JP2002074511A - Merchandise sales registration data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform sales registration processing of merchandise without a barcode without performing a complicated key operation. SOLUTION: This processor is provided with a merchandise data storing part for preliminarily storing data about the external appearance characteristics of each merchandise together with the product name and a unit cost of each merchandise. The device is also provided with an imaging means for picking up the image of sold merchandise. When the imaging means images the sales merchandise, the data about the external appearance characteristics of the sales merchandise are extracted from its image data, merchandise having an outward appearance close to the extracted data is selected by retrieving the data in merchandise storing part, and the product name, etc., of the selected merchandise is displayed on a displaying part. When the sales registration performance of the displayed merchandise is instructed, merchandise sales data are subjected to sales registration processing on the basis of the unit cost, etc., of the merchandise.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a merchandise sales registration data processing device used in a store such as a supermarket that sells merchandise without a merchandise code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional product sales registration data processing apparatus of this type includes a scanner for optically reading bar codes and a keyboard capable of keying in product codes.
Then, when the bar code indicating the product code is read by the scanner or the product code is input by key input of the keyboard, the product data such as the product name and unit price corresponding to the product code is read out from the storage unit and is displayed on the display unit. In addition to displaying the product sales data, the product sales data is acquired based on the unit price, and the product sales data is subjected to sales registration processing.

[0003] By the way, a clerk operating this kind of merchandise sales registration data processing device, a so-called cashier, checks whether or not a bar code is attached to the merchandise purchased when a shopper offers accounting for the merchandise purchased. When the bar code is attached, the bar code is scanned by the scanner, and when the bar code is not attached, the product code of the product is input by operating the keyboard.

Here, as a method of inputting a product code from a keyboard by a key, a method of inputting a product code with all digits using a numeric key, and a method of inputting a product code of each product without a bar code in advance by 1 each. There has been a method of providing a plurality of preset keys that are preset in one-to-one correspondence, and selecting and inputting a preset key in which a corresponding product code is preset.

[0005] However, when the method of placing the product code in all digits using the numeral keys is employed, there are disadvantages that the number of key operations is increased and an input error easily occurs. Further, when a method of inputting a product code using a preset key is adopted, it is troublesome to search for and operate a corresponding key from among many preset keys, and there is also an input error.

[0006]

As described above, in such a conventional merchandise sales registration data processing apparatus, a complicated key operation is required for the sales registration of a merchandise without a barcode. Therefore, there are problems such as poor operability and time required for registration.

Therefore, the present invention can perform sales registration processing of a product without a complicated key operation even if the product is not provided with a barcode, thereby improving operability and shortening the registration time. It is intended to provide a product sales registration data processing device that can be achieved.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a product-specific data storage unit for storing in advance product data such as a product name and a unit price of each product and data relating to appearance characteristics of the product, and an imaging device for imaging a product for sale. Means, an appearance feature data extracting means for extracting data relating to the appearance characteristics of the sales product from the image data when the sales product is imaged by the imaging means, and product-specific data when extracting the data relating to the appearance characteristics of the sales product by the extraction means. A feature approximate product selection means for searching a storage unit and selecting a product having an appearance characteristic similar to the extracted data; a feature approximate product display means for displaying a product name or the like of the product selected by the selection means on a display unit; Registration execution instructing means for instructing the execution of sales registration of a product whose name or the like is displayed on the display unit; Sales registration processing means for performing sales registration processing of product sales data based on a unit price or the like of the product when instructed, wherein the approximate product list creating means performs first registration on all products detected from the product-specific data storage unit. Priorities are assigned in order from the candidate, and the approximate product list display means displays the items in order from the first candidate.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, in the product-specific data storage section, data relating to appearance characteristics of the product are stored in advance together with product data such as the product name and unit price of each product. In this state, when the sale product is imaged by the imaging means, data relating to the appearance characteristics of the sale product is extracted from the image data. Then, the product-specific data storage unit is searched to select products having appearance characteristics similar to the extracted data, and priorities are assigned to all the selected products in order from the first candidate. Then, the names of all the selected products are displayed on the display unit in order from the first candidate. Therefore, when a command to execute sales registration of a product whose product name or the like is displayed on the display unit is issued, sales registration processing of product sales data is performed based on a unit price of the product or the like.

[0010] Therefore, even if the product is not provided with a barcode, the product is imaged by the imaging means, and when the product name or the like of the product is displayed on the display section, it is only necessary to instruct sales registration execution. If so, the sales data of the product is subjected to sales registration processing.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a merchandise sales registration data processing apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows an outline of a case where the apparatus according to the embodiment is applied to a checkout lane in a supermarket or the like. It is a perspective view.

The merchandise sales registration data processing device includes a scanner device 1 including a merchandise code input unit, a characteristic approximate merchandise display unit, and a registration execution instruction unit; an image input device 2 including an imaging unit and an appearance characteristic data extracting unit; The POS terminal 3 includes a product-specific data storage unit, a feature approximate product selection unit, and a sales registration processing unit.

The scanner device 1 has a scanner section 11 as product code input means. This scanner unit 11
Is for optically reading a bar code printed or affixed to a product located in front of the bar code reading window 11a, and the bar code reading window 11a is, as shown in FIG.
It is provided on the front surface 4a side of the scanner main body 10 erected substantially at the center of the checkout counter 4.

Further, the scanner device 1 has a touch panel input unit 14 as a feature approximate product display unit and a registration execution instruction unit, in which a touch sensor panel 13 is overlapped on a screen of a display 12 such as a liquid crystal display panel. The display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 usually has a numeric key for counting numerical data such as the number of sales items and a product code, and a message that the number data is the number of sales of the same product. A keyboard screen showing a multiplication key, a product code key indicating that the numeral data is a product code, and the like are displayed. When a desired key is designated by a finger or the like, the input of the key is made to the POS terminal 3. To be ordered. When an image of a product for sale is captured by the imaging camera 21 described later, an approximate product list screen showing product names, unit prices, and the like of one or more products similar to the appearance characteristic data of the product is displayed. Is indicated by a finger or the like, and the sales registration of the product is executed by the POS.
A command is issued to the terminal 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the touch panel input unit 14 is attached to the top of the scanner device body 10 with the screen of the display 12 facing the front 4a.

The image input device 2 has an imaging camera 21 as imaging means. As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging camera 21 captures an image of the front surface 4a side of the scanner device main body 10 at intervals of, for example, 0.5 seconds. By standing still, it becomes possible to image the product for sale. That is, the image input device 2 captures the video signal from the imaging camera 21 and compares it with the signal up to the previous time. For example, when capturing the video signal fixed for a few seconds, it is considered that the sold product has been captured. And a video signal processing unit 22 for outputting the video signal.

The image input device 2 includes, as appearance characteristic data extraction means, a product contour extraction unit 23 for extracting a contour figure and a size of a product for sale from the video signal from the video signal processing unit 22; From product outline extraction unit 2
The image processing apparatus includes a product color determination unit 24 that cuts out the image within the contour extracted in 3 and determines the color of the product from the image. Then, the image input device 2 converts the product feature data including the contour figure and size data extracted by the product contour extraction unit 23 and the color data determined by the product color determination unit 24 into a product feature data creation unit 25. , And transmits the product characteristic data to the POS terminal 3 via the interface unit 26.

Since the cashier holds the cashier in hand and inserts it in front of the camera 21, a part of the outline of the merchandise is hidden by hand. Therefore, the product outline extraction unit 23
Is designed to extract a contour figure of a product by guessing a part hidden by hand. In addition, the size of the product can be estimated from the comparison with the size of the hand.

Here, the distinction between the hand and the product is performed based on characteristic data (shape, size, color, etc.) of each cashier's hand registered at the time of sign-on for registering the operator. Note that the cashier's hand may be extracted with a pattern using infrared rays, and a portion hidden by the hand may be estimated by comparing the infrared pattern with the captured image pattern.

The POS terminal 3 includes a CPU, a program RO, and
The POS control unit 30 including M, RAM, and the like is mounted. In addition, a keyboard 31 dedicated to the POS terminal, on which various keys such as a numerical key, a subtotal key, a current total key, a discount key, and a clear key are arranged, a product name and price of a product registered for sale, and purchase of one shopper A display 32 for displaying the total and the like, a printer 33 for printing data on receipt paper and journal paper, and a drawer 34 for storing cash and the like are connected.

Here, the display 32 is composed of two types, a cashier display 32a and a customer display 33a. The receipt paper printed by the printer 33 is discharged from the receipt issuing port 33a, and the journal paper is wound up inside.

The POS terminal 3 is provided with a communication control unit 35 for controlling data transmission performed via a communication line with a host device as a higher-level model, and display data on the display unit 12 of the touch panel input unit 14. A display interface 36 for sending out, a touch panel interface 37 for taking in designated coordinate data from the touch sensor panel 13 of the touch panel input section 14, a scanner interface 38 for taking in bar code data from the scanner section 11 of the scanner device 1, the image input Interface unit 2 of device 2
6 is provided with an image input device interface 39 for taking in product characteristic data.

Further, the POS terminal 3 has a product file 310 as a product-specific data storage unit. As shown in FIG. 3, the product file 310 includes a product information file 311 in which a product feature code is set in advance together with product data such as a product code, a product name, and a unit price assigned to each product, and an appearance of each product. A product feature file 31 in which a product feature code is set for each combination of contour shape, size, and color data as feature-related data
It is divided into two. The merchandise information file 311 also has an area for accumulating sales points and an area for accumulating sales amounts for each product code, and the sales points and sales amount of each registered product are totaled for each product.

Here, the data of the contour shape may be "circle", "ellipse", "triangle", "square", etc., and the size data is "large", "medium", "small", etc. And the color data is “red”, “orange”,
"Brown", "green", "white" and the like are conceivable. For example, in the case of vegetables such as "cabbage" and "lettuce", the outline shape is "oval", the size is "medium", and the color is "green".
Therefore, the product feature code “01” corresponding to the combination of the product feature data is set in advance. Also,
In the case of fruits such as "summer orange" and "orange", the outline shape is "circle", the size is about "small", and the color is "orange", so it corresponds to this combination of product characteristic data The product feature code “03” is set in advance.
The product feature code is set for products such as vegetables and fruits to which no barcode indicating the product code is attached.

The POS control unit 30 of the POS terminal 3 is configured to execute the single item registration job shown in the flowchart of FIG. Before starting this work, the display unit 1 of the touch panel input unit 14 may be used.
2 shows the keyboard screen described above.

That is, the POS control unit 30 receives the commodity code indicated by the bar code read by the scanner unit 11 via the scanner interface 38 as the ST (step) 1 or the touch panel via the touch panel interface 37. It is determined whether a product code has been input by a key operation of the input unit 14. And
If there is no input of the product code from any of the interfaces 37 and 38, it is determined whether or not the product characteristic data is input from the image input device 2 via the image input device interface 39 in ST2. If not, the process returns to ST1.

If it is confirmed in step ST1 that a product code has been entered, sales data registration processing for the product to which the input product code has been assigned is executed in step ST3. That is, the merchandise information file 311 is searched to read out merchandise data such as the merchandise name and unit price corresponding to the input merchandise code, and the sales price is added to the unit price. Is multiplied by the number of sales points if the number has been input, or "1" otherwise, to calculate the sales amount. Then, the sales information and the sales amount are stored in the product information file 31.
1 is added to the sales point accumulation area and the sales amount accumulation area corresponding to the corresponding product code. In addition, the display 32 displays the product name, the sales amount, and the like, and the printer 33 displays the product name, unit price, sales quantity,
Have the sales amount printed. Thereafter, the single item registration operation of this time is finished.

If it is confirmed in step ST2 that the product characteristic data has been input, the process proceeds to step ST4 where the product characteristic file 312 is input.
And determines one product feature code in which the contour data, size data and color data that are closest to the input product feature data are set. If it cannot be determined, the cashier is notified of the error by a notifying means such as a buzzer (not shown), and the single-item registration operation of this time ends.

If the product feature code is determined in ST4, the product information file 311 is searched in ST5,
All the products for which the determined product feature code is set are detected, and an approximate product list is created. Here, in the approximate product list, priorities are assigned to all detected products in order from the first candidate, the first to fifth candidates are set as a first group, and the sixth to tenth candidates are set as a second group. And grouping by 5 products. In addition,
The priorities are conveniently assigned, for example, in descending order of the cumulative sales points, since the top selling products are included in the first group.

Next, as ST6, the touch panel input unit 1
The approximate product list created in ST5 is displayed on the display 12 of No. 4 in order from the first group. FIG. 5 shows a display example of this approximate product list.
To F, the names and unit prices of the respective products from the first to fifth candidates (the sixth to tenth candidates in the case of the second group) are displayed in the areas A to E, respectively, and the area F is displayed. Displays the characters "not applicable". The area A is displayed in a different form from the other areas so that the cashier can easily identify it.

When the approximate product list is displayed on the display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 in this manner, the process proceeds to ST7.
It is determined whether the designated coordinate data has been input from the touch sensor panel 13 via the touch panel interface 37. If not input, ST8
It is determined whether a product code indicated by the barcode read by the scanner unit 11 via the scanner interface 38 has been input. If not, the process returns to ST7.

If the input of the designated coordinate data is confirmed in ST7, it is determined in ST9 which of the areas A to F the designated coordinate data indicates. In the case of the area, it is determined whether or not the next group is in the approximate product list as ST10.
If there is a next group, the process returns to ST6 to display the approximate product list of the group on the display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 in the same manner as described above. ST10
When there is no next groove at, after returning the display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 to the display of the keyboard screen,
This single item registration business ends.

If it is confirmed in ST9 that one of the areas A to E has been designated, the process proceeds to ST11 in which the sales data registration process for the product displaying the product name or the like in the designated area is performed in accordance with ST3. Execute similarly. After that, when the display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 is returned to the display of the keyboard screen, the present single item registration operation is ended.

When the commodity code indicated by the bar code is input in ST8, first, in ST12, the sales of the first candidate commodity (the commodity displayed in the area A) in the currently displayed approximate commodity list are performed. The data registration process is performed in ST3.
Execute in the same way as Next, as ST13, the sales data registration processing of the product of the product code input in ST8 is performed in the S.
Execute in the same manner as in T3. Then, the touch panel input unit 1
When the display 12 of No. 4 is returned to the display of the keyboard screen, the present single item registration work is ended.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, when a shopper offers a transaction for a purchased product, the cashier checks whether or not a bar code is attached to the customer's purchased product in his hand. When a barcode is attached, the barcode portion is stopped toward the barcode reading window 11a. Then, the scanner unit 11
, The bar code is read, and the sales data registration processing of the customer purchased product is executed based on the product code indicated by the bar code.

On the other hand, when the bar code is not attached, the product is stopped at the imaging camera 21 for 2 to 3 seconds. Then, from the image of the sales product imaged by the imaging camera 21, product characteristic data such as the outline shape, size, and color of the product is obtained. Then, one or more products that are similar to the product characteristic data are selected,
The product name and unit price of the selected product are displayed on the display 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 as an approximate product list. Therefore, if there is an area in which the product name or the like of the sales product is displayed in the approximate product list, the cashier indicates the area with a finger or the like. By doing so, the sales data registration processing of the sales product is executed.

For example, the product “cabbage” is taken by the imaging camera 2
Assuming that the product is stationary in front of “1”, product characteristic data having an outline shape of “oval”, a size of “medium”, and a color of “green” are obtained from the captured image of “cabbage”. Other products having such product feature data include "lettuce", "chinese cabbage", "broccoli", "cauliflower", and the like. ","cauliflower"
, The approximate product list as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed on the display unit 12 of the touch panel input unit 14. Therefore, the cashier uses the product name “cabbage” and unit price “￥
When a finger or the like indicates the area A where “250” is displayed,
Sales data registration processing of this product “cabbage” is performed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the product without the barcode is held in the hand as in the case of the product with the barcode. When the approximate product list is displayed on the display unit 12 of the touch panel input unit 14 for three seconds, the sales registration process can be performed by a simple operation of simply pointing the display area of the relevant product with a finger or the like. All digits,
The operability can be improved and the time required for registration can be shortened as compared with the related art in which a key to which a corresponding product code is assigned is searched for and input from a large number of preset keys.

In this embodiment, when the sales product is the product displayed in the area A, that is, the first product in each group, if the next customer purchase product has a barcode, the barcode of that barcode is displayed. By simply performing the reading operation, the sales data registration processing of the product displayed in the area A and the next customer purchased product is sequentially performed. Therefore, the sales product is the first
If it is a candidate product and the next customer purchase product has a barcode, the trouble of instructing the first candidate product can be omitted,
Operability has been improved. In this case, by assigning the priorities of the approximate product list in descending order of the cumulative number of sales points, the best-selling product becomes the first candidate, so that the possibility of omission is high.

In the present embodiment, the scanner device main body 1 erected substantially at the center of the checkout counter 4 is provided.
0, a bar code reading window 11a of the scanner device 1, an imaging camera 21 of the image input device 2,
A touch panel input section 14 is provided, and an approximate product list is displayed on the display 12 of the touch panel input section 14. Accordingly, the cashier can perform the sales registration processing at almost the same position for both the product with the barcode and the product without the barcode, so that the operability is also excellent in this respect.

If the POS terminal 3 cannot determine a product feature code that is similar to the product feature data created by the image input device 2, a notification means such as a buzzer informs the cashier of the error. Therefore, the cashier only needs to input the product code by using the keyboard displayed on the touch panel input unit 14 as before, and there is no problem in practicality.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the product feature file 312 is provided in the POS terminal 3, but is provided in the image input device 2 and approximates the product feature data created by the product feature data creation unit 25 in the image input device 2. After determining the product feature code, the product feature code is sent to the POS terminal 3 via the interface unit 26, and when the POS control unit 30 receives the product feature code from the image input device 2,
The processing after ST5 in FIG. 4 may be configured to be executed.

When determining a product feature code similar to the product feature data, all the product feature codes having at least two types of contour shapes, sizes, and colors that match each other are validated. All the products for which the feature codes are set may be selected as the feature approximate products and displayed on the approximate product list. By doing so, although the number of feature-approximate products will increase, sales products will be surely displayed in the approximate product list,
Reliability can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the product names and unit prices of the products having similar appearance characteristics from the first candidate to the fifth candidate are displayed as the approximate product list, but the number of candidate products displayed at one time is limited to this. Needless to say, it is not done. Further, although the product name and the unit price are displayed as the data of the approximate product list, a preset product pattern may be displayed to indicate the candidate product. In this case, it is convenient to allow one or both of the design of the product and the product name to be selected by setting. Further, the priorities of the feature-appropriate products may be assigned based on data other than the cumulative sales points.

In the above-described embodiment, the product feature code is set only for the product without the bar code. However, the product feature code is set in advance for the product with the bar code, and the bar code is set in advance. The sales registration process may be performed in the same manner as the product not attached. In this case, since a barcode and a scanner are not required at all, effects such as reduction in equipment cost and simplification of product management can be achieved.

Further, in addition to the main single color, a combination pattern of a plurality of colors of each product is set for each product as color data of the appearance characteristics of the product, and the accuracy of product extraction is further improved by comparing the color patterns. It is also possible.
In addition, it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as installing the imaging camera 21 at a place different from the scanner device main body 10.

[0047]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, even if a product does not have a bar code attached thereto, it is possible to perform the sales registration processing of the product without complicated key operations, and the operability is improved. A product sales registration data processing device capable of improving the quality and shortening the registration time can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing an outline in a case where the embodiment is applied to a checkout lane in a supermarket or the like;

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a product file provided in the POS terminal according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a POS provided in the POS terminal of the embodiment.
The flowchart which shows the single article registration business of a control part.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view showing a display example of an approximate product list displayed on a display unit of the touch panel input unit in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Scanner device 2 ... Image input device 3 ... POS terminal 10 ... Scanner device main body 14 ... Touch panel input unit 21 ... Imaging camera 23 ... Product outline extraction unit 24 ... Product color determination unit 30 ... POS control unit 311 ... Product information file 312 … Product feature file

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G07G 1/12 301 G07G 1/12 301Z 311 311E

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A product-specific data storage unit for storing in advance product data such as a product name and a unit price of each product and data relating to appearance characteristics of the product for each product; an imaging unit for imaging a sales product; An appearance feature data extraction unit for extracting data relating to the appearance characteristics of the sales product from the image data when the sales product is imaged; and extracting the data relating to the appearance characteristics of the sales registration product by the extraction unit. Approximate product list creation means for detecting all products having appearance characteristics similar to the extracted data and creating an approximate product list, and approximate product list display means for displaying the approximate product list created by the creation device And a registration instruction for instructing execution of sales registration of a product to be registered from the approximate product list displayed by the display means. Commanding means, and sales registration processing means for performing sales registration processing of product sales data based on a unit price or the like of the product when execution of sales registration of the product is instructed by the commanding means. A priority order is assigned to all products detected from the product-specific data storage unit in order from a first candidate, and the approximate product list display unit displays the products in order from the first candidate. apparatus. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the approximate product list creating means assigns priorities to all the products detected from the product-specific data storage unit in order from the first candidate in the descending order of the cumulative sales points. Product sales registration data processing device described. 3. An image pickup camera as an image pickup means and a display section for displaying an approximate commodity list are provided on the front side of the scanner device main body which is provided substantially at the center of the checkout counter. Product sales registration data processing device described.