Mobile devices, systems, processing methods, and programs

Abstract

To provide a technique for performing registration and payment processing for products to be paid for using a mobile terminal, which allows a user to easily grasp registered content.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a mobile terminal 10 including an input reception unit 11 for receiving input of product identification information of products to be paid for, a list generation unit 12 for generating a list of products to be paid for according to the input, a graph generation unit 13 for generating a graph related to content of the list, a display control unit 14 for making a display unit 17 display a screen including the graph.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, a system, a processing method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] <0000​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In technologies for registering and processing payments for items to be paid for, a means is needed to allow users to understand the registered information. In conventional technologies using stationary POS (point of sales) terminals, for example, information such as a list of items registered for payment and the total amount was displayed on the screen.

[0008] In a technology that uses a mobile terminal to register and process payments for goods to be paid for, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inventor investigated means to enable the user to understand the registered information and found the following new problems.

[0009] Mobile terminals have smaller displays for showing information to the user compared to stationary POS terminals. Therefore, if the information displayed on a stationary POS terminal is displayed directly on a mobile terminal, the amount of information may be excessive relative to the screen size, potentially leading to problems such as difficulty in reading. Patent Document 1 does not disclose this problem or a solution thereto.

[0010] Patent Document 2 describes a technology for users to easily understand the value of their belongings, and is not a technology related to the registration and settlement process of items subject to settlement. Patent Document 3 describes a technology related to household accounting, and is not a technology related to the registration and settlement process of items subject to settlement.

[0011] One example of the object of the present invention is, in view of the above-mentioned problems, to provide a mobile terminal, system, processing method, and program that solve the problem of enabling users to easily understand the registered contents in a technology that uses a mobile terminal to register and process payment for products to be paid for. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, Computers We accept input of product identification information for the items to be settled. Based on the above input, a list of items to be settled is generated. Generate a graph regarding the content of the list, A processing method is provided to cause a display means to display a screen including the graph.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, input receiving means for receiving an input of product identification information of a product to be settled, list generation means for generating a list of products to be settled based on the input, graph generation means for generating a graph regarding the content of the list, display control means for causing a display means to display a screen including the graph, A mobile terminal having the above is provided.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, A computer, input receiving means for receiving an input of product identification information of a product to be settled, list generation means for generating a list of products to be settled based on the input, graph generation means for generating a graph regarding the content of the list, display control means for causing a display means to display a screen including the graph, A program for causing the computer to function as the above is provided.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, input receiving means for receiving an input of product identification information of a product to be settled, list generation means for generating a list of products to be settled based on the input, graph generation means for generating a graph regarding the content of the list, display control means for causing a display means to display a screen including the graph, A system having the above is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, in a technology for registering and settling a product to be settled using a mobile terminal, a mobile terminal, a system, a processing method, and a program are realized that solve the problem of enabling a user to easily grasp the registration content.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] The above-described object, as well as other objects, features, and advantages, will become more apparent from the following public embodiments and the accompanying drawings below.

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of a mobile terminal. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a terminal device. [Figure 4] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of information processed by a terminal device. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of a terminal device. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 10] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of information processed by a terminal device. ]> [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing another example of a screen that a mobile terminal displays on a display. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing another example of a functional block diagram of a mobile terminal. [Figure 14] This figure shows another example of a screen that a mobile device displays. [Figure 15] This figure shows an example of a system's functional block diagram. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0020] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a functional block diagram showing an overview of a mobile terminal 10 according to the first embodiment. The mobile terminal 10 comprises an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, a graph generation unit 13, and a display control unit 14. By installing a predetermined program on the mobile terminal 10, the above functional units are realized within the mobile terminal 10. The mobile terminal 10 may further include a display unit 17.

[0021] The input reception unit 11 receives input of product identification information for the products to be settled. The list generation unit 12 generates a list of products to be settled based on the input. The graph generation unit 13 generates a graph related to the contents of the list. The display control unit 14 displays the screen including the graph on the display unit 17.

[0022] With a mobile terminal 10 having such a configuration, the problem of enabling users to easily understand the registered information is solved in the technology of registering and processing payment for products to be paid for using the mobile terminal 10.

[0023] <Second Embodiment> "overview" The mobile terminal 10 of the second embodiment is a more detailed version of the mobile terminal 10 of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, each customer shopping at a physical store carries a mobile terminal 10 and, while picking up items, uses the mobile terminal 10 to register the items to be paid for themselves.

[0024] As will be explained in more detail later, the mobile terminal 10 displays a pie chart C1, as shown in Figure 2, on its display while the user is registering and processing the items to be paid for. The pie chart C1 shown represents the items registered for payment and shows the ratio of purchase amounts across multiple categories. When a new item is registered for payment, the contents of pie chart C1 are updated accordingly. While the user is registering and processing items using the mobile terminal 10, they can grasp an overall picture of the registered items based on this pie chart C1.

[0025] "Hardware configuration" Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 10 will be described. The mobile terminal 10 may be a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or mobile phone, or it may be a terminal device designed and manufactured specifically for that purpose. The mobile terminal 10 may be a terminal owned by the user (a customer who comes to the store). Alternatively, the mobile terminal 10 may be a terminal owned by the store and lent to customers who come to the store.

[0026] Each functional unit of the mobile terminal 10 is realized by any combination of hardware and software, centered around the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of any computer, memory, programs loaded into memory, a storage unit such as a hard disk that stores those programs (which can store programs pre-installed at the time of shipment, as well as programs downloaded from recording media such as CDs (Compact Discs) or from servers on the Internet), and a network connection interface. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are various variations in the implementation method and apparatus.

[0027] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the mobile terminal 10. As shown in Figure 3, the mobile terminal 10 has a processor 1A, memory 2A, input / output interface 3A, peripheral circuitry 4A, and bus 5A. Peripheral circuitry 4A includes various modules. The mobile terminal 10 does not necessarily have peripheral circuitry 4A. The mobile terminal 10 may also be composed of multiple physically and / or logically separated devices. In this case, each of the multiple devices may have the above hardware configuration.

[0028] Bus 5A is a data transmission path for the processor 1A, memory 2A, peripheral circuits 4A, and input / output interface 3A to send and receive data to and from each other. Processor 1A is a processing unit such as a CPU or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). Memory 2A is a memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory). Input / output interface 3A includes interfaces for acquiring information from input devices, external devices, external servers, external sensors, cameras, etc., and interfaces for outputting information to output devices, external devices, external servers, etc. Input devices include, for example, keyboards, mice, microphones, physical buttons, touch panels, etc. Output devices include, for example, displays, speakers, printers, mailers, etc. Processor 1A can issue commands to each module and perform calculations based on the results of those calculations.

[0029] "Functional Configuration" Next, the functional configuration of the mobile terminal 10 in the second embodiment will be described in detail. Figure 1 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the mobile terminal 10. As shown in the figure, the mobile terminal 10 includes an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, a graph generation unit 13, and a display control unit 14. By installing a predetermined program on the mobile terminal 10, the above functional units are realized within the mobile terminal 10. The mobile terminal 10 may further include a display unit 17.

[0030] The input reception unit 11 receives input of product identification information for the items to be paid for. When the user picks up the items to be purchased from the display shelf, they input the product identification information of those items into the mobile terminal 10. The input reception unit 11 acquires the product identification information entered during this process.

[0031] The input of product identification information can be implemented using any technology. For example, the mobile terminal 10 may be equipped with a function to read codes (barcodes, 2D codes, etc.) attached to products. The input of product identification information may then be implemented by having the mobile terminal 10 read the code. Alternatively, the input of product identification information may be implemented by manually entering the product identification information using input devices such as a touch panel or physical buttons on the mobile terminal 10. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 10 may be equipped with a microphone and a voice recognition function. The input of product identification information may then be implemented by having the product identification information entered into the mobile terminal 10 by voice.

[0032] The list generation unit 12 generates a list of products subject to settlement (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "list") based on the input received by the input reception unit 11. When the input reception unit 11 receives new product identification information, the list generation unit 12 updates the list according to the new input.

[0033] First, when the list generation unit 12 obtains the product identification information received by the input reception unit 11, it sends a request for product information corresponding to that product identification information to the store server. The store server has a product master registered that links product identification information, product name, unit price, product category, special sale information, etc., of the products handled by the store. When the store server receives the above request sent by the mobile terminal 10, it retrieves the product information linked to the received product identification information from the product master and sends it to the mobile terminal 10. Next, the list generation unit 12 registers the product information received from the store server in the list. The product information includes at least a part of the information linked to the product identification information in the product master. The transmission and reception of this data is realized via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0034] Figure 4 schematically shows an example of a list generated by the list generation unit 12. In the illustrated example, the number, product identification information, product name, unit price, quantity, product category, and special offer flag are linked to each other. The number is a sequential number used to identify the products included in the list. The special offer flag indicates whether or not a product is on sale. Special offer products are products with a lower unit price than usual. In the illustrated example, "food" is shown as an example of a product category, but there are various ways to classify product categories, and it is not limited to this. For example, "food" could be further classified into "confectionery," "vegetables," "meat," "seafood," "prepared foods," etc., and each could be treated as a separate product category.

[0035] The list generated by the list generation unit 12 may include, in addition to the registered product information, the total number of items included in the list, the total price of the items included in the list, and the tax-inclusive price including tax.

[0036] Returning to Figure 1, the graph generation unit 13 generates a graph relating to the contents of the list generated by the list generation unit 12. The graph in this embodiment is a pie chart.

[0037] For example, the graph generation unit 13 classifies the products included in the list into multiple categories. Then, the graph generation unit 13 generates a pie chart based on the classification results.

[0038] First, let's explain the process of classifying the products included in the list into multiple categories.

[0039] The graph generation unit 13 is: • A process to classify the products included in the list by product category. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: food and non-food. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: sale items and non-sale items, and • A process to classify the products included in the list into multiple categories according to their selling price. You can perform at least one of the following actions.

[0040] "Multiple categories based on selling price" are defined by price ranges, such as "under 1000 yen," "1001 yen to 3000 yen," "3001 yen to 10000 yen," and "over 10001 yen."

[0041] The graph generation unit 13 can perform the classification described above based on the product information acquired by the list generation unit 12.

[0042] Next, we will explain the process of generating a pie chart based on the classification results.

[0043] The graph generation unit 13 can generate at least one of the following: a pie chart showing the ratio of purchase amounts for multiple categories, and a pie chart showing the ratio of the number of items purchased for multiple categories.

[0044] The display control unit 14 generates a screen including the graph generated by the graph generation unit 13 and displays it on the display unit 17. The display unit 17 is a display. In other words, the screen is displayed on the display of the mobile terminal 10.

[0045] Figure 2 shows an example of a screen generated by the display control unit 14 and displayed on the display unit 17. The screen shows a pie chart C1 generated by the graph generation unit 13. The pie chart C1 shows the ratio of purchase amounts for multiple categories (food, clothing, daily necessities). The ratio of the size of the areas corresponding to each of the multiple categories on pie chart C1 represents the ratio of purchase amounts for those categories. Note that the areas corresponding to each of the multiple categories on pie chart C1 may be identified and displayed by color coding or other means.

[0046] The illustrated screen has a space C2 in the center of the pie chart C1, and the total number of items included in the list, the total price of the items included in the list, and the tax-inclusive price including tax are displayed in space C2. The display control unit 14 may change the size of the circles in the pie chart C1 according to the current total number of items, total price, or tax-inclusive price. For example, the display control unit 14 can make the circles in the pie chart C1 larger as the total number of items, total price, or tax-inclusive price increases.

[0047] Furthermore, the illustrated screen includes a space C3 for notifying the user of newly added products in response to the input of product identification information. Space C3 displays information about the newly added products, such as the product name and unit price. The display control unit 14 may continue displaying space C3 until the next new product is added to the list, and then switch to displaying the information of the next newly added product. Alternatively, the display control unit 14 may turn off the display of space C3 after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0048] Note that the information displayed in space C2 and the information displayed in space C3 may be reversed from the example shown in Figure 2. That is, the display control unit 14 may display information about newly added items in space C2 and the total price of items included in the list in space C3.

[0049] Alternatively, both may be displayed in space C2. The display control unit 14 may switch the display in space C2 between information about newly added items and the total price of the items. For example, when a new item is added to the list in response to the input of item identification information, the display control unit 14 may display information about the newly added item in space C2 only for a predetermined period of time, and otherwise display the total price of the items included in the list in space C2. In this way, the space required to display information about newly added items and the total price of the items can be reduced, making it possible to display the pie chart C1 larger.

[0050] Furthermore, the illustrated screen includes a product registration button C4 for entering new product identification information. When the product registration button C4 is touched, a function to read a code is activated, for example, and at least a portion of the display becomes a finder. For example, the entire display may become a finder, or only a portion of the display may become a finder. In the latter case, some of the information shown in Figure 2 (e.g., pie chart C1 and space C2) may be displayed on the part of the display other than the finder. The user adjusts the device so that the code attached to the product is in the designated position on the finder, and then has the mobile terminal 10 read the code.

[0051] Furthermore, the illustrated screen includes a modify button C5 for correcting the contents of the list. The mobile terminal 10 initiates the process of modifying the list when the modify button C5 is touched. The process of modifying the list will be described later.

[0052] Furthermore, the illustrated screen includes a payment processing button C6 for initiating the payment process. The mobile terminal 10 starts the payment process in response to a touch of the payment processing button C6. The payment process will be described later.

[0053] The input receiving unit 11 may accept input to select one category from among the multiple categories displayed on the pie chart C1. The input to select one category may be implemented, for example, by touching one of the areas on the pie chart C1 that correspond to each of the multiple categories, or by other means.

[0054] The display control unit 14 can display information on the display unit 17 indicating products belonging to the selected category among the products included in the list, in response to the input received by the input reception unit 11. For example, the display control unit 14 may switch the screen displayed on the display unit 17 from the screen shown in Figure 2 to the screen shown in Figure 5 in response to the input of selecting a category. The screen shown in Figure 5 displays a category-specific list enumerating products belonging to the selected category. In this example, touching button D1 shown in Figure 5 returns to the screen in Figure 2.

[0055] The graph generation unit 13 may also generate a pie chart C1 in which information indicating the number of items purchased for each category is displayed in the area corresponding to each category of the pie chart C1. For example, as shown in Figure 6, the same number of marks C7 as the number of items purchased may be displayed in the area corresponding to each category of the pie chart C1. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7, the area corresponding to each category of the pie chart C1 may be divided into the same number of compartments as the number of items purchased using dividing lines C8. In addition, although not shown, numerical or textual information indicating the number of items purchased may be displayed in the area corresponding to each category of the pie chart C1.

[0056] Furthermore, the input receiving unit 11 may accept input to select how to classify the products. The display control unit 14 may then switch the content of the graph displayed on the display unit 17 according to the selection. For example, in Figure 2, the products included in the list are classified by product category, but in this display state, the user may input one of the following: "classify into two categories: food and non-food," "classify into two categories: sale items and non-sale items," or "classify into multiple categories according to sales price." The display control unit 14 may then switch the content of the graph displayed on the display unit 17 from one classified by product category to one classified according to the selected method.

[0057] Furthermore, the input receiving unit 11 may accept input to switch the display content of the pie chart C1 between the ratio of purchase amount and the ratio of purchase number of items. The display control unit 14 may then switch the content of the graph to be displayed on the display unit 17 in accordance with the input.

[0058] Here, we will explain the process of modifying a list, which is initiated in response to a touch of the edit button C5, for example.

[0059] List modification involves actions such as deleting items from the list. For example, when the modification button C5 is touched, the display control unit 14 displays a screen on the display unit 17 asking for the modification details (deletion, etc.) and which category to modify. The input reception unit 11 receives the response to the inquiry. After the response to the inquiry is received, the display control unit 14 displays a category-specific list on the display unit 17, listing the items belonging to the selected category. The input reception unit 11 then receives input to select the item to be modified from this list. The list generation unit 12 updates the list content based on the input received in the above process.

[0060] Furthermore, as mentioned above, deletion from the list may be selected on an item-by-item basis or on a category-by-category basis. That is, the input receiving unit 11 may accept a deletion input in which the user selects one or more categories from the multiple categories displayed in the pie chart C1 and deletes them from the list. The list generation unit 12 may then delete all products belonging to the selected category from the list based on the deletion input.

[0061] Next, we will explain the settlement process that is initiated in response to, for example, the touch of the settlement button C6.

[0062] The mobile terminal 10 can perform at least one of the following processes 1 to 5 as part of the settlement process.

[0063] -Process 1- The mobile terminal 10 generates a two-dimensional code on its display that shows the contents of the list, specifically the product identification information, product name, unit price, and quantity of the items included in the list, as part of the payment process. The two-dimensional code may also show the total number of items included in the list, the total price of the items included in the list, and the tax-inclusive price including tax. The user has the payment device installed at a designated location in the store read the two-dimensional code. In this way, the list is entered into the payment device.

[0064] The payment terminal accepts payment processing for the tax-inclusive amount shown in the entered list. The payment terminal may be a device intended to be operated by a store employee or a device intended to be operated by a user (customer). The payment terminal can accept payment processing using any well-known means, such as cash payment, credit card payment, points payment, electronic money payment, and code payment.

[0065] -Process 2- First, let's explain the premise of this example. In this example, the store server manages a list of each user. The mobile terminal 10 sends the list generated by the list generation unit 12 to the store server. The store server then issues predetermined list identification information and stores the received list associated with this list identification information. The store server also sends the issued list identification information back to the mobile terminal 10. When the list is updated, the mobile terminal 10 sends the list identification information along with information indicating the update or the updated list back to the store server. In this way, the lists managed by the mobile terminal 10 and the lists managed by the store server are synchronized.

[0066] The mobile terminal 10 then generates a code (barcode, 2D code, etc.) indicating list identification information as part of the payment process and displays it on its screen. The user has a payment device installed at a designated location in the store read this code. The payment device then sends a request for the list associated with the acquired list identification information to the store server. The store server retrieves the list associated with the list identification information sent from the payment device and sends it to the payment device. In this way, the list is input into the payment device.

[0067] The payment terminal accepts payment processing for the tax-inclusive amount shown in the entered list. The payment terminal may be a device intended to be operated by a store employee or a device intended to be operated by a user (customer). The payment terminal can accept payment processing using any well-known means, such as cash payment, credit card payment, points payment, electronic money payment, and code payment.

[0068] -Process 3- The mobile terminal 10 communicates with the credit card company's server using pre-registered or newly entered credit card information and executes payment processing for the tax-inclusive amount shown in the list.

[0069] -Process 4- The mobile terminal 10 communicates with the server that manages points using information related to points that has been registered in advance or newly entered (such as user identification information), and executes payment processing for the amount including tax shown in the list.

[0070] -Process 5- The mobile terminal 10 communicates with the server that manages the electronic money using information related to the electronic money that has been registered in advance or newly entered (such as user identification information), and executes a payment process for the amount including tax shown in the list.

[0071] Next, we will explain an example of the processing flow of the mobile terminal 10 using the flowchart in Figure 8.

[0072] When the mobile terminal 10 receives input of product identification information for the product to be paid for (S101), it sends a request for product information corresponding to that product identification information to the store server. Then, when the mobile terminal 10 receives the product information sent from the store server (S102), it registers the received product information in the list of products to be paid for (see Figure 4) (S103).

[0073] Next, the mobile terminal 10 generates a graph of the list contents based on the latest list (S104), and then displays a screen on its display (see Figure 2) showing the generated graph and at least a portion of the newly registered product information (S105).

[0074] Subsequently, when the mobile terminal 10 receives input to start the settlement process (Yes in S106), it executes the settlement process (S112).

[0075] On the other hand, if the input to start the settlement process is not accepted (No. in S106), the mobile terminal 10 can accept input of product identification information for a new product to be settled (S107). Then, the mobile terminal 10 retrieves product information corresponding to the entered product identification information from the store server using the same process as above (S108), and registers the retrieved product information in the list of products to be settled (see Figure 4) (S109).

[0076] Next, the mobile terminal 10 updates the graph content based on the latest list (S110) and displays a screen on its display (see Figure 2) showing the updated graph and at least some of the newly registered product information (S111). After that, the mobile terminal 10 returns to S106 and repeats the same process.

[0077] "Effects and Effects" According to the mobile terminal 10 of the second embodiment, while the user is registering and processing the items to be settled, a pie chart C1 showing the ratio of purchase amounts for multiple categories or the ratio of the number of items purchased for multiple categories, as shown in Figure 2, can be displayed on the screen. Based on this pie chart, the user can grasp the overall picture of the registered items.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the mobile terminal 10 can display category-specific lists on its screen, which enumerate products belonging to the selected category. By enumerating only the products belonging to the selected category, rather than listing all products in the list, the number of products to be listed can be reduced. As a result, the inconvenience of having too much information relative to the size of the display can be suppressed.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the mobile terminal 10 can display information on its screen indicating the number of items purchased in each category. Based on this information, the user can, for example, check whether all the items in their shopping cart have been registered.

[0080] Furthermore, the mobile device 10 allows users to delete items from the list by category. Some users find the process of selecting and deleting items individually cumbersome. With the mobile device 10, which allows users to delete items from the list in bulk by category, the efficiency of modifying the list is improved.

[0081] <Third Embodiment> The mobile terminal 10 of the third embodiment accepts input of product identification information for the product to be settled, as well as input specifying which person the product should be registered for. The mobile terminal 10 then classifies the products included in the list into several categories according to which person the product is for, and generates a pie chart C1 as described in the second embodiment based on the classification results. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0082] The input reception unit 11 accepts input of product identification information for the products to be settled, as well as input specifying which person the product should be registered for. The list generation unit 12 then links the product information corresponding to the newly entered product identification information to the specified person and registers it in the list.

[0083] For example, the mobile terminal 10 displays a screen as shown in Figure 9 on its display at any time. The input reception unit 11 then accepts pre-registration via this screen, specifying which person the product is for in this purchase. In the illustrated example, the user enters a person's name in input field E1 to register. The registered person's name can be any name that the user can recognize, such as a full name, a nickname, a name indicating the relationship with the user such as "mother, father, myself, friend, eldest son, eldest daughter, colleague," or anything else.

[0084] The input reception unit 11, when multiple individuals are registered in advance, accepts input to select one person from the multiple individuals registered using the method described above each time new product identification information is entered. The list generation unit 12 then registers the product information corresponding to the newly entered product identification information in the list, linking it to the selected person, as shown in Figure 10. The selected person is registered in the "Who" column of the illustrated list.

[0085] Furthermore, if one person is registered through pre-registration, the input reception unit 11 does not need to perform the process of receiving input specifying which person each product should be registered for (such as displaying a UI screen and receiving the response).

[0086] The graph generation unit 13 is: • A process to classify the products included in the list by product category. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: food and non-food. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: sale items and non-sale items, and • A process to classify the products included in the list into multiple categories according to their selling price. • A process to classify the products included in the list into multiple categories according to who they are intended for. You can perform at least one of the following actions.

[0087] "Multiple categories depending on the target audience" means classifying products according to who they are intended for, such as "products for fathers," "products for mothers," and "products for oneself."

[0088] According to this graph generation unit 13, as shown in Figure 11, the products included in the list can be classified into multiple categories according to the target audience, and a pie chart C1 can be generated showing the ratio of purchase amounts or the ratio of the number of items purchased across multiple categories.

[0089] Furthermore, the graph generation unit 13 may classify products for each individual into multiple categories using a method different from the method used to classify products according to which individual they are for. Then, as shown in Figure 12, the graph generation unit 13 may display the ratio of purchase amount or the ratio of purchase quantity for each of the multiple categories classified using the different methods described above in the area corresponding to each of the multiple individuals in the pie chart C1.

[0090] The above different methods are, • A process to classify the products included in the list by product category. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: food and non-food. • The process of classifying the products included in the list into two categories: sale items and non-sale items, and • A process to classify the products included in the list into multiple categories according to their selling price. It includes any of the following. In the example in Figure 12, the process of "classifying the products included in the list by product category" is employed.

[0091] As another example, the graph generation unit 13 may generate a pie chart C1 for each person, as shown in Figure 2. That is, if M people are registered in advance, the graph generation unit 13 may generate M pie charts C1, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The display control unit 14 may then generate a screen showing the M pie charts C1 and display it on the display unit 17. The M pie charts C1 may be displayed side by side on a single screen, or they may be displayed one by one on the screen, switching between them according to user operation.

[0092] Furthermore, the display control unit 14 may switch the screen displayed on the display between the screen shown in Figure 11 or Figure 12 and a screen in which M pie charts C1 are displayed side by side within a single screen, in response to user operation.

[0093] In addition, the input receiving unit 11 may accept input to select a person on the screen shown in Figures 11 and 12. Then, the display control unit 14 may display on the display unit 17 a screen showing the registered product details for the selected person, as described in the pie chart C1 in the second embodiment.

[0094] In the settlement process of this embodiment, the mobile terminal 10 may perform settlement processing separately for each item to be settled for each person.

[0095] In other words, the mobile terminal 10 may generate multiple two-dimensional codes indicating product information for the items to be paid for for each person as part of the payment process, and display them sequentially on the display.

[0096] In addition, the mobile terminal 10 may communicate with the credit card company's server using the credit card information of each person that has been registered in advance or newly entered, and execute payment processing for each item to be paid for by each person.

[0097] In addition, the mobile terminal 10 may communicate with a server that manages points using information related to each person's points that has been registered in advance or newly entered (such as user identification information), and execute payment processing for each product to be settled for each person.

[0098] In addition, the mobile terminal 10 may communicate with a server that manages electronic money using information related to each person's electronic money that has been registered in advance or newly entered (such as user identification information), and execute payment processing for each item to be settled for each person.

[0099] The other configurations of the mobile terminal 10 in this embodiment are the same as those of the mobile terminal 10 in the first and second embodiments.

[0100] The mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment achieves the same effects and advantages as the mobile terminal 10 of the first and second embodiments.

[0101] Furthermore, the mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment can classify the items to be paid for into multiple categories according to who the item is for, and generate and display a pie chart C1 on the display showing the ratio of the purchase amount or the ratio of the number of items purchased in each category. For example, if this function is used when shopping with multiple people or when buying items for multiple people, the user can classify and understand the items registered for payment according to who the item is for.

[0102] <Fourth Embodiment> The mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment has a function to determine whether the contents of the list meet conditions pre-registered by the user, and to output warning information if they do not. This will be described in detail below.

[0103] Figure 13 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, a graph generation unit 13, a display control unit 14, a condition registration unit 15, and a warning unit 16. The mobile terminal 10 may further include a display unit 17.

[0104] The condition registration unit 15 registers at least one of the following: conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or the number of items purchased, and conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or the number of items purchased. The registered conditions may be stored in the storage device of the mobile terminal 10, or they may be stored on a server.

[0105] Examples of "category-specific conditions regarding purchase amount" include "Category: Confectionery, Condition: 300 yen or less," and "Category: Alcoholic beverages, Condition: 2000 yen or less."

[0106] Examples of "category-specific conditions regarding the number of items purchased" include "Category: Confectionery, Condition: 3 items or less," and "Category: Vegetables, Condition: 5 items or more."

[0107] An example of a "condition regarding the relative relationship of purchase amounts across multiple categories" is given as "Category: Seafood, Meat, Condition: The amount spent on seafood is one-third or more of the amount spent on meat."

[0108] An example of a "condition regarding the relative relationship between the number of items purchased across multiple categories" is given as "Category: Vegetables, Meat, Condition: The number of vegetables purchased is greater than or equal to the number of meat purchased."

[0109] The user determines the conditions for registration. Users should decide on the conditions mentioned above in advance, taking into account their own shopping habits and areas for improvement, and register them.

[0110] The warning unit 16 determines whether the contents of the list generated by the list generation unit 12 satisfy the above conditions, and if they do not, it performs a warning process.

[0111] The warning unit 16 can notify the user of warning information as a warning process. The warning information may show the conditions that are not met and the contents of the list corresponding to those conditions. An example of such warning information is, "The conditions require 3 or fewer confectionery items, but 4 confectionery items are registered in the list." In addition, the warning information may show advice on how to meet the conditions determined based on the conditions that are not met and the contents of the list corresponding to those conditions. An example of such warning information is, "You are 2 items short of the required number of vegetables."

[0112] Warning information is output via the display, speaker, etc., of the mobile terminal 10. For example, the warning information may be displayed on a screen generated by the display control unit 14. Figure 14 shows an example of this. Warning information is displayed in space C9.

[0113] In addition, if the contents of the list do not meet the conditions, the warning unit 16 may determine which products to recommend to the user based on the conditions that are not met and notify the user of the determined products. For example, if the user needs to purchase additional products from a certain category for reasons such as the number of items purchased or the purchase amount being less than the value set by the conditions, the warning unit 16 may determine which products to recommend from the products in that category that are handled by the store and notify the user of the determined products.

[0114] The process of determining which products to recommend from the products in that category handled by the store can be implemented using criteria such as "selecting products that are not included in the list generated by the list generation unit 12," "selecting sale items," or "selecting products that are included in the user's past purchase history."

[0115] The other configurations of the mobile terminal 10 in this embodiment are the same as those of the mobile terminal 10 in the first to third embodiments.

[0116] The mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment achieves the same effects and advantages as the mobile terminal 10 of the first to third embodiments.

[0117] Furthermore, according to the mobile terminal 10 of this embodiment, if the contents of the list do not meet conditions predetermined by the user, a warning process can be executed. With such a mobile terminal 10, the user can improve their shopping habits.

[0118] <Fifth Embodiment> The fifth embodiment relates to a system having a server and a mobile terminal 10. Figure 15 shows an example of a functional block diagram of the system 100. As shown, the system 100 has a server 20 and a mobile terminal 10. An example of the hardware configuration of the server 20 is shown in Figure 3.

[0119] In the fifth embodiment, the mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11 and a display unit 17. The list generation unit 12, graph generation unit 13, and display control unit 14 are located in either the mobile terminal 10 or the server 20.

[0120] Specifically, the system 100 of the fifth embodiment will be one of the following patterns. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11 and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a list generation unit 12, a graph generation unit 13 and a display control unit 14. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a graph generation unit 13 and a display control unit 14. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a graph generation unit 13, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a list generation unit 12 and a display control unit 14. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a display control unit 14, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a list generation unit 12 and a graph generation unit 13. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, a graph generation unit 13, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a display control unit 14. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a list generation unit 12, a display control unit 14, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a graph generation unit 13. The mobile terminal 10 has an input receiving unit 11, a graph generation unit 13, a display control unit 14, and a display unit 17, and the server 20 has a list generation unit 12.

[0121] The system 100 of the fifth embodiment may further include a condition registration unit 15 and a warning unit 16. The condition registration unit 15 and the warning unit 16 are provided by either the mobile terminal 10 or the server 20.

[0122] Specifically, if the system 100 of the fifth embodiment has a condition registration unit 15 and a warning unit 16, it will be one of the following patterns. • The mobile terminal 10 has a condition registration unit 15 and a warning unit 16. The mobile terminal 10 has a condition registration unit 15, and the server 20 has a warning unit 16. The mobile terminal 10 has a warning unit 16, and the server 20 has a condition registration unit 15. Server 20 has a condition registration unit 15 and a warning unit 16.

[0123] The configuration of each functional unit is as described in the first to fourth embodiments.

[0124] According to the system 100 of the fifth embodiment, the same effects and advantages as those of the mobile terminal 10 of the first to fourth embodiments are achieved.

[0125] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the graph generation unit 13 generated a pie chart C1 as a graph relating to the contents of the list, but other graphs such as bar graphs, bar charts, and radar charts may be used to show the ratio of purchase amounts or the ratio of purchase items for multiple categories.

[0126] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, but these are illustrative examples of the present invention, and various other configurations can be adopted. The configurations of the embodiments described above may be combined with each other, or some configurations may be replaced with other configurations. Furthermore, the configurations of the embodiments described above may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. In addition, the configurations and processes disclosed in each of the embodiments and modifications described above may be combined with each other.

[0127] Furthermore, although the flowchart used in the above description shows multiple steps (processes) in order, the execution order of the steps performed in each embodiment is not limited to the order in which they are described. In each embodiment, the order of the illustrated steps can be changed to the extent that it does not impede the content. Also, the above embodiments can be combined to the extent that their contents do not conflict.

[0128] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: 1. A computer, We accept input of product identification information for the items to be settled. Based on the above input, a list of items to be settled is generated. A graph relating to the contents of the above list is generated, A method for displaying a screen containing the aforementioned graph on a display device. 2. The graph is a pie chart, and the processing method is as described in 1. 3. The computer, The products included in the aforementioned list are classified into multiple categories, The processing method according to 2 for generating the pie chart showing the ratio of purchase amounts for multiple categories. 4. The computer, The products included in the aforementioned list are classified into multiple categories, The processing method according to 2 for generating the pie chart showing the ratio of the number of items purchased in multiple categories. 5. The computer, The processing method according to 3 or 4, wherein information indicating the number of items purchased for each category is displayed in the area of ​​the pie chart corresponding to each of the categories. 6. The computer, A process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list by product category. The process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into two categories: food and non-food. The process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into two categories: sale items and non-sale items, and A process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories according to their selling price. A processing method described in one of 3 to 5, which performs at least one of the methods described therein. 7. The computer, The system further accepts input specifying which person each product in the aforementioned list is intended for. One of the processing methods described in 3 to 6 above classifies the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories according to which person the product is intended for. 8. The computer, In addition to classifying products for each individual according to who they are intended for, we classify them into multiple categories using a different method. The processing method according to 7, which shows the ratio of purchase amounts or the ratio of purchase items for multiple categories classified by the different methods in the area corresponding to each person in the pie chart. 9. The computer, Further input is accepted to select one of the aforementioned categories, A processing method according to any one of 3 to 8, which involves displaying information on the display means indicating a selected product belonging to the aforementioned category from among the products included in the aforementioned list. 10. The computer, Further input is accepted to select one or more of the aforementioned categories and remove them from the aforementioned list. A processing method according to any one of 3 to 9, which deletes a product belonging to the category selected from the list based on the aforementioned deletion input. 11. The computer, Register at least one of the conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, and the conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased. A processing method described in any of 1 to 10, which determines whether the contents of the aforementioned list satisfy the aforementioned conditions and processes a warning if they do not. 12. The processing method according to 11, wherein if the contents of the list do not satisfy the conditions, the computer determines which products to recommend to the user based on the conditions that are not satisfied, and notifies the user of the determined products. 13. An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement, A list generation means generates a list of products subject to settlement based on the aforementioned input, A graph generation means for generating a graph relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, A display control means for displaying a screen including the aforementioned graph, A mobile device that possesses this feature. 14. Computers, An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement. A list generation means that generates a list of products to be settled based on the aforementioned input. Graph generation means for generating a graph relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, Display control means for displaying a screen including the aforementioned graph, A program that makes it function as such. 15. An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement, A list generation means generates a list of products subject to settlement based on the aforementioned input, A graph generation means for generating a graph relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, A display control means for displaying a screen including the aforementioned graph, A system that has [Explanation of Symbols]

[0129] 10 Mobile devices 11 Input reception section 12 List generation section 13 Graph Generation Unit 14 Display Control Unit 15 Condition Registration Section 16 Warning part 17 Display section 20 servers 100 Systems 1A Processor 2A Memory 3A input / output I / F 4A Peripheral Circuits 5A Bus

Claims

1. Computers We accept input of product identification information for the items to be settled. Based on the above input, a list of items to be settled is generated. The products included in the aforementioned list are classified into multiple categories, A pie chart relating to the contents of the aforementioned list is generated, which shows the ratio of purchase amount or number of items purchased for multiple categories. The screen including the aforementioned pie chart is displayed on the display means. Register at least one of the following: the conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, and the conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased. A processing method that determines whether the contents of the aforementioned list satisfy the aforementioned conditions, and if they do not, performs a warning process.

2. The aforementioned computer, The processing method according to claim 1, wherein information indicating the number of items purchased for each category is displayed in the area of ​​the pie chart corresponding to each of the categories.

3. The aforementioned computer, A process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list by product category. The process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into two categories: food and non-food. The process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into two categories: sale items and non-sale items, and A process of classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories according to their selling price. The processing method according to claim 1, which performs at least one of the following.

4. The aforementioned computer, The system further accepts input specifying which person each product in the aforementioned list is intended for. The products included in the aforementioned list are classified into several categories according to the target audience. The processing method according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned computer, In addition to classifying products for each individual according to who they are intended for, we classify them into multiple categories using a different method. The processing method according to claim 4, which shows the ratio of purchase amounts or the ratio of purchase items for multiple categories classified by the different methods in the area corresponding to each person in the pie chart.

6. The aforementioned computer, Further input is accepted to select one of the aforementioned categories, The processing method according to claim 1, wherein information indicating a selected product belonging to the category among the products included in the list is displayed on the display means.

7. The aforementioned computer, Further input is accepted to select one or more of the aforementioned categories and remove them from the aforementioned list. The processing method according to claim 1, which deletes products belonging to the category selected from the list based on the deletion input.

8. The processing method according to claim 1, wherein if the contents of the list do not satisfy the conditions, the computer determines a product to recommend to the user based on the conditions that are not satisfied, and notifies the user of the determined product.

9. An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement, A list generation means generates a list of products subject to settlement based on the aforementioned input, A means for classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories, A graph generating means for generating a pie chart relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, which shows the ratio of purchase amounts or purchase quantities for multiple categories, A display control means that causes the screen including the aforementioned pie chart to be displayed on the display means, Means for registering at least one of the conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, and the conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, A means for determining whether the contents of the aforementioned list satisfy the aforementioned conditions, and for issuing a warning if they do not, A mobile device that possesses this feature.

10. Computers, An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement. A list generation means that generates a list of products to be settled based on the aforementioned input. Means for classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories, A pie chart relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, wherein a graph generating means generates the pie chart showing the ratio of purchase amounts or purchase quantities for multiple categories, Display control means for displaying the screen including the aforementioned pie chart on a display means, Means for registering at least one of the conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, and the conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased. A means for determining whether the contents of the aforementioned list satisfy the aforementioned conditions, and for issuing a warning if they do not, A program that makes it function as such.

11. An input receiving means for receiving product identification information of products subject to settlement, A list generation means generates a list of products subject to settlement based on the aforementioned input, A means for classifying the products included in the aforementioned list into multiple categories, A graph generating means for generating a pie chart relating to the contents of the aforementioned list, which shows the ratio of purchase amounts or purchase quantities for multiple categories, A display control means that causes the screen including the aforementioned pie chart to be displayed on the display means, Means for registering at least one of the conditions for each category regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, and the conditions regarding the relative relationship between multiple categories regarding the purchase amount or number of items purchased, A means for determining whether the contents of the aforementioned list satisfy the aforementioned conditions, and for issuing a warning if they do not, A system that has

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