Sales data processing system and program

Abstract

To provide a sales data processing system for registering products using portable terminals, which eliminates customer inconvenience in purchasing a product that is not registered in a product master.SOLUTION: A sales data processing system is provided, comprising acquisition means configured to acquire product information of a product specified by a portable terminal operated by a customer in a store, and notification means configured to, in a case where the product corresponding to the product information acquired by the acquisition means is a predetermined product that requires intervention of a store clerk, notify a terminal of the store clerk the fact that the product requires the intervention of the store clerk together with the product information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 32

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sales data processing system and program for identifying and managing product information. [Background technology]

[0002] Self-service POS systems that allow customers to register the products they purchase have been widely used, but there are also portable registration devices that allow customers to register products at the same time they place them in a shopping cart, etc. In recent years, sales data processing systems have become known in which customers download a shopping application onto their mobile devices, such as smartphones, and use the device as a registration device to register their own products in stores. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6003989 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A sales data processing system using a smartphone allows customers to register products using a mobile device such as a smartphone that they are familiar with, thereby reducing the time required for registration processing at the cash register.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable for stores to encourage as many customers as possible to use mobile terminals. However, because customers themselves must register products and, in some cases, pay for them themselves, customers may feel inconvenienced when a store clerk needs to be involved, such as with alcoholic beverages or medicines, or when trying to purchase products with undetermined prices, such as products not registered in the product master.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to eliminate the inconvenience that customers may experience when attempting to purchase a product that is not registered in a product master in a sales data processing system that identifies a product based on an image captured by a mobile terminal or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment, A sales data processing system comprising: a mobile terminal operated by a customer of a store to identify a product to be purchased; a host device that acquires product information from a product database of the store based on the product code of the product identified by the mobile terminal; and a terminal that edits the product information of the product, wherein the host device has an acquisition means that acquires product information from the product database of the store based on the product code of the product identified by the mobile terminal; and a notification means that, when the product identified by the mobile terminal is a predetermined product for which product information could not be acquired from the product database of the store, notifies the terminal that the product is a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk along with the product code; and wherein the terminal A sales data processing system comprising: an editing means for editing product information of the predetermined product in response to an operation by a store clerk; and an updating means for updating the product database of the store based on the product information edited by the editing means, wherein the product information of the predetermined product can be edited and the product database can be updated even when a customer is in the middle of shopping; the mobile terminal has a display unit for displaying information about a specified product; when the specified product is the predetermined product, the information about the specified product is displayed in a display format that allows it to be distinguished from the predetermined product; and when the product information for the predetermined product is edited and the product database is updated, the display of the predetermined product is updated to information based on the edited product information. to provide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The sales data processing device of this embodiment can eliminate the inconvenience that customers may experience when trying to purchase a product that is not registered in the product master and requires the intervention of a store clerk. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating data in a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is an example of a store that employs a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 illustrates an example of an implementation of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an example of an implementation of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates an example of an implementation of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 illustrates an example of an implementation of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is an example of a functional block diagram of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of a processing flow in a mobile terminal of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is an example of a processing flow in a POS terminal of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 17] 10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 18] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 19] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 21] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 22] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 23] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 24] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 25] FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 26] 10 is an example of a processing flow of image display on a mobile terminal of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 27]10 is an example of a screen of a mobile terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 28] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of data in a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 29] 10 is an example of a processing flow of image display on a mobile terminal of a sales data processing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 30] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 31] 10 is an example of a screen of a POS terminal of the sales data processing system of an embodiment. [Figure 32] FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram of processing of a non-file product. [Figure 33] 10 is an example of a processing flow for a non-file product. [Figure 34] 10 is an example of processing on a mobile terminal for a non-file product. [Figure 35] 10 is an example of a process for registering a non-file product in a product master. [Figure 36] 10 is an example of a POS terminal displaying reserved items. [Figure 37] This is an example of a process for registering a non-file product into a product master at a POS terminal. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A sales data processing system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. -Overall configuration of sales data processing system- As shown in FIG. 1, a sales data processing system 1 in one embodiment includes a host device 10 equipped with storage means for storing a product master 110, a store master 120, a member master 130, a shopping file 140, etc., and a mobile terminal 20 connected to the host device 10 via the Internet or the like.

[0011] The upper device 10 is, for example, a cloud server, and is linked to a store controller (management device) 60 that constructs the store's product sales system 6 via the Internet, etc., and the product master 110 etc. stored in the upper device 10 is updated appropriately, for example at predetermined times, based on each piece of information from the store controller 60.

[0012] For example, a smartphone personally owned by a customer is used as the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 20 includes a camera (input unit) 260 for capturing images, a display unit (display input unit) 250 such as a touch panel, and the like. Note that the mobile terminal 20 may be a dedicated mobile terminal for rental in a store. By installing a dedicated application, the mobile terminal (smartphone) 20 has the function of a registration device that executes a registration process for products purchased when shopping at a store.

[0013] The mobile terminal 20 can exchange information as needed with the product master 110, store master 120, shopping file 140, etc. stored in the higher-level device 10. In addition, the mobile terminal 20 can exchange information as needed with a checkout device such as a POS terminal 70.

[0014] The store's product sales system 6 includes a store controller 60 and a plurality of POS terminals (registration and settlement devices) 70, and the POS terminals 70 can perform registration and settlement processes for products purchased by customers.

[0015] The store controller 60 is an information processing device that manages the entire product sales system 6 of the store, manages the POS terminals 70, and also manages various information such as a product master and a member master. The store controller 60 acquires and stores the product master reflecting the latest product information from an external source (for example, a server at the headquarters or a removable storage medium). The product master is a file that stores product information such as product name (product name, item name), sales price, discount information, etc., linked to product identification information (for example, JAN code) assigned to each product. The product master may also store warning information indicating that the product is a Category 2 drug, alcoholic beverage, or the like, and that confirmation by a store clerk is required at the time of sale.

[0016] The POS terminal 70 is a device that processes the registration and settlement of products purchased by customers, and has an input unit 760 such as a barcode reader, preset keys, or CCD camera for reading information about the products purchased by customers, a display unit 750 such as a touch panel for displaying the read product information, and a printing unit 770 for printing receipts, etc. When shopping identification information is input from the mobile terminal 20, the POS terminal 70 can request registration information and the like from the higher-level device 10 as necessary.

[0017] An example of the POS terminal 70 is a POS terminal dedicated to settlement. In this embodiment, a customer registers a product at a store using his / her own smartphone (mobile terminal) 20 and performs settlement processing using the POS terminal dedicated to settlement, thereby enabling the transaction of the product without the intervention of a store clerk.

[0018] The POS terminal 70 is not limited to a POS terminal dedicated to settlement, but may be a semi-self-service POS in which a store clerk registers the products purchased by the customer and the customer settles the payment themselves. In the case of a semi-self-service POS, the POS may be a POS in which the registration device that performs the registration process and the settlement device are separate, and the registration information registered by the registration device is output to the settlement device and the customer settles the payment themselves at the settlement device, or it may be a face-to-face POS that has a screen for performing the registration process facing the store clerk, a screen for performing the settlement process facing the customer, and a cash processing unit. The POS terminal 70 may be a POS terminal in which the customer registers and settles the purchases of the products themselves, that is, a POS terminal of a type without the intervention of a store clerk (full-self type).

[0019] In addition, the POS terminal 70 may be a switchable POS that can be switched between a semi-self-service POS where the customer processes the payment themselves, the face-to-face semi-self-service POS, or the full-self-service POS, depending on the level of congestion and the availability of store staff, etc. An example of a switching type POS terminal 70 is shown in Fig. 2. The example of the POS terminal 70 shown in Fig. 2 includes a table 70a. Furthermore, the device may be a normal POS register in which a store clerk registers and settles the items purchased by the customer, and is not limited to any device that can handle settlement.

[0020] The sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment can be added on to, for example, a product sales system 6 of a store equipped with a store controller 60 and multiple POS terminals 70, thereby creating a sales data processing system in which products can be registered using smartphones owned by customers in the store.

[0021] The outline of the overall configuration of the sales data processing system of this embodiment has been explained above, but some examples will be further explained. Generally, when a customer purchases an item at a store, the customer takes the item to the cash register, and a store clerk enters the price of each item into the cash register, and the prices of all the items are added up to determine the sales price for the transaction. When determining sales prices, stores try to attract customers by applying various discounts and other methods to lower sales prices.

[0022] Figure 4 shows a system that is used in supermarkets and other businesses that operate multiple stores. Typically, in systems such as supermarkets, a headquarters system (server) 50 is installed to oversee and manage all stores, and this headquarters system 50 manages a common product master, a store master, a product master for each store, a common sales plan master, a sales plan master for each store, and a member master, etc.

[0023] In each store, a POS terminal 70 and a store controller 60 that manages the POS terminal 70 are installed, and a POS system is constructed. The store controller 60 of each store receives the common product master, store master, product master for each store, common sales plan master, and sales plan master for each store from the headquarters system 50, and also inputs (registers) this data at the store. Note that the member master may be received from the headquarters system 50 in the same way as other masters, but it may not be held by the store controller, and the headquarters system may be queried each time member information is inquired.

[0024] Each store's POS system can use its own selling price determination logic. The selling price determination logic has several logics for calculating the selling price of the product purchased by the shopper, and also includes a function for determining which logic to apply when calculating the selling price of the product. For example, if a certain product is eligible for a single item discount but also for a set match discount, the set match discount will be applied to get the lower price. Note that which discount logic is selected is determined by the settings.

[0025] Here, several examples of selling price determination logic for determining the selling price of a product will be described. First, the standard selling price determination logic is called the selling price determination logic (basic). Second, the selling price determination logic unique to each company or store is called the selling price determination logic (company / store). The selling price determination logic (basic) has functions such as subtotal (calculation of total amount), subtotal discounts, single item discounts, bundle / mix match discounts, and set match discounts.

[0026] The selling price determination logic (company / store) includes, for example, the above subtotal (calculation of total amount), subtotal discounts / discounts, single item discounts / discounts, bundle / mix match discounts, and set match discounts, as well as discounts / discounts for special services for members and discounts / discounts for each payment type used for payment.The selling price determination logic (company / store) also has unique functions such as determining which condition to prioritize when multiple discount / discount conditions compete at the same time. In addition, the selling price determination logic (company / store) may also have its own logic for subtotals (calculation of total amount), subtotal discounts / discounts, single item discounts / discounts, bundle / mix match discounts, and set match discounts.

[0027] The logic included in the selling price determination logic will be described with reference to FIG. 3(a). The subtotal (Logic A) is a logic for determining the selling price of the products to be purchased, and calculates the total price by adding up the prices of the latest product information for each product. Subtotal discount (Logic B) is a process that applies a predetermined amount or a predetermined percentage discount to the subtotal (total amount). Single item discounts (Logic C) are processes that provide special discounts or discounts on specific individual products.

[0028] Bundle / mix-match discounting (Logic D) is a process of offering a discount or discount on the purchase of several products from a specific product group. Set-match discounts (Logic E) are a process that allows you to receive a discount or discount on the purchase of specific products in combination.

[0029] Payment type discount (Logic F) is a process that gives a discount or discount depending on the payment type used by the member at the time of payment. Membership type discount (Logic G) is a process that gives a discount or discount on a specific product or subtotal amount based on membership. The lowest price calculation logic (Logic H) is a process that determines which discount to apply to calculate the lowest price when a product meets multiple discount conditions (multiple logics are applicable).

[0030] Each store then sets its own selling price determination logic by combining several of the logics A through H described above, depending on the measures required by the store operator, such as a company, and determines the sales price. In addition, the logic for determining the selling price determination logic can be set by the store operator as appropriate in addition to the logic described above (for example, setting which discount to select when multiple discounts overlap), and logic other than Logic A to Logic H described above may be provided.

[0031] Next, an introduction model of the sales data processing system of this embodiment will be described. -An example of introducing a new sales data processing system with basic pricing logic- Figure 5 shows an outline of a model for introducing a sales data processing system with an independent selling price determination logic (basic) that is unrelated to the existing selling price determination logic, such as when opening a new store.

[0032] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the higher-level device 10 is configured as a store controller of a store, and the mobile terminal 20 is configured to communicate directly with the higher-level device 10, which is the store controller. The product master 110, store master 120, etc. stored in the higher-level device 10 may be constructed by directly inputting product information and store information via a web browser or the like.

[0033] In this example, the sales decision logic to be adopted in the new store is set in the store controller 10, so that the sales data processing system can be smoothly constructed. An example of the processing flow in this example will be briefly explained below. Note that the numbers in parentheses in the explanation refer to the processing in FIG.

[0034] In this example, (1) when a member carrying a mobile terminal 20 starts an app on the mobile terminal 20, the app acquires GPS information and the like of the mobile terminal 20 and transmits the acquired location information to the higher-level device 10. Note that the means for acquiring location information is not limited to GPS.

[0035] (2) Upon receiving location information (or information for identifying a store) from the mobile terminal 20, the upper device 10 transmits to the mobile terminal 20 store information of one or more stores closest to the location of the mobile terminal 20 based on the received location information, etc. and the information stored in the store master 120.

[0036] If the location information of the mobile terminal 20 cannot be obtained, the app may display on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20 a message urging the user to use the mobile terminal 20 to read a QR code (registered trademark) provided at the entrance of a store or the like. When a customer reads the QR code (registered trademark) using the mobile terminal 20, the app may transmit information for identifying the store in the form of a QR code (registered trademark) to the higher-level device 10.

[0037] When transmitting the store information to the mobile terminal 20, the higher-level device 10 may also transmit customer information (such as the number of acquired points and member rank). Furthermore, the upper device 10 may also transmit to the mobile terminal 20 sale information (such as the store name, information on special sales being held at the store, flyer information containing the store information, etc.) of the store information used by the member.

[0038] The mobile terminal 20 that has received the store information displays the received store information on the display unit 250. Alternatively, the mobile terminal 20 displays a plurality of pieces of received store information on the display unit 250 in a selectable manner. When the member checks and selects a store displayed on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 identifies the store where the purchase will be made. By specifying the store, the upper level device 10 links the product master of the specified store to the mobile terminal 20 and generates a shopping file (basket data).

[0039] (3) When the member reads the symbol code information of the product to be purchased at the identified store using the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 transmits the read symbol code information (product identification information) to the higher-level device 10. The product identification information is not limited in any way as long as it can identify the product and can be acquired as an image, such as a barcode, object recognition based on image features, or character recognition.

[0040] (4) Upon receiving the product identification information, the upper level device 10 extracts product information from the product master 110 based on the received product identification information and transmits the extracted product information to the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 20 receives the product information and registers it as a product to be purchased by the member.

[0041] (5) The mobile terminal 20 transmits the registered product information as registered product information to the higher-level device 10. The higher-level device 10 stores the received registered product information in the shopping file 140 (basket data).

[0042] (6) The upper device 10 calculates the subtotal of the registered product information stored in the shopping file 140 according to the selling price determination logic for the products purchased by the member.

[0043] (7) The higher-level device 10 transmits the total (approximate) price of the products calculated by the subtotal calculation to the mobile terminal 20. This allows the member to proceed with shopping while viewing the current total amount (or an estimated total amount in some cases).

[0044] (8) When the member has finished shopping, the member displays symbol code information such as a QR code (registered trademark) that stores the shopping identification information on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20. Then, the member goes to the POS terminal 70 and, for example, reads the symbol code information displayed on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20 into the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70. As a result, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the shopping identification information to the POS terminal 70.

[0045] (9) The POS terminal 70 that has input the shopping identification information requests the upper device 10 to send shopping information (registered product information, etc.) linked to the shopping identification information.

[0046] (10) Upon receiving the shopping identification information from the POS terminal 70, the upper device 10 extracts the calculated shopping information linked to the shopping identification information from the basket data and transmits it to the POS terminal 70.

[0047] (11) The POS terminal 70 receives the calculated shopping information and displays a payment screen based on the received shopping information. The member makes payment according to the payment screen, thereby completing one transaction using the mobile terminal 20. The processing flow in this example has been described above.

[0048] The subtotal calculation based on the selling price determination logic may be performed by the POS terminal 70. In this case, the higher-level device 10 may transmit (10) uncalculated shopping information related to the shopping identification information to the POS terminal 70 in response to (9) a shopping information request from the POS terminal 70. Furthermore, the subtotal calculation based on the selling price determination logic may be performed by the mobile terminal 20.

[0049] -Example of introducing a sales data processing system into an existing store (Part 1)- This example is an example in which accounting can be performed for an existing store shown in FIG. 4 using the selling price determination logic provided by the sales data processing system, without using the selling price determination logic of the store. In this example, for example, a sales data processing system equipped with selling price determination logic (basic) can be added to an existing store where the selling price determination logic set is selling price determination logic (basic).

[0050] In the example shown in FIG. 6, a sales data processing system is provided to the existing store shown in FIG. 4 by a cloud service, and the mobile terminal 20 communicates with the higher-level device 10 arranged in the cloud service.

[0051] In this example, the price determination logic (basic) set in the upper device 10 of the sales data processing system is the same as the selling price determination logic (basic) set in the existing store, so when determining the selling price based on the registered product information that has been registered, the mobile terminal 20 only needs to use the selling price determination logic (basic) of the added sales data processing system 1, and does not need to use the selling price determination logic of the existing store. The selling price determination logic set in the existing store and the selling price determination logic provided by the sales data processing system are not limited to the selling price determination logic (basic).

[0052] In this example, the sales data processing system periodically transmits product information (product master, sale plan master, etc.) and store information from an existing headquarters system 50 or a store controller 60 located in a store to a host device 10 provided by a cloud service via the Internet, etc. It is preferable that the product master and sale plan master sent to the host device 10 only contain information that is valid on the day. Note that "master" is an abbreviation for master file.

[0053] In this example, the upper device 10 provided by the cloud service acquires and stores product information (product master, sale plan master, etc.) and store information, so that a sales data processing system can be constructed simply by adding a POS terminal 70 that performs settlement processing using the registration information of products registered by the mobile terminal 20.

[0054] The sales data processing system may then periodically transmit the shopping information in the shopping file 140 located on the cloud service to the headquarters system 50 or the store controller 60 via the Internet, or to the store controller 60 via an in-store network, thereby storing the history of transactions made by the mobile terminal 20.

[0055] The processing flow in this example is the same as that of the newly installed sales data processing system shown in Figure 5, except that the upper device 10 is not a store controller but is an upper device 10 placed in a cloud service and acquiring information, etc. from the headquarters system 50 or the store controller 60, so a description of the processing flow will be omitted.

[0056] In the example shown in FIG. 6, the subtotal calculation based on the selling price determination logic may also be performed by the POS terminal 70 or an application on the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, this example can also be implemented by modifying the application of an existing POS terminal (payment settlement device) 70, without adding a new POS terminal 70.

[0057] -Example of introducing a sales data processing system to an existing store (Part 2)- The example shown in Figure 7 is an example in which, for example, for an existing store as shown in Figure 4, the selling price is determined by the selling price determination logic of the store's POS terminal 70 while utilizing the selling price determination logic provided by the sales data processing system, and the transaction is carried out. In this example, the settlement amount is determined using the selling price determination logic (company / store) set up in an existing store. The selling price determination logic (basic) provided by the sales data processing system can provide an estimated amount during shopping to a mobile terminal.

[0058] In this example, a sales data processing system is provided to an existing store shown in FIG. 4 by a cloud service, and a mobile terminal 20 communicates with a higher-level device 10 arranged in the cloud service. In addition, by modifying an existing settlement device (POS terminal) 70 so that it can communicate with the upper device 10 of the sales data processing system, and by introducing an application that supports, for example, QR code (registered trademark) reading on the mobile terminal 20, a sales data processing system that supports product registration processing using the mobile terminal 20 can be constructed.

[0059] In the example shown in Figure 7, the price determination logic (basic) set in the upper device 10 does not correspond to the selling price determination logic (company / store) set in the existing store, so the accurate total amount cannot be displayed on the mobile terminal 20. Therefore, the sales data processing system calculates an estimated price using the price determination logic (basic) set in the higher-level device 10, and displays the estimated price on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20. The customer can use the estimated price displayed on the display unit 250 as a guide for shopping.

[0060] In addition, the selling price determination logic set in existing stores and the selling price determination logic provided by the sales data processing system are not limited to the selling price determination logic (company / store) and the selling price determination logic (basic).

[0061] The processing flow in this example differs from the processing flow shown in Figure 6 in that (6) the selling price determination logic used in calculating the subtotal does not match the store's selling price determination logic, and (7) the total amount sent when sending the subtotal amount is an estimated amount.

[0062] Furthermore, the processing flow is the same as that of the newly installed sales data processing system shown in Figure 5 above, except that the POS terminal 70 installed in the existing store is used as the POS terminal 70 that processes (8) shopping information output, (9) shopping information request, (10) calculated basket information transmission, and (11) payment. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the processing flow will be omitted.

[0063] -Example of introducing a sales data processing system to an existing store (Part 3)- The example shown in Figure 8 is an example in which, for an existing store such as that shown in Figure 4, a subtotal service is performed in which the headquarters system (server) or store controller determines the selling price based on the store's selling price determination logic (company / store), and the transaction is carried out using a newly installed POS terminal 70 rather than an existing POS terminal.

[0064] According to this example, even if a different POS terminal is delivered than the POS terminal 70 that settles the bill using the selling price determination logic (company / store) set in an existing store, there is no need to modify the program of that POS terminal.

[0065] This example is provided as a cloud service to an existing store shown in Fig. 4. A mobile terminal 20 communicates with a higher-level device 10 arranged in the cloud service.

[0066] In this example, the higher-level device (cloud service) 10 is provided with a basket linking function for transferring shopping information stored in the shopping file to a subtotal service such as a headquarters system (server) or store controller, as well as a function for updating the information in the shopping file based on the results calculated by the subtotal service, thereby constructing a sales data processing system that supports product registration processing by the mobile terminal 20. If necessary, a function for converting data when transferring information is provided.

[0067] In this example shown in Figure 8, the subtotal calculation is performed by a subtotal service such as an existing store headquarters system, so there is no need to determine the selling price using the selling price determination logic of the existing POS terminal 70, and payments can be made using a new POS terminal 70 even without a network connection to the existing POS terminal 70. The data such as sales results can be managed by transmitting the data to the headquarters system (server) 50, the store controller 60, and the higher-level device (cloud service) 10, respectively.

[0068] In this example, too, the price determination logic (basic) set in the upper device 10 of the sales data processing system does not correspond to the selling price determination logic (company / store) set in the existing store, so the exact total amount cannot be displayed on the mobile terminal 20. However, the approximate amount calculated using the price determination logic (basic) set in the upper device 10 can be displayed on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20, and can be used as a guide for shopping.

[0069] In addition, the selling price determination logic set in existing stores and the selling price determination logic provided by the sales data processing system are not limited to the selling price determination logic (company / store) and the selling price determination logic (basic).

[0070] An example of the processing flow in this example will be briefly explained below. Note that the numbers in parentheses in the explanation refer to the processing in FIG. The steps (1) to (5) of the process in the sales data processing system of this example are the same as the steps (1) to (5) shown in FIG. 5, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0071] (6) The upper device 10 performs an approximate calculation of the registered product information stored in the shopping file using the selling price determination logic (basic), and (7) transmits the calculated approximate amount to the mobile terminal 20. This allows the member to proceed with shopping while viewing the current estimated price.

[0072] (8) When the member finishes shopping, the member displays symbol code information such as a QR code (registered trademark) that stores the shopping identification information on the display unit 250 and has the symbol code information read by the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70, whereby the mobile terminal 20 outputs the shopping information to the POS terminal 70.

[0073] (9) The POS terminal 70 that has input the shopping identification information transmits the shopping identification information to the higher-level device 10 and requests shopping information (registered product information, etc.) linked to the shopping identification information.

[0074] (10) The upper device 10 receives the shopping identification information from the POS terminal 70 and passes the shopping information linked to the shopping identification information to a subtotal service such as the headquarters system 50.

[0075] (11) Upon receiving the shopping information, the headquarters system 50 calculates the total amount using the subtotal service and transmits the calculated shopping information (subtotal information) to the upper device 10.

[0076] Upon receiving the calculated shopping information (subtotal information), the higher-level device 10 updates the shopping information stored in the shopping file with the calculated shopping information, and transmits the calculated shopping information to the POS terminal 70.

[0077] (13) The POS terminal 70 receives the calculated shopping information and displays a payment screen based on the received shopping information. The member makes payment according to the payment screen, thereby completing one transaction using the mobile terminal 20. The processing flow in this example has been described above.

[0078] As described above, the sales data processing system of the present invention is not limited in form. That is, the sales data processing system of the present invention can be any system in which merchandise transactions are conducted based on merchandise information registered by the mobile terminal 20, such as a system consisting of the host device 10 and the mobile terminal 20 that can be linked to the store's merchandise sales system later, an entire system in which the host device 10 and the mobile terminal 20 are linked to the store's merchandise sales system, a system in which the host device 10 is configured as the store controller 60 of the store's merchandise sales system and the mobile terminal 20 is directly linked to the store controller 60 or an in-store POS terminal 70, etc.

[0079] In the following description, an embodiment is described in which product registration processing and the like is performed by the mobile terminal 20. This is just one example, and the mobile terminal 20 may simply function as an interface for product registration processing, with other processing being performed by a higher-level system such as the higher-level device 10. In other words, it is possible to appropriately set which device constituting the sales data processing system will perform what processing.

[0080] -High-level device 10- The upper device 10 of the sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment is equipped with storage means for storing a product master 110, a store master 120, a member master 130, a shopping file 140, etc. The product master 110, store master 120, etc. stored in the upper device 10 are updated based on the information of each master stored in the store controller 60 of the store.

[0081] The product master 110 stores product identification information unique to each product, as well as product information, store identification information, etc. linked to the product identification information. Using the information stored in the product master, the sales data processing system 1 can identify product information from the product identification information, and identify product information handled by the store from the store identification information.

[0082] Furthermore, the product master 110 of the sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment may store product identification information in association with sales conditions (plan numbers), as shown in FIG. 28(a), for example. In addition, the product master 110 of the sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment may store a special sale table that links sales conditions (plan number) with discount type information, identification information of the target product, discount conditions, and discount amount when the conditions are met, as shown in Figure 28(b), for example.

[0083] Sales conditions (plan number) are sales conditions set for each product, and include bulk discount information such as a discount price applied when multiple loose products such as vegetables are purchased together, quantity-limited information that sets the number of items that can be purchased per customer, and information indicating that the contents and price of each pack are different, such as packaged products such as meat, which have a set price per gram. The bulk discount information is not limited to loose products such as vegetables, but can also be set for products such as canned goods and instant noodles.

[0084] Furthermore, the product master 110 may store information (warning information) indicating that each product is a second-class pharmaceutical product, alcoholic beverage, or other product that requires the intervention of a store clerk when selling it. The information stored in the product master 110 is not limited to the above-mentioned product information, store identification information, and sales conditions.

[0085] As shown in Figure 3(b), the store master 120 stores store identification information (identification number), store name, location information such as GPS information of the store, and QR code (registered trademark) information indicating the store, all linked together. The sales data processing system 1 can identify nearby stores from the information stored in the store master 120, for example, from location information.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 3(c), member master 130 stores member identification information and member information such as member name (name, address, credit card number, etc.) in association with each other. The sales data processing system 1 can use the information stored in the member master 130 to identify store information and credit card information used by the member from, for example, member identification information.

[0087] Furthermore, the member master 130 may store, linked to the member identification information, information such as the frequency of use of the member in the past when registering products using the mobile terminal 20, the number of times a registered product was deleted (canceled) when registering a product, and the number of times an error occurred, and may also store the member's level, which is determined by the frequency of use (number of times) and the frequency of error (number of times).

[0088] For example, the upper device 10 may set member levels ranging from beginner level (L1) to preferred member (L5), and determine the member level for each member based on the frequency (number of times) of product registration using the mobile terminal 20 and the frequency (number of times) of erroneous operation, and store the determined member level in the member master 130. That is, the higher-level device 10 may store in the member master 130 warning information indicating that the member is a person who frequently makes operational errors.

[0089] The shopping file 140 is a file that stores registration information that a member has registered using the mobile terminal 20 when shopping, and as shown in Fig. 3(d), shopping identification information that identifies the member's purchase is linked to registered product information (barcode information, product name, price, etc.) that was registered during the purchase and stored as shopping information. Note that the shopping identification information may be configured, for example, as a combination of store identification information, date, serial number, etc.

[0090] Furthermore, the shopping file 140 may store operations and actions performed by the member when shopping, linked to shopping identification information. The higher-level device 10 stores in the shopping file 140 the operations performed by the member using the mobile terminal 20 when shopping, in association with the shopping identification information.

[0091] For example, the higher-level device 10 may store information about a product that the member was unable to register using the mobile terminal 20 when shopping as pending product information, linked to the shopping identification information, in the shopping file 140. The higher-level device 10 may also store information about a cancellation operation for a product registration performed by the member when shopping as cancellation operation information, linked to the shopping identification information, in the shopping file 140.

[0092] Furthermore, the upper device 10 may store the operation history of the mobile terminal 20, such as product registration, product registration process failure, and product registration cancellation performed by the member when shopping, in the shopping file 140, linked to the shopping identification information along with the operation time. Furthermore, the higher-level device 10 may store in the shopping file 140 the route and travel time taken by the member when shopping in the store, in association with the shopping identification information. That is, the higher-level device 10 may store, in the shopping file 140 as necessary, warning information indicating that a cancel operation has been performed in the shopping.

[0093] The mobile terminal 20 transmits the operation history and location data of the mobile terminal 20 to the upper device 10 at predetermined time intervals, and the upper device 10 stores the received operation history and location data in a shopping file in association with shopping identification information.

[0094] The shopping information (registered product information) stored in the shopping file 140 is synchronized with the product registration information of the mobile terminal 20, and when a member changes or deletes the quantity of the registered information registered by the mobile terminal 20 while shopping, the upper device 10 changes or deletes the shopping information stored in the shopping file 140.

[0095] Furthermore, when paying, the member outputs the shopping identification information from the mobile terminal 20 to the POS terminal 70, and the POS terminal 70 requests the upper device 10 to provide the registration information, etc., that is stored in the shopping file 140 and linked to the shopping identification information. The higher-level device 10, which has been requested to provide the registration information, outputs the product information linked to the shopping identification information to the POS terminal 70.

[0096] When the settlement process for one transaction is completed, the upper device 10 stores the shopping information of that transaction as settled shopping information in the shopping file 140. The member can use the mobile terminal 20 to access the shopping file 140 of the upper device 10 and refer to the past shopping history. The shopping file 140 is synchronized with the shopping file stored in the store controller 60 of the store, and may also store information about shopping that the member has done without using the mobile terminal 20. By accessing the shopping file 140 in the host device 10, the member can refer to the entire history of past purchases made at the store.

[0097] The shopping file 140 may have a separate memory area for storing currently registered shopping information and a separate memory area for storing past history, and when a member's currently registered shopping information is finalized, it may be added to the memory area for storing past history.

[0098] Furthermore, the higher-level device 10 supplies the mobile terminal 20 with an application program (shopping application) that runs on the mobile terminal 20. The shopping application may be provided from a site on the Internet that provides applications for the mobile terminal 20.

[0099] -Mobile terminal 20- The mobile terminal 20 of the sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 and the screen display examples shown in FIGS. The mobile terminal 20 will be described by taking as an example a smartphone personally owned by a customer, on which a dedicated application supplied from the higher-level device 10 or the like is installed.

[0100] (Advance preparation) In order to use a customer's smartphone as a mobile terminal 20 capable of performing store registration processing, the customer must register as a person (hereinafter referred to as a "member") who can perform registration processing using the smartphone.

[0101] When registering as a new member, it is preferable that the customer registers information that can be used to verify the customer's identity, such as name, address, telephone number, and email address, as well as credit card information. Customers can complete the registration procedure either online or offline. For example, customers can enter the necessary information on a registration form or tablet at the store, and then download a dedicated app by sending a download URL to their registered email address. Alternatively, customers can download and install a dedicated app from the higher-level device 10 and then launch the membership registration screen to complete the registration procedure. Customers can also complete the registration procedure from an internet site that provides the application for the mobile terminal 20.

[0102] Furthermore, if the customer is already a card member of the store, the customer may register as a member by additionally registering only the credit card information, for example, in the member registration process. The information to be registered is not limited to the above information. For example, if the store is a chain store, the customer may register information about the store that the customer regularly visits. By registering the store, the customer can obtain information unique to the store through distribution. The higher-level device 10 stores information about the registered members in the member master 130.

[0103] The sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment can use the operation history information stored in the member master 130 at a store other than the store itself. In other words, the sales data processing system 1 can use the information on the member's operation level determined by the operation history at a store other than the store itself as a condition for displaying a confirmation screen for a store clerk at a payment device.

[0104] In addition, when the mechanism of the upper device 10 is used by multiple companies, it is preferable to use it beyond the use within the corporate group and among multiple companies, provided that its use is limited to security purposes such as information on the member's operation level determined by the operation history. Security levels can be set by each corporate group and each store, and it is possible to freely set rank settings for membership levels and operation levels, conditions for store clerk confirmation events, etc. Furthermore, the conditions can be stored on the payment device side and received when acquiring the shopping file (basket data), and the payment device can control the occurrence of store clerk confirmation events.

[0105] (Store-specific processing) When a member starts up the dedicated application on the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 executes a process to identify the store in order to function as a registration device in the store (S201).

[0106] For example, when a member launches a dedicated app on the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 may identify a store based on location information obtained from the GPS or the like of the mobile terminal 20. Specifically, the mobile terminal 20 transmits the location information to the higher-level device 10, and the higher-level device 10 that has received the location information transmits information on the store with the closest location information to the mobile terminal 20 based on the store master 120, thereby identifying the store where the shopping will be performed. If there are multiple applicable stores, the mobile terminal 20 may display a selection screen on the display unit 250 so that the member can select from the multiple stores.

[0107] In addition, a QR code (registered trademark) containing QR code (registered trademark) information stored in the store master 120 may be attached to the entrance of the store, and the member may read the QR code (registered trademark) using the input section 260 of the mobile terminal 20, which allows the mobile terminal 20 to identify the store.

[0108] When the mobile terminal 20 is unable to acquire location information, the mobile terminal 20 may display a message such as "Please read the store's QR code (registered trademark)" on the display screen of the mobile terminal 20. When a member enters a store, the mobile terminal 20 may identify the store using short-range wireless communication such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or beacons within the store.

[0109] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may display a selection screen for selecting a store on the display unit 250, and the member may select a store from the selection screen, thereby specifying the store selected by the member as the store where the shopping will be carried out. There is no limitation on the means by which the mobile terminal 20 identifies the store.

[0110] By identifying the store, the upper level device 10 grants the mobile terminal 20 permission to access the product master of the store, and also generates basket data (shopping file) linked to the mobile terminal 20.

[0111] When a member enters a store, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the member of information such as "sale information," "related / alternative products," "new products," and "out-of-stock information" at the store. If the identified store is closed, the display unit 250 may display this information. If the store is closing, the transition to the registration screen may be prohibited. Registration via the app may be prohibited at a predetermined time before closing, and customers who are currently registering may be notified of the closing time. However, customers who are currently registering may continue shopping, and registration may not be prohibited even when closing time arrives. Continuation is possible as long as the customer is within a specified range of the store's location. Notifications may be given in stages to encourage payment.

[0112] After identifying the store, the mobile terminal 20 displays a start screen 800 for starting shopping on the display unit 250, as shown in FIG. 12(a). The start screen 800 displays member point information 800a, a key 800b linked to store information for the identified store, a key 800c linked to notifications of special sales information, etc., a key 800d linked to coupon information, etc., as well as a "Start" key 800e that declares the start of product registration at the store.

[0113] When the member operates the "Start" key 800e on the start screen 800, the mobile terminal 20 displays the registration screen 810 as shown in FIG. 12(b). It should be noted that the mobile terminal 20 may specify the store and immediately display the registration screen 810 without displaying the start screen 800.

[0114] The registration screen 810 is divided into two areas, an upper area and an lower area, and the upper area of ​​the registration screen 810 is set as a first display area 811 that displays image data captured by the camera (input unit) 260 of the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 20 displays a message 811a in the first display area 811 of the registration screen 810 prompting the user to perform an operation such as "Please read the product barcode," and also visibly displays a mark 811b indicating the reading range for recognizing the barcode (product identification information).

[0115] (Reading operation detection process and product information acquisition process) The mobile terminal 20, which has identified the store and completed preparations for product registration, detects the member's attempt to read the barcode attached to the product (S202), and when this reading operation is performed (yes in S202), obtains product identification information from the read barcode (code information) (S203).

[0116] For example, when a member takes an item to be purchased from a display shelf and places it in a shopping cart (basket), the member captures an image of the item using the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 13(a), the member captures an image of the barcode attached to the item, placing it within the mark 811b displayed in the first display area 811 of the registration screen 810.

[0117] If the image contained within the mark 811b displayed in the first display area 811 is a barcode, the mobile terminal 20 automatically recognizes it and acquires the product identification information (code information).

[0118] If the mobile terminal 20 is equipped with a distance sensor or the like, it can detect that the member has performed a barcode or other reading operation by detecting that the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 has been brought close to an item for a certain period of time. When the mobile terminal 20 repeatedly recognizes barcodes automatically, it can detect the barcode reading operation by a member, for example, by detecting that the same image is being captured for a predetermined period of time, even if it is not equipped with a distance sensor or the like.

[0119] If the mobile terminal 20 detects that the same image has been captured for a predetermined period of time but is unable to acquire product identification information (code information), it may execute a timeout process and issue a notification such as "Product registration failed. Would you like to purchase? (Yes / No)" to prompt the user to place the product on hold. The mobile terminal 20 may also ask for confirmation of purchase.

[0120] The mobile terminal 20 may read a barcode or the like that is photographed by operating the shutter while the app is running, rather than automatically recognizing the barcode or the like. In this case, the mobile terminal 20 can detect the member's operation to obtain a barcode by detecting that the shutter operation has been performed on the app screen.

[0121] The mobile terminal 20 may detect the member's operation to read a barcode or the like by monitoring the state of the mobile terminal, such as the tilt of the mobile terminal, using a gyro sensor, etc. Specifically, the mobile terminal 20 may make a determination by combining the tilt of the mobile terminal 20, the state of movement, etc.

[0122] If the mobile terminal 20 is unable to acquire a barcode (product identification information) by capturing an image, the mobile terminal 20 may store an image of the product for which the product identification information could not be acquired as a reserved product. The member can keep the products stored as reserved products in the mobile terminal 20 separate from the products that have been registered, and proceed with the registration process for the next product. By leaving an image of the reserved product on the mobile terminal 20, it becomes easier to identify the product during the later payment process, and it becomes easier for the store clerk to correct the product registration information.

[0123] In addition, there may be cases where the mobile terminal 20 does not execute the timeout process, in which case the customer will have to keep trying to register the product, which is inconvenient. The mobile terminal 20 may be configured to register the product as a reserved product instead of a normal product registration based on the member's operation. Specifically, the mobile terminal 20 may display a "register pending product" key on the registration screen 810, for example, and when the member operates the "register pending product" key, the mobile terminal 20 may switch to an image capture mode in which the shutter is manually released.

[0124] The member may take an image of the front packaging, product barcode, shelf price tag, etc. of a product that could not be registered in the imaging mode at his / her own timing by pressing the shutter, and the mobile terminal 20 may store the imaged product as a reserved product. In other words, the member may be able to switch to manual imaging mode at his / her discretion.

[0125] The mobile terminal 20 may detect the reading operation of a barcode or the like by any method, and the method is not particularly limited.

[0126] If the mobile terminal 20 is unable to acquire the product identification information (code information) in step S203, it detects that it has failed to acquire the code information (no in S204).

[0127] For example, if the barcode attached to the product is damaged or distorted due to the condition of the product's packaging, the mobile terminal 20 may not be able to read some or all of the code information recorded in the barcode (unreadable product). Furthermore, when a member captures an image of a part of a product that does not have a barcode, the mobile terminal 20 cannot acquire the code information. In such a case, the mobile terminal 20 cannot acquire the product identification information (code information) and cannot register the product. In step S204, the mobile terminal 20 detects a case where the product identification information (code information) cannot be acquired due to the inability to read the barcode, and the product cannot be registered.

[0128] If it is detected in step S204 that the product identification information (code information) has been acquired, the mobile terminal 20 determines whether or not the product identification information exists in the product master 110 (S205).

[0129] If the acquired product identification information does not exist in the product master 110 in step S205, the mobile terminal 20 determines that the registration of the product information has failed, and proceeds to step S207 (no in S205).

[0130] For example, if the mobile terminal 20 transmits the acquired product identification information to the upper device 10, but the acquired product identification information is for a product that is not stored in the product master (hereinafter, this product will be referred to as a "NON-file product"), or if there is a problem with the connection to the upper device 10, the mobile terminal 20 will not be able to acquire the product information from the upper device 10 and will not be able to register the product. In step S205, the mobile terminal 20 detects a case where the product in the acquired product identification information cannot be registered because the product is a non-file product or the like.

[0131] If the mobile terminal 20 downloads the product master after identifying the store, the mobile terminal 20 can determine whether or not it is possible to acquire product information using only the mobile terminal 20, and can further acquire the product information and register the registered product information of the product. The mobile terminal 20 may also make a determination based on the product master stored in the store controller 60 or the POS terminal 70.

[0132] In the case where the mobile terminal 20 is constantly automatically repeating barcode recognition and is not equipped with a function for detecting reading operations such as a distance sensor, step S202 for detecting the member's reading operation and judgment step S204, i.e., the detection process for when the product cannot be registered because the code information cannot be read, may be omitted.

[0133] (Product registration processing, registered product cancellation processing) In step S205, if the acquired product identification information exists in the product master and product information linked to the product identification information is acquired, the mobile terminal 20 registers the information as registered product information of the product purchased by the customer (step S206).

[0134] If the product identification information acquired by the mobile terminal 20 exists in the product master, the higher-level device 10 stores in the shopping file 140 the product information based on the acquired registered product information.

[0135] (Display processing) When the mobile terminal 20 registers the product based on the acquired product information, as shown in FIG. 13(a), a second display area 812 that displays the registered product information and a third display area 813 that displays the current registration status are displayed in the lower area of ​​the registration screen 810 (S209).

[0136] The mobile terminal 20 displays product information 812a such as the product name, purchase quantity (operator) 812b, and product price 812c in the second display area 812, and displays the current registered number of items 813a, estimated total 813b, and a ``Checkout'' key 813c to proceed to checkout processing based on the registered information in the third display area 813.

[0137] Additionally, the mobile terminal 20 displays the third display area 813 above the second display area 812, i.e., between the first display area 811 and the second display area 812. This allows the member to smoothly see the changes in the estimated total amount when registering a product. As shown in FIG. 12(b), the mobile terminal 20 may display a third display area 813 showing the number of registered items as 0 and the estimated total amount as 0 yen before the product is registered.

[0138] The mobile terminal 20 may arrange the third display area 813 independently of the first display area 811 and the second display area 812, or may arrange it within the range of the second display area 812. It is preferable that the mobile terminal 20 displays the current accurate total amount in the estimated total 813b displayed in the third display area 813. However, for example, if a sales data processing system is installed in an existing store with a complex pricing logic, an accurate subtotal cannot be calculated using the store's pricing logic unless the registered product information is output to the existing POS terminal or the like (checkout device) 70. Therefore, the mobile terminal 20 may display the estimated total amount calculated by adding up the list prices of each product, etc., in the third display area 813 of the mobile terminal 20.

[0139] By displaying the third display area 813 on the registration screen 810 of the mobile terminal 20, the member can grasp the current number of items to be purchased and the estimated total while registering the item. The mobile terminal 20 according to this embodiment displays the third display area 813 above the second display area 812, i.e., between the first display area 811 and the second display area 812. This allows the member to smoothly see the changes in the estimated total amount when registering a product.

[0140] The member can change the purchase quantity 812b of the product displayed in the second display area 812, or delete the registered product information of the product. For example, when a member operates (touches) the purchase quantity 812b displayed in the second display area 812, the mobile terminal 20 displays a quantity change screen (pop-up) 820 for changing the quantity of the product, as shown in FIG. 14(a).

[0141] The quantity change screen 820 displays the current purchase quantity and price, and has a "+" key 820a and a "-" key 820b for changing the quantity of the product, as well as a "Cancel product" key 820c for deleting registered product registration information.

[0142] When the purchase quantity 812b of a product that does not support changes to the quantity, such as when the product registered by the member is a clearance product or other limited quantity product or an indefinite quantity product, is touched, the mobile terminal 20 may display a pop-up 821 that does not have a "+" key 820a or a "-" key 820b for changing the quantity of the product, as shown in Figure 14(b), and only accept the deletion of the product.

[0143] When a member operates the "+" key 820a or the "-" key 820b on the quantity change screen 820 to change the quantity etc. of the registered product information displayed on the registration screen 810, the mobile terminal 20 changes the purchase quantity 812b of the product displayed on the registration screen 810. Then, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the changed registered product information to the higher-level device 10, and the higher-level device 10 updates the registered information stored in the shopping file 140 based on the input registered product information.

[0144] When a member operates the "Cancel Product" key 820c to delete the registered product information displayed on the registration screen 810, the mobile terminal 20 cancels the registration of the registered product information displayed on the registration screen 810. Then, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the registration product information whose registration has been cancelled (deleted) to the higher-level device 10, and the higher-level device 10 updates the registration information stored in the shopping file 140 based on the input information.

[0145] When a member cancels registered product information, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the member that the product should be returned to the display shelf or the like. At this time, if the mobile terminal 20 can identify the member's location within the store, it may detect whether the product whose registered product information has been cancelled is more than a certain distance away from the shelf to which it should be returned, and display a screen that allows the member to choose between returning the product to the shelf or moving it to a holding basket.

[0146] When a member cancels the registration of registered product information, the mobile terminal 20 may associate the product information of the deleted product with information indicating that a cancellation operation has been performed and store it as canceled product information. In particular, when a process is performed to move a product whose registered product information has been canceled to a holding cart, the mobile terminal 20 preferably stores it as canceled product information.

[0147] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may delete the registered product information whose registration has been cancelled without displaying it on the registration screen 810, or may display it on the registration screen 810 so that it is clear that it has been cancelled, for example by drawing a line through it or by indicating that it is a cancelled product.

[0148] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may output information indicating that a cancellation operation has been performed by the member to the higher-level device 10, and the higher-level device 10 may store this information in the shopping file 140 as cancellation operation information. Furthermore, the higher-level device 10 may store in the member master 130, after the payment process for the purchase is completed, the number of times the member has performed a cancellation operation on the registered product information during the purchase.

[0149] (Notification processing) If it is determined in step S204 that the product cannot be registered because it is an unreadable product, or if it is determined in step S205 that the product cannot be registered because it is a NON-file product, etc., the mobile terminal 20 notifies the member that the product cannot be registered (S207). This notification may be made by any method, such as an in-store announcement, a notification to a monitoring device that monitors the status of POS registers staff are present at or all POS registers, a notification to a management device located in the back room, or a notification to a portable device carried by a staff member.

[0150] For example, as shown in Fig. 13(b), the mobile terminal 20 displays a notification (pop-up) 830 on the registration screen 810 to the effect that the product that cannot be registered will be placed on hold. At this time, a notification that the two products will be handled differently may be displayed, such as a display 830a prompting the user to place the successfully registered product and the product that cannot be registered in different baskets (or specific areas within the basket). The notification that the product cannot be registered is not limited to a pop-up message or the like.

[0151] If the product that cannot be registered is an unreadable product and the barcode of the product is displayed on the display shelf of the product, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the user to read the barcode attached to the display shelf.

[0152] In addition, if the product registered by the member is not a product that cannot be registered but is a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk, the mobile terminal 20 will display a pop-up on the registration screen 810 to inform the member that the registered product is a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk and that a store clerk will be called at the time of payment.

[0153] Examples of products that require the intervention of a store clerk include "non-file products," "medicine," "products with security tags," and "products requiring age verification" such as alcohol. In addition, for some pharmaceuticals, expensive products, and large items, empty packages and price cards with barcodes are placed on the display shelves, and members can take the empty packages or price cards to the payment device and receive the actual product at the time of payment as "exchange products." For the sake of explanation, the above-mentioned products that require the intervention of a store clerk may also be referred to as "reserved products."

[0154] If the product registered by the member is a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk, the mobile terminal 20 will display information appropriate for each special product (display of warning information) such as that the registered product is a special product such as a "product subject to security tags" and that "a staff member will remove the security tag when you pay," and will also display an "OK" key to approve this. When the member touches the "OK" key, the mobile terminal 20 will generate product information for the product approved by the member.

[0155] Furthermore, if the product registered by the member is an "exchange product," the mobile terminal 20 may notify the store clerk that the exchange product has been registered, such as "Transaction number 1111 Mr. / Ms. XX has registered a second-class OTC drug, a clothesline. Please prepare the product and hand it over to the service counter clerk." In other words, it is desirable to notify the store clerk that the exchange product has been registered and information about the exchange product.

[0156] This allows the store clerk to pick the actual product and prepare it at the checkout device before the member goes to the checkout device, allowing the product to be delivered quickly when the member arrives at the checkout device.

[0157] (Reserved product information generation process) The mobile terminal 20 generates reserved product information for products that cannot be registered (S208). The reserved product information preferably stores information such as member identification information, shopping identification information, and the time of reading, and also stores information on whether the reserved product is a non-file product or an unreadable product. It may also include image data captured when the code information is captured. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the customer that the image data has been saved in addition to notifying the store clerk. Examples of notifications to customers on the mobile terminal include the following: For example, the screen of the mobile terminal 20 may display a message such as "The store clerk has been notified, so the price will be reflected at checkout" or "A store clerk will be at checkout." Additionally, a message such as "The captured image of the product has been saved" may also be displayed.

[0158] For a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk, the mobile terminal 20 may generate pending product information that includes the fact that the product requires the intervention of a store clerk. The mobile terminal 20 stores the generated pending product information. (Addition of attention-calling information)

[0159] (Display processing) The mobile terminal 20 that generated the reserved product information displays reserved product information 812e indicating that there is a reserved product in accordance with the registered product information 812d in the second display area 812 of the registration screen 810, as shown in Figure 15(a) (S209).

[0160] It is preferable that the mobile terminal 20 displays the reserved product information 812e displayed in the second display area 812 in a display format different from that of the registered product information 812d. In the example shown in FIG. 15(a), the mobile terminal 20 displays two pieces of registered product information 812d together with reserved product information 812e, and the background color of the reserved product information 812e is different from the background of the other registered product information 812d.

[0161] In addition, the mobile terminal 20 may display the number of reserved items in a display field 812g in the second display area 812, and may also display a message 812f in the reserved item information 812e that prompts the member to handle the reserved items differently than for normally registered items, such as "Please add to a special basket," thereby informing the member that reserved items exist and that the reserved items will be handled differently. When displaying the information, it is preferable that the mobile terminal 20 also displays whether the reserved product is a "NON-FILE product" or an "UNREADABLE product." By displaying this information, the store clerk can provide a quicker response to the customer.

[0162] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may display in the second display area 812, for products that require the intervention of a store clerk, information such as "Medicine," "Product subject to security tag," "Product requiring age verification" such as alcohol, or "Exchange product" (display of warning information), and may also display information such as "This product requires confirmation by a store clerk."

[0163] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reserved product information 812e displayed in the second display area 812 can have its quantity changed or deleted in the same way as regular registered product information. For example, if a member repeatedly performs a reading operation on the barcode of a product that cannot be registered, multiple pieces of pending product information 812e may be generated. In such a case, the mobile terminal 20 may delete the pending product information 812e in response to the member's operation. The mobile terminal 20 may output the reserved product information and information regarding the operation to cancel the reserved product information to the higher-level device 10 in the same manner as the registered product information. The higher-level device 10 may then store the input reserved product information and the like in the shopping file 140.

[0164] (Export of registration information) After displaying the registration information, the mobile terminal 20 proceeds to step S210 and detects whether or not the member has instructed to proceed to the checkout (S210). When the mobile terminal 20 detects that the member has instructed it to proceed to checkout (Yes in S210), it outputs the instruction to proceed to checkout or the registration information together with the instruction to proceed to checkout (S211), and completes the process.

[0165] The registration information output by the mobile terminal 20 may be shopping identification information. The registration information may also include registered product information for which product registration has been successful, pending product information for which product registration has not been successful, and may further include cancelled product information for which product registration has been cancelled.

[0166] Specifically, the mobile terminal 20 detects that the member has operated the "Checkout" key 813c displayed on the registration screen 810 of the display unit 250. 15(b), the mobile terminal 20 displays (outputs) on the output screen 840 a QR code (registered trademark) 840a generated based on the shopping identification information. The mobile terminal 20 may also display (output) on the output screen 840 a QR code (registered trademark) 840a generated based on the registration information stored in the shopping file.

[0167] A member can have the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70 read the QR code (registered trademark) 840a displayed on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20, and the POS terminal 70 can obtain registration information linked to the product identification information from the higher-level device 10.

[0168] Symbol code information such as a QR code (registered trademark) may store registration information including registered product information and owned product information, or it may store shopping identification information linked to the registration information including the registered product information and owned product information. For example, the shopping identification information may be path information such as a URL stored in a shopping file, or if the search destination for the shopping information is the same, it may be a combination of information such as a store identifier, member identifier, date and time, or it may be identifiable by a sequence number or the like. There is no problem as long as the search destination is known on the payment device side.

[0169] In addition, instead of outputting the symbol code information in which the information is stored, the mobile terminal 20 may select a POS terminal 70, and the selected POS terminal 70 may acquire the registration information stored in a location other than the mobile terminal 20.

[0170] For example, when a member has the mobile terminal 20 read a QR code (registered trademark) that is generated on the screen of the POS terminal 70 and identifies the specified POS terminal 70, the mobile terminal 20 sends a transaction instruction together with shopping identification information to the specified POS terminal 70. Then, the POS terminal 70 that receives the transaction instruction may obtain registration information linked to the shopping identification information. It is also possible to acquire registration information using an IC reader by setting a Felica (registered trademark) or NFC identifier for the mobile terminal in advance.

[0171] On the other hand, if the customer does not give an instruction to proceed to checkout (No in S210) and performs an operation such as reading the barcode of another product, product registration from step S202 to step S209 is repeated until an instruction to proceed to checkout is given. The flow of processing in the mobile terminal 20 has been described above.

[0172] -POS terminal 70- Next, the POS terminal (payment settlement device) 70 of the sales data processing system 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 11 and display examples shown in FIGS.

[0173] (Input processing) The POS terminal (payment settlement device) 70 inputs the registration information (shopping identification information, etc.) output by the mobile terminal 20, etc. (S701).

[0174] For example, when a member has the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70 read the QR code (registered trademark) 840a displayed (output) on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20, the POS terminal 70 inputs the registration information (shopping identification information, etc.) stored in the QR code (registered trademark) 840a.

[0175] (Notification processing) The POS terminal 70, which has input the registration information (shopping identification information), requests the shopping information linked to the shopping identification information from the higher-level device 10. After inputting the shopping information (registration information) from the higher-level device 10, the POS terminal 70 determines whether the input shopping information includes pending product information or canceled product information (S702).

[0176] If the POS terminal 70 determines in step S702 that the registration information includes reserved product information, it issues a notification to call a store clerk (S703).

[0177] The POS terminal 70 issues a notification to call a store clerk by flashing a light (Patlite (registered trademark)) that visually notifies the store clerk. The method of notifying the store clerk is not limited to Patlite (registered trademark), and any other method may be used, such as an in-store announcement, a notification to a monitoring device that monitors the status of the POS register where the store clerk is stationed and all POS terminals, a notification to a management device located in the back room, or the like, or a notification to a portable device carried by the store clerk. Then, as shown in FIG. 18, the POS terminal 70 displays on the display unit 750 a pop-up 910 indicating that there is a reserved product among the registered products and that a store clerk is being called.

[0178] Furthermore, the POS terminal 70 may also issue a notification to call a store clerk when it determines that the registration information includes canceled product information (S703). In addition, the POS terminal 70 may also issue a notification to call a store clerk when paying for a purchase that includes registered products that require the intervention of a store clerk, such as products with security tags attached. That is, in step S702 above, the POS terminal 70 may determine whether the registration information includes pending product information or canceled product information, etc., and if pending product information or canceled product information, etc. is included, may issue an alert to call a store clerk.

[0179] (Settlement processing) On the other hand, if the POS terminal 70 determines in step S702 that the registration information does not include reserved product information or canceled product information, the process proceeds to the settlement process. Specifically, the POS terminal 70 displays a registration confirmation screen 900 on the display unit 750, as shown in FIG. 19 (S709).

[0180] The registration confirmation screen 900 shown in Figure 19 displays a list of registered product information 900a, and an arrow 900i is displayed at a predetermined position on the registration confirmation screen 900, allowing members to scroll through the list of registered product information 900a by operating the arrow 900i. At the top of the registration confirmation screen 900, the total amount is displayed, along with the number of items purchased in the shopping trip (900k) and the total amount (900m), and a "Checkout" key 900b is also provided.

[0181] Also, a price range registration number display 900d showing the registration quantity for each price range of products is located at the bottom of the registration confirmation screen 900. In the example shown in Fig. 19, the numbers "3," "4," "9," and "12," which represent the quantity of products in each price range, are displayed for the price ranges of "1,000 yen or more," "500 yen to 999 yen," "300 yen to 499 yen," and "300 yen or less."

[0182] The checkout process requires accurate, speedy, and error-free customer service. Delays in the checkout process result in longer lines of customers waiting to check out, resulting in poor customer service. To ensure error-free checkout and prevent careless or fraudulent purchases, it is necessary to check every item in the cart, which lengthens the checkout process. Conversely, checking a sample of the items in the cart can shorten the checkout time, but it increases the likelihood of overlooking an error in the total amount or careless or fraudulent customer behavior. It is necessary to address these conflicting demands. One effective solution is to have store clerks prioritize checking expensive items and items prone to checkout errors. For example, when a store clerk operates each field of the price range registration number display 900d, the POS terminal 70 may highlight products in the corresponding price range in the list of registered product information 900a. For example, when the store clerk presses the "1,000 yen or more" key, the POS terminal 70 highlights registered product information with a price of 1,000 yen or more. This makes it easier for the store clerk to check high-priced products priced at 1,000 yen or more. By providing such a system, the settlement process can be expedited and the amount of errors in the total amount can be reduced.

[0183] The registration quantities for each price range are displayed on the registration confirmation screen 900, allowing the store clerk to get an overview of the products purchased by the member. When a high-priced item is being purchased, the POS terminal 70 may notify a light (Patlite (registered trademark)), other device (monitoring device), service manager, etc., and store staff may assist with packaging the high-priced item. When displaying product information on the registration confirmation screen 900, the POS terminal 70 preferably displays the product information in order of high price, i.e., based on the level of interest, rather than displaying the product information in the order in which it was registered by the mobile terminal 20.

[0184] When the member operates the "Checkout" key 900b located on the registration confirmation screen 900, the POS terminal 70 executes the settlement process using the registration information displayed on the registration confirmation screen 900 (S709) and completes the transaction. In this way, if there are no reserved items among the items to be purchased, the member can complete the payment without the need for the intervention of a store clerk.

[0185] (Display processing of registered product information and reserved product information) Meanwhile, the POS terminal 70 that performed the notification process in step S703 displays a registration confirmation screen 920 on the display unit 750, which displays a list of the entered registration information (registered product information and pending product information), when the member operates the "OK" key 910a of the pop-up 910 (S704).

[0186] The registration confirmation screen 920 shown in FIG. 20 displays a list of registered product information 920a, and an arrow 920i is displayed at a predetermined position on the registration confirmation screen 920, allowing members to scroll through the list of registered product information 920a by operating the arrow 920i. At the top of the registration confirmation screen 920, the word "estimate" is displayed, along with the number of registered items to be purchased 920k and the estimated total amount 920m.

[0187] The registration confirmation screen 920 displays a list of registered product information 920a, along with information on two pending products 920b and 920c that could not be registered, and information on one canceled product 920d whose registration was canceled. Furthermore, the registration confirmation screen 920 also displays (displays warning information) products that require the intervention of a store clerk, such as "Pharmaceuticals" 920e, "Products subject to security tags" 920f, and "Age verification products" 920g such as alcohol, so that the user can see them. The POS terminal 70 may also display discounted products, etc., along with a message such as "discount" as products that require the confirmation of a store clerk.

[0188] The POS terminal 70 displays the registered product information 920a, pending product information 920b, 920c, and canceled product information 920d, "Pharmaceuticals" 920e, "Products subject to security tags" 920f, and "Age verification products" such as alcohol 920g shown in Figure 20 in a display format different from the display format of the registration confirmation screen 900 shown in Figure 19, which is displayed using only the registered product information. For example, the POS terminal 70 displays the registration confirmation screen 920 including the reserved product information 920b, 920c and the cancelled product information 920d in different colors, such as background colors, or in different character colors and fonts.

[0189] Generally, when displaying the product information on the registration confirmation screen 920, the POS terminal 70 preferably displays the product information in order of high price, rather than in the order in which the product information was registered by the mobile terminal 20. In addition, it is preferable that the POS terminal 70 place the pending product information 920b, 920c, the canceled product information 920d, the "pharmaceuticals" 920e, the "anti-theft tag target products" 920f, and the "age verification products" 920g such as alcohol at the top position of the list of registered product information 920a. That is, it is preferable that the POS terminal 70 displays a list of the warning information and the product information on the registration confirmation screen 920 based on the interest level of the transaction.

[0190] By displaying information about pending products at the top of the registration confirmation screen 920 and by displaying the products in order of price, the store clerk can recognize at a glance which products should be given priority, and can prevent forgetting to perform procedures such as age verification.

[0191] The POS terminal 70 may be configured to be able to set and change the priority of multiple types of reserved product information in response to an operation by a store clerk. The priority of reserved product information can be set by an operation by a store clerk, such as "age verification" → "security tag" → "medicine" → "reserved product" → "exchange product" → "discount," and the POS terminal 70 displays the reserved product information on the registration confirmation screen 920 in accordance with the above priority.

[0192] It should be noted that the display of the reserved product information 920b, 920c and the canceled product information 920d, etc. is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 20. For example, the POS terminal 70 may arrange the reserved product information 920b, 920c and the canceled product information 920d, etc. in the left region of the registration confirmation screen 920, and display the registered product information 920a in the right region. These displays allow the member or store clerk to easily understand that among the products displayed in the list display, there are pending products, cancelled products, products that require the intervention of a store clerk, etc., and that these are pending products or cancelled products.

[0193] Furthermore, the POS terminal 70 displays a field 920j displaying the number of reserved products (including canceled products) in addition to a price range registration number display 900d showing the registered quantity for each price range of products at the bottom of the registration confirmation screen 920. In the example shown in Fig. 20, the POS terminal 70 displays "6" in the field 920j displaying the number of reserved products (including canceled products). The POS terminal 70 may highlight the reserved product information by the store clerk operating the field 920j that displays the number of reserved products (including canceled products).

[0194] For products that require explanation by a registered salesperson or pharmacist (products that require the intervention of a store clerk), such as alcoholic beverages or second-class pharmaceuticals that require age verification, the POS terminal 70 may display the quantity together with the reserved products, or may display a separate column to display the quantity. In this case, the POS terminal 70 may display the target products by changing the display mode, such as the background color or font size, or by adding a mark, etc.

[0195] (Prohibition processing) If the input registration information includes pending product information 920b, 920c, cancellation product information 920d, and products requiring store clerk intervention, the POS terminal 70 prohibits the settlement process using the registration information including pending product information 920b, 920c, cancellation product information 920d, and products requiring store clerk intervention (S705), following step S704.

[0196] For example, as shown in FIG. 20, the POS terminal 70 prohibits the execution of the settlement process by not displaying the "Checkout" key 900b that is displayed on the normal registration confirmation screen 900 on the registration confirmation screen 920 that includes pending product information 920b, 920c or canceled product information 920d and products that require the intervention of a store clerk.

[0197] (Editing process) The called store clerk makes the POS terminal 70 read the store clerk code or the like, and the POS terminal 70 that has prohibited the execution of the settlement process becomes able to edit the reserved product information. For example, when a store clerk has the POS terminal 70 read a store clerk code or the like, the POS terminal 70 displays a comment such as "Your store clerk ID has been read. Please register the pending items" on the display unit 750, and also displays a management screen 940 having a layout similar to the registration confirmation screen 920 shown in Figure 20. The display of the management screen 940 differs from the registration confirmation screen 920 in that instead of displaying "A store clerk will be coming soon. Please check the product details and wait," it displays the message "Please register pending products on the management screen" 940n (see Figure 22), and in that it does not display the "Call store clerk" key (see Figure 22).

[0198] When a store clerk touches the pending product information 940b on the management screen 940 displayed on the display unit 750, the POS terminal 70 displays an editing screen 930 on the display unit 750 for editing the pending product information 940b, as shown in Figure 21. Furthermore, even if the store clerk does not read the store clerk code and the member operates the pending product information 920b, 920c and the cancellation product information 920d, "Pharmaceuticals" 920e, "Products subject to security tags" 920f, "Age verification products" 920g such as alcohol, etc. on the registration confirmation screen 920 in Figure 20, the POS terminal 70 will not move to the editing screen 930. This prevents members from editing without the help of a store clerk.

[0199] A scan button 930a is arranged at a predetermined position on the edit screen 930, and when a store clerk operates the scan button 930a, the POS terminal 70 displays image data obtained when the code information of the product is read. The store clerk can check the reserved items by looking at the displayed image data, and can obtain the correct product information by going to the display shelf to check the product price, etc. Editing on the editing screen 930 can be done in any appropriate way.

[0200] If all reserved items are displayed in a list on the editing screen 930, it is possible to reduce the amount of switching back and forth between the management screen 940 and the editing screen 930. Alternatively, the reserved items may be displayed in half of the area of ​​the registration confirmation screen 920 (for example, only the left side), and the editing screen 930 may be displayed in the other half (the right side) overlaid on or in place of the registered item information. This reduces the effort required for the store clerk to switch screens.

[0201] It should be noted that the editing screen 930 is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 21. The editing screen 930 may be displayed as a pop-up, or may be displayed in a partial area (for example, the left area) of the management screen 940.

[0202] For example, when a store clerk operates the reserved product NON file 940b on the management screen 940, the POS terminal 70 displays an edit screen 960 shown in FIG. 30(a). The edit screen 960 shown in FIG. 30(a) is displayed as a pop-up on the management screen 940, and includes a product information input field 961 for inputting products, a quantity entry key 962, a product cancellation key 963, and a confirmation key 964.

[0203] The POS terminal 70 has a product information input field 961 on an editing screen 960 for NON-file products, which is arranged with a product information field 961a, a PLU field 961b, a quantity field 961c, a minus key 961d, and a plus key 961e, and the read information is displayed in the PLU field 961b, while the product information field 961a is left blank.

[0204] The clerk selects an "amount" key such as the number entry key 962, enters a quantity using the numeric keys to assign an amount according to the number, and operates the enter key 964, which inputs the price into the product information field 961a. Similarly, the clerk selects a "subcategory" key, enters a quantity using the numeric keys to assign a subcategory according to the number, and operates the enter key 964, which sets the subcategory in the product information field 961a and edits (confirms) the non-file product as tradeable information.

[0205] Alternatively, a subcategory selection screen may be popped up by selecting an "amount" key such as the number entry key 962, entering a number using the numeric keys to assign an amount according to the number, and then operating the enter key 964. When the target subcategory is selected on the subcategory selection screen, the NON-file product is edited (confirmed) as tradable information. Furthermore, if information about a non-file product is modified before an editing operation, the information is displayed in each field on the editing screen 960, and the product may be registered by the store clerk operating the enter key 964. In other words, for non-file products, the store clerk can investigate, modify, and register the data at a terminal in the back room or elsewhere before the customer arrives at the POS terminal, so that the information about the non-file product can be registered in the master. This point will be described later. Figure 30(b) shows the state after editing of a non-file product is completed. In the product information field 961a, "Condiment" is entered as the minor category selected by the clerk by pressing the minor category key, and the price "¥350" is entered using the numeric keypad. It takes time for the clerk to enter the specific product name at the POS terminal that processes the payment. Therefore, it is desirable to temporarily use the name of the minor category of the product selected using the minor category key as the product name. Alternatively, a full keyboard, as shown in Figure 37, may be displayed, or a full hardware keyboard may be connected, allowing the clerk to enter the specific product name.

[0206] Furthermore, when the store clerk operates the reserved product unscanned 940c on the management screen 940 (see FIG. 22), the POS terminal 70 displays an edit screen 960 shown in FIG. 31(a). The editing screen 960 of the POS terminal 70 shown in Figure 31 (a) is displayed as a pop-up on the management screen 940, and includes a product information input field 961 for entering products, a quantity entry key 962, a product cancellation key 963, and a confirmation key 964.

[0207] The price is entered in the product information field 961a by selecting an "amount" key such as the number entry key 962, entering a number with the numeric keys, allocating an amount according to the number, and operating the enter key 964. Similarly, the price is entered in the product information field 961a by selecting a "subcategory" key, entering a number with the numeric keys, allocating a subcategory according to the number, and operating the enter key 964, setting the subcategory in the product information field 961a, and editing (confirming) the unscanned product as tradable information.

[0208] Alternatively, a subcategory selection screen may be popped up by selecting an "amount" key such as the number entry key 962, entering a number using the numeric keys to assign an amount according to the number, and then operating the enter key 964. When the target subcategory is selected on the subcategory selection screen, the NON-file product is edited (confirmed) as tradable information. The edit screen 960 of the POS terminal 70 may be provided with a scan key 965, and the store clerk may operate the scan key 965 to display products that have not been scanned.

[0209] Furthermore, when the store clerk touches the cancellation product information 940d on the management screen 940, the POS terminal 70 displays a cancellation confirmation screen 970 for the canceled product, as shown in FIG. 31(b). The cancellation confirmation screen 970 is displayed as a pop-up on the management screen 940, and includes a cancellation product display field 971 for displaying canceled products, a quantity entry key 972, a product cancellation key 974, and a registration key 973.

[0210] The POS terminal 70 displays the canceled product in the canceled product display field 971, and issues a notification 975 such as "Are there any products left in the basket?" When the store clerk checks the basket and operates the product cancellation key 974, the POS terminal 70 confirms the cancellation of the product. If there are any products remaining in the basket, the store clerk can operate the registration key 973 to register new products.

[0211] In addition, the POS terminal 70 has a product name field 971a, a PLU field 971b, a quantity field 971c, a minus key 971d, and a plus key 971e in the cancellation product display field 971, and "1" may be entered in advance in the quantity field 971c. When the store clerk operates the product cancellation key 974, the value in the quantity column 971c becomes "0", thereby confirming the cancellation of the product. The POS terminal 70 may input "0" in advance in the quantity field 971c.

[0212] Alternatively, the POS terminal 70 may display a screen for confirming the registration of the product when the store clerk operates the columns 940e to 940g for the product requiring the intervention of the store clerk on the management screen 940. The POS terminal 70 may display a notification appropriate to the type of product, such as "Please remove the tag," "Please verify your age," or "A replacement product is ready at the service counter. The transaction number is XXX," on the screen for confirming the registration of the product.

[0213] The POS terminal 70 may transmit the reserved product information, etc., that the store clerk has modified on the editing screen to the higher-level device 10, and the higher-level device 10 may reflect the information in the product master, etc. For example, in the case of a new product being handled for the first time, a product from a new business partner, or a product where the barcode has been forgotten to be updated, even if the barcode attached to the sale item is read, it may not exist in the product master and become a non-file item.

[0214] In such a case, the POS terminal 70 can prevent the product from becoming a reserved product by updating the product master with the revised reserved product information. The product information editing process only includes items necessary for product registration and payment processing, such as the product name, unit price, barcode (product identification information), and tax classification (reduced tax rate, tax included, tax excluded, tax exempt, etc.).

[0215] Furthermore, for items whose prices and the like are unclear, the POS terminal 70 may be configured to allow provisional corrections by editing the department and amount.

[0216] Then, when the store clerk edits and updates the reserved product information 940b on the editing screen 930 to accumulatable registered product information, the POS terminal 70 corrects and displays the reserved product information 940b on the management screen 940, as shown in Fig. 22. Specifically, the display of "reserved product" in the display field of the reserved product information 940b is changed to "confirmed."

[0217] The POS terminal 70 may display the revised reserved product information 940b at the top of the list of registered product information 940a without moving the display position of the information, or may display the revised reserved product information 940b by moving it in the display order of the other registered product information 940a. In addition, when the pending product information 940b, 940c and the cancelled product information 940d are arranged in the left region of the management screen 940, the POS terminal 70 may move the revised pending product information 940b to the right region and display it.

[0218] Then, the POS terminal 70 changes the number of reserved products 940j displayed at the bottom of the management screen 940 to "5."

[0219] The POS terminal 70 that has corrected the pending product information 940b determines whether or not there is pending product information (including canceled product information) in the registered information, i.e., whether or not all pending product information has been corrected (S707), and if it determines that all pending product information has been corrected, it lifts the prohibition on the settlement process (S708). Then, the POS terminal 70 displays the management screen 940 in which all the reserved product information has been corrected, as shown in FIG. 23 (S709).

[0220] 23, the management screen 940 shows that correct product information has been entered and registered for two pending product information items 920b and 920c that could not be registered, and that cancellation of registration has been confirmed for one canceled product information item 920d that was canceled at the time of registration. Furthermore, the products 920e to 920g that require the intervention of a store clerk are confirmed by the store clerk.

[0221] The display indicating that the reserved product information has been corrected is not limited to displaying "Confirmed" in the display field of the reserved product information 940b as shown in FIG. For example, the POS terminal 70 may change only the display color or background color of the reserved product information before and after the correction, and may display the information so that it is clear why the reserved product information was a reserved product even after the correction.

[0222] By checking the reserved product information 940b, 940c and the cancelled product information 940d, the POS terminal 70 updates the total number of products 940k and the total price 940m. Furthermore, once all pending product information, etc. has been confirmed, the POS terminal 70 changes the display of "estimate" displayed at the top of the management screen 940 to "total," and displays "0" in the number of pending products 940j displayed at the bottom of the management screen 940.

[0223] In addition, the POS terminal 70 changes the background color of the management screen 940 to the normal background color, and displays a "Checkout" key 920q at the top of the management screen 940. When the member or store clerk operates the "Checkout" key 940q, the POS terminal 70 completes the product registration and correction process and moves to the checkout screen shown in FIG.

[0224] On the other hand, if the POS terminal 70 determines in step S707 that all the reserved product information has not been corrected, it returns to step S706 and repeats the correction process until all the reserved product information has been corrected. That is, in the example shown in Fig. 22, the POS terminal 70 prohibits the execution of the settlement process until the pending product information 940c and the canceled product information 940d are corrected. In this case, for example, the "Checkout" key 940q shown in Fig. 23 may not be displayed in Fig. 22. Alternatively, even if the "Checkout" key 940q is displayed, the "Checkout" key 940q may not function, for example, by notifying the user that the pending products should be checked and processed.

[0225] The settlement screen 950 shown in Figure 24 displays a "Cash" key 950a and a "Credit Card" key 950b for selecting the payment amount and payment method, and the member can perform the settlement process by operating either key (S710) and complete the transaction. The flow of processing in the POS terminal 70 has been described above.

[0226] -Function block diagram- FIG. 9 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the sales data processing system of this embodiment. The mobile terminal 20 of the sales data processing system of this embodiment has a control unit 200, a display unit 250 such as a touch panel, and an input unit 260 such as a camera.

[0227] The control unit 200 includes a control means 201 for controlling the entire mobile terminal 20 overall, a store identification means 202 for identifying the store where shopping will be performed, an acquisition means 203 for acquiring product identification information of the product to be purchased, a detection means 204 for detecting an operation for acquiring the product identification information, a product registration means 205 for identifying and registering the product information based on the acquired product identification information, a reserved product registration means 206 for generating and storing information about products whose product information cannot be registered, a display means 207 for displaying on the display unit 250 the registered product information registered by the product registration means 205 and the reserved product information generated and stored by the reserved product registration means 206, a notification means 208 for notifying that the product information cannot be registered, an output means 209 for outputting the registered product information and the reserved product information, and a registered product cancellation means 210 for canceling the registered product information of the member.

[0228] The control means 201 controls the mobile terminal 20 as a whole, and for example, stores each piece of input (acquired) or detected information in a storage device such as a memory as appropriate, reads each piece of information from the storage device and displays it on the display unit 250, and exchanges information with other devices. Furthermore, the control means 201 executes various types of determination processing as necessary. For example, in step S204 of the flow shown in Figure 10, it is determined whether product identification information has been acquired, in step S205 it is determined whether product information has been identified based on the acquired product identification information, and in step S209 it is determined whether a payment instruction has been given by the member.

[0229] Furthermore, the control means 201 functions as an adding means for adding, as necessary, acquired product information, operation information at the time of member product registration, or attention information regarding transactions such as discounts.

[0230] The store identification means 202 executes a store identification process. For example, the store identification means 202 outputs the location information of the mobile terminal 20 to the higher-level device 10, and inputs the information of the store where the shopping will be done from the store master of the higher-level device 10, thereby identifying the store where the shopping will be done.

[0231] The acquisition means 203 executes product information acquisition processing. For example, the acquisition means 203 acquires the product identification information of the product based on code information attached to the product, the image of which is captured using the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20. Note that, in the sales data processing system of the above embodiment, an example is used in which the product identification information is acquired by reading the barcode attached to the product, but the method of acquiring the product identification information by the acquisition means is not limited to reading the barcode.

[0232] For example, product identification information may be acquired by the mobile terminal 20 through non-contact detection using an RFID tag or by capturing a QR code, and furthermore, image recognition technology may be used to identify the product based on its external appearance (shape, color, material, etc.). In addition, images taken by customers when registering products can be stored on a server and AI learning can be performed to improve the recognition rate of the image recognition. The acquisition means 203 also acquires the scanning action by the member using the mobile terminal and operation information at that time (pretending to read, route traveled, required time, etc.).

[0233] The detection means 204 executes a reading operation detection process. For example, the detection means 204 detects that an operation for capturing an image of code information attached to a product has been performed by the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20.

[0234] The product registration means 205 executes a product registration process. For example, the product registration means 205 identifies a product based on the product identification information acquired by the acquisition process and the information stored in the product master, acquires the product information, and registers it as registered product information.

[0235] The reserved product registration means 206 executes reserved product information generation processing. For example, when product identification information cannot be acquired by the acquisition process or when the product identification information acquired by the acquisition process is not stored in the product master, the reserved product registration means 206 generates and stores information about the product as reserved product information. The reserved product registration means 206 functions as an addition means for adding, as necessary, attention-drawing information such as product information about a product that requires the intervention of a store clerk.

[0236] The display means 207 executes display processing. For example, the display means 207 displays, on the display unit 250, the registered product information registered by the product registration means 205 and the reserved product information generated by the reserved product registration means 206. In addition, when the acquisition means 203 acquires product information or operation information, the acquisition means 203 functions as a second display means for displaying the attention-calling information added by the addition means.

[0237] The notification means 208 executes notification processing in the mobile terminal 20 . For example, when there is a product that cannot be registered by the member's product registration operation, the notification means 208 notifies the operator of the mobile terminal 20 via the display unit 250 or the like. The output means 209 outputs the registered product information registered by the product registration means 205, the reserved product information generated by the reserved product registration means 206, and the like.

[0238] The registered product cancellation means 210 executes the registered product cancellation process. For example, the registered product cancellation means 210 detects that a member has performed an operation to cancel a product registration, and creates registration deletion information and outputs information regarding the operation to cancel the registered product information to the higher-level device 10.

[0239] The POS terminal 70 of the sales data processing system of this embodiment includes a control unit 700, a display unit 750 such as a touch panel, an input unit 760 such as a camera, a printing unit 770 such as a printer, and the like.

[0240] The control unit 700 includes a control means 701 for controlling the entire POS terminal 70, an input means 702 for inputting product registration information, a display means 703 for displaying the input registration information on the display unit 750, a settlement means 704 for settling the product based on the registration information, a notification means 705 for notifying a store clerk or the like when reserved product information is input, an editing means 706 for correcting reserved product information, and a prohibition means 707 for prohibiting the settlement process by the settlement means 704 when reserved product information is included in the product information.

[0241] The control means 701 controls the POS terminal 70 as a whole, and for example, stores each piece of input (acquired) or detected information in a storage device such as a memory as appropriate, reads each piece of information from the storage device and displays it on the display unit 750, and exchanges information with other devices. Furthermore, the control means 701 executes various types of determination processing as required. For example, in step S702 of the flow shown in FIG. 11, it is determined whether or not there is reserved product information in the registered information, and in step S707 it is determined whether or not there is uncorrected reserved product information.

[0242] Furthermore, the control means 701 functions as an adding means for adding, as necessary, acquired product information, operation information at the time of member product registration, or caution information regarding transactions such as discounts. Furthermore, the control means 701 functions as a permission means for permitting the settlement prohibited by the prohibition means 707 when the editing means (confirmation means) performs editing processing (confirmation).

[0243] The input means 702 executes input processing. For example, the input means 702 inputs the registration information output by the output means 209 of the mobile terminal 20 . The display means 703 executes a process for displaying the registration information. For example, the display means 703 displays the input registration information (product information and reserved products) on the display unit 750. In addition, the display format of the displayed registration information (product information and reserved products) is changed as necessary. Furthermore, the display means 703 functions as a first display means for displaying the attention-calling information added by the adding means when the payment is settled by the payment settlement means 704.

[0244] The settlement means 704 executes the settlement process. For example, the payment means 704 performs payment processing for the product based on the registered information, and acquires the payment method used by the customer prior to the payment processing.

[0245] The notification means 705 executes notification processing. For example, when the input registration information includes reserved product information or canceled product information, the notification means 705 displays on the display unit 750 that there is a reserved product (cancelled product), and executes a call process to call a store clerk to the POS terminal 70. Furthermore, the notification means 705 executes a call process to call a store clerk as necessary depending on the member's situation, etc.

[0246] The editing means 706 executes the editing process. For example, the editing means 706 displays an editing screen for correcting the pending product information, etc., input by the input means 702. A store clerk or the like can confirm the registered information by editing the pending product information (including information on products that require the intervention of a store clerk) on the editing screen, i.e., the editing screen functions as a confirmation means for confirming the warning information. The correction screen may be displayed by inputting a store clerk code, etc.

[0247] The prohibition means 707 executes the prohibition process. For example, if the registration information contains reserved product information or canceled product information, the prohibition means 707 prohibits the settlement process until the reserved product information is corrected by the editing means 706 and registered as registration information.

[0248] The functions of the mobile terminal 20 or the POS terminal 70 of this embodiment will be further explained below. -How to display the list of registered details- Next, the screen display of the mobile terminal 20 during product registration will be further described. (Normal registration operation) During shopping, the mobile terminal 20 displays a registration screen 810 shown in FIG. When a member reads information such as a barcode attached to a product using the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 displays the products in order in a second display area 812 located in the lower area of ​​the registration screen 810 shown in Figure 16(a), with the most recently registered product being located in the upper position of the second display area 812.

[0249] As the member proceeds with registering products, the second display area 812 of the registration screen 810 of the mobile terminal 20 is filled with information about the registered products, and the product information whose barcode was previously read is no longer displayed in the second display area 812. Members can check the registered products by looking at the second display area 812, but when purchasing many products, they have to scroll through the list displayed in the second display area 812 many times to check the information of the products they have registered earlier, which makes checking cumbersome. The mobile terminal 20 of this embodiment can expand the second display area 812 of the display unit 250 as needed, allowing the member to more easily check the registered products.

[0250] Specifically, if a member registers multiple products and it becomes impossible to display all of the product information registered in the second display area 812, the mobile terminal 20 displays an “expand” key (operator) 813d in the third display area 813. When a member operates the "Expand" key 813d, the mobile terminal 20 expands the second display area 812, as shown in Figure 16(b), and displays the second display area 812 and the third display area 813 using the entire area of ​​the display unit 250. Furthermore, by expanding second display area 812, a "reduce" key (operator) 813e may be displayed in third display area 813 to reduce second display area 812 to the original range before expansion.

[0251] It goes without saying that if all products cannot be displayed even when the second display area 812 and the third display area 813 are displayed using the entire area of ​​the display unit 250, they can be displayed by scrolling. The method for expanding the second display area 812 is not limited to the method using the “expand” key 813 d arranged in the third display area 813 .

[0252] When the mobile terminal 20 uses the entire display unit 250 to display the second display area 812 and the third display area 813 and hides the first display area 811, it is preferable that the mobile terminal 20 disables the acquisition of image data by the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 in conjunction with this.

[0253] It should be noted that the mobile terminal 20 does not necessarily have to expand the second display area 812 and the third display area 813 to fill the entire area of ​​the display unit 250 when the "expand" key 813d is operated. The mobile terminal 20 may set the expansion range based on the member's operation, or may set the expansion range in a state in which all products can be confirmed according to the number of products.

[0254] The mobile terminal 20 may disable the acquisition of image data by the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 immediately when the second display area 812 is changed to a range that includes the first display area 811, and may also disable the acquisition of image data by the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 when the second display area 812 is expanded to the reading range that is visibly displayed in the first display area 811. As described above, the mobile terminal 20 can reduce unnecessary power consumption by disabling imaging by the input unit 260 at the point when it becomes impossible to check the imaging data using the first display area 811.

[0255] Furthermore, as the member performs the product registration process, the mobile terminal 20 may sequentially expand and display the second display area 812. In this case, by setting the second display area 812 to a maximum expansion state, the mobile terminal 20 may automatically expand the second display area 812 while securing the first display area 811.

[0256] If a barcode (product identification information) is not recognized within the reading range of the first display area 811 for a predetermined time, the mobile terminal 20 may disable image capture by the input unit 260 to save power.

[0257] Mobile terminal 20 has first display area 811 located at the top of the screen, so when the operator operates the mobile terminal, the operator's line of sight conforms to the position of the mobile terminal's camera, and the subject to be imaged is also visible beyond the top edge of the mobile terminal, making it extremely easy to operate. Also, second display area 812 is located at the bottom of the screen because it is sufficient to be able to see the screen when checking purchased products, and when products exceeding the predetermined number of display lines are registered, the full screen can be displayed by using the expansion key in third display area 813 located in the center of the screen, and when the full screen display is insufficient, all products can be checked by scrolling or other operations.

[0258] Furthermore, since the operation is performed while checking the current number of items purchased and the purchase amount during the imaging process, placing the third display area 813 between the first display area 811 and the second display area 812, which display the imaged screen, is extremely advantageous in that it does not put a burden on the operator's line of sight. Also, the operation of the aforementioned expansion keys is easy.

[0259] The mobile terminal 20 may change the display position of the controls on the screen based on the membership information or at any time. Specifically, the mobile terminal 20 typically has controls positioned for right-handed operation, making it difficult to use for left-handed users or for left-handed operation. In this case, the mobile terminal 20 may position the "Checkout" key 813c at approximately the same distance from the center line of the screen, as shown in FIG. 27(a), and may similarly move the purchase quantity 812b, etc., or position them at the top of the product name display, as shown in FIG. 27(b). That is, the mobile terminal 20 can memorize the layout of the controls suitable for right-handed and left-handed operation, and automatically switch based on switching instructions, membership information, etc. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may intentionally place the "Checkout" key 813c in a location that is difficult to operate, for example, on the opposite side.

[0260] The process flow for displaying the list of registered details is shown in Fig. 26. This flow corresponds to the subroutine of step S209 in the flow shown in Fig. 7. In step S401, the mobile terminal 20 displays the first display area 811 and the second display area 812 on the display unit 212. Then, the mobile terminal 20 detects that the member has performed an expansion operation on the second display area 812 (S402), and upon detecting that the expansion operation has been performed, executes expansion processing on the second display area 812 (S403).

[0261] Then, it is determined whether the expanded second display area 812 has reached a predetermined range (S404). The predetermined range in step S404 may be, for example, a range that includes at least part of the range of first display area 811, a range that includes the read range in which the barcode can be recognized, or a range that includes the entire first display area 811.

[0262] When mobile terminal 20 determines in step S404 that second display area 812 has reached the predetermined range, it proceeds to step S406 and disables acquisition means 203. Specifically, it turns off the imaging function of the camera (imaging means by input unit 260).

[0263] On the other hand, if it is not detected in step S402 that an expansion operation has been performed by the member, the process proceeds to step S405, where it is detected that the barcode has not been recognized within the reading range of the second display area 812 for a predetermined time, and if it is determined that the barcode has not been recognized for a predetermined time, the mobile terminal 20 proceeds to step S406 and disables the acquisition means.

[0264] If the barcode is recognized in step S405, the process returns to step S401 and continues displaying the registration information. The above describes the process for displaying the product registration screen.

[0265] -Multiple purchases of the same product- When registering a product using the mobile terminal 20 of this embodiment, if a member purchases multiple copies of the same product, this can be done by changing the quantity displayed in the registered product information 812d on the registration screen 810, or by capturing an image of the code information of the same product multiple times.

[0266] However, if the code information of the same product is captured multiple times, either consecutively or at intervals, the mobile terminal 20 will display a message asking whether it is OK to purchase the same product multiple times, or will change the confirmation sound or vibration pattern when acquiring product identification information. For example, it will display a message such as "The same product has been scanned twice. Is the registration correct?" to notify the customer whether the operation was correct or incorrect. This allows the member to recognize that the product registration process he or she is currently performing is the multiple acquisition of code information.

[0267] Specifically, when a member photographs the same product and confirms the product, the mobile terminal 20 may display a message saying "The same product has been registered. Would you like to purchase it?" along with a "Yes / No" selection key to confirm. Furthermore, when confirming this, the mobile terminal 20 may display a screen that allows for an operation to increase or decrease the quantity. This method is efficient when registering the same product consecutively, since there is a possibility that the quantity may be further increased.

[0268] When a member registers the same product, then registers another product, and then registers the same product again, the mobile terminal 20 performs the same confirmation. To prevent fraud, the mobile terminal 20 may allow registration of multiple products by reading the same number of times as the purchased quantity. Similarly, the mobile terminal 20 may delete products by deleting the same number of times as the deleted quantity. Either or both of the operations for purchasing multiple copies of the same product may be adopted by the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may change the operation method depending on the operation level (proficiency) of the member.

[0269] If a member registers the same product by capturing images multiple times, the mobile terminal 20 sets the purchase quantity of the registered product information for that product to the multiple times and displays it in the latest line of the list display. It goes without saying that registrations of the same product captured multiple times may be displayed in multiple lines.

[0270] -Registering products sold individually- For products that are not suitable for affixing barcodes, such as cucumbers and other fresh produce, or products sold individually, such as fish, product registration can be performed by capturing an image of the barcode attached to the shelf or container on which the product is displayed. Alternatively, an image of the barcode displayed on an electronic shelf tag can be captured. It goes without saying that if a barcode is directly attached to the product, the barcode may be photographed.

[0271] The mobile terminal 20 may identify products by capturing an image of the product that is not suitable for affixing a barcode and performing object recognition. The registration process may also be performed by voice or by displaying preset keys on the display unit and having the member select one.

[0272] Furthermore, when selling individual products, discounts are often applied for bulk purchases (multiple sales). When a member captures the barcode of a product to which a bulk discount is applied, the mobile terminal 20 displays a pop-up 850, as shown in Figure 17(a), in which the number of items that will be discounted by buying in bulk is set as the initial number to be purchased.

[0273] Pop-up 850 displays the product name 850a, price per unit 850b, number of units to be purchased 850c, and selling price 850d for the individual product, as well as a "+" key 850e and a "-" key 850f, which are used to change the number of units to be purchased, a "Cancel product" key 850g, and a "OK" key 850h.

[0274] In the example shown in FIG. 17(a), the mobile terminal 20 displays a pop-up 850 in which a product with the product name "Corn from Hokkaido" is registered, and displays that by purchasing three of the product, which costs 120 yen each, a 60 yen discount will be achieved. The mobile terminal 20 also sets the purchase quantity 850c to the initial value, which is the number of products purchased, to "3." The member can see from the pop-up 850 that the product is being sold at a discount for bulk purchases, and can easily set up product registration for bulk purchases by operating the "Enter" key 850h.

[0275] In addition, members can change the number of items purchased by operating the "+" key 850e and "-" key 850f, and can also cancel the registration of a product by operating the "Cancel Product" key 850g, just like with normal product registration operations.

[0276] When the member operates the "-" key 850f to change the number of purchases, the mobile terminal 20 changes the display of the pop-up 850 as shown in FIG. 17(b). The pop-up 850 shown in Figure 17(b) shows that the purchase quantity 850c has been changed to "1", the sales price (120 yen) without any discount applied is displayed, and it indicates that buying three bottles at once will save you 60 yen.

[0277] The content and timing of the display encouraging bulk purchases are not particularly limited, and the mobile terminal 20 may display a message that the bulk purchase discount will no longer be applied when the member changes the number of items to be purchased.

[0278] Then, when the member operates the "Enter" key 850h (confirmation operation), the mobile terminal 20 registers the registration information for the number of items set in the purchase quantity 850c. In this way, the member can know from the pop-up 850 that the item is a discounted item for bulk purchases, and can easily set up bulk purchases by operating the "OK" key 850h. Even if a bulk purchase discount is applied to a product, the initial value may be set to "1".

[0279] This registration operation also applies to regular single-item sales. In other words, the same registration operation can be performed by setting sales conditions such as bundle sales or bulk purchases. The sales conditions are set using product master data or special sale master data, and are generated as information that allows a mobile device to identify the product. Furthermore, special sales that are not available to general customers may also be applied to members.

[0280] In addition, for products with sales quantity restrictions, such as a limit of XX items per person, the "+" in the upper limit quantity can be disabled or hidden. Furthermore, only the "+" may be counted up in the quantity unit set in the sales conditions, and furthermore, the manner in which the addition / subtraction keys are displayed and functioned in "sales condition quantity" units may be changed.

[0281] Furthermore, when the "sales condition quantity" is subtracted, the sales condition is not fulfilled and the explanation of the sales condition may be displayed in a different format. Also, when "1" is added to the "sales condition quantity," the display may be switched to the next sales condition fulfillment quantity and total discount amount, etc. This will encourage members to purchase the quantity specified in the sales conditions.

[0282] An example of the process flow for registering the loose products described above is shown in FIG. The mobile terminal 20 inputs product information of the product that the member wishes to purchase (S501). Specifically, the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 acquires product identification information by reading the barcode attached to the product, and acquires (inputs) product information of the product from the product master 110 based on the product identification information.

[0283] Next, the mobile terminal 20 detects whether or not special sales conditions are set in the sales conditions of the input product information (S502). For example, in the table shown in Fig. 28(a), it detects whether or not sales conditions (project number) exist for the product with the input product identification number. The special sales conditions referred to here are sales conditions that set some conditions regarding the number of items sold, such as items that are subject to bulk sales or an upper limit on the number of items that can be purchased per person. Furthermore, if the number of items to be purchased is stored in advance in a shopping list or the like, the number may be included in the sales conditions. Also, the sales conditions may indicate that the item is a product that the customer frequently purchases (a product with a purchase history).

[0284] In step S502, if it is detected that special sales conditions are set in the product information, the mobile terminal 20 obtains information on the number of items that have been fulfilled and that are set in the sales conditions, for example, by referring to the product master sale data shown in Figure 28(b). Then, the mobile terminal 20 determines the number of items to be purchased when the member purchases the product based on the acquired information on the number of items that have been sold, that is, the detected sales conditions (S503).

[0285] For example, the mobile terminal 20 detects from the acquired product identification information 0001 (corn) that the product is a target product for which a bulk discount with plan number 1 is set, acquires that the number of units for which the sales conditions for plan number 1 are met is three, and determines the bulk number of units eligible for the discount, "3", as the quantity. Alternatively, for example, if the product is a limited quantity product with sales conditions set, such as a limit of two per person, the mobile terminal 20 determines the limited quantity as the quantity. Furthermore, if the product is one that the customer frequently purchases (a product with a purchase history), the mobile terminal 20 may determine the number of units purchased last time.

[0286] After determining the number, the mobile terminal 20 displays a confirmation screen for confirming the registration of the product on the display unit 250 with the number set in advance as the purchase quantity (S504). Normally, when a member reads the barcode of a product, the mobile terminal 20 sets the purchase quantity to "1" and registers the product. However, if the product obtained by reading the barcode has special sales conditions, for example, if the product is eligible for a bulk discount, a confirmation screen will be displayed with the bulk purchase quantity set as shown in Figure 17(a), for example.

[0287] In step S504, the mobile terminal 20 that has displayed the confirmation screen waits for the "Enter" key 850h arranged on the confirmation screen to be operated. If an operation to change the number of items to be purchased is performed on the confirmation screen, the number of items to be purchased is changed in accordance with the operation.

[0288] In step S506, when it is detected that the "Enter" key 850h has been operated by the member, the mobile terminal 20 registers the product based on the number of items purchased at the time the "Enter" key 850h was operated, and completes the process.

[0289] On the other hand, if it is detected in step S502 that no special sales conditions are set in the product information, the process proceeds to step S505, the purchase quantity is set to "1", and without displaying the confirmation screen, the process proceeds to step S507, the product is registered, and the process is completed. The above describes the process related to the registration operation of loose products.

[0290] -Registering variable quantity items- When registering products sold by weight such as meat and prepared foods, a pricing label on which product information is recorded is printed by a scale that weighs the products sold by weight, and the mobile terminal 20 performs product registration processing by reading the barcode printed on the pricing label.

[0291] By connecting the weighing scale to a store controller, the product information recorded on the issued pricing label can be added to the product master. It should be noted that for products with variable weight, it may be possible to prevent the purchase quantity from being changed by operating the list display on the registration screen 810.

[0292] Furthermore, if the weighing device is connected to a network, the weighing device and mobile terminal 20 may be connected by short-range wireless communication or the like, the barcode of the product to be weighed may be read by mobile terminal 20, the product to be weighed may be specified by operating a key to designate the product, and the product may be weighed on the weighing device, and information about the weighed product may be registered in mobile terminal 20. In this case, the label issued by the weighing device may only contain information such as the expiration date and be affixed to the product.

[0293] Furthermore, if membership information and app user IDs can be recognized using ICs or other devices, shopping data can be generated even from bulk-specific weighing devices and uploaded as customer shopping data, and by comparing the two sets of data, it will be possible to prevent fraud and other such incidents. In addition, if the product has only been specified and the mass has not been determined, that is, the purchase price has not been determined, the product may be treated as a reserved product.

[0294] -Register coupon information- The mobile terminal 20 can register coupon information for paper coupons. For example, by reading the barcode printed on the coupon, the recorded discount information can be acquired and reflected in the registered product information. If the recorded coupon information is unique, the coupon information can be invalidated by reading the coupon information. If it is necessary to collect the coupon, a store clerk may be called during shopping to input the information, or the POS terminal 70 that performs the settlement process may be specified as a manned POS or the like to carry out the settlement.

[0295] The mobile terminal 20 may automatically calculate the maximum discount conditions for the coupon information that it has read, and may output the registration information with the price of the product reflected in the calculation. In addition, the mobile terminal 20 may include the read coupon information in the product registration information and output it as code information such as a symbol code, and have the POS terminal 70 read the code information, thereby outputting the coupon information to the POS terminal 70, etc., and performing discount processing, etc.

[0296] In this case, shopping identification information and coupon identification information may be recorded in code information such as a QR code (registered trademark) output by the mobile terminal 20, and the POS terminal 70 that acquires the identification information may acquire registration information and coupon information from the higher-level device 10 based on each identification information.

[0297] -Using a shopping list- A member uses the mobile terminal 20 to identify a store and download all or part of the store's product master data, and the mobile terminal 20 creates a list of products that the member plans to purchase (hereinafter referred to as a "shopping list") in response to the member's operation.

[0298] For example, the mobile terminal 20 creates a shopping list by having the member select and register products that he or she plans to purchase from a list of product information displayed on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may automatically register products that are purchased on a daily basis as products that he or she plans to purchase when creating a shopping list.

[0299] When registering products at a store, a member can display the shopping list on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20 and use the shopping list. The order of the items to be purchased in the displayed shopping list can be set or changed freely, such as in the order of store aisles or departments. Furthermore, for example, by voice input such as "vegetables" or "products," the mobile terminal 20 may display only the relevant department, or may display it at the top of the display area.

[0300] When a member registers a product, the mobile terminal 20 changes the display of product information on the shopping list and deletes the item from the shopping list, thereby letting the member know that the product they plan to purchase has been registered. It should be noted that the mobile terminal 20 may be configured to cancel or the like by notifying the planned purchase quantity for multiple products to be purchased and registering the planned quantity.

[0301] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may be configured so that product registration processing cannot be performed until the member has specified the product to be registered from the shopping list, thereby ensuring that the intended product can be purchased and preventing excessive impulse buying, such as the purchase of unintended products.

[0302] If the member images an item other than the specified item after specifying the item, the mobile terminal 20 may display an error message or give a notification. The mobile terminal 20 may also display an error message or give a notification when an image of another item registered in the shopping list is captured.

[0303] The mobile terminal 20 allows the registration process for products that are not on the shopping list, but in that case, it is preferable to notify the user that the product is not on the shopping list, such as by displaying a screen to confirm the purchase. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may display a list of registered information in such a way that it is possible to distinguish between products that are on the shopping list and products that are not on the shopping list.

[0304] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may allow the member to complete product registration by clicking on the product name displayed in the shopping list. This eliminates the need for the member to read the product's barcode, allowing for smoother product registration. Furthermore, by using the shopping list to register products, the registration process for products that do not have a barcode attached can be easily performed.

[0305] The mobile terminal 20 may automatically add regularly purchased products to the shopping list based on past shopping history information, and create a "shopping list" by scanning barcodes on empty containers or other items at home. The mobile terminal 20 may also be limited to functioning as a preset key for products that do not have barcodes attached. There is no need to take the trouble of reading barcodes on price plates or the like. An operation button may also be provided to display alternative products, such as the origin (manufacturer), specifications, and capacity.

[0306] If there is a product registered in the shopping list but without registration information, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the member by displaying on a registration screen or the like that the product has been forgotten to be purchased, and may further inquire as to whether or not to purchase the forgotten product.

[0307] -Registration information output processing- The process of outputting registration information at the time of payment will be further described. The registration information is output by converting the shopping identification information into a QR code (registered trademark), displaying it on the mobile terminal 20, and having the POS terminal 70 read it. The POS terminal 70 that reads the QR code (registered trademark) requests shopping information from the higher-level device 10 using the acquired shopping identification information, and the higher-level device 10 that receives the request from the POS terminal 70 calculates a subtotal using the shopping information linked to the shopping identification information and transmits the calculated shopping information to the POS terminal 70.

[0308] It is also possible to display a QR code (registered trademark) that encodes the shopping information on the screen of the mobile terminal 20 and output it to the POS terminal 70. In this case, the code information (QR code (registered trademark) 840a) displayed on the output screen 830 of the mobile terminal 20 is read by the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70 to output the registration information and perform the settlement process, but if there is a lot of registration information and one piece of code information is not enough, multiple pieces of code information are displayed in succession and read in succession by the input unit 760 of the POS terminal 70 to output all of the registration information. In this case, it is preferable that the mobile terminal 20 displays the total number of pieces of code information and the number of the currently displayed piece of code information on the output screen 830.

[0309] In addition, instead of reading shopping identification information, etc. using a QR code (registered trademark), the POS terminal 70 may acquire and receive information about registered products by having the mobile terminal 20 display information in the memory area of ​​the shopping file, and having acquired the information in the memory area, the POS terminal 70 acquiring the "shopping file" based on that information. Furthermore, the information output to the POS terminal 70 is not limited to a QR code (registered trademark), and may be a one-dimensional code. Furthermore, the information may be something that can identify member information, such as an NFC identification code of the mobile terminal 20. By setting this identifier in the shopping file, the shopping file can be easily identified.

[0310] When the registration information output process is performed by displaying code information (QR code (registered trademark) 840a) on the output screen 840 of the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 does not stop displaying the code information until the POS terminal 70 completes the registration information input process.

[0311] For example, the POS terminal 70 may complete the reading of the code information (QR code (registered trademark) 840a) and notify the mobile terminal 20 of this, and when the input of the code information in the POS terminal 70 is completed, the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20 may display a message such as "Product registration is complete. Subsequent operations will be performed at the checkout device," and then end the display of the code information.

[0312] This allows the member to understand that the product registration process using the mobile terminal 20 has been completed, and allows the member to concentrate on the payment process using the POS terminal 70. When the product registration process is completed, the mobile terminal 20 such as a smartphone closes the output screen 830 displayed on the display unit 250 and returns to the start screen 800.

[0313] Furthermore, the output of the registration information from the mobile terminal 20 to the POS terminal 70 is not limited to displaying code information. For example, a customer may complete the registration process using the mobile terminal 20 and select a POS terminal 70 to perform the settlement process, whereby the mobile terminal 20 identifies the POS terminal 70 and outputs the registration information to the POS terminal 70 via the network.

[0314] Furthermore, the input unit 260 of the mobile terminal 20 may read the identification information of the POS terminal 70 attached to or displayed on the screen of the POS terminal 70, and output the registration information to the POS terminal 70 corresponding to the read identification information via a network. In this case, the registration information may not be output directly to the POS terminal 70 selected by the mobile terminal 20, but may be output via a host system such as the host device 10 or the store controller 60. That is, the mobile terminal 20 may output the shopping identification information to the selected POS terminal 70, and the POS terminal 70 that inputs the shopping identification information may request and obtain the registration information corresponding to the higher-level system based on the shopping identification information.

[0315] In addition, the mobile terminal 20 may receive status information of the POS terminal 70 and display a status button or the like of the POS terminal 70 on the display unit 250, and when a member selects a POS terminal 70, the registration information may be output to the selected POS terminal 70. Furthermore, based on the status information transmitted from the POS terminal 70 to the mobile terminal 20, the mobile terminal 20 may automatically select the POS terminal 70 that outputs the registration information or shopping identification information, and output the information. The method of outputting the registration information from the mobile terminal 20 to the POS terminal 70 is not particularly limited, and may be performed by any appropriate method.

[0316] While shopping, the member may remember that they forgot to buy an item during the checkout process. In such a case, the member can press a cancel button or the like displayed on the display unit of the POS terminal 70 during the checkout process, which will cause the POS terminal 70 to display a notification screen on the display unit 730 stating, for example, "Checkout will be canceled. Subsequent operations will be performed on your smartphone." The registration screen 810 can also be displayed again on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20, allowing the member to continue registering the item.

[0317] -Settlement processing- The member selects a payment method to be used for payment processing of the product on the payment screen 950. However, if the payment method is registered in advance when the member registers, the POS terminal 70 does not need to display a screen for selecting the payment method. Note that even if a payment method is registered, it is preferable to be able to change the payment method.

[0318] For products that require age verification, such as alcoholic beverages, a store clerk must be called in the same way as for reserved products. In addition, for pharmaceuticals, explanations from a pharmacist or registered salesperson are mandatory for second-class pharmaceuticals, so a store clerk may be called in separately from reserved products.

[0319] The sales data processing system may treat these items in the same way as reserved items, store them as reserved item information, and call a store clerk by an informing means at the time of payment. Furthermore, it is preferable that the POS terminal 70 prohibits the transaction by prohibition means unless editing (confirmation processing) is performed, as with reserved product information. Furthermore, a notification may be made when a pharmacist or registered salesperson is not present.

[0320] Payment can be made using gift certificates or points earned by point members. Coupons and other discount coupons can also be used, and payment can be made in the same way as regular payment processing, with change being paid and receipts being issued. The sales data processing system may automatically call a store clerk when the store clerk's intervention is required for collecting the gift certificate, etc. Alternatively, the display unit of the mobile terminal 20 or the POS terminal 70 may display a message directing the user to a service counter or a manned POS.

[0321] Furthermore, it is preferable that the sales data processing system controls so that payment processing is not performed based on registered product information registered at a store other than the store specified by the member. In other words, the basket data (shopping file) generated by identifying the store contains store identification information, and when another store outputs the registration information registered by the identified mobile terminal 20 and attempts to perform the payment process using the POS terminal 70, an error message such as "This is not a purchase from this store" may be displayed on the display unit 750 of the POS terminal 70, and a store clerk may be called.

[0322] Furthermore, when a product registration process is performed using a mobile terminal 20 that identifies another store, the display screen of the mobile terminal 20 may display a message such as "The checkout at the other store has not been completed. Would you like to create basket data for our store?" or "You are logged in to another store. You cannot log in," thereby preventing shopping at the other store.

[0323] Furthermore, the sales data processing system preferably allows a store clerk to check the transaction as necessary during the settlement process. The check by the store clerk may be performed in the store clerk calling process in step S703 of the flow in FIG. 11, but may also be performed at another timing. Furthermore, the check of the settlement process by the store clerk may be carried out randomly as a spot check, but it is preferable to carry out the check according to the operation status and operation level of the member's mobile terminal 20.

[0324] For example, the sales data processing system may have a store clerk check members whose membership level stored in the customer file is the lowest level L1, so that first-time members will always be checked and supported by a store clerk. On the other hand, for members at a high level L5 who have completed the registration process multiple times using the mobile terminal 20 and have made few operational errors using the mobile terminal 20, checks and support by store staff are omitted, thereby reducing the burden on the store.

[0325] -Prevent forgetting to pay- If the member moves outside the store without completing the payment process for the purchased product, the mobile terminal 20 notifies the member that the payment process for the product is incomplete. Specifically, the location of the mobile terminal 20 is identified using GPS location information, and if the customer moves outside the store premises without completing the payment process, the mobile terminal 20 notifies the customer via their registered email address or app screen.

[0326] In addition, when a product registration process is performed using an app, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the customer by not forcibly terminating the app until the payment process is completed and by prohibiting the launch of other apps. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the user by e-mail or the like that automatic payment will be made using a pre-registered payment method such as a credit card.

[0327] Furthermore, the sales data processing system of this embodiment may be operated without performing settlement processing at the settlement device by registering credit, electronic money, or a withdrawal account at a financial institution, etc. However, since members can shop with peace of mind if they confirm the purchase details, the member may also decide to confirm the details at their own discretion at the settlement device or a device with similar functionality.

[0328] In addition, if there are no pending items or if, depending on conditions such as the member's operation level, there is no need to pay in cash or use gift certificates or coupons, i.e., there is no need to use the settlement device for online payment or direct debit, the mobile terminal 20 may notify the user that operation of the settlement device can be skipped when displaying the registration information or shopping identification information in the registration completion operation as a QR code (registered trademark), or may instead notify or guide the user by displaying an indication such as "No operation is required on the settlement device."

[0329] - View purchase history - The sales data processing system of this embodiment stores the operation history and status of the mobile terminal 20 from the time the member enters the store until the time the member completes the settlement process at the settlement device, and can display (display warning information) on the display unit 250 of the mobile terminal 20 or the display unit of the POS terminal (settlement device) 70 as necessary.

[0330] For example, as shown in FIG. 20, when a member uses the mobile terminal 20 to read the barcode of a product, the POS terminal 70 displays a situation in which the product registration information could not be read as "Pending product not scanned" 920c, and also displays a situation in which the member was able to obtain product identification information by reading the barcode of the product, but the product information does not exist in the product master as "Pending product non-file" 920b. Furthermore, the POS terminal 70 displays a situation in which a member registers a product using the mobile terminal 20 and then cancels the registration of the product as a "cancelled product" 920d.

[0331] The operation history displayed by the sales data processing system of this embodiment is not limited to the operation of canceling reserved products. For example, during a limited-time sale, a member may use the mobile terminal 20 to display discount information (discount stickers, etc.) applied to a product as "discounted product" 920h on the display unit (display of warning information).

[0332] In addition, service information (discounts, discounts) regarding free items is usually stored in the upper device 10 in association with the product, and by reading the product barcode, the service information (discounts, discounts) is automatically reflected based on the product identification information.

[0333] On the other hand, discounts and discounts on prepared food during limited time sales or clearance sales of vegetables are sometimes handled by affixing discount stickers or the like depending on the discretion of the store clerk who has seen the actual item. In this case, since it is difficult to link service information to the higher-level device 10, the member may read the barcode (discount information) printed on the discount sticker that he or she has attached himself or herself, and then apply a discount to the product by reading the product's barcode, etc. The discount may be applied by reading the barcode of the product and then reading the discount information on the discount sticker. Furthermore, the discount information on the discount sticker is not limited to a barcode, but may be text such as "50% off" or symbols such as "◯" or "◎", and is not particularly limited as long as it can be recognized by the mobile terminal 20.

[0334] When applying discounts in this way, for example, if product A has service information attached that offers a 50% discount, there is a possibility that fraud could occur by reading the barcode information of product B, which does not have the discount applied, and then reading the service information of product A, resulting in the 50% discount being applied to product B as well.

[0335] In order to reduce these fraudulent transactions as much as possible, if a member registers a 50% discount five or more times, the POS terminal 70 may classify the member's transaction as a caution transaction (add warning information) and, like other pending items, display it at the top of the registered product information 920a on the registration confirmation screen 920 as a discount transaction requiring the intervention of a store clerk (display warning information). The POS terminal 70 may thereafter manage the member as a cautioned customer.

[0336] The sales data processing system may set a discount availability flag and a discount upper limit value in association with the product identification information in the product master 110, thereby making it impossible to register products with fraudulent discounts.

[0337] For example, the sales data processing system may set the product identification information of product B on the product master 110 to "no discount available," thereby prohibiting the discount process from being executed when a member reads the product B barcode information and the 50% discount service information, and may also notify the member that "This product is not eligible for discounts. It is possible that a discount sticker for another product has been read."

[0338] In addition, the sales data processing system may set "Upper limit: 20% discount" in the product identification information of product C on the product master 110, so that when a member reads the barcode information of product C and service information that exceeds the upper limit, the system prohibits the execution of the discount process and notifies the member of a similar error message.

[0339] Furthermore, when the execution of the discount process is prohibited, the sales data processing system may store the member in the member master 130 as a cautioned customer and set it so that a store clerk will intervene at the time of payment, or may display the product as requiring confirmation (display warning information) on the registration confirmation screen 920 along with a word such as "discount" in the same way as other reserved products.

[0340] Furthermore, when a member's smartphone is used as the mobile terminal 20, the battery for the smartphone may be lent out. Members can link and manage batteries by reading a QR code (registered trademark) attached to the battery using their mobile terminal 20. In this case, the POS terminal 70 may display on the display unit the status of the battery being loaned out (display warning information), and may even issue a notification urging the member to return the battery after the settlement process is completed.

[0341] Furthermore, the POS terminal 70 may display the battery alongside other reserved items on the registration confirmation screen 920 of the member who rented the battery as a product requiring confirmation (display of warning information) along with a word such as "battery."

[0342] Furthermore, when registering a product, a member may fix their mobile terminal (smartphone) 20 in a smartphone holder placed in a predetermined position on the shopping cart (for example, at the handle position) so that the camera portion is exposed, and register the product by reading the product barcode with the mobile terminal 20. This allows members to shop while constantly monitoring the status of their shopping carts and their personal bags.

[0343] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 may be configured to activate the camera and monitor changes in the products in the basket, either constantly or when hand movement is detected, while the mobile terminal 20 is fixed to the smartphone holder. This allows the mobile terminal 20 to detect when an unregistered product has been placed in the basket, and when this is detected, it may determine that this is fraudulent and notify a store clerk or the like.

[0344] In addition, when the mobile terminal 20 detects that an unregistered product has been added to the cart, it may display (display warning information) such as, "An unregistered product may have been added to the cart. Please register the correct product."

[0345] In order to avoid transferring items from the basket to a shopping bag after payment is completed, the mobile terminal 20 may display a screen on the display unit 250 at the start of shopping to confirm whether the member has brought their own bag. If the member selects on the confirmation screen that he / she does not have his / her own bag, the mobile terminal 20 may transition to a screen for purchasing a plastic bag and encourage the member to purchase one, or may display a message urging the member to purchase a plastic bag provided by the store. This allows members to place their own bag or plastic bag in the shopping cart before starting shopping, eliminating the need to transfer items from the basket to the shopping bag after payment is complete. In such stores, it is preferable to provide a space at the entrance where plastic bags can be purchased.

[0346] Furthermore, if the member refuses to purchase the plastic bag, the mobile terminal 20 may add warning information to the shopping information, and the POS terminal 70 may issue a notification to call a store clerk at the time of payment. Furthermore, if a member selects to purchase plastic bags, the mobile terminal 20 may add warning information to the shopping information, and the POS terminal 70 may display the number of plastic bags purchased on a registration confirmation screen or the like at the time of payment, and may prohibit the payment process unless confirmation is received from a store clerk. In order to monitor the status of plastic bags and the like using mobile terminal 20 while the plastic bags are placed in a shopping cart, it is preferable that the plastic bags distributed at stores have a large opening, and it is also preferable that my bag have a large opening.

[0347] When a product is registered, the mobile terminal 20 notifies the member by flashing the screen for a moment. Alternatively, the member may be notified by generating a reading sound such as a shutter sound. Furthermore, if the member is holding the mobile terminal 20 in his / her hand while performing the registration operation, the member may be notified that the product has been registered by applying vibrations.

[0348] Whether the member is shopping with the mobile terminal 20 fixed to a shopping cart or holding it in their hand can be determined using a gyro sensor or the like built into the mobile terminal 20, and the mobile terminal 20 can provide notifications by using an appropriate combination of flash alerts, reading sound alerts, and vibration alerts depending on the situation.

[0349] The POS terminal 70 may notify the customer to take the mobile terminal 20, such as a smartphone, home with them when the payment is processed. For example, when a member uses the POS terminal 70 to read the QR code (registered trademark) displayed on the mobile terminal 20 during payment, the POS terminal 70 may display a message on the registration confirmation screen 920 such as, "Payment will begin. Operation of the mobile terminal has been completed. Please put it away so you do not forget."

[0350] In addition, the upper device (cloud service) 10 or the POS terminal 70 displays a registration confirmation screen 920 and notifies the mobile terminal 20 that the transaction has progressed to the settlement process, and upon receiving the notification, the mobile terminal 20 may display a message such as "Please settle the bill" on the display unit.

[0351] Furthermore, when the settlement process is completed at the POS terminal 70, the POS terminal 70 notifies the mobile terminal 20 that the transaction has been completed, and the mobile terminal 20, upon receiving the notification, displays "Settlement has been completed. Thank you for your use." on the display unit 250. After that, when a predetermined operation is performed or a predetermined time has elapsed, the start screen 800 shown in FIG. 12(a) or the registration screen 810 shown in FIG. 12(b) may be displayed.

[0352] In addition, the sales data processing system may identify the route taken by the member from entering the store to the POS terminal 70 based on the GPS information of the mobile terminal 20 or information on registered products, store the route, and display the status of the mobile terminal 20 on the display unit of the POS terminal 70 (display warning information). In addition, the sales data processing system may identify the length of time a member spends from the time they enter the store until they reach the POS terminal 70 in relation to their route of travel, store the information in relation to the route of travel, and display the information (warning information) on the display unit of the POS terminal 70 as the status of the mobile terminal 20.

[0353] In addition, the sales data processing system may store the time when the product registration operation was performed from the time the member entered the store to the time when the member reached the POS terminal 70, and display the product registration operation status in chronological order on the POS terminal 70 (display warning information).

[0354] Furthermore, the sales data processing system of this embodiment may accumulate data on the registration operation status of stored products, and determine the display position of products in a store by analyzing the registration operation patterns based on the accumulated data.

[0355] Furthermore, the sales data processing system of this embodiment may infer unauthorized operations by store staff by analyzing registered operation patterns based on the accumulated data. When a registration operation by a member is suspected to be an unauthorized operation, the sales data processing system may display a message to that effect on the display unit of the POS terminal 70 (display of warning information).

[0356] For example, if there is a pending product whose code information cannot be read during a member's registration operation, or if the registered product information is canceled, the sales data processing system preferably notifies the member on the display unit so that a store clerk can check and provide support.

[0357] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 or the POS terminal 70 may refer to the member file to obtain the number of past cancellations and have a store clerk check members who have made a predetermined number of cancellations or more in the past, or may refer to the shopping file to have a store clerk check members who have made a predetermined number of registration deletion (cancellation) operations or more during the same shopping trip.

[0358] Specifically, the POS terminal 70 may be configured to call a store clerk when a product registration cancellation operation is performed multiple times (for example, three times) during the transaction. The number of times that the sales data processing system will notify may be set by the store clerk as appropriate. Furthermore, when calling a store clerk based on a registration cancellation operation, the POS terminal 70 may take into consideration the past shopping history. For example, the POS terminal 70 may be set to call a store clerk if the total number of registration cancellation operations performed this time, last time, and the time before last is five or more.

[0359] This allows store staff to check, for example, customers who scan areas of the product where there is no barcode and pretend to be registering the product, or customers who delete registration information without returning the product.

[0360] Furthermore, the sales data processing system may be configured to notify members who have made multiple large discount transactions at the time of payment.

[0361] When notifying the member at the time of payment, the POS terminal 70 may display information in a manner that does not reveal to the member that it suspects that the registration operation is a fraudulent operation. Furthermore, the POS terminal 70 may display a message to the member requesting that a store clerk be called when the member makes a payment if the member suspects that the registration operation is an unauthorized operation.

[0362] By setting whether or not a store clerk checks the transaction during payment processing based on the operation history of the mobile terminal 20 during the member's registration process, it is possible to improve service quality, efficiency, and security by actively having a store clerk intervene, focusing on members who frequently cancel registration or make operation errors, or members who are likely to be unfamiliar with registering using the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, a notification that the use of the app is prohibited may be issued.

[0363] Regarding the intervention of the store clerk based on the operation history of the mobile terminal 20 during the membership registration process, it is not limited to the settlement process, and it may also be at the time of entering the store or registering a product. For a member who uses the service for the first time, by intervening at the time of entering the store rather than at the time of settlement, a smooth product registration process can be promoted.

[0364] <Mode of processing non-file products> FIG. 32 is an example of a block diagram of the processing of non-file products. As already described, in this specification, a non-file product refers to a product for which product information does not exist in the product master. The product master is a master file that manages the product names, prices, etc. of the products handled by the store. The product master is an example of a product database.

[0365] In FIG. 32, the store sales data processing system includes an acquisition means 302 that acquires the product code (for example, PLU) read by the mobile terminal 20, a notification means 304, a product data acquisition means 306 that receives product information from an external database 312, a product information editing means 308, a DB update means 309 that updates the product database 110, a product information transmission means 310, the product database 110, a shopping file 140, and the like. Note that the file of the data acquired by the acquisition means 302 and the shopping file 140 may be constituted by one file. Also, the product database 110 may be the product master already described. These components do not necessarily have to be implemented in one computer system (or device), and may be implemented in a distributed manner by a plurality of computer systems that can communicate comprehensively via a network.

[0366] Also, the program for realizing this embodiment may be executed in a distributed manner by a plurality of computers connected communicably via a network. First, the symbol code of the product is read by the mobile terminal 20 operated by the customer, and a product code such as a PLU that identifies the product is acquired. The acquired product code is first obtained by acquisition means 302. The product database 110 is searched using the product code of the data acquired by acquisition means 302 as a key. The product database may be located within the store or in an organization that oversees multiple stores. A copy of the product database may also be located within a mobile terminal.

[0367] There are cases where product information such as the price of a product corresponding to a product code (PLU) cannot be obtained from the product database. Such products are called non-file products, and the obtaining means 302 obtains this information. If information including the price can be obtained from the product database 110, the product information can be registered in the virtual shopping file 140.

[0368] In the case of a non-file product, notification means 304 is activated to notify the customer that the product is a non-file product. Notification means 304 notifies the customer of this fact via a terminal located in the back room or the like and managed by a store clerk. Furthermore, since the mobile terminal 20 does not provide product price information, it is desirable to also notify the customer on the mobile terminal screen that the product will be treated as a reserved product, that the product will be placed in a reserved basket, etc. (notification means 208 in FIG. 9). Note that notification to the store clerk may be made via a device other than a terminal (or server) located in the back room or the like and managed by the store clerk. For example, notification to the store clerk may be made via a mobile terminal carried by the store clerk, a POS terminal for checkout, or a terminal at the service counter.

[0369] Even if a customer is in the middle of shopping, a store clerk in the backroom or elsewhere can respond to this notification and perform tasks such as storing information about the non-file product in the product database. Also, if a customer is processing a payment in front of a POS terminal where a store clerk is stationed, the store clerk can use the POS terminal to register the non-file product. This process will be described later.

[0370] If a customer is in the middle of shopping, it is desirable for the product information transmission means 310 to transmit the product name and price of the non-file product to the customer's terminal when the non-file product is registered. This allows the customer to check the price of a non-file product whose price was previously unknown from their mobile terminal. In this case, however, the process of transferring products placed in the holding basket to a regular basket may be confusing for customers, so such a notification need not be given to the customer. In this case, non-file products whose prices and other information have been determined remain in the holding basket, and the store clerk operating the POS terminal at the time of payment can simply check the held products and perform the appropriate payment operation depending on whether or not a non-file product has been consumed. It is anticipated that customers may be confused by a sudden change in the display of non-file products on their mobile devices. To avoid such confusion, as will be described later, it is possible to prevent the product names and prices of non-file products from being sent to the customer's mobile device.

[0371] The product information collection means in Fig. 32 allows a store clerk to collect and edit information about non-file products. The collected information about non-file products is stored in product database 110 from product information editing means via DB update means 309. If there are multiple product databases, they can be mutually updated so that the multiple product databases have the latest information.

[0372] It is desirable that the product information editing means be configured to present a captured image of the non-file product captured by the mobile terminal 20. The store clerk can confirm what kind of product the non-file product is by checking this captured image. Once the product is confirmed, the store clerk inputs the price, name, subcategory, etc. of the product. The input information about the non-file product is stored in the product database 110, and thereafter, the product can be prevented from being treated as a non-file product.

[0373] The product data acquisition means 306 plays a role in acquiring information about products that do not exist in the product database managed by the store. For example, it can access JICFS (JAN code integrated product information database) and acquire information about non-file products. Note that the external database is not limited to JICFS. The product data acquisition means 306 searches the JICFS (external database 321) using, for example, the PLU code of the non-file product acquired from the mobile terminal as a key. For example, information such as product image data and product name can be obtained from JICFS (external database 321).

[0374] The product data acquisition means 306 transmits the acquired information to the product information editing means 308. The product information editing means 308 presents the transmitted information to the store clerk. This allows the store clerk to identify what kind of product the non-file product is. This allows appropriate product data editing. Furthermore, the store clerk can more reliably identify the non-file product by comparing the captured image of the product sent from the mobile terminal with the image of the product acquired from the external database 321.

[0375] Figure 33 shows an example of a processing flow for non-file products. Each processing step in this flow is described below. The subject of this processing is the sales data processing system used by the store. Some of the hardware of the sales data processing system may reside on a cloud located physically separated from the store via a network. [S330] First, the product code included in the symbol code of the product imaged by the mobile terminal is received. The process proceeds to step S332. [S332] The product code is used to search the product master 110. The process proceeds to S333. [S333] It is checked whether product information corresponding to the product code has been searched for in the product master. If the product information has been obtained by the search (Yes), the process proceeds to step S334. If the product information has not been found by the search (No), the process proceeds to step S335.

[0376] [S334] The product information has been searched and the price, product name, etc. of the product the customer is purchasing have been obtained. The product information, etc. is registered in the virtual shopping file as a valid product intended for purchase, and the process ends. [S335] When the process moves to this step, it means that the price information of the product purchased by the customer has not been registered in the product master. In other words, this product is called a non-file product. The product is assigned the status of a reserved product and registered in the virtual shopping file. This registration may be performed by adding a flag indicating that the reserved product is a non-file product to the virtual shopping file. The process proceeds to step S336.

[0377] [S336] In the case of non-file products, the selling price and other information about the product are unknown. For this reason, it is desirable to store product information about non-file products in the product master as soon as possible. While the customer continues shopping, the store clerk can create or edit product information about the non-file products and register it in the product master, which will ensure a smooth checkout process for the customer. For this reason, the product code of the non-file product is obtained. Processing proceeds to step S337.

[0378] [S337] A notification is issued that clerk intervention is required because processing such as retrieving, editing, and registering product information for the non-file product is required. This notification may be transmitted to a management terminal in the store's backroom. Alternatively, it may be transmitted to one of the POS terminals that handles payment processing. It is desirable that the non-file product's identification code (PLU) be presented to the clerk. Alternatively, this notification may be transmitted to a mobile terminal operated by the clerk. When the notification is transmitted to the clerk's mobile terminal, the sales location of the non-file product within the store may be displayed on the mobile terminal. The sales location of the non-file product may be identified, for example, by acquiring the location where the customer's mobile terminal captured an image of the non-file product. By visiting the sales location of the non-file product, the clerk can confirm the selling price written on the sales tag of the non-file product. Then, immediately after confirmation, the clerk can create, edit, and register product information for the non-file product on the clerk's mobile terminal. Furthermore, when issuing the notification, an image of the non-file product captured by the mobile terminal may be presented to the clerk. The process proceeds to step S338.

[0379] [S338] An external database (for example, JICFS (external database 321)) may be searched using the identification code (PLU) of the non-file product as a key. By searching such an external database, the price, name, etc. of the product corresponding to the identification code can be obtained. The searched product name, price, etc. are preferably presented to the store clerk. The process proceeds to step S340. The external database is not limited to JICFS.

[0380] [S340] An image of the non-file product captured by the mobile terminal may be presented to the clerk. Additionally, the product name, price, etc. retrieved from the external database are preferably presented to the clerk. The clerk may then decide on the product's selling price on the spot by checking this image information, or may check a pre-determined selling price. Additionally, the product name retrieved from the external database is preferably presented to the clerk. Processing proceeds to step S342.

[0381] [S342] The store clerk checks the presented image, product name, etc., and enters the product information for the non-file product. If the product name presented by searching the external database is to be used as is, the product name may be entered by touching the copy key (described later). Since the product price is often the list price obtained from an external database, the price at the store may be decided on the spot by a salesperson, or a predetermined selling price may be checked and that price may be adopted. The process proceeds to step S344.

[0382] [S344] The product master is updated based on the product data entered and edited by the sales clerk. If there are multiple product masters, it is desirable to update all of them synchronously. Processing proceeds to step S346. [S346] It is desirable that the edited product data of the non-file product be sent to the customer's mobile device as well, because the non-file product is still displayed on the customer's mobile device, and the price and product name are not displayed. It is anticipated that if edited product data for non-file products is sent to a customer's mobile device, the display on the customer's mobile device may change while the customer is shopping, causing confusion for the customer. For this reason, even if edited product data for non-file products is sent to the customer's mobile device, the display on the customer's mobile device may not change, or the edited product data for non-file products may not be sent to the customer's mobile device, but may be sent only to a terminal other than the customer's mobile device (such as a POS terminal).

[0383] In this way, the product data of the non-file product is registered in the product master and is also used in the settlement process. If the customer does not wish to purchase the non-file product, the store clerk can cancel the non-file product purchase at the time of payment. Even if the product information of a non-file product is registered in the product master by a store clerk before the checkout process, the non-file product may be treated as a pending product. Whether or not to include the non-file product in the checkout may be left to the store clerk's key operation on a POS terminal.

[0384] 34 shows an example of processing on a mobile terminal for a non-file product. The mobile terminal operated by the customer may be a mobile terminal owned by the customer himself or a mobile terminal loaned to the customer by the store. It is desirable that the mobile terminal runs a program that executes at least the following processes. The process flow is explained below.

[0385] [S360] The mobile terminal reads the symbol code of the product the customer wishes to purchase. Then, using the product code contained in the symbol code, the product master is searched. This search obtains product information for the product the customer wishes to purchase, and the product information is stored in a virtual shopping file. The product master may be downloaded to a mobile terminal. Alternatively, the product master may be stored in the store's sales data processing system. Product data is obtained based on the product code. If product data corresponding to the product code is not registered in the product master, the selling price, name, etc. of the product cannot be obtained. As already mentioned, such products are called non-file products. This flow is based on the assumption that non-file products exist, so processing proceeds to S362.

[0386] [S362] It is desirable that the mobile terminal display differently products that require clerk intervention, including non-file products, from products that do not. By differentiating the display in this way, the customer can know whether or not the product they are purchasing requires clerk intervention. If a product that requires clerk intervention is displayed on the mobile terminal, the customer knows that they will be required to use a POS terminal operated by a clerk at the time of payment. If all the products the customer purchases do not require clerk intervention, it is possible to pay using only the mobile terminal. In this case, the customer can leave the store by simply completing the payment on the mobile terminal without using the POS terminal. The process proceeds to step S364.

[0387] [S364] After the symbol code is read, the product code of the non-file product is transmitted to the store's sales data processing system. Therefore, the store clerk can conduct research on the non-file product while the customer continues shopping. The store clerk uses the terminal operated by the clerk to create and edit product information for the non-file product. The product information for the non-file product is then registered in the product master, and the product information is also sent to the mobile terminal. Processing proceeds to step S366.

[0388] [S366] If the mobile terminal is not currently using the POS terminal to process the payment (while the customer is shopping), it is desirable for the mobile terminal to receive product information about non-file products from the store's sales data processing system. This product information reveals the name, price, etc. of the non-file product, and this information can be displayed on the mobile terminal.

[0389] Note that even after receiving the product information for the non-file product, the mobile terminal may continue to handle the non-file product in the reserved product category. Therefore, even if the selling price of the non-file product becomes known, the subtotal amount on the mobile terminal may not be changed. This is because if the subtotal amount were to be automatically changed as soon as the product information for the non-file product is acquired by the mobile terminal, it may be confusing to the customer. Therefore, the selling price of the non-file product may be included in the subtotal during the settlement process at the POS terminal operated by the store clerk.

[0390] The above is the processing flow of the program executed on the mobile terminal. As mentioned above, when purchasing only products that do not require the intervention of a store clerk, the mobile terminal can simply read the symbol code of the product, display the purchased product, and execute payment using only the mobile terminal to complete the purchase of the product.

[0391] 35 shows an example of the registration process of a non-file product in the product master. This screen 660 is displayed on a terminal operated by a store clerk in the back room of the store, a POS terminal operated by a store clerk, or the like.

[0392] Using this screen 660, the store clerk can be notified of non-file products. Also, using this screen 660, the store clerk can create and edit product information for non-file products. In addition, this screen 660 can send product information to a product master or a mobile terminal. Also, using this screen 660, the store clerk can confirm the purchase of a non-file product, cancel the purchase, and so on.

[0393] In the PLU display field 661b, the PLU code obtained by the symbol code read by the mobile terminal 20 is displayed. The quantity display section 661c displays the number of items. The quantity of items can be incremented by pressing the plus button 661. The quantity of items can also be decremented by pressing the minus button 660e. The PLU value can be edited by touching the PLU button 662a. The editing process is performed by touching the virtual keyboard 667 or by using a physical keyboard (not shown). To edit the subcategory of an item, touch the subcategory button 662b. To edit the price (selling price), touch the price button 662c.

[0394] The captured image area 661k displays a captured image of a non-file product captured by a mobile terminal. The external DB product image area displays product images acquired from an external database. The store clerk can identify the product by referring to these images.

[0395] Furthermore, the external DB product name field 668a displays the name of the non-file product obtained from the external database. If this name is also to be used in the store, touching copy button 669 copies the data in the external DB product name field 668a to the store product name field 661f. This operation not only saves the store clerk the trouble of having to input the product name, but also ensures that the correct product name is used.

[0396] If the retail price of the product can be obtained from an external database, the retail price may be entered in the price column 661h by default. To change the selling price at the store, a virtual keyboard 667 or the like may be used. The minor category of the product is entered in the minor category field 661h. When the store clerk touches the minor category key 662b, preset keys (not shown) for selecting a minor category may be popped up. In this case, the store clerk can select an appropriate minor category from the popped up minor category keys.

[0397] If the user wishes to scan the product again, the user touches the scan button 665. The cancel product button 663 may be used to cancel editing of a non-file product, or may be used when the customer cancels purchasing the product. The confirm button 664 is touched when the creation and editing of the product information is completed. When the confirm button 664 is touched, the product information is registered in the product master and may also be sent to the mobile terminal.

[0398] Screen 660 is displayed when a store clerk creates or edits product information for non-file products in the back of the store, or when a store clerk operates the screen when a customer pays for products at a POS terminal. For example, when using a screen operated by a store clerk in the back of the store, it is not necessary to change the number of products. Therefore, the screen for the back of the store terminal and the screen for the POS terminal used for payment processing may be different.

[0399] 36 is an example of a POS terminal 70 (payment machine) displaying reserved items. This example shows an example of the screen of a POS terminal using a portrait screen. This POS terminal screen may not only be the screen of a POS terminal operated by a store clerk, but also the screen of a self-service POS terminal operated by the customer themselves, or the customer's screen of a semi-self-service POS terminal operated by both the store clerk and the customer. Reserved products 682a, 682b, 682c, and 682d are displayed on screen 680. In addition, two products registered in the product master, Mont Blanc cake 682e and baguette 682f, are also displayed.

[0400] Reserved items are marked as non-file items and age verification items. Reserved items indicate items that require the intervention of a store clerk. It is recommended that reserved items be placed in a reserved basket. Since the reserved items are displayed, the message "Please register the reserved items" is displayed. Also, the reserved items button 683 displays the number of reserved items, "4."

[0401] Reserved product 680a was a non-file product, but because the product information was registered in the product master before checkout, the product name "Sausage A" and selling price "¥150" are displayed. However, this amount is not added to the total. Because it is a reserved product and exists in the reserved basket, it has not been added to the total. If the store clerk touches Confirm button 664, it is desirable that the added total amount be displayed. Note that if the Cancel button 663 is subsequently touched, it may be deducted from the total. In this case, it is desirable that the identification code of the created / edited non-file product remain saved in the product master.

[0402] The reserved product 682b is a non-file product, but because the product information is still unknown or the clerk was unable to edit it in time, the PLU code is displayed, but the product name and selling price are not. In this case, the clerk operating the POS terminal can touch the reserved product button 683, which causes a screen for creating and editing product information for the non-file product to pop up. This will be described later. In this way, it is desirable to display differently non-file products whose product information has been registered in the product master by the clerk and edited by the clerk before the checkout, and non-file products whose editing by the clerk was unable to complete in time. If the clerk has already completed editing of all non-file products before payment at the self-service POS terminal operated by the customer, the customer may complete the payment without the intervention of a clerk by performing an operation to read the symbol code of the non-file product of the reserved product. (Note that if there are products other than non-file products that require the intervention of a clerk, the clerk will also be required to intervene at the self-service POS terminal.) The other two reserved items are age verification items. The process by the store clerk for age verification items has already been described, so we will not explain it here.

[0403] 37 shows an example of the process of registering a non-file product in the product master at a POS terminal. This screen is displayed when the store clerk touches the reserved product button 683. It is desirable that when the reserved item button 683 is touched, a product list 687 containing only reserved items is displayed. This makes it easier for the store clerk to identify the reserved items. It is also desirable that when an item in the reserved item list 687 is touched, a screen for processing the appropriate reserved item pops up in a position on the screen that is easily visible to the store clerk.

[0404] In FIG. 37, a pop-up 660 for registering a non-file product is displayed when the store clerk touches a non-file product 687b. This pop-up 660 is the same as the registration screen for non-file products shown in Fig. 35. The operation of the pop-up 660 will be omitted. In order to make the pop-up screen easier to see, other screens may be displayed in the background and grayed out. The configuration and operation of this embodiment for non-file products have been described above. This embodiment allows non-file products to be processed quickly when purchasing products using a mobile terminal, thereby improving customer convenience.

[0405] Next, an example of a block diagram of the mobile terminal 20 of the sales data processing system will be described with reference to FIG. 25(a). The sales data processing system of this embodiment has a CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, a memory 24, a network I / F 25, an input unit I / F 26, a display unit I / F 27, and the like as a control unit.

[0406] The CPU 21 constitutes the computer and executes instructions in the software program. The ROM 22 pre-stores programs and the like for operation by the CPU 21. The programs and the like may be stored on a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM and read by an external device such as a CD-ROM drive.

[0407] The RAM 23 is used as a work storage area necessary for storing programs and for software operation. The memory 24 is composed of a hard disk drive or the like and stores information such as product master data. The network I / F 25 is a circuit for exchanging data with devices connected to a network. The input unit I / F 26 is a circuit for performing input and output with the input unit 260 . The display unit I / F 27 is a circuit for performing input and output with a display unit 250 such as a touch panel.

[0408] Next, an example of a block diagram of the POS terminal 70 of the sales data processing system will be described with reference to FIG. 25(b). The sales data processing system of this embodiment has, as a control unit, a CPU 71, a ROM 72, a RAM 73, a memory 74, a network I / F 75, an input unit I / F 76, a display unit I / F 77, a printing unit I / F 78, and the like.

[0409] The CPU 71 constitutes a computer and executes instructions of a software program. The ROM 72 pre-stores programs and the like for operation by the CPU 71. The programs and the like may be stored on a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM and read by an external device such as a CD-ROM drive.

[0410] The RAM 73 is used as a work storage area necessary for storing programs and for the software to operate. The memory 74 is composed of a hard disk drive or the like and stores information such as product master data. The network I / F 75 is a circuit for exchanging data with means connected to a network. The input unit I / F 76 is a circuit for performing input and output with the input unit 760 . The display unit I / F 77 is a circuit for performing input and output with a display unit 750 such as a touch panel. The printing unit I / F 78 is a circuit for performing input and output with a printing unit 770 such as a printer.

[0411] As described above, the sales data processing system of this embodiment generates reserved product information for products that could not be registered when the customer uses their mobile terminal to register the product, and guides the product to the basket as a reserved product, thereby reducing the chance of customers abandoning the purchase of the product and preventing lost opportunities. If the product cannot be registered, the customer is notified of this and the product is registered as a reserved product, so that shopping is not delayed by the product that cannot be registered, and shopping can be carried out smoothly.

[0412] In addition, when reserved goods are registered, a store clerk is called to prompt the customer to correct the information, and the settlement process is prohibited while reserved goods exist, so that the settlement process cannot be completed with goods that could not be registered included, and erroneous transactions can be prevented. Then, pending product information is generated for the product that has been placed in the shopping cart by pretending to read the product code information, and a store clerk is called at the POS terminal 70, thereby preventing fraud.

[0413] Furthermore, when a customer scans a non-file product that is not registered in the product master, the store clerk is notified that it is a non-file product. Therefore, while the customer continues shopping, they can add or edit product information about the non-file product and update the product master from a terminal for store clerks installed in the backroom of the store. This updated information about the non-file product is also sent to the customer's mobile device, and information about the non-file product, such as price, is also displayed on the customer's mobile device. Furthermore, when a customer has finished selecting products and is paying at the POS terminal, information such as price for non-file products that have already been registered and updated in the product master is also displayed on the POS terminal. This eliminates the need for store clerks to check the price of non-file products when paying at the POS terminal. This further reduces the time required for payment at the POS terminal. In addition, when a customer scans an item with their mobile device, the store clerk is notified whether the item is a medicine, a security tag product, or an age verification product. This allows the store clerk to prepare for each item while the customer continues shopping, further shortening the time required for payment at the POS terminal.

[0414] Furthermore, the sales data processing system of this embodiment stores and displays the status of the product registration operation performed by the customer using the mobile terminal and the status of the mobile terminal, thereby preventing fraudulent operations by customers. Furthermore, by accumulating and analyzing the operation history of customers when registering products, it is possible to predict fraud while the customer is performing product registration operations, thereby preventing fraudulent operations without increasing the burden on store staff.

[0415] In addition, the sales data processing system of this embodiment notifies customers of the status of their mobile devices, preventing them from forgetting the smartphone used to register a product at the store and also preventing customers from forgetting to return loaned batteries, etc.

[0416] It goes without saying that the above embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, but are treated as examples. For example, in the sales data processing system of this embodiment, when the registration information includes reserved product information, the POS terminal 70 displays a list of the registration information and the reserved product information together, but it may also display a list of only the reserved product information. The POS terminal 70 may display a list of product information by having the store clerk modify all the reserved product information.

[0417] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 20 can be provided with various additional functions. For example, a member may launch a dedicated app to detect and notify the remaining battery level and signal strength of the smartphone. If the battery is low, the mobile terminal may notify the member by displaying a message such as "The battery may run out at ...:... minutes" or "The battery may run out due to the reading process at ... points."

[0418] Also, if the mobile terminal switches to offline mode due to poor radio wave conditions, the mobile terminal may notify the user by displaying a message such as "Only barcode information is displayed. Prices are not displayed." By obtaining (entering) only the barcode information and quantity offline, the product master can be referenced and the data updated when the system returns to online mode, and by connecting to the product master via a communication medium such as a wired LAN at the time of checkout, product information can also be obtained and registered.

[0419] The higher-level device 10 may transmit the shopping file information to the product sales system 6 (headquarters system or store controller) as the member's sales record. The product sales system 6 may also centrally manage the member's sales record other than that of the higher-level device 10. In other words, the product sales system 6 may manage both the sales record for purchases made at a store and the sales record for purchases made on a mobile terminal.

[0420] The higher-level device 10 may also cooperate with an electronic receipt server (not shown). If the member desires an electronic receipt, the higher-level device 10 may provide the member with an electronic receipt containing only the sales record. The product sales system and the electronic receipt server may also be linked. In this case, all purchase records can be viewed and downloaded as electronic receipts.

[0421] The higher-level device 10 transmits the sales record to the product sales system 6 at a predetermined timing. In addition, members who use the cloud service of the higher-level device 10 may be able to view and download the purchase records of other companies and stores as electronic receipts. As a result, members will find it convenient even if the same sales data processing system is adopted at other stores of the same company, and if members have experience using the system at other companies and stores, it will be easier for them to accept the sales data processing system.

[0422] In addition, in cases where a sales data processing system is introduced, such as in examples (1) and (3), even if the sales results are not sent from the POS terminal to the product sales system 6 but are only received from the higher-level device 10, it is possible to grasp the sales results, sales flash reports, and inventory status of the store.

[0423] The mobile terminal 20 may also be configured to display the purchase history using an installed app. If the customer wants to create an electronic receipt for tax purposes, they may be able to specify the product from the purchase history and issue an instruction to generate an electronic receipt. If medical deductions and self-medication target flags are managed, the relevant lists can be output (either in CSV or PDF format) and used for medical deductions, etc. Other tax deductions can also be aggregated, and aggregated information can be provided to members. If the same type of tax deduction applies to different products or if the tax deduction conditions are different, both can be compared and output, displayed, printed, and created as an electronic receipt. Members can also select the tax deduction that is most advantageous to them.

[0424] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the mobile terminal 20 may acquire product information by referring to the product master of the higher-level device 10, etc., or the product master may be downloaded to the mobile terminal 20 so that the product information can be acquired at the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, although the mobile terminal 20 acquires product identification information from the captured image data, the mobile terminal 20 may only acquire the captured image data, and the process of acquiring product identification information from the captured image data and subsequent processes may be performed by a higher-level system.

[0425] In other words, each process performed in this embodiment may be performed by any of the higher-level device 10, mobile terminal 20, store controller 60, POS terminal 70, etc., and there is no restriction on which device it is performed on as long as no contradiction arises.

[0426] The camera used to capture images of barcodes and the like attached to products may be a camera built into the smartphone, or a separate camera connected via Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like. The processing flows described in this specification may be executed in a different order as long as there is no contradiction. Furthermore, multiple flows may be executed simultaneously. It goes without saying that the embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and that it is possible to combine a part of one embodiment with another embodiment. Furthermore, the process flow or program may be executed on a single computer, or on multiple computers communicably connected via a network. [Explanation of symbols]

[0427] 10: Upper device 20: Mobile devices 60: Store Controller 70: POS terminal 201: Control means 202: Store identification method 203 :Acquisition means 204: Detection means 205: Product registration method 206: Pending product registration method 207:Display means 208: Notification means 209: Output means 302: Acquisition method 304: Notification means 306: Product data acquisition method 308: Product information editing method 309 :DB update method 310: Product information transmission means 312: External database 321: External database 700: Control unit 701: Control means 702: Input means 703:Display means 704: Payment method 705: Notification means 706: Editing methods 707: Prohibited means 750:Display section 760: Input section 770: Printing Department

Claims

1. A sales data processing system comprising: a mobile terminal operated by a customer of a store to identify a product to be purchased; a host device that acquires product information from a product database of the store based on the product code of the product identified by the mobile terminal; and a terminal that edits the product information of the product, The higher-level device is an acquisition means for acquiring product information from a product database of a store based on the product code of the product specified by the mobile terminal; a notification means for notifying the terminal that the product identified by the mobile terminal is a predetermined product for which product information cannot be obtained from the product database of the store, together with the product code, that the product requires the intervention of a store clerk; The terminal editing means for editing the product information of the predetermined product in response to an operation by a store clerk; and an updating means for updating the product database of the store based on the product information edited by the editing means, so that even if the customer is in the middle of shopping, the product information of the predetermined product can be edited and the product database can be updated; the mobile terminal has a display unit that displays information about the identified product; When the specified product is the predetermined product, information about the specified product is displayed in a display format that allows it to be identified as the predetermined product, and when product information about the predetermined product is edited and the product database is updated, the display of the predetermined product is updated to information based on the edited product information. Sales data processing system.

2. When the product identified by the mobile terminal is the predetermined product, the notification means notifies the user of an image captured when the product code is acquired by the imaging means of the mobile terminal and the acquired product code.

2. The sales data processing system according to claim 1.

Images