JPS60124779A - Information processing system for restaurant - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the system with less restriction resulted from tablewares by allowing trays to be identified depending on each menu and changing the calculating method according to each tray in performing automatic calculation of charges of various meals through the use of a television camera or the like. CONSTITUTION:The television camera 8 picks up the image of a tray 13 and a tableware 12 and gives a signal to a discriminating circuit 9. The discriminating circuit 9 obtains identification information of the tray and the identification information of the tableware based on an image pickup signal, calculates the charge, gives it to a totalizer 10 and the result is displayed on a display device 11. The inside of a memory of the discriminating circuit 9 is provided with a tray discriminating table, a meal of fixed menu A discriminating table, a meal of fixed menu B discriminating table, and an order meal discriminating table. The size of trays depends on the meal of fixed menu A, the meal of fixed menu B and the order meal, and the menu of fixed menu A, the meal of fixed menu B and the order meal are identified depending on the size of tray based on a video signal. The price of each tableware is not calculated as to the meal of fixed menu A, B and the price written in the discriminating table is output ted, and the price in response to the size of each tableware is outputted from the order meal table as to the order meal and given to the totalizer 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention uses an imaging means such as a television camera to take images of trays and tableware all over the country, and uses the data obtained from the trays and tableware to determine the contents of a meal menu. The present invention relates to an information processing system for a cafeteria that achieves labor saving in a cafeteria by making judgments and calculating charges.

[Prior art and its problems]

In company cafeterias, more and more customers are no longer forced to choose set meals, but instead allow customers to freely choose a la carte dishes (items at checkout) according to their preferences. The biggest problem with allowing customers to freely choose a la carte dishes like this is that the price calculation becomes complicated and requires manpower.

As a workaround to solve this problem, the size of the end of the tableware and the price are matched by a pair, and the tableware placed on a transparent or cow-transparent tray is imaged using a television camera. An information processing system for cafeterias has been devised that saves labor by calculating the price based on the size of the thread tail of the tableware from the imaging signal, and calculating the price by adding the price corresponding to each tableware. There is. Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of such a cafeteria information processing system. Bon, 7 indicates a lamp.

In this configuration, the tray 6 is made of a transparent or translucent material, and the lamp 7 is placed at a lighting position such that the end of the tableware 5 placed on the tray 6 casts a shadow on the tray 6. .

Note that the relationship between the size of the thread end and the price of the food to be placed on the tableware 5 is set in advance. TV camera l is tray 6
The shadow of the thread tail is scanned by the television camera 1, and the bright and dark images are sent to the discrimination circuit 2 as an imaging signal. The determination circuit 2 determines the size of the thread tail of each tableware based on the sent imaging signal, and refers to a table stored in advance that shows the correspondence between the thread tail size and price data. and outputs the price data of each tableware to the aggregation machine 3. The aggregation machine 3 totals the sent price data and displays it on the display device 4.With this configuration, in the conventional information processing system for cafeterias, customers can freely select single dishes. Even if the product is placed on a tray, the fee is automatically calculated using a television camera, resulting in labor savings.

Yoshikoroga: In such a cafeteria information processing system, the size of the thread end of the tableware corresponds to the price of the dish, so when there are many types of dishes and each price is different, the size of the thread end of the tableware corresponds to the price of the dish. It requires a large number of tableware, each of a different size. In general, in many cafeterias, there are restrictions on the external dimensions of the tableware on hand, and the shapes of the tableware used may be similar, making it impossible to accurately determine the quality of the tableware. In the case of cooking, the relationship between tableware and food, and therefore the relationship between tableware and price, is simply set at the beginning and does not change thereafter, but in the case of set meals, the price changes even if the side dishes change each meal. It needs to be constant, and for this reason, when the tableware is changed depending on the contents of the side dish, the relationship between the tableware and the price must be changed. At that time, if a set meal and a la carte dish are used together, the relationship between the tableware used for a la carte dish and the price cannot be changed, so the tableware used for a la carte dish is used as the tableware used for a set meal. Either you had to use something that wasn't available or you had to make a clever selection of tableware so that the total price matched the price of the set meal. This has resulted in disadvantages such as an increase in the number of types of tableware, and a complicated selection of tableware when changing the side dishes of a set meal.

As described above, in the conventional system in which tableware and price correspond on a one-to-one basis, it is impossible to set a menu that satisfies the large number of customer requests for water rupture due to the restrictions imposed by the tableware.

[Purpose of the invention]

In view of the above, the present invention provides an information processing system for a cafeteria, which reduces restrictions from tableware and allows easy setting of various menus when automatically calculating charges using a television camera or the like. The purpose is to

[Summary of the Invention A] The present invention uses trays that can be identified for each type of set meal and free menu, and selects a method and makes a reservation according to which tray is used. The fee is calculated using the selected fee calculation method using the preset fj: various information regarding the utensils and the set meal.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Possible menus for a cafeteria include a set meal, a set meal, and a set meal plus a set meal, and there are also several types of set meals. Therefore, in the present invention, the trays used are made to be able to be identified differently for various set meals and free menus (N-value items), and the trays used are identified and the charge calculation method is made different.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the information processing system for a cafeteria according to the present invention.
3 indicates a tray, and 14 indicates a lamp. In the present invention, since the television camera 8 is not limited to the one using the thread end of tableware, the television camera 8 may be placed above the tray 13 as shown in the figure, or the tray 13 may be placed above the tray 13. Although it may be placed under the tray 13 as a semi-transparent one, it is arranged so that at least the tray 13 is completely within the visual field. This TV camera 8
As a result, the tray 13 and tableware 12 are scanned, and the bright and dark images are sent to the discrimination circuit 9 as an imaging signal. When the tray 13 is imaged with a television camera, the edges are detected as bright and dark images.

The discrimination circuit 9 is configured using a microcomputer, and based on the imaging signal from the television camera 8, identifies the tray identification information (for example, the size of the tray, such as the area 9 and the circumference of the tray, the pattern, color, and identification mark provided on the tray). etc.) and tableware identification information (
For example, the area of tableware.

Based on the identification information of the tray and tableware requested to have the ability to mark (size such as circumference, diameter, pattern or color provided on the tableware, identification mark placed on the bottom of the tableware, or size of thread ends, etc.) It also has a function to calculate charges. The functions realized by the software of this discrimination circuit 9 will be explained using the functional block diagram of FIG. The video signal from the television camera 8 is added to the identification information detection means 157 to detect the identification information of the tray and tableware. As this identification information detection means 15, a known pattern recognition method for separating and identifying a plurality of patterns existing on one screen of a television camera can be used. There is a method that extracts contours by tracing points at a level above a certain threshold in a clockwise direction, or a segment method, in which the screen is divided by scanning lines and points above a threshold level in the scanning line direction are extracted. There is a method of extracting one continuous pattern by checking whether segments of points overlap each scanning line. As the segment method, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-256
What is disclosed in No. 34 can be used. Identification information of the tray determined by this identification information detection means 15,
For example, the tray size is compared with all determination information stored in the storage means 17 in the calculation method selection means 16, and a calculation method is selected according to the tray size. This calculation method is set in advance depending on the payment items and various set meals. Then, according to the selected calculation method, the price calculation means 18 uses the identification information of the tableware determined by the identification information detection means 15, for example, the payment item information stored in the tableware size storage means 17, and the set meal determination information.
The price is determined by

Next, the calculation method selection means and price calculation means realized by liftware will be specifically explained. In addition, in the explanation of the following examples, set meal A,
B, a case where there is set meal 80seihe item, set meal B + payment item, and payment item only will be explained. Here, the set meal with ten items is a set meal with several a la carte dishes added to it, and the item only with a set meal is a set meal in which a la carte menu is freely selected.

In the present invention, in order to calculate charges, the information shown in FIG. 4(a) is stored in the memory (not shown) of the discrimination circuit 9.

A total determination table, a set meal A determination table, a set meal B determination table, and a payment item table as shown in (b), (c) + (d) are provided. The complete judgment table shown in Figure 4(a) shows the correspondence between tray sizes Kichi set meals A, B, and ATISK products.By referring to this cheaple, set meals A, B, #"/; n-item identification is performed. For set meal A (or B) ten items, by using the same tray as set meal A (or B), this entire judgment table can be used. Set meal A
or identified as B. Figure 4 (+)l, (C)
The size of tableware included in the set meal and the price of the set meal are written in the set meal A judgment table and the set meal B judgment table shown in FIG. In addition, the billing item table shown in FIG. 4 (dl) has two corresponding tableware sizes and prices written for single-dish meals, and this table is used to calculate the price of a single-dish meal from the tableware size.

The operation of the discriminating circuit 9 when calculating prices using the tables a shown in FIG. 4 will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 5.

First, the size of the tray and tableware are calculated based on the video signal (!: (Step S1), then set meal A is determined from the tray size with reference to the entire determination table.

Set meal B and settlement are identified (step 82).

Here, if it is determined to be a payment machine, all the tableware on the way is for a la carte dishes, so the price of the part corresponding to the tableware size is read out from the payment machine table shown in Figure 4(d) and totaled. Depart for machine 1o (step s3). In the aggregation machine 10, the respective prices outputted from the determination circuit 9 are totaled, and the total price is displayed on the display device 11. Further, if it is determined that the set meal is A in step S2, it is determined whether it is the set meal A or the set meal A plus payment item by referring to the set meal A determination table shown in FIG. 4 (bl) (step s4). This determination is performed by comparing each tableware size in the process with each food size in the set meal A judgment table, and in the case of set meal A, each tableware size of both of them corresponds perfectly with 1 to I, and set meal A is determined. If it is an A10 payment item, the payment machine is not written in the set meal A determination table, so there is a mismatch.

If it is determined that they match in step S4, set meal A
Therefore, the price of set meal A written in the set meal A judgment table is read out regardless of the size of each tableware, and is output to the tally machine 10. Step 85) The price of set meal A is displayed on the display device 11. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a mismatch in step S4, there is a checkout machine in addition to set meal A, so please refer to the checkout machine table for dishes of mismatched tableware sizes or items that are unsuitable. The price of the corresponding portion is read out and output to the aggregation machine 10 (step s6), and the price of the set meal A written in the set meal A judgment table is also read out from the set meal A portion and output to the aggregation machine 10 (step s6). Step S7).

In the tallying machine 10, the price of the adjustment machine outputted from the discrimination circuit 9 and the price of the set meal A are combined and displayed on the display device 11. Regarding the process when the set meal B is determined in step S2, the same process as the set meal A is performed in step S8 using the set meal B determination table of FIG. 4(C). s9
．． Since this is done in S10.811, the explanation will be omitted.

If color is used as identification information for trays and tableware, a color image pickup tube may be used as a television camera to identify the color information from the video signal.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to use the same tableware for the set meal and the tableware for the payment machine, regardless of price. For example, as shown in FIG.
Suppose you use Even if you select set meal A and payment items a and b as a menu, the price of the remaining food after subtracting the set meal A portion is calculated by referring to the payment machine table, so regardless of the price, you can distinguish between set meal and payment machine. You can use the same tableware.

According to the present invention, after setting the magnetic card using a magnetic card, the tray on which tableware is placed is set at the imaging position of the television camera, and the charge is calculated as described above.
By registering this calculated fee on the magnetic card or subtracting it from the amount registered on the magnetic card, it is possible to realize a cashless cafeteria information processing system using a magnetic card in a company cafeteria or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, trays that can be identified for each type of set meal and free menu are used, and the counting method is different depending on the tray, and the price of each tableware is not calculated for set meals. As a result, the tableware used for the set meal can be the same as the tableware used for the payment machine without increasing the price, and there is no need for many tableware 711. Further, even if the contents of the side dishes for the set meal are changed, it is only necessary to change the size of the tableware used for the set meal, so the menu can be easily changed.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to utilize the identification information of the tray. As a result, the restrictions imposed by conventional tableware can be significantly reduced, and it is possible to set a menu that satisfies many demands from customers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional information processing system for a cafeteria.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the information processing system for a cafeteria according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram for explaining the function of the discrimination circuit in the system of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing various types of information processing systems used in the system of the present invention. The configuration diagram of the table, FIG. 5, shows an operation flowchart of the system of the present invention. 1.8 TV camera, 2,9...discrimination circuit, 3.10
Tally machine, 4, 11 Display device, 5.12 Tableware, 6.
】3 tray, 7.14 lamp, 15 identification information detection means, 16 calculation method selection means, 17 storage means. 18 Price calculation means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (2) Imaging means for taking images of trays configured to be identifiable for each set meal and free menu and tableware throughout the country, and identification for calculating identification information of the trays and tableware based on imaging signals from the imaging means. information detection means, tray judgment information indicating the correspondence between the magazine identification information and the price calculation method, payment item information indicating the correspondence between the tableware identification information and the price, and the contents of each set meal;
a storage means for storing set meal determination information indicating a price; a calculation method selection means for selecting a price calculation power method based on the tray identification information from the identification information detection means and the tray determination information of the storage means; For use in a cafeteria, the system is characterized by comprising a calculation method selected by a calculation method selection means, tableware identification information, billed item information in the storage means, and an interest calculation means for calculating a fee based on set meal determination information. Information processing system.