Settlement terminal and settlement assistance method

Abstract

A settlement terminal capable of performing settlement using a code is provided with: a first display unit; a second display unit; an imaging unit that is disposed in the vicinity of the first display unit and that captures an image of the code displayed on the medium; and a control unit that controls the first display unit, the second display unit, and the imaging unit, the control unit acquiring a captured image captured by the imaging unit, and causing the second display unit to display a second preview image based on the captured image while causing the first display unit to display a first preview image based on the captured image.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a settlement terminal and a settlement assistance method. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an automatic transaction device which displays a screen for guiding customer operations, has a customer operation display panel on a front surface operation panel for accepting customer operations, and performs transactions according to information input by customer operations. The automatic transaction device includes an optical information reading unit, which is arranged above the front surface operation panel and reads a barcode displayed on a reading object such as a bill or a portable terminal placed on the front surface operation panel. The automatic transaction device displays a position where a bill, a portable phone, or a barcode thereof should be aligned with respect to the screen (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-164367 Summary of the invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] In the technology of Patent Document 1, the customer can understand the preferred position of the barcode or the like relative to the screen, but it is difficult to actually align the barcode to that position. For example, it may be difficult to properly maintain the position and distance of the barcode relative to the screen, it may be difficult to properly align the distance of the barcode relative to the screen with the focal length of the camera that photographs the barcode, and it may be difficult to align the position of the barcode to an appropriate range within the camera's imaging range.

[0008] The present disclosure provides a settlement terminal and a settlement assistance method that can easily guide the position of a medium relative to a camera that captures a code displayed on the medium.

[0009] Means for solving problems

[0010] One method of the present disclosure is a settlement terminal that can use a code to settle accounts. The settlement terminal includes: a first display unit; a second display unit; a camera unit that is arranged near the first display unit and captures a code displayed on a medium; and a control unit that controls the first display unit, the second display unit, and the camera unit, wherein the control unit performs the following operations: obtaining a camera image captured by the camera unit, and causing the first display unit to display a first preview image based on the camera image, while causing the second display unit to display a second preview image based on the camera image.

[0011] One aspect of the present disclosure is a settlement assistance method, which is a settlement assistance method for assisting settlement using a code performed by a settlement terminal, wherein the settlement terminal includes a first display unit, a second display unit, and a camera unit arranged near the first display unit and configured to capture a code displayed on a medium, and the settlement assistance method includes: a step of obtaining a camera image captured by the camera unit; and a step of causing the second display unit to display a second preview image based on the camera image while causing the first display unit to display a first preview image based on the camera image.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to easily guide the position of a medium relative to a camera that captures a code displayed on the medium. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1A It is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of the payment terminal in the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 1B It is a side view showing an example of the appearance of the settlement terminal.

[0016] Figure 1C This is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the settlement terminal.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the payment terminal in the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of a portable terminal displaying a code.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the payment terminal.

[0020] Figure 5 The diagram shows an example of transition of screen display during payment processing by the payment terminal.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing a first example of a screen displaying an image including a preview image for a customer.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing a second example of a screen displaying images including a preview image for a customer.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing a third example of a screen displaying images including a preview image for a customer.

[0024] Fig. 9 This is a diagram showing an example of a screen displaying a preview image for store clerks.

[0025] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of a payment terminal in the second embodiment.

[0026] Fig.11 It is a front perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a customer terminal.

[0027] Fig.12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view transparently showing an example of a customer terminal viewed from the side.

[0028] Fig.13 This is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of a payment terminal in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following description will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings. However, there are cases where unnecessary detailed descriptions are omitted. For example, there are cases where detailed descriptions of matters that are widely known and repeated descriptions of substantially the same structures are omitted. This is to avoid the following description from becoming unnecessarily lengthy and to make it easy for those skilled in the art to understand. In addition, the drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0030] (First Embodiment)

[0031] Figure 1A It is a plan view showing an example of the appearance of the payment terminal 100 in the first embodiment. Figure 1B It is a side view showing an example of the appearance of the payment terminal 100 . Figure 1C It is a front view showing an example of the appearance of the payment terminal 100 .

[0032] The settlement terminal 100 has a main body 10. The main body 10 is, for example, substantially box-shaped. Figure 1A , Figure 1B as well as Figure 1C 1A, side surface 1B, side surface 1C, and rear surface 1D of the settlement terminal 100 are shown. For example, a purchaser (customer) of goods operates the settlement terminal 100 from the front surface 1A side. For example, a store clerk or the like who registers the purchase of goods operates the settlement terminal 100 from the rear surface 1D side. The customer may also be a guest of the store. The settlement terminal 100 is a fixed type terminal placed on a display stand or the like in the store.

[0033] The payment terminal 100 includes a first touch panel 12, a first LED (light emitting diode) 13, an NFC (Near field communication) antenna 15, a first card slot 16s, a second card slot 17s, and a camera 25 on the front surface 1A side. The payment terminal 100 includes a second touch panel 22 and a second LED 23 on the rear surface 1D side.

[0034] The payment terminal 100 is a complex type in which a customer can designate a plurality of payment methods. The payment terminal 100 can be used in a state of being placed on a placement surface α on a cash register counter in a store, for example.

[0035] A plurality of settlement methods include, for example, credit card settlement, electronic money settlement, code (e.g., QR code (registered trademark)) settlement, and cash settlement. Regarding credit card settlement, for example, it includes magnetic card settlement, contact IC card settlement, and contactless IC card settlement. Regarding electronic money, there may also be multiple electronic currencies. Electronic money settlement and contactless IC card settlement use contactless communication (e.g., near field communication: NFC) for settlement, and therefore, are collectively referred to herein as contactless settlement.

[0036] The multiple settlement methods are respectively carried out using corresponding interfaces of the multiple settlement interfaces. The multiple settlement interfaces include, for example, credit cards, electronic money cards C32, codes, and cash. Credit cards include, for example, magnetic cards C1, contact IC cards C2, and contactless IC credit cards C31.

[0037] The magnetic card C1 is inserted into the first card slot 16s for settlement. The contact IC card C2 is inserted into the second card slot 17s for settlement. The contactless IC credit card C31 and the electronic money card C32 are brought close to the NFC antenna 15 for settlement. The contactless IC credit card C31 and the electronic money card C32 are also collectively referred to as "contactless IC card C3".

[0038] In the payment terminal 100 , the first card slot 16s, the second card slot 17s, and the first touch panel 12 are arranged in this order from the vicinity of the placement surface α in the height direction from the placement surface α. The NFC antenna 15 is arranged around the first touch panel 12 .

[0039] In addition, in the settlement terminal 100, the first card slot 16s, the second card slot 17s, the first touch panel 12, and the NFC antenna 15 are collectively arranged on the front surface 1A side facing the customer. In this case, it is easy for the customer to easily select any one of the multiple settlement methods corresponding to the multiple devices arranged in front of the customer. Since the multiple devices corresponding to the multiple settlement methods are concentrated in one place, the settlement according to each settlement method can be smoothly performed.

[0040] Furthermore, the payment terminal 100 is provided with a second touch panel 22. The second touch panel 22 is used by, for example, a store clerk, and is provided on the rear surface 1D side facing the store clerk. In the payment terminal 100, the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22 are provided facing each other.

[0041] In addition, regarding the settlement terminal 100, when viewed from the side, the upper part of the settlement terminal 100 is in a mountain shape (see Figure 1B The mountain shape has a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is the surface having the first touch panel 12, and is the operation surface used by the customer during settlement. The second surface is the surface having the second touch panel 22, and is the operation surface used by the clerk during settlement.

[0042] According to this structure, the customer and the store clerk facing each other can simultaneously operate the settlement terminal 100 placed on the placement surface α. For example, when the settlement terminal 100 is placed on the cash register of a store, the store clerk inside the cash register and the customer outside the cash register can operate the settlement terminal 100 while maintaining the facing state.

[0043] In the payment terminal 100, the camera 25 and the first LED 13 are arranged on the front surface 1A side. On the front surface 1A side, the camera 25 and the first LED 13 may be arranged on the rear surface 1D side of the first touch panel 12, that is, on the top side of the mountain shape, but the arrangement position is not limited to this.

[0044] In the payment terminal 100, the second LED 23 is arranged on the rear surface 1D side. On the rear surface 1D side, the second LED 23 may be arranged closer to the front surface 1A side than the second touch panel 22, that is, on the top side of the mountain shape, but the arrangement position is not limited thereto.

[0045] Furthermore, although the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22 are shown as input means for the store clerk and the customer, the payment terminal 100 may include other input means (for example, physical keys or buttons).

[0046] In addition, the settlement terminal 100 has a security protection area SR (see Figure 2). The security protection area SR is an area with improved security compared to areas other than the security protection area SR in the settlement terminal 100. For example, the security protection area SR has tamper-proof properties. The security protection area SR can improve security logically through software processing, or physically through hardware construction and structure. The components used in the settlement process are mainly stored in the security protection area SR.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the payment terminal 100 .

[0048] The settlement terminal 100 has a security protection area SR. The settlement terminal 100 has a first CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a first touch panel 12, a first LED 13, an NFC_IC 14, an NFC antenna 15, a first card reader 16, a second card reader 17, and a memory 18 in the security protection area SR. The settlement terminal 100 has a second CPU 21, a second touch panel 22, a second LED 23, a speaker 24, a camera 25, a printer 26, an external terminal 27, and a memory 28 outside the security protection area SR.

[0049] The first CPU 11 implements various functions by executing the program stored in the memory 18. The first CPU 11 comprehensively controls various parts in the security protection area SR. The first CPU 11 performs processes related to credit card settlement and electronic money settlement, for example. The first CPU 11 functions as a settlement CPU that performs processes related to settlement. In addition, the first CPU 11 sends and receives data to and from the second CPU 21, and cooperates with the second CPU 21. In addition, the first CPU 11 is an example of a processor, and may also be other processors.

[0050] The first touch panel 12 has an input detection function that electrically detects the contact or approach of a customer's finger or the like (an example of an object) as an input (input operation). The first touch panel 12, for example, receives an input operation performed by a customer. The first touch panel 12, for example, receives an operation of inputting a PIN in a credit card settlement or an operation of an electronic signature.

[0051] In addition, the first touch panel 12 displays an image for assisting code payment (also referred to as a payment assistance image). The payment assistance image includes a preview image PG, guide information GI, etc. Code payment is payment using a code such as a two-dimensional code.

[0052] For example, the first touch panel 12 displays a preview image PG based on a captured image captured by the camera 25. The customer moves the display surface 200D (see FIG. 20D ) of the portable terminal 200 to allow the camera 25 to capture the image. Figure 3) faces the camera 25, and as a result, even when it is difficult for the customer to directly visually recognize the display surface 200D of the portable terminal 200, the customer can confirm the status of the code displayed on the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25 by confirming the display of the preview image PG. The portable terminal 200 is, for example, a smart phone, a tablet terminal, or other portable terminal, and has a display surface 200D that displays the code CD.

[0053] In addition, the first touch panel 12 displays the guidance information GI, which guides the configuration method (e.g., configuration position, configuration duration) of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 (e.g., camera 25) during code settlement. By confirming the guidance information GI, the customer can confirm how to perform code settlement using the portable terminal 200. In addition, the guidance information GI may also include guidance information for setting the portable terminal 200 to a given configuration state relative to the settlement terminal 100 for code reading. By confirming the guidance information GI, the customer can move the code CD displayed on the portable terminal 200 to a position where the settlement terminal 100 can read it.

[0054] The first LED 13 is used to display various information. The first LED 13 can display in various display modes. The display mode may include, for example, display color (e.g., red, green, blue), display timing (e.g., display during settlement processing, display when settlement is completed), and display mode (e.g., lighting, flashing, extinguishing).

[0055] The NFC_IC 14 performs processing for the NFC antenna 15 . For example, the NFC_IC 14 controls the power supply to the NFC antenna 15 and the data communication via the NFC antenna 15 .

[0056] The NFC antenna 15 is formed of, for example, a circular coil. The NFC antenna 15 receives power supply from the NFC_IC14 and generates radio waves. The area within a given distance from the NFC antenna 15 is an area where non-contact communication with the NFC antenna 15 is possible (non-contact communication area). If a non-contact IC card C3 (an example of a communication medium capable of non-contact communication) is configured in the non-contact communication area, the radio waves from the NFC antenna 15 reach the non-contact IC card C3, and the NFC antenna 15 provides startup power to the non-contact IC card C3. As a result, the NFC antenna 15 communicates data with the non-contact IC card C3.

[0057] In addition, the center position of the surface defined by the NFC antenna 15 may be substantially consistent with the center position of the surface defined by the first touch panel 12. Thus, by covering the non-contact IC card C3 with the first touch panel 12, data can be communicated between the NFC antenna 15 and the non-contact IC card C3, and the operation becomes easy for the user to understand.

[0058] NFC_IC14 obtains (reads) the information held by the contactless IC credit card C31 via the NFC antenna 15. NFC_IC14 sends the information as contactless read information to the first CPU11. The information held by the contactless IC credit card C31 and the contactless read information include, for example, the identification number of the credit card. In addition, NFC_IC14 obtains (reads) the information held by the electronic money card C32 via the NFC antenna 15. NFC_IC14 sends the information as electronic money read information to the first CPU11. The information held by the electronic money card C32 and the electronic money read information include, for example, the identification number of the electronic money card C32.

[0059] The first card reader 16 is a magnetic card reader. The first card reader 16 reads the information stored in the magnetic card C1 and sends the read information as magnetic read information to the first CPU 11. The information stored in the magnetic card C1 and the magnetic read information include, for example, the identification number of a credit card.

[0060] The second card reader 17 is a contact IC card reader and reads the information stored in the contact IC card C2 and sends the read information as contact read information to the first CPU 11. The information stored in the contact IC card C2 and the contact read information include, for example, the identification number of the credit card.

[0061] The memory 18 may include, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 18 has various data, information, and programs. For example, the boot information GI may be stored in the memory 18 on the first CPU 11 side.

[0062] The second CPU 21 implements various functions by executing the program stored in the memory 28. The second CPU 21 comprehensively controls various parts outside the security protection area SR. The second CPU 21 performs, for example, processing related to code settlement and cash settlement, and processing related to other than settlement. Therefore, the second CPU 21 functions as a general-purpose CPU that performs general processing. In addition, the second CPU 21 sends and receives data between the first CPU 11 and cooperates with the first CPU 11. The second CPU 21 is an example of a processor, and may also be another processor. In addition, the second CPU 21 may also be more high-performance than the first CPU 11.

[0063] The second CPU 21 acquires a captured image of a subject displayed on the mobile terminal 200 from the camera 25. The second CPU 21 analyzes the captured image and recognizes identification information required for payment indicated by the code. The second CPU 21 performs payment processing related to the code payment using the identification information.

[0064] In addition, the second CPU 21 performs various processes for assisting code settlement. The processes may also include processes related to display assistance of the preview image PG based on the camera image captured by the camera 25. The processes may also include processes related to display assistance of the guide information GI indicating the arrangement method of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 during code settlement. The processes may also include processes related to display assistance of the guide information GI for guiding the portable terminal 200 to a given position, distance, or posture relative to the settlement terminal 100 for code reading.

[0065] The second CPU 21 controls the display of auxiliary settlement images (e.g., preview image PG, guide information GI). When the auxiliary settlement image is displayed through the first touch panel 12, the second CPU 21 sends the preview image PG1 as the auxiliary settlement image to the first CPU 11, and instructs the first touch panel 12 to display the auxiliary settlement image. The first touch panel 12 displays the auxiliary settlement image in accordance with the instruction from the second CPU 21 via the first CPU 11. In addition, when the preview image PG2 is displayed through the second touch panel 22, the second CPU 21 instructs the second touch panel 22 to display the preview image PG2 while the preview image PG1 is displayed, in synchronization with the display of the preview image PG1 on the first touch panel 12.

[0066] The second touch panel 22 receives input operations performed by, for example, a store clerk. For example, the amount of money in the purchase of goods and the number of goods purchased are input. The second CPU 21 calculates the settlement amount based on the amount of the goods and the number of goods purchased. In addition, the second touch panel 22 can also receive direct input of the settlement amount. In addition, the second CPU 21 can also obtain information on the settlement amount from a POS as an external device via a communication unit described later. In addition, the structure of the second touch panel 22 can also be the same as that of the first touch panel 12.

[0067] The second LED 23 is used to display various information. The second LED 23 can display in various display modes. The display mode may include, for example, display color (e.g., red, green, blue), display timing (e.g., display when purchase information is input), and display mode (e.g., lighting, flashing, extinguishing).

[0068] The speaker 24 outputs various sounds. The speaker 24 outputs sounds related to processing in the payment terminal 100, for example.

[0069] The camera 25 captures a subject and obtains a captured image. For example, the camera 25 captures a code displayed on the customer's mobile terminal 200 and transmits the captured image to the second CPU 21 .

[0070] The printer 26 outputs information related to the processing (eg, the settlement processing) in the settlement terminal 100 to a paper medium. For example, the printer 26 may print out the settlement processing result on a receipt or the like after the settlement processing.

[0071] The external terminal 27 can be connected to various cables (e.g., LAN (Local Area Network) cables, USB (Universal Serial Bus) cables). Therefore, the external terminal 27 can be connected to various external devices (e.g., POS, cash drawer) via various cables, and can communicate. Therefore, the external terminal 27 functions as a communication unit. In addition, the communication unit can also perform wireless communication (e.g., wireless LAN communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication) without using the external terminal 27.

[0072] The memory 28 may include, for example, a ROM and a RAM. The memory 28 stores various data, information, and programs.

[0073] Next, an operation example of the payment terminal 100 will be described.

[0074] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the payment terminal 100 . Figure 5 1 is a diagram showing an example of transition of screen display during payment processing by the payment terminal 100. Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , the screen displays of the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22 are arranged in time series. Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , screens G11 to G17 show examples of screens displayed on the second touch panel 22 , and screens G23 , G24 , and G27 show examples of screens displayed on the first touch panel 12 .

[0075] First, the second CPU 21 specifies a settlement method ( S11 ). In this case, for example, a store clerk operates the second touch panel 22 , the second touch panel 22 receives an input operation, and the second CPU 21 specifies a settlement method based on the input operation.

[0076] When code settlement is designated as the settlement method, the second CPU 21 performs settlement processing according to the code settlement settlement method. The second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen (eg, Figure 5 Furthermore, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen for inputting a settlement amount (eg Figure 5 The second CPU 21 receives the input operation of the settlement amount from the store clerk via the second touch panel 22, for example, to obtain the information of the settlement amount (S12).

[0077] The second CPU 21 starts the camera 25 (camera: start (ON)) (S13). The second CPU 21 obtains the image (camera image) captured by the camera 25 (S14). The second CPU 21 performs image analysis on the camera image and determines whether the camera image contains the code CD, that is, whether the code CD is reflected in the camera image (code identification processing) (S15).

[0078] When the code is not included in the camera image, the second CPU 21 processes the camera image (image processing) to generate a preview image PG (S16). In the image processing, the second CPU 21 adjusts (resizes) the size (display size) of the camera image based on the screen size (size) of the first touch panel 12 (for example, the vertical length and horizontal length of the screen), thereby generating a preview of the camera image, i.e., a preview image PG1. The preview image PG1 is an image displayed on the first touch panel 12. The second CPU 21 adjusts (resizes) the size (display size) of the camera image based on the screen size (for example, the vertical length and horizontal length of the screen) of the second touch panel 22, thereby generating a preview image PG2. The preview image PG2 is an image displayed on the second touch panel 22. In addition, the image processing can also be omitted.

[0079] The second CPU 21 compresses the camera image (image compression processing) and generates a preview image PG (S17). The camera image here is, for example, the camera image processed in step S16 (the processed image is the preview image PG at the time of step S16), but it can also be the camera image obtained in step S14. The second CPU 21 reduces the data size of the camera image by, for example, reducing the image quality of the camera image (for example, a JPEG image) during the compression of the camera image. In this case, the second CPU 21 generates preview images PG1 and PG2 by compressing the camera image. Thus, the settlement terminal 100 can improve the responsiveness of the preview image PG by reducing the data size even when the bandwidth of the communication path between the first CPU 11 and the second CPU 21 is not wide. In addition, the compression rates when generating the preview images PG1 and PG2 can be the same or different.

[0080] In addition, the compression rates when generating the preview image PG1 and the preview image PG2 may be the same or different. That is, the second CPU 21 may compress the camera image at the compression rate cr1 to generate the preview image PG1. The second CPU 21 may compress the camera image at the compression rate cr2 to generate the preview image PG2. The compression rate cr1 and the compression rate cr2 may be the same or different. In addition, the second CPU 21 may generate the preview image PG2 without compressing the camera image.

[0081] The settlement terminal 100 is divided into a security protection area SR and a non-security protection area, and the configuration positions of the two touch panels (the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22) are also separated. Therefore, it is necessary to transmit the image to each touch panel. Even in this case, the settlement terminal 100 can minimize the delay when transmitting the image by image compression processing. In addition, the image compression processing can also be omitted.

[0082] When omitting both the image processing of step S16 and the image compression processing of step S17 , the second CPU 21 sets the captured image obtained in step S14 as the preview image PG ( PG1 , PG2 ) as it is.

[0083] The second CPU 21 transmits the preview image PG to each touch panel (image transmission process) ( S18 ). In this case, the second CPU 21 transmits the preview image PG1 to the first CPU 11 and transmits the preview image PG2 to the second touch panel 22 .

[0084] In addition, the code recognition process of recognizing whether the camera image contains the code CD, the image processing process of generating the preview image PG, the image compression process, and the image transmission process of sending (transmitting) the preview image PG can also be performed in parallel. For example, even if the camera image captured for the first time contains the code CD, the second CPU 21 can generate the preview image PG based on the camera image and send it via the communication unit. When the second CPU 21 recognizes that the camera image contains the code CD through the code recognition process, it can also stop the image processing process of generating the preview image PG or the image compression process, and the image processing process of sending the preview image PG.

[0085] The first CPU 11 obtains the preview image PG1 from the second CPU 21, obtains the guide information GI from the memory 18, and superimposes the preview image PG1 and the guide information GI (image superposition processing) to generate a superimposed image (S19). The first CPU 11 instructs the first touch panel 12 to display the superimposed image. In addition, the guide information GI may also be stored in the memory 28, and the first CPU 11 may also obtain the guide information GI from the second CPU 21. In addition, the first CPU 11 may also obtain the information of the settlement amount input via the second touch panel 22 from the second CPU 21, and instruct the first touch panel 12 to include the settlement amount information PI in the superimposed image and display the superimposed image.

[0086] The first touch panel 12 obtains the superimposed image from the first CPU 11 and displays the superimposed image (S20). At this time, the first CPU 11 causes the first touch panel 12 to display a screen (for example, Figure 5 The second touch panel 22 obtains the preview image PG2 from the second CPU 21 and displays the preview image PG2 (S20). At this time, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen (for example, Figure 5 If the processing of step S20 is completed, the process proceeds to step S14.

[0087] That is, when the settlement terminal 100 determines in step S15 that the code CD is not included in the camera image, the first touch panel 12 displays the preview image PG1 and the guide information GI, and assists the customer to place the portable terminal 200 at a desired position relative to the settlement terminal 100. In addition, in this case, the settlement terminal 100 displays the preview image PG2 on the second touch panel 22, and can assist the store clerk to guide the customer to place the portable terminal 200 at a desired position relative to the settlement terminal 100. The shooting by the camera 25 is performed sequentially. If the customer moves the position of the portable terminal 200 according to the preview image PG1, the guide information GI, and the advice from the store clerk, the movement is reflected in the camera image, and it can be expected that the code CD is included in the camera image. The settlement terminal 100 can continue to provide such assistance until the code CD is included in the camera image in step S15.

[0088] When it is determined in the code recognition process of step S15 that the code CD is included in the captured image, the second CPU 21 obtains (reads) the recognition information indicated by the code CD as the code reading information. The second CPU 21 cooperates with an external server (e.g., a server of a settlement center) for code settlement, and uses the code reading information to perform settlement processing (center cooperation processing) (S21).

[0089] In the settlement process (center cooperation process), for example, the following process is performed. The second CPU 21 sends settlement request information including code reading information and settlement amount to the server of the settlement center via the communication unit (for example, the external terminal 27). At this time, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen indicating that it is communicating with the server of the settlement center (for example, Figure 5 In addition, at this time, the second CPU 21 causes the first touch panel 12 to display a screen (for example, Figure 5 Then, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a confirmation screen (eg, Figure 5 Then, if the second CPU 21 receives a confirmation instruction (e.g., pressing of a confirmation button) on the confirmation screen of the settlement content via the second touch panel 22, it sends the confirmation instruction to the external server via the communication unit. At this time, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen indicating that it is communicating with the server of the settlement center (e.g., Figure 5The external server receives the confirmation instruction and receives the settlement request information from the settlement terminal 100, compares it with the information stored in the external server, subtracts the settlement amount from the retained amount associated with the identification number shown in the code, sets the subtraction result as the new retained amount, and completes the transaction of the commodity purchase. The external server sends a settlement completion notification to the settlement terminal 100. If the second CPU 21 receives the settlement completion notification via the communication unit, the settlement process is completed. At this time, the second CPU 21 causes the second touch panel 22 to display a screen indicating the completion of the settlement process (for example, Figure 5 In addition, at this time, the second CPU 21 causes the first touch panel 12 to display a screen indicating completion of the settlement process (for example, Figure 5 The flow of settlement processing is not limited to this example.

[0090] In addition, Figure 5 In the screen transition example of , code detection is performed after screen G13 including preview image PG1 and screen G23 including preview image PG2 are displayed. This means that, as an example, the customer adjusts the position of portable terminal 200 relative to settlement terminal 100 based on preview image PG1 or preview image PG2, thereby Figure 4 In the code recognition process of step S15 which is repeated for the second time and thereafter in the process of , the code CD is detected in the captured image, and the center cooperation process of step S21 is implemented based on the read information of the code CD.

[0091] In step S11, when a settlement method other than code settlement is specified (e.g., credit card settlement, electronic money settlement, cash settlement), the first CPU 11 or the second CPU 21 cooperates with an external device (e.g., a server of a settlement center) as needed to perform settlement processing according to each settlement method (S22). The settlement processing may be a known settlement processing, such as using read information of various cards.

[0092] According to such an operation example, the customer can intuitively understand the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 (for example, the camera 25) during the code settlement by confirming the screen (for example, the screen G23) displaying the superimposed image. Therefore, the customer can understand whether the portable terminal 200 is covered to an appropriate position relative to the settlement terminal 100. The customer can move the position of the portable terminal 200 to a desired position in consideration of the configuration position. Therefore, the customer can easily achieve the position of the portable terminal 200 to be aligned with the focal length of the appropriate camera, or to the desired range in the imaging range of the camera 25 that is easy to read the code. Therefore, the customer can adjust the position and direction of the portable terminal 200 so that the code CD displayed on the display surface 200D of the portable terminal 200 becomes the desired position, desired size, and desired shape. In addition, the clerk can easily appropriately suggest to the customer the position and direction in which the portable terminal 200 should be moved by confirming the screen (for example, the screen G13) displaying the preview image PG2.

[0093] In addition, the preview images PG1 and PG2 may be still images captured at a given time point or videos captured during a given period. That is, the second CPU 21 of the settlement terminal 100 may also process continuous images as videos as a compression method in the image compression process and apply a compression algorithm for videos. In this case, the camera 25 may also capture a video containing a plurality of images captured sequentially in a time series. The second CPU 21 of the settlement terminal 100 may obtain the video (camera video) captured by the camera 25 via the communication unit. The second CPU 21 may perform various processes (e.g., code recognition processing, image processing, image compression processing, image transmission processing, image superposition processing, image display processing) on ​​the camera video. For example, the second CPU 21 may compress the camera video at a compression rate cr3 in the image compression process to generate a preview video PV1 as the preview image PG1. In addition, the second CPU 21 may compress the camera video at a compression rate cr4 in the image compression process to generate a preview video PV2 as the preview image PG2. The compression rate cr3 and the compression rate cr4 may be the same or different. In addition, the second CPU 21 may generate the preview video PV2 without compressing the recorded video. In addition, the second CPU 21 may transmit the preview video PV1 to the first touch panel 12 and transmit the preview video PV2 to the second touch panel 22 during the image transmission process. In addition, the second CPU 21 may cause the first touch panel 12 to display the preview video PV1 and the second touch panel 22 to display the preview video PV2 during the image display process.

[0094] Next, a specific example of the display of the screen G23 will be described.

[0095] Figure 6 1 is a diagram showing a first example (screen G23A) of the screen G23 on which an image including the preview image PG1 for the customer is displayed. Figure 7 2 is a diagram showing a second example (screen G23B) of the screen G23 including the preview image PG1 for the customer. Figure 8 This is a diagram showing a third example (screen G23C) of the screen G23 including the preview image PG1 for the customer.

[0096] exist Figure 6 In the screen G23A, the preview image PG1 is displayed together with the guide information GI. Figure 6 In the display, the guide information GI may include a frame WK indicating the outline of the range where the code CD should be located in the imaging range of the camera 25. The guide information GI may also include information indicating how far the portable terminal 200 should be away from the settlement terminal 100 (for example, 15 cm away) and how long the state of the portable terminal 200 being arranged at the desired position relative to the camera 25 should last (for example, waiting for 1 second). In addition, the guide information GI may also include information for instructions for arranging the code CD in the frame WK (for example, a message of "Please put the barcode in the frame"). According to this display, the customer can confirm the action that the customer should take through the guide information GI, and can confirm the current arrangement position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 through the preview image PG.

[0097] exist Figure 7 In the screen G23B, the settlement amount information PI is displayed together with the preview image PG and the guidance information GI. The guidance information GI may also include, for example, a message "Please cover the barcode". According to this display, the customer can confirm the action that the customer should take through the guidance information GI, can confirm the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 through the preview image PG, and can confirm the settlement amount through the settlement amount information PI.

[0098] exist Figure 8 In the screen G23C, the guide information GI and the like are not displayed, but the preview image PG is displayed alone. In this case, the payment terminal 100 can display the preview image PG larger than the display surface of the first touch panel 12. Therefore, through this display, the customer can confirm in detail the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the payment terminal 100.

[0099] In addition, if Fig. 9As shown, in the screen G13 for the store clerk displayed on the second touch panel 22, at least the preview image PG (PG2) is also displayed. In the preview image PG2, the compression rate may be different from that of the preview image PG1, or the display size may be different. In addition, similar to the screen G23A or the screen G23B, the screen G13 may also display the guide information GI together with the preview image PG. The guide information GI may be obtained via the memory 18, the first CPU 11, and the second CPU 21, or may be obtained from the memory 28.

[0100] In this way, the settlement terminal 100 of the present embodiment can allow the customer to directly visually recognize the actual camera result through the preview image PG. Therefore, the customer can adjust the configuration of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100. Furthermore, the settlement terminal 100 also displays the guidance information GI, thereby providing information on the adjustment method of the portable terminal 200 that is difficult to determine only by visual recognition of the camera result. In addition, the settlement terminal 100 displays the preview image PG (PG1, PG2) on both the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22, so the clerk can guide the customer to adjust the position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the settlement terminal 100 based on the preview image PG2 displayed on the second touch panel 22.

[0101] (Second Embodiment)

[0102] In the first embodiment, the settlement terminal 100 as one terminal is illustrated as having two display units (for example, the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22). Fig.10 As shown, the case where the settlement terminal 100A includes two terminals, namely, the customer terminal 100A1 and the store terminal 100A2 will be described. In the second embodiment, the description of the same matters as those in the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

[0103] Fig.11 1 is a front perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the customer terminal 100A1. The customer terminal 100A1 has a main body 10. The main body 10 is, for example, roughly box-shaped. For example, the customer operates the customer terminal 100A1 from the front surface 1A side of the customer terminal 100A1. The customer terminal 100A1 is connected to a store terminal 100A2 operated by a store clerk. The customer terminal 100A1 can cooperate with the store terminal 100A2 to perform various settlement processes. The store terminal 100A2, for example, performs the input of commodities, the input of amounts, the selection of settlement methods, etc. via the input device provided in the store terminal 100A2.

[0104] The customer terminal 100A1 includes a first touch panel 12, a first LED 13, an NFC antenna 15, a first card slot 16s, a second card slot 17s, and a camera 25. The customer terminal 100A1 includes a cable CA on the rear surface 1D side. The cable CA may include a power cable, a communication cable, a LAN (Local Area Network) cable, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable, and the like.

[0105] The customer terminal 100A1 is a complex type capable of cooperating with the store terminal 100A2 and executing settlement processing according to a plurality of settlement methods.

[0106] The camera 25 includes a camera module md and a lens ls (see Fig.12 ). In the customer terminal 100A1, when viewed from the outside of the customer terminal 100A1, in the height direction from the placement surface α, the lens 1s of the camera 25, the second card slot 17s, and the first touch panel 12 are sequentially arranged from the vicinity of the placement surface α. In addition, in the customer terminal 100A1, when viewed from the inside of the customer terminal 100A1, in the height direction from the placement surface α, the camera module md of the camera 25, the second card reader 17, the NFC antenna 15, and the first touch panel 12 are sequentially arranged from the vicinity of the placement surface α. In addition, the NFC antenna 15 and the first touch panel 12 may be at the same height from the placement surface α, that is, they may be on the same surface, and the NFC antenna 15 may be arranged around the first touch panel 12. In addition, the surface on which the first touch panel 12 is arranged is also referred to as the panel arrangement surface 10a. The panel arrangement surface 10a may also be the upper surface of the main body 10.

[0107] When viewed from the front surface 1A, the first card slot 16s is located on the right or left side, for example, Fig.11 In this case, it is easy for the customer to easily select any one of the multiple payment methods corresponding to the multiple devices arranged in front of the customer.

[0108] The height of the rear surface 1D side of the customer terminal 100A1 is higher than that of the front surface 1A side. That is, the panel configuration surface 10a of the main body 10 of the customer terminal 100A1 gradually becomes lower toward the customer side. That is, when the customer faces the second card slot 17s, the direction of the panel configuration surface 10a of the customer terminal 100A1 faces the customer and is diagonally upward.

[0109] The first LED 13 is arranged on the panel arrangement surface 10a of the main body 10 of the customer terminal 100A1. The arrangement position of the first LED 13 is not limited to this, and any position may be any position as long as it can be visually recognized by the customer.

[0110] The customer terminal 100A1 has an opening 30 without a housing of the main body 10 on the front surface 1A. The opening 30 is widest on the front surface 1A side, and becomes narrower toward the rear surface 1D side. That is, the opening 30 expands from the rear surface 1D side toward the front surface 1A side. The second card slot 17s and the lens 1s of the camera 25 are arranged in the opening 30. For example, the second card slot 17s is located at the end of the opening 30 on the surface 1D side.

[0111] A lower surface 30b is arranged at the lower part of the peripheral end of the opening 30. The lower surface 30b may be a tapered surface that gradually approaches the placement surface α from the rear surface 1D side toward the front surface 1A side. The lower surface 30b is, for example, roughly formed in a planar shape. The surface 10b of the lower part of the peripheral part of the opening 30 located on the front surface 1A side of the main body 10 of the customer terminal 100A1 is connected to the lower surface 30b. A part of the connection part between the surface 10b of the main body 10 and the lower surface 30b of the opening 30 is in a concave shape, forming a concave portion H1. The concave portion H1 is a part of the opening 30. The shape of the contour of the concave portion H1 is, for example, in a semicircular arc shape or a semi-elliptical arc shape. In the concave portion H1, the lens 1s of the camera 25 is arranged to be exposed. The front surface side of the lens 1s is not covered by the shell of the main body 10. Therefore, the camera 25 can introduce light from the outside of the customer terminal 100A1 through the concave portion H1. Furthermore, by arranging the lens 1s in the recessed portion H1, it becomes difficult for the customer's fingers, dust, etc. to reach the lens 1s during settlement, thereby protecting the lens 1s from damage and adhesion of dirt.

[0112] Fig.12 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the customer terminal 100A1 viewed from the side. Fig.12 In the figure, illustration of the first touch panel 12, the NFC antenna 15, etc. is omitted.

[0113] In the customer terminal 100A1, the camera 25 may be arranged closer to the front surface 1A than the second card slot 17s (in Figure 2 In other words, when the customer faces the second card slot 17s, the lens 1s of the camera 25 may be arranged at a position closer to the customer than the second card slot 17s. In this case, the lens 1s of the camera 25 is relatively located on the front surface 1A side in the opening 30, so that the customer terminal 100A1 can easily introduce light from a subject (e.g., a portable terminal 200 displaying a code) located outside the customer terminal 100A1. Therefore, the customer terminal 100A1 can capture the code CD displayed on the display surface of the portable terminal 200 with high image quality, thereby improving the recognition accuracy of the code.

[0114] In addition, in the customer terminal 100A1, the camera 25 is arranged at a position closer to the placement surface α than the second card slot 17s. For example, the distance between the placement surface α and the arrangement position of the second card slot 17s, that is, the distance between the placement surface α and the contact IC card C2 inserted into the second card slot 17s, may be a length such that the finger of the customer who wants to insert the contact IC card C2 can enter between the contact IC card C2 and the placement surface α.

[0115] Thus, even in the configuration position of the camera 25 of the present embodiment, the customer can insert the contact IC card C2 into the second card slot 17s, and can perform settlement using the contact IC card C2. In addition, the dead space inside the customer terminal 100A1 is likely to be formed on the side closer to the placement surface α than the second card slot 17s. By configuring the camera 25 at such a position, the dead space inside the customer terminal 100A1 can be effectively utilized, and the configuration efficiency of the camera 25 can be improved. Therefore, it is related to the miniaturization of the customer terminal 100A1 equipped with the camera 25.

[0116] The normal direction of the lens 1s of the camera 25, that is, the direction of the optical axis OC of the lens 1s (optical axis direction) forms a predetermined angle θ (eg, about 50 degrees) with respect to the placement surface α. That is, the optical axis direction of the camera 25 is diagonally upward facing the customer.

[0117] If the settlement terminal 100A is divided into the customer terminal 100A1 and the store terminal 100A2, the structure of the customer terminal 100A1 may not be the same as described above, and the structure of the appearance of the customer terminal 100A1 and the structure of the appearance of the store terminal 100A2 may also be arbitrary.

[0118] Fig.13 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the settlement terminal 100A. Fig.13 In, with Figure 2 The same electrical configurations of the settlement terminal 100 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted or simplified.

[0119] In the payment terminal 100A, the customer terminal 100A1 is provided with Figure 2 The settlement terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with each component arranged in the security protection area SR. Figure 2 The illustrated components of the payment terminal 100 are arranged outside the secure protection area SR. In addition, although the customer terminal 100A1 is shown as having the secure protection area SR, it is not necessary to have the secure protection area SR.

[0120] Specifically, the customer terminal 100A1 includes a first CPU 11, a first touch panel 12, a first LED 13, an NFC_IC 14, an NFC antenna 15, a first card reader 16, a second card reader 17, and a memory 18 in the secure protection area SR. The customer terminal 100A1 also includes a first communication unit 19.

[0121] Specifically, the store terminal 100A2 includes a second CPU 21, a second touch panel 22, a second LED 23, a speaker 24, a printer 26, and a memory 28 outside the security protection area SR. In addition, the store terminal 100A2 includes a second communication unit 20.

[0122] The first communication unit 19 communicates data with an external device (eg, the store terminal 100A2) via wire (eg, the cable CA) or wirelessly. The second communication unit 29 communicates data with an external device (eg, the customer terminal 100A1) via wire or wirelessly.

[0123] Next, an operation example of the payment terminal 100A will be described.

[0124] The operation example of the settlement terminal 100A of this embodiment is the same as the operation example of the settlement terminal 100 of the first embodiment. In addition, in the settlement terminal 100A, since the customer terminal 100A1 and the store terminal 100A2 are separated, the structure of the customer terminal 100A1 and the structure of the store terminal 100A2 communicate via the first communication unit 19 and the second communication unit 29, thereby sending and receiving data. Therefore, the party that compresses the camera image by the image compression process can reduce the amount of data communication between the first communication unit 19 and the second communication unit 29 in the image transmission process. Therefore, the first touch panel 12 of the customer terminal 100A1 and the second touch panel 22 of the store terminal 100A2 can smoothly suppress delay and can display the screen including the preview image PG.

[0125] In addition, the screen display example of the settlement terminal 100A in this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, that is, Figures 5 to 9 The screen display examples shown are the same.

[0126] As described above, according to the payment terminal 100A of the present embodiment, even when the payment terminal is divided into two terminals (the customer terminal 100A1 and the store terminal 100A2 ), the same effects as those of the payment terminal 100 of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0127] In addition, the customer terminal 100A1 has Fig.11 as well as Fig.12In the case of the structure shown, the camera 25 is located near the placement surface α. In addition, there are an opening 30 and a recess H1 around the camera 25, and the optical axis direction of the lens 1s of the camera 25 is inclined relative to the placement surface α and in a direction perpendicular to the placement surface α. Therefore, in the customer terminal 100A1, the area around the camera 25 becomes a complex shape. Even in this case, when the customer brings the portable terminal 200 displaying the code CD close to the camera 25, the customer can adjust the position of the portable terminal 200 while checking the preview image PG1 and the guide information GI, so it is easy to operate so that the code CD is appropriately included in the camera range of the camera 25. Therefore, the settlement terminal 100A can easily guide the position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25 that captures the code CD displayed on the portable terminal 200.

[0128] (Overview of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure)

[0129] As described above, the settlement terminal 100, 100A of the above-mentioned embodiment is a settlement terminal capable of performing settlement using a code CD. The settlement terminal 100 includes: a first touch panel 12 (an example of a first display unit); a second touch panel 22 (a second display unit); a camera 25 (an example of a camera unit) disposed near the first touch panel 12 and photographing a code CD displayed on the portable terminal 200 (an example of a medium); and a second CPU 21 (an example of a control unit) that controls the first touch panel 12, the second touch panel 22, and the camera 25. The second CPU 21 obtains a camera image photographed by the camera 25, and displays a preview image PG1 (an example of a first preview image) based on the camera image on the first touch panel 12, and displays a preview image PG2 (an example of a second preview image) based on the camera image on the second touch panel 22.

[0130] Thus, the settlement terminal 100, 100A displays the preview image PG (PG1, PG2) on both the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22. Therefore, the customer can check the preview image PG2 and the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25, and can easily adjust the position of the portable terminal 200. In addition, the clerk can check the preview image PG2 displayed on the second touch panel 22 and guide the customer to adjust the position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25. Therefore, the settlement terminal 100, 100A can easily guide the position of the medium relative to the camera 25 that captures the code CD displayed on the medium.

[0131] In addition, the settlement terminal 100A may include a customer terminal 100A1 (an example of a first terminal) and a store terminal 100A2 (an example of a second terminal). The customer terminal 100A1 may include a first touch panel 12 and a camera 25. The store terminal 100A2 may include a second touch panel 22 and a second CPU 21. The second CPU 21 may obtain a camera image from the camera 25 of the customer terminal 100A1, compress the camera image at a compression rate cr1 (an example of a first compression rate) to generate a preview image PG1. The second CPU 21 may compress the camera image at a compression rate cr2 (an example of a second compression rate) different from the compression rate cr1 or at a compression rate cr2 the same as the compression rate cr1, or may generate a preview image PG2 without compressing the camera image. The second CPU 21 may transmit the preview image PG1 to the first touch panel 12, and transmit the preview image PG2 to the second touch panel 22. The second CPU 21 may display the preview image PG1 on the first touch panel 12, and display the preview image PG2 on the second touch panel 22.

[0132] Thus, the settlement terminal 100A sets the compressed camera video as the preview video PV1 and PV2, thereby reducing the amount of data transmitted when the preview video PV1 is transmitted from the second CPU 21 to the first touch panel 12 and when the preview video PV2 is transmitted from the second CPU 21 to the second touch panel 22, and can reduce the delay of the preview video PV1 as a real-time image. Therefore, customers and store employees can more accurately understand the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25.

[0133] In addition, the second CPU 21 may also obtain a camera video including a plurality of images captured sequentially by the camera 25 in a time series as a camera image. The second CPU 21 may also compress the camera video at a compression rate cr3 (an example of a third compression rate) to generate a preview video PV1 (an example of a first preview video) as a preview image PG1. The second CPU 21 may also compress the camera video at a compression rate cr4 (an example of a fourth compression rate) different from the compression rate cr3 or at a compression rate cr4 the same as the compression rate cr3, or may not compress the camera video to generate a preview video PV2 (an example of a second preview video) as a preview image PG2. The second CPU 21 may also transmit the preview video PV1 to the first touch panel 12 and transmit the preview video PV2 to the second touch panel 22. The second CPU 21 may also display the preview video PV1 on the first touch panel 12 and display the preview video PV2 on the second touch panel 22 at the same time.

[0134] Thus, the settlement terminal 100A sets the compressed camera images as preview images PG1 and PG2, thereby reducing the amount of data transmitted when the preview image PG1 is transmitted from the second CPU 21 to the first touch panel 12 and when the preview image PG2 is transmitted from the second CPU 21 to the second touch panel 22, and can reduce the delay of the preview video PV1 as a real-time video. Therefore, customers and store employees can more accurately understand the current configuration position of the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25.

[0135] In addition, the screen size of the first touch panel 12 and the screen size of the second touch panel 22 may be different. The second CPU 21 may adjust the display size of the captured image based on the screen size of the first touch panel 12 to generate the preview image PG1, and adjust the display size of the captured image based on the screen size of the second touch panel 22 to generate the preview image PG2. The second CPU 21 may also cause the first touch panel 12 to display the preview image PG1 while causing the second touch panel 22 to display the preview image PG2.

[0136] Thus, even when the screen sizes of the first touch panel 12 and the second touch panel 22 are different, the payment terminals 100 and 100A can display the preview images PG1 and PG2 in accordance with the screen sizes.

[0137] Furthermore, the second CPU 21 may cause the first touch panel 12 to simultaneously display the preview image PG1 and the guidance information GI for guiding the arrangement method of the mobile terminal 200 with respect to the camera 25 .

[0138] This makes it easier for customers to recognize how to configure the portable terminal 200 relative to the camera 25 to perform code settlement.

[0139] In the above, various embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it is self-evident that the present invention is not limited to the examples involved. It is understood that it is obvious that as long as a person skilled in the art can think of various changes or modifications within the scope described in the claims, these changes or modifications certainly also belong to the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, the constituent elements in the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined within the scope of the main purpose of the invention.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the case where the code CD for code settlement is displayed on the portable terminal 200 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A medium other than the portable terminal 200 (e.g., a paper medium) may also be displayed. For example, code settlement using a printed code may also be performed. Even in this case, the settlement terminal 100, 100A may guide the code displayed on the medium to an appropriate position and distance relative to the settlement terminal 100, 100A.

[0141] In addition, the above embodiment is not limited to code reading for code settlement, but can also be applied to other purposes. For example, the above embodiment can also be applied to place a point card or a passport printed with a code CD at an appropriate position and distance relative to a reader equipped with a camera 25. In addition, in code reading based on the camera 25, the above embodiment can also be applied to place a passport or the like at an appropriate position and distance relative to the reader when optically reading text by OCR (Optical Character Recognition) or the like.

[0142] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a program for implementing the functions of the settlement assistance method involved in the above-mentioned embodiment can also be provided to an information processing device (such as a settlement terminal) serving as a computer via a network or various storage media, and the program read and executed by the processor of the information processing device and the recording medium storing the program can also be set as the scope of application.

[0143] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the processor may also be physically constructed in any manner. In addition, if a programmable processor is used, the processing content can be changed by changing the program, so the freedom of design of the processor can be increased. The processor may be composed of one semiconductor chip or physically composed of multiple semiconductor chips. In the case of being composed of multiple semiconductor chips, each control of the above-mentioned embodiment may also be implemented by different semiconductor chips. In this case, it can be considered that one processor is composed of those multiple semiconductor chips. In addition, the processor may also be composed of a component (capacitor, etc.) having a function different from that of the semiconductor chip. In addition, a semiconductor chip may be constructed to realize the functions of the processor and functions other than these. In addition, multiple processors may also be composed of one processor.

[0144] In addition, the present disclosure is based on Japanese patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-198008) filed on December 12, 2022, and the contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference.

[0145] Industrial Applicability

[0146] The present disclosure is useful for a settlement terminal and a settlement support method, etc., which can easily guide the position of a medium relative to a camera that captures a code displayed on the medium.

[0147] Description of Reference Numerals

[0148] 100, 100A: settlement terminal, 1A: front surface, 1B: side surface, 1C: side surface, 1D: rear surface, 10: main body, 11: first CPU, 12: first touch panel, 13: first LED, 14: NFC_IC, 15: NFC antenna, 16: first card reader, 17: second card reader, 18: memory, 19: first communication unit, 21: second CPU, 22: second touch panel, 23: second LED, 24: speaker, 25: camera, 26: printer, 27: external terminal, 28: memory, 29: second communication unit, 30: opening, CD: code, PG, PG1, PG2: preview image, GI: guide information, H1: recessed portion, α: placement surface.

Claims

1. A settlement terminal capable of using a code for settlement, the settlement terminal comprising: a first display unit; a second display unit; a camera unit, arranged near the first display unit, and photographing the code displayed on the medium; and a control unit, controlling the first display unit, the second display unit and the camera unit, The control unit performs the following operations: Acquiring a camera image captured by the camera unit, The first display unit is caused to display a first preview image based on the captured image, and the second display unit is caused to display a second preview image based on the captured image.

2. The settlement terminal according to claim 1, wherein: The settlement terminal includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal includes the first display unit and the camera unit. The second terminal includes the second display unit and the control unit. The control unit performs the following operations: acquiring the captured image from the camera unit of the first terminal, compressing the camera image at a first compression rate to generate the first preview image, compressing the captured image at a second compression rate different from the first compression rate or at a second compression rate the same as the first compression rate, or generating the second preview image without compressing the captured image, transmitting the first preview image to the first display unit, transmitting the second preview image to the second display unit, The first display unit is caused to display the first preview image, and the second display unit is caused to display the second preview image.

3. The settlement terminal according to claim 2, wherein: The control unit performs the following operations: acquiring a captured video including a plurality of images captured sequentially in time series by the camera unit as the captured image, compressing the camera video at a third compression rate to generate a first preview video as the first preview image, compressing the camera video at a fourth compression rate different from the third compression rate or at a fourth compression rate the same as the third compression rate, or generating a second preview video as the second preview image without compressing the camera video, transmitting the first preview video to the first display unit, transmitting the second preview video to the second display unit, The first display unit is caused to display the first preview video, and the second display unit is caused to display the second preview video.

4. The settlement terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The screen size of the first display unit is different from the screen size of the second display unit. The control unit performs the following operations: adjusting the display size of the captured image based on the screen size of the first display unit to generate the first preview image; adjusting the display size of the captured image based on the screen size of the second display unit to generate the second preview image; The first display unit is caused to display the first preview image, and the second display unit is caused to display the second preview image.

5. The settlement terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit causes the first display unit to simultaneously display the first preview image and guidance information for guiding a method of arranging the medium with respect to the payment terminal.

6. The settlement terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The medium is a third terminal that displays the code.

7. The settlement terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The settlement terminal is a fixed terminal.

8. A settlement assistance method for assisting a settlement terminal in performing a settlement using a code, wherein: The settlement terminal includes a first display unit, a second display unit, and a camera unit disposed near the first display unit and configured to capture a code displayed on a medium. The settlement assistance method comprises: A step of obtaining a camera image captured by the camera unit; as well as A step of causing the first display unit to display a first preview image based on the captured image, and causing the second display unit to display a second preview image based on the captured image.

Images