JP2008139987A - Commodity sales processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a commodity sales processing system (a self scanning system) capable of using an existing register and constructing a system inexpensively. <P>SOLUTION: In this commodity sales processing system, payment is carried out at a POS register 20 by using handy terminals 30-1 to 30-n each operated by a customer to read a commodity code. The commodity sales processing system includes a register cradle 21 connecting the handy terminals and the POS register communicatively for transferring data transmitted from a connected handy terminal 30-1 to the POS register and the handy terminals 30-1 to 30-n having a code reading part reading codes attached to commodities, a storage part storing the codes read by the code reading part, and a communication part transmitting commodity sales information including the codes stored in the storage part to the POS register via the register cradle when the handy terminals are connected to the register cradle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a merchandise sales processing system, and more particularly, to a merchandise sales processing system in which a customer himself / herself reads a code of a merchandise with a predetermined terminal and performs settlement using the terminal.

  In retail stores such as supermarkets, devices (so-called cash registers) such as POS (Point of Sales) registers are used for registration and settlement of products purchased by customers. The POS register is usually operated by a store clerk, and the store clerk reads the barcode attached to the product by using a barcode scanner connected (adjacent) to the POS register. Do work.

  In recent years, customers can read barcodes themselves to prevent crowds of customers from standing in front of the cash register during busy hours, There has been proposed a merchandise sales processing system called a self-scanning system that makes it possible to reduce the risk (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

According to Patent Document 1, a product sales data processing apparatus main body corresponding to a POS register and a portable terminal which is a device used by a customer to read a barcode instead of a barcode scanner used by a store clerk. The system is configured. This portable terminal can be freely attached to and detached from the product sales data processing apparatus body, and is handed over to customers who come to the store. A visitor uses this portable terminal to pick up a product he / she wants to buy at a product display shelf, for example, and read the barcode. The read barcode data is stored in a memory in the portable terminal. Thereafter, the visitor takes the portable terminal to the merchandise sales data processing apparatus main body (register), and the portable terminal is connected to the register. When connected to the cash register, the purchased product data stored in the memory is transferred from the portable terminal to the product sales data processing device main body. Processing such as receipt printing is performed.
JP-A 63-245594

  However, the cash register of the system in which the store clerk operates the cash register, which has already been introduced and used in retail stores, is usually not designed to have connection compatibility with the portable terminal as described above. In the conventional self-scanning system described above, both the product sales data processing device main body and the portable terminal have to be made exclusively for the self-scanning system. Therefore, in order to introduce a self-scanning system, retailers have replaced the cash register used in the old system with a cash register for the new self-scanning system (the product sales data processing unit itself), and the entire system has been replaced. I had to replace it. For this reason, there is a problem that the introduction of the self-scanning system requires a very high cost.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a merchandise sales processing system (self-scanning system) that can use an existing cash register and can build a system at low cost. There is.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is such that a store visitor operates a portable terminal to read and store a product code in the portable terminal, and store the code. In the merchandise sales processing system that performs payment at the cash register based on the data, the portable terminal includes a relay that communicatively connects the portable terminal and the cash register, and the portable terminal is attached to the merchandise. A code reading unit for reading the code, a storage unit for storing the code read by the code reading unit, and product purchase information including the code stored in the storage unit when connected to the repeater. And a communication unit for transmitting to the cash register via the repeater.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the commodity sales processing system, the repeater includes a guide unit that guides the portable terminal to a predetermined placement position, and the portable terminal placed at the placement position. The connection terminal of the repeater is connected to the terminal.

  Moreover, the invention according to claim 3 is the product sales processing system, wherein the portable terminal includes a quantity input unit for inputting the quantity of the product read by the code reading unit, The portable terminal or the repeater is provided with means for transmitting the code of the inputted commodity to the cash register as many times as the inputted quantity.

According to the present invention, since an existing cash register can be used as a cash register for a self-scanning system, it is possible to construct a self-scanning system at low cost.
According to the invention of claim 2, since the portable terminal is further guided to the predetermined placement position by the guide portion and the terminal is connected, good operability can be obtained.
According to the invention of claim 3, data can be transmitted from the portable terminal to the cash register in a format that can be processed by the existing cash register even when there are a plurality of purchased items.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a merchandise sales processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the merchandise sales processing system includes a store controller 10, a plurality of POS registers 20, and n handy terminals 30-1 to 30-n (mobile terminals) used by customers to read merchandise codes. A cradle for cash register 21 (relay device) that is wired to each POS register 20 and the handy terminal is set when the purchased product is settled, a customer cradle 40 that is placed when the handy terminal is not used, and a member A card reader 50 is included. Each POS register 20 and customer cradle 40 are connected to the store controller 10 via a LAN (Local Area Network) 60.

  Here, the store controller 10 and each POS register 20 are existing devices that have already been introduced in retail stores that construct the product sales processing system, and include a cash register cradle 21 and handy terminals 30-1 to 30-1. 30-n, the customer cradle 40, and the membership card reader 50 are additionally introduced to constitute the product sales processing system.

  The store controller 10 is a computer that manages various files and data such as product files, member files, and sales performance files. Here, the product file is a file that stores product information such as the product name, product code, and sales price of each product, and its contents can be edited and changed as necessary. Product files are appropriately transmitted to each POS register 20 and customer cradle 40. The member file stores a list of customers registered as members in this retail store together with a member number and the like. The sales performance file is a file generated by aggregating data registered and settled in each POS register 20.

  The POS register 20 is a device for registering and paying for products purchased by customers, and includes various operation keys and a display unit. The POS register 20 is originally a bar code scanner (not shown) that reads a bar code of a product by a store clerk's operation and is connected with a predetermined cable. After the bar code scanner is removed and removed, The registration cradle 21 is connected to the connection connector 20a. For this connection, the same communication standard as that used for the removed barcode scanner, for example, the RS-232C interface is used. As a result, data communication is performed between the POS register 20, the cash register cradle 21, and the handy terminal 30 (described later) placed on the cash register cradle 21 by RS-232C serial communication. A terminal on the cash register side of the cash register cradle 21 and a terminal on the handy terminal side are directly connected by a signal line.

  In a retail store where this product sales processing system is introduced, a customer cradle 40 and a membership card reader 50 are installed near the entrance of the store. A plurality of unused handy terminals 30 are set in the customer cradle 40 and are prepared for use by the customers, and when the customer passes the membership card through the membership card reader 50, one of them can be used. Become. The visitor removes the handy terminal 30 from the customer cradle 40 and starts shopping. Then, the handy terminal 30 is caused to read the code of the item to be purchased, and finally the POS register 20 is set and the handy terminal 30 is set in the cash register cradle 21 (in FIG. 1, the handy terminal 30-1 is set). ).

  Then, product purchase information such as the read product code is transmitted from the handy terminal 30 to the POS register 20 via the cash register cradle 21. The POS register 20 executes product registration by referring to a product file (received from the store controller 10 as described above) held in a memory (not shown) according to the product purchase information thus obtained. As a result, the total amount of the purchased product is calculated in the POS register 20, the calculated total amount and the like are displayed on the display unit of the POS register 20, and when the store clerk performs the settlement operation, the settlement process is performed and the sales result file is generated. It is updated and a receipt is issued.

  The customer cradle 40 includes a CPU and a memory (not shown), and has a communication function for communicating with the store controller 10, the set handy terminal 30, and the membership card reader 50. The product file transmitted from the store controller 10 is stored in the memory, and when the handy terminal 30 is set, the product file in the handy terminal 30 is updated. Also, the order in which the handy terminals 30 are set is managed, and the member number data from the member card reader 50 is transmitted to the handy terminal 30 that has been set the earliest.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the handy terminal 30, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a front side external view and a back side external view of the handy terminal 30, respectively. The front side is the surface on which the display display 305 is provided, and the back side is the opposite surface.

The CPU 301 is a central processing unit, and controls the operation of the handy terminal 30 by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 302.
The ROM 302 is a read-only memory that stores the program.
The RAM 303 is a read / write memory as needed to store the product file acquired from the store controller 10 and the barcode data of the product read by the scanner unit 304.

  The scanner unit 304 is for reading a barcode attached to a product, converts the read barcode information into data of a predetermined format, and outputs the data. As shown in FIG. 4, the scanner unit 304 is provided on the back surface of the handy terminal 30, and a reading operation is performed by bringing a barcode close to the scanner unit 304. The barcode read by the customer's operation and output from the scanner unit 304 is sent to the RAM 303 as data for specifying the purchased product and stored.

  The display 305 displays the individual product names and prices of the products whose barcodes are read by the scanner unit 304, the list and total price of all products read, the number of purchases, and other various messages (for example, how to use the handy terminal 30 is known. Display usage instructions for customers who don't. In addition, an LED light emitting unit 305 a is provided at the upper center portion of the display 305. The LED light emitting unit 305a is used to notify a customer of which of the handy terminals 30 placed on the customer cradle 40 is to be used by turning on the LED light emitting unit 305a. When the membership number data is received, control is performed so that the LED light emitting unit 305a is turned on.

  The operation unit 306 includes various keys for operating the handy terminal 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation unit 306 cancels the scan key 3061 for starting the reading of the bar code, the commodity read from the bar code one by one. Correction key 3062 for correcting the quantity, Cancel key 3063 for canceling all the read products, + (Plus) key 3064,-(Minus) key 3065 for designating the quantity of products to be purchased In the list display of all the products, an up / down arrow key 3066 for moving up and down a cursor for selecting a product and a determination key 3067 for determining an input operation are provided.

  The communication unit 307 controls data communication performed between the cash register cradle 21 and the customer cradle 40. Specifically, when the handy terminal 30 is connected to the cash register cradle 21, the purchase cradle data stored in the RAM 303 (data read from the product barcode by the scanner unit 304) is stored in the cash cradle 21. When the handy terminal 30 is connected to the customer cradle 40, the latest product file and member number data transmitted from the store controller 10 are received. Note that these data communications are performed according to the RS-232C communication protocol as described above.

  Here, the electrical connection between the handy terminal 30 and the cash register cradle 21 and the customer cradle 40 is made by a connection terminal 3071 provided on the back surface of the handy terminal 30, as shown in FIG. . In addition to the data communication described above, the connection terminal 3071 also serves to charge the rechargeable battery 310 when connected to the customer cradle 40.

  The buzzer 308 generates a buzzer sound when the handy terminal 30 in which the LED light emitting unit 305a is turned off is removed from the customer cradle 40 among the handy terminals 30 mounted on the customer cradle 40. It is.

The power supply control unit 309 controls charging of the rechargeable battery 310 by the power supplied from the customer cradle 40 while the handy terminal 30 is connected to the customer cradle 40.
The rechargeable battery 310 supplies power for operating each part of the handy terminal 30.

  FIG. 5 is an external view of the cash register cradle 21. A connection terminal 211 connected to the connection terminal 3071 of the handy terminal 30 is provided on the upper surface (the right side portion in the figure) of the cash register cradle 21. When the connection terminal 3071 of the handy terminal 30 is connected to the connection terminal 211, the handy terminal 30 passes through the registration cradle 21, the connection cable 212 of the registration cradle 21, and the connection connector 20a of the POS register 20 in order. 20 is electrically connected to the POS register 20 so that data communication can be performed.

  In addition, the registration cradle 21 is formed such that both the left and right sides of the connection terminal 211 have convex portions 213, and a portion perpendicular to the convex portions 213 is formed to have concave portions 214. Yes. The handy terminal 30 is set on the cash register cradle 21 in a state of being sandwiched between the convex portion 213 and the concave portion 214. That is, when the handy terminal 30 is placed on the cash register cradle 21, the convex portion 213 and the concave portion 214 function as a guide portion that guides the handy terminal 30 to a predetermined position, whereby the connection terminal 3071 of the handy terminal 30. And the connection terminal 211 of the cash register cradle 21 are correctly in contact with each other, and electrical connection is made.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a power lamp, a communication lamp (indicating that the set handy terminal 30 and the POS terminal 20 are communicating), an error lamp ( Indicating that a communication error has occurred).

  Next, the operation of the handy terminal 30 (processing of the CPU 301) in the product sales processing system will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S <b> 1, the CPU 301 checks whether the member number data transmitted from the member card reader 50 has been received by the communication unit 307. As described above, if the handy terminal 30 is set to the customer cradle 40 earliest, the membership number data is received.

  If it is determined that the membership number data has been received, the CPU 301 guides the handy terminal 30 to be used by the customer by turning on the LED light emitting unit 305a in step S2. At the same time, the member number is displayed on the display 305 in accordance with the received member number data. The visitor removes the handy terminal 30 with the LED light emitting unit 305a lit from the plurality of handy terminals 30 set in the customer cradle 40, and starts shopping. At this time, the CPU of the customer cradle 40 detects that the handy terminal 30 in which the LED light emitting unit 305a is lit is removed, and then moves the handy terminal 30 that transmits the member number data to the customer cradle 40. Determine according to the set order.

  On the other hand, if the membership number data is not received, the CPU 301 checks whether or not the handy terminal 30 is set in the customer cradle 40 in step S3. This is determined based on, for example, whether the connection terminal 3071 is in a connected state. When it is determined that the customer cradle 40 is not set, the CPU 301 generates a buzzer sound from the buzzer 308 in step S4, so that the customer tries to use the wrong handy terminal 30 ( Notify that it has been removed. At this time, if the handy terminal 30 in which the buzzer sounded is returned to the customer cradle 40 again, the determination in step S3 becomes YES and the buzzer sound stops.

  When the handy terminal 30 is set in the customer cradle 40 in step S3, the CPU 301 transmits the update date and time of the product file stored in the RAM 303 from the communication unit 307 to the customer cradle 40 in step S5. In response to this, the CPU of the customer cradle 40 checks whether or not the product file is the latest, and transmits the latest product file to the handy terminal 30. The handy terminal 30 receives this latest product file and stores it in the RAM 303.

  Now, after the handy terminal 30 is removed from the customer cradle 40 in step S2, the CPU 301 checks in step S6 whether or not the barcode of the product has been read by the scanner unit 304. Then, if the customer visits the bar code reading operation, the determination in step S6 becomes YES, and the CPU 301 stores the product code in the RAM 303 based on the read bar code in step S7. At this time, the purchased quantity of the product is stored in the RAM 303 as “1”. Further, the product name and price of the corresponding product are called from the product file stored in the RAM 303 according to the above code.

  Next, in step S <b> 8, the CPU 301 displays the product name, the purchased quantity, the price, and the total amount on the display 305 for the product currently being processed.

  Thereafter, in step S9, the CPU 301 checks whether or not the handy terminal 30 is connected to the cash register cradle 21. This is determined based on whether or not the connection terminal 3071 is in the connected state, as in step S3. If it is determined that it is not set in the cash register cradle 21, the process returns to step S6 again, and the CPU 301 further checks whether or not the barcode has been read.

  Here, when the reading operation is not performed by the customer, the determination in step S6 is NO, and the CPU 301 checks whether the + key 3064 or the − key 3065 of the operation unit 306 is operated in step S10. . When it is determined that the operation of these keys has been performed, the CPU 301 increases or decreases the purchase quantity of the product in accordance with the input operation and stores the increased or decreased purchase quantity in the RAM 303 in step S11. For example, when the + key 3064 is operated twice, the purchased quantity is updated to “3” and stored in the RAM 303. Then, when the process proceeds to step S8, the value of the purchased quantity displayed on the display 305 is changed to the updated value and displayed.

  Now, when the customer has finished reading the merchandise he / she wants to buy and takes the handy terminal 30 to the POS register 20 and sets it in the cash register cradle 21, the determination in step S9 is YES. Then, in step S12, the CPU 301 transmits the product code stored in step S7 in the RAM 303 by the communication unit 307 only once. This data is transmitted to the POS register 20 via the cash register cradle 21. As described above, the data communication here is the same communication protocol as used by the bar code scanner provided in the POS register 20 before the handy terminal 30 or the like was introduced (here, RS- 232C). Therefore, the POS register 20 can receive the code from the bar code scanner 30 without changing the specification on the POS register 20 side.

  When the product code is transmitted once in step S12, the CPU 301 subtracts 1 from the purchase quantity of the product stored in the RAM 303 in step S13. In step S14, the CPU 301 checks whether or not the purchased quantity after subtraction has become “0”. When it is determined that the purchased quantity after the subtraction is not “0”, the process returns to step S12 again, and the code of the same product is transmitted by the communication unit 307. The CPU 301 repeats this process until the purchased quantity reaches “0”. Thus, when a plurality of products are purchased from the handy terminal 30, the codes of the products are transmitted to the POS register 20 one by one as many times as the purchased quantity. Therefore, the POS register 20 receives data in the same format as that transmitted from the barcode scanner before the handy terminal 30 was introduced.

  When the purchase quantity becomes “0” in step S14, the CPU 301 checks in step S15 whether data of the next product still exists in the RAM 303. If it is determined that the data for the next product exists, the processing from step S12 to step S14 is similarly repeated for the product.

  If it is determined that there is no data for the next product in the RAM 303, all the product data has been transmitted from the handy terminal 30 to the POS register 20, so that the CPU 301 stores the product in the RAM 303 in step S16. Clear the read data.

  After that, the payment processing is performed in the POS register 20, and when the processing is completed, the store clerk removes the handy terminal 30 from the cash register cradle 21 and sets it again in the customer cradle 40 so that the next customer can use it. In step S <b> 17, the CPU 301 detects that the handy terminal 30 has been removed from the cash register cradle 21 and has been set in the customer cradle 40 again based on the connection state of the connection terminal 3071, and turns off the LED light emitting unit 305 a. .

As described above, the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the above, and various design changes and the like can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is possible to
For example, since some POS registers use various communication protocols, the handy terminal 30 can be adapted to these various communication protocols, and has a function of changing the communication protocol according to the POS register to be connected. It is good to.

  Moreover, in order to change the purchase quantity of goods with the operation part 306 of the handy terminal 30, a numeric key may be provided and used. Further, the bar code of the product may be read a plurality of times as many times as the purchased quantity without using the operation unit 306, and the quantity may be stored. Further, when the handy terminal 30 is operated to change the purchase quantity, instead of storing the quantity, the handy terminal 30 stores the code of the changed product for the quantity (for example, if the purchase quantity is 2, the code of the product) 2 may be stored). Alternatively, the cash register cradle 21 may include a CPU and a memory, and when a purchase quantity is received from the handy terminal 30, the product code may be transmitted to the POS register 20 as many times as the quantity.

  Further, the communication between the handy terminal 30 and the cash register cradle 21 is not limited to wired communication, and may use electromagnetic waves, light, sound waves, or the like. However, short-range communication is preferable so as not to interfere with the cash register cradle 21 of the adjacent POS register 20. In these cases, the communication data between the handy terminal 30 and the cash register cradle 21 is converted into communication data corresponding to the POS register 20 in the cash register cradle 21.

  Further, the structure of the guide portion of the cash register cradle 21 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5, and may be a hole shape into which the handy terminal 30 can be inserted, for example.

  Further, instead of providing the buzzer 308 in the handy terminal 30, a mechanical lock mechanism is provided in the customer cradle 40, and the lock mechanism is unlocked only for the handy terminal 30 that has transmitted the member number data from the customer cradle 40. You may do it.

  Further, in the case of a POS register 20 of a type having a plurality of connection connectors 20a, the register cradle 21 may be additionally connected to the vacant connection connector 20a without removing the conventional barcode scanner. Good.

  Further, when data for changing the price under special conditions such as a bundle file or a special sale file is set in the POS register 20, even in the self-scanning system, the bundle or the special sale can be executed as before.

  Further, the customer cradle 40 can be applied to the product sales processing system without providing a communication function with the store controller 10 or connecting to the member card reader 50. In this case, since the store controller 10 does not need to communicate with the customer cradle 40, the software of the store controller 10 does not need to be changed before and after the handy terminal 30 and the cash register cradle 21 are installed to construct the self-scanning system. Good.

This product sales processing system has the following advantages.
a. The POS register 20 does not require an operation for reading the product code from the product when the customer pays the customer (the product code is read when the customer puts the product in the shopping cart at the product display shelf). Processing time for product registration and checkout will be faster.
b. Since a self-scanning system can be constructed simply by introducing a handy terminal, a cash register cradle, and a customer cradle into an existing POS register or store controller system, the introduction cost is low. In addition, even if the manufacturers of existing POS registers are different, it is possible to cope.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a merchandise sales processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the handy terminal in the merchandise sales processing system of FIG. It is a front side external view of the handy terminal of FIG. It is a back side external view of the handy terminal of FIG. FIG. 2 is an external view of a cash register cradle in the product sales processing system of FIG. 1. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the handy terminal of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Store controller 20 ... POS register 21 ... Cash register cradle 30 ... Handy terminal 40 ... Customer cradle 50 ... Member card reader 301 ... CPU 302 ... ROM 303 ... RAM 304 ... Scanner part 305 ... Display display 306 ... Operation part 307 ... Communication unit 308 ... Buzzer 309 ... Power source control unit 310 ... Rechargeable battery

Claims (3)

In a product sales processing system in which a visitor operates a mobile terminal to read and store the code of the product in the mobile terminal, and performs settlement at the cash register based on the stored data,
Including the mobile terminal, and a repeater that connects the mobile terminal and the cash register to be communicable,
The portable terminal is
A code reading unit for reading the code attached to the product;
A storage unit for storing a code read by the code reading unit;
And a communication unit that transmits product purchase information including a code stored in the storage unit to the cash register via the relay when connected to the relay unit. system. The repeater includes a guide unit that guides the portable terminal to a predetermined placement position, and a connection terminal of the repeater is connected to the portable terminal placed at the placement position. The merchandise sales processing system according to claim 1. The mobile terminal includes a quantity input means for inputting the quantity of the product whose code is read by the code reading unit,
The means for transmitting the code of the commodity input from the quantity input means to the cash register for the same number of times as the input quantity is provided in the portable terminal or the repeater. The merchandise sales processing system according to claim 2.

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