Customer Management Apparatus for Unstaffed Store Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
In stores operated by a small number of people or in an unstaffed manner, there is a challenge in balancing security levels to ensure customer safety without making the entry process overly cumbersome for customers.
Innovation Solution
A customer management apparatus that acquires face information and unique customer information at the store entrance, performing registration processing when authentication criteria are met, allowing secure entry while reducing the complexity of the entry procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If face recognition authentication is implemented at store entrance, then security level is improved, but entry procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary registration of customer face information and shopping cart information before the actual shopping process. By pre-registering these data elements and establishing association relationships in advance, the system eliminates the need for complex real-time authentication procedures at the entrance, thereby maintaining high security while simplifying the entry process for customers.
2Reliability
If multiple authentication steps are required for customer entry, then security within store is improved, but customer convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the authentication function with the shopping cart management function. By integrating face recognition authentication with the existing shopping cart registration process, the system achieves multi-factor authentication (face + shopping cart information) without requiring separate authentication steps, thereby maintaining high security while preserving customer convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The shopping cart registration terminal is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both a shopping cart information registration device and an authentication device. This multi-functional design allows the system to achieve comprehensive security verification while using a single unified interface, eliminating the need for separate authentication equipment and procedures.
3Ease of operation
If simple entry procedure is provided for customers, then customer convenience is improved, but security monitoring capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses shopping cart information as an intermediary element to bridge customer convenience and security monitoring. The shopping cart registration data serves as a mediating data structure that enables automated association with face information, allowing the system to maintain simple customer interaction while achieving comprehensive security monitoring through automated data correlation and analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A customer management apparatus (10) includes an acquisition unit (110) and a determination unit (120). The acquisition unit (110) acquires, from a registration terminal (20), first face information and card identification information. When the first face information satisfies a first criterion regarding whether authentication is possible, the determination unit (120) causes a storage unit (130) to store the first face information and the card identification information in association with each other (first registration processing), and performs processing for allowing a customer to enter a store. The processing may be, for example, issuing, to a store entry apparatus (40), a command to open an automatic door, or may be issuing, to the store entry apparatus (40), a command (so-called lock releasing) to cause an automatic door to open when the customer stands in front of the automatic door.