DETECTION SYSTEM, DETECTION METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

A detection system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to: acquire a number of registered commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer; acquire a number of to-be registered commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration; detect a discrepancy between the number of registered commodities and the number of to-be registered commodities; and output a detection result.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a technique for detecting a discrepancy in the number of commodities before and after commodity registration.

BACKGROUND ART

In stores such as supermarkets, cash register terminals with which customers themselves perform scan registration of commodities to be purchased have become widespread. On the other hand, with such a cash register terminal, there has occurred a fraudulent act in which a customer takes out some of commodities to be purchased without performing scan registration. PTL 1 discloses a technique for detecting a fraudulent act of not performing scan registration of some commodities.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

In an existing commodity registration apparatus without such a function of fraud detection, even when the number of commodities for which a customer has performed commodity registration is acquired, modification such as correction or the like of a program used in the commodity registration apparatus is needed.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique capable of suppressing modification of an existing commodity registration apparatus for acquiring the number of commodities for which a customer has performed commodity registration.

Solution to Problem

A system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a first acquisition unit that acquires the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer, a second acquisition unit that acquires the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration, a detection unit that detects a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed, and an output unit that outputs a detection result.

A detection method according to one mode of the present disclosure includes: acquiring the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer, acquiring the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration, detecting a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed, and outputting a detection result.

A program according to one mode of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute: acquiring the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer, acquiring the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration, detecting a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed, and outputting a detection result. The program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress modification of an existing commodity registration apparatus for acquiring the number of commodities for which a customer has performed commodity registration.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

First Example Embodiment

A detection system according to one aspect of the first example embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The detection system according to the first example embodiment acquires the number of commodities for which a customer is to perform commodity registration and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by the customer, and detects a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

An outline of the detection system according to the first example embodiment will be described with reference toFIG.1.FIG.1is a diagram illustrating a state in which a customer performs commodity registration of commodities. Commodities before the commodity registration by the customer are placed on a placement base. The commodities after the commodity registration are placed at a position different from the position before the commodity registration.

A human commodity sensor21(commodity camera) captures commodities before the commodity registration (commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration), and transmits the captured commodity image to a detection system20. For example, the detection system20acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed based on the commodity image from the human commodity sensor21.

When the customer performs the commodity registration of the commodities on the placement base using a commodity reading apparatus11, a commodity registration apparatus10sends notification information (commodity registration information) associated with the commodity registration to a notification device12(display apparatus). For the commodity registration information of the notification device12, a display screen of the display apparatus is updated each time the commodity registration is performed. A notification sensor22detects the notification information (commodity registration information) displayed on the notification device12(display apparatus), and transmits the detected information to the detection system20. The detection system20acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the detected information. The detection system detects a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

Hereinafter, configurations of the commodity registration apparatus10, the commodity reading apparatus11, the notification device12, the detection system20, the human commodity sensor21, and the notification sensor22will be described.

FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the commodity reading apparatus, the commodity registration apparatus, and the notification device of the first example embodiment. The commodity registration apparatus10is connected to the commodity reading apparatus11and the notification device12.

When the customer brings a commodity symbol (for example, a commodity code) of a commodity and the commodity reading apparatus11close to each other, the commodity reading apparatus11reads the commodity symbol (commodity code) of the commodity. The commodity reading apparatus11sends a commodity identifier obtained by decoding the read commodity symbol to the commodity registration apparatus10.

The commodity symbol may be, for example, a barcode, a two-dimensional code, or a character symbol. The character symbol includes information for specifying commodity information. The commodity reading apparatus11is, for example, a barcode reader (also simply referred to as a scanner). The commodity reading apparatus11illustrated inFIG.2includes a handy scanner111or a fixed scanner112. Each of the handy scanner111and the fixed scanner112may be of an image sensor type, a laser type, or the like. The commodity reading apparatus11may be other than the handy scanner111and the fixed scanner112. Description of the commodity reading apparatus11is an example, and is not limited thereto.

The commodity registration apparatus10illustrated inFIG.2includes a commodity registration unit101and a notification control unit102. The commodity registration apparatus10is, for example, a commodity registration apparatus included in a self-cash register.

The commodity registration apparatus10receives the commodity identifier from the commodity reading apparatus11. The commodity registration unit101searches the commodity information in a commodity database (not illustrated) using the received commodity identifier, extracts a commodity name and a commodity unit price associated with the commodity identifier, generates commodity registration information, and executes the commodity registration.

The commodity registration information is, for example, a number, a commodity name, a unit price, a quantity, a subtotal amount, a total quantity, and a total amount. The number is a number assigned to each different commodity in one transaction. The quantity is the number of the same commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed. The total quantity is the sum of quantities for each commodity. When receiving another commodity identifier and extracting the commodity name and the commodity unit price, the commodity registration unit101increments the number, and generates and updates the commodity registration information. When receiving the same commodity identifier, the commodity registration unit101increments the quantity of the same commodity name, and generates and updates the commodity registration information. Each time the commodity registration information is generated or updated, the notification control unit102generates the notification information and transmits the notification information to the notification device12.

The notification control unit102generates different notification information according to the type of the notification device12. The notification device12illustrated inFIG.2receives the notification information from the commodity registration apparatus10each time the customer performs the commodity registration, and gives the notification information. The notification device12is, for example, a display apparatus121, an indicating light122, or a speaker123. The display apparatus121is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The indicating light122is, for example, an indicator lamp. The notification device12may be incorporated in the commodity registration apparatus10, or may be externally connected.

When the notification device12is the display apparatus121, the notification control unit102generates the notification information related to the commodity registration information and causes the display apparatus121to display the notification information.FIG.3is a diagram illustrating an example of notification information related to commodity registration information. InFIG.3, screen display1200includes commodity registration display1201and total sum display1202. The commodity registration display1201includes items of a number, a commodity name, a unit price, a quantity, and a subtotal amount for each commodity for which the customer has performed the commodity registration. The total sum display1202includes the total quantity and the amount of the total amount. The notification control unit102generates the notification information with reference to the commodity registration information generated by the commodity registration unit101for each commodity registration.

When the notification device12is the indicating light122, the notification information is light emission of the indicating light122for giving notification of the commodity registration. A light emission signal is transmitted from the commodity registration apparatus10to the indicating light122for each commodity registration. Alternatively, when the notification device12is the speaker123, the notification information is a notification sound for giving notification of the commodity registration. A notification sound signal is transmitted from the commodity registration apparatus10to the speaker123for each commodity registration.

Next, the detection system20, the human commodity sensor21, and the notification sensor22according to the first example embodiment will be described.FIG.4is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the human commodity sensor and the notification sensor of the first example embodiment. The detection system20is connected to the human commodity sensor21(also referred to as a first sensor) and the notification sensor22(also referred to as a second sensor).

The human commodity sensor21illustrated inFIG.4is a commodity camera211, a human camera212, or a distance sensor213. The commodity camera211, for example, captures commodities before the customer performs the commodity registration (commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration), and transmits the captured commodity image to the detection system20. For example, the human camera212captures a motion of the customer of causing the commodity reading apparatus11to read the commodity symbol of a commodity, and transmits the captured motion image to the detection system20. The distance sensor213senses, for example, the area above the placement base including a commodity before the commodity registration from a predetermined position, and sends distance measurement information of the area above the placement base to the detection system20. The distance sensor213may be, for example, of either an optical type or a radio type. Description of the human commodity sensor21is an example, and is not limited thereto.

The notification sensor22illustrated inFIG.4captures the notification information (for example, the total quantity of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed) regarding the commodity registration information displayed on the screen of the notification device12(for example, the display apparatus121). The notification sensor22may capture a change in the commodity registration information updated according to the commodity registration and use the change as the notification information.

The notification sensor22is, for example, an apparatus-grade camera221that captures the notification device12of the commodity registration apparatus10. The notification sensor22sends the captured notification information (first notification information) to the detection system20. The notification sensor22(apparatus-grade camera221) captures a video of the notification device12(indicating light122) turned on each time the commodity registration apparatus10performs the commodity registration, and sends the notification information (second notification information) regarding lighting of the captured notification device12to the detection system20.

Alternatively, the notification sensor22(for example, microphone222) records a notification sound to be output from the notification device12(for example, the speaker123) each time the commodity registration apparatus10performs the commodity registration. The notification sensor22sends the notification information (third notification information) regarding the recorded notification sound of the notification device12to the detection system20. Description of the notification sensor22is an example, and is not limited thereto.

Next, the detection system20according to the first example embodiment will be described.FIG.5is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of the detection system according to the first example embodiment. The detection system20illustrated inFIG.5includes a first acquisition unit201, a second acquisition unit202, a detection unit203, and an output unit204.

The first acquisition unit201acquires the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration. For example, the first acquisition unit201performs image recognition processing on the received commodity image, and acquires the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration in the commodity image. The first acquisition unit201performs motion detection processing on the received motion image, and extracts the number of times of motions (commodity scan motions) in which the customer causes the commodity reading apparatus11to read the commodity symbol of the commodity. The first acquisition unit201acquires the number of times of commodity scan motion as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed. Alternatively, the first acquisition unit201may acquire the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration based on the received distance measurement information. Specifically, the first acquisition unit201extracts the number of protrusion shapes on the placement base included in the distance measurement information, and sets the number as the number of commodities. The first acquisition unit201sends the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration to the detection unit203. Description of the first acquisition unit201is an example, and is not limited thereto.

The second acquisition unit202acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the notification information given upon the commodity registration by the customer.FIG.6is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the second acquisition unit of the detection system. The second acquisition unit202includes a display information processing unit2021, an optical information processing unit2022, or a sound information processing unit2023. The notification information from the notification sensor22is the first notification information, the second notification information, or the third notification information.

When the notification information received by the second acquisition unit202is the first notification information, the display information processing unit2021performs image recognition on the image information regarding the commodity registration information displayed on the screen of the display apparatus121, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed. Specifically, when the image information is the screen display1200illustrated inFIG.3, the display information processing unit2021performs character recognition on the number in the total quantity field of the total sum display1202, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

Alternatively, by using the transition of the screen of the commodity registration information displayed on the display apparatus121each time the customer performs the commodity registration of commodities, the display information processing unit2021may acquire the number of times the screen display1200has changed due to the commodity registration by the customer as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

When the notification information received by the second acquisition unit202is the second notification information, the optical information processing unit2022acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the video information regarding the indicating light122that is turned on and off each time the commodity registration is performed. Specifically, the indicating light122is turned on and off each time the customer performs the commodity registration. The optical information processing unit2022counts the number of times the indicating light122is turned on, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

When the notification information received by the second acquisition unit202is the third notification information, the sound information processing unit2023acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the sound information regarding the notification sound given from the speaker123each time the commodity registration is performed. Specifically, the notification sound is output from the speaker123each time the customer performs the commodity registration. The sound information processing unit2023counts the number of times of the notification sound, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

The second acquisition unit202sends the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration to the detection unit203. The detection unit203detects a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration and the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration. The detection unit203may detect, as a discrepancy, only a case where the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed is smaller than the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed. In this case, for example, with a self-cash register including the commodity registration apparatus10, it is possible to detect a fraudulent act of a customer taking out some of commodities to be purchased without performing scan registration or a case where a customer has failed to normally perform scan registration due to a scan mistake or the like. The detection unit203may detect, as a discrepancy, only a case where the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed is larger than the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed. In this case, it is possible to detect a case where a customer has erroneously performed the commodity registration for a commodity that is not to be purchased. In the present example embodiment, both or at least one of a case where the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed is smaller than the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed and a case where the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed is larger than the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed is detected. The detection unit203sends a detection result to the output unit204.

The output unit204outputs the detection result. For example, the detection result is a discrepancy or concordance between the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration and the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration. The output unit204may give notice of an error in the case of discrepancy, and may output, as an example, a message prompting redoing of the commodity registration or a message prompting confirmation of the content of the commodity registration. Alternatively, the output unit204may output a message indicating that the commodity registration by the customer is normally completed. Different messages may be output depending on whether the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed is larger or smaller than the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed.

FIG.7is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of the detection system according to the first example embodiment.

The commodity camera211of the human commodity sensor21captures commodities on the placement base before the commodity registration (commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration), and transmits the captured commodity image to the detection system20. The first acquisition unit201of the detection system20acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed based on the commodity image from the commodity camera211(step S101). Specifically, the first acquisition unit201performs image identification processing on the commodity image, extracts the number of commodities in the image, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed. Acquisition of the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed by the first acquisition unit201is not limited thereto.

For example, the human camera212of the human commodity sensor21captures a motion of the customer of causing the commodity reading apparatus11to read the commodity symbol of a commodity, and transmits the captured motion image to the detection system20. The first acquisition unit201performs motion detection processing on the received motion image, and extracts the number of times of motions (commodity scan motions) in which the customer causes the commodity reading apparatus11to read the commodity symbol. The first acquisition unit201acquires the number of times of commodity scan motion as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed.

Alternatively, the distance sensor213of the human commodity sensor21senses the area above the placement base including a commodity before the commodity registration from a predetermined position, and sends distance measurement information of the area above the placement base to the detection system20. The first acquisition unit201the first acquisition unit201may acquire the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration based on the received distance measurement information. Specifically, the first acquisition unit201extracts the number of protrusion shapes on the placement base included in the distance measurement information, and sets the number as the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration. The first acquisition unit201sends the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration to the detection unit203.

When the customer performs the commodity registration of the commodities on the placement base using the commodity reading apparatus11, the commodity registration apparatus10sends notification information associated with the commodity registration to the notification device12. For example, when the notification device12is the display apparatus121, the display screen of the display apparatus121is updated each time the commodity registration is performed according to the notification information. When the notification device12is the indicating light122, the indicating light is turned on and off each time the commodity registration is performed according to the notification information. Alternatively, when the notification device12is the speaker123, the notification sound is output according to the notification information.

The notification sensor22detects the notification information given upon the commodity registration by the customer and transmits the detected information to the detection system20. The detection system20acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the detected information (step S102). For example, the display information processing unit2021of the second acquisition unit202performs image recognition on the image information regarding the commodity registration information displayed on the screen of the display apparatus121. Specifically, the display information processing unit2021performs character recognition on the number in the total quantity field of the total sum display1202, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

Alternatively, by using the transition of the screen of the commodity registration information displayed on the display apparatus121each time the customer performs the commodity registration of commodities, the display information processing unit2021may acquire the number of times the screen display1200has changed due to the commodity registration by the customer as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

The optical information processing unit2022of the second acquisition unit202acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the video information regarding the indicating light122that is turned on and off each time the commodity registration is performed. Specifically, the optical information processing unit2022counts the number of times the indicating light122is turned on each time the customer performs the commodity registration, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

The sound information processing unit2023of the second acquisition unit202acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the sound information regarding the notification sound given from the speaker123each time the commodity registration is performed. Specifically, the sound information processing unit2023counts the number of times the notification sound given from the speaker123each time the customer performs the commodity registration, and acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed.

The second acquisition unit202sends the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration to the detection unit203. The detection unit203detects a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration and the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration (step S103). The detection unit203sends a detection result to the output unit204.

The output unit204outputs the detection result (step S104). The detection result is a discrepancy or concordance between the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration and the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration.

(Effects of First Example Embodiment)

According to the first example embodiment, it is possible to suppress modification of an existing commodity registration apparatus for acquiring the number of commodities for which the customer has performed the commodity registration. This is because the first acquisition unit201acquires the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed based on the notification information given upon the commodity registration by the customer.

FIG.8is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer. The functions of the first acquisition unit201, the second acquisition unit202, the detection unit203, and the output unit204of the detection system20are achieved by a central processing unit (CPU)21executing a program94. The function of the detection system20may be configured by an external apparatus (not illustrated), and provided from the external apparatus to the detection system20via a network. In the detection system20, the CPU91may read the program94from read only memory (ROM)92or a storage apparatus95, and the program may be executed by the CPU91or random access memory (RAM)93.

The present disclosure described using the above-described example embodiment as an example can be regarded as being configured by a code indicating a computer program or a computer-readable storage medium storing the code indicating the computer program. The computer-readable storage medium is, for example, the storage apparatus95, a removable magnetic disk medium, an optical disk medium, a memory card, or the like, which is not illustrated. The configuration of each example embodiment may be dedicated hardware by an integrated circuit. The detection system20may be achieved by cloud computing.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described example embodiment, and various changes can be made, and an example embodiment obtained by appropriately combining configurations, operations, and pieces of processing disclosed in different example embodiments is also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure has been described above using the above-described example embodiment as an exemplary example. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described example embodiment. That is, the present disclosure can apply various aspects that can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present disclosure.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2021-051942, filed on Mar. 25, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

Part or all of the above example embodiment may be described as the following supplementary notes, but is not limited to the following.

A detection system including:a first acquisition means configured to acquire the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer;a second acquisition means configured to acquire the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration;a detection means configured to detect a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed; andan output means configured to output a detection result.

The detection system according to supplementary note 1, in which the notification information is commodity registration information displayed on a display screen of a commodity registration apparatus each time the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to supplementary note 2, in which the first acquisition means acquires, as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed, a total quantity of commodities included in the commodity registration information and updated each time the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to supplementary note 2, in which the first acquisition means acquires, as the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed, the number of changes in the commodity registration information updated each time the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 4, in which the notification information is the number of times of lighting given by an indicating light of a commodity registration apparatus each time the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 5, in which the notification information is the number of times of a notification sound given from a speaker of a commodity registration apparatus each time the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 6, in which the second acquisition means acquires the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration based on a commodity image obtained by capturing a commodity before the customer performs the commodity registration.

The detection system according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 6, in which the second acquisition means acquires the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform the commodity registration based on a motion image obtained by capturing a motion of the commodity registration by the customer.

A detection method including:acquiring the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer;acquiring the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration;detecting a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed; andoutputting a detection result.

A storage medium non-transitorily storing a program for causing a computer to execute:acquiring the number of commodities for which commodity registration has been performed based on notification information given upon the commodity registration by a customer;acquiring the number of commodities for which the customer is to perform commodity registration;detecting a discrepancy between the number of commodities for which the commodity registration has been performed and the number of commodities for which the commodity registration is to be performed; and outputting a detection result.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST