JP5194080B2 - Waiting time notification system and control program - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a waiting time notification system and a control program that calculate and notify an accounting waiting time at a store accounting.

  In a retail store such as a convenience store or a supermarket, there may be a queue for accounting when the store is crowded. For example, in the case where a store with multiple checkout lanes results in the above queue for payment, the customer who wants to receive payment depends on the number of items in each queue, the quantity of products that each customer wants to purchase, etc. The checkout lane that will have the shortest waiting time is predicted and queued in that lane.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-269453

  In such a case, it is extremely difficult for the customer to accurately predict the checkout lane with the shortest waiting time and to predict how much the waiting time of each checkout lane will actually be. As a result, a customer may mistakenly make a decision and be lined up in a checkout lane that has more people waiting than others. In such a case, the customer may have to wait for a long time. In addition, customers in each checkout lane may feel anxious and frustrated without knowing how long they can wait to receive an account.

  Under these circumstances, it was necessary to take measures to accurately predict the waiting time until payment can be received and to inform the customer, and to easily grasp the checkout counter with a short waiting time.

In order to solve the above problems, a waiting time notification system according to an embodiment includes an antenna, a reader device , a calculation unit, and a notification unit.
The antenna radiates radio waves on a checkout lane. The reader device radiates radio waves to the antenna, and the first wireless tag attached to the customer's shopping basket located in the lane located on the checkout lane and the second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product. The wireless tag is read by wireless communication. The calculation means calculates a check waiting time in the checkout lane based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the reader device . The notification means notifies the accounting waiting time calculated by the calculation means.

The top view which shows schematic structure of the accounting field in 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the control structure in the embodiment. The flowchart of the process which CPU of the control apparatus in the embodiment performs. The figure which shows the example of a display of the display in the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the control structure in 2nd Embodiment. The schematic diagram for demonstrating the communication area | region of the antenna in the embodiment. The flowchart of the process which CPU of the control apparatus in the embodiment performs. The figure for demonstrating the specific example of the accounting waiting time calculation in the embodiment. The figure which shows the example of a display of the display in the embodiment.

Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Each embodiment described below exemplifies a waiting time notification system that operates in a retail store such as a supermarket provided with a plurality of checkout lanes.

(First embodiment)
[Schematic structure of accounting office]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a transaction counter of a store provided with a waiting time notification system in the first embodiment. In this accounting place, long register counters 1, 2, and 3 are provided in parallel with each other to separate the standing position of a clerk (also called a cashier) in charge of accounting work and the standing position of the customer. The standing position side of the customer with respect to the cashier counters 1 to 3 (in the figure, such as the upper side of the cashier counters 1 to 3) becomes checkout lanes (CH lanes) R1, R2, and R3, respectively.

  On the cashier counters 1 to 3, scanner devices 11, 12, and 13 used for inputting a commodity code of a customer's purchased commodity are placed. The scanner devices 11 to 13 include, for example, a scanner that reads a product code from a barcode of a product placed on a reading window provided on a housing surface, and a display with a touch panel that displays a preset key to which the product code is assigned. . Further, POS (Point Of Sales) terminals 21, 22, and 23 are arranged in front of the checkout lanes R1 to R3 (left side in the drawing) with respect to the scanner devices 11 to 13, respectively. The POS terminals 21 to 23 perform a checkout process on the customer's purchased merchandise based on the bar code read by the scanners of the scanner devices 11 to 13 and the merchandise code input by operating the preset key, respectively.

  The broken lines S1, S2, and S3 shown in the figure are communication areas of antennas A1, A2, and A3 (see FIG. 2) provided below the floors of checkout lanes R1 to R3, respectively. The communication areas S1 to S3 are located at the back of the checkout lanes R1 to R3 (right side in the figure) from the last end where one end is expected to extend the queue for accounting that occurs at the time of congestion, and the other end is the scanner device It is adjusted to be located in the vicinity of 11-13. The width of the communication areas S1 to S3 is set on the register counters 1 to 3 on the rear side of the lanes R1 to R3 with respect to the customer shopping basket 4 and the scanner devices 11 to 13 arranged in the checkout lanes R1 to R3, respectively. The shopping basket 4 is adjusted to be included.

  Further, the checkout lanes R1 to R3 are provided with displays 31, 32 and 33 (notification means) for notifying the accounting waiting time in each of the lanes R1 to R3. The displays 31 to 33 are, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display), and the display surface of the displays 31 to 33 is visible to the customers lined up in the corresponding checkout lanes R1 to R3, so It is fixed to.

  When shopping at the store, the customer first picks up the shopping basket 4 placed at the entrance of the store and moves it through the store by holding it or placing it in the shopping cart and displaying it on the product shelf. Store the goods. And when paying the price of the goods stored in the shopping basket 4, it moves to an accounting place and waits for its own accounting order along with any of the checkout lanes R1 to R3. Eventually, the customer places the shopping basket 4 on the rear side of the checkout lanes R1 to R3 with respect to the scanner devices 11 to 13 of the checkout counters 1 to 3 when his / her accounting order is reached. At this time, the position where the shopping basket 4 is placed belongs to each of the communication areas S1 to S3.

  The cashier takes out the merchandise from the shopping basket 4 placed on the cashier counters 1 to 3 as described above, and inputs the merchandise code using the scanner devices 11 to 13. The product for which the product code has been entered is stored in another shopping basket 4 or a shopping bag placed on the opposite side across the scanner devices 11 to 13 at the position where the shopping basket 4 is placed. That is, the product for which the product code has been input is out of the communication areas S1 to S3. Eventually, after inputting the product codes of all the products, the cashier operates each POS terminal 21 to 23 to perform a settlement process for the purchased products. After this checkout process, the customer leaves the store, and the cashier removes the customer's shopping basket 4 from the cashier counters 1 to 3 and places it in a basket storage area provided in the vicinity. At this time, the shopping basket 4 is out of the communication areas S1 to S3. After that, accounting for the next customer is performed.

[Control configuration]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the waiting time notification system in the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the displays 31 to 33 and the reader devices 61, 62, and 63 to which the antennas A1 to A3 are connected are connected to the control device 5 such as a store server installed in a backyard or the like. Thus, the waiting time notification system is configured.

  A basket tag 100 (first radio tag), which is an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag, is attached to the bottom surface of the shopping basket 4, and each product sold at the store also has a product tag, which is also an RFID tag. 200 (second wireless tag) is attached. Each tag 100, 200 is provided with a small tag antenna and an IC. Tag data indicating that it is a bag tag is stored in the IC of each bag tag 100, and a product tag is stored in the IC of each product tag 200. The tag data indicating that is stored.

  The reader devices 61 to 63 cause the antennas A1 to A3 to emit a tag reading radio wave with a weak level of radio wave intensity and a product tag reading radio wave with a high level of radio wave intensity, respectively. The tag 100 radiates a response radio wave indicating tag data stored in the IC when the tag antenna receives the radio wave for reading the tag tag from the tag antenna, and the product tag 200 transmits the radio wave for reading the product tag. A response radio wave indicating tag data stored in the IC when received by the tag antenna is radiated from the tag antenna. When the antennas A1 to A3 receive the response radio waves from the tags 100 and 200, the reader devices 61 to 63 demodulate the tag data based on the response radio waves received by the antennas connected to the tags A1 to A3. Output. Here, the reader devices 61 to 63 and the antennas A1 to A3 constitute wireless reading means in the present embodiment.

  The control device 5 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 51 and a memory 52 composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 52 stores fixed data such as a control program of the control device 5 and forms various working storage areas according to the processing scene. The CPU 51 comprehensively controls the operation of the waiting time notification system. In particular, in the present embodiment, the CPU 51 is a calculation unit that calculates the accounting waiting time T of each checkout lane R1 to R3 based on the number of bag tags 100 and product tags 200 read by the reader devices 61 to 63. Function.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of the waiting time notification system will be described.
The CPU 51 of the control device 5 executes the control program stored in the memory 52, and executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 at a predetermined cycle.

  In this process, first, a process for the checkout lane R1 is started. That is, the CPU 51 instructs the reader device 61 to try to read the bag tag 100 (step S101). When receiving this command, the reader device 61 causes the antenna A1 to radiate radio waves for reading the saddle tag with a weak radio wave intensity. If the shopping basket 4 is located in the communication area S1 of the antenna A1, a response radio wave is returned from the basket tag 100 of the shopping basket 4 and is received by the antenna A1. In this case, the tag data for 100 minutes of the responding tag is output from the reader device 61 to the control device 5. Thus, when the tag data of the bag tag 100 output from the reader device 61 is input, the CPU 51 stores the input tag data in the memory 52.

  After the trial of reading the bag tag 100, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the bag tag 100 has been read (step S102). If the tag data of the bag tag 100 is stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S101, the CPU 51 determines that the bag tag 100 has been read (Yes in step S102), and the reader device 61 reads the product tag 200. A trial is commanded (step S103). When receiving this command, the reader device 61 causes the antenna A1 to emit a radio wave for reading the product tag with a high level of radio wave intensity. Now, since at least the shopping basket 4 is located in the communication area S1 of the antenna A1, a response radio wave is returned from the product tag 200 of the product stored in the shopping basket 4. This response radio wave is received by the antenna A 1, and tag data for the responding product tag 200 is output from the reader device 61 to the control device 5. When the tag data of the product tag 200 output from the reader device 61 is input in this way, the CPU 51 stores each input tag data in the memory 52.

  After reading the product tag 200, the CPU 51 counts the tag data of the bag tag 100 stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S101, and stores the count result as the numerical value B in the memory 52 (step S104). The numerical value B is the same as the number of shopping baskets 4 located in the communication area S1 of the antenna A1. Further, the CPU 51 counts the tag data of the product tag 200 stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S103, and stores the count result in the memory 52 as a numerical value C (step S105). The numerical value C is the same as the number of products located in the communication area S1 of the antenna A1.

Thereafter, the CPU 51 calculates the accounting waiting time T for the checkout lane R1 based on the numerical values B and C stored in the memory 52 in the processes of steps S104 and S105 (step S106). The accounting waiting time T is calculated by the following formula.

  Here, Bp is the time required for the payment of the registered product, that is, the cashier accepts payment by cash or card by the POS terminals 21 to 23, and receives the receipt or change issued from the POS terminals 21 to 23 to the customer. This is an estimated value of time until handing is completed. Cp is a prediction of the time required for registering one product, that is, the time from when the cashier takes out the product from the customer's shopping basket 4 who is paying, and finishes inputting the product code of the product with the scanner devices 11-13. Value. Specific values of these predicted values Bp and Cp may be determined empirically or experimentally. When the accounting waiting time T is calculated as described above, the CPU 51 displays the accounting waiting time T on the display 31 (step S107).

  Thereafter, the CPU 51 determines whether or not there is an unprocessed checkout lane (step S108). Now, the processing for the checkout lane R1 has only been completed. Therefore, the CPU 51 determines that there is an unprocessed checkout lane (Yes in step S108), returns to the process in step S101, and performs step S101 for the antenna A2, the reader device 62, and the display 32 in the checkout lane R2. The process of S107 is executed. As a result, the accounting waiting time T of the checkout lane R2 is displayed on the display 32. Further, even after the processing for the checkout lane R2 is completed, it is determined that there is an unprocessed checkout lane (Yes in step S108), and the process returns to step S101 to return to the antenna A3 of the checkout lane R3, the reader device 63, Steps S101 to S107 for the display 33 are executed. As a result, the accounting waiting time T of the checkout lane R3 is displayed on the display 33.

  When the processing for the checkout lanes R1 to R3 is completed in this way, the CPU 51 determines that there is no unprocessed checkout lane (No in step S108), and ends the series of processing.

  The example of a display of the displays 31-33 after passing through the said process is shown in FIG. In this example, as shown in FIG. 1, two shopping baskets 4 are located in the communication area S1, seven items in total are stored in these shopping baskets 4, and three shopping baskets 4 are located in the communication area S2. When a total of 11 products are stored in these shopping baskets 4, two shopping baskets 4 are located in the communication area S3, and a total of 5 products are stored in these shopping baskets 4, the predicted value Cp Is 10 seconds and the predicted value Bp is 20 seconds.

  In the process of step S106, 1 minute 50 seconds (2 × 20 + 7 × 10) is calculated for the checkout lane R1, and 2 minutes 50 seconds (3 × 20 + 11 × 10) are calculated for the checkout lane R2. For lane R3, 1 minute 30 seconds (2 × 20 + 5 × 10) is calculated. Accordingly, the displays 31 to 33 display “accounting waiting time of about 1 minute 50 seconds”, “accounting waiting time of about 2 minutes 50 seconds”, and “accounting waiting time of about 1 minute 30 seconds”, respectively.

  As described above, the waiting time notification system according to the present embodiment notifies the accounting waiting times of the checkout lanes R1 to R3 using the displays 31 to 33, respectively. With such a configuration, the customer can easily determine the checkout lane in which the accounting can be received with the shortest waiting time by confirming the display on each of the displays 31 to 33. The accounting waiting time is accurate because it is calculated in consideration of the number of product tags 200, that is, the number of products stored in the shopping basket 4.

  The bag tag 100 and the product tag 200 are read by the antennas A1 to A3 and the reader devices 61 to 63, which are common reading means. Accordingly, the configuration of the waiting time notification system is simpler than when reading the bag tag 100 and the product tag 200 using different reading means, and the system can be realized at low cost and costs and time required for maintenance. Can also be suppressed.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, not only the total waiting time is notified for each checkout lane R1 to R3, but also the waiting time until receiving a transaction is notified to each customer lined up in each checkout lane R1 to R3. This is different from the first embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be given only when necessary.

[Control configuration]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the waiting time notification system in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, smaller antennas A11, A12, A13, A14, A15, and A16 are connected to the reader device 61 instead of the antenna A1, and smaller antennas A21, A22, A23, A24, and A25 are replaced with the antenna A2. , A26 are connected to the reader device 62, and smaller antennas A31, A32, A33, A34, A35, A36 are connected to the reader device 63 instead of the antenna A3.

The reader device 61 selectively uses the antennas A11 to A16 to radiate radio waves and receives response radio waves, and the reader device 62 selectively uses the antennas A21 to A26 to radiate radio waves and receive response radio waves. The reader device 63 selectively uses the antennas A31 to A36 to radiate radio waves and receive response radio waves.
Each reader device 61 to 63 adds region information indicating the communication region of the antenna that has received the response radio wave when generating tag data from the response radio wave and outputting the tag data to the control device 5.

  The CPU 51 of the control device 5 in the present embodiment is based on the number of bag tags 100 and product tags 200 read by the reader devices 61 to 63 and the positional relationship of the communication areas from which the tags 100 and 200 are read. Thus, it functions as a calculation means for calculating the accounting waiting time of each customer lined up in each checkout lane R1 to R3.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining communication areas of the antennas A11 to A16, A21 to A26, and A31 to A36.
The antennas A11 to A16 are provided in this order from the front to the back of the checkout lane R1 and below the floor of the lane R1, and the communication areas S11 to S16 of the antennas A11 to A16 are mutually connected from the front to the rear of the lane R1. It has been adjusted not to overlap. The antennas A21 to A26 are provided in this order from the front to the back of the checkout lane R2 below the floor of the lane R2, and the communication areas S21 to S26 of the antennas A21 to A26 are mutually connected from the front to the rear of the lane R2. It has been adjusted not to overlap. The antennas A31 to A36 are provided in this order from the front to the back of the checkout lane R3 and below the floor of the lane R1, and the communication areas S31 to S36 of the antennas A31 to A36 are mutually connected from the front to the rear of the lane R3. It has been adjusted not to overlap. For adjustment of each communication area, it is sufficient to use means such as bringing adjacent antennas into close contact and radiating radio waves having directivity in the upward direction to each antenna.

  Note that the overall size of the communication areas S11 to S16, the overall size of the communication areas S21 to S26, and the overall size of the communication areas S31 to S36 are the sizes of the communication areas S1, S2, and S3 in the first embodiment, respectively. Match.

[Operation]
Next, the operation of the waiting time notification system in this embodiment will be described.
The CPU 51 of the control device 5 executes the control program stored in the memory 52 and executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7 at a predetermined cycle.

  In this process, first, a process for the checkout lane R1 is started. That is, the CPU 51 generates a counter N (N: integer) in the memory 52 and sets the value to “1” (step S201), and instructs the reader device 61 to read the bag tag 100 (step S202). When this command is received, the reader device 61 selectively uses the antennas A11 to A16 to radiate the radio waves for reading the saddle tag with a weak radio wave intensity. If any of the antennas A11 to A16 receives the response radio wave, the reader device 61 generates tag data from the response radio wave, and adds the area information indicating the communication area of the antenna that has received the response radio wave for control. Output to the device 5. When the tag data and area information of the bag tag 100 output from the reader device 61 are input in this way, the CPU 51 stores the input tag data in the memory 52 together with the area information added to them. .

  After the trial of reading the bag tag 100, the CPU 51 determines whether the bag tag 100 has been read (step S203). When the tag data of the cocoon tag 100 is stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S202, the CPU 51 determines that the cocoon tag 100 has been read (Yes in step S203). Then, the tag data of the bag tag 100 stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S202 is counted, and the count result is stored in the memory 52 as a numerical value Nmax (step S204).

  Next, the CPU 51 instructs the reader device 61 to try to read the product tag 200 (step S205). When receiving this command, the reader device 61 selectively uses the antennas A11 to A16 to radiate a radio wave for reading the product tag with a strong radio field intensity. If any of the antennas A11 to A16 receives the response radio wave from the product tag 200, the reader device 61 generates tag data from the response radio wave, and region information indicating the communication area of the antenna that has received the response radio wave Is output to the control device 5. Thus, when the tag data and area information of the product tag 200 output from the reader device 61 are input, the CPU 51 stores the input tag data in the memory 52 together with the area information added to them. .

  Next, in the tag data of the product tag 200 stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S205, the CPU 51 reads the Nth bag tag 100 from the front of the checkout lane R1 and the communication area. The data read in the front communication area is counted, and the counting result is stored in the memory 52 as a numerical value C (step S206). Specifically, the area information added to the tag data of each bag tag 100 stored in the memory 52 is compared to identify the Nth tag data from the front, and the area information added to the specified tag data indicates Tag data of the product tag 200 to which region information indicating a communication region and a communication region ahead of the communication region is added is counted.

  Next, the CPU 51 determines the number B (= N) of tag data of the cocoon tag 100 read in the communication area where the Nth cocoon tag 100 is read and the communication area ahead of the communication area, and the process of step S207. The waiting time TN is calculated by substituting the numerical value C stored in the memory 52 into Equation 1 described above (step S207).

  Then, the CPU 51 determines whether or not the value of the counter N has reached Nmax stored in the memory 52 in the process of step S204 (step S208). When the value of the counter N has not reached Nmax (No in step S208), the CPU 51 displays the waiting time TN calculated in the process of step S207 on the display 31 as the accounting waiting time of the Nth customers ( Step S209). Thereafter, the CPU 51 increments the value of the counter N by 1 (step S210), and returns to the process of step S206.

  Eventually, when the value of the counter N reaches Nmax while repeating the processing of steps S206 to S210 (Yes in step S208), the CPU 51 uses the waiting time TN calculated in the processing of the previous step S207 as the entire checkout lane R1. Is displayed on the display 31 (step S211). This completes a series of processes for the checkout lane R1.

  Subsequently, the CPU 51 determines whether or not there is an unprocessed checkout lane (step S212). Now, the processing for the checkout lane R1 has only been completed. Therefore, the CPU 51 determines that there is an unprocessed checkout lane (Yes in step S212), returns to the process in step S201, and targets the antennas A21 to A26, the reader device 62, and the display 32 in the checkout lane R2. Steps S201 to S211 are executed. As a result, the accounting waiting time of each customer lined up in the checkout lane R2 and the accounting waiting time of the entire lane R2 are displayed on the display 32. Further, even after the processing for the check-out lane R2 is completed, it is determined that there is an unprocessed check-out lane (Yes in step S212), and the processing returns to step S201 to return to the antennas A31 to A36 of the check-out lane R3 and the reader device. 63, the processing of steps S201 to S211 for the display 33 is executed. As a result, the display waiting time of each customer lined up in the checkout lane R3 and the accounting waiting time of the entire lane R3 are displayed on the display 33.

  When the processing for each checkout lane R1 to R3 is completed in this way, the CPU 51 determines that there is no unprocessed checkout lane (No in step S212), and ends the series of processing.

A specific example of the above processing will be described with reference to FIGS. In this specific example, the prediction value Bp in Equation 1 is assumed to be 20 seconds and the prediction value Cp is assumed to be 10 seconds.
FIG. 8 is an example showing a communication area where the bag tag 100 and the product tag 200 read in the processes of steps S202 and S205 for the checkout lane R1 are present. In the communication area S11, there is one bag tag 100. Three product tags 200 are read, one bag tag 100 and two product tags 200 are read in the communication area S12, and one bag tag 100 and five product tags 200 are read in the communication area S13. Shows the state. In this case, the bag tag 100 read in the communication area S11 in order from the front is attached to the shopping basket 4 of the customer who is paying, and the bag tag 100 read in the communication area S12 is the first line of customers. The bag tag 100 which is attached to the shopping basket 4 and read in the communication area S13 is attached to the shopping basket 4 of the second customer.

  In this example, when the value of the counter N is “1”, the number of tag data of the product tag 200 read in the communication area S11 together with the first bag tag 100 from the front of the checkout lane R1 is counted (step S206). The waiting time T1 is calculated as 50 seconds (1 × 20 + 3 × 10) using the numerical value C (= 3) and the numerical value B (= N = 1) as the counting results (step S207). This waiting time T1 is displayed on the display 31 as “the first customer approximately 50 seconds” shown in FIG. 9 as the waiting time of the first customer (step S209).

  Further, when the value of the counter N is “2”, the product tag 200 read in the communication area S12 together with the second bag tag 100 from the front of the checkout lane R1 and the communication tag S11 in front thereof are read. The number of tag data of the product tag 200 is counted (step S206), and the waiting time T2 is 1 minute 30 seconds (2 ×) using the numerical value C (= 5) and the numerical value B (= N = 2) which are the counting results. 20 + 5 × 10) (step S207). This waiting time T2 is displayed on the display 31 as "second customer about 1 minute 30 seconds" shown in FIG. 9 as the waiting time of the second customer (step S209).

  Further, when the value of the counter N is “3”, the product tag 200 read in the communication area S13 together with the third bag tag 100 from the front of the checkout lane R1 and the reading in the communication areas S11 and S12 in front thereof. The number of tag data of the received product tag 200 is counted (step S206), and the waiting time T3 is 2 minutes and 40 seconds using the numerical value C (= 10) and the numerical value B (= N = 3) as the counting results ( 3 * 20 + 10 * 10) is calculated (step S207). At this time, since the value of the counter N has reached Nmax (= 3), the waiting time T3 is the waiting time of the entire checkout lane R1, such as “accounting waiting time of about 2 minutes and 40 seconds” shown in FIG. Is displayed on the display 31 (step S209).

  Further, as a result of the execution of steps S201 to S211 for the checkout lanes R2 and R3, as shown in FIG. 9, the accounting waiting time for the entire checkout lanes R2 and R3 and the accounting waiting time for each customer are displayed on the displays 32 and 33, respectively. Is displayed.

  As described above, the waiting time notification system according to the present embodiment calculates not only the waiting time for accounting of the entire checkout lanes R1 to R3 but also the waiting time for each customer in each lane R1 to R3. To do. With such a configuration, it is possible to know how much time it takes for the customers lined up in the checkout lanes R1 to R3 to receive payment, and move to another lane when waiting time is large. It becomes possible to handle such as.

  In addition, since the waiting time of the entire checkout lanes R1 to R3 is also notified, it goes without saying that the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

(Modification)
The configurations disclosed in the above embodiments can be embodied by appropriately modifying each component in the implementation stage. Specific examples of modifications are as follows.

[1] In each of the above embodiments, the case where the accounting waiting time is calculated using only the number of bag tags 100 and the number of product tags 200 has been illustrated. However, in addition to the number of bag tags 100 and the number of product tags 200, the accounting waiting time may be calculated using other elements. As other elements, various factors such as the number of cashiers who are simultaneously registered in the POS terminals 21 to 23, the date and time, the skill level of the cashier (for example, years of experience), and the like can be adopted.

[2] In each of the above embodiments, the case where the antenna for reading the bag tag 100 and the product tag 200 is provided below the floor of each checkout lane R1 to R3 is illustrated. However, the antenna may be provided on the ceiling or may be provided on the left and right sides of each checkout lane.

[3] In each of the above embodiments, the processes shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 are executed in a predetermined cycle. However, each process may be executed when any trigger is input to the control device 5 from the outside. For example, each POS terminal 21 to 23 and the control device 5 are connected by communication, and when the closing of accounting is declared at each POS terminal 21 to 23, the trigger is input from the POS terminals 21 to 23 to the control device 5. Let When the trigger is input to the control device 5, the processing in steps S101 to S107 in FIG. 3 or the steps S201 to S201 in FIG. 7 for the checkout lane in which the POS terminal that is the trigger output source is arranged. The process of S211 is executed. In this way, the display on the displays 31 to 33 is updated at an appropriate timing when the number of customers on each checkout lane changes.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.
The invention described in the scope of claims at the beginning of the filing of the present application is appended below.
[1] Wireless reading means for wirelessly reading the first wireless tag attached to the customer's shopping basket lined up in the checkout lane and the second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product, and the wireless reading means Calculating means for calculating the accounting waiting time in the checkout lane based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the information processing unit, and reporting the accounting waiting time calculated by the calculating means. A waiting time notification system comprising: a notification means for performing
[2] The wireless reader includes an antenna that radiates radio waves on the checkout lane, and radiates radio waves to the antenna, and the first wireless tag and the second wireless tag that are located on the checkout lane. The waiting time notification system according to the above [1], comprising a reader device for reading.
[3] The calculation means is read by the wireless reading means by a time obtained by multiplying the number of the first wireless tags read by the wireless reading means by a predetermined estimated settlement time per customer. The accounting waiting time is calculated by adding the time obtained by multiplying the number of the second wireless tags by a predetermined registration prediction time per product to calculate the accounting waiting time. ] The waiting time alerting | reporting system of description.
[4] The first wireless tag attached to the customer's shopping basket lined up in the checkout lane and the second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product are wirelessly communicated for each predetermined area of the checkout lane. Based on the wireless reading means to be read, the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the wireless reading means, and the positional relationship of the areas where these wireless tags are read, A waiting time notifying system comprising: calculating means for calculating the accounting waiting time of each customer arranged in the outlane; and notifying means for notifying the accounting waiting time of each customer calculated by the calculating means. .
[5] The wireless reading means is provided for each area of the checkout lane, and radiates radio waves selectively from the antennas, and a plurality of antennas that radiate radio waves to the corresponding areas. The waiting time notification system according to [4] above, comprising a reader device that reads the first wireless tag and the second wireless tag located in a region.
[6] The first wireless tag attached to the customer's shopping basket lined up in the checkout lane and the second wireless tag attached to the purchased product of the customer, the wireless reading means for reading the wireless tag by wireless communication in the computer And a function of calculating an accounting waiting time in the checkout lane based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the wireless reading unit, A control program for realizing a function for notifying the accounting waiting time to a notifying means.

  R1 to R3: Checkout lane, S1 to S3: Communication area, A1 to A3: Antenna, 1-3: Register counter, 4 ... Shopping basket, 5 ... Control device, 11-13 ... Scanner device, 21-23 ... POS Terminals, 31 to 33, display, 51, CPU, 52, memory, 61-63, reader device, 100, bag tag, 200, product tag

Claims (6)

An antenna that radiates radio waves on the checkout lane;
A radio wave is emitted from the antenna, and a first wireless tag attached to a customer's shopping basket lined up in the lane located on the checkout lane and a second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product are wirelessly connected. A reader device that reads by communication;
Calculating means for calculating an accounting waiting time in the checkout lane based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the reader device ;
Informing means for informing the accounting waiting time calculated by the calculating means;
A waiting time notification system comprising: The calculation means includes a time obtained by multiplying the number of the first wireless tags read by the reader device by a predetermined estimated settlement time per customer, and the second wireless tag read by the reader device . 2. The waiting time notification system according to claim 1 , wherein the accounting waiting time is calculated by adding a time obtained by multiplying the number of tags by a predetermined registration prediction time per product to calculate the accounting waiting time. The waiting time notification system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antenna is provided under the floor of the checkout lane. The reader device tries to read the first wireless tag by causing the antenna to emit a radio wave with a first radio wave intensity at a predetermined period, and if the first wireless tag is read, the first radio tag is read. The waiting according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reading of the second wireless tag is attempted by causing the antenna to emit a radio wave with a second radio wave intensity stronger than the radio wave intensity. Time notification system. A plurality of antennas that are provided for each predetermined area of the checkout lane and radiate radio waves to the corresponding areas;
A first wireless tag attached to a customer's shopping basket lined up in a checkout lane located in each area, and a second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product, selectively radiating radio waves from each antenna For each predetermined area of the checkout lane, a reader device that reads by wireless communication,
Based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the reader device , and the positional relationship of the areas where these wireless tags are read, each customer lined up in the checkout lane A calculation means for calculating the accounting waiting time;
Informing means for informing each customer's accounting waiting time calculated by the calculating means;
A waiting time notification system comprising: On the computer,
Check-out is lanes on radiates radio waves in antenna for radiating radio waves, the reader device for reading the RFID tags located on the checkout lane by wireless communication, attached to shopping basket of the customer arranged in the checkout lane A function of reading the first wireless tag and the second wireless tag attached to the customer's purchased product;
A function of calculating an accounting waiting time in the checkout lane based on the number of the first wireless tags and the number of the second wireless tags read by the reader device ;
A function for notifying the calculated accounting waiting time to a notification means;
Control program to realize.

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