AU1849300A - Merchandise handling system - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Ishida Co., Ltd.

Actual Inventor(s): NAOKI TAKAMA Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: MERCHANDISE HANDLING SYSTEM Our Ref: 609357 POF Code: 146119/287981 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s):.

-1- Merchandise Handling System BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (Field of the Invention) The present invention relates to a merchandise handling system for automatically performing pricing or account settlement based on merchandise information stored in a storage device of a kind used in, for example, a weighing, packaging and pricing machine, a weighing and pricing machine, an electronic scale or a labeler.

(Description of the Prior Art) As one example of merchandise handling system, the weighing, packaging and pricing system has hitherto be well known in which goods to be sold in the market are weighed, packaged and priced. The weighing, packaging and pricing system performs the pricing capability by issuing a price-bearing label and then applying the issued label to a package of goods.

Issue of the label requires an operation to input a call number of the merchandise to call a necessary registration data.

However, since the weighing, packaging and pricing system of the type referred to above requires a job of placing goods, that have been placed on trays, to be placed on a transport conveyor, keyboard manipulation cannot be performed simultaneously with performance of the job and, therefore, it often occur that the required operation to call the necessary registration data cannot be performed.

In view of the above, attempts have been made to make use of a voice inputting system. However, since the voice inputting system is installed at a site such as the backyard of a supermarket and is apt to catch background noises, failing to properly recognize voices inputted.

The Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 59-10816, published in 1984 discloses inputting a predetermined code followed by inputting of data. However, with the prior art technique such as disclosed in this publication, it is not impossible, when the inputted voices were not recognized, to ascertain whether the code could not be recognized or whether the data could not be recognized. For this reason, the voice inputting is required to be performed a number of times starting from the code. Accordingly, the voice inputting is cumbersome. Problems similar to those are equally found in other conventional merchandise handling systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 10 Accordingly, the present invention has for its object to provide an improved merchandise handling system in which not only can recognition of voices be facilitated, but inputting of voices can also be performed quickly.

To this end, the present invention provides a merchandise *•go handling system including an input means for inputting merchandise information associated with a product, a display means for displaying the merchandise information inputted from the input means, and a merchandise :*..:processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process based on the merchandise information. In accordance with the present invention, the input means includes, inter alia, a voice input means for recognizing voice information. The merchandise handling system is capable of accepting voice-based merchandise information preceded by an input of a predetermined voiced instruction word through the voice input means and also of providing an acknowledgement of an event, represented by the voiced instruction word, when the voiced instruction word is recognized thereby.

According to the present invention, an operator while performing other jobs can input the merchandise information through the voice input means by vocalizing data following the instruction word. Once the voiced instruction word is recognized, an indication that the voiced instruction word was recognized can be displayed on a display device and/or a synthesized voice indicative of recognition of the voiced instruction word is generated from a loudspeaker.

It is to be noted that in the practice of the present invention, as means for providing an acknowledgement of the event that the instruction word is recognized may include a display device for providing a visual indication or a loudspeaker for repeating the voiced instruction word.

The term "merchandise information" used hereinabove and 10 hereinafter in connection with the present invention is intended to encompass a call number of the merchandise, merchandise name, unit price, tray number and any other word descriptive of the merchandise name. In the practice of the present invention, one or more of those pieces of ooo* merchandise information has a respective instruction word assigned thereto.

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The instruction word so assigned is determined in dependence on contents .of the associated information.

According to the present invention, since the voice inputting of the merchandise information preceded by an input of the predetermined instruction word through the voice input means is accepted, vocalized words following the instruction word can easily be recognized even at the site such as the backyard of a supermarket.

In particular, in the event that the instruction word is recognized by a central processing unit (CPU), such event can be acknowledged and, therefore, the operator can ascertain that the instruction word has been recognized. Accordingly, the input of the instruction word need not be repeated when no voiced data is recognized. In such case, voice inputting of only the data that cannot be recognized is sufficient and, therefore, the voice inputting can easily and readily be performed.

If display is made of at least one of merchandises based on the inputted voice data following the instruction word and selection is made of one of the merchandises from a group of the merchandises displayed, uncertainty of the voice inputting can be compensated for, accompanied by increase in accuracy of the inputting.

Also, if arrangement is made to achieve an emergency halt by means of voice, the apparatus can be immediately brought to a halt even though the attendant worker is shorthanded.

~If the provision is made of an voice outputting means so that the 10 recognition of the instruction word can be acknowledged by voice through the voice outputting means, the efficiency of work can further be increased.

In the event that a microphone and a loudspeaker are affixed to a headphone, the work efficiency can further be increased.

oo BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In any event, the present invention will become more clearly .:understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

*However, the embodiment and the drawings are given only for the purpose of illustration and explanation, and are not to be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way whatsoever, which scope is to be determined by the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to denote like parts throughout the several views, and: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a weighing, packaging and pricing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing the weighing, packaging and pricing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing component parts of the weighing, packaging and pricing apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4A is a table showing contents stored in a merchandise information storage unit; Fig. 4B is a table showing contents stored in a word storage unit; Fig. 4C is a table showing contents stored in an instruction word master; Figs. 5A and 5B are front elevations views showing respective touch screens; and 10 Figs. 6A and 6B are front elevational views showing different touch screens, respectively.

Figs. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of a microcomputer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be oo o described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specifically, the present invention will be described as applied to a weighing, packaging and pricing system, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby constituting a merchandise or product handling system. In the first place, the sequence of operation of weighing, packaging and pricing mechanisms (merchandise handling operation) of the weighing, packaging and pricing system will first be described.

Referring to Fig. 2, the weighing, packaging and pricing system is designed to sequentially perform weighing of a product, wrapping of the weighed product with a film and applying a price-bearing label externally to the wrapped product and, for this purpose, includes a weighing conveyor 100 and a packaging machine 200. The weighing conveyor 100 is equipped with a weight detector 101 such as, for example, a load cell for measuring the weight of a product (merchandise) M inclusive of a tare weight, and a plurality of drive belts 103 trained around and between a pair of pulleys 102 and 102 that are mounted atop the weight detector 101.

Each of these drive belts 103 has a pawl-like projection 104 fixed thereon for engagement against one end of a tray T so that the tray T can be pushed to move together with the associated drive belt 103 towards the packaging machine 200. Thus, the product M placed on the weighing conveyor 100 can be, while being transported by means of the drive belts 103, weighed and then slide along a transport surface 105 so that the product M can be supplied together with the corresponding tray T onto posts 210 of a lifter 201.

The posts 210 of the lifter 201 are positioned immediately below a packaging station S and are supported by an elevating means 208 for movement close towards and away from the packaging station S. The lifter 201 is so designed that when the product M is supplied from the weighing conveyor 100, the posts 210 are driven upwardly to lift the product M to the packaging station S.

.i On the other hand, prior to the packaging operation, the ooo* packaging station S is supplied with a film F, that has been cut into a .9 predetermined length, by means of transport mechanism 202 and 202.

S"This film F covers an upper surface of the product M as the product M is upwardly shifted by the lifter 201. In this condition, a film folding mechanism 203 operates to fold left and right side edge portions of the film F underneath a bottom surface of the tray T.

The film folding mechanism 203 includes a pair of left-hand and right-hand folder plates 204 and 204 (only one of which is shown in Fig. a rear folder plate 205 and a front folder plate 206. The left-hand and right-hand folder plates 204 are adapted to move close towards each other from left-hand and right-hand sides laterally of the tray T to bring the left-hand and right-hand side edges of the film F to the bottom of the tray T, respectively. The rear folder plate 205 is adapted to move forwards from rear of the tray T to bring the rear side edge of the film F to the bottom of the tray T. The front folder plate 206 is driven incident to a discharge of the wrapped product M by the operation of the pusher 207 driven at a predetermined timing synchronized with the rear folder plate 205, to bring the front side edge of the film F to the bottom of the tray T.

The film folding mechanism 203 subsequently discharges the wrapped product M onto a discharge conveyor 209.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the weighing, packaging and pricing system shown therein includes a machine housing 20 within which a roll of 10 film Fr is accommodated so that the film F can be drawn therefrom. A label applicator 13 is disposed above the packaging station S and is operable to apply to a surface of the film F at the packaging station S (Fig.

2) a label L issued by a label printer 42 and printed with a product name and a price.

The basic structure of the weighing, packaging and pricing system will now be described.

Referring to Fig. 3, a microcomputer 30 is connected through an interface (not shown) with a weighing, packaging and pricing control unit 43, a weighing means 44, a touch screen 40, a stroke key unit 41 and the label printer 42. The weighing means 44 is operable to output to the microcomputer 30 a weight signal detected by the weight detector 101.

The microcomputer 30 shown in Fig. 3 is connected with a voice input means and a voice output means.

More specifically, the microcomputer 30 is connected with an interface (not shown) with a voice recognizer 1 and a voice synthesizer 2.

The voice recognizer 1 and the voice synthesizer 2 are in turn connected with wireless communication means such as a receiver 3 and a transmitter 4, respectively. A voice inputted through a microphone 5 can be inputted through the wireless communication means 3 whereas a synthesized voice can be outputted from a loudspeaker 6. The microphone 5 and the loudspeaker 6 are equipped in a single headphone 7.

It is to be noted that the voice input and output means may be of a design wherein, with neither the receiver 3 or the transmitter 4 employed, the microphone 5 and the loudspeaker 6 are connected with the voice recognizer 1 and the voice synthesizer 2 through respective wires.

The voice recognizer 1 recognizes voice information that has been inputted from the microphone 5 through the receiver 3, and outputs to microcomputer 30 information in the form of kana characters and/or 10 alphanumerical characters. On the other hand, the voice synthesizer 2 converts the "reading" information, outputted from the microcomputer :into sound information and then outputs it to the transmitter 4.

The microcomputer 30 includes a central processing unit (CPU) i 31 and a storage device 34. The storage device 34 in turn includes a merchandise master (merchandise information storage) 35, a word dictionary (word storage) 36, an instruction word master 37 and a command storage 38. The command storage 38 stores therein an imperative word such as, for example, "stop" or "halt" that is used to bring *o the system in inoperative position.

The merchandise master 35 stores therein merchandise information including a product name for each type of products.

Specifically, as shown in Fig. 4A, a call number, a product name, a unit price, a tray number and group (merchandise classification) are stored in the merchandise master 35 in coordinated relation with products. It is to be noted that the call number represents a number given for each product to call the merchandise information where the call number is available.

The word dictionary 36 stores therein words for each word number as shown in Fig. 4B. Words stored in this word dictionary 36 include a plurality of a number of names of products such as, for example, "beef' and "horse mackerels".

The instruction word master 37 stores therein such instruction words as, for example, "Find", "Call", "Unit Price" and "Tray" as shown in Fig. 4C. The central processing unit 31 accepts inputting of the voiced merchandise information preceded by an input of one of the predetermined instruction words. Also, when the central processing unit 31 recognize the instruction word, the central processing unit 31 causes the touch screen *40 to display a recognition mark 5b as shown in Fig. 5B and also causes the 10 loudspeaker 6 through the voice synthesizer 2 and the transmitter 4, shown in Fig. 3, to generate the corresponding voiced instruction word in the form of a synthesized sound.

The central processing unit 31 determines the adequacy of a language for each instruction word that has been inputted following the instruction word and accepts such language only when it has determined adequate.

By way of example, with respect to the instruction word "Find", it is determined if a language following such instruction word is a word S.i stored in the word dictionary 36. With respect to the instruction word "Call", it is determined if a language following such instruction word is a number made up of a predetermined number of digits, for example, three digits. Again, with respect to the instruction word "Unit Price", it is determined if a language following such instruction word is a number.

With respect to the instruction word "Tray", it is determined if a language following such instruction word is a number made up of a predetermined digits, for example, two digits.

The touch screen 40 is of a type comprising a display device such as a liquid crystal display device capable of presenting such screen images as shown in Figs. 5A and 5B and Figs. 6A and 6B to provide various pieces of information and menu and also capable of the information being inputted therethrough when the operator touches the display screen with his or her finger.

The operation of the weighing, packaging and pricing apparatus will now be described.

Prior to processing of the merchandise, the operator has to touch a predetermined button on the touch screen 40 to set a registration mode for registration of product names so that information on the product to be handled can be inputted. The information so inputted through the touch 10 screen 40 is stored in the merchandise master Also, a registration image shown in Fig. 6A is displayed on the touch screen 40 so that a word and a word number associated with such word can be inputted to thereby perform registration thereof in the word dictionary 36 shown in Fig. 4B.

The merchandise handling is carried out in the following manner.

When the merchandise handling is desired to be performed, a predetermined key manipulation has to be carried out to enable a use image :5a shown in Fig. 5A to be displayed. The operator then speaks to the :microphone 5 to input a predetermined instruction word, for example, "Find". In response to the inputting of the instruction word, the recognition mark 5b appears on the use image 5a as shown in Fig. 5B and, at the same time, a voice of the instruction word so inputted can be repeated from the loudspeaker 6 through the voice synthesizer 2 and the transmitter 4. Accordingly, the operator while working on other jobs can ascertain that the instruction word he has inputted is recognized.

When following the instruction word the operator speaks a predetermined word, for example, "horse mackerel", the central processing unit 31 determines if such spoken word is proper to the instruction word and causes the loudspeaker 6 to generate such word if such word is determined proper. Thereafter, the central processing unit 31 performs a search for the word "horse mackerel" stored in the word dictionary 36 to retrieve the associated word number from the word dictionary 36. Then, a search for the call numbers stored in the merchandise master 35 and having the numerical value of the first digit (most significant digit) coincident with the read word number is carried out to retrieve the appropriate call numbers and the associated product names. The central processing unit 31 subsequently causes the touch screen 40 to display the call number and the product name, which have been read out, within the framework of a "Table 10 of Product Names" image 6b shown in Fig. 6B.

p:ttn In this "Table of Product Names" image 6b shown in Fig. 6B, S•inputting is carried in an interactive mode (conversational mode: a mode in which only a predetermined command is accepted) and, therefore, the operator, while looking at the "Table of Product Names" image 6b, can ascertain the product name and speaks the call number of the product .:desired to be processed. In this way, the product is selected and designated. It is to be noted that even in this case operation may be carried out to input the instruction word "Call" followed by inputting of the call number in the form of voiced commands.

When the call number, for example, "two-one-four" is spoken to the microphone 5, the central processing unit 31 causes the loudspeaker 6 to generate a series of sounds descriptive of the call number and also calls back the merchandise information on such call number from the merchandise master 35, which information is subsequently displayed in the use image 5a shown in Fig. 5A. In this way, the merchandise handling is ready and when the operator places the produce resting on a tray onto the weighing conveyor 100, a predetermined sequence of weighing, packaging and pricing is performed automatically.

Thus, with the system according to the present invention, one of the products displayed can be selected and it can be done correctly and with no fault even though the product bears a long name.

The sequence of operation of the central processing unit 31 with respect to the use image 5a will now be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 7.

Subsequent to the start, a decision is made at step S 1 to determine if it is timed up. If the result of decision at step S1 indicates that it has not been timed up, the program flow goes to step S2 at which whether or not a 10 voice input has been made. If the result of decision at step S2 indicates .:*that the voice input has been made, the program flow goes to step S3.

:At step S3, a decision is made to determine if a predetermined halt command stored in the command storage 38 is inputted from the voice recognizer 1. If the halt command has been inputted as determined at step S3, the program flow goes to step S21 at which the weighing, packaging and pricing control unit 43 is instructed to halt the merchandise handling preferentially over any other operation commands. Accordingly, even though an emergency halt button 8 shown in Fig. 1 is not depressed, the apparatus can be quickly brought to a halt and, therefore, the operator holding a product on his hands need not go to the site of the emergency halt button after leaving the product from his or her hands.

On the other hand, if the result of decision at step S3 indicates that no halt command is inputted, the program flow goes to step S4 at which a decision is made to determine of a voice-inputted language is an instruction word by searching in the instruction master 37. If the voice-inputted language has been determined as the instruction word at step S4, the program flow goes to step S5 at which not only is the recognition mark 5b of Fig. 5B displayed, but the instruction word is repeated through the loudspeaker 6, followed by overwriting the instruction word in the register before the program flow returns to step S1. If a "word" is inputted as a data following the instruction word, such word will not be deemed as the instruction word at step S4 and the program flow goes to step S At step S10, a decision is made to determine if the instruction word has already inputted and, in the event that it has been found not yet inputted, the program flow returns to step S1. On the other hand, if the language is inputted following the instruction word, it means that the result of decision at step S10 indicates that the instruction word has already been 10 inputted and, therefore, the program flow goes to step S11.

At step S11, a decision is made to determine according to the previously described decision criterion if the inputted "word" and language are proper to the particular instruction word. Should the result of decision at step S 11 indicate that they are proper, the program flow goes to step S12 at which search is made in the one of the storages 35, 36 and 37 according .0 to the instruction word overwritten in the register to find such word and *000 language. Thereafter, at step S13, the instruction word is cancelled with 0: the program flow subsequently returning to step S1. When as determined at step S1 it is timed up by on the ground that, for example, the language inputted following the instruction word is not proper, the program flow goes to step S20 to cancel the instruction word.

In the foregoing embodiment of the present invention, the present invention has been described as applied to the merchandise handling system having a capability of weighing, packaging and pricing. It is to be noted that the present invention is not always limited thereto, but may be equally applied to a weighing and pricing system, an electronic scale or a label printer.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings which are used only for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will readily conceive numerous changes and modifications within the framework of obviousness upon the reading of the specification herein presented of the present invention. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are, unless they depart from the scope of the present invention as delivered from the claims annexed hereto, to be construed as included therein.

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Claims (8)

1. A merchandise handling system which comprises: an input means for inputting merchandise information associated with a product; a display means for displaying the merchandise information inputted from the input means; and a merchandise processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process based on the merchandise information; and said input means including, inter alia, a voice input means for recognizing voice information; wherein voice-based merchandise information preceded by an input of a predetermined voiced instruction word through the voice input means is accepted; and wherein when the voiced instruction word is recognized, an event that the voiced instruction word has been recognized is acknowledged.

2. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein one or more products are searched based on a voice inputted subsequent to the instruction word; wherein such one or more products are displayed by the display means; and thereby one of the products displayed by the display means can be selected to specify the product.

3. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim2, wherein the selection can be inputted through the voice input means

4. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the selection can be carried out based on a call number of the product.

The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein when a predetermined halt command is inputted through the voice input means, a merchandise handling is halted preferentially over any other operation commands.

6. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 1, further comprising a voice output means for acknowledging the event.

7. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the voice input means comprises a microphone and the voice output means comprises a loudspeaker, said microphone and said loudspeaker being integrated together in a single headphone.

8. The merchandise handling system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein 6 signals can be outputted through the voice input means to the merchandise 0* processing apparatus on a wireless communication. DATED: 18th February, 2000 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: ISHIDA CO., LTD. e* o t OS