Commodity information input apparatus, exit detection apparatus, and system including the same

• US 9,530,297 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Oozawa, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US14/525,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20150187193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 340/571, 3405721-5729, 340/568.5, 340/10.1, 340/10.51, 705/16, 705/22, 705/28, 235/385, 235/462.45, 235/462.46, 235/462.49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/246 Check out systems combined with EAS, e.g. price information stored on EAS tag anti-theft systems in point of sale systems G07G3/003
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/248 EAS system combined with another detection technology, e.g. dual EAS and video or other presence detection system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment, a gate apparatus comprises an information reception module configured to receive information from an RFID tag attached to a commodity, and a notification module configured to notify an operator of an unsettled message indicating that the commodity is not settled if the information received by the information reception module does not include settlement information indicating that the commodity is settled.

Claims

1. A commodity information input apparatus, comprising:

an input module configured to receive an input of commodity information for specifying a commodity;

a determination module configured to determine, from the commodity information received by the input module, whether the commodity specified with the commodity information is a managed commodity that is subject to anti-theft management via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached to the commodity; and

a settlement information sending module configured to send, to the RFID tag attached to the commodity, settlement information indicating that settlement of the commodity to which the RFID tag is attached is complete if the determination module determines that the commodity is the managed commodity.

2. The commodity information input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the settlement information sending module sends the settlement information so that a company code in the RFID tag that stores the company code for specifying a company using the RFID tag is overwritten with the settlement information.

3. The commodity information input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that causes a display to display a message indicating that the RFID tag is not attached if the determination module determines that the commodity is the managed commodity and if the RFID tag is not detected.

4. The commodity information input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that causes a display to display a message instructing a user to remove the RFID tag from the commodity if the determination module determines that the commodity is not the managed commodity.

5. The commodity information input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that causes a display to display a message instructing a user to attach a seal to the RFID tag indicating that the commodity is settled if the determination module determines that the commodity is the managed commodity and if writing completion of the settlement information sent by the settlement information sending module is not received.

6. A method for inputting settlement information, comprising:

receiving an input of commodity information for specifying a commodity;

determining, from the commodity information received, whether the commodity specified with the commodity information is a managed commodity that is subject to anti-theft management via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached to the commodity; and

sending, to the RFID tag attached to the commodity, settlement information indicating that settlement of the commodity to which the RFID tag is attached is complete if it is determined that the commodity is the managed commodity.

7. A system comprising a commodity information input apparatus in which commodity information for specifying a commodity is input,

the commodity information input apparatus comprising an input module configured to receive an input of commodity information, a determination module configured to determine, from the commodity information received by the input module, whether the commodity specified with the commodity information is a managed commodity that is subject to anti-theft management via a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached to the commodity, and a settlement information sending module configured to send, to the RFID tag attached to the commodity, settlement information indicating that settlement of the commodity to which the RFID tag is attached is complete if the determination module determines that the commodity is the managed commodity;

and

an exit detection apparatus which manages an unsettled commodity,

the exit detection apparatus comprising an information reception module configured to receive information from the RFID tag attached to the commodity, and a notification module configured to notify an operator of an unsettled message indicating that the commodity is not settled if the information received by the information reception module does not include the settlement information indicating that the commodity is settled.