Store Settlement Monitoring Using Basket Tag Correlation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In self-service store systems, it is challenging for store employees to ensure that customers pay for items before leaving, as customers can register commodities for purchase using mobile terminals and settle transactions independently, making it difficult to prevent unpaid items from being taken out of the store.
Innovation Solution
A management server system that uses wireless tags attached to shopping baskets, communicating with mobile terminals and gate devices to track settlement status, issuing alerts if items are not paid for, and preventing exit until settlement is complete.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If customers use mobile terminals to register and settle commodities independently, then customer convenience is improved, but the ability to prevent unpaid items from being taken out deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the correlation between terminal codes and tag information, and provides feedback by issuing notifications when unpaid items are detected at the gate. This feedback mechanism ensures that customers are aware of their settlement status without requiring manual intervention from store employees.
Solution Approach 2:
The management server acts as an intermediary between the mobile terminals and gate devices, correlating terminal codes with tag information and coordinating the notification system. This intermediary role enables automated monitoring while maintaining customer independence in the settlement process.
2Reliability
If store employees manually monitor all transactions, then payment integrity is improved, but labor requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service monitoring where the management server automatically correlates terminal codes with tag information and issues notifications without requiring manual intervention from store employees. The automated gate monitoring system independently tracks settlement status and prevents unpaid items from being taken out.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring by store employees with an automated electronic system that uses terminal codes, tag information, and automated notifications. This substitution eliminates the need for continuous human oversight while maintaining payment integrity.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If automated gate monitoring is implemented, then the ability to detect unpaid items is improved, but system complexity and notification management increase
Solution Approach 1:
The management server performs multiple functions including correlating terminal codes with tag information, tracking settlement status, and issuing notifications. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity into a single system that handles various aspects of payment monitoring and enforcement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents customers from leaving the store with unpaid items by ensuring all transactions are settled before allowing exit, enhancing payment integrity and reducing loss for the store.
Implementation Method 1
a tag attached to a basket for storing a commodity sold in the store; upon receipt, from the user terminal, of a terminal code of the user terminal and tag information for a tag attached to a basket
Data Source
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AI summary
A management server includes a processor and communication interface to communicate with a user terminal and a communication device at a location in a store. When the processor receives a terminal code and shopping basket tag information from the user terminal, the processor stores the terminal code in association with the tag information and status information indicating a settlement process has not been completed. Upon receipt of a commodity code from the user terminal, the processor registers the code as commodity in a sales transaction, When the settlement process is completed for sales transaction, the processor updates the status information to indicate the settlement process has been completed. If the tag information is received from the first communication device, the processor issues a notification when the settlement has not been completed.