Confirming security of personal items during a point of sale transaction

Abstract

Confirming security of personal items belonging to a shopper during a point of sale transaction includes sensing, via a processor responsive to executable code, a signal of a weight sensor indicative of a weight of the personal items belonging to the shopper placed upon an interface of a security monitor of a point of sale checkout device and, in response to sensing a change in the signal of the weight sensor indicative of a removal of the personal items belonging to the shopper during the point of sale transaction, activating an alarm. An alarm is also activated in response to sensing a continued state of the signal of the weight sensor following the point of sale transaction.

1 . A method of confirming security of personal items belonging to a shopper during a point of sale transaction, the method comprising:
 sensing, via a processor responsive to executable code, a signal of a weight sensor indicative of a weight of the personal items belonging to the shopper placed upon an interface of a security monitor of a point of sale checkout device;   in response to sensing a change in the signal of the weight sensor indicative of a removal of the personal items belonging to the shopper during the point of sale transaction, activating an alarm; and   in response to sensing a continued state of the signal of the weight sensor following the point of sale transaction, activating the alarm.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing comprises:
 sensing the signal of the weight sensor indicative of the weight of the personal items belonging to the shopper placed upon at least one of:
 a shelf disposed on a side of the point of sale checkout device; 
   a bottom surface of an opening inset within a base of the point of sale checkout device;
 a hook disposed upon the base of the point of sale checkout device; and 
 combinations thereof 
   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the sensing comprises:
 sensing the signal of the weight sensor indicative of the weight of the personal items belonging to the shopper placed upon a self-closing hook.