Unmanned retail shop system and method of purchasing goods

In an unmanned retail shop system, an user side information terminal, a retail shop side information terminal, and a settlement agency side information terminal are connected with each other through a network. The user side information terminal has not only means for selecting goods to be purchased and for transmitting information of the purchased goods to the retail shop side information terminal but also means for transmitting information of settlement account thereto. The retail shop side information terminal has a container for containing goods. The retail shop side information terminal further has means for transmitting, to the settlement agency side information terminal, not only information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods but also information of request of transferring the money into the retail shop's account. The settlement agency side information terminal has not only means for making a secret number for opening the key of the container in which the purchased goods are contained but also means for transmitting the secret number both to the user side information terminal and to the retail shop side information terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 , description will proceed to an unmanned retail shop system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic view for showing the unmanned retail shop system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the unmanned retail shop system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an user side information terminal 10 provided in the user side, a retail shop side information terminal 20 provided in the retail shop side, a settlement agency side information terminal 30 provided in the settlement agency side, and a stock maker side information terminal 40 provided in the stock maker side. The user side information terminal 10 , the retail shop side information terminal 20 , the settlement agency side information terminal 30 , and the stock maker side information terminal 40 are connected with each other through a network 100 . Herein, it is preferable that the network 100 is, for example, such a network 100 as using an Internet, and the like. It is enough that the network 100 is such a wire or wireless network in which information is transferred between the user side information terminal 10 , the retail shop side information terminal 20 , the settlement agency side information terminal 30 , and the stock maker side information terminal 40 . Further, the user side information terminal 10 is such an information terminal as used by an user who purchases goods. The user side information terminal 10 has means for getting access to an WWW (World Wide Web) browser, or the like capable of access to a homepage through the network 100 . Concretely, the user side information terminal 10 is an information terminal, such as a personal computer, a portable telephone, a mobile computer, and the like capable of being connected with the network 100 , such as the Internet, or the like. The user side information terminal 10 has means by which an user selects goods to be purchased and transmits information of the purchased goods to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . By the use of the user side information terminal 10 , the user can conduct the selection of the goods to be purchased by getting access to a homepage established by the retail shop and clicking the goods published in the homepage by a mouth, and the like. In addition, the user side information terminal 10 has means for transmitting information of settlement account for paying money charged for the purchased goods to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . The user can input and transmit the information of the settlement account by operating a keyboard provided in the user side information terminal 10 . The retail shop side information terminal 20 is such an information terminal as provided in the side of a retail shop selling goods. The retail shop side information terminal 20 has means for getting access to an WWW (World Wide Web) browser, or the like capable of access to a homepage through the network 100 . Concretely, the retail shop side information terminal 20 is an information terminal, such as a personal computer, a portable telephone, a mobile computer, and the like capable of being connected with the network 100 , such as the Internet, or the like. Further, the retail shop side information terminal 20 may be composed of an information processing device, such as a work station server, and the like. The retail shop side information terminal 20 has a container for containing goods, that is, an unmanned warehouse. The container for containing goods is such a place in which the purchased goods purchased by an user are contained. The container for containing goods is provided with a key. The key provided in the container is adjusted to be opened by inputting a secret number as will later be described. In addition, the retail shop side information terminal 20 has means for receiving the information of the purchased goods and the information of the settlement account both transmitted from the user side information terminal 10 . Further, the retail shop side information terminal 20 has means for transmitting, to the settlement agency side information terminal 30 , not only information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods but also information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account. Since the retail shop side information terminal 20 has such the means, automatic settlement becomes available. Accordingly, convenience for both an user and a retail shop is so improved. The settlement agency side information terminal 30 is such an information terminal as provided in the side of a settlement agency. The settlement agency side information terminal 30 has means for getting access to an WWW (World Wide Web) browser, or the like capable of access to a homepage through the network 100 . Concretely, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 is an information terminal, such as a personal computer, a portable telephone, a mobile computer, and the like capable of being connected with the network 100 , such as the Internet, or the like. Further, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 may be composed of an information processing device, such as a work station server, and the like. Further, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 has means for receiving not only the information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods but also the information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account, both of which are transmitted from the retail shop side information terminal 20 . Moreover, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 has not only means for making a secret number for opening the key of the container in which the purchased goods are contained but also means for transmitting the secret number both to the user side information terminal 10 and to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . In the unmanned retail shop system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 makes the secret number for opening the key of the container in which the purchased goods are contained. Thereafter, the secret number is transmitted both to the user side information terminal 10 and to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . An user who purchased goods can get the purchased goods out of the container for containing goods, that is, an unmanned warehouse by inputting the secret number received by the user side information terminal 10 . In other words, it is not necessary for a conveyer to deliver the purchased goods to the user s home. As a result, the user can prevent the purchased goods from being seen by another persons, when the user would not like the another persons to see the purchased goods. Besides, the retail shop side information terminal 20 has means for judging whether or not the secret number inputted by the user to get the purchased goods out of the container is identical with the one transmitted from the settlement agency side information terminal 30 . The means are also for preventing the key from being opened in a case that the secret number inputted by the user to get the purchased goods out of the container is not identical with the one transmitted from the settlement agency side information terminal 30 . Accordingly, another persons who do not know the secret number cannot get any goods out of the container. As a result, the user can prevent the another persons from getting the purchased goods out of the container. In addition, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 has means for drawing the money charged for the purchased goods from the settlement account transmitted from the user side information terminal 10 and for transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop s account The settlement agency side information terminal 30 has such the means, so that automatic settlement becomes available. On the other hand, in the unmanned retail shop system illustrated in FIG. 1 , the stock maker side information terminal 40 provided in the stock maker side is connected to the unmanned retail shop system through the network 100 . The stock maker side information terminal 40 is such an information terminal as provided in the side of a stock maker. The stock maker side information terminal 40 has means for getting access to an WWW (World Wide Web) browser, or the like capable of access to a homepage through the network 100 . Concretely, the stock maker side information terminal 40 is an information terminal, such as a personal computer, a portable telephone, a mobile computer, and the like capable of being connected with the network 100 , such as the Internet, or the like. Further, the stock maker side information terminal 40 may be composed of an information processing device, such as a work station server, and the like. Further, the stock maker side information terminal 40 has means for transmitting stocked goods information to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . The stock maker side information terminal 40 has such the means, so that the stocked goods information are transmitted to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . As a result, the user can know available goods in the retail shop by getting access to a homepage established by the retail shop. Accordingly, by the use of the user side information terminal 10 , the user can conduct the selection of the goods to be purchased by getting access to a homepage established by the retail shop and clicking the goods published in the homepage by a mouth, and the like. Next, referring to FIG. 2 , description will proceed to a method of purchasing goods according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The method of purchasing goods can be conducted by using the unmanned retail shop system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is conducted using the unmanned retail shop system between an user side information terminal provided in the user side, a retail shop side information terminal provided in the retail shop side having a container for containing goods, and a settlement agency side information terminal provided in the settlement agency side. The method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment comprises the steps of: the user, operating the user side information terminal to access the retail shop side information terminal, selecting goods to be perchased, and transmitting not only information of the purchased goods but also information of settlement account for paying money charged for the purchased goods to the retail shop side information terminal; the retail shop side information terminal, upon receiving the information of the purchased goods and the information of settlement account both transmitted from the user side information terminal, transmitting not only information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods but also information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account to the settlement agency side information terminal; the settlement agency side information terminal, upon receiving the information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods and the information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account, drawing the money charged for the purchased goods from the settlement account to transfer the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account; the settlement agency side information terminal, further making a secret number for opening a key of the container in which the purchased goods are contained, and transmitting the secret number both to the user side information terminal and to the retail shop side information terminal; and upon transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account, the retail shop, containing the purchased goods purchased by the user in the container. FIG. 2 is a schematic view for explaining the method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. At first, the retail shop operates the retail shop side information terminal 20 to get access to the stock maker side information terminal 40 (Step A 1 ). Upon the access to the stock maker side information terminal 40 by the retail shop side information terminal 20 , the stock maker side information terminal 40 transmits the stocked goods information to the retail shop side information terminal 20 . The retail shop side information terminal 20 then receives the stocked goods information (Step A 2 ). Upon receiving the stocked goods information by the retail shop side information terminal 20 , the retail shop renews information of the homepage owned by the retail shop. On the other hand, the stock maker delivers the goods to the container for containing goods, that is, an unmanned warehouse owned by the retail shop (Step A 3 ). Besides, delivery of the goods may be carried out after the user has reserved purchase of the goods. Further, delivery of the goods may be carried out after the money charged for the purchased goods is transferred into the retail shop's account. The user operates the user side information terminal 10 to get access to the retail shop side information terminal 20 (Step A 4 ). The user thereby reviews the homepage established by the retail shop (Step A 5 ). The user then reviews a list of the goods in the homepage established by the retail shop. Among the goods, the user selects the goods to be purchased. The selection of the goods can be carried out by clicking the desirable goods using, for example, a mouth, and the like. Alternatively, the selection of the goods can be carried out by inputting a name, a code number, and the like of the desirable goods using a keyboard. Next, after the selection of the goods is completed, the user transmits not only information of the purchased goods but also information of settlement account for paying money charged for the purchased goods to the retail shop side information terminal 20 (Step A 6 ). Upon receiving not only the information of the purchased goods but also the information of the settlement account for paying money charged for the purchased goods by the retail shop side information terminal 20 , the retail shop transmits not only information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods but also information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account to the settlement agency side information terminal 30 (Step A 7 ). Although not illustrated in FIG. 2 , upon receiving the information of request of drawing the money charged for the purchased goods and the information of request of transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 draws the money charged for the purchased goods from the settlement account to transfer the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account. Thereafter, the settlement agency side information terminal 30 makes a secret number for opening a key of the container in which the purchased goods are contained. The settlement agency side information terminal 30 then transmits the secret number both to the user side information terminal 10 and to the retail shop side information terminal 20 (Step A 8 ). Although not illustrated in FIG. 2 , upon transferring the money charged for the purchased goods into the retail shop's account, the retail shop contains the purchased goods purchased by the user in the container owned by the retail shop. The container in which the purchased goods are contained is adjusted not to open the key, unless the secret number made by the settlement agency side information terminal 30 is inputted thereto. Then, upon receiving the secret number, the user opens the key of the container by inputting the secret number to the container (Step A 9 ). The user gets the purchased goods out of the container. Besides, in the above embodiment, settlement is completed at the time that the user reserved the purchase of the goods. However, the settlement may be completed at the other time. Next, description proceeds to a computer program for carrying out the method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The program controls operations of a computer to carry out the method of purchasing goods mentioned above. The computer controlled by the program conducts the method of purchasing goods mentioned above upon receiving commands of the program. As described above, the unmanned retail shop system according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is such a system that the user can receive the purchased goods in the unmanned container for containing goods. Further, the method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is such a method that the user can receive the purchased goods in the unmanned container for containing goods. Furthermore, the computer program according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is such a program for enabling a computer to carry out the method of purchasing goods according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.