Purchase support device, purchase support system, and purchase support program

Abstract

To report a register form suitable for a customer.SOLUTION: A purchase support device includes an acquisition unit, an extraction unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The acquisition unit acquires image data obtained by photographing a shopping basket and / or a product conveyance cart held by a customer moving in a store. The extraction unit extracts, from the image data, a factor relating to a checkout time of a commodity housed in a shopping basket held by the customer and / or the commodity conveyance cart. The determination unit determines, based on a factor relating to the checkout time, a form recommended as a checkout destination of the customer among a plurality of different forms of sales data processing apparatuses that perform processing relating to checkout of a commodity. The notification unit notifies the customer of the form determined by the determination unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a purchase assistance device, a purchase assistance system, and a purchase assistance program. [Background technology]

[0002] In supermarkets and other retail stores, in addition to cash register-type POS terminals (hereinafter also referred to as manned cash registers) where store clerks register products and perform checkouts, cash register-type devices that allow customers to register products or perform checkouts themselves are sometimes introduced. For example, customers can register products or perform checkouts using a POS (Point Of Sale) terminal attached to a cart, a semi-self-service cash register, or a fully self-service cash register. This improves convenience for both the store and the customer.

[0003] However, it is still not uncommon to see long queues at the registers when they are busy. This can be a source of stress for customers when shopping in stores. Also, in stores that have semi-self-service registers and fully self-service registers in addition to manned registers, customers may be unsure which register to use. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a purchase support device, a purchase support system, and a purchase support program that can notify a customer of a cash register format that is suitable for the customer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A purchase assistance device according to an embodiment includes an acquisition unit, an extraction unit, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The acquisition unit acquires image data of a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart carried by a customer moving around a store. The extraction unit extracts, from the image data, factors related to the checkout time of items contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart carried by the customer. The determination unit determines, based on the factors related to the checkout time, a sales data processing device to recommend as a checkout destination for the customer from among multiple different types of sales data processing devices that process the product checkout. The notification unit notifies the customer of the type determined by the determination unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a purchase support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the purchase support device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a product master according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a storage product management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a cash register management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a store clerk management table according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of a purchase support process according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A purchasing support device, a purchasing support system, and a purchasing support program according to embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. The components in the following embodiments include those that would be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially identical, and those that are equivalent. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the following embodiments. Note that, although the following embodiments describe examples in which the purchasing support device, the purchasing support system, and the purchasing support program are applied to a store such as a supermarket, application examples of the present embodiments are not limited to this.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment. The purchase support system 1 includes a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10, a first camera 21, a second camera 22, a display terminal 25, and a purchase support device 30. The sales data processing devices 10 are a plurality of different types of POS (Point of Sale) register devices installed in a store and may also be referred to as cash register terminals. Each of the plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10 references a product master (described below) that stores the product code, unit price, etc. of each product sold in the store, and performs product registration and accounting (settlement) for one transaction with a customer.

[0009] The different forms of the sales data processing device 10 include, for example, a self-checkout form, a semi-self-checkout form, and a manned checkout (clerk-operated checkout) form. These forms may be referred to as a self-checkout form, a full-self-checkout form, and a manned form (clerk-operated form). A clerk-operated checkout corresponds to a sales data processing device in which, for example, a clerk registers a customer's products and processes the transaction for the registered products. In other words, a clerk-operated checkout corresponds to a POS terminal (registration device + transaction device) for the clerk.

[0010] A semi-self-service register is realized, for example, by combining a registration device for a store clerk with a checkout device where the customer pays by themselves. A full-self-service register is realized, for example, by a customer POS terminal where the customer registers and pays by themselves. A full-self-service register is installed in a store. Note that a full-self-service register is not limited to being installed in a store, but may be realized, for example, by combining a product registration terminal device (hereinafter also referred to as a user terminal) that can be moved with the customer with a checkout device where the customer pays by themselves. In this case, the user terminal is, for example, a terminal device such as a smartphone carried by the customer, a mobile terminal loaned to the customer by the store, or a tablet terminal attached to a product transport cart, and the checkout device corresponds to the sales data processing device 10. A known sales data processing device can be used as the sales data processing device 10. A plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10 are connected to the purchase support device 30 via a wired or wireless network N1.

[0011] The first camera 21 photographs a predetermined area in a store where a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10 are installed. The predetermined area is, for example, an area where customers waiting to pay for a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10 can form a line. Hereinafter, the line of customers waiting to pay will be referred to as a "waiting queue," and the area where the queue is formed will also be referred to as a "waiting payment area." In other words, the predetermined area may also be referred to as a waiting payment area. The first camera 21 is installed in a position where it can photograph the waiting payment area. For example, the first camera 21 is installed on the ceiling directly above the waiting payment area in the store.

[0012] Note that multiple first cameras 21 may be provided depending on, for example, the number and installation locations of multiple different types of sales data processing devices 10. Furthermore, the first camera 21 is not limited to an optical camera and may be any type of imaging device as long as it can capture an image of the checkout waiting area. The first camera 21 is connected to the purchase support device 30 via a wired or wireless network N2. The first camera 21 transmits image data (hereinafter referred to as area image data) generated by capturing an image of the checkout waiting area to the purchase support device 30 via the network N2. The first camera 21 may also be referred to as a first imaging unit or a queue imaging camera.

[0013] The second camera 22 corresponds to, for example, a surveillance camera. The second camera 22 photographs shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by customers moving around the store. A plurality of second cameras 22 are installed at any location within the store. It is preferable that the second camera 22 be able to photograph the entire store (which may exclude the checkout waiting area). The second camera 22 is not limited to an optical camera and may be any type of photographing device as long as it can photograph shopping baskets and / or product transport carts.

[0014] Second camera 22 is connected to purchase support device 30 via network N2. Second camera 22 transmits image data (hereinafter referred to as product image data) generated by photographing a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart to purchase support device 30 via network N2. Second camera 22 may be referred to as a second imaging unit or a monitoring camera. Furthermore, first camera 21 and second camera 22 may be collectively referred to as an imaging unit.

[0015] Display terminal 25 displays the type of cash register (hereinafter referred to as the recommended cash register) determined by purchase support device 30. Display terminal 25 is connected to purchase support device 30 via wired or wireless network N3. Display terminal 25 is realized, for example, by a user terminal attached to a product transport cart or a display or monitor provided in a specified area (checkout waiting area).

[0016] The display terminal 25 is not limited to the above-mentioned display or monitor, and may be realized by, for example, a projector that displays the recommended cash registers in a predetermined area. The display terminal 25 may also be referred to as a display unit or a display device. The networks N1, N2, and N3 may be the same network.

[0017] The purchase support device 30 corresponds to an information processing device that executes various processes realized by this embodiment. The purchase support device 30 is realized, for example, by various server devices. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the purchase support device 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the purchase support device 30 has a processing circuit 31 that has a computer configuration made up of a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The processing circuit 31 also has a timing function such as an RTC.

[0018] The processing circuit 31 is connected to a first communication I / F 33, a second communication I / F 34, a third communication I / F 35, an input unit 36, a display unit 37, and a memory unit 38 via a bus 32.

[0019] The first communication I / F 33 is a wired or wireless communication I / F for connecting to network N1. The second communication I / F 34 is a wired or wireless communication I / F for connecting to network N2. The third communication I / F 35 is a wired or wireless communication I / F for connecting to network N3.

[0020] The input unit 36 ​​has an input device such as a keyboard. The input unit 36 ​​accepts operation input from an operator via the input device. The input unit 36 ​​notifies the processing circuit 31 of a signal corresponding to the operation content of the input device. The display unit 37 has a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The display unit 37 displays various information according to the control of the processing circuit 31.

[0021] The storage unit 38 has a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 38 stores various programs executed by the processing circuit 31 (CPU) and various setting information. The storage unit 38 also stores, for example, a product master T1, a stocked product management table T2, a cash register management table T3, and a store clerk management table T4.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the product master T1. The product master T1 is, for example, a database that compiles information about products handled in a store where the purchase support system 1 is installed. As shown in Fig. 3, the items in the product master T1 include, for example, a product code also called a product ID, a product name, a price, attributes, and product features.

[0023] Attributes for items in the product master T1 include, for example, product types such as fresh food, frozen food, vegetables, and alcohol, product size and weight categorized by predetermined indicators (e.g., small, medium, large, etc.), and information requiring the selection of at least one item included in the attributes at the register during checkout (hereinafter referred to as required selection information). For example, for a type such as farm-fresh vegetables, the attribute is the fresh vegetable, and the user must select at least one of the name, size, and weight of the farm-fresh vegetable at the register during checkout. For this reason, information requiring selection is registered as required selection information for attributes in the product master T1.

[0024] The product feature amounts in the items of the product master T1 correspond, for example, to feature vectors obtained by image recognition processing (e.g., semantic segmentation using a trained model such as Semantic CNN) on an image showing the appearance of the product. The feature vector is, for example, an output input to the output layer of the trained model that recognizes the product, such as an output from the final intermediate layer. Note that the product feature amounts are not limited to the feature vectors described above, and may be outputs from various known image processing methods. Furthermore, the items of the product master T1 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 3, and may include other items such as purchase lot and supplier.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the stored product management table T2. The stored product management table T2 is a table for managing products stored in shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by customers moving around the store. As shown in FIG. 4, the items in the stored product management table T2 include, for example, a customer ID, a customer feature value indicating the customer's characteristics, a stored product ID, and a quantity. The customer ID is an identifier for identifying a customer. For example, when a customer's entry into the store is detected by the first camera 21 or the second camera 22, the customer ID is generated by the processing circuit 31 and added to the stored product management table T2.

[0026] The customer feature items in the stored product management table T2 correspond to, for example, feature vectors obtained by the image recognition process described above on an image of a customer. Note that the customer feature items are not limited to feature vectors and may be output from various known image processing methods. The stored product ID item in the stored product management table T2 is an item indicating the product ID of a product stored in a shopping basket and / or product transport cart held by a customer. The quantity item in the stored product management table T2 is an item indicating the number (number of items) of a product corresponding to the product ID stored in a shopping basket and / or product transport cart held by a customer. When the first camera 21 or the second camera 22 detects that a customer has left the store, the various items related to the customer ID corresponding to the customer who has left the store are deleted from the stored product management table T2 by the processing circuit 31.

[0027] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a cash register management table T3. The cash register management table T3 is a table for managing a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices (cash registers) 10. Items in the cash register management table T3 include cash register numbers for identifying the plurality of cash registers and type information indicating the type of the cash register.

[0028] The type information indicates the type of cash register, and is assigned one of the following types: full-self, semi-self, or manned, as shown in Fig. 5. In the correspondence between Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, for example, sales data processing device 10-1 corresponds to cash register number R001, sales data processing device 10-2 corresponds to cash register number R002, and sales data processing device 10-n corresponds to cash register number M001.

[0029] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a clerk management table T4. As shown in Fig. 6, the clerk management table T4 stores the clerk's years of service and affiliation, etc., in association with a clerk ID that identifies each clerk. The clerk management table T4 is updated as needed in accordance with the clerk's employment, retirement, seniority, etc.

[0030] The storage unit 38 also stores a predetermined threshold value that is compared with the quantity of products contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart. The predetermined threshold value is set in advance, but may be changed as appropriate in response to a user instruction via the input unit 36, such as from a store clerk. The storage unit 38 stores a set value that is compared with the quantity of products contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart that require the selection of an item included in the attribute at checkout (related to the selection requirement information) (hereinafter referred to as "products that are complicated to checkout"). The set value is set in advance, but may be changed as appropriate in response to a user instruction via the input unit 36, such as from a store clerk.

[0031] The purchase support device 30 executes various processes in cooperation with the processing circuitry 31 (CPU) and programs stored in the ROM and memory unit 38. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2, the processing circuitry 31 (CPU) executes the programs, thereby realizing functions such as an acquisition unit 311, extraction unit 312, determination unit 313, and notification unit 314 on the RAM. Note that the acquisition unit 311, extraction unit 312, determination unit 313, and notification unit 314 may also be realized in hardware by a dedicated processor or the like provided in the processing circuitry 31.

[0032] The acquisition unit 311 acquires image data from the first camera 21 or the second camera 22 in response to a customer entering the store. For example, the acquisition unit 311 acquires product image data from the second camera 22, the product image data capturing a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart carried by a customer moving around the store. Furthermore, for example, the acquisition unit 311 acquires area image data from the first camera 21. The acquisition unit 311 stores the acquired product image data and area image data in the storage unit 38.

[0033] The extraction unit 312 extracts customer features from the product image data or area image data. For example, the extraction unit 312 inputs the product image data or area image data into a trained model capable of recognizing customer images, and extracts customer features from the trained model. If the extracted customer features are not stored in the stored product management table T2, the extraction unit 312 issues a customer ID and stores the extracted customer features in the stored product management table T2 in association with the customer ID that issued the customer ID.

[0034] The extraction unit 312 extracts customer features in time series from the product image data or area image data acquired in time series according to the movement of the customer. At this time, the extraction unit 312 compares the extracted customer features with the customer features stored in the stocked product management table T2, thereby identifying the customer IDs of the same customer in the store in the stocked product management table T2.

[0035] The extraction unit 312 extracts factors related to the checkout time of items contained in a shopping basket and / or product transport cart held by a customer from the product image data. For example, the extraction unit 312 inputs the product image data into a trained model capable of recognizing product images and extracts product features from the trained model. The extraction unit 312 compares the extracted product features with the product features in the product master T1 and identifies the product ID corresponding to the extracted product features. The extraction unit 312 associates the product ID and quantity with the identified customer ID and registers them in the stored product management table T2. Factors related to checkout time, which will be explained later, are one element used to determine the type of cash register recommended as the checkout location for the items desired by the customer.

[0036] Next, the extraction unit 312 uses the identified product ID to extract the product attributes corresponding to the identified product ID from the product master T1. The extraction unit 312 also uses the identified product ID to extract the product quantity corresponding to the identified product ID from the stored product management table T2. The product quantity and product attributes are related to the length of the transaction time.

[0037] The extraction unit 312 also extracts, from the product image data, the quantity of products contained in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart that are associated with the required selection information. For example, the extraction unit 312 determines whether or not the required selection information exists in the attributes by comparing the product feature amounts extracted from the product image data with the product master T1.

[0038] The extraction unit 312 also extracts the number of people waiting for processing in the sales data processing device 10 (hereinafter referred to as the number of people waiting at the register) as a queue from the area image data. The extraction unit 312 extracts the number of people waiting at the register from the area image data as a factor related to the transaction time. The extraction unit 312 stores the extracted factor related to the transaction time in the storage unit 38 in association with the customer ID.

[0039] For these reasons, the quantity of products, product attributes, and queues are included in factors related to checkout time. Therefore, the extraction unit 312 extracts product data including the quantity and product attributes of products contained in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart from the product image data as factors related to checkout time.

[0040] The determination unit 313 determines whether a customer is located in a predetermined area based on the area image data. For example, the determination unit 313 determines whether a customer is present in the waiting area for payment by determining whether the customer feature extracted from the area image data is included in the stored commodity management table T2.

[0041] If a customer is present in the checkout waiting area, i.e., if a customer is waiting at the register, the determination unit 313 determines, based on the extracted factors related to checkout time, which of a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices 10 that perform processing related to product checkout should be recommended as the checkout destination for the customer. The type of sales data processing device 10 to be determined is, for example, one of a full-self-service type, a semi-self-service type, and a manned register type, as shown in the type information in FIG. 3. Note that two register types may be determined depending on the number of people waiting at each of the plurality of sales data processing devices 10.

[0042] The semi-self-service mode is a mode of the sales data processing device 10 (register mode) in which a store clerk performs some of the operations related to the transaction of the product, and may be referred to as the first mode. The full-self-service mode is a mode of the sales data processing device 10 in which the customer performs the operations related to the transaction of the product, and may be referred to as the second mode. The manned register mode (also referred to as a store clerk register) is a mode of the sales data processing device 10 in which a store clerk performs all of the operations related to the transaction of the product, and may be referred to as the third mode.

[0043] For example, the determination unit 313 determines the type of cash register to recommend using the extracted product data (quantity of products, product attributes) and / or the number of people waiting at the register. Specifically, the determination unit 313 compares the quantity of products to be paid for held by customers waiting at the register with a predetermined threshold. If the quantity of products to be paid for held by customers waiting at the register is less than the predetermined threshold, the determination unit 313 determines the second type of cash register to be recommended, in which the customer performs operations related to paying for the products. In other words, if the quantity of products is less than the predetermined threshold, the determination unit 313 determines a fully self-service cash register, i.e., the second type of sales data processing device, as the cash register to recommend to the customer.

[0044] Furthermore, when the quantity of merchandise to be paid for held by a customer waiting at the register is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 313 determines a first mode in which a store clerk performs some of the operations related to the transaction as the recommended register mode. In other words, when the quantity of merchandise is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the determination unit 313 determines a semi-self-service register as the register to be recommended to the customer.

[0045] The determination unit 313 also compares the quantity of products that require the selection of an item included in the attribute at checkout (complex checkout products) with a predetermined set value. If the quantity of complex checkout products is equal to or greater than the predetermined set value, the determination unit 313 determines the first type (semi-self-service checkout type) and / or the third type (manned checkout type) as the type of checkout to recommend to the customer.

[0046] The notification unit 314 notifies the customer of the cash register type determined by the determination unit 313. For example, the notification unit 314 compares the determined cash register type with the cash register management table T3 and identifies the cash register number corresponding to the determined cash register type. The notification unit 314 notifies the customer of the determined cash register type together with the cash register number via the display terminal 25. The notification unit 314 may also notify the customer of the determined cash register type together with the cash register number by voice.

[0047] If the determined type of register is a semi-self-service register or a manned register, the notification unit 314 may identify the years of service of the store clerk working at the sales data processing device corresponding to the semi-self-service register or the manned register by checking the years of service against the store clerk management table T4.The notification unit 314 may then notify the customer of a sales data processing device with a short waiting line and staffed by a store clerk with long years of service.In addition to notifying the customer waiting to pay of the recommended type of sales data processing device 10, the notification unit 314 may also notify the customer waiting to pay of a guide to the sales data processing device corresponding to the register number.

[0048] The configuration of this embodiment has been described above. The following describes the procedure for the process of supporting a purchase (hereinafter referred to as the purchase support process) executed by the purchase support device 30 and the purchase support system 1. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the purchase support process. The purchase support process begins when a user enters a store, that is, when the customer is photographed by the first camera 21 or the second camera 22 upon entering the store, the customer is recognized in the product image data or area image data, and the customer ID is registered in the stored product management table T2.

[0049] (Purchase support processing) (Step S701) Image data is generated by capturing an image of the checkout waiting area via the first camera 21. The acquisition unit 311 acquires image data of the checkout waiting area from the first camera 21. The acquisition unit 311 stores the image data of the checkout waiting area in the storage unit 38. The extraction unit 312 extracts, from the image data of the checkout waiting area, the number of people waiting to be processed by the sales data processing device 10 (queue) as a factor related to the checkout time of the product.

[0050] (Step S702) Product image data is generated by photographing the shopping basket and / or product transport cart via the second camera 22. The acquisition unit 311 acquires the product image data from the second camera 22. The acquisition unit 311 stores the product image data generated by the second camera 22 in the storage unit 38. The extraction unit 312 appropriately updates various items in the stored product management table T2 based on the product image data generated by the second camera 22.

[0051] (Step S703) The determination unit 313 determines whether a customer is located in the waiting area based on the image data of the waiting area. That is, if a customer has been in the waiting area for a predetermined time (Yes in step S703), the process of step S704 is executed. If a customer has not been in the waiting area for a predetermined time (No in step S703), the process of step S701 is executed. The predetermined time is stored in the storage unit 38 as a preset time, such as 30 seconds or 1 minute.

[0052] (Step S704) If a queue has occurred in the settlement waiting area (Yes in step S704), the process proceeds to step S705. If a queue has not occurred in the settlement waiting area (No in step S704), the process proceeds to step S701.

[0053] (Step S705) The extraction unit 312 extracts product data (such as product quantity and product attributes, and the presence or absence of required selection information) from the product master T1 based on image data of the shopping basket and / or product transport cart. For example, the extraction unit 312 extracts product features based on the product image data. The extraction unit 312 then compares the extracted product features with the product master T1 and extracts product data for the products included in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart from the product master T1. In addition, the extraction unit 312 extracts the quantity of the product associated with the required selection information from the product master T1.

[0054] (Step S706) The determination unit 313 compares the quantity of the products related to the selection necessary information (complex products at checkout) with a predetermined set value. If the quantity of complex products at checkout is equal to or greater than the set value (Yes in step S706), the process proceeds to step S708. If the quantity of complex products at checkout is less than the set value (No in step S706), the process proceeds to step S707.

[0055] (Step S707) The determination unit 313 compares the quantity of items to be paid for held by the customer waiting at the register with a predetermined threshold. For example, if the quantity of items contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S707), the process proceeds to step S708. If the quantity of items contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart is less than the predetermined threshold (No in step S707), the process proceeds to step S709.

[0056] (Step S708) The determination unit 313 determines the first type (semi-self-service register) and / or the third type (manned register) as the register type to recommend to the customer. The notification unit 314 compares the determined register type with the register management table T3 and identifies the register number corresponding to the determined register type. At this time, the notification unit 314 may also identify the years of service of the store clerk operating the identified register number by comparing it with the store clerk management table T4. Next, the notification unit 314 notifies the customer via the display terminal 25 or the like of the register numbers of semi-self-service registers and / or manned registers that have short waiting lines and are staffed by clerks with long years of service.

[0057] (Step S709) The determination unit 313 determines a fully self-service register, i.e., the second type of sales data processing device, as the register to recommend to the customer. The notification unit 314 compares the second type with the register management table T3 and identifies the register number corresponding to the second type. The notification unit 314 notifies the customer of the register number of the fully self-service register via the display terminal 25 or the like. At this time, the notification unit 314 may also guide the customer to the register number in question.

[0058] (Step S710) If the monitoring of the cash register guidance has ended (Yes in step S710), the purchase support process ends. If the monitoring of the cash register guidance has not ended (No in step S710), the process of step S710 is executed. Monitoring ends, for example, when the store closes.

[0059] As described above, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 of this embodiment acquire image data of shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by customers moving around the store, extract from the image data factors related to the checkout (payment) time for the products contained in the shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by the customers, and based on the factors related to the checkout time, determine which of several different types of sales data processing devices 10 that perform processing related to the checkout of the products is to be recommended as the checkout method for the customer, and notify the customer of the determined method.

[0060] For example, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment extract product data, including the quantity and attributes of products contained in a shopping basket and / or product transport cart, from product image data as factors related to checkout time, and use this product data to determine the recommended cash register configuration. Furthermore, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment also acquire image data of a waiting area in a store where multiple different types of sales data processing devices 10 are installed, and extract from this image data the number of people waiting for processing by the sales data processing device 10 as a factor related to checkout time, and use this number to determine the recommended cash register configuration.

[0061] For these reasons, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment can use surveillance cameras installed in the store to detect information such as the quantity and attributes of products purchased by customers waiting in line at the register to determine which type of register to use to complete their shopping more quickly, and can notify the customer of the recommended type of register and guide them to that register. Therefore, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment can reduce the burden on customers in selecting the type of register when paying for products (accounting) in a store that has multiple different types of registers, such as semi-self-checkout and fully self-checkout.

[0062] Furthermore, with the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment, if the number of items contained in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart is less than a predetermined threshold, a fully self-service checkout system where the customer performs all the checkout-related operations is determined as the recommended checkout system, and if the number of items contained in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, a semi-self-service checkout system where a store clerk performs some of the checkout-related operations is determined as the recommended checkout system. As a result, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment can determine the optimal checkout system depending on the number of items to be checked out.

[0063] Furthermore, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this embodiment extract, from the product image data, the number of items contained in the shopping basket and / or product transport cart that require the selection of at least one item at checkout, and if the number of items requiring the selection of an item is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, the recommended checkout type is determined to be a self-checkout type in which a store clerk performs some of the checkout-related operations and / or a manned checkout type in which a store clerk performs all of the checkout-related operations. As a result, for example, if the number of items requiring the selection of size, type, weight, etc. at checkout for fresh food such as vegetables is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, the system can determine the checkout type that will shorten the checkout time based on the congestion of the queue and / or the length of service (checkout skills, etc.) of the store clerk performing the checkout, and notify the customer.

[0064] As described above, the purchasing support device 30 and purchasing support system 1 according to the present embodiment can inform customers of the appropriate cash register type for the product being checked out, among multiple different types of cash registers used for processing product checkouts. Therefore, the purchasing support device 30 and purchasing support system 1 according to the present embodiment can reduce the congestion at the cash registers, thereby alleviating customer stress while waiting in line and reducing customer complaints. Additionally, the purchasing support device 30 and purchasing support system 1 according to the present embodiment can shorten a customer's shopping time, specifically the total checkout (payment) time required for checking out (checkout), thereby improving customer turnover at the store. Furthermore, the purchasing support device 30 and purchasing support system 1 according to the present embodiment can reduce the burden on the store by automatically providing information on the recommended cash register type for checkouts.

[0065] (Variation) In this modification, when a display (user terminal) is installed on each product transport cart, the user terminal is notified of the recommended cash register type for payment. At this time, for example, an identifier that can identify each product transport cart and each user terminal is installed on each product transport cart and / or each user terminal. The identifier corresponds to, for example, a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or the like.

[0066] The first camera 21 and / or the second camera 22 capture the identifier. The acquisition unit 311 acquires the captured identifier from the first camera 21 and / or the second camera 22. The extraction unit 312 identifies the product transport cart and / or the user terminal operated by the customer using the identifier. At this time, the extraction unit 312, for example, associates the cart ID corresponding to the identifier with the customer ID and registers the cart ID in the stored product management table T2. Note that once the cart ID and the customer ID are associated, there is no need to register the identifier in the stored product management table T2. Because the above process associates the product transport cart and / or the user terminal operated by the customer with the customer ID, the notification unit 314 notifies the customer of the cash register type determined by the determination unit 313 via the user terminal.

[0067] In this modified example, prior to the implementation of the purchase support process, when a customer ID is registered in the stored product management table T2, a cart ID corresponding to the product transport cart and / or user terminal is registered in the stored product management table T2, or the customer ID and cart ID are associated. The processing content of the purchase support process is the same as in the embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this modified example notify the user terminal of the product transport cart operated by the customer of the recommended cash register configuration at the time of payment. As a result, the purchase support device 30 and purchase support system 1 according to this modified example can improve the visibility of the recommended cash register configuration. As other effects are the same as in the embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

[0068] When the technical idea in the embodiment is realized in a purchasing support program, the purchasing support program causes a computer to acquire image data of shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by customers moving around a store, extract factors related to the checkout time of the products contained in the shopping baskets and / or product transport carts carried by the customers from the image data, determine a recommended checkout method for the customer from among several different types of sales data processing devices that process the product checkout based on the factors related to the checkout time, and notify the customer of the determined method.

[0069] For example, the purchase support process can be realized by installing the purchase support program on a computer such as a server device installed in a store and expanding it in memory. In this case, the program that can cause a computer to execute the purchase support process can be stored and distributed on a storage medium such as a magnetic disk (such as a hard disk), an optical disk (such as a CD-ROM or DVD), or a semiconductor memory. Furthermore, the distribution of the purchase support program is not limited to the above-mentioned media, and it may also be distributed using a telecommunications function, such as downloading via the Internet. The processing procedures of the purchase support program conform to the purchase support process of the embodiment. The effects of the purchase support program are similar to those of the embodiment. For these reasons, a description of the processing procedures and effects of the purchase support program will be omitted.

[0070] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments 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 scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Purchasing support system 10 Sales data processing device 21 Camera 1 22 Second Camera 25 Display terminal 30 Purchasing Support Device 31 Processing circuit 32 Bus 33 First communication I / F 34 Second communication I / F 35 Third communication I / F 36 Input section 37 Display section 38 Memory section 311 Acquisition Department 312 Extraction part 313 Decision Section 314 Information Department T1 Product Master T2 Storage product management table T3 Cash register management table T4 Clerk management table [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0072] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-135806

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires image data of a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart carried by a customer moving around the store; an extraction unit that extracts, from the image data, factors related to the checkout time of the items contained in the shopping basket and / or the item transport cart held by the customer; a determination unit that determines, based on the factors related to the transaction time, a type of sales data processing device that is recommended as a transaction destination for the customer from among a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices that perform processing related to the transaction of the product; a notification unit that notifies the customer of the form determined by the determination unit; A purchasing support device comprising:

2. the extraction unit extracts, from the image data, product data including the quantity of products contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart and attributes of the products as the factors; the determination unit determines the form to be recommended using the product data. The purchase support device according to claim 1 .

3. the acquisition unit further acquires area image data obtained by capturing an image of a predetermined area within a store in which the plurality of different types of sales data processing devices are installed; the extraction unit extracts, from the area image data, the number of people waiting to be processed by the sales data processing device as the factor; The determination unit determines the form to be recommended using the number of people. The purchase support device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the plurality of different types of sales data processing devices include a first type of sales data processing device in which a store clerk performs some of the operations related to the transaction, and a second type of sales data processing device in which a customer performs the operations related to the transaction, The determination unit If the quantity is less than a predetermined threshold, determining the second configuration as the recommended configuration; If the quantity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, determining the first form as the recommended form. The purchase support device according to claim 2 .

5. the plurality of different types of sales data processing devices include a first type of sales data processing device in which a store clerk performs some of the operations related to the transaction and / or a third type of sales data processing device in which the store clerk performs all of the operations related to the transaction, The attribute includes information indicating whether or not selection of at least one item included in the attribute is required at the time of settlement, the extraction unit extracts, from the image data, the quantity of the products that require selection of the item from among the products contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart; the determination unit determines the first form and / or the third form as the form to be recommended when the quantity of the products for which the item needs to be selected is equal to or greater than a predetermined set value; The purchase support device according to claim 2 or 4.

6. a photographing unit that photographs a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart held by a customer; an acquisition unit that acquires image data generated by the imaging unit; an extraction unit that extracts factors related to checkout times of the products contained in the shopping basket and / or the product transport cart from the image data; a determination unit that determines, based on the factors related to the transaction time, a type of sales data processing device that is recommended as a transaction destination for the customer from among a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices that perform processing related to the transaction of the product; a notification unit that notifies the customer of the form determined by the determination unit; A purchasing support system that includes:

7. On the computer, Acquire image data of a shopping basket and / or a product transport cart carried by a customer moving within the store; extracting, from the image data, factors related to the checkout time of the items contained in the shopping basket and / or the item transport cart held by the customer; determining a sales data processing device to recommend to the customer as a checkout destination from among a plurality of different types of sales data processing devices that perform processing related to the checkout time based on the factors related to the checkout time; notifying the customer of the determined configuration; A purchasing assistance program that makes this possible.

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