Settlement processing system, settlement processing device, and settlement processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11100745-B2
Application number	US-201916639988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2019
Priority date	Apr 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A settlement processing system S is configured to perform a settlement process for a product picked up by a user based on information for settlement of the user, when closing of a door 12 of a vending machine 1 is detected after opening of the door 12 is detected. In addition, the settlement processing system S is configured to perform the settlement process for the product picked up by the user based on the information for settlement of the user, in a state in which the closing of the door 12 of the vending machine 1 is not detected after the opening of the door 12 is detected, when the state in which the user has moved from the vending machine 1 is detected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A settlement processing system comprising:
at least one memory configured to store program code; and at least one processor configured to access the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including:
first detection code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to detect an opening or a closing of a door of a vending machine, the vending machine including a storing chamber that stores a product;
product identification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to identify the product that is picked up by a user from the storing chamber after the opening of the door is detected;
second detection code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to detect a state in which the user has moved away from the vending machine, in a state in which the closing of the door is not detected after the opening of the door is detected;
information acquisition code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to acquire information for settlement of the user;
first settlement processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform a settlement process for the identified product based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the closing of the door is detected after the opening of the door is detected; and
second settlement processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform a settlement process for the identified product based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the state in which the user has moved away is detected.

2. The settlement processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second settlement processing code causes at least one of the at least one processor to perform the settlement process for the identified product, in a case that the state, in which the closing of the door is not detected after the opening of the door is detected, remains for a predetermined period of time or longer, and the state in which the user has moved away is detected.

3. The settlement processing system according to claim 1 , the program code further including:
distance identification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to identify a distance that the user has moved from away the vending machine, wherein
in a case that the identified distance is equal to or greater than a first predetermined distance and is less than a second predetermined distance, the second settlement processing code causes at least one of the at least one processor to perform the settlement process for the identified product, on a condition that the state, in which the closing of the door is not detected, remains for a predetermined period of time or longer, and
in a case that the identified distance is equal to or greater than the second predetermined distance, the second settlement processing code causes at least one of the at least one processor to perform the settlement process for the identified product, regardless of whether or not the state, in which the closing of the door is not detected, remains for the predetermined period of time or longer.

4. The settlement processing system according to claim 1 , the program code further including:
authentication processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform an authentication process for a user that uses the vending machine when the door is in a locked state; and
first control code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to control to unlock the door in a case that the user is authenticated, wherein
each of the first settlement processing code and the second settlement processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform the settlement process for the identified product, based on information for settlement of the authenticated user.

5. The settlement processing system according to claim 1 , the program code further including:
second control code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to control to prevent the product from being picked up from the storing chamber, in a case that the settlement process for the product is performed in the state in which the closing of the door is not detected.

6. The settlement processing system according to claim 5 , wherein
the second control code causes at least one of the at least one processor to control to automatically close the door based on a drive mechanism including a motor.

7. The settlement processing system according to claim 5 , wherein
the second control code causes at least one of the at least one processor to control to automatically close an inner door that is provided between the storing chamber and the door, based on a drive mechanism including a motor.

8. A settlement processing device comprising:
at least one memory configured to store program code; and at least one processor configured to access the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including:
first detection code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to detect an opening or a closing of a door of a vending machine, the vending machine including a storing chamber that stores a product;
product identification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to identify the product that is picked up by a user from the storing chamber after the opening of the door is detected;
second detection code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to detect a state in which the user has moved away from the vending machine, in a state in which the closing of the door is not detected after the opening of the door is detected;
information acquisition code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to acquire information for settlement of the user;
first settlement processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform a settlement process for the identified product based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the closing of the door is detected after the opening of the door is detected; and
second settlement processing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to perform a settlement process for the identified product based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the state in which the user has moved away is detected.

9. A settlement processing method executed by one or more computers, the settlement processing method including:
detecting an opening or a closing of a door of a vending machine, the vending machine including a storing chamber that stores a product;
identifying the product that is picked up by a user from the storing chamber after the opening of the door is detected;
detecting a state in which the user has moved away from the vending machine, in a state in which the closing of the door is not detected after the opening of the door is detected;
acquiring information for settlement of the user;
performing a settlement process for the product identified based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the closing of the door is detected after the opening of the door is detected; and
performing a settlement process for the product identified based on the information for settlement of the user, in a case that the state in which the user has moved away is detected.

Assignees

• Rakuten Inc
• Rakuten Group Inc

Inventors

• Yamato Takumi
• TAZUME Toshiaki

Classifications

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G07F9/026 Primary

  for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G07F9/009 Primary

  User recognition or proximity detection · CPC title

• G07F9/006

  Details of the software used for the vending machines · CPC title