Terminal device, purchase management method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12354075-B2
Application number	US-202117911210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2021
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

In a purchase management system using a self-checkout register, pieces of information, which are respectively registered by individual terminal devices, are shared among a plurality of customers. A terminal device capable of acquiring item identification information of each item to be purchased first acquires a cooperation ID. Next, the terminal device shares the information in real time with a cooperative terminal device that is another terminal device and includes the same cooperation ID.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A terminal device capable of acquiring item identification information of each item to be purchased from a plurality of shopping carts or baskets at least one of which having or being in communication with the terminal device, the terminal device comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:
acquire a cooperation ID;
share information concerning the terminal device and a cooperative terminal device that is a different terminal device from the terminal device and includes the same cooperation ID, a second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets having or being in communication with the cooperative terminal device, and the same cooperating ID associates the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets with the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets; and
generating, based on the information being shared, a total amount of first prices of first items to be purchased for the terminal device and second prices of second items to be purchased for the cooperative terminal device, in response to pressing of a total button for totaling the first prices for the terminal device and the second prices of the second items for the cooperative terminal device, the total amount representing combined prices of the first items, which are from the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets, and of the second items, which are from the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets.

2. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is a mobile terminal used by a customer purchasing the item.

3. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is a cart used by a customer purchasing the item, the cart being the first one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets.

4. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is a shopping basket used by a customer purchasing the item, the shopping basket being the first one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets.

5. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the information concerning the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device is shared in real time, and includes location information of the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device in a store.

6. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the information concerning the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device is shared in real time, and includes item acquisition information concerning pieces of the item identification information which are acquired by the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device.

7. The terminal device according to claim 6 , wherein the processor further is configured to
collect pieces of the item acquisition information which are respectively acquired by the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device into one terminal device among the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device; and
calculate a payment for items based on the item information concerning prices of the items and the item acquisition information,
wherein the processor aggregates and totals payments for the items respectively calculated by the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device.

8. The terminal device according to claim 7 , wherein the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device are unable to acquire the item identification information when the pieces of item acquisition information are collected into the one terminal device.

9. A purchase management method performed by a terminal device capable of acquiring item identification information of each item to be purchased from a plurality of shopping carts or baskets at least one of which having or being in communication with the terminal device, the purchase management method comprising:
acquiring a cooperation ID;
sharing information concerning a terminal device and a cooperative terminal device that is a different terminal device from the terminal device and includes the same cooperation ID, a second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets having or being in communication with the cooperative terminal device, and the same cooperating ID associates the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets with the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets; and
generating, based on the information being shared, a total amount of first prices of first items to be purchased for the terminal device and second prices of second items to be purchased for the cooperative terminal device based on the information being shared, in response to pressing of a total button for totaling the first prices for the terminal device and the second prices of the second items for the cooperative terminal device, the total amount representing combined prices of the first items, which are from the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets, and of the second items, which are from the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to perform a process comprising:
acquiring item identification information of each item to be purchased;
acquiring a cooperation ID;
sharing information concerning a terminal device and a cooperative terminal device that is a different terminal device from the terminal device and includes the same cooperation ID, a second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets having or being in communication with the cooperative terminal device, and the same cooperating ID associates the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets with the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets; and
generating, based on the information being shared, a total amount of first prices of first items to be purchased for the terminal device and second prices of second items to be purchased for the cooperative terminal device based on the information being shared, in response to pressing of a total button for totaling the first prices for the terminal device and the second prices of the second items for the cooperative terminal device, the total amount representing combined prices of the first items, which are from the at least one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets, and of the second items, which are from the second one of the plurality of shopping carts or baskets.

11. The terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to:
send a totaling request for totaling the first prices for the terminal device and the second prices of the second items for the cooperative terminal device, to the cooperative terminal device in response to pressing of the total button, and determining which of approval information and rejection information has been received from the cooperative terminal device after sending the totaling request;
combine the first prices and the second prices to be purchased respectively for the terminal device and the cooperative terminal device; and
display a screen indicating that the rejection information has been received, in response to receiving of the rejection information.

12. The terminal device according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to:
display a totaling approval screen for selecting one of approval and rejection with respect to the totaling request in response to receiving of the totaling request from the cooperative terminal device; and
send one of the approval information and the rejection information,

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Uchimura Jun
• KAZO Yasuyo
• Funai Shinji
• SUGEGAYA Hiroki

Classifications

• G07G1/12

  electronically operated · CPC title

• G06Q30/0283

  Price estimation or determination · CPC title

• G06Q20/202

  Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR · CPC title

• G06Q20/208 Primary

  Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing · CPC title

• G07G1/0036

  Checkout procedures · CPC title