Sales Data Processing Apparatus Using Transaction-Timed Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing customer analysis methods using member cards are time-consuming, costly, and exclude non-member customers, while face recognition techniques have low reliability in extracting proper features from images.
Innovation Solution
A sales data processing apparatus with an imaging module that captures customer images and generates identification data based on specific manipulations during transactions, such as key presses, to ensure accurate and timely customer identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If member cards are used for customer identification, then customer analysis can be performed, but it requires time, labor, and cost to issue cards and excludes non-member customers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical copies (photographs) of customers instead of physical member cards. The camera captures images of customers waiting in line, and these image copies are stored and used for identification, eliminating the need for issuing physical cards while maintaining identification capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical card-based identification system with an optical imaging system. Instead of reading magnetic stripes or barcodes from cards, the system uses camera images and automated face recognition algorithms to identify customers, reducing manual labor and system complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If face recognition is used for customer identification, then non-member customers can be included, but proper features are not always extracted from face images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions to ensure image quality before identification. The camera is positioned and adjusted in advance to capture clear frontal images of customers, and the system waits for customers to stand in proper positions before taking photographs, ensuring that extractable features are present in the images
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the captured images are reviewed and, if necessary, retaken. The manipulation determination module assesses whether the captured image contains sufficient features, and if not, the system requests another photograph until acceptable quality is achieved, improving feature extraction accuracy
3Reliability
If images are captured for customer identification, then identification can be performed, but images must be captured at proper timing to ensure reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic image capture system that activates based on real-time detection of customer presence and transaction events. The camera captures images at specific moments when customers are standing in line or performing transactions, rather than continuously or at fixed intervals, optimizing both timing accuracy and time efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A sales data processing apparatus which registers and processes sales data on a transaction-by-transaction basis. The apparatus includes: an imaging module; a moving image storage module; a manipulation situation storage module; and a generation module configured (i) to extract an image that satisfies a prescribed criterion among images which were taken with the manipulation timing indicated by the data stored in the manipulation situation storage module from the moving image stored in the moving image storage module and (ii) to generate user identification image data based on the extracted image.