Store complex checkout apparatus, transaction processing method and program

• US 20050194440A1
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Miyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,159,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/383
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/145 PLU-management

Abstract

A POS device functioning as a store complex checkout apparatus reads an information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code attached to products of the and other stores using a medium reading unit, refers to the product master file information and performs checkout when a product checkout processing unit identifies the code as the store code from information read from the information storage medium, and refers to corresponding master file information of other store and performs checkout if the product checkout processing unit identifies the code as the code of other store, causing a transaction management unit to generate and store transaction information including a store code and the product provision store code. Further, a store-to-store information send/receive processing unit performs checkout processing for transaction amount with a store checkout apparatus of other store based on the transaction information.

Claims

1. A store complex checkout apparatus comprising:

a medium reading unit for reading information from an information storage medium attached to a product, the information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code;

a product checkout processing unit that, when the product provision store code in information read from the information storage medium is the store code, refers to a product master file of the store to perform checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by the reference, the product checkout processing unit, when the product provision store code is a code of other store, referring to a corresponding product master file of an other store to perform checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by the reference;

a transaction management unit for generating and storing transaction information including a product provision store code for each of the products; and

a store-to-store information send/receive processing unit for exchanging the transaction information with store checkout apparatuses of other stores based on the transaction information.

2. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transaction management unit stores as the transaction information a checkout store code, a product provision store code, a transaction category and transaction detail information, wherein the transaction category is classified into sold, canceled or returned, and wherein the transaction detail information includes a product code, a price and a quantity.

3. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive processing unit generates store-to-store information send/receive information for transaction information in which the checkout store code and the product provision store code are different from each other, the store-to-store information send/receive processing unit performing money delivery processing accompanying checkout between a checkout store and a product provision store based on the store-to-store information send/receive information.

4. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive information includes a commission paid to the checkout store by the product provision store.

5. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the commission is a sum that is determined depending on the degree of contribution of the checkout store.

6. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information storage medium is a wireless tag or a barcode label.

7. The store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inquiry processing unit that, based on the product code read from the information storage medium, acquires sales information including prices, store names and bonuses of a same product from product master file information of a plurality of store checkout apparatuses, for display in a comparative manner.

8. A store complex checkout apparatus comprising:

a medium reading unit for reading an information storage medium attached to a product of the and other stores, the information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code; and

an inquiry processing unit that, based on the product code read from the information storage medium, acquires sales information including prices, store names and bonuses of a same product from product master file information of a plurality of store checkout apparatuses, for display in a comparative manner.

9. A transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus, comprising:

a medium reading step which includes reading information from an information storage medium attached to a product, the information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code;

a product checkout processing step which includes, when the product provision store code in information read from the information storage medium is a code of the store, performing checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by referring to a product master file of the store, the product checkout processing step including, when the product provision store code is a code of other store, performing checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by referring to a corresponding product master file of other store;

a transaction managing step which include generating and storing transaction information including a product provision store code for each product; and

a store-to-store information send/receive processing step which includes exchanging the transaction information with store checkout apparatuses of other stores based on the transaction information.

10. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a checkout store code, a product provision store code, a transaction category and transaction detail information are stored as the transaction information, wherein the transaction category is classified into sold, canceled or returned, and wherein the transaction detail information includes a product code, a price and a quantity.

11. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive processing step includes generating store-to-store information send/receive information for transaction information in which the checkout store code and the product provision store code are different from each other, and performing money delivery processing accompanying checkout between a checkout store and a product provision store based on the store-to-store information send/receive information.

12. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive information includes a commission paid to the checkout store by the product provision store.

13. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the commission is a sum that is determined depending on the degree of contribution of the checkout store.

14. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the information storage medium is a wireless tag or a barcode label.

15. The transaction processing method for a store complex checkout apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an inquiry step which includes, based on the product code read from the information storage medium, acquiring sales information including prices, store names and bonuses of a same product from product master file information of a plurality of store checkout apparatuses, for display in a comparative manner.

16. A program for causing a computer to execute:

a medium reading step which includes reading information from an information storage medium attached to a product, the information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code;

a product checkout processing step which includes, when the product provision store code in information read from the information storage medium is a code of the store, performing checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by referring to a product master file of the store, the product checkout processing step including, when the product provision store code is a code of other store, performing checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by referring to a corresponding product master file of other store;

a transaction managing step which include generating and storing transaction information including a product provision store code for each product; and

a store-to-store information send/receive processing step which includes exchanging the transaction information with store checkout apparatuses of other stores based on the transaction information.

17. The program according to claim 16, wherein a checkout store code, a product provision store code, a transaction category and transaction detail information are stored as the transaction information, wherein the transaction category is classified into sold, canceled or returned, and wherein the transaction detail information includes at least a product code and a price.

18. The program according to claim 17, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive processing step includes generating store-to-store information send/receive information for transaction information in which the checkout store code and the product provision store code are different from each other, and performing money delivery processing accompanying checkout between a checkout store and a product provision store based on the store-to-store information send/receive information.

19. The program according to claim 18, wherein the store-to-store information send/receive information includes a commission paid to the checkout store by the product provision store.

20. A POS system in which a server is connected via a network to a plurality of store checkout apparatuses, each of the store checkout apparatuses comprising:

a medium reading unit for reading information from an information storage medium attached to a product, the information storage medium storing at least a product provision store code and a product code;

a product checkout processing unit that, when the product provision store code in information read from the information storage medium is the store code, refers to a product master file of the store to perform checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by the reference, the product checkout processing unit, when the product provision store code is a code of other store, referring to a corresponding product master file of the other store to perform checkout processing of the product based on information obtained by the reference;

a transaction management unit for generating and storing transaction information including a product provision store code for each product; and

a store-to-store information send/receive processing unit for exchanging the transaction information with store checkout apparatuses of other stores based on the transaction information, wherein

the server stores the product master files and all transaction information used in the store checkout apparatuses of the stores, the server exchanging the transaction information with each of the store checkout apparatuses.