JP2009271815A - Shopping system and shopping support method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a shopping system and a shopping support method, for providing highly convenient service in shopping. <P>SOLUTION: This shopping system 1 has: a food article sales device 2 to/from which an IC card 7 is attachable/detachable; a food article storage 3 for storing a food article; a robot device 4 capable of performing operation of collecting the food articles of the food article storage 3; a conveyor device 5; and a collection/conveyance controller 6 for controlling the collection of the food articles by the robot device 4. The IC card 7 stores a menu foodstuff information MFD wherein a menu and the food articles that are foodstuffs of the menu are associated. When receiving designation of the menu from a shopper, the food article sales device 2 specifies the food articles that are the foodstuffs of the menu in reference to the menu foodstuff information MFD of the IC card 7, and orders the collection/conveyance controller 6 to make the robot device 4 collect the specified food articles. The shopper can receive the food articles collected by the robot device 4 from a commodity reception port 28 of the food article sales device 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a shopping system and a shopping support method for supporting shopping of food items.

  Conventionally, a purchaser's terminal and a robot device that moves in the store are provided, and when a shopper makes a purchase, when the shopper's ID code and a purchase desired product are input to the purchaser's terminal, the purchase desired product is transferred to the robot device. A system is known in which, by collecting, it is not necessary for a shopper to search for a product desired to be purchased from the store, and shopping can be easily performed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, in this system, the shopper needs to perform an operation of determining a purchase desired product according to the purchase screen displayed on the display device. When the purchase desired product is determined, the purchase desired product is collected from the store. Route data is transmitted to the robot device, and the robot device collects purchase desired products using the route data.

JP 2007-109140 A

  However, in the system described in Patent Document 1, the shopper needs to input a purchase desired product to the purchaser's terminal. For example, when purchasing a plurality of types of products, purchase is made for each product. Since it is necessary to perform a cumbersome operation of inputting desired products, it has been troublesome for shoppers.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  [Application Example 1] A shopping system that supports shopping in a store that sells foods, and a portable storage medium in which menu food information indicating foods that serve as food for the menu is stored is removable. And a collection device for collecting the food product from a food storage container that stores one or more kinds of food products, and the terminal device reads the menu food information from the attached storage medium A reading unit, an operation unit that receives a selection operation for selecting a menu of food to be purchased from the menu registered in the menu food information, and the selected menu based on the read menu food information A shopping system comprising: a control unit that causes the collecting device to collect food corresponding to the item.

  According to this structure, the foodstuff corresponding to the menu selected as shopping object among the menus registered into the menu food information of the storage medium is collected by the collection device. Therefore, it is possible for the shopper to save the time and effort of searching the store for the groceries that are used as food for the menu at the time of shopping, and to easily purchase the groceries. In addition, unlike the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to easily input a desired product for purchase by selecting a menu, so that the operation is reduced. For this reason, the convenience for the shopper can be improved.

  Application Example 2 In a shopping system including a terminal device to which a storage medium having portability can be attached and detached, and a collecting device for collecting the food product from a food storage container for storing one or more kinds of food products A shopping support method, wherein the storage medium stores menu food information indicating a food item serving as a food for the menu, and reads the menu food information from the storage medium attached to the terminal device; and the menu A selection step of selecting a menu of a food item to be purchased from the menu registered in the food material information, and a food product corresponding to the selected menu item based on the read menu food material information to the collection device A shopping support method, comprising: a collecting step for collecting.

  In this way, since the food corresponding to the menu registered in the storage medium is collected by the collection device, the shopper can save the trouble of searching for food from the store as food for the menu at the time of shopping. Can shop easily.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on an example.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a shopping system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the shopping system 1 includes a food product sales device (terminal device) 2, a food product storage 3, a robot device 4, a transport device 5, and a collection / transport control device 6. Yes. In addition, the shopping system 1 of a present Example requires a shopper using the IC card (storage medium) 7 which a shopper possesses from many foodstuffs accommodated in the food storage container 3 of a real store. By causing the robot apparatus 4 to collect food to be used, a shopping service is provided that does not cause a shopper to find and collect food from the store. Hereinafter, each device of the shopping system 1 will be described.

  First, the food sales apparatus 2 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the food product sales apparatus 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the grocery sales apparatus 2 includes a CPU (control unit) 20, a ROM 21, a RAM 22, a card I / F unit (reading unit) 23, a panel I / F unit 24, and a communication I. / F unit 25, and each component is connected by a bus. In addition, a touch panel (operation unit) 26 is connected to the panel I / F unit 24.

  The card I / F unit 23 is an interface part that reads / writes data from / to the IC card 7 inserted into the card insertion slot (see FIG. 1) 27 of the grocery sales apparatus 2. The storage unit of the IC card 7 uses a readable / writable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM, a flash memory, or a FeRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), in which menu food information MFD, which will be described later, is written. The communication I / F unit 25 is a part connected to a network such as a LAN, and the grocery sales apparatus 2 is capable of data communication with the collection / conveyance control apparatus 6 through the network.

  The CPU 20 performs various processes by executing programs stored in the ROM 21 using the RAM 22 as a work area. In particular, the CPU 20 is selected to process the menu I / F unit 23 to read the menu food information MFD from the IC card 7 inserted in the card insertion slot 27, or to receive menu selection by a user operation on the touch panel 26. Processing for instructing the collection / conveyance control device 6 to cause the robotic device 4 to collect the foodstuffs that are the food for the selected menu is performed.

  In addition, the above-described grocery sales apparatus 2 is provided at the storefront or the like of the store, while the food storage container 3, the robot apparatus 4, the transport apparatus 5, and the collection / transport control apparatus 6 are provided in a warehouse or the like in the store. . As shown in FIG. 1, the food container 3 is divided into a number of sections, and management is performed by classifying food so that a plurality of types of food items are stored in different sections for each type. ing. The robot apparatus 4 is configured to be capable of grasping and releasing food, and in accordance with control from the collection / conveyance control device 6, grasps and removes the target food from the food storage 3. The operation | movement etc. which put the taken foodstuff into the shopping basket 8 on the conveying apparatus 5 are performed. The conveyance device 5 is a conveyance device such as a belt conveyor, for example, and conveys the shopping basket 8 containing food items to the product receiving port 28 of the food item sales device 2 according to control from the collection / conveyance control device 6. To do.

  Next, the collection / transport control device 6 that controls the robot device 4 and the transport device 5 will be described. FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the collection / conveyance control device 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the collection / transport control device 6 includes a CPU 60, a ROM 61, a RAM 62, an HD 63, a communication I / F unit 64, a robot device I / F unit 65, and a transport device I / F unit. 66, and each component is connected by a bus. The CPU 60 of the collection / transport control device 6 executes the program stored in the ROM 61 using the RAM 62 as a work area, thereby controlling the robot device 4 via the robot device I / F unit 65 and the transport device I / F. The transport device 5 is controlled via the F unit 66.

  The HD 63 stores in advance storage location information indicating in which section of the food storage 3 each food product stored in the food storage 3 is stored. According to the location information, the storage location of the food item to be taken out is specified, and the operation of the robot apparatus 4 is controlled.

  Next, the operation | movement at the time of shopping in the shopping system 1 of a present Example is demonstrated.

  For example, when the shopper who wants to buy groceries inserts the IC card 7 possessed into the card insertion slot 27 of the groceries sales apparatus 2, the CPU 20 that detects the insertion of the IC card 7 is shown in FIG. Is displayed on the touch panel 26. As shown in FIG. 4, on the menu screen 100, a registration button 101 for instructing the IC card 7 to register a new menu, a purchase button 102 for instructing the purchase of food, and an instruction to stop shopping. A stop button 103 is included. The shopper who has inserted the IC card 7 inputs a desired instruction to the grocery sales apparatus 2 by performing a user operation on the touch panel 26 according to the menu screen 100.

  Then, when the registration button 101 is pressed on the menu screen 100 by a user operation from the shopper, the menu registration process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 is started.

  When the menu registration process is started, first, the CPU 20 displays a menu registration screen on the touch panel 26 (step S100). FIG. 6 shows an example of the menu registration screen. As shown in FIG. 6, on the menu registration screen 110, a menu input button 111 for inputting a menu name, a food input button 112 for inputting food, and an input menu name and food for confirmation are displayed. A display field 113 to be displayed and a registration execution button 114 for executing registration of the input menu name and food are included. The shopper who has inserted the IC card 7 performs a button operation on the touch panel 26 according to the menu registration screen 110, thereby inputting an instruction desired by the shopper to the grocery sales apparatus 2.

  Next, the CPU 20 determines whether or not the menu input button 111 is pressed on the menu registration screen 110 (step S110). When the menu input button 111 is pressed (step S110: Yes), a menu name is designated by a user operation on the touch panel 26 according to an input screen (not shown) displayed on the touch panel 26 (step S120). Then, it returns to step S100 and the menu registration screen 110 is redisplayed. The menu specified in step S120 is reflected in the display column 113 of the menu registration screen 110, so that the shopper can confirm the input menu from the menu registration screen 110.

  On the other hand, when the menu input button 111 has not been pressed (step S110: No), it is determined whether or not the food input button 112 has been pressed (step S130). When the food input button 112 is pressed (step S130: Yes), information such as the name of the food, the number / amount of the food, etc., by a user operation on the touch panel 26 according to a predetermined food input screen (not shown) displayed on the touch panel 26. Is designated (step S140). Then, it returns to step S100 and the menu registration screen 110 is redisplayed. The information specified in step S140 is reflected in the display column 113 of the menu registration screen 110, and the shopper can check the input content from the menu registration screen 110.

  If the ingredient input button 112 is not pressed (step S130: No) and the registration execution button 114 on the menu registration screen 110 is pressed (step S150: Yes), the designated menu and the ingredients of the menu are displayed. Information is additionally registered in the IC card 7 as menu food information MFD (step S160), and the menu registration process of FIG. 5 is terminated.

  If none of the menu input button 111, the ingredient input button 112, and the registration execution button 114 is pressed on the menu registration screen 110, it is determined in step S150 that the registration execution button 114 is not pressed. (Step S150: No), the process returns to Step S100.

  With the menu registration process described above, as shown in FIG. 7 as an example, for each menu of a plurality of menus, the menu food information MFD in which the name of the food, the number / amount / quantity of the food required by the shopper is associated with the IC card 7 is stored in the storage unit.

  Next, purchase processing executed when the purchase button 102 on the menu screen 100 is pressed by a user operation from a shopper will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the purchase process is started, the CPU 20 first reads the menu food information MFD from the IC card 7 (step S200), and displays the menu selection screen on the touch panel 26 (step S210). FIG. 9 shows an example of the menu selection screen. As shown in FIG. 9, the menu selection screen 120 includes a menu selection button 121 for selecting a menu, a correction button 122 for correcting the food of the selected menu, and the selected menu and its menu. A display field 123 for displaying the ingredients for confirmation and a purchase button 124 for purchasing the selected menu are included. When the shopper who has inserted the IC card 7 performs a button operation on the touch panel 26 according to the menu selection screen 120, an instruction desired by the shopper is input to the grocery sales apparatus 2.

  Next, the CPU 20 determines whether or not the menu selection button 121 is pressed on the menu selection screen 120 (step S220). When the menu selection button 121 is pressed (step S220: Yes), the menu registered in the IC card 7, that is, the menu food information MFD is input by following a predetermined menu selection screen (not shown) displayed on the touch panel 26. A desired menu is selected from the menus shown (step S230). Then, it returns to step S210 and the menu selection screen 120 is redisplayed. It should be noted that the menu selected in step S230 and the information on the ingredients are reflected in the display field 123 of the menu selection screen 120, and the user can confirm the selected menu from the menu selection screen 120.

  On the other hand, when the menu selection button 121 has not been pressed (step S220: No), the CPU 20 determines whether or not the correction button 122 has been pressed on the menu selection screen 120 (step S240). When the correction button 122 is pressed (step S240: Yes), the addition / deletion of ingredients for the menu selected in step S230 is performed in accordance with a user operation on the touch panel 26 according to a correction screen (not shown) displayed on the touch panel 26. The amount / number is changed (step S250). Thereby, the shopper can arbitrarily select whether or not to purchase the selected menu food as necessary. Thereafter, the changed information is newly applied, the process returns to step S210, and the menu selection screen 120 is displayed again.

  When the correction button 122 is not pressed on the menu selection screen 120 (step S240: No), it is determined whether or not the purchase button 124 is pressed (step S260), and the purchase button 124 is pressed (step S260). Step S260: Yes), the process proceeds to Step S270. When the operation on the touch panel 26 is not performed, it is determined that the purchase button 124 is not pressed (step S260: No), the process returns to step S210, and the menu selection screen 120 is displayed again.

  When the purchase button 124 is pressed and the process proceeds to step S270, the CPU 20 instructs the collection / conveyance control device 6 to collect the food item serving as the selected menu item via the communication I / F unit 25. To do. Here, according to the menu food information MFD read from the IC card 7, the CPU 20 specifies the name and number / amount of ingredients necessary for the menu selected on the menu selection screen 120, together with the specific information, The food collection request is transmitted to the collection / conveyance control device 6.

  The collection / conveyance control device 6 that has received the collection request from the food sales device 2 starts the food collection control process shown in FIG. When the process is started, the CPU 60 of the collection / conveyance control device 6 refers to the storage location information stored in advance in the HD 63 and specifies the storage location of the food product requested for collection, that is, the section of the food storage 3. (Step S300). Next, the CPU 60 controls the robot apparatus 4 via the robot apparatus I / F unit 65 to take out food from the specified place and put it in the shopping basket 8 (step S310), and then the transfer apparatus I. By controlling the transport device 5 via the / F unit 66, the shopping basket 8 is transported to the product receiving port 28 of the food sales device 2 (step S320).

  At this time, the food sales apparatus 2 side settles the price corresponding to the collected food in the process shown in FIG. 8 (step S280), and after the settlement, the shopper is transported to the product receiving port 28. When the food is taken out from the shopping basket 8, the food is delivered (step S290), and the process of FIG. 8 ends.

  Note that the process of step S200 corresponds to a read step, the processes of steps S220 and S230 correspond to a selection step, and the process of step S270 corresponds to a collection step.

  As described above, in the shopping system 1 of the present embodiment, the menu desired by the shopper and the food for the menu can be registered in the IC card 7 as the menu food information MFD. Then, when the shopper specifies the menu, the robot apparatus 4 automatically collects the food items that are the ingredients for the specified menu. In this way, it is not necessary for the shopper to collect the ingredients for the designated menu, so there is no need for the shopper to search for food from the store where the groceries are displayed. Can be significantly increased.

  In addition, for menus once registered in the IC card 7, at the time of subsequent purchases, the shopper does not specify the contents of the ingredients each time, but simply specifies the menu. Can be purchased. Thereby, for example, when shopping for many kinds of food products, operations required for the food product sales apparatus 2 can be simplified, and a system excellent in operability for shoppers is realized. .

  The shopping system as an embodiment of the shopping system has been described above, but the following modifications may be made.

  (Modification 1) In the above-described embodiment, the menu of the menu, that is, the menu food information is stored in the IC card by the grocery sales apparatus. However, the menu registration is not limited to this, and the home of the shopper Etc. may be performed. For example, the menu registration process may be performed on the personal computer by applying an application for registering the menu food information to the IC card to a personal computer equipped with an IC card reader.

  (Modification 2) In the above-described embodiment, the food product sales apparatus and the collection / conveyance control apparatus are separate systems. However, as the system configuration in which the foodstuff sales apparatus and the collection / conveyance control apparatus are integrated, Also good.

  (Modification 3) In the above-described embodiment, the system is used for the settlement in the grocery sales apparatus. For example, the shopper may settle the shopping basket received from the product receiving port at the cash register of the store. Good.

  (Modification 4) In the above embodiment, an IC card is used as a storage medium for registering menu food information. However, the storage medium is not limited to this, and a memory card, a USB memory, and a nonvolatile memory are used. It may also be a mobile phone equipped with.

  (Modification 5) In the above embodiment, the menu food information for a plurality of menus is registered in one IC card, but the menu food information for each menu may be registered in separate cards. Good. In this way, the shopper needs to perform a menu selection operation on the menu selection screen by selecting a card corresponding to a desired menu from a plurality of IC cards possessed and inserting it into the grocery sales apparatus. This makes it easier to shop.

The figure which showed schematic structure of the shopping system which concerns on a present Example. The figure which showed the structure of the grocery sales apparatus. The figure which showed the structure of the collection / conveyance control apparatus. The figure which showed an example of the menu screen. The flowchart which showed the process sequence of the menu registration process. The figure which showed an example of the menu registration screen. The figure which showed an example of menu food information. The flowchart which showed the process sequence of the purchase process. The figure which showed an example of the menu selection screen. The flowchart which showed the process sequence of the foodstuff collection control process.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Shopping system, 2 ... Foodstuff sales apparatus as a terminal device, 3 ... Food storage container, 4 ... Robot apparatus as a collection apparatus, 5 ... Conveyance apparatus, 6 ... Collection / conveyance control apparatus as a collection apparatus, 7 IC card as storage medium, 8 shopping basket, 20 CPU as control unit, 21 ROM, 22 RAM, 23 card I / F unit as reading unit, 24 panel I / F unit, 25 ... Communication I / F section, 26 ... Touch panel as operation section, 27 ... Card insertion slot, 28 ... Merchandise receiving slot, 60 ... CPU, 61 ... ROM, 62 ... RAM, 63 ... HD, 64 ... Communication I / F section 65 ... Robot device I / F unit, 66 ... Transport device I / F unit, 100 ... Menu screen, 110 ... Menu registration screen, 120 ... Menu selection screen, MFD ... Menu food information.

Claims (2)

A shopping system that supports shopping at a store that sells groceries,
A terminal device that can store and remove a portable storage medium in which menu food information indicating a food item serving as a food for the menu is stored;
A collection device for collecting said food products from a food storage container for storing one or more kinds of food products;
The terminal device
A reading unit for reading the menu food information from the attached storage medium;
An operation unit that receives a selection operation for selecting a menu of food to be purchased from the menu registered in the menu food information,
A shopping system, comprising: a control unit that causes the collection device to collect food corresponding to the selected menu based on the read menu food information. A terminal device to which a portable storage medium can be attached and detached;
A shopping support method in a shopping system, comprising: a collection device for collecting the food product from a food storage container storing one or more kinds of food products,
The said storage medium memorize | stores the menu foodstuff information which shows the foodstuff used as the foodstuff of a menu,
Reading out the menu food information from a storage medium attached to the terminal device;
A selection step of selecting a menu of food to be purchased from the menu registered in the menu food information;
A shopping support method comprising: causing the collection device to collect food corresponding to the selected menu based on the read menu food information.

Images