Store management apparatus, store management method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12223789-B2
Application number	US-202118019326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2021
Priority date	Aug 12, 2020
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

A store management apparatus ( 100 ) includes: a determination unit ( 102 ) that determines whether a predetermined reference is satisfied in a store; a mode switching unit ( 104 ) that switches, by using a determination result by the determination unit ( 102 ), an operation mode of the store between an attended mode in which at least a salesclerk is permanently stationed and an unattended mode in which the salesclerk is not permanently stationed; and a setting unit ( 106 ) that switches a store-entry condition to the store according to the operation mode after switching when the mode switching unit ( 104 ) switches the operation mode, wherein the predetermined reference is absence of a customer near an entrance of the store at a reference time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A store management apparatus, comprising:
at least one memory configured to store instructions; and
at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
determine whether a predetermined reference is satisfied in a store;
switch, by using a determination result, an operation mode of the store between an attended mode in which at least a salesclerk is permanently stationed and an unattended mode in which the salesclerk is not permanently stationed; and
switch a store-entry condition to the store according to the operation mode after switching when switching the operation mode, wherein

the store-entry condition includes a first store-entry condition for entering the store in the attended mode and a second store-entry condition for entering the store in the unattended mode, the first store-entry condition and the second store-entry condition are different from each other, and
the predetermined reference is absence of a customer near an entrance of the store at a reference time.

2. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
control an apparatus in the store according to the operation mode.

3. The store management apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
set, as the store-entry condition when the operation mode is the attended mode, detection of a person by a human detection sensor in conjunction with opening/closing control of a door at the entrance of the store, and
set, as the store-entry condition when the operation mode is the unattended mode, reception of an input, by the customer, of a store-entry operation being performed on a terminal installed near the door at the entrance of the store.

4. The store management apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
stop the opening/closing control of the door in conjunction with the human detection sensor when the operation mode is the unattended mode, and perform the opening/closing control of the door, based on an authentication result using the input, by the customer, of the store-entry operation being performed on the terminal installed near the door at the entrance of the store.

5. The store management apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
cause a camera to capture a face of the customer who enters the store in a case where the operation mode is the unattended mode.

6. The store management apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
cause a camera to capture a face of the customer when the input, by the customer, of the store-entry operation is not received in a case where the operation mode is the unattended mode.

7. The store management apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
switch an operating mode of a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal at a time of switching from the attended mode to the unattended mode.

8. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
further set, according to the operation mode, an exit condition for opening a door at the entrance when the customer exits the store.

9. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
further set, as a necessary condition for mode switching, reception of an input of a mode switching instruction from the salesclerk.

10. The store management apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
set, as the necessary condition for mode switching, reception of the input of the mode switching instruction from a management center that remotely manages the store.

11. The store management apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to output an alert related to a fact that does not satisfy the necessary condition.

12. The store management apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
switch the operation mode of the store to the unattended mode at a second reference time after the reference time based on a plurality of necessary conditions being satisfied.

13. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined reference is a fact that a predetermined partition indicating unavailability for sale is installed for a predetermined sales area, and
the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
set installation of the predetermined partition as a necessary condition for switching to the unattended mode.

14. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined reference is a non-operating state for a predetermined apparatus of the store, and
the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to
set that the predetermined apparatus is in the non-operating state as a necessary condition for switching to the unattended mode.

15. The store management apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to notify that the operation mode is switched.

16. A store management method, comprising, by a store management apparatus:
determining whether a predetermined reference is satisfied in a store;
switching, by using a determination result, an operation mode of the store between an attended mode in which at least a salesclerk is permanently stationed and an unattended mode in which the salesclerk is not permanently stationed; and
switching a store-entry condition to the store according to the operation mode after switching when the operation mode is switched, wherein
the store-entry condition includes a first store-entry condition for entering the store in the attended mode and a second store-entry condition for entering the store in the unattended mode, the first store-entry condition and the second store-entry condition are different from each other, and
the predetermined reference is absence of a customer near an entrance of the store at a reference time.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute:
a procedure of determining whether a predetermined reference is satisfied in a store;
a procedure of switching, by using a determination result in the procedure of determining, an operation mode of the store between an attended mode in which at least a salesclerk is permanently stationed and an unattended mode in which the salesclerk is not permanently stationed; and
a procedure of switching a store-entry condition to the store according to the operation mode after switching when the operation mode is switched in the procedure of switching the operation mode, wherein
the store-entry condition includes a first store-entry condition for entering the store in the attended mode and a second store-entry condition for entering the store in the unattended mode, the first store-entry condition and the second store-entry condition are different from each other, and
the predetermined reference is

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Uchimura Jun
• Tahara Yuji
• TOMITA Rina
• KAZO Yasuyo

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G06K7/10415

  the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM (banking machines in general G07F19/00) · CPC title

• G07C9/29

  the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards · CPC title

• G07C9/25 Primary

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition · CPC title

• G07C9/27 Primary

  with central registration · CPC title