JP3960684B2 - Price display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a price display device that displays the price of a product in a supermarket, a department store, or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in supermarkets and department stores, as a method of clearing the price of products purchased by customers at the cash register, a method of automatically calculating the sales amount by reading the barcode label attached to the product at the cash register has been adopted Yes.
[0003]
By the way, it is desirable that products with a shelf life such as fresh food are sold out at a fixed price during the day, and it is necessary to avoid carrying them over to the next day. For this reason, discount sales of products are performed at any time in consideration of the number of products in stock so that the products will be sold out as much as possible before closing.
In addition, when performing discount sales of products, a discount label indicating the discount price after discount is affixed to the discount target product or a display shelf of the discount target product and displayed at the cash register using the discount price. The amount is calculated and the price is settled.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When displaying the discount price of a product using the method described above, if there is a time difference between the time when the discount label is attached to the product and the time when processing can be started at the discount price at the cash register, the customer There was a problem that the price used when calculating at the cash register was different from the price when it was obtained.
Further, when setting a discount price, there is a problem that it is difficult to set a discount price so that the product can be sold out as much as possible and a high profit can be obtained.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a price display device that displays a product price and prevents the occurrence of a situation in which the display price is different from the product price used at the cash register. Moreover, this invention makes it a subject to provide the price display apparatus in which an appropriate price change is possible.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The price display device of the present invention is provided with price data input means for inputting the price data of a product, a cash register for calculating the sales amount of the product based on the price data, and corresponding to each product, and the price data An electronic price card that displays a corresponding price is provided, and the price data used at the cash register and the price display of the electronic price card based on the price data are simultaneously changed.
[0007]
When changing the product price or making a new setting, the product price data is input from the price data input means. In addition to being used at the price data register, a price corresponding to the price data is displayed by an electronic price card. At this time, the price data used at the cash register and the price display of the electronic price card based on the price data are simultaneously changed.
[0008]
Further, the price data input means can be configured to change the price data of the product based on the inventory quantity of the product and time data.
Further, the price data can be wirelessly transmitted from the price data input means to the electronic price card by the transmission means.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.
FIG. 1 is an overall system diagram of a price display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a product name, a product price, and a discount are provided by a management device 101 that is configured by a personal computer having a known hardware configuration including a display device, a central processing unit (CPU), a keyboard, and the like, and is disposed in a supermarket management room. Various data to be described later such as a price are input. The input data is constituted by a magnetic disk or the like and is stored in a storage device 124 that constitutes a storage means.
[0010]
The product price data is a product data paired with an ID code corresponding to the product name, together with a device number code indicating a device number of the repeaters 103 and 113, which will be described later, and a specific low power radio wave or spread spectrum (SS ) Method, and transmitted from the transceiver 102 by radio such as weak radio waves. The transceiver 102 and the repeaters 103 and 113 constitute transmission means or transmission / reception means.
[0011]
A signal from the transceiver 102 is received by the repeaters 103 and 113 arranged at predetermined positions in the supermarket. When the device number code in the received signal matches the device number code of the repeater 103, the product data is transmitted from the repeater 103 to the electronic price cards 107 to 112 managed by the repeater 103. That is, the radio signal from the transmitter / receiver 102 is received by the radio transmitter / receiver 104 constituting the repeater 103, and when the received device number code matches the device number code of the repeater 103, the transmitter / receiver 104 Commodity data is transmitted from the connected transceiver 105 by a communication method with low power consumption such as weak radio waves, infrared rays, or wires.
[0012]
The product data from the transceiver 105 is received by the price cards 107 to 112 arranged on the product display shelf 106. Since the product data includes the price of the product and the ID code corresponding to the product name, only the price card with the matching ID code, that is, the product name receives and processes the corresponding product data, and the price corresponding to the price data. Update display. If the device number code from the transmitter / receiver 102 does not match the device number code of the repeater 103, the product data is not transmitted from the repeater 103, and the price card whose ID code does not match does not update the price display. .
[0013]
When the device number code from the transceiver 102 matches the repeater 113, the same operation as described above is performed via the repeater 113. That is, signals from the transmitter / receiver 102 are received and transmitted by the transmitter / receiver 114 and the transmitter / receiver 115 constituting the repeater 113, respectively, and product data is received by the electronic price cards 117 to 122 arranged on the display shelf 116. Then, the price display is updated with the price card with the matching ID code. If the signal from the transmitter / receiver 102 is different from the device number code of the repeater 113 or the ID code of the price cards 117 to 122, the price display update processing is not performed on the price cards 117 to 122.
[0014]
On the other hand, the management apparatus 101 is wired to a POS (Point of Sales) main unit 123 configured by a computer having a known hardware configuration including a display device, a CPU, a keyboard, and the like, and the POS main unit 123 is wired. Are connected to the registers 125-127. Various data such as the product name, the price data of the product, and the inventory quantity can be input from either the management device 101 or the POS main unit 123, and the data input from one is transmitted to the other. , The data is changed. As a result, data input by either the management apparatus 101 or the POS main unit is stored in a storage device (not shown) connected to the POS main unit 123 and also stored in the storage unit 124. Are centrally managed. The management device 101 and the POS main unit constitute price data input means.
[0015]
2A and 2B are a front view and a rear view of the electronic price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 122, respectively. In FIG. 2, a label 201 of a product name on which the product name is written is inserted in front of the price card, and is composed of small letters by a green light emitting diode (LED) or EL (electro-luminescence) element. A normal price display unit 202 for displaying a sales price and a current price display unit 203 for displaying a discount price are provided so as to be conspicuous in large letters by red LEDs in order to increase purchase motivation.
[0016]
The characters “normal price”, “today's price” and “yen” are formed by silk printing. The product name label 201 can be a graphic display device such as a fluorescent display device, an EL display device, or a liquid crystal display device when there is no power problem.
The price card operates using a dry battery or a secondary battery as a power source, which eliminates the need for power supply via a power cord, and allows the price card to move freely according to the position of the product even when moving around the sales floor. A charging terminal 204 is provided on the right side surface of the price card in order to charge the secondary battery.
[0017]
On the other hand, on the back of the price card, a clip 205 for attaching the price card to a predetermined position of the product display shelf, a changeover switch 206 for selectively switching a transmission / reception system by wire, weak radio wave or infrared, and a dry battery or a secondary battery are housed. A battery box 207 is provided, and an 8-bit ID code setting switch 208 is provided for setting an ID code corresponding to the product name. A connector terminal 209 for wired connection is provided on the side surface.
[0018]
Further, since the display is performed using the LED or the like, the power consumption is large, so that there is a risk that the price cannot be displayed due to insufficient power supply during operation. Therefore, the reply data to which the status of the battery is added is transmitted from the price card to the management apparatus 101 via the responsible relay device. Thereby, the power supply status of the price card arranged in the sales floor can be grasped by the management apparatus 101, and it can be confirmed whether or not battery replacement or charging is necessary.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 122 used in the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, the price card includes a radio transmission / reception circuit 301 for transmitting and receiving signals by radio waves with the repeaters 103 and 113, and an optical transmission / reception circuit 302 for transmitting and receiving signals by infrared rays. Is provided with a changeover switch 206 that selectively switches between transmission and reception.
[0020]
In addition, the CPU 303, an ID code setting switch 208 for setting an 8-bit ID code corresponding to the product name, a read-only memory (ROM) 304 storing a processing program of the CPU 303, random access for storing price data, etc. Memory (RAM) 305, normal price display unit 202, today's price display unit 203, and display drive circuit 306 that drives the normal price display unit 202 and today's price display unit 203 based on the price data stored in RAM 305. I have.
Furthermore, a sensor 307 for detecting the voltage of the battery is provided, and when the battery voltage falls below a predetermined value, the CPU 303 detects this, and requests for battery replacement or secondary battery charging, the repeaters 103 and 113 and the transceiver. It transmits to the management apparatus 101 via 102.
[0021]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of repeaters 103 and 113 used in the present embodiment. In FIG. 4, the repeater stores a radio wave transmission / reception circuit 401 for transmitting / receiving radio signals to / from the transmitter / receiver 102, a CPU 402, an 8-bit device number setting switch 403 for setting the device number of the repeater, and a processing program for the CPU 402. ROM 404, RAM 405 for temporarily storing price data, a changeover switch 406 for selectively switching transmission / reception methods using radio waves, infrared rays, or wires, a radio wave transmission / reception circuit 407 for transmitting / receiving weak signals to / from price cards, and transmission / reception to / from price cards via infrared rays And an optical transmission / reception circuit 408.
[0022]
FIG. 5 shows a screen display of the display unit in the management apparatus 101 of FIG. 1, in which various information related to the product stored in the storage device 124 is displayed. That is, the date of the day, the product name, the ID code corresponding to the product name, the normal price of the product, the current stock quantity of the product, the sales amount of the product up to now, the time used when discounting the product, Correspondence list of set price and product inventory, inventory up to the previous day, today's arrival, today's inventory (= inventory up to the previous day + today's arrival), today's weather information (weather, temperature, humidity) A past sales record list (date, date, number of items in stock, “OK” displayed when sold out, “NG” displayed when sold out) is displayed). The price data and the inventory quantity data for that day are sent from the POS main unit 123 to the management apparatus 101.
[0023]
Here, the correspondence table of time, set price, and stock quantity will be explained. If the stock quantity at 14:00 is 250 or more and the set price is 150 yen, the stock quantity is 200 or more at 15:00. It shows that the set price is reduced to 130 yen. Similarly, when the number of inventory at 17:00 is 100 or more and the set price is 130 yen, if the number of inventory is 100 or more at 18:00, the set price is reduced to 100 yen. Based on the correspondence table, the management apparatus 101 automatically changes the price, transmits discounted price data to the price cards 107-112, 117-122, and updates the price display. The number of stocks up to the previous day, the number of arrivals of the day, and the number of stocks of the day are data supplied from the POS main unit 123. Further, the past data displays data of a day whose weather, temperature, and humidity similarity are greater than or equal to a predetermined value.
[0024]
By placing a cursor (not shown) at each of these display positions and inputting it from an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard or mouse, the product name, normal price, time, set price, inventory quantity, etc. Various data can be added, updated, and changed. Further, the date of the date is displayed in the display format of FIG. 5 by placing the cursor on the date of the past data and clicking the mouse.
[0025]
In addition, the “quantity” key for setting the quantity of the product, the “weight” key for setting the unit weight when setting the discount price in the unit of weight, and selling at a discount price to a specific number of first arrivals “First-come-first-served” key for setting the number of first-come-first-served persons, arrow keys for UP / DOWN of the screen display page, and “register” key for transmitting data to the price card and the POS main unit 123 when registering data in the storage device 124 A “clear” key for clearing data and a “return” key for returning the display to the previous screen are provided, and data input and various operations can be performed from the display screen.
[0026]
6 and 7 are flowcharts showing the processing of the CPU of the management apparatus 101, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing of the CPU 303 of each price card 107-112, 117-122.
[0027]
Hereinafter, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that transmission / reception of signals between the transceiver 102, the repeaters 103 and 113, and the price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 112 is performed by radio waves, so that the changeover switch 206 and the repeater 103 of the price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 112 are performed. 113 switch 406 is set.
[0028]
First, the management apparatus 101 determines whether or not various data such as a product name and a discount price have been input from the management apparatus 101 (step 601 in FIG. 6), and if not input, the data input from the POS main unit 123 is not performed. The presence or absence is determined (step 602). If no data is input from the POS main unit 123, it is determined whether or not the set time has come (step 603). This set time is the time set in the correspondence table of the time, the set price, and the inventory quantity in FIG. If it is not the set time, the process returns to step 601 without performing the process.
[0029]
On the other hand, when there is data input from the POS main unit 123 in step 602, the management apparatus 101 updates the data in the storage device 124 to the same data as the data (step 607). Next, if the price card data is not updated, the process is terminated. If the price card data is updated, the price card data update process is performed (steps 608 and 609). When the data is price data, the price data used in the cash registers 125 to 127 and the display of the price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 122 corresponding to the price data are simultaneously changed.
[0030]
If it is determined in step 603 that the set time has been reached, it is determined whether or not the current product inventory number is greater than the set inventory number set in the time, set price, and inventory quantity correspondence table of FIG. 604). At this time, if the current stock quantity is less than the set stock quantity, the process is terminated and the process returns to step 601, but if the current stock quantity is larger than the set stock quantity, the discount displayed on the price display section 203 of the price card today is displayed. In order to update the price to the set price in FIG. 5, the product data is transmitted to the price card (step 605).
[0031]
At the same time, in order to match the price data of the POS main unit 123, the set price update data is also transmitted to the POS device 123 (step 606). When the price card price data is updated and displayed in step 605, the management apparatus 101 transmits the equipment number code together with the product data to the repeaters 103 and 113 via the transceiver 102. If the device number code corresponds to the repeater 103, the repeater 103 determines this and receives the product data. At this time, since the repeater 104 is different from its own device number code, the product data receiving process is not performed.
[0032]
The repeater 103 transmits the received product data to the price cards 107 to 112 under the jurisdiction. Each price card 107-112 determines that there is a data update request from the management apparatus 101 (step 801 in FIG. 8), and determines whether the ID code included in the product data matches its own ID code. (Step 802). For price cards that do not match the ID code of the self, the subsequent processing is not performed.
[0033]
The price card that matches the own ID code determines whether or not to update the price data (step 803), and if the price data relates to the normal price, the display price of the normal price display unit 202 is updated ( Step 807), if it relates to today's price, the display price of today's price display unit 203 is updated (step 808).
[0034]
If the price data is not updated in step 803, it is determined whether or not the data of the remaining number of products is to be updated (step 804). If it is determined to update, if the price card has a remaining number display area, the display of the remaining number is updated (step 806), and if there is no remaining number display area, the display ends without updating. Also, in the case where the remaining number data is not updated in step 804, the process is terminated without performing processing, and the process returns to step 801.
[0035]
On the other hand, if there is data input in step 601 of FIG. 6, if there is an input of the product name or the ID code of the product, the screen is switched to the display screen of the product. Accordingly, the display of FIG. 5 is performed, and the process returns to step 601 (steps 701 and 709). If the product name or the ID code of the product is not input, the process proceeds to step 702 to determine whether or not to set and input each data of the correspondence table of time, set price and quantity in FIG. Is inputted, the inputted data is updated (step 712).
[0036]
When inputting the weather information of today without inputting the setting of the time, the set price and the stock quantity in step 702 (step 703), the weather data is updated (step 707), and the weather data is similar to a certain degree of similarity or more. The past data having is switched and displayed (step 708).
In the case of inputting past detailed data without inputting the weather data in step 703, the past “year / month / day” displayed in FIG. 5 is clicked with an input device such as a mouse to correspond to FIG. The past data to be displayed is displayed on the screen (step 711).
[0037]
In step 704, if the past detailed data is not input but registered, it is stored in the storage device 124, and the data is transmitted to the price card and the POS main unit 123 (step 706). As a result, the price displayed on the price card matches the price data used at the cash registers 125-127. When the registration input is not performed, the screen is switched to the data input screen and the process returns to step 601 (step 710).
[0038]
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a second embodiment of the electronic price card. The present embodiment is configured to enable price display in units of weight. That is, a weight display unit 901 that displays a normal unit weight, a weight display unit 903 that displays the unit weight of today, a normal price display unit 902 that displays a normal price per unit weight, and a unit weight It is configured to include today's price display unit 904 for displaying the current price (discount price). In FIG. 9, “100 g” is displayed as the unit weight, and this weight setting can be made by operating the “weight” key in FIG. This makes it possible to display the normal price and the discount price in units of weight.
[0039]
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the electronic price card. In the present embodiment, an advertisement price display unit 1001 that displays the price of an advertisement placed in an advertisement and a current price display unit 1003 that displays the current price after discount are provided. As a result, it is possible to display the product price at the time of posting in the advertisement in comparison with the current price.
[0040]
FIG. 11 is a view showing a fourth embodiment of the electronic price card. In the present embodiment, it is configured so that a display that can be provided at a reduced price to a certain number of first arrivals can be performed. That is, a first-come-first-person display unit 1011 for displaying the number of first-come-first-served persons, a remaining-number display unit 1012 for displaying the remaining number of products sold at a discount price to the first-come-first-served person, a first-come-first-server price for displaying a discount price to be sold to the first-come The display unit 1013 is provided. The number of the first arrivals can be set by operating the “first arrival name” key in FIG. This makes it possible to display the remaining number of discounted products to be sold to the first-come-first-served person.
[0041]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the management device 101 for inputting the price data of the product, the POS main body device 123, the registers 125 to 127 for calculating the sales price of the product based on the price data, Electronic price cards 107 to 112 and 117 to 122 which are provided corresponding to products and display prices corresponding to the price data, and the price data used in the registers 125 to 127 and the price data based on the price data Since the price display of the electronic price cards 107-112, 117-122 is changed at the same time, it is possible to match the price when the customer picks up the product and the price when the customer checks out at the cash register Therefore, the product price at the sales floor and the product price at the cash register can be integrated and managed.
[0042]
Based on the number of items in stock and time data, the management device 101 changes the price data of the item to set an appropriate price for products that are difficult to stock in the long term, such as perishable foods. It is possible to set an appropriate price to increase profits while suppressing At this time, the price data can be set with higher accuracy by changing the price data from the inventory quantity and time data of the product in consideration of past sales record data and weather data.
[0043]
Further, since the product data is transmitted by radio signals such as radio waves and infrared rays, there are less restrictions on the sales location of the product, and the degree of freedom in moving the product sales location is increased.
Furthermore, because discount labels were conventionally attached to products, barcodes could not be used to enter discount prices at cash registers, so automation was not possible. According to this embodiment, it is possible to automate sales stores. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the labor shortage that occurs before the store is opened.
[0044]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which signal transmission / reception is performed by radio waves has been described. However, if the changeover switches 206 and 406 are switched and connected to the infrared side or the wired side, it can be performed by infrared or wired. The operation in this case is the same as in the case of the radio wave described above.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the product price at the sales floor and the product price at the cash register can be managed in a unified manner, and the price when the customer picks up the product can be matched with the price when the customer pays the goods at the cash register become.
[0046]
In addition, the price of the product can be appropriately changed, and the stock can be suppressed. Furthermore, there is an effect that restrictions on the sales floor position of the product are reduced, and the degree of freedom in moving the product sales floor position is increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall system configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a price display device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view and a rear view showing a first embodiment of an electronic price card.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the electronic price card of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a repeater used in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a display screen of the management apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing of the management apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing processing of the management apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing of the electronic price card used in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a second embodiment of the electronic price card.
FIG. 10 is a front view showing a third embodiment of the electronic price card.
FIG. 11 is a front view showing a fourth embodiment of an electronic price card.
[Explanation of symbols]
101: Management device constituting the price data input means 102: Transmitter / receiver 103 constituting the transmission means, 113: Repeater constituting the transmission means 123: POS main units 125 to 127 constituting the price data input means: Register 107 112, 117-122: Electronic price card

Claims (3)

As the price data input means for inputting the price data of the commodity, the register for calculating the sales of goods on the basis of the price data, provided corresponding to each commodity, performs price display corresponding to the price data An electronic price card having a battery as a power source , and simultaneously changing the price data used at the cash register and the price display of the electronic price card based on the price data ;
The price display device, wherein the electronic price card transmits reply data to which the battery status is added to the price data input means.   The electronic price card includes a sensor for detecting a voltage of the battery, and when the sensor detects that the battery has reached a predetermined voltage, a request for battery replacement or a charge for a secondary battery is input to the price data input means. The price display device according to claim 1, wherein   3. The price display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit that wirelessly transmits the price data from the price data input unit to the electronic price card.

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