Product sales data processing device and product sales data processing system

Abstract

To easily and cost-effectively prevent errors and fraud in transactions. [Solution] A POS terminal device 10 comprising: a registration unit 122 for registering the products to be purchased; a reception means for receiving requests for confirmation by a store employee regarding the transactions registered in the registration unit 122; and a calling unit 124 for calling a store employee when the reception means receives a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding the transaction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a merchandise sales data processing device and a merchandise sales data processing system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in stores such as supermarkets, full-self-service POS terminals that customers operate from product registration to settlement are in operation. In this regard, for example, in Patent Document 1, there is disclosed a merchandise sales data processing device used for selling merchandise, which includes a store clerk registration means for a store clerk to register merchandise, a customer registration means for a customer to register merchandise, a settlement means for performing settlement processing based on the registration content of at least one of the store clerk registration means and the customer registration means, a switching means for switching the usage state of the store clerk registration means, and a prohibiting means for prohibiting switching by the switching means when executing the registration processing in the store clerk registration means and the customer registration means or the settlement start processing in the settlement means.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, since the customer operates consistently from product registration to settlement, mistakes and fraud in operations are more likely to occur compared to when a store clerk operates. On the other hand, it was not desirable to incur a large cost to reduce mistakes and fraud in operations.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to simply suppress mistakes and fraud in transactions without incurring costs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the product sales data processing device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a registration means for registering products to be purchased; a receiving means for receiving a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding a transaction registered by the registration means; and a calling means for calling a store employee when the receiving means receives a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding the transaction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of a network configuration for a product sales data processing system equipped with a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the external configuration of a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the software configuration of a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a processing flow diagram showing an example of processing performed by a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a processing flow diagram showing another example of processing performed by a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a screen (standby screen) displayed in a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of a screen (product registration screen) displayed in a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a screen (consent screen) displayed in a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a screen (call screen) displayed in a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of a screen (inspection screen) displayed in a product sales data processing device (POS terminal device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This figure shows an example of a network configuration of a product sales data processing system equipped with a product sales data processing device (a mobile terminal or an application program implemented on said mobile terminal) according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] ● Overview and System Configuration Hereinafter, a product sales data processing device and a product sales data processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. Figure 1 shows the network configuration of a product sales data processing system 1 equipped with a POS terminal device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The product sales data processing system 1 is a system that is installed in stores such as supermarkets, home centers, and convenience stores. In this product sales data processing system 1, a predetermined screen displayed on the POS terminal device 10 accepts requests for verification of transactions by store staff. Such a screen may, for example, ask the customer whether verification by a store staff member is necessary regarding the transaction or the content of the operation based on the customer's operation, or ask the customer to pledge that there is no fraud in the transaction based on the customer's operation and to agree to how fraud will be handled. If verification by a store staff member is requested or a pledge is not obtained, a store staff member is called as if verification by a store staff member had been requested. In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be mainly described using the latter example of requesting a pledge that there is no fraud, and the predetermined screen in this case will be referred to as the "consent screen".

[0009] The product sales data processing system 1 comprises a POS terminal device 10, a store controller 20, and a transaction status management device 30. Each device is configured to communicate via a network NW1 such as a LAN or dedicated line, and they cooperate by sending and receiving data.

[0010] The POS terminal device 10 is an example of a product sales data processing device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the POS terminal device 10 is a so-called "fully self-service" type cash register device that registers and settles products based on customer operations. The product sales data processing device according to the present invention is applicable to systems in which customers perform product registration operations, and is also applicable to systems in which product registration is performed on a mobile terminal 50 (see Figure 12) operated by the customer, as in another embodiment described later.

[0011] The store controller 20 is a higher-level device than the POS terminal 10 and is implemented as a computer device equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and a communication unit. This store controller 20 stores various transaction-related information such as product master data and performance master data, and also handles core business operations such as customer management and order management.

[0012] The product master is a file that stores product information, including product identification information (e.g., JAN (Japanese Article Number) code), product name, and sales price for each product. In addition to the product master data, the store controller 20 also stores various other information such as coupon information, member information, inventory status, sales history, and deposit / withdrawal records. Furthermore, the store controller 20 may be composed of multiple server devices depending on the business, or it may be configured as a cloud server. Also, the store controller 20 referred to herein, regardless of its name, may be composed of any other server, such as a store server.

[0013] The transaction management device 30 is a device superior to the POS terminal device 10 and is realized by a computer device equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), a communication unit, and the like. It displays on a monitor the status of the POS terminal device 10 (such as operation mode, processing status, change balance status, failure status, etc., remote operation of clerk approval processing for age-verified products, imaging data of the operator, etc.) and controls the POS terminal device 10.

[0014] Note that this transaction status management device 30 can be composed of one or more devices. For example, it can be realized as an attendant terminal installed in the sales floor within the store where the POS terminal device 10 is installed or as a mobile terminal carried by a store clerk. By installing an attendant terminal at the location where the POS terminal device 10 is installed and outputting information related to the status of the POS terminal device 10 to a predetermined monitor or the like so that the store clerk can check the information, the store clerk can monitor the operations of customers and perform remote operations according to the status of each POS terminal device 10 while grasping the status of each POS terminal device 10 in real time.

[0015] ●Hardware Configuration FIG. 2 shows an example of the external configuration of the POS terminal device 10, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the POS terminal device 10. The POS terminal device 10 includes a CPU 101 (Central Processing Unit), a flash memory 102, a RAM 103 (Random Access Memory), a touch panel 104, a scanner 105, a printer 106, a non-cash payment unit 107, a change dispenser 108, an audio output unit 109, a camera 110, a signature pole 111, and a communication unit 112, and these are electrically connected.

[0016] The CPU 101 is a central processing unit, and by reading and executing the program stored in the flash memory 102, it comprehensively controls the operation of the POS terminal device 10. The flash memory 102 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 101, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 101, including programs. RAM103 is the main memory of the CPU101. RAM103 is a work area for temporarily retrieving and processing data, and stores information obtained from external sources, such as product master data obtained from the store controller 20, and information generated during processing. Information generated during processing includes, for example, registration data generated in the registration process for registering products, and settlement data generated in the settlement process for settling registered products.

[0017] The touch panel 104 constitutes an input means for receiving various information from the customer, who is the operator, and a display means for displaying various information. Using this touch panel 104, store employees can check the registration status of items to be purchased and perform the registration operation for items to be purchased. In addition, consent screens and inspection screens, which will be described in detail later, are displayed on this touch panel 104. Regardless of this embodiment, the touch panel 104 may also incorporate physical input means such as mechanical keys or switches, or the input means and output means may be configured separately, such as physical mechanical keys and a liquid crystal display.

[0018] Scanner 105 is an example of a reading means that optically reads various types of information, and is implemented using a CCD camera or the like. For example, scanner 105 is used to read barcodes (product codes, etc.) attached to products, or to read them in point-based payments or code-based payments. In addition, it is used to read codes (barcodes, 2D codes, etc.) printed on payment slips (registered trademarks), gift certificates (gift certificates, coupons, discount vouchers), and cards such as membership cards. The scanner 105 can also be configured as a fixed scanner, a handheld scanner, or both.

[0019] Printer 106 is an example of an issuing method that prints and outputs various types of information, such as settlement information including purchased items and payment amounts, or registration information for registered items, onto various media (receipts, invoices, payment slips, etc.).

[0020] The non-cash payment unit 107 supports non-cash payment processing, such as credit card payments, electronic money payments, and code payments. The POS terminal device 10 can support one or more non-cash payment methods as the non-cash payment unit 107 according to its specifications, and is equipped with the necessary functions and mechanisms for each payment method as appropriate. For example, if it supports credit card payments, it is equipped with a CAT terminal. If it supports code payments, the scanner 105 functions as a reading means for reading the two-dimensional code for code payments.

[0021] The change dispenser 108 is a cash settlement mechanism and is an example of a cash payment method. This change dispenser 108 has an input slot for banknotes and coins, and an output slot for banknotes and coins. The change dispenser 108 calculates the amount to be inserted into the input slot, calculates the amount of change which is the difference between the inserted amount and the purchase amount, and dispenses the change from the output slot. The change dispenser 108 is facing the customer and accepts various operations and cash insertions from the customer.

[0022] The audio output unit 109 outputs sound. For example, the audio output unit 109 outputs voice guidance and warning sounds. Voice guidance and warning sounds include, for example, voices related to product registration operations and payment operations.

[0023] Camera 110 is mounted to the upper right of the touch panel 104, as viewed from the customer's perspective. This camera 110 is an example of an imaging means that continuously captures video or still images. Camera 110 can be a CCD (charge coupled device) camera or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera. Camera 110 captures images of various operations or actions performed by the customer when registering products or making a payment, as well as the contents of the shopping basket.

[0024] The sign pole 111 is equipped with a light-emitting part such as an LED (light-emitting diode) and lights up in a predetermined lighting pattern. This sign pole 111 is an example of a notification means that notifies the status of the POS terminal device 10, such as whether the POS terminal device 10 is in use or whether an abnormality has occurred, depending on the lighting pattern. The status can be various, such as idle, registering, settling, forgotten change, near-end change, calling a store clerk, customer registering product multiplication, or age verification request, which are expected when the POS terminal device 10 is in use. The lighting patterns of the sign pole 111 include patterns of color and flashing patterns. In this example, the sign pole 111 is installed above the POS terminal 10, allowing store employees who are not near the POS terminal 10 to recognize the lighting pattern. Furthermore, status information is transmitted to the transaction status management device 30, and store employees can monitor the status of the POS terminal 10 in real time using a monitor that displays the information obtained from the transaction status management device 30.

[0025] The communication unit 112 is an interface for sending and receiving information with the store controller 20, the transaction status management device 30, and other POS terminal devices 10.

[0026] ●Software configuration As shown in Figure 4, the POS terminal device 10 mainly consists of an information storage unit 121, a registration unit 122, a settlement unit 123, a determination unit 124, an identifier assignment unit 125, a calling unit 126, an extraction unit 127, a display operation processing unit 128, a printing processing unit 129, an audio processing unit 130, an imaging processing unit 131, a lighting processing unit 132, and a communication processing unit 133 as software resources.

[0027] The information storage unit 121 stores information necessary for store operations and product sales, as well as information generated by the execution of functions of each functional unit. Such information includes, for example, member master data, product master data, registration data, settlement data, layout information, tax rate information, condition information, and image data from the camera 110.

[0028] The member master database stores information about member customers, such as their membership number, name, and contact information. The product master contains information about products, such as product identification information (e.g., JAN code), product name, and unit price.

[0029] Furthermore, the member master and product master stored in the information storage unit 121 may be partially or entirely held by the higher-level store controller 20. In this case, the POS terminal device 10 may appropriately obtain the member master and product master from the store controller 20, or refer to the member master and product master held by the store controller 20. Alternatively, one of the multiple POS terminal devices 10 configured to communicate may be equipped with the functions of a store controller 20, and the POS terminal device 10 that also functions as the store controller 20 may be made to perform master management and exchange data with the other POS terminal devices 10.

[0030] Registration data is information that describes the details of a transaction, generated during the registration process for registering a product. Settlement data is information generated by the settlement process, which settles (pays for) purchased items based on registered data. Layout information refers to information related to the layout of the receipt to be issued and the layout of the screen displayed on the touch panel 104, and is referenced when issuing receipts and displaying screens.

[0031] Condition information defines the conditions for which a consent screen will be displayed, requesting the user to pledge that the transaction is not fraudulent and to agree to how fraudulent activity will be handled. This information can be set arbitrarily. Whether or not a transaction meets the conditions is determined by the determination unit 124, which will be described later.

[0032] The target transactions may include, in one example, transactions in which products without preset keys are registered. When registering products without preset keys, there is a tendency to be less aware of the product while registering it, and it is possible that the product may be forgotten. Conversely, the target transactions may also include transactions in which products with preset keys are registered. Since operating the preset key involves more steps than reading the symbol code with scanner 105, it is thought that operational errors are more likely to occur. In this case, for the determination unit 124 to determine whether a transaction is a target transaction, the registration data may include information to determine whether the product was registered using a preset key, or information linking the product and the preset key may be separately maintained, thereby enabling the determination unit 124 to determine whether a given transaction is a target transaction.

[0033] The target transactions may include, in one example, transactions where the price of individual goods or the settlement amount of the transaction is above or below a specified amount. When high-value goods are included in a transaction, or when the transaction itself is high-value, the likelihood of fraud may be high or low depending on the type of goods handled and the type of business. Conversely, in the case of low-value transactions, especially when the settlement amount is low despite a large number of items, it is possible that there are omissions in product registration or that fraud has occurred. Transactions with many low-value items, transactions where the quantity of purchased items is above or below a specified quantity regardless of the number of low-value items, and transactions that fall under a specified category such as chicken or wine may also be targeted. Here, examples of transactions included in the target transactions have been given and the case of setting these examples as target transactions has been explained, but conversely, transactions that are not included in the target transactions may be set as ineligible transactions. In this case, the determination unit 124 can determine whether a given transaction is a target transaction by referring to the settlement amount information included in the registered data.

[0034] In one example, the transactions covered may be those conducted during a specified time period within business hours. For instance, during peak hours such as the evening, when it tends to be crowded, fraudulent activities may occur amidst the crowd, or mistakes may be made due to haste. Conversely, during off-peak hours, fraud may be more likely to occur due to fewer people around, and it may be more difficult for staff to provide individual assistance. Therefore, transactions during off-peak hours may also be covered. In this case, by pre-registering a predetermined time period, the determination unit 124 can determine whether a predetermined transaction is a target transaction by referring to a timing means that measures the current time and information indicating the time the transaction took place.

[0035] The transactions in question may, in one example, be those conducted when there are few staff members present. When there are few staff members, it is conceivable that fraudulent transactions may be carried out while the staff are not watching. In this case, by registering information about the employee shifts and the number of employees in advance, the determination unit 124 can determine whether a given transaction is a target transaction or not.

[0036] In one example, the transaction in question may be a transaction conducted by a specific customer. The designated customers may include, for example, customers who are provisionally registered as members or customers who are in a provisional membership state, or any other customers who have not yet completed the registration of necessary information or procedures. If there is a lack of information that should be registered as member information, such as a member who has not registered the telephone number required as part of their member information, it is possible that fraudulent transactions may be carried out by individuals with questionable identities. Furthermore, designated customers may be those who have been pre-registered as customers requiring consent via a consent screen. Specifically, these may include customers who have previously engaged in fraudulent transactions or transactions based on incorrect operations, customers who have raised suspicions, or customers who did not consent to a transaction in a previous transaction. Furthermore, a designated customer may be one who exhibited suspicious behavior during product registration. Suspicious behavior can be identified, for example, by comparing it with pre-registered fraudulent behavior patterns, or by performing AI judgment using a machine learning model trained on fraudulent behavior patterns. Furthermore, if the biometric information of registered members is registered in advance, a designated customer may be a customer whose biometric information obtained from the imaging data by camera 110 does not match the biometric information registered in advance. In other words, the biometric information obtained from the imaging data by camera 110 is compared with the biometric information registered in advance, and a match or mismatch is determined. If the two do not match as a result, the transaction in question is treated as a target transaction. Furthermore, a designated customer may be one whose biometric information obtained from the image data captured by camera 110 does not match the member information. That is, the biometric information obtained from the image data captured by camera 110 is compared with the member information to determine whether they match or not. If the two do not match, the transaction is designated as a target transaction. For example, if the age registered in the member information does not match the age obtained from the image data, the transaction is designated as a target transaction. In this case, if the customer is a registered member, the determination unit 124 can determine whether a transaction is being made by a specific customer based on the member information read at the time of the transaction, by performing flag management in the member information. Alternatively, by pre-registering biometric information such as the customer's face captured by the camera 110, it is also possible to determine whether a transaction is being made by a specific customer based on the image data captured by the camera 110, matching the biometric information of the customer.

[0037] The examples of target transactions mentioned above are just examples; any one of them, individually or in combination, can be used as target transactions and set in the condition information. Furthermore, in the example described above, when biometric information is used, the camera used for biometric authentication and the camera used to check for fraudulent activity may be separate or the same camera.

[0038] Furthermore, the transaction status management device 30, etc., may be configured to allow switching the function for displaying the consent screen on or off. In this case, since the function may be left off, it may be configured to automatically reactivate after a predetermined time or to display a confirmation screen for reactivation at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, the ON / OFF function for displaying the consent screen may be automatically switched depending on the number of POS terminal devices 10 in operation or a specified percentage of the number of in operation during the registration operation. If the function is OFF, an alternative action may be taken on the POS terminal device 10, such as displaying a message like "Monitoring image recording in progress." Furthermore, the transaction status management device 30 may be equipped with a sensor to detect store employees, and the function may be turned ON when no store employee is nearby. In this case, if the function is turned ON during a transaction, it will be displayed before the receipt issuance screen. Alternatively, transactions that occurred while the store employee was absent may be flagged, and the flagged transactions may be selectively reviewed later.

[0039] The registration unit 122 is a functional unit that registers all items to be settled within a single transaction as items to be purchased. The registration data generated by this registration unit 122 serves as reference data during the settlement process. In the product registration process, product information is obtained by reading symbol codes such as barcodes and QR codes attached to the products with the scanner 105, or by accepting product specifications using preset keys associated with the products. It is also possible to obtain product information by object scanning of the products and register the products.

[0040] The settlement unit 123 acquires the registration data generated by the registration unit 122 and performs settlement processing for the purchased items based on the registration data. Specifically, the settlement unit 123 calculates the total amount for the registered purchased items as part of the settlement process, and then adds the amount of consumption tax and other taxes to calculate the settlement amount. Then, according to the payment type selected by the customer, the settlement process is executed by the non-cash settlement unit 107 and the change dispenser 108.

[0041] The determination unit 124 determines, based on the condition information stored in the information storage unit 121, whether a transaction executed in the POS terminal device 10 meets predetermined conditions and is a transaction for which a consent screen should be displayed. As described above, when making a determination, the determination unit 124 appropriately refers to registration data, member data, biometric information, etc., according to the condition information and performs the determination process. If it is determined as a result that the transaction is one for which a consent screen should be displayed, a consent screen may be displayed on the screen.

[0042] The identifier assignment unit 125 assigns an identifier to transactions (information related to transactions) for which consent was not obtained on the consent screen, indicating that consent was not obtained. An example of the identifier assignment unit 125 assigning an identifier to transactions for which consent was not obtained on the consent screen is an example of the process of assigning an identifier to transactions for which a confirmation request has been received from a store employee. Failure to obtain consent on the consent screen means, at the very least, that the customer did not actively express consent. For example, if the consent screen displayed on the touch panel 104 shows selectable controls for expressing consent and expressing disagreement, and the disagreement control is selected, this would be considered a failure to obtain consent on the consent screen if, at the very least, the consent control is displayed as selectable on the consent screen and is not selected for a certain period of time. Furthermore, the identifier assignment unit 125 may assign an identifier to transactions for which consent has been obtained on the consent screen, or it may assign different identifiers depending on whether consent has been obtained or not on the consent screen, so that the two can be distinguished by the identifier. Furthermore, the identifier assignment unit 125 may assign an identifier to a transaction for which an inspection has been performed when an employee called by the calling unit 126 (described later) has performed an inspection.

[0043] The calling unit 126 calls a store employee if consent cannot be obtained on the consent screen and a request for confirmation from a store employee regarding the transaction is received. Calling a store employee includes various methods of calling an employee by notifying the outside that consent has not been obtained. For example, this includes notifying nearby employees by lighting up the sign pole 111 in a predetermined manner or outputting a predetermined voice message using the voice output unit 109, and notifying employees by outputting information to monitors such as the store controller 20 or the transaction status management device 30. As a result, the employee goes to the POS terminal 10 where the transaction took place and verifies the registered details of the product registered in the POS terminal 10 against the actual product. Furthermore, the term "store staff" used herein broadly includes all individuals involved in store operations, regardless of their specific role or responsibilities within the store, and also includes managers and those contracted to perform monitoring duties within the store. Furthermore, the system may allow for skipping checks by store staff when there are few items or when staff are busy. For example, if a store staff member inputs a skip check for each transaction in real time via the store controller 20 or transaction status management device 30, the POS terminal device 10 that was calling the staff member may return to normal operation. Alternatively, the store controller 20 or transaction status management device 30 may be configured in advance to skip checks for transactions with few items or transactions by preferred members.

[0044] The extraction unit 127 extracts information about transactions to which an identifier indicating that consent was not obtained on the consent screen (an identifier indicating that a confirmation request from a store employee was accepted) has been assigned by the identifier assignment unit 125. Transaction-related information includes, for example, registration data, image data, and customer membership information of the customer who registered the product. This information is registered in the information storage unit 121, linked together as information constituting a single transaction, and operators such as store clerks can refer to all the information related to a given transaction that has been assigned an identifier. This allows operators such as store clerks to selectively extract and check information on transactions that require attention from all the transaction information. Furthermore, the extraction unit 127 can also extract transactions to which an identifier was not assigned by the identifier assignment unit 125 (or, if the identifier assignment unit 125 assigns a separate identifier to transactions to which consent was not obtained on the consent screen, transactions to which that separate identifier was assigned). In addition, the extraction unit 127 may be equipped with AI (Artificial Intelligence) to identify suspicious transactions, thereby enabling it to selectively extract information on such suspicious transactions. Furthermore, the extraction unit 127 can also extract information about transactions in which an identifier indicating that consent was not obtained on the consent screen has been assigned by the identifier assignment unit 125, but an identifier indicating that an inspection process by a store employee has not been assigned. Furthermore, the extraction unit 127 can also extract information about transactions to which an identifier has been assigned when the identifier assignment unit 127 assigns an identifier to a transaction to which consent has been obtained on the consent screen.

[0045] The display operation processing unit 128 controls the touch panel 104 to display information and accept operation inputs. This display operation processing unit 128, together with the touch panel 104, constitutes an example of the display means according to the present invention. This display operation processing unit 128 displays a consent screen on the touch panel 104 at a predetermined time, in which the user pledges that there is no fraud in the transaction and requests consent for how fraud will be handled.

[0046] Here, the predetermined timing is at least the time until the settlement process is executed, and a more specific example is when the customer declares that the product registration by the registration unit 122 is complete. For example, when an operator that declares the completion of the registration operation or an operator that moves to accounting, which is the process following product registration, is executed, it is considered that a declaration that the product registration operation has been completed has been made by that operation. Another example of a predetermined timing is when the transaction start button is pressed, or when the product registration operation begins. In this case, a consent screen may be displayed before the product registration operation is performed, and if consent is given, the product registration will proceed. If consent is not obtained, a store employee may be called by the call unit 126 at that point or when the product registration operation is completed. In this case, since the consent screen is displayed before product registration begins, if a manned POS terminal where a store employee performs product registration operations is separately provided in the store, a message guiding the customer may be displayed on the screen of that manned POS terminal when consent is not obtained. Furthermore, the display operation processing unit 128 can also display the consent screen only for transactions that meet predetermined conditions, based on the results of the determination processing by the determination unit 124. In this case as well, the timing of displaying the consent screen is the same as in the example described above.

[0047] Furthermore, the display operation processing unit 128 can display an inspection screen when a store employee is called by the call unit 126, provided that the store employee has accepted a predetermined operation. The inspection screen is a screen that compares the items placed in the customer's shopping cart, etc., with the registered data to confirm whether there are any errors in the contents or quantity of the items. On the inspection screen, for example, the items included in the registered data may be displayed in a list, or items included in the registered data may be checked off by scanning the barcode of the items again. This inspection screen may be displayed only after a store employee has been called by the call unit 126 and the employee has performed an operation to have the POS terminal device 10 read the employee code with the scanner 105, etc., or it may be displayed in response to an operation of a setting menu provided on the screen.

[0048] The printing processing unit 129 controls the printer 106 to issue receipts and invoices based on the settlement data. Furthermore, the issued receipt may include the result of the consent given on the consent screen. The result of the consent may be printed in text or by marks, as long as its content is recognizable. However, a receipt may be issued regardless of whether consent was given or not.

[0049] The voice processing unit 130 controls the voice output unit 109 to output predetermined voice messages, warning sounds, operation confirmation sounds, etc. Voice messages include, for example, instructions on how to operate the device or calls for a store employee. Warning sounds include those that notify of errors or calls for a store employee.

[0050] The imaging processing unit 131 controls the camera 110 to capture images of customer operations and actions, the contents of the shopping basket, etc., and registers the captured data in the information storage unit 121 in association with the transaction. The image data may be video or still images. Furthermore, the system may allow users to specify which images to save and retain using identifiers. The retention period may also be set to automatically delete data upon checks, or to delete data after a specified retention period, such as one week.

[0051] The lighting processing unit 132 controls the sign pole 111 to light it up in a lighting pattern according to a predetermined situation.

[0052] The communication processing unit 133 is composed of one or more communication means that realize connections with each terminal or device in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol, and realizes data communication via wired or wireless LAN or Internet communication.

[0053] In this embodiment, customer consent is entered via a consent screen; however, it may also be entered via voice. Furthermore, on the payment type selection screen, a message such as "Please select a payment type only if you agree" may be displayed, and the operation of the controls for selecting a payment type may be considered as an operation to express consent. In this case, the payment type selection screen constitutes the consent screen according to this embodiment.

[0054] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example of issuing receipts and invoices on paper, the receipt may be provided to the customer in the form of an electronic receipt consisting of electronic data. When outputting in electronic receipt format, the POS terminal device 10 is configured to communicate with an electronic receipt server that stores the electronic receipt, in one example. The electronic receipt server receives the electronic receipt from the POS terminal device 10 and stores it in a predetermined storage means. The electronic receipt may include, for example, member information as data, and it is preferable that members who are eligible for the electronic receipt service be able to view their own electronic receipts stored on the electronic receipt server using a dedicated app (application program), etc. Alternatively, the electronic receipt may be sent to the dedicated app of the eligible member, or sent directly to a customer's email address or other address that has been registered in advance.

[0055] ●Processing flow 1 Next, an example of the processing flow executed in the POS terminal device 10, which constitutes the product sales data processing device according to this embodiment, will be explained with reference to Figure 5. First, the customer starts registering a product at the POS terminal device 10 (S101). The registration unit 122 registers the product in response to the customer's product registration operation (S102). The customer performs a product registration operation for each desired product, and once all desired products have been registered, they perform an operation to declare that the product registration operation is complete, such as an operation to proceed to checkout (S103).

[0056] In response, the POS terminal device 10 uses a determination unit 124 to determine whether the customer's transaction falls under the category of transactions for which a consent screen should be displayed (S104). If the determination does not result in a transaction that falls under the target transaction, the process proceeds to the selection of the payment type (S105). When the customer selects a predetermined payment type, the settlement unit 123 executes the payment processing according to the selected payment type (S106). Once the payment is complete, a receipt is issued from the printer 106 under the control of the printing processing unit 129 (S107), and the transaction is completed.

[0057] In the process of S104, if it is determined that the customer's transaction falls under the category of transactions for which a consent screen should be displayed, the consent screen will be displayed on the screen (S108). If the customer pledges on the consent screen that the transaction is not fraudulent and agrees to the handling of fraudulent activity (S109), the process proceeds to the selection of the payment type (S105). Subsequently, the process proceeds as described above, with the execution of the payment process (S106) and the issuance of a receipt (S107), until the transaction is completed.

[0058] In the process of S109, if the customer does not indicate consent on the consent screen, the identifier assignment unit 125 assigns an identifier to the transaction indicating that consent was not obtained (S110), and a request for confirmation of the transaction by the store clerk is received, and the calling unit 126 calls the store clerk (S111). The called store clerk goes to the POS terminal device 10 and checks the registration status of the product from the settings menu or performs product inspection from the inspection screen (S112).

[0059] If no problems are found, the store clerk will input an approval operation or proceed to the operation to select the payment type, and an identifier indicating that the inspection process has been performed will be assigned to the transaction (S113), and the process will proceed to the selection of the payment type (S105). Subsequently, the process will proceed as described above, with the execution of the payment process (S106) and the issuance of the receipt (S107), and the transaction will be completed. On the other hand, if a problem is found in a transaction, the store staff will take measures in accordance with the store's operational rules (S114). For example, if the problem is due to a simple operational error, the store staff may correct the registered data through the settings menu or similar. If the problem is due to fraud, measures such as reporting may be taken.

[0060] Furthermore, store employees can selectively extract information on transactions that have been assigned an identifier or transactions that have not been assigned an identifier, based on the identifier assigned to transactions for which consent was not obtained on the consent screen, using the extraction unit 127 in the POS terminal device 10, store controller 20, or transaction status management device 30. In addition, as described above, information on suspicious transactions can also be selectively extracted by AI judgment. Transaction information includes the details of registered products and video footage of the transaction captured by the camera 110. This allows store employees to focus on transactions that require particular attention from among a large amount of transaction information and confirm their contents.

[0061] ●Processing flow 2 As shown in Figure 5, in the example described above, the identifier assignment unit 125 assigns an identifier to transactions for which consent was not obtained on the consent screen, indicating that consent was not obtained. However, as another example, the identifier assignment unit 125 may also assign an identifier to transactions for which consent was obtained on the consent screen, indicating that consent was obtained. Figure 6 shows an example of the processing flow in such a case. Regarding the processes shown in the figures, those similar to those in Figure 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the following explanation will focus only on the parts that differ from the example shown in Figure 5.

[0062] In the example in Figure 6, during the S109 process, if the customer pledges on the consent screen that there is no fraud in the transaction and agrees to how fraud will be handled, the identifier assignment unit 125 assigns an identifier to the transaction indicating that such consent has been obtained (S201), and then the process proceeds to the selection of the payment type (S105). Furthermore, in the process of S109, if consent is not obtained from the customer on the consent screen, a request for confirmation of the transaction by the store clerk is accepted, and the store clerk is summoned by the calling unit 126 (S111). The summoned store clerk goes to the POS terminal device 10 and checks the registration status of the product from the settings menu or performs product inspection from the inspection screen (S112).

[0063] If consent is not obtained on the consent screen, a store employee will be called in, and the employee will verify the product registration details on the spot through inspection and other processes, so it is not always necessary to review the transaction afterward. On the other hand, for transactions where consent was obtained, the store employee has not verified the product registration details, so it may be better to check them afterward. Therefore, in this example, transactions where consent was obtained, i.e., transactions that the store employee has not verified, can be identified and extracted using an identifier, and checked retrospectively to confirm whether any problems have occurred in the transaction.

[0064] Note that the examples shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 above differ in how identifiers are assigned; however, this can be arbitrarily set depending on the store's operating method. Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 6, no identifier is assigned to transactions for which consent was not obtained. However, a different identifier from the one assigned to transactions for which consent was obtained may be assigned to transactions for which consent was obtained or for which inspection processing was performed, allowing for more detailed and selective extraction of transactions that have gone through a specific process. Furthermore, while the examples in Figures 5 and 6 show a case where a consent screen is displayed on the POS terminal 10 in which the customer pledges that there is no fraud in the transaction, the consent screen and the means for receiving the response entered on the consent screen are examples of receiving means for receiving requests for verification of the transaction by a store employee.

[0065] ●Screen example Next, an example of a screen displayed in the POS terminal device 10, which constitutes the product sales data processing device according to this embodiment, will be described. Figure 7 shows the waiting screen (screen G11) at the start of product registration. The POS terminal device 10 normally displays this screen G11 and waits to accept customer operations. On screen G11, there is a message that says, "Please touch the start button to begin checkout," along with a transaction start button G111 that initiates the product registration process and starts the transaction. Furthermore, below screen G11, there is a staff call button G112 for summoning a staff member and a language switching button G113 for switching the language of guidance. When the staff call button G112 is touched, for example, the call unit 126 sends a notification to the transaction status management device 30, and a staff member who checks this on a monitor or the like goes to the POS terminal device 10.

[0066] Figure 8 shows the product registration screen (screen G12) where products are registered. On screen G12, along with the message "Please bring the product barcode close to the scanner to register," there is a display field for the number of items purchased (G121), a display field for the total amount (G122), a registered product field (G123), a checkout button (G124), and a preset key (G125). Below it, in addition to the aforementioned staff call button (G112) and language switching button (G113), there is a video display field (G126).

[0067] The purchase quantity display column G121 shows the total number of items purchased. The total amount display field G122 shows the total amount of the registered products. The registered products section G123 displays a list of registered products. Products eligible for purchase are added to the registered products section G123 sequentially as they are registered. The checkout button G124 is an operator used by the customer to declare the completion of product registration and request to proceed to the next process. This checkout button G124 constitutes an example of the registration completion declaration means according to the present invention. The preset key G125 displays items categorized by type, such as vegetables and fruits. For example, once a category is specified, buttons for lower levels are displayed to allow product registration. The image display area G126 displays the image data captured by camera 110.

[0068] Figure 9 shows an example of a consent screen (screen G13) that appears when the completion of product registration via the accounting button is declared, where the user pledges that there is no fraud in the transaction and requests their consent to how fraud will be handled. Screen G13 displays the message, "Are you sure about the product contents? If any fraudulent activity occurs, we will report it to the police." This prompts the customer to pledge that there is no fraud in the transaction and to agree to the consequences in case of fraud. Below the message are an "Agree" button G131 to indicate agreement and a "Disagree" button G132 to indicate disagreement, and the customer touches one of them.

[0069] In the illustrated example, screen G13 is displayed on screen G12 in a pop-up window format, allowing the user to touch the "Agree" button G131 or the "Disagree" button G132 while viewing the purchased items display field G121, the total amount display field G122, and the registered items field G123. On the other hand, regardless of the illustrated example in which screen G13 is displayed in a pop-up window format, screen G13 may consist of a single screen. In this case as well, the registered items such as the number of purchased items, the total amount, and the registered items may be displayed on that single screen, allowing the user to express their agreement while reviewing the registered items. Furthermore, the "Disagree" button G132 is an example of a means of receiving a request for confirmation of the transaction by a store employee. Therefore, the message may be anything other than obtaining consent to continue the transaction or asking the customer whether they want confirmation of the transaction or operation by a store employee, regardless of whether it concerns fraudulent transactions. For example, it may be a message that confirms whether there are any problems with the operation for people who are not confident in their operation, such as "Are there any problems with the product contents? If there are no problems with the product contents, please continue the operation," and along with such a message, buttons such as "Call a store employee" or "Request confirmation of transaction details" may be provided as means of receiving a request for confirmation of the transaction by a store employee.

[0070] Figure 10 shows an example of a call screen (screen G14) when a store employee is called by the call unit 126 if the customer does not indicate consent on screen G13. Screen G14 displays the message, "We are calling a staff member. Please wait a moment," informing the customer that a staff member is being called. Below the message is a confirmation button G141, which closes screen G14 when touched. However, even if screen G14 is closed by the confirmation button G141 after it is displayed, the customer may not be able to perform any actions unless an approval action is performed by a staff member.

[0071] In the illustrated example, screen G14 is displayed as a pop-up window on screen G12, and screen G12 is grayed out. However, regardless of the illustrated example in which screen G14 is displayed as a pop-up window, screen G14 may also consist of a single screen. In this case as well, parts other than the message indicating that an employee is being called and the confirmation button G141 may be grayed out. In the illustrated example, screen G12 is grayed out, while the video display area G126 is active, displaying real-time image data captured by camera 110.

[0072] Figure 11 shows an example of an inspection screen (screen G15) used by a store employee who has been called in to inspect the products. Screen G15 displays the message "Please scan the registered product" along with a registered product field G151 and a reconciliation details display field G152.

[0073] The registered products section G151 displays a list of products registered by the customer. Products displayed in this section G151 are automatically checked off when a store employee scans them. For example, when a store employee scans the barcode of a designated product, if that product is already registered, the quantity and selling price of that product will be crossed out, and the product item itself will be grayed out. On the other hand, if a store employee scans the barcode of a designated product and that product is not already registered, an error message will be displayed, indicating that it is not registered. This allows the store to confirm whether or not all products have been registered.

[0074] The G152 section displays the remaining number of items, the total amount, and the quantity by price range for registered items that have not yet been processed for reconciliation. In the example shown, there are two items that have not yet been processed for reconciliation, with a total amount of 330 yen, and both items are priced at 299 yen or less.

[0075] Furthermore, the product information displayed in the reconciliation details display field 152 may include information indicating whether the product was registered by scanning a barcode or by specifying a preset key.

[0076] Furthermore, once all products have been inspected and any discrepancies are found, it will be necessary to delete registered products and add unregistered products. For this reason, screen G15 includes an edit button G153 for store staff to continue editing registered data, such as registering or editing products, and an exit button G154 for ending the inspection and proceeding to the checkout screen for payment processing when purchasing with the inspected data. These buttons ensure a smooth transition from inspection to completion.

[0077] Regarding the inspection process, products that can be inspected by scanning a barcode may be inspected using only the barcode, while products selected using a preset key may be checked off using touch operations on a list screen. In this case, to prevent accidentally checking off products that should be inspected by barcode, the inspection screen may be switchable between products selected using a preset key and products inspected by barcode, thereby preventing inspection errors due to erroneous operation. In addition to manual switching, after inspecting the relevant product on the screen for barcode scanning, the system may switch to a screen for inspecting products selected using a preset key. Alternatively, a checkout screen for products selected using a preset key may be displayed as a pop-up without switching screens. This eliminates the risk of accidentally deleting items that should be inspected by barcode, without having to display a confirmation screen and prompt the operator for confirmation each time.

[0078] Furthermore, if an unregistered product is loaded, it may be possible to register that product from screen G15. Also, screen G15 shown in this example is one example of a screen where a store clerk checks registered products. In other examples, only products that are registered using preset keys, which can be complicated for customers unfamiliar with the registration process, may be displayed in a list, and the presence or absence of the actual product may be confirmed by checking the displayed list and performing a checkout process. In this case, the inspection can be completed in a shorter time compared to inspecting all products. Furthermore, product deletion may be performed not only by scanning the product, but also by touching the product displayed on the screen or by scanning the product object.

[0079] ● Product sales data processing system according to another embodiment Figure 12 shows the network configuration of a product sales data processing system 2 equipped with a product sales data processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the product sales data processing device according to the present invention is realized by a mobile terminal 50 used by a customer or an application program (hereinafter referred to as "app 51") implemented on the mobile terminal 50.

[0080] The product sales data processing system 2 consists of a store controller 20, a transaction status management device 30, a settlement device 40, and a mobile terminal 50. Of these, the store controller 20, the transaction status management device 30, and the settlement device 40 are configured to communicate via a network NW1 such as a LAN or dedicated line, and cooperate by sending and receiving data. The mobile terminal 50 is configured to communicate with the transaction status management device 30 via a network NW2 such as the internet or Wi-Fi (registered trademark) installed in the store.

[0081] The settlement device 40 acquires registration data generated by the mobile terminal 50 and performs settlement processing based on said registration data. That is, the settlement device 40 has a function unit similar to the settlement unit 123 provided in the POS terminal device 10 described above, and calculates the accounting amount and performs settlement according to a predetermined payment method. Furthermore, registration data can be acquired in various ways. For example, registration data is transmitted from the mobile terminal 50 to the transaction status management device 30 along with predetermined identification information. The settlement device 40 reads a two-dimensional code or the like that which encodes the identification information, displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal 50, and acquires the corresponding registration data from the transaction status management device 30 based on the identification information. In other examples, the settlement device 40 may acquire the registration data by directly communicating wirelessly with the mobile terminal 50, or the registration data may be encoded into a two-dimensional code or the like, and the settlement device 40 may acquire the registration data by reading the two-dimensional code.

[0082] The mobile terminal 50 is a terminal operated by the customer, and is a portable terminal capable of data communication, such as a smartphone, but it may be a terminal owned by the customer, or a terminal that the store temporarily lends to the customer for the purpose of providing services within the store.

[0083] In the service provided using the product sales data processing system 2, a predetermined application program (app 51) is provided to the mobile terminal 50. App 51 has functional units similar to those of the POS terminal device 10 described above, such as the information storage unit 121, registration unit 122, determination unit 124, identifier assignment unit 125, call unit 126, display operation processing unit 128, image processing unit 131, and communication processing unit 133, and is installed on the mobile terminal 50.

[0084] The mobile terminal 50 displays a product registration screen by executing the functions of such an application 51. On the registration screen, the mobile terminal 50 can register products based on customer operations such as reading barcodes attached to products and selecting products, and generate registration data. The generated registration data, along with transaction-related information such as images taken during product registration by the camera on the mobile terminal 50, is provided to the settlement device 40 via the transaction status management device 30 or directly.

[0085] Furthermore, on the mobile terminal 50, a consent screen is displayed on the screen at a predetermined time. This predetermined time is, for example, when the customer declares that product registration is complete, or when the customer gives an instruction to send registration data to the transaction status management device 30 or the settlement device 40. If consent cannot be obtained from the customer on the consent screen, a store employee will be called in.

[0086] In the above example, the consent screen was displayed on the mobile terminal 50 when the customer declared that product registration was complete, or when the customer instructed the mobile terminal 50 to send the registration data to the transaction status management device 30 or the settlement device 40. However, the settlement device 40, which acquired the registration data, could also display the consent screen when it started the settlement process and obtain the customer's consent. In this case, the settlement device 40 would be equipped with functional units corresponding to the determination unit 124, identifier assignment unit 125, call unit 126, extraction unit 127, etc., and the product sales data processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention would be realized by the settlement device 40. In addition, when the system transitions to the payment screen in response to customer actions, a consent screen may be displayed when the customer selects the type of receipt to be issued (such as a regular receipt or a receipt in the form of a receipt), and when the product registration is initiated on the mobile terminal 50 by the functions of the application 51. The system may then proceed to each process once consent is given on the consent screen.

[0087] According to the product sales data processing device (POS terminal device 10, mobile terminal 50, or settlement device 40) according to the embodiments of the present invention described above, fraud in transactions can be suppressed because customers are made to consciously pledge the legitimacy of the transaction. Furthermore, since it only requires displaying a consent screen pledging the legitimacy of the transaction at a predetermined time, the system is simple and inexpensive. In addition, even without malicious intent, customers who are unsure about the operation will call a store employee for verification, thus preventing settlements based on operational errors.

[0088] ●Summary of Embodiments The present invention relates to a product sales data processing device.

[0089] In recent years, supermarkets and other stores have been operating fully self-service POS terminals where customers can handle everything from registering items to paying for them. In this regard, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-139395 discloses a product sales data processing device used for selling goods, comprising: an employee registration means for employees to register goods; a customer registration means for customers to register goods; a settlement means for performing settlement processing based on the registration contents of at least one of the employee registration means and the customer registration means; a switching means for switching the usage status of the employee registration means; and a prohibition means for prohibiting switching by the switching means when a registration process in the employee registration means and the customer registration means, or a settlement start process in the settlement means, is performed.

[0090] However, because customers handle everything from product registration to payment themselves, errors and fraud were more likely to occur compared to when store employees performed the operations. On the other hand, it was undesirable to incur significant costs to reduce errors and fraud.

[0091] Therefore, the present invention aims to easily suppress operational errors and fraud in transactions without incurring costs.

[0092] To achieve the above objective, the product sales data processing device according to the present invention is characterized by comprising: a registration means for registering products to be purchased; a receiving means for receiving a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding a transaction registered by the registration means; and a calling means for calling a store employee when the receiving means receives a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding the transaction.

[0093] The registration means may also include a registration completion declaration means that declares that product registration has been completed, and when product registration completion has been declared, the reception means may accept a request for confirmation of the transaction by a store employee.

[0094] The system may further include: a first identifier assignment means for assigning a first identifier to transactions for which the reception means did not request confirmation by a store employee; a second identifier assignment means for assigning a second identifier to transactions for which a store employee was called by the calling means and the employee performed an inspection; and an extraction means for extracting information about transactions for which the first identifier was assigned by the first identifier assignment means, but which was not assigned by the second identifier assignment means.

[0095] The system may further include a display means that, when a store employee is called using the aforementioned calling means, displays an inspection screen on the condition that the store employee has accepted a predetermined operation.

[0096] The system may further include an identifier assignment means for assigning an identifier to a transaction to which a store employee has requested confirmation by the reception means, and an extraction means for extracting information about the transaction to which the identifier has been assigned by the identifier assignment means.

[0097] Furthermore, the invention relating to the product sales data processing device described above can be conceived as an invention of a method defined by the processing performed by the product sales data processing device, or as an invention of a computer program defined by the processing performed by the product sales data processing device. Furthermore, the computer program that commands the product sales data processing device to execute functions can be provided via download over a network such as the Internet, or by being recorded on various computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs.

[0098] According to the product sales data processing device of this embodiment described above, errors and fraud in transactions can be easily suppressed without incurring costs. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 1, 2: Product sales data processing system 10: POS terminal device 121: Information storage section 122: Registration Department 123:Payment Department 124: Judgment section 125: Identifier assignment section 126: Calling section 127:Extraction part 128: Display operation processing unit 129: Printing Processing Unit 130: Audio Processing Unit 131: Imaging Processing Unit 132: Lighting Processing Unit 133: Communication Processing Unit 20: Store Controller 30: Transaction status management device 40:Payment device 50: Mobile devices 51: App NW1, 2: Network

Claims

1. A registration method for registering the products to be purchased, A reception means for receiving requests for confirmation by store staff regarding transactions registered by the aforementioned registration means, The system includes a calling means for calling a store employee when the receiving means receives a request for confirmation of the transaction by a store employee. A product sales data processing device characterized by the following features.

2. A registration completion declaration means that declares that product registration has been completed using the registration means, When product registration is declared complete, the aforementioned reception method accepts a request for confirmation by a store employee regarding the transaction. Product sales data processing device according to claim 1.

3. A first identifier assigning means that assigns a first identifier to transactions for which the reception means did not require confirmation by a store employee, A second identifier assigning means assigns a second identifier to transactions in which a store employee is called by the aforementioned calling means and an inspection is performed by the store employee, The system further comprises an extraction means for extracting information relating to transactions to which the first identifier has been assigned by the first identifier assignment means, but to which the second identifier has not been assigned by the second identifier assignment means. Product sales data processing device according to claim 1.

4. The system further includes a display means that, when a store employee is called using the aforementioned calling means, displays an inspection screen on the condition that the store employee has accepted a predetermined operation, Product sales data processing device according to claim 1.

5. An identifier assignment means for assigning an identifier to a transaction for which a store employee has requested confirmation by the aforementioned reception means, The system further comprises an extraction means for extracting information related to transactions to which the identifier has been assigned by the identifier assignment means. Product sales data processing device according to claim 1.

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