Cash register system and information presentation device

Abstract

To prevent customers from waiting to checkout while making efficient use of a store space.SOLUTION: A cash register system 1 includes: a cash register 10 where a customer pays money; and a movable information presentation device 20 that can communicate with the cash register 10 and is positioned away from the cash register 10. The information presentation device 20 is provided with a bar code reader 28 that reads information from an item carried by the customer and a liquid crystal display 25 that displays the information about the item for a clerk. The cash register 10 performs settlement processing based on the read information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cash register system and an information presentation device. [Background technology]

[0002] POS systems have been used to manage the sales of products in stores. A POS system includes multiple POS register terminals installed in a store and a sales management server that can communicate with each of the POS register terminals. The sales management server obtains information about transaction processing performed at each POS register terminal and manages the sales of products.

[0003] The POS register terminal is installed on a checkout counter that is set up at a predetermined position in a store, and performs checkout processing for products brought to the checkout counter by a customer. For example, in Patent Document 1, a POS terminal and a wireless tag reader connected to the POS terminal by wire are installed on the checkout counter. A store clerk is positioned at the checkout counter to operate the POS terminal and the wireless tag reader, and the store clerk holds the wireless tag reader over products to read product information, and the read information is sent sequentially to the POS terminal. When the reading operation has been performed for all products, the store clerk operates the POS terminal and the checkout is completed with the customer. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-182458 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described in Patent Document 1, the reading process and the checkout process at the checkout counter are carried out as a series of processes, so the checkout process is put on hold while the reading process is being carried out, and the reading process is put on hold when the checkout process is being carried out. Therefore, when the store is crowded, people wait at the register due to the waiting for the process. As a countermeasure to such waits at the register, measures have been taken to set up many checkout counters in advance and assign store staff to the checkout counters depending on how busy the store is, but when the store is relatively empty, there are checkout counters that are not used, and the space in the store is not being used effectively.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a cash register system and an information display device that can effectively utilize the space in a store while preventing customers from having to wait in line at the cash register. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The cash register system of the present invention comprises a cash register device and a movable information presentation device capable of communicating with the cash register device and positioned at a location separate from the cash register device, the information presentation device comprising a reading unit that reads information from products brought by customers and a display unit that displays information about the products to a store clerk, and the cash register device performs accounting processing based on the information read.

[0008] In addition, the information presentation device of the present invention is a movable information presentation device that is placed at a position separate from the cash register device, and is characterized by having a reading unit that reads information from products brought by customers, and a display unit that displays information about the products to a store clerk. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the space in a store while preventing customers from having to wait in line at the cash register. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic diagram of a cash register system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2A is a front view of an information display device of the cash register system; FIG. 2B is a side view of the information display device; [Diagram 3] Hardware connection diagram of the above cash register system [Figure 4] A floor plan of a store using the above cash register system DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The cash register system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the cash register system 1 according to the embodiment is a system that functions as a part of a POS system in a store such as a supermarket, and functions as a so-called semi-self-service cash register in which a store clerk operates an information display device 20 to read the identification information attached to each product, and the customer himself / herself processes the transaction at the cash register device 10.

[0012] The information presentation device 20 is a mobile device that presents information on a product purchased by a customer to a store clerk, and includes a reading unit 21 that functions as a reading unit that reads identification information from a product carried by a customer. As shown in FIG. 2, the reading unit 21 includes an aluminum housing 22 and a known barcode reader 28 that is housed in the housing 22 and scans a barcode displayed on the product through an opening 29 formed in the housing 22. The housing 22 is supported by an aluminum support 26 that extends vertically downward from the bottom of the housing 22 and an aluminum base plate 27 that extends horizontally at the lower end of the support 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the barcode reader 28 of the reading unit 21 is connected by wire to a tablet terminal 24, and executes a reading process based on a reading command received from the tablet terminal 24, and transmits the identification information read from the barcode displayed on the product to the tablet terminal 24.

[0013] The tablet terminal 24 is connected to the management server 40 via a network so as to be capable of wireless communication, and whenever it receives identification information from the barcode reader 28, it uses the identification information as a search key to obtain information on a product (product name and price) corresponding to the identification information from the management server 40. The tablet terminal 24 also has a liquid crystal display 25, and displays the obtained product information on the liquid crystal display 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the tablet terminal 24 is supported on an aluminum support base 23 fixed on the housing 22 of the reading unit 21. In this embodiment, the support base 23 supports the tablet terminal 24 so that the liquid crystal display 25 of the tablet terminal 24 faces the store clerk. This allows the store clerk to check, on the liquid crystal display 25, product information on a product whose identification information has been read, whenever the store clerk holds the product over the reading unit 21.

[0014] The information presentation device 20 configured as described above has the housing 22 of the reading unit 21, the support pillar 26, the base plate 27, and the support stand 23 made of aluminum, and is configured as a portable, movable device that is placed on a counter 30 for use.

[0015] The counter 30 is of an assembled type, and includes a first top panel 31 and legs 32 that can be attached and detached to each of the four corners of the first top panel 31. The first top panel 31 is an aluminum plate-like body that extends horizontally to a degree that allows a shopping basket k used in a store to be placed thereon, and fitting holes are formed in the four corners. The aluminum legs 32 are fitted into each of the fitting holes, so that the first top panel 31 is positioned at about waist height of a store clerk. Casters 34 are attached to the lower ends of the legs 32, making it easy to move the counter 30 in an assembled state.

[0016] The counter 30 (table) of this embodiment also includes a second top plate portion 33 on the side of the first top plate portion 31. The second top plate portion 33 is a horizontally extending aluminum plate-like body, and its plate surface is formed in a lattice shape so that the back side (lower side) can be seen from the front side (upper side). The plate surface is not limited to a lattice shape, and may be formed of a transparent material. The second top plate portion 33 has fitting holes formed in its four corners, and is attached to the legs 32 via stoppers (not shown) attached to the legs 32. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the height of the second top plate portion 33 is appropriately set according to the basket position of the shopping cart s used in the store. Specifically, the height of the second top plate portion 33 is set so that the basket position of the shopping cart s is located above the second top plate portion 33. This allows the store clerk to read the products (including the shopping basket k containing the products) placed in the shopping cart s by the customer (without the need to remove the products from the shopping cart s).

[0017] Once the identification information has been read from all the products, a list of the names of the products that have been read, the prices of each product, and the total amount are displayed on the LCD display 25. In addition, a GUI for designating the cash register 10 that will perform the transaction is displayed on the LCD display 25, and when a store clerk operates the GUI to designate a cash register 10, the tablet terminal 24 transmits the total amount, which is the transaction information, to the designated cash register 10.

[0018] The cash register 10 is a terminal that allows customers to carry out their own accounting procedures, and is installed in a location separate from the information presentation device 20. The cash register 10 has a display 11, on which it displays the accounting information it receives. The customer checks the displayed accounting information and deposits money into a deposit slot provided in the cash register 10, thereby completing the accounting process.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of the information presentation devices 20 and cash register devices 10 are permanently installed in a permanent area A in a store. In this embodiment, three information presentation devices 20 and two cash register devices 10 are permanently installed. When the store becomes crowded, the information presentation devices 20 are carried to and installed in the expansion area B. When installing the information presentation devices 20, the prefabricated counter 30 is assembled, and then the information presentation devices 20 are installed. As shown in FIG. 3, these information presentation devices 20 are connected to each of the cash register devices 10 via a network so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0020] In this way, since the information presentation device 20 according to this embodiment is movable, it can be added or removed depending on the congestion status of the store. That is, when the store becomes crowded, an information presentation device 20 can be added to the additional area B to prevent customers from waiting at the register. Also, when the store becomes vacant, the information presentation device 20 can be removed from the additional area B. Then, by setting up temporary display shelves in the additional area B until the store is expected to become crowded, the space in the store can be used effectively.

[0021] <Modification>

[0022] (1) In the above embodiment, a tablet device is used as the portable information terminal, but a smartphone may also be used.

[0023] (2) In the above embodiment, four information presentation devices 20 and two cash registers 10 are used, but the number of information presentation devices 20 used is not limited to four, and the number of cash registers 10 used is not limited to two. In addition, it is preferable that the number of information presentation devices 20 used is greater than the number of cash registers 10 used.

[0024] (3) In the above embodiment, the counter 30 includes the first top panel portion 31 and the second top panel portion 33. However, the counter may include only the first top panel portion 31.

[0025] (4) In the above embodiment, the housing 22, the support pillars 26, the base plate 27, and the support stand 23 of the reading unit 21 of the information presentation device 20 are made of aluminum. However, they may be made of other lightweight materials such as plastic.

[0026] (5) In the above embodiment, the reading unit 21 includes the barcode reader 28. However, the reading unit 21 may be an RFID reader / writer that reads information from an RF tag attached to a product.

[0027] (6) In the above embodiment, an information display device 20 was used that was placed on the counter 30. However, the information display device may be installed by providing a clamp portion at the bottom of the support 26 and clamping it to the edge of a counter table.

[0028] (7) In the above embodiment, the information presentation device 20 is of a movable type that can be attached to and detached from the counter 30, but it may be of a portable type, that is, a movable type intended to be held by hand during normal use. For example, the information presentation device may be a mobile information terminal equipped with a camera and a CPU that function as a reading unit that reads information from a product carried by a customer, and an LCD display 25 that displays product information to a store clerk. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1. Cash register system 10 Cash register equipment 20 Information presentation device 25 Liquid crystal display (display unit) 24 Tablet terminal (mobile information terminal) 28 Barcode reader (reading unit) 30 counters 31 First top plate section 33 Second top plate section

Claims

[Claim 1] A store facility provided in a store that sells products, a movable information display device having a reading unit for reading information from the product carried by a customer; a cash register capable of communicating with the information presentation device, performing a transaction based on the read information and allowing the customer to pay money; an additional area provided at a position away from the cash register, in which the information display device is installed when the store is busy and in which the information display device is removed when the store is vacant; Store facilities include:

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