Self-Service POS Timing Monitoring for Early Failure Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sales processing apparatuses lack the capability to predictively diagnose defects during active use, leading to potential downtime and inefficiencies, as they primarily focus on detecting defective operations rather than predictive signs of failure.

Innovation Solution

A self-service POS terminal equipped with a processor that acquires and compares processing times for various operations, such as code symbol reading, banknote, and coin dispensing, against reference times to detect early signs of defective operations, allowing for proactive notification and maintenance without requiring the apparatus to be removed from service.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If automated failure diagnosis operations are performed during non-active periods, then defective operations can be detected, but the machine requires downtime and predictive signs cannot be detected during active use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedefect detection capabilityVSAvoiddowntime for diagnosis
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary failure diagnosis actions during active operation by continuously monitoring operation times and comparing them against reference values. This allows predictive signs to be detected before actual failures occur, eliminating the need for separate non-active diagnosis periods and reducing downtime while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the machine operates continuously without interruption, then productivity is maintained, but predictive failure diagnosis cannot be performed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous operationVSAvoidpredictive failure detection
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous operation while performing failure diagnosis by integrating the monitoring function into the active operation itself. The processor continuously acquires operation times and compares them against reference values during normal sales transaction processing, ensuring both productivity and predictive failure detection are maintained simultaneously without interruption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3872730A1Sales processing apparatus with early failure detection and method for early failure detection in a sales processing apparatus
Publication Date: 2021.09.01 TOSHIBA TEC KK
  • EP3872730A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3872730A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3872730A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A sales processing apparatus includes a processor and an input and output unit configured to perform an operation for a sales transaction processing. The processor is configured to acquire the time required for the input and output unit to perform the operation for the sales transaction processing of a sales transaction, then determine whether the time required for the input and output unit to perform the operation during the sales transaction exceeds a reference time for the input and output unit to perform the operation. A notification is output if the time required for the input and output unit to perform the operation during the sales transaction exceeds the reference time.