JP5913236B2 - Shelf allocation support device, server, and program - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a shelf allocation support apparatus, a server, and a program.

  For example, in a store, it is possible to increase the purchasing motivation of many customers by efficiently displaying the products desired by the customers in an easily viewable place. Therefore, it is very important in this kind of store to consider which products are placed on which stage of the product display shelves placed on the sales floor regularly or whenever new products come out. Therefore, there is a demand for an apparatus that effectively supports the shelf allocation work.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a shelf allocation support device, a server, and a program that can effectively support a shelf allocation operation.

The shelf allocation support apparatus according to the embodiment is information acquired at an arrangement position of one product display shelf among product display shelves arranged in a wireless unit that performs wireless communication with a server, a display unit, and a sales floor. The shelf specifying information input means for inputting the shelf specifying information for specifying the one product display shelf, and the shelf specifying information input by the shelf specifying information input means are wirelessly communicated to the server via the wireless unit. Via the wireless unit, the shelf specifying information transmitting means for transmitting the information and shelf allocation information, which is information on how to arrange products from the server with respect to the product display shelf specified by the shelf specifying information. Based on the shelf allocation information receiving means received by wireless communication and the shelf allocation information received by the shelf allocation information receiving means, product images are arranged on the one product display shelf in a manner in which products are displayed. Picture A planogram image display means for displaying on said display unit, an image of the commodity display shelf after the work end of the planogram photographed by the imaging device, the wireless unit to the server along with shelf identification information of the commodity display shelf And means for transmitting via wireless communication .

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a store system including a shelf allocation support apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the store server. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the product master file. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the display information file. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the shelf information file. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the mobile terminal. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram according to shelf allocation support processing in the mobile terminal and the store server. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the shelf allocation support process in the portable terminal and the store server. FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating a display example of shelf allocation information.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a shelf allocation support apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a store system including a shelf allocation support apparatus according to an embodiment. This embodiment is a case where the portable wireless terminal 1 (hereinafter, abbreviated as the portable terminal 1) of the store system shown in FIG.

  The store system connects a plurality of POS (Point Of Sales) terminals 4 and at least one relay station 5 to a store server 2 via a communication network 3 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). Yes.

  First, the store server 2 installed in a backyard such as a store office will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the store server 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the store server 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 42, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 43, a LAN (Local Area Network) controller 44, and a clock unit 45. The communication interface 46 is connected to the network 4 and manages data communication, and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) device 47 as an auxiliary storage device in which fixed data such as a shelf allocation support program is stored in advance. The CPU 41 is connected to a ROM 42, a RAM 43, a LAN controller 44, a clock unit 45, a communication interface 46, and an HDD device 47 through a bus line 48.

  The shelf allocation support program executed by the store server 2 is an installable or executable format file such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) or the like. Recorded on a readable recording medium.

  The shelf allocation support program executed by the store server 2 may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The shelf allocation support program executed by the store server 2 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  The store server 2 includes a product master file 6, a display information file 7 and a shelf information file 8 in the HDD device 47.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the product master file 6 includes a product code for each product, a classification code for classifying the product for each category, a product name, a selling price that is a product price, and the like. Store product information.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the display information file 7 includes, for all products sold at the sales floor, product codes, classification codes, product names, display positions of the products (shelf number, shelf number, shelf position). Display information such as product standards (size, etc.), product images, and the like.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the shelf information file 8 includes information for specifying the product display shelves arranged on the sales floor (for example, the shelf number for specifying the product display shelves, GPS position information (longitude, latitude)). ) Is stored.

  The POS terminal 4 is installed at a checkout near the entrance of the sales floor, and registers the products that the customer has put into the shopping basket one by one using a barcode scanner. Then, the POS terminal 4 searches the product information stored in the product master file 6 and transfers money with the customer based on the total amount of sales data processed for each product purchased by the customer. Settlement business transactions with customers. The store server 2 aggregates the merchandise sales data processed by each POS terminal 4 and manages store sales, inventory, and the like in real time. Such a system composed of the store server 2 and the POS terminal 4 is generally called a POS system.

  The relay station 5 receives the data transmitted from the store server 2 as a radio signal to the mobile terminal 1, and the radio signal transmitted from the mobile terminal 1, and transmits the data propagated by the radio signal. And a function of transmitting to the store server 2.

  Next, the mobile terminal 1 will be described in detail. The mobile terminal 1 is, for example, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a tablet computer, a portable PC, or the like used by a user of this system. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the mobile terminal 1. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the mobile terminal 1 has a touch panel sensor 12 as an input device disposed on a screen of a display 11 that is a display unit such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. This is a portable computer device provided with a touch panel 13. As shown in FIG. 6, the portable terminal 1 includes a portable main body, a central processing unit (CPU) 14 that is the center of a computer, a read only memory (ROM) 15 that is a storage unit, and a random access memory (RAM). 16, a wireless unit 17, and a touch panel controller 18 are mounted. The CPU 14, the ROM 15, the RAM 16, the wireless unit 17, and the touch panel controller 18 are connected by a bus line 19 such as an address bus or a data bus.

  The wireless unit 17 establishes wireless communication with the relay station 5. The touch panel controller 18 has a function of displaying screen data on the display 11 and a function of detecting touch position coordinates on the screen based on a signal from the touch panel sensor 12.

  Moreover, the portable terminal 1 is provided with the camera module 30 which is an imaging device for image | photographing an image, and the position detection part 31, as shown in FIG. The position detector 31 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The camera module 30 and the position detection unit 31 are also connected to the CPU 14 via the bus line 19.

  Further, the portable terminal 1 further has a shelf allocation support program mounted on the ROM 15 in order to realize the function as the shelf allocation support device.

  The shelf allocation support program executed in the portable terminal 1 is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a computer such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). Recorded on a readable recording medium.

  Further, the shelf allocation support program executed on the mobile terminal 1 may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Further, the shelf allocation support program executed on the mobile terminal 1 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  Next, among the processing operations of the respective parts constituting the store system of the present embodiment, characteristic processes of the present embodiment will be described.

  Here, a shelf allocation support process executed when the CPU 14 of the mobile terminal 1 operates according to the shelf allocation support program and the CPU 41 of the store server 2 operates according to the shelf allocation support program will be described.

  Here, FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram relating to shelf allocation support processing in the mobile terminal 1 and the store server 2. As shown in FIG. 7, the shelf allocation support program executed by the mobile terminal 1 includes a shelf identification information input unit 141 that functions as a shelf identification information input unit, and a shelf identification information transmission unit 142 that functions as a shelf identification information transmission unit. And a shelf allocation information receiving unit 143 that functions as a shelf allocation information receiving unit, and a shelf allocation image display unit 144 that functions as a shelf allocation image display unit. The CPU 14 reads the shelf allocation support program from the ROM 15 and loads the above units into the RAM 16. Thereby, the shelf specification information input unit 141, the shelf specification information transmission unit 142, the shelf allocation information reception unit 143, and the shelf allocation image display unit 144 are generated on the RAM 16.

  The shelf specifying information input unit 141 is information that is acquired at an arrangement position of one product display shelf among the product display shelves arranged at the sales floor, and inputs shelf specifying information that specifies the one product display shelf. . More specifically, the shelf identification information input unit 141 uses, as shelf identification information, position information at the arrangement position of one product display shelf detected using a position detection unit 31 that is a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. input.

  The shelf identification information transmission unit 142 transmits the shelf identification information input by the shelf identification information input unit 141 to the store server 2 via the wireless unit 17 by wireless communication. Further, the shelf identification information transmission unit 142 transmits, to the store server 2, an image of the one product display shelf captured by the camera module 30 together with the shelf identification information.

  The shelf allocation information receiving unit 143 receives the shelf allocation information, which is information on how to arrange the products with respect to the photographed image of one product display shelf specified by the shelf specifying information from the store server 2. Via wireless communication.

  Based on the shelf allocation information received by the shelf allocation information receiving unit 143, the shelf allocation image display unit 144 displays, on the display 11, an image in which product images are arranged on one product display shelf in a manner in which products are displayed. .

  As shown in FIG. 7, the shelf allocation support program executed by the store server 2 includes a shelf identification information receiving unit 411 that functions as a shelf identification information receiving unit, and a shelf allocation information generation that functions as a shelf allocation information generation unit. The module configuration includes a unit 412 and a shelf allocation information transmission unit 413 that functions as a shelf allocation information transmission unit. The CPU 41 reads the shelf allocation support program from the HDD device 47 and loads the above-described units into the RAM 43. Thereby, the shelf specification information receiving unit 411, the shelf allocation information generating unit 412, and the shelf allocation information transmitting unit 413 are generated on the RAM 43.

  The shelf identification information receiving unit 411 is information acquired at the arrangement position of one product display shelf among the product display shelves arranged from the mobile terminal 1 to the sales floor, and identifies the one product display shelf. Receive information.

  The shelf allocation information generation unit 412 identifies the shelf number of one product display shelf based on the shelf identification information, and uses the product display information preliminarily defined for the identified shelf number to use one product display shelf. Shelf allocation information, which is information on how to arrange products, is generated.

  The shelf allocation information transmission unit 413 transmits the shelf allocation information generated by the shelf allocation information generation unit 412 to the mobile terminal 1 that has received the shelf identification information.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the shelf allocation support process in the mobile terminal 1 and the store server 2.

  As illustrated in FIG. 8, the CPU 14 (shelf identification information input unit 141) of the mobile terminal 1 captures a product display shelf to be used for placing products according to the shelf allocation by the camera module 30 (Yes in step S <b> 1). Then, the position information at the arrangement position of the product display shelf that is the object to be photographed is detected by the position detection unit 31 and used as shelf specifying information (step S2).

  CPU14 (shelf specific information transmission part 142) of the portable terminal 1 transmits the picked-up image of a merchandise display shelf to the store server 2 by radio | wireless communication via the radio | wireless part 17 with the positional information (shelf specific information) of a merchandise display shelf. Step S3).

  When the CPU 41 (shelf specifying information receiving unit 411) of the store server 2 receives the captured image of the product display shelf and the position information (shelf specifying information) of the product display shelf from the mobile terminal 1 (Yes in step S11), the store server 2 The CPU 41 (shelf allocation information generating unit 412) generates shelf allocation information, which is information on how to arrange products on the product display shelf (step S12).

  More specifically, the CPU 41 (the shelf allocation information generating unit 412) of the store server 2 searches the shelf information file 8 based on the position information of the product display shelf received from the mobile terminal 1, and the taken product display shelf. Specify the shelf number. Thereafter, the CPU 41 (shelf allocation information generating unit 412) of the store server 2 searches the display information file 7 based on the specified shelf number. The display information file 7 stores display information such as the display position of the product (shelf number, shelf number, shelf position, etc.), product standard (size, etc.), product image, etc., so the CPU 41 ( The shelf allocation information generation unit 412) uses this display information to arrange product images according to the display position (shelf number, shelf number, shelf position, etc.) of the product and adjust the size according to the product standards (size, etc.). Is generated.

  Next, the CPU 41 (shelf allocation information transmission unit 413) of the store server 2 transmits the shelf allocation information to the mobile terminal 1 that has received the photographed image of the product display shelf and the position information of the product display shelf (step S13). .

  When the CPU 14 (shelf allocation information receiving unit 143) of the mobile terminal 1 receives the shelf allocation information by wireless communication from the store server 2 via the wireless unit 17 (Yes in step S4), the CPU 14 (shelf allocation image) of the mobile terminal 1 Based on the received shelf allocation information, the display unit 144) displays on the display 11 an image in which product images are arranged on one product display shelf in a manner in which products are displayed (step S5).

  Here, FIG. 9 is a front view showing a display example of the shelf allocation information. As shown in FIG. 9, based on the received shelf allocation information, an image in which product images are arranged in a manner in which products are displayed with respect to a photographed image of one product display shelf is displayed. In order to align the size of the product display shelf of the photographed image with the size of the product image, the product display shelf is imaged with approximately the same size as the imaging area of the camera module 30, and the size of the product display shelf defined in advance is set. The size of the product image may be enlarged or reduced in accordance with.

  The user of this system performs a shelf allocation operation for arranging products according to the image of the shelf allocation information superimposed on the captured image of the product display shelf displayed on the mobile terminal 1.

  Thus, according to the embodiment, among the product display shelves arranged at the sales floor, the information is acquired at the arrangement position of the one product display shelf, and the shelf specifying information for specifying the one product display shelf ( For example, the product image can be displayed in a manner in which the product is displayed by simply wirelessly communicating the position information by the GPS receiver) to the server and receiving the shelf allocation information specified by the shelf specifying information from the server by wireless communication. Images arranged on one commodity display shelf can be displayed on the display unit. Thereby, since the user of this system can perform the work of the shelf allocation which arranges goods according to the image of the shelf allocation information superimposed on the photographed image of the product display shelf displayed on the mobile terminal 1, It is possible to effectively support the shelf allocation work.

  In the present embodiment, the position information is detected as the shelf specifying information by the GPS receiver that is the position detection unit 31, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a marker (for example, a two-dimensional code) in which position information is coded is attached to a product display shelf, and when the target product display shelf is photographed by the camera module 30, the marker is also photographed. Like that. And the position detection part 31 detects the positional information encoded from the image | photographed marker image as shelf specific information.

  Further, the store server 2, when the product display shelf after completion of the shelf allocation work is photographed by the camera module 30 and transmitted together with the position information of the product display shelf, the shelf allocation information is displayed on the captured image of the product display shelf. A function may be provided for determining whether or not the display of the product has been performed correctly by pattern matching the captured image with the superimposed image.

  Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Shelf allocation support apparatus 2 Server 11 Display part 17 Radio | wireless part 30 Imaging device 141 Shelf specific information input means 142 Shelf specific information transmission means 143 Shelf allocation information receiving means 144 Shelf allocation image display means 411 Shelf specific information receiving means 412 Shelf allocation information Generation means 413 Shelf allocation information transmission means

JP 2001-236428 A JP 2003-296419 A

Claims (6)

A wireless unit that performs wireless communication with the server;
A display unit;
Among the product display shelves arranged at the sales floor, shelf information input means for inputting shelf specifying information that is information acquired at the arrangement position of one product display shelf and that specifies the one product display shelf;
Shelf specifying information transmitting means for transmitting the shelf specifying information input by the shelf specifying information input means to the server by wireless communication via the wireless unit;
The shelf allocation information reception which receives the shelf allocation information which is the information of how to arrange products on the product display shelf specified by the shelf specifying information from the server via the wireless unit Means,
Based on the shelf allocation information received by the shelf allocation information receiving means, shelf allocation image display means for displaying an image in which product images are arranged on the one product display shelf in a mode in which products are displayed on the display unit When,
Means for transmitting an image obtained by photographing the product display shelf after the work of shelf allocation by the imaging device to the server by wireless communication via the wireless unit together with shelf specifying information of the product display shelf;
A shelf allocation support apparatus comprising: Further comprising an imaging device;
The shelf specifying information transmitting means transmits an image of the one product display shelf taken by the imaging device to the server together with the shelf specifying information,
The shelf allocation information received by the shelf allocation information receiving means is information on how to arrange products on the photographed image of the one product display shelf.
The shelf allocation support device according to claim 1. The shelf identification information input means inputs position information at an arrangement position of the one commodity display shelf detected using a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver as the shelf identification information.
The shelf allocation support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that. The shelf identification information input means inputs, as the shelf identification information, the position information detected from a marker image obtained by photographing the marker obtained by encoding the position information attached to the product display shelf by the imaging device.
The shelf allocation support device according to claim 2, wherein: Among the product display shelves arranged on the sales floor from the shelf allocation support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the information is acquired at the arrangement position of the one product display shelf, and the one product display shelf is A shelf identification information receiving means for receiving the shelf identification information to be identified;
The shelf number of the one product display shelf is identified based on the shelf identification information, and the display information of the product preliminarily defined in the identified shelf number is used to determine how the one product display shelf is Shelf allocation information generating means for generating shelf allocation information which is information as to whether or not to place a product on
Shelf allocation information transmitting means for transmitting the shelf allocation information generated by the shelf allocation information generating means to the shelf allocation support device that has received the shelf identification information;
Means for receiving, from the shelf allocation support device, an image obtained by photographing the product display shelf after the shelf allocation operation by the imaging device and shelf specifying information of the product display shelf;
When a photographed image obtained by photographing the product display shelf after the work of shelf allocation is received together with the shelf identification information of the product display shelf, the shelf allocation information transmitted by the shelf allocation information transmitting unit is Means for pattern-matching the captured image with the image superimposed on the captured image of the display shelf to determine whether or not the display of the product has been performed correctly;
A server comprising: A computer including a wireless unit that performs wireless communication with a server and a display unit,
Among the product display shelves arranged at the sales floor, shelf information input means for inputting shelf specifying information that is information acquired at the arrangement position of one product display shelf and that specifies the one product display shelf;
Shelf specifying information transmitting means for transmitting the shelf specifying information input by the shelf specifying information input means to the server by wireless communication via the wireless unit;
The shelf allocation information reception which receives the shelf allocation information which is the information of how to arrange products on the product display shelf specified by the shelf specifying information from the server via the wireless unit Means,
Based on the shelf allocation information received by the shelf allocation information receiving means, shelf allocation image display means for displaying an image in which product images are arranged on the one product display shelf in a mode in which products are displayed on the display unit When,
Means for transmitting an image obtained by photographing the product display shelf after the work of shelf allocation by the imaging device to the server by wireless communication via the wireless unit together with shelf specifying information of the product display shelf;
Program to function as.

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