Weighing device, weighing sales system, and computer program

Abstract

To enable more convenient selling by weight by allowing the selling price of a commodity to be calculated without performing a tare subtraction operation in a weighing device.SOLUTION: A weighing device 2 includes a placement unit 21a, a weight detection unit 202 that detects the weight of an item placed on the placement unit 21a, a calculation processing unit 204 that uses the weight detection unit 202 to calculate the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after the weight has changed as the purchased weight of the item, and a communication processing unit 209 that transmits its own device identification information and the purchased weight to a console 3 as transmission data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a weighing device, a weighing system, a computer program for a weighing device, and a computer program for a weighing system for selling items by weight. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in stores such as supermarkets, a sales style in which products are sold by weight in a self-service manner has become common. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-108817 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Normally, when selling by weight, the selling price is calculated by subtracting the weight of the container (tare) from the total weight (net weight, purchased weight) and multiplying it by the unit price of the product. However, there are cases where the tare subtraction, which is the operation of subtracting the weight of the container, is omitted or incorrectly performed. Also, various methods of selling by weight are required.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to realize a more convenient selling by weight system by making it possible to calculate the selling price of a product without performing a tare operation on a weighing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the weighing device of the present invention comprises a loading section, a weight detection means for detecting the weight of an item loaded on the loading section, a calculation processing means for calculating the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after a weight change using the weight detection means as the purchased weight of the item, and a communication processing means for transmitting its own device identification information and the purchased weight as transmission data to a specified terminal. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overview of the device configuration of a metered sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Diagram 3] 1 is an external perspective view showing a weighing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a display and operation unit of the weighing device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a status icon displayed on the display and operation unit of the weighing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a software configuration of the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Figure 7] 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in an item information storage unit in the above-mentioned measure-based sales system. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in a measurement information storage unit in the above-mentioned measurement sales system. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process executed by the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram showing an example of a process executed in a console constituting the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a process executed by the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram showing an example of a process executed in the console. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the console. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the console. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the console. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an accounting slip issued in the above-mentioned measured-volume sales system. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the console. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the console. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a software configuration in a modified example of the above-mentioned metered sales system. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a process flow diagram showing the flow of processes executed by a POS terminal in the modified example of the above-mentioned measured-volume sales system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Overview of the metered sales system 1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A weighing device and a weighing sales system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The measure-based sales system 1 according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a system for selling goods by weight in response to customer operations. In this embodiment, the goods are products sold by weight provided to customers in a store, more specifically foods such as prepared foods (cooked foods) and dried fruits. However, the goods are not limited to these, and may be liquids such as beverages, as long as they are suitable for selling by weight. The weighed sales system 1 according to this embodiment can be used not only in cases where such foods are provided to customers as goods, but also in cases where a store receives a supply of a specified amount of goods.

[0009] The weighing sales system 1 is composed of a plurality of weighing devices 2, a console 3, a store controller 4, and a POS terminal 5, each of which is configured to be able to communicate with each other. The weighing device 2 is a device that weighs the amount of an article provided to a customer by the dispenser 25. This weighing device 2 is connected to a plurality of dispensers 25 or is configured integrally with a plurality of dispensers 25, and executes processes such as calculating the selling price according to the article provided by each dispenser 25. The functions and structures of each weighing device 2 are similar. Dispenser 25 stores and holds articles in storage section 251 (see FIG. 3). Dispensers 25 are prepared for each type of article provided in the store, and one dispenser 25 provides one article to a customer. The functions and structures of the multiple dispensers 25 shown in the figure are all similar. However, dispensers 25 installed on display shelf 26 may have different structures as long as they have similar functions. For example, only some of dispensers 25 may be of an older model type (equipped with necessary functions in terms of functionality). The console 3 is an example of an information processing terminal that acquires weighing information and the like of items from each weighing device 2 and executes processing for accounting for items provided to customers by each dispenser 25 based on the weighing information and the like. The console 3 issues accounting slips for accounting at the POS terminal 5, for example. The store controller 4 is a higher-level device for each terminal and device, and controls the entire weigh-in sales system 1, as well as storing and managing various files.

[0010] The POS terminal 5 is a terminal that processes the accounting for the goods provided to the customer, registers the goods as goods, and executes the accounting for the registered goods. The POS terminal 5 can be any type of POS terminal, such as a full-self-service POS terminal where the customer registers the goods themselves and makes the payment, or a semi-self-service POS terminal where the store clerk registers the goods at a registration machine and the customer makes the payment at a payment machine, and is equipped with the functional units that are equipped in known POS terminals. That is, it is equipped with a display / operation unit for displaying various information and performing operations, a reading unit for reading various codes to obtain information, a payment unit for handling payments by various payment media and cash, a communication unit for enabling data communication with the store controller 4, etc. In one example, the transaction process by the POS terminal 5 is performed based on a transaction slip issued by the console 3. In another example, the transaction process is performed based on transaction information collected from each weighing device 2 and registered in the store controller 4.

[0011] Regardless of this embodiment, the console 3 may be linked to a change dispenser and a drawer, have the same functions as the POS terminal 5, and perform accounting for items on the console 3.

[0012] In this metered volume sales system 1, items sold in one transaction are associated with predetermined transaction identification information, and transaction processing for the items sold in that transaction can be carried out based on the predetermined transaction identification information. That is, the customer operates the dispenser 25 that contains the desired item to be purchased, receives the desired item, and performs an operation to associate the provided desired item with the transaction identification information. The customer performs this operation for each item that he or she wishes to purchase.

[0013] The transaction identification information that identifies one transaction is not particularly limited as long as it is unique for each transaction, and may be a store membership code or other information unrelated to shopping. It may also be issued to a customer each time that the customer uses the metered retail system 1.

[0014] This transaction identification information may be stored in a transaction storage medium M. The transaction storage medium M is an information storage medium that holds the transaction identification information, and may be realized, for example, by an RFID tag, an electronic tag, or NFC. These information storage media may be attached to or built into various cards or mobile terminals. The transaction identification information may be appropriately coded into a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or the like, and printed or displayed on a predetermined medium. The card serving as the transaction storage medium M may be a card dedicated to shopping at a store or the volumetric sales system 1, or may be a card for other purposes, such as a transportation IC card or other IC card that allows payment by various electronic money, or a credit card with an IC. When using such a card, unique identification information such as a user ID or card identification number recorded on the IC card can be used as transaction identification information. IC cards and credit cards that allow payment by electronic money can be conveniently used when making a payment at the POS terminal 5. However, when using the unique identification information recorded on various cards in this way as transaction identification information, it is preferable that the information is recorded in an unalterable manner.

[0015] With this configuration, when the transaction identification information is used for a transaction, the weighing device 2 obtains the transaction identification information from the transaction storage medium M, and this associates the transaction identification information with the information of the item provided to the customer. The transaction for the item provided to the customer can then be carried out based on the item information associated with the transaction identification information.

[0016] Appearance of the measuring device and dispenser FIG. 2 shows the hardware configuration of the weighing sales system 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the external configuration of a more specifically realized weighing device 2 and dispenser 25. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the weighing device 2 and the dispenser 25 are conceived as separate entities, but the dispenser 25 may be configured as a part of the weighing device 2. In addition, in this embodiment, two dispensers 25 are connected to one weighing device 2, but three or more dispensers 25 may be connected.

[0017] A plurality of dispensers 25 and measuring devices 2 are installed on a display shelf 26 . The dispenser 25 has a storage section 251 for storing articles, an operation section 252 for discharging the articles in the storage section 251 , and a discharge port 253 for discharging the articles in the storage section 251 .

[0018] The storage unit 251 is a hollow container for storing an article, and can store a certain amount of the article inside. The storage unit 251 may be provided integrally with the dispenser 25, or may be configured to be detachable by a predetermined attachment mechanism. When the storage unit 251 is provided integrally with the dispenser 25, it is preferable that the article can be replenished into the storage unit 251 through a predetermined opening provided in advance. When the storage unit 251 is configured to be detachable from the dispenser 25, the article can be replenished into the dispenser 25 by replacing the storage unit 251 that stores the article. In this case, the expiration date of the article may be managed in response to the replacement of the storage unit 251, and for example, information such as the best-before date, best-before period, date, and replenishment amount may be input to the console 3. The input information may be printed as a label and attached to the storage unit 251 or to a management slip.

[0019] The operation unit 252 according to this embodiment is configured with a circular lever linked to an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the discharge outlet 253. When the operation unit 252 is rotated in one direction, the discharge outlet 253 opens and articles are discharged, and when the operation unit 252 is rotated in the opposite direction, the discharge outlet 253 closes and the discharge of articles is restricted. However, the configuration of the dispenser 25 is not limited to this embodiment, and it is sufficient if it is capable of providing any amount of articles to a customer in response to an operation by the customer.

[0020] When a customer wants to receive an article, the customer selects a dispenser 25 containing the desired article, and places a container such as a cup, bag, or bottle below the outlet 253 of the dispenser 25. Then, the customer operates the operating unit 252 to open the outlet 253. In response, the article contained in the storage unit 251 is supplied to the container. Once the desired amount of goods has been dispensed into the container, the customer operates the actuator 252 to close the outlet 253. The actuator 252 may be adapted to return to close the outlet 253 when the customer releases it. While the goods are being supplied from the dispenser 25 to the container, the display and operation unit 23 of the weighing device 2 displays the sales weight, unit price, and sales price of the goods provided to the customer, as described below, so that the customer can operate the operation unit 252 while keeping track of the amount of goods being supplied.

[0021] The operation unit 252 is provided with a sensor 254 capable of detecting the movement of the operation unit 252, thereby making it possible to detect whether or not an operation for providing an article to a customer has been performed. The sensor 254 is realized by, for example, an inclination sensor or a motion sensor, and a sensor capable of detecting the movement of the operation unit 252 is appropriately adopted in accordance with the configuration of the operation unit 252. The sensor 254 or the dispenser 25 and the weighing device 2 are connected so that the weighing device 2 can acquire information from the sensor 254, and as described below, the sensor identification information held by the sensor 254, the detection value of the sensor 254, and the like are output to the weighing device 2.

[0022] ●Hardware configuration of weighing device 2 The weighing device 2 weighs the article supplied from the dispenser 25 to the container, and calculates and displays the selling price. As shown in Figure 2, this weighing device 2 is equipped with an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and memory devices such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and is connected to a weighing unit 21, a transaction identification information acquisition unit 22, a display and operation unit 23, and a communication unit 24 via an interface circuit.

[0023] The weighing unit 21 measures the weight of an article. As shown in Fig. 3, the weighing unit 21 includes a scale pan and a placement unit 21a on which the article is placed. The placement unit 21a is provided on the scale pan and has a shape that supports the dispenser 25. The article is usually placed in the storage unit 251 of the dispenser 25 and placed on the placement unit 21a, and the weighing unit 21 measures the weight of the article placed on the placement unit 21a together with the dispenser 25.

[0024] The weighing unit 21 includes, for example, a load cell 211 and an AD converter 212, and measures the weight of an article on the placement unit 21a by a weight detection method using the load cell 211. The AD converter 212 converts the analog signal input from the load cell 211 into a digital signal. In the conversion to a digital signal, a range in which the weight value can be appropriately acquired is set, and the zero point and the maximum weighing value are recorded. The value converted into digital data is displayed as weight (measured value) on the display / operation unit 23. It should be noted that information regarding the total mass of the items on the placement section 21a after the items have been removed is recorded, and in the next successive operation, this total weight is regarded as the total weight before the items were removed.

[0025] The transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is a functional unit that acquires transaction identification information from the transaction storage medium M when the transaction storage medium M is used for a transaction. This transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is realized according to the manner in which the transaction identification information is stored or held on the transaction storage medium M. For example, if the transaction storage medium M is a card and the transaction identification information is printed encoded as a barcode or two-dimensional code, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is realized by a barcode reader or a CCD camera capable of reading codes. Furthermore, if the transaction identification information is stored in an RFID tag, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is realized by a tag reader. Furthermore, if the transaction identification information is stored in a mobile terminal capable of NFC communication, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is realized by an NFC reader. Although the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 is not shown in Figures 1, 3, etc., the weighing device 2 may have a code reading unit at a specified position on the display / operation unit 23 as the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22, or a separate CCD camera, barcode reader, etc. may be connected.

[0026] The transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 may acquire the transaction identification information on the condition that the weighed weight stabilizes after a change in the weight of the item is detected by the weight detection unit 202, which will be described later. In other words, once an item is provided to a customer, the weight fluctuation subsides, and the weighed weight stabilizes, the provision of the item may be considered complete, and at this stage a request may be made to the customer to acquire the transaction identification information. In this case, the request to acquire the transaction identification information requests an operation to complete the operation, such as pressing a completion button, and the acquisition of the transaction identification information has the function of accepting the completion of the operation. Furthermore, after a change in the weight of an item is detected by the weight detection unit 202, once the weighing weight has stabilized, a request may be made to the customer to obtain transaction identification information, such as by requesting the customer to hold the transaction storage medium M over a reader or the like, and once the transaction identification information has been obtained in response to the request, the transaction identification information may be transmitted to the console 3 together with the weighing information. At this time, the weight of the item in the weighing information transmitted to the console 3 may be the final weighing value. Furthermore, even after the transaction identification information has been obtained, if the weighing weight changes again within a certain period of time from when the transaction identification information was obtained or the weighing weight stabilized, the weighing value after the change may be transmitted to the console 3 as update information, and the weighing value previously transmitted to the console 3 may be updated. When the weighing value after the change is transmitted, the weighing value after the change may be transmitted to the console 3 together with the previously obtained transaction identification information, or only the weighing value after the change may be transmitted, and the weighing value associated with the previously transmitted transaction identification information within the certain period of time may be updated. In addition, the transaction identification information and measurement information may be sent to the console 3 after the transaction identification information has been obtained, an operation to instruct completion of the operation has been accepted, such as pressing a complete button again, etc.

[0027] The display / operation unit 23 constitutes a display means for displaying various information and an operation receiving means for receiving various operations. The display / operation unit 23 can be realized, for example, by a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel and an operation unit such as a mechanical key, or by a touch panel display in which the display unit and the operation unit are integrally configured. 4, the display / operation unit 23 may be provided with areas for displaying information on items weighed by the weighing unit 21. For example, it may be configured with a purchase weight display area 23-1, a total weight display area 23-2, an item unit price display area 23-3, and a sales price display area 23-4 for displaying the selling price (selling price) of the item according to the purchased weight of the item. In addition, it may be provided with a status display area 23-5 for displaying the status of the weighing operation, and operation buttons 23-6 for receiving predetermined operations.

[0028] The purchase weight of the item displayed in the purchase weight display area 23-1 is the weight of the item provided to the customer from the dispenser 25 placed on the placement section 21a, and is the weight of the item to be sold to the customer. This purchase weight of the item is the weight subtracted from the total weight of the items in the dispenser 25, and is the difference between the most recent total weight and the total weight after a weight change is detected. The total weight of the articles displayed in the total weight display area 23-2 is the weight value of the articles on the placement unit 21a measured by the weighing unit 21. When the articles are stored in the storage unit 251 of the dispenser 25, this total weight may be the weight obtained by subtracting the tare weight of the dispenser 25, or may include the weight of the dispenser 25 or the storage unit 251. The unit price of the item displayed in the unit price display area 23-3 is based on data stored in a unit price information storage unit 2B, which will be described later. However, it may also be obtained from the console 3 and displayed. The selling price displayed in the selling price display area 23-4 is calculated by a calculation processing unit 204, which will be described later, based on the purchased weight and unit price of the item. However, in other embodiments, the selling price may be calculated by the console 3.

[0029] In the status display area 23-5, icons indicating status based on weight changes and operations of the items on the placement unit 21a are displayed. Specifically, when the weighing weight (weighing value) is fluctuating (sometimes referred to as a "weight fluctuating state"), the weighing device 2 notifies the user on the display / operation unit 23 that the weight is fluctuating by displaying an icon as shown in the example of Figure 5(a). Furthermore, when the weighing weight (weighing value) is stable (sometimes referred to as a "stable weight state"), the weighing device 2 notifies the user of the stable weight state by using an icon shown in the example of Fig. 5(b) on the display / operation unit 23. When the weight changes from a fluctuating state to a stable weight state, the icon shown in Fig. 5(b) is displayed instead of the icon shown in the example of Fig. 5(a). Furthermore, in the state after the customer has confirmed the purchase weight (sometimes referred to as the "post-confirmation state"), the weighing device 2 notifies the user that the state is after confirmation operation by using the icon shown in the example of Fig. 5(c) on the display / operation unit 23. The post-confirmation state continues, for example, until the selling price, etc. is erased, and ends when the selling price, etc. is erased. Furthermore, when a transaction storage medium M is used for a transaction, the customer is notified of a request to acquire transaction identification information by the icon shown in the example of FIG. 5(d). For example, the customer is requested to hold the transaction storage medium M over the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22. Note that the icon shown in FIG. 5(d) may be switched between lit, flashing, or blank depending on the stage, such as during or after the transaction identification information is being acquired, or when the process of sending the transaction identification information to the console 3 has been completed. Furthermore, after the transaction identification information has been sent, the icon shown in FIG. 5(c) may be displayed to notify the customer that acquisition and transmission of the transaction identification information has been completed.

[0030] The operation button 23-6 is a button for deciding or selecting various operations, and constitutes, for example, a confirmation operation button for confirming the purchase weight of an item. The confirmation operation of the purchase weight constitutes an operation completion means by which the customer completes the operation on the weighing device 2, and the customer moves on to the operation of the console 3 in response to this.

[0031] It is also possible to provide a separate indicator on the display / operation unit 23 to indicate that a zero reset has been performed, that the maintenance mode has ended, and that the weight has been set to 0 g in the maintenance mode. Furthermore, when the weighing device 2 is provided with a transaction identification information acquisition unit 22, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 implemented by a tag reader / writer or the like may be provided on the display / operation unit 23, and guidance or a status icon encouraging the user to hold the transaction storage medium M over the display / operation unit 23 at a specific processing stage may be displayed on the display / operation unit 23. Also, a notation (mark) indicating the position where the transaction storage medium M should be held may be provided on the display / operation unit 23. Such a notation (mark) may be provided, for example, at the position of the operation button 23-6 or in place of the operation button 23-6.

[0032] Furthermore, the weighing device 2 may display nothing or only the background color on the display and operation unit 23 in states other than the weight changing state, the weight stable state, and the state after the confirmation operation. For example, in a state before the weighing weight (weighing value) changes (sometimes referred to as the "state before the start of a transaction" or the "standby state"), or in a state in which preparations for the next transaction (such as erasing the selling price) are being made (sometimes referred to as the "state before the end of a transaction"), the display and operation unit 23 may display nothing or only the background color. The display / operation unit 23 may be configured to have a backlight. In this case, the backlight may be turned on in response to detection of a weight change, and may be turned off in response to completion of an operation or after a certain period of time has passed since completion of the operation. This reduces power consumption and ultimately contributes to environmental conservation.

[0033] In this way, the weighing device 2 displays the purchased weight, total mass, unit price, selling price, etc. of the goods, so that the customer can receive the goods from the weighing device 2 while being aware of this information.

[0034] The communication unit 24 is realized by one or more communication means for realizing a connection with each terminal or device. For example, the mutual connection with the console 3 is realized by a wired or wireless LAN. When the communication unit 24 is realized by a wired LAN, the power supply of the weighing device 2 may be secured by PoE (Power over Ethernet) power supply from the console 3 connected to an external power supply. However, this does not prevent the weighing device 2 from being directly connected to an external power supply or being powered by an internal battery.

[0035] In addition, the weighing device 2 may also include a notification unit such as a speaker or a sign lamp. For example, when articles are being dispensed from dispenser 25 by a customer's operation and the weight of the articles provided to the customer from dispenser 25 approaches a pre-specified weight, the notification unit can emit sound or light to notify the customer of this. In this case, the sound or light may change as the weight of the articles approaches the pre-specified weight. Also, the amount desired by the customer may be set as the pre-specified weight, and audio messages such as "You're almost at the specified weight" or "Please dispense a little at a time" may be issued.

[0036] The designated weight may be set, for example, by a numeric keypad provided on the weighing device 2. That is, when a number is input by the numeric keypad while the weight has not been detected, the display and operation unit 23 that displays the weight displays the detected value in a different manner, such as by flashing the numeric value, and when provision of the goods begins, the display is switched to the actual weight. Also, when purchasing goods by specifying the goods and their weight on the console 3, a similar notification can be realized on the console 3 side by transmitting weight data from the weighing device 2 to the console 3. In addition, as in the case of the designated weight, a sales price can be specified, and notifications and guidance can be given according to the sales price. If it is possible to set both the designated weight and the designated sales price, it is advisable to provide an operator that can select either the designated weight or the designated sales price. Furthermore, the weighing value may be announced by voice at each preset weight value, for example, every 20 g (20 g, 40 g, 60 g, etc.). The announcement of the weighing value may be a fixed value common to the entire system, or may be set only for specific products such as expensive products, or on a product-by-product basis. The voice announcement pattern may also be set to announce at a predetermined interval after the start weight is set, for example, the first announcement may be made at 20 g, and thereafter announcements may be made in 10 g increments.

[0037] ● Software configuration of weighing device 2 As shown in FIG. 6, the weighing device 2 includes, as software resources, an identification information memory unit 2A, a unit price information memory unit 2B, a sensor information acquisition unit 201, a weight detection unit 202, a search processing unit 203, a calculation processing unit 204, an initialization processing unit 205, a unit price acquisition processing unit 206, a notification processing unit 207, a display / operation control unit 208, and a communication processing unit 209.

[0038] The identification information storage unit 2A stores information capable of identifying an article contained in the dispenser 25. In this embodiment, the identification information storage unit 2A stores, for example, sensor identification information of the sensor 254, article identification information of an article provided by the dispenser 25 equipped with each sensor 254, and device identification information unique to each weighing device 2.

[0039] The sensor identification information may be unique in the metered sales system 1, or may be unique for each metering device 2. The metering device 2 holds the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 provided in the dispenser 25 connected to the metering device 2.

[0040] The device identification information is information capable of identifying a specific weighing device 2, and each weighing device 2 holds its own device identification information in the identification information storage unit 2A. This device identification information may be, for example, held by the AD converter 212 and may be configured by converter identification information capable of identifying the AD converter 212. The device identification information may be set by a DIP switch or the like that is separately provided on the weighing device 2.

[0041] The items handled by each weighing device 2 and each dispenser 25 connected to the weighing device 2 are set in advance, and the sensor identification information, item identification information of a specific item, and device identification information are stored in association with each other in the identification information storage unit 2A. This allows an item to be identified from the sensor identification information and device identification information. In addition, the sensor identification information and device identification information are provided from the weighing device 2 to the console 3, allowing the console 3 to identify an item weighed by a specific weighing device 2. The item identification information is unique to each item and is composed of, for example, a PLU code.

[0042] Regardless of the above-described configuration, since each dispenser 25 handles one item, if information relating the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 to the item identification information is stored, one item can be identified from the sensor identification information. Furthermore, the identification information storage unit 2A may be provided in a repeater that exists on the network between the weighing device 2 and the console 3, and the repeater may transmit the device identification information to the console 3. In addition, the weighing device 2 can transmit to the console 3 item identification information of an item identified by the sensor identification information and device identification information, instead of or in addition to the sensor identification information and device identification information.

[0043] The unit price information storage unit 2B is a storage unit that stores unit price information for each item provided to a customer. For example, the unit price information storage unit 2B stores item identification information and the unit price of the item in association with each other. The weighing device 2 can refer to this unit price information to calculate the selling price according to the purchase weight of the weighed item. In addition, since the sensor identification information and item identification information are stored in an associated manner in the identification information storage unit 2A, and the item identification information and unit price information are stored in an associated manner in the unit price information storage unit 2B, the unit price information is identified from the sensor identification information, but the unit price information may also be directly associated with the sensor identification information.

[0044] The sensor information acquisition unit 201 acquires sensor identification information from the sensor 254 of the dispenser 25. When the operation unit 252 is operated by a customer, the sensor 254 detects this by the detection processing unit 2541, and outputs its own sensor identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 2A to the weighing device 2 by the output processing unit 2542. The sensor information acquisition unit 201 acquires the sensor identification information output from the sensor 254, which enables the weighing device 2 to identify the operated dispenser 25.

[0045] The weight detection unit 202 controls the weighing unit 21 to detect the weight of the item placed on the placement unit 21a, thereby detecting the change in weight and the stability of the weight, and obtains the weight value of the item placed on the placement unit 21a based on the detected value. When the weighing device 2 detects a change in the weight of the item on the placement unit 21a using the weight detection unit 202 and then detects that the weight has stabilized, the purchased weight of the item is confirmed and the operation may be considered to be completed. Then, the weighing device 2 transmits to the console 3 the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 of the dispenser 25 that provided the item, i.e., the sensor 254 that detected the weight change due to the provision of the item, its own device identification information, and weighing information related to the purchased weight.

[0046] In addition, after detecting a change in the weight of the items on the placement section 21a, the weighing device 2 may consider the purchased weight of the items to be confirmed on the condition that it detects that the weight has stabilized and accepts the customer's execution of a confirmation operation. Furthermore, when transaction identification information is used in a transaction, the weighing device 2 may consider the purchased weight of the items to be determined upon detecting a change in the weight of the items on the mounting section 21a, detecting that the weight has stabilized, and acquiring transaction identification information by the transaction identification information acquisition section 22. In addition, the confirmation operation may be accepted without waiting for weight stability to be detected. In this case, if the confirmation operation is accepted before weight stability is detected, processing after the confirmation operation may be transitioned to when weight stability is subsequently detected.

[0047] The search processing unit 203 refers to the identification information storage unit 2A to identify an item associated with the sensor identification information acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 201. By referring to the unit price information storage unit 2B in response to the identification of the item, the unit price of the identified item can be identified. Furthermore, if unit price information is directly associated with the sensor identification information, the unit price can be directly identified from the sensor identification information acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 201.

[0048] The calculation processing unit 204 calculates the selling price based on the purchase weight of the article provided to the customer by operating the dispenser 25. In this embodiment, the total weight after one transaction is completed is stored for each dispenser 25, and this total weight becomes a first measurement value related to the weighing result of the item before the customer is provided with the item. When the calculation processing unit 204 provides the item to the customer, it subtracts the second measurement value related to the weighing result of the item after the item is provided from the first measurement value to calculate a third measurement value. The first measurement value and the second measurement value are respectively the weight of the item at the start of the transaction and the weight after the weight change due to the provision of the item, and the difference between them, i.e., the third measurement value which is the weight decrease from the previous time, can be regarded as the purchase weight of the item provided to the customer.

[0049] The calculation processing unit 204 calculates the selling price of the item by multiplying the unit price of the item by the purchase weight. Note that it is also possible to calculate the selling price of the item according to each of the first and second measurement values ​​described above, and use the difference between them as the selling price of the item. Since the difference between the weight before and after the provision of the goods is regarded as the purchased weight of the goods, there is no need to subtract the tare weight, and the operational burden on the customer is reduced. As a result, the time required to provide the goods to the customer is shorter, and there is less waiting time. In addition, because the operational burden is reduced, weighing errors caused by the operation can be reduced.

[0050] The initialization processing unit 205 executes a process of initializing (erasing) the purchase weight based on the weight of the items on the placement unit 21a to an initial value in response to a predetermined timing or operation. In one example of the initialization process by the initialization processing unit 205, when the weight detection unit 202 detects an increase in the total weight of the items on the placement unit 21a, the purchased weight of the items is initialized to an initial value (0 g). In this embodiment, the purchased weight is the weight subtracted from the total weight of the items on the placement unit 21a, but when an item is replaced or replenished, or when an item that was once provided to a customer is returned, the weight increases from the most recent weighing value. Thus, by initializing the purchased weight of the items in response to an increase in the total weight of the items, the accounting process executed subsequently can be made appropriate.

[0051] In this embodiment, the purchased weight is the weight subtracted from the total weight of the items on the placement section 21a, and since the purchased weight becomes a negative value when the total weight increases, the purchased weight of the items may be initialized when the purchased weight becomes a negative value. In such a case, when returning the items, it is necessary to check the condition of the items, so when an increase in the total weight is detected, this may be notified to the store clerk as an error, and when the error is cleared on the condition that the store clerk performs a predetermined operation or performs authorization authentication, the negative purchased weight may be initialized with the current weight as the total weight. Also, if the weight of the goods increases, the purchase weight becomes a negative value, but it is advisable to display a message such as "ERROR" on the display unit to indicate that it is not the purchase weight. In this case, in other examples, it may be displayed as no display (blank) or "0 yen".

[0052] Also, when the weight detection unit 202 detects an increase in the total weight of the items on the placement unit 21a, the purchased weight may be initialized if the increased weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. This allows, for example, operation in which if the increased weight is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it is assumed that the items have been replenished and the purchased weight is initialized, and if the increased weight is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the notification processing unit 207 notifies the store clerk.

[0053] In addition, even if the weight detection unit 202 detects a decrease in the number of items on the placement unit 21a due to the provision of items, etc., and the decrease is calculated as the purchase weight, the purchase weight calculated by the calculation processing unit 204 may be initialized if a certain period of time has passed without any operation thereafter. Note that before the purchase weight is initialized, a notification may be issued by the notification processor 207, which will be described later, and the purchase weight may be initialized if no operation is performed for a certain period of time. When the purchase weight is erased, the system becomes ready to accept operations by the next customer. In addition, an unoperated state refers to a state in which, for example, the operation to confirm the purchase weight of the above-mentioned items is not performed, and the purchase weight may be initialized when a specified confirmation button is not pressed or a state in which transaction identification information is not obtained continues. The above-mentioned certain period of time in an unoperated state may be calculated from the time when the weighing device 2 detects that the weight has stabilized after a weight change.

[0054] When initializing the purchase weight, a notification to the effect that the purchase weight is to be initialized may be sent to the console 3, store controller 4, etc., along with information on the purchase weight to be initialized, to enable yield management. Specifically, item identification information capable of identifying the item and an unsettled flag are sent as transmission data to the console 3. This allows the console 3 to manage the weight data of unsettled items. Note that if a timestamp is issued to the information sent from the weighing device 2 to the console 3, or to the transmitted information, it is possible to ascertain the date and time of occurrence, which is even more useful for yield management. Furthermore, when accounting identification information is used for accounting, weighing information with the value of the accounting identification information set to "Null" may be sent to the console 3 to notify that the purchase weight has been erased.

[0055] In addition, when replacing an item, if the item is temporarily removed from dispenser 25 on mounting section 21a and then a zero reset operation is performed, when it is detected by a change in weight that an item has been refilled into dispenser 25, the first purchase weight after the zero reset may be automatically initialized to 0g.

[0056] In addition, the initialization process for setting the purchased weight of the item to an initial value can also be executed in response to a request from the console 3. In addition, in conjunction with the execution of processing by the initialization processing unit 205, unit price information of the item may be acquired by the unit price acquisition processing unit 206 described later.

[0057] The unit price acquisition processing unit 206 acquires unit price information at a predetermined timing from a terminal or device that holds the unit price information of an item, such as the console 3 or the store controller 4. The acquisition of unit price information is executed, for example, by sending to the console 3 or the like a request to acquire unit price information of an item identified by the item identification information together with the item identification information stored in the identification information storage unit 2A or the unit price information storage unit 2B, and upon receiving the unit price information, the unit price information is registered in the unit price information storage unit 2B.

[0058] The unit price acquisition process may be executed, for example, when the purchase weight is initialized in response to an increase in the total weight of the items on the placement section 21a, the weighing weight is reset to zero, the power is turned on, etc. In addition, when the weighing device 2 does not hold information on the unit price of the items and a weight change is detected, the weighing device 2 may request the console 3 to acquire information on the unit price of the items together with the item identification information.

[0059] In addition, the unit price information may be transmitted from the console 3 to the weighing device 2 when a request to transmit unit price information specifying the weighing device 2 is received on the maintenance screen on the console 3 side, or when the unit price information stored in the item information storage unit 3A is changed.

[0060] Also, the unit price information stored in the unit price information storage section 2B of the weighing device 2 and the unit price information stored in the item information storage section 3A on the console 3 side may be judged to be different, and if they are different, a notification means such as a sign light provided on the console 3 or separately may be used to notify that there is a problem with the registration of the unit price information. In this case, a confirmation screen for asking whether or not to send item unit price information from the console 3 to the weighing device 2 may be displayed as a pop-up or full-screen superimposition, or the screen may be moved to a setting screen (data update screen) to have the administrator or the like update the unit price information.

[0061] Also, when the weighing sales system 1 is started, the weighing device 2 may inquire the console 3, and the console 3 may transmit information on the unit price of the item provided by each weighing device 2 to each weighing device 2. Also, not only when the weighing sales system 1 is started, item identification information may be specified by an operation from a maintenance screen or the weighing device 2, and the console 3 may transmit the unit price of the item corresponding to the item identification information to a specific weighing device 2. Also, when the weighing device 2 does not hold the unit price information, and a higher-level terminal such as the console 3, another cloud server, or the store controller 4 holds the unit price information, each time the weight detection unit 202 detects a weight change, the sensor identification information and device information, or the sensor identification information, may be transmitted to the higher-level terminal together with a request to obtain unit price information, and the sensor identification information and device information, or the unit price information associated with the sensor identification information, may be obtained from the higher-level terminal.

[0062] The notification processing unit 207 notifies when a confirmation operation to confirm the purchased weight of an item is not performed, for example, when the weighing device 2 detects weight stability after a weight fluctuation and a certain amount of time has passed thereafter without a confirmation operation being performed. The confirmation operation for confirming the purchased weight of the items is, for example, pressing (touching) a specified confirmation button. Furthermore, if transaction identification information is used for the transaction, obtaining the transaction identification information, such as by reading the transaction storage medium M, may constitute the confirmation operation. Even if transaction identification information is used for the transaction, an operation such as pressing a specified confirmation button again may be required after obtaining the transaction identification information, and this operation may constitute the confirmation operation.

[0063] The notification is intended to prompt the customer to carry out the next operation or to inform the store manager or the like of the situation. For example, the notification may be made by displaying a message or icon notifying the situation on the display / operation unit 23, or by blinking the screen. Alternatively, a separately provided sign lamp or speaker may be used to light or blink a sign, or to output a buzzer sound. Alternatively, information may be sent to the console 3 or store controller 4 configured to be able to communicate with the weighing device 2, to notify the operator of the console 3 or store controller 4. After detecting the weight stability, the notification processor 207 may immediately issue a notification urging the user to perform the confirmation operation without waiting for a certain period of time to elapse.

[0064] The display / operation control unit 208 controls the display / operation unit 23 to display various information on the display / operation unit 23, and accepts operations and information input from the display / operation unit 23. In this embodiment, the information displayed on the display / operation unit 23 includes the total weight of the goods, the purchased weight of the goods, the unit price, the selling price, etc., as described above.

[0065] The communication processing unit 209 is a functional unit that executes transmission and reception of data with the console 3 and the upper store controller 4 via the communication unit 24, and realizes data communication according to a predetermined communication protocol. The weighing device 2 can use this communication processing unit 209 to transmit or output to the console 3 information related to the purchased weight of the item provided to the customer as the weighing result by the weighing unit 21. At this time, the weighing device 2 can, for example, associate sensor identification information of the sensor 254 that detected the weight change, its own device identification information, and the purchased weight of the item, and transmit this as weighing information to the console 3. Note that if transaction identification information is used for the transaction, the transaction identification information can also be transmitted.

[0066] The timing for the weighing device 2 to send the weighing information to the console 3 can be, for example, when the purchase weight is weighed in the weighing unit 21 and the weight detection unit 202 detects that the weight of the items on the mounting unit 21a has stabilized. This condition can be set in a variety of ways, and the condition may be the detection of weight stability and the customer's confirmation operation, or, if transaction identification information is used, the condition may be the acquisition of transaction identification information by the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 in addition to the detection of the stability of the weight of the items.

[0067] In addition, the information transmitted by the communication processing unit 209 to the console 3 as information for identifying the goods provided to the customer together with information related to the purchased weight of the goods differs depending on the embodiment of the measure-based sales system 1. In a first example, the communication processing unit 209 may transmit the sensor identification information, the device identification information, and the item identification information to the console 3. In this first example, since the item identification information is transmitted from the weighing device 2, the console 3 can identify the item based on the item identification information, or can identify the item identification information based on the sensor identification information and / or the device identification information if the console 3 holds information that associates the sensor identification information and / or the device identification information with the item identification information. In the second example, the communication processing unit 209 may transmit the sensor identification information and the item identification information to the console 3. In this second example, as in the first example, the weighing device 2 transmits the item identification information, so that the console 3 can identify the item based on the item identification information. Furthermore, if information that associates the sensor identification information with the item identification information is stored, the item identification information can also be identified based on the sensor identification information. In a third example, the communication processing unit 209 may transmit the sensor identification information and the device identification information to the console 3. In this third example, if the sensor identification information and the device identification information are associated with the item identification information, the item identification information can be identified based on the sensor identification information and the device identification information. For example, if a unique device identification information is used for each weighing device 2 constituting one weighing sales system 1, and a unique sensor identification information is used for each weighing device 2, the device identification information and the sensor identification information can be associated with the item identification information. Even if multiple items are handled by multiple dispensers 25 connected to the weighing device 2 and the unit prices of each item are different, the item and the unit price can be identified from the device identification information and the sensor identification information. In addition, when the weighing devices 2 handle items with the same unit price, the device identification information and the item identification information can be associated with the item identification information, and the unit price can be identified only by the device identification information. In the fourth example, the communication processing unit 209 may transmit only the sensor identification information to the console 3. When multiple items are handled, unique sensor identification information is used for each sensor 254 constituting one metered sales system 1, and information associating the sensor identification information with the item identification information is stored, so that the item identification information can be identified from the sensor identification information. Also, when only one item is handled as the metered sales system 1, if information such as the unit price of the item is associated with the sensor identification information, the sales price can be calculated based on the unit price without identifying the item.

[0068] The software resources of the weighing device 2 can be distributed or consolidated into any of the hardware resources by appropriate design, and the hardware resources can also be configured as a physically integrated device or separate devices. Furthermore, the above-mentioned software resources of the weighing device 2, except for the weight detection unit 202 related to weighing and the functions for inputting and outputting data and performing data communication processing, can be stored in a cloud server or the like, and the weighing device 2 can be configured to perform only weighing and inputting and outputting data on the display and operation unit 23.

[0069] ● Console 3 hardware configuration The console 3 is a device that executes input and output of predetermined information, and issues accounting slips for items provided to customers from the weighing device 2. This console 3 obtains information on the items provided to customers from the weighing device 2, and in response thereto, issues accounting slips on which information for selling the items provided to the customers is printed.

[0070] 2, the console 3 includes a calculation device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and is connected to a transaction identification information acquisition unit 31, a display and operation unit 32, and a communication unit 33 via an interface circuit. In addition, an issuing unit 34 that issues transaction slips is connected via a dedicated cable. However, in other examples, the issuing unit 34 may be configured integrally with other hardware.

[0071] The transaction identification information acquisition unit 31, like the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 provided in the weighing device 2, is a functional unit for acquiring transaction identification information from the transaction storage medium M, and is realized by a barcode reader, a code-reading CCD camera, a tag reader, an NFC reader, etc., depending on the manner in which the transaction identification information is stored or retained in the transaction storage medium M. Although the transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 is not shown in Figure 1, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 is provided in an appropriate position or connected to the console 3. If the transaction identification information is to be read from a transaction storage medium M held over a specific position on the display / operation unit 32 of the console 3, it is preferable to provide the transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 in correspondence with the specific position and to affix or display a mark to guide the user to hold the transaction storage medium M over the specific position.

[0072] The display / operation unit 32 is realized by a touch panel display or the like, and displays various information such as the weighing results and sales prices of items to customers, and in this respect constitutes an information display means. The display / operation unit 32 can also receive various operations from customers, and in this respect constitutes an operation unit. For example, the selling price calculated based on the unit price and purchase weight of the item purchased by the customer is displayed on this display / operation unit 32. In addition, the display / operation unit 32 also receives an operation requesting the issuance of an accounting slip from the customer.

[0073] The communication unit 33 is realized by one or more communication means for realizing a connection with each terminal or device. The interconnection with the weighing device 2 is realized by, for example, a wired or wireless LAN.

[0074] The issuing unit 34 prints the print information generated by the print information generating unit 304 (described below) on a specified medium to generate an accounting voucher, and ejects the accounting voucher from the issuing port 34a shown in FIG. The accounting slip may be a paper document or a label that can be affixed to a container or the like for storing an item.

[0075] In addition, the console 3 may also be equipped with a scanner unit, a voice output unit, a tag reader / writer unit, etc., depending on the sales mode of the product and appropriate specifications.

[0076] The scanner unit is a functional unit that optically reads various types of information, and reads one-dimensional codes or two-dimensional codes in which predetermined information is coded. This makes it possible, for example, to encode item identification information or accounting information that can identify an item into a two-dimensional code, and obtain the information by reading the encoded information.

[0077] The audio output unit outputs predetermined information by voice, for example, audio guidance, error sounds, and operation sounds.

[0078] The tag reader reads and writes information from and to a contactless IC tag. An example of a contactless IC tag is an RFID (radio frequency identifier) ​​tag, and the tag reader reads and writes information between the contactless IC tag and the tag through short-range wireless communication using an electromagnetic field, radio waves, or the like. For example, information on the weight of a container into which an article is to be placed or container identification information for identifying the container is written in a non-contact type ID tag, and a label incorporating the non-contact type ID is attached to the container. Then, the tag reader may read information on the weight of a container into which an article is to be placed, supplied by a customer from dispenser 25, or the container identification information for identifying the container, to obtain information required for the accounting of the container.

[0079] ● Console 3 software configuration As shown in FIG. 6, the console 3 includes, as software resources, an item information storage unit 3A, a setting information storage unit 3B, a measurement information storage unit 3C, a search processing unit 301, a calculation processing unit 302, a display / operation control unit 303, a print information generation unit 304, and a communication processing unit 305, and the communication processing unit 305 further establishes communication with an issuance processing unit 306.

[0080] The article information storage unit 3A is a storage unit that stores basic information about the articles to be weighed in the weighing device 2, such as the name and unit price of the articles. Data items stored in this item information storage unit 3A include, for example, item identification information, item name, measurement category, unit price, and unit weight, as shown in FIG. The information stored in the item information storage unit 3A may be received from the store controller 4 or a cloud server outside the store.

[0081] Here, the measurement category is a category related to measurement. Measurement category "0" is the measurement category that corresponds to "unfixed weight." Unfixed weight is a sales method in which the selling price is determined based on a preset unit price per unit weight ("100g" in this embodiment) and the weight (measured value) to be sold. For items with a measurement category of "0 (unfixed weight)," the weight to be sold is required to determine the selling price.

[0082] When the measurement category is "0 (unfixed weight)", the unit price field stores the unit price per unit weight, and the unit weight field stores the unit weight. For example, for an item with item identification information "SH001" (item name "AAA"), it is stored that the unit price per 100g is 250 yen. Therefore, for an item with item name "AAA", if the measurement value is 50g, the selling price will be 125 yen, and if the measurement value is 200g, the selling price will be 500 yen.

[0083] Measurement category "1" is a measurement category that corresponds to "fixed price." Fixed price is a sales method in which the sales price is determined based on a preset unit price ("1 piece" in this embodiment) and the sales quantity converted from the unit weight. In addition, for items in measurement category "1 (fixed weight)", the quantity of the item is calculated or estimated from the unit weight of the item (the weight of one item, which is the unit quantity) and the measurement value, and the selling price is then determined from the calculated or estimated quantity of the item and the unit price per unit quantity, so it is necessary to weigh the item. Furthermore, weight errors of individual objects may be corrected using an accuracy correction function provided in a counting scale or the like.

[0084] When the measurement category is "1 (fixed weight)", the unit price field stores the unit price per unit weight (i.e. quantity "1"), and the unit weight field stores the unit weight equivalent to the quantity "1". For example, for a product (product name "ABC") with product identification information "SH103", it is stored that the unit price per unit (weight 80g) is 90. Therefore, for an item with the product name "ABC", if the weight is around 85g, the selling price will be 90 yen for one unit, and if the weight is around 150g, the selling price will be 180 yen for two units.

[0085] The setting information storage unit 3B stores the device identification information of the weighing device 2 and / or the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 in association with the item identification information. By referring to this setting information storage unit 3B, it is possible to identify the item provided by a specific dispenser 25 and weighed by the weighing device 2 based on the device identification information and / or the sensor identification information. The sensor identification information may be unique for each item and may correspond one-to-one to the item identification information. In this case, if the sensor identification information and the item identification information are stored in association with each other in the setting information storage unit 3B, the item provided to the customer can be identified based on the sensor identification information received from the weighing device 2. Furthermore, the sensor identification information may be unique for each weighing device 2. In this case, if the sensor identification information, device identification information, and item identification information are stored in association with each other in the setting information storage unit 3B, it is possible to identify the item provided to the customer based on the device identification information and sensor identification information received from the weighing device 2. In addition, in this embodiment, an item information storage unit 3A and a setting information storage unit 3B are provided, but in the setting information storage unit 3B, the unit price information of the item may be directly associated with the device identification information of the weighing device 2 and / or the sensor identification information of the sensor 254.

[0086] The weighing information storage unit 3C is a storage unit that stores the weighing information transmitted from the weighing device 2. This weighing information storage unit 3C stores at least the associated device identification information, sensor identification information, and information related to the purchased weight as weighing information of the item provided to the customer by the weighing device 2. Furthermore, if transaction identification information is used for the transaction, then the associated transaction identification information, device identification information, sensor identification information, and information related to the purchased weight are stored, as shown in Figure 8. In addition, the weighing information storage unit 3C can also store information related to the container provided to the customer as information necessary for accounting. In addition, a selling price based on the unit price and purchase weight of the item may be registered. This selling price may be calculated by the calculation processing unit 204 of the weighing device 2 or may be calculated by the calculation processing unit 302 of the console 3.

[0087] The search processor 301 refers to the setting information storage unit 3B to identify the product provided to the customer. For example, if the sensor identification information is unique for each weighing device 2, the search processor 301 can identify the product based on the device identification information and sensor identification information received from the weighing device 2. Also, if the sensor identification information is unique for each product, the search processor 301 can identify the product associated with the sensor identification information received from the weighing device 2.

[0088] The calculation processing unit 302 executes a process of calculating a predetermined value based on various kinds of numerical data. For example, the calculation processing unit 302 calculates the selling price of the goods provided to the customer from the purchase weight and unit price of the goods by referencing the goods information storage unit 3A and the measurement information storage unit 3C. When transaction identification information is used, the calculation processing unit 302 calculates the selling price of the goods purchased in one transaction based on predetermined transaction identification information. In addition, if a container for which a fee is charged is provided to the customer when the goods are supplied, the purchase cost of the container may be added to the calculation of the total sales price. In addition, since the selling price of the item based on the purchased weight of the item is also calculated by the weighing device 2, the calculated price of the item calculated by the weighing device 2 may be used to calculate the final selling price of the item.

[0089] Furthermore, when multiple items have been provided to a customer, for example when multiple items are associated with specific transaction identification information, the calculation processing unit 302 can calculate a sales price by adding up the sales prices of the multiple items.

[0090] The display and operation control unit 303 controls the display and operation unit 32 to display various information on the display and operation unit 32 and to accept operations and information input from the display and operation unit 23. The information to be displayed includes information stored in the item information storage unit 3A, such as the item name and unit price, the sales weight of the item received from the weighing device 2 as the purchase weight, and the selling price of the item calculated by the calculation processing unit 302. The display and operation control unit 303 also processes and edits this information as appropriate, and causes the display and operation unit 32 to display information configured as selectable information, an operator for accepting an operation to confirm the contents of the item to be sold, an operator for accepting the completion of the registration of the item and thereby accepting a request to issue an accounting slip, and the like.

[0091] The print information generating unit 304 generates print information related to the content to be printed on the accounting slip. The print information generated at this time includes at least information related to the selling price of the item calculated by the calculation processing unit 302, as well as information necessary for accounting for the item, such as information on the name of the item stored in the item information storage unit 3A, information on the weighing result of the item by the weighing device 2, etc. The print information generated by the print information generating unit 304 is output to the issuance processing unit 306 . Additionally, the printed information, or the accounting information contained therein, may be encoded into a one- or two-dimensional symbol code.

[0092] The communication processing unit 305 transmits and receives data to and from the issuance processing unit 306 and the weighing device 2 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. The communication processing unit 305 enables the console 3 to receive weighing information from the weighing device 2 that associates device identification information, sensor identification information, and the purchased weight of an item, and to output print information to the issuance processing unit 306. The communication processing unit 305 may further transmit and receive data to and from a higher-level store controller 4 or the like via a wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or the like. The communication processing unit 305 may also transmit and receive data to and from an external server via a network such as the Internet.

[0093] The issuance processing unit 306 controls the issuance unit 34 to print the print information generated by the print information generation unit 304 on a predetermined medium and issue an accounting voucher. The issuance processing unit 306 can also issue labels, receipts, etc. required for managing goods, etc.

[0094] In addition to these functional units, the console 3 also includes setting files relating to the layout of the GUI displayed on the display / operation unit 32, and the like.

[0095] The software resources of the console 3 can be distributed or consolidated into any of the hardware resources by appropriate design, and the hardware resources can also be configured as a physically integrated device or separate devices. The console 3 can also be configured as a thin-client type terminal, in which case the software resources are held by a cloud server, and the console 3 inputs and outputs data on the display and operation unit 32.

[0096] ●Processing flow 1 An example of a process executed when an article is provided to a customer in the metered volume sales system 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Before using the metered retail system 1, the store sets sensor identification information, device identification information, item identification information, and the like in association with the items provided to customers by the dispenser 25.

[0097] FIG. 9 shows the flow of processing from when a customer operates the dispenser 25 to receive an article, until that information is transmitted from the weighing device 2 to the console 3. A customer operates dispenser 25 containing a desired product to dispense a desired amount of the product into a specified container (S101). When sensor 254 detects the operation of operation unit 252 by the customer by displacement (S102), it outputs sensor identification information to weighing device 2 (S103).

[0098] The weighing device 2 uses the search processing unit 203 to identify the item based on the sensor identification information obtained from the sensor 254, and then displays the unit price of the item stored in the unit price information storage unit 2B on the display / operation unit 23 (S104).

[0099] The weighing device 2 detects a change in weight of the items on the placement unit 21a of the weighing device 2 using the weight detection unit 202 (S105). In parallel with the weight change detection process (S105) and the weight stability detection process (S109) described below, the weighing device 2 also measures the weight of the items using the weighing unit 21 (S106). When the calculation processing unit 204 calculates the purchase weight of the items based on the measured weight, the purchase weight is displayed on the display and operation unit 23 (S107). When the calculation processing unit 204 calculates the selling price based on the purchase weight and the unit price of the items, the selling price is displayed on the display and operation unit 23 (S108).

[0100] After detecting a weight change due to the provision of an item, when the weight detection unit 202 detects that the weight of the item on the placement unit 21a has stabilized (S109), it waits for the purchase weight to be determined (S110) and then transmits the sensor identification information, device identification information, and information related to the purchase weight as weighing information to the console 3 (S111). The weighing information is registered in the console 3 that has received the weighing information (S112).

[0101] Even after the weight of the article has stabilized, the customer may operate the dispenser 25 again to supply a desired amount of article to the container until the purchase weight is finalized. In addition, the confirmation of the purchased weight (S110) may be performed by, for example, pressing a specified operation button, or the detection of weight stability (S109) may be regarded as confirmation of the purchased weight, thereby completing the customer's operation on the weighing device 2. Furthermore, when the weighing device 2 transmits the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the weighing information related to the purchase weight to the console 3, the initialization processing unit 205 initializes the sales weight. As a result, the display / operation unit 23 returns to the original state (standby screen) and waits to accept the next transaction.

[0102] Next, FIG. 10 shows the flow of processing when a customer who has completed operations on the weighing device 2 receives an accounting slip from the console 3. When the console 3 receives weighing information including the weighing device identification information, sensor identification information, and purchase weight from the weighing device 2, the search processing unit 301 refers to the item information storage unit 3A to identify the item provided to the customer (S201). In addition, the calculation processing unit 302 calculates the sales price based on the information related to the unit price of the identified item and the purchase weight (S202). If a container is purchased, the cost of the container is added, and consumption tax, etc. are also calculated to arrive at the final sales price.

[0103] Once the sales price has been calculated, the display and operation control unit 303 causes the display and operation unit 32 to display a selection and confirmation screen that prompts the customer to select and confirm the item for which a checkout slip is to be issued (S203). The selection and confirmation screen displays operators for selecting and confirming items for which the checkout has not yet been completed, as well as information about the items, such as the item's type, name, and sales price, and the customer selects and presses the operator associated with the desired item (S204). The operator may be, for example, a preset button provided for each item, and an image of the item may be displayed on the preset button. In addition, the selection / confirmation screen may be configured to allow the user to input the product number of an item and call up information on an item other than the item indicated by the operator. The operators may also be displayed according to the category, department, or classification of the item, and this is convenient in that it makes it easy to find a desired operator when multiple operators are displayed.

[0104] When the customer selects and confirms the item (S204), the display and operation control unit 303 causes the display and operation unit 32 to display a slip issuance screen (S205). On the slip issuance screen, controls for accepting an operation to issue an accounting slip are displayed, and the customer uses the controls to request the issuance of an accounting slip (S206). In addition, the operator on the selection / confirmation screen described above may also serve as an operator to request the issuance of an accounting voucher. In this case, the customer requests the issuance of an accounting voucher by selecting and pressing the operator for selecting and confirming the desired item. The slip issuance screen may also be provided with a Cancel button as appropriate. When the Cancel button is pressed, the screen returns to the item selection / confirmation screen, allowing the operator to select and confirm the item again.

[0105] In response to the accounting voucher issuance request received from the customer, the console 3 causes the print information generation unit 304 to generate print information relating to the content to be printed on the accounting voucher (S207). Furthermore, the issuance processing unit 306 issues an accounting voucher based on the generated print information by the issuance unit 34 (S208). This completes one transaction.

[0106] Regardless of the present embodiment, when weighing information is received from the weighing device 2, an item can be identified and a sales price calculated, and a billing slip can be issued without the need for an operator to operate the device. Also, in order to prevent forgetting to take the accounting slip, a sensor for preventing forgetting to take the accounting slip may be attached to the console 3 and an alarm may be issued if the accounting slip is left behind. Furthermore, depending on the specifications or operation of the POS terminal 5, the accounting process for an item using an accounting slip can be carried out by a store clerk who receives the accounting slip from the customer, or by the customer themselves. In addition, if a customer attempts to have the weighing device 2 obtain transaction identification information before the detected value of the weight of the items in the weighing device 2 has stabilized, or if an increase in the total mass of the items is detected during the weighing process, this may be detected as fraudulent operation, and an alert may be output.

[0107] ●Processing flow 2 As another example of the processing executed when an item is provided to a customer in the metered volume sales system 1 according to this embodiment, an example in which transaction identification information is used in the transaction for the item will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, in Fig. 11, the processing in the dispenser 25 is omitted, but the same operation as that described with reference to Fig. 9 is performed in the dispenser 25. In addition, for the processing denoted by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 9, the same processing as in Fig. 9 is executed.

[0108] The store prepares transaction storage media M as needed when providing items. Transaction identification information may be stored in a tag and attached to these tools, or encoded into a symbol code and affixed to these tools. Note that if a card or other item held by the customer is used as transaction storage media M, the customer does not need to use the transaction storage media M prepared by the store.

[0109] The weighing device 2 executes the process (S101-S109) until it detects that the weight has stabilized, similar to the process described above with reference to Fig. 9. Then, when the weighing device 2 detects via the weight detection unit 202 that the weight of the item on the placement unit 21a has stabilized (S109), it waits to acquire transaction identification information (S301) and sends information related to the sensor identification information, device identification information, purchase weight, and transaction identification information as weighing information to the console 3 (S302). Here, acquisition of the transaction identification information by the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 corresponds to the operation of confirming the purchased weight of the item. Upon receiving the weighing information, the console 3 registers the weighing information (S303).

[0110] When the weighing device 2 transmits weighing information related to device identification information, sensor identification information, purchase weight, and transaction identification information to the console 3, the sales weight is initialized by the initialization processing unit 205. This causes the display / operation unit 23 to return to its original state (standby screen) and wait to accept the next transaction. If the customer has not yet picked up all of the desired products (S304), the customer performs the same operation on each of the dispensers 25 that contain each of the desired items. When the customer has completed the operation for all of the desired items, the operation on the weighing device 2 ends and the operation on the console 3 begins.

[0111] Next, FIG. 12 shows the flow of processing when a customer who has completed the operations on the weighing device 2 as shown in FIG. When the console 3 receives weighing information in which item identification information, purchase weight, and transaction identification information are associated from the weighing device 2, it registers this in the weighing information storage unit 3C. At this time, if there is already information associated with the same transaction identification information, the newly received weighing information is registered in association with that same transaction identification information.

[0112] When the console 3 acquires transaction identification information from a customer using the transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 (S401), it references the item information storage unit 3A and the measurement information storage unit 3C, and uses the calculation processing unit 302 to calculate a sales price based on the sales weight of the item associated with that transaction identification information (S402). That is, for each item, the sales price is calculated by multiplying the unit price by the sales weight, and the individual sales prices of all items associated with a single transaction identification information are added together. Furthermore, if a container was purchased, the cost of the container is added, and consumption tax and other charges are also calculated to calculate the final sales price. The selling price for each item and the final selling price may be calculated in advance by the calculation processing unit 302 before acquiring the transaction identification information.

[0113] Once the selling price has been calculated, the same process as described with reference to Figure 10 is carried out. That is, the display and operation control unit 303 causes a slip issuance screen to be displayed on the display and operation unit 32 (S203). On the slip issuance screen, operators for accepting an operation to issue an accounting slip are displayed, and the customer uses the operator to request issuance of an accounting slip (S204). In response, the console 3 causes the print information generation unit 304 to generate print information relating to the content to be printed on the accounting slip (S205), and the issuance processing unit 306 causes the issuance unit 34 to issue an accounting slip based on the generated print information (S206). Regardless of the present embodiment, a transaction voucher can also be issued in response to the acquisition of transaction identification information without the need for an operator to operate the device. The customer who receives the accounting slip undergoes accounting processing based on the accounting slip at the POS terminal 5, thereby completing the purchase of the item.

[0114] In this embodiment, the processing executed by the weighing device 2 detects a change in the weight of an item on the weighing device 2 by the weight detection unit 202, detects that the weight has stabilized, and transmits the weighing information to the console 3 after the transaction identification information acquisition unit 22 acquires the transaction identification information. However, after the transaction identification information is acquired, the weighing information may also be transmitted to the console 3 in response to pressing the operation complete button. In this case, even after the transaction identification information has been acquired, the customer can add more items to their purchase until the operation complete button is pressed.

[0115] ●Example of screen and accounting slip In this embodiment, an example of the screens displayed on the console 3 and their transitions is shown in FIG. 13 to FIG. Figure 13 shows the standby screen of the console 3. Note that the example screen shown in Figure 13 is based on the premise that an IC card with an IC tag is used as the transaction storage medium M, and transaction identification information is stored in the IC tag. Note that a card identification number for identifying the card according to standards may also be used. The standby screen displays the message "Please touch your card" as a message requesting transaction identification information. Also displayed on the same screen is a touch area G11 for an IC card, which is the transaction storage medium M. A transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 is provided in touch area G11, and when the IC card is touched, the transaction identification information acquisition unit 31 communicates with the IC card to acquire the transaction identification information.

[0116] FIG. 14 shows the confirmation screen that is displayed when the console 3 acquires the transaction identification information. The confirmation screen includes a measurement information display area G12 that displays information about items associated with the transaction identification information obtained from the customer. The measurement information display area G12 displays the name, unit price, sales weight, and sales price of each item that is associated with the transaction identification information and provided to the customer. It also displays the number of items and the total sales price for each item. This information is extracted from the item information storage unit 3A or the measurement information storage unit 3C based on the transaction identification information, or calculated by the calculation processing unit 302 from the extracted information (sales price and total). Also, at the bottom of the screen, there is an operator G13 for requesting the issuance of an accounting slip. After checking the information in the measurement information display area G12, if there are no problems with the content, the customer presses this operator G13 to receive the issuance of the accounting slip.

[0117] Regarding the display of items in the weighing information display area G12, an image of the item may be displayed for each item, or a color reminiscent of each item may be displayed as a background color so that the accounting slip can be attached to the correct item after it is issued. Also, the items may be sorted in the order in which the item identification information was output. In the example of FIG. 14, pressing operator G13 causes an accounting voucher to be issued for multiple items at once, but regardless of this, an operator may be provided that requests the issuance of an accounting voucher for each item, so that an accounting voucher can be issued for each item.

[0118] In Figure 14, when operator G13 is pressed, the issuance processing unit 306 causes the issuing unit 34 to issue an accounting voucher. Figure 15 shows an example of the screen that is displayed when an accounting voucher has been issued in this way, displaying a message urging the customer to receive the accounting voucher and proceed to payment. When the customer receives the accounting slip ejected from the issuing port 34a, the screen of the console 3 which detects this returns to the standby screen.

[0119] FIG. 16 shows an example of an accounting voucher issued by the console 3. In each example, the name, unit price, sales weight, and sales price of each item that the customer is purchasing are displayed. In Fig. 16(a), information on all items to be purchased by the customer is encoded and printed as a barcode. The POS terminal 5 can obtain information on all items to be purchased by the customer at once by reading this barcode. In Fig. 16(b), information about each item purchased by a customer is encoded into a barcode and printed. The POS terminal 5 reads the barcode for each item and obtains the item information. In this example, because a barcode is generated for each item, it is easy to remove each item from the transaction (return processing). In Fig. 16(c), information is coded and printed as a two-dimensional code instead of the barcode in the example of Fig. 16(a). In the case of a two-dimensional code, information for each item can be coded together, and after the information for all items is acquired by the POS terminal 5, corrections or cancellations can be made for each item on the POS terminal 5.

[0120] Alternatively, an accounting voucher may be issued that combines the accounting voucher shown in Figure 16(a) and the accounting voucher shown in Figure 16(b). In this case, the accounting voucher portion shown in Figure 16(a) may be used for accounting, and the accounting voucher portion shown in Figure 16(b) may be used for returning items.

[0121] According to the above-described weighing sales system 1 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to calculate the selling price of a product without performing a tare operation in the weighing device 2, thereby realizing more convenient selling by weight. Furthermore, a single weighing device 2 can manage multiple items individually. Furthermore, when accounting identification information is used for accounting, the weighing information of multiple items with different unit prices can be associated with a specific accounting identification information and aggregated. As a result, accounting slips can be issued for each accounting unit, reducing the time required for each customer to shop and improving the efficiency of store operations. Furthermore, since the operations leading up to issuing accounting slips are simple, customers do not become confused with the operation of each weighing device 2 and do not fail to purchase the appropriate amount out of consideration for the next customer, etc. Furthermore, accounting operations at the POS terminal 5 are also simple, since it is only necessary to obtain information based on one accounting slip. Multiple customers can perform weighing operations at the same time without waiting for one customer to receive an accounting slip.

[0122] ● Processing for abnormal operations Next, a description will be given of the process to be performed when an inappropriate operation (abnormal operation) is performed on the dispenser 25. Regardless of the example of the process to be described below, when an abnormal operation is performed, an error message is displayed on the weighing device 2, and the process can be interrupted.

[0123] First, as an example of an abnormal operation, in a weighing device 2 to which two dispensers 25 are connected and which can acquire sensor identification information of two sensors 254 (for example, "sensor 254-1" and "sensor 254-2"), the following processing may be performed in a case where, after the sensor identification information of the two sensors 254-1, 254-2 is acquired in succession, the purchased weight of the goods is confirmed due to a weight change caused by the provision of the goods, or in a case where, after the sensor identification information of one sensor 254-1 (or 254-2) is acquired, the sensor identification information of the other sensor 254-2 (or 254-1) is acquired after a weight change.

[0124] That is, by giving priority to either the sensor 254-1 (or 254-2) that obtained the sensor identification information first or the sensor 254-2 (or 254-1) that obtained the sensor identification information last, the search processing unit 203 identifies the item associated with the sensor identification information of the prioritized sensor 254. After identification, as in normal processing, the unit price of the identified item and the selling price calculated from the unit price and the purchase weight are displayed on the display / operation unit 32, and the weighing information is transmitted to the console 3. The information transmitted to the console 3 may include information such as an operation log in addition to the weighing information.

[0125] In this case, the sensor 254 to be prioritized may be different when the sensor identification information is acquired before the weight change is detected and when the other sensor identification information is acquired after the weight change is detected. However, since there is a high possibility that the sensor identification information acquired after the weight change is "fraudulent," it is considered more appropriate to prioritize the sensor identification information acquired before the weight change. In addition, the criteria for determining which sensor 254 is to be prioritized among the sensors 254 corresponding to the multiple acquired sensor identification information may be based on, for example, the unit price of the item associated with each sensor 254, or the sensor with the higher unit price or the sensor with the lower unit price may be set to be prioritized.

[0126] In this case, the weighing information transmitted to the console 3 may be only the weighing information related to the sensor 254 preferentially identified by the weighing device 2. However, in order to give the customer a chance to make a final selection, both the sensor 254-1 that acquired the sensor identification information and the weighing information corresponding to the sensor 254-2 may be sent to the console 3, and the console 3 may display the corresponding operation buttons as selectable. When the multiple sensors 254 on the weighing device 2 detect the customer's operation, for example, in the above-mentioned process S304, a screen for selecting the item to be provided may be displayed to allow the customer to select the item. In an operation (store) where the checkout process is performed only with a self-service POS terminal, a store clerk may be called at the time when the customer selects multiple items, and the store clerk may confirm the selection. In addition, when a manned POS terminal is used for the checkout process, the POS terminal may notify the customer of the situation and display a screen for selecting items, etc., to select and confirm the final purchase item, and the selling price may be determined accordingly. In order to determine the state in which a specific item needs to be selected from multiple items in this way, a flag that can identify the occurrence of such a state may be included in the data transmitted from the weighing device 2 to the console 3.

[0127] Note that a control number may be provided in anticipation of a case where information from a plurality of sensors 254 is transmitted to the console 3, and the control number may be transmitted to the console 3. That is, when information from only the sensor 254-1 or the sensor 254-2 is transmitted to the console 3, a control number corresponding to the respective sensor identification information is used, and when information from both the sensor 254-1 and the sensor 254-2 is transmitted to the console 3, a predetermined control number is used, eliminating the need to transmit two sets of data corresponding to the sensors 254-1 and 254-2. For example, when the sensor 254-1 detects a weight change, the control number is set to "1", when the sensor 254-2 detects a weight change, the control number is set to "2", when both the sensors 254-1 and 254-2 detect a weight change, the control number is set to "3", and the control number corresponding to the detected weight change is transmitted from the weighing device 2 to the console 3 together with the sales weight. The console 3 stores information on the control number and the corresponding sensor 254 in advance, and when the control number received from the weighing device 2 is "3", it identifies the items associated with the sensors 254-1 and 254-2. It is preferable to calculate the sales amount according to the unit price and purchase weight for each item when selecting one of the items. However, when there are many patterns of the detection states of the sensors 254 to be transmitted to the console 3, such as when three or more sensors 254 are associated with one weighing device 2, the number of management numbers also increases, so it is reasonable to transmit information for each sensor 254 to the console 3 without using management numbers.

[0128] Furthermore, since there is a high possibility of fraud when obtaining sensor identification information after a change in the weight of an item, as described above, the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 associated with an item with a high unit price, or the sensor identification information of the sensor 254 that obtained sensor identification information earlier, may be given priority, and the sensor identification information that is given priority may be transmitted to the console 3 together with the device identification information and the purchase weight.

[0129] Also, if a second sensor identification information is acquired before or after the weight of the item changes, the weighing device 2 may report an error and temporarily halt the operation. In that case, the customer may either call a store clerk or leave it. A notification indicating that such a situation has occurred may be sent to the console 3. Furthermore, the console 3 that has received the notification may transmit a similar notification to other devices or terminals operated by the store clerk. The devices or terminals operated by the store clerk may be, for example, a smartphone or tablet terminal, a POS register in the store, a POS monitoring terminal, or a monitor in the store, and information may be output to these terminals so that the store clerk can recognize the situation. Information may be output in various ways, such as displaying a message on a screen or providing audio guidance.

[0130] Also, information indicating that such a situation has occurred may be printed on the accounting slip or other POS label or POS receipt issued by the console 3. When printed, such information may be a specified mark or character string, or may be coded into a symbol code or coded into a barcode including an error classification. When coded into a symbol code or the like and printed, the POS terminal 5 may read the symbol code or the like to display a pop-up or guidance message on the POS terminal 5 indicating that an abnormal operation may have occurred. This allows the store clerk to understand the situation, and if there is an error, the item or its selling price can be corrected and registered, and the transaction can be completed.

[0131] ●Inventory management / sales volume management Next, a process for managing the inventory (remaining amount) of the products stored in the dispenser 25 and the sold weight in the metered sales system 1 will be described. First, regarding yield (loss) management when the sale process of an item is not completed properly, for example, if the operation to confirm the sold weight of an item is performed by pressing (touching) a specified confirmation button, when the confirmation operation is not performed for a certain period of time, or when an operation to set the purchase weight to "0" is performed using a special operation, data that can be recognized as indicating that the item has been discarded or lost (weight reduction other than sale) is sent to the console 3 together with the weighing information. Also, when the operation to confirm the sold weight of an item is performed by obtaining accounting identification information, a code or unique ID that can identify the error is sent to the console 3 together with the weighing information. This makes it possible to manage the yield (loss) associated with the provision of the item.

[0132] In addition, when the transaction processing is completed on the console 3, the sales weight of the item provided to the customer is subtracted from the remaining amount of the item in the dispenser 25 stored in advance based on the sales data including the sales weight of the item, so that the current remaining amount of the item can be determined and notifications such as replenishment can be made for each item. Specifically, when replenishing an item, the replenishment weight of the item and the replenishment date are entered along with the item identification information, device identification information, or sensor identification information on the item replenishment weight input screen displayed on the console 3. In response to this, the replenishment weight of the item is added to the remaining amount of the item up to that point, and the current remaining amount is calculated. Then, each time a process to provide the item to a customer is completed, the console 3 subtracts the sold weight or discarded weight of the item from the remaining amount to calculate the current remaining amount.

[0133] In addition, regarding the setting of the remaining amount to be notified that the replenishment of the article is necessary, a uniform weight ratio may be set for the entire system, or an individual weight ratio may be set for each article. In either case, a setting or operation may be performed to indicate that the dispenser 25 is full, such as pressing a specific button when replenishment is completed, and when the remaining amount reaches a specific ratio (for example, 10%) of the weight at that time based on the weight, the necessity of replenishment may be notified. In addition, when there is a setting for both the entire system and for an item, the weight ratio for each item may be prioritized, and when there is no setting for an item, the setting for the entire system may be adopted. Note that when the weight ratio is set in this way, it is troublesome to set a reference weight, but in another example, a stock weight that is a reference for the notification may be set for the entire system. For example, the necessity of replenishment may be notified when the current weight of the item (= theoretical stock weight stored on the console 3 side, etc.) becomes less than 300 g. In this case, a reference stock weight may be set for each item, and when there is a setting for an item, the setting for the item may be prioritized.

[0134] It is also possible to input the replenishment weight of the item and notify the status according to a specified remaining amount (basic stock weight) as in inventory management. However, a simpler method would be to notify the status when the total sales weight of the item in a specified period or the number of transactions exceeds a threshold. Such notifications are also effective in making the store clerk aware that the item being notified is selling well and needs to be replenished. Also, when replenishing, a best-before date may be set, and the time to replace the item may be notified based on the remaining period. In addition, if the sales amount of an item on the day exceeds a set value, there is a high probability that the item will need to be replenished, so a notification to that effect may be given.

[0135] Instead of inputting the replenishment weight, the current weight of the goods may be obtained from the weighing device 2 by a specified special operation during or after the operation of replenishing goods in the dispenser 25, and this may be treated as the current remaining amount. In the normal operation mode in which goods are provided to a customer, the total weight of the goods placed on the weighing device 2 is required, so when returning to normal operation from the specified special operation, it is advisable to first reset the purchase weight to 0 and then resume the transaction.

[0136] The notification may be, for example, by blinking the display / operation unit 23 of the weighing device 2, or by displaying an icon encouraging replenishment in a status display area (for example, the above-mentioned status display area 23-5) that is blank in the normal standby state. When making such a notification on the weighing device 2, it is necessary to send a display instruction from the console 3 to the weighing device 2, but an instruction to change the status may be sent when the console 3 receives a replenishment operation. Also, an instruction to change the status may be sent when returning to normal operation from the above-mentioned special operation. Furthermore, when the notification is made on the console 3, the display mode of the background screen of the display / operation unit 32 may be changed to display the items requiring replenishment in a specified display area, or the items requiring replenishment may be displayed in a different display mode from the normal display mode. When moving to the replenishment operation screen, the preset button of the target item may be touched (selected) to transition to the replenishment search screen for each item, or the screen may be temporarily returned to the menu screen and then moved to the replenishment operation screen, where the item may be specified and the above-mentioned replenishment weight may be input.

[0137] In addition, if items are spilled or the supplied items are canceled during the weighing operation on the weighing device 2, the purchase weight remains displayed unless the purchase weight confirmation operation is completed, and the next customer cannot operate it. Therefore, in such cases, it is recommended to authenticate the store clerk code and allow the store clerk to complete the operation with his / her authority. This will exclude such erroneous operations from the accounting target, and the weighing results associated with the store clerk code can also be managed as waste management (yield management), making it convenient in terms of management. In addition, in the case of cancellation after the weighing operation is completed, the return process of the declared items (total items) and weight at the POS terminal 5 may be executed and managed in response to the customer's declaration to the store clerk.

[0138] Other embodiment 1 In another embodiment of the weigh-in sales system 1 (hereinafter referred to as "weight-in sales system 6" to distinguish it from the weigh-in sales system 1 described above), accounting can be performed by the POS terminal 5 by having the console 3 display information for accounting processing in a referable manner without having the console 3 issue accounting slips. The following describes an example in which transaction identification information is used for a transaction.

[0139] In this embodiment, the weighing sales system 6 is composed of a weighing device 2, a console 3, a store controller 4, and a POS terminal 5, just like the weighing sales system 1. However, in the above-mentioned weighing sales system 1, the console 3 that issues accounting slips was preferably installed near the weighing device 2, taking into consideration the convenience and movement of customers who have weighed items using the weighing device 2, but in this embodiment, when accounting is carried out using the POS terminal 5, information for accounting is displayed on the console 3 so that it can be referenced, as described above, so that the console 3 is preferably installed near the POS terminal 5.

[0140] In this embodiment, for example, when a store clerk operates the POS terminal 5, after the customer has finished weighing the item on the weighing device 2, they hand the transaction storage medium M to the store clerk and request the transaction. When the store clerk receives the transaction storage medium M from the customer, they cause the console 3 to retrieve transaction identification information from the transaction storage medium M and output a screen for transaction processing on the display / operation unit 32 of the console 3.

[0141] Figure 17 shows an example of such a transaction information output screen. The screen provides a measurement information display area G21 that displays information about items associated with the transaction identification information obtained from the customer. Similar to the measurement information display area G12 described in Figure 14, the measurement information display area G21 displays information about each item associated with the transaction identification information and provided to the customer, such as the item's name, unit price, sales weight, and sales price.

[0142] On the other hand, in this embodiment, an operator G22 is provided for deleting each item from the transaction. When this operator G22 is pressed, the item is deleted and removed from the transaction. In this case, the barcode displayed in the code display area G23 is updated in response to the deletion of the item. Only store clerks may have the authority to delete each item. After pressing the operator G22, a modal window for confirming the deletion operation may be displayed, and the deletion process may be executed by accepting a request for deletion again. Instead of displaying the operator G22, the cancellation operation may be accepted by accepting the specification of each item.

[0143] At the bottom of the screen, there is a code display area G23 that displays a symbol code for accounting to obtain the information displayed on the screen, and in this example, a barcode is displayed. When the barcode displayed in the code display area G23 is read by a handy scanner or barcode reader provided in the POS terminal 5, the POS terminal 5 can obtain the coded information on the item. The information on the item that can be obtained at this time includes at least the information necessary for the final accounting, such as the total sales price of the items to be purchased.

[0144] At the bottom of the screen, there is provided an operator G24 for temporarily canceling the operation when there is a request to increase the quantity of goods or to purchase additional goods. When the operator G24 is pressed, the operation is temporarily canceled, and the customer operates the weighing device 2 to add goods, etc.

[0145] FIG. 18 shows another example of the output screen for accounting information displayed on the display / operation unit 32 of the console 3. In FIG. In this example, unlike the example of Fig. 17, a two-dimensional code is displayed in the code display area G26 that displays the accounting symbol code for acquiring information about an item. In the case of a two-dimensional code, the information for each item can be coded together, and after acquiring information about all items on the POS terminal 5, corrections or cancellations can be performed for each item on the POS terminal 5. Therefore, in the example of Fig. 18, the weighing information display area G25, which corresponds to the weighing information display area G21 in the example of Fig. 17, does not have an operator corresponding to the operator G22 for deleting an item from the accounting object. However, this does not negate the provision of an operator corresponding to the operator G22 in the example of Fig. 18.

[0146] According to the metered sales system 6 of this embodiment, accounting slips are not issued, making it possible to go paperless. Also, since the operation of issuing accounting slips is unnecessary, the operational burden on customers can be reduced. Furthermore, even if the POS terminal 5 in the metered sales system 6 is operating in a different system, sales registration and return (cancellation) processing can be smoothly performed. Even if accounting identification information is not used, similar processing can be performed by calling up specific weighing information from the console 3 in response to the console 3 receiving weighing information from the weighing device 2, or based on identification information issued separately at the time of weighing, and outputting a screen for accounting processing based on the weighing information on the display / operation unit 32 of the console 3.

[0147] Other embodiment 2 In another embodiment of the weighing sales system 1 (hereinafter referred to as "weighing sales system 7" to distinguish it from the above-mentioned weighing sales systems 1 and 6), as shown in FIG. 18, the weighing sales system 1 is configured without the console 3 in the above-mentioned weighing sales system 1, and enables transaction processing by the POS terminal 5 through data exchange between the weighing device 2, store controller 8, and POS terminal 5, which are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The following describes an example in which transaction identification information is used for a transaction.

[0148] The store controller 8 according to this embodiment includes at least an item information storage unit 8A, a setting information storage unit 8B, a measurement information storage unit 8C, a search processing unit 801, a calculation processing unit 802, and a communication processing unit 805 that perform the same functions as the functional units of the item information storage unit 3A, the setting information storage unit 3B, the measurement information storage unit 3C, the search processing unit 301, the calculation processing unit 302, and the communication processing unit 305 of the console 3 according to the above-mentioned weighing sales system 1, and executes some of the processes executed by the console 3. That is, the store controller 8 receives weighing information that associates device identification information, sensor identification information, the sales weight of the item, and transaction identification information from the weighing device 2 that has completed the weighing operation of the item, stores this information in the weighing information storage unit 8C, and provides the information to the POS terminal 5 after appropriate editing and processing in response to a request from the POS terminal 5.

[0149] The operations and processes executed by the weighing device 2 in this embodiment are the same as those in the weighing sales system 1. However, as described above, when the weighing device 2 receives transaction identification information from a customer who has finished weighing an item, it outputs the item identification information, the sold weight of the item, and weighing information associated with the transaction identification information to the store controller 8.

[0150] FIG. 20 shows the flow of processing executed by the POS terminal 5 in the metered retail sales system 7 according to this embodiment. The POS terminal 5 acquires transaction identification information from the transaction storage medium M using a functional unit for acquiring transaction identification information, such as a barcode reader or tag reader (S501).The POS terminal 5 then requests the store controller 8 to acquire information stored in the measurement information storage unit 8C, such as the selling price of the item associated with the transaction identification information, and acquires this information (S502). As a result, the POS terminal 5 adds the sales price of the item to the transaction processing target, executes the transaction processing together with the other registered items, etc., and completes the settlement (S503).

[0151] In addition, the store controller 8 may calculate the sales price based on the sales weight and unit price of the item, and the POS terminal 5 may obtain the calculated sales price of the item and add it to the total amount of the transaction, or the POS terminal 5 may obtain sales weight and unit price information for each item from the store controller 8 and multiply the sales weight by the unit price to calculate the sales price, and add the calculated sales price to the total amount of the transaction.

[0152] In yet another embodiment, the functional units provided and processes executed by the store controller 8 in this embodiment can be handled by the POS terminal 5, in which case the weighing device 2 and the POS terminal 5 complete the processing.

[0153] The metered volume sales system 7 according to this embodiment also makes it possible to complete a series of operations and processes simply by exchanging data, without the need to issue accounting slips, thereby achieving a paperless system. In addition, since the weighing information from the weighing device 2 is collected and managed by the store controller 8, it is possible to make it possible to view an image of a receipt showing the purchase date and expiration date of an item from a dedicated app, even after the transaction has been processed. Specifically, if the member ID used as transaction identification information is set in the dedicated app's functions, data can be linked and easily viewed. It is also possible to link with commonly available household accounting apps, etc. Even if transaction identification information is not used, similar processing can be performed by calling up specific measurement information from the store controller 8 in response to the store controller 8 receiving measurement information from the weighing device 2, or based on identification information issued separately at the time of weighing, and outputting a screen for transaction processing based on the measurement information on the display / operation unit 32 of the console 3.

[0154] In the above-described measure-based sales systems 1, 6, and 7 according to the present embodiment, when a customer is provided with a paid container, the console 3 is provided with a container information storage unit required for selling the container to the customer. Data items stored in the container information storage unit include, for example, container identification information, container weight information, and container price information. The container identification information is information that can identify a container, such as a my-container (a container brought by a customer), a store container S (a small-sized container provided at the store), a store container M (a medium-sized container provided at the store), and a store container L (a large-sized container provided at the store). Based on the information on these containers, when a container is provided to a customer, the price according to the container can be included in the sales price. When a container is provided to a customer, the container can be selected on the console 3 or the POS terminal 5 after the customer has finished weighing the product.

[0155] Furthermore, if a dedicated application program stored in a customer terminal such as a smartphone carried by a customer allows the process from registering items to making a payment, it is also possible to connect the console 3 and the customer terminal via short-range communication to transmit payment information. For example, a connection via short-range communication may involve converting connection information with one-time information added into a symbol code, displaying the code on the display and operation unit 32 of the console 3, and authenticating the customer by photographing the symbol code with the camera of the customer terminal.

[0156] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the functional units can be combined as appropriate without causing any inconsistency, and the functional units can be provided in a terminal or device different from that of the present embodiment. Also, the order of the processes executed by the functional units can be changed without causing any inconsistency.

[0157] Other embodiment 3 In each of the above-described embodiments, multiple dispensers 25 are associated with one weighing device 2, but in other embodiments, one dispenser 25 can be attached to one weighing device 2, and the weighing device 2 and the dispenser 25 can be configured to be associated one-to-one. In this case, since the weighing device 2 and the item are associated one-to-one, it is possible to recognize that a uniquely identified item has been provided by detecting the weight with the weight detection unit 202, even without providing a sensor 254. Furthermore, regardless of whether a sensor 254 is provided or not, if an association between the device identification information of the weighing device 2 and the item identification information is set, then by simply transmitting the device identification information from the weighing device 2 to the console 3, the device identification information can be referred to in the setting information, and the item provided to the customer can be identified and managed.

[0158] Even if multiple dispensers 25 are attached to one weighing device 2 and the weighing devices 2 and dispensers 25 are associated one-to-multiple, if the unit price of the goods provided by each dispenser 25 is the same (the goods may be the same or different), then by associating the device identification information with the unit price as described above, the appropriate sales weight can be calculated based solely on the device identification information.

[0159] Summary of the implementation form The present invention relates to a weighing device, a weighing system, a computer program for a weighing device, and a computer program for a weighing system for selling items by weight.

[0160] In recent years, self-service sales methods in which products are sold by weight have become common in stores such as supermarkets (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-108817).

[0161] Typically, in sales by weight, one unit price is set for each item, making it difficult to manage multiple items individually, and even if it were possible to achieve this, it would be difficult to manage individual items and inventory using at least one weighing device.

[0162] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to make it possible to calculate the selling price of a product without performing a tare operation on a weighing device, thereby realizing more convenient selling by weight.

[0163] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a weighing device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a loading section, a weight detection means for detecting the weight of an item loaded on the loading section, a calculation processing means for calculating the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after a weight change as the purchased weight of the item, and a communication processing means for transmitting its own device identification information and the purchased weight as transmission data to a specified terminal.

[0164] The information processing device may further include a sensor information acquiring means for acquiring sensor identification information from a sensor, and the communication processing means may be configured to associate the transmission data with the sensor identification information and transmit them to a predetermined terminal.

[0165] The information storage means may further include an information storage means for storing the unit price of the item in association with each of the sensor identification information, and a display means for displaying the unit price of the item associated with the sensor identification information and a selling price of the item calculated based on the purchase weight.

[0166] The system may further include a transaction identification information acquisition means for acquiring unique transaction identification information stored in a specified information storage medium, and the communication processing means may associate the transmission data with the transaction identification information and transmit it to a specified terminal.

[0167] The system may further include an operation completion means for completing an operation when the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means has detected a change in the weight of the item, and an initialization processing means for initializing the purchase weight calculated by the calculation processing means after a certain period of time has elapsed if the operation completion means is not executed when the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means has detected a change in the weight of the item.

[0168] The device may further include an operation completion means for completing the operation when the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means detects a change in the weight of the item, and a notification processing means for notifying the user if the operation completion means is not executed when the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means detects a change in the weight of the item.

[0169] The operation completion means may be an operation for acquiring unique transaction identification information stored in a specified information storage medium.

[0170] The counter may further comprise an initialization processing means for initializing the purchased weight of the item to an initial value when the weight detection means detects an increase in the weight of the item placed on the placement section.

[0171] A weighing device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a loading section, a weight detection means for detecting the weight of an item loaded on the loading section, a calculation processing means for calculating the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after a weight change as the purchased weight of the item, and a sensor information acquisition means for acquiring sensor identification information from a sensor, and a communication processing means for transmitting the sensor identification information and the purchased weight as transmission data to a specified terminal.

[0172] According to another aspect of the present invention, a weighing sales system is configured so that a weighing device and an information processing terminal can communicate with each other, the weighing device includes a loading section, a weight detection means for detecting the weight of an item loaded on the loading section, a calculation processing means for calculating the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after a weight change as the purchased weight of the item, a sensor information acquisition means for acquiring sensor identification information from a sensor, and a first communication processing means for transmitting its own device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchased weight to the information processing terminal, and the information processing terminal includes a second communication processing means for receiving the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchased weight from the weighing device, a search processing means for identifying an item based on the device identification information and the sensor identification information, and a display means for displaying the unit price of the identified item and a selling price calculated based on the purchased weight.

[0173] A computer program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute a weight detection process to detect the weight of an item placed on a placement section, a calculation process to calculate the difference between the weight of the item at the start of the transaction and the weight after the weight change as the purchase weight of the item, and a communication process to transmit the computer's own device identification information and the purchase weight to a specified terminal.

[0174] A computer program according to another aspect of the present invention, in a system in which a weighing device and an information processing terminal are configured to be able to communicate with each other, causes the weighing device to execute a weight detection process to detect the weight of an item placed on a placement section, a calculation process to calculate the difference between the weight of the item at the start of a transaction and the weight after a weight change as the purchased weight of the item, a sensor information acquisition process to acquire sensor identification information from a sensor, and a first communication process to transmit its own device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchased weight to the information processing terminal, and causes the information processing terminal to execute a second communication process to receive the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchased weight from the weighing device, a search process to identify an item based on the device identification information and the sensor identification information, and a display process to display the unit price of the identified item and a selling price calculated based on the purchased weight.

[0175] In addition, the computer program that causes the weighing device and the metered sales system to execute specified processing can be provided by downloading via a network such as the Internet, or recorded on various computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROM and provided.

[0176] According to the weighing device and the weighing sales system of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to calculate the selling price of a product without performing a tare operation on the weighing device, realizing more convenient selling by weight. [Explanation of symbols]

[0177] 1: Metered sales system 2:Measuring device 2A:Identification information storage unit 2B: Unit price information storage section 21:Measuring part 21a: Placement section 22: Accounting identification information acquisition unit 23:Display / operation section 24: Communications Department 25: Dispenser 201: Sensor information acquisition unit 202: Weight detection unit 203: Search processing unit 204: Calculation processing unit 205: Initialization processing section 206: Unit price acquisition processing unit 207: Notification processing unit 208: Operation control section 209: Communication processing unit 252:Operation unit 253: Outlet 254: Sensor 3: Console 3A: Article information storage section 3B: Setting information storage section 3C:Weighing information storage section 31: Accounting identification information acquisition unit 32:Display / operation section 33: Communications Department 34: Publishing Department 301: Search processing unit 302: Calculation processing unit 303: Operation control section 304:Print information generation section 305: Communication processing unit 306: Issuance processing unit 4: Store Controller 5: POS terminal M: Accounting storage medium

Claims

1. A placement portion; a weight detection means for detecting a weight of an object placed on the placement portion; A calculation processing means for calculating a difference between a weight of the article at the start of a transaction and a weight after the weight change as a purchase weight of the article; A communication processing means for transmitting the device identification information and the purchase weight as transmission data to a predetermined terminal, Weighing device.

2. The sensor information acquisition means further includes a sensor information acquisition unit for acquiring sensor identification information from the sensor, The communication processing means transmits the transmission data and the sensor identification information to a predetermined terminal in association with each other.

2. The weighing device of claim 1.

3. an information storage means for storing a unit price of the item in association with each of the sensor identification information; and a display means for displaying a selling price of the item calculated based on the unit price of the item associated with the sensor identification information and the purchase weight.

3. A weighing device according to claim 2.

4. The system further comprises a transaction identification information acquisition means for acquiring unique transaction identification information stored in a specified information storage medium, the communication processing means associates the transmission data with the transaction identification information and transmits the data to a specified terminal. A weighing device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. an operation completion means for completing the operation when the weighing weight is stable after the weight change of the object is detected by the weight detection means; and an initialization processing means for initializing the purchase weight calculated by the calculation processing means after a certain time has elapsed if the operation completion means is not executed in a state in which the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means detects a change in the weight of the item.

2. The weighing device of claim 1.

6. an operation completion means for completing the operation when the weighing weight is stable after the weight change of the object is detected by the weight detection means; and a notification processing means for notifying the user that the operation completion means is not executed when the weighing weight is stable after the weight detection means detects a change in the weight of the item.

6. The weighing device according to claim 5.

7. the operation completion means is an operation for acquiring unique transaction identification information stored in a specified information storage medium; A weighing device according to claim 5 or 6.

8. The present invention further includes an initialization processing means for initializing the purchase weight of the article to an initial value when the weight detection means detects an increase in the weight of the article placed on the placement section. A weighing device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. A placement portion; a weight detection means for detecting a weight of an object placed on the placement portion; A calculation processing means for calculating a difference between a weight of the article at the start of a transaction and a weight after the weight change as a purchase weight of the article; A sensor information acquisition means for acquiring sensor identification information from the sensor, A communication processing means for transmitting the sensor identification information and the purchase weight as transmission data to a predetermined terminal, Weighing device.

10. The weighing device and the information processing terminal are configured to be able to communicate with each other, The metering device is A placement portion; a weight detection means for detecting a weight of an object placed on the placement portion; A calculation processing means for calculating a difference between a weight of the article at the start of a transaction and a weight after the weight change as a purchase weight of the article; a sensor information acquiring means for acquiring sensor identification information from the sensor; a first communication processing means for transmitting its own device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchase weight to the information processing terminal; The information processing terminal includes: a second communication processing means for receiving the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchase weight from the weighing device; A search processing means for identifying an article based on the device identification information and the sensor identification information; and a display means for displaying a selling price calculated based on the unit price of the identified item and the purchase weight. Metered sales system.

11. a weight detection process for detecting a weight of an article placed on the placement portion; A calculation process for calculating a difference between a weight of the item at the start of the transaction and a weight after the weight change as a purchase weight of the item; and causing the computer to execute a communication process of transmitting the device identification information and the purchased weight to a predetermined terminal. Computer program.

12. In a system in which a weighing device and an information processing terminal are configured to be able to communicate with each other, For the weighing device, a weight detection process for detecting a weight of an article placed on the placement portion; A calculation process for calculating a difference between a weight of the item at the start of the transaction and a weight after the weight change as a purchase weight of the item; a sensor information acquisition process for acquiring sensor identification information from the sensor; a first communication process of transmitting the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchase weight to the information processing terminal; The information processing terminal a second communication process for receiving the device identification information, the sensor identification information, and the purchase weight from the weighing device; A search process for identifying an item based on the device identification information and the sensor identification information; and displaying a selling price calculated based on the unit price of the identified item and the purchase weight. Computer program.

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