WO2022030717A1 - Smart shopping cart having automatic opening/closing cover linked with product scanning, and smart shopping method using same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover linked with product scanning, and a shopping method using same, the method comprising the steps of: reading a barcode attached to a product; searching for product information corresponding to the read barcode; opening the cover of the shopping cart if the barcode is read; detecting a product loaded in the opened shopping cart; capturing a video of product loading if the product is detected; calculating payment data on the basis of the retrieved product information and the detected product loading; displaying an unpaid-for product loading guidance message if the payment data is calculated, and then loading of the product in the shopping cart before reading the barcode is detected; and remotely opening the cover if there is calling of a customer while the unpaid-for product loading guidance message is displayed, confirming through a video capturing unit that the unpaid-for product is discharged, and then removing the entry of the unpaid-for product from the payment data.

Description

Smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scan and smart shopping method using the same

The present invention relates to a smart shopping cart having an automatic product scan interlocking cover and a smart shopping method using the same, and more particularly, to a smart shopping cart equipped with a wireless transmission communication module, and a customer inserts a product into a barcode scanner attached to the smart shopping cart. It relates to a smart shopping cart system with an automatic cover linked to product scan that transmits purchased product information to a shopping mall control unit when scanning a shopping mall and enables quick and easy payment at POS, and a smart shopping method using the same.

In general, in a department store or a large discount store, barcodes are attached to all products displayed in the store to increase the efficiency of store management and enhance the shopping convenience of customers so that the calculation can be processed in a more accurate time.

In this way, the barcode attached to each product contains information on the product name, packaging size, price, etc., and the customer puts each product with such barcode in the shopping cart and moves it to the checkout counter to check the product price the customer has purchased. In order to calculate, the barcode attached to each product is read with a barcode reader, and information about the type and price of the product is grasped and the product value is automatically calculated.

However, in the case of a large discount store, there is a problem in that the number of customers using the discount store is large, and the number of customers waiting for checkout at the checkout counter is too long, especially during a time when a large number of shoppers are crowded.

Also, in most cases, each product displayed in the discount store has the name and price of the product displayed, but in some cases, products with no price displayed are displayed on the shelves, so that customers can purchase the product. Often hesitating

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a mobile barcode calculation system mounted on a shopping cart has been devised. 1 discloses a concept in which a barcode reader is attached to a shopping cart as shown 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 the voice guidance is output through the speaker 40, , the operation for reading and calculating product information is performed through the keypad 60, and data on the product purchased by the customer identified using the barcode reader 30 is transmitted through the transmitting unit 20 to the receiving unit of the checkout unit 70 ( 75) is disclosed.

However, in the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned prior literature, there is no method for confirming even if the user puts an additional quantity or item in the cart without intentionally displaying the barcode for theft or the like.

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

The present invention does not scan and settle the products in the smart shopping cart again at the final checkout counter provided with the POS machine, but uses the product scan-linked automatic opening/closing cover to accurately check and settle the purchased products by simply placing the scanned products in the cart, thereby enabling the POS checkout. An object of the present invention is to provide a smart shopping cart having a product scan-linked automatic opening and closing cover that can reduce the payment time required in the front, and a smart shopping method using the same.

In addition, the purpose of providing a smart shopping cart with a product scan-linked automatic opening and closing cover that can prevent unsettled products from being stored in a smart shopping cart and leaking out of the store, and a smart shopping method using the same do.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a smart shopping cart having a product scan-linked automatic opening and closing cover that can provide video evidence for judgment 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 that reads a barcode attached to the product, and the product in the product loading box A product detection sensor for detecting the loading, a data storage unit for storing product information of at least one of the products, product information retrieved from the data storage unit based on the barcode, and product information detected from the product detection sensor A display unit for displaying settlement data calculated based on the quantity, and controlling the opening/closing driving unit to open the automatic cover when the barcode of the product is read by the barcode scanner, and detecting the product when the automatic cover is opened When the sensor detects the loading of the product, the product information of the product is retrieved from the data storage unit, the settlement data is displayed on the display unit, and the product scan linkage automatic including a cart controller controlling to close the cover Smart shopping cart with opening and closing lid.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the cart controller, when the product detection sensor detects the loading of a product that has not been scanned from the barcode scanner, an unsettled product detection message on the display unit It provides a smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover, characterized in that it further controls to output.

In 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 is a natural number M, It consists of a grid-type sensor of M×N with respect to 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 scan, characterized in that the display unit further controls the display unit to determine whether the product standard of the product information corresponding to the barcode and the product standard sensed by the product detection sensor match, and display a non-matching message if they do not match Controls smart shopping carts with interlocking automatic opening and closing lids.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the cart settlement module, when the product loading is detected by the detection sensor, it characterized in that it further comprises a video recording unit for photographing the loading process of the product. We provide a smart shopping cart with an automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scanning.

In another embodiment of the present invention, in a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening and closing cover interlocked with product scan, reading a barcode attached to a product, and searching product information corresponding to the read barcode steps; opening the cover of the shopping cart when the barcode is read; detecting that a product is loaded in the opened shopping cart; and capturing a moving picture of the product loading process when the product is detected and calculating settlement data based on the searched product information and the sensed product loading; after the settlement data is calculated and before the barcode is read, if it is detected that a product is loaded in the shopping cart, unsettled products In the step of displaying a loading guidance message, and if there is a call from a customer while the unsettled product loading guidance message is displayed, the cover is remotely opened and the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit after confirming that the settlement Provided is a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening and closing cover interlocked with product scan, which includes deleting items of unsettled products from data.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described embodiment, the step of determining whether the product standard of the product information corresponding to the read barcode and the product standard sensed when the product loading is detected, the product standard; If this does not match, displaying a non-matching guide message, and providing a shopping method using a smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover further comprising the step of generating an alarm sound or a voice guide message.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of wirelessly recognizing an identifier of the shopping cart when an existing shopping cart approaches, and receiving settlement data corresponding to the wirelessly recognized identifier from the shopping mall control unit. Inquiring, determining whether the inquired settlement data is normal data, generating an abnormal settlement data guide message if the inquired settlement data is not normal data, and the customer during the abnormal settlement data guidance If there is a call, the step of remotely opening the cover and confirming that the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit, and then deleting the item of the unsettled product from the settlement data, and the price corresponding to the settlement data There is provided a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening and closing cover interlocked with product scan, comprising the steps of: processing payment; and opening an entrance to the shopping cart when the payment is bureaucratized.

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

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent unpaid products from being added to the smart shopping cart by the user's party or the customer's misunderstanding, thereby preventing theft and also preventing disputes with customers regarding theft in advance. there is an effect

In addition, according to the present invention, since the settlement is completed in the shopping cart when the product is placed in the smart shopping cart, it is possible to shorten the payment time in the POS.

In addition, according to the present invention, since a video is recorded every time a product is put into the smart shopping cart, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a video evidence for judgment when there is a dispute related to shopping.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the payment proceeds only when the smart shopping cart is normally settled when the smart shopping cart is approached, 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 the customer. can have an effect.

In connection with the following drawings, equivalent or similar elements or elements having equivalent or similar functions are denoted by equivalent or similar reference numerals in the following description. In the drawings, the same or functionally equivalent elements are assigned the same reference numbers, and thus repeated descriptions of the elements provided with the same reference numbers 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 illustrating 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 a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an exemplary diagram of a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover interlocked with product scan according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 and 6 are front and rear views of the cart settlement module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a block diagram of a shopping system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a flowchart of a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening and closing cover interlocked with product scan according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

In an embodiment of the present invention, in a shopping method using a smart shopping cart having a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover, the steps of: reading a barcode attached to a product; searching for product information corresponding to the read barcode; , opening the cover of the shopping cart when the barcode is read, detecting that a product is loaded in the opened shopping cart, and capturing a moving picture of the product loading process when the product is detected; Calculating settlement data based on the searched product information and the detected product loading; After the settlement data is calculated, if a hostile product is detected in the shopping cart before the barcode is read, unsettled product loading guidance If there is a call from a customer while displaying a message and displaying the message for loading the unsettled product, after confirming that the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit, the It is possible to provide a smart shopping cart having a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover including deleting items of unsettled products, and a shopping method using the same.

In the following, details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough description of the exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the 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 embodiments, and methods are also shown in block diagram form for each step.

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

In this regard, for each step of the method or each block of the system in which the method is implemented, "upper", "lower", "below", "front", "behind", "backward", "leading", "following" Directional terms such as , “above”, etc. may be used with reference to a temporal ranking or orientation of the illustrated drawings, and since some configurations may be disposed in different orientations according to embodiments, the orientation terms are used for purposes of illustration and never limited

In addition, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized 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 an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it will be understood that there may be intervening elements that may be directly connected or coupled to the other element. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there are no intervening elements. Other words used to describe a relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (eg, "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.).

In the embodiments described herein or illustrated in the drawings, any direct electrical connection or coupling, ie any connection or coupling without further intervening elements, is also an indirect connection or coupling, ie connection with one or more further intervening elements. or by combining, or vice versa, as long as the general purpose of the connection or combination, for example, to transmit a particular kind of signal or to transmit a particular kind of information, remains essentially intact. Features from different embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments. For example, variations or modifications described with respect to one of the embodiments may be applied to other embodiments as well, unless otherwise noted.

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 described below, terms such as "customer", "consumer", "guest", "buyer", "product", "product", "object", etc., "stolen item", "stolen product", Terms containing the same or similar meaning, such as terms such as "unsettled product", "cart", "shopping cart", etc. (including in some embodiments, a "cart checkout module") are interchangeable depending on the context Therefore, it can be used selectively, and it is not intended to exclude other terms.

Hereinafter, a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening/closing cover interlocked with 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 a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an exemplary view of a smart shopping cart having a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and FIG. 6 is an exemplary front and rear view of the cart settlement module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 7 is a block diagram of a shopping system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

3 and 7, the shopping system according to an exemplary 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, and a POS ( It is composed of a point of sales) unit (500).

First, the smart shopping cart 100 is a cart made to easily carry items purchased at the mart. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the smart shopping cart 100 includes an automatic cover 110 , an opening/closing drive unit 120 , and a card tag 130 . is comprised of

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

The opening/closing driving unit 120 may be implemented as an opening/closing driving device of a typical sliding door such as a rail, a latch, a spring, a chain, etc., when the automatic cover 100 is a sliding type, for example, the cart of the cart settlement module 200 The automatic cover 110 is opened or closed based on the opening/closing driving control of the controller 230 .

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

On the other hand, the cart settlement module 200 is installed at one end of the smart shopping cart 100, for example, between a handle and a product box, as shown in FIG. The part in which the barcode scanner 210 and the video recording unit 270 for taking a video are provided faces in the direction of the product loading box, and the rear portion as shown in FIG. 240) is mounted to face the customer, the barcode scanner 210, the cart control unit 220, the data storage unit 230, the display unit 240, the cart speaker 250, the product detection sensor (260) ), a moving picture capturing unit 270 , a cart communication unit 280 , and a manual operation unit 290 .

The barcode scanner 210 is installed on the front part of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 5 , and is configured to read the barcode attached to the product and provide information on the type and price of the product to the cart control unit 220 . That is, all products sold in the shopping mall are attached in the form of barcodes with information about product names, packaging specifications, prices, etc., made into codes by combining bars of different thicknesses, and the barcode scanner 210 is The barcode is irradiated with light, and the intensity of the reflected light is converted into an electronic signal and applied to the cart controller 220 . Since the barcode scanner 210 can accurately input overall information of a product only by scanning a barcode attached to the product, it is effective for product settlement and inventory management.

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

That is, when the barcode of the product is scanned from the barcode scanner 210 and applied as an electrical signal, the cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to open the automatic cover 110 . At the same time, the cart control unit 220 searches for product information stored in the POS 500 or the data storage unit 230 via the communication unit 280 for product information based on the read information applied from the barcode scanner 210 and displays it. 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 sensed by the product detection sensor 260 to be described later, the cart control unit 220 adds the quantity of products scanned immediately before product detection by one. In this case, if one or more products are detected by the product detection sensor 260 , the cart control unit 220 may add the quantity of scanned products by 1 and add the quantity of unsettled products by 1 for registration.

At this time, when the unsettled product is registered, the cart control unit 220 displays the unsettled product as a separate classification display, for example, product display such as text color change, shading, and thickness change, for example, a price item such as “unsettled” In addition to controlling the display unit 240 so as to display the unsettled caution, or it is possible to control the cart speaker 250 to output a speaker alarm sound or voice guidance message separately.

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 to the cart communication unit ( 280) are controlled.

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

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

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

Meanwhile, the data storage unit 230 may store information about products sold in the shopping mall, for example, 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 (settling) is temporarily stored until payment is completed. can be saved.

In addition, the product information stored in the data storage unit 230 may be configured to update pre-stored data, for example, by receiving data from the shopping mall control unit 400 before starting a business or periodically. If configured in this way, it can be updated by reflecting the daily changing product prices, events, and the like.

The display unit 240 is installed on the rear portion (ie, the customer side) of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 6 , a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display device, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display device, and an OLED (Organic Light) display device. Emitting Diodes) can be implemented by employing a known display device, including a display device, and includes the graphic processing device. 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 current shopping, and other information or error messages that occur during settlement are displayed, It can visually provide the customer with the current settlement status and error status.

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 and a product detection sensor 260 that enable the customer to recognize that scanning is completed in the barcode scanner 210 . ), 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 details displayed on the display, and a warning sound or voice guidance message to warn the customer of errors such as inserting unsettled products. You can provide one aurally to the customer. Accordingly, the customer can easily recognize the specific operation made during the settlement process.

The product detection sensor 260 is a plurality of sensors, such as infrared rays, that can detect light of a product in a grid type 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., detects that the product is loaded into the product loading box through the automatic cover 110 , and transmits the sensed signal (ie, gamchi information or quantity information) to the cart control unit 220 . The product detection sensor 260 is preferably disposed at the top of the smart shopping cart 100 as close to the automatic cover 110 as possible in order to secure a 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 loaded products. 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 that the excess quantity (unsettled quantity) can be recognized.

The video recording unit 270 is installed on the front part (ie, the cart side) of the cart settlement module 200 as shown in FIG. 5 , and is implemented as a video camera that takes a video, according to the control of the cart control unit 220, A process in which the product is loaded into the product loading box via the automatic cover 110 is photographed, and the captured video is stored in its own memory (not shown) or the data storage unit 230 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after the normal payment is completed or at a preset time (eg, when the store closes), the stored video may be deleted. That is, since the amount of data in the video is large, the need for evidence in case of theft dispute is eliminated after the normal payment is completed.

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 performed 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 operation unit 290 may be implemented as a physical keypad or a touch pad type keypad implemented in software on the display unit 240, for example, to manually operate a "call" button for calling an employee and other settlement operations It may be configured to include function keys for, and applies to the cart control unit 220 to generate a key signal corresponding to the customer's operation.

On the other hand, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in conjunction with the lock device of the smart shopping cart 100, the cart settlement module 200 is turned on when the lock device is released, and the cart settlement when locked by the lock 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 corresponding shopping cart, the driving time of the power supply unit for 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 is built in the shopping mall between the shopping mall control unit 400 and the POS unit 500 and mounted on the smart shopping cart 100 . The cart settlement module 200 and the shopping mall control unit 400 are, depending on the size of the shopping mall, Wifi (Wireless Fidelity) or Bluetooth (Bluetooth), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) of a short range, and a long range (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), a personal local area wireless communication (Personal Area Network; PAN), mobile radio communication network, Wibro (Wireless Broadband Internet), Mobile WiMAX, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) or all kinds of wired/wireless networks such as satellite networks. 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 , Control the payment, and based on the "call" signal of the cart settlement module 200, you can remotely control the cart settlement module 200, modify the settlement information of the POS unit 500, or call an employee .

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 is configured to include 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 performed by the settlement module 200 are provided to the shopping mall control unit 400, and the final payment of the customer is processed. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when a normal payment is made in conjunction with the exit opener 540, it may be configured to open the exit.

The cart recognition unit 510 as a wireless recognition reader, for example, 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 determine 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. The cart 100 is recognized. 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. The smart shopping cart 100 is recognized.

The POS control unit 520 performs a payment based on the cart identification information approved from the cart recognition unit 510 and the settlement information received from the shopping control unit 400 through the network 300 . and controls the exit switch 540 to open the exit switch 540 when a normal payment is made.

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

The POS communication unit 530 transmits and receives data to and from 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. and receives normal information of the corresponding cart to the shopping mall control unit 400 .

The exit opener 540 is composed of a door and a door drive system, opens or closes according to the control of the POS control unit 520 , and can be implemented as a well-known automatic opening/closing 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 a cart payment through 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 in 100) is received in cash or from a card company.

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

Hereinafter, a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart having a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

8 is a flowchart of a smart shopping method using a smart shopping cart having a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a payment in the POS unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the process.

Referring to FIG. 8 , a switch provided in the cart settlement module 200 mounted on the smart shopping cart 100 is operated to turn on the cart settlement module ( S110 ). At this time, it is preferable that the smart shopping cart 100 is closed in order to prevent garbage, etc. from being thrown into the product loading box in the turned-off state after previous use.

In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in conjunction 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 corresponding shopping cart, the driving time of the power supply unit for operating the cart settlement module 200 can be extended. there is

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

In step S110, when the customer picks up the product and approaches the barcode attached to the product to the barcode scanner 210 while shopping is taking place in a state where the cart settlement module 200 is turned on, the barcode scanner 210 is removed 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 preset 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 status, etc. . As a result, the display unit 240 may be shown, for example, as shown in Table 1 below ( S130 ). At this time, as shown in FIG. 1 below, since the quantity is not confirmed, the quantity, product price, and total amount may not be displayed.

product name	option	product price	Quantity	price	note
Coca Cola Light	700ml	2,000 won			Heal-in application
Total amount

On the other hand, the cart control unit 220, in step S130, counts the elapsed time after opening the automatic cover 110 (S140). In this case, a system timer (not shown) may be used for timekeeping.

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

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

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

Subsequently, the cart control unit 220 that has received the product detection signal from the product detection sensor 260 determines whether the product standard matches the detection signal and the product information retrieved in step S130 ( S170 ).

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

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the case in which the settled product (scanned product) and the unsettled product (non-scanned product) are loaded together in the smart shopping cart 100 , when a product different from the scanned product is loaded, 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, 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).

product name	option	product price	Quantity	price	note
Coca Cola Light	700ml	2,000 won	One	2,000 won	Heal-in application
Total amount	2,000 won

In addition, with step S180, the cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing drive unit 120 to close the automatic cover 110, and the automatic cover is closed by the driving of the opening/closing drive 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 the settlement information in correspondence with the corresponding identifier in the settlement database 400 stored therein. At this time, the network 300 is a short range Wifi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth (Bluetooth), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and a long range Internet of Things (IoT) according to the size of the shopping mall. of Things), LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network), LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology, etc. may be used.

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

In addition, the cart control unit 220 controls the cart speaker 250, an alarm sound or a message that "the product specification does not match" is guided 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 a 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 .

The shopping mall control unit 400 that has received the call signal remotely accesses the cart settlement module 200, opens the automatic cover 110, and views 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 so as to delete the item for the non-matching (or unrecognized) product taken out from the product loading box, and the display on the display unit 240 is also deleted (S220).

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

On the other hand, in step S120, the cart tag 130 is detected in the cart recognition unit 510 of the POS unit 500 (S230), and settlement is made in the POS unit 500 through steps S310 to S340 of FIG. 8 to be described later. Upon completion, 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, the cart control unit 220 controls the opening/closing driving unit 120 to open the automatic cover 110, the opening/closing driving unit The automatic cover 110 is opened by the driving of 120 (S250). As a result, in the state in which the automatic cover 110 is opened after the normal payment is completed, the customer can take out his or her product.

In addition, it is possible to turn off the cart settlement module 200 at the same time as step S250. As a result, it is possible to prevent power consumption in the cart settlement module 200 .

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 maintain cleanliness by preventing garbage from being contained in the product loading box of the shopping cart 200 , for example, the shopping cart The automatic lid 200 of the shopping cart 100 may be configured to close when the locking device is locked to a neighboring shopping cart locking device.

Hereinafter, a payment process in the POS unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9 .

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

As shown in FIG. 9 , when a customer draws 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 activates the smart shopping cart. After wireless recognition of the cart identifier from the cart tag 130 mounted on the 100, the recognized wireless identifier information is transmitted to the POS control unit 520 (S310).

The POS control unit 520 that has received the cart identification information from the cart identification unit 510 in step S310 causes the POS communication unit 530 to transmit a settlement information inquiry request message including the corresponding cart identification information through the network 300 to control the shopping mall By controlling the transmission to the unit 400, the settlement data corresponding to the heap cart identifier is inquired (S320).

The POS control unit 520 settles the smart shopping cart 100 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 . It is determined whether the data is normal (S330).

If it is determined in S330 that 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 unit 560 receives the amount corresponding to the settlement data in the cart settlement module 200 mounted on the corresponding smart shopping cart 100 in cash or from the 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 corresponding smart shopping cart 100 , and , the settlement data is reset (deleted) (S360).

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

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

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

By inducing customers who have loaded unsettled products in their shopping carts to pay by excluding the unsettled products through the above-described process, theft can be prevented without hurting customers’ emotions, and individual smart shopping carts ( Since real-time settlement is performed at the same time as the product is loaded in units of 100), there is an effect of shortening the settlement time at the time of payment in the POS department.

The invention is not limited except by 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 those components (including reference to “means”) do not indicate otherwise. Unless structurally identical to the disclosed structures performing functions in the exemplary implementations of the invention illustrated herein, any component that performs (ie, functionally equivalent to) the specific function of the described component, or It is intended to correspond to the structure.

Further, the following claims are incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment. While each claim may stand on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment (although a dependent claim may refer to a specific combination with one or more other claims in a claim), other exemplary embodiments may also exist in mutually dependent or independent claims. It should be noted that a combination of subject and dependent claims may be included. Such combinations are not excluded herein unless it is stated that a particular combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is intended to cover the features of a claim to any other independent claim as well, even if this claim is not directly dependent on the 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 the respective operations of these methods.

It should also be understood that the disclosure of multiple acts or features disclosed in the specification or claims may not be construed as being within a specific order. Therefore, the disclosure of a plurality of operations or functions will not limit them to a specific order unless such operations or functions are interchangeable for technical reasons. Also, in some embodiments, a single action may include a plurality of sub-actions or may be divided into a plurality of sub-actions. Unless expressly excluded, these sub-acts may be included and may be part of the disclosure of this single act.

The instructions may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processors (DSPs), general-purpose microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field programmable logic arrays (FPGAs). field programmable logic array), or other equivalent integrated or discrete logic circuitry, by one or more processors. Accordingly, the term “processor,” as used herein, refers to any one of the foregoing structures 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. Further, the techniques may 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 such elements. can

A control unit comprising 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 this 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 causes the computer program to perform the steps 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 can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which may achieve some of the advantages of the concepts disclosed herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other components performing the same function may be appropriately substituted. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized 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 a particular figure may be combined with features of other figures even in features not explicitly mentioned. Such modifications to the general concept of the invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently operate the relevant personnel, and it is expected that disputes between the service subject and the customer can be prevented in advance. In addition, by shortening the payment time at the POS and preventing the theft of all or part of the product even during self-payment by customers, it is expected to activate the inducement and unmanned sales market.

Claims (7)

1. In a smart shopping cart with a cover that automatically opens or closes in conjunction with scanning a product,

   A barcode scanner that reads a barcode attached to the product;

   A product detection sensor for detecting that the product is loaded in the product loading box;

   a data storage unit for storing product information of at least one product;

   a display unit for displaying product information retrieved from the data storage unit based on the barcode and settlement data calculated based on the quantity detected by the product detection sensor;

   When the barcode of the product is read by the barcode scanner, the opening/closing driving unit is controlled to open the automatic cover, and when the product detection sensor detects the loading of the product in the open state of the automatic cover, product information of the product is retrieved from the data storage unit, the settlement data is displayed on the display unit, and the cart controller controls to close the cover

   Smart shopping cart with automatic opening and closing lids linked to product scans, including:
2. The method of claim 1,

   The cart controller,

   The smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover, characterized in that when the product detection sensor detects the loading of a product that has not been scanned by the barcode scanner, the display unit further controls to output an unsettled product detection message.
3. The method of claim 1,

   The product information stored in the data storage unit further includes standard information corresponding to the barcode of the product,

   The product detection sensor consists of a grid-type sensor of M×N for natural numbers M and N, and the product detection sensor detects the product by the number of grids corresponding to the product standard,

   The cart control unit determines whether a product specification of product information corresponding to a barcode scanned by the barcode scanner from the specification information and the number of grids matches a product specification sensed by the product detection sensor, and if they do not match, further controlling the display unit to display a matching message

   A smart shopping cart with an automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scans.
4. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

   The cart settlement module,

   When product loading is detected by the detection sensor, the smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover further comprises a video recording unit for photographing the product loading process.
5. In the shopping method using a smart shopping cart having an automatic opening and closing cover linked to product scan,

   Reading the barcode attached to the product;

   retrieving product information corresponding to the read barcode;

   opening a cover of the shopping cart when the barcode is read;

   detecting that a product is loaded into the opened shopping cart;

   When the product is detected, the step of shooting a video of the loading process of the product;

   calculating settlement data based on the retrieved product information and the detected product loading;

   displaying an unsettled product loading guide message when detecting that a product is loaded in the shopping cart after the settlement data is calculated and before the barcode is read;

   If there is a call from a customer while the unsettled product loading guidance message is displayed, the cover is remotely opened and the unsettled product is confirmed to be discharged through the video recording unit, and then the item of unsettled product is deleted from the settlement data step to do

   A shopping method using a smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover comprising a.
6. 6. The method of claim 5,

   determining whether a product standard of product information corresponding to the read barcode matches a product standard sensed when the product loading is detected;

   If the product specifications do not match, displaying a non-matching guide message and generating an alarm sound or voice guide message

   A shopping method using a smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover further comprising a.
7. 7. The method of claim 6,

   wirelessly recognizing an identifier of the shopping cart when the shopping cart approaches;

   Inquiring from a shopping mall control unit for settlement data corresponding to the wirelessly recognized identifier;

   determining whether the inquired settlement data is normal data;

   If the inquired settlement data is not normal data, generating an abnormal settlement data guide message;

   If there is a call from the customer during the abnormal settlement data guidance, remotely opening the cover and confirming that the unsettled product is discharged through the video recording unit, and then deleting the item of unsettled product from the settlement data; ,

   processing the payment corresponding to the settlement data;

   Opening the entrance of the shopping cart when the payment is bureaucratized

   A shopping method using a smart shopping cart with a product scan interlocking automatic opening and closing cover comprising a.

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