Receipt Data Parsing for Regional Notation Variations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing POS terminal systems face challenges in accurately acquiring and analyzing settlement information due to varying notation forms of item values on receipts across different regions, making it difficult to precisely extract and manage these values.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that allows settings for currency, decimal separator, and grouping separator notation forms, enabling the conversion of item values into standardized formats for improved analysis, using a control server to process text data from receipts and generate appropriate notation forms for item values indicating amounts of money and dates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If text data from receipts with different regional notation forms is processed using a fixed analysis method, then the analysis process is simple, but the acquisition precision of item values deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation by detecting the notation form present in the input text data and switching the analysis method accordingly. The analysis unit dynamically selects between different parsing approaches based on whether the data uses regional notation conventions (e.g., comma as decimal separator in Europe vs. dot in US), allowing the system to maintain high precision across varying input formats without requiring a completely fixed rigid structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the analysis method based on the detected notation form. When different regional formats are detected (such as different decimal separators, thousand separators, or date formats), the system adjusts its parsing parameters and regex patterns to match the detected format, thereby maintaining high acquisition precision across diverse regional conventions
2Measurement precision
If multiple analysis methods are prepared for different notation forms, then the acquisition precision of item values improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of the notation form before executing the main analysis. By first identifying which regional convention is used in the input data (through detection of characteristic patterns like decimal separators or currency symbols), the system prepares and selects the appropriate analysis method in advance, avoiding the need to maintain multiple equally-weighted analysis paths and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate detection mechanism that acts as a mediator between the raw text data and the analysis methods. This detection layer identifies the notation form and routes the data to the appropriate analysis routine, effectively decoupling the complexity of multiple analysis methods from the main processing flow and making the system more manageable
3Adaptability or versatility
If regional notation variations are accommodated, then the adaptability of the system improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring item values increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection and analysis process into distinct stages: first detecting the notation form through identification of characteristic patterns (decimal separators, currency symbols, date formats), then separately analyzing the item values based on the detected segment. This segmentation allows the system to handle regional variations systematically without overwhelming complexity in each individual stage
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A control server to which a management apparatus and a printer that prints settlement information and issues a receipt are connectable, includes a processor that acquires text data on the settlement information from the printer, acquires an item value of an item contained in the settlement information from the text data, acquires a setting relating to a notation form of the item value in the different notation forms depending on regions from the processor, and acquires the item value in the different notation forms depending on regions from the text data based on the setting.