JP2015082250A - Checkout terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

In an operation mode in which self-scanning is performed by a customer, a checkout terminal capable of preventing fraud by the customer is provided. A checkout terminal is arranged at a position standing on a floor surface and at a position on the front side of the casing where a customer can operate and provide information to the customer. A user interface that enables merchandise sales data registration processing, a monitoring camera that is provided on the front side of the housing and that captures at least a part of the body of a customer who operates the user interface, and the merchandise sales data registration processing A monitoring image display unit configured to display image data captured by the monitoring camera on the user interface. [Selection] Figure 8

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a checkout terminal.

  Conventionally, product data attached to products in the form of code symbols is optically read and used for settlement processing. In recent years, as one form thereof, there is an operation form in which a code symbol reading operation (self-scanning) is performed by a customer.

  In addition, a store often has a shopping cart in addition to a shopping basket. Shopping carts are very convenient to carry goods from the sales floor to the checkout counter when purchasing so many products that they cannot be stored in the shopping basket.

  By the way, in recent years, a check-out terminal has been proposed that enables self-scanning while a shopping basket is placed on a shopping cart.

  However, in an operation mode in which self-scanning is performed by a customer, it is important to prevent fraud by the customer.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a check-out terminal that can prevent fraud by a customer in an operation mode in which self-scanning is performed by the customer.

  The check-out terminal according to the embodiment is arranged in a position erected with respect to the floor, and in a position on the front side of the case where operation by the customer and provision of information to the customer are possible. A user interface that enables merchandise sales data registration processing, a monitoring camera that is provided on the front side of the housing and that captures at least a part of the body of a customer who operates the user interface, and during the merchandise sales data registration processing And monitoring image display means for displaying the image data captured by the monitoring camera on the user interface.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a checkout terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the shopping cart. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing electrical connection of each part provided in the checkout terminal. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram relating to merchandise sales data registration processing in the checkout terminal. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of merchandise sales data registration processing in the checkout terminal. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a projection image by the image projection apparatus. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of a projection image by the image projection apparatus. FIG. 8 is a front view showing a display example on the operation panel.

  The present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is an example applied to the checkout terminal 1 installed in an accounting processing place as an accounting device. The checkout terminal 1 of the embodiment is an apparatus used in, for example, a supermarket or a home center.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a checkout terminal 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, various user interfaces are provided on the front surface of the housing 3 erected on the base 2. That is, on the front surface of the housing 3 erected on the pedestal 2, a card reader that performs reading and writing on an electronic money card (not shown) in order from the bottom by NFC (Near Field Communication). A writer 4, a scanner device 5 as a reading unit, and an operation panel 6 as an operation unit on which an operator performs operations necessary for product purchase are provided in this order.

  Furthermore, on the front surface of the housing 3, a monitoring camera 7 is provided as a security unit that is located at the upper portion of the housing 3 and monitors by photographing an operator for crime prevention. A sign unit 8 is provided that emits light to notify the customer of information such as when the device is in use or not in use.

  The scanner device 5 includes an image sensor (not shown) such as a color CCD image sensor or a color CMOS image sensor and a light source (not shown) such as an LED. The scanner device 5 has a reading window 5a through which light passes. A glass plate 9 is provided on the front surface of the housing 3 as a transparent plate having transparency that does not affect the reading of product data by the scanner device 5. The scanner device 5 is built in the housing 3 and positioned at a position where the reading window 5 a can be seen through the glass plate 9.

  The scanner device 5 includes a product code included in a barcode, which is a code symbol attached to a product, and external information of all or a part of the product (features representing product labels, product colors, surface irregularities, etc. Product data such as feature quantities representing surface conditions). Since processing for detecting code information from a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code is a conventional technique, a description thereof is omitted here.

  The operation panel 6 is provided with a display 6a with a touch panel for displaying various operation buttons, product data such as product names and unit prices. Examples of the various operation buttons include a reading end button for informing the checkout terminal 1 that reading of product data has been completed.

  The surveillance camera 7 can photograph at least a part (a face, a hand, etc.) of the body of the customer who operates the user interface of the checkout terminal 1. The image data captured by the monitoring camera 7 is stored in, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33 (see FIG. 3) and displayed on the operation panel 6.

  In addition, an image projection device 20 is provided on each side of the case 3 below the case 3 of the checkout terminal 1. The image projector 20 includes a laser projector and a sensor (none of which is shown). The image projector 20 irradiates a laser beam from a laser projector with a reflective plane such as a floor as a projection surface, and projects images such as characters, illustrations, and animations. Further, when the shopping cart 10 (see FIG. 2) directly touches the projected image, the sensor of the image projection device 20 detects the interruption of the laser light.

  In the checkout terminal 1 having such a configuration, the shopping cart 10 is placed on the side of the housing 3 and is included in the code symbol attached to the product by the customer without moving the shopping basket from the shopping cart 10. Merchandise sales data registration processing including merchandise data reading processing (self-scanning) and settlement processing such as merchandise codes and all or part of external information of the merchandise can be executed.

  Here, the shopping cart 10 will be briefly described. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the shopping cart 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the shopping cart 10 includes a frame 14 having a loading platform 12, 13 on which a shopping basket 11 can be placed, and three wheels 15 provided at the bottom, so that the customer can If the handle 16 attached to the upper part of 14 is pushed, it can move easily in a desired direction.

  Further, the handle 16 is provided with a shopping assist terminal device 18, which is a tablet terminal, in a state of being supported by the support frame 17 at a position where the customer can easily see and operate the display screen. The shopping assist terminal device 18 includes, for example, a route navigation function for guiding a tour route in a store in accordance with registration of a product to be purchased.

  In the shopping cart 10 having such a configuration, the height position of the shopping basket 11 placed on the loading platform 12 and the height position of the card reader / writer 4 of the checkout terminal 1 substantially coincide. For this reason, the card reader / writer 4, the scanner device 5, the operation panel 6 and the like can be positioned at the optimum height position where the customer as the operator performs the reading operation, and therefore included in the code symbol by the customer as the operator. It is possible to facilitate reading of product data such as product code and all or part of external information of the product.

  Here, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection of each part provided in the checkout terminal 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the checkout terminal 1 is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 30 that performs arithmetic processing on various input and stored data and controls the operation of each unit. Each part is connected via.

  The CPU 30 is connected to a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32 that stores in advance fixed data such as a control program and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33 that stores various data such as product data in a rewritable manner. A plurality of RAMs 33 are provided as necessary, and are backed up by a battery.

  Further, the CPU 30 includes a scanner device 5 via a scanner device I / F (interface) 34, an operation panel 6 via an operation panel control circuit 35, and a card reader / writer 4 via a card reader / writer control circuit 41. The image projection device 20 is connected via the image projection device control circuit 39. The CPU 30 is connected to the monitoring camera 7 via the monitoring camera control circuit 36 and the sign unit 8 via the sign unit control circuit 37. Further, the CPU 30 communicates with a communication device 42 that wirelessly transmits video information from the monitoring camera 7 to the monitor or wirelessly transmits product data read by the scanner device 5 to a store server (not shown). They are connected via a device I / F (interface) 43.

  Next, a function that the control program stored in the ROM 32 of the checkout terminal 1 causes the CPU 30 to execute will be described.

  Here, the merchandise sales data registration process, which is a characteristic function of the checkout terminal 1 in the operation mode in which the code symbol attached to the merchandise is read (self-scanning) by the customer, will be described.

  Here, FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram relating to merchandise sales data registration processing in the checkout terminal 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the control program executed by the CPU 30 of the checkout terminal 1 has a module configuration including an image projection unit 301, a process start unit 302, and a monitoring image display unit 303. The CPU 30 reads the control program from the ROM 32 and loads the above-described units into the RAM 33. As a result, the image projection unit 301, the processing start unit 302, and the monitoring image display unit 303 are generated on the RAM 33.

  The image projecting unit 301 causes the image projecting device 20 to project a predetermined image. More specifically, the image projection unit 301 projects different images on the image projection devices 20 provided on both side surfaces of the housing 3.

  When the process starting unit 302 detects that the shopping cart 10 as an object has entered the area where the image is projected by the image projecting unit 301 via the sensor of the image projecting device 20, the product sales data registration process is performed. To start.

  The monitoring image display unit 303 displays the image data captured by the monitoring camera 7 on the operation panel 6 as an operation unit included in the user interface during the merchandise sales data registration process.

  Here, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of merchandise sales data registration processing in the checkout terminal 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the power is turned on, the CPU 30 (image projection unit 301) of the checkout terminal 1 irradiates the floor surface from each image projection device 20 and projects an image respectively. (Step S1). Below, an example of the image which the image projector 20 projects on a floor surface is demonstrated.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a projected image by the image projecting device 20. In the example shown in FIG. 6, U-shaped guide images G are projected on both sides of the checkout terminal 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the direction of the U-shape of the projected guide image G differs by 180 degrees on both sides of the checkout terminal 1. This is because the guide image G is used for guiding the approach direction of the shopping cart 10 to the customer by the orientation of the U shape. That is, the guide image G indicates that the customer is allowed to enter the shopping cart 10 if the U-shaped direction is open. A shopping cart in which an empty shopping basket 11 is placed without allowing the customer to enter the shopping cart 10 on the side on which the guide image G whose U-shaped direction is closed is projected. 10 is positioned.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of a projected image by the image projecting device 20. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the guide images G marked with “X” and marked with “◯” are respectively projected on both sides of the checkout terminal 1. As shown in FIG. 7, in this example, a guide image G with a circle indicates that the customer is allowed to enter the shopping cart 10. On the other hand, the guide image G with a cross indicates that the shopping cart 10 on which the empty shopping basket 11 is placed is positioned without allowing the customer to enter the shopping cart 10.

  The customer places the shopping cart 10 on which the shopping basket 11 in which the product is placed is placed on the side of the casing 3 of the checkout terminal 1 with the guide image G as a mark. In this case, a shopping cart 10 on which an empty shopping basket 11 is placed is placed on the side opposite to the side on which the customer placed the shopping cart 10.

  When the CPU 30 (processing start means 302) of the checkout terminal 1 detects that the shopping cart 10 has entered the area where the guide image G is projected via the sensor of the image projection device 20 (step S2). Yes), the merchandise sales data registration process is started (step S3).

  In this state, with the shopping cart 10 on which the shopping basket 11 is placed sideways on the side of the casing 3 of the checkout terminal 1, the customer takes out the product from the shopping basket 11 in which the product is put, and converts it into the product. The scanner device 5 is caused to read product data such as a product code included in the attached code symbol and all or a part of the outer surface information of the product, and the product in which the product data is read is stored in the shopping basket 11 of another shopping cart 10. A reading operation is performed.

  When the CPU 30 of the checkout terminal 1 controls the scanner device 5 to read the product data from the product data such as the product code included in the code symbol attached to the product and all or part of the external surface information of the product, the read data is read. Product information (product name, price, etc.) based on the product data of the product is acquired from the product master (not shown) and stored in the RAM 33, and product information (product name, price, etc.), total amount, etc. are displayed on the operation panel 6 The product sales data registration process to be displayed is executed.

  During the merchandise sales data registration process, the CPU 30 (image projection unit 301) of the checkout terminal 1 controls the image projection device 20 and changes the color of the guide image G in accordance with the reading of the product data by the scanner device 5. As a result, the product data reading status is notified.

  Further, the CPU 30 (monitoring image display means 303) of the checkout terminal 1 displays the image data captured by the monitoring camera 7 on the operation panel 6 as shown in FIG. 8 during the product data reading operation in the product sales data registration process. Display. As shown in the figure, on the operation panel 6, a monitoring screen 50 having a display area 51 for image data captured by the monitoring camera 7 is displayed in a pop-up manner on the registration screen 40 in the merchandise sales data registration process.

  As a result, at least a part of the body (face, hand, etc.) of the customer who operates the checkout terminal 1 is displayed on the operation panel 6, and the customer himself performs product registration including product data reading work while viewing the video. As a result, the customer has an increased sense of being monitored and has a deterrent effect on fraud.

  The customer repeats the reading operation for each product, and when the product data of all products is read by the scanner device 5, the customer presses a reading end button (not shown) on the operation panel 6. Thereby, the checkout terminal 1 ends the reading operation.

  When the reading end button (not shown) of the operation panel 6 is pressed, the CPU 30 of the checkout terminal 1 displays the total amount on the operation panel 6 and displays a screen that prompts execution of settlement processing using electronic money. The customer holds the electronic money card over the card reader / writer 4 according to the display on the operation panel 6.

  When the electronic money card is held over the card reader / writer 4, the CPU 30 of the checkout terminal 1 executes settlement processing by exchanging electronic money according to the total amount displayed on the operation panel 6 via the card reader / writer 4. Then, the product sales data registration process is completed.

  Then, after the merchandise sales data registration process is completed (Yes in step S4), the CPU 30 (image projection means 301) of the checkout terminal 1 places the shopping basket 11 that has become empty as a result of the merchandise sales data registration process being completed. The projected image is changed to an image indicating that the shopping cart 10 is not allowed to enter the side on which the placed shopping cart 10 is laid, and the other image is changed to an image indicating that the shopping cart 10 is allowed to enter. (Step S5).

  As described above, according to the checkout terminal 1 of the embodiment, the image projection device 20 irradiates the laser beam onto the floor surface on which the predetermined object (shopping cart 10) is positioned and projects the predetermined image G. When it is detected via the sensor that the shopping cart 10 has entered the area where the image G is projected, the merchandise sales data registration process is started. As a result, it is possible to clearly guide the customer about the horizontal placement of the shopping cart 10 with respect to the checkout terminal 1, and to facilitate the merchandise sales data registration process by the customer.

  In addition, according to the checkout terminal 1 of the embodiment, at least a part of the body of the customer who operates the checkout terminal 1 (such as a face or a hand) is displayed on the operation panel 6, and the customer himself / herself sees the video while viewing the product Since merchandise registration including data reading work is executed, the sense of being monitored is increased and the deterrence effect against fraud can be exhibited.

  The control program executed in the checkout terminal 1 of the present embodiment is a file in an installable or executable format, and is a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). For example, the program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

  Furthermore, the control program executed in the checkout terminal 1 of the present embodiment may be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded via the network. Further, the control program executed by the checkout terminal 1 of the present embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  The control program executed by the checkout terminal 1 of the present embodiment has a module configuration including the above-described units (image projection unit 301, processing start unit 302, and monitoring image display unit 303). The CPU (processor) reads the control program from the storage medium, and loads the units onto the main storage device. As a result, the image projection unit 301, the process start unit 302, and the monitoring image display unit 303 are generated on the main storage device.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Checkout terminal 3 Case 4, 5, 6 User interface 7 Surveillance camera 20 Image projector, sensor 301 Image projection means 302 Processing start means 303 Monitoring image display means

JP 2011-54038 A

Claims (5)

A housing erected on the floor;
A user interface arranged on the front side of the housing at a position where operation by the customer and provision of information to the customer are possible, and enabling product sales data registration processing by the customer;
A surveillance camera that is provided on the front side of the housing and photographs at least a part of a customer's body that operates the user interface;
Monitoring image display means for displaying image data captured by the monitoring camera on the user interface during the merchandise sales data registration process;
A checkout terminal comprising: The monitoring image display means pops up a monitoring screen having a display area for image data captured by the monitoring camera over the registration screen in the product sales data registration process,
The checkout terminal according to claim 1, wherein: An image projection device that is provided on a side surface of the housing and projects an image by irradiating the floor surface on which a predetermined object is positioned with laser light;
A sensor for detecting that the object has entered the area where the image is projected;
Image projecting means for projecting a predetermined image on the image projecting device;
A process starting means for starting a merchandise sales data registration process when the sensor detects that the object has entered the area where the image is projected by the image projecting means;
The checkout terminal according to claim 1, further comprising: The image projection device is provided on each side surface of the casing,
The image projecting unit projects different images to the image projecting devices.
The checkout terminal according to claim 3, wherein The image projecting unit projects an image indicating that the object is allowed to enter one image projecting device, and projects an image indicating that the object is not allowed to enter the other image projecting device. To
The checkout terminal according to claim 4, wherein:

Images