JP2007316897A - System and method for searching merchandise position - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To display a route from a current customer position to a position of merchandise specified by the customer on a terminal to allow the customer to accurately and smoothly find out the desired merchandise. <P>SOLUTION: A system for searching merchandise positions reads a membership number from an RFID 13 that a customer has through a receiving reader 14 to acquire a position of the customer, reads a merchandise number from an RFID 51 attached to merchandise 50 to acquire a position of the merchandise 50, and calculates a route from the customer position to the position of the merchandise 50 using their positions to display it on a mobile terminal 11 that the customer carries. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a product position search system and a product position search method for searching for the position of a product displayed in a store or the like.

  In a large-scale retail store or the like, various products are handled using a wide store, and therefore various products can be purchased by visiting a single store. However, in such a store, since various products are displayed in a wide store, it is difficult for the user to quickly find a desired product. Therefore, for example, a guide board is installed in the store, the user looks at this guide board to check where the product is, and grasps the position where the product is displayed based on the map written on the guide board. Searching for a desired product is performed.

  However, if the product that the user is looking for is located in a remote location from the currently confirmed information board, the location where the product is displayed is confirmed on the map, but it is not always exactly where the product is displayed. It's not always possible to get there. Moreover, even if the product arrives at the position where the product is displayed, the product is not necessarily in stock, and it is possible that the product is out of stock. In addition, it is difficult for a user to find an effective means because it takes time to find a guide plate before searching for a product.

  In many large-scale retail stores, there is a case where the sales floor of a product is changed in accordance with the sales date. For this reason, the current situation is that the location of products, including customers and employees, cannot be grasped in the changing sales floor structure. Although it is possible to deal with information boards, it takes time and effort to deal with sales floors that change daily.

Here, in recent years, with the spread of RFID technology that performs communication in a non-contact state, a technology for managing inventory of products and providing information on products using RFID such as non-contact IC tags has been considered (for example, (See Patent Document 1).
JP-A-2005-292909

  However, in the case of performing inventory management of merchandise and providing merchandise information using the RFID as described above, the position where the merchandise is displayed can be notified to the user, but information indicating the position is notified. Therefore, as with the guide plate, it is not always possible to reach the position where the product is displayed accurately, and even if the product arrives at the position where the product is displayed, the product is not necessarily in stock. There is a problem that it is not limited.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the conventional techniques as described above, and provides a product position search system and a product position search method capable of accurately and smoothly searching for a desired product. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides:
A product position search system capable of searching for the position of a product using a terminal capable of displaying information,
A first information recording medium possessed by a user possessing the terminal and written with user identification information capable of identifying the user;
A second information recording medium attached to the product and written with product specifying information capable of specifying the product;
First information reading means for reading user-specific information written in the first information recording medium in a non-contact state;
Second information reading means for reading product specifying information written on the second tactile information recording medium in a non-contact state;
A user who acquires the position of the user specified by the user specifying information based on the user specifying information read by the first information reading means and the installation position of the first information reading means. Position acquisition means;
Product position acquiring means for acquiring the position of the product specified by the product specifying information based on the product specifying information read by the second information reading means and the installation position of the second information reading means; ,
Based on the user position acquired by the user position acquisition unit and the position of the product acquired by the product position acquisition unit, a route from the user position to the product position is calculated. Route calculation means to
When connected to the terminal via a communication line and the user specifying information and the product are specified on the terminal, the route calculation means is notified of the product specifying information for specifying the product and the user specifying information. Information processing means for
The route calculation means includes the user position specified by the user specifying information notified from the information processing means among the user positions acquired by the user position acquisition means, and the product position acquisition. A route from the user position to the product position is calculated based on the product position specified by the product specification information notified from the information processing means among the product positions acquired by the means. And
The information processing means displays the route calculated by the route calculating means on the terminal.

  In the present invention configured as described above, a user who possesses a terminal capable of displaying information possesses a first information recording medium in which user identification information capable of identifying the user is written, A second information recording medium in which product specifying information capable of specifying the product is written is attached to the product. Then, in the first information reading means, the user identification information written in the first information recording medium is read in a non-contact state, and in the second information reading means, the second tactile information recording medium is read. The product specifying information written in is read in a non-contact state. In the user position acquisition means, based on the user specifying information read by the first information reading means and the installation position of the first information reading means, the user position specified by the user specifying information The position is acquired, and the product position acquisition means is specified by the product specification information based on the product specification information read by the second information reading means and the installation position of the second information reading means. The position of the product to be acquired is acquired.

  In this state, when the user specifying information and the product are specified at the terminal, the product specifying information for specifying the product and the user specifying information are notified from the information processing means to the route calculating means, Among the user positions acquired by the user position acquisition means, the position of the user specified by the user specifying information notified from the information processing means, and the position of the product acquired by the product position acquisition means The route from the user position to the product position is calculated based on the product position specified by the product specification information notified from the information processing means, and the route calculation means is controlled by the information processing means. The route calculated at is displayed on the terminal.

  Thereby, the route from the position where the user is present to the position of the product designated by the user is displayed on the terminal, and it is possible to reach the position where the product is displayed without hesitation. In addition, it is assumed that persons with disabilities can easily make purchases, which is effective for supporting persons with disabilities. Moreover, inventory information can also be acquired, and it becomes possible to acquire goods reliably.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the route from the position where the user is present to the position of the product designated by the user is displayed on the terminal, and the desired product can be searched accurately and smoothly. Can do.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a commodity position search system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an installation state of the receiving readers 14 and 52 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a user who visits a store is the first information in which a portable terminal 11 capable of displaying information and a member number that is user identification information that can identify a user are written. It has a store card 12 equipped with an RFID 13 as a recording medium. The mobile terminal 11 can be connected to the network 30 and may be dedicated to the user's personal property or in a store. In addition, an RFID 51, which is a second information recording medium in which a product number, which is product specifying information that can specify a product, is written to the product 50 displayed in the store.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a reception reader 14 as a first information reading unit that receives a radio wave from the RFID 13 and reads the member number written in the RFID 13 in a non-contact state is set on the ceiling in the store. ing. As shown in FIG. 2, the display shelf 60 on which the product 50 is displayed is a second information reading unit that receives radio waves from the RFID 51 and reads the product No written on the RFID 51 in a non-contact state. A certain receiving reader 52 is set.

  The member number and the product number read by the receiving readers 14 and 52 are notified to the control device 40. The mobile terminal 11 is connected to the store server 20 as information processing means via a network 30 as a communication line.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 40 includes a user position acquisition unit 41, a product position acquisition unit 42, and a route calculation unit 44. The user position acquisition unit 41 acquires the position of the user specified by the member No based on the member No read by the reception reader 14 and the installation position of the reception reader 14. The product position acquisition unit 42 acquires the position of the product specified by the product No based on the product No read by the reception reader 51 and the installation position of the reception reader 52. The route calculation unit 44 is based on the user position information 41a acquired by the user position acquisition unit 41, the product position information 42a acquired by the product position acquisition unit 42, and the in-store map information 43. The route from the user position to the product position is calculated. This in-store map information 43 records the in-store layout, and is updated when the layout is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the store server 20 displays a search unit 22 that searches for product information with reference to the product information 24, a search result in the search unit 22, a route calculated by the route calculation unit 44, and the like. An application 21 including a display unit 23 is provided. By operating the application 21 in the mobile terminal 11, product information, product location information, user location information, in-store map information, and route information can be acquired.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a management state of the display shelf 60 shown in FIG. 2 in the control device 40 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the control device 40 shown in FIG. 1, a display shelf management number is assigned to each display shelf 60 on which the product 50 is displayed, and the in-store map information 43 and the product position information 42a are displayed. In this case, the installation position of the receiving reader 52 installed on the product display shelf 60 is managed using this display shelf management number.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an installation state of the reception reader 14 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a management state in the control device 40.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the receiving readers 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are installed at intervals according to the distance at which information can be read from the RFID 13 in consideration of the reading range of the RFID 13. Also, a reader management number is assigned to each reception reader 14, and in the in-store map information 43 and the user position information 41a, the installation position of the reception reader 14 is managed using this reader management number.

  Below, operation | movement of the goods position search system comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated.

  First, the acquisition and management of the position information of the user who possesses the mobile terminal 11 and the store card 12 and the acquisition and management of the position information of the product 50 will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing information managed as the user position information 41a shown in FIG.

  When a user who has the mobile terminal 11 and the store card 12 walks in the store, the member No. written in the RFID 13 mounted on the store card 12 is the nearest among the reception readers 14 installed on the ceiling in the store. Is read by the receiving reader 14.

  In the reception reader 14, the read member number and the reader management number of the reception reader 14 are transmitted to the user position acquisition unit 41 of the control device 40.

  Then, in the user position acquisition unit 41, as shown in FIG. 5, the member number transmitted from the receiving reader 14 and the reader management number of the receiving reader 14 are associated and managed as user position information 41a. .

  Thereafter, when the user moves, the member number is read from the RFID 13 by another receiving reader 14 and is acquired as the user position information 41a by the user position acquisition unit 41, so that it is automatically updated.

  Further, in the receiving reader 52, the product number is read from the RFID 51 existing within the reading range, and the read product number and the display shelf management number where the receiving reader 52 is installed are the product position acquisition unit 42 of the control device 40. Sent to. This makes it possible to detect that the product 50 has been removed from the display shelf (taken by the hand). In the product position acquisition unit 42, the product number transmitted from the reception reader 52 and the display shelf management number on which the reception reader 52 is installed are associated with each other and managed as product position information 42a.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing information managed as the product information 24 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the product information 24 shown in FIG. 1 is managed by giving a product No. to each product, and has a reflection of store arrival status and sales results. It is assumed that the number of stocks increases at the time of arrival, and the number of stocks decreases at the time of sales. In addition, the display position of the product 50 reflecting the product position information 42a is also recorded.

  Here, an RFID 51 in which the same product number is written is attached to the same product 50. That is, when there are a plurality of the same products 50, the same number of RFIDs 51 in which the same product numbers are written are required. For example, when there are six products A, the same RFID 51a is attached to each product, and a total of six RFIDs 51a are required. Also, assuming that six pieces of information in the RFID 51a are acquired by the receiving reader 52 installed in the commodity display shelf 4N02-01 shown in FIG. 3, the commodity A is in stock in the commodity display shelf 4N02-01. It will be. Also, assume that one of the products A is moved to the product display shelf 4N03-05. Then, the information on the RFID 5a is read by the receiving reader 52 installed on the merchandise display shelf 4N03-05 and transmitted to the merchandise position information acquisition unit 42. In the merchandise position information 42a, there are five merchandise A position data and inventory quantities in the merchandise display rack 4N02-01 and one in the merchandise display rack 4N03-05.

  Next, an operation when acquiring route information using the mobile terminal 11 will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining an operation when obtaining route information using the mobile terminal 11 in the commodity position search system shown in FIG.

  A user who has visited the store accesses the application 21 such as a store homepage via the network 30 using the mobile terminal 11, inputs a member number, logs in, and searches for a product position (step S1). .

  When the user knows the name of the product to be searched (step S2), the method 1 is selected by inputting the product name and searching (step S3), and the product name is input to the message box (step S2). S4).

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a screen of the mobile terminal 11 in which a product name to be searched by the product position search system illustrated in FIG. 1 is input.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the product name to be searched is input to the message box, the search unit 22 of the application 21 collates with the product information 24 using the product name as a key (step S5). Is present (step S6) and there is only one product (step S7), the store server 20 notifies the control device 40 of the product number of the product and the member number input at the time of login. The

  In the control device 40, the display shelf management number associated with the product No. notified from the store server 20 is searched from the product location information 42a, and notified from the store server 20 from the user location information 41a. The reader management number associated with the member No. is searched. The in-store map information 43 records the in-store layout, and the display shelf management number and the reader management number are managed in the layout.

  Then, in the route calculation unit 44, the display shelf management number searched from the product position information 42a, that is, the position of the product 50, and the reader management number searched from the user position information 41a, that is, the position of the user. The route from the current position of the user to the position of the product 50 is calculated based on the in-store layout recorded as the in-store map information 43.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing routes calculated by the route calculation unit 44 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the route calculation unit 44, the display shelf management number searched from the product position information 42a, that is, the position of the product 50 and the reader management number searched from the user position information 41a. That is, all routes assumed from the current position of the user to the position of the product 50 are determined based on the position of the user and the layout in the store recorded as the in-store map information 43.

  Then, the route calculation unit 44 calculates a route having the shortest distance from the current position of the user to the position of the product 50 among the calculated plurality of routes, and notifies the store server 20 of this route information. It is displayed on the portable terminal 11 by the display of the display unit 23 of the application 21 (step S8).

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing route information displayed on the mobile terminal 11 in the product position search system shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the route having the shortest distance from the current position of the user to the position of the product 50 among the routes shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the mobile terminal 11.

  In step S6, if there is no matching information in the product information 24, an error message is transmitted from the store server 20 to the mobile terminal 11 (step S9).

  Further, in the screen shown in FIG. 8, when only “nabe”, for example, is entered in the message box, all products including “nabe” in the product name are extracted from the product information 24 and a plurality of products are extracted. In this case, a message for entrusting the user to select the corresponding product is transmitted from the store server 20 to the mobile terminal 11 (steps S10 and S11).

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a screen for selecting a desired product from a plurality of products in the product search system shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 11, in the screen shown in FIG. 8, for example, when only “nabe” is entered in the message box, all products including “nabe” in the product name are extracted from the product information 24. When a plurality of items are extracted, a message for entrusting the user to select the corresponding product is transmitted from the store server 20 to the mobile terminal 11.

  In step S6, if there is matching information in the product information 24 but there is no stock, that is, when the product is out of stock, the fact that it is out of stock is transmitted from the store server 20 to the mobile terminal 11.

  On the other hand, if the user does not know the name of the product to be searched, as method 2, a method for searching from the product type is selected (step S12), and the product type is selected from the pull-down menu (step S13).

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a screen of the mobile terminal 11 on which the product type to be searched for by the product position search system shown in FIG. 1 is selected.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the product type to be searched for is selected from the pull-down menu, the search unit 22 of the application 21 collates with the product information 24 using the product type as a key. The position will be retrieved. That is, in the method 2, not the position of each item but the position of the type of item (eg, pot, watch, ladies coat) is searched, and the search result is transmitted to the portable terminal 11 and displayed ( Step S14).

  When the system of this embodiment is adopted in a store where various products are handled, a customer who visits the store can search for the product smoothly and can grasp the stock status of the product. In addition, people with disabilities can shop with less burden and help people with disabilities. In addition, it seems that it is difficult for employees to deal with all customers during busy times, but this system saves the trouble of guiding customers to the location where the products are displayed and eases customer service during busy times. become. In addition, the employee himself / herself can grasp the display position of the product and can serve as a customer service assistant. It is difficult for a single employee to grasp the location and inventory status of all products, and it is dangerous for an employee to misrecognize and handle customers incorrectly, leading to customer complaints. According to this embodiment, it is possible to perform accurate product position and inventory management, leading to customer service assistance.

  In addition, the user can grasp the number of customers visiting the store by carrying the store card 12 loaded with the RFID 13 and counting the information of all the receiving readers 14 installed in the store.

  In the above-described product location search system, in the large-scale retail store industry, it is possible to find products smoothly by grasping product location information and user location information. It can be used in many ways, such as "Reducing employee burdens", "Customer assistance", and "Number of customers visiting the store".

  In addition, it is difficult to manage the position information of all products, such as in the case of large-scale factories and warehouses, during factory shipment inspections and incoming / outgoing inspections at distribution centers. By using this product position search system, it is possible to easily manage inventory positions in factories and warehouses. This can be realized by attaching an RFID to each product and installing a receiving reader for each pallet to be managed.

(Other embodiments)
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the product position search system of the present invention.

  The product location search system of the present invention assumes that portable terminals equipped with a FeliCa function that enables ticket acquisition, membership card services, and small payments will spread, and as shown in FIG. 13, a mobile terminal equipped with a mobile FeliCa is installed. The use of the terminal 111 is also conceivable.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an installation example of the FeliCa reader 114 in the product position search system illustrated in FIG. 13, (a) is a diagram illustrating an installation location in a store, and (b) is a specific installation state. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 14, when the membership card service is performed by the mobile FeliCa mobile terminal 111, the user position is specified. As shown in FIG. 14, the FeliCa reader 114 is attached to each pillar or pole in the store. The user specifies the position of the user by touching the portable terminal 111 with the FeliCa reader 114. The user position information is transmitted from the FeliCa reader 114 to the store server 20, and the position of the pillar or pole that transmitted the data is set as the current location of the user.

It is a figure which shows one Embodiment of the goods position search system of this invention. It is a figure which shows the installation state of the receiving reader shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the management state of the display shelf shown in FIG. 2 in the control apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the installation state of the receiving reader shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, and the management state in a control apparatus. It is a figure which shows the information managed as user position information shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the information managed as merchandise information shown in FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the operation | movement at the time of acquiring route information using a portable terminal in the goods position search system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the screen of the portable terminal into which the goods name searched with the goods position search system shown in FIG. 1 was input. It is a figure which shows the path | route calculated in the path | route calculation part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the route information displayed on a portable terminal in the goods position search system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the screen for selecting a desired goods from several goods in the goods search system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the screen of the portable terminal from which the goods kind searched with the goods position search system shown in FIG. 1 was selected. It is a figure which shows other embodiment of the goods position search system of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of installation of the FeliCa reader in the goods position search system shown in FIG. 13, (a) is a figure which shows the installation place in a shop, (b) is a figure which shows a specific installation state.

Explanation of symbols

11, 111 Mobile terminal 12 Store card 13, 51 RFID
14, 52 Reception reader 20 Store server 21 Application 22 Search unit 23 Display unit 24 Product information 30 Network 40 Control device 41 User location information acquisition unit 41a User location information 42 Product location information acquisition unit 42a Product location information 43 In-store map Information 44 Route calculation unit 50 Product 60 Display shelf 114 FeliCa reader

Claims (5)

A product position search system capable of searching for the position of a product using a terminal capable of displaying information,
A first information recording medium possessed by a user possessing the terminal and written with user identification information capable of identifying the user;
A second information recording medium attached to the product and written with product specifying information capable of specifying the product;
First information reading means for reading user-specific information written in the first information recording medium in a non-contact state;
Second information reading means for reading product specifying information written on the second tactile information recording medium in a non-contact state;
A user who acquires the position of the user specified by the user specifying information based on the user specifying information read by the first information reading means and the installation position of the first information reading means. Position acquisition means;
Product position acquisition means for acquiring the position of the product specified by the product specification information based on the product specification information read by the second information reading means and the installation position of the second information reading means; ,
Based on the user position acquired by the user position acquisition means and the position of the product acquired by the product position acquisition means, a route from the user position to the position of the product is calculated. Route calculation means to
When connected to the terminal via a communication line and the user specifying information and the product are specified at the terminal, the route calculating means is notified of the product specifying information for specifying the product and the user specifying information. Information processing means for
The route calculation means includes the user position specified by the user specifying information notified from the information processing means among the user positions acquired by the user position acquisition means, and the product position acquisition. A route from the user position to the product position is calculated based on the product position specified by the product specification information notified from the information processing unit among the product positions acquired by the means. And
The information processing means is a product position search system for displaying the route calculated by the route calculation means on the terminal. In the commodity position search system according to claim 1,
When there are a plurality of routes from the user's position to the product position, the route calculation unit determines the route having the shortest distance from the user position to the product position from the user position. A product position search system characterized by a route to the position of a product. In the commodity position search system according to claim 1 or claim 2,
The product information search system, wherein the first information recording medium is built in the terminal. A terminal capable of displaying information, a first information recording medium possessed by a user who possesses the terminal and written with user identification information capable of identifying the user, and attached to the product to identify the product Using the second information recording medium in which possible product identification information is written, information processing means connected to the terminal via a communication line, and control means accessible by the information processing means. A product position search method for searching for a position,
A process in which a first information reading unit capable of reading information from the first information recording medium reads user-specific information written in the first information recording medium in a non-contact state;
A process in which a second information reading means capable of reading information from the second information recording medium reads the product specifying information written in the second information recording medium in a non-contact state;
The position of the user specified by the user specifying information based on the user specifying information read by the first information reading means and the installation position of the first information reading means by the control means Processing to get
The control unit obtains the position of the product specified by the product specifying information based on the product specifying information read by the second information reading unit and the installation position of the second information reading unit. Processing,
When the user specifying information and the product are specified on the terminal, the control means includes a user position specified by the specified user specifying information among the acquired user positions. A process of calculating a route from the position of the user to the position of the product based on the position of the designated product among the acquired product positions;
A product position search method, wherein the information processing means includes processing for displaying the calculated route on the terminal. In the goods position search method according to claim 4,
When the control means has a plurality of routes from the user position to the product position, the route having the shortest distance from the user position to the product position is selected from the user position to the product. A product position search method, characterized in that a route to the position of the product is used.

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