JP2015043182A - System and program for store - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a program for a store suppressing recognition error.SOLUTION: A store system includes: an image output means; a reference providing means; an object recognition means; and a limiting means. The image output means outputs an image imaged by the imaging means. The reference providing means provides reference information predetermined to be capable of handling by each group classifying the objects into at least sales subject which is information of the object to be recognition subject and additional matter concerning processing additional to the sales and deemed to be comparison subject information for feature amount of the image. The object recognition means recognizes a specific object based on the feature amount obtained from the image and the reference information provided by the reference proving means. The limiting means limits the reference information received by the object recognition means from the reference provision means to the group the additional matter belongs to.

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a store system and a program.

  Conventionally, in a supermarket or the like, a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code (for example, QR code (registered trademark)) attached to a product is imaged by a digital camera such as a CCD image sensor, and a code symbol is obtained from an image obtained by the imaging. A device that reads a product code by detecting and decrypting the information is used.

  In the above apparatus, a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code must be attached to the product. For this reason, for fresh food, a code symbol table is prepared or packaged in advance and a code symbol is attached to the package.

  In recent years, a technique has been developed that eliminates the need to attach a code symbol to a code symbol table or a package as described above. This is a technique such as recognizing a product based on a feature amount obtained from an image of the product. However, this technique makes it possible to discriminate the types of apples that are difficult for an unfamiliar person to distinguish. On the other hand, for example, the feature amount obtained from an image of a gift certificate is similar to the feature amount of a vegetable image. There may be inconveniences such as a gift certificate being misidentified as a vegetable depending on the cause.

  The problem to be solved by the embodiment of the present invention is to provide a store system and a program that suppress erroneous recognition.

  The store system of the embodiment includes an image output unit, a reference providing unit, an object recognition unit, and a limiting unit. The image output means outputs an image captured by the imaging means. The reference providing means is information on an object to be recognized, and is determined in advance so as to be handled for each group in which the object is classified into at least a sales object and an accessory related to a process associated with the sales. The reference information that is the comparison target information of the feature amount of the. The object recognizing unit recognizes a specific object based on the feature amount obtained from the image and the reference information provided by the reference providing unit. The limiting means limits the reference information provided by the object recognition means from the reference providing means to the group to which the appendage belongs.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a checkout system according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the POS terminal and the commodity reading apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the PLU file according to the embodiment, and illustrates an example of grouping by product classification of the PLU file. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the data structure of each dictionary included in the PLU file of the embodiment, and shows an example of the data structure of (a) a fruit and vegetable dictionary and (b) a gift certificate dictionary among the dictionaries. It is. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the CPU according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation of the commodity reading apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a processing operation of the POS terminal according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a reading area in the reading window of the embodiment.

  Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a checkout system applied to a supermarket will be described as an example of a store system. The checkout system uses a POS terminal to register and settle a product (sales object).

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a checkout system 1 according to the embodiment. The checkout system 1 includes a POS terminal 11 that performs product registration and payment, a drawer 21, and a product reading device 101.

  The drawer 21 is placed on the checkout table 51, and the POS terminal 11 is placed on the upper surface. The drawer 21 is a box that stores money, and is controlled by the POS terminal 11 for an opening operation.

  The POS terminal 11 includes a keyboard 22, a display device 23, a customer display device 24, and a touch panel 26. The keyboard 22 is arranged on the upper surface of the POS terminal 11 and is pressed by an operator (user). The display device 23 is arranged behind the keyboard 22 as viewed from the operator who operates the keyboard 22, and displays information on a display surface 23a provided toward the operator. The touch panel 26 is laminated on the display surface 23a. The customer display device 24 is arranged further on the back side than the display device 23 and includes a display surface 24a for displaying information to be provided to the customer. In FIG. 1, the customer display device 24 has the display surface 24a facing the front side in the figure, but the orientation of the display surface 24a can be arbitrarily adjusted so that information is suitably provided to the customer.

  The commodity reading apparatus 101 is placed on the cargo receiving surface 152 on the upper surface of the counter table 151. The counter table 151 has a horizontally long table shape and is arranged so as to form an L shape with the checkout table 51 on which the POS terminal 11 is placed.

  A shopping basket 153 for storing the product A is placed on the cargo receiving surface 152. The shopping basket 153 includes a first shopping basket 153a brought in by a customer and a second shopping basket 153b positioned at a position sandwiching the commodity reading device 101 from the first shopping basket 153a. The shopping basket 153 (first shopping basket 153a) is not limited to a so-called basket shape, and may be a tray or the like. Further, the shopping basket 153 (second shopping basket 153b) is not limited to a so-called basket shape, and may be a paper box used in a store such as a donut shop.

  The commodity reading apparatus 101 is connected to the POS terminal 11 so that data can be transmitted and received. The product reading apparatus 101 includes a housing 102, a reading window 103, a display / operation unit 104, a keyboard 107, a card reading groove 108, a customer display device 109, and a product reading unit 110 (see FIG. 2).

  The housing 102 is a thin rectangular housing. The reading window 103 is formed of a transparent material and constitutes a part of the front surface of the housing 102. The display / operation unit 104 includes a touch panel 105 and a display device 106, and is attached to the upper portion of the housing 102. The touch panel 105 is stacked on the surface of the display device 106. The keyboard 107 is arranged on the right side of the display / operation unit 104. The card reading groove 108 is a part of a card reader (not shown) and is provided on the right side of the keyboard 107. The customer display device 109 is installed on the back left side of the display / operation unit 104 when viewed from the operator, and provides information to the customer. The product reading unit 110 includes an imaging unit 164 (see FIG. 2) on the back side of the reading window 103.

  In the first shopping basket 153a brought in by the customer, a product A for one transaction is stored. The product A is moved to the second shopping basket 153b by the operator's hand. In this movement process, the product A is directed to the reading window 103 of the product reading apparatus 101. At this time, the imaging unit 164 disposed on the back side of the reading window 103 images the product A. The merchandise reading apparatus 101 detects all or part of the merchandise A included in the image captured by the imaging unit 164. When the product reading apparatus 101 detects that the image captured by the imaging unit 164 includes all or part of the product A, the captured image is output to the POS terminal 11. In the POS terminal 11, for each of the products A, the product reading unit is referred to with reference to a PLU file F1 (details will be described later, see FIG. 3) in which information related to sales registration of the product A and an image of the product A are associated with each other. The product A to be registered for sales is identified by recognizing the product A, which is a specific object, from all or part of the images of the product A captured by the imaging unit 164 of 110, and the product ID of the identified product A Sales registration, such as product classification, product name, unit price, etc., is recorded in a sales master file (not shown).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the POS terminal 11 and the commodity reading apparatus 101. The POS terminal 11 includes a microcomputer 60 as an information processing unit that executes information processing. The microcomputer 60 is configured by connecting a ROM 62 (Read Only Memory) and a RAM 63 (Random Access Memory) to a CPU 61 (Central Processing Unit) that executes various arithmetic processes and controls each unit.

  The drawer 61, the keyboard 22, the display device 23, the touch panel 26, and the customer display device 24 are all connected to the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 through various input / output circuits (all not shown). These are controlled by the CPU 61.

  The keyboard 22 includes a numeric keypad 22d, a temporary tightening key 22e, and a tightening key 22f on which numbers such as “1”, “2”, “3”.

  An HDD 64 (Hard Disk Drive) is connected to the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11. The HDD 64 stores programs and various files. All or a part of the programs and various files stored in the HDD 64 are copied to the RAM 63 and sequentially executed by the CPU 61 when the POS terminal 11 is activated. An example of a program stored in the HDD 64 is a product sales data processing program PR. An example of a file stored in the HDD 64 is a PLU file F1 distributed and stored from the store computer SC.

  The PLU file F1 is a product file in which an association between information related to sales registration of the product A and an image of the product A is set for each of the products A displayed and sold in the store. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the PLU file F1, and is a diagram illustrating an example of grouping by product classification of the PLU file F1. The PLU file F1 is divided into an agricultural product dictionary F11, a fruit and vegetable dictionary F12, a fresh fish dictionary F13, a meat meat dictionary F14, and a gift certificate dictionary F15. The agricultural product dictionary F11, the fruit and vegetable dictionary F12, the fresh fish dictionary F13, the meat dictionary F14, and the gift certificate dictionary F15 are dictionaries that store product information to which no code symbol is assigned. In addition to each of these dictionaries, the PLU file F1 also stores information on products to which code symbols are assigned. The PLU file F1 is an example of a reference providing unit. The gift certificate dictionary F15 is an example of a gift certificate group.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the data structure of each dictionary included in the PLU file F1. Of the dictionaries F11 to F15, (a) the fruit and vegetable dictionary F12 and (b) the gift certificate dictionary F15. It is a figure which shows an example. As shown in FIG. 4, the PLU file F1 includes, for each product A, a product ID (product information) uniquely assigned to the product ID, a product classification to which the product A belongs, a product name, a unit price, and the product. The captured image (product image) and the feature amount are stored. The gift certificate dictionary F15 stores product information, product images, and feature quantities for gift certificates that have many types. Here, the gift certificate is an example of an accessory, and the product image is an example of reference information.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the communication interface 25 is connected to the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 via an input / output circuit (not shown). The communication interface 25 executes data communication with the store computer SC. The store computer SC is installed in a store backyard or the like. A PLU file F1 distributed to the POS terminal 11 is stored in the HDD (not shown) of the store computer SC.

  Further, the connection interface 65 connects the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 and the product reading device 101 so that data can be transmitted and received between the CPU 61 and the product reading device 101. The CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 is connected to a printer 66 that prints on receipts and the like. The POS terminal 11 prints the transaction content of one transaction on the receipt under the control of the CPU 61.

  The commodity reading apparatus 101 includes a microcomputer 160. The microcomputer 160 is configured by connecting a ROM 162 and a RAM 163 to a CPU 161 via a bus. The ROM 162 stores a program executed by the CPU 161. The CPU 161 is connected to an imaging unit 164 and an audio output unit 165 via various input / output circuits (none of which are shown). The operations of the imaging unit 164 and the audio output unit 165 are controlled by the CPU 161. The display / operation unit 104 is connected to the POS terminal 11 via the connection interface 176. The operation of the display / operation unit 104 is controlled by the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11.

  The imaging unit 164 is an example of an imaging unit, and is a color CCD image sensor, a color CMOS image sensor, or the like, and performs imaging from the reading window 103 under the control of the CPU 161. For example, the imaging unit 164 captures a 30 fps moving image. Frame images sequentially captured by the imaging unit 164 at a predetermined frame rate are stored in the RAM 163.

  The audio output unit 165 is an audio circuit and a speaker for generating a preset warning sound or the like. The sound output unit 165 performs notification by sound such as a warning sound under the control of the CPU 161.

  Furthermore, a connection interface 175 that connects to the connection interface 65 of the POS terminal 11 and enables data transmission / reception with the POS terminal 11 is connected to the CPU 161. Under the control of the CPU 161, an image (an image including all or part of the product A) imaged by the imaging unit 164 of the product reading apparatus 101 is output via the connection interface 175, and the POS terminal via the connection interface 65. 11 is input.

  Next, functional units of the CPU 161 and the CPU 61 that are realized by the CPU 161 and the CPU 61 sequentially executing programs will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the CPU 161 and the CPU 61. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the CPU 161 of the product reading apparatus 101 realizes functions as a captured image capturing unit 1611, a product detection unit 1612, and an image output unit 1613 that is an image output unit by sequentially executing a program. To do. Similarly, the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 implements functions as an object recognition unit 611 that is an object recognition unit, a product registration unit 612, and a reference destination limitation unit 613 that is a limitation unit by sequentially executing a program.

  The captured image capturing unit 1611 outputs an imaging on signal to the imaging unit 164 and causes the imaging unit 164 to start an imaging operation. The captured image capturing unit 1611 sequentially captures frame images captured by the imaging unit 164 and stored in the RAM 163 after the start of the imaging operation. Captured frame images by the captured image capturing unit 1611 are performed in the order stored in the RAM 163.

  The product detection unit 1612 detects all or part of the product A included in the frame image captured by the captured image capture unit 1611 using a pattern matching technique or the like. Specifically, an outline or the like is extracted from an image obtained by binarizing the captured frame image. Next, the contour line extracted from the latest frame image is compared with the contour line extracted from the current frame image, and the part that has changed, that is, the product directed to the reading window 103 for sales registration Detects reflections. As another method for detecting a product, the presence or absence of a skin color region is detected from a captured frame image. Next, when the skin color region is detected, that is, when the reflection of the clerk's hand is detected (see, for example, FIG. 8), the clerk's hand holds by detecting the above-described contour line. Attempt to extract the contour of the product that is assumed. At this time, when the contour indicating the shape of the hand and the other contour are detected, the reflection of the product is detected because the clerk's hand is holding the product.

  The image output unit 1613 outputs the frame image captured by the captured image capturing unit 1611 to the POS terminal 11 via the connection interface 175. The image output unit 1613 may sequentially output the frame image captured by the captured image capturing unit 1611 to the POS terminal 11, but in the present embodiment, all or part of the product A is detected by the product detection unit 1612. Assume that a frame image is output to the POS terminal 11. In this way, by outputting a frame image in which all or part of the product A is detected by the product detection unit 1612 to the POS terminal 11, the PLU file F <b> 1 is obtained from the frame image that does not include all or part of the product A. It is possible to prevent the POS terminal 11 from performing object recognition performed with reference to FIG. Since recognition processing of a specific object requires processing time, by preventing processing with a frame image that does not include recognition of the specific object and does not include all or part of the product A, processing time can be reduced. Shortening can be achieved.

  The object recognizing unit 611 of the POS terminal 11 refers to the product image of the PLU file F1, and uses a color or surface as a feature amount from all or a part of the product A imaged by the imaging unit 164 of the product reading apparatus 101. The product A is recognized as a specific object by obtaining the surface state such as the uneven state of the surface. The feature amount is a parameterization of appearance features such as the standard shape, surface color, pattern, and unevenness of the product. The object recognition unit 611 does not consider the outline or size of the product A in order to shorten the processing time. In the POS terminal 11, the product read by the product reading device 101 can be identified from the products registered in advance in the PLU file F1 based on the recognition result of the object recognition unit 611.

Recognizing an object contained in an image in this way is called generic object recognition. Regarding such general object recognition, various recognition techniques are described in the following documents.
Keiji Yanai, “Current Status and Future of General Object Recognition”, IPSJ Journal, Vol. 48, no. SIG16 [Search August 10, 2010], Internet <URL: http://mm.cs.uec.ac.jp/IPSJ-TCVIM-Yanai.pdf>

Further, techniques for performing general object recognition by dividing an image into regions for each object are described in the following documents.
Jamie Shotton et al., “Semantic Texton Forests for Image Categorization and Segmentation”, [searched August 10, 2010], Internet <URL: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1. 1.145.3036 & rep = rep1 & type = pdf>

  Here, the reference destination limiting unit 613 temporarily limits the range of the PLU file F1 that the object recognizing unit 611 refers to when recognizing the object, according to the operation of the operator.

  The product registration unit 612 is information related to sales registration related to the product image recognized by the object recognition unit 611, that is, the product ID, product classification, product name, and product name of the product identified as the product read by the product reading device 101. Record unit price etc. in sales master file etc. and register sales.

  The reference destination limiting unit 613 displays a declaration button (software key, not shown) on the display device 106 of the commodity reading apparatus 101 during imaging by the imaging unit 164. When the touch panel 105 accepts an operation to the position corresponding to the declaration button, the reference destination limiting unit 613 sets the range of the PLU file F1 that the object recognition unit 611 refers to for object recognition, for example, the gift certificate dictionary F15 only. Limited temporarily.

  Thereby, for example, when the operator recognizes the gift certificate and obtains the product information of the gift certificate, if the operator operates the declaration button, the reference destination of the object recognition unit 611 is only the gift certificate dictionary F15. Therefore, the inconvenience that the object recognition unit 611 misidentifies the gift certificate as lettuce or the like with reference to the product information included in the fruit and vegetable dictionary F12 can be avoided.

  By the way, the POS terminal 11 displays a gift certificate settlement button (software key, not shown) on the display device 23 in preparation for accepting payment by a gift certificate.

  Conventionally, the gift certificate settlement button is used in combination with the numeric keypad 22d. Conventionally, for example, when a customer offers to pay a 500 yen gift certificate and cash for a purchase of 1000 yen, is the gift certificate received from the customer handled at the store? After confirming the comparison with a comparison table and the like and inputting “500” with the numeric keypad 22d, the gift certificate settlement button is pressed. In response to this, the CPU 61 of the POS terminal 11 charges the remaining amount of 500 yen, assuming that the purchase amount of 1000 yen has received a deposit of 500 yen for the gift certificate.

  Here, in this embodiment, the gift certificate settlement button is also used as the declaration button. That is, when a declaration button, that is, a gift certificate settlement button is pressed without a numeric value using the numeric keypad 22d, the dictionary reference destination is limited when recognizing an image captured by the imaging unit 164, that is, only the gift certificate dictionary F15 is referred to. .

  Since there are many types of gift certificates, it is difficult for the operator to determine whether or not the gift certificate issued by the customer is accepted at the store. Since the image data of the picked up gift certificate can be checked against the gift certificate dictionary F15, the trouble of visually comparing the gift certificate and the comparison table can be eliminated.

  Needless to say, the gift certificate settlement button and the declaration button may be provided separately.

  Next, the operation of the checkout system 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing operation of the commodity reading apparatus 101. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing operation of the POS terminal 11.

  First, the operation on the commodity reading apparatus 101 side will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 6, when processing is started in response to the start of product registration by the POS terminal 11, the captured image capturing unit 1611 outputs an imaging on signal to the imaging unit 164 and performs imaging by the imaging unit 164. Is started (step S1). Next, the captured image capturing unit 1611 captures the frame image (captured image) captured by the image capturing unit 164 and stored in the RAM 163 (step S2). Next, the product detection unit 1612 detects all or part of the object, that is, the product A, from the frame image captured by the captured image capture unit 1611 (step S3). Next, the image output unit 1613 outputs the frame image in which the object is detected by the product detection unit 1612 to the POS terminal 11 (step S4).

  FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the reading region R in the reading window 103, and is an example in which the product A is being read. As shown in FIG. 8, when the product A appears in the reading area R in the process of moving the product A to the second shopping basket 153b, the product is displayed in step S3 from the frame image obtained by capturing the reading area R. All or part of A is detected. By detecting all or part of the product A, a frame image obtained by capturing the reading region R is output to the POS terminal 11 in step S4.

  Returning to FIG. 6, the CPU 161 determines the presence / absence of business end from the POS terminal 11 based on the end notification of product registration (step S5). When business is continued (step S5: No), the CPU 161 returns the process to step S2 to continue the process. When the work is to be ended (step S5: Yes), the captured image capturing unit 1611 outputs an imaging off signal to the imaging unit 164, ends the imaging by the imaging unit 164 (step S6), and ends the process.

  Next, the operation on the POS terminal 11 side will be described. When the process is started in response to the start of product registration in response to an operation instruction on the keyboard 22, as shown in FIG. 7, the CPU 61 first determines whether or not there has been an operation of pressing a declaration button (step S21). . When there is no operation on the declaration button (step S21: No), the CPU 61 receives the frame image detected from the product output from the commodity reading apparatus 101 (step S22). Next, the object recognition unit 611 determines whether or not the reference destination of the PLU file F1 is limited (step S23). If the reference destination is not limited (step S23: No), With reference to the product image, the product A is recognized as a specific object from the object output from the product reading apparatus 101, that is, the image of all or part of the product A (step S24).

  Next, the product registration unit 612 registers the recognition result of the product A, which is a specific object, and the sales of the product A selected from the recognition results and identified as one (step S25).

  Next, the CPU 61 determines whether or not there is an end of business due to the end of sales registration by an operation instruction of the keyboard 22 (step S26). When the business is continued (step S26: No), the CPU 61 returns the process to step S21 and continues the process. When the business is to be ended (step S26: Yes), the CPU 61 ends the process.

  If there is an operation on the declaration button in step S21 (step S21: Yes), the reference destination limiting unit 613 refers to the dictionary that the object recognition unit 611 refers to when recognizing the object, and the gift certificate dictionary F15 of the PLU file F1. Only temporarily (step S27).

  When the reference destination of the PLU file F1 is limited in step S23 (step S23: Yes), the object recognition unit 611 displays all or a part of the object output from the product reading apparatus 101, that is, the gift certificate. To recognize the gift certificate as a specific object (gift certificate) (step S28). When the object recognition unit 611 specifies the gift certificate, the amount of the gift certificate is identified. And CPU61 inputs the moneys of a gift certificate as payment (step S29).

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, when the operator recognizes the gift certificate, the checkout system 1 limits the dictionary that the image data is collated to the gift certificate dictionary F15 by operating the declaration button. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of inconvenience such as product information such as lettuce being drawn based on the image data of the gift certificate.

  In the above embodiment, the group is divided into five types of agricultural products, fruits and vegetables, fresh fish, meat, and gift certificates. However, in implementation, the group may be, for example, gift certificates and other two types. That is, the dictionaries F11 to F14 may be collected without being divided.

  In the above embodiment, the reference providing means is realized by storing the PLU file F1 in the HDD 64. However, in the implementation, the reference providing means is acquired from an external database such as the store computer SC. It may be realized.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the reference information provided by the reference providing means to the object recognition means is realized by the product image. However, in the implementation, the feature amount obtained from the reference product image or a value based on the reference image Information that can be compared with an image may be used as reference information.

  In the above-described embodiment, the declaration button is displayed on the display device 106 as a software key. However, the implementation may be realized by providing a dedicated hard key on the keyboard 22 or the like. Alternatively, it may be displayed on the display device 23 of the POS terminal 11.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the misrecognition of the gift certificate has been described as an example. However, in the implementation, the dictionary that is limitedly referred to by the declaration button may not be the gift certificate dictionary F15. For example, the dictionaries that are limitedly referenced by the declaration button may be the agricultural product dictionary F11, the fruit and vegetable dictionary F12, the fresh fish dictionary F13, and the meat dictionary F14.

  In addition, there is a button (declaration button, not shown) for switching between a mode for recognizing a code symbol and a mode for recognizing an object. In the mode for recognizing a code symbol, the PLU file is limitedly referenced, and in the mode for recognizing an object, You may refer to the dictionary limitedly. In this case, a PLU file that stores product information to which code symbols are assigned and a dictionary that stores product information to which code symbols are not assigned are separately provided. After the object recognition mode is selected, the dictionary may be limitedly referenced by a declaration button from the agricultural product dictionary F11, the fruit and vegetable dictionary F12, the fresh fish dictionary F13, the meat dictionary F14, and the gift certificate dictionary F15.

  And in this embodiment, although the misrecognition when using a gift certificate for payment was described as an example, in order to refer to the gift certificate dictionary F15 when implementing the image recognition of the gift certificate when selling the gift certificate. Limiting means may be applied.

Note that the program executed by the checkout system 1 of the present embodiment is provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like.
The program executed in the checkout system 1 of the present embodiment is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a computer such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). The information may be provided by being recorded on a recording medium that can be read by the user.
Furthermore, the program executed by the checkout system 1 of the present embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Further, the program executed by the checkout system 1 of the present embodiment may be configured to be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.
The program executed in the checkout system 1 of the present embodiment includes the above-described units (the captured image capturing unit 1611, the product detection unit 1612, the image output unit 1613, the object recognition unit 611, the product registration unit 612, the reference destination limiting unit). 613), and the actual hardware includes a CPU (processor) that reads the program from the ROM and executes the program to load each unit onto a main storage device (such as a RAM). Are generated on the main memory.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

1 ... Checkout system,
11 ... POS terminal,
611 ... Object recognition unit (object recognition means),
612 ... Product registration department,
613 ... Reference destination limiting unit (limiting means),
F1 ... PLU file (reference provision means),
F11 ... Agricultural product dictionary,
F12 ... Fruits and vegetables dictionary,
F13 ... Fresh fish dictionary,
F14 ... Meat dictionary,
F15 ... Gift certificate dictionary (gift certificate group),
101 ... Product reading device,
103 ... reading window,
110: Product reading unit,
1611 ... Captured image capturing unit,
1612 ... Product detection unit,
1613 ... Image output unit (image output means),
164 ... Imaging unit (imaging means).

JP 2012-43378 A

Claims (6)

Image output means for outputting an image captured by the imaging means;
Information on the object to be recognized, which is determined in advance so that it can be handled for each group in which the object is classified into at least a sales object and an accessory related to processing associated with sales, and a comparison of the feature amount of the image A standard providing means for providing standard information as target information;
Object recognition means for recognizing a specific object based on the feature amount obtained from the image and the reference information provided by the reference providing means;
Limiting means for limiting the reference information provided by the object recognition means from the reference providing means to the group to which the appendage belongs;
Store system equipped with. The reference providing means handles the reference information of at least one or more gift certificates that are the accompanying items as a gift certificate group that is one of the groups,
The store system according to claim 1, wherein the limiting unit limits a reference destination of the object recognition unit to the gift certificate group. The store system according to claim 1, wherein the limitation unit includes a declaration button that receives an operation for instructing limitation of the group. The store system according to claim 3, wherein the declaration button is a button for instructing execution of the processing accompanying sales. The reference information of the sales object among the reference information provided by the reference providing means is further classified and determined to be handled as a plurality of the groups. The store system described. Store system computer,
Image output means for outputting an image captured by the imaging means;
Information on the object to be recognized, which is determined in advance so that it can be handled for each group in which the object is classified into at least a sales object and an accessory related to processing associated with sales, and a comparison of the feature amount of the image A standard providing means for providing standard information as target information;
Object recognition means for recognizing a specific object based on the feature amount obtained from the image and the reference information provided by the reference providing means;
Limiting means for limiting the reference information provided by the object recognition means from the reference providing means to the group to which the appendage belongs;
Program to make it work.

Images