JP7681364B2 - Product sales data processing system, program, monitoring device, and server device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a product sales data processing system, a program, a monitoring device, and a server device.

A system is known in which customers themselves can register products using a mobile terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-147252 A

In a product sales data processing system in which customers themselves use a mobile terminal to register products, there are cases where the product registration results are incomplete. For products with incomplete registration results, the incomplete registration state is resolved, for example, by a store clerk. It is preferable that such incomplete registration state be resolved efficiently.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to efficiently resolve insufficient product registration results in a product sales data processing system in which customers themselves register products using mobile terminals.

One aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device, and the product sales data processing system includes an acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire, when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient, registered insufficient product information regarding the registered insufficient product for which the registration result is insufficient, a display control means for causing the monitoring device to display a screen based on the registered insufficient product information acquired by the acquisition control means, and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration by registering the registered insufficient product as a normal product in response to the input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

Another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device to function as: acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire, when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient, registered insufficient product information regarding the registered insufficient product, the registration result of which is insufficient; display control means for causing the monitoring device to display a screen based on the registered insufficient product information acquired by the acquisition control means; and normal registration means for performing normal registration by registering the registered insufficient product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

Another aspect of the present invention is a monitoring device used by a store clerk in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device, the monitoring device comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring registered defective product information on a registered defective product for which the registration result is defective when the registration result of the product based on the product registration operation is defective; a display control means for displaying a screen based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition means; and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration by registering the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

Another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer used as a monitoring device by a sales clerk in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device to function as: an acquisition means for acquiring registered defective product information regarding a registered defective product for which the registration result is defective when the registration result of the product based on the product registration operation is defective; a display control means for displaying a screen based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition means; and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration by registering the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

In addition, one aspect of the present invention is a server device provided in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device, the server device including: an acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire, when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient, registered insufficient product information regarding the registered insufficient product for which the registration result is insufficient; a display control means for causing a monitoring device operated by the store clerk to display a screen based on the registered insufficient product information acquired by the acquisition control means; and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration by registering the registered insufficient product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the screen displayed on the monitoring device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a shopping system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of installation of a settlement device in this embodiment. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a settlement device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a settlement device in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a customer terminal device in the present embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a transaction management device in this embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating an example of customer information, store information, and cart information according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a definition of a reserved product in the present embodiment. A sequence diagram showing an example of processing procedures executed by a customer terminal device, a settlement device, and a transaction management device in this embodiment in response to the accounting of one transaction in self-service operation. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of a shopping application in the present embodiment. 13A to 13C are diagrams showing an example of a registered product presentation screen and a screen displayed on a settlement device in this embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams showing examples of a call-on-hold release guidance screen, a call-on-hold release waiting screen, a call-on-hold release confirmation screen, and a product registration screen in the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a product information input screen in the present embodiment. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure executed by the customer terminal device, the transaction management device, and the monitoring device in this embodiment in relation to releasing the reservation of an unspecified commodity.

<Embodiment>
[Example of shopping system configuration]
Fig. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a shopping system (an example of a product sales data processing system) according to this embodiment. The shopping system in Fig. 1 corresponds to accounting (customer terminal-compatible accounting) in which, for example, a customer takes out a product to be purchased from a product shelf, registers the taken-out product using a customer terminal device 50, and the same customer also uses a payment device 40 to settle the payment for the registered product. The term "accounting" as used herein refers to a procedure carried out in response to one transaction, including the registration of the product and the settlement of the registered product.
The shopping system of this embodiment includes a management device 10, a transaction management device 60, a settlement device 40, a customer terminal device 50, a monitoring device 80, and a credit card settlement server 70.

The management device 10, settlement device 40, and monitoring device 80 are installed in the store and are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a LAN 19 (which may be wired or wireless). The management device 10 is a business terminal used by store staff for store management, etc., and is capable of communicating with the transaction management device 60.

The monitoring device 80 is a business terminal that monitors the status of transactions made by customers using the customer terminal device 50 in the store, and is capable of communicating with the transaction management device 60.
Although four settlement devices 40 are illustrated in FIG. 1, the number of settlement devices 40 within one store is not particularly limited.

The customer terminal device 50 is operated by customers (such as shoppers who are members of the store, hereafter also referred to simply as customers). In addition to typical communication and imaging functions (camera), the customer terminal device 50 has a recognition function that scans barcodes attached to products to read product codes, that is, recognizes barcodes attached to products. Note that the recognition function of the customer terminal device 50 only needs to be able to read product codes, and does not need to be able to recognize which product the read product code belongs to. In other words, the customer terminal device 50 only needs to be able to read the product code from the barcode when a barcode is present as an object in an image captured by the imaging function (an image acquired as a through image).

Such a customer terminal device 50 may be a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like owned by the customer. A shopping application having a function of registering products in accordance with the shopping system of this embodiment is installed on the smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like serving as the customer terminal device 50.

The customer terminal device 50 may be, for example, a terminal loaned to a customer by a store. An application having a function of registering products in accordance with the shopping system of this embodiment is also installed in the customer terminal device 50 loaned to a customer by the store. The customer terminal device 50 loaned to a customer by the store may be one that is held by the customer or may be one that is attached to a shopping cart and used by the customer.

The customer terminal device 50 also captures an image (e.g., releases the shutter) of the product (e.g., the surrounding area with a barcode) and generates a captured image (image data). The customer terminal device 50 may capture an image by releasing the shutter in response to an operation by the customer who is the operator, but in this embodiment, it is preferable that the customer terminal device 50 captures an image by its own judgment.

The customer terminal device 50 may also be equipped with image recognition technology that extracts feature points from an image (through image, captured image) and recognizes the captured subject (object, etc.). For example, the customer terminal device 50 may use image recognition technology to identify (estimate) the captured product.

The settlement device 40 is a settlement device that is capable of at least cash payment as a settlement method. The settlement device 40 is configured to be able to communicate with the transaction management device 60. Note that the settlement device 40 may be configured to be able to communicate with the transaction management device 60, for example, via a relay of the management device 10.

The transaction management device 60 manages transactions carried out in accordance with the shopping system of this embodiment.

The credit card payment server 70 executes payment processing corresponding to the credit card in response to a credit card payment request sent from the settlement device 40, customer terminal device 50, etc.

[About the settlement device]
Fig. 2 shows an example of the installation of the settlement device 40. Fig. 2(A) is a perspective view of the settlement device 40 and other components as seen from the customer side. Fig. 2(B) is a perspective view of the settlement device 40 and other components as seen from the store clerk side. As shown in Fig. 2(A), a counter is placed on the right side of the settlement device 40 as seen from the customer side.

3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of the settlement device 40. Fig. 3A is a perspective view of the settlement device 40 as seen from the customer side. Fig. 3B is a perspective view of the settlement device 40 as seen from the store clerk side.
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the settlement device 40. In Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the same parts are given the same reference numerals.

Below, an example of the configuration of the settlement device 40 shown in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The settlement device 40 comprises a CPU 401, a ROM 402, a RAM 403, a hard disk 404, a customer display unit 405, a customer scanner unit 406, a card payment unit 408, a change machine 409, a store clerk display unit 410, a key operation unit 411, a store clerk scanner unit 412, a printing unit 413, an audio output unit 414, and a communication unit 415. These can communicate with each other via a bus.

The CPU 401 is a central processing unit, and controls the operation of the settlement device 40 by reading and executing programs stored in the ROM 402 .
The ROM 402 is a read-only memory, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 401, including programs.

RAM 403 is a read/write memory that stores various information. For example, RAM 403 stores information read from ROM 402 or hard disk 404, information acquired from the outside, information generated during processing, etc.

The hard disk 404 stores various information. For example, instead of the ROM 402, the hard disk 404 may store programs executed by the CPU 401. Also, instead of the RAM 403, the hard disk 404 may store information read from the ROM 402, information obtained from the outside, information generated during processing, etc.

The customer-side display unit 405 is a touch display for customers, which displays various information to customers and accepts various inputs from customers.
The customer-side scanner unit 406 is a scanner unit for customers, and for example, scans a code (e.g., a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or other code other than a barcode) attached to a product and reads the product code. The customer-side scanner unit 406 may also scan a code (e.g., a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or other code) printed on a bill (registered trademark) and read information required for payment. The customer-side scanner unit 406 may also scan a code (e.g., a two-dimensional code, a barcode, or other code) displayed on the display unit of the customer terminal device 50 and read information required for payment.

The customer-side scanner unit 406 is used when a customer registers an item, but the customer may register the item using other methods. For example, if a preset key (a button for ordering the item) corresponding to the item is displayed on the customer-side display unit 405, the customer may operate (press) the preset key to register the item.

The card payment unit 408 is a payment mechanism that uses various cards (credit cards, prepaid cards such as transportation cards, etc.). The card payment unit 408 of this embodiment is equipped with a card recognition unit (reading unit), a display unit, and an operation unit, but it is sufficient that it is equipped with at least the card recognition unit. Note that the card recognition unit may also recognize various cards (e.g., membership cards, point cards, etc.) that are not directly used for payment (settlement).

The change machine 409 (cash settlement section) is a cash settlement mechanism that has an input port for banknotes and coins and an output port for banknotes and coins, calculates the amount inserted into the input port, calculates the change amount, which is the difference between the input amount and the purchase amount, and outputs the change from the output port. The change machine 409 faces the customer and is operated by the customer. When banknotes or coins are inserted into the input port, they are detected by a sensor (detecting that they have been inserted, detecting the number of coins by denomination, etc.).

In other words, the change machine 409 is used when the price of registered products is settled with cash (money) in the settlement device 40. The change machine 409 has a banknote insertion port for inserting banknotes, a coin insertion port for inserting coins, a banknote discharge port for discharging banknotes, a coin discharge port for discharging coins, a counting unit for counting the inserted or discharged coins, a coin transport mechanism between the insertion port or discharge port and the storage unit, the above-mentioned sensor, etc. The banknote insertion port and coin insertion port are also referred to as deposit insertion ports. The banknote discharge port and coin discharge port are also referred to as change discharge ports. The banknote insertion port and the banknote discharge port may be a common port, and the coin insertion port and the coin discharge port may be a common port.

The change machine 409 also counts the coins replenished during the closing process and stores them in the storage section. The change machine 409 also counts the coins to be dispensed during the closing process and releases them from the change outlet. The closing process is a process of adjusting the amount of money stored in the change machine 409 (cash on hand/cash on hand) to a reference amount after the store is closed or before it is opened.

The store clerk's display unit 410 is a touch display for the store clerk, which displays various information to the store clerk and receives various inputs from the store clerk.
The key operation unit 411 is made up of various keys (buttons) and receives various inputs from the store clerk.
The store clerk scanner unit 412 is a scanner unit for store clerks, and for example, scans barcodes attached to products and reads product codes. The store clerk scanner unit 412 also scans barcodes attached to the name tags of store clerks and reads store clerk codes.

The clerk-side scanner unit 412 is used when the clerk registers a product, but the clerk may register the product using other methods. For example, if a key corresponding to a product (such as a key corresponding to a sports newspaper) is located on the key operation unit 411, the clerk may operate (press) that key to register the product. Also, if a preset key corresponding to a product is displayed on the clerk-side display unit 410, the clerk may operate that preset key to register the product.

The printing unit 413 prints and issues various media (receipts, bills, etc.). The printing unit 413 can freely rotate to change its orientation (direction of the media issuing port) from the clerk side to the customer side and from the customer side to the clerk side. The orientation of the printing unit 413 may be changed manually, or it may be changed automatically (mechanically controlled, etc.) in response to, for example, a transition (switching) of the operating mode described below. The correct orientation of the printing unit 413 may be detected by a sensor or the like.

The audio output unit 414 outputs audio. For example, the audio output unit 414 outputs audio guidance and the like.
The communication unit 415 communicates with other devices (other settlement devices 40 and the management device 10).

In addition, the settlement device 40 of this embodiment can be switched between a total of four operating modes: a customer terminal-responsive settlement mode, which is set to process settlement under customer terminal-responsive accounting, and three accounting modes (first to third accounting modes) which correspond to three different patterns of accounting (product registration, settlement).
The first accounting mode is an operating mode in which the store clerk performs operations corresponding to product registration and operations corresponding to settlement on the settlement device 40. The second accounting mode is an operating mode in which the store clerk performs operations corresponding to product registration on the settlement device 40, and the customer performs operations corresponding to settlement on the same settlement device 40. The third accounting mode is an operating mode in which the customer performs operations corresponding to product registration and operations corresponding to settlement on the settlement device 40.
As a result, in a store that has introduced the shopping system of this embodiment, some of the multiple payment devices 40 can be set to a customer terminal compatible payment mode to accommodate customer terminal compatible payment, and the other payment devices 40 can be set to, for example, a first payment mode or a second payment mode so that a store clerk can handle payments in consultation with customers. Note that the other payment devices 40 may also include those set to the third payment mode.

[Example of configuration of customer terminal device]
5 shows an example of the configuration of the customer terminal device 50. The customer terminal device 50 in the figure includes a CPU 501, a storage unit 502, a RAM 503, a display unit 504, an operation unit 505, an imaging unit 506, and a network-compatible communication unit 507.
The CPU 501 is a central processing unit, and controls the operation of the customer terminal device 50 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 502 .
The storage unit 502 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 501, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 501, including programs.
The RAM 503 is a main storage device for the CPU 501 .
The display unit 504 displays an image according to the display control of the CPU 501. The display unit 504 may be configured as a touch panel that allows operations to be performed on the screen.
The operation unit 505 collectively indicates various operators provided on the customer terminal device 50 and various input devices connected to the customer terminal device 50 .
The imaging unit 506 captures images under the control of the CPU 401. The imaging unit 506 of this embodiment can also function as a part that reads two-dimensional codes in a code reader that processes the two-dimensional codes.
The network-compatible communication unit 507 is a part that performs communication wirelessly via a network. The network-compatible communication unit 507 enables the customer terminal device 50 to communicate with the transaction management device 60.

[Example of transaction management device configuration]
6 shows an example of the configuration of transaction management device 60. Transaction management device 60 in the figure includes a CPU 601, a storage unit 602, a RAM 603, and a network-compatible communication unit 604.
The CPU 601 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the transaction management device 60 by reading and executing programs stored in the memory unit 602 .
The storage unit 602 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 601, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 501, including programs.
The RAM 603 is a main storage device for the CPU 601 .
The network-compatible communication unit 604 is a part that performs communication via a network.

The memory unit 602 of the transaction management device 60 stores customer information, store information, product master (product information), and cart information.

[Example of monitoring device configuration]
7 shows an example of the configuration of the monitoring device 80. The monitoring device 80 in the figure includes a CPU 801, a storage unit 802, a RAM 803, an in-store communication unit 804, a network communication unit 805, a display unit 806, and an operation unit 807.
The CPU 801 is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the monitoring device 80 by reading and executing programs stored in the storage unit 802 .
The storage unit 602 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 801, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 801, including programs.
The RAM 803 is a main storage device for the CPU 801 .
The in-store communication unit 804 communicates with terminals within the store, such as the settlement device 40 and the management device 10, via the LAN 19.
The network-compatible communication unit 805 is a part that communicates with the outside via a network. In the case of the monitoring device 80, the network-compatible communication unit 805 can communicate with the transaction management device 60 on the cloud.
The display unit 806 displays an image according to the control of the CPU 801. The display unit 806 may be configured as a touch panel.
The operation unit 807 collectively indicates the operators provided in the monitoring device 80 and the input devices connected to the monitoring device 80 .

[Information stored in the transaction management device]
The customer information stored in the memory unit 602 is information for managing individual customers. The transaction management device 60 generates customer information when a customer is registered (a customer may be considered to have been registered when the customer information of that customer is stored). The transaction management device 60 also updates the customer information as appropriate based on cart information, etc. The transaction management device 60 may refer to the cart information at a specified time every day, for example, and update the customer information.

8A shows an example of customer information stored in the memory unit 602 of the transaction management device 60. The customer information in this figure includes customer identification information, customer name, customer registration date, cancellation information, customer rank, number of points, etc.
The customer identification information is identification information that uniquely identifies a customer.
The customer identification information may be application identification information that is uniquely assigned to each installed shopping application when the shopping application of this embodiment is installed. The application identification information may be, for example, a number that is uniquely (for example, sequentially) assigned to each installed shopping application. Alternatively, the application identification information may be terminal identification information that is unique to the customer terminal device 50 in which the shopping application is installed. The terminal identification information may be, for example, a telephone number assigned to a customer who is a user of the customer terminal device 50, or hardware identification information that is uniquely assigned to the hardware of the customer terminal device 50, such as a MAC (Media Access Control) address.
The customer name is the customer's name or nickname, etc. The customer registration date is the date and time when the customer was registered. Cancellation information is information regarding the cancellation of registered products after registration. The customer rank is a rank according to the customer's purchasing history. When generating customer information for a new customer, the customer identification information, customer name, and customer registration date are generated, but since this is before the start of actual trading (product registration), other information (cancellation information, etc.) is not generated.

The transaction management device 60 generates and stores customer identification information, for example, when a customer is registered (for example, when the customer terminal device 50 downloads or installs a shopping application from an external device (for example, a specified server that provides all applications, the transaction management device 60) to use a shopping service provided by the transaction management device 60). In addition, the transaction management device 60 obtains information entered into the name field of a registration form (input form) using the customer terminal device 50, for example, when a customer is registered, and stores it as the customer name. In addition, the transaction management device 60 obtains the current date and time when the customer is registered, and stores it as the customer registration date.

In addition, instead of or in addition to storing the customer information in its own memory, the transaction management device 60 may store some or all of the customer information in another device (such as a file server accessible to the transaction management device 60).

8(B) shows an example of store information stored in the memory unit 602 of the transaction management device 60. The store information in the figure includes store identification information, store name (branch name), store specific information 1, and store specific information 2.
The store identification information is identification information that uniquely identifies a store. The store identification information shown in Fig. 8B is composed of a store (trade name) or company code and a branch code.
The store name is the name of the store. The store name shown in Fig. 8B is composed of the store (trade name) or company and the branch name.
The store identification information 1 is information on a two-dimensional code (QR code (registered trademark) or the like) for identifying a store in which a transaction takes place (a store where goods are bought and sold).
The store identification information 2 is store location information (GPS information) for identifying the store where the transaction is to be carried out.
In the example shown in FIG. 8B, the store identification information and the store specifying information 1 are different, but the store identification information and the store specifying information 1 may be the same.

The transaction management device 60 may obtain and store store information from an external source (such as a server (not shown) at a headquarters that manages each store). The transaction management device 60 may also store some or all of the store information in another device (such as a file server accessible by the transaction management device 60) instead of or in addition to storing the store information in its own memory.

The cart information is information for managing individual transactions. The transaction management device 60 generates the cart information at the start of a transaction. In addition, the transaction management device 60 updates the cart information as the transaction progresses (each time a product is registered) (it may be considered that the product has been registered when the product is stored in the cart information).

FIG. 8(C) is an example of cart information stored in the memory unit 602 of the transaction management device 60.
The cart information in FIG. 1 includes cart identification information, transaction start date and time, transaction end date and time, customer identification information, product information in the cart (registered product information, reserved product information), cancellation information, and the like.

The cart identification information is identification information that uniquely identifies the cart information, and includes, for example, store identification information, a date, and a serial number (for example, a serial number for each store and date).
The transaction start date and time is the date and time when the transaction starts. The transaction start date and time may be, for example, the date and time when the cart information is generated. The transaction start date and time may be the date and time when the first item of product is registered (the date and time when the registered product information (registered product 1) in FIG. 8(C) is stored). The date and time when the cart information is generated and the date and time when the first item of product is registered may both be stored separately.

The transaction end date and time is the end date and time of the transaction. For example, the transaction end date and time may be the settlement date and time. The customer identification information is customer identification information that identifies the customer of the transaction. When the cart information is generated, the cart identification information, transaction start date and time, and customer identification information are generated, but since this is before the start of the actual transaction (product registration), other information (transaction end date and time, etc.) is not generated. The settlement date and time may be the settlement start date and time or the settlement end date and time. Both the settlement start date and time and the settlement end date and time may be stored separately as the transaction end date and time.

Registered product information (total) is information that is updated each time a product is registered. Registered product information (total) includes the number of products (number of products), estimated subtotal amount (e.g., subtotal amount before discounts, etc. are reflected), subtotal amount, etc. Registered product information (registered product 1) is the registration information for one product item. Registered product information (registered product 2) is the registration information for two products. In the example shown in Figure 8 (C), registered product information (registered product 3) to registered product information (registered product 5) are omitted from the illustration. Registered product information (N; N is an integer) includes the product code, product name (product name), price, etc.

The registered product information (N) may include the registration date and time of the Nth item of product. In other words, the transaction management device 60 may store the registration date and time of the registered product as the registered product information. The registration date and time of each product may also be used as a basis for determining whether or not to apply a service such as a time service and the effect of applying the service.

The reserved product information (total) is updated each time a reserved product is registered.
A reserved product is a product that was not registered properly due to a certain reason and is registered in a temporarily reserved state.
The reserved product information (total) includes the number of reserved products (number of products), the number of NON-FILE items among the reserved products, the number of items among the reserved products that cannot be read (check for tampering), and the like.

A NON-FILE is a product whose barcode or product code was successfully scanned at the store (the product code was read), but the product code is not stored as product information in the product master (a product whose product information is not registered).

A "no read" refers to a failure to scan the product code at the store (the product code could not be read), or a product whose product code has not been scanned at the store. In other words, a "no read" refers to a timeout process when it is possible to determine that the product has been imaged for a certain period of time using image recognition technology but has not been able to be recognized as a barcode, or a product that has been timed out.
For example, if the barcode cannot be correctly acquired (recognized) even though the customer has performed an operation to read the barcode due to wrinkles in the package, smudges or dirt on the barcode print, or the barcode being printed on a transparent film, it will be determined that the barcode cannot be read.

Pending product information (pending product 1) is information on pending product 1. Pending product information (pending product 2) is information on pending product 2. Pending product information (pending product 3) is information on pending product 3.

The reserved product information (reserved product N; N is an integer) includes the reserved product type (information indicating whether the reserved product is a NON-FILE or cannot be read) and image data (image data captured when reading was NG). For example, if the Nth item is a reserved product due to a NON-FILE, the reserved product information (reserved product N) includes the reserved product type "1 (NON-FILE)", the product code, and image data. Also, if the Nth item is a reserved product due to reading was NG, the reserved product information (reserved product N) includes the reserved product type "2 (cannot be read)" and image data.

9 shows an example of the definition of reserved products corresponding to the cart information of this embodiment. In this figure, an example is shown in which reserved products are classified into eight categories. Classification numbers "1" to "8" are assigned to each of the eight reserved product classifications.
The classification of the reserved product with classification number 1 is "NON-FILE" as explained in FIG.
The classification of the reserved product with classification number 2 is “read NG” as explained in FIG.

The classification of reserved items with classification number 3 is "pseudo scan input." Pseudo scan input reserved items are items for which the customer attempted to have the customer terminal device 50 read the product's code, but the customer terminal device 50 was unable to read the code properly.

As a specific example, a situation where a product is brought into the imaging range of the imaging unit 506 but the product code is not brought into the imaging range of the imaging unit 506 corresponds to a "pseudo scan input" situation.
Additionally, a "pseudo scan insertion" situation corresponds to a situation in which the product is brought into the imaging range of the imaging unit 506, but an image of a part that does not have a code is captured.
Additionally, the "pseudo scan input" corresponds to a situation in which the product is brought into the imaging range of the imaging unit 506 with the code portion hidden by a finger or the like.
In addition, a "pseudo scan input" situation corresponds to a situation in which the code on a product is captured by the imaging unit 506, but the product is passed through the imaging range of the imaging unit 506 at a speed that the customer terminal device 50 cannot read the code.

The classification of the reserved product with classification number 4 is “non-scan-inserted.” A reserved product with the “non-scan-inserted” classification is a product that has been added to the shopping cart without performing an operation to position the product within the imaging range of the imaging unit 506.
This non-scanning insertion can occur, for example, when the customer terminal device 50 is fixedly attached to a shopping cart and is capable of capturing an image of the inside of a shopping basket placed in the shopping cart. For example, when the customer terminal device 50 determines based on the captured image that a product has been placed in the shopping cart even though the product's code has not been scanned, it can determine that a non-scanning insertion has been performed.

The classification of reserved items with classification number 5 is "age verification items." "Age verification items" are items such as alcohol and tobacco that require a store clerk to verify the customer's age before selling them.

The classification of reserved product number 6 is "pharmaceuticals." "Pharmaceuticals" are products that require a licensed person, such as a pharmacist, to confirm with the purchaser.

The classification of reserved items with classification number 7 is "anti-theft tag items." "Anti-theft tag items" are items that have anti-theft tags attached and require a store clerk to remove the anti-theft tag from the item when it is sold.

The classification of reserved items with classification number 8 is "cancelled items." "Cancelled items" are items that were once registered but were cancelled by the customer's cancellation operation on the customer terminal device 50. "Cancelled items" are taken from the customer by a store clerk at the time of payment, for example.

In this embodiment, pending products that fall into any of the four categories of "NON-FILE", "Read NG", "Pseudo-scan input", and "Non-scan input" (category numbers 1 to 4) among category numbers 1 to 7 are unspecified products. Unspecified products are products whose registration results are incomplete, for example, because it was not possible to identify which of the products registered in the product master they belong to.

The product master is stored, for example, in the management device 10. The product master stores product information for each product sold in the store. The product information for one product includes a number of predetermined information items, including a product code and a product name.
Transaction management device 60 stores the product master data acquired from management device 10. Transaction management device 60 uses the stored product master data for processes related to product registration, etc.

For the reserved item corresponding to the classification number 1 "NON-FILE", the item code is acquired by code scanning in response to the item registration operation, but the item information associated with the acquired item code is not registered in the item master. Therefore, it is not specified which of the items registered in the item master the reserved item corresponding to the classification number 1 "NON-FILE" is. Specifically, the customer terminal device 50 may transmit the item code acquired by code scanning to the transaction management device 60, and the transaction management device 60 may compare the transmitted item code with the item code of the item registered in the item master stored in the transaction management device 60. If the transaction management device 60 determines as a result of the comparison that the same item code as the transmitted item code does not exist in the item master, it may treat the reserved item as a reserved item corresponding to the classification number 1 "NON-FILE" and notify the customer terminal device 50 of the same.
For pending products that fall into one of the three categories of classification numbers 2 to 4, "read NG", "pseudo scan input", and "non-scan input", the product code has failed to be acquired as a result of the code scan in response to the product registration operation. For this reason, it is not possible to identify which of the products registered in the product master the pending products that fall into one of the three categories of classification numbers 2 to 4, "read NG", "pseudo scan input", and "non-scan input", belong to.
Such unspecified products are products that can be released from their reserved status (reserved status) by a store clerk operating the monitoring device 80 as described below, and can be registered normally.

In addition, instead of or in addition to storing the cart information in its own memory, the transaction management device 60 may store some or all of the cart information in another device (such as a file server accessible to the transaction management device 60).

[Example of basic processing procedure for self-operation]
The sequence diagram in Fig. 10 shows an example of a processing procedure executed by the customer terminal device 50, the settlement device 40, and the transaction management device 60 in response to the accounting of one transaction in a self-service operation. Specifically, the processing in Fig. 10 shows an example of the processing of the customer terminal device 50, the settlement device 40, and the transaction management device 60 from when a customer registers a product to be purchased from among products displayed in the store, until the settlement of the registered product is completed.

Step S1: The customer terminal device 50 acquires information that identifies the store (store identification information). For example, a two-dimensional code for identifying the store may be displayed near the entrance of the store (the two-dimensional code may be output to a display screen, a medium with the two-dimensional code printed on it may be attached, etc.), and a customer who visits the store may scan (read) the two-dimensional code with the customer terminal device 50, thereby causing the customer terminal device 50 to acquire the store identification information. When a customer who visits the store launches a shopping application, a screen instructing the customer to scan the two-dimensional code may be displayed as a startup screen, or when a customer who visits the store scans the two-dimensional code with the customer terminal device 50, the shopping application may be launched, and a screen informing the customer that they are currently connected to the transaction management device 60 may be displayed as a startup screen.

For example, since a store is identified by its location, a customer who visits the store may obtain location information (GPS information) on the customer terminal device 50 at the store (i.e., the store's location information may be obtained as store identification information). When a customer who visits the store starts a shopping application, the location information may be obtained and a screen may be displayed as a startup screen informing the customer that the application is currently connected to the transaction management device 60. If multiple stores are detected from the location information and it is not possible to identify one, a selection screen may be displayed to allow the customer to select. Alternatively, the application may switch to a mode that forcibly obtains a two-dimensional code.

11A shows an example of a start-up screen of the shopping application displayed on the display unit 504 of the customer terminal device 50. The start-up screen in the figure displays the store name. This store name is displayed based on the store-specific information acquired in step S1.
When a customer wishes to start registering a product for shopping, the customer operates a transaction start button BT10 arranged on the start-up screen.
In response to the operation of the transaction start instruction button BT10, the customer terminal device 50 transmits a transaction start request including the acquired store specific information and customer identification information to the transaction management device 60. The transaction start request may be transmitted in response to the customer's operation on the customer terminal device 50 as described above, or may be transmitted in response to the acquisition of store specific information without receiving any particular operation.
Regarding the customer identification information, the information entered in the name field of the registration form using the customer terminal device 50 during customer registration (when downloading or installing a shopping application to the customer terminal device 50) may be stored in the customer information of the transaction management device 60, but may also be stored in the memory of the customer terminal device 50 in addition to the transaction management device 60. When a store is identified (when the product registration initial screen described below is acquired), the store name, the services being offered (flyer information distributed on that day), and available coupon information of the store may be displayed on a screen (the product registration initial screen or a screen other than the product registration initial screen). The service and coupon information may be acquired from the transaction management device 60 as screen information, for example.

The destination information (address of the transaction management device 60) may also be obtained when registering the customer (when the shopping application is downloaded or installed on the customer terminal device 50) and stored in the memory of the customer terminal device 50. When scanning a two-dimensional code, the destination information may be converted into a two-dimensional code in addition to the store-specific information, and the customer terminal device 50 may obtain the destination information along with the store-specific information by scanning the two-dimensional code.

Step S2: The transaction management device 60, which has received the customer identification information and store identification information as a transaction start request from the customer terminal device 50, generates cart information for the transaction. Note that in the initial state in which the cart information is generated, the cart identification information, transaction start date and time, and customer identification information are stored, but since this is before the start of the actual transaction (product registration), other information (transaction end date and time, product information (registered product information, pending product information), etc.) is not stored.

As described above, the transaction management device 60 stores store information such as that shown in FIG. 8 (B), so when it receives store identification information (it also receives customer identification information) as a transaction start request from the customer terminal device 50, if the received store identification information is a two-dimensional code, it acquires the store identification information by referring to store identification information 1, and if the received store identification information is location information (GPS information), it acquires the store identification information by referring to store identification information 2. Note that if the store identification information received from the customer terminal device 50 is a two-dimensional code of the store identification information, the transaction management device 60 can simply acquire it as is.

In other words, the transaction management device 60, which receives customer identification information and store identification information from the customer terminal device 50 as a transaction start request, acquires the store identification information from the store identification information received from the customer terminal device 50, and further acquires the current date, issues (assigns) a serial number, combines the store identification information, the current date, and the serial number, and stores them as cart identification information in the cart information. In addition, the transaction management device 60, which receives store identification information and customer identification information from the customer terminal device 50 as a transaction start request, acquires the current date and time, and stores them as the transaction start date and time (generation date and time) in the cart information. In addition, the transaction management device 60, which receives store identification information and customer identification information from the customer terminal device 50 as a transaction start request, stores the customer identification information received from the customer terminal device 50 as customer identification information in the cart information.

Step S3: The transaction management device 60, which has generated the cart information for the transaction, generates product registration initial screen information (screen information for the product registration screen, which is the initial screen) and transmits it to the customer terminal device 50. Specifically, the transaction management device 60, for example, generates product registration initial screen information and transmits the generated product registration initial screen information together with cart identification information to the customer terminal device 50.

Step S4: The customer terminal device 50, which has received the cart identification information and the product registration initial screen information from the transaction management device 60, stores the cart identification information and displays the registration screen on the display unit. Specifically, the customer terminal device 50 displays, for example, the product registration initial screen as shown in FIG. 11 (B).

Step S5: In response to a customer's operation, the customer terminal device 50 scans the barcode attached to the product and reads the product code. In the figure, it is assumed that the barcode scan was successful. Steps S5 to S9 are repeated each time a barcode attached to a product is scanned.

The customer terminal device 50 that acquires the barcode transmits the cart identification information and product registration information, including the product code obtained by scanning, to the transaction management device 60.

Step S6: The transaction management device 60 receives the product registration information (cart identification information and product code) from the customer terminal device 50 and identifies the cart information of the transaction from the cart identification information contained in the received product registration information.

Step S7: The transaction management device 60 updates the product data in the identified cart information. Specifically, if the received product registration information contains a product code for item N, the transaction management device 60 stores the product code as the product code of the registered product information (registered product N) in the identified cart information, obtains the product name and price corresponding to the product code from the product information, and stores them as the product and price of the registered product information (registered product N). The transaction management device 60 also updates the registered product information (total) in the identified cart information.

Step S8: After updating the product data in the cart information, the transaction management device 60 generates product registration update screen information (screen information of the product registration screen, which is the update screen to which the registered product has been added) and transmits it to the customer terminal device 50. Specifically, the transaction management device 60 generates product registration update screen information such that the customer terminal device 50 displays a product registration update screen to which the list item of the currently registered product has been added in the registered product list, as shown in FIG. 11 (C), for example, and transmits the generated product registration update screen information to the customer terminal device 50 together with the cart identification information.

The product registration screen (product registration update screen) shown in Figure 11 (C) is displayed on the customer terminal device 50 after "XX bread" has been registered as the third product item. In other words, when "XX yogurt" is stored in the cart information as the first item, the transaction management device 60 generates product registration update screen information such that "XX yogurt" is displayed on the customer terminal device 50 and transmits the generated product registration update screen information to the customer terminal device 50 together with the cart identification information; when "XX chocolate" is stored in the cart as the second item, the transaction management device 60 generates product registration update screen information such that "XX yogurt" and "XX chocolate" are displayed on the customer terminal device 50 and transmits the generated product registration update screen information to the customer terminal device 50 together with the cart identification information; and when "XX bread" is stored in the cart information as the third item, the transaction management device 60 generates product registration update screen information such that "XX yogurt", "XX chocolate", and "XX bread" are displayed on the customer terminal device 50 as shown in FIG. 11(C) and transmits the generated product registration update screen information to the customer terminal device 50 together with the cart identification information.

When one product is registered, a registered product presentation screen WD1 may be displayed, presenting the currently registered product, as shown in FIG. 12(A), for example. In addition, the registered product presentation screen WD1 in the same figure shows an example in which a "Yes" button BT1 and a "No" button BT2 are arranged to confirm with the customer whether or not they would like to eat in the product, in accordance with the fact that the product is available for eat-in. In this case, the price of the product will be calculated so that the consumption tax rate for the product is different when the "Yes" button BT1 is operated and when the "No" button BT2 is operated.

Step S9: The customer terminal device 50, which has received the cart identification information and product registration update screen information from the transaction management device 60, adds the product to the registration screen. Specifically, the customer terminal device 50 displays a product registration update screen such as that shown in FIG. 11(C). As described above, the product registration screen (product registration update screen) shown in FIG. 11(C) is displayed on the customer terminal device 50 after "XX bread" has been registered as the third product item.

Step S10: The customer terminal device 50 accepts a payment instruction operation as a customer operation. For example, it accepts the touch of the "Proceed to checkout" button shown in FIG. 11 (C).

Step S11: The customer terminal device 50 that has accepted the checkout transition instruction operation generates a two-dimensional code. In other words, the customer terminal device 50 converts information required to execute the checkout process for the items purchased by the customer terminal device 50 (e.g., cart identification information) into a two-dimensional code. The customer terminal device 50 that has generated the two-dimensional code displays the generated two-dimensional code on the display unit. For example, a code display screen with a two-dimensional code arranged as shown in FIG. 11 (D) is displayed on the display unit.

Step S12: The settlement device 40 scans (reads) the two-dimensional code displayed on the display unit of the customer terminal device 50. For example, the settlement device 40 scans the two-dimensional code displayed on the display unit of the customer terminal device 50 that is directed by the customer within the recognition range of the customer-side scanner unit 406.

Step S13: The settlement device 40 reads the two-dimensional code displayed on the display of the customer terminal device 50 and requests the transaction management device 60 to calculate the subtotal amount. For example, the settlement device 40 sends a calculation request (subtotal calculation request information) requesting calculation of the subtotal amount to the transaction management device 60 together with the cart identification information obtained from the two-dimensional code.

Step S14: The transaction management device 60 receives the cart identification information and the sub-calculation request information from the customer terminal device 50 and identifies the cart information for the transaction from the cart identification information.

Step S15: After identifying the cart, the transaction management device 60 calculates the subtotal amount using information such as the price in the registered product information included in the cart information corresponding to the identified cart information.

Step S16: After calculating the subtotal, the transaction management device 60 updates the cart information (stores the subtotal (calculated subtotal)) and transmits the subtotal information indicating the calculated subtotal together with the cart identification information to the settlement device 40.

Step S17: Having received the cart identification information and subtotal information from the transaction management device 60, the settlement device 40 displays the subtotal amount, for example as shown in FIG. 12 (B), on the customer side display unit 405.

Step S18: The settlement device 40, which has displayed the subtotal on the customer display unit 405, executes the payment (settlement). Specifically, the settlement device 40 accepts the selection of the payment type. In the case of cash, it accepts the deposit, calculates the amount of change, and, if there is change, dispenses the change and issues a receipt. In addition, when the settlement is completed, the settlement device 40 sends settlement completion information together with the cart information to the transaction management device 60, and the transaction management device 60 stores the transaction end date and time (settlement date and time) for that cart.

The customer terminal device 50 transmits the product code to the transaction management device 60 after scanning the product (S5), but may not transmit product codes for products (e.g., products scanned after moving to another store) other than the products scanned in the store (the store when the customer visited the store and displayed the product registration initial screen). For example, the customer terminal device 50 acquires and stores location information (GPS information) when the customer visits the store (or when the product registration initial screen is displayed). The customer terminal device 50 also acquires location information when each product is scanned, and compares the location information acquired when the customer scans the product with the location information acquired when the customer visited the store (or when the product registration initial screen is displayed). If the two match (or approximately match), the customer terminal device 50 may permit the transmission of the product code of the product to the transaction management device 60, and if they do not match (or approximately match), the customer terminal device 50 may prohibit the transmission of the product code of the product to the transaction management device 60.
This makes it possible to prevent inappropriate product registration (for example, registering a product to a cart created at another store, etc.).

When the settlement device 40 prohibits the transmission of the product code as described above, it may display an error message (e.g., "Registration is not possible because this is not in store X") on the customer display unit 405 after scanning the product. The settlement device 40 may also display the above message on the store clerk display unit 410 instead of or in addition to the message on the customer display unit 405.

The settlement device 40 may read the two-dimensional code displayed on the display of the customer terminal device 50 and then request the transaction management device 60 to calculate the subtotal amount (S13), but may not request the calculation of the subtotal amount for products other than the product scanned in the store (for example, products scanned in other stores). For example, the settlement device 40 refers to the store identification information of the store (the settlement device 40 may store and refer to the store identification information of the store in the settlement device 40, or may refer to the store identification information stored in another accessible device), and when the settlement device 40 reads the two-dimensional code displayed on the display of the customer terminal device 50, compares the cart identification information obtained from the two-dimensional code with the store identification information of the store. The settlement device 40 may permit the request to calculate the subtotal amount if the store identification information included in the cart identification information includes the store identification information of the store, and may prohibit the request to calculate the subtotal amount if the store identification information does not include the store identification information of the store.
This makes it possible to prevent inappropriate payments (for example, payments for products registered at other stores, etc.).

When the settlement device 40 prohibits the request for the subtotal amount as described above, it may display an error message (e.g., "Settlement cannot be completed because the transaction includes products not from store XX") on the customer display unit 405 after reading the two-dimensional code. The settlement device 40 may also display the above message on the store clerk display unit 410 instead of or in addition to the message on the customer display unit 405.

In the example of the processing procedure in FIG. 10, the transaction management device 60 calculates the subtotal amount. However, for example, the settlement device 40 may acquire cart information from the transaction management device 60 and calculate the subtotal amount based on the acquired cart information. Alternatively, the transaction management device 60 may transmit cart information to the management device 10 and request calculation of the subtotal amount, the management device 10 may calculate the subtotal amount using the received cart information, and the calculated subtotal amount may be transmitted to the settlement device 40 via the transaction management device 60.

When processing the settlement, the transaction management device 60 may check the cancellation status of the customer's products based on the customer information and cart information for the customer, and determine whether or not to issue a warning against fraud. If it is determined that a warning should be issued, the transaction management device 60 may, for example, cause the settlement device 40 to issue a warning notification.

In addition, during checkout processing, the transaction management device 60 may determine whether the product information included in the cart information includes any reserved items, and if so, may request the checkout device 40 to provide instructions to correct the reserved items. Upon receiving a request to provide instructions to correct the reserved items, the checkout device 40 displays a message to notify the user that there are reserved items, as shown in FIG. 12(C). Upon confirming the message, the store clerk may perform an operation to release (correct) the reserved items, such as entering a price corresponding to the reserved items or canceling the reserved items.

[About remote release from hold]
The release of the reserved state of the reserved item (removal of the reserved item) is performed by a store clerk operating the settlement device 40 that has displayed a display notifying the user that there is a reserved item, as shown in Fig. 12(C). However, in this case, the store clerk needs to go to each settlement device 40 that is notifying the user that there is a reserved item.
Therefore, in the shopping system of this embodiment, the store clerk is allowed to operate the monitoring device 80 to release the pending items of unspecified items included in the pending items registered in the abnormal transaction.
In other words, in this embodiment, even if a store clerk does not go to the settlement device 40, the monitoring device 80 can be used to perform a remote operation (remote hold release operation) to release the hold status of an unspecified product.
By enabling such remote hold release operation, it becomes unnecessary to release the hold of reserved items that correspond to unspecified items at the settlement device 40. As a result, the hold of reserved items can be released at a stage before settlement at the settlement device 40, so that the hold of reserved items can be released efficiently. In addition, since the hold release operation can be distributed between the settlement device 40 and the monitoring device 80, it is possible to shorten the total waiting time for the hold release at the settlement device 40, and it is also possible to improve the utilization efficiency of the settlement device 40.

The flow of the hold release remote operation in this embodiment will be described below. In the following description, the operation of the customer having the customer terminal device 50 scan (read) the code (e.g., a barcode) attached to the product in order to register the product is also referred to as the product registration operation. The customer terminal device 50 has a code scanning function that extracts a code from an image captured by the imaging unit 506 and acquires code information. The customer terminal device 50 can acquire the product code by scanning the code attached to the product.

Customers can perform product registration operations by scanning the code attached to the product they wish to purchase at the store's sales floor using the customer terminal device 50. When the product is registered as a result of the product registration operation, the product registration screen is updated so that a list item for the currently registered product is added to the registered product list, as shown in FIG. 11 (C).

Then, in this embodiment, the customer terminal device 50 displays a hold release guide screen when it determines that a product is an unspecified product among the held products as a result of performing a product registration operation for the product. The hold release guide screen is a screen that notifies the customer that the product that was the subject of the current product registration operation has been treated as an unspecified product, and allows the customer to specify (select) whether or not to request a hold release remote operation to release the unspecified product from hold.

Below, we will first explain an example in which, as a result of the product registration operation, the product to be registered is determined to be an unspecified product that falls under "NON-FILE" of classification number 1.

13A shows an example of the on-hold release guide screen WD51. The on-hold release guide screen WD51 in the figure is an example displayed in a window format arranged so as to be superimposed on the product registration screen.
The hold release guidance screen WD51 in the same figure displays a message informing the customer that the product that is the subject of the current product registration operation has been registered as an unspecified product in the held products, and informing the customer that a hold release remote operation can be requested.
In addition, on the hold release guidance screen WD51, an operation request button BT51 and an operation-free declaration button BT52 are arranged. The operation request button BT51 is a button that a customer operates when he/she requests a hold release remote operation on the spot. The operation-free declaration button BT52 is a button that a customer operates when he/she does not request a hold release remote operation on the spot, but instead wants a store clerk to release the hold when making payment at the payment device 40.

The product registration screen displayed in the background of the hold release guide screen WD51 in the figure has been updated to reflect the results of the current product registration operation. That is, the product list item at the bottom of the product registration screen displays "Reserved Product: NON-FILE." This list item display indicates that the product has been registered as a reserved product that corresponds to classification number 1, "NON-FILE," as a result of the current product registration operation. Furthermore, in the case of a reserved product that corresponds to classification number 1, "NON-FILE," no product information associated with the obtained product code has been obtained, and therefore no price information has been obtained either. For this reason, the price is not displayed in the product list item at the bottom of the product registration screen.

In this case, the customer decides to request a remote operation to release the hold on the spot, and so operates the operation request button BT51. In response to the operation of the operation request button BT51, the customer terminal device 50 transmits operation request information to the transaction management device 60.
The operation request information includes cart identification information and reserved product reference information. If the product to be registered this time is an unspecified product with classification number 1 and a "NON-FILE", the reserved product reference information includes the product code acquired by the customer terminal device 50 by scanning the code, and the captured image captured by the imaging unit 506 when the code is being scanned.
If the product that is the subject of the current product registration operation is determined to be an unspecified product with classification numbers 2 to 4, either "Cannot read,""Pseudo scan input," or "Non-scan input," the pending product reference information includes the image captured by the imaging unit 506 when the code is being scanned, but does not include the product code.

The transaction management device 60 transfers the received operation request information to the monitoring device 80. At this time, the transaction management device 60 includes the product information registered as an unspecified product in response to the current product registration operation in the operation request information and transmits it to the monitoring device 80.

When the customer terminal device 50 transmits operation request information to the monitoring device 80 via the transaction management device 60 as described above, it displays a hold release waiting screen WD52 instead of the hold release guidance screen WD51.
13B shows an example of the on-hold release waiting screen WD52. The on-hold release waiting screen WD52 in the figure is an example of a window format that is superimposed on the product registration screen, similar to the on-hold release guide screen WD51.
The hold release waiting screen WD52 in the same figure displays a message informing the customer that the hold release operation is currently being performed and to wait until the hold release operation for the unidentified product is completed.

Furthermore, the monitoring device 80 that has received the operation request information displays a product information input screen on the display unit 806. The store clerk in charge of monitoring using the monitoring device 80 can see that a customer has requested a remote operation to release the hold by viewing the product information input screen.

Prior to displaying the product information input screen, monitoring device 80 may display on display unit 806 a hold release operation confirmation screen for notifying the customer that a hold release remote operation has been requested by the customer and for allowing a declaration operation as to whether or not to perform the hold release remote operation in response to the request. The declaration operation as to whether or not to perform the hold release remote operation may be an operation on either a button for declaring that the hold release remote operation will be performed or a button for declaring that the hold release remote operation will not be performed.
When the store clerk performs an operation on the hold release operation confirmation screen to declare that he/she will perform the hold release remote operation, the display on the display unit 806 is changed to the product information input screen. Also, when the store clerk performs an operation on the hold release operation confirmation screen to declare that he/she will not perform the hold release remote operation, the display on the display unit 806 is returned to the predetermined screen before the hold release operation confirmation screen was displayed.

Figure 14 (A) shows an example of a product information input screen displayed on the display unit 806. The product information input screen in the figure is arranged with a product code input area AR30-1, a search button BT31, a product name input area AR30-2, a selling price input area AR30-3, a product type input area AR30-4, a warning type input area AR30-5, a confirmation button BT32, a delete button BT33, and a scan status image area AR31.

Note that when there is no need to distinguish between the product code input area AR30-1, product name input area AR30-2, selling price input area AR30-3, product type input area AR30-4, and warning type input area AR30-5, they will be referred to as input area AR30.

The product code input area AR30-1 is an input area in which the product code of the unspecified product to be released from reservation is input.
The search button BT31 is a button that is operated when searching for a product registered in the product master when inputting a product code in the product code input area AR30-1.
The product name input area AR30-2 is an input area where the product name is input.
The selling price input area AR30-3 is an input area where the selling price is input.
The product type input area AR30-4 is an input area where the product type is input.
The warning type input area AR30-5 is an input area in which the warning type is input.
The confirmation button BT32 is a button operated to instruct the display of an input information confirmation screen for confirming the contents of the information input in each of the input areas AR30 when releasing a hold.
The delete button BT33 is a button that is operated when deleting the registration of an unspecified product that has been subject to release from reservation as a reserved product.

The scan status image area AR31 is an area where a scan status image is displayed. The scan status image is an image captured by the imaging unit 506 when the code of the unspecified product that is the subject of hold release by the customer terminal device 50 is scanned in response to the customer's product registration operation. The content of such a scan status image indicates the status of the unspecified product that is the subject of hold release when the product code is scanned by the customer terminal device 50.
In addition, in the scan status image area AR31, for example, a plurality of scan status images captured at different timings may be displayed. In addition, the scan status image may be a moving image or a time lapse image of still images captured at regular intervals.

When the unspecified product is a "NON-FILE" with classification number 1, the product code is successfully acquired as a result of scanning the code according to the product registration operation. However, the product information associated with the acquired product code is not acquired.
For this reason, in the initial display state of the product information input screen, a product code has already been entered into the product code input area AR30-1, but no information has been entered into the remaining product name input area AR30-2, selling price input area AR30-3, product type input area AR30-4, and warning type input area AR30-5.

The store clerk then performs an operation of inputting information corresponding to the unspecified commodity to be released from the hold into each of the input areas AR30 in which information has not been input. At this time, the store clerk can determine what kind of commodity the unspecified commodity to be released from the hold is by looking at the scan information image displayed in the scan status image area AR31. This allows the store clerk to determine what kind of information should be input into each of the product name input area AR30-2, the selling price input area AR30-3, the product type input area AR30-4, and the warning type input area AR30-5. When determining what information to input into each of the input areas AR30, the store clerk may refer to, for example, a product book or the like in which product information available in the store is listed.
The store clerk then performs an operation to input the specified information into each of the product name input area AR30-2, selling price input area AR30-3, product type input area AR30-4, and warning type input area AR30-5. As a result, as shown in Fig. 14(A), a state is obtained in which information about the unspecified product that is the subject of the hold release is input into all of the input areas, the product code input area AR30-1, product name input area AR30-2, selling price input area AR30-3, product type input area AR30-4, and warning type input area AR30-5.

When information has been entered into all of the input areas AR30 in the above manner, the store clerk operates the confirmation button BT32. In response to the operation of the confirmation button BT32, an input information confirmation screen (not shown) is displayed on the display unit 806. The input information confirmation screen shows the content of the information entered into each input area AR30 on the product information input screen, and also has an execute button for issuing an instruction to cancel the hold.
The store clerk confirms the content of the information displayed on the product information input screen and then presses the execute button. In response to the execution button being pressed, the monitoring device 80 transmits a hold release request including the information (simple product information) entered in the input area AR30 to the transaction management device 60.

When the transaction management device 60 receives a hold release request, it replaces the held product information of the held product that is currently being released and is stored in the cart information with the registered product information including the simplified product information included in the received hold release request. As a result, the held product as an unspecified product is released from the held state and is treated as if it had been registered normally.

When the transaction management device 60 releases the pending status of the pending item as an unspecified item and registers it as a normal item (normal registration) as described above, it sends a notification of completion of pending release to the customer terminal device 50. The notification of completion of pending release includes information on the product registration update screen in which the corresponding list item that indicated it was a pending item has been changed to a state indicating that it has been normally registered as a result of this pending release.

When the customer terminal device 50 receives the on-hold release completion notification, it first displays a on-hold release confirmation screen WD53 in place of the on-hold release waiting screen WD52 that has been displayed up until now.
13C shows an example of a hold release confirmation screen WD53. In the hold release confirmation screen WD53 in the figure, a message notifying the customer that the hold release remote operation has been completed and the hold release has been performed, and a confirmation button BT53 are arranged.
The customer can see that the release of the reserved item as an unspecified item has been completed by looking at the displayed hold release confirmation screen WD53. The customer operates the confirmation button BT53 to confirm that the hold release has been completed.

In response to the operation of the confirmation button BT53, the customer terminal device 50 erases the hold release confirmation screen WD53. In addition, the customer terminal device 50 updates the display of the product registration screen using the product registration update screen information included in the hold release completion notification.

Figure 13 (D) shows the product registration screen updated after the hold release confirmation screen WD53 has been erased. In the product registration screen in this figure, the list item at the bottom that was shown as "Reserved product: NON-FILE" in the product registration screens of Figures 13 (A) to 13 (D) has changed to show the product name, such as "XX bread," and the price (selling price). Furthermore, the list item at the bottom of the product registration screen in this figure shows, for example, "Released hold," indicating that the product corresponding to that list item has been successfully registered by being released from hold.

In the case of displaying the hold release standby screen WD52 as shown in Fig. 13(B), the hold release standby screen WD52 once displayed is not erased until the hold release remote operation is completed. In this case, even if the customer still wants to register a product, the customer cannot perform the product registration operation while the hold release standby screen WD52 is displayed and must wait.
Therefore, in response to the operation request button BT51 (FIG. 13A) of the hold release guidance screen WD51 being operated, the customer terminal device 50 may transition to the following display instead of displaying the hold release waiting screen WD52. That is, in response to the operation request button BT51 being operated, the customer terminal device 50 may operate the hold release guidance screen WD51 to return to the product registration screen. Then, in the product registration screen, the list item of the held product that is the subject of the request for the hold release remote operation is displayed in a predetermined manner indicating that the hold release remote operation is waiting for completion. Then, in response to the completion of the hold release remote operation, a notification that the hold release remote operation has been completed and the hold of the held product has been released is performed in a predetermined manner on the product registration screen. The notification that the hold has been released may be, for example, a pop-up window showing a message informing that the hold has been released according to FIG. 13(C). The notification that the hold has been released may be performed by using a sound output, vibration, or the like in addition to the display.
In this manner, by making the product registration screen appear after the operation request button BT51 is operated, the customer can perform product registration operation even while the hold release remote operation is being performed.

In addition, when the customer sees the hold release guide screen WD51 displayed as in Figure 13 (A), the customer will have the hold released when making payment at the settlement device 40. If the customer decides not to request remote hold release operation at this stage, the customer operates the no operation required button BT52.
When the no operation required declaration button BT52 is operated, the customer terminal device 50 erases the hold release guide screen WD51 and returns to the state where the product registration screen is displayed. In this case, the customer terminal device 50 does not transmit operation request information, etc. to the transaction management device 60. Also, in this case, the list item of the corresponding held product on the product registration screen displayed after the hold release guide screen WD51 is erased maintains the display indicating that it is the held product before the no operation required declaration button BT52 was operated.

In addition, if the store clerk using the monitoring device 80 decides to release the hold by deleting the registration of the held item as an unspecified item, he or she operates the delete button BT33 on the item information input screen as a remote operation to release the hold.
When the delete button BT33 is operated, the monitoring device 80 transmits a hold release request to the transaction management device 60 to instruct the deletion of the registration as a held item. In this case, the transaction management device 60 deletes the held item information of the held item to be released from the cart information in response to receiving the hold release request. As a result, the held item as an unspecified item is treated as having its registration deleted, and is released from the hold.
In this case, the transaction management device 60 will include information from the product registration update screen in which the corresponding list item indicating that the product was on hold has been deleted in the on-hold release completion notification that it sends to the customer terminal device 50 in response to the on-hold release.

There may also be cases where a customer wishes to release a reserved product by deleting the registration at their own discretion. For example, a customer may mistakenly have the customer terminal device 50 read the code of a product that they did not intend to purchase, but may then return the product to the shelf.
Therefore, the deletion of the registration of the reserved product as an unspecified product may be specified, for example, by the customer when requesting the remote operation for releasing the reserved product. In this case, for example, on the hold release guide screen WD51, the customer may be allowed to select either changing to a normal registration or deleting the registration as the hold release, and then perform the operation for requesting the remote operation for releasing the reserved product.

Next, we will explain an example in which, as a result of a customer performing a product registration operation using the customer terminal device 50, the product to be registered is determined to be an unspecified product that falls into any of the categories of “read NG,” “pseudo scan input,” or “non-scan input” in classification numbers 2 to 4.
In this case, the customer terminal device 50 also displays the on-hold release guide screen WD51 as shown in Fig. 13(A). However, in this case, in the product registration screen displayed in the background of the on-hold release guide screen WD51, the bottommost product list item showing the result of the current product registration operation displays, for example, "on-hold product: code cannot be read" instead of "on-hold product: NON-FILE", which indicates that the product code reading by the product registration operation has failed.
Also in this case, with the hold release guide screen WD51 displayed, the customer operates either the operation request button BT51 or the operation-free declaration button BT52 depending on his/her own judgment as to whether or not to request a hold release remote operation. When the operation request button BT51 is operated, the display on the display unit 504 of the customer terminal device 50 transitions as shown in Fig. 13(B) and Fig. 13(C) in response to the hold release remote operation performed by the store clerk at the monitoring device 80. Then, in response to the customer operating the confirmation button BT53 on the hold release confirmation screen WD53 displayed as in Fig. 13(C), a product registration screen reflecting the current hold release is displayed as shown in Fig. 13(D).

In this case, the product information input screen displayed by the monitoring device 80 in response to receiving a hold release remote operation request may be the same as that shown in FIG. 14(A). However, if the unidentified product corresponds to any of the classification numbers 2 to 4, "Read NG", "Pseudo scan input", or "Non-scan input", the product code has not been acquired by the product registration operation. Therefore, in the initial display state of the product information input screen, no information is entered in the product name input area AR30-2, selling price input area AR30-3, product type input area AR30-4, warning type input area AR30-5, and also in the product code input area AR30-1.

In this case, if the store clerk wishes to normally register the product as a hold release by remote hold release operation, the store clerk performs an operation to input information into each input area AR30 on the product information input screen. In this case, the store clerk can also determine what kind of product it is by looking at the scan status image displayed in the scan status image area AR31. After inputting information into each input area AR30, the store clerk operates the confirmation button BT32 to display the input information confirmation screen, and performs an instruction operation to execute hold release on the displayed input information confirmation screen. As a result, the hold is released for the unspecified product, and normal registration is performed.
If the unspecified product falls under any of the classification numbers 2 to 4, "read NG", "pseudo scan input", or "non-scan input", the store clerk may input the product name, etc., as understood from the scan status image displayed in the scan status image area AR31, as a search key (search condition), and operate the search button BT31, for example, to execute a search. In this case, the monitoring device 80 accesses the product master stored in, for example, the transaction management device 60 or the management device 10, and searches for a product that matches the input search key. The store clerk performs an operation to identify the relevant product from among the searched products. The monitoring device 80 can obtain product information of the identified product from the product master, and input information into each input area AR30 using the obtained product information.

Also, even if the unspecified product corresponds to "NON-FILE" of classification number 1, it may be possible to search for the product for normal registration.
However, the reason why the unspecified product is determined to be a "NON-FILE" is that there is no corresponding product information in the product master stored in the transaction management device 60. For this reason, when the unspecified product is a "NON-FILE", there is no point in accessing the product master of the transaction management device 60 to search for the product, as in the case of unspecified products that are "unreadable", "pseudo-scanned", or "unscanned". However, although the corresponding product information is registered in the product master of the store's store controller (which may be the management device 10, for example) or in a product master database provided outside the store, such as the headquarters of an affiliated store (store chain), the registration of this product information may not be reflected in the product master of the transaction management device 60.
Therefore, if the unspecified product corresponds to "NON-FILE", the monitoring device 80 may, in response to the operation of the search button BT31, access the product master stored in the store controller or a product master database outside the store, and search for product information of the product that corresponds to the input search key.

In addition, when the store clerk wishes to cancel the registration of an unspecified product by remotely releasing the hold, he or she operates the delete button BT33 on the product information input screen.

Next, with reference to FIG. 14(B), another example of the product information input screen displayed on the monitoring device 80 will be described.
The product information input screen in the same figure is arranged with an input area AR40 (product code input area AR40-1, product type input area AR40-2, warning type input area AR40-3, product name input area AR40-4, selling price (selling value) input area AR40-5, quantity unit input area AR40-6, tax exemption flag input area AR40-7, special sale setting input area AR40-8, tax information input area AR40-9), a scan status image area AR41, a search button BT41, a confirmation button BT42, and a delete button BT43.
In such a product information input screen, simple product information such as product code, product type, warning type, product name, selling price, quantity unit, tax exemption flag, special sale setting, and tax information are input into each of the input areas AR40.
In the product information input screen of FIG. 14(B), information regarding, for example, tax exemption, consumption tax, special sales, etc. can also be input as simplified product information, so that settings such as tax exemption, consumption tax, special sales, etc. can be made at the stage of releasing the hold on an unspecified product and registering it normally.

The state in which a product is registered in the cart information as a reserved product is an incomplete state in which the product cannot proceed to the checkout stage as is, and the product must be remedied by changing the registration to a normal one or deleting the registration before proceeding to the checkout stage.
In this embodiment, by enabling remote operation of canceling the reserved item with the monitoring device 80, the registration of the reserved item can be cancelled even at a stage before settlement is performed with the settlement device 40. In addition, for example, it is possible to distribute the release of the reserved item between the monitoring device 80 and the settlement device 40. This allows the reserved item to be released efficiently.

Furthermore, the information items as simplified product information to be inputted into the product information input screen during the hold release remote operation are considered to be a part of the information items included in the product information stored in the product master.
The information items included in the product master include, for example, medium category, small category, cost, standard retail price, size, weight, specifications, content volume, registration date and time, update date and time, etc., in addition to the product code, product name, selling price, product type, warning type, quantity unit, tax exemption flag, sale setting, and tax information corresponding to input area AR30 in Fig. 14(A) and input area AR40 in Fig. 14(B). For example, medium category and small category are information that may be necessary for product management in a store, but do not necessarily need to be used in transactions. In other words, the information items included in the product master include information that does not necessarily need to be used in transactions.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the information items to be input in the input areas AR30 and AR40 on the product information input screen on which the hold release remote operation is performed are limited to information items required to enable the transaction.
This eliminates the need for the store clerk to input more information than necessary when remotely performing the hold release operation, thereby improving the efficiency of releasing unspecified products from hold.

It is not necessary that information items corresponding to all input areas (AR30, AR40) arranged on the product information input screen are input. In addition, in response to input of information items that can identify the classification of a product, such as the product name or product type, on the product information input screen, the manner of the corresponding input area may be changed so that information items that are no longer required to be input or cannot be input based on the corresponding classification among the remaining input areas that have not been input are indicated.

[Example of processing procedure]
An example of a processing procedure executed by the customer terminal device 50, the transaction management device 60, and the monitoring device 80 in relation to the release of a reserved item from an unspecified item will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 15. The processing in Fig. 15 corresponds to Fig. 9, and more specifically shows the processing steps of steps S5 to S11 as including processing for an unspecified item.

First, an example of a processing procedure executed by the customer terminal device 50 will be described.
Step S101: While displaying the product registration screen, the customer terminal device 50 waits for a code scan to be performed in response to the product registration operation, and, in response to the product registration operation being performed, determines whether the reading of the product code (acquisition of the product code) by the code scan has been completed successfully.

Step S102: If the reading of the product code is completed successfully, the customer terminal device 50 transmits product registration information including the read product code and cart identification information to the transaction management device 60.

Step S103: The customer terminal device 50 receives the registration completion notification sent from the transaction management device 60 in response to the transmission of the product registration information in step S102. The customer terminal device 50 uses the information on the product registration update screen included in the received registration completion notification to update the product registration screen, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 11(C).

The products for which registration has been completed in the transaction management device 60 in response to the registration completion notification received in step S103 include, in addition to the products that have been properly registered in response to reading of the product code, pending products, namely, "NON-FILE" with classification number 1, "age verification products,""pharmaceuticals," and "anti-theft tag products" with classification numbers 5 to 7.
If the product to be registered this time is a reserved product (unspecified product) as a "NON-FILE" with classification number 1, a product list indicating that the product is a reserved product as a "NON-FILE" is added to the product registration screen updated in step S103.

Step S104: The customer terminal device 50 judges whether the registration result in response to the current product registration operation is a registration of a reserved product of classification number 1, "NON-FILE".
If it is determined that the item is a registration of a reserved item of "NON-FILE" with classification number 1, the process proceeds to step S108. If it is determined that the item is not a registration of a reserved item of "NON-FILE" with classification number 1, the process proceeds to step S114.

Step S105: If the reading of the product code is not completed successfully in step S101, the product to be registered by this product registration operation will be an unspecified product with classification numbers 2 to 4 of "read NG", "pseudo scan input", or "non-scan input". In this case, the customer terminal device 50 will make a classification determination as to which classification of "read NG", "pseudo scan input", or "non-scan input" the unspecified product to be registered falls into, corresponding to classification numbers 2 to 4.

The customer terminal device 50 is configured to detect failure to read the product code based on the captured image obtained by having the imaging unit 506 capture an image when reading the product code in step S101. If failure to read the product code is detected, it is determined in step S101 that reading of the product code was not completed successfully.

Then, the customer terminal device 50 performs a determination in step S105 as follows, depending on the detected state of failure in reading the product code.
First, when the customer terminal device 50 detects that the entire barcode of a product has been captured in the captured image, but that the reading of the barcode has not been completed successfully (successful) and a certain period of time has passed, it determines that the product code has been classified as "Read NG" under classification number 2.

In addition, when the customer terminal device 50 detects that the product code has not been read properly, that is, the product is recognized in the captured image but the barcode cannot be recognized at all and therefore barcode reading was not completed successfully, it determines that the product is classified as a "pseudo scan input" under classification number 3.
Alternatively, if the customer terminal device 50 detects that the product code reading was unsuccessful because only a portion of the product's barcode could be recognized in the captured image, the customer terminal device 50 will determine that the product code reading is classified as a ``pseudo scan input'' under classification number 3.
Alternatively, if the customer terminal device 50 detects that the product code cannot be read properly because the product is moving too quickly, even if the product barcode is recognized in the captured image, the customer terminal device 50 will determine that the product is classified as a "pseudo scan input" under classification number 3.

When a product code cannot be read, which is classified as classification number 3 "pseudo scan insertion," occurs, it is possible that fraud is being perpetrated by a customer who is simply pretending to have the product's barcode scanned, and actually putting the product in their shopping cart.

In addition, if the customer terminal device 50 is attached to the shopping cart so as to capture an image of the inside of the shopping cart, it can capture an image of the contents of the shopping cart placed in the shopping cart. If the customer terminal device 50 detects a failure to read the product code, indicating that a new product has been added to the shopping cart, even though no attempt to read the product's barcode is recognized in the captured image, it will determine that the product is classified as a "non-scanned addition" under classification number 4.

For example, a customer may move an already registered product within the shopping cart in order to organize the contents of the shopping cart. The customer terminal device 50 may be configured to distinguish between such a movement of a product and the additional insertion of a new product corresponding to a product code failure as a "non-scan insertion" based on the captured image.
When a product code cannot be read, which is classified as a "non-scan insertion," there is a possibility that fraud is being committed by a customer placing the product in their shopping cart without having the customer terminal device 50 read the product's barcode.

Step S106: The customer terminal device 50 transmits to the transaction management device 60 the product registration information corresponding to the classification determined in step S105. The product registration information transmitted in step S106 does not include a product code. In addition, the product registration information transmitted in step S106 may include information indicating the classification determined in step S105.

Step S107: The customer terminal device 50 receives the registration completion notification sent from the transaction management device 60 in response to the transmission of the product registration information in step S106. The customer terminal device 50 updates the product registration screen using the information on the product registration update screen included in the received registration completion notification. In the updated product registration screen, a product list is added that indicates that the product is a pending product (unspecified product) that corresponds to, for example, any of classification numbers 2 to 4.

Step S108: After the processing of step S107, or if it is determined in step S104 that the item is registered as a reserved item of classification number 1 "NON-FILE", the customer terminal device 50 displays the reserved item release guide screen WD51 (Figure 13 (A)) on the display unit 504.

Step S109: The customer terminal device 50 determines whether the operation request button BT51 located on the hold release guidance screen WD51 has been operated.

Step S110: When the operation request button BT51 is operated, the customer terminal device 50 transmits operation request information to the transaction management device 60.
Step S111: The customer terminal device 50 also displays the on-hold release waiting screen WD52 in place of the on-hold release guidance screen WD51.

Step S112: While the on-hold release waiting screen WD52 is displayed, the customer terminal device 50 waits to receive a on-hold release completion notification sent from the transaction management device 60. When the on-hold release completion notification is received, the customer terminal device 50 displays a on-hold release confirmation screen WD53 instead of the on-hold release waiting screen WD52.

Step S113: The on-hold release confirmation screen WD53 displayed in step S112 is erased in response to the customer's operation of the confirmation button BT53. When the on-hold release waiting screen WD52 is erased, the customer terminal device 50 updates the product registration screen using information on the product registration update screen included in the on-hold release completion notification received in step S112.
When the target product is normally registered as a hold release, the product list of the target product that was indicated as a hold product on the updated product registration screen changes to a state indicating that it has been normally registered. Also, when the registration of the target product that was in a hold state as a hold release is deleted, the product list of the target product that was indicated as a hold product on the updated product registration screen changes to a state in which it has been deleted.

Step S114: After the processing of step S113, or if it is determined in step S104 that the item is not registered as a pending item of classification number 1 "NON-FILE", or if it is determined in step S109 that the no operation required declaration button BT52 on the pending release guidance screen WD51 has been operated, the customer terminal device 50 determines whether or not a settlement transition instruction operation has been performed while the item registration screen is displayed.
If the settlement transition instruction operation is not performed, the process returns to step S101.

Step S115: When the checkout transition instruction operation is performed, the customer terminal device 50 converts the cart identification information into a two-dimensional code, for example, and displays the generated two-dimensional code on the display unit 504, for example, using a code display screen as shown in FIG. 11 (D).

Next, an example of a processing procedure executed by the transaction management device 60 will be described.
Step S201: The transaction management device 60 determines whether or not product registration information transmitted from the customer terminal device 50 in step S102 has been received.

Step S202: When the transaction management device 60 receives the product registration information, it identifies the cart information indicated by the cart identification information included in the received product registration information.
Step S203: The transaction management device 60 updates the cart information identified in step S202. That is, the transaction management device 60 adds the product information in the cart (registered product information or reserved product information) based on the product code included in the product registration information received in response to step S201 to the identified cart information. This registers the product in the cart information.

Updating the cart information in step S202 registers not only successfully registered products, but also reserved products that do not fall under classification numbers 2 to 4 ("read NG," "pseudo scan input," and "non-scan input"). In other words, updating the cart information in step S202 includes registering reserved products whose product codes have been successfully read. Reserved products whose product codes have been successfully read are classification number 1 "NON-FILE," classification number 5 "age verification product," classification number 6 "pharmaceuticals," and classification number 7 "anti-theft tag product." In addition, while classification number 8 "cancelled product" is not reflected in the process shown in the figure, in response to a cancellation operation being performed on the customer terminal device 50, the transaction management device 60 updates the reserved product information of the relevant product in the cart information so that the relevant product is managed as a canceled product.

Step S204: After processing step S203, the transaction management device 60 sends a registration completion notification to the customer terminal device 50.

Step S205: After the processing of step S204, or if it is determined in step S201 that the product registration information has not been received, the transaction management device 60 determines whether the product registration information of a pending product (unspecified product) corresponding to any of classification numbers 2 to 4 ("Read NG", "Pseudo scan input", "Non-scan input") transmitted from the customer terminal device 50 in step S106 has been received. If the product registration information has not been received, the process returns to step S201.

Step S206: When the transaction management device 60 receives the product registration information, it identifies the cart information indicated by the cart identification information included in the received product registration information.
Step S207: The transaction management device 60 updates the cart information identified in step S206. In this case, the transaction management device 60 adds the reserved product information including the classification number included in the product registration information received in response to step S205 to the identified cart information. As a result, one reserved product corresponding to a reserved product (unspecified product) corresponding to any of classification numbers 2 to 4 ("read NG", "pseudo scan input", "non-scan input") in the cart information is registered.
Step S208: After processing step S207, the transaction management device 60 sends a registration completion notification to the customer terminal device 50.

Step S209: After processing of step S208, the transaction management device 60 determines whether or not operation request information transmitted from the customer terminal device 50 in step S110 has been received. If it is determined that operation request information has not been received, the process returns to step S201.

Step S210: When it is determined in step S209 that the operation request information has been received, the transaction management device 60 transfers the received operation request information to the monitoring device 80. At this time, the transaction management device 60 includes in the operation request information the pending product information that was added to the cart information when updating the cart information in step S207.

Step S211: In response to the operation request information transmitted in step S210, the monitoring device 80 transmits a hold release request (cart information update request) in response to the completion of the hold release remote operation. The transaction management device 60 updates the cart information in response to receiving the hold release request.
In other words, when the hold release request includes simplified product information, the transaction management device 60 generates registered product information using the simplified product information. The transaction management device 60 replaces the held product information added when updating the cart information in step S207 with the generated registered product information. As a result, the held product as an unspecified product is normally registered and released from hold.
Furthermore, if the hold release request instructs the deletion of the registration of the corresponding held item, the transaction management device 60 deletes from the cart information the held item information that was added when the cart information was updated in step S207. As a result, the held item as an unspecified item is released from the hold by canceling its registration.

Step S212: In response to the hold being released by updating the cart information in step S211, the transaction management device 60 sends a hold release completion notification to the customer terminal device 50.

Next, an example of a process executed by the monitoring device 80 will be described.
Step S301: The monitoring device 80 waits to receive operation request information transmitted from the transaction management device 60 in step S210.

Step S302: When operation request information is received, the monitoring device 80 displays a product information input screen on the display unit 806.

Step S303: The store clerk performs a normal registration operation or a registration deletion operation as a hold release remote operation on the displayed product information input screen.
The normal registration operation is an operation of inputting information in the input area AR30 (AR40) and instructing execution of hold release on the input information confirmation screen displayed by operating the confirmation button BT32 (BT42). The registration deletion operation is an operation on the deletion button BT33 (BT43).
The monitoring device 80 accepts the hold release remote operation performed as described above.

Step S304: The monitoring device 80 transmits a hold release request to the transaction management device 60 in response to completion of the hold release remote operation. If a normal registration operation is performed as the hold release remote operation, the hold release request includes simplified product information based on the information entered in the input area AR30 (AR40). In addition, if a registration deletion operation is performed as the hold release remote operation, the hold release request has content instructing the deletion of the registration of the corresponding held product.

<Modification>
Modifications of the present embodiment will be described below. The modifications described below may be combined with the above embodiment and other modifications as appropriate.

[First Modification]
In the above embodiment, the reserved items that are the subject of the remote release operation are deemed to fall into one of four categories of unspecified items: "NON-FILE,""Cannot be read,""Pseudo-scannedinput," and "Non-scanned input."
In this modified example, the hold release remote operation may be performed for predetermined held products that fall into categories other than the above four categories. As an example, for "age verification products," the hold may be released and the product may be registered normally when the store clerk is able to confirm that the customer is of an age to sell the product, for example, based on the customer's membership information or a face image of the customer sent from the customer terminal device 50.

[Second Modification]
In the above embodiment, the product information input screen is displayed on the monitoring device 80 in response to the transmission of the operation request information from the customer terminal device 50, and the store clerk performs the remote operation to release the hold. However, there are cases where operation request information is transmitted from multiple different customer terminal devices 50 at almost the same time, for example.
Therefore, a list of customers (operation request list) corresponding to each customer terminal device 50 that has transmitted operation request information may be displayed on the monitoring device 80. The store clerk may select one list item from the list items presented in the operation request list, and perform a hold release remote operation according to the operation request information corresponding to the selected list item.
In addition, the list items in the operation request list may be sortable according to a predetermined sorting criterion. For example, the list items in the operation request list may be sortable based on the order of receipt of the operation request information, the order of the number of registered pending products, etc.

[Third Modification]
Furthermore, a list of customers corresponding to transactions in which reserved products are registered (list of customers holding reserved products) may be displayed in the monitoring device 80. In this case, for example, based on past transaction history, list items of customers who frequently have reserved products registered may be displayed in a different manner from other list items so that this fact can be understood.
In addition, the list items of the pending product customer list may be sortable according to a predetermined sorting criterion. For example, the list items of the pending product customer list may be sortable according to the number of products registered at the present time.
Furthermore, the list items in the list of customers who have reserved goods may be sorted according to the distance between the current location of the customer corresponding to each list item and the settlement device 40. The current location of the customer is obtained by acquiring the current location of the customer terminal device 50. The monitoring device 80 can acquire location information measured by the customer terminal device 50 using a positioning function corresponding to its own GPS or the like, for example, via the transaction management device 60. Also, the location information of the customer terminal device 50 can be acquired by, for example, providing beacons at predetermined positions in the store that communicate with the customer terminal device 50 to acquire terminal identification information, and the monitoring device 80 associating the location information received from the beacons with the location of the beacons that transmitted the location information.
Furthermore, the list items in the list of customers who hold reserved products may be sortable in order of the credit level of the customer corresponding to each list item. For example, the transaction management device 60 stores credit level information that sets a credit level for each customer based on the customer's past transaction performance, etc. The monitoring device 80 can obtain the credit level of the customer corresponding to each list item from the credit level information stored in the transaction management device 60.

[Fourth Modification]
In the above embodiment, when a customer performs an operation to request a hold release remote operation (operation of the operation request button BT51) on the customer terminal device 50, a product information input screen for normal registration of the target held product is displayed on the monitoring device 80. In other words, in the above embodiment, in response to a customer performing an operation to request a hold release remote operation, a store clerk is allowed to perform the hold release remote operation to release the held product.
However, even if the customer does not perform an operation to request the hold release remote operation, a store clerk may perform the hold release remote operation to release the held item.
For example, the result of registering a reserved product as "NON-FILE" occurs due to a store-side error in which the corresponding product information was not registered in the product master. Therefore, for example, when a reserved product is registered as "NON-FILE", the customer terminal device 50 may transmit operation request information to the transaction management device 60 even if the customer does not perform an operation to request a remote operation to release the reserved product.
In response to receiving the operation request information, the transaction management device 60 can display a product information input screen corresponding to the reserved product registered as corresponding to "NON-FILE". As a result, when a reserved product is registered as "NON-FILE", the store clerk can operate the monitoring device 80 to perform normal registration without the customer having to perform an operation to request a remote operation to release the reserved product (request normal registration). In this case, the customer does not have to take the trouble to perform an operation to request normal registration even though it is a defect on the store's side, so the customer is less likely to feel dissatisfied.

In addition, in such a case where a store clerk is able to perform a remote hold release operation to release a held item without a request from a customer, even if the customer terminal device 50 sends operation request information, it does not have to display the hold release guidance screen WD51 or the hold release waiting screen WD52 as shown in Figures 13 (A) and 13 (B).
However, in this case, if the hold release confirmation screen WD53 shown in Figure 13 (C) were to be displayed in response to the completion of the release of the held item by a store clerk's remote hold release operation, the customer would be notified of the completion of the hold release abruptly, which could easily cause confusion, for example.
In this case, it is preferable to display a message on the hold release confirmation screen WD53 that enables the customer to understand that the hold release was performed remotely by a store clerk, even though the customer did not request it, such as, for example, "The previous product was not registered correctly, so a store clerk handled it remotely."

[Fifth Modification]
The monitoring device 80 in the above embodiment may be, for example, a terminal installed in the back room of a store, or may be a mobile terminal carried by a store clerk.

[Sixth Modification]
In the above embodiment, the monitoring device 80 is configured to receive the operation request information sent by the customer terminal device 50 via the transaction management device 60, thereby acquiring the product information contained in the operation request information. That is, the monitoring device 80 in the above embodiment is configured to passively acquire the product information. However, the monitoring device 80 may be configured to actively acquire the product information by inquiring about the product information from the transaction management device 60 at a predetermined timing, for example, at regular intervals.
In this case, the transaction management device 60 may transmit to the monitoring device, in response to an inquiry from the monitoring device 80, the product information that it has received from the customer terminal device 50 and stored therein. Alternatively, the transaction management device 60 may cause the customer terminal device 50 to transmit the product information in response to an inquiry from the monitoring device 80, and transfer the received product information to the monitoring device.
In addition, product information may be transmitted and received between the customer terminal device 50 and the monitoring device 80 without the transaction management device 60 acting as an intermediary.

[Seventh Modification]
In the above embodiment, a part of the processing executed by the customer terminal device 50 may be executed by, for example, the transaction management device 60, the monitoring device 80, the settlement device 40, the management device 10, other higher-level devices in the store, or server devices on the cloud, etc. Similarly, a part of the processing executed by each of the transaction management device 60, the monitoring device 80, the settlement device 40, the management device 10, etc. may also be executed by other devices.
As one of the above-mentioned aspects, the shopping system of the present embodiment may be provided with a thin client system configuration. As an example, the transaction management device 60 or another server may be configured as a thin client-compatible server (e.g., a cloud server), and the customer terminal device 50, the monitoring device 80, etc. may function as thin clients.
In addition, the transaction management device 60, the monitoring device 80, the management device 10, etc. may be configured to be distributed across multiple computer devices or servers.

<Overview of the embodiment>
[Technical field]
The present invention relates to a product sales data processing system.
[Background technology]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a system in which customers themselves register products using mobile terminals (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233634).
[Prior art documents]
[Patent Documents]
[Patent Document 1] JP 2018-147252 A [Summary of the Invention]
[Problem to be solved by the invention]
In a product sales data processing system in which customers themselves use mobile terminals to register products, there are cases where the product registration results are insufficient. For products with insufficient registration results, the insufficient registration result state is resolved, for example, by an operation of a store clerk. It is preferable that such insufficient registration result state be resolved efficiently.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to efficiently resolve insufficient product registration results in a product sales data processing system in which customers themselves register products using a mobile terminal.

[Means for solving the problems]
(1) As described above, one aspect of this embodiment is a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device (e.g., customer terminal device 50). When a product registration result based on the product registration operation is defective (e.g., registered as a pending product), the product sales data processing system includes: an acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk (e.g., monitoring device 80) to acquire registered defective product information (e.g., operation request information (including cart identification information and pending product reference information), S210) regarding the registered defective product (e.g., the pending product) for which the registration result was defective; a display control means for causing the monitoring device to display a screen (e.g., a product information input screen) based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition control means; and a normal registration means for performing normal registration to register the registered defective product as a normal product in response to entry of registration complement information (e.g., simplified product information to be entered in input area AR30 (AR40)) on the displayed screen.

According to the above configuration, when a reserved item is registered as a result of a product registration operation, a store clerk can perform a remote release operation on the monitoring device 80 to release the reserved item. This allows the registration of the reserved item to be released even before settlement is made at the settlement device 40. It also makes it possible to distribute the release of reserved items between the monitoring device 80 and the settlement device 40, for example. This allows for efficient release of reserved items (an example of resolving a state in which a product registration result is insufficient).

(2) One aspect of this embodiment is the product sales data processing system described in (1), in which the improperly registered product is a product (e.g., a reserved product classified as "NON-FILE") whose product information associated with the product code acquired by the mobile terminal device in response to the product registration operation does not exist in a product information database (e.g., a product master) used for managing products in a store, and the display control means displays the screen presenting a predetermined portion of the information items included in the product information as input items for the complementary registration information (e.g., input area AR30 (AR40)), and the normal registration means normally registers the improperly registered product based on the product code and the information entered in the input items.

According to the above configuration, by inputting specific information items other than the product code acquired by the product registration operation into the product information input screen as a remote release operation for a reserved product classified as "NON-FILE," the information required for product registration is completed, and the product can be released from the hold as if it had been registered normally.

(3) One aspect of this embodiment is the product sales data processing system described in (1) or (2), in which the improperly registered product is a product for which a product code is to be acquired when, as a result of the product registration operation in which the mobile terminal device captures an image of a product code, the mobile terminal device is unable to acquire a product code from the captured image, the display control means presents the captured image as an image of a product that is to be successfully registered to show to a user (e.g., a store clerk), and displays the screen that presents a predetermined portion of information items included in product information stored in a product information database used for product management in the store as input items for the registration completion information, and the normal registration means normally registers the improperly registered product based on the information entered in the input items.

According to the above configuration, by inputting specific information items into the product information input screen as a remote operation to release a product from hold that is classified as "unreadable," "pseudo-scan input," or "non-scan input," the information required for product registration is supplemented, making it possible to release the product from hold as if it had been registered normally.

(4) One aspect of this embodiment is a product sales data processing system according to any one of (1) to (3), in which the display control means controls the display of a list of customers whose product registration results based on the product registration operation include the inadequately registered product on the monitoring device.

With the above configuration, the store staff can use the monitoring device 80 to grasp the status of customers who are registering pending items in the store.

(5) One aspect of this embodiment is a product sales data processing system according to any one of (1) to (4), which includes a notification control means for controlling the mobile terminal device to display a message informing a customer that the insufficient registration result can be resolved by a store clerk's operation on the monitoring device when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient.

With the above configuration, the customer is notified that the hold release remote operation is possible, and can then have the store attendant perform the hold release remote operation.

(6) One aspect of this embodiment is a product sales data processing system according to any one of (1) to (5), in which the acquisition control means, when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient, causes a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire the insufficiently registered product information, even if the acquisition control means does not accept an operation by a customer requesting normal registration (e.g., an operation on the operation request button BT51).

The above configuration allows a store clerk to release a product that has been registered as a reserved product, even if the customer does not perform an operation to request normal registration. This configuration is effective in that if a product is registered as a reserved product due to an error on the store's side, such as "NON-FILE," the product can be registered normally without the customer being asked to perform an operation to request normal registration.

(7) One aspect of this embodiment is a program for causing a computer in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device to function as: acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire, when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient, registered insufficient product information regarding the registered insufficient product for which the registration result is insufficient; display control means for displaying, on the monitoring device, a screen based on the registered insufficient product information acquired by the acquisition control means; and normal registration means for performing normal registration by registering the registered insufficient product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

(8) One aspect of this embodiment is a monitoring device used by a store clerk in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device, the monitoring device comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring registered defective product information regarding a registered defective product for which the registration result is defective when the registration result of the product based on the product registration operation is defective; a display control means for displaying a screen based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition means; and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration by registering the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

(9) One aspect of this embodiment is a program for causing a computer serving as a monitoring device used by a store clerk in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device to function as: an acquisition means for acquiring registered defective product information regarding a registered defective product for which the registration result is defective when the registration result of the product based on the product registration operation is defective; a display control means for displaying a screen based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition means; and a normal registration means for performing normal registration by registering the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the displayed screen.

(10) One aspect of this embodiment is a server device (e.g., transaction management device 60) provided in a product sales data processing system in which a customer registers a product based on a product registration operation using a mobile terminal device, the server device including: an acquisition control means for causing a monitoring device used by a store clerk to acquire registered defective product information regarding a registered defective product for which the registration result is defective when the registration result of the product based on the product registration operation is defective; a display control means for causing a monitoring device operated by the store clerk to display a screen based on the registered defective product information acquired by the acquisition control means; and a normal registration means for performing a normal registration to register the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of registration completion information on the screen displayed on the monitoring device.

In addition, a program for realizing the functions of the above-mentioned management device 10, settlement device 40, customer terminal device 50, transaction management device 60, monitoring device 80, etc. in each of the above embodiments may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on the recording medium may be read into a computer system and executed to perform processing as the above-mentioned management device 10, settlement device 40, customer terminal device 50, transaction management device 60, monitoring device 80, etc. Here, "reading a program recorded on a recording medium into a computer system and executing it" includes installing the program into a computer system. The "computer system" here includes hardware such as an OS and peripheral devices. In addition, the "computer system" may include multiple computer devices connected via a network including communication lines such as the Internet, WAN, LAN, and dedicated lines. In addition, the "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, optical magnetic disks, ROMs, and CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into a computer system. In this way, the recording medium storing the program may be a non-transient recording medium such as a CD-ROM. The recording medium also includes a recording medium installed inside or outside the distribution server and accessible from the distribution server in order to distribute the program. The code of the program stored in the distribution server's recording medium may be different from the code of the program in a format executable by the terminal device. In other words, the format in which the program is stored in the distribution server does not matter as long as it can be downloaded from the distribution server and installed in a format executable by the terminal device. The program may be divided into multiple parts, downloaded at different times, and then combined on the terminal device, or each of the divided programs may be distributed by a different distribution server. Furthermore, the "computer-readable recording medium" includes a storage medium that holds a program for a certain period of time, such as a volatile memory (RAM) inside a computer system that becomes a server or a client when a program is transmitted over a network. The program may also be a storage medium for implementing part of the above-mentioned functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called difference file (difference program) that can realize the above-mentioned functions in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system.

10 Management device, 40 Settlement device, 50 Customer terminal device, 60 Transaction management device, 70 Credit card settlement server, 80 Monitoring device

Claims (5)

A product registration means for registering a product based on a product registration operation performed by a customer using a terminal device;
a display control means for displaying a screen relating to a registered defective product that has been registered in a defective manner by the product registration means;
a normal registration means for performing a normal registration of the registered defective product as a normal product in response to the input of the registration complementary information,
The insufficiently registered product is a product whose product information associated with the product code acquired by the terminal device in response to the product registration operation does not exist in a product information database used for product management in the store,
The display control means displays, on the screen related to the registered defective product, an image of the corresponding registered defective product when it was registered by the product registration means.
Product sales data processing system. the display control means displays the screen on which a predetermined part of information items included in the product information is presented as input items for the registration complementary information;
The normal registration means performs normal registration of the defective registered product based on the product code and the information entered in the input field.
2. The product sales data processing system according to claim 1. The unsuccessfully registered product is a product for which a product code is to be acquired when the terminal device is unable to acquire a product code from a captured image as a result of the product registration operation of causing the terminal device to capture an image of the product code,
the display control means displays the captured image as an image showing to a user a product that is a target of successful registration, and displays the screen on which a predetermined part of information items included in product information stored in a product information database used for managing products in a store is presented as input items for the registration complementary information;
The normal registration means performs normal registration of the defective registered product based on the information input in the input item.
3. A product sales data processing system according to claim 1 or 2 .
Management system. 4. The product sales data processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification control means for controlling the terminal device to display a message informing a customer that the insufficient registration result can be resolved by a store clerk's operation when the product registration result based on the product registration operation is insufficient . A computer in a product sales data processing system,
a product registration means for registering a product based on a product registration operation performed by a customer using a terminal device;
a display control means for displaying a screen relating to a registered defective product whose registration result by the product registration means is unsuccessful;
a program for causing the program to function as a normal registration means for performing normal registration of the registered defective product as a normal product in response to input of the registration complementary information,
The insufficiently registered product is a product whose product information associated with the product code acquired by the terminal device in response to the product registration operation does not exist in a product information database used for product management in the store,
The display control means displays, on the screen related to the registered defective product, an image of the corresponding registered defective product when it was registered by the product registration means.
program.

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