Code symbol reading apparatus and method

Abstract

To provide a code symbol reader and a program capable of shortening a time from when an operator holds a commodity to when a code symbol attached to the commodity is read.SOLUTION: The self-checkout POS terminal includes an image capturing section configured to capture an image including a commodity held by an operator with an image capturing device, a distance determination section configured to determine whether the commodity is within a predetermined distance range from the image capturing device, a first notification section configured to provide a first notification to the operator if the distance determination section determines that the commodity is within the predetermined distance range from the image capturing device, a code symbol recognition section configured to recognize a code symbol attached to the commodity appearing in the image captured by the image capturing section and read identification information for uniquely identifying the commodity registered in the code symbol, and a second notification section configured to provide a second notification to the operator if the code symbol recognition section reads the identification information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a code symbol reader and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known code reading devices that register products by reading code symbols such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes attached to products held up to an image recognition scanner. In such conventional code reading devices, if reading of the code symbol fails, the cause of the failure is identified and audible guidance on how to improve the situation is provided (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Such conventional code reading devices issue voice messages such as "move a little further to the right" or "move a little closer." However, it is difficult for customers who hear such messages to immediately determine how to hold the product over the device. Therefore, it has been desired to further shorten the time from holding the product over the device to reading the code symbol on the product. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a code symbol reading device and program that can shorten the time from when an operator holds a product over the device to when the code symbol attached to the product is read. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A code symbol reading device according to an embodiment includes an image capturing unit, a distance determination unit, a first notification unit, a code symbol recognition unit, and a second notification unit. The image capturing unit uses an imaging device to capture an image including a product held up by an operator. The distance determination unit determines whether the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device. The first notification unit issues a first notification to the operator on the condition that the distance determination unit determines that the product is within the predetermined distance range from the imaging device. The code symbol recognition unit recognizes a code symbol attached to the product that appears in the image captured by the image capturing unit, and reads identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the product. The second notification unit issues a second notification to the operator on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit has read the identification information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating an example of a self-service POS terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic structure of a scanner provided in the self-service POS terminal. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a hardware block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the legible distance setting file. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal according to the modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a hardware block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a self-checkout POS terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of the readable area setting file. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal according to the modified example of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] (First embodiment) A self-service POS terminal 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

[0008] (Schematic configuration of the self-service POS terminal according to the first embodiment) The schematic configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an external view showing an example of the self-checkout POS terminal of the first embodiment.

[0009] The self-checkout POS terminal 10 is a cashless payment machine operated by a customer in a store such as a retail shop to register and pay for products that the customer wishes to purchase. The self-checkout POS terminal 10 is an example of a code symbol reader in the present disclosure.

[0010] The self-service POS terminal 10 includes, on the top of the housing 11, various devices for registering products and making payments for registered products.

[0011] A product stand 12 is provided on the side of the housing 11. A customer places a shopping basket or the like containing unregistered products on the product stand 12.

[0012] A product stand 13 is formed on the top surface of the housing 11. The customer places registered products in a bag or the like placed on the product stand 13.

[0013] The upper part of the housing 11 is provided with a display device 14, an operation device 15, a scanner 16, a payment terminal 17, a receipt printer 18, and a warning light 19.

[0014] The display device 14 displays various information related to product registration and payment to the customer. The various information related to product registration includes, for example, registered product information and the total price. The various information related to payment includes, for example, payment method options and payment details. The display device 14 is configured, for example, by a liquid crystal monitor or an organic electroluminescence (EL) monitor.

[0015] The operation device 15 acquires various operation information related to product registration and payment from the customer. The various operation information related to product registration is, for example, an instruction to start product registration, an instruction to complete registration, etc. The various operation information related to payment is, for example, an instruction to select a payment method, etc. The operation device 15 is, for example, a touch panel arranged in a state where it is stacked on the display device 14.

[0016] The scanner 16 has an internal imaging device 164 (see FIG. 2) and captures an image of a code symbol (e.g., a barcode or a two-dimensional code) with a registered product code that is held over a reading window 161 on the front. The scanner 16 then recognizes the product code registered in the code symbol shown in the captured image. More specifically, the scanner 16 recognizes a printed code symbol attached or printed on a product, or a code symbol displayed on the screen of a mobile terminal carried by a customer.

[0017] The scanner 16 further includes a TOF (Time Of Flight) sensor 166. The TOF sensor 166 measures the distance from the imaging device 164 to the product held over the reading window 161. The operation of the TOF sensor 166 will be described in detail later.

[0018] Payment terminal 17 performs various cashless payments according to the payment method selected by the customer. Payment terminal 17 is equipped with a display device, a numeric keypad, and an IC card reader (not shown). The display device displays various information such as operation guidance when performing various cashless payments. The numeric keypad is an operation key for entering various PIN numbers related to cashless payments. The IC card reader reads information registered on various card media such as credit cards and electronic money cards when performing cashless payments. The IC card reader reads information registered on an IC card such as a credit card inserted into the card insertion slot of payment terminal 17. Payment terminal 17 may also be equipped with an NFC reader (not shown) that performs near field communication (NFC) with electronic money cards, etc., or a magnetic card reader that reads magnetic information stored on a magnetic card.

[0019] Cashless payments include credit card payments, code payments, electronic money payments, etc.

[0020] Credit card payment is a payment method that uses a customer's credit card. When making a credit card payment, the customer has the payment terminal 17 read the personal information and debit account information registered on the customer's credit card to make the payment.

[0021] Code payment is a payment method in which payment is made using a payment app pre-installed on a customer's mobile device. When making a code payment, the customer displays a code symbol on their mobile device and makes the payment by having the displayed code symbol read by, for example, a scanner 16.

[0022] Electronic money payment is a payment method in which payment is made using electronic money that has been charged to, for example, an IC card. The payment terminal 17 reads the balance of the electronic money card and allows payment to be made within the balance.

[0023] The receipt printer 18 issues a receipt on which the result of the payment is printed.

[0024] The warning light 19 is installed at the tip of a pole extending upward from the housing 11, and emits light in blue, red, or the like. The warning light 19 emits light in different colors and lighting patterns depending on the operating state of the self-service POS terminal 10. For example, if a customer does not know how to operate the self-service POS terminal 10 and presses the store clerk call button displayed on the display device 14, the warning light 19 will light up and call for help from a nearby store clerk.

[0025] (Scanner structure) The general structure of the scanner 16 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the general structure of a scanner provided in a self-service POS terminal.

[0026] 2 is a cross-sectional side view of scanner 16. Scanner 16 includes an illumination LED 163, an imaging device 164, and a control board 165 inside housing 162. A light-transmitting reading window 161 is provided in housing 162 at a position facing the imaging direction of imaging device 164. Reading window 161 is made of a transparent glass plate or the like with low reflectivity.

[0027] The scanner 16 also includes a TOF sensor 166, a green LED 167, a blue LED 168, and a speaker 169 on the side where the reading window 161 is installed.

[0028] The lighting LED (Light Emitting Diode) 163 is arranged with its light emitting surface facing the reading window 161. The lighting LED 163 emits illumination light that illuminates a product when the imaging device 164 captures an image of the product held over the reading window 161. The illumination light is, for example, white light. There is no limit to the number of lighting LEDs 163, and multiple lighting LEDs 163 may be installed.

[0029] The imaging device 164 has a lens on its front surface. The lens is composed of a convex lens or a concave lens, and forms an image of a code symbol or a commodity that is held over the reading window 161 on the imaging device 164. The imaging device 164 is an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor), and photoelectric elements that convert the brightness of the formed image into an electrical signal are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix. In other words, the imaging device 164 and the lens form a so-called camera, thereby capturing an image of the imaging range Ra shown in FIG. 2. The imaging device 164 is an example of an imaging device in the present disclosure.

[0030] The control board 165 instructs the start or stop of the imaging operation of the imaging device 164. During the imaging operation, the control board 165 amplifies the electrical signal output from the imaging device 164 and performs signal processing such as A / D conversion to generate a digital image (hereinafter simply referred to as an image).

[0031] The control board 165 also controls the operation of the TOF sensor 166 to calculate the distance to the product held over the scanner 16 .

[0032] The TOF sensor 166 includes a laser diode 1661 (see FIG. 3) and a photodiode 1662 (see FIG. 3). The TOF sensor 166 irradiates the inside of the distance measurement range Rb shown in FIG. 2 with modulated pulsed light from the laser diode 1661. The photodiode 1662 detects reflected light of the emitted pulsed light. The TOF sensor 166 measures the time from when the laser diode 1661 emits pulsed light to when the reflected light of the pulsed light is detected by the photodiode 1662, i.e., the time of flight of the pulsed light. The TOF sensor 166 calculates the distance from the TOF sensor 166 to the product held over the scanner 16 based on the measured time. The TOF sensor 166 is an example of a distance measurement sensor in the present disclosure. Note that a sensor other than the TOF sensor 166, such as an ultrasonic sensor, may also be used as the distance measurement sensor. The distance from the TOF sensor 166 to the product is converted into the distance from the reading window 161 to the product based on the installation position of the TOF sensor 166 and the installation position of the reading window 161, and is used in the subsequent processing.

[0033] Furthermore, the control board 165 controls turning on and off of the green LED 167 in accordance with the distance measurement result of the TOF sensor 166. Furthermore, the control board 165 performs a first notification by outputting a notification sound (first notification sound) in accordance with the distance measurement result of the TOF sensor 166 from the speaker 169.

[0034] Furthermore, the control board 165 turns on the blue LED 168 on the condition that the code symbol attached to the product is recognized from the image captured by the imaging device 164. Furthermore, the control board 165 performs a second notification by outputting a notification sound (second notification sound) from the speaker 169 indicating that the code symbol has been recognized.

[0035] The green LED 167 and the blue LED 168 are not limited to green and blue, as long as they emit different colors of light.

[0036] (Hardware configuration of the self-service POS terminal according to the first embodiment) The hardware configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a hardware block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal of the first embodiment.

[0037] The self-service POS terminal 10 has a configuration in which a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a peripheral device controller 24, and a communication controller 25 are interconnected via an internal bus 23.

[0038] The control unit 21 controls the overall operation of the self-service POS terminal 10. The control unit 21 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 211, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 212, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 213. The CPU 211 is connected to the ROM 212 and the RAM 213 via internal buses such as an address bus and a data bus. The CPU 211 loads various programs stored in the ROM 212 and the storage unit 22 into the RAM 213. The CPU 211 controls the operation of the self-service POS terminal 10 by operating in accordance with the various programs loaded into the RAM 213. In other words, the control unit 21 has the configuration of a general computer.

[0039] The storage unit 22 is a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage unit 22 may also be a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory that retains stored information even when the power is turned off. The storage unit 22 stores a control program 221, a product master 222, a readable distance setting file 223, a product registration file 224, and a payment file 225.

[0040] The control program 221 is a program that controls the overall operation of the self-checkout POS terminal 10. The control program 221 may be provided in a state stored in the storage unit 22, or may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD. The control program 221 may also be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network and downloaded via the network. Furthermore, the control program 221 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0041] The product master 222 is a master file that stores product information such as product names and prices of products for sale. The product master 222 stores product names, unit prices, additional information, and the like in association with product codes. Note that the contents of the product master are updated as needed, so the self-service POS terminal 10 constantly updates the contents of the product master 222 to the latest state by, for example, acquiring the latest product master from a store server (not shown) via the communication controller 25.

[0042] The readable distance setting file 223 is a file that stores the appropriate readable distance from the imaging device 164 to the product to which the code symbol is attached, i.e., the distance range within which the code symbol can be read, for each type of code symbol read by the scanner 16, such as a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a discount sticker. The scanner 16 reads various types of code symbols, which come in various sizes, so a desired readable distance is set for each code symbol. The structure of the readable distance setting file 223 will be described in detail later (see FIG. 4).

[0043] The product registration file 224 is a file that stores registered product information (for example, product name, quantity, unit price, etc.) in association with a transaction code that identifies one transaction.

[0044] The settlement file 225 is a file that stores the settlement details (for example, the settlement date and time, the settlement method, the settlement amount, etc.) of the transaction in association with the transaction code.

[0045] The control unit 21 is connected to the display device 14, operation device 15, scanner 16, payment terminal 17, receipt printer 18, and warning light 19, which input and output various information, via the peripheral device controller 24. The outline of each input and output device has been described above, so a repeated description will be omitted. More specifically, as described in FIG. 2, the scanner 16 has a configuration in which a control board 165 is connected to an illumination LED 163, an imaging device 164, a TOF sensor 166, a green LED 167, a blue LED 168, and a speaker 169.

[0046] The control unit 21 also communicates with a store server (not shown) via the communication controller 25. The self-service POS terminal 10 acquires the latest product master 222 from the store server. The self-service POS terminal 10 also periodically outputs, for example, a product registration file 224 and a settlement file 225 indicating transaction history to the store server.

[0047] 3 is an example, and other hardware configurations may be used for the self-service POS terminal 10. For example, the scanner 16 may have a control unit equipped with a CPU, and the control unit 21 of the self-service POS terminal 10 and the control unit of the scanner 16 may receive and transmit information.

[0048] (Readability setting file configuration) The structure of the legible distance setting file 223 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the legible distance setting file.

[0049] The readable distance setting file 223 stores readable distance information in association with a code symbol type. The readable distance information is the distance from the imaging device 164 to a product bearing a code symbol at which the code symbol can be reliably read. Each code symbol type is assigned an identification code that uniquely identifies the code symbol type.

[0050] The readable distance information includes a minimum distance and a maximum distance. The minimum distance is the shortest distance from the imaging device 164 to the product bearing the code symbol. The maximum distance is the longest distance from the imaging device 164 to the product bearing the code symbol. If the distance from the imaging device 164 to the product bearing the code symbol is between the minimum distance and the maximum distance, it indicates that the scanner 16 can reliably read the code symbol.

[0051] Generally, two-dimensional codes (e.g., code symbols storing discount details, membership information, etc.) are often larger in size than barcodes (e.g., code symbols storing product codes), so the readable distance of two-dimensional codes is set to be longer than the readable distance of barcodes. For example, the readable distance of two-dimensional codes is set to be in the range of 3 to 7 cm from the reading window 161, and the readable distance of barcodes is set to be in the range of 0 to 5 cm from the reading window 161.

[0052] The self-service POS terminal 10 determines whether the distance measured by the TOF sensor 166 falls between the shortest distance and the longest distance corresponding to any of the identification codes stored in the readable distance setting file 223. Then, it outputs all of the corresponding identification codes as readable distance identification codes. Note that the self-service POS terminal 10 may output a distance range common to all of the corresponding identification codes.

[0053] (Functional configuration of self-service POS terminal) The functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal 10 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal of the first embodiment.

[0054] The control unit 21 of the self-service POS terminal 10 deploys the control program 221 in the RAM 213 and runs it to realize, as functional units, an image capturing unit 31, a distance measuring unit 32, a distance determining unit 33, a first notification unit 34, a code symbol recognition unit 35, a second notification unit 36, a product registration unit 37, and a payment processing unit 38, all of which are shown in Fig. 5. Note that some or all of these functional units may be realized by dedicated hardware.

[0055] The image capturing unit 31 captures an image including the product held up by the operator using the imaging device 164.

[0056] The distance measurement unit 32 uses the TOF sensor 166 to measure the distance from the imaging device 164 to the product.

[0057] The distance determination unit 33 determines whether the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164. More specifically, the distance determination unit 33 determines whether the distance from the imaging device 164 to the product measured by the distance measurement unit 32 is within a predetermined distance range. The distance determination unit 33 also outputs the identification code (see FIG. 4 ) in the readable distance setting file 223 corresponding to the result of distance measurement by the distance measurement unit 32 as a readable distance identification code, for example, to the code symbol recognition unit 35. Note that the readable distance identification code may be all identification codes corresponding to the result of distance measurement by the distance measurement unit 32, or may be information indicating a distance range common to all corresponding identification codes.

[0058] The first notification unit 34 issues a first notification to the operator on the condition that the distance determination unit 33 has determined that the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164. More specifically, on the condition that the distance determination unit 33 has determined that the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164, the first notification unit 34 turns on the green LED 167 and outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 169 indicating that the product is within the predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164. The alarm sound is, for example, a sine wave with a frequency of 500 Hz and a ringing time of 50 msec.

[0059] The code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes the code symbol attached to the product in the image captured by the image capturing unit 31, and reads the identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the product, such as a product code. The code symbol recognition unit 35 may also recognize a code symbol of a type corresponding to the identification code acquired from the distance determination unit 33.

[0060] The second notification unit 36 ​​issues a second notification to the operator on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit 35 has read the identification information of the commodity. More specifically, on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit 35 has read the identification information of the commodity, the second notification unit 36 ​​turns on the blue LED 168 and outputs an alarm sound indicating that the identification information of the commodity has been read from the speaker 169. The alarm sound is, for example, a sine wave with a frequency of 300 Hz and a ringing time of 10 msec, and is different from the above-mentioned alarm sound output from the speaker 169 by the first notification unit 34 (an alarm sound indicating that the commodity is within a predetermined distance from the imaging device 164).

[0061] The product registration unit 37 performs a product registration process to register the identification information of the product recognized by the code symbol recognition unit 35 in the product registration file 224. The product registration unit 37 also determines whether the customer has instructed the start of product registration. Furthermore, the product registration unit 37 determines whether the customer has instructed the end of product registration.

[0062] The payment processing unit 38 receives instructions on the payment method from the customer. The payment processing unit 38 then performs payment processing for the products registered in the product registration file 224 using the specified payment method. The payment processing unit 38 also generates a payment file 225 that stores the results of the payment processing.

[0063] (Flow of processing performed by the self-service POS terminal of the first embodiment) The flow of processing performed by the self-service POS terminal 10 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-service POS terminal of the first embodiment.

[0064] The self-service POS terminal 10 of the first embodiment performs, in parallel, a distance measurement process by the TOF sensor 166 and a code symbol recognition process (hereinafter simply referred to as a code recognition process) based on an image captured by the imaging device 164. First, the flow of the distance measurement process by the TOF sensor 166 will be described.

[0065] The distance measurement unit 32 measures the distance using the TOF sensor 166 (step S11).

[0066] The distance determination unit 33 determines whether the distance measured in step S11 is within the range of the readable distance registered in the readable distance setting file 223 (step S12). If it is determined that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance (step S12: Yes), the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance (step S12: No), the process proceeds to step S14. More specifically, the distance determination unit 33 refers to the readable distance setting file 223 and determines whether there is an identification code that corresponds to the distance measured in step S11.

[0067] If it is determined in step S12 that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance, the first notification unit 34 turns on the green LED 167 (step S13), and then the process proceeds to step S15.

[0068] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S12 that the measured distance is not within the range of the readable distance, the first notification unit 34 turns off the green LED 167 (step S14), and then the process returns to step S11.

[0069] Following step S13, the first notification unit 34 outputs a first notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S15).

[0070] The distance determination unit 33 outputs all the identification codes corresponding to the distance measured by the TOF sensor 166 as readable distance identification codes to, for example, the code symbol recognition unit 35 (step S16).

[0071] The product registration unit 37 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S17). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S17: Yes), the distance measurement process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S17: No), the process returns to step S11.

[0072] Next, the flow of the code recognition process based on the image captured by the imaging device 164 will be described.

[0073] The image capturing unit 31 captures an image (step S21).

[0074] The code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes the code symbol appearing in the captured image (step S22). At this time, the code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes multiple types of code symbols. Note that, if the code symbol recognition unit 35 is able to acquire a readable distance identification code as a result of the distance measurement process, it may recognize only the code symbol of the type corresponding to the acquired readable distance identification code.

[0075] The code symbol recognition unit 35 determines whether the code symbol has been recognized successfully (step S23). If it is determined that the code symbol has been recognized successfully (step S23: Yes), the process proceeds to step S24. On the other hand, if it is determined that the code symbol has not been recognized successfully (step S23: No), the process returns to step S21. Note that the code symbol recognition unit 35 determines that the code symbol has been recognized successfully when it acquires, for example, a product code registered in the code symbol.

[0076] If it is determined in step S23 that the code symbol has been successfully recognized, the second notification unit 36 ​​turns on the blue LED 168 (step S24).

[0077] Next, the second notification unit 36 ​​outputs a second notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S25).

[0078] The code symbol recognition unit 35 outputs the read product code to the product registration unit 37 (step S26). Although not shown in the flowchart, the product registration unit 37 performs a product registration process to register the acquired product code in the product registration file 224.

[0079] Next, the second notification unit 36 ​​turns off the blue LED 168 (step S27).

[0080] The product registration unit 37 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S28). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S28: Yes), the code recognition process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S28: No), the process returns to step S21.

[0081] (Operation and effect of the first embodiment) As described above, the self-service POS terminal 10 (code symbol reader) of the first embodiment includes an image capturing unit 31 that captures an image including a commodity held by an operator using the imaging device 164 (imaging device), a distance determination unit 33 that determines whether the commodity is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164, a first notification unit 34 that issues a first notification to the operator on the condition that the distance determination unit 33 determines that the commodity is within the predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164, a code symbol recognition unit 35 that recognizes a code symbol attached to the commodity in the image captured by the image capturing unit 31 and reads identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the commodity, and a second notification unit 36 ​​that issues a second notification to the operator on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit 35 reads the identification information. Therefore, the time from when the operator holds a commodity over the device to when the code symbol attached to the commodity is read can be shortened.

[0082] In the self-checkout POS terminal 10 (code symbol reader) of the first embodiment, the distance determination unit 33 determines whether the distance from the imaging device 164 (imaging device) to the commodity measured by the TOF sensor 166 (distance measurement sensor) is within a predetermined distance range. Therefore, the distance to the commodity held over the scanner 16 can be easily and reliably measured.

[0083] Furthermore, in the self-checkout POS terminal 10 (code symbol reader) of the first embodiment, the predetermined distance range is either a distance range that belongs to one of a plurality of distance ranges set according to the type of code symbol, or a distance range that belongs to all of the plurality of distance ranges. Therefore, the type of the code symbol that is held up can be predicted according to the measured distance to the product, thereby enabling efficient code recognition.

[0084] (Modification of the first embodiment) Next, a modified example of the first embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, an example in which the self-service POS terminal 10 executes distance measurement processing and code recognition processing in parallel has been described, but the modified example of the first embodiment is an example in which the distance measurement processing and code recognition processing (see FIG. 6 for both) are operated in cooperation with each other. The functional configuration of the self-service POS terminal of this modified example is as described in FIG. 5.

[0085] The flow of distance measurement processing and code recognition processing performed by the self-service POS terminal according to the modified example of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-service POS terminal according to the modified example of the first embodiment.

[0086] The distance measurement unit 32 measures the distance using the TOF sensor 166 (step S31).

[0087] The distance determination unit 33 determines whether the distance measured in step S31 is within the range of the readable distance registered in the readable distance setting file 223 (step S32). If it is determined that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance (step S32: Yes), the process proceeds to step S33. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance (step S32: No), the process proceeds to step S34.

[0088] If it is determined in step S32 that the measured distance is within the range of the readable distance, the first notification unit 34 turns on the green LED 167 (step S33), and then the process proceeds to step S35.

[0089] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S32 that the measured distance is not within the range of the readable distance, the first notification unit 34 turns off the green LED 167 (step S34), and then the process returns to step S31.

[0090] Following step S33, the first notification unit 34 outputs a first notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S35).

[0091] The distance determination unit 33 outputs all the identification codes corresponding to the distance measured by the TOF sensor 166 as readable distance identification codes to the code symbol recognition unit 35 (step S36).

[0092] The image capturing unit 31 captures an image on the condition that the readable distance identification code has been acquired (step S37).

[0093] The code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes the code symbol appearing in the captured image (step S38). At this time, the code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes the code symbol of the type corresponding to the acquired readable distance identification code. For example, if the acquired readable distance identification code corresponds to a barcode, the code symbol recognition unit 35 recognizes the barcode in the captured image.

[0094] The code symbol recognition unit 35 determines whether the code symbol has been recognized successfully (step S39). If it is determined that the code symbol has been recognized successfully (step S39: Yes), the process proceeds to step S40. On the other hand, if it is determined that the code symbol has not been recognized successfully (step S39: No), the process returns to step S31. Note that the code symbol recognition unit 35 determines that the code symbol has been recognized successfully when it acquires, for example, a product code registered in the code symbol.

[0095] If it is determined in step S39 that the code symbol has been successfully recognized, the second notification unit 36 ​​turns on the blue LED 168 (step S40).

[0096] Next, the second notification unit 36 ​​outputs a second notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S41).

[0097] The code symbol recognition unit 35 outputs the read product code to the product registration unit 37 (step S42). Although not shown in the flowchart, the product registration unit 37 performs a product registration process to register the acquired product code in the product registration file 224.

[0098] Next, the second notification unit 36 ​​turns off the blue LED 168 (step S43).

[0099] The product registration unit 37 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S44). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S44: Yes), the process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S44: No), the process returns to step S31.

[0100] (Second embodiment) A self-checkout POS terminal 50 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described. The self-checkout POS terminal 50 is capable of determining whether a commodity held over a scanner is at an appropriate distance to recognize the code symbol, without using a distance measuring sensor such as a TOF sensor 166. Although an external view of the self-checkout POS terminal 50 is not shown, the self-checkout POS terminal 50 includes a scanner 56 instead of the scanner 16 (see FIG. 1) included in the self-checkout POS terminal 10.

[0101] (Hardware configuration of the self-service POS terminal according to the second embodiment) The hardware configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a hardware block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal of the second embodiment.

[0102] The self-service POS terminal 50 has a configuration in which a control unit 51, a storage unit 52, a peripheral device controller 54, and a communication controller 55 are interconnected by an internal bus 53.

[0103] The control unit 51 controls the overall operation of the self-service POS terminal 50. The control unit 51 includes a CPU 511, a ROM 512, and a RAM 513. The CPU 511 is connected to the ROM 512 and the RAM 513 via internal buses such as an address bus and a data bus. The CPU 511 loads various programs stored in the ROM 512 and the storage unit 52 into the RAM 513. The CPU 511 controls the operation of the self-service POS terminal 50 by operating in accordance with the various programs loaded into the RAM 513. In other words, the control unit 51 has the configuration of a general computer.

[0104] The storage unit 52 is a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 52 may also be a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory that retains stored information even when the power is turned off. The storage unit 52 stores a control program 521, a product master 522, a readable area setting file 523, a product registration file 524, and a payment file 525.

[0105] The control program 521 is a program that controls the overall operation of the self-service POS terminal 50. The control program 521 may be provided in a state stored in the storage unit 52, or may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable file on a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD. The control program 521 may also be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network and downloaded via the network. Furthermore, the control program 521 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0106] The product master 522 is the same as the product master 222 provided in the self-checkout POS terminal 10 .

[0107] The readable area setting file 523 is a file that stores, for each code symbol type read by the scanner 56 (described later), such as a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a discount sticker, the state of an image captured by the imaging device 164 when a product bearing the code symbol is held at an appropriate distance (a distance at which the code symbol can be read) from the imaging device 164. The image state is, for example, information related to the sharpness of the image. The sharper the image is captured, the higher the sharpness. Therefore, for example, the higher the edge intensity indicating the shading distribution of the image, the sharper the image is determined to be and the more in-focus the image is. The readable area setting file 523 also stores information related to the brightness of the captured image as the image state. Because the scanner 56 reads various types of code symbols, which come in various sizes, the readable area setting file 523 stores, for each code symbol, information indicating the sharpness and brightness, which are the state of an image captured at a desired distance. The configuration of the readable area setting file 523 will be described in detail later (see FIG. 9).

[0108] The product registration file 524 is the same as the product registration file 224 provided in the self-checkout POS terminal 10.

[0109] The settlement file 525 is the same as the settlement file 225 provided in the self-service POS terminal 10.

[0110] The control unit 51 is connected to the display device 14, operation device 15, scanner 56, payment terminal 17, receipt printer 18, and warning light 19, which input and output various information, via a peripheral device controller 54. The outline of each input / output device other than the scanner 56 has been described above, so a repeated explanation will be omitted.

[0111] 2 is connected to an illumination LED 163, an imaging device 164, a green LED 167, a blue LED 168, and a speaker 169. In other words, the scanner 56 has a configuration in which the TOF sensor 166 is removed from the scanner 16.

[0112] The self-service POS terminal 50 calculates the sharpness of the image of the commodity captured by the imaging device 164 of the scanner 56. If the sharpness of the image matches the state registered in the readable area setting file 523, it determines that the commodity was held at an appropriate distance from the scanner 56, that is, that an in-focus image was captured.

[0113] The control unit 51 also communicates with a store server (not shown) via a communication controller 55. The self-service POS terminal 50 acquires the latest product master 522 from the store server. The self-service POS terminal 50 also periodically outputs, for example, a product registration file 524 and a settlement file 525 indicating transaction history to the store server.

[0114] (Configuration of the readable area setting file) The structure of the readable area setting file 523 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the readable area setting file.

[0115] The readable area setting file 523 stores readable area information in association with the code symbol type. The readable area information is information that indicates the state of an image captured by the imaging device 164 when a product with a code symbol attached thereto is held at an appropriate distance from the imaging device 164 (a distance at which the code symbol can be read).

[0116] The readable area setting file 523 stores, for example, edge strength and average pixel value as readable area information.

[0117] Edge strength is information indicating the magnitude of the gray distribution (edge) contained in an image. Edge strength is calculated by applying a known spatial filter (e.g., a differential operator of three pixels vertically and three pixels horizontally) to the image. Since edge strength is calculated pixel by pixel, for example, the average value of edge strength in a region of a predetermined area is used as the edge strength. The maximum value of edge strength in an image may be used as the edge strength of the image. Alternatively, since there is a high probability that a code symbol is captured in the center of the image, a high weight may be assigned to the edge strength near the center of the image to use it as the edge strength of the image. The readable area setting file 523 stores the value of edge strength observed when a product is held at an appropriate distance from the imaging device 164, or a range of edge strength values. Instead of edge strength, the readable area setting file 523 may store information related to the contrast of an image observed when a product is held at an appropriate distance from the imaging device 164.

[0118] The average pixel value is information indicating the brightness of the image. The average pixel value is, for example, the average value of the pixel values ​​in an area of ​​a predetermined area. Since the code symbol cannot be read if the image is too bright or too dark, it is desirable that the calculated average pixel value be within a predetermined range. The readable area setting file 523 stores the desirable average pixel value or the range of average pixel values ​​observed when the product is held at an appropriate distance from the imaging device 164.

[0119] The self-service POS terminal 50 compares the edge strength and average pixel value calculated from the image captured by the imaging device 164 with the information stored in the readable area setting file 523. Then, it determines which identification code stored in the readable area setting file 523 the calculated edge strength and average pixel value correspond to. At this time, the determination results related to the edge strength and the determination results related to the average pixel value may be converted into scores, and the corresponding identification code may be determined based on whether the total score exceeds a threshold. The self-service POS terminal 50 then outputs all the corresponding identification codes as readable area identification codes.

[0120] (Functional configuration of self-service POS terminal) The functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal 50 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the self-checkout POS terminal of the second embodiment.

[0121] The control unit 51 of the self-checkout POS terminal 50 deploys and operates the control program 521 in the RAM 513, thereby realizing as functional units an image capturing unit 61, an image condition determining unit 62, a first notification unit 63, a code symbol recognizing unit 64, a second notification unit 65, a product registration unit 66, and a payment processing unit 67, all of which are shown in Fig. 10. Note that some or all of these functional units may be realized by dedicated hardware.

[0122] The image capturing unit 61 captures an image including the product held up by the operator using the imaging device 164.

[0123] The image condition determination unit 62 calculates the edge strength and image brightness of the image captured by the image capture unit 61. Furthermore, the image condition determination unit 62 determines whether the distance from the imaging device 164 to the commodity held over the scanner 56 is within a predetermined distance range based on the calculated edge strength and image brightness, i.e., values ​​corresponding to the sharpness of the image captured by the image capture unit 61. The image condition determination unit 62 is an example of a distance determination unit in the present disclosure.

[0124] If the brightness of the image calculated by the image state determination unit 62 is too dark or too bright, the control board 561 may adjust the brightness of the illumination LED 163 provided in the scanner 56. For example, the brightness of the illumination LED 163 is set by changing the duty ratio of the drive pulse of the LED. For example, if the duty ratio of the drive pulse is reduced, the ON time (lighting time) of the illumination LED 163 becomes shorter, and therefore the illumination LED 163 can be made darker. On the other hand, if the duty ratio of the drive pulse is increased, the ON time of the illumination LED 163 becomes longer, and therefore the illumination LED 163 can be made brighter.

[0125] Furthermore, if the brightness of the image calculated by the image state determination unit 62 is too dark or too bright, the control board 561 may adjust the gain of the imaging device 164. The gain of the imaging device 164 is defined as the ratio of the output voltage to the amount of light incident on the imaging device 164. Increasing the gain of the imaging device 164 outputs a higher output voltage for a smaller amount of light, making it possible to capture high-contrast images even in dark environments, for example. The gain of the imaging device 164 is set, for example, by changing the amplification factor of a video amplifier (not shown) provided downstream of the imaging device 164.

[0126] Furthermore, if the brightness of the image calculated by the image state determination unit 62 is too dark or too bright, the control board 561 may adjust the exposure time of the imaging device 164. The exposure time of the imaging device 164 is set by adjusting the time interval of a clock pulse that controls the imaging operation of the imaging device 164. Shortening the exposure time has the same effect as increasing the shutter speed, and can prevent whiteout, in which the gradation of bright parts of the image is lost. On the other hand, extending the exposure time has the same effect as decreasing the shutter speed, and can prevent blackout, in which the gradation of dark parts of the image is lost. Note that if the lens has an aperture adjustment function, the control board 561 may set the exposure time by adjusting the lens aperture.

[0127] The first notification unit 63 issues a first notification to the operator on the condition that the image state determination unit 62 has determined that the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164. More specifically, on the condition that the image state determination unit 62 has determined that the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164, the first notification unit 63 turns on the green LED 167 and outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 169 indicating that the product is within the predetermined distance range from the imaging device 164. The alarm sound is, for example, a sine wave with a frequency of 500 Hz and a ringing time of 50 msec.

[0128] The code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes the code symbol attached to the product in the image captured by the image capturing unit 61, and reads the identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the product, such as a product code. The code symbol recognition unit 64 may also recognize a code symbol of a type corresponding to the identification code acquired from the image condition determination unit 62.

[0129] The second notification unit 65 issues a second notification to the operator on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit 64 has read the identification information of the commodity. More specifically, on the condition that the code symbol recognition unit 64 has read the identification information of the commodity, the second notification unit 65 turns on the blue LED 168 and outputs an alarm sound indicating that the identification information of the commodity has been read from the speaker 169. The alarm sound is, for example, a sine wave with a frequency of 300 Hz and a ringing time of 10 msec, and is different from the above-mentioned alarm sound output from the speaker 169 by the first notification unit 63 (an alarm sound indicating that the commodity is within a predetermined distance from the imaging device 164).

[0130] The product registration unit 66 performs a product registration process to register the identification information of the product recognized by the code symbol recognition unit 64 in the product registration file 524. The product registration unit 66 also determines whether the customer has instructed the start of product registration. Furthermore, the product registration unit 66 determines whether the customer has instructed the end of product registration.

[0131] The payment processing unit 67 receives instructions on the payment method from the customer. The payment processing unit 67 then performs payment processing for the products registered in the product registration file 524 using the specified payment method. The payment processing unit 67 then generates a payment file 525 that stores the results of the payment processing.

[0132] (Flow of processing performed by the self-service POS terminal in the second embodiment) The flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal 50 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the self-checkout POS terminal of the second embodiment.

[0133] The self-service POS terminal 50 of the second embodiment concurrently performs an image condition determination process based on an image captured by the imaging device 164 and a code symbol recognition process (hereinafter simply referred to as a code recognition process) based on an image captured by the imaging device 164. First, the flow of the image condition determination process based on an image captured by the imaging device 164 will be described.

[0134] The image capturing unit 61 captures an image (step S51).

[0135] The image state determination unit 62 calculates the edge intensity of the image captured in step S51 (step S52).

[0136] The image condition determining unit 62 calculates the brightness of the image captured in step S51 (step S53).

[0137] The image state determination unit 62 determines whether the edge strength calculated in step S52 and the image brightness calculated in step S53 correspond to a readable area registered in the readable area setting file 523 (step S54). If it is determined that it corresponds to a readable area (step S54: Yes), the process proceeds to step S55. On the other hand, if it is not determined that it corresponds to a readable area (step S54: No), the process proceeds to step S56.

[0138] If it is determined in step S54 that the area falls within the readable region, the first notification unit 63 turns on the green LED 167 (step S55), and then the process proceeds to step S57.

[0139] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S54 that the area does not fall within the readable area, the first notification unit 63 turns off the green LED 167 (step S56), and then the process returns to step S51.

[0140] Following step S55, first notification unit 63 outputs a first notification sound from speaker 169 (step S57).

[0141] The image state determination unit 62 outputs all the corresponding identification codes as readable area identification codes to, for example, the code symbol recognition unit 64 (step S58).

[0142] The product registration unit 66 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S59). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S59: Yes), the image condition determination process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S59: No), the process returns to step S51.

[0143] Next, the flow of the code recognition process based on the image captured by the imaging device 164 will be described.

[0144] The image capturing unit 61 captures an image (step S61).

[0145] The code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes the code symbols in the captured image (step S62). At this time, the code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes multiple types of code symbols. Note that if a readable area identification code is obtained as a result of the image state determination process, the code symbol recognition unit 64 may recognize only the code symbol type corresponding to the obtained readable area identification code.

[0146] The code symbol recognition unit 64 determines whether the code symbol has been successfully recognized (step S63). If it is determined that the code symbol has been successfully recognized (step S63: Yes), the process proceeds to step S64. On the other hand, if it is determined that the code symbol has not been successfully recognized (step S63: No), the process returns to step S61.

[0147] If it is determined in step S63 that the code symbol has been successfully recognized, the second notification unit 65 turns on the blue LED 168 (step S64).

[0148] Next, the second notification unit 65 outputs a second notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S65).

[0149] The code symbol recognition unit 64 outputs the read product code to the product registration unit 66 (step S66). Although not shown in the flowchart, the product registration unit 66 performs a product registration process to register the acquired product code in the product registration file 524.

[0150] Next, the second notification unit 65 turns off the blue LED 168 (step S67).

[0151] The product registration unit 66 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S68). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S68: Yes), the code recognition process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S68: No), the process returns to step S61.

[0152] (Effects of the second embodiment) As described above, in the self-checkout POS terminal 50 (code symbol reader) of the second embodiment, the image state determination unit 62 (distance determination unit) determines whether the distance from the imaging device 164 (imaging device) to the commodity is within a predetermined distance range, based on a numerical value based on the state of the image captured by the image capturing unit 61. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the commodity is held at an appropriate distance without using a distance measuring sensor.

[0153] In the self-service POS terminal 50 (code symbol reader) of the second embodiment, the numerical value based on the state of the image is a numerical value based on the edge strength of the image and the average pixel value of the image. Therefore, the focus state of the image can be determined based on the state of the captured image without using a distance measurement sensor.

[0154] (Modification of the second embodiment) Next, a modified example of the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, an example in which the self-service POS terminal 10 executes the image condition determination process and the code recognition process in parallel has been described, but the modified example of the second embodiment is an example in which the image condition determination process and the code recognition process (see FIG. 11 for both) operate in cooperation with each other. The functional configuration of the self-service POS terminal of this modified example is as described in FIG. 10.

[0155] The flow of the image condition determination process and the code recognition process performed by the self-service POS terminal according to the modified example of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the process performed by the self-service POS terminal according to the modified example of the second embodiment.

[0156] The image capturing unit 61 captures an image (step S71).

[0157] The image condition determination unit 62 calculates the edge intensity of the image captured in step S71 (step S72).

[0158] The image condition determination unit 62 calculates the brightness of the image captured in step S71 (step S73).

[0159] The image state determination unit 62 determines whether the edge strength calculated in step S72 and the image brightness calculated in step S73 correspond to a readable area registered in the readable area setting file 523 (step S74). If it is determined that it corresponds to a readable area (step S74: Yes), the process proceeds to step S75. On the other hand, if it is not determined that it corresponds to a readable area (step S74: No), the process proceeds to step S76.

[0160] If it is determined in step S74 that the area falls within the readable region, the first notification unit 63 turns on the green LED 167 (step S75), and then the process proceeds to step S77.

[0161] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S74 that the area does not fall within the readable area, the first notification unit 63 turns off the green LED 167 (step S76), and then returns to step S71.

[0162] Following step S75, first notification unit 63 outputs a first notification sound from speaker 169 (step S77).

[0163] The image state determination unit 62 outputs all the corresponding identification codes as readable area identification codes to the code symbol recognition unit 64 (step S78).

[0164] The code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes the code symbol appearing in the captured image (step S79). At this time, the code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes the code symbol of the type corresponding to the acquired readable area identification code. For example, if the acquired readable area identification code corresponds to a barcode, the code symbol recognition unit 64 recognizes the barcode in the captured image.

[0165] The code symbol recognition unit 64 determines whether the code symbol has been successfully recognized (step S80). If it is determined that the code symbol has been successfully recognized (step S80: Yes), the process proceeds to step S81. On the other hand, if it is determined that the code symbol has not been successfully recognized (step S80: No), the process returns to step S71.

[0166] If it is determined in step S80 that the code symbol has been successfully recognized, the second notification unit 65 turns on the blue LED 168 (step S81).

[0167] Next, the second notification unit 65 outputs a second notification sound from the speaker 169 (step S82).

[0168] The code symbol recognition unit 64 outputs the read product code to the product registration unit 66 (step S83). Although not shown in the flowchart, the product registration unit 66 performs a product registration process to register the acquired product code in the product registration file 524.

[0169] Next, the second notification unit 65 turns off the blue LED 168 (step S84).

[0170] The product registration unit 66 determines whether a checkout button, which is an operator displayed on the display device 14 and indicates completion of product registration, has been pressed (step S85). If it is determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S85: Yes), the process ends. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the checkout button has been pressed (step S85: No), the process returns to step S71.

[0171] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 10,50 Self-service POS terminal (code symbol reader) 11. Housing 12,13 Product stand 14 Display Devices 15. Control Devices 16,56 scanner 161 Reading window 162 Case 163 LED for lighting 164 Imaging Devices (Imaging Equipment) 165 Control Board 166 TOF sensor (ranging sensor) 1661 Laser Diode 1662 photodiode 167 Green LED 168 Blue LED 169 Speaker 17 Payment terminal 18 Receipt Printer 19 Warning light 31 Image capture unit 32 Ranging section 33 Distance determination unit 34 First Notification Department 35 Code symbol recognition unit 36 Second Notification Department 37 Product Registration Department 38 Payment Processing Unit 523 Readable area setting file 61 Image capture unit 62 Image condition determination unit (distance determination unit) 63 First Notification Department 64 Code symbol recognition unit 65 Second Notification Department 66 Product Registration Department 67 Payment Processing Unit Ra Shooting range Rb Range [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0173] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-152633

Claims

1. an image capturing unit that captures an image including a commodity held up by an operator using an imaging device; a distance determination unit that determines whether the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device; a first notification unit that issues a first notification to the operator on condition that the distance determination unit determines that the commodity is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device; a code symbol recognition unit that recognizes a code symbol attached to the product in the image captured by the image capture unit and reads identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the product; a second notification unit that issues a second notification to the operator on condition that the code symbol recognition unit has read the identification information. Code symbol reader.

2. the distance determination unit determines whether the distance from the imaging device to the commodity, measured by a distance measurement sensor, is within a predetermined distance range.

2. The code symbol reader according to claim 1.

3. the predetermined distance range is either a distance range that belongs to one of a plurality of distance ranges set according to the type of the code symbol, or a distance range that belongs to all of the plurality of distance ranges; 3. The code symbol reader according to claim 2.

4. the distance determination unit determines whether the distance from the imaging device to the commodity is within a predetermined distance range based on a numerical value based on the state of the image captured by the image capturing unit.

2. The code symbol reader according to claim 1.

5. The numerical value based on the state of the image is: a numerical value based on the edge strength of the image and the average pixel value of the image; 5. The code symbol reader according to claim 4.

6. A computer that controls the code symbol reader, an image capturing unit that captures an image including a commodity held up by an operator using an imaging device; a distance determination unit that determines whether the product is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device; a first notification unit that issues a first notification to the operator on condition that the distance determination unit determines that the commodity is within a predetermined distance range from the imaging device; a code symbol recognition unit that recognizes a code symbol attached to the product in the image captured by the image capture unit and reads identification information registered in the code symbol that uniquely identifies the product; and causing the code symbol recognition unit to function as a second notification unit that issues a second notification to the operator on condition that the code symbol recognition unit has read the identification information. program.

Images