JP7336708B2 - Business support system, business support device, terminal, business support method, business method, and computer program - Google Patents

Description

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

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique of photographing a shelf on which products are displayed in a store (hereinafter referred to as a "display shelf") with a camera device and analyzing the photographed image to determine whether or not there is a shortage of products on the display shelf. is known (Patent Document 1).

WO2019/087519

However, Patent Literature 1 is limited to detection of product shortages on display shelves, and does not refer to efficiency improvement of operations when a shortage is detected.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for streamlining operations when a product 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 an article display shelf from a camera device; a processing unit that generates information about necessary items and information about the degree of shortage of the items that need to be replenished; information about the items that need to be replenished; information about the degree of shortage of the items that need to be replenished; to the terminal.

In a business support method according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a business support device receives a photographed image of an article display shelf from a camera device, detects an article that needs to be replenished based on the photographed image, and detects the detected article. Information on articles requiring replenishment and information on the degree of shortage of the articles requiring replenishment are generated, and information on the articles requiring replenishment and information on the degree of shortage of the articles requiring replenishment are generated. Send to terminal.

A computer program according to an aspect of the present disclosure receives a photographed image of an article display shelf from a camera device, detects an article requiring replenishment based on the photographed image, and relates to the detected article requiring replenishment. generating information and information relating to the degree of shortage of the articles requiring replenishment, and transmitting the information relating to the articles requiring replenishment and the information relating to the degree of shortage of the articles requiring replenishment to a terminal; run on the computer.

In addition, these generic or specific aspects may be realized by systems, devices, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, or recording media. may be realized by any combination of

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the efficiency of operations in the event that a product is out of stock on a display shelf.

Further advantages and effects of one aspect of the present disclosure will be made clear from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and/or advantages may be provided by some of the embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, respectively, but not all necessarily provided to obtain one or more of the same features. no.

A diagram showing a configuration example of a business support system according to an embodiment Diagram showing a configuration example of a missing item detection device A diagram showing an example of the surface of a display shelf where products are displayed Diagram showing an example of planogram information Diagram showing a configuration example of a terminal A diagram showing a configuration example of a business support device Diagram showing an example of management information A diagram showing an example of a login UI (User Interface) for a business support service A diagram showing an example of a service menu UI in a business support service A diagram showing an example of the out-of-stock information UI A diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the out-of-stock information service A diagram showing an example of a display shelf UI related to the out-of-stock information service A diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the shelf map service A diagram showing an example of a display shelf UI related to the shelf map service Diagram showing an example of order history UI A diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the planogram advice service Diagram showing an example of planogram advice UI A 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 partitions

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of well-known matters and redundant descriptions of substantially the same configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary verbosity in the following description and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to allow 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 one embodiment.

The business support system is a system that detects a shortage of products on the display shelf 10 arranged in the store and supports business when the shortage is detected. Stores are, for example, supermarkets, convenience stores, department stores, mass retailers, discount stores, bookstores, or shops in various facilities. On the display shelf 10, products sold at stores are displayed as an example of products. The display shelf 10 may be arranged outside the store as well as inside the store.

Also, 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 that has a liquid crystal display or electronic paper and whose display contents can be rewritten by wireless communication. However, the present embodiment is not limited to electronic shelf labels, and may be shelf labels in which display contents are printed or handwritten on paper. Note that the shelf tag 20 may be read as another term 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 possessed by, for example, a person (hereinafter referred to as a “person in charge”) who deals with missing items. The person in charge 2 is, for example, a store clerk or store manager of the store where the display shelf 10 is arranged.

The camera device 100 is installed at a position capable of photographing the surface of the display shelf 10 where products are displayed. The camera device 100 transmits an image of the display shelf 10 (hereinafter referred to as a “photographed image”) to the out-of-stock 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. Also, 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 one installed for monitoring inside a store (that is, a surveillance camera). Alternatively, camera device 100 may be installed to detect missing items on display shelf 10 .

The missing item detection device 200 analyzes the photographed image received from the camera device 100 and detects the display shelf 10 (hereinafter referred to as the "missing item shelf") having a missing item. When detecting a missing shelf, the missing product detection device 200 transmits missing product detection information including at least identification information of the missing shelf to the business support device 300 via the communication network 3 . The communication network 3 is configured by the Internet, for example. The out-of-stock detection device 200 is installed in the store, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the out-of-stock 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 business support device 300 receives the missing product detection information from the missing product detection device 200, and based on the missing product detection information, provides information (hereinafter referred to as "business support information ). 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. The business support device 300 also receives instruction information from the terminal 400 and performs processing corresponding to the instruction information. The instruction information is information indicating an instruction input to the terminal 400 by the person in charge 2 . The business support device 300 is installed as a server (for example, a cloud server) that provides a predetermined service via the communication network 3 .

The business support device 300 also 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. Upon receiving the shelf label update information, the shelf label 20 updates the 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, catch copy, description, discount price or discount rate.

The terminal 400 receives the business support information from the business support device 300 and displays a UI for business support based on the business support information. The terminal 400 also transmits the instruction information input by the person in charge 2 to the work 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 the 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 the business support information.

<Configuration of missing item detection device>
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the out-of-stock detection device 200. As shown in FIG. The shortage detection device 200 includes a processing unit 201 , a memory 202 , a communication unit 203 and a storage 204 . These elements 201 to 204 are connected by an internal bus 205 capable of bi-directional communication. That is, the missing item detection device 200 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and memory.

The processing unit 201 executes a computer program and implements the functions of the shortage detection device 200 . The processing unit 201 may be read as other terms such as processor, controller, CPU (Central Processing Unit), or integrated circuit. Further, in the following description, the processing mainly performed by the missing item detection device 200 may be read as the processing mainly performed by the processing unit 201 .

The memory 202 stores computer programs and data relating 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 relating to the functions of the missing item detection device 200 . The storage 204 may be configured by, for example, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or flash memory. The storage 204 may also store planogram information 210 . The planogram information 210 is information used to identify the display shelf 10 and the section 30 .

A communication unit 203 controls transmission and reception of data with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 203 may include a transmission unit 203A that controls data transmission and a reception unit 203B that controls data reception. The communication unit 203 may be read as another term 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 commodities are displayed. Next, with reference to FIG. 3, an example of a method by which the missing item detection device 200 detects the display shelf 10 having a missing item will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the display shelf 10 is partitioned into a plurality of display spaces 12 by shelf boards 11 . A shelf label 20 is attached to the shelf board 11.例文帳に追加In the space above the shelf label 20, the same product corresponding to the shelf label 20 is displayed. In this embodiment, a space in which the same products corresponding to the shelf label 20 are displayed is called a section 30. As shown in FIG. The missing item detection device 200 sets the section 30 for the photographed image of the display shelf 10 . In FIG. 3, gaps are provided between the sections 30, but these gaps may be omitted. The shape of the partition 30 is not limited to rectangular, but may be polygonal, elliptical or circular. The compartments 30 may be manually set with respect to the captured image of the display shelf 10 . Alternatively, the compartments 30 may be automatically set by the shortage detection device 200 . An example of automatically setting the section 30 by the missing item detection device 200 will be described later.

In FIG. 3, the section 30 indicated by the dotted line indicates the section 30 where the shortage has occurred. The missing item detection device 200 analyzes the image of each section 30 in the photographed image of the display shelf 10 as shown in FIG.

For example, the missing item detection device 200 stores in advance an image of the section 30 (hereinafter referred to as a "missing item image") when no product is displayed (that is, when the product is missing), and captures the display shelf 10. If a missing item image is detected in the image, it is determined that the display shelf 10 has a missing item. The missing item image is, for example, an image of the background of the display shelf 10 .

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

Furthermore, the missing item detection device 200 identifies the item displayed in the missing item section (hereinafter referred to as "missing item"), and identifies the identified item (hereinafter referred to as "missing 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 section by using planogram information 210, which will be described later.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the planogram information 210. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the shelf allocation information 210 has items such as area ID, shelf ID, shelf level, position number, displayable number, and product information.
- Area ID is the information for identifying the area in a store.
- The shelf ID is information for identifying the display shelf 10 in the area indicated by the area ID.
The shelf stage is information indicating the number of stages counted from the bottom of the display shelf 10 indicated by the shelf ID (that is, information indicating the display space 12). Note that the number of shelves may be information indicating the number of stages counted from the top.
- A position number is information which shows the number of the division 30 counted from the left in the display space 12 which a shelf level shows. 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 shelves.
- The displayable number is information indicating the number of products that can be displayed in the section 30 indicated by the shelf level and the position number.
- The product information is information on products displayed in the section 30 indicated by the shelf and the position number. The product information includes, for example, at least one of a product code, product name, and price corresponding to the product.

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

The missing item detection device 200 refers to the shelf allocation information 210 to identify the shelf ID of the display shelf 10 where the missing item has occurred (that is, the missing item shelf), and includes the identified shelf ID in the missing item identification information. you can In addition, the missing item detection device 200 refers to the planogram information 210 to specify the section identification information and the displayable number of the section 30 where the missing item has occurred, and the specified section identification information and the displayable number are May be included in partition identification information. In addition, the missing product detection device 200 may refer to the planogram information 210 to specify the product information of the product for which the product is out of stock, and include the specified product information in the missing product identification information.

<Device configuration>
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the terminal 400. As shown in FIG. Terminal 400 includes processing unit 401 , memory 402 , communication unit 403 , input unit 404 , display unit 405 and storage 406 . These elements 401 to 406 are connected by an internal bus 407 capable of bi-directional communication. That is, terminal 400 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and memory.

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

Memory 402 stores computer programs and data relating 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 relating to the functions of terminal 400 . Storage 406 may be configured by, for example, HDD, SSD, or flash memory.

A communication unit 403 controls transmission and reception of data with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 403 may include a transmission unit 403A that controls data transmission and a reception unit 403B that controls data reception. The communication unit 403 may be read as another term such as a communication interface or a communication module.

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

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

<Configuration of business support device>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the business support device 300. As shown in FIG. The business support device 300 includes a processing unit 301 , a memory 302 , a communication unit 303 and a storage 304 . These elements 301 to 304 are connected by an internal bus 305 capable of bi-directional communication. That is, the business support device 300 may be configured by a computer device having a processor and memory.

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

The memory 302 stores computer programs and data relating 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 . Storage 304 may be configured by, for example, HDD, SSD, or flash memory.

A communication unit 303 controls transmission and reception of data with other devices via a communication network. The communication unit 303 may include a transmission unit 303A that controls data transmission and a reception unit 303B that controls data reception. The communication unit 303 may be read as another term 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 ・Shelf 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 layout ・Information about product prices Certain price information ・Demand forecast information related to product demand forecast ・Out-of-stock history information as historical information related to out-of-stock items ・Order history information as historical information related to orders ・Out-of-stock handling history information as historical information related to handling out-of-stock items Planogram allocation advice handling history information, which is history information related to handling of planogram advice

The planogram information held by the business support device 300 may be information similar to the planogram information 210 held by the missing item detection device 200 shown in FIG. Alternatively, the planogram information held by the work support device 300 may be information at least partially different from the planogram information 210 held by the missing item detection device 200 shown in FIG. Further, the business support device 300 may hold planogram information for each store.

Next, the business support service provided by the business support device 300 to the terminal 400 of each store will be described.

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 the service menu UI in the business support service.

When receiving access from the terminal 400, the business support device 300 first provides the terminal 400 with a login UI 900 shown in FIG. The person in charge 2 inputs the user ID and password given to the person in charge 2 in advance to the login UI 900 and presses the login button 901 . The business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a service menu UI 910 shown in FIG. Note that "pressing" the button in the description of the UI can be read as other terms such as "touch", "tap", "click", or "select" of the 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 missing items ・Shelf map service that provides position information on display shelves ・Order history service that provides product order history information ・Shelf allocation advice service that provides advice information on planogram ・Planogram change service that accepts planogram changes ・Price change service that accepts product price changes

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 the out-of-stock information UI 1000 as shown in FIG.

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

The urgency area 1001 displays information indicating the urgency of replenishing the out-of-stock product (hereinafter referred to as "urgency information"). The urgency information may be values of A, B, and C in descending order of urgency. The business support device 300 may determine the degree of urgency information according to the number of stocks of the out-of-stock product on the shelf, the demand information of the out-of-stock product, and the like. For example, the business support device 300 determines the urgency level to be A when the shelf inventory quantity of the missing product is less than _a1 , and the urgency level to B when the shelf inventory quantity of the missing product is less than _a2 . If the stock quantity of the missing item on the shelf is less than _a3 , the urgency level 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 level information, the person in charge 2 can appropriately determine the urgency of restocking the out-of-stock product. Also, it is better to anticipate that demand will rise and fall through marketing such as bargain sales, and increase the degree of urgency before an increase in demand is predicted. In other words, even though the number of products placed on the shelf has not decreased, the demand forecast, etc. may instruct the product to be replenished, and the urgency level may be set high (A, B, etc.). .

In the missing-stock shelf information area 1002, as information for specifying the missing-stock shelf and the missing-stock section, for example, as shown in FIG. be done. The business support device 300 may identify these pieces of information based on the missing-item detection information received from the missing-item detection device 200 .

In addition, in the missing item shelf information area 1002, a button 1006 for displaying the location of the missing item 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 missing product information area 1003, the product information of the missing product and the number of shortages are displayed. The product information includes product code and product name. For example, the business support device 300 identifies the product information of the missing product and the number of shortages from the missing product detection information and product demand forecast information received from the missing product detection device 200 . The number of shortages may be identified based on the number of displayable items included in the missing item detection information, or by predicting the rise and fall of demand through marketing such as bargain sales, and before the demand is expected to increase may be changed to increase the number of deficits. In other words, even though the number of products on the shelf has not decreased, there are cases in which a demand forecast or the like indicates that products should be replenished, or that the number of products in short supply is increased. 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. good.

The stock information area 1004 displays the stock information of the out-of-stock product. The inventory information may include the first inventory position and inventory quantity of the out-of-stock product and the second inventory position and inventory quantity of the out-of-stock product, as shown in FIG. For example, the first inventory position is the position of an inventory shelf existing in the same area as the display shelf 10, and the second inventory position is the inventory existing in an area different from the display shelf 10 (for example, the backyard of a store). position of the shelf. The example in FIG. 10 indicates that there are 10 missing items in the first inventory position 'A-3' and 24 items in the second inventory position DD-47. show. The business support device 300 identifies, for example, which stock position and how many pieces of out-of-stock products are in stock, based on the store's stock information.

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

Also, in the inventory information area 1004, a button 1009 for ordering the out-of-stock product is displayed. 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 products.

A countermeasure area 1005 displays buttons for selecting countermeasures for out-of-stock products. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the action area 1005 displays an incomplete button 1010, a complete button 1011, a leave button 1012, and an ordered button 1013. FIG. The person in charge 2 may select the incomplete button 1010 if the handling of the out-of-stock product is incomplete. The person in charge 2 may select the completion button 1011 when the handling of the missing item has been completed. The person in charge 2 may select the leave button 1012 when leaving the handling of the missing item. The person in charge 2 may select the ordered button 1013 when the order for the out-of-stock item has been completed. The business support device 300 records the information on the countermeasure corresponding to the selected button as the out-of-stock countermeasure history information.

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

Also, 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 missing item information UI corresponding to the previous missing item occurrence ID, and when the right arrow button 1015 is pressed, the next The terminal 400 is provided with the out-of-stock information UI corresponding to the out-of-stock occurrence ID.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the out-of-stock information service. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a display shelf UI related to the out-of-stock information service. 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 a shelf map showing the arrangement of the display shelves 10 of the store, as well as an image showing the missing shelf. For example, the missing item shelf is displayed in a manner distinguishable from the other display shelves 10 (for example, in a different color).

In addition, the shelf map UI 1100 displays information indicating the status of dealing with missing items on the display shelf 10 . For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a display shelf 10 for which the countermeasure for the missing item is "incomplete" is marked with a double circle, and a display shelf 10 for which the countermeasure for the missing item is "abandoned" is marked with a black triangle. A black square mark may be displayed on the shelf 10 for which the mark indicates that the countermeasure for the missing item is "ordered". Note that the mark display shown in FIG. 11 is an example, and a mark different from these may be displayed.

When the person in charge 2 selects a missing item 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 missing item shelf. The display shelf UI 1200 schematically shows the display shelf 10, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the display shelf UI 1200 may use an image of the display shelf 10 captured by the camera device 100 .

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

By using the out-of-stock information service, the person in charge 2 can efficiently check the information on the out-of-stock. In addition, when the out-of-stock detection information is received from the out-of-stock detection device 200, the work support device 300 may present the out-of-stock information UI 1000 to the terminal 400 by push notification. As a result, when a shortage occurs, the person in charge 2 can immediately recognize the missing product and the missing shelf, so that the shortage can be dealt with quickly.

<Shelf map service>
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the shelf map service. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a display shelf UI related to the shelf map service. When the shelf map service is selected from the service menu UI910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a shelf map UI1300 as shown in FIG.

In the shelf map UI 1300, if there is a missing item shelf, the missing item shelf may be displayed in a different manner (for example, a different color) from the display shelf 10 without the missing item. Note that the shelf map UI 1300 is substantially the same as the shelf map UI 1100 described with reference to FIG. 11, so detailed description thereof 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.

In the display shelf UI 1400, if there is a missing item section, the missing item section may be displayed in a different manner (for example, a different color) from the other sections 30, as in FIG. Also, when there is an ordered out-of-stock section in the display shelf UI 1400, the ordered out-of-stock section may be displayed in a different manner (for example, a different color) from the other sections 30, as in FIG. Note that the display shelf UI 1400 is substantially the same as the display shelf UI 1200 described with reference to FIG. 12, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

By using the shelf map service, the person in charge 2 can visually confirm the missing shelf from the shelf map.

<Order history service>
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the order history UI. When the order history service is selected from the service menu UI910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with an order history UI1500 as shown in FIG.

The order history UI 1500 displays the date of order, the time of order, the identification information of the missing-item shelf and the missing-item section, the product code, the product name, the number of orders, and the status of the order for each ordered product. 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 order history information for the missing items.

<Planogram Advice Service>
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf map UI related to the shelf allocation advice service. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a 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 substantially the same as the shelf map UI 1100 described with reference to FIG. 11, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

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

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

Displayed in the display shelf area 1701 are the current planogram of the selected display shelf and information specifying the section 30 to be advised.

The advice area 1702 displays the content of the advice for the section 30 to be advised. For example, in the advice area 1702, as shown in FIG. 17, a text recommending replacement of the products in the sections "1-3" and "3-2" to be advised is displayed. Also, the advice area 1702 may display the reason for the advice. For example, in the advice area 1702, as shown in FIG. 17, the number of shortages in section "1-3" is "8" and the number of shortages in section "3-2" is "0". A sentence indicating the effect is displayed.

A countermeasure area 1703 displays buttons for selecting countermeasures for the advice. For example, as shown in FIG. 17, a dealt with button 1704, a dealt impossible button 1705, and a pending button 1706 are displayed in the deal area 1703. FIG. Person in charge 2 may select a dealt with button 1704 when the advice has been dealt with. If the person in charge 2 cannot deal with the advice, the person in charge 2 may select the no deal button 1705 . Person in charge 2 may select the suspend button 1706 to suspend the handling of the advice. The business support device 300 records the information on the countermeasure corresponding to the selected button as shelf allocation advice countermeasure history information.

The business support device 300 may generate planogram advice based on the planogram information and the out-of-stock history information. For example, the business support device 300 generates an advice to replace the section 30 of products in which the number of times of out-of-stock occurrence is b ₁ or more with the section 30 of products in which the number of times of out-of-stock occurrence is 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 popular products, and are considered to be sufficiently sold even if the display section 30 (that is, planogram) is changed. This is because it is considered that there is room for increasing the number of sales by changing the display section 30 (that is, planogram).

The planogram advice UI 1700 may display an advice ID for identifying advice. "A19-21" shown in FIG. 17 is a display example of the advice ID.

The planogram advice UI 1700 may also display a button (not shown) for transitioning to a planogram UI (see FIG. 18) for changing the planogram of the display shelf 10 being displayed.

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

<Planogram change service>
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a 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 planogram change UI 1800 has a shelf area 1801 and a product input area 1802 .

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

In the product input area 1802, the product information of the product to be displayed in the section 30 is input. When the person in charge 2 selects the section 30 of the shelf area 1801 and enters 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 so as to correspond to the product information input in the product input area 1802 . Note that the person in charge 2 may manually input product information in the product input area 1802 . Alternatively, the person in charge 2 may input product information in the product input area 1802 by reading the bar code (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 section 30 and/or product information after change.

In place of the current planogram section 30, the recommended planogram section 30 may be displayed in the shelf area 1801. FIG. For example, the task support device 300 determines the recommended planogram block 30 based on the planogram information and the missing item history information, using the same method as the above-described planogram advice.

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

<Price change service>
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a price change UI. When the price change service is selected from the service menu UI910, the business support device 300 provides the terminal 400 with a price change UI1900 shown in FIG.

The price change UI 1900 displays the 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 price change for each product whose price has been changed. After the price is displayed.

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

When the confirm button 1805 is pressed, the business support device 300 stores the changed price in the price information. Also, when the confirm button 1805 is pressed, the business support device 300 updates the display price of the shelf label 20 to the post-change price. Note that the business support device 300 may change the price of the product according to the change in the section 30 .

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

<Modified example of business support service>
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 specified by the person in charge 2 . The business support device 300 may provide the terminal 400 with information indicating the degree of shortage of each product in all stores.

<Method for automatically setting display shelf divisions>
Next, an example of a method for automatically setting the section 30 in the missing item detection device 200 will be described.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining an example of a detection method for the shelf label 20. As shown in FIG.

For example, the missing item detection device 200 analyzes the photographed image of the display shelf 10 shown in FIG. The second shelf label 20 is detected. Similarly, the missing item detection device 200 detects the n-th shelf label 20 from the left, the n+1-th shelf label 20 from the left, and the n+2-th shelf plate from the left attached to the m+1-th shelf plate 11 from the bottom. The shelf label 20 is detected. Similarly, the missing item detection device 200 detects the n-th shelf label 20 from the left, the n+1-th shelf label 20 from the left, and the n+2-th shelf plate from the left, which are attached to the m+2nd shelf plate 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 on each shelf. The detection from left to right is an example, and the missing item detection device 200 may detect the shelf label 20 from right to left.

FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining an example of a setting method for the partitions 30. As shown in FIG.

The missing item detection device 200 sets the 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 shelf label 20 in the m-th row and the n-th corresponding to the commodity is attached to the bottom left of the section 30 where common commodities are displayed, the missing-item detection device 200 performs the following processing. That is, the missing item detection device 200 defines the width Rx from the position of the n-th shelf label 20 in the m-th row to the position of the n+1-th shelf label 20 in the m-th row (that is, the right side) as the width of the section 30, and m The height Ry from the position of the n-th shelf label 20 in the tier to the position of the n-th shelf label 20 in the m+1 tier (that is, the upper tier) is defined as the height of the section 30 . Then, the missing item detection device 200 associates the section 30 set in this way with the n-th shelf label 20 in the mth row.

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

The method of automatically setting the divisions 30 of the display shelf 10 is not limited to the above method. For example, the missing item detection device 200 may associate the section 30 below the shelf label 20 with the shelf label 20 . The missing item detection device 200 may set a predetermined width Rx around the shelf label 20 as the width of the section 30 . The missing-item detection device 200 may divide the display space 12 into equal intervals and set each of the divisions 30 . The missing item detection device 200 may set the partitions 30 based on partitions that physically exist in the display space 12 . Also, before the products are displayed, the section 30 of the display shelf 10 including the products to be displayed may be determined by the business support device 300 and provided to the terminal 400 . If it is desired to change the section 30 or the like due to circumstances on the store side, instructions may be given using the planogram change UI 1800 shown in FIG. 18 described above.

<Modification>
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 missing item detection device 200 described above. , and out-of-stock detection may be performed.

<Summary of this disclosure>
The work support device 300 according to the present disclosure detects information about the missing item shelf from the missing item detection device 200 that detects the missing item shelf, which is the display shelf 10 where the item is missing based on the photographed image of the item display shelf 10. Based on the reception unit 303B to receive, the information on the missing shelf, and the shelf map information indicating the arrangement of the display shelf 10, the position of the missing shelf is specified, and the business support including the information indicating the position of the missing shelf A processing unit 301 that generates information and a transmission unit 303A that transmits business support information to the terminal 400 are provided. As a result, the terminal 400 can display information indicating the position of the missing shelf. Therefore, since the person in charge 2 can recognize the position of the missing item shelf through the terminal 400, the work related to the missing item 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 that of the other display shelves 10 in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display the missing item shelf in a manner different from that of the other display shelves 10 . Therefore, since the person in charge 2 can visually recognize the missing shelf through the terminal 400, the work related to the missing item can be made more efficient.

The receiving unit 303B may receive information indicating how to deal with the missing shelf input to the terminal 400, and the processing unit 301 may include the information indicating how to deal with the missing shelf in the business support information. As a result, the terminal 400 can display information indicating how to deal with missing items on the missing item shelf. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize, through the terminal 400, how to deal with the shortage of items on the shelf at the present time, so that the work related to the shortage can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 may include, in the business support information, information about the out-of-stock item and information about the inventory of the out-of-stock item. As a result, the terminal 400 can display information about the out-of-stock item and information about the inventory of the out-of-stock item. Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize the information about the out-of-stock item and the inventory information of the out-of-stock item through the terminal 400, so that the work for the shortage can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 determines the urgency of replenishment of the out-of-stock item based on the information indicating the inventory status of the out-of-stock item, and stores the information indicating the urgency in the business support information. may be included. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display the urgency of replenishment of the out-of-stock item. Therefore, since the person in charge 2 can recognize the urgency of replenishment of the out-of-stock item through the terminal 400, the work related to the out-of-stock can be made more efficient.

The information about the missing item shelf may include identification information of the missing item section, which is the section 30 in which the missing item has occurred, detected by the missing item 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 that of the other sections 30 in the business support information. As a result, 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 the work related to the out-of-stock can be made more efficient.

The processing unit 301 may generate information regarding changes in the section 30 based on the history information regarding the shortage of items in the section 30 and include the information in the business support information. Thereby, the terminal 400 can display information (for example, planogram advice information) regarding the change of the section 30 of the display shelf 10 . Therefore, the person in charge 2 can recognize the change of the display shelf 10 to a more appropriate section 30 through the terminal 400, so that work related to planogram 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 obvious that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents within the scope of the claims. It is understood that it belongs to the technical scope of the present disclosure. Also, the components in the above-described embodiments may be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present disclosure is suitable for systems that support operations 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 unit 202 memory 203 communication unit 204 storage 205 internal bus 210 planogram information 300 business support device 301 processing unit 302 memory 303 communication Unit 304 Storage 305 Internal bus 310 Management information 400 Terminal 401 Processing unit 402 Memory 403 Communication unit 404 Input unit 405 Display unit 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 planogram advice UI
1800 planogram change UI
1900 price change UI

Claims (11)

a receiving unit that receives a photographed image of an article display shelf from a camera device;
A processing unit that detects a shelf section that requires replenishment based on the photographed image, and generates information on the detected shelf section that requires replenishment and information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that requires replenishment. and,
a storage unit that stores inventory information including position information and inventory numbers of articles displayed on the display shelf in the inventory shelf;
information on the shelf section that needs to be replenished, information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section that needs to be replenished are displayed on the terminal. an output unit for output;
A business support device. the information on the shelf section that needs to be replenished includes any of area ID, shelf ID, shelf level, and position number as information for identifying the missing shelf;
The processing unit is
generating shelf map information indicating the arrangement of the display shelves;
identifying the position of the shelf that needs to be replenished based on the information about the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and generating information indicating the position of the shelf that needs to be replenished;
The output unit outputs the generated shelf map information and information indicating the position of the shelf that needs to be replenished.
The business support device according to claim 1. The information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished is information that is classified according to the status of the inventory quantity on the missing shelf.
The business support device according to claim 1. The processing unit generates information regarding the urgency of replenishment for shelves that require replenishment based on demand forecasts by marketing,
outputting information about the urgency of said replenishment;
The business support device according to claim 1. The storage unit stores order history information, which is history information about orders for goods,
The processing unit is
generating an image of the shelf including the detected shelf section in need of replenishment;
In the section detected as the shelf section requiring replenishment, if the order history information indicates that the section has been ordered, the image of the section for which the order has been completed is displayed in a manner different from the image of the section requiring replenishment. generate and
The output unit outputs the generated shelf image,
The business support device according to claim 1. The business support device
Receiving a photographed image of an article display shelf from a camera device,
detecting a shelf section that needs to be replenished based on the captured image;
generating information about the detected shelf section that needs to be replenished and information about the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished;
storing inventory information including location information and inventory numbers of articles displayed on the display shelf in the inventory shelf;
information on the shelf section that needs to be replenished, information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section that needs to be replenished are displayed on the terminal. Output,
Business support method. Receiving a photographed image of an article display shelf from a camera device,
detecting a shelf section that needs to be replenished based on the captured image;
generating information about the detected shelf section that needs to be replenished and information about the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished;
storing inventory information including location information and inventory numbers of articles displayed on the display shelf in the inventory shelf;
information on the shelf section that needs to be replenished, information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section that needs to be replenished are displayed on the terminal. Output,
make the computer do
computer program. A business support system comprising a camera device, a business support device, and a terminal,
The camera device includes a transmission unit that transmits a photographed image of the display shelf of the article to the business support device ,
The business support device provides information about the shelf section that needs to be replenished detected based on the photographed image, information about the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the number of articles displayed on the display shelf. a processing unit that generates inventory information including location information and inventory quantity on the inventory shelf and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section that needs to be replenished; and a transmission unit that transmits the generated information to the terminal. with
The terminal receives information about the shelf section that needs to be replenished, information about the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section that needs to be replenished. A receiving unit and a display unit that displays the received information,
Business support system. A business support method using a business support system comprising a camera device for transmitting a photographed image of an article display shelf, a business support device, and a terminal,
The business support device provides information about the shelf section that needs to be replenished detected based on the photographed image, information about the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section that needs to be replenished, and the number of articles displayed on the display shelf. generating inventory information including position information and inventory quantity on the inventory shelf, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section requiring replenishment;
The terminal receives from the business support device information on the shelf section requiring replenishment, information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section requiring replenishment, and information on the article corresponding to the shelf section requiring replenishment. receive inventory information and display the received information;
Business support method. The terminal owned by the person in charge is
Information on a shelf section requiring replenishment detected based on a photographed image of an article display shelf, information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section requiring replenishment, and an inventory shelf of articles displayed on the display shelf When receiving inventory information including position information and inventory quantity in said shelf section and said inventory information of articles corresponding to said shelf section requiring replenishment , based on said received information, said shelf section requiring replenishment prompting the person in charge to replenish the goods in
Business support method. A terminal possessed by a person in charge, comprising: information on a shelf section requiring replenishment detected based on a photographed image of an article display shelf; information on the degree of shortage of articles in the shelf section requiring replenishment; a receiving unit for receiving inventory information including position information and inventory numbers of articles displayed on the shelf on the inventory shelf, and the inventory information of the article corresponding to the shelf section requiring replenishment;
prompting the person in charge to replenish the item in the shelf section in need of replenishment based on the received information;
terminal.

Images