Attachment Provision Control Device for Retail Product Bundling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for attaching products in retail stores, such as lunch boxes with chopsticks and soy sauce, are inefficient and prone to forgetting attachments, leading to increased workload for clerks and potential shortages in labor-saving stores.
Innovation Solution
An attachment provision control device that acquires information about purchased products and their quantities, determines the appropriate number and amount of attachments based on this data, and transmits instructions to an attachment provision device for automatic delivery, eliminating the need for manual attachment by clerks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual attachment by clerks is used, then attachments can be provided to customers, but work load increases and forgetting attachments occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic attachment provision without requiring clerk intervention. The attachment provision control device automatically determines attachment types and quantities based on purchased products, and the attachment provision device automatically delivers them to customers, making the system self-serving and eliminating human error in the attachment provision process
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of clerks physically attaching items is replaced with an automated control system that uses electronic determination and mechanical delivery mechanisms. The processor-based control device substitutes human decision-making and manual handling with automated information processing and mechanical provision devices
2Productivity
If automatic attachment provision is implemented, then clerk work is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: a product identification device that scans purchased items, an attachment provision control device that processes information and determines attachment requirements, and an attachment provision device that physically delivers attachments. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment provision control device serves multiple functions: it receives product identification information, determines attachment types and quantities based on purchased products, calculates provision amounts, and transmits control signals to the attachment provision device. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems into a single integrated controller
3Ease of operation
If attachments are manually attached, then clerks can control the process, but labor costs increase particularly in labor-saving stores
Solution Approach 1:
The system completely eliminates the need for clerk involvement in attachment provision. The automated control device makes all decisions about which attachments to provide and in what quantities, and the provision device executes the delivery without human intervention, thereby reducing labor requirements to zero while maintaining operational control through automated decision-making algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
An attachment provision control device according to the present invention includes: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The processor performs operations. The operations include: acquiring information related to a purchased product and at least one of a purchase quantity and a purchase amount of the purchased product; determining at least one of a number and an amount of attachments to be attached to the purchased product based on the information related to the purchased product and at least one of the purchase quantity and the purchase amount of the purchased product; and transmitting an instruction to provide at least one of the determined number of attachments or the determined amount of attachments to an attachment provision device.