Automated store system and server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11763567-B2
Application number	US-202217826140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2022
Priority date	Oct 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A store management server configured to communicate with an alert device installed in a store, includes a network interface and a processor configured to identify a customer entering the store, acquire customer information about the identified customer, detect that the customer is holding a commodity in the store, acquire sales restriction information about the commodity held by the customer, determine whether the customer is eligible to buy the commodity held by the customer based on the acquired customer information and sales restriction information, and control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a first command to an alert device. The first command causes the alert device to output an alert.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A store management server configured to communicate with an alert device installed at a first gate in a store, the server comprising:
a network interface; and
a processor configured to:
identify a customer entering the store,
acquire customer information about the identified customer,
detect that the customer is holding a commodity in the store,
acquire sales restriction information about the commodity held by the customer,
determine whether the customer is eligible to buy the commodity held by the customer based on the acquired customer information and sales restriction information, and
control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a first command to an alert device, wherein the first command causes the alert device to output an alert.

2. The store management server according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is further configured to control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a second command to a first gate control device, and
the second command causes the first gate control device to close the first gate.

3. The store management server according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
store, in a memory, information about the commodity held by the customer,
control the network interface to transmit, when it is determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a third command to the first gate control device, the third command causing the first gate control device to open the first gate, and
after the first gate is opened, perform a checkout process based on the information stored in the memory.

4. The store management server according to claim 2 , wherein
the first gate is located at an exit of the store, and
the processor is further configured to:
detect the customer approaching the exit of the store, and
control the network interface to transmit, when the customer approaches the exit, the first and second commands to the alert device and the first gate control device, respectively.

5. The store management server according to claim 4 , wherein
the processor is further configured to, when failing to acquire the customer information about the detected customer, control the network interface to transmit a fourth command to a second gate control device, and
the fourth command causes the second gate control device to close a second gate in the store.

6. The store management server according to claim 5 , wherein the second gate is located at an entrance of the store.

7. The store management server according to claim 1 , wherein the first command causes the alert device to output the alert on a display.

8. The store management server according to claim 1 , wherein the first command causes the alert device to output the alert from a speaker.

9. The store management server according to claim 1 , wherein
the alert device is installed on a wall or a ceiling of the store, and
the processor is further configured to control the network interface to transmit, when the customer holds the commodity, the first command to the alert device to output the alert.

10. A store management system, comprising:
an alert device installed at a first gate in a store and configured to output an alert; and
a store management server configured to communicate with the alert device and including a network interface and a processor configured to:
identify a customer entering the store,
acquire customer information about the identified customer,
detect that the customer is holding a commodity in the store,
acquire sales restriction information about the commodity held by the customer,
determine whether the customer is eligible to buy the commodity held by the customer based on the acquired customer information and sales restriction information, and
control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a first command to an alert device, wherein the first command causes the alert device to output an alert.

11. The store management system according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a first gate control device configured to control the first gate, wherein
the processor is further configured to control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a second command to the first gate control device, and
the second command causes the first gate control device to close the first gate.

12. The store management system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
store, in a memory, information about the commodity held by the customer,
control the network interface to transmit, when it is determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a third command to the first gate control device, the third command causing the first gate control device to open the first gate, and
after the first gate is opened, perform a checkout process based on the information stored in the memory.

13. The store management system according to claim 11 , wherein
the first gate is located at an exit of the store, and
the processor is further configured to:
detect the customer approaching the exit of the store, and
control the network interface to transmit, when the customer approaches the exit, the first and second commands to the alert device and the first gate control device, respectively.

14. The store management system according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a second gate control device configured to control a second gate in the store, wherein
the processor is further configured to, when failing to acquire the customer information about the detected customer, control the network interface to transmit a fourth command to the second gate control device, and
the fourth command causes the second gate control device to close the second gate.

15. The store management system according to claim 14 , wherein the second gate is located at an entrance of the store.

16. The store management system according to claim 10 , wherein the first command causes the alert device to output the alert on a display.

17. The store management system according to claim 10 , wherein the first command causes the alert device to output the alert from a speaker.

18. A store management method, comprising:
identifying a customer entering a store;
acquiring customer information about the identified customer;
detecting that the customer is holding a commodity in the store;
acquiring sales restriction information about the commodity held by the customer;
determining whether the customer is eligible to buy the commodity held by the customer based on the acquired customer information and sales restriction information; and
after determining that the customer is not eligible to buy the commodity, issuing a first command that causes an alert device installed at a first gate in the store to output an alert.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Kakino Tomonari

Classifications

• G07G1/0036 Primary

  Checkout procedures · CPC title

• G06Q20/20 Primary

  Point-of-sale [POS] network systems · CPC title

• G06V20/52 Primary

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title

• G07G1/12

  electronically operated · CPC title

• G07G3/00

  Alarm indicators, e.g. bells · CPC title