JP4906064B2 - Shopping cart and shopping cart system. - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a shopping cart and a shopping cart system used in a supermarket or the like.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a scanner provided in a shopping cart used by a customer in a store such as a supermarket or a shopping mall so that the customer can read a product code attached to the product. Such a shopping cart is provided with a display device, on which the product name and unit price of the product read from the product code are sequentially displayed and displayed as a list. Then, the settlement amount is calculated by reading the product code, and the customer performs settlement at the settlement terminal in the store based on the settlement amount. At this time, since the cashier does not read the product code again, the customer can finish the settlement with almost no cashier waiting time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-142871 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-152041

  By the way, among customers, there is a person who performs a fraudulent act such as storing a product in a shopping cart without performing reading of a product code for some of the desired products. For example, from a state where the product code is read and stored with 7 points and the payment amount is 3000 yen, another 500 yen product is stored without reading the 1-point product code, and the settlement amount is 3000 yen. It ’s a shoplifting act.

  Such a fraudulent act can be detected by a store clerk or the like traveling around the store comparing and comparing the products in the shopping cart with the product names listed on the display device. However, when there are many products in the cart, it is very difficult to find an illegal act by instantaneously comparing the products with the product names listed.

  Patent document 2 is a document found by a patent search conducted from the viewpoint of displaying information on a display device included in a shopping cart. However, the technology described in Patent Document 2 displays various information such as product advertisements and in-store guidance on the display device according to the customer's needs, and suggests that the fraud of the customer is eliminated. Not give.

  An object of the present invention is to prevent a customer from performing an illegal act of storing a product in a shopping cart and performing a settlement as it is without reading a product code.

The shopping cart of the present invention stores a product image and a unit price corresponding to a product code, a cart for transporting a product, a display device attached to the cart, a product code reading device for reading a product code for specifying a product. And a wireless communication device for realizing communication with a host device having a storage unit, and when the product code is read by the product code reader, the wireless communication device communicates with the host device via the wireless communication device. Each time, the corresponding product image and unit price stored in the storage unit are acquired, the acquired product image and unit price are stored in a storage area, and the product code is read by the product code reader. The product images and unit prices stored in the storage area are arranged in descending order based on the unit price and displayed as a list on the display device.

  The present invention also defines a shopping cart system including a host device having a storage unit that stores a product image and a unit price corresponding to a product code, and the shopping cart.

According to the present invention, every time the product code is read by the product code reading device, the product images and unit prices of the products read from the product code are arranged in descending order and displayed in a list on the display device, so that the customer can read the product code. Even when the product is stored in the storage unit without being stored, the store clerk can easily detect fraud by comparing and comparing the product in the storage unit with the product images listed on the display device. Accordingly, it is possible to eliminate fraudulent behavior by giving customers a psychological deterrent against fraud.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The shopping cart system of this embodiment is an application example to the checkout system 101.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the checkout system 101. As shown in FIG. 1, a checkout system 101 as a shopping cart system includes a plurality of shopping carts 201 to which a cart terminal 211 is attached, a payment terminal 401 for a customer to make a payment, a store backyard, and the like. And a server 501 as a host device installed in the network. The cart terminal 211 of the shopping cart 201 can wirelessly communicate with the server 501 by a wireless communication unit 601 installed on the ceiling or the like. The settlement terminal 401 is connected to the server 501 via a communication line 151 and is capable of information communication.

  At a store where such a checkout system 101 is introduced, a customer first borrows a shopping cart 201 at the entrance. Then, a product 302 desired to be purchased is taken from a product shelf (not shown). A product code is attached to the product 302 as a code symbol, for example, in the form of a barcode 303, and the customer uses the scanner 215 (see FIG. 2) of the cart terminal 211 provided in the shopping cart 201 for the product. The product code 302 is read and stored in the storage unit 202 (see FIG. 2) of the shopping cart 201. After reading and storing the product code of the product 302 desired to be purchased, the customer moves to the payment terminal 401 and performs payment. After settlement, the product 302 is packed in a bag, the shopping cart 201 is returned, and the store exits.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the shopping cart 201. The shopping cart 201 is gripped by a customer when moving the shopping cart 201 connected to the storage unit 202, a caster unit 203 for movement disposed below the storage unit 202, and a bowl-shaped storage unit 202 having an upper opening. And a cart 201a that carries the goods 302. The cart 201 a has a frame 205 as a whole, and the storage unit 202 is configured by a net 202 a stretched between the frames 205 constituting the storage unit 202. That is, the storage unit 202 stores the product 302 in a manner that can be visually recognized from the outside because the net 202a having an open top surface and a gap on the side surface is stretched. Thereby, the store clerk can easily know the details of the product 302 stored in the storage unit 202. A cart terminal 211 is attached to a part of the frame 205 constituting the storage unit 202 on the handle unit 204 side via a holding unit 206 (see FIG. 3).

  The cart 201a does not have to have the storage unit 202 by itself. For example, the cart 201a has a bag receiving unit that receives a product basket that stores the product 302 in an aspect that can be visually recognized from the outside, and the product received by the bag receiving unit. The form which uses the bag as the accommodating part 202 may be sufficient.

  The cart terminal 211 includes a housing 212. The housing 212 includes an LCD 213 serving as a display device, a touch panel 214 serving as an input unit mounted on the display surface of the LCD 213, and a scanner 215 serving as a product code reading device that reads a product code. Is provided. The scanner 215 provided on the right side of the housing 212 has a scanner housing 215a that incorporates an illumination LED, a CCD image sensor, a decoder (none of which are shown), and the like. A reading window 215b for reading a code is provided.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the cart terminal 211 is attached to the frame 205 via the holding unit 206. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the frame 205 on the handle unit 204 side that constitutes the storage unit 202 is provided with a holding unit 206 that holds the cart terminal 211. The holding unit 206 includes a frame holding unit 206 a that holds the frame 205 in a fixed manner and a terminal holding unit 206 b that contacts the cart terminal 211 and holds the cart terminal 211. It is held by the holding unit 206 by being fixed to the terminal holding unit 206b by a fastening member (not shown).

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the product code attached to the product 302 in the form of a barcode 303 is read using the scanner 215. As described above, a product code specifying the product 302 is attached to the product 302 in the form of a barcode 303. When the product 302 placed on the product shelf is picked up and the barcode 303 attached to the product 302 is brought close to the reading window 215b as shown in FIG. 4, the scanner 215 recognizes the approached barcode 303. Then, the illumination LED emits reading light from the reading window 215b. When the CCD image sensor receives the reflected light, the received analog waveform is converted into a digital signal, and a decoder code decodes the obtained digital signal to extract a product code.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the payment terminal 401. The settlement terminal 401 includes a housing 407, and a coin / banknote deposit / withdrawal device 402 is incorporated in the housing 407 (see FIG. 9 for both). A coin insertion slot 408 is provided in front of the upper surface of the housing 407 to insert coins for settlement. A coin ejection slot 409 for discharging coins such as change is disposed on the front of the housing 407. A bill insertion slot 410 for inserting bills and a bill discharge port 411 for discharging bills as change are provided. Further, the settlement terminal 401 includes an LCD 405 as a display device on the upper surface of the housing 407, and a touch panel 406 as an input unit is attached to the display surface of the LCD 405. Further, the settlement terminal 401 includes a receipt printer 404 having a receipt issuing port 404a for issuing a receipt (not shown) on the upper surface of the housing 407. Note that a card reader / writer that enables credit payment and electronic money payment may be provided.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the cart terminal 211. The cart terminal 211 includes a control unit 251, and the control unit 251 drives and controls each unit. The control unit 251 includes a CPU 252 that centrally controls each unit, a ROM 253 that fixedly stores fixed data via a bus line 259, and a RAM 254 that functions as a work area by storing variable data in a rewritable manner. The non-volatile memory 258 is connected. The RAM 254 is provided with a storage file G (see FIG. 11) as a storage area to be described later. The nonvolatile memory 258 stores and saves an operation program that is interpreted and executed by the CPU 252. An LCD 213, a touch panel 214, and a scanner 215 are connected to the control unit 251 via a bus line 259.

  The cart terminal 211 includes a wireless communication device 261 and is connected to the control unit 251 via the bus line 259. The wireless communication device 261 performs wireless communication with the wireless communication unit 601 connected to the server 501 through the communication line 151. That is, the wireless communication device 261 realizes communication between the cart terminal 211 and the server 501.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the server 501. The server 501 includes a control unit 551, and the control unit 551 drives and controls each unit. The control unit 551 includes a CPU 552 that centrally controls each unit, a ROM 553 that fixedly stores fixed data via a bus line 556, and a RAM 554 that functions as a work area by storing variable data in a rewritable manner. Connected and configured. The control unit 551 is also connected with an HDD 555 via a bus line 556. Various files such as an operation program, a product data file F (see FIG. 8) described later, and a sales file (not shown) are stored and saved in the HDD 555. The part is moved to the RAM 554 and used when the server 501 is started. The control unit 551 is also connected with an LCD 510 as a display device and a keyboard 511 as an input unit via a bus line 556. Further, the server 501 is provided with a line communication device 561 for communicating with each device via the communication line 151, and is connected to the control unit 551 via the bus line 556.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of the product data file F. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the product data file F serving as a storage unit stores product data such as a unit price of a product 302, a product image indicating a product form, and a product name in association with a product code that specifies each product 302. Memorize freely. Further, the product data file F may store discounts, discount amounts (none of which are shown), and the like.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the payment terminal 401. The settlement terminal 401 includes a control unit 451, and the control unit 451 drives and controls each unit. The control unit 451 includes a CPU 453 that centrally controls each unit, a ROM 453 that fixedly stores fixed data via a bus line 459, and a RAM 454 that functions as a work area by storing variable data in a rewritable manner. Connected and configured. The control unit 451 is also connected with an HDD 458 via a bus line 459. An operation program or the like is stored and saved in the HDD 458, and all or a part of the operation program or the like is transferred to the RAM 454 and used when the settlement terminal 401 is activated. The control unit 451 is connected to a deposit / withdrawal device 402, an LCD 405, a touch panel 406, and a receipt printer 404 via a bus line 459. The payment terminal 401 is provided with a line communication device 461 for communicating with each device via a communication line, and is connected to the control unit 451 via a bus line 459.

  Next, processing executed by the checkout system 101 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when reading a product code. FIG. 10 illustrates a process executed by the cart terminal 211 and the server 501 when reading one product code. The control unit 251 of the cart terminal 211 is on standby for reading the product code by the scanner 215 (step S1). At this time, the control unit 251 displays a basic screen A (see FIG. 12) described later on the LCD 213. Here, if the product code cannot be acquired correctly due to a scan error or the like, an error screen (not shown) is displayed over the basic screen A. The error screen, for example, displays the text “Please scan again because it could not be scanned correctly” to notify the customer of the failure to obtain the product code and prompt the customer to read the product code again. .

  If the product code is correctly read by the scanner 215 (Y in step S1), the control unit 251 transmits the read product code to the server 501 via the wireless communication device 261 ( Step S2).

  When the control unit 551 of the server 501 receives the product code transmitted from the cart terminal 211 in step S2 via the line communication device 561 (Y in step S11), the product data file developed in the RAM 554 based on the received product code. F is searched (step S12). Then, the product name, unit price, etc. included in the product data obtained by the search are temporarily stored in the work area of the RAM 554 as sales data (step S13). The sales data is stored for each identification number for identifying the cart terminal 211, and the settlement amount is calculated based on the unit price. Then, the control unit 551 transmits the product image and the unit price included in the product data obtained by the search to the cart terminal 211 that has transmitted the product code (step S14).

  And the control part 251 of the cart terminal 211 receives the product image and unit price which the server 501 transmitted by step S14 (step S3). When the control unit 251 acquires the product image and the unit price (Y in Step 3), the control unit 251 stores the product image and the unit price in association with the product code corresponding to the storage file G as a storage area provided in the RAM 254 in association with the acquired product image and unit price. (Step S4).

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the data structure of the storage file G. As shown in FIG. 11, the storage file G stores the corresponding product image and unit price together with the product code. The control unit 251 sequentially stores the acquired product image and unit price in the storage file G. Here, whenever the control unit 251 acquires product images and unit prices and stores them in the storage file G, the control unit 251 updates the storage file G and sorts them in descending order of unit prices. That is, in the storage file G, the product images and the unit prices are arranged and stored in the order of the amount of the unit price, regardless of the order of reading or acquiring the product codes.

  Further, every time the control unit 251 acquires the product image and the unit price and stores them in the storage file G, the control unit 251 calculates the settlement amount based on all the unit prices stored in the storage file G. Furthermore, the control unit 251 calculates the total number of product images stored in the storage file G every time the product image and the unit price are acquired and stored in the storage file G. The calculated settlement amount and the total number are stored in the work area of the RAM 254 (not shown).

  Returning to the flowchart of FIG. When the control unit 251 stores the acquired product image and unit price in the storage file G (step S4), the control unit 251 displays the product image and unit price in a list display area A1 (see FIG. 12) described later in the basic screen A. (Step S5), and the process ends.

  FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the basic screen A. The basic screen A displayed on the LCD 213 includes a list display area A1, and the list display area A1 displays a frame A2 that divides the list display area A1 into a total of 24 areas of 4 rows and 6 columns. . The control unit 251 of the cart terminal 211 sequentially displays the product image and the unit price in each area formed by the frame A2 every time the product image and the unit price are acquired and stored in the storage file G. The product images and unit prices stored in the storage file G are displayed in a list on the LCD 213 as a display device. Note that the screen displayed on the LCD 213 may be switched, and the basic screen A may be deleted by a process based on a predetermined operation to display another screen. When the basic screen A is displayed again, the product images and unit prices stored in the storage file G are arranged in the list display area A1 and displayed as a list.

  In the screen example of FIG. 12, product images of wine, cheese, bread, banana, chocolate, and apple are displayed along with the unit price in order from the left in the first row of the list display area A1, and orange products that could not be displayed in this row. The image is displayed at the left end of the second line along with the unit price. At this time, only the seven products 302 corresponding to the seven product images displayed in the list display area A1 must be stored in the storage unit 202 of the shopping cart 201.

  Here, even if the product 302 that does not correspond to the product image is stored in the storage unit 202, the product image is displayed in a list by being sequentially displayed in the list display area A1 with a corresponding unit price. A store clerk or the like who visits the store can easily detect fraud by visually comparing the product image with the product 302 in the storage unit 202 visually. In addition, since the customer is given a psychological deterrent against fraudulent behavior that is easily detected even if it is fraudulent, the product 302 is stored in the storage unit 202 without reading the product code. In this way, it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts by customers who make payments.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the product images and unit prices are displayed in a list in the list display area A1 in descending order of the unit prices. That is, when displaying the product images and unit prices stored in the storage file G in the list display area A1, the product images and unit prices stored in the storage file G are arranged in descending order based on the unit price and displayed as a list. . Specifically, in the state of the screen example shown in FIG. 12, for example, if a product code for sake of 2000 yen is read by the scanner 215 and a product image and unit price corresponding to the product code are acquired, The control unit 251 stores the acquired product image and unit price in the storage file G. At this time, the product images and unit prices stored in the storage file G are sorted in descending order. Then, the product image and unit price of sake stored in the storage file G are displayed in the area where the product image and unit price of wine are displayed in the screen example of FIG. At this time, the product image and the unit price displayed in the screen example of FIG. 12 are once deleted, moved to the right adjacent area, and displayed again. In addition, it goes without saying that the product image and the unit price for the apple displayed at the rightmost end of the first line in the list display area A1 in the screen example of FIG. 12 are moved to the leftmost area of the second line and displayed. . In this way, the product images are arranged in descending order and displayed in a list in the list display area A1, so that the store clerk collates the product 302 in the storage unit 202 with the product image preferentially from the product 302 with a high unit price. can do.

  Further, the basic screen A has a settlement amount area A11 and a total number area A12 positioned above the list display area A1. The control unit 251 displays the settlement amount and the total number stored in the work area of the RAM 254 in the settlement amount area A11 and the total number area A12, respectively. The display contents of the settlement amount area A11 and the total number area A12 are updated every time the settlement amount and the total number stored in the work area of the RAM 254 are updated. The payment amount and the total number displayed in this way allow the customer to recognize his / her shopping status during shopping. That is, the customer can know the amount to be paid by looking at the settlement amount, and can know the number of products 302 stored in the storage unit 202 by reading the product code by looking at the total number. Thus, convenience at the time of shopping for the customer can be improved.

  On the basic screen A, a selection button A13 including the characters “product return” and a selection button A14 including the characters “accounting” are displayed. The selection button A13 is used to specify the touch on the touch panel 214 when the product 302 whose product code is read is returned to the product shelf again, and the selection button A14 is used for the payment with the payment terminal 401.

  Next, the case where the product 302 that has been correctly read the product code by the scanner 215 is returned to the product shelf will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when the product 302 is returned. When returning the product 302, the customer first touches the touch panel 214 on an area in which the product image corresponding to the product 302 desired to be returned is displayed from the areas formed by the frame A2 in the list display area A1. It will be specified. If an arbitrary area in which the product image is displayed is touch-designated (Y in step S21), the control unit 251 can recognize that the touch-designated area has been touch-designated, for example, by color inversion. To highlight. At this time, the product image and the unit price may be highlighted such as a color change. Thereafter, if the same area is again designated by touching the touch panel 214 (Y in step S22), the highlighting is canceled and the process is terminated. However, if the same area is not touch-designated (N in Step S22) and the selection button A13 displayed as “product return” is touch-designated on the touch panel 214 (Y in Step S23), the control unit 251 A return signal instructing the return of the product 302 related to the product image displayed in the touch-designated area is transmitted to the server 501 via the wireless communication device 261 (step S24), and displayed in the touch-designated area. The sold product image and unit price are deleted (step S25). At this time, the product image and the unit price stored in the RAM 254 are also deleted. Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13, when the control unit 551 of the server 501 receives the return signal transmitted and output by the cart terminal 211 in step S <b> 24, the product data regarding the product 302 related to the received return signal is stored in the RAM 554. A process of deleting from the temporarily stored sales data is executed.

  Next, settlement will be described. When the customer has finished reading the product codes for all the products 302 desired to be purchased, the customer moves the shopping cart 201 in which the products 302 are stored in the storage unit 202 to the payment terminal 401 and uses the payment terminal 401. Make a payment.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing at the time of settlement. First, the customer touches and designates the selection button A14 displayed as “accounting” displayed on the basic screen A displayed on the LCD 213 of the cart terminal 211 using the touch panel 214. When the selection button A14 is touch-designated (Y in Step S41), the control unit 251 of the cart terminal 211 superimposes a payment start confirmation screen (not shown) on the basic screen A to confirm the payment start with the customer. Displayed (step S42). As an example, the settlement start confirmation screen displays a letter “Do you want to pay?” And a selection button for selecting “Yes” and “No”. Here, if the customer selects to touch the “No” selection button on the touch panel 214 (Y in Step S43), the settlement start confirmation screen is erased and the process ends, but “No” is not touch-designated. If the “Yes” selection button is touch-designated on the touch panel 214 (Y in step S44), a payment start signal instructing the start of payment is sent to the server 501 via the wireless communication device 261. (Step S45).

  When receiving the settlement start signal transmitted from the cart terminal 211 in step S44 (Y in step S51), the control unit 551 of the server 501 temporarily stores it in the RAM 554 corresponding to the cart terminal 211 that transmitted the settlement start signal. The sold sales data is transmitted to the payment terminal 401 (step S52).

  If the control unit 451 of the payment terminal 401 receives the sales data transmitted by the server 501 in step S52 (Y in step S61), the control unit 451 executes payment based on the payment amount included in the received sales data. That is, the control unit 451 allows money to be inserted based on the settlement amount. At this time, the control unit 451 may display on the LCD 405 of the payment terminal 401 a screen on which characters such as “please put money” are displayed as an example. And if a customer inserts a coin or a banknote into the coin slot 408 or the banknote slot 410 and money more than a settlement amount is thrown into the deposit or withdrawal device 402 (Y of Step S62), the control unit 451 A settlement process is executed (step S63). In the checkout process, data such as the input amount is acquired, and the control unit 451 controls the drive of the deposit / withdrawal device 402 and the receipt printer 404 to execute change dispensing and receipt issuance. Thereafter, the payment data on the settlement terminal 401 stores the sales data on the RAM 454 in the sales file, and the cart terminal 211 clears the storage file G in the RAM 254 and the contents stored in the work area, and the products displayed as a list in the list display area A1. The image and the unit price are deleted, and the settlement amount area A11 and the total number area A12 are displayed as zero.

It is a system configuration figure showing roughly the whole composition of a checkout system. It is a perspective view which shows a shopping cart. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the cart terminal was attached to the flame | frame via the holding | maintenance part. It is a perspective view which shows the state which has read the goods code attached to the goods in the form of barcode using the scanner. It is a perspective view which shows a payment terminal. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of a cart terminal. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of a server. It is a schematic diagram which shows the data structure of a goods data file. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware constitutions of a payment terminal. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process at the time of reading a goods code. It is a schematic diagram which shows the data structure of a memory | storage file. It is a schematic diagram which shows a basic screen. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process at the time of return of goods. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the process at the time of payment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 ... Checkout system (shopping cart system), 201 ... Shopping cart, 201a ... Cart, 202 ... Storage part, 213 ... LCD (display device), 215 ... Scanner (product code reader), 261 ... Wireless communication device, 501 ... Server (higher-level device), F ... Product data file (storage unit), G ... Storage file (storage area)

Claims (5)

A cart carrying goods,
A display device attached to the cart;
A product code reading device for reading a product code for specifying a product;
A wireless communication device for realizing communication with a host device having a storage unit that stores a product image and a unit price corresponding to a product code;
When a product code is read by the product code reading device, communication is performed with the host device via the wireless communication device, and a corresponding product image and unit price stored in the storage unit are acquired. Means,
Means for storing the acquired product image and unit price in a storage area;
Means for displaying a list of product images and unit prices stored in the storage area each time a product code is read by the product code reading device in order from the highest price based on the price of the unit price on the display device;
Shopping cart with. Means for calculating a settlement amount based on the unit price stored in the storage area;
Means for displaying the calculated settlement amount on the display device;
The shopping cart according to claim 1. Means for calculating the total number of product images stored in the storage area;
Means for displaying the calculated total number on the display device;
A shopping cart according to claim 2. The shopping cart according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the cart includes a storage unit that stores the product in a form that allows the product to be visually recognized from the outside. A host device having a storage unit for storing a product image and a unit price corresponding to the product code;
A shopping cart according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
A shopping cart system comprising:

Images