JPH09138888A - Check-out device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the size detection precision of small commodities, to securely detect the multistage piling of the small commodities and to prevent illegal owing to piling to arranging plural pairs of transmission sensors detecting the vertical direction of the commodities while increasing the arrangement density of sensors from an upper part to a lower part. SOLUTION: The plural pairs of transmission sensors 4 and 5 are the optical sensors by light projection/light reception for measuring the size of the vertical direction of the commodities 15 transported on a commodity conveyor. The sensors are arranged in the vertical direction against a transportation path surface. They are arranged on the both sides of the transportation path as if they cross it so that sensor arranging density is improved toward the lower part from the upper part. Plural reflecting sensors 6 are optical sensors for measuring the size of the horizontal direction of the commodities 15 transported on the commodity conveyor, and they are arranged in the horizontal direction against the transportation path surface. Then, they are arranged at the same density as the high density part of the transmission sensors 4 and 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-service type checkout device used in a store, and in particular, the product purchaser can operate the checkout device himself / herself to protect the privacy of the product purchaser. The present invention relates to a technology that is effective when applied to a checkout device having features such that even when the number of store staff is small, it can be purchased without waiting, and the labor of the store can be reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, according to a study conducted by the inventor, as an example of a self-checkout device operated by a purchaser of a product, there is a technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-141553. The outline of this checkout device is to measure the size of the product inserted from the product insertion part, then identify the product by the barcode read,
The product is checked by comparing it with the product data registered in advance.

Also, for automatic reading of bar codes,
As a technique for detecting the height of a product, JP-A-4-1051
No. 84, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-233679, etc. are known.

[0004]

By the way, in the technology for detecting the height of a product as described above, the main object is to detect the height of the product, and the identification based on the characteristic (size) of the product. We are not aware of the difference in accuracy, we handle both normal size products and small items in the same way, we prevent fraud,
Especially in terms of stacking small items,
In addition, if small items are to be surely checked, the number of sensors will increase and the cost will increase.

In general, the fraudulent behavior expected by the self-checkout device is read by replacing the products and stacking a plurality of small products, or by arranging the products side by side as if they were one product. It is to let. Of these, the replacement of products can be solved by separating the shopper from the product input section and thereafter, so that it is sufficient to detect whether the products are stacked or arranged side by side.

However, in order to improve the detection accuracy, it suffices to reduce the sensor interval, but the cost rises accordingly.
Further, the present inventor has conceived that it is necessary to improve the detection accuracy only for small-sized products having small dimensions, and it is not necessary to pay attention to the detection accuracy for ordinary-sized products.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a checkout device operated by a shopper by himself or herself, and a mechanism for easily preventing fraud by stacking or horizontally arranging products together with sufficient detection accuracy of product dimensions according to product size. It is to provide a self-service type checkout device that can be realized at low cost.

[0008]

The check-out device of the present invention is applied to a self-service type check-out device having a function of comparing and checking product data registered in advance. The transmissive sensor, which is placed across the product transport path, is configured to increase the sensor arrangement density from the upper part to the lower part in the vertical direction, and in the horizontal direction, the high density part in the vertical direction of the transmissive sensor. The reflective sensors are arranged at the same density as the above.

Therefore, in the vertical measurement, the transmission type sensor improves the size detection accuracy of small products as compared with the size detection accuracy of normal size products, and multi-tiered stacking of small products can be reliably detected. Further, regarding the horizontal measurement, even if the small articles are arranged side by side by the reflection type sensor, the small articles can be surely detected.

As described above, by increasing the detection accuracy of small articles and checking them in consideration of the arrangement density of the transmission type sensor for detecting the vertical direction and the reflection type sensor for detecting the horizontal direction, with a simple mechanism, In addition, it is possible to prevent cheap products that are expected to be piled up or fraudulently placed in small products.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a checkout device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the arrangement of sensors in the present embodiment.

First, the structure of the checkout device of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The check-out device of this embodiment is a self-service type check-out device used in, for example, a store, and has a product loading section 1, a product conveyor 2 (conveyance path), a product stocker 3, and a plurality of pairs of products. Transmission type sensors 4 and 5, a plurality of reflection type sensors 6, a bar code reading device 7 (identifying part), a stopper 8, a shopper detector 9, a shopper display device 10, a product insertion detector 11, a bar code reading device. Passage sensor 12, control unit 13,
The storage unit 14 and the like are included.

The product loading section 1 is a part for loading a product 15 when a shopper checks out, a product conveyor 2.
Is a part that conveys the products 15 input from the product input unit 1 to the product stocker 3, and the product stocker 3 is a part that stores the transferred and registered products 15. The product 15 stored in the product stocker 3 is Checked out by shopper.

The pair of transmissive sensors 4 and 5 are a pair of light sensors for projecting / receiving light for measuring the vertical dimension of the product 15 conveyed on the product conveyor 2, and each of them is a light sensor. They are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance path surface and arranged on both sides so as to cross this conveyance path. For example, as shown in detail in FIG. 2, the sensor arrangement density is increased from the top to the bottom. Has been done. This arrangement density is, for example, when the upper interval Hh is about 2,
It has a high density of about 3 cm and the lower interval Hl of about 1 cm.

The plurality of reflection type sensors 6 are optical sensors for measuring the horizontal dimension of the product 15 conveyed on the product conveyor 2, and are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction with respect to the conveyance road surface. , For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the same density as the high-density portions of the pair of transmissive sensors 4 and 5,
That is, they are arranged at intervals W of about 1 cm.

The bar code reading device 7 is a device for reading the bar code of the product 15 conveyed on the product conveyor 2 after the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the product 15 have been measured, and the conveying road surface. It is arranged so that it can be read from above and left and right.

The stopper 8 is an opening / closing mechanism for permitting or prohibiting the passage of the shopper, and is arranged on the side surface of the checkout device. When the stopper 8 is opened, the shopper can pass through it, and by closing it. Passage of shoppers is prohibited.

The shopper detector 9 is a sensor for detecting a shopper and is arranged in front of the checkout device. The shopper detector 9 indicates that the shopper stands in front of the checkout device. Upon detection, the checkout device is automatically enabled.

The shopper display 10 is a display for displaying guidance to the shopper, is arranged in front of the checkout device, and is displayed to the shopper by the guidance displayed on the shopper display 10. On the other hand, an instruction of an operation method such as insertion of the product 15 is given.

The product insertion detector 11 is a sensor for detecting the insertion of the product 15, and is arranged so as to traverse the product insertion unit 1, and it is detected that the product 15 is placed in the product insertion unit 1. The product conveyor 2 is set in an operable state.

Bar code reader passage sensor 12
Is a sensor for detecting passage of the product 15,
It is arranged in the left-right direction of the barcode reading device 7, and it is detected that the product 15 has passed through the barcode reading device 7.

The control unit 13 is a part that controls the entire checkout device and is housed inside the checkout device. The control unit 13 drives the product conveyor 2, processes by detecting each sensor, and the bar code reading device 7. The processing of data by is automatically controlled.

The storage section 14 is a section for storing a control program or the like and for registering regular product data in advance. The storage section 14 is housed inside the checkout device, and the checkout device is automatically operated by the control program. By comparing the controlled and registered merchandise data with the measured dimensional data of the merchandise 15, merchandise information such as the amount of money is displayed and fraudulent acts by the shopper are prevented.

In the checkout device configured as described above, the shopper's privacy can be protected especially by the operation of the shopper, and the shopper can purchase without waiting even when the number of shop assistants is small, such as early morning / late night. Further, it is possible to obtain basic features such as labor saving of the store.

Next, with respect to the operation of this embodiment, a checkout procedure by the self-service of the shopper will be described.

First, when the shopper stands in front of the check-out device, the shopper detector 9 detects the shopper and enters an operable state, and the shopper display 10 displays guidance such as operating methods. It At this time, the product conveyor 2 is stopped and the stopper 8 is prohibited from passing.

Then, the shopper loads the product 15 into the product input unit 1
Then, the product insertion detector 11 detects the product 15 and the product conveyor 2 operates to convey the product 15. The conveyed product 15 passes between a pair of transmissive sensors 4 and 5 for measuring the vertical size of the product 15, and the size of the product 15 in the height direction is measured. Also measures the lateral dimension.

For example, in the measurement in the height direction by the pair of transmissive sensors 4 and 5, the sensor arrangement density is increased from the upper portion to the lower portion. It is possible to improve the dimension detection accuracy of the small article 15 as compared with the detection accuracy.

Further, in the lateral measurement by the reflection type sensor 6, since it is arranged at the same density as the high density portions of the transmission type sensors 4 and 5, the same size as the transmission type sensors 4 and 5 is used. It is possible to improve the dimension detection accuracy of the small product 15 as compared with the product 15.

Then, the pair of transmissive sensors 4, 5
The dimension data in the height direction and the lateral direction measured by the reflection type sensor 6 are sent to the control unit 13. After that, the product 15 is conveyed to the barcode reading device 7,
The barcode is read by the barcode reading device 7.

Further, the read bar code data is sent to the control section 13 and undergoes the following checks. That is, the storage unit 14 is searched and it is checked whether or not the data of the product 15 is registered in advance, and if it is registered, whether or not the dimension data sent is within the specified allowable range. It

As a result of this check, if the data of the product 15 is in the storage unit 14 and the size is within the allowable range, it is determined that the product 15 is a legitimate product 15 and the product 15 is carried to the product stocker 3. At the same time, product information such as the amount of money is displayed on the shopper display 10.

On the other hand, when the bar code reader passage sensor 12 detects that the commodity 15 has passed through the bar code reader 7 and the bar code data is not sent, or when the size exceeds the allowable range. The display 10 for the shopper displays a guide indicating that the product is abnormal, and the product conveyor 2 is fed back to return the product 15 to the product insertion unit 1.

As a result, when the size exceeds the allowable range, that is, a plurality of products 1 in the lateral direction or the height direction.
When the checkout device detects that the five items are arranged, the checkout device can recognize the dishonest act by the shopper. In the case of arranging a plurality of pieces in the horizontal direction, it is sufficient to detect that the data of the reflective sensor 6 becomes discontinuous, and this can be easily determined by the data processing of the control unit 13.

Therefore, according to the check-out device of this embodiment, a pair of transmissive sensors 4 and 5 are arranged so as to increase the sensor arrangement density from the upper part to the lower part, and the transmission type sensors. By arranging the high-density portions of the shape sensors 4 and 5 and the plurality of reflection-type sensors 6 arranged at the same density intervals on the conveyance path of the product conveyor 2, the dimensional detection accuracy of small products is improved, and the small products are improved. It is possible to reliably detect the stacking of 2, 3, or the like in the height direction of the products and the horizontal arrangement of 2, 3, or the like in the horizontal direction.

In this way, by checking the accuracy of the small items with high accuracy, the small items expected when the self-checkout device is deployed can be stacked or arranged side by side to make it look like one product 15. It is possible to prevent fraudulent hanging.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the arrangement density of the pair of transmissive sensors and the reflective sensor is not limited to the dimensions shown in the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications can be made according to the size of the product handled in the store. .

[0040]

According to the checkout device of the present invention,
By arranging a plurality of pairs of transmissive sensors that detect the vertical direction of products with increasing sensor placement density from the top to the bottom, the size detection accuracy of small products is improved and multi-tiered stacking of small products is ensured. It becomes possible to detect and prevent fraud caused by stacking.

Further, by arranging a plurality of reflection type sensors for detecting the horizontal direction of the product at the same density as the high density portion of the transmission type sensor, it becomes possible to surely detect even small products arranged side by side. It is possible to prevent fraudulently disguising multiple products as if they were one product.

As a result, by stacking the expected products by increasing the detection accuracy of the small products and checking them in consideration of the arrangement density of the transmission type sensor for detecting the vertical direction and the reflection type sensor for detecting the horizontal direction. Alternatively, it is possible to prevent fraudulent small products from being arranged side by side with a simple mechanism and at low cost, and it is possible to contribute to improvement in management efficiency in a self-service type store.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a checkout device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement of sensors according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Product insertion part, 2 ... Product conveyor (conveyance path), 3 ... Product stocker, 4, 5 ... Transmissive sensor, 6 ... Reflective sensor, 7 ... Bar code reader (identification part), 8 ...
Stopper, 9 ... Shopper detector, 10 ... Shopper display device, 11 ... Merchandise insertion detector, 12 ... Bar code reading device passage sensor, 13 ... Control unit, 14 ... Storage unit, 15
…Product.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kiyoshi Watanabe 1 Horiyamashita, Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Hitachi Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masaho Sakamoto 1 Horiyamashita, Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture Hitachi Computer Data Engineering Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A checkout device having a product input section, a transport path, a stocker, and an identification section and having a function of comparing and checking with preregistered product data, the checkout apparatus being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the transport path surface. And a plurality of pairs of transmissive sensors for detecting the vertical direction of the product, which are arranged on both sides so as to cross the transportation path, and are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction with respect to the transportation path surface. A plurality of reflection type sensors for detecting the horizontal direction are provided, and the plurality of transmission type sensors are arranged with increasing arrangement density from the upper part to the lower part in the vertical direction, and the plurality of reflection type sensors are arranged in the plurality of parts. The check-out device is characterized by arranging the pair of transmissive sensors at the same density as the high-density parts and measuring the size of the product and the gap between the products.