item identifier for a scanned item so the items in the checkout area may be tracked. A security application program associated with the self-checkout terminal may be coupled to the system of the present invention to identify items placed on the checkout area by location as well as weight. As a consequence, the location of an item may be determined by the weight data detected by the sensors in response to an item being placed or removed in the checkout area. The location data for the items in the checkout area may be compared with stored location data for previously scanned items to determine whether another item has been substituted for a scanned item.