RU2405203C2 - Method of handling sales to avoid queues at point-of-sale terminals in stores - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: information technology.

SUBSTANCE: method uses trolleys and grids in which there is a control device having a balance and/or scanner which can read information on the name of commodities, their price and weight, and ensure their wireless communication with a server. When approaching the point-of-sale terminal, the purchase control device determines the distance to the point-of-sale terminal corresponding to the end of purchasing and provides information on ordered commodities to the point-of-sale terminal through wireless communication, where a bill is created and payment is made.

EFFECT: monitoring purchases and automatic payment.

2 cl, 1 dwg

Description

Application area

The invention relates to methods for organizing sales in stores and can be used in super- and hypermarkets for organizing self-counting systems for purchases by customers.

State of the art

The big problem of modern super- and hypermarkets are the numerous lines at the box office during the "peak hours" of a mass call of the buyer. The reason for this is that in most medium and large retail establishments, the settlement function is performed by cashiers who serve settlement terminals connected in a network. The communication node of the network is a server that provides access to a database of prices and information about goods on demand coming from a terminal. Server and terminal software is very specific.

The prior art patent JP 2007058492 "SYSTEM OF TRADING CARS" is known. Allows the administrator to increase the number of cash personnel for taking measures, for example, opening free cash desks, at an early stage of queuing. SOLUTION: Shopping carts C1, C2, C3, when moving to the central line with communication equipment, interact with the base stations BS1, BS2, BS3 and BS4 installed in the store. Server 3 successfully measures the levels of registration of applications received from shopping carts C1, C2, C3, on the central line with communication equipment and refers to the file of the degree of congestion of section 6 and the backup table 8 to determine the location of the respective carts C1, C2, C3 with respect to the central lines. Next, server 3 calculates the average number of shopping carts in a certain area near the payment terminals POS1, POS2 and POS3, and if the value is set or more, server 3 notifies the administrator that an accumulation of carts has been detected near the payment terminals using a signal from the server 3, or in another similar manner. This solution allows only to streamline customer service at the cash registers, solving the "transport problem", by increasing the number of cashiers during the hours of the highest cash register loads. If all cash registers at this moment are involved, then it is not possible to reduce queues at the cash desks at all.

The prior art patent JP 2001216564 "METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENSURING RETAIL SALES AND REGISTRATION MEANS USING THE RETAIL SALES PROGRAM" is known. Effective retail sales are ensured without expectations at the checkout, which would allow the buyer to independently carry out corrective processing and registration using the retail sales program. DECISION: Information on the properties of the goods is assigned to the goods by means of transmitting information on the properties of the goods 1.

Information on the properties of the goods assigned to the goods is read out independently by the buyer using a compact portable terminal 5, and information on the properties of the goods is compared with the condition of purchase using the actuator 25. If the information meets the conditions for the acquisition, information confirming the right to purchase the goods is transmitted to the terminal a tuning server 7 for a request for corrective processing. Terminal 7 evaluates the conformity of the information confirming the right to receive goods received from terminal 5. If the information matches, terminal 7 informs the compact portable terminal that the corrective processing has passed normally and stores the historical information in the registration record.

The disadvantage of this solution is the requirement for a high culture of the buyer, since the buyer is forced to carry a portable terminal 5 in the store, which is subject to vandalism, and the device itself is very expensive. In addition, terminal 5 does not allow you to track those purchases that the buyer did not register through it, either accidentally or intentionally. Unregistered purchases will be the loss of the store and significantly increase the percentage of losses from theft of goods.

Recently, retail stores began to introduce self-payment terminals, where the calculation function is performed by the retail buyer, and not by the store employee. However, it turned out that it is difficult to introduce self-payment terminals into an existing network of settlement terminals served by cashiers. Retail self-payment systems require full integration with retail store software, as well as with policies and procedures related to its personnel.

The prior art known "SYSTEM AND METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING A SELF-BILLING SYSTEM IN THE EXISTING CALCULATING SYSTEM OF STORES" (patent US 20080015940 A1).

The self-payment terminal system consists of a central application module for managing a self-payment terminal, a central application module for controlling peripheral input and output devices at a self-payment terminal for receiving input data and transmitting output data to a retail buyer. An emulator module connected to the central application module, regardless of the application core module, emulates the software applications of the seller itself into a system of settlement terminals served by cashiers managed by the main server; The emulator module sends commands and data and receives commands and data from the main server. The self-calculating application converts the input received from the peripheral input devices into the input intended for the emulated software main application, and converts the updated output from the emulated software main application into updated data for the peripheral devices.

This invention provides a system and methods for integrating a self-settlement terminal into the environment of an existing terminal serviced by a cashier, without the need to process the existing code and without the risk of price errors mentioned above. The invention allows you to integrate the codes of the current application used in other areas of the store, by highlighting the unique elements of self-settlement, in a separate application. Thus, the functionality of the existing system is preserved, and the new mode necessary for self-calculation exists outside the scope of the current application.

The disadvantage of this system is its complexity of organization, the need to use many complex electronics, including and the need for sophisticated electronic devices for customers. The system is very expensive and requires a major restructuring of the store.

The closest analogue is the patent JP 2000259947 "SALES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM". The solution eliminates overloads associated with the payment procedure at the checkout when folding and moving purchased goods in carts with attached electronic labels in order to transfer and receive customer information about the product from the electronic label and further on the server, while the goods are in the cart. SOLUTION: Having selected the desired card and pressing the reset button 26, client 2 launches settlement program 241, the price file is sent from server 1 and stored in RAM 24 in the form of a price table 242. Next, the product is selected by the buyer and placed in the cart, information about the electronic label, attached to the product, is requested through the converter / drive A33 and recorded in the summing program 243. This total amount is displayed on the display 25. Additionally, the contents of the summing table 243 is transmitted from the antenna 311 to the antenna 4 through the controller 32 in the converter The device / drive B31 is recorded in the server administration file 1. The disadvantage of this solution is the difficulty of implementation, because when the cart is full with goods, the goods placed, for example, in the middle of the cart and at the same time fenced with other goods, may not be scanned and data about it will not go to the server and checkout. In addition, the system requires attaching an electronic label (chip) to each product, which is very expensive and increases the cost of the product, and in addition, it will require the cashier to remove these chips at the cash register terminal. This will not reduce queues, and sometimes even increase them, since tearing off labels is more difficult than scanning goods at the checkout terminal. If you don’t remove the chips, but pass them on to the exit and give them to the consumer, this will increase the cost of goods so that the store becomes uncompetitive at prices.

EFFECT: exclusion or significant reduction of queues at cash registers is provided without the need to make cardinal changes in settlement and cash services in existing stores.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The drawing shows a method of organizing a trading floor of a store, where 1 - Warehouse, 2 - Accountancy computer, 3 - Server, a computer center with a wireless communication device connected to a local communication network (from 1 pc. To n), 4 - CASH TERMINAL with a wireless communication device connected to a local communication network (from 1 pc. to n), 5 - Product - No. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... n, 6 - Container - No. 1, 2, 3, 4 ... n, 7 - Sales department seller (from 1 pc. To n), 8 - Printing device (1 pc. To n), 9 - Scanner (1 pc. To n), 10 - Scales (1 pc. To n), 11 - computer forming orders connected to the local network (from 1 . M to n), 12 - Number of control apparatus with a wireless communication device connected to a local communication network (1 pc to n), 13 - Buyer (1 pc to n).;. n - quantity, calculated depending on the size of the entire facility where the system is used, 14 - the store's trading floor, 15 - exit from the trading floor.

The implementation of the invention

The claimed technical result is achieved due to the fact that the method of organizing sales, characterized by the use of trolleys and / or nets in the trading floor, where the buyer places the selected product, taking into account the goods in the warehouse, followed by the transfer of product data to a server that is connected to cash registers, moreover, all products are labeled, and carts and / or nets provide wireless communication with the server for transmitting data about the selected product, characterized in that the products are labeled in such a way that the label contains information about the order code, product names, their price and weight, and the shopping control device is placed in carts or nets, which is executed containing scales and / or a scanner that can read information about the name of the goods, their price and weight, and ensure their connection via wireless communication with the server. Server functions can be performed by one of the cash registers with an integrated server software system and an integrated wireless communication device. Accounting for goods in the store is as follows (see drawing).

After the goods arrive at the warehouse, data about the goods is entered into the accounting computer (2) in accounting and warehouse programs for recording the movement of goods turnover. Data on goods for sale is transferred from accounting and storage programs (product name, unit, selling price). Data is transmitted to the server (3) - a computer center via a local communication network. Server (3) consists of microchips and a power supply and can be implemented on the basis of a personal computer.

The server (3) has a connection to a local communication network, as well as a device for a wireless type of communication, for exchanging information with computers for generating orders, cash terminals (4) and purchase control devices (12). Then, data on goods (5) put up for sale from the server is transferred to cash registers (4) (product name, unit of measure, selling price). Next, the data on goods (5) put up for sale from the server is transferred to a computer for placing orders (11) (product name, unit, selling price). An order forming computer (11) is a device consisting of microcircuits and a power supply, and can be implemented on a computer basis. In the system, server (3) receives and sends information from the Seller (7), purchase control device (12), cash terminals (4) and accounting computer (2). These functions can be performed by the server (3) or one of the cash registers (4) with an integrated server software system and an integrated wireless communication device.

Follows the process of putting goods for sale.

Providing sellers (7) with a sales department for containers (6) for packaging.

The sales process in the store is as follows.

The trading floor of the store (14) is a room consisting of departments with organized walkways between them, for the unhindered movement of Buyers (13) with shopping trolleys (12) or nets. Departments of the sales area are formed according to the commodity principle (dairy department, meat department, alcohol department, household chemistry department, etc.). The number of departments in the sales area (14) is not limited in number; it all depends on the area of the sales area, as well as on the assortment of goods (5) offered by this sales area. The department employs Sellers (7), who work directly with Buyers (13) regarding their orders.

Seller (7) - a person who has a certain set of mechanisms: an information input device, a communication device, and / or a weight determination device, microcircuit, a device for marking or printing checks with a bar code, a power supply.

A purchase control device (12) is a device consisting of: a trolley or net, a communication device, a weight determination device. It may also contain a scanner. The communication device (not shown) in the control device (12) can be implemented on the basis of a wireless communication device and is either located in the control device (12) so that it is connected to the scales (10) and the scanner (9) of the control device (12), or present separately in the balance (10) and the scanner (9).

The buyer (13) enters the sales area (14) moves in the direction of any of the departments of the sales area, depending on his needs for certain goods. Having approached the department, the Buyer (13) verbally places an order to the Seller (7) for a certain amount of goods (5) from this department, depending on his needs, for example: “Please give 250 grams of cheese, 1 kg of sausage”. After receiving the order, the Seller selects these goods, and then selects the required container size (6) for packaging the goods. At the next stage, the Seller sequentially adds the selected product (5) to the container (6), after entering information into the microcircuits about each selected product (name, price, weight). The implementation of these actions can be carried out, for example, by printing a barcode on a printing device (8) and then reading it with a scanner. If the Buyer (13) has chosen such a quantity of goods that does not fit in a container of maximum size, then this order is divided into as many parts as necessary to be packed in a container. After the container is completely filled, the Seller (7) communicates with the server (3) using the communication device and if he independently assigns a code to this generated order of the Buyer, he sends information on the order content and information on the code assigned to it to the server or using the communication device sends to the server information about the contents of the order with a request to assign a code to this order. After the end of this operation, the server enters this order into memory and assigns a code to this order, after which it transfers information about the assigned code to the Seller, via the communication device, or transfers information about the order received in the memory with the code already assigned to the Seller, through the communication device. At the next stage, the generated order is marked using the marking device available to the Seller, the labeling contains information about the code assigned to the order, the names of the goods, their price and weight. After that, the generated order is given to the Buyer (13), and he places it in the Purchase Control Device (12). This device is designed to check the generated order. The device automatically reconciles information about the generated order in the database of the server and / or the Seller with the contents of the received generated order for verification. Reconciliation is carried out by means of scales (10) and / or scanner (9) located in the control device (12). Server (3), after identifying the received individual code, by means of a local communication network or, if possible, by wireless means, transmits information on the contents of the generated order to the purchasing control device (12). If the information received from the server (3) and / or from the Seller (7) through the communication device does not correspond to the actual content of the generated order, the device does not accept this generated order for inclusion in the register of orders that have passed verification and are payable. The purchase control system (12) generates an error and sends a signal to an LED or other signaling device for visual and / or sound and / or vibration identification of the error to the buyer.

If the information received from the server and / or from the Seller (7) through the communication device corresponds to the actual content of the generated order, then the device accepts this generated order for inclusion in the register of orders that have passed verification and are payable.

The seller’s role and functions can be performed by automatic scales with receipt printing (for example, Bizebra BS100E), with the help of which the Buyer puts the goods in containers, weighs them on the scales, selects the type of purchase, and the scales give out a check with a bar code that the customer sticks on the packaging. Scales with receipt printing transmit purchase data to the server. Such scales allow you to replace the sales mode with a self-service mode.

After checking the generated order, the control device (12) is ready to check the new order or is ready to complete the work of checking and transmitting information, using the communication device, to the settlement device (4). Settlement device (cash terminal) (4) consists of microcircuits and a power supply unit designed for settlements for purchased goods. The cash terminal (4) can be executed with a cashier or without a cashier in the form of an automated payment system with a buyer, with an integrated device for receiving money both in cash and in non-cash form (plastic cards, mobile phones, etc.) , with the possibility of issuing change when paying a check in cash. After making settlements at the cash terminal for the selected goods, the cashier gives the buyer the opportunity to leave the trading floor (13), and if the cash terminal is automatic, then after settlements the terminal opens the way for the buyer automatically (example: turnstile operation system).

After receiving information from the purchase control device, the payment device generates a check for payment, and then sends a report on the operation to the server using the communication device.

After entering the generated order into the memory of the purchase control device, the sales system starts working again until the Buyer (13) collects the required number of generated orders. If the Buyer ends the need for goods, he goes to the cash register terminal (4), where when approaching a certain distance, for example 1 meter, the purchase control device (12) fixes this distance (for example, by reading the chip on the cash terminal), fixes completion of purchases, then wirelessly transmits information about the ordered goods to the cash register terminal where a check is generated and direct payment is made for the purchased goods, as well as the transfer of goods to the Buyer st.

The cash terminal (4) automatically sends a report on retired goods and on the amount of received funds to the accounting computer using local network funds (3). The task of the cash register terminal is to simply count the buyer (13). From the server, the total amount of all purchases appears immediately on the display of the cash register terminal. The cashier only requires the necessary amount from the buyer and issues change as necessary or withdraws funds from the buyer's plastic credit card or from his mobile phone. After the Buyer pays at the cash register terminal (4), he will be able to leave the trading floor (14) of the store through exit (15).

This solves the problems with queues at cash desks, where most of the time usually goes to the cashier processing the purchases. In the claimed method, this processing is excluded. At the same time, there is no need to make cardinal changes in settlement and cash services in existing stores. All the innovations will concern only a minor update of the software of the store’s servers, installation of scales and / or scanners in the carts and nets of the store, provided with wireless communication with the store’s servers.

Claims (2)

1. A method of organizing sales, characterized by the use of carts and / or nets on the trading floor, where the buyer places the selected product, taking into account the goods in the warehouse, followed by the transfer of product data to a server connected to the cash terminals, and all products are marked in this way that the marking contains information about the code assigned to the order, the names of the goods, their price and weight, and the carts and / or nets provide wireless communication with the server to transfer data about the selected one, the device is placed in carts or nets shopping trolley, which is carried out containing scales and / or a scanner capable of reading information about the name of the goods, their price and weight, and ensure their connection via wireless communication with the server, characterized in that after the buyer collects the quantity of goods he needs, he it should be at the cash register terminal, where when approaching a certain distance with the help of a purchase control device, this distance is fixed, the end of purchases is recorded, then information on order is transmitted via wireless communication associated products at point of sale, which is formed by check and made an immediate payment for the purchased goods, as well as the transfer of goods to the buyer in the property. 2. The method of organizing sales according to claim 1, characterized in that the server functions are carried out by one of the cash registers with an integrated server software system and an integrated wireless communication device.