JP2014211845A - POS system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a POS system capable of easily and clearly confirming that a commodity which a customer brings home in hand after checkout is paid, and suppressing an improper use of a paid sticker.SOLUTION: A POS system 10 includes: a POS register 200; and a label printer 300 which issues a variable length paid sticker 21 (21A, 21B) to be stuck on a commodity which a customer brings home in hand. The paid sticker 21 (21A, 21B) is issued with a length corresponding to the size or length of the commodity.

Description

  The present invention relates to a POS system that can clearly indicate that a product that a customer has to take home after payment has been paid for.

  Conventionally, in order to reduce shopping bags, a method is widely used in retail stores where customers bring their own bags and the customers pack the products for which they paid for their bags. When this method is used, there is a problem that it is unclear at a glance whether or not the product in My Bag has been paid for.

  As a method of solving the above problem, issue a sticker (purchased sticker) with a receipt from the POS register, paste this sticker on the surface of the my bag containing the paid product, There is a way to make sure that is paid for (accounted) from the outside.

  However, with this method, large boxes that do not fit into my bag or products that do not fit into my bag (for example, tissue BOX, toilet paper, etc.) can be accounted for without being included in the goods to be accounted for. The store clerk cannot determine whether or not the large product has been paid (accounted) only by looking at the accounted sticker on the my bag.

  For this reason, the store side puts the cellophane tape (adhesive tape with the store's logo mark) on the large items purchased by customers and does not fit in my bags, A method of identifying something is adopted. It should be noted that the seal is usually stored and managed in a place that is not visible to the public so as not to be used illegally when the cashier operation is not performed.

JP 2011-018221 A

  However, in the case of self-checkout, if the seal is prepared in advance near the self-checkout, it becomes easy to use illegally, and it seems that it is already accounted at first glance even though it is a product that has not been accounted for. The store clerk had a problem that it was difficult to confirm. On the other hand, in order to prevent this problem, if a method is used in which a store clerk is called and the sticker is attached to a product, both the customer and the store clerk are wasted. In the case of the seal, since it is easy to peel off and reuse it, fraud is easy to perform, and it is difficult to find the fraud.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above problem, a method has been proposed in which an accounted sticker is issued for each product that does not fit in a my bag, and an accounted sticker is attached to each product instead of the tape. However, if this method is used for large products that do not fit in my bag, the accounted sticker to be applied to the size of the product is relatively small, and it may be difficult to see depending on the place where it is applied. Even in such a case, it is assumed that it is difficult to confirm that it has been accounted for.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points. The purpose of the present invention is to easily and clearly confirm that the goods that the customer has to take home after payment are paid for, and the accounted sticker is illegally used. The object is to provide a POS system capable of suppressing this.

In the POS system for accounting for products purchased by a customer, the accounting sticker to be attached to the product is issued in a variable length when the product is a product that the customer carries with the accounting processing. It is characterized by having a printer. If configured in this way, the length of the accounted sticker can be changed according to the size and shape of the product that the customer takes home, so the clerk can easily check the accounted sticker attached to any product, The store clerk can easily determine that the item has been paid for. As a result, illegal accounting and illegally taking out products can be effectively suppressed.
Further, the billed sticker is issued with a length suitable for the product based on information indicating a size or length of the product. If comprised in this way, the accounted sticker of the size according to the magnitude | size and length of goods will be issued, and it will affix on the goods. As a result, the store clerk can easily check the billed sticker attached to any product.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can confirm easily and clearly that the goods which a customer takes home after an accounting have paid the price, and it can suppress that an accounting sticker is used illegally.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a product management system 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of an example of a POS system 10. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a POS register 200. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a label printer 300. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an internal mechanism of a label printer 300. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a product data file 400. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print format 500. FIG. FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the POS register 200. FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of the label printer 300. It is a figure which shows the example of the accounting finished seal | stickers 21A and 21B.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a product management system 1 configured using an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the merchandise management system 1 connects a management device (store controller) 100 and N (N is an integer equal to or greater than 1) POS systems 10 via a LAN 110 to connect each device. It is configured to perform data communication. Each POS system 10 includes a POS register 200 and a label printer 300. The LAN 110 may be wired or wireless.

  The management device 100 is a computer that controls the merchandise management system 1 and manages various data used in the POS register 200, stores merchandise data and the like, and distributes the data to the POS register 200 as appropriate. Further, the management apparatus 100 receives the accounted data that has been accounted for in the POS register 200 after accounting, stores the received accounted data, aggregates the results, and issues a report.

  The POS register 200 is a self-POS register where a customer registers and accounts for a product, a POS register where a store clerk registers and accounts for a product, or a product registration device is operated by a store clerk, and the product accounting device stores the product. There is a POS system operated by a customer to purchase, but any configuration may be used.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic external view of an example of the POS system 10 (POS register 200 and label printer 300). The POS register 200 is a self-POS register for a customer to register and check the merchandise. The liquid crystal touch panel 207 and the liquid crystal panel 209 are installed on the top thereof, and the receipt issuing port 223 and the scanners A, B 217, 219, a bill insertion slot 225, a coin insertion slot 227, a bill discharge slot 229, and a coin discharge slot 231 are installed in front of it, and a weighing unit A221 and a weighing unit B222 are installed on both the left and right sides of these. A large shopping bag storage portion 233, a medium shopping bag storage portion 235, and a small shopping bag storage portion 237 are installed below the portion B222.

  The label printer 300 is installed on the side of the liquid crystal panel 209 of the POS register 200. The label printer 300 includes a display unit 307, an operation unit 309, and a label issuing unit 311. The label printer 300 prints and issues an accounting sticker 21 described below. The label printer 300 is a mountless label printer, and is connected to the POS register 200 by wireless communication (for example, Bluetooth).

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the POS register 200. As shown in the figure, the POS register 200 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 201, a ROM 203, a RAM 205, a liquid crystal touch panel (operation unit) 207, a liquid crystal panel (display unit) 209, a speaker 211, and deposit / withdrawal. A unit 213, a receipt printer 215, a scanner A 217, a scanner B 219, a weighing unit A 221, a weighing unit B 222, and a communication unit 239. Each component is connected to each other via a bus 202 and can communicate with each other.

  The CPU 201 controls the operation of the POS register 200 by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 203. The ROM 203 is a read-only memory that stores the above programs and the like. The RAM 205 is an occasional write memory that stores various data, and stores, for example, a product data file 400 (see FIG. 6) described below.

  The liquid crystal touch panel 207 is an input device on which an operator performs various inputs (for example, designation of a product that cannot be read with a barcode). The liquid crystal panel 209 is a display device that displays various types of information (for example, an operation method of the device, a price of a read product, and the like). The speaker 211 is a device that informs the user of operation methods, product prices, and the like. The deposit / withdrawal unit 213 is a device that deposits / withdraws bills and coins. The receipt printer 215 is a device that discharges a receipt printed with the amount of money and product name after settlement. The scanner A 217 and the scanner B 219 are apparatuses that optically read a barcode (product code) attached to a product. Bar code data read by the scanner A 217 and the scanner B 219 is stored in the RAM 205. The weighing unit A221 and the weighing unit B222 are devices for weighing the product before and after the liquidation. The communication unit 239 performs wireless communication with the communication unit 313 of the label printer 300.

  FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the label printer 300. As shown in the figure, the label printer 300 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 301, a ROM 303, a RAM 305, a display unit 307, an operation unit 309, a communication unit 313, an interface 315, and a thermal head drive unit 317. And a stepping motor driving unit 319 and a cutter driving unit 321. Each component is connected to each other via a bus 302 and can communicate with each other.

  The CPU 301 controls the operation of the label printer 300 by executing a program on the ROM 303. The ROM 303 is a read-only memory that stores a control program for the label printer 300 and the like. A RAM 305 is an occasional write memory that stores various data, and stores, for example, a print format 500 (see FIG. 7) described below.

  The display unit 307 is a liquid crystal display that displays various types of information (such as a product name to be printed and a date and time). The operation unit 309 is an input device on which an operator performs various inputs. The communication unit 313 performs wireless communication with the communication unit 239 of the POS register 200. The thermal head drive unit 317 drives the thermal head 15 described below based on a command from the CPU 301 to generate heat from the paper 11 described below. A stepping motor drive unit 319 drives a stepping motor based on a command from the CPU 301 and rotationally drives a label roller 13 and a platen roller 17 described below. The cutter driving unit 321 drives the cutter 19 described below based on a command from the CPU 301 to cut the printed paper 11.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the internal mechanism of the label printer 300. As shown in the figure, a label printer 300 is a platen roller driven by a thermal head 15 and a stepping motor by pulling out a paper (mounting-less label paper) 11 having a heat-sensitive coloring surface on the front surface and a heat-sensitive adhesive surface on the back surface from the label roller 13. The paper 11 is transported while being sandwiched between the paper 17 and heated to perform printing. The printed paper 11 is cut by a cutter 19 with a predetermined length, and then the thermal adhesive surface is heated and activated by a heating means (not shown), and then issued as an accounting sticker (label) 21. The cut length of the accounted seal 21 is different for each accounted seal 21 as described below. That is, the label printer 300 is a label printer that can issue the accounting sticker 21 in a variable length. The issued paid sticker 21 is discharged from the label issuing unit 311 of the label printer 300 shown in FIG.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the data structure of the product data file 400. In the product data file 400, items such as a product code, product name, price, flag, label length, and size are set for each product. The product data file 400 is managed by the management apparatus 100, and the POS register 200 appropriately receives the product data file 400 and updates it in the RAM 205. The product data file 400 may be received by the label printer 300 and updated in the RAM 305. The flag in the product data file 400 is a flag for discriminating whether or not the product is the product for which the accounted sticker 21 is issued. “1” means that it is issued, and “0” means that it is not issued. The label length indicates the length of the billed sticker 21, and when the numerical value is n (n is an integer of 0 or more), it means a length n times the minimum unit. Specifically described in FIG. 6, “1” is one time as long as the minimum unit, “3” is three times as long as the minimum unit, and “0” is not set as a length (multiple). Means that. The size dimension is one piece of information indicating the size or length of the product.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a print format 500 stored in the RAM 305 of the label printer 300. The data of the print (print) format 500 may be stored from the management device 100, the POS register 200, or the like, or may be created and stored by the label printer 300 itself. As shown in the figure, in this print format 500, the store logo mark is displayed at the top, the purchase date and time is displayed at the next level, the product name of the purchased product is displayed at the next level, and the store name and contact telephone number are displayed at the next level. Is a format to display. It goes without saying that various changes can be made to this format. This format is the minimum unit of the label length.

  8 is an operation flowchart of the POS register 200, and FIG. 9 is an operation flowchart of the label printer 300. Hereinafter, the operation of the POS system 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to both operation flowcharts.

  First, in FIG. 8, the CPU 201 reads the barcode attached to the product by the scanner A 217 (scanner B 219) of the POS register 200 (step S1-1).

  Next, the CPU 201 reads out and registers the data of the read product (product code) from the product data file 400 stored in the RAM 205 (step S1-2). Next, when there is a product to be read next, the CPU 201 repeats steps S1-1 and S1-2 to register all the products (step S1-3).

  When the registration of all the products is completed, the process proceeds to the next step S1-4, and the accounting process is performed using the data of all the registered products (step S1-4). At that time, by displaying the total amount of the product on the liquid crystal panel 209 or notifying the customer by voice, the customer can receive a bill or a coin from the bill insertion slot 225 or the coin insertion slot 227 of the POS register 200 shown in FIG. When inserted, the change is discharged from the bill discharge port 229 and the coin discharge port 231, and a receipt is issued from the receipt issue port 223.

  Next, the CPU 201 determines whether or not there is a label printing target product (that is, a product to be taken home by the customer) among the checked products, whether the flag in the product data file 400 in FIG. 6 is “1” or “0”. (Step S1-5). When it is determined that there is no label printing target product, the process according to this operation flow is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a label printing target product, the product data of the label printing target product is transmitted to the label printer 300 (step S1-6), stored in the RAM 305 of the label printer 300, and the processing according to this operation flow is performed. finish. When the product data file 400 is stored in advance in the RAM 305 of the label printer 300, the data to be transmitted may be only the product code data, for example, among the data of the label print target product.

  Next, in FIG. 9, when the label printer 300 receives the product data of the label print target product (step S2-1), the CPU 301 stores necessary data relating to the first label print target product in the product data from the RAM 305. (In this example, the product name and label length data) are read out (step S2-2), and one billed sticker 21 is issued for the label print target product (step S2-3). Next, when there is a second label print target product, the process returns from step S2-4 to step S2-2, and necessary data relating to the second label print target product is read (step S2-2). The billed sticker 21 for the label printing target product is issued (step S2-3). If it is determined that reading of the data and issuing of the accounting sticker 21 have been performed for all the products to be printed with labels (step S2-4), the processing according to this operation flow ends.

  FIGS. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing examples of the paid stickers 21A and 21B to be issued. That is, FIG. 10 (a) shows the accounted sticker 21A attached to the product “toilet paper 12 roll”, and the label length is “3”. On the other hand, FIG. 10 (b) shows the accounted sticker 21B to be affixed to the product “tissue paper box 6 box”, and the label length is “1”. As described above, the length of the issued sticker 21 to be issued differs depending on the size and length of the product. Then, the customer who has completed the check-out, sticks the corresponding accounted sticker 21 to each product that the customer takes home, and leaves with the product in my bag or shopping bag.

  As described above, according to the POS system 10, the length of the accounted sticker 21 is changed according to the size, shape, length, etc. of the product that the customer takes home. That is, in the case of a large product or a long product among the products that the customer takes home, the accounted sticker 21 attached to the product is relatively smaller than the size of the product. In such a case, it is difficult to immediately determine the sticking position of the accounted sticker 21, and it is difficult for the store clerk to check. On the other hand, if a long accounting sticker 21 is issued and pasted on a large or long product like the POS system 10, the store clerk can easily and immediately know that the accounting sticker 21 is pasted. The contents can be immediately read and the store clerk can easily determine that the product has been paid for. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress illegal accounting and illegally taking out products.

  In addition, since the purchase date and time, the product name, and the purchase store name are described in the accounting-completed seal 21 as an unauthorized use prevention display, the store clerk can easily determine that the product has been paid for. Unauthorized use due to reuse of the used seal 21 can be prevented, and even if it is reused, it can be easily determined that it is unauthorized use.

  Further, since the unauthorized use prevention display is repeatedly printed one or more times on the accounting sticker 21 according to the size or length of the product, it becomes easier to confirm the contents of the unauthorized use prevention display.

  Further, in the POS system 10, since a mountless label printer is used as the label printer 300, a variable-length accounted sticker 21 corresponding to the size of the product can be issued without waste of paper, which is economical.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims and the specification and drawings. Is possible. Note that any shape or structure not directly described in the specification and drawings is within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention as long as the effects and advantages of the present invention are achieved.

  For example, in the POS system 10, the POS register 200 and the label printer 300 are connected by wireless communication, but may be connected by wire. The POS register 200 and the label printer 300 may be connected to the LAN 110 shown in FIG. In this case, the label printer 300 may be directly controlled by an instruction from the management apparatus 100.

  Further, the label printer 300 may be built in the POS register 200, and the label printer 300 may be driven and controlled via the bus 202 shown in FIG. In this case, the label printer 300 and the receipt printer 215 are one printer, and the thermal adhesive surface of the mountless printer is not activated when the receipt is issued, while the thermal adhesive surface of the mountless printer is not activated when the accounted sticker is issued. You may comprise so that it may activate. In this way, if both the accounting sticker and the receipt can be issued by one printer, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified.

  In the POS system 10, a flag is set in advance in the product data file 400 for distinguishing whether or not the product is a product for which the accounted sticker 21 is issued. Instead, the POS register 200 for accounting processing is set. An image pickup means such as a CCD camera is provided, the image pickup means picks up a product purchased by the customer, and identifies a product (a product of a size that cannot be stored in a shopping bag or a shopping bag) that the customer takes with the image taken. When the accounting sticker length is determined and accounting processing is performed including the product, the accounting sticker having a length corresponding to the size of the product may be issued.

  In addition, when an IC chip or the like is pasted on a product that a customer takes home, the POS register that performs accounting processing reads this, and when accounting processing is performed including that product, the length corresponding to the size of the product etc. It may be configured to issue the accounted sticker. Further, the clerk or customer may directly operate the operation unit of the POS register (for example, by pressing the accounted seal issuance button installed in the operation unit) so as to issue the accounted sticker 21.

  Further, as the label length in the product data file 400, the length dimension of the accounted sticker 21 may be directly set (for example, “... Cm”). Further, the size of characters to be printed may be changed according to the length of the accounting sticker 21. Increasing the size of the character makes it easier to read the character from a distance. In the above example, the label length is changed by repeating the same print format 500, but the label length may be changed using a plurality of different print formats. Further, the print format may be printed only once for the first time, not printed for the second time or later, and left blank.

  Further, in the example shown in FIG. 2 above, as the POS register, the self POS register in which the customer himself registers and accounts for the merchandise is shown. However, the POS register to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to this. A POS register having a structure for performing registration and accounting, or a merchandise registration apparatus is operated by a store clerk, and a merchandise accounting apparatus can be similarly applied to a POS system having a structure operated by a customer who purchases the merchandise.

  In the case of a POS system in which a registration device and an accounting device are separated, a store clerk registers a product purchased by a customer in the registration device, and the registered product data is distributed to the accounting device. The registration device informs the customer of information identifying the accounting device that has distributed the data of the registered merchandise by the customer-side display unit of the registration device or receipt printing. In the case where a sign pole or a display board is provided on the accounting apparatus side, the customer may be guided to the sign pole or display board indicating which accounting apparatus the customer should go to. Further, the management device may distribute the registered product data to the accounting device. The accounting sticker may be issued on the accounting device side, the registration device side, or any other place.

  Further, in the case of a POS system having a structure in which a store clerk registers and accounts for merchandise, the accounting sticker may be issued in this POS system or in a label printer installed in another location.

  In the above example, the mountless label printer is used as the label printer. However, a label printer that issues a sticker with a mount may be used. In short, a printer having any structure may be used as long as it is a printer that issues an accounted sticker to be attached to a product in a variable length.

  In the above example, the store logo mark, purchase date / time, product name, and store name were listed as the unauthorized use prevention display printed on the accounted sticker, but in addition to these, the color of the sheet can be changed for each store. The product may be displayed as an illustration instead of the product name. In short, any display may be used as long as it is easy to confirm and can prevent unauthorized use due to reuse of the accounting sticker 21 or the like.

Regarding the above description, the following items are further disclosed.
(Appendix 1)
2. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein an illegal use prevention display is printed on the billed sticker. Examples of the unauthorized use prevention display include display of purchase date and time, display of product name, display of store name, and the like. If comprised in this way, the store clerk can judge easily that the price of goods has been paid. In addition, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use due to reuse and the like, and even if reused, it is possible to easily determine that it is unauthorized use.
(Appendix 2)
4. The POS system according to claim 3, wherein an illegal use prevention display is repeatedly printed one or more times on the billed sticker according to the size or length of the product. system. For products with large or long external dimensions, a long accounting sticker is attached according to the external dimensions, so it is easy to visually check that the accounting sticker is attached, and the same contents are displayed repeatedly. Therefore, it is easier to check the contents.
(Appendix 3)
2. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a mountless label printer. It is economical because a variable-length accounted sticker corresponding to the size of the product can be issued without waste.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Merchandise management system 10 ... POS system 11 ... Paper 13 ... Label roller 15 ... Thermal head 17 ... Platen roller 19 ... Cutter 21 (21A, 21B) ... Accounting sticker (label)
100 ... management device (store controller) 110 ... LAN
200 ... POS register 201 ... CPU
203 ... ROM 205 ... RAM
207 ... Liquid crystal touch panel (operation unit) 209 ... Liquid crystal panel (display unit)
211 ... Speaker 213 ... Deposit / withdrawal unit 215 ... Receipt printer 217 ... Scanner A
219 ... Scanner B 221 ... Measuring section A
222 ... Weighing section B 223 ... Receipt issuing port 225 ... Bill insertion port 227 ... Coin insertion port 229 ... Banknote discharge port 231 ... Coin discharge port 233 ... Large shopping bag storage unit 235 ... Medium shopping bag storage unit 237 ... Small shopping bag storage Unit 239 ... Communication unit 300 ... Label printer 301 ... CPU
303 ... ROM 305 ... RAM
307 ... Display unit 309 ... Operation unit 311 ... Label issuing unit 313 ... Communication unit 315 ... Interface 317 ... Thermal head drive unit 319 ... Stepping motor drive unit 321 ... Cutter drive unit 400 ... Product data file 500 ... Print format

Claims (2)

In a POS system that accounts for products purchased by customers,
A POS system comprising a printer that issues, in a variable length, an accounted sticker that is individually affixed to a product when the product for which the accounting process has been performed is a product that a customer takes home.   The POS system according to claim 1, wherein the billed sticker is issued with a length suitable for the product based on information indicating a size or length of the product.

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