JP7742092B2 - Shoplifting prevention system using sales registers - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a system that uses a sales registration machine to prevent shoplifting of merchandise displayed in a store.

There are an almost countless number of stores selling various products across the country, such as department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores.
There are countless types of products for sale, ranging from small items such as daily necessities, books and magazines, cars, motorcycles, agricultural machinery such as tractors and combines, to large items, and each of these products is sold in a store that is suited to the product and in a way that is appropriate for it.

Among these products, theft of large items such as cars is rare, but small items such as everyday items are constantly subject to theft (shoplifting).
Therefore, department stores and supermarkets have special monitors stationed to keep an eye on merchandise to prevent it from being shoplifted.
In addition, cameras are installed in appropriate locations to monitor shoplifting.

The "Shoplifting prevention system using RFID and surveillance cameras" of JP 2015-32230 is a shoplifting prevention system that uses RFID and surveillance cameras to detach RFID tags from products on display shelves and detect when the products are removed.
An anti-shoplifting system using RFID and surveillance cameras attaches RFID tags to products, places RFID antennas on the product display shelves, and also places surveillance cameras that monitor products being removed from the shelves.By comparing the current image from the surveillance camera with an image from a few seconds ago, it can detect when a product placed on the display shelf has been removed.The RFID antenna installed on the display shelf also detects the movement of the RFID tag attached to the product, and compares the movement information of both the product and the RFID tag.If the movement of the product is detected but the movement of the RFID tag is not detected, it can be determined that the RFID tag has been detached from the product.

The "shoplifting detection system, shoplifting detection method, and shoplifting detection program" disclosed in JP 2017-76171 comprises a store site such as a retail store, and a cloud site that receives and analyzes video data captured by video cameras at the store site and detects and prevents suspected shoplifting based on the analysis results. The cloud site, which can communicate with the store site, is equipped with a feature value extraction and analysis device and a shoplifting prevention device for detecting and preventing suspected shoplifting.

The "shoplifting prevention deterrence system" disclosed in JP 2017-27568 is configured to identify suspicious individuals based on surveillance data from surveillance cameras, and provide the suspicious individuals with psychological deterrence measures that make them aware that they are being watched, thereby preventing shoplifting before it occurs.
Even if a suspicious person can be identified at the monitoring center, the shoplifting prevention restraint system allows the suspicious person to realize that he or she is being watched by having employees or the like make eye contact with the suspicious person in the store, put out and organize merchandise near the suspicious person, pass by the suspicious person several times, or have other employees perform the same actions as a psychological restraint against the suspicious person.

"Shoplifting prevention system using RFID and surveillance cameras" according to JP 2015-32230 "Shoplifting detection system, shoplifting detection method, and shoplifting detection program" pertaining to JP 2017-76171 "Shoplifting prevention system" according to JP 2017-27568 A

Many stores display and sell merchandise on shelves, but shoplifting is not uncommon, and various measures have been taken to prevent it. The main preventative measure is to install surveillance cameras in various places in the store to constantly record images of the store, and many stores transmit and display the images on a display device installed in a separate room near the sales floor.
In this case, to prevent shoplifting, it is necessary to constantly monitor the video footage that changes from moment to moment in the store, and specialists are required to constantly monitor the video footage. For this reason, many stores end up needing specialists to constantly monitor the video footage in the store to prevent shoplifting.

If it is not possible to assign a specialist, the staff will be required to do other tasks in a location where they can see the displayed in-store video, and will only be able to catch a glimpse of the video as needed, which often results in no effective shoplifting prevention.
The problem that this invention aims to solve is this problem, and provides a shoplifting prevention system that can monitor acts such as shoplifting by displaying images from a surveillance camera on the sales registration screen of a sales registration machine that performs payment settlement.

The shoplifting prevention system of the present invention uses a sales register and is able to display images captured by cameras installed in various locations within the store on a screen attached to the sales register.
A sales registration machine is a device used to settle the accounts of products purchased by customers. It has a sales registration screen on the front that displays the product name and price, a keyboard, a barcode reader that reads the barcodes attached to products, and a receipt printer that records the details of the products purchased.
The specific model and structure of the sales register is not limited here, and the sales register may be installed in a separate location so that customers can settle their accounts themselves.

The sales registration screen displays the product names and prices of the products purchased by customers, as well as the total amount, but if there is no new input within a certain period of time, the display screen can also show the inside of the store as seen by a surveillance camera installed inside the store.
Also, even if sales are being registered, if there is a need to view images of the inside of the store, the sales registration screen can be switched to the in-store situation screen by pressing a switch button (camera button) located outside the sales registration zone on the sales registration screen.

The images displayed on the screen can be from multiple cameras simultaneously, or can be from a specific camera. In other words, the in-store situation screen has a single/multi button so that single images from one camera and multi-images from multiple cameras can be displayed.

The shoplifting prevention system of the present invention works by linking multiple cameras installed in the store with a sales register machine, which is always manned by a cashier who enters the items purchased by customers or reads them with a barcode reader and displays them on the sales registration screen.
Therefore, the cashier can occasionally switch the sales registration screen to the store status screen, which displays images from cameras installed in the store. If the cashier sees this store status screen and a customer has shoplifted, they can take immediate action.

Therefore, there is no need for a supervisor who walks around the store to monitor, and there is also no need for a supervisor (specialist) who monitors the camera images in a separate room. The staff member who operates the sales register can simultaneously monitor shoplifting.
Furthermore, the sales registration machine screen can display images from multiple cameras simultaneously, allowing one cashier to view images from multiple cameras. If they notice any activity that appears to be shoplifting, they can enlarge the image and check it.
Here, the present invention does not limit how a shoplifter should be dealt with, and each store may adopt the most appropriate method.

1 is an embodiment showing the appearance of a sales registration machine. The sales registration screen and in-store status screen are displayed on the sales registration machine's display screen. A network built by connecting multiple cameras and sales registers installed inside the store. One large screen showing the inside of the store and four smaller images of the inside of the store captured by cameras. (a) is the in-store situation screen switched from the sales registration screen, (b) is the single/multi button, (c) is the in-store situation image when the single button is pressed, and (d) is the in-store situation image when the multi button is pressed. A camera control unit is located at the side edge of the in-store situation image.

FIG. 1 is a specific example showing a typical sales registration machine 1, and various types of sales registration machines 1 are used in retail stores such as supermarkets and convenience stores, but there are no limitations on the model or specific structure.
The sales registration machine 1 shown in the figure has a display screen 2, a keyboard 3, a receipt printer 4, and a barcode reader 5. The sales registration machine 1 also has an auxiliary display screen 6 on its rear side, paired with the front display screen 2.

Figure 2 shows two types of screens displayed on the display screen 2. The screen shown in (a) is the sales registration screen 7, and (b) is the in-store situation screen 8. In other words, by operating the camera button 10 located in the corner of the sales registration screen 7, the in-store situation screen 8 can be displayed. Then, by pressing the back button located on the in-store situation screen 8, the user will be returned to the sales registration screen 7.

Normally, by operating the camera button 10, the store status screen 8 is displayed, but if the attendant does not make any new input within a certain time, the display screen can be made to automatically show the state of the store as seen by a surveillance camera installed in the store.
The sales registration screen 7 lists the products purchased by the customer, and displays the product name, unit price, quantity, and amount, as well as the total amount.

To input a product to be purchased into the sales registration screen 7, the product name, unit price, quantity, and amount can be displayed by reading the barcode displayed on the product's packaging using the barcode reader 5. For products without a barcode, the product name, unit price, quantity, and amount can be displayed by inputting them using the keyboard 3.
The auxiliary display screen 6 provided on the rear side also displays the product name, unit price, quantity and amount of the purchased product, so that the customer can pay close attention to the auxiliary display screen 6.

The sales registration screen 7 shown in FIG. 2(a) is displayed by the sales registration clerk at the sales registration machine 1, and the barcode of each product purchased by the customer is read using the barcode reader 5, and the price is displayed together with the product name.
The display screen 2 of the sales registration machine 1 displays a sales registration screen 7, but when there is a lull in the customer traffic and there is time to operate the sales registration machine, the attendant can operate the switch button (camera button) to display the in-store status screen 8 shown in (b).
On the other hand, if the attendant does not make a new entry within a certain period of time, the sales registration screen 7 can automatically display the state of the store as seen by the surveillance camera.

The store situation screen 8 displays the main locations in the store, but cameras are installed in multiple locations in the store, and the scenes captured by each camera can be viewed on the store situation screen 8.
3 shows the network of cameras 9, 9... and the sales registration machine 1. Each camera 9, 9... shows the main areas in the store, and the network is constructed so that all cameras can show the entire store without leaving anything out.
The figure shows a sales registration screen 7 and a camera button 10 provided in the corner, and normally, operating the camera button 10 switches to the in-store situation screen 8.

4A and 4B show the in-store situation screen 8, where (a) shows a large in-store situation screen 8 and (b) shows a reduced version of four in-store situation screens 8, 8... captured by four cameras 9, 9....
The screens (a) and (b) can be switched by operating the single/multi button. The single/multi button is provided at the top of the store status screen 8, and can be used to switch between the single screen shown in (a) and the multi screen shown in (b).

Figure 5 shows the in-store situation screen 8, where (a) shows the case where the sales registration screen 7 is changed to the in-store situation screen 8 by operating the camera button 10, (b) shows the single/multi button 11 located at the top of the screen, (c) shows the in-store situation screen 8 when the single button is pressed, and (d) shows the four in-store situation screens 8, 8, etc. when the multi button is pressed.
The staff member at the sales registration machine 1 can simultaneously view the four store situation screens 8, 8, etc., and when he or she sees an act that seems to be shoplifting, he or she can switch to a large single screen and check whether or not shoplifting has occurred.

6 shows the camera operation unit 12 provided on the left side of the in-store situation screen 8. The camera operation unit 12 has pan/tilt buttons 13, which operate to move the camera left and right and up and down from the viewpoint. The camera position adjustment button 14 can adjust the viewpoint of the camera.
The preset button 15 presets the camera's viewpoint position, and pressing the button instantly switches the camera's viewpoint position, for example, to the side of the sales register, behind the sales register, a showcase, etc.

The image update interval button 16 can switch between video and still images, and can switch between intervals of, for example, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, and 60 seconds.
A resolution button 17 is provided to allow switching between a resolution for a large screen and a resolution for a small screen.

1 Sales registration machine 2 Display screen 3 Keyboard 4 Receipt printer 5 Barcode reader 6 Auxiliary display screen 7 Sales registration screen 8 In-store status screen 9 Camera
10 Camera button
11 Single/Multi Button
12 Camera control section
13 Pan/Tilt Button
14 Camera position adjustment button
15 Preset Buttons
16 Screen update interval button
17 Resolution button

Claims (4)

In a shoplifting prevention system for preventing shoplifting in retail stores such as department stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores, cameras are installed in appropriate locations within the store, a sales register is used to settle accounts for products sold to customers, the sales register has a camera button that switches the sales register screen to display a screen that shows the situation inside the store and a button that returns to the original sales register screen, and a network is formed that connects the multiple cameras installed within the store to the sales register,
A shoplifting prevention system using a sales registration machine is characterized in that a camera operation unit is provided at the side edge of the screen that displays the situation in the store, and the camera operation unit is provided with an image update interval button, which operates the camera to display video/still images at predetermined intervals . A shoplifting prevention system using the sales registration machine described in claim 1, in which if no new input is made to the sales registration screen for a certain period of time, the displayed sales registration screen displays the state of the store as captured by a camera installed in the store. A shoplifting prevention system using a sales registration machine as described in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the screen displaying the store's status has a single/multi button so that a large screen showing the store's status from a single camera and a small screen showing the store's status from multiple cameras can be displayed alternately. A shoplifting prevention system using a sales registration machine as described in claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, in which a camera operation unit is provided at the side edge of the screen that displays the situation inside the store, and the camera operation unit is provided with buttons that allow the camera to move left and right and up and down from the viewpoint position.