JPH08123874A - Merchandise management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a merchandise management system capable of easily recognizing the price or the like of merchandise whose price is not registered in a merchandise master by photographing a merchandise display position where the merchandise is displayed by a camera and displaying it by inputting merchandise information such as a merchandise identification code and a merchandise name, etc. CONSTITUTION: When the price of the merchandise is not registered in the merchandise master or the like, a cashier executes a sales price inquiry processing. When the execution of the sales price inquiry processing is inputted, a POS terminal equipment 2 transmits display position data where the merchandise about which inquiry is performed is displayed to a camera controller 3. The camera controller 3 selects the camera 1 based on the display position data and instructs a photographing direction. Also, pictures photographed by the selected camera are transmitted to the POS terminal equipment 2 and the POS terminal equipment 2 displays the transmitted pictures at a display part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention uses a camera to photograph the display position of a specified product in a store.
The present invention relates to a product management system that displays captured images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, POS systems have become widespread as transaction processing systems for conducting transaction processing with customers in stores. In a general POS system, product data such as a product price is stored in a product master in association with a product identification code, and a POS terminal device installed at a cash register reads a bar code attached to a product from a bar code reader. Enter the product identification code. The POS terminal device reads the price of the product of the input product identification code from the product master,
Perform product registration processing. In this way, the PO provided at the cash register
The product registration process is performed by the S terminal device, and the transaction with the customer is processed.

[0003]

In the POS system,
Since the product registration process is performed as described above, it is not possible to register a product whose price is not stored in the product master. For such a product, the cashier operates the keyboard or the like to input the price of the product and performs the registration work of the product. However, with the spread of the POS system, a sticker or the like on which the price of the product is printed is not attached to the product. Therefore, when checking the price of a product, go to the product display shelf on which the product is displayed, see the sticker on the display shelf on which the product price is written, or check with a cashier near you. They asked me for the price of the product, or asked another person to go to the product display shelf to check the product price. Therefore, the customer is made to wait at the cash register until the price is confirmed and the merchandise is registered, which results in poor customer service.

It is an object of the present invention to input product information such as a product identification code and a product name so that the product display position where the product is displayed is photographed by a camera and displayed to easily display the product. It is to provide a product management system capable of confirming the price.

[0005]

A commodity management system of the present invention comprises a plurality of cameras provided in a store and a terminal device having a display section for displaying an image photographed by the cameras. A product data input means for inputting product information such as a product identification code and a product name, a product display position storage means for storing a position of a product display shelf displayed for each product, and an input by the product input means. A camera selection unit that searches a product display position where the product is displayed based on the displayed product information from the product display position storage unit and selects a camera capable of photographing the product display position, and the camera selection unit unit Means for displaying the image taken by the camera selected in step 1 on the display unit.

Further, the camera selecting means stores means for storing a camera number for identifying a camera capable of photographing corresponding to a product display position, and a product display position searched based on the input product information. And a means for selecting a camera having a stored camera number.

Further, the camera is a security camera provided in a store for crime prevention.

Further, the terminal device is provided with setting means for setting a photographing direction of the camera, a photographing magnification and the like.

[0009]

In the merchandise management system of the present invention, when the terminal device inputs merchandise information such as a merchandise identification code and merchandise name, the terminal displays the merchandise display position where the merchandise is displayed. The terminal device selects a camera capable of photographing the searched commodity display position, causes the camera to photograph the commodity display position, and displays the image photographed by the camera on the display unit.

Therefore, the product display position photographed by the camera can be viewed only by inputting the product information such as the product identification code and the product name. That is, on the display unit of the terminal device, it is possible to see the sticker on the article display shelf on which the price has been entered. Therefore, at the cash register, it is not necessary to go to the product display position to check the product price, and it is possible to easily register the product of which the product price is unknown, without waiting for the customer at the cash register and improving customer service. You can

Further, the terminal device selects a camera stored corresponding to the product display position retrieved from the input product information, and displays the image taken by this camera.

The camera is a security camera for photographing the inside of the store. Therefore, the security camera in the store can be used, and the cost for constructing the system can be reduced.

Further, in the camera, the photographing direction and the photographing magnification are set by the setting means provided in the terminal device. That is, it is possible to perform fine adjustment of the camera while watching the captured image, and to perform tracking and monitoring of a person whose operation is suspicious in the store.

[0014]

1 is a plan view of a store equipped with a product management system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the product management system. . At the store, a plurality of cameras 1 (1A to 1E) and a POS for registering products at the cash register
The terminal devices 2 (2-1 to 2-3) are provided. Camera 1
The POS terminal device 2 is connected to the camera controller 3. The camera 1 is provided with a camera direction adjuster capable of adjusting the shooting location in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction and installed in the store. The camera direction adjuster adjusts the horizontal and vertical directions of the camera 1 according to an instruction from the camera controller 3. Further, the camera 1 is a crime prevention camera provided for crime prevention at a store, and always photographs inside the store. The camera controller 3 includes a camera position table 3a described later.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the POS terminal device. The POS terminal device 2 includes a CPU 11 and a ROM 12
A RAM 13; an input unit 14 for inputting data by key operation; a bar code reader 15 for reading information from a bar code attached to a product; a product name and a product price corresponding to a product identification number for each product. A product master 16 that stores display positions and the like, and a display unit 17 that displays an image taken by the camera 1 sent from the camera controller 3, input data, and the like are provided. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the input unit of the POS terminal device 2. The input unit 14 includes a selection key 21 for selecting the camera 1, an enlargement key 22 for setting the photographing magnification of the camera 21, a reduction key 23, an arrow key 24 for instructing the photographing direction of the camera 21, and a price inquiry described later. And a selling price inquiry key 25 for inputting execution of. As shown in FIG. 5A, the product master 16 associates a product identification number with a product name, product price,
Stores display position data and the like. As the display position data, a display shelf identification number for identifying a product display shelf and
As shown in (B), the product display shelf is divided into four, and a display shelf division indicating a display position in the product display shelf is stored.

In the camera controller 3, the camera number for identifying the camera capable of photographing the display position corresponding to the display position data and the orientation of the camera when photographing the display position are set in the horizontal and vertical directions. The camera position table 3a is stored with the direction data shown (see FIG. 6).

The operation of the product management system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the customer brings merchandise to the cash register as in the conventional case, the merchandise is registered and transaction processing with the customer is performed. In this product registration operation, the product identification code is read from the bar code attached to the product by the bar code reader (n1), and the data such as the price of the corresponding product stored in the product master 17 is read (n1).
2). At this time, when the price of the product is unknown, such as when the price of the product is not registered in the product master 17,
The POS terminal device 2 issues an error signal and notifies the cashier by displaying the fact on the display unit 16 (n3). When the cashier confirms that the price of the product is unknown, he / she operates the selling price inquiry key 25 (n4). When the selling price inquiry key 24 is operated, the POS terminal device 2 reads out the display position data of the corresponding product registered in the product master 17 (n5) and sends it to the camera controller 3 (n6).

When the camera controller 3 receives the display position data from the POS terminal device 2 (n21), it searches the camera position table 3a and stores the camera number corresponding to the display position data and the display position. The direction data indicating the horizontal direction and the vertical direction of the camera at the time of shooting is read (n22). Camera controller 3
Adjusts the camera 1 in the horizontal and vertical directions based on the direction data (n13). For the horizontal and vertical adjustments, the camera controller 3 sends the direction data to the camera direction adjuster that adjusts the horizontal and vertical directions of the corresponding camera 1, and the camera direction adjuster determines the direction of the camera. Adjust the camera orientation based on the orientation data. Therefore, the camera 1 can take an image of the product display shelf on which the product is displayed.
The camera controller 3 also transmits the image captured by the camera to the POS terminal device 2 (n14).

The POS terminal device 2 displays the image taken by the camera 1 on the display unit 16 (n7). FIG. 8 shows a display example.

The cashier reads the price of the product from the displayed image of the product display shelf. Usually, a sticker on which the name and price of the displayed product is written is attached to the display shelf of the product. That is, the cashier can know the price of this product by looking at the image of this sticker. The cashier inputs the price of this product to the POS terminal device 2 through the input unit 14. When the product price is input (n8), the POS terminal device 2 performs a product registration process (n9). Note that n2
When the product price can be obtained at, the registration process at n9 is immediately performed. In this way, when the registration of all the products brought by the customer to the cash register is completed (n10), the cashier performs the settlement process (n11) and completes the transaction.

As described above, when the price of the product is not registered in the product master 17, the selling price inquiry processing is executed when the price of the product is unknown, so that the cashier can keep the price of the product at the cash register. I can know.
Further, in the image displayed on the display unit 17 at n7, if the content of the sticker on which the name and price of the product attached to the product display shelf are difficult to read, the enlargement key 22, the reduction key 23, and the arrow key By operating 24, the displayed image can be enlarged or reduced, and the shooting direction can be adjusted. When the arrow key 24 is operated, it is sent to the camera direction adjuster via the camera controller 3, and the direction of the camera is changed to the direction according to the arrow key 24 on which the camera direction adjuster was operated.

Although the product registration work such as the above-mentioned POS terminal device cannot be performed, a product management terminal device capable of selling price inquiry processing may be provided in a service counter or office. Further, although the enlargement key 22 and the reduction key 23 are provided in the POS terminal device 2 described above, the slide lever 31 is provided to enlarge or reduce the displayed image, or the joystick 32 is used to capture the image in the shooting direction of the camera 1. May be adjusted. In this way, by providing the product management terminal device at the service counter or the office, it is possible to confirm at the office or the like that the products stored in the product display shelves are out of stock or the display condition is disturbed. That is, it becomes unnecessary to manually check the state of the product display shelves while moving in the store as in the conventional case, and it is possible to reduce the labor cost and the like.

Further, by operating the selection key 21, the enlargement key 22, the reduction key 23, and the arrow key 24 for a person whose operation is suspicious in the store, the behavior of this person can be monitored while being tracked. . Therefore, crime prevention in the store can be improved. Further, since the security camera is used as the camera 1, when the product management system is constructed, it is not necessary to newly install the camera in the store where the security camera is already installed. The cost can be reduced.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to display the product display shelf on which the specified product is displayed. Therefore, when the price of the product is unknown at the cash register, the price of the product can be confirmed by displaying the product display shelf on which the product is displayed.
Therefore, the cashier does not need to go to the product display shelf to check the price of the product, and the staff for checking the price of the product is unnecessary. Therefore, the customer is not required to wait at the cash register, and the customer service can be improved.

Further, since the crime prevention camera provided in the store photographs the product display shelf, the cost required for constructing the system can be reduced.

Further, since the photographing magnification and the photographing direction can be set on the terminal device, it is not necessary to check the state of the product display rack while moving in the store, and the labor cost can be reduced. Further, it is possible to monitor a person whose movement is suspicious while tracking, and it is possible to improve crime prevention in the store.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a store to which a product management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a product management system of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a POS terminal device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an input unit of the POS terminal device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a product master.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a camera position table.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the product management system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a product display shelf taken by a camera.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a product management terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 (1A to 1E) -Camera 2 (2-1 to 2-3) -POS terminal device 3-Camera controller 3a-Camera position table 14-Keyboard 16-Display unit 17-Product master 21-Selection key 22-Expansion key 23-Reduction key 24-Arrow key 25-Price inquiry key

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location G06F 15/62 380

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device having a plurality of cameras provided in a store and a display unit for displaying an image captured by the camera, wherein the terminal device stores a product identification code, a product name, or the like. Product data input means for inputting information about the product, product display position storage means for storing the position of the product display shelf displayed for each product, and the product based on the product information input by the product input means. A camera selection unit that searches the displayed product display position from the product display position storage unit and selects a camera capable of shooting the product display position, and an image captured by the camera selected by the camera selection unit unit. And a means for displaying on the display unit. 2. The camera selecting means stores means for storing a camera number for identifying a camera capable of photographing corresponding to a product display position, and corresponding to the product display position searched based on the input product information. 2. The product management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting a camera having a stored camera number. 3. The security camera according to claim 1, wherein the camera is a security camera provided in a store for crime prevention.
The product management system described. 4. The product management system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the terminal device is provided with setting means for setting a shooting direction of the camera, a shooting magnification, and the like.