Patent 7466231 was granted and assigned to NCR on December, 2008 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A self-checkout system 1 includes a console 2 for interacting with a user, in the form of consumer 3. This consumer 3 is located within a spatially defined control zone 4 during such interaction. An interface 5 is responsive to console 2 for receiving a first signal 6 indicative of an audible representation 7. A processor 8 is responsive to the signal 6 for selectively defining a second signal, in the form of ultrasonic transmission 9. An output, in the form of an ultrasonic transducer 10, is responsive to processor 8 for propagating transmission 9 to provide only in the control zone 4 audible representation 7. Representation 7 is substantially inaudible outside of zone 4.