Front-end sorting equipment and POS terminal

Abstract

Reduce waiting times at the register caused by delays in reading product codes. [Solution] A front-end sorting device 300 reads the product code attached to each product Gb waiting to be cashed, and stores the read product code in a memory 304. When a cash register becomes available, the front-end sorting device 300 extracts the product code stored in the memory 304, converts the extracted product code into a QR code (registered trademark), and displays the QR code on a touch panel display 301. The QR code displayed on the touch panel display 301 is read by a scanner 212 of a POS terminal 200, and the product code of the product Gb is input to the POS terminal 200.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a front-end sorting device and a POS terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to eliminate waiting times at retail stores such as supermarkets that sell food and daily necessities, various measures have been taken. For example, measures have been taken to disperse customers waiting at the register by increasing the number of operating registers depending on the congestion at the registers, and measures have been taken to improve the efficiency of accounting work by increasing the number of staff assigned to the registers. In recent years, measures have been taken to reduce waiting times at the register caused by delayed payment by introducing multiple semi-self-service registers. In addition, measures have been taken to reduce waiting times at the register caused by delayed payment as well as delayed reading of product codes from products by introducing multiple self-service registers.

[0003] Here, this application focuses on the delay in reading purchased items, which is one of the causes of waiting at the register. In the task of reading item codes from purchased items, the item codes of the purchased items are scanned one by one, so the reading delay increases in proportion to the number of purchased items, resulting in waiting at the register or an increase in the waiting time. In order to improve the waiting at the register caused by such reading delays, a technology related to front-end handling has been developed. Front-end handling refers to reading the item codes of purchased items that are waiting at the register, and by performing the transaction using the item codes obtained by front-end handling, the waiting at the register thereafter is alleviated. Such a technology related to front-end handling is described in, for example, patent documents.

[0004] The self-registration system described in the patent document comprises a mobile terminal operated by a customer, an accounting device that executes accounting processing, and a cloud server that can communicate with the mobile terminal and the accounting device via a network. When a customer picks up an item from a display shelf, the customer uses the mobile terminal to read the item code of the item. The mobile terminal transmits the read item code to the cloud server, and each time the cloud server receives an item code from the mobile terminal, it registers item information (price and item name) corresponding to the item code in a database. In the database, basket information for managing the group of items purchased by the customer is provided, and the item codes and item information are managed in association with the basket information.

[0005] Thus, in the patent document, the product code of the purchased product is read by the mobile terminal prior to checkout, and the product information corresponding to the product code is managed in the cloud server, eliminating the need for the checkout device to read the product code. This eliminates waiting at the register due to delays in reading during checkout. Note that in the patent document, when checking out an item, the mobile terminal requests the cloud server to issue a two-dimensional code. The two-dimensional code is an encoded version of basket information managed in the server, and the checkout device reads the two-dimensional code displayed on the mobile terminal, allowing the checkout device to receive product information of the product to be transacted from the cloud server and perform checkout processing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-107122 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The self-registration system described in the above patent document is designed to eliminate the need for staff to read the product codes at the checkout counter by having customers read the product codes from the purchased products before reaching the checkout counter, thereby eliminating the waiting time required for the staff to do so.

[0008] Here, many retail stores still use conventional POS terminals (POS terminals equipped with a scanner that reads product codes from products and a terminal body that performs accounting and records receipts and disbursements based on the product codes obtained from the scanner), and in order to introduce the self-registration system described in the patent document in place of the conventional POS terminals, the system needs to be significantly modified. For this reason, retail stores are hoping to reduce the waiting time at the register caused by reading delays while still using the conventional POS system. Note that the semi-self-registers and self-registers mentioned above also require the product codes of all purchased products to be scanned at the time of payment, so retail stores that have introduced semi-self-registers and self-registers also want to reduce the waiting time at the register caused by reading delays.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE An object of the present invention is to provide a front-end sorting device and a POS terminal that can reduce waiting at the register caused by delays in reading product codes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a pre-sorting device to be used together with a POS terminal that reads product codes assigned to products, and is characterized by comprising a reading unit that reads the product codes of the products, and a transfer unit that transfers the read product code or management information of the product corresponding to the product code to the POS terminal.

[0011] The reading unit reads the product code of the product that is waiting to be checked out at the POS terminal, and the delivery unit delivers the product code or the management information to the POS terminal when the product is no longer waiting to be checked out.

[0012] The front-handling device of the present invention is further characterized in that it includes a memory unit which stores the read product code, and the delivery unit delivers the product code stored in the memory unit or management information of the product corresponding to the product code to the POS terminal.

[0013] The delivery unit delivers the product code or the management information to the POS terminal with delimiter information added to the product code or the management information.

[0014] The delivery unit is also characterized by comprising a conversion processing unit that converts the product code or the management information into a symbol that can be read by the POS terminal, and a display unit that displays the converted symbol.

[0015] The delivery unit may further include a transmission unit that transmits the product code or the management information to the POS terminal by a radio signal that can be received by the POS terminal.

[0016] The POS terminal of the present invention is characterized in that it receives the read product code or the management information from the front sorting device and also reads product codes of products other than the product. Effect of the Invention

[0017] The front-end sorting device of the present invention can reduce waiting at the register caused by delays in reading product codes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the system configuration of a transaction system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] A side view of the cash register counter where the accounting system is installed, seen from the staff side [Diagram 3](a) is a block diagram of a POS terminal provided in the accounting system; (b) is a block diagram of a front-end sorting device provided in the accounting system; [Figure 4] Flow diagram of the process executed by the pre-sorting device [Diagram 5] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a display mode of a screen during a reading process of the pre-sorting device; FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a display mode of a screen during a delivery process of the pre-sorting device; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] [First embodiment] The accounting system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] The accounting system 1 of this embodiment shown in Figure 1 is an accounting system used in retail stores such as supermarkets that sell food and daily necessities, and is equipped with a known store computer 100 installed in the store and multiple POS terminals 200 that are capable of communicating with it.

[0021] The store computer 100 is a control device that is a higher-level control unit than the POS terminal 200 in the POS system, and mainly controls common files such as PLU (price look up).

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the POS terminal 200 is installed at each of the checkout counters C in the store, and is equipped with a scanner unit 210 that reads the product code of the purchased product Ga at the checkout counter C, and an electronic register 230 to which the scanner unit 210 is connected.

[0023] The scanner unit 210 includes a housing 211 erected on the checkout counter C, a scanner 212 built into the housing 211 and arranged facing the inside of the checkout counter C, a display 213 arranged on the top of the housing 211, and a keyboard 214 arranged on the side of the display 213. The scanner 212 is a device that reads a product code, which is identification information of the product, from a JAN code displayed on the product or an in-store code (symbol) using CODE128 or the like used in a store. The scanner 212 can read product codes not only from barcodes such as JAN codes, but also from two-dimensional codes (symbols) such as QR codes (registered trademark). In other words, the scanner 212 reads product codes from optically readable symbols such as barcodes and two-dimensional codes.

[0024] The electronic register 230 is the main body of a so-called POS register, and includes an electronic register main body 231, a display 232, and a cash drawer 233. The electronic register main body 231 records transactions, performs calculations, and manages money based on the contents of input from the scanner 212 and keyboard 214, and displays the input contents and the total amount on the display 213 of the scanner unit 210 and the display of the electronic register 230. The electronic register main body 231 also controls the opening and closing of a cash drawer that stores cash, checks, gift certificates, and the like.

[0025] In the POS terminal 200, the scanner 212 functions as a reading unit that reads the product codes of the products. The keyboard 214 functions as an input unit that inputs the price, quantity, and product code of the products, as well as various processing contents such as subtotal, multiplication, incalculability, and correction. The displays 213 and 232 function as display units that display the product codes and total price read by the scanner 212. The electronic cash register 231 functions as a processing unit that performs processing such as recording transactions, calculations (accumulation of product prices), and money management based on the input contents from the scanner 212 and the keyboard 214.

[0026] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, a plurality of front-handling devices 300 are provided at each checkout counter C so as to correspond to each POS terminal 200. The number of front-handling devices 300 does not need to be the same as the number of POS terminals 200, and may be less than the number of POS terminals 200, or may be more than the number of POS terminals 200. The number of front-handling devices 300 may be increased or decreased depending on the waiting status of the POS terminals 200.

[0027] The front-handling device 300 is a device that reads product codes from purchased products Gb held by customers waiting at the register, and in this embodiment, a handy type smart device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal is used. The smart device includes a touch panel display 301 provided on the front side, a camera 302 provided on the back side, a CPU 303, and a memory 304. The touch panel display 301, the camera 302, and the memory 304 are electrically connected to the CPU 303. The touch panel display 301 functions as a display unit that displays an image (FIG. 5) generated by the CPU 303, and also functions as a coordinate input unit that inputs the coordinates of a touch position to the CPU 303 when a touch operation by a user is detected. The camera 302 functions as an imaging unit that captures an image within its angle of view based on an imaging instruction from the CPU 303 and inputs the generated image to the CPU 303. The memory 304 functions as a storage unit that stores a front-handling program in advance. The CPU 303 executes the pre-handling program, thereby functioning as a processing unit that executes the pre-handling process shown in Fig. 4. The pre-handling process will be described below.

[0028] The pre-sorting process includes a reading process s10 in which a product code is read from the product, and a delivery process s20 in which the read product code is delivered to the POS terminal 200.

[0029] The reading process s10 executes, in this order, an image acquisition process s11, a first display process s12, an analysis process s13, a second display process s15, and a storage process s16. (1) Image acquisition process s11 is a process for acquiring an image generated by camera 302. Specifically, CPU 303 inputs an image capture instruction to camera 302. Upon receiving the image capture instruction, camera 302 captures an image at a predetermined frame rate, generates an image, and inputs the image to CPU 303. At this time, if the JAN code of a product is included in the angle of view of camera 302, the JAN code is captured, and the image including the JAN code is input to CPU 303. Then, CPU 303 acquires the image from camera 302. (2) The first display process s12 is a process for displaying the image acquired in the image acquisition process s11 on the touch panel display 301, for example, in the image display area A1 shown in Fig. 5(a). By executing the first display process s12, the user of the front-handling device 300 (the staff member who performs the front-handling) can align the angle of view with the JAN code of the purchased product Gb to be imaged. (3) Analysis process s13 is a process of analyzing the image acquired in the image acquisition process s11, detecting the JAN code contained in the image, and acquiring the product code from the detected JAN code. Note that the image analysis algorithm is not particularly limited, and any known JAN code analysis algorithm can be used. (4) If a product code is acquired in the above analysis process s13 (s14: Yes), a second display process s15 is executed. The second display process s15 is a process for displaying the acquired product code on the touch panel display 301, for example, as shown in Fig. 5(a), in the product code display area A2. Also, as shown in Fig. 5(a), the number of products that have been read may be displayed. (5) Storage process s16 is a process for storing the product code detected in the analysis process s13 in the memory 304. In this embodiment, the product code and a line feed code added to the end of the product code are stored in the memory 304. The line feed code functions as information for separating the product code to be stored from a product code to be stored later. In this way, the camera 302 functioning as an imaging unit and the CPU 303 analyzing the image to acquire the product code function as a reading unit that captures the image of the JAN code and reads the product code of the JAN code. The memory 304 functions as a storage unit that stores the acquired product code.

[0030] After the storage process s16 is executed or if the product code cannot be acquired in the analysis process s13 (s14: No), a confirmation process s17 is executed. The confirmation process s17 is a process for confirming whether or not the read product data is to be transferred to the POS terminal 200, and for example, as shown in FIG. 5(a), it is confirmed whether or not the transfer start GUI (b1) displayed on the touch panel display 301 has been tapped. If the transfer start GUI (b1) has not been tapped, the reading process s10 is continued. By continuing the reading process s10 in this manner, the product codes of multiple purchased products Bb can be acquired. Note that, when multiple product codes are read, a line feed code for separating each of the product codes is inserted between each product code.

[0031] On the other hand, when the transfer start GUI (b1) is tapped, a transfer process s20 is executed. In the transfer process s20, an extraction process, a conversion process, and a third display process are executed in this order. (1) The extraction process is a process of extracting information stored in the memory 304 (hereinafter referred to as "delivery information"). (2) The conversion process is a process of converting the extracted delivery information into a QR code. The conversion algorithm is not particularly limited, and any known conversion algorithm can be used. Furthermore, the conversion of the delivery information is not limited to the QR code, and any symbol that can be read by the scanner 212 of the POS terminal 200 may be used. 5(b), the third display process is a process for displaying the QR code generated in the conversion process on the touch panel display 301. By having the scanner 212 of the POS terminal 200 read the QR code displayed on the touch panel display 301 in this manner, the delivery information converted into the QR code, i.e., the product code, is input to the POS terminal 200. (4) After confirming that the product code has been entered into the POS terminal 200, when the delivery completion GUI displayed on the front-handling device 300 is tapped, the delivery information stored in the memory 304 is cleared and the above-mentioned reading process s10 is executed. In this way, CPU 303 functions as an extraction unit that extracts delivery information from memory 304 and a conversion unit that converts the delivery information into a QR code. CPU 303, which functions as the extraction unit and conversion unit, and detached panel display 301, which displays the converted QR code on POS terminal 200, function as a delivery unit that delivers the read product code to POS terminal 200.

[0032] According to the accounting system 1 of this embodiment, the front sorting device 300 can be used to read the product codes of products waiting to be registered, and the read product codes can be temporarily stored in the memory 304 of the front sorting device 300. When the register is vacant thereafter, the product codes stored in the memory 304 can be converted into QR codes, the QR codes can be displayed on the touch panel display 301, and the QR codes can be read by the POS terminal 200, so that the product codes stored in the memory 304 can be input to the POS terminal 200 all at once. If there are any products left that have not been read by the front sorting device 300, the scanner 212 of the POS terminal 200 performs a reading operation as usual, so that the product codes of all the products to be purchased are input to the POS terminal 200. In this way, by reading the product codes in advance using the front sorting device 300 while waiting to be registered, the number of products to be read using the scanner 212 of the POS terminal 200 can be reduced, so that the waiting time at the register caused by the reading operation of the POS terminal 200 can be reduced.

[0033] [Second embodiment]

[0034] The pre-sorting device according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it includes an RFID reader (not shown), but other configurations are common to the first embodiment. Below, the configurations and processes that are different from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of the configurations and processes that are common to the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

[0035] The RFID reader provided in the front-end sorting device of this embodiment functions as a reader that reads information from RF tags attached to products waiting at the register, and communicates with the smart device via wired or wireless communication. Product codes are stored in the RF tags, and the RFID reader transmits the read product codes to the smart device, and the CPU 303 of the smart device receives the product codes sent from the RFID reader.

[0036] In the reading process s10 of this embodiment, the image acquisition process s11, the first display process s12, and the analysis process s13 are not executed, and instead, a product code acquisition process is executed. The product code acquisition process is to acquire a product code from an RFID reader. The acquired product code is displayed on the touch panel display 301 in a second display process s15, and is stored in the memory 304 in a storage process s16. The subsequent delivery process s20 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here.

[0037] According to the front-end sorting device of this embodiment, it is possible to read product codes from RF tags attached to products waiting at the register, and temporarily store the read product codes in memory 304. Thereafter, when the register becomes available (when the waiting time at the register is resolved), the product codes stored in memory 304 are converted into QR codes, and the QR codes are displayed on touch panel display 301. Then, by having scanner 212 of POS terminal 200 read the QR code, the product codes stored in memory 304 can be input into POS terminal 200 all at once.

[0038] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the front separating device of the present invention may have modified forms, for example, as described below.

[0039] <Variation 1> In the above embodiment, the read product code and the separator information added to the end of the product code are stored in the memory 304, but only the product code may be stored in the memory 304. In such an embodiment, when the product code is extracted from the memory 304 in the extraction process, the separator information is added to the end of the extracted product code.

[0040] <Variation 2> As shown in FIG. 3, the POS terminal 200 may further include an NFC module 215, and the front sorting device 300 may further include an NFC module 305. The NFC modules 215 and 305 function as wireless communication units that perform short-distance communication using wireless signals. In this modified embodiment, an extraction process and a transmission process are executed in this order in the delivery process s20. The extraction process is a process of extracting a product code from the memory 304 as in the above embodiment. The transmission process is a process of transmitting the product code extracted from the memory 304 to the POS terminal 200 by the NFC module 305. In this modified embodiment, after the transmission process is executed, the storage area of ​​the product code in the memory 304 is cleared.

[0041] <Variation 3> The front-handling device 300 may read additional information on the product from a symbol label attached to the product. The additional information is typically price reduction information such as a discount amount or discount rate on the product, and the scanner 212 of the POS terminal 200 can also read the additional information from the symbol label. In this modification, in the reading process s10, the front-handling device 300 first captures the JAN code of the product, reads the product code from the JAN code, then captures the symbol label and obtains the additional information from the symbol label. Then, the front-handling device 300 stores the product code and the additional information in a memory in association with each other. In the delivery process s20, the front-handling device 300 adds separation information to the end of the product code, and then converts the information into a QR code with the separation information added to the end of the additional information, and displays the QR code on the touch panel display 301. The POS terminal 200 can obtain the product code and the additional information by reading the QR code in association with each other. The additional information may be read by performing image recognition on characters such as letters and designs included in the symbol label. In addition, in the modified example, the JAN code and the symbol label are separately displayed on the product, but for example, if a symbol label on which the product code and the additional information are displayed as a single symbol is attached to the product, the product code and the additional information may be read from the symbol label at the same time.

[0042] <Variation 4> In the above embodiment, the front-sorting device 300 passes the product code read from the product to the POS terminal 200. However, if the store's POS system assigns a unique management code (management information) to each product to manage the products, the front-sorting device 300 may pass the management code corresponding to the product code read from the product to the POS terminal 200.

[0043] <Variation 5> In the first embodiment, the camera 302 and CPU 303 of the smart device function as a reading unit that reads the product code from the JAN code displayed on the product in the front sorting device 300, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the reading unit of the front sorting device 300 may be a barcode reader that functions as a peripheral device of the smart device, and the barcode reader may transmit the read product code to the smart device by wired or wireless communication.

[0044] <Variation 6> In the pre-sorting device of the second embodiment, the RFID reader that functions as a peripheral device of the smart device functions as a reading unit that reads the product code from the RF tag attached to the product, but is not limited to this aspect. For example, the smart device may have a built-in RFID reader module and antenna, and the RFID reader module and antenna may function as the reading unit.

[0045] <Variation 7> In the above embodiment, a smart device is used as the front sorting device 300, but it is not limited to a smart device. For example, it may be a mobile terminal equipped with a reading unit that reads a product code from a JAN code or an RFID tag attached to a product, a memory unit that stores the read product code, a processing unit that converts the read product code into a symbol that can be read by a POS terminal, and a display unit that displays the converted symbol. For example, a handheld terminal that reads information from a barcode or an RF tag may be equipped with the above-mentioned memory unit, processing unit, and display unit.

[0046] <Variation 8> The reading unit in the first embodiment reads a product code from a JAN code attached to a product, but it may also read a product code from a CODE128 or other symbol (including a two-dimensional code) attached to a product.

[0047] <Variation 9> The front-handling device 300 in the above embodiment is not limited to a device dedicated to front-handling, and may be, for example, a device used for ordering or inventory work, or a terminal used for other purposes in the store, such as an inventory search device for searching for product inventory at customer request, which is used as a front-handling device depending on the congestion situation at the checkout area. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 200 POS terminals 212 Scanner 215 NFC Module 300 Front handling device 302 Camera 303 CPU 304 Memory 305 NFC Module

Claims

1. A front-end sorting device that reads a product code attached to an item held by a customer waiting at a cash register and, if necessary, additional information from a symbol label attached to the item; a POS terminal for reading product codes attached to other products held by the customer whose waiting time at the register has been resolved; Equipped with The pre-sorting device is a reading unit for reading a product code of the one product and, if necessary, additional information from a symbol label attached to the product; a transfer section for transferring additional information read by the reading section to the POS terminal after the read product code; Equipped with The accounting system is characterized in that the POS terminal processes transactions for the products owned by the customer based on the delivered product code, and if additional information is delivered from the delivery section, the additional information, and the other product codes.

2. The accounting system according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery unit converts the delivery information, in which delimiter information has been added to the product code or the management information, into a symbol that can be read by the POS terminal and displays the symbol.

3. A front-end sorting device is used together with a POS terminal that reads product codes attached to other products held by a customer who has finished waiting at the register, a reading unit that reads a product code of an item held by the customer waiting in line at the register and, if necessary, additional information from a symbol label attached to the item; a delivery unit that delivers additional information to the POS terminal if the additional information is read by the reading unit after the product code read by the reading unit, so that the POS terminal can process a transaction for the product owned by the customer based on the product code of the one product, the additional information if the additional information is delivered from the delivery unit, and the other product code; A front-handling device comprising:

4. 4. The pre-sorting device according to claim 3, wherein the delivery section converts the delivery information, in which separation information has been added to the product code or the management information, into a symbol that can be read by the POS terminal and displays the symbol.

5. 5. The front-end sorting device according to claim 3, wherein the delivery section delivers the product code or the management information to the POS terminal when the customer's waiting time at the register is resolved.

6. A storage unit for storing the read product code, 5. The front-handling device according to claim 3, wherein the delivery section delivers the product code stored in the memory section or management information of the product corresponding to the product code to the POS terminal.

7. The delivery unit includes:

4. The front sorting device according to claim 3, further comprising a transmitting unit that transmits the product code or the management information to the POS terminal as a wireless signal that can be received by the POS terminal.

8. 5. A POS terminal which receives the read product code or the management information from the pre-sorting device of claim 3 or claim 4, and reads product codes of products other than the product.

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