JPH11338914A - Method and device for settlement of purchase utilizing multi-media information terminal and recording medium for programming and recording the method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need of settlement of accounts at a register by adding a function for the settlement of accounts to a multi-media information terminal. SOLUTION: In this method of settlement of accounts, in the multi-media information terminal for providing information relating to events and commodity guidance by using the multi-media information of video images and sound, etc., and also being utilized for virtual shopping for selecting and purchasing the commodity of a shopping mall constructed on a software, by displaying a service menu by using a touch panel monitor 3, the purchase intention of a service or the commodity placed at a store is inquired. At the time of purchasing the commodity placed at the store, the price of a purchase commodity is displayed by retrieving a prepared data base 13 and the transaction of an equivalent money amount is performed corresponding to the way of the settlement of accounts desired by a user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a settlement method and apparatus for purchasing goods using a multimedia information terminal, and a recording medium on which the method is programmed and recorded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A multimedia information terminal installed in a street corner, a convenience store, or the like provides information such as an event, a product guide, and the like by utilizing multimedia information using video, audio, and the like. It is used for so-called virtual shopping, which selects and purchases products in a shopping mall constructed above.

A multimedia information terminal has, for example, a built-in interface for connecting to the Internet, displays a will for virtual shopping, updates the server computer, and purchases from a displayed product catalog. The user selects a product to be processed, inputs a card number or the like, and requires processing for settlement.

[0004]

In the prior art described above, the merchandise that can be purchased using the multimedia information terminal is not, for example, a merchandise displayed at a store in a convenience store, but a virtual machine built on software. It is a product in a shopping mall,
Over-the-counter products must be settled at the cash register, which is very troublesome when the cash register is crowded.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and by adding a function for settlement to a multimedia information terminal, a product using a multimedia information terminal that does not require payment at a cash register. It is an object of the present invention to provide a settlement method and apparatus for purchase and a recording medium on which the method is programmed and recorded.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a settlement method for purchasing a product using a multimedia information terminal, which provides information on events and product guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio. By displaying a service menu on a multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping for selecting and purchasing a product in a shopping mall built on software, the will to purchase the service or the product placed at the store can be determined. When making a purchase of a product placed in a store, the price of the purchased product is displayed by searching a database prepared in advance, and the corresponding amount of money is transacted according to the settlement method desired by the user. And

A settlement apparatus for purchasing goods using a multimedia information terminal according to the present invention is connected to a computer at a center via a communication line, and uses multimedia information such as video and audio to guide events and goods. In addition to providing information about the multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping to select and purchase products in the shopping mall built on software,
A service menu is displayed, user interface means for asking the user about the intention of purchasing the service or the goods placed at the store, database means for storing the names and prices of the goods placed at the store in advance, When the user communicates the purchase intention of the product through the user interface means, the database means is searched by using the product name as a key to obtain price data, and the settlement transmitted by the user via the user interface is desired. And a settlement means for conducting a transaction of a corresponding amount according to the above method.

[0008] The recording medium of the present invention is connected to a computer at the center via a communication line, provides information on events and product guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio, and is constructed on software. A multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping for selecting and purchasing a product from a shopping mall that communicates with a computer at a center to display a service menu; Inquiring about the purchase intention of the customer, when purchasing the product placed in the store, searching the prepared database and displaying the price of the purchased product, and inputting the payment method desired by the user. The prompting step and the step of trading the corresponding amount according to the settlement method are steps. Characterized in that it is a gram recorded.

As a result, virtual shopping and in-store merchandise purchase can be performed by a single terminal. In particular, a customer can make a payment for a merchandise purchase at a multimedia information terminal without lining up at a cash register. .

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external configuration of a multimedia information terminal in which the present invention is implemented. In the figure, 1 is a housing, 2 is a speaker, 3 is a touch panel monitor, 4 is a human shadow sensor, 5 is a journal printer, 6 is a card reader / writer, 7 bar code reader, and 8 is a cash machine.

As can be seen from the figure, the multimedia information terminal outputs audio information through the speaker 2, outputs video through the touch panel monitor 3, and takes in information from the user. The human shadow sensor 4 is for recognizing that the user is facing the multimedia information terminal, and makes the touch panel monitor 3 ready, or displays the display content from the outside via the shielding plate 9 that covers the touch panel from both sides. Used for isolation purposes.

The journal printer 5 is used for issuing a receipt. The card reader / writer 6 is used for payment, for example, for reading contents recorded on an IC card or a prepay card, or for recording data on an IC card. It is shown. The barcode reader 7 is used for reading a barcode attached to a product and indicating a price. The cash dispenser 8 is a so-called POS register used when settlement is made by cash, and in the figure, only a cash slot and a change outlet are shown.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a control computer which is a control center of the multimedia information terminal shown in FIG. In the figure, the blocks assigned the same numbers as those in FIG. 1 are the same as those in FIG.

The control computer 10 has a CPU 11 as a control center, a memory 12, a hard disk device 13,
The audio interface circuit 14, the display interface circuit 15, the serial interface circuit 16, and the external interface circuits 1 and 2 (17, 18) are commonly connected to a system bus 19.

The CPU 11 stores the O
In accordance with S, various input / output drivers, and an application program prepared by the present invention, it controls arithmetic operations and controls various input / output devices connected to the system. The hard disk device 13 stores a product database described later. The speaker 2 is connected to the system bus 19 via the audio interface circuit 14, and the touch panel monitor 3 is connected to the system bus 19 via the display interface circuit 15. The audio or video information generated by the CPU 11 is converted into audio and video signals by the audio interface circuit 14 and the display interface circuit 15 and transmitted to the customer via the speaker 2 and the touch panel monitor 3, respectively.

The touch panel monitor 3, the bar code reader 7, the cash dispenser 8, and the card reader / writer 6 are connected to a system bus 19 via a serial interface circuit 16. Customer input information input through the touch panel 3, product name and price information input through the barcode reader 7, cash deposited and withdrawn through the cash input / output machine 8, and the card reader / writer 6 Information to be read / written is controlled by the CPU 11 via the serial interface circuit 16 in accordance with a program stored in the memory 12. External interface circuit 17,
Reference numeral 18 denotes a communication circuit, which is connected to the Internet and a POS server as a host device for virtual shopping.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

When the customer touches the touch panel 3 of the multimedia information terminal, a service menu which the multimedia information terminal can automatically provide is displayed (step S3).
1) is done. Here, when the customer touches the touch panel monitor 3 and selects information provision (step S32),
As with the conventional multimedia information terminals, information such as events and product information is provided using multimedia such as video and audio.

In the case of purchasing a product, a selection is made between virtual shopping and purchasing a product at a store (step S33). When the purchase of the product at the store is selected, a message prompting that the barcode attached to the product is read by the barcode reader 7 is displayed on the touch panel monitor 3.
Will be displayed. Based on this instruction, the customer performs an operation for reading the barcode attached to the product using the barcode reader 7 (step S34). The product name and price information read by the bar reader 7 are taken into the multimedia information terminal, and the multimedia information terminal searches the built-in product database 13 (step S35) to display the corresponding product name and price on the touch panel monitor. 3 (step S36), and prompts the customer for confirmation input (step S40). If there is still a purchased product (step S41), an operation input for reading the barcode of the product is again prompted, and the customer performs an operation according to the operation input.

On the other hand, when performing virtual shopping, by touching the display button, the multimedia information terminal connects to the virtual shopping mall on the Internet via the external interface 1 (17) (step S37). The product catalog is displayed on the touch panel monitor 3. Next, the customer selects an item to be purchased from the displayed products, and the product name and price are displayed, and the product name and price of the product to be purchased are displayed (steps S38 and S39).

When the customer has finished selecting the products to be purchased for both the above-mentioned in-store products and the virtual shopping mall,
A menu indicating the settlement method is displayed, and the customer is prompted to make a selection input (step S42). If it is a prepayment card, the card is returned with the withdrawal information corresponding to the value of the product written on the prepayment card inserted into the card reader / writer 6 (steps S43, S44, S45). In the case of a credit card, after the card is inserted, the eligibility of the card including a credit check is checked by communicating with the host computer via the external interface 2 (18), and after the card is settled, the card is processed. The paper is discharged (steps S48, S49, S50, S45). When the settlement by cash is selected, the cash input to the cash dispenser 8 is counted, change is calculated as necessary, and the change is returned via the cash dispenser 8 (steps S46 and S47). ).

If the settlement by electronic money is selected, a medium on which the currently valid value of electronic money is recorded,
For example, inserting an IC card into a multimedia information terminal,
Alternatively, the user is prompted to input his / her own ID number from a keyboard or the like (not shown), and communicates with the host computer via the card reader / writer 6 or the external interface 2 (18) to read the currently valid value information. After the eligibility is checked, the merchandise price is withdrawn and the usage history including the remaining money value is written, and the card is discharged only in the case of a card.

Regardless of the above-mentioned settlement method, a receipt is printed and issued using the journal printer 5 in order to prove the completion of the settlement (step S51).
When the settlement is completed, the external interface 2 (18)
To the POS server via the POS server (step S5)
2) Then, the display returns to the initial screen (service menu) display (step S31).

[0025]

As described above, the present invention provides information on events and merchandise guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio, and also selects merchandise in a shopping mall built on software. By displaying a service menu on a multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping,
The above service or the purchase intention of the goods placed in the store is asked, and when purchasing the goods placed in the store, the price of the purchased goods is displayed by searching a prepared database, and the payment desired by the user is performed. According to the above method, a corresponding amount of money is transacted, so that the customer can make a payment for the purchase of goods by the multimedia information terminal without lining up at the cash register. Further, both the product purchase and the virtual shopping can be performed at once by one multimedia information terminal. In addition, cash, prepay card, credit card,
Any of electronic money is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an external structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the multimedia information terminal of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Multimedia information terminal housing, 2 speakers, 3 touch panel monitor, 4 person shadow sensor, 5 journal printer,
6 card reader / writer, 7 barcode reader, 8 cash dispenser, 10 control computer, 11 CPU, 12 memory, 13 hard disk drive, 14 audio interface circuit, 15 display interface circuit, 16 serial interface circuit, 17 (18) external interface circuit , 19 system bus,

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. In addition to providing information on events and product guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio, it is also used for virtual shopping for selecting and purchasing products in a shopping mall built on software. Displaying a service menu on a multimedia information terminal, asking the purchase intention of the above services or products placed in stores, and searching for a database prepared in advance when purchasing products placed in stores. A method for purchasing goods using a multimedia information terminal, wherein the price of the purchased goods is displayed by the user and a corresponding amount is transacted according to a method of payment desired by the user. 2. The multimedia information terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the user desires cash settlement, the user is prompted to input cash, receives the input amount, calculates change, and discharges the change. Payment method for purchasing products used. 3. When a user desires to pay by card, the user is prompted to insert the card, the inserted card is processed to remove the purchase amount, and then the card is ejected. A settlement method for purchasing goods using the multimedia information terminal according to claim 1. 4. A computer at the center is connected via a communication line to provide information on events and merchandise guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio, as well as shopping mall merchandise built on software. In a multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping where the user selects and purchases a service menu, a service menu is displayed, and user interface means for asking the user to purchase the service or the product placed at the store, A database means for storing the name and price of a product placed in a store, and when a user communicates a purchase intention through the user interface means, the database means is searched by using the product name as a key. Users who obtain price data and communicate via the user interface are rare. A settlement device for purchasing goods using a multimedia information terminal, comprising: settlement means for conducting a transaction of a corresponding amount according to a desired settlement method. 5. The payment apparatus for purchasing goods using a multimedia information terminal according to claim 4, further comprising a printing means for issuing a receipt in accordance with a payment method. 6. The product purchase using a multimedia information terminal according to claim 4, wherein the settlement means comprises a cash depositing / dispensing machine and a processor for controlling the cash depositing / dispensing machine according to a program stored in a memory. Payment device for. 7. The settlement means comprises a card reader, and a processor for processing data read via the card reader by updating the data with a computer at a center in accordance with a program stored in a memory. 4. A payment device for purchasing a product using the multimedia information terminal according to 4. 8. A computer in a shopping mall, which is connected to a computer at the center via a communication line and provides information on events and product guidance using multimedia information such as video and audio, and is provided on a shopping mall constructed on software. Used in a multimedia information terminal that is also used for virtual shopping where the user selects and purchases. Steps of displaying a service menu by communicating with a computer at the center, and asking the purchase intention of the service or the product placed at the store. A step of searching for a database prepared in advance to display the price of the purchased product when purchasing a product placed in a store; a step of prompting a user to input a desired payment method; The steps for conducting a corresponding amount of transaction according to the method of Computer-readable recording medium. 9. A step of reading a barcode attached to a product when a user indicates an intention to purchase a product at a store, a step of searching a database using the read product code as a key, and a search result. Product name,
9. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, wherein a step of displaying a price and a step of confirming a purchase intention are programmed and recorded. 10. A step of prompting a user to insert a card into a multimedia information terminal when a user indicates a card settlement by a user, and a step of removing a card corresponding to a purchase price and ejecting the card. The recording medium according to claim 10 readable by a computer. 11. A step of prompting the user to insert cash into the multimedia information terminal when the user indicates a cash settlement, a step of counting the inserted cash and calculating a change, and a change. The computer-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the step of discharging is programmed and recorded.