JP2004206357A - Output device of sale commodity data and output method of sale commodity data - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an output device and an output method of sale commodity data capable of performing check-out of a commodity on which it is impossible to print and stick a barcode as speedy as dealing with a conventional commodity with a barcode without deteriorating POS efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: Each of A store 1, B store 4 and C store 5 is connected via a communication network 2 to structure a POS system for controlling commodity sale data at each store by an instruction from a headquarter terminal 3 in a conjugated manner. A barcode scanner 14 reads a barcode on a B commodity 20 and outputs the data to a POS terminal 12 and a camera 15 outputs image data obtained by imaging an A commodity 10 to an image recognition device 13. Data 12a corresponding to a barcode/commodity are stored in the POS terminal 12, data 13a corresponding to an image/commodity are stored in the image recognition device 13, and commodity data corresponding to image data are output to a store server 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a sales product data output device capable of performing product checkout by mixing a first product with a barcode based on product data and a second product without the barcode. And an output method of sales product data.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, when checking out a product at a cashier counter installed in a store such as a supermarket, data such as the price of the product is obtained by reading a barcode attached to the product, and the data is output to a POS device. By doing so, sales management and inventory management can be performed efficiently.
[0003]
However, when the product is, for example, a stamp, income stamp, postcard, or the like, it is impossible to print or attach a barcode due to the nature of the product. In this case, a cashier at the cashier counter visually checks the product. Meanwhile, the corresponding product name, the number of products (the number of products), and the product price are input by manually operating a numeric keypad or the like.
[0004]
In order to efficiently check out a product without a barcode, it is necessary to automatically specify the product by using image recognition means, as in the case of a product with a barcode. It can be used by applying image recognition means.
[0005]
That is, a displayed product is imaged with a camera, contour data is obtained based on the obtained image signal, and a corresponding one is searched from contour data corresponding to a large number of products stored in a database in advance. (For example, disclosed in Patent Document 1).
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-88912 (FIGS. 1 and 2; paragraph numbers [0025] to [0032])
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
At present, most merchandise stores, such as supermarkets, have a barcode attached to most products.If a barcode cannot be printed or pasted, a cashier counter will ask the merchandise counter to replace the product. The corresponding product name, the number of products (the number of products), and the product price are input by visually operating a numeric keypad or the like while visually checking.
[0008]
For this reason, there is a problem that the efficiency of merchandise checkout is significantly reduced, and other customers are queued up near the cashier counter.
[0009]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a checkout of a product on which barcode printing or pasting is impossible, as quickly as a conventional product with a barcode, and a sales product without lowering POS efficiency. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data output device and a method of outputting sales product data.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an output device for sales merchandise data according to the present invention employs a characteristic configuration as described below.
[0011]
(1) In a sales product price output device capable of performing product checkout by mixing a first product with a barcode based on product data and a second product without the barcode,
A first database storing at least product price data associated with a barcode attached to each of the plurality of first products;
A barcode scanner that reads a product code from a barcode attached to the first product;
First output means for searching the first database for product price data corresponding to the product code read by the barcode scanner and outputting the product price data;
A second database storing at least product price data associated with the image data of each of the plurality of second products;
An imaging device for reading the shape of the second product to obtain image data;
Second output means for searching and outputting from the second database commodity price data corresponding to the image data obtained by the imaging device;
And a POS sales management control unit to which outputs from the first and second output means are input.
[0012]
(2) A plurality of sets of a control device including the first database, the barcode scanner, the first output unit, the second database, the imaging device, and the second output unit. And
The sales product data output device according to the above (1), wherein the control device is connected to the POS sales management control unit so as to be capable of bidirectional data exchange.
[0013]
(3) Output of sales product data according to (1), wherein the correspondence between products and product prices in the first and / or second database can be changed by a command signal from the POS sales management control unit. apparatus.
[0014]
(4) The output device for selling merchandise data according to (1), wherein a plurality of sets of the barcode scanner and the imaging device are provided in a store.
[0015]
(5) The output device for selling merchandise data according to (1), wherein the first and second databases are collected and installed at one place.
[0016]
(6) The output device for sales merchandise data according to the above (1), wherein the outputs of the first and second output means are supplied to an accounting slip issuing device.
[0017]
(7) The output device for sales product data of (1), wherein the second product is formed by a plurality of products.
[0018]
(8) The output device for selling merchandise data according to (1), wherein the second merchandise is formed with a merchandise price proportional to the mass.
[0019]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method for outputting sales product data according to the present invention employs the following characteristic operation steps.
[0020]
(9) A method for outputting sales product data in which a first product with a barcode based on the product data and a second product without the barcode can be mixed and checked out.
Reading a bar code attached to the first product, and obtaining product code data corresponding to the read bar code;
Imaging the shape of the second product to obtain image data, obtaining product code data corresponding to the image data,
The product price data corresponding to the obtained product code data is obtained,
An output method of sales product data for outputting the obtained product price data to the POS sales management control unit.
[0021]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a sales product data output apparatus and a sales product data output method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the output device will be described with reference to FIG.
[0022]
The overall configuration of this embodiment is such that the head office terminal 3 is connected to a communication network 2 such as a telephone circuit network, and a plurality of stores, that is, each of the A store 1, the B store 4, and the C store 5, are connected. The product sales data in each store (A store 1, B store 4 and C store 5) is obtained in a combined manner by a command from the terminal 3, and a so-called POS system is formed.
[0023]
The detailed configuration of the A store 1 includes a first product (B product 20) with a barcode based on data corresponding to the price of the product for sale and a second product (A product 10) without a barcode. ) Is provided, and a barcode scanner 14 and a camera 15 are provided in the vicinity thereof.
[0024]
The bar code scanner 14 reads a bar code attached to the B product 20 and outputs the bar code to the POS terminal 12, and the camera 15 is an imaging device that reads the product shape of the A product 10 and obtains image data. The output is output to the image recognition device 13.
[0025]
The POS terminal 12 stores a barcode / commodity correspondence data 12a, which is a first database in which commodity price data corresponding to a barcode read by the barcode scanner 14 is stored. The image / product correspondence data 13a, which is a second database in which product price data corresponding to the image data of the product A read by the camera 15 is stored, is obtained by the image recognition device 13. The product data is output to the POS terminal 12.
[0026]
The POS terminal 12 is connected to the store server 11 via a LAN line, and based on the product / price correspondence data 11a provided in the store server 11, responds to a change in product price in real time, A command for controlling the recognition device 13 in a combined manner can be given.
[0027]
In the A store 1, a set of a barcode scanner 14 and a camera 15 is provided for each of a plurality of cashier counters, not shown.
[0028]
The configuration of the B store 4 and the C store 5 is the same as that of the A store 1, and is different from that of the store 1 in that unique products are displayed in each store and a unique campaign is implemented in each store. There are cases.
[0029]
A product 10 is a product on which a barcode is not printed or affixed, and whose pattern and shape can be specified by the type of the product, such as stamps and postcards, and product B which is a product And a tag with the barcode printed thereon is attached.
[0030]
The barcode scanner 14 reads a barcode by a CCD method or a laser method and outputs the data to the POS terminal 12, and the camera 15 is obtained by imaging a product using a CCD type imaging plate or an imaging tube. The image data is output to the image recognition device 13.
[0031]
Thus, a first database is configured in which at least the commodity price data associated with the barcodes attached to each of the plurality of first commodities B, the commodity B, is stored as the barcode / commodity correspondence data 12a. A bar code scanner 14 for reading the product code from the bar code attached to the B product 20 and product price data corresponding to the product code read by the bar code scanner 14 are retrieved and output from the bar code / product correspondence data 12a database. First output means is configured.
[0032]
A second database is stored in which at least product price data associated with the image data of each of the plurality of second products A, which is the second product, is stored as image / product correspondence data 13a. A camera 15 for reading and obtaining image data and a second output means for searching and outputting commodity price data corresponding to the obtained image data from the database of the image / commodity correspondence data 13a are constituted. By including the store server 11 which is a POS sales management control unit to which outputs from the first and second output units are input, an output device of sales product data of the present embodiment is configured.
[0033]
Therefore, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the output device of sales product data and the method of outputting sales product data are as follows. Then, the A product 10 is imaged by the camera 15 and the imaged output is sent to the image recognition device 13 (step S1). In the next step S2, the image data is compared with the product code, that is, the image data read by the camera 15 is read. Is compared with the image / product correspondence data 13a, and in the next step S3, the corresponding product code data is sent to the store server 11 via the POS terminal 12 and the LAN line, and the already obtained product code data Is extracted from the product / price correspondence data 11a (step S4), and the data is shown from the store server 11 in FIG. Is output to the not accounting machine or the like (step S7), and product check-out processing of a receipt creation or the like is performed. In step S8.
[0034]
On the other hand, the bar code is read by the bar code scanner 14 as shown in step S5 for the B product 20 on which the bar code is printed or pasted, and is output to the POS terminal 12 in the next step S6. The matching data 12a of the product is checked, the obtained product code is sent to the store server 11 via the LAN line, and the product price data corresponding to the already obtained product code data is the product / price correspondence. The data is extracted from the data 11a (step S4), and the data is output from the store server 11 to a not-shown accounting machine or the like (step S7). Then, the process proceeds to step S8, where a product checkout process such as receipt creation is performed.
[0035]
In addition, the commodity price data obtained by using the barcode scanner 14 or the camera 15 for each of the A commodity 10 and the B commodity 20 not only performs processing such as receipt creation inside the A store 1, 1 is transmitted to the head office terminal 3 via the communication network 2 and data transmitted from other stores (B store 4 and C store 5) is also collected in the head office terminal 3, and sales statistics and real-time sales status are collected. It is effectively used as POS data for grasping and inventory management.
[0036]
If a new product is to be handled due to a new or express situation, and a barcode cannot be printed or pasted on it, the image / product of the A store 1 is transmitted via the communication network 2 by a command from the head office terminal 3. Can be updated to obtain the latest product price data.
[0037]
Further, the output device for sales merchandise data according to the present embodiment stores barcode / merchandise correspondence data 12a and image / merchandise correspondence data 13a as a database, and stores the merchandise code obtained from the database. By comparing with the commodity / price correspondence data 11a provided in the store server 11, even if the commodity A has no bar code, the speed is the same as that of the commodity B having the bar code. Thus, the price data of the corresponding product can be obtained.
[0038]
Further, when there are a plurality of cash register counters inside the A store 1, a set of the barcode scanner 14 and the camera 15 is provided near each cash register counter, and the set is provided by the POS terminal 12 or the POS A plurality of product checkout systems can be configured by connecting the sales management control unit so that data can be exchanged in both directions.
[0039]
With the above-described sales product data output device and sales product data output method, at the time of product checkout, it is necessary to manually input a product without a barcode as in the related art. , And can be used automatically in a self-checkout system in which customers check out products themselves at a store, which greatly expands the application range of the present invention. be able to.
[0040]
In addition, for products that are not identical in shape, such as fresh food, etc., and that have characteristics in image information such as color and shape, the product is specified in the same manner as described above, and the POS terminal device is used. It can be applied to all products handled in stores by measuring the mass with a measuring instrument etc. connected to etc. and determining (calculating) the price based on the unit price per unit g It becomes.
[0041]
Further, for example, when a plurality of stamps are formed into sheets via perforations, the image information of the A product 10 without a bar code is stored as image / product correspondence data 13a. By doing so, it is possible to realize an accurate product checkout that takes into account the number of products.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, according to the output apparatus and the method for selling merchandise data according to the present invention, the contents of the merchandise that cannot be printed or pasted with the barcode can be obtained by using the image recognition technology. This is automatically performed, and the person in charge is automatically specified without the need for manual operation as in the conventional case of manually operating the contents of the product using a numeric keypad or the like, and is output to a POS device or the like. The efficiency of checkout can be obtained in the same manner as in the case of a product with a barcode, and efficient product checkout can be performed.
[0043]
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to check out a product that cannot be printed or pasted with a barcode as quickly as a conventional product with a barcode, and to sell products without lowering POS efficiency. It is possible to provide a data output device and a sales product data output method.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing an overall configuration of a sales product data output device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the sales product data output device shown in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 A store 11 Store server 11a Commodity / price correspondence data 12 POS terminal 12a Barcode / commodity correspondence data 13 Image recognition device 13a Image / commodity correspondence data 14 Barcode scanner 15 Camera 2 Communication network 3 Head office terminal 4 B store 5 C stores

Claims (9)

In a sales product data output device capable of performing product checkout by mixing a first product with a barcode based on product data and a second product without the barcode,
A first database storing at least product price data associated with a barcode attached to each of the plurality of first products;
A barcode scanner that reads a product code from a barcode attached to the first product;
First output means for searching the first database for product price data corresponding to the product code read by the barcode scanner and outputting the product price data;
A second database storing at least product price data associated with the image data of each of the plurality of second products;
An imaging device for reading the shape of the second product to obtain image data;
Second output means for searching and outputting from the second database commodity price data corresponding to the image data obtained by the imaging device;
And a POS sales management control unit to which the outputs from the first and second output means are input. A plurality of sets of a control device including the first database, the barcode scanner, the first output unit, the second database, the imaging device, and the second output unit are provided,
2. The sales product data output device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is connected to the POS sales management control unit so that data can be exchanged bidirectionally. 3. 2. The sales product according to claim 1, wherein the correspondence between the product and the product price in the first and / or the second database can be changed by a command signal from the POS sales management control unit. 3. Data output device. 2. The sales product data output device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of sets of the barcode scanner and the imaging device are provided in a store. 2. The output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second databases are collected and installed at one place. 2. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the outputs of the first and second output means are supplied to an accounting slip issuing device. The output device for sales product data according to claim 1, wherein the second product is formed of a plurality of products. 2. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the second product is formed with a product price proportional to a mass. 3. In a method of outputting sales product data, a first product with a barcode based on product data and a second product without the barcode can be mixed and checked out.
Reading a bar code attached to the first product, and obtaining product code data corresponding to the read bar code;
Imaging the shape of the second product to obtain image data, obtaining product code data corresponding to the image data,
The product price data corresponding to the obtained product code data is obtained,
A method for outputting sales product data, wherein the obtained product price data is output to a POS sales management control unit.

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