KR102236052B1 - Smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing cover interlocked with scanning product and smart shopping using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a smart shopping cart with a product scan-connected automatic opening/closing cover and a smart shopping method using the same. The smart shopping cart with a product scan-connected automatic opening/closing cover includes the following steps of: decoding a barcode attached on a product; searching for product information corresponding to the decoded barcode; opening a cover of the shopping cart when decoding the barcode; sensing the loading of the product into the opened shopping cart; filming a loading procedure of the product when sensing the product; calculating calculation data based on the discovered product information and the sensed product loading; displaying a non-calculated product loading guide message when sensing the loading of the product into the shopping cart before the decoding of the barcode after the calculation of the calculation data; and, if there is a call from a customer during the display of the non-calculated product loading guide message, remotely opening the cover and confirming the discharge of the non-calculated product through the video filming part, and then, deleting an item of the non-calculated product from the calculation data. Therefore, the present invention is capable of reducing time for payment at a POS.

Description

Smart shopping cart with automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning and smart shopping method using it {SMART SHOPPING CART WITH AUTOMATIC OPENING AND CLOSING COVER INTERLOCKED WITH SCANNING PRODUCT AND SMART SHOPPING USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a smart shopping cart with an automatic cover linked to product scanning, and a smart shopping method using the same, and more specifically, a wireless transmission communication module is mounted on a smart shopping cart, and a product is installed in a barcode scanner attached to a smart shopping cart by a customer. The present invention relates to a smart shopping cart system with an automatic cover linked to product scanning that transmits purchase product information to a shopping mall control unit to make payment at a point of sale (POS) simply and quickly, and a smart shopping method using the same.

In general, in department stores or large discount stores, in order to increase the efficiency of store management and increase shopping convenience for customers, barcodes are attached to all products displayed in the store so that the calculation can be processed at the right time.

The barcode attached to each product includes information on the product name, packaging standard, and price, and the customer puts each product with such a barcode in a shopping cart and moves to the checkout counter to determine the value of the product purchased by the customer. In order to calculate, the barcode attached to each product is read with a barcode reader, and the product value is automatically calculated by grasping information on the type and price of the product.

However, in the case of large discount stores, there is a problem in that the number of customers using discount stores is large, and in particular, the number of customers waiting for checkout at the checkout counter is too large during a time when many shoppers are crowded, so that the customer waits longer.

And, in most cases, the name and price of the product is displayed on each product displayed in the discount store store, but in some cases, the product without the price is displayed on the shelf, so that the customer cannot purchase the product. Often hesitates.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a mobile barcode calculation system mounted on a shopping cart has been devised, for example, Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-0122629 (published date: October 20, 2014) cited as a prior document. 1 discloses a concept in which a barcode reader is attached to a shopping cart, and Utility Registration No. 20-0193643 (published date: June 13, 2000) cited as another prior document is illustrated in FIG. As shown in 2, the product information read through the barcode reader 30 that reads the information of the barcode attached to the product is displayed to the customer through the display 40, and a voice guide is output through the speaker 40. , The operation for reading and calculating product information is performed through the keypad 60, and the data on the product purchased by the customer identified by using the barcode reader 30 is transmitted through the transmission unit 20 to the receiving unit of the cash register 70 ( 75) is disclosed.

However, in the technology disclosed in the above-described prior literature, there is no way to check even if a user intentionally displays a barcode for theft or the like and puts an additional quantity or item in a cart.

In addition, even if it is not intentionally, if you put it in a cart without scanning with a barcode reader, such as a companion or child, you may unintentionally be suspicious of theft.

Publication Patent Publication No. 2014-0122629 (Publication date: October 20, 2014) Registered Utility Bulletin No. 20-0193643 (Publication date: June 13, 2000)

The present invention does not re-scan and settle the products contained in the smart shopping cart at the final cash register equipped with a POS machine, but by using a product scan-linked automatic opening/closing cover to accurately check and settle the purchased items by placing the scanned product in the cart, POS checkout counter An object of the present invention is to provide a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning that can shorten the payment time required earlier, and a smart shopping method using the same.

In addition, for the purpose of providing a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning that can prevent theft, that is, that unsettled products are contained in a smart shopping cart and leaked out of the store, and a smart shopping method using the same. do.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a smart shopping cart with a product scan linking automatic opening/closing cover capable of providing proof video for determination when there is a dispute related to shopping, and a smart shopping method using the same.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in a smart shopping cart having a cover that is automatically opened or closed in conjunction with scanning a product, a barcode scanner for reading a barcode attached to the product, and the product in a product loading box A product detection sensor that detects loading, a data storage unit that stores product information of at least one product, product information retrieved from the data storage unit based on the barcode, and quantity detected by the product detection sensor A display unit that displays the settlement data calculated based on, and an opening/closing driving unit to open the cover when the barcode of the product is read by the barcode scanner, and the product detection sensor in the state where the automatic cover is opened. When the loading of the product is detected, the product scan-linked automatic opening/closing cover including a cart control unit for retrieving product information of the product from the data storage unit, displaying the settlement data on the display unit, and controlling to close the cover Provide a smart shopping cart.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, when the cart control unit and the product detection sensor detects loading of a product that has not been scanned by the barcode scanner, an unpaid product detection message is sent to the display unit. It provides a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning, characterized in that further controlling to output.

In addition, according to another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the product information stored in the data storage unit further includes standard information corresponding to the barcode of the product, and the product detection sensor includes a natural number M, Consisting of a grid sensor of M×N for N, the product detection sensor detects the product as many as the number of grids corresponding to the product standard, and the cart control unit scans the barcode scanner from the standard information and the number of grids. Product scanning, characterized in that the display unit further controls the display unit to determine whether the product standard of product information corresponding to the barcode is matched with the product standard detected by the product detection sensor, and to display a non-match message if the product does not match. It controls a smart shopping cart with an interlocking automatic opening and closing cover.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, when the loading of the product is detected by the detection sensor, the automatic opening and closing of the product scan linkage, characterized in that it further comprises a video recording unit for photographing the loading process of the product. Offers a smart shopping cart with a cover.

In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having a cover that is automatically opened and closed only when a product is scanned, the method comprising: reading a barcode attached to a product by a barcode scanner; Searching, by the cart controller, product information corresponding to the read barcode; Opening the cover by the cart controller when the barcode is read; Sensing, by a product detection sensor, that a product is loaded in the opened shopping cart; Recording the loading process of the product as a video through a video recording unit when the product is detected; Calculating, by the cart control unit, settlement data based on product information retrieved from the data storage unit and product loading detected by the product detection sensor; Displaying, by the cart control unit, an unpaid product loading guide message on a display unit when the shopping cart detects that a product is loaded in the shopping cart after the calculation of the settlement data and before the barcode is read; And the cart controller confirms that the unsettled product is discharged through the step of remotely opening the cover and photographing the video if a customer calls while displaying the unsettled product loading guide message, and the settlement data It provides a shopping method using a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning, including: deleting the item of the unpaid product from the product.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the step of determining whether a product standard of product information corresponding to the read barcode matches a product standard detected when the product is loaded, and the product standard If this does not match, it provides a shopping method using a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning, further comprising the step of displaying a non-matching guide message through the display unit and generating an alarm sound or a voice guide message through a speaker. do.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the step of wirelessly recognizing the identifier of the shopping cart when the shopping cart approaches, and the settlement data corresponding to the wirelessly recognized identifier from the shopping mall control unit. The step of inquiring, determining whether the inquired settlement data is normal data, and generating an abnormal settlement data guidance message if the inquired settlement data is not normal data, and the customer during the abnormal settlement data guidance If there is a call, remotely opening the cover and confirming that the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit, deleting the item of the unsettled product from the settlement data, and the price corresponding to the settlement data It provides a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning, including the step of processing a payment and opening an entrance of the shopping cart when the payment is officially cleared.

According to the present invention, the automatic opening/closing device operates when scanning a product, and by displaying the scanned product purchase list, it saves time to scan the product once again to calculate the product price, and saves space because a separate checkout counter is not configured. It is possible to save and have the effect of enabling efficient operation of related personnel.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent theft by preventing unpaid products from being put into the smart shopping cart by the user's party or the like or by the customer's misunderstanding, and also to prevent disputes with customers regarding whether or not they are stolen. There is an effect.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the settlement is completed in the shopping cart when a product is put in the smart shopping cart, there is an effect of shortening the payment time at the POS.

In addition, according to the present invention, since a video is recorded every time a product is put in a smart shopping cart, there is an effect of providing a video evidence for judgment when there is a dispute related to shopping.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the payment is proceeded only when the smart shopping cart is settled normally when the smart shopping cart is accessed, and the entrance is opened only when the normal payment is completed, it is possible to prevent theft of all or part of the product even during self-payment by customers. There is an effect that can be.

In connection with the following drawings, equivalent or similar elements or elements having equivalent or similar functions are indicated by equivalent or similar reference numerals in the following description. In the drawings, the same or functionally equivalent elements are assigned the same reference numerals, and thus, repeated descriptions of elements provided with the same reference numerals may be omitted. Accordingly, descriptions provided for elements having the same or similar reference numbers are interchangeable.
1 is an exemplary view showing an example of a cart with a barcode reader according to the prior art.
2 is a block diagram showing a calculation system using a cart with a barcode reader according to the prior art.
3 is a conceptual diagram of a shopping system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exemplary diagram of a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5A and 5B are front and rear exemplary views of a cart settlement module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a block diagram of a shopping system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flow chart of a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a payment process in a POS unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the following, details are presented to provide a more thorough description of the exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.

In addition, well-known structures and devices are shown schematically or in block diagram form rather than in detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiment, and the method is also shown in block designation for each step.

Further, unless specifically stated otherwise, features of different embodiments described below may be combined with each other.

In this regard, in each step of the method or in each block of the system in which the method is implemented, "top", "bottom", "bottom", "forward", "behind", "backward", "leading", "following" Directional terms such as, "above", etc., may be used with reference to the direction of the time ranking diagram and the described drawings, and because some configurations may be arranged in different orientations according to embodiments, the direction term is used for the purpose of illustration. It is never limited.

In addition, it should be understood that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope defined by the claims. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be construed in a limiting sense.

When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another component, it will be understood that it may be directly connected or coupled to the other component, or there may be an intervening component. Conversely, when one component is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another component, there are no intervening components. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar way (eg, "between" versus "directly between", "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent", etc.).

In the embodiments described herein or shown in the drawings, any direct electrical connection or coupling, i.e., any connection or coupling without additional intervening elements, is also an indirect connection or coupling, i.e., connection with one or more additional intervening elements. Or it can be implemented by combination, or vice versa, as long as the general purpose of the connection or combination, for example, for transmitting a specific type of signal or for transmitting a specific type of information, is essentially maintained. Features from different embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments. For example, variations or modifications described in connection with one of the embodiments may be applied to other embodiments, unless otherwise stated.

A sensor may refer to a component that converts a physical quantity to be measured into an electrical signal, for example a current signal or a voltage signal.

In the embodiments to be described later, terms such as "customer", "consumer", "guest", "buyer", terms such as "goods", "goods", "objects", "stolen goods", "stolen goods", Terms including the same or similar meanings, such as terms such as "unsettled product", terms such as "cart", "shopping cart" (including "cart settlement module" in some embodiments), are interchangeable depending on the context. Therefore, it may be used selectively and is not intended to exclude other terms.

Hereinafter, a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover linked to a product scan according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

3 is a conceptual diagram of a shopping system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram of a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover linked to a product scan according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5b is an exemplary front and rear view of a cart settlement module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a shopping system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3 and 6, a shopping system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is largely a smart shopping cart 100, a cart settlement module 200, a network 300, a shopping mall control unit 400, a POS ( It consists of a point of sales) unit 500.

First, the smart shopping cart 100 is a handcart made to easily carry items purchased at a mart, and in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an automatic cover 110, an opening/closing driver 120, and a card tag 130 are provided. It consists of including.

The automatic cover 100 is provided at the top of the article loading box of the smart shopping cart 100, and may be configured as, for example, a cover capable of automatically opening and closing of a sliding type, and is opened or closed by the driving of the opening/closing driving unit 120. That is, in order to prevent the loading of unnecessary (unsettled or unrecognized) items in the item loading box in the smart shopping cart 100, it is provided at the top of the item loading box of the smart shopping cart 100.

For example, when the automatic cover 100 is a sliding type, the opening/closing driving unit 120 may be implemented as an opening/closing driving device for a common sliding door such as a rail, a latch, a spring, a chain, etc., and the cart of the cart settlement module 200 The automatic cover 110 is driven open or closed based on the opening/closing driving control of the controller 220.

The cart tag 130 may be composed of a chip including a cart identifier capable of identifying a cart, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), and is embedded in a predetermined portion of the cart. Here, the cart tag 130 is provided in the cart settlement module 200, the shopping mall control unit 400, and the POS unit 500 to identify a specific shopping cart 130 among the plurality of shopping carts 130.

On the other hand, the cart settlement module 200 is installed between one end of the smart shopping cart 100, for example, between the handle and the product box, as shown in FIG. 4, and scans the front part, that is, a barcode, as shown in FIG. 5A. The portion where the barcode scanner 210 and the moving picture photographing unit 270 for capturing a video are provided faces toward the product loading box, and the rear portion as shown in FIG. 5B, that is, a display unit that can visually check the settlement details that the customer is shopping ( The part where the 240 is provided is mounted to face the customer, and the barcode scanner 210, the cart control unit 220, the data storage unit 230, the display unit 240, the cart speaker 250, and the product detection sensor 260 ), a video recording unit 270, a cart communication unit 280, and a manual operation unit 290.

The barcode scanner 210 is installed on the front side of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 5A and is configured to read a barcode attached to the product and provide information on the type and price of the product to the cart control unit 220. That is, to all products sold in the shopping mall, information on the product name, packaging standard, price, etc. is attached in the form of a barcode made of a code by combining bars of different thicknesses, and the barcode scanner 210 The barcode is irradiated with light, converted into an electronic signal from the intensity of the reflected light, and applied to the cart control unit 220. Since the barcode scanner 210 can accurately input overall product information by simply scanning the barcode attached to the product, it is efficient for product settlement and inventory management.

The cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 and the cart settlement module 200 included in the shopping cart.

That is, the cart control unit 220 controls the opening of the opening/closing driving unit 120 so that the automatic cover 110 is opened when the barcode of the product is scanned from the barcode scanner 210 and applied as an electrical signal. At the same time, the cart control unit 220 retrieves and displays product information from the POS 500 or stored in the data storage unit 230 through the communication unit 280 based on the read information applied from the barcode scanner 210. The display unit 240 is controlled so that the product name and price information are displayed on the unit 240.

In addition, when the loading of the product is detected by the product detection sensor 260 to be described later, the cart control unit 220 adds 1 to the quantity of the scanned product immediately before product detection. In this case, when more than one product is detected by the product detection sensor 260, the cart control unit 220 may register by adding 1 quantity of scanned products and 1 quantity of unpaid products.

At this time, when the unsettled product is registered, the cart control unit 220 displays a separate classification for the unsettled product, for example, a text color change, a shading treatment, a product display such as a thickness change, for example, a price item such as "unsettlement". In addition to controlling the display unit 240 so as to display an unsettlement note, or separately, the cart speaker 250 may be controlled to output a speaker alarm sound or a voice guidance message.

In addition, the cart control unit 220 transmits the scanned barcode information from the barcode scanner 210 and the quantity information detected from the product detection sensor 260 to the shopping mall control unit 400 via the network 300. 280).

In addition, when a'release (manual)' signal is applied from the manual operation unit 290, according to the operation of the manual operation unit 290, the scanned barcode information of the barcode scanner 210 and detected by the product detection sensor 260 The settlement data based on the quantity information is corrected or reset, that is, normal data temporarily stored in the data storage unit 230 is corrected or reset.

In addition, when the barcode information scanned from the barcode scanner 210 is applied, the cart control unit 220 controls the moving image photographing unit 270 to start photographing, and the product detection sensor 260 When a detection signal is applied, the video capture unit 270 may be controlled to stop video capture. The video captured in this way may be stored in a memory (not shown) in the video capture unit 270 or in the data storage unit 230, and may be used as an evidence image in the event of a theft dispute with a customer.

In addition, the cart controller 220 may control all matters related to the settlement of products loaded in the cart.

Meanwhile, the data storage unit 230 may store information on products sold in the shopping mall, such as barcodes, product names, product prices, event information, and the like. In addition, settlement information based on the barcode information scanned by the barcode scanner 210 and the quantity information detected by the product detection sensor 260, that is, the settlement information currently shopping (settlement) is temporarily Can be saved.

In addition, the product information stored in the data storage unit 230 may be configured to update the previously stored data by receiving data from the shopping mall control unit 400, for example, before the start of business or periodically. If configured in this way, it can be updated by reflecting the price of the product, events, etc. that change every day.

The display unit 240 is installed on the rear side (ie, the customer's side) of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 5B, and is a light emitting diode (LED) display device, a liquid crystal display (LCD) display device, and an organic light (OLED). Emitting Diodes) can be implemented by employing a known display device, including a display device and the like, and includes a graphic processing device thereof. In addition, under the control of the cart control unit 220, the main function is to display the settlement details of the products loaded in the product loading box of the cart during the current shopping, and display guidance messages or error messages that occur during other settlements, The current settlement status and error status can be visually provided to the customer.

The cart speaker 250 is composed of a speaker and a speaker driving device, and under the control of the cart controller 220, a confirmation sound that enables a customer to recognize that scanning is completed by the barcode scanner 210, and a product detection sensor 260 ), at least one of a confirmation sound to recognize that the product has been put into the product loading box, a voice guidance sound for the settlement history displayed on the display, a warning sound to warn the customer of an error such as the input of unpaid products, or a voice guidance message. One can be provided aurally to the customer. Accordingly, the customer can easily recognize a specific operation performed during the settlement process.

The product detection sensor 260 includes a plurality of sensors capable of detecting the transit of a product in a grid in which a plurality of horizontal lines and a plurality of vertical lines are orthogonal to each other, such as 2×2, 3×4, 4×8, etc. It may be composed of a sensor, etc., by detecting that the product is loaded into the product loading box through the automatic cover 110, and transmits the detected signal (ie, gamchi information or quantity information) to the cart control unit 220. The product detection sensor 260 is preferably disposed on the upper end of the smart shopping cart 100 as close as possible to the automatic cover 110 in order to secure the product loading space as much as possible.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the standard information is included in the product information corresponding to the barcode, and based on the product signal detected from the product detection sensor 260, the cart control unit 220 calculates the quantity of the loaded product. Can be configured. In this case, after recognizing one barcode, even if a plurality of quantities are put into the product loading box, there is an effect of recognizing the excess quantity (unsettled quantity).

The moving picture photographing unit 270 is installed on the front part (ie, the cart side) of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 5A, and is implemented as a moving picture camera that shoots a moving picture, and according to the control of the cart controller 220, A process in which the product is loaded in the product loading box via the automatic cover 110 is photographed, and the photographed video is stored in its own memory (not shown) or in the data storage unit 230. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after a normal payment is completed or a video stored at a preset time (eg, when the store is closed) may be deleted. That is, since the amount of data in the video is large, after the normal payment is completed, the need for evidence or the like in case of a theft issue is eliminated. Therefore, it is desirable to delete it periodically in order to utilize the data storage space.

The cart communication unit 280 is implemented using a known wireless transmission/reception device capable of wirelessly transmitting and receiving data to and from the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 300, and settlement data in which shopping is in progress through the cart settlement module 200. Is transmitted to the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 400 in real time. In addition, the cart communication unit 280 transmits a manual operation signal applied by the manual operation unit 290 to be described later to the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 400.

The manual control unit 290 may be implemented as a physical keypad or a touchpad-type keypad implemented in software on the display unit 240, for example, to manually manipulate a “call” button for calling an employee and other settlement operations. It may be configured to include function keys for, and generates a key signal corresponding to a customer's operation and applies it to the cart control unit 220.

Meanwhile, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by interlocking with the locking device of the smart shopping cart 100, the cart settlement module 200 is turned on when the locking device is released, and the cart settlement when locked by the locking device The module 200 may further include a switching unit (not shown) configured to be turned off. In this configuration, when the shopping cart 200 is not in use, by turning off the cart settlement module 200 of the shopping cart, the driving time of the power supply unit operating the cart settlement module 200 can be extended. There is.

On the other hand, the network 300 is a wired or wireless network built in a shopping mall, for example, a wired network in the shopping mall between the shopping mall control unit 400 and the POS unit 500, and installed in the smart shopping cart 100 Depending on the shopping mall scale, the cart settlement module 200 and the shopping mall control unit 400 have a short range of Wifi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), and a long range. ) Can be implemented using LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) and LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technologies that can connect to the Internet of Things (IoT). In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, according to the design of the system, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value added network (VAN), and personal short-range wireless communication (Personal Area Network; PAN), mobile radio communication network, Wibro (Wireless Broadband Internet), Mobile WiMAX, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), or any kind of wired/wireless network such as satellite communication network. I can.

The shopping mall control unit 400 interlocks and controls the cart settlement module 200 and the POS unit 500 through the network 300, and based on the settlement data received from the cart settlement module 200, the POS unit 500 Control payment, and based on the "call" signal of the cart settlement module 200, the cart settlement module 200 is remotely controlled, the settlement information of the POS unit 500 may be modified, or an employee may be called. .

In addition, the shopping mall control unit 400 integrates and manages sales information, inventory management, payment management, etc. of all products in the shopping mall, and can be implemented using a known control system.

The POS unit 500 includes a cart recognition unit 510, a POS control unit 520, a POS communication unit 530, an exit switch 540, a POS speaker 550, and a payment unit 560, and a cart The settlement details made in the settlement module 200 are provided to the shopping mall control unit 400 to process the final payment of the customer. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it may be configured to open the outlet when a normal payment is made in connection with the outlet opening and closing device 540.

The cart recognition unit 510 is a wireless recognition reader, and may be implemented using a known wireless recognition technology such as RFID, and recognizes the cart tag 130 mounted on the smart shopping cart 100 to recognize the smart shopping cart 100. Are identified, and the identification information is applied to the POS control unit 520. For example, the cart tag 130 includes a unique identifier (hereinafter, referred to as a cart identifier) assigned to each smart shopping cart 100, and the cart recognition unit 510 performs smart shopping based on the unique identifier of the cart. Recognize the cart 100. This cart identifier is shared with the cart settlement module 200 and the shopping mall control unit 400, so that the cart settlement module 200, the shopping mall control unit 400, and the POS unit 500 are the same for the same cart identifier. Recognize the smart shopping cart 100.

The POS control unit 520 is a payment unit 560 to pay the price based on the cart identification information authorized from the cart recognition unit 510 and the settlement information received from the shopping control unit 400 through the network 300. And controls the outlet switch 540 so that the outlet switch 540 is opened when a normal payment is made.

In addition, the POS control unit 520 is based on the cart identification information authorized from the cart recognition unit 510 and the settlement information received from the shopping control unit 400 through the network 300, when an error occurs in payment , For example, the POS speaker 550 is controlled to output an alarm sound or a guide message when an unpaid product is included.

The POS communication unit 530 transmits and receives data with the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 300, and in particular, transmits the cart identifier identified by the cart recognition unit 510 to the shopping mall control unit 400 to request settlement information. Then, the shopping mall control unit 400 receives normal information of the corresponding cart.

The exit opener 540 is composed of a door and a door drive system, is opened or closed according to the control of the POS controller 520, and can be implemented as a known automatic opening door.

The payment unit 550 may be implemented as a cash payment unit including a cash input unit, a cash identification unit, or a cart payment unit that performs cart payment through a connection with a remote card company payment server (not shown), and a specific smart shopping cart ( The amount corresponding to the settlement data in the cart settlement module 200 mounted on 100) is received in cash or received from a card company.

The POS speaker 560 is composed of a speaker and a speaker drive system, and, under the control of the POS controller 520, audibly outputs an alarm sound or a voice guidance message.

Hereinafter, a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening/closing cover linked to product scanning according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

7 is a flow chart of a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart with a product scan linking automatic opening/closing cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a payment settlement at a POS unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a flow chart showing the process.

Referring to FIG. 7, by operating a switch provided in the cart settlement module 200 mounted on the smart shopping cart 100, the cart settlement module is turned on (S110). At this time, it is preferable that the smart shopping cart 100 is closed in order to prevent trash from being thrown in the product loading box in the turn-off state after the previous use.

In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by interlocking with the locking device of the smart shopping cart 100, the cart settlement module 200 is turned on when the locking device is released, and the cart settlement when locked by the locking device The module 200 may be configured to be turned off. In this configuration, when the shopping cart 200 is not in use, by turning off the cart settlement module 200 of the shopping cart, the driving time of the power supply unit operating the cart settlement module 200 can be extended. There is.

In this case, although not shown, the cart control unit 220 may generate a shopping start signal and transmit the cart identifier to the shopping item control unit 400 through the network 300 by the cart communication unit 280. Accordingly, the shopping mall control unit 400 recognizes that shopping is performed in the corresponding smart shopping cart 100.

In step S110, while shopping is being performed while the cart settlement module 200 is turned on, when a customer picks up a product and approaches the barcode attached to the product to the barcode scanner 210, the barcode scanner 210 starts from the barcode of the product. The reflected signal is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the cart control unit 220 as barcode information (S120).

In step S120, the cart control unit 220 receiving the barcode information from the barcode scanner 210 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to open the automatic cover 110. Accordingly, the opening/closing driving unit 120 opens the automatic cover 110.

Meanwhile, the cart control unit 220 searches for product information from the data storage unit 230 based on the barcode information received from the barcode scanner 210. Here, in the data storage unit 230, all product information received from the shopping mall control unit 400 is updated and stored in a predetermined time unit. Thereafter, the cart control unit 220 controls the display unit 240 to display product information retrieved from the data storage unit 230, for example, product name, product option (type, size, etc.), product price, event availability, etc. . As a result, it may be shown on the display unit 240, for example, as shown in Table 1 below (S130). At this time, as shown in FIG. 1 below, since the quantity has not been confirmed, the quantity, product price, and total amount may not be displayed.

Meanwhile, in step S130, the cart control unit 220 times the elapsed time after opening the automatic cover 110 (S140). At this time, a system timer (not shown) may be used for timing.

When the time timed in step S140 reaches a preset time, for example, 30 seconds (S150), the cart controller 220 controls the display unit 240 to display a guide message indicating that the product loading time has elapsed. (S150).

In addition, with step S155, the cart controller 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to close the automatic cover 110, and the automatic cover is closed by driving the opening/closing driving unit 120 (S225).

On the other hand, before reaching a preset time in step S150, when the product scanned by the customer by the barcode scanner 210 passes through the opened automatic cover 110 and is loaded into the product loading box of the smart shopping cart 100, the product detection sensor The 260 detects the loaded product and applies a detection signal to the cart control unit 220 (S160).

Subsequently, the cart controller 220 receiving the product detection signal from the product detection sensor 260 determines whether the product standard matches the detection signal and the product information searched in step S130 (S170).

That is, the product information stored in the data storage unit 230 further includes product standard information, and the product detection sensor 260 is configured to detect the product standard. For example, assuming that the standard information included in the product information is a size detected by four horizontal and vertical grids, it is determined whether there are four grids detected by the product detection sensor 260, and if it is more than or less than four, The cart controller 220 may determine that the product contained in the product loading box does not match the scanned product.

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a case where a settled product (scanned product) and an unsettled product (not scanned product) are loaded together in the smart shopping cart 100, and when other products are loaded from the scanned product, etc. There is.

When a matching product is determined in step S170, the cart control unit 220 sets the quantity of settlement information displayed on the display unit 240 to 1, calculates the product price and the total amount, and then calculates the calculated quantity, product price, and The settlement information including the total amount is updated and stored in the data storage unit 230. In addition, the display unit 240 is controlled to display the updated settlement information. As a result, the display unit 240 is displayed as shown in Table 2 below (S180).

In addition, with step S180, the cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to close the automatic cover 110, and the automatic cover is closed by driving the opening/closing driving unit 120 (S225).

In addition, the cart control unit 220 controls the cart communication unit 280 to transmit the updated storage information to the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 300, and the cart communication unit 280 is updated together with the cart identifier. The settlement information may be transmitted to the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 300. In addition, the shopping mall control unit 400 may store settlement information in correspondence with a corresponding identifier in the settlement database 400 stored therein. At this time, the network 300 is a short range Wifi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), and a long range Internet of Things (IoT: Internet), depending on the size of the shopping mall. of Things) connectionable LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network), LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technologies, etc. may be used.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S170 that the product specifications do not match, the cart control unit 220 displays a guide indicating that the scanned product and the loaded product are different from each other on the display unit 240 (S190).

In addition, the cart controller 220 controls the cart speaker 250 to guide an alarm sound or a message indicating "the product standard does not match" by voice (S200).

In step S200, when the customer presses the "call" button (S210), the manual operation unit 290 applies a call signal to the cart control unit 220, and the cart control unit 220 transmits a call signal including the cart identifier. The cart communication unit 280 is controlled, and the cart communication unit 280 transmits a call signal to the shopping mall control unit 400 through the network 300.

Upon receiving the call signal, the shopping mall control unit 400 remotely accesses the cart settlement module 200, opens the automatic cover 110, and is inconsistent (or unmatched) while viewing the image through the video recording unit 270. Recognition) After confirming that the product is taken out, the automatic cover 110 is closed again. In addition, the settlement data is updated to delete items for non-matching (or unrecognized) products taken out from the product loading box, and the display on the display unit 240 is also deleted (S220).

In addition, with step S220, the cart controller 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to close the automatic cover 110, and the automatic cover is closed by driving the opening/closing driving unit 120 (S225).

On the other hand, in step S120, the cart tag 130 is detected by the cart recognition unit 510 of the POS unit 500 (S230), and the payment is settled in the POS unit 500 through steps S310 to S340 of FIG. 8 to be described later. When is completed, the system control unit 400 transmits a payment completion message through the network 300 (S240).

In step S240, the cart communication unit 280 transmits the received payment completion message to the cart control unit 220, and the cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to open the automatic cover 110, and the opening/closing driving unit The automatic cover 110 is opened by the driving of 120 (S250). As a result, after the normal payment is completed, with the automatic cover 110 open, the customer can take out his or her own product.

In addition, the cart settlement module 200 may be turned off at the same time as step S250. As a result, power consumption in the cart settlement module 200 can be prevented.

On the other hand, in another embodiment of the present invention, when the shopping cart 200 is arranged in the shopping cart storage box, for example, in order to prevent garbage from being put in the product loading box of the shopping cart 200 to maintain cleanliness, When the locking device is locked to the neighboring shopping cart locking device, the automatic cover 200 of the shopping cart 100 may be closed.

Hereinafter, a payment process in the POS unit according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a payment process in a POS unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 8, when a customer pulls the smart shopping cart 100 and approaches the POS unit 500 for self-payment or cashier settlement, the cart recognition unit 510 of the POS unit 500 is a smart shopping cart. After wirelessly recognizing the cart identifier from the cart tag 130 mounted on 100, the recognized radio identifier information is transmitted to the POS control unit 520 (S310).

The POS control unit 520 receiving the cart identification information from the cart recognition unit 510 in step S310 causes the POS communication unit 530 to control the shopping mall through the network 300 with a request message for requesting settlement information including the corresponding cart identification information. By controlling the transmission to the unit 400, ?ah, the settlement data corresponding to the cart identifier is inquired (S320).

POS control unit 520 is based on the cart identification information received from the cart recognition unit 510 in step S310 and the settlement data received from the shopping mall control unit 400 in step S320, the settlement in the smart shopping cart 100 It is determined whether the data is normal (S330).

As a result of the determination of S330, if the settlement data in the corresponding smart shopping cart 100 is normal, the payment unit 550 is controlled to pay the amount corresponding to the settlement data. The payment payment unit 560 receives the amount corresponding to the settlement data in the cart settlement module 200 mounted on the smart shopping cart 100 in cash or receives it from a card company (S340).

When the normal payment is completed in step S340, the POS control unit 520 controls the exit switch 540 so that the exit in the closed state is opened, and the exit switch 540 is opened (S350).

In addition, the POS control unit 520 transmits a payment completion message to the shopping mall control unit 400, and the shopping mall control unit 400 receiving the payment completion message stores payment details corresponding to the smart shopping cart 100 , The settlement data is reset (deleted) (S360).

On the other hand, as a result of the determination of S330, when it is determined that there is an error in the settlement data, the POS controller 520 outputs a guide message indicating that there is an error in the settlement data to the customer through the POS speaker 560.

As a result, the customer solves the error through steps S260 and S270 of FIG. 7B (S370).

The smart shopping cart 100 whose settlement data error has been resolved in step S370 proceeds to step S340 and performs steps S340 to S360 described above.

Through the above-described process, theft can be prevented without hurting the customer's emotions by inducing customers who have loaded unpaid products in their shopping carts to pay excluding those unsettled products, and individual smart shopping carts ( 100) Since the product is loaded and settled in real time at the same time, there is an effect of shortening the payment time during payment at the POS unit.

The invention is not limited except for the appended claims and their equivalents. With respect to the various functions performed by the aforementioned components or structures (assemblies, devices, circuits, systems, etc.), the terms used to describe these components (including references to “means”) are not otherwise indicated. Unless it is structurally identical to the disclosed structure that performs a function in the exemplary implementation of the present invention exemplified herein, any component that performs a specific function of the described component (i.e., functionally equivalent) or It is intended to correspond to the structure.

In addition, the following claims are included in the detailed description, and each claim may exist on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment. While each claim may exist on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment (although a dependent claim may refer to a specific combination of one or more other claims in the claims), other exemplary embodiments may also refer to each other as dependent or independent claims. It should be noted that it may contain a combination of subject and dependent claims. Such combinations are not excluded herein unless it is stated that a particular combination is not intended. Furthermore, although this claim is not directly dependent on the independent claim, it is intended to cover the features of the claim for any other independent claim.

It should be noted that the methods disclosed in this specification or claims may be implemented by an apparatus having means for performing each of each operation of these methods.

In addition, it is to be understood that the disclosure of a number of acts or functions disclosed in the specification or claims may not be construed as being within a particular order. Therefore, the initiation of a plurality of operations or functions will not limit them in a particular order unless these operations or functions are interchangeable for technical reasons. In addition, in some embodiments, a single action may include a plurality of sub-actions or may be divided into multiple sub-actions. Unless explicitly excluded, these sub-acts may be included and may be part of the initiation of this single act.

Instructions include one or more central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs). field programmable logic array), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuits. Accordingly, the term “processor” as used herein refers to any one of the structures described above or any other structure suitable for implementation of the techniques described herein. Further, in some aspects, the functionality described herein may be provided within dedicated hardware and/or software modules. In addition, the technology can be fully implemented in one or more circuits or logic elements.

Accordingly, the techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented, at least in part, in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. For example, various aspects of the described technology may be implemented within one or more processors including one or more microprocessors, DSPs, ASICs, or any other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, as well as any combination of these elements. I can.

A control unit including hardware may also perform one or more of the techniques described in this disclosure. Such hardware, software, and firmware may be implemented in the same device or in separate devices to support the various technologies described in the present disclosure. The software may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such that the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes program code or program algorithm stored thereon, the program code or program algorithm, when executed, cause the computer program to cause a step of the method. To perform.

While various exemplary embodiments have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to achieve some of the advantages of the concepts disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other components performing the same function may be appropriately substituted. It should be understood that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that features described with reference to certain figures may be combined with features of other figures even if features not explicitly mentioned. Such modifications to the general concepts of the present invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

100: (Smart) Shopping Cart
110: automatic cover
120: opening and closing drive unit
130: cart tag
200: cart settlement module
210: barcode scanner
220: cart control unit
230: data storage unit
240: display unit
250: speaker
260: commodity detection sensor
270: video recording unit
280: Ministry of Communications
290: manual control panel
300: network
400: shopping mall control department
500: POS unit
510: Communication Department
520: cart recognition unit
530: Settlement Department
540: shopping mall exit
550: Payment unit
560: POS speaker

Claims (7)

delete delete delete delete In a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having a cover 110 that is automatically opened and closed only when a product is scanned,
Reading a barcode attached to the product by the barcode scanner 210;
A step of the cart control unit 220 searching for product information corresponding to the barcode read by the barcode scanner 210 in the data storage unit 230;
Opening the cover 110 by the cart control unit 220 when the barcode is read;
Sensing, by the product detection sensor 260, that a product is loaded in the smart shopping cart;
When a product is loaded in the smart shopping cart, photographing a process of loading the product as a video through a video recording unit 270;
Calculating, by the cart control unit 220, settlement data based on product information searched by the data storage unit 230 and whether or not the product is loaded by the product detection sensor 260;
When the product detection sensor 260 detects that the product is loaded in the smart shopping cart after the calculation data is calculated and before the barcode is read, the cart control unit 220 displays an unpaid product loading guidance message. 240); And
When the cart control unit 220 displays the unpaid product loading guide message, if there is a call from the customer, remotely opening the cover 110 and photographing the video to prevent the unpaid product from being discharged. After confirming, deleting the item of the unsettled product from the settlement data; including
Shopping method using a smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scanning.
The method of claim 5,
Determining, by the cart control unit 220, whether a product standard of product information corresponding to the read barcode matches a product standard detected when the product is loaded; And
If the product standard does not match, by the cart control unit 220, displaying a non-matching guide message through the display unit 240 and generating an alarm sound or a voice guidance message through the speaker 250; More inclusive
Shopping method using a smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scanning.
The method according to claim 5 or 6,
Wirelessly recognizing an identifier of the smart shopping cart in the cart controller 220 when the smart shopping cart approaches;
Inquiring, by the cart control unit 220, settlement data corresponding to the wirelessly recognized identifier from a shopping mall control unit;
Determining, by the cart control unit 220, whether the inquired settlement data is normal data;
Generating, by the cart control unit 220, an abnormal settlement data guide message if the inquired settlement data is not normal data;
The cart control unit 220, if there is a call from the customer during the abnormal settlement data guidance, remotely opens the cover and confirms that the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit 270, and then the settlement Deleting items of unsettled products from the data;
Processing, by the cart control unit 220, a payment corresponding to the settlement data; And
Including, the cart control unit 220, opening the entrance of the shopping cart when the payment is bureaucratic
Shopping method using a smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scanning.

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