Information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To streamline a work for changing an article price at a shop.SOLUTION: The present invention is directed to an information processing system having a user terminal held by a user, and a server which can communicate with the user terminal. The user terminal has an acquiring unit for acquiring article information and term information relating to a validity period of an article from the article, and a display control unit for displaying, on a display unit, information including a selling price of the article acquired from the server. The server has a price determination unit for determining a selling price of the article based on the article information and the term information acquired from the user terminal, and a price information providing unit for providing the user terminal with the information including the selling price of the article determined by the determination unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, for example, in the retail industry, the aim was to give customers a sense of value and increase their desire to buy. , and attaching a markdown label (markdown label) to the product. There are various printers configured to print these markdown labels. It has been proposed. For example, multiple price data including the regular price data and the price data cheaper than the regular price are printed. a determining means for determining whether to print a plurality of price data items; In this case, a display means is provided for displaying a message indicating that the price is the regular price near the price data of the fixed price. A printer with such a configuration has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-016414 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When marking down, for example, store staff at supermarkets and other retailers Visually check the expiration date of the product and mark down the product if it is close to the expiration date as determined by the store's rules. Issue and attach markdown labels to target products (markdown work) Markdowns may be carried out several times a day, so The work takes a lot of time. In addition, markdown work is often done in the evening or at night. This places a heavy burden on store staff. On the other hand, if markdowns are not implemented, the discounted prices will not be communicated to consumers. This means that products that are close to their expiration date will remain unsold, ultimately leading to food waste. Therefore, the current situation is that stores cannot eliminate markdown operations.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to improve the efficiency of operations when changing product prices in a store. The purpose is to: [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a system for providing a user terminal carried by a user and a server capable of communicating with the user terminal. and a server, wherein the user terminal receives product information and a previous an acquisition unit that acquires expiration date information regarding the expiration date of the product; a display control unit that causes information including the offered price of the product to be displayed on a display unit, and the server The product offering price is determined based on the product information and the expiration date information acquired from the user terminal. a price determination unit that determines the price of the product; and information including the price of the product determined by the price determination unit. and a price information providing unit that provides price information to the user terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the efficiency of operations when changing product prices in a store can be improved. This can be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic system configuration of a price presentation system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal. [Figure 3] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of each device in the price presentation system of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a user database. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a purchase record database. [Figure 7] 4 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the price presentation system of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the price presentation system of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of a store application on a user terminal in the price presentation system of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a user database according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the mechanism of a price presentation system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of labels issued in the price presentation system of the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 17]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 19] 10 is a sequence chart showing the operation of a price presentation system according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 shows an example of screen transitions of a store application on a user terminal in a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a user database according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration of an allergen database according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of a price presentation system according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of displaying a markdown code in a price presentation system according to a modified example of an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In this disclosure, "product information" of a product is information that identifies the product. For example, Name, product code, product ID, product model, etc. are examples of product information. It is identification information that identifies the In this disclosure, the "expiration date information" of a product means information indicating whether the user can use or consume the product. Or, it is information about the expiration date that indicates whether or not the item can be consumed. Examples of expiration dates are: Examples include use-by dates, best-before dates, expiry dates, quality assurance dates, etc. In this disclosure, the "base price" of a product is the price before any price change, such as a price reduction, is made in the store. In the following explanation, the regular price is an example of the standard price. is.

[0010] In the present disclosure, the method of acquiring product information and expiration date information from a product is not limited, and various methods are possible. Laws can be adopted. For example, if code information corresponding to product information and expiration date information is displayed on the product, By reading the code information, product information and expiration date information can be obtained. ,Text information (human-readable characters) corresponding to product information and expiration date information is displayed on the product. If the text information is included, an image containing the text information is captured and the image is analyzed using image recognition technology. Here, code information or text information is displayed on the product. Examples of the manner in which code information or character information is printed on the exterior of the product include: The printed media, such as labels on which code information or character information is printed, is the product itself or The code information includes the one-dimensional code (barcode) ) or a two-dimensional code. In the following, product information and An example of obtaining deadline information will be described.

[0011] (1) First embodiment A price presentation system, which is an example of an information processing system, will be described below. The price display system displays the product price ( The system is configured to present the offer price. The user terminal is equipped with a store application that can communicate with the application server. The store application determines the product ID etc. from the code information displayed on the product. The application server receives product information and expiration date information such as best before date. The application server responds to the user based on the information obtained from the store application. The store application determines the price of the product to be sold and notifies it to the store application. The application server displays the product price on the display of the user terminal. By displaying the information, the offered price is presented to the user. In this system, the price offered to users is determined by the app, taking into account the expiration date of the product, etc. The application server determines the number of customers and presents it to them. This will free the store from work-down operations, making it possible to improve the efficiency of store operations. .

[0012] (1-1) System configuration The system configuration of a price presentation system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment is a system for displaying a price to a user C who is shopping at a store. The system includes a user terminal 3 owned by T, an application server 5, and a payment agent server 7. , the price of the product in the store can be presented to the user CT. In this case, the store is a retailer such as a supermarket that sells food products with expiration dates. is. The user terminal 3 is a terminal for displaying the prices of products in a store to the user CT when shopping at the store. The user terminal 3 has a store application installed to allow the user to present the card. The network NW can communicate with the application server 5. , such as the Internet, LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network) ) etc.

[0013] The application server 5 responds to inquiries or requests from the store application. , performs a predetermined process, and returns the process result to the store application. The process may involve, for example, checking product information and expiration dates, etc., acquired from the product by the store application. Based on the information, a process for determining the discounted price (an example of the offered price) to be offered to the user It is the theory.

[0014] The payment agent server 7 can communicate with the application server 5 via the network NW. It provides a service that acts as an agent for the payment of products in the store for the user CT. If payment for the product is not made through the store application, the price presentation system of this embodiment System 1 does not require a payment agent server 7.

[0015] (1-2) How to use the store application Next, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a method of using the store application of the user terminal 3 will be described. 2 and 3 show examples of screen transitions of the store application on the user terminal 3. FIG. By running the store application, users can check the regular price and discounted price of each product in the store. You can check the price and make payment for the product you selected. Screens G1 to G in Figure 2 3 is a store where users check the price of products and add them to their shopping cart. This shows how to use the store application.

[0016] When the user starts the store application on the user terminal 3, the screen G1 of FIG. As shown in the figure, the image capturing function of the user terminal 3 is linked, and the captured image is displayed in window w1. On screen G1, a user picks up product P from the store shelf and sees the product P displayed on the screen. The window w1 contains an image of the product P in which the code information C1 stored therein is visible. The code information C1 of the product P is displayed in the window w1 (i.e., the user scans the By doing so, the store application reads (scans) the code information C1. When multiple code information is displayed in window w1, you can select the code information you want. To ensure reliable reading, the image capturing function of the user terminal 3 is set to capture the image in the window w1. It is preferable to include a function to display the scan area 100 in the window w. Of the multiple code information in the scan area 1, only the code information C1 displayed in the scan area 100 It can be read.

[0017] For example, the code information C1 contains the product ID (an example of product information) and expiration date of the corresponding product P. Contains product ID and expiration date information (an example of expiration date information). As long as the code information C1 is valid, the code format does not matter, but it must be a barcode (one-dimensional code). In this case, for example, CODE128 such as GS1-128 can be adopted. 128 can convert all 128 ASCII characters into barcodes, so it can be used to identify product IDs and expiration dates. The information may be configured to include limiting information.

[0018] In order to affix labels containing GS1-128 to each product in the store, It is also possible to use a labeling robot or other device to automatically apply labels in bulk. When preparing prepared foods, etc., a measurement label including GS1-128 may be attached. As a result, a code that does not include expiration date information (e.g., JAN13) is printed on the product itself. For products that are printed with GS1-128, use a label that includes expiration date information. Can be pasted.

[0019] When the code information C1 is read, the store application The application sends a discount price query to the user for product P, including product ID and expiration date information. The application server 5 sends the normal price and discount price of product P to the application server 5. The window w2 of screen G2, which is displayed after screen G1, displays the following information. , the product name ("Yogurt B 500ml") corresponding to the product ID and the regular price ("30 0 yen), discounted price ("250 yen"), and expiration date ("September 13, 2020") ) information is included. Note that the product P whose code information C1 was read is a product subject to a price reduction. If not, the product will be displayed as not being eligible for a price reduction or the product will be displayed as not being eligible for a price reduction. The window w2 may also display the discounted price and the regular price. You may also include information on the discount rate (or fluctuation rate) from the regular price. By displaying information about the price and discount rate, it becomes easier to appeal to users about discounts on products. . The store application not only displays discounted prices on the screen, but also displays them as videos. The user may be notified by inputting a message or by voice output. Information such as discounted prices and discount rates can be displayed using, for example, Augmented Reality (AR). For example, a discount price may be displayed by superimposing it on the image of the product displayed on screen G2. Information on discount prices and discount rates can be displayed in AR. By displaying this information, price reductions can be more effectively promoted to users. Please note that the store application may not be able to display the expiration date of the product that the user has scanned. If there are products with a close expiration date in the store, the discounted price of the product (i.e., the scanning operation) the price of the product (even lower than the price of the product that was sold), the location of the product (for example, shelf position), Information about the product, such as the number of items in stock, may also be displayed. For example, if you purchase multiple items (for example, two) of a product (such as milk) that is close to its expiration date, Display discounted prices, or discounts when purchasing a combination of different products with close expiration dates The price may be displayed, which will give users an opportunity to purchase the product. It is also possible to do so.

[0020] The discounted price displayed in window w2 is obtained by reading the code information C1 of product P. The expiration date included in the code information C1 is reflected each time the product is purchased. Staff will be freed from the task of marking down each product in the store.

[0021] The user looks at the information contained in window w2 and adds product P to the shopping list (basket). You can choose whether to add it or not. To add product P to your wish list, The user presses the button b1 ("Add to Cart"; an example of the first operation unit) displayed on the screen G2. ) to display screen G3, which indicates that product P has been added to the wish list. In this case, the customer can take the product P they picked up to the store's Place in a physical basket or shopping cart.

[0022] Screens G4 to G6 in Figure 3 are used when a user checks the purchase list and makes payment for the products. This shows how to use the store application. After checking the discounted price of the product and adding it to the purchase wish list (i.e., screen G), After repeatedly displaying 1 to G3), to make a payment, press button b2 on screen G4. ("View Cart") to display the screen G5 containing the shopping list BL. The BL contains a list of products that have been added so far (product name, quantity, price of each product). The total price includes the total price of the item (e.g., price, etc.). The price of the item displayed in the purchase wish list BL is If the product is a discounted product, the discounted price will be applied. If the product is not a discounted product, the discounted price will be applied. is the regular price. Although not shown, the user may select a specific product from the purchase list BL because it is over budget, for example. If you want to cancel the purchase of an item, you can delete the item from the purchase wish list BL. In that case, the user can cancel the purchase from the store basket or shopping cart. Return the product to store shelves.

[0023] On screen G5, when the purchase list BL is confirmed, the user presses button b3 (payment button). By operating the button (an example of a second operation unit), the store application A payment request (or payment instruction) is sent to the payment server 5, and the payment is made over the network as described below. Once the payment process is complete, the store application will display a payment code and The screen G6 including the code information C2 is displayed. The payment completion code indicates that the payment for the product has been completed. It includes a payment ID (described later) that identifies the payment. Although a two-dimensional code is shown as an example of the code, a bar code or the like may also be used.

[0024] The payment code is used to notify the store or store staff that payment for the items in your basket has been completed. It is used to notify For example, customers can exit the store by showing the payment code to the store staff. Alternatively, the payment completion code may be read by a predetermined device in the store. The gate may be configured to open so that customers can exit the store. There is no need to wait in line, and the store's cashier does not need to pay for the product, so customers and There are benefits for both stores. The cashier at the store reads the payment code with a scanner, etc., and the customer passes through the cash register. Even in this case, the cashier at the store must be able to select each item in the basket. There is no need to read the product code information, and customers can go through the cash register in a short time. This is beneficial for both users and stores.

[0025] (1-3) Configuration of each device in the system Next, the configuration of each device in the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the user terminal 3 and the application in the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram including the internal configuration of an application server 5.

[0026] (1-3-1) User terminal 3 As shown in FIG. 4, the user terminal 3 includes a control unit 31, a storage 32, an operation input unit 33, The user terminal includes a display unit 34, an imaging unit 35, a code reader 36, and a communication unit 37. 3. Smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and other wearable devices etc. The control unit 31 is mainly composed of a microprocessor and controls the entire user terminal 3. For example, the microprocessor included in the control unit 31 may The program of the store application that is being used is loaded and executed, and the execution result is displayed on the display unit 34. Display in. The storage 32 is a non-volatile memory, for example, a SSD (Solid State Drive) such as a flash memory. The storage 32 may be a storage device for storing the store application program. In addition to the RAM, data and files created by running the store application are also stored. To remember.

[0027] By executing the store application, the control unit 31 realizes the following functions. (1-i) For example, from the code information displayed on the product, the product information and expiration date of the product Function to acquire restricted information (1-ii) The application sends price inquiries to users regarding discounted product prices. (i.e., requesting information on discounted prices for products) (1-iii) Receive (acquire) information on the discounted price of the product from the application server 5. ) and functions as a display control unit that displays the acquired discount price information of the product on the display unit 34. Noh The display control unit may be configured to display not only discounted price information but also other information related to the execution of a store application. This allows the display unit 34 to display various information. In addition, the control unit 31 may display information about the discounted price of the product on the display unit 34. Alternatively, the function of displaying the discounted price on the display unit 34 and outputting the discounted price of the product by voice may be provided. In that case, the user terminal 3 includes an audio processing unit and a speaker.

[0028] The operation input unit 33 is, for example, a touch panel type input device provided on the display panel of the user terminal 3. The operation input unit 33 is an input device for inputting operation data to the display panel to the store application. Notify the application. The display unit 34 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL panel, and is used for displaying information on store applications. The display unit 34 also displays the results of the execution of the digital image generated by the imaging unit 35. The image signal is displayed. The imaging unit 35 includes, for example, an optical lens and a sensor that converts incident light from the optical lens into an electrical signal. An image sensor is provided to sequentially generate digital images and output them to a display unit 34. do.

[0029] The code reader 36 reads code information contained in the image signal generated by the imaging unit 35. By analyzing the code information, for example, data (i.e., product information such as product ID and expiration date information) can be extracted. Extract (obtain) the information. The communication unit 37 is a communication interface for communicating with the application server 5. It is.

[0030] (1-3-2) Application Server 5 As shown in FIG. 4, the application server 5 includes a control unit 51, a storage 52, and and a communication unit 53. The control unit 51 is mainly composed of a microprocessor, and the application server 5 For example, the microprocessor included in the control unit 51 controls the storage 52. Load and run the server program recorded in The storage 52 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD). In addition to the server program, there is also a user database (user DB) and a purchase history database. (Purchase history DB) The user database and purchase history database are stored in the server. When the user program is executed, the control unit 51 accesses the user database as needed. The source and purchase history database will be explained later with examples. Although not shown, the storage 52 stores data on the regular prices of each product sold in the store (i.e., The data for the regular price is stored in the table. This is referred to by the control unit 51 when determining the discount price. The communication unit 53 is a communication interface for communicating between the user terminal 3 and the payment agent server 7. It is an interface.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of a user database. Each record in the user database shown in Figure 5 contains the following information: "User ID", "User Name", , and the value of each field of "Payment Method". Here, the value of the "User ID" field is This is the identification information assigned to the user. The value of the "User Name" field is the user's name at the store. When the store application is installed on the user terminal 3, the user inputs The value of the "payment method" field is obtained based on the the timing at which the user installs the store application on the user terminal 3, or At any time after installation, the user's data is acquired based on the user's input. The information is recorded or updated in the database. The value of the "Payment Method" field is the data required to pay for the product to the user. For example, credit card number information and / or information related to electronic money ( The value of the "Payment method" field is the payment method corresponding to the user ID. The payment information is provided to the payment agent server 7 when the user makes a payment.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows an example of the configuration of the purchase record database. Each record in the purchase history database shown in Figure 6 includes a "user ID," a "payment ID," The payment details include the values ​​of the fields "Payment Date and Time", "Purchase Details", and "Payment Details". The value of the "ID" field is a data item that is uniquely assigned to each individual payment of the corresponding user. The value of the "Payment Date and Time" field is the date and time when the payment specified by the payment ID occurs. Indicates the date and time. The "Purchase Details" field contains "Product ID", "Product Name", "Price", and "Quantity" The value of each subfield is the payment ID identified by the payment ID. This indicates the details of the purchase that is the subject of the payment. The store's POS (not shown) can read data from the purchase history database. So, sales data using the store application and sales data without using the store application It is possible to aggregate the settled sales data.

[0033] By executing the server program, the control unit 51 controls the price determination unit 511, the price information provider 512, and the price determination unit 513. The payment processing unit 512 and the payment processing unit 513 are realized. The price determination unit 511 determines the price of the product I acquired by the store application of the user terminal 3. D and expiration date information, and change the regular price of the product based on at least one of the information For example, to eliminate unsold products, The closer to the expiration date, the lower the discount price. The price may be reduced regardless of the product ID, in which case the reduced price is determined based solely on the product ID. can be. The price determination unit 511 preferably calculates the price using a predetermined algorithm. The calculation of discounted prices for products using algorithms takes into account not only the expiration date of the product, but also the climate, location, This is done by taking into account various information such as inventory status and past sales history. Rhythm can also utilize artificial intelligence.

[0034] The decision on the discount price of a product can be made from various perspectives. For example, the price determination unit 511 may determine the price of a product by inputting information such as a product ID, expiration date information, and information about the user. The discount price of the product may be determined based on at least one of the following. The discount price can be flexibly determined depending on the customer's attributes. Here, the information about the user is, for example, information about the user's age, sex, address, etc. The store application acquires information about the user through user input operations, for example. The acquired information about the user is sent to the application server 5. The application server 5 records the received information about the user in, for example, a user database. For example, the age of the user indicated in the information about the user is within the target age range of the product. In such cases, the discount will be greater than that for users of an age that is not within the target age range of the product. If the user's information indicates that the user is male, the Men's products may also be heavily discounted.

[0035] The price determination unit 511 determines the price of the product based on the product ID and the closing time of the store selling the product. You may decide to mark down your products, so that you can sell them all before closing time. For example, you can increase the chances of a discounted price on a particular product when the store is about to close. The more the price goes down, the lower the price will be. These are products that are popular, such as bento boxes and prepared foods. The price determination unit 511 receives the product ID and the time when the price inquiry is received from the store application. (i.e., the time when the user scanned the product), the store's closing time, and the product The discount price may be determined based on the remaining quantity of the product corresponding to the ID at the store. This increases the chances of selling out the products before the store closes. The shorter the time between the time of the price inquiry and the closing time of the store, the lower the discount price. The more remaining stock, the greater the discount. Even if the relationship between the closing time and the amount of discount, or the relationship between the remaining amount of products and the amount of discount, For items that you absolutely want to sell out, it is better to make the price reduction larger. stomach.

[0036] The price information providing unit 512 provides information including the discounted price of the product determined by the price determining unit 511. The price information providing unit 512 is a function for providing information to the user terminal 3. It provides information including discounted prices to the store application (3). For example, see Figure 2. The information contained in the screens G2 and G3 is provided by the price information provider 512.

[0037] The payment processing unit 513 receives an instruction to operate the payment button from the user terminal 3 (i.e., In response to the request, the payment processing added to the purchase wish list is carried out in cooperation with the payment agent server 7. The payment processing unit 513 stores the user name and payment method data in the user data. The payment processing unit 513 also reads the payment information from the database and provides it to the payment agent server 7. When a payment request is received from the application, a new record is created in the purchase history database. Create a code.

[0038] (1-4) Operation of Price Display System 1 Next, the operation of the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Figure 7 shows the process when a user checks the price of a product and adds it to their shopping wish list. FIG. 8 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the price presentation system 1. 10 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the price presentation system 1 when making a payment.

[0039] First, referring to FIG. 7, for example, as shown on the screen G1 of FIG. 2, a user selects a product from a store's By picking up a product from the shelf and displaying the product code information on the user terminal 3, The application reads (scans) the code information, for example (step S2). The code information includes, for example, the product ID and expiration date of the product.

[0040] When the product ID and expiration date information is obtained from the product, the store application A price inquiry including expiration date information is sent to the application server 5 (step S4). The application server 5 receives the price inquiry and sends it to the product ID corresponding to the product ID. If the price is subject to a price reduction (step S6: YES), the product ID and Changing the regular price of a product based on at least one of the following information: expiration date information Then, the discounted price is calculated (step S8). If the product corresponding to the product ID included in the price query is not subject to a price reduction, the price reduction The rank is not calculated (step S6: NO). Next, the application server 5 sends the store application a The price data etc. are returned in association with the price data for the product subject to price reduction (step S10). This includes data on regular prices and discounted prices. The data includes regular price data.

[0041] When the price data is received, the store application displays, for example, as shown in screen G2 in Figure 2. In this way, the regular price, discounted price, expiration date information, etc. of the product are displayed on the user terminal 3. (Step S12). For example, if you operate button b1 ("Add to Cart") on screen G2 in Figure 2 (step If the customer purchases the product displayed in step S12, the store application The purchase wish list is updated so that the item is added to the wish list (step S16).

[0042] Next, referring to FIG. 8, for example, as shown on screen G5 in FIG. 3, when a user presses the payment button, When the operation is performed (step S20: YES), the store application A payment request including the schedule list is sent to the application server 5 (step S22). When the application server 5 receives a payment request from the store application, Read the name and payment method data from the user database, and read the user name and payment information including data on payment method and payment amount (total amount of purchase list) The request is sent to the payment agent server 7 (step S24). The payment process is performed based on the data provided by the application server 5 (step S26). When the process is completed, a payment completion notice is sent to the application server 5 (step S2 8). When the payment is completed, the application server 5 issues a new payment ID and (Step S30) A new record is created in the purchase history database. The database is updated (step S32).

[0043] Next, the application server 5 executes a payment completion notification in response to the payment request in step S22. A notice is sent to the store application (step S34). The payment ID issued in step S30 is included. Create a payment completion code, which is a two-dimensional code containing the payment ID included in the completion notice (step S36), for example, as shown on the screen G6 in FIG. 3, is displayed on the user terminal 3 (step S 38).

[0044] As described above, according to the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment, The user can use the user terminal 3 to know the discounted price of the product. The store application on the customer terminal 3 retrieves the product ID and expiration date information from the product code information. The application server 5 receives the Decide the discount price based on the product ID and expiration date information, and display the discount price information to the store account. The store application returns the data received from application server 5 to the application. Display discounted price information. Therefore, the price presentation system 1 of this embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0045] (i) A mark that affixes a label with a reduced price to a product as the expiration date approaches. Since store staff no longer need to perform down work, stores can reduce labor and personnel costs. This means that the efficiency of store operations can be improved. This becomes: In addition, if code information (e.g., GS1-128) containing expiration date information is attached to the product, If this is not the case, we will use bulk labeling at distribution centers, etc. or measuring labels in stores. Therefore, code information including expiration date information can be attached. (ii) The application server 5 can optimally determine the discount price of the product. This makes it possible to effectively prevent unsold products and waste of products. (iii) The markdown business at the store can be abolished, and cashless transactions can be implemented at the register. This allows for staff reduction, reducing store labor costs, and This can be returned in the form of a discount on the product. (iv) Using the store application, users can scan products themselves and purchase them. This will allow customers to make payments for items, significantly reducing the number of times they have to wait in line at the cash register. In addition, since customers have fewer opportunities to go through the cash register, there is less contact between people in the store. This can significantly reduce the chances of (v) It will significantly reduce the number of customers waiting in line at the cash register, which will increase customer satisfaction at stores. It is expected that customer satisfaction will improve and customers will visit the store more frequently. (vi) In this embodiment, a method for acquiring product ID and expiration date information from a product is as follows: Although we have given an example of a method for reading code information, this method uses wireless communication such as RFID. This method is cheaper than methods using image recognition technology or methods using image recognition technology. (vii) To users who use the store application, Users can receive a larger discount on products than non-users. The flexibility of setting the price cannot be realized with the conventional discount display method using electronic shelf labels, for example. I can't.

[0046] (2) Second embodiment Next, a price presentation system according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. The following description of each embodiment will focus on the differences from the first embodiment. The price presentation system of this embodiment provides users with a price according to their user status (an example of a category). The price presentation system of the first embodiment differs in that the discounted price presented to the user may differ. This is different from 1. User status can be set from various perspectives. For example, User status is based on the user's product purchase history, user attributes (age, gender, need for care, etc.) The decision can be made based on factors such as whether the user is a member of the group or not, and the user's track record of soliciting other users. Cut. In this embodiment, the control unit 51 of the application server 5 manages the user in a plurality of user stages. The price determination unit 511 (see FIG. 4) functions as a correlation unit that correlates the price with one of the statuses. The reference section calculates the discount price of the product based on the user status associated by the association section. Determine.

[0047] For example, if your user status is Platinum, Gold, or Silver (in this order, you are a good customer), In this case, Figure 9 shows the case where the user status is If your user status is Gold (Screen G7) or Platinum (Screen G8), Screen G7 and Screen G8 show examples of discounted prices presented to customers. This is a screen compatible with the G2. In the example in Figure 9, the discounted price for platinum members ( "180 yen") is the discounted price for Gold members included in window w2a on screen G7. ("200 yen"), which shows that platinum members are given preferential treatment. do.

[0048] An example of the user database of this embodiment is shown in FIG. The user database in FIG. 10 is the same as the user database in the first embodiment (see FIG. 5). In comparison, the difference is that a value for the "User Status" field has been added to each record. The value of the "Subscriber Status" field indicates, for example, Platinum, Gold, Silver, etc. This is the data. For example, if user status is determined based on the user's purchase history, the application The control unit 51 of the application server 5 refers to the purchase record database (see FIG. 6). The total amount of each user's purchase history is calculated based on the database, and the calculated total amount is distributed to each user. By comparing with the threshold value according to the status, the user status can be determined for each user. This can be done. In the price suggestion system of this embodiment, the application server 5 For example, the application server 5 of the first embodiment determines the discount price according to the If the discounted price calculated by the price determination unit 511 is the price for a silver member, The discounted prices for Royal and Platinum members are increased from the discounted prices for Silver members. The price may be reduced by a predetermined amount or a predetermined percentage.

[0049] According to the price presentation system of this embodiment, prices are provided to users according to their user status. In particular, it is possible to flexibly set discount prices based on user status. When deciding and updating based on the purchase history of products, it is necessary to encourage users to purchase products at the store. In addition, by giving preferential treatment to users with higher user status, it is possible to It is possible to achieve enclosure.

[0050] (3) Third embodiment Next, a price presentation system according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. Reveal. In the price display system of the first and second embodiments, the user himself / herself inputs the product code information. The system is designed so that users can recognize the discounted price by performing a reading operation. If there was a system that allowed customers to know in advance which products in the store were subject to price reductions, it would be easier to avoid random discounts. There is no need to perform any operation to read the code information, and only the code information of the product subject to price reduction can be read. From this perspective, in this embodiment, Store staff will provide a markdown code to indicate whether or not a product is eligible for a price reduction. A label with the code printed on it (label with markdown code) is issued and affixed to the product. The user can determine the price of the product based on the markdown code on the label attached to the product. After recognizing that the product is subject to discounts, the product code information printed on the label You can perform the operation to read.

[0051] The price presentation system of this embodiment is to attach labels to at least two products with different expiration dates. For labels, it includes a printer that prints different markdown codes on the label. . In the price presentation system of this embodiment, the application server 5 is This allows the printer to send commands to print multiple labels with markdown codes. The printer then prints a plurality of markdown-coded labels based on the instruction signal. Print and issue the following.

[0052] An example of setting the Markdown code to be printed on the label ("Label printing example") and Figure 11 shows an example of setting the markdown code for a product that is subject to a price reduction ("Price reduction example"). An example of this is shown below. There are multiple markdown codes depending on the period (e.g. number of days) until the product expiration date. can be. For example, in Figure 11, on May 19, 2020, the expiration date is between today and 9 days later. For products arriving at, 10 types of Markdown codes A to J are assigned ( In other words, an example of printing and issuing 10 labels with Markdown codes is shown. As of May 19, 2020, for products whose expiration date falls within nine days of the expiration date, In this example, the expiration date is 9 days from now. Once a label is applied to a product, a separate label, such as a markdown label, can be issued. There is no need. In this case, the label issued for product P, whose expiration date is May 20, 2020, is An example of a PL is shown in Figure 12. Figure 12 shows an example of a measurement label PL attached to a product P. The markdown code display section 103 of the label PL displays the markdown code: "B". It is printed.

[0053] In Figure 11, the markdown code for the discounted product is, for example, The price will change depending on the situation and will be notified to the customer at the store, in the store, or through the store app. The markdown code for the product that will be discounted on that day will be posted by the store staff at the store or on the board in the store. The information may be written by hand on a card or displayed on an electronic shelf tag. The markdown code for the product that will be discounted that day will be displayed when the store application is launched. In this case, the store application may be configured to display the Receives the markdown code for the day from application server 5 and displays it. In the example in Figure 11, on May 19, 2020, the items in the store that were subject to price reductions were The products are those with a label that has the markdown code "A" or "B" printed on it. On the following day, May 20, 2020, the products in the store that were subject to price reductions were marked The product has a label with a "B" or "C" printed as a down code. May 2020 The same applies from the 21st to May 28th, 2020. In other words, in the example of price reduction in Figure 11, the price of products whose expiration date is the same day or the next day is reduced. It is set to be a product subject to price reduction.

[0054] For example, customers who visited the store on May 25, 2020, could use the storefront, the store, or the store app. Through the application, you will be notified that the Markdown code for the day is "G" or "H". Then, the user can select products in the store with markdown codes "G" or "H". It is clear that the products with the printed labels are the products that are subject to the discount on that day. Therefore, the user must read only the code information of the products in the store that are subject to price reduction ( This improves user convenience by allowing users to simply perform a scan. By setting this, users are given the opportunity to proactively scan products in the store. In other words, users can use the product with a label with the Markdown code printed on it. By reading the code information of the product subject to price reduction, as in the first and second embodiments, By using the user terminal 3, the discounted price of the product according to the expiration date or the like can be recognized. On the other hand, once the store staff has attached the label to the product, they can easily attach the markdown label to the product. Since there is no need to attach a sticker, the efficiency of store operations can be improved in the same way as in the first and second embodiments. This makes it possible to

[0055] In Figure 11, there are 10 types of Markdown code, but this is not limited to this. The number of types of Markdown codes is determined appropriately depending on the operation of the store. In Figure 11, different markdown codes are assigned to different expiration dates. However, you may assign the same markdown code to different expiration dates. For example, in the example in Figure 11, the markdown code assigned from May 19th to May 21st is The code is "A", the markdown code assigned from May 22nd to May 24th is "B", It may be something like this. The markdown code is an example of discount instruction information. It is not limited to letters such as "J", but may also be a symbol, sign, mark, emblem, design, etc.

[0056] The switching of markdown codes is not limited to daily units, but can also be done hourly. For example, for products that are produced multiple times a day, such as prepared foods and bento boxes, markings can be made multiple times a day. For example, you can set up a business three times a day at 8:00, 12:00, and 16:00. When manufacturing products, the markdown code printed on the label attached to the product is "A", "B" and "C" are products manufactured at 8:00 and the expiration date is 16:00 on the same day, and products manufactured at 12:00 are Assume that the expiration date of the manufactured product is 8:00 PM on the day. In that case, for example, During the 16:00 time slot, the markdown code for the discounted items will be "A", and during the 16:00 to 20:00 time slot, In this case, the markdown code for the product to be discounted can be set to "B". By switching the markdown code, store employees can This eliminates the need for frequent tasks such as attaching markdown labels, greatly improving work efficiency. This can be achieved.

[0057] (4) Modifications of the embodiment Next, a price presentation system according to a modified example of the embodiment will be described.

[0058] (4-1) First Modification The first modified example will be described below. In the first and second embodiments, the application server 5 determines the discount price of the product. The price determination unit 511 of the application server 5 determines the value The start time of the discounted price may be determined. The information indicating the determined start time of the discounted price may be The application server 5 transmits the data to the store application and the display unit 3 of the user terminal 3 34. That is, the control unit 31 of the user terminal 3 determines the start time of the discount on the product. It may also function as a display control unit that causes the display unit 34 to display information indicating the above.

[0059] In this modification, the price determination unit 511 of the application server 5 determines whether or not a store selling the product The start time of the discount price of the product is determined based on the closing time of the store and the remaining quantity of the product. do. For example, the start time of the discounted price of the product may be a predetermined time before the store closes. At this time, it is preferable to set the predetermined time longer as the remaining quantity (unsold quantity) of the product increases. In other words, if there is a lot of product left, the start time can be moved up to sell the product before closing time. This increases the likelihood that you will be able to make the most of it.

[0060] In the second embodiment, the start time of the discount price for a certain product can be set by the user. It may be faster for users with higher user status than for users with lower status. For example, if you set the discount start time for Platinum members to 3:00 PM today, and for Gold members to The deadline will be changed to 4:00 PM today for Silver members, 5:00 PM today for Silver members, etc. The timing at which the user is notified of the start time of the discounted price by the option is, for example, as shown in Figure 9. This is the time when the screen G7 or screen G8 is displayed, but is not limited to this. When a user (member) receives a notice of a discounted product, etc., the discount will be displayed for each customer status. The discount price and the start time of the discount may be notified to the user in advance. Regardless of the user's user status, the discounted price for each user status By doing so, the start time of the user with a relatively high user status can be displayed. However, you will get a sense of superiority by being offered a discounted price earlier than others. This creates a connection and motivates customers to return to the store. On the other hand, the store sees the user's status as improved. This has the advantage of being able to attract a large number of users. The time period during which the discounted price is offered may be varied depending on the user status. For example, Platinum members: 3 hours, Gold members: 2 hours, Silver members: 1 hour. Even if you do this, you can still change the user with a higher user status to a lower user status. They can be given preferential treatment over users with higher status.

[0061] (4-2) Second Modification Next, a second modified example will be described with reference to FIGS. In this modified example, when a discounted price of a product is presented to a user, the relevant information of the product is The information is also configured to be displayed. The screen G9 shown in FIG. 13 is similar to the screen G2 shown in FIG. 2, and is used by the store application. This is a screen that displays the discounted price to the customer on the user terminal 3. The product name, regular price, discounted price, expiration date, and other related information of the product are also included. As related information, link information 104 showing the place of production and producer information of the product is displayed. In this example, the user can access information about the place of origin and manufacturer of the product by operating the link information 104. Therefore, the user can view a web page including the product he or she intends to purchase. You can check the safety of products before including them in your list.

[0062] The screen G10 shown in FIG. 14 is similar to the screen G2 shown in FIG. 2 in that the store application can be used. This is the screen that displays the discounted price to the user. In addition to the product name, regular price, discounted price, and expiration date, related information of the product and A menu list ML of dishes using the product will be displayed. In the menu bar, a scroll bar 101 may be provided to display many menus. The list ML is displayed, allowing users to consider how to use the target product. Therefore, the user can add the products displayed in the window w10 to the purchase list (customer's wish list). This will allow us to obtain useful information in a timely manner to determine whether or not to include the product in the product. This will also lead to increased motivation to visit the store next time.

[0063] Select one dish from the menu list ML in window w10 (in the example in Figure 14) When the user selects "Chinese Pork with Green Peppers" (for example, "Chinese Pork with Green Peppers"), the screen G11 is displayed on the user terminal 3. is shown. Window w11 on screen G11 displays a list of ingredients needed to prepare the selected dish. If the ingredients you need include items that are subject to price reduction, the price reduction will be displayed. Information indicating that the product is a discounted item (in the example of screen G11 in Figure 14, the character string "Price Reduction" is used) ) to encourage customers to purchase additional items. In addition, users can prepare ingredients cheaply from the menu list ML. It has the advantage of helping you learn what dishes you can make. When displaying screen G11, the store application checks whether each ingredient is a discounted product. The application server 5 may be queried as to whether or not there is one.

[0064] (4-3) Third Modification Next, a third modified example will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the store application has a function of managing the user's home inventory. . In this modification, for example, the storage 32 of the user terminal 3 stores a home inventory database of products. The store application stores the payment for the items in the purchase list. Each time, the data for each item on the purchase list is added to the home inventory database. When a product is consumed or disposed of by a user, the store application may, for example, Based on the operation by the user, the selected items in the home inventory database are stored as home inventory data. Remove from base. In this modification, the home inventory database of the user is stored in, for example, an application server. The information may be stored on the server 5 side.

[0065] Referring to Figure 15, the usage of the store application when managing home inventory is as follows: In this modification, as shown in the screen G12 of FIG. Button b4 ("Home Stock") is added. When button b4 is operated, the home stock list The screen G13 containing the Home Stock List HL is displayed. The Home Stock List HL is a list of items in the Home Stock Database. This is a list of the products displayed. The products included in the Home Inventory List HL cannot be displayed on one screen. If you do not have access to the entire product, you can use the scroll bar 102 to view all products. When a user consumes or disposes of a product at home, the user can delete the product by operating button b5 ("delete"), etc. Therefore, the corresponding product is deleted from the home inventory list HL (i.e., the home inventory database (delete from source).

[0066] According to this modification, the number and extent of products with expiration dates at the user's home can be calculated. This allows you to visualize the amount of food you are wasting, which can help reduce food waste at home, for example. In addition, the data obtained by the user scanning the product in the store can be used Since the data is reflected in the home inventory database, the effort to create the home inventory database is reduced. It is qualitatively unnecessary.

[0067] If a household account book management application is installed on the user terminal 3, The store application may be linked to a household account book management application. The application updates the list of items to be purchased each time a payment for the item is completed. The data of each item included in the list is provided to the household accounting management application. The data for each product included in the app includes the price at the time of purchase. Based on the data of each product provided by the application, the household accounting management application In this case, the user can also manage the data of the purchased products and their prices at home. This eliminates the need to enter data into a bookkeeping application.

[0068] (4-4) Fourth Modification Next, a fourth modified example will be described. The price presentation system 1 of the first embodiment is a system in which a user scans a product in a store. The product is then placed in the basket or shopping cart, and payment for the product is completed cashlessly. However, this system does not require the user to scan the product. It is also possible to put the items into your own bag and leave the store. An additional mechanism for preventing such behavior will be described as a fourth modified example.

[0069] In this modification, one or more surveillance cameras are installed in the store. Images of fixed points within the area are sequentially acquired and transmitted to a computer connected to each surveillance camera. The computer device uses artificial intelligence to analyze images and detect suspicious user behavior. It is configured to do so.

[0070] The computer device can detect suspicious user behavior from the image, but if the user is behaving suspiciously, Therefore, a beacon signal is set in each shopping cart in the store. A wireless tag that periodically transmits a beacon signal is attached, and a receiver that receives the beacon signal is installed, for example, on the ceiling of a store. The communication protocol between the wireless tag and the receiver is not limited, but for example, Bluetooth The receiver can receive the beacon signal. The arrival angle is calculated and the arrival angle data is notified to the computer device. The location (coordinates) of each shopping cart in the store is calculated in real time based on the received data on the angle of arrival. Identify between.

[0071] The computer device records the results of the detection of suspicious user behavior (time, coordinates of fixed points) and the time of each purchase. By matching the location information of the shopping cart according to the time in the store, users who have engaged in suspicious behavior can be identified. If a user who has engaged in suspicious behavior is identified, the computer The device outputs an alert notification (visual output or audio output) so that store staff can recognize it. (force). When an alert notification is issued, shoplifters are asked to leave the store in order to indirectly deter shoplifters. It is preferable to carry out random checks at the time of purchase. Store staff will visually inspect the bag of one randomly selected customer. Random checks are conducted to ensure that shoplifters do not lose any unpaid items before leaving the store. It is expected that they will voluntarily return them to the shelves.

[0072] (4-5) Fifth Modification Next, a fifth modified example will be described. In each of the above-described embodiments, a method for acquiring a product ID and expiration date information from a product is Although the case of reading the code information of the product has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. Another way to obtain product ID and expiration date information from a product is to use the product, shelf tag, or A wireless tag attached to the exterior of a product or placed in the vicinity of the product In this case, the information received can be used to receive product IDs and expiration dates. The communication method (e.g., communication protocol, frequency used, etc.) when transmitting is not specified. Examples of such technologies include RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) such as NFC (Near Field Communication). Examples include Bluetooth Identification (B2B) and Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, an NFC tag that records the product ID and expiration date information of the product is attached to a product or shelf tag. It is assumed that the user terminal 3 is equipped with an NFC reader. When the user brings their user terminal 3 close to the product, the NFC reader of the user terminal 3 Receives product ID and expiration date information from the NFC tag of the product. The application sends the price inquiry including the product ID and expiration date information of the received product to the application. The application server 5 receives the price inquiry and sends it to the application server 5. As in the previous embodiment, the discounted price of the product is determined, and information indicating the discounted price is displayed in the store application. Return to the application. The store application of the user terminal 3 uses RFID tags or BLE tags attached to products, shelf labels, etc. If a tag or other information is attached to the product, the identification information that identifies the product is acquired from the product and used in the application. The application server 5 makes a price inquiry including expiration date information of the product, and the discounted price is By doing so, it is possible to identify RFID tags, BLE tags, etc. There is no need to memorize the expiration date information of the corresponding products, and the application server This makes it possible for server 5 to centrally manage expiration date information for each product.

[0073] It is also possible to identify the product ID of the product from an image of the product's exterior. If the terminal 3 has an imaging unit, the image of the product acquired by the imaging unit is transmitted to the store application The application server 5 sends the acquired product Identify the product ID of the product from the image. When identifying the product ID, a trained model is used. In this case, the product image is an example of product information. At this time, the application server 5 associates the product ID with the expiration date information of the product. The database is accessed to obtain expiration date information corresponding to the specified product ID. It can be configured to be able to do so. Combining multiple pieces of information that can be obtained from a product, the product ID and expiration date information of the product For example, code information, character information, and wireless tag information obtained from products and shelf tags may be used. The information obtained from the product, the image of the product's appearance, etc., are combined to create a commercial You can obtain the product ID and expiration date information of the product.

[0074] (4-6) Sixth Modification Next, a sixth modified example will be described. The sixth modified example uses a store application. After checking the product prices using the app, the user can purchase the items in their shopping list issued by the store application. The user code associated with the product price can be used at regular cash registers or self-checkouts in the store. The seventh variant, which will be described later, uses a store application to set the price. This is an example where only a check is performed. In the above-described embodiment, the user scans the product using the user terminal 3 to make a decision. Although the above explanation is given for cases where a customer makes a payment (i.e., performs self-payment), this is not the only case. The customer scans the product on the user terminal 3 to check the price of the product, and then You can also pay for your purchases at the regular cash register (staffed cash register) or self-service cash register (unmanned cash register) in the store. can. A regular cash register is a system that uses a code reader to read the code information of the product a customer is trying to purchase. The staff will scan the card and pay the total amount of the items in cash or credit based on the store staff's operation. A self-checkout is a terminal that allows users to make payments by card, etc. The user can read the code information of the product using a code reader, or The total amount of the goods is read by the bulk reader and paid in cash or credit card based on the user's operation. This refers to a cash register terminal that accepts payments by credit card, etc., and is generally operated by store staff. This refers to a cash register terminal that allows payment to be completed without any need for payment.

[0075] Examples of store application screens on the user terminal in this modified example are shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. vinegar. FIG. 16 shows an example of a screen displayed after starting a store application in this modified example. On the screen G0 in Figure 16, there is a button b11 for self-payment and a button to confirm the price of the product. The user operates the button b11 and the price checker button b12 is included. In this case, the screen transitions to the screen G1 in FIG. 2, and the security It will be possible to make payments via cashless payments. On the other hand, when the user operates the button b12 on the screen G0 of FIG. 16, the user You can check the price and purchase the product at that price at the regular register or self-checkout. The necessary user code can be obtained. The user code is a combination of the user ID (see Figure 6). It may be a code associated with the store's point card, membership card, etc. The code may be a code associated with a membership number assigned to the user.

[0076] When the user operates the button b12 on the screen G0, the screens G21 and G22 in FIG. As shown in Figure 2, similar to screens G1 and G2, the product image displayed in window w1 By reading (scanning) the code information C1, the user can You can display discounted prices and expiration dates for each product. In addition to buttons b1 and b2 on screen G2 (see Figure 2), a button for issuing a user code is also provided. Contains tan B13. When the button b13 is operated on the screen G22, the user control Code C3 is displayed. User code C3 is usually read by a code reader installed at the cash register or self-checkout. At a regular cash register, the customer presents the customer code C3 to the clerk, who then uses the code reader. By scanning only the customer code C3 using At this time, the cashier terminal reads the customer code from the code reader and Based on the code C3, the application server 5 is queried and the value provided by the user is The same applies to self-checkouts, where the customer can get information on discounted prices instead of the store clerk. performs an operation to read only user code C3 using the code reader connected to the self-checkout .

[0077] When the button b2 is operated on the screen G22, for example, the screen G5 of FIG. The screen G5a includes the same display content as the screen G5 in FIG. 3, but the button b3 The difference is that it includes button b14 ("Issue Code") instead of button b14. The user code C3 will be displayed, just like on screen G23 in Figure 17. This user code is Required when paying for items in your basket at a regular or self-checkout register. This is the code.

[0078] This series of steps will be further explained with reference to the sequence chart of FIG. When the button b14 (code issue button) is operated on the screen G5a of FIG. (S50: YES), the store application of the user terminal 3 is The code issuing request is sent to the server 5 (step S52). The application server 5 receives the shopping list from the store application. When a code issuance request is received from the user, the user code is issued (step S54). The issued user code and the purchase list included in the code issuance request in step S52 The offered price of each product (offered price in the product list) is recorded in association with the product (step S56). Next, the application server 5 transmits the user code issued in step S54 to the store. The result is returned to the application (step S58). The store application converts the user code into a two-dimensional code (step S60) and displays it as shown in FIG. As shown in the screen G23 of FIG. 8, the user code C3 is displayed on the display unit 34 of the user terminal 3. (step S62).

[0079] The user carries the product to be purchased to, for example, a regular cash register, and sends it to the store staff via the user terminal 3. When the user presents the user code displayed on the screen, the store staff will The cash register then reads the user code using the application. The application server 5 sends the request to the application server 5 and makes an inquiry (step S64). 5 is a product list recorded in correspondence with the user code received in step S56. The cashier reads out the offered price of the product and returns it to the cashier (step S66). The payment process is performed based on the offered price (step S68). Payment can be made efficiently based on the product price confirmed on the store application. The same applies to self-checkouts. Instead of store staff, customers themselves can access the self-checkout. The difference is that the user code is read using a connected code reader.

[0080] The user code is not just the membership number assigned to the user, but also the code used when visiting a store. By including information such as the date and time when the user uses (requests) the user code, It is preferable to include different information depending on the timing of purchase. The price may fluctuate daily, and the timing of the request for the user code that the user obtains By changing the user code depending on the application, the application server 5 can This will enable us to properly manage product prices relative to the market. A regular cash register or a self-checkout is an example of a store terminal.

[0081] When a customer purchases multiple items at a regular register or self-checkout, By reading the user code issued by the app, you can apply the app to all of the multiple products. Alternatively, an inquiry may be made to the application server 5 to settle the payment based on the discounted price.

[0082] (4-7) Seventh Modification Next, a seventh modified example will be described. In the sixth variant, a product list is exchanged between the user and the system in advance before making a payment at a regular register or self-checkout. Although the case where the correspondence with the offer price is performed has been explained, this is not the only case. Please use the price checker above to check only the prices offered to you for the products and product lists you are purchasing. At the regular or self-service register, the product to be purchased is scanned and the user terminal is 3. Read the user code, membership code, or other code that identifies the user and use Payment may be made at a price appropriate to the customer. For example, a customer at a store can use the price checker function shown in Figures 16 and 17. By doing so, you will be able to recognize the price of the product offered to you and decide whether or not to purchase the product. In this case, different product prices are presented depending on the user status, as shown in Figure 9. This may also be done. If you decide to purchase a product using the price checker, you may If you want to purchase the item, put it in your basket or shopping cart, go to the regular cash register or self-checkout, and then The payment for the product is made by reading the product barcode, etc. Identify the user in the store application by operating button b13 of G22 The user code is displayed and the store staff reads it with a code reader. (in the case of a regular register), or read the code yourself with a code reader (in the case of a self-checkout) ) Then, the regular cash register or self-checkout register will use the user code that identifies the user who read it. Based on the user status, the price of the product whose barcode etc. is read The application server 5 then sends the request to the user. The system determines the price to be offered and returns the price information to the regular register or self-checkout. The self-checkout register performs payment based on the price information received from the application server 5. Perform processing. In this way, in this modified example, the user performs a scan operation on the product using the user terminal 3. By doing so, you can simply check the product price and then purchase it at the regular cash register or self-checkout in the store. Payment for the products can also be made by scanning the elephant product barcode.

[0083] (4-8) Eighth Modification Next, an eighth modified example will be described. In the eighth variant, the user is required to identify substances that cause his / her allergies (hereinafter referred to as "allergens"). The information about the quality is registered in advance in the application server 5. When the store application reads the code information of the product, If a registered allergen is contained, the allergen is included. is configured to be displayed on the user terminal 3. Therefore, the user can check whether the product contains his / her allergens. You can safely purchase the product knowing that it does not contain ghee substances.

[0084] FIG. 20 shows an example of screen transitions of the store application on the user terminal 3 in this modified example. Screens G30 and G31 in FIG. 20 correspond to screens G1 and G2 in FIG. 2, respectively. In window w12 of screen G31, for example, the product name corresponding to the product ID and the regular price In addition to the discount price and expiration date, the information includes information on whether or not the product contains allergens. Here is an example where a user has registered "almonds" as one of their allergens. The allergens contained in the product to be scanned (in this example, "granola") are It indicates that the product contains an allergen ("almond") that the user has registered in advance. is doing. In window w12 of screen G31, you can confirm the details of allergens contained in the product. A button b15 may be provided to allow confirmation. By operating the button b15, the screen G32 is displayed. Screen G32 shows the items that are subject to allergen labeling (for example, Allergens contained in the target products (e.g., almonds) The app is displayed so that users can easily see the name of the app ("Do" and "Peanuts"), and users can also select the app they have registered in advance. The allergen ("almond") is highlighted.

[0085] An example of the configuration of the user database in this modified example is shown in Fig. 21. is compared with the user database of the first embodiment (see FIG. 5), and each record has "Registered The difference is that the value of the "Registered Allergens" field has been added. The values ​​in the fields are entered upon request by the corresponding user and are used to identify user-specific allergies. It shows the substance. The storage 52 (an example of a storage unit) of the application server 5 stores the example shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 22, the allergen database is stored. The store provides information on allergens (contained allergens) contained in each product sold in the store. The information on contained allergens corresponds to the display content of screen G32 in FIG.

[0086] The store application of the user terminal 3 reads the code information of the product and then The price inquiry including the product ID and expiration date information of the product is sent to the application server 5. This is as explained with reference to FIG. 7. In this modification, When the control unit 51 receives a price inquiry, it refers to the user database (FIG. 21) and The information on registered allergens corresponding to the user ID in the store application is read. The control unit 51 then checks whether the registered allergens that have been read out correspond to the product ID included in the price inquiry. Please refer to the allergen database (Figure 22) to see if the product is included in the allergen list. and make a judgment. The communication unit 53 of the application server 5 receives the registered allergens along with the price data. The store sends the information of the judgment result whether or not the product contains an allergen to the user terminal 3. That is, the communication unit 53 returns the registered allergen to the store application. If the product contains the corresponding allergen, it indicates that the product contains an allergen. It functions as a notification unit that notifies the user terminal 3 of allergy information. The application displays the example on screen G31 in FIG. 20 based on the price data and the judgment result. The display shown is displayed.

[0087] For products that contain a user's registered allergen, the user must It would be preferable to create a system that makes it impossible to purchase them. For example, if a product contains a user's registered allergen, the store application The button b1 ("Add to Cart") on the screen G31 is disabled. You can control it. Alternatively, for example, the user code described in the sixth modification can be entered at a regular register or a self-checkout. When the card is read by the card reader, the cash register terminal sends the payment target to the application server 5. Make an inquiry including the product ID, and check if the registered allergen is a contained allergen that corresponds to the product ID. - The result of the determination as to whether or not the substance is included is received from the application server 5. If the product contains a registered allergen, the register terminal will notify the user. An alarm (warning sound or warning display) will be output, or payment for products containing registered allergens will be It may be possible to make this impossible. In this way, we will prevent users from purchasing products that contain their registered allergens. Therefore, users can easily check whether their allergens are present in the product. There is no need to visually check the ingredient label of the product to see if it contains any of the ingredients. I forgot to check the label and accidentally purchased a product that contained my allergen. This avoids the situation. In addition, if the product is a prepared dish, allergies contained in another product produced immediately before the product in question Substance information may also be registered in the database. In this case, the user can enter, for example, product code information. When the information is read by the store application of the user terminal 3, If the other manufactured product contains the user's registered allergen, the product to be read The store application will display information that may contain trace amounts of registered allergens. This will provide consumers with a system for purchasing products more safely and securely. It will be possible to provide.

[0088] (4-9) Ninth Variation Next, a ninth modified example will be described. In the third embodiment, a label on which a markdown code is printed is attached to a product. We have explained how to notify users of the markdown code of a product that is subject to a price reduction. The markdown code can be used on a user terminal where the store application is installed. In this modification, the markdown code of the product to be discounted is not limited to the case where the markdown code is held. A system in which the information is displayed on in-store display devices (e.g., digital signage and electronic shelf labels) This article explains the system.

[0089] FIG. 23 shows a schematic system configuration of a price presentation system 2 according to this modified example. As shown in FIG. 23, the price presentation system 2 of this modification includes an application server 5 and and a digital signage 8 installed in the store as an example of a display device. The application server 5 and the digital signage 8 can communicate with each other via a network NW. .

[0090] As explained in the third embodiment, at least some of the products in the store have In this modification, the application server 5. Decide the markdown code to be used for the price reduction and post the markdown code to the store. In this modified example, the application The control unit 51 of the server 5 functions as an instruction information determination unit and a display control unit as described below. For example, The control unit 51 executes a server program to make the computer realize the following functions: It is configured to: (i) A product that is discounted from the base price of a product among multiple different markdown codes Instructions that determine one or more markdown codes that are applied to the product (i.e., the product that is being marked down) Information decision department (ii) displaying one or more Markdown codes determined by the instruction information determination unit on the digital surface; Display control unit for displaying on Inage 8

[0091] The control unit 51 of the application server 5 reduces the price as shown in FIG. The control unit 51 determines the markdown code of the target product, but is not limited to this. You can also determine the markdown code for the product you want to reduce the price of based on the daily inventory status. For example, unlike the example shown in Figure 11, the price of the product subject to discount may be changed depending on the product's stock status. Markdown codes for products with expiration dates on the same day and the next day, or The markdown code must be one of the following: the same day, the next day, or the day after that. You can also switch between them as needed. is not determined by the application server 5 but by the store staff, etc. It's okay to do that. By displaying the markdown code on the digital signage8, users can Even if a user does not have a device with the application installed, they can identify products that are eligible for discounts. Discounted items can be purchased at regular or self-checkout registers.

[0092] The control unit 51 of the application server 5 digitally converts two or more different Markdown codes. When displaying on a digital signage8, each of the two or more different Markdown codes and display one of multiple pieces of information with different discount degrees (for example, discount rate information) in association with the An example of such a display is shown in FIG. The display example shown in Figure 24 corresponds to the setting of the label with Markdown code shown in Figure 11. For example, on May 19, 2020, the following was displayed on the digital signage8 in the store: In Figure 24, the Markdown code is displayed to the user as a "sale code." For example, discounts are given for each special sale code (i.e., markdown code). The rate is fluctuating. In other words, products whose expiration date is on the day (markdown code: A ) will be 20% off, and items with an expiration date the next day (markdown code: B) will be 1 0% OFF, and 5% OFF for items with expiration dates two days later (markdown code: C) This information is displayed on the digital signage8 in the store. Customers who have purchased the product can use the Markdown code on the label with the Markdown code attached to the product in the store. Depending on the code, it may or may not be subject to a price reduction, and if so, what is the discount rate? You can immediately recognize the degree of

[0093] In Figure 24, the search is not limited to specific products in the store, but does not distinguish between types of products, etc. ,Markdown codes for discounted products are displayed on digital signage 8 An example is shown, but it is not limited to this. Markdown code is displayed on the electronic shelf label corresponding to the product. If you want to display a separate code for each product, for example, product PX The markdown codes of the labels to be affixed to the product PY are "X1", "X2", ... Assume that the markdown codes of the labels to be attached are "Y1", "Y2", ... In this case, the electronic shelf label corresponding to the product PX will show "X1", "X2", ... The electronic shelf tag corresponding to product PY will display "Y1", "Y2", ... The "Special Offer Code" will be displayed. Digital signage8 can be a relatively large-screen display device, so If you want to display the code on Digital Signage 8, you must install Digital Signage 8 in the store. By hanging it on the wall, many customers in the store will be able to recognize the markdown code. Therefore, it is possible to create a markdown that is common to all products in the store, rather than a specific product. On the other hand, electronic shelf labels are suitable for displaying codes on product shelves. Because it is a small display device, it is difficult to display the markdown code for each individual product. As mentioned above, each electronic shelf label corresponding to a product has a marking You can display the code.

[0094] As mentioned in the third embodiment, the markdown code for the discounted product is For example, the information may be displayed when a store application is started. The application server 5 then sends one or more markdown codes to the discounted products. Once determined, the store application (an example of a display control unit) of the user terminal 3 displays the one or more The markdown code is received from the application server 5 and displayed on the display unit 34. Therefore, the user who owns the user terminal 3 on which the store application is installed The user can easily understand the price reduction without checking the contents of the digital signage8 in the store. Identify elephant products.

[0095] The above is a description of the information processing system, the information processing method, and the program according to the present invention. Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The individual technical features described in each embodiment and each modified example may be used in conjunction with other embodiments as long as there is no technical contradiction. It is possible to combine the above embodiment and part or all of the other modified examples as appropriate. In the above-described embodiment and modifications, at least one function of the application server 5 is At least a part of the functions may be realized by software of the user terminal 3. At least a part of the functions may be realized by software on the application server 5 . In addition, the functions of the user terminal 3 and the application server 5 can be individually controlled as needed. If necessary, the processing may be distributed between the user terminal 3 and the application server 5. The functions executed by the application server 5 may be distributed and executed by a plurality of devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1, 2...Price display system 3...User terminal 31...Control unit 32…Storage 33...Operation input section 34…Display section 35...imaging unit 36...Code reader 37…Communications Department 5...Application Server 51...Control unit 511...Price Determination Department 512...Price Information Department 513...Payment processing unit 52…Storage 53…Communications Department 7...Payment agent server 8. Digital signage 100...Scan area 101,102...Scroll bar 103...Markdown code display section 104...Link information CT…User BL…Purchase List ML...Menu List HL…Home inventory list NW...Network P…Product PL…Label

Claims

[Claim 1] An information processing system including a user terminal owned by a user and a server capable of communicating with the user terminal. A logical system, The user terminal an acquisition unit that acquires product information and expiration date information relating to an expiration date of the product from the product; Display control for displaying information including the offered price of the product acquired from the server on a display unit a part; The server Providing a product based on the product information and the expiration date information acquired from the user terminal a price determination unit that determines a price; The price determination unit provides information including the price of the product to the user terminal. and a price information providing unit that provides price information. Information processing system.

Images