Store Server Self-Service Transaction System

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing cart POS systems face issues such as theft of dedicated information terminals, management challenges, and customer inconvenience due to the need to return shopping carts, which increases operational burdens for stores.

Innovation Solution

A store system that incorporates both dedicated information terminals on shopping carts and customers' personal electronic devices, allowing for wireless communication and shared functionality, enabling customers to perform self-service transactions without relying on dedicated terminals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If dedicated information terminals are provided on shopping carts, then customers can perform self-service transactions, but the risk of terminal theft and management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-service transaction capabilityVSAvoidterminal theft risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces dedicated information terminals with copies of transaction functionality running on customers' personal electronic devices. The store server provides transaction processing capabilities that can be accessed through the customer's own smartphone or mobile device, eliminating the need for physical dedicated terminals on shopping carts while maintaining self-service functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the transaction processing functionality from the dedicated information terminals and shopping carts, separating it into a standalone service provided by the store server. This allows customers to access transaction capabilities through their personal devices without requiring the store to provide or manage physical terminals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If dedicated information terminals are provided on shopping carts, then customers can perform self-service transactions, but maintenance and management of terminals become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-service transaction capabilityVSAvoidterminal management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of managing physical dedicated terminals, the system copies transaction functionality to customers' personal devices through a software-based approach. The store server provides the transaction processing service that can be accessed through any compatible mobile device, eliminating the need for physical terminal management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical dedicated information terminals with a software-based transaction system accessed through customers' personal electronic devices. This substitution eliminates the need for physical device management, maintenance, and deployment while maintaining the same functional capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If customers must use shopping carts with dedicated terminals, then transaction processing is enabled, but customers face inconvenience when returning carts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransaction processing efficiencyVSAvoidshopping cart return convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent copies transaction functionality to customers' personal devices, allowing them to complete transactions without being tied to specific shopping carts or dedicated terminals. Customers can shop using any cart and complete transactions through their mobile devices, eliminating the constraint of returning carts to specific locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the transaction system universal by allowing customers to access transaction capabilities through their personal devices rather than requiring dedicated terminals on specific carts. This enables customers to use any shopping cart in the store and complete transactions anywhere, providing multi-functional flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3675071B1Store server, store system and control method of store system
Publication Date: 2024.09.18 TOSHIBA TEC KK
  • EP3675071B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3675071B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3675071B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In one embodiment, a store server has a communication device, a storage device, and a processor. The communication device performs transmission/reception of information with an information terminal and an electronic device. The storage device stores a list of terminal identification data in which first terminal identification data unique to the information terminal and second terminal identification data unique to the electronic device are to be registered, and a shopping file in which information of the commodity to be identified by identification data of the commodity is to be registered in association with at least any one of the first terminal identification data and the second terminal identification data. The processor creates the shopping file in association with at least any one of the first terminal identification data and the second terminal identification data.