IP Library Granted Patent US 11,416,839
Granted Patent B2
US 11,416,839 · App. 17/270,536 · Granted Aug 16, 2022

Checkout device, control method, and storage medium

Inventors: Jun Uchimura (Tokyo, JP); Yoshihiro Itou (Tokyo, JP); Kazuki Miura (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G06Q20/208G06Q20/18G07G1/0009G07G1/0045H04N7/183G06K7/10297G06K7/10861G06K2007/10504G06Q20/203G06Q20/209G07G5/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,416,839
App. No.
17/270,536
Granted
Aug 16, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided are a checkout device, a control method, and a storage medium that can smoothly perform a checkout process for a customer in accordance with a status. The checkout device includes: a first input/output unit; a second input/output unit provided to face a different direction from the first input/output unit; and a control unit that selects an input/output unit which accepts input related to a checkout process from the first input/output unit and the second input/output unit based on at least one of status of the checkout device and time.

Claims (30)

1. A checkout device comprising:

a first input/output unit;

a second input/output unit provided so as to face a different direction from the first input/output unit; and

a control unit that selects an input/output unit which accepts input related to a checkout process from the first input/output unit and the second input/output unit based on at least one of status of the checkout device and time,

wherein based on at least one of the status of the checkout device and the time, the control unit switches an operation mode to a first mode in which product registration is performed by a salesclerk for a product purchased by a customer or a second mode in which product registration is performed by the customer,

wherein the control unit switches the operation mode when a predetermined condition related to at least one of the status of the checkout device and the time is met, and

wherein the control unit switches the operation mode to the second mode when absence of the salesclerk is detected and the product is detected as the case where the predetermined condition is met.

2. The checkout device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit switches the operation mode when a schedule to switch the operation mode arrives as the case where the predetermined condition is met.

3. The checkout device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit switches the operation mode to the second mode when absence of the salesclerk is detected and presence of the customer and the product is detected as the case where the predetermined condition is met.

4. The checkout device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit switches the operation mode when a switching instruction to switch the operation mode is input to the second input/output unit by the customer as the case where the predetermined condition is met.

5. The checkout device according to claim 4 , wherein the second input/output unit has a display unit that displays a screen to the customer side, enables touch input on the screen, and accepts the switching instruction from the customer via the touch input.

6. The checkout device according to claim 1 further comprising an interruption unit that interrupts an operation in the second mode when the checkout device operates in the second mode and a specified product is included in the product.

7. The checkout device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first reading unit that reads product information on the product;

a second reading unit that reads product information on the product in a scheme that is different from a scheme of the first reading unit; and

a reading control unit that controls the first reading unit and the second reading unit in accordance with the operation mode.

8. A checkout device configured to switch an operation mode to a first mode in which product registration is performed by a salesclerk for a product purchased by a customer or a second mode in which product registration is performed by the customer, the checkout device comprising:

a first reading unit that reads product information on the product;

a second reading unit that reads product information on the product in a scheme that is different from a scheme of the first reading unit;

a control unit that selects the operation mode based on the at least one of a status of the checkout device and time,

wherein based on at least one of the status of the checkout device and the time, the control unit switches the operation mode from the first mode or the second mode,

wherein the control unit switches the operation mode when a predetermined condition related to at least one of the status of the checkout device and the time is met, and

wherein the control unit switches the operation mode to the second mode when absence of the salesclerk is detected and the product is detected as the case where the predetermined condition is met; and

a reading control unit that controls the first reading unit and the second reading unit in accordance with the selected operation mode.

9. A control method of a checkout device having a first input/output unit and a second input/output unit provided so as to face a different direction from the first input/output unit, the control method comprising:

selecting an input/output unit which accepts input related to a checkout process from the first input/output unit and the second input/output unit based on at least one of status of the checkout device and time; and

based on at least one of a status of the checkout device and the time, switching an operation mode to a first mode in which product registration is performed by a salesclerk for a product purchased by a customer or a second mode in which product registration is performed by the customer,

wherein the operation mode is switched when a predetermined condition related to at least one of the status of the checkout device and the time is met, and

wherein the operation mode is switched to the second mode when absence of the salesclerk is detected and the product is detected as the case where the predetermined condition is met.

10. A checkout device according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit includes the reading control unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2022
From: UCHIMURA, JUN; ITOU, YOSHIHIRO; MIURA, KAZUKI
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059681/0074 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-161639 · Aug 30, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210192486A1 · Jun 24, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,254,324