JP2023139297A - Business support system, business support apparatus, business support method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

To streamline operation in a case of missing items on a display shelf.SOLUTION: A business support apparatus includes a reception unit that receives a photographed image of a display shelf of products, a processing unit that detects a shelf section that needs to be replenished based on the photographed image and generates information relating to the detected shelf section that needs to be replenished, a storage unit that stores shelf section information and missing item history information in the display shelf, and an output unit that outputs information relating to the shelf section that needs to be replenished. The processing unit generates a change proposal of the shelf section based on the shelf section information and the missing item history information and outputs it from the output unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a business support system, a business support device, a business support method, and a computer program.

Conventionally, a technology that uses a camera device to photograph the shelves on which products are displayed in a store (hereinafter referred to as "display shelves") and analyzes the captured images to determine whether or not products are out of stock on the display shelves. is known (Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2019/087519

However, Patent Document 1 only detects a shortage of a product on a display shelf, and does not mention how to improve the efficiency of operations when a shortage is detected.

The present disclosure aims to provide a technology for streamlining operations when an item is out of stock on a display shelf.

A business support device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a receiving unit that receives a photographed image of a display shelf of articles, and a receiving unit that detects a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image, and that detects the detected shelf that requires replenishment. a processing unit that generates information regarding compartments; a storage unit that stores shelf compartment information and out-of-stock history information in the display shelves; and an output unit that outputs information regarding the shelf compartments that require replenishment; The section generates a shelf section change proposal based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information, and outputs it from the output section.

In a business support method according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a business support device receives a photographed image of a display shelf of articles, detects a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image, and detects the detected need for replenishment. generate information regarding the shelf section, store shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf, output information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment, and based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information. Then, a shelf section change proposal is generated and output.

A computer program according to an aspect of the present disclosure receives a photographed image of a display shelf for articles, detects a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image, and provides information regarding the detected shelf section that requires replenishment. generate, store shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf, output information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment, and change the shelf section based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information. Have the computer generate and output suggestions.

Note that these comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized by a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a recording medium. It may be realized by any combination of the following.

According to the present disclosure, operations can be made more efficient when an item is out of stock on a display shelf.

Further advantages and effects of one aspect of the present disclosure will become apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and/or effects may be provided by each of the several embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, but not all need to be provided in order to obtain one or more of the same features. There isn't.

A diagram showing a configuration example of a business support system according to an embodiment Diagram showing an example of the configuration of a missing item detection device Diagram showing an example of the surface on which products are displayed on display shelves Diagram showing an example of planogram information Diagram showing an example of the configuration of a terminal Diagram showing an example of the configuration of a business support device Diagram showing an example of management information Diagram showing an example of login UI (User Interface) for business support services Diagram showing an example of a service menu UI in a business support service Diagram showing an example of out-of-stock information UI Diagram showing an example of shelf map UI related to out-of-stock information service Diagram showing an example of display shelf UI related to out-of-stock information service Diagram showing an example of shelf map UI related to shelf map service Diagram showing an example of display shelf UI related to shelf map service Diagram showing an example of order history UI Diagram showing an example of shelf map UI related to shelf allocation advice service Diagram showing an example of planogram advice UI Diagram showing an example of planogram change UI Diagram showing an example of price change UI Diagram for explaining an example of a shelf label detection method Diagram for explaining an example of how to set up partitions

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with appropriate reference to the drawings. However, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter of the claims.

(One embodiment)
<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a business support system according to an embodiment.

The business support system is a system that detects out-of-stock products on display shelves 10 arranged in a store and supports work when out-of-stock items are detected. The store is, for example, a supermarket, a convenience store, a department store, a mass retailer, a discount store, a bookstore, or a kiosk in various facilities. On the display shelf 10, products sold at a store are displayed as examples of products. The display shelf 10 is not limited to being placed inside the store, but may be placed outside the store.

Further, the display shelf 10 may be provided with a shelf label 20 for displaying the product name, price, etc. of the displayed product. The shelf label 20 is an electronic shelf label equipped with a liquid crystal display or electronic paper, and whose display contents can be rewritten by wireless communication. However, this embodiment is not limited to electronic shelf labels, but may also be shelf labels with display contents printed or handwritten on paper. Note that the shelf label 20 may be read as other terms such as a shelf tag, a shelf card, or a shelf label.

The business support system includes a camera device 100, a missing item detection device 200, and a business support device 300. The business support system may further include a terminal 400. The terminal 400 is owned by, for example, a person (hereinafter referred to as a "person in charge") who performs work related to out-of-stock items. The person in charge 2 is, for example, a clerk or store manager of the store where the display shelf 10 is placed.

The camera device 100 is installed at a position where it can photograph the surface of the display shelf 10 on which products are displayed. The camera device 100 transmits a captured image of the display shelf 10 (hereinafter referred to as a "captured image") to the missing item detection device 200 via a communication network. The communication network is configured by, for example, a wired LAN (Local Area Network) or a wireless LAN.

A plurality of camera devices 100 may be installed in one store. Further, one display shelf 10 may be photographed by one camera device 100. Alternatively, a plurality of display shelves 10 may be photographed by one camera device 100. Alternatively, one display shelf 10 may be photographed by a plurality of camera devices 100. The camera device 100 may be a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera. The camera device 100 may be installed for monitoring inside a store (that is, a surveillance camera). Alternatively, the camera device 100 may be installed to detect missing items on the display shelf 10.

The missing item detection device 200 analyzes the captured image received from the camera device 100 and detects a display shelf 10 in which an item is out of stock (hereinafter referred to as "out of stock shelf"). When detecting an out-of-stock shelf, the out-of-stock detection device 200 transmits out-of-stock detection information including at least identification information of the out-of-stock shelf to the business support device 300 via the communication network 3. The communication network 3 is configured by, for example, the Internet. The out-of-stock detection device 200 is installed in a store, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the missing item detection device 200 may be installed as a server (for example, a cloud server) that provides a predetermined service via the communication network 3. In this case, the camera device 100 may transmit the captured image to the missing item detection device 200 via the communication network 3.

The work support device 300 receives the out-of-stock detection information from the out-of-stock detection device 200, and based on the out-of-stock detection information, provides information (hereinafter referred to as “work support information”) for supporting the work of the person in charge 2 regarding the out-of-stock product. ). The business support device 300 transmits the generated business support information to the terminal 400 of the person in charge 2. The business support information is, for example, information for the terminal 400 to display a UI (User Interface) for business support. Further, the business support device 300 receives instruction information from the terminal 400 and performs processing corresponding to the instruction information. The instruction information is information indicating an instruction input by the person in charge 2 into the terminal 400. The business support device 300 is installed as a server (for example, a cloud server) that provides predetermined services via the communication network 3.

Further, the business support device 300 transmits information for updating the display contents of the shelf labels 20 attached to the display shelves 10 (hereinafter referred to as "shelf label update information") to the shelf labels 20 of the store. good. The shelf label 20 that has received the shelf label update information updates its display content based on the shelf label update information. Examples of display contents on the shelf label 20 are product names, prices, and/or POP information. The POP information is, for example, a catchphrase, an explanation, a discount price, or a discount rate.

The terminal 400 receives business support information from the business support device 300 and displays a UI for business support based on the business support information. Further, the terminal 400 transmits instruction information input by the person in charge 2 to the business support device 300. Terminal 400 is, for example, a tablet, a smartphone, or a PC. The UI displayed on the terminal 400 may be a UI generated by an application running on the terminal 400 based on business support information. Alternatively, the UI displayed on the terminal 400 may be a UI generated by a web browser operating on the terminal 400 based on business support information.

<Configuration of missing item detection device>
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the missing item detection device 200. The missing item detection device 200 includes a processing section 201, a memory 202, a communication section 203, and a storage 204. These elements 201 to 204 are connected by an internal bus 205 that allows bidirectional communication. That is, the missing item detection device 200 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and a memory.

The processing unit 201 executes a computer program and realizes the functions of the out-of-stock detection device 200. The processing unit 201 may be replaced with other terms such as a processor, a controller, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), or an integrated circuit. Furthermore, in the following description, processing mainly performed by the missing item detection device 200 may be replaced with processing mainly performed by the processing unit 201.

The memory 202 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of the missing item detection device 200. The memory 202 may be configured by, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or a combination thereof.

The storage 204 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of the missing item detection device 200. The storage 204 may be configured by, for example, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory. Furthermore, the storage 204 may store shelf allocation information 210. Note that the shelf allocation information 210 is information used to identify the display shelves 10 and the sections 30.

The communication unit 203 controls data transmission and reception with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 203 may include a transmitting unit 203A that controls data transmission, and a receiving unit 203B that controls data reception. The communication unit 203 may be replaced with other terms such as a communication interface or a communication module.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the surface of the display shelf 10 on which products are displayed. Next, with reference to FIG. 3, an example of a method for the missing item detection device 200 to detect a display shelf 10 in which an item is out of stock will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the display shelf 10 is divided into a plurality of display spaces 12 by shelf boards 11. A shelf label 20 is attached to the shelf board 11. In the space above the shelf label 20, the same products corresponding to the shelf label 20 are displayed. In this embodiment, a space where the same products corresponding to the shelf labels 20 are displayed is referred to as a section 30. The missing item detection device 200 sets sections 30 for the photographed image of the display shelf 10. In addition, in FIG. 3, gaps are provided between each of the sections 30, but these may not be provided. The shape of the section 30 is not limited to a rectangle, but may be a polygon, an ellipse, or a circle. The divisions 30 may be manually set for the captured image of the display shelf 10. Alternatively, the sections 30 may be automatically set by the missing item detection device 200. An example in which the out-of-stock detection device 200 automatically sets the divisions 30 will be described later.

In FIG. 3, a section 30 indicated by a dotted line indicates a section 30 in which an item is out of stock. The out-of-stock detection device 200 analyzes the image of each section 30 in the photographed image of the display shelf 10 as shown in FIG. 3, and determines whether or not the display shelf 10 is out-of-stock.

For example, the out-of-stock detection device 200 stores in advance an image of the section 30 (hereinafter referred to as a "out-of-stock image") when no products are on display (that is, in the case of out-of-stock items), and takes a picture of the display shelf 10. If an out-of-stock image is detected in the image, it is determined that the display shelf 10 is out-of-stock. The out-of-stock image is, for example, an image of the background of the display shelf 10.

The stockout detection device 200 may identify a section 30 where a stockout occurs (hereinafter referred to as a "stockout section") in addition to a display shelf 10 where a stockout occurs (that is, a stockout shelf). . In this case, the out-of-stock detection device 200 detects the identification information of the out-of-stock shelf (hereinafter referred to as "out-of-stock shelf identification information") and the identification information of the out-of-stock section (hereinafter referred to as "out-of-stock section identification information"). , may be included in the out-of-stock detection information.

Furthermore, the out-of-stock item detection device 200 identifies the products displayed in the out-of-stock section (hereinafter referred to as “out-of-stock items”), and identifies the identified out-of-stock items (hereinafter referred to as “out-of-stock item identification information”). ) may be included in the out-of-stock detection information. The out-of-stock detection device 200 may identify out-of-stock products in the out-of-stock sections by using planogram information 210, which will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the shelf allocation information 210.

As shown in FIG. 4, the shelf allocation information 210 includes area ID, shelf ID, shelf tier, position number, displayable number, and product information as items.
- Area ID is information for identifying the area in the store.
- The shelf ID is information for identifying the display shelf 10 in the area indicated by the area ID.
- Shelf tier is information indicating the number of tiers counted from the bottom in the display shelf 10 indicated by the shelf ID (that is, information indicating the display space 12). Note that the shelf may be information indicating the number of shelves counted from the top.
- The position number is information indicating the number of the section 30 counted from the left in the display space 12 indicated by the shelf. Note that the position number may be information indicating the number of the section 30 counted from the right in the display space 12 indicated by the shelf.
- The number of products that can be displayed is information that indicates the number of products that can be displayed in the section 30 indicated by the shelf and position number.
- Product information is information about products displayed in the section 30 indicated by the shelf and position number. The product information includes, for example, at least one of a product code, a product name, and a price corresponding to the product.

The shelves and position numbers in the shelf allocation information 210 are an example of information for identifying the section 30 in the display shelf 10 indicated by the shelf ID (hereinafter referred to as "section identification information"). As information other than the shelf and position number, coordinate values on the display shelf 10 can be considered. This is a value that specifies the position itself, for example, starting from the upper left of the display shelf 10, how many mm to the right and how many mm below from this starting point.

The stockout detection device 200 refers to the planogram information 210, identifies the shelf ID of the display shelf 10 where the stockout occurs (that is, the stockout shelf), and includes the identified shelf ID in the stockout shelf identification information. It's fine. In addition, the stockout detection device 200 refers to the shelf allocation information 210 to specify the section identification information and the number of displayable items for the section 30 in which the stockout has occurred, and uses the specified section identification information and the displayable number as the stockout item. May be included in the partition identification information. Furthermore, the out-of-stock detection device 200 may refer to the planogram information 210 to identify product information of the out-of-stock product, and include the identified product information in the out-of-stock product identification information.

<Terminal configuration>
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the terminal 400. The terminal 400 includes a processing section 401, a memory 402, a communication section 403, an input section 404, a display section 405, and a storage 406. These elements 401 to 406 are connected by an internal bus 407 that allows bidirectional communication. That is, the terminal 400 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and a memory.

The processing unit 401 executes a computer program and realizes the functions of the terminal 400. The processing unit 401 may be replaced by other terms such as a processor, a controller, a CPU, or an integrated circuit. Furthermore, in the following description, processing mainly performed by the terminal 400 may be replaced with processing mainly performed by the processing unit 401.

Memory 402 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of terminal 400. Memory 402 may be configured by, for example, ROM, RAM, or a combination thereof.

Storage 406 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of terminal 400. Storage 406 may be configured by, for example, an HDD, SSD, or flash memory.

The communication unit 403 controls data transmission and reception with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 403 may include a transmitting unit 403A that controls data transmission, and a receiving unit 403B that controls data reception. The communication unit 403 may be replaced with other terms such as a communication interface or a communication module.

Input unit 404 receives input of operations on terminal 400 . The input unit 404 includes, for example, an input interface such as a button, a switch, a touch panel, and/or a microphone.

A display unit 405 displays UI characters, images, and the like. The display unit 405 may be replaced with other terms such as a display or a monitor.

<Configuration of business support device>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the business support device 300. The business support device 300 includes a processing section 301, a memory 302, a communication section 303, and a storage 304. These elements 301 to 304 are connected by an internal bus 305 that allows bidirectional communication. That is, the business support device 300 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and a memory.

The processing unit 301 executes a computer program and realizes the functions of the business support device 300. The processing unit 301 may be replaced by other terms such as a processor, a controller, a CPU, or an integrated circuit. Note that in the following description, processing mainly performed by the business support device 300 may be replaced with processing mainly performed by the processing unit 301.

The memory 302 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of the business support device 300. Memory 302 may be configured by, for example, ROM, RAM, or a combination thereof.

The storage 304 stores computer programs and data related to the functions of the business support device 300. The storage 304 may be configured by, for example, an HDD, an SSD, or a flash memory.

The communication unit 303 controls data transmission and reception with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 303 may include a transmitting unit 303A that controls data transmission, and a receiving unit 303B that controls data reception. The communication unit 303 may be replaced with other terms such as a communication interface or a communication module.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of management information. The business support device 300 stores management information 310 used for generating business support information in the storage 304. Management information 310 includes at least one of the following information.
・Product information, which is information about products. ・Planet allocation information, which is information about shelf allocation. ・Inventory information, which is information about product inventory. ・Shelf map information, which is information about display shelf placement. ・Information about product prices. Certain price information ・Demand forecast information related to product demand forecasts ・Out-of-stock history information that is historical information regarding out-of-stock items ・Order history information that is historical information regarding orders ・Out-of-stock handling history information that is historical information regarding dealing with out-of-stock items - Planogram advice response history information, which is historical information regarding responses to planogram advice.

The shelf allocation information held in the business support device 300 may be the same information as the shelf allocation information 210 held in the missing item detection device 200 shown in FIG. Alternatively, the shelf allocation information held in the business support device 300 may be at least partially different from the shelf allocation information 210 held in the missing item detection device 200 shown in FIG. Further, the business support device 300 may hold shelf allocation information for each store.

Next, a description will be given of the business support service that the business support device 300 provides to the terminals 400 of each store.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a login UI for a business support service. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a service menu UI in a business support service.

When the business support device 300 receives access from the terminal 400, it first provides the terminal 400 with a login UI 900 shown in FIG. The person in charge 2 inputs the user ID and password previously assigned to the person in charge 2 into the login UI 900, and presses the login button 901. If the business support device 300 successfully authenticates the input user ID and password, it provides the terminal 400 with a service menu UI 910 shown in FIG. Note that "pressing" a button in the description of the UI can be read as other terms such as "touching", "tap", "clicking", or "selecting" a button.

As shown in FIG. 9, the business support device 300 provides the following business support services.
・Out-of-stock information service that provides information on out-of-stock items ・Shelf map service that provides location information of display shelves ・Order history service that provides product order history information ・Planogram advice service that provides advice regarding planograms ・Planogram change service that accepts planogram changes ・Price change service that accepts changes to product prices

Next, each of the above business support services will be explained.

<Out-of-stock information service>
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the out-of-stock information UI. When the out-of-stock information service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with an out-of-stock information UI 1000 as shown in FIG.

The out-of-stock information UI 1000 has an urgency area 1001, an out-of-stock shelf information area 1002, an out-of-stock product information area 1003, an inventory information area 1004, and a countermeasure area 1005.

In the urgency area 1001, information indicating the level of urgency for replenishing out-of-stock items (hereinafter referred to as "urgency information") is displayed. The urgency information may be the values A, B, and C in descending order of urgency. The business support device 300 may determine the urgency information according to the number of out-of-stock items on the shelf, demand information for out-of-stock items, and the like. For example, if the number of out-of-stock items on the shelf is less than a ₁ , the business support device 300 determines the level of urgency to be A, and if the number of out-of-stock items on the shelf is less than a ₂ , it determines the level of urgency as B. However, if the number of out-of-stock items on the shelves is less than _a3 , the level of urgency is determined to be C. a ₁ , a ₂ , and a ₃ are integers of 1 or more, and a ₁ < a ₂ < a ₃ . By referring to the urgency information, the person in charge 2 can appropriately determine the urgency of replenishing the out-of-stock product. It is also a good idea to anticipate that demand will rise or fall due to marketing such as discount sales, and increase the level of urgency before demand is predicted to increase. In other words, even though the number of products on shelves has not decreased, demand forecasts may instruct the replenishment of products, and the level of urgency may be set to be high (such as A or B). .

In the out-of-stock shelf information area 1002, as information for identifying out-of-stock shelves and out-of-stock sections, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, information about area IDs, shelf IDs, shelf and position numbers, or coordinates is displayed. be done. The business support device 300 may identify this information based on the missing item detection information received from the missing item detection device 200.

Furthermore, in the out-of-stock shelf information area 1002, a button 1006 for displaying the location of the out-of-stock shelf on a map is displayed. When this button 1006 is pressed, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a shelf map UI 1100 as shown in FIG. Note that the shelf map UI 1100 will be described later (see FIG. 11).

In the out-of-stock product information area 1003, product information on out-of-stock products and the number of missing items are displayed. The product information includes a product code and a product name. For example, the business support device 300 identifies the product information of the out-of-stock product and the number of missing items from the out-of-stock detection information and product demand forecast information received from the out-of-stock detection device 200. The shortage may be identified based on the number of items that can be displayed included in the shortage detection information, or the shortage may be identified based on the number of items that can be displayed, which is included in the out-of-stock detection information, or by anticipating that demand will rise or fall due to marketing such as discount sales, and before demand is predicted to increase. may be changed so that the number of shortages increases. That is, even though the number of products placed on the shelf has not decreased, demand forecasts may instruct the replenishment of products or set an increase in the number of products in short supply. In this case, even the planogram may be changed due to an increase in shelf inventory. In addition, the number of shortages does not necessarily have to be the absolute number of products, and may be classified into classes such as A (1 to 10), B (11 to 20), C (21 to 30), etc. as the degree of shortage. good.

Inventory information area 1004 displays inventory information of out-of-stock products. As shown in FIG. 10, the inventory information may include a first inventory position and inventory quantity of the out-of-stock item, and a second inventory position and inventory quantity of the out-of-stock item. For example, the first inventory position is the position of an inventory shelf that exists in the same area as the display shelf 10, and the second inventory position is the position of an inventory shelf that exists in the same area as the display shelf 10 (for example, a store backyard). This is the location of the shelf. The example in Figure 10 shows that ``10'' out-of-stock items exist in the first inventory position ``A-3'' and ``24 items'' exist in the second inventory position ``DD-47''. show. For example, the business support device 300 identifies how many out-of-stock items are in stock at which inventory locations, based on store inventory information.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the inventory information area 1004 displays a button 1007 for displaying the first inventory position on a map, and a button 1008 for displaying the second inventory position on a map. Ru. The business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with an inventory location map UI when the buttons 1007 and 1008 are pressed. Although the inventory position map UI is not shown, it may be the same as the shelf map UI 1100 shown in FIG. 11.

In addition, a button 1009 for ordering out-of-stock items is displayed in the inventory information area 1004. When this button 1009 is pressed, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a UI (not shown) for ordering out-of-stock items.

In the response area 1005, buttons for selecting a response to the out-of-stock item are displayed. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the handling area 1005 displays an incomplete button 1010, a completed button 1011, an abandon button 1012, and an ordered button 1013. The person in charge 2 may select the incomplete button 1010 if the response to the out-of-stock product has not yet been completed. The person in charge 2 may select the completion button 1011 if the handling of the out-of-stock item has been completed. The person in charge 2 may select the leave button 1012 to leave the handling of the out-of-stock item unaddressed. If the person in charge 2 has completed the order for the out-of-stock product, he or she may select the ordered button 1013. The business support device 300 records countermeasure information corresponding to the selected button as out-of-stock countermeasure history information.

Note that the stockout information UI 1000 may display a stockout occurrence ID for identifying the occurrence of stockout. “K19-114” shown in FIG. 10 is a display example of the out-of-stock ID.

Further, in FIG. 10, a left arrow button 1014 and a right arrow button 1015 are buttons for switching the display to the out-of-stock information UI 1000 corresponding to another out-of-stock occurrence ID. For example, when the left arrow button 1014 is pressed, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with the out-of-stock information UI corresponding to the previous out-of-stock occurrence ID, and when the right arrow button 1015 is pressed, the next out-of-stock information UI is provided to the terminal 400. Out-of-stock information UI corresponding to the out-of-stock occurrence ID is provided to the terminal 400.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a shelf map UI related to the out-of-stock information service. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display shelf UI related to the out-of-stock information service. When the button 1006 in the out-of-stock shelf information area 1002 of the out-of-stock information UI 1000 is pressed, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a shelf map UI 1100 as shown in FIG.

The shelf map UI 1100 displays an image showing out-of-stock shelves along with a shelf map showing the arrangement of display shelves 10 in the store. For example, the out-of-stock shelf is displayed in a manner distinguishable from other display shelves 10 (for example, in a different color).

In addition, information indicating how to deal with out-of-stock items on the display shelves 10 is displayed on the shelf map UI 1100. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a double circle mark is placed on a display shelf 10 for which the response to a missing item is "incomplete", and a black triangle mark is placed on a display shelf 10 for which the response to a missing item is "leave". A black square mark may be displayed on the display shelf 10 whose mark indicates "ordered" for dealing with out-of-stock items. Note that the display of marks shown in FIG. 11 is an example, and marks different from these may be displayed.

When the person in charge 2 selects an out-of-stock shelf from the shelf map UI 1100, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a display shelf UI 1200 corresponding to the selected out-of-stock shelf. The display shelf UI 1200 is a schematic representation of the display shelf 10, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the display shelf UI 1200 may use an image taken of the display shelf 10 by the camera device 100.

In the display shelf UI 1200, the out-of-stock section 1201 may be displayed in a different manner (for example, in a different color) from the other sections 30. Further, in the display shelf UI 1200, the ordered out-of-stock section 1202 may be displayed in a different manner (for example, in a different color) from the other sections 30.

By using the out-of-stock information service, the person in charge 2 can efficiently check information regarding out-of-stock items. Note that when the business support device 300 receives the out-of-stock detection information from the out-of-stock detection device 200, it may present the out-of-stock information UI 1000 to the terminal 400 by push notification. As a result, the person in charge 2 can immediately recognize the out-of-stock product and the out-of-stock shelf when an out-of-stock item occurs, and can quickly take measures to deal with the out-of-stock item.

<Shelf map service>
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a shelf map UI related to the shelf map service. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display shelf UI related to the shelf map service. When the shelf map service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a shelf map UI 1300 as shown in FIG.

In the shelf map UI 1300, when an out-of-stock shelf exists, the out-of-stock shelf may be displayed in a different manner (for example, in a different color) from the display shelves 10 where no out-of-stock items occur. Note that the shelf map UI 1300 is almost the same as the shelf map UI 1100 described with reference to FIG. 11, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

When the person in charge 2 selects a display shelf 10 from the shelf map UI 1300, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a display shelf UI 1400 corresponding to the selected display shelf 10, as shown in FIG.

When an out-of-stock section exists in the display shelf UI 1400, the out-of-stock section may be displayed in a different manner (for example, in a different color) from the other sections 30, as in FIG. 12. Further, in the display shelf UI 1400, when an ordered out-of-stock section exists, the ordered out-of-stock section may be displayed in a different manner (for example, in a different color) from the other sections 30, as in FIG. 12. Note that the display shelf UI 1400 is almost the same as the display shelf UI 1200 described with reference to FIG. 12, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

By using the shelf map service, the person in charge 2 can visually check out-of-stock shelves from the shelf map.

<Order history service>
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of an order history UI. When the order history service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with an order history UI 1500 as shown in FIG.

The order history UI 1500 displays, for each ordered product, the order date, order time, identification information of the out-of-stock shelf and out-of-stock section, product code, product name, number of orders, and status regarding the order. The business support device 300 may generate the order history UI 1500 based on the order history information.

By using the order history service, the person in charge 2 can easily check the history information of orders for out-of-stock items.

<Shelf allocation advice service>
FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a shelf map UI related to the shelf allocation advice service. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the planogram advice UI. When the shelf allocation advice service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a shelf map UI 1600 as shown in FIG. Note that the shelf map UI 1600 is almost the same as the shelf map UI 1100 described with reference to FIG. 11, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

When the person in charge 2 selects a display shelf 10 for which she would like to receive planogram advice from the shelf map UI 1600, the business support device 300 provides planogram advice corresponding to the selected display shelf 10, as shown in FIG. A UI 1700 is provided to the terminal 400.

The shelf allocation advice UI 1700 has a display shelf area 1701, an advice area 1702, and a handling area 1703.

In the display shelf area 1701, the current planogram of the selected display shelf and information specifying the section 30 to be advised are displayed.

The advice area 1702 displays the content of advice for the section 30 that is the advice target. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the advice area 1702 displays a text recommending that the products in the advice target section "1-3" and section "3-2" be replaced. Further, the reason for the advice may be displayed in the advice area 1702. For example, in the advice area 1702, as shown in FIG. 17, the number of out-of-stock items in the section "1-3" is "8 times", and the number of out-of-stock items in the section "3-2" is "0 times". A text indicating this will be displayed.

The response area 1703 displays buttons for selecting a response to the advice. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, a handled area 1703 displays a handled button 1704, an unhandled button 1705, and a hold button 1706. If the person in charge 2 has already dealt with the advice, he or she may select the dealt with button 1704. If the person in charge 2 is unable to respond to the advice, he or she may select the unavailable button 1705. The person in charge 2 may select a hold button 1706 to hold off on dealing with the advice. The business support device 300 records countermeasure information corresponding to the selected button as planogram advice countermeasure history information.

The business support device 300 may generate planogram advice based on the planogram information and out-of-stock history information. For example, the business support device 300 generates advice to replace the section 30 for products for which the number of out-of-stock items has occurred b _{1 or} more times with the section 30 for products for which the number of out-of-stock items has occurred less than b ₂ times. good. b ₁ and b ₂ are integers of 1 or more, and b ₁ >b ₂ . Products that are frequently out of stock are considered to be popular products and will sell well even if the display section 30 (i.e., planogram) is changed, while products that are rarely out of stock are poorly recognized. This is because it is thought that there is room to increase the number of sales by changing the display section 30 (that is, the shelf allocation).

Note that an advice ID for identifying advice may be displayed on the shelf allocation advice UI 1700. “A19-21” shown in FIG. 17 is a display example of the advice ID.

Further, the shelf allocation advice UI 1700 may display a button (not shown) for transitioning to the shelf allocation UI (see FIG. 18) for changing the planar allocation of the displayed display shelf 10.

By using the planogram advice service, the person in charge 2 can learn about planograms that can improve sales results.

<Shelf allocation change service>
FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of the planogram change UI. When the planogram change service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a planogram change UI 1800 shown in FIG.

The shelf allocation change UI 1800 has a shelf area 1801 and a product input area 1802.

In the shelf area 1801, the sections 30 of the current planogram are displayed. The person in charge 2 can operate the sections 30 in the shelf area 1801 to enlarge and reduce the sections 30, replace the sections 30, and the like. For example, the person in charge 2 can enlarge the section 1803 by selecting the section 1803 and sliding the left side of the section 1803 in the direction of the arrow 1804.

Product information of products to be displayed in the section 30 is input into the product input area 1802. When the person in charge 2 selects a section 30 in the shelf area 1801 and inputs the product information of the product to be displayed in the section 30 into the product input area 1802, the business support device 300 The planogram information is updated to associate the product information input in the product input area 1802. Note that the person in charge 2 may manually input product information into the product input area 1802. Alternatively, the person in charge 2 may input product information into the product input area 1802 by reading a barcode (or QR code (registered trademark)) attached to the product with the camera of the terminal 400.

When the confirm button 1805 is pressed, the business support device 300 updates the planogram information based on the changed section 30 and/or product information.

Note that in the shelf area 1801, a recommended planogram section 30 may be displayed instead of the current planogram section 30. For example, the business support device 300 determines the recommended planogram sections 30 based on the planogram information and out-of-stock history information using a method similar to the planogram advice described above.

By using the planogram change service, the person in charge 2 can easily notify the business support device 300 of changes in the planogram.

<Price change service>
FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a price change UI. When the price change service is selected from the service menu UI 910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a price change UI 1900 shown in FIG.

The price change UI 1900 includes, for each product whose price has been changed, price change date, price change time, identification information of the display shelf 10 and section 30 where the product is displayed, product code, product name, price before change, and change. The price will be displayed later.

The post-change price may be determined by the business support device 300. Further, the person in charge 2 may be able to select the changed price from the price change UI 1900 and change the changed price determined by the business support device 300 again.

When the confirm button 1805 is pressed, the business support device 300 stores the changed price in the price information. Furthermore, when the confirm button 1805 is pressed, the business support device 300 updates the displayed price on the shelf label 20 to the changed price. Note that the business support device 300 may change the price of the product in accordance with the change in the section 30.

The person in charge 2 can efficiently change the displayed price of the shelf label 20 on the display shelf 10 by using the price change service.

<Variations of business support services>
The business support device 300 may provide the terminal 400 with information indicating the degree of shortage of each product in the store and/or area designated by the person in charge 2. The business support device 300 may provide the terminal 400 with information indicating the degree of out-of-stock of each product in all stores.

<How to automatically set display shelf sections>
Next, an example of a method for automatically setting sections 30 in the missing item detection device 200 will be described.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for detecting the shelf label 20.

For example, the missing item detection device 200 analyzes the photographed image of the display shelf 10 shown in FIG. The th shelf label 20 is detected. Similarly, the missing item detection device 200 detects the n-th shelf label 20 from the left attached to the m+1-th shelf board 11 from the bottom, the n+1-th shelf label 20 from the left, and the n+2-th shelf label from the left. The shelf label 20 is detected. Similarly, the missing item detection device 200 detects the nth shelf label 20 from the left, the n+1st shelf label 20 from the left, and the n+2nd shelf label from the left attached to the m+2nd shelf board 11 from the bottom. The shelf label 20 is detected. m and n are integers of 1 or more. In this way, the missing item detection device 200 may detect the shelf labels 20 from left to right for each shelf. Note that the detection from left to right is an example, and the missing item detection device 200 may detect the shelf labels 20 from right to left.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for setting the divisions 30.

The missing item detection device 200 sets a section 30 corresponding to the shelf label 20 based on the position of the shelf label 20 detected as described above. For example, when the n-th shelf label 20 of the mth stage corresponding to the common product is attached to the lower left of the section 30 where common products are displayed, the stockout detection device 200 performs the following process. That is, the missing item detection device 200 sets the width Rx from the position of the nth shelf label 20 of the mth stage to the position of the n+1th shelf label 20 of the mth stage (that is, the right neighbor) to be the width of the section 30, and The height Ry from the position of the n-th shelf label 20 on the m+1 stage (that is, the upper stage) is defined as the height of the section 30. Then, the missing item detection device 200 associates the section 30 set in this manner with the n-th shelf label 20 of the m-th stage.

In this way, the missing item detection device 200 can automatically set the section 30 corresponding to the n-th shelf label 20 of the m-th stage.

Note that the method for automatically setting the sections 30 of the display shelf 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned method. For example, the missing item detection device 200 may associate the lower section 30 of the shelf label 20 with the shelf label 20 concerned. The missing item detection device 200 may set a predetermined width Rx centered on the shelf label 20 as the width of the section 30. The out-of-stock detection device 200 may divide the display space 12 at equal intervals and set each section as a section 30. The missing item detection device 200 may set the sections 30 based on partition plates physically present in the display space 12. Further, before displaying the products, the business support device 300 may determine the section 30 of the display shelf 10 that includes the product to be displayed, and provide the determined section 30 to the terminal 400. If the store wishes to change the section 30 or the like due to circumstances on the store side, the store may issue an instruction using the planogram change UI 1800 shown in FIG. 18 described above.

<Modified example>
The functions of the missing item detection device 200 may be included in the business support device 300. In this case, the business support device 300 receives a photographed image from the camera device 100 via the communication network 3, sets the sections 30 on the display shelf 10, and generates the planogram information 210, similar to the above-mentioned missing item detection device 200. , out-of-stock detection, etc.

<Summary of this disclosure>
The business support device 300 according to the present disclosure receives information regarding the out-of-stock shelf from the out-of-stock detection device 200 that detects the out-of-stock shelf, which is the display shelf 10 where the out-of-stock item has occurred, based on a photographed image of the display shelf 10 of the article. Based on the receiving unit 303B that receives the information, information regarding the out-of-stock shelves, and shelf map information indicating the arrangement of the display shelves 10, the position of the out-of-stock shelves is specified, and business support including information indicating the position of the out-of-stock shelves is provided. It includes a processing unit 301 that generates information and a transmitting unit 303A that transmits business support information to the terminal 400. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display information indicating the position of the out-of-stock shelf. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize the position of the out-of-stock shelf through the terminal 400, so that work related to out-of-stock items can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 may include information for the terminal 400 to display the out-of-stock shelf in a manner different from other display shelves 10 in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display the out-of-stock shelf in a manner different from the other display shelves 10. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can visually recognize the out-of-stock shelf through the terminal 400, so that work related to out-of-stock items can be made more efficient.

The receiving unit 303B may receive information input to the terminal 400 indicating how to deal with the out-of-stock shelf, and the processing unit 301 may include information indicating how to deal with the out-of-stock shelf in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display information indicating how to deal with out-of-stock items on the out-of-stock shelf. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize, through the terminal 400, how to deal with the current shortage of items on the inventory shelf, so that the work related to the shortage can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 may include information regarding the out-of-stock item and information regarding the inventory of the out-of-stock item in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display information regarding the out-of-stock item and information regarding the inventory of the out-of-stock item. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize, through the terminal 400, information regarding the out-of-stock item and information regarding the inventory of the out-of-stock item, thereby making work regarding the out-of-stock item more efficient.

The processing unit 301 determines the degree of urgency for replenishing the out-of-stock item based on information indicating the inventory status of the out-of-stock item, and adds the information indicating the urgency to business support information. May be included. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display the degree of urgency for replenishing the out-of-stock item. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize, through the terminal 400, the degree of urgency for replenishing the item that is out of stock, and therefore can streamline work related to out of stock items.

The information regarding the out-of-stock shelf may include identification information of the out-of-stock section, which is the section 30 in the out-of-stock shelf where the out-of-stock item has occurred, detected by the out-of-stock detection device 200. The processing unit 301 may include information for the terminal 400 to display the out-of-stock section in a manner different from the other sections 30 in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display the out-of-stock section in a manner different from that of the other sections 30. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can visually recognize the out-of-stock section through the terminal 400, so that work related to out-of-stock items can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 may generate information regarding changes to the section 30 based on history information regarding out-of-stock items in the section 30, and include the information in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display information regarding changes to the sections 30 of the display shelf 10 (for example, planogram advice information). Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize the change to a more appropriate section 30 of the display shelf 10 through the terminal 400, so that work related to shelf allocation can be made more efficient.

Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can come up with various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents within the scope of the claims, and It is understood that it falls within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Further, each of the constituent elements in the embodiments described above may be combined as desired without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The present disclosure is suitable for a system that supports work related to out-of-stock items.

10 Display shelf 11 Shelf board 12 Display space 20 Shelf label 30 Section 100 Camera device 200 Missing item detection device 201 Processing section 202 Memory 203 Communication section 204 Storage 205 Internal bus 210 Planogram information 300 Business support device 301 Processing section 302 Memory 303 Communication Section 304 Storage 305 Internal bus 310 Management information 400 Terminal 401 Processing section 402 Memory 403 Communication section 404 Input section 405 Display section 406 Storage 407 Internal bus 900 Login UI
910 Service menu UI
1000 Out of stock information UI
1100 Shelf map UI
1200 Display shelf UI
1300 Shelf map UI
1400 Display shelf UI
1500 Order history UI
1600 Shelf map UI
1700 Shelf allocation advice UI
1800 Planogram change UI
1900 Price change UI

Claims (9)

a receiving unit that receives a photographed image of a product display shelf;
a processing unit that detects a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image and generates information regarding the detected shelf section that requires replenishment;
a storage unit that stores shelf section information and out-of-stock history information in the display shelf;
an output unit that outputs information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment;
The processing section generates a shelf section change proposal based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information, and outputs it from the output section.
Business support equipment. The processing unit extracts from the out-of-stock history information a first shelf section in which the number of out-of-stock occurrences is N ₁ or more and a second shelf section in which the number of out-of-stock occurrences is less than N ₂ (N ₁ > N ₂ (where N ₁ and N ₂ are both integers of 1 or more), generate a proposal for exchanging the first shelf section and the second shelf section, and output it from the output unit.
The business support device according to claim 1. The information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment includes any one of an area ID, a shelf ID, a shelf shelf, and a position number as information for identifying the missing shelf;
The processing unit includes:
generating shelf map information indicating the arrangement of the display shelves;
identifying the position of the shelf that requires replenishment based on the information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment, and generating information indicating the position of the shelf that requires replenishment;
The output unit outputs the generated shelf map information and information indicating the position of the shelf that requires replenishment.
The business support device according to claim 1. The processing unit generates information regarding the urgency of replenishment of shelves that require replenishment based on demand forecast by marketing,
outputting information regarding the urgency of the replenishment;
The business support device according to claim 1. The storage unit stores order history information that is history information regarding orders for goods,
The processing unit includes:
generating an image of a shelf including the detected shelf section that requires replenishment;
If the shelf section detected as the shelf section requiring replenishment is a section that has been ordered based on the order history information, the image of the ordered section is displayed in a different manner from the image of the section requiring replenishment. generate,
The output unit outputs the generated shelf image.
The business support device according to claim 1. Business support equipment
Receive photographed images of product display shelves,
Detecting a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image,
generating information regarding the detected shelf section requiring replenishment;
storing shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf;
Outputting information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment;
generating and outputting a shelf section change proposal based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information;
Business support methods. Receive photographed images of product display shelves,
Detecting a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image,
generating information regarding the detected shelf section requiring replenishment;
storing shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf;
Outputting information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment;
generating and outputting a shelf section change proposal based on the shelf section information and the out-of-stock history information;
make a computer do something
computer program. A business support system comprising a camera device, a business support device, and a terminal,
The camera device transmits a photographed image of the product display shelf to a business support device,
The business support device includes a processing unit that generates information regarding a shelf section that needs replenishment that is detected based on the photographed image, a storage unit that stores shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf, and a transmitting unit that transmits the information to the terminal,
the terminal receives information regarding the shelf compartments that require replenishment and displays the received information;
The processing unit generates a shelf compartment change proposal based on the shelf compartment information and the out-of-stock history information, and transmits it from the transmitting unit to the terminal;
the terminal receives and displays a change proposal for the shelf section;
Business support system. A business support method using a business support system comprising a camera device that transmits photographed images of display shelves of goods, a business support device, and a terminal, the method comprising:
The business support device generates information regarding a shelf section that requires replenishment that is detected based on the photographed image, and stores shelf section information and out-of-stock history information on the display shelf,
the terminal receives information regarding the shelf section that requires replenishment from the business support device, and displays the received information;
the business support device generates a shelf compartment change proposal based on the shelf compartment information and the out-of-stock history information;
the terminal displays a change proposal for the shelf section;
Business support methods.

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