Server equipment, purchasing management method, information processing system, and program

Abstract

To prevent unauthorized use of the quantity change function in a purchase management system using self-checkout.SOLUTION: A server device receives from a mobile terminal article identification information generated based on articles, and creates a list of purchased articles based on the received article identification information. The server device receives from the mobile terminal a request to change the quantity of the articles included in the list of purchased articles, and when the articles subject to the quantity change request is the articles sold by weight, the server device sends information to the mobile terminal prohibiting quantity change of the articles sold by weight included in the list of purchased articles.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of a product sales system using self-checkout.

Background Art

[0002] As a product sales system for customers who come to the store to purchase products, there is a known system that uses a mobile terminal such as a smartphone owned by the customer to read the barcode of the product to register the product and perform settlement. For example, in Patent Document 1, there is disclosed a self-shopping system including a mobile terminal that acquires product information of a product to be purchased and transmits settlement information including all the acquired product information to a management server, and a management server that generates and outputs sorting detail information in which each product name is listed in descending order of price based on the product information included in the settlement information. Further, Patent Document 2 describes a method for prohibiting the change of a list of a shopping cart in which products to be purchased are registered.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For products sold in supermarkets and the like, there are products whose prices are determined according to the content volume, such as meat and pre-packaged vegetables. In a system where a customer reads a product barcode to register a purchased product, there is a problem that such products can be illegally purchased at a low price by abusing the quantity change function. For example, after reading and registering the barcode of a cheap product with a small content volume, if the quantity is increased for a product with a large content volume using the quantity change function, the product with a large content volume can also be purchased at a cheap price.

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to prevent the fraudulent use of the quantity change function in a purchase management system using a self-checkout register. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, the server device is A product identification information receiving means that receives product identification information generated based on the product from a mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased items based on the received product identification information, A quantity change request receiving means that receives a quantity change request for an item included in the purchase item list from the mobile terminal, The system includes a determination means that, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, transmits information to the mobile terminal prohibiting a change in the quantity of the product sold by weight included in the purchase list.

[0007] In another aspect of the present invention, the purchase management method performed by the server device is: Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. If the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, information prohibiting the quantity change of the product sold by weight included in the purchase list is sent to the mobile terminal.

[0008] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the program is Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. If the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, the computer is instructed to send information to the mobile terminal prohibiting the quantity change of the product sold by weight included in the purchase list.

[0009] In yet another aspect of the present invention, an information processing system comprising a mobile terminal and a server device is: An acquisition means for acquiring product identification information from the aforementioned mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased products based on the acquired product identification information, A quantity change request receiving means that receives a quantity change request for an item included in the purchase item list from the mobile terminal, The aforementioned The product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight. The system includes a display control means that, in the event of this condition, causes the display means of the mobile terminal to display information prohibiting changes to the quantity of the bulk-sold products included in the purchase product list. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the unauthorized use of the quantity change function in a purchase management system using a self-checkout register. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] The configuration of the purchase management system according to the embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] The following shows a general configuration of the POS server. [Figure 3] The general configuration of the management server is shown below. [Figure 4] This shows the general configuration of a mobile device. [Figure 5] The following shows the general configuration of the accounting machine. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the product purchase process. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart for the entry process. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of the product selection process. [Figure 9]This is an example display of a purchased item list screen. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart of accounting processing. [Figure 11] This is an example display of a payment screen. [Figure 12] This is an example display of a payment method selection screen and an accounting completion screen. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart of a product selection process when prohibiting the quantity change of products with quantity change prohibited. [Figure 14] This is an example display indicating that the quantity cannot be changed. [Figure 15] This is an example display when a barcode of the same product is read multiple times. [Figure 16] This shows the configuration of an information processing system according to another embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] [Configuration of Purchase Management System] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a purchase management system 100 according to the present embodiment. The purchase management system 100 mainly includes a POS server 1, a management server 2, a mobile terminal 3, and an accounting machine 5. In the purchase management system 100, a customer using the mobile terminal 3 registers a product scheduled for purchase (also referred to as a "purchased product") by reading a product barcode 7 attached to the product in a store 8 where the product is sold, and settles the payment using the accounting machine 5 in the store 8 or by electronic payment.

[0014] The POS server 1 is a server that manages various sales information such as product information including the price and inventory status of products sold in the store 8, and sales information of the store 8. The POS server 1 can communicate with the management server 2 and the accounting machine 5 via a network or the like. Note that the POS server 1 may manage the sales information of a plurality of affiliated stores collectively, or may exist for each store and manage only the sales information of that store.

[0015] Management Server 2 is a server device that controls the mobile terminal 3 and the accounting machine 5, and can communicate with the mobile terminal 3 and the accounting machine 5 via a network, etc. Management Server 2 obtains and stores information necessary for display control of the mobile terminal 3 from POS Server 1. Management Server 2 transmits display information to the mobile terminal 3 for the mobile terminal 3 to display various screens. The various screens mentioned above include a screen (also called the "Purchased Item List Screen") that displays a list of purchased items (referred to as the "Purchased Item List") registered by the mobile terminal 3 reading the product barcode 7, along with the selling price.

[0016] The management server 2 may be composed of multiple server devices. For example, the management server 2 may consist of a server device that primarily performs interface operations with the mobile terminal 3, such as data exchange with the mobile terminal 3, and a server device that stores and manages various information such as information obtained from the POS server 1 and a list of purchased items. In this case, the former server device functions as a so-called application server, and the latter server device functions as a so-called database server. In this case, these server devices exchange information necessary to perform their respective assigned processes via a network or the like.

[0017] Mobile terminal 3 is a mobile terminal used by customers shopping at store 8. It has the function of reading product barcodes 7 attached to products, and the function of obtaining and displaying various screens such as the purchased product list screen by communicating with the management server 2. In Figure 1, for the sake of explanation, only one mobile terminal 3 is shown, but in reality there are as many mobile terminals as there are customers in store 8.

[0018] The payment machine 5 is a payment machine (a so-called self-checkout machine) for customers to use their mobile terminal 3 to make payments. The payment machine 5 is able to communicate with the management server 2 and exchanges various information necessary for payment with the management server 2 and, if necessary, with the POS server 1. The payment machine 5 is equipped with a barcode reader 56 for reading the payment barcode described later from the customer's mobile terminal 3 and a light 57 for calling a store employee.

[0019] [Device configuration] Next, the configurations of POS server 1, management server 2, mobile terminal 3, and accounting machine 5 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 to 5.

[0020] (POS server) Figure 2 shows the schematic configuration of POS server 1. POS server 1 mainly comprises a storage unit 13, a communication unit 14 for data communication, and a control unit 15. These elements are interconnected by a bus line 10.

[0021] The storage unit 13 is composed of memory such as a hard disk or flash memory. The storage unit 13 stores the program executed by the control unit 15, and the information necessary for the control unit 15 to execute predetermined processes by executing the program. In this embodiment, the storage unit 13 includes price change information 17, product information DB (Database) 18, and sales information 19, which is information regarding the sale of products. The storage unit 13 may also store various sales-related information other than the price change information 17, product information DB 18, and sales information 19.

[0022] Product Information DB18 is a database of information about products handled by Store 8 or affiliated stores including Store 8. Product Information DB18 includes various types of information, such as product price, JAN (Japanese Article Number) code and other information for identifying products (also called "product identification information"), product classification information, and product inventory status.

[0023] The price change information 17 is information relating to a change in the selling price. Specifically, the price change information 17 includes at least one of any discount information or price reduction information, such as category-specific discount information, bundle discount information, set discount information, total amount discount information, and category-specific discount information.

[0024] The control unit 15 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (not shown), and performs various controls on each component within the POS server 1. For example, the control unit 15 communicates with the accounting machine 5 via the communication unit 14 to update sales information 19, etc. Also, the control unit 15 communicates with the management server 2 via the communication unit 14 to send sales price change information 17 and information related to the product information DB 18 to the management server 2.

[0025] (Management Server) Figure 3 shows the schematic configuration of the management server 2. The management server 2 mainly comprises a storage unit 23, a communication unit 24, and a control unit 25. These elements are interconnected via a bus line 20.

[0026] The storage unit 23 is composed of memory such as a hard disk or flash memory. The storage unit 23 stores the program executed by the control unit 25, and the information necessary for the control unit 25 to execute predetermined processes by executing the program. In this embodiment, the storage unit 23 stores the sales price change information 27, the product information DB 28, and the purchased product list DB 29.

[0027] The price change information 27, like the price change information 17, is information regarding price changes due to discounts or reductions. The price change information 27 is updated periodically or irregularly based on the control of the control unit 25 to synchronize with the price change information 17 stored in the POS server 1. The product information DB 28, like the product information DB 18, is a database of information about products. The product information DB 28 is updated periodically or irregularly based on the control of the control unit 25 to synchronize with the product information DB 18 stored in the POS server 1.

[0028] The purchased items list DB29 is a database of purchased items for each mobile device 3 of customers shopping at store 8. The purchased items list is a list that includes, for example, product identification information indicating the product to be purchased and the planned quantity of that product, and is associated with information that identifies the mobile device 3 or the customer using the mobile device 3 (also called "customer identification information"). The purchased items list is updated whenever an item is added, deleted, or the quantity of a purchased item is changed based on the operation of the mobile device 3.

[0029] The communication unit 24 communicates with the POS server 1, the mobile terminal 3, and the accounting machine 5 via wired or wireless communication. The control unit 25 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown) and performs various controls on each component in the management server 2. The processing performed by the control unit 25 will be described later. In the above configuration, the communication unit 24 is an example of the product identification information acquisition unit and quantity change request receiving unit of the present invention, and the control unit 25 is an example of the list creation unit and determination unit of the present invention.

[0030] (Mobile device) Figure 4 shows the schematic configuration of the mobile terminal 3. The mobile terminal 3 mainly comprises a display unit 31, an input unit 32, a storage unit 33, a communication unit 34, a control unit 35, and a reading unit 36. Each of these elements is interconnected via a bus line 30.

[0031] The display unit 31 displays various information such as a list of purchased items and accounting barcodes based on the control of the control unit 35. The input unit 32 is an interface that accepts user input, and may include, for example, a touch panel, buttons, or a voice input device.

[0032] The storage unit 33 is composed of memory such as a hard disk or flash memory. The storage unit 33 stores the program executed by the control unit 35, and the information necessary for the control unit 35 to execute predetermined processes by executing the program. For example, the storage unit 33 stores a dedicated application program that is activated when shopping at store 8 and controls the display of various screens, such as the purchased items list screen.

[0033] The communication unit 34 communicates with the management server 2 via wireless communication. The control unit 35 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown) and performs various controls on each component within the mobile terminal 3. The controls performed by the control unit 35 will be described later.

[0034] The reading unit 36 ​​is, for example, an optical device such as a camera, which reads the product barcode 7 attached to the product and supplies the read information to the control unit 35. In this embodiment, the control unit 35 obtains product identification information such as a JAN code from the product barcode 7 attached to the product based on the information output by the reading unit 36.

[0035] (Accounting machine) Figure 5 shows the schematic configuration of the accounting machine 5. The accounting machine 5 mainly comprises a display unit 51, an input unit 52, a storage unit 53, a communication unit 54, a control unit 55, a barcode reader 56, a light 57, and a speaker 58. Each of these elements is interconnected via a bus line 50.

[0036] The display unit 51 displays various information, such as payment method selection screens and completion screens, based on the control of the control unit 55. The input unit 52 is an interface for receiving customer input, such as a touch panel or buttons.

[0037] The storage unit 53 is composed of memory such as a hard disk or flash memory. The storage unit 53 stores programs executed by the control unit 55, and information necessary for the control unit 55 to perform predetermined processes by executing the programs. For example, the storage unit 53 stores a dedicated application program that operates when a customer makes a payment and performs accounting processing.

[0038] The control unit 55 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. (not shown) and performs various controls on each component within the accounting machine 5. The controls performed by the control unit 55 will be described later. The barcode reader 56 reads the accounting barcode displayed on the customer's mobile terminal 3 at the time of payment and supplies the read information to the control unit 55. The light 57 lights up when there is a malfunction in the accounting machine 5 or when calling a store employee. The speaker 58 outputs warning sounds or voice messages as needed.

[0039] [Product purchase processing] Next, an overview of the product purchase process by the purchase management system 100 will be described. The product purchase process is the process by which a customer purchases products using a mobile terminal 3 at a store 8. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an overview of the product purchase process. The product purchase process is broadly divided into the store entry process S100, the product selection process S200, and the accounting process S300. The product purchase process is mainly realized by the management server 2, the mobile terminal 3, and the accounting machine 5 each executing pre-prepared programs.

[0040] (Entry processing) First, let's explain the store entry process. The store entry process is performed when a customer enters store 8, prior to purchasing goods, and is equivalent to preparation for purchasing goods. Figure 7 is a flowchart of an example of the store entry process. This process is performed by the mobile terminal 3 and the management server 2.

[0041] First, when a customer enters store 8, they use their mobile terminal 3 to scan the store's barcode (step S101). The store's barcode is affixed to a designated location within store 8, for example, on a wall near the store entrance or on a shopping card. When a customer scans the store's barcode, the mobile terminal 3 obtains the store ID from the scanned barcode and sends it to the management server (step S102). When the mobile terminal 3 transmits the store ID, it also transmits customer identification information that identifies the mobile terminal 3 or the customer using the mobile terminal 3. In addition, in the product selection process and accounting process described below, the mobile terminal 3 basically transmits customer identification information to identify itself whenever it sends any information to the management server 2.

[0042] The management server 2 receives the store ID from the mobile terminal 3 (step S103) and retrieves the store's price list from the product information DB 28 (step S104). This is because the selling price of products differs from store to store. The management server 2 then sends store information, including the store name and sales information for that store, to the mobile terminal 3 (step S105), and the mobile terminal 3 receives the store information (step S106). As a result, the display unit 31 of the mobile terminal 3 displays the current store name and sales information for that store, and the customer is ready to start shopping. The store information sent by the management server 2 includes information indicating the customer's transaction status at that store, and if a customer starts shopping at that store anew, the transaction status becomes new. On the other hand, if the customer interrupts shopping at that store for any reason, a list of purchased items corresponding to the transaction status up to that point is displayed on the mobile terminal 3.

[0043] (Product selection process) Next, the product selection process will be explained. The product selection process involves the customer using a mobile terminal 3 to read the product barcode 7 attached to the product and registering it in the purchase list. Figure 8 is a flowchart of the product selection process. This process is executed by the mobile terminal 3 and the management server 2.

[0044] First, when a customer finds an item they want to purchase, they put the mobile terminal 3 into item reading mode and read the item barcode 7 attached to the item using the mobile terminal 3 (Step S201: Yes). The mobile terminal 3 sends the item identification information of the read item to the management server 2 (Step S202). At this time, the quantity of the item is automatically set to "1". When the management server 2 receives the item identification information from the mobile terminal 3 (Step S203), it updates the purchase item list and sends it to the mobile terminal 3 (Step S204). The mobile terminal 3 receives the updated item list and displays it on the display unit 31 (Step S205). As a result, the newly added item and its quantity are added to the purchase item list and displayed on the mobile terminal 3.

[0045] Next, if necessary, the customer changes the quantity of the product by operating the mobile terminal 3, and the mobile terminal 3 retrieves the changed quantity (Step S206: Yes). When the product barcode is first read, the quantity of that product is automatically set to "1", but if the customer purchases multiple quantities of the same product, they can change the quantity by operating the mobile terminal 3. Once the changed quantity is set, the mobile terminal 3 sends the product identification information of the product to be changed and the changed quantity to the management server 2 (Step S207).

[0046] When the management server 2 receives product identification information and the changed quantity from the mobile terminal 3 (step S208), it updates the purchased product list and sends it to the mobile terminal 3 (step S209). The mobile terminal 3 receives the updated product list and displays it on the display unit 31 (step S210). This reflects the quantity change in the purchased product list.

[0047] Next, the mobile terminal 3 determines whether the customer has pressed the payment button 45 (step S211). The payment button 45 is the button that the customer presses when they finish shopping. If the payment button 45 has not been pressed (step S211: No), the process returns to step 201. In this way, the customer can continue shopping by adding items or changing quantities until they press the payment button 45. When the payment button 45 is pressed (step S211: Yes), the product selection process ends.

[0048] Figure 9 shows an example of the purchase list screen displayed on the mobile terminal 3. In this example, the purchase list screen includes a product reading button 40, a list display field 41, a subtotal display field 42, a total amount display field 43, a home screen transition button 44, a payment button 45, and a transaction cancellation button 46.

[0049] When the mobile terminal 3 detects that the product reading button 40 has been selected by a tap or other operation, it switches the display on the display unit 31 to the product reading screen. On the product reading screen, the mobile terminal 3 displays images acquired from the activated reading unit 36. This allows the customer to move the product or the mobile terminal 3 so that the product barcode 7 is within the reading range of the reading unit 36 ​​and read the product barcode 7.

[0050] The list display area 41 shows the name, quantity, and price of each purchased item. Additionally, a quantity decrease button 47 and a quantity increase button 48 are displayed for each purchased item in the list display area 41. When the mobile terminal 3 receives a quantity change request via the quantity decrease button 47 or the quantity increase button 48, it sends the product identification information of the changed item and the modified quantity to the management server 2.

[0051] The subtotal display field 42 displays the tax-exclusive subtotal of the selling prices for all items in the purchased items list, and the total amount display field 43 displays the tax-inclusive total amount of the selling prices for all items in the purchased items list. The management server 2 calculates these subtotals or total amounts based on the prices of the purchased items registered in the product information DB 28, specifically, the selling price list for that store obtained through the store entry process.

[0052] When the mobile terminal 3 detects that the home screen transition button 44 has been selected, it sends a request to display the home screen to the management server 2 and displays a predetermined home screen based on the display information received as a response. The home screen may display information such as discounts and price reductions at the store 8, or customer registration information for the mobile terminal 3.

[0053] When the mobile terminal 3 detects that the payment button 45 has been selected, it sends an accounting request to the management server 2 and, based on the display information received as a response, displays a payment screen including the accounting barcode described later. Also, when the mobile terminal 3 detects that the transaction cancellation button 46 has been selected, it sends information notifying the management server 2 of the transaction cancellation. In this case, the management server 2 deletes the purchase list corresponding to the mobile terminal 3.

[0054] (Accounting treatment) Next, we will explain the accounting process. The accounting process is the process of making payments for the products selected by the customer during the product selection process. Figure 10 is a flowchart of the accounting process. This process is executed by the mobile terminal 3, the management server 2, and the accounting machine 5.

[0055] First, when the aforementioned payment button 45 is pressed on the mobile terminal 3, it sends an accounting request to the management server 2 (step S301). Upon receiving the accounting request (step S302), the management server 2 calculates the payment amount based on the current purchase list (step S303). Furthermore, the management server 2 generates an accounting barcode (step S304). The accounting barcode is information that uniquely identifies the purchase contents indicated by the current purchase list. In one example, the accounting barcode can be a random code uniquely associated with the purchase contents at that time. In this case, the accounting barcode has meaning as a query number for payment information. The management server 2 sends a payment screen to the mobile terminal 3 that includes the payment amount calculated in step S303 and the accounting barcode generated in step S304 (step S305).

[0056] The mobile terminal 3 displays the received payment screen on the display unit 31 (step S306). Figure 11 shows an example of the payment screen display. In this example, the payment screen includes an accounting barcode 71, a total amount field 72, and a complete button 73. The customer moves to the accounting machine 5 with the mobile terminal 3 displaying the payment screen and reads the accounting barcode with the barcode reader 56 (step S307). The accounting machine 5 displays a payment method selection screen based on the read accounting barcode (step S308). Specifically, the accounting machine 5 sends the inquiry number indicated by the accounting barcode to the management server 2 and obtains payment information from the management server 2. The payment information includes the total amount and details such as the IDs and quantities of all items in the purchase item list. The accounting machine 5 displays a payment method selection screen based on the obtained payment information.

[0057] Figure 12(A) shows an example of the payment method selection screen. The payment method selection screen includes a total amount field 61, a cash button 62, and a credit button 63. The customer checks the payment amount on the payment method selection screen and presses either the cash button 62 or the credit button 63 to make the payment. This settles the purchase price (step S309). Specifically, if the customer chooses to pay with cash, the accounting machine 5 prompts the customer to insert cash into the cash slot, and once cash is inserted, it pays change as needed. If the customer chooses to pay with credit, the accounting machine 5 prompts the customer to insert a card, and if necessary, prompts the customer to enter a PIN or other information, and then processes the credit payment.

[0058] Once payment is complete, the accounting machine 5 displays the payment completion screen (step S310). Figure 12(B) shows an example of the payment completion screen. Figure 12(B) is an example where the customer has selected credit card payment, and the payment completion screen includes a payment information field 64, a receipt button 65, and an exit button 66. The payment information field 64 displays information such as the payment amount and payment method. The receipt button 65 is a button for printing a receipt. The exit button 66 is a button for confirming that the customer has completed the payment process. When the customer presses the exit button 66, the accounting machine 5 reports to the management server 2 that payment is complete and returns the display unit 51 to the main menu. As shown in Figure 11, the payment screen displayed on the mobile terminal 3 also displays an exit button 73, and when the customer has finished the payment process, they press the exit button 73 on the payment screen. When the exit button 73 is pressed, the mobile terminal 3 reports to the management server 2 that payment is complete and returns the display unit 31 to the main menu.

[0059] In the example above, the accounting barcode is simply a query number for payment information, and the accounting machine 5 uses this query number to obtain payment information from the management server 2. Alternatively, the accounting barcode could contain payment information. That is, when the management server 2 receives an accounting request, it generates an accounting barcode based on the contents of the purchased items list at that time, using the total amount and the information from the purchased items list. In this case, the accounting machine 5 can obtain payment information by reading and decoding the accounting barcode, so it does not need to communicate with the management server 2 to obtain payment information. In other words, the accounting machine 5 only needs to extract the total amount from the read accounting barcode and display the payment method selection screen.

[0060] [Prohibition of quantity changes] Next, we will explain the prohibition of quantity changes according to this embodiment. As described above, quantity changes are possible in the product selection process. That is, when purchasing multiple quantities of the same product, the customer reads the product barcode 7 from one product and increases the quantity purchased by changing the quantity, eliminating the need to read the barcode of the same product multiple times. However, for certain types of products, this quantity change function can be abused to purchase products at a lower price than they actually are.

[0061] Specifically, for products where the price is determined by the quantity, such as meat and prepared foods (referred to as "items sold by weight"), the quantity change function can be abused. For example, by scanning the barcode of the cheapest meat package with the smallest quantity, increasing the quantity by one using the quantity change function, and then taking both the scanned package and a larger meat package to checkout, the second meat package can be purchased at the same price as the first. In addition to items sold by weight, the quantity change function can also be abused for products whose prices are discounted based on their condition (referred to as "items discounted based on product condition"). For example, there are identical products that are discounted because the packaging is damaged or the expiration date is approaching. In this case, generally, the more damaged the product, the cheaper it is, and the closer the expiration date, the cheaper it is. When purchasing multiple such items, by scanning the barcode of the cheapest product and adding to the quantity using the quantity change function, the second and subsequent products can be purchased at the same price as the first product.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, quantity changes are prohibited for certain products as described above (hereinafter referred to as "quantity change prohibited products"). Specifically, quantity change prohibited products are identified based on product identification information, and quantity changes for quantity change prohibited products are prohibited. In one method, a specific code is assigned to the product barcode attached to the product for quantity change prohibited products. In another method, the product identification information of quantity change prohibited products and information indicating that the quantity cannot be changed (e.g., a flag) are stored in association in the product information DB18 of POS server 1 and the product information DB28 of management server 2. This allows management server 2 to determine whether a product is a quantity change prohibited product based on the product identification information received from mobile terminal 3. When server 2 receives a quantity change request from mobile terminal 3 that includes the product identification information of the target product and the changed quantity, if the quantity change request targets a quantity change prohibited product, the quantity change is prohibited. This prevents the misuse of the quantity change function to purchase quantity change prohibited products at a low price.

[0063] Figure 13 is a flowchart of the product selection process when quantity changes are prohibited for products whose quantity changes are restricted. The product selection process in Figure 13 is basically based on the product selection process shown in Figure 8, and steps S221 to S225 are the same as steps S201 to S205 in Figure 8, so the explanation is omitted.

[0064] When a customer specifies a target product on the mobile terminal 3 and issues a quantity change instruction (step S226: Yes), the mobile terminal 3 sends a quantity change request to the management server 2, including the product identification information and the changed quantity (step S227). For example, the customer issues a quantity change instruction by pressing the quantity increase button 48 on the purchased product list screen shown in Figure 9. When the management server 2 receives the quantity change request (step S228), it determines whether the target product indicated by the product identification information is a product for which quantity changes are prohibited (step S229). This determination is made by the management server 2 checking, as described above, whether the product identification information contains a specific code, or whether the product identification information is associated with information in the product information DB indicating that quantity changes are prohibited.

[0065] If the product whose quantity can be changed is a product whose quantity cannot be changed (Step S229: Yes), the management server 2 sends a message to the mobile terminal 3 indicating that the quantity cannot be changed (Step S230). The mobile terminal 3 receives and displays this message (Step S231). Figure 14 shows an example of the display of the message indicating that the quantity cannot be changed. Message 81 includes the fact that the product cannot be changed in quantity and that the user is requested to scan the product barcode for each product. If the customer presses the back button 82 on the screen in Figure 14, the display on the mobile terminal 3 returns to the purchased product list screen shown in Figure 9.

[0066] On the other hand, if the product subject to quantity change is not a product for which quantity change is prohibited (step S229: No), the management server 2 updates the purchase product list based on the quantity change request and sends it to the mobile terminal 3 (step S232). The mobile terminal 3 receives the updated product list and displays it on the display unit 31 (step S233). As a result, the quantity change is reflected in the purchase product list.

[0067] Next, the mobile terminal 3 determines whether the payment button 45 has been pressed by the customer (step S234). If the payment button 45 has not been pressed (step S234: No), the process returns to step 221. If the payment button 45 is pressed (step S234: Yes), the product selection process ends. In this way, by prohibiting quantity changes for weighed goods and discounted goods based on their condition, it is possible to prevent abuse of quantity changes.

[0068] Thus, the above process prevents the abuse of the quantity change function to fraudulently purchase goods at a low price. However, if a customer does not use the quantity change function and scans the product barcode of the same product that is prohibited from being changed multiple times, they can still purchase it at a low price. For example, in the meat package example mentioned earlier, if a customer scans the product barcode of the cheapest meat package twice and then pays for both that package and a package with a larger quantity, they can purchase the second meat package at the same price as the first.

[0069] To prevent this method, if the product barcode of the same quantity-change-prohibited product is read multiple times, the management server 2 may treat the second and subsequent reads as errors. Since the prices of quantity-change-prohibited products differ individually, the product identification information indicated by the barcodes attached to each product is also different. Therefore, as in the example above, if a customer reads the product barcode of the cheapest meat package twice, by the time of the second read, the same quantity-change-prohibited product will already exist in the purchase item list. Therefore, if the same quantity-change-prohibited product is read multiple times, the management server 2 should invalidate the read. Specifically, the management server 2 can inform the customer that the second and subsequent reads are invalid by displaying a message 83 indicating a "read error" on the mobile terminal 3, as shown in Figure 15(A), or by displaying a message on the mobile terminal 3 indicating that the product is already in the purchase item list, as shown in Figure 15(B). This prevents the purchase of quantity-change-prohibited products at unfairly low prices, even if the product barcode of the same quantity-change-prohibited product is read multiple times, without using the quantity change function.

[0070] [Other embodiments] Figure 16 shows the configuration of an information processing system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 200, like the embodiment described above, prohibits changes in the quantity of goods for which quantity changes are prohibited. The information processing system 200 comprises a management server 2 and a mobile terminal 3 as shown in Figure 1 as its hardware configuration.

[0071] Furthermore, the information processing system 200, in terms of its functional configuration, includes an acquisition unit 201, a list creation unit 202, a quantity change unit 203, and a display control unit 204, as shown in Figure 16. The acquisition unit 201 acquires product identification information based on the customer's operation of the mobile terminal 3. The list creation unit 202 creates a list of purchased products based on the product identification information acquired by the acquisition unit 201. The quantity change unit 203 accepts quantity change requests for products included in the purchased product list based on the customer's operation of the mobile terminal 3. The display control unit 204 then displays information on the mobile terminal's display indicating that the quantity cannot be changed if the product targeted by the quantity change request is a product whose quantity cannot be changed. In this way, if a customer requests a quantity change for a product whose quantity cannot be changed, the display on the mobile terminal can show that the quantity cannot be changed.

[0072] [Differentiation] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, when a customer instructs to change the quantity by pressing the quantity increase button 48 shown in Figure 9, the quantity change of products that are prohibited from being changed is prohibited. However, the application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the customer can operate the quantity display field for each product on the purchased product list screen, the above-mentioned quantity change prohibition process can be performed in response to a quantity change instruction made by the customer by operating the quantity display field. Also, if it is possible to instruct a quantity change on the product reading screen for reading product barcodes, the above-mentioned quantity change prohibition process can be performed in response to a quantity change instruction entered on the product reading screen.

[0073] (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, the barcode attached to the product is read by the mobile terminal 3, but instead, a QR (Quick Response) code may be attached to the product and read by the mobile terminal 3.

[0074] (Variation 3) In the above embodiment, a system is used in which customers register products to a purchase list by reading product barcodes with their mobile terminal 3. Alternatively, a system may be used in which individual products are identified by taking images of the products and registered to the purchase list. In this case, the product reader that registers purchased products to the purchase list takes a picture of the product placed in a predetermined location with a camera or the like, identifies the product from the captured image using image recognition, generates product identification information indicating that product, and transmits it to the management server 2. The management server 2 can generate a purchase list based on the product identification information transmitted from the product reader, as in the above embodiment, and perform accounting processing, etc. Even in this case, the management server 2 can execute the above-mentioned quantity change prohibition process and the process of invalidating multiple readings of the same quantity change prohibited product during the product selection process.

[0075] In addition, some or all of the above embodiments (including modifications, the same applies hereinafter) may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following.

[0076] (Note 1) A product identification information receiving means that receives product identification information generated based on the product from a mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased items based on the received product identification information, A quantity change request receiving means that receives a quantity change request for an item included in the purchase item list from the mobile terminal, A determination means that, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, transmits information to the mobile terminal prohibiting the quantity change of the product sold by weight included in the purchase list, A server device equipped with the following features.

[0077] (Note 2) The server device described in Appendix 1 transmits information to the mobile terminal indicating that product identification information will be read for each product when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight.

[0078] (Note 3) The aforementioned bulk-sold products include specific information in their product identification information. The determination means is a server device according to Appendix 1 or 2 that determines whether or not a product is sold by weight based on whether or not the product identification information of the product subject to the quantity change request contains the specific information.

[0079] (Note 4) It has a database that stores bulk-sold products in association with product identification information. The determination means is a server device according to any one of the appendices 1 to 3, which refers to the database to determine whether or not the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight.

[0080] (Note 5) The aforementioned mobile terminal is a server device as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 4, which is a device that takes an image of a product and generates the product identification information based on the captured image.

[0081] (Note 6) A purchase management method executed by a server device, Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. A purchase management method that, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, transmits information to the mobile terminal prohibiting a change in the quantity of the product sold by weight included in the purchase product list.

[0082] (Note 7) Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. A program that causes a computer to execute a process to send information to the mobile terminal prohibiting changes to the quantity of the bulk-sold product included in the purchase list, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a bulk-sold product.

[0083] (Note 8) An information processing system comprising a mobile terminal and a server device, An acquisition means for acquiring product identification information from the aforementioned mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased products based on the acquired product identification information, A display control means that, when an item included in the purchase list is a bulk-sold item, displays information on the display means of the mobile terminal prohibiting changes to the quantity of the bulk-sold item included in the purchase list, An information processing system equipped with the following features.

[0084] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made that are understandable to those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention naturally includes the full disclosure, including the claims, and various modifications and alterations that those skilled in the art could make in accordance with the technical idea. Furthermore, each disclosure of the above-mentioned patent documents and other references is incorporated herein by reference.

[0085] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-191780, filed on 21 October 2019, and incorporates all of its disclosures herein. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1 POS server 2 Management Server 3 Mobile devices 5. Cash register 56 Barcode reader 71. Accounting barcode 100 Purchase Management System

Claims

1. A product identification information receiving means that receives product identification information generated based on the product from a mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased items based on the received product identification information, A quantity change request receiving means that receives a quantity change request for an item included in the purchase item list from the mobile terminal, A determination means that, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, transmits information to the mobile terminal prohibiting the quantity change of the product sold by weight included in the purchase list, A server device equipped with the following features.

2. The server device according to claim 1, which transmits information to the mobile terminal indicating that product identification information should be read for each product when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight.

3. The aforementioned bulk-sold products include specific information in their product identification information. The server device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination means determines whether or not the product is a product sold by weight based on whether or not the product identification information of the product subject to the quantity change request contains the specific information.

4. It has a database that stores bulk-sold products in association with product identification information. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination means refers to the database to determine whether or not the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight.

5. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mobile terminal is a device that takes an image of a product and generates the product identification information based on the image taken.

6. The server device according to claim 1, which, when it receives product identification information for the aforementioned bulk-sold product multiple times, displays a reading error on the mobile terminal indicating that the second and subsequent readings are invalid.

7. The server device according to claim 1, which, when it receives product identification information for the bulk-sold product multiple times, displays a message on the mobile terminal indicating that the bulk-sold product is already included in the purchased product list when reading the information for the second time or later.

8. A purchase management method executed by a server device, Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. A purchase management method that, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, transmits information to the mobile terminal prohibiting a change in the quantity of the product sold by weight included in the purchase product list.

9. Product identification information generated based on the product is received from the mobile device. Based on the received product identification information, a list of purchased items is created. A request to change the quantity of an item included in the aforementioned purchase list is received from the mobile terminal. A program that causes a computer to execute a process to send information to the mobile terminal prohibiting changes to the quantity of the bulk-sold product included in the purchase list, when the product subject to the quantity change request is a bulk-sold product.

10. An information processing system comprising a mobile terminal and a server device, An acquisition means for acquiring product identification information from the aforementioned mobile terminal, A list creation means that creates a list of purchased products based on the acquired product identification information, A quantity change request receiving means that receives a quantity change request for an item included in the purchase item list from the mobile terminal, When the product subject to the quantity change request is a product sold by weight, a display control means causes the display means of the mobile terminal to display information prohibiting the quantity change of the product sold by weight included in the purchase product list, An information processing system equipped with the following features.

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