Patent Publication Number: US-2012047040-A1

Title: Store system and sales registration method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-186528, filed on Aug. 23, 2010; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FILED 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a store system and a sales registration method. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the past, in a supermarket or the like, a commodity code reading apparatus is used that picks up an image of a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code (e.g., a QR code (registered trademark)) affixed to a commodity using a digital camera such as a CCD image sensor and detects and decodes the code symbol detected from the picked-up image to read a commodity code. 
     However, in the related art, the code symbol such as the barcode or the two-dimensional code has to be affixed to the commodity. Therefore, concerning perishable foods, breads, and the like, packages or the like are separately prepared and code symbols are affixed to the packages or a code symbol table is prepared. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a checkout system according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of hardware configurations of a POS terminal and a commodity reading apparatus; 
         FIG. 3  is a conceptual diagram of a data structure of a PLU file; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a functional configuration of a CPU; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing operations of the checkout system; 
         FIG. 6  is a conceptual diagram of an example of a reading area in a reading window; 
         FIG. 7  is a conceptual diagram of a display example by a display device; 
         FIG. 8  is a conceptual diagram of a display example by a customer display device; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic explanatory diagram of a specific example of processing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a store system includes: an image output section configured to output an image picked up by an image pickup section; an object recognizing section configured to recognize a specific object by reading a feature value of the output image; a registering section configured to perform sales registration, concerning the recognized object, on the basis of a file that stores information related to the object and used for the sales registration; and a check-image display section configured to display an image concerning the object on a display section together with the information related to the sales registration of the object. 
     A store system and a sales registration method according to this embodiment are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings using a checkout system as an example. The store system is a checkout system (a POS system) or the like including a POS terminal configured to perform registration and settlement of commodities purchased in one transaction. This embodiment is an example of application to a checkout system installed in a store such as a supermarket, a pastry shop, or a doughnut shop. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a checkout system  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the checkout system  1  includes a POS terminal configured to perform registration and settlement of commodities purchased in one transaction. The POS terminal  11  is placed on the upper surface of a drawer  21  on a checkout table  51 . The drawer  21  is controlled to be opened by the POS terminal  11 . A keyboard  22  pressed by an operator (a store clerk) is arranged on the upper surface of the POS terminal  11 . A display device  23  configured to display information to the operator is provided further on the depth side than the keyboard  22  viewed from the operator who operates the keyboard  22 . The display device  23  displays information on a display surface  23   a  thereof. A touch panel  26  is laminated on the display surface  23   a . A customer display device  24 , which is a display section, is vertically provided to freely rotate further on the depth side than the display device  23 . The customer display device  24  displays information on a display surface  24   a  thereof. In the customer display device  24  shown in  FIG. 1 , the display surface  24   a  is faced to the front side in  FIG. 1 . However, the customer display device  24  is rotated such that the display surface  24   a  faces the depth side in  FIG. 1 , whereby the customer display device  24  displays information to a customer. 
     A showcase  151  is arranged to form an L shape with the checkout table  51  on which the POS terminal  11  is placed. A loading surface  152  is formed on the upper surface of the showcase  151 . A paper box  153  that stores commodities A is placed on the loading surface  152 . The paper box  153  may be a tray or the like used in a store such as a pastry shop or a bakery. 
     A commodity reading apparatus  101  connected to the POS terminal  11  to freely transmit and receive data to and from the POS terminal  11  is set on the loading surface  152  of the showcase  151 . The commodity reading apparatus  101  includes a housing  102  having a thin rectangular shape. A reading window  103  is arranged on the front surface of the housing  102 . A display and operation section  104  is attached to an upper part of the housing  102 . A display device  106 , on the surface of which a touch panel  105  is laminated, is provided in the display and operation section  104 . A keyboard  107  is disposed on the right of the display device  106 . A card reading groove  108  of a not-shown card reader is provided on the right of the keyboard  107 . A customer display device  109  for providing the customer with information is set on the left depth side of the rear surface of the display and operation section  104  viewed from the operator. 
     Such a commodity reading apparatus  101  includes a commodity reading section  110  (see  FIG. 2 ). In the commodity reading section  110 , an image pickup section  164  (see  FIG. 2 ) is arranged on the depth side of the reading window  103 . 
     In a pastry shop, a doughnut shop, or the like, a customer selects the commodity A in the showcase  151  and a store clerk puts the commodity A on a tray (not shown) or the like . Thereafter, the commodity A is moved from the tray to the paper box  153  by the store clerk. After all commodities are moved to the paper box  153 , the paper box  153  is faced to the reading window  103  of the commodity reading apparatus  101 . At this point, the image pickup section  164  (see  FIG. 2 ) arranged on the depth side of the reading window  103  picks up an image of all the commodities A in the paper box  153 . The commodity reading apparatus  101  detects all or a part of the commodities A included in the image picked up by the image pickup section  164 . If the commodity reading apparatus  101  detects that all or a part of the commodities A is included in the image picked up by the image pickup section  164 , the commodity reading apparatus  101  outputs the picked-up image to the POS terminal  11 . The POS terminal  11  recognizes, concerning each of the commodities A, referring to a PLU file F 1  (details are explained later; see  FIG. 3 ) in which information concerning sales registration of the commodities A and images of the commodities A are associated, the commodity A as a specific object from the image of all or a part of the commodities A picked up by the image pickup section  164  of the commodity reading section  110  to specify the commodity A to be subjected to sales registration. The POS terminal  11  records information concerning the sales registration such as a commodity ID, a commodity classification, a commodity name, and a unit price of the specified commodity A in a sales master file (not shown) and performs the sales registration. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of hardware configurations of the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101 . The POS terminal  11  includes a microcomputer  60  functioning as an information processing section configured to execute information processing. The microcomputer  60  is configured by connecting, via a bus, a ROM (Read Only Memory)  62  and a RAM (Random Access Memory)  63  to a CPU (Central Processing Unit)  61  configured to execute various kinds of arithmetic processing and control the sections. 
     All of the drawer  21 , the keyboard  22 , the display device  23 , the touch panel  26 , and the customer display device  24  are connected to the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11  via various input and output circuits (all of which are not shown). These sections are controlled by the CPU  61 . 
     The keyboard  22  includes a ten key  22   d , on the upper surface of which numbers such as “1”, “2”, and “3” and an operator of multiplication “x” are displayed, a provisional closing key  22   e , and a closing key  22   f.    
     A HDD (Hard Disk Drive)  64  is connected to the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11 . A computer program and various files are stored in the HDD  64 . All or a part of the computer program and the various files stored in the HDD  64  are copied to the RAM  63  and sequentially executed by the CPU  61  during the start of the POS terminal  11 . An example of the computer program stored in the HDD  64  is a computer program PR for commodity sales data processing. An example of the files stored in the HDD  64  is the PLU file F 1  distributed from a store computer SC and stored. 
     The PLU file F 1  is a file in which, concerning each of the commodities A displayed and sold in the store, association of information concerning sales registration for the commodity A and an image of the commodity A is set.  FIG. 3  is a conceptual diagram of a data structure of the PLU file F 1 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the PLU file F 1  is a file that stores, for each of the commodities A, a commodity ID uniquely allocated to the commodity A, information concerning the commodity A such as a commodity classification to which the commodity A belongs, a commodity name, and a unit price, a commodity image of the commodity A, a threshold “similarity: 0.XX”, and information indicating whether a partition is necessary. As explained in detail later, for example, if the commodity A is a doughnut or the like and the doughnut is insufficiently or excessively fried, it is possible to determine that the commodity A is a commodity different from a regular state by comparing the threshold “similarity: 0.XX” with a commodity image of the commodity A stored in the FLU file F 1  in advance . The information indicating whether a partition is necessary is information for issuing warning indicating that “a partition is necessary” when cakes or doughnuts sold in a pastry shop, a doughnut shop, or the like are packed in the paper box  153 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , a communication interface  25  for executing data communication with the store computer SC is connected to the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11  via an input and output circuit (not shown). The store computer SC is set in a backyard or the like of the store. The FLU file F 1  to be distributed to the POS terminal  11  is stored in a HDD (not shown) of the store computer SC. 
     A connection interface  65  enabling data transmission reception between the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101  is connected to the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11 . The commodity reading apparatus  101  is connected to the connection interface  65 . A printer  66  configured to perform printing on a receipt or the like is connected to the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11 . The POS terminal  11  prints transaction contents of one transaction on the receipt under the control by the CPU  61 . 
     The commodity reading apparatus  101  includes a microcomputer  160 . The microcomputer  160  is configured by connecting a ROM  162  and a RAM  163  to a CPU  161  via a bus. A computer program to be executed by the CPU  161  is stored in the ROM  162 . An image pickup section  164  and a sound output section  165  are connected to the CPU  161  via various input and output circuits (all of which are not shown). The operation of the image pickup section  164  and the sound output section  165  is controlled by the CPU  161 . The display and operation section  104  is connected to the POS terminal  11  via a connection interface  176 . The operation of the display and operation section  104  is controlled by the CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11 . 
     The image pickup section  164  is a color CCD image sensor, a color CMOS image sensor, or the like and performs image pickup from the reading window  103  under the control by the CPU  161 . For example, the image pickup section  164  performs image pickup of a 30 fps moving image. Frame images sequentially picked up by the image pickup section  164  at a predetermined frame rate are stored in the RAM  163 . 
     The sound output section  165  is a sound circuit, a speaker, and the like for generating a warning sound or the like set in advance. The sound output section  165  performs alerting by sound such as the warning sound under the control by the CPU  161 . 
     Further, a connection interface  175  connected to the connection interface  65  of the POS terminal  11  and enabling data transmission and reception between the commodity reading apparatus  101  and the POS terminal  11  is connected to the CPU  161 . An image (an image including all or a part of the commodity A) picked up by the image pickup section  164  of the image reading apparatus  101  is output via the connection interface  175  and input to the POS terminal  11  via the connection interface  65  under the control by the CPU  161 . 
     Functional sections of the CPU  161  and the CPU  61  realized by the CPU  161  and the CPU  61  sequentially executing computer programs are explained with reference to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a block diagram of functional configurations of the CPU  161  and the CPU  61 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the CPU  161  sequentially executes the computer programs to thereby include functions of a picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , a commodity detecting section  1612 , and an image output section  1613 . Similarly, the CPU  61  includes functions of an object recognizing section  611 , a commodity registering section  612 , a similarity determining section  613 , a defective informing section  614 , a check-image display section  615 , and a partition warning section  616 . 
     The picked-up-image capturing section  1611  outputs an image pickup ON signal to the image pickup section  164  and causes the image pickup section  164  to start an image pickup operation. The picked-up-image capturing section  1611  sequentially captures frame images picked up by the image pickup section  164  and stored in the RAM  163  after the start of an image pickup operation. The capturing of the frame images by the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  is performed in order of storage in the RAM  163 . 
     The commodity detecting section  1612  detects, using a pattern matching technique or the like, all or a part of the commodity A included in a frame image captured by the picked-up-image capturing section  1611 . Specifically, the commodity detecting section  1612  extracts a contour line or the like from an image obtained by binarizing the captured frame image. Subsequently, the commodity detecting section  1612  compares a contour line extracted from the latest frame image and a contour line extracted from the present frame image and detects a changed portion, i.e., reflection of a commodity faced to the reading window  103  for sales registration. As another method of detecting a commodity, the commodity detecting section  1612  detects presence or absence of a skin color area from the captured frame image. Subsequently, if a skin color area is detected, i.e., if reflection of a hand of the store clerk is detected, the commodity detecting section  1612  performs the detection of a contour line to attempt to extract a contour of a commodity assumed to be gripped by the hand of the store clerk. At this point, if a contour indicating the shape of the hand and other contours are detected, since the hand of the store clerk grips the commodity, the commodity detecting section  1612  detects reflection of the commodity. 
     The image output section  1613  outputs the frame image captured by the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  to the POS terminal  11  via the connection interface  175 . The image output section  1613  may output frame images captured by the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  to the POS terminal  11  one after another. However, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the image output section  1613  outputs a frame image in which all or a part of the commodity A is detected by the commodity detecting section  1612  to the POS terminal  11 . Since the frame image in which all or a part of the commodity A is detected by the commodity detecting section  1612  is output to the POS terminal  11  in this way, it is possible to prevent the POS terminal  11  from performing object recognition executed by referring to the PLU file F 1  using a frame image not including all or a part of the commodity A. Since recognition processing for a specific object requires processing time, it is possible to reduce the processing time by preventing processing on a frame image not including all or a part of the commodity A in which recognition of a specific object is not expected. 
     The object recognizing section  611  recognizes, referring to commodity images of the PLU file F 1 , the commodity A as a specific object by reading a state of a tint and a state of the surface of the commodity A such as an unevenness state of the surface as feature values from an image of all or a part of the commodity A picked up by the image pickup section  164  of the commodity reading apparatus  101 . To realize a reduction in the processing time, the object recognizing section  611  does not take into account the contour and the size of the commodity A. The POS terminal  11  can specify, according to a recognition result of the object recognizing section  611 , a commodity read by the commodity reading apparatus  101  out of commodities registered in the PLU file F 1  in advance. 
     The similarity determining section  613  calculates similarity concerning the commodity A recognized by the object recognizing section  611  and determines whether the similarity exceeds a threshold set in advance in the PLU file F 1 . 
     Recognizing an object included in an image in this way is called generic object recognition. Concerning such generic object recognition, various recognition techniques are explained in a document described below. 
     Keiji Yanai, “The Present Situation and The Future of Generic Object Recognition”, The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers Transaction, Vol. 48, No. SIG 16 [retrieved on Aug. 10, 2010], Internet &lt;URL: http://mm.cs.uec.ac.jp/IPSJ-TCVIM-Yanai.pdf&gt; 
     A technique for performing the generic object recognition by dividing an area of an image for each object is explained in a document described below. 
     Jamie Shotton, et al ., “Semantic Texton Forests for Image Categorization and Segmentation”, [retrieved on Aug. 10, 2010], Internet 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
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     The commodity registering section  612  records, in a sales master file or the like, information concerning sales registration related to a commodity image recognized by the object recognizing section  611 , i.e., a commodity ID, a commodity classification, a commodity name, a unit price, and the like of a commodity specified as the commodity read by the commodity reading apparatus  101  and performs the sales registration. 
     The operations of the checkout system  1  are explained in detail.  FIG. 5  is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operations of the checkout system  1  according to this embodiment. 
     First, the operations on the commodity reading apparatus  101  side are explained. As shown in  FIG. 5 , when processing is started according to, for example, the start of commodity registration by the POS terminal  11 , the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  outputs an image pickup ON signal to the image pickup section  164  and starts image pickup by the image pickup section  164  (Act  1 ). Subsequently, the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  captures a frame image (a picked-up image) picked up by the image pickup section  164  and stored in the RAM  163  (Act  2 ). Subsequently, the commodity detecting section  1612  detects all or a part of all the commodities A in the paper box  153  from the frame image captured by the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  (Act  3 ). The image output section  1613  outputs the frame image in which all or a part of all the commodities A in the paper box  153  are detected by the commodity detecting section  1612  to the POS terminal  11  (Act  4 ) 
       FIG. 6  is a conceptual diagram of an example of a reading area R in the reading window  103 . Specifically,  FIG. 6  is a conceptual diagram of the reading area R in reading the commodities A. As shown in  FIG. 6 , if the commodities A in the paper box  153  is reflected in the reading area R in the moving process of the commodities A, in Act  3 , all or a part of all the commodities A in the paper box  153  are detected from a frame image obtained by picking up an image of the reading area R. According to the detection of all or a part of all the commodities A in the paper box  153 , in Act  4 , the frame image obtained by picking up an image of the reading area R is output to the POS terminal  11 . 
     Subsequently, the CPU  161  determines presence or absence of a job end due to, for example, an end notification of the commodity registration from the POS terminal  11  (Act  5 ). If the job is continued (No in Act  5 ), the CPU  161  returns Act  2  and continues the processing. If the job is ended (Yes in Act  5 ), the picked-up-image capturing section  1611  outputs an image pickup OFF signal to the image pickup section  164 , ends the image pickup by the image pickup section  164  (Act  6 ), and ends the processing. 
     The operations on the POS terminal  11  side are explained. As shown in  FIG. 5 , when processing is started according to, for example, the start of commodity registration by an instruction through operation of the keyboard  22 , the CPU  61  receives a frame image in which all or apart of all the commodities A in the paper box  153  are detected output from the commodity reading apparatus  101  (Act  11 ). Subsequently, the object recognizing section  611  recognizes, referring to the commodity images of the PLU file F 1 , the commodities A in order as a specific object from an image of all or a part of all the commodities A in the paper box  153  output from the commodity reading apparatus  101  (Act  12 ). 
     As a result of the recognition in Act  12 , plural candidates of the commodity A are present in some cases. Therefore, if plural candidates of the commodity A are present (Yes in Act  13 ), the object recognizing section  611  informs the store clerk to that effect through screen display on the display device  23  shown in  FIG. 7  (Act  14 ).  FIG. 7  is a conceptual diagram of a display example by the display device  23 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , commodity names and unit prices of the plural candidates of the commodity A, which are a result of the recognition in Act  12 , are acquired from the PLU file F 1  and displayed on the display screen of the display device  23 . In an example shown in  FIG. 7 , “plain doughnut” and “sugar doughnut” are displayed. 
     Thereafter, if the object recognizing section  611  determines that the operator (the store clerk) selects a correct candidate as the commodity A via the touch panel  26  (Yes in Act  15 ), the processing proceeds to Act  16 . 
     If plural candidates of the commodity A are not present (No in Act  13 ), the processing directly proceeds to Act  16 . 
     Subsequently, the similarity determining section  613  calculates similarity concerning the commodity A recognized by the object recognizing section  611  (Act  16 ). If the similarity of the commodity images of the commodities stored in the PLU file F 1  is 100%=“similarity: 1.0”, the similarity indicates to which degree images of all or a part of the commodity output from the commodity reading apparatus  101  are similar. As explained above, the similarity is calculated according to a state of the surface of the commodity A such as a tint and an unevenness state of the surface. For example, weighting may be changed for the tint and for the unevenness state of the surface. 
     The similarity determining section  613  determines whether the similarity calculated in Act  16  exceeds the threshold (“similarity: 0.XX”) set in advance (Act  17 ). 
     If the similarity determining section  613  determines that the similarity calculated in Act  16  exceeds the threshold (“similarity: 0.XX”) set in advance (Yes in Act  17 ), in Act  18 , the commodity registering section  612  registers a recognition result of the commodities A as specific objects and sales of one commodity A selected out of the recognition result and specified. 
     In addition, the partition warning section  616  refers to information indicating whether a partition is necessary stored in the PLU file F 1  concerning the recognized commodity A and, if the commodity A is a commodity for which a partition is necessary, informs the store clerk to that effect (Act  19 ). Specifically, the partition warning section  616  informs the store clerk that a partition is necessary, for example, through screen display on the display device  23  or on the display device  106  via the connection interfaces  65  and  176  or output of warning sound by the sound output section  165  via the connection interfaces  65  and  175 . 
     Subsequently, the CPU  61  determines whether all objects are recognized (Act  20 ). If the CPU  61  determines that all the objects are recognized (Yes in Act  20 ), the processing proceeds to Act  21 . If the CPU  61  determines that not all the objects are recognized (No in Act  20 ), the CPU  61  returns the processing to Act  12  and continues the recognition processing for the next object. 
     In Act  21 , the check-image display section  615  causes the customer to check purchased commodities through screen display on the customer display device  24  shown in  FIG. 8 . In an example shown in  FIG. 8 , an image of the paper box  153  in which commodity images (see  FIG. 3 ) registered in advance of the recognized commodities A are packed is displayed in a display area G 1 . Commodity information such as commodity names and unit prices of the commodities A stored in advance and a history of purchased commodities such as the numbers of items and a total amount (information related to sales registration) are displayed in a display area G 2 . The commodity names are appended to the commodity images of the commodities A displayed in the display area G 1 . The CPU  61  of the POS terminal  11  performs the display of the history of the purchased commodities (the information related to the sales registration) in the display area G 2  on the basis of information concerning the purchased commodities stored in the RAM  63 . With such screen display, it is possible to cause the customer to check whether the commodities A are the same as commodities desired by the customer . In the past, in a pastry shop, a doughnut shop or the like, a store clerk shows the paper box  153 , in which the commodities A are packed, to a customer over the showcase  151 , checks with a customer whether the commodities A are correct, and then performs POS operation such as registration and closing operation for a sales transaction. However, in this system, since purchased commodities are displayed on the commodity reading apparatus  101  and information such as commodity names and prices of all the commodities are collectively read out, it is possible to complete the POS operation in a short time after the customer checks the commodities. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 8 , the image of the paper box  153  in which the commodity images registered in advance of the recognized commodities A are packed is displayed in the display area G 1  and the commodity information such as the commodity names and the prices of the commodities A stored in advance and the history of the purchased commodities such as the number of items and the total amount (the information related to the sales registration) are displayed in the display area G 2 . However, the display of information is not limited to this. For example, an image picked up by the image pickup section  164  (an image shown in  FIG. 6 ) may be used and the information related to the sales registration may be displayed together with the image. Since the image picked up by the image pickup section  164  and the information related to the sales registration are displayed together in this way, it is possible to visually check whether a picked-up image used for the sales registration and information actually subjected to the sales registration matches. 
     The check-image display section  615  may acquire purchased commodities in the past from the store computer SC or the like and display a list of the purchased commodities in the past in the display area G 2  as a history of purchased commodities. 
     Subsequently, the CPU  61  determines whether a job is ended according to, for example, the end of the sales registration by the instruction through operation of the keyboard  22  (Act  22 ). If the job is ended (Yes in Act  22 ), the CPU  61  ends the screen display on the customer display device  24  and ends the processing. 
     On the other hand, if the similarity determining section  613  determines that the similarity calculated in Act  16  does not exceed the threshold (“similarity: 0.XX”) set in advance (No in Act  17 ), the defective informing section  614  informs the store clerk that the commodity A is a commodity not recognized as a regular commodity (Act  23 ) and urges the store side to take measures such as stop of sale or price-cut sale. Specifically, the defective informing section  614  informs the store clerk of an error, for example, through screen display on the display device  23  or on the display device  106  via the connection interfaces  65  and  176  or through the output of warning sound by the sound output section  165  via the connection interfaces  65  and  175 . By informing the error in this way, the checkout system  1  can urge the store clerk to perform appropriate operation such as reading of another commodity A. 
     If the CPU  61  determines that price-cut sale is instructed by, for example, an instruction through operation of the keyboard  22  (Yes in Act  24 ), in Act  18 , the commodity registering section  612  registers a recognition result of the commodities A as specific objects and registers, in a cut-price, sales of one commodity A selected out of the recognition result and specified. If the CPU  61  determines that stop of sale is instructed by, for example, an instruction through operation of the keyboard  22  (No in Act  24 ), the CPU  61  returns the processing to Act  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , if the commodity A recognized by the object recognizing section  611  is “plain doughnut”, if a threshold is stored in the PLU file F 1  as “similarity: 0.50”, since similarity is 0.717 concerning a commodity indicated by (a), it is determined that the calculated similarity exceeds the threshold set in advance. On the other hand, since similarity is 0.252 concerning a commodity indicated by (b), it is determined that the calculated similarity does not exceed the threshold set in advance. Therefore, the commodity indicated by (a) is subjected to sales registration as “plain doughnut” as usual. On the other hand, the commodity indicated by (b) is tentatively recognized as “plain doughnut”. However, the commodity is regarded as a defective commodity aged and discolored, damaged, or deformed, i.e., a defective commodity having an abnormal tint, unevenness state of the surface, or the like, and is not subjected to sales registration. In particular, concerning a doughnut, a bread, or the like, commodity images based on a regular baked state and a regular fried state are stored in the PLU file F 1 . If insufficient or excess baking or insufficient or excess frying deviates from a threshold, it can be determined that the commodity is a defective. 
     In this way, with the checkout system  1  according to this embodiment, if a doughnut, a bread, or the like is a commodity aged and discolored, damaged, or deformed or a commodity having a different tint because of a cooking failure, it is possible to determine that a commodity deviating from a standard is a defective by comparing the commodity with the commodity images stored in the PLU file F 1 . 
     In particular, for example, in a store where there is a limit in time for checking freshness of commodities such as a busy store or a store where a large number of employees are employed and there is an individual difference in cooking of a doughnut or a bread, it is possible to compare a commodity with a regular commodity according to numerical determination. 
     In this way, with the checkout system  1  according to this embodiment, it is possible to cause the customer to check commodity information such as a name and a unit price of a commodity together with commodity image. Therefore, it is possible to reduce errors. Since it is possible to collectively read commodities on the tray or commodities in the paper box  153  and collectively read out commodity information, it is possible to perform a transaction concerning sale in a short time. 
     Further, with the checkout system  1  according to this embodiment, in a store where there are a large number of similar commodities and plural candidates of the commodity A are present, it is possible to prevent an error of a commodity by displaying all the candidates of the commodity A and causing the customer to select a candidate. 
     In this embodiment, an object to be recognized is a sales commodity stored in the PLU file F 1 . However, the object to be recognized is not limited to this and may be a sales promotion product or the like used for sales promotion. 
     The computer programs executed in the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101  according to this embodiment are provided while being incorporated in a ROM or the like in advance. The computer programs executed in the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101  according to this embodiment may be configured to be provided while being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) as a file of an installable format or an executable format. 
     Further, the computer programs executed in the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101  according to this embodiment may be configured to be provided while being stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded through the network. The computer programs executed in the POS terminal  11  and the commodity reading apparatus  101  according to this embodiment may be configured to be provided or distributed through the network such as the Internet. 
     The computer program executed in the POS terminal  11  according to this embodiment has a module configuration including the sections explained above (the object recognizing section  611 , the commodity registering section  612 , the similarity determining section  613 , the defective informing section  614 , the check-screen display section  615 , and the partition warning section  616 ). As actual hardware, a CPU (a processor) reads out the computer program from the ROM and executes the computer program, whereby the sections are loaded onto a main storage and the object recognizing section  611 , the commodity registering section  612 , the similarity determining section  613 , the defective informing section  614 , the check-screen display section  615 , and the partition warning section  616  are generated on the main storage. 
     The computer program executed in the commodity reading apparatus  101  according to this embodiment has a module configuration including the sections explained above (the picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , the commodity detecting section  1612 , and the image output section  1613 ). As actual hardware, a CPU (a processor) reads out the computer program from the ROM and executes the computer program, whereby the sections are loaded onto a main storage and the picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , the commodity detecting section  1612 , and the image output section  1613  are generated on the main storage. 
     In this embodiment, the object recognizing section  611 , the commodity registering section  612 , the similarity determining section  613 , the defective informing section  614 , the check-image display section  615 , and the partition warning section  616  are provided on the POS terminal  11  side. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The object recognizing section  611 , the commodity registering section  612 , the similarity determining section  613 , the defective informing section  614 , the check-image display section  615 , and the partition warning section  616  may be provided on the commodity reading apparatus  101  side. In this case, the commodity reading apparatus  101  is the store system. 
     In this embodiment, the picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , the commodity detecting section  1612 , and the image output section  1613  are provided on the commodity reading apparatus  101  side. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , the commodity detecting section  1612 , and the image output section  1613  may be provided on the POS terminal  11  side. In this case, the POS terminal  11  is the store system. 
     The picked-up-image capturing section  1611 , the commodity detecting section  1612 , and the image output section  1613  may be provided on the commodity reading apparatus  101  side. The sales registration performed in the POS terminal  11  may be performed on the commodity reading apparatus  101  side. 
     Further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, a wider form of the present invention is not limited to the specific details and the representative embodiment represented and described above. Therefore, various changes are possible without departing from the spirit and the scope of the general concept of the invention defined by the appended claims and equivalents of the claims.