Patent Description:
A point-of-sale (POS) register application can be installed in an information processing device, such as a general-purpose tablet PC (Personal Computer), to permit the information processing device to be used as a portable POS terminal. The portable POS terminal can be wirelessly connected to a network provided in a store to use various peripheral devices such as a receipt printer, an automatic coin change machine, or a scanner (e.g., a bar code scanner) connected to the network.

If one of the peripheral device is out of order in such a checkout system of this type, a reference (<CIT>) proposes a technique for enabling an external information processing terminal to provide information indicating an operation state of the peripheral device(s).

However, there is the problem of keeping customers waiting if the peripheral device is out of order. In particular, the receipt printer often experiences failures because the receipt printer includes a mechanical paper conveying system that is more likely to fail with use. As a result, customers ready for checkout are frequently kept waiting until the receipt printer is repaired. Failures of other peripheral devices are also possible. For example, other peripheral devices including driving systems are more likely to break than peripheral devices that do not include driving systems. In addition to such failures, the peripheral devices may become unusable because of troubles such as a network failures or the like.

<CIT> relates to a wireless POS system including peripheral devices.

To resolve the above cited problems, there is provided a wireless checkout system and a portable POS terminal used in the system (and a control program for causing a computer to function as such a portable POS terminal) that can reduce a waiting time of a customer if a peripheral device normally available in the system is in an unusable state.

In general, according to an embodiment, a wireless checkout system includes a plurality of peripheral stations located in a store area, a server that stores location information indicating a position coordinate of each of the peripheral stations in the store area, one or more base stations having a wireless communication range covering the store area, and a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The mobile POS terminal includes a wireless communication interface configured to receive a wireless signal from at least one of the one or more base stations, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to designate one of the plurality of peripheral stations as an associated peripheral station to be communicated with for checkout by the mobile POS terminal, determine a position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal based on the wireless signal received by the wireless communication interface, obtain the location information, selected, based on the position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal and the location information, a closest one of the plurality of peripheral stations to the mobile POS terminal, other than the associated peripheral station, to be an alternative peripheral station to be recommended for checkout, if the associated peripheral station is not available. The processor then controls the display to display a screen indicating the alternative peripheral station.

Preferably, each of the plurality of peripheral stations is configured to determine its position coordinate based on a wireless signal from at least one of the one or more base stations and transmit the its position coordinate to the server.

Preferably, the plurality of peripheral stations include a plurality of first peripheral stations having a first function and one or more second peripheral stations having a second function different from the first function, and when the associated peripheral station is one of the first peripheral stations, the processor selects one of the first peripheral stations that is closest to the mobile POS terminal, other than the associated peripheral station, to be the alternative peripheral station.

Preferably, the first function is a receipt printing function.

Preferably, the screen also indicates the associated peripheral station.

Preferably, the screen includes a selectable object for selecting one of the plurality of peripheral stations to be used for the check out.

Preferably, the screen includes a selectable object corresponding to the alternative peripheral station for selecting use of the alternative peripheral station for checkout and a non-selectable object corresponding to the associated peripheral station.

Preferably, the selectable object corresponding to the alternative peripheral station has a predetermined shape and is displayed in a first display manner, and the screen includes one or more second selectable objects corresponding to peripheral stations that are not closest to the mobile POS terminal, the second selectable objects having the predetermined shape and being displayed in a second display manner different from the first display manner.

Preferably, the processor is further configured to control the display to display a screen for selecting one of the plurality of peripheral stations as the associated peripheral station.

Preferably, the mobile POS terminal further includes an optical code reader configured to read a product code.

The present invention further relates to a method for a mobile point-of-sale terminal for a wireless checkout system including a plurality of peripheral stations located in a store area, a server that stores location information indicating a position coordinate of each of the peripheral stations in the store area, one or more base stations having a wireless communication range covering the store area, the method comprising: designating one of the plurality of peripheral stations as an associated peripheral station to be communicated with for checkout by the mobile POS terminal; determining a position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal based on a wireless signal received from at least one of the one or more base stations by the wireless communication interface; obtaining the location information from the server; selecting based on the position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal and the location information, one of the plurality of peripheral stations that is closest to the mobile POS terminal, other than the associated peripheral station, to be an alternative peripheral station to be recommended for checkout when the associated peripheral station is not available; and displaying a screen indicating the alternative peripheral station on a display of the mobile POS terminal.

Preferably, each of the plurality of peripheral stations determines its own position coordinate based on a wireless signal from at least one of the one or more base stations, and transmits its determined position coordinate.

Preferably, the plurality of peripheral stations include a plurality of first peripheral stations having a first function and one or more second peripheral stations having a second function different from the first function, and when the associated peripheral station is one of the first peripheral stations, another one of the first peripheral stations that is closest to the mobile POS terminal, other than the associated peripheral station, is selected to be the alternative peripheral station.

Preferably, the screen indicates also the associated peripheral station.

Preferably, the screen includes a selectable object to select one of the plurality of peripheral stations to be used for the check out.

Preferably, the selectable object corresponding to the alternative peripheral station has a predetermined shape and is displayed in a first display manner, and the screen includes one or more second selectable objects corresponding to other peripheral stations that are not the closest to the mobile POS terminal, the second selectable objects having the predetermined shape and being displayed in a second display manner different from the first display manner.

The operation method further comprises: displaying a screen for selecting one of the plurality of peripheral stations as the associated peripheral station on the display of the mobile POS terminal.

The operation method further comprises reading a product code with an optical code reader of the mobile POS terminal.

A checkout system and a portable POS terminal used in this system according to an embodiment that can reduce a waiting time of a customer if a peripheral device that the portable POS terminal attempts to communicate with is in an unusable state are explained with reference to the drawings.

<FIG> is a diagram of the checkout system according to the embodiment. The checkout system includes a server <NUM>, a plurality of automatic coin change machines <NUM>, a plurality of keyboards <NUM>, a plurality of receipt printers <NUM>, a plurality of card settlement terminals <NUM>, and a plurality of ticket printers <NUM> functioning as peripheral devices (may be referred to as peripheral stations) and a plurality of tablets <NUM>. The checkout system may be referred to as a wireless checkout system or a mobile POS checkout system. The tablet <NUM> is the portable POS terminal according to the present embodiment. The tablet <NUM>, in this context, is an example of a hand-held or mobile POS terminal. The server <NUM>, the plurality of types of peripheral devices, and the plurality of tablets <NUM> are connected to one another via a network NW such as a LAN (Local Area Network) provided in a store. The server <NUM> is connected to the network NW by wire via a gateway. The plurality of types of peripheral devices are connected to the network NW by wire. At least any one type among the peripheral devices or a least one of at least one type of peripheral devices may be wirelessly connected to the network NW via an access point. The plurality of tablets <NUM> are wirelessly connected to the network NW via an access point. The checkout system includes the plurality of types of peripheral devices. However, the checkout system may include only one peripheral device. Similarly, the checkout system may include only one tablet <NUM>.

The server <NUM> is a store server for, for example, collecting data of commodities registered by the tablets <NUM> and managing sales, stocks, and the like of the entire store. The automatic coin change machine <NUM> includes a depositing port and a dispensing port for cash. The automatic coin change machine <NUM> counts, for each of denominations, the number of coins or bills deposited from the deposit port to calculate a deposit amount and transmits data of the deposit amount to the tablet <NUM>. The automatic coin change machine <NUM> dispenses cash equivalent to coin from the dispensing port based on coin data received from the tablet <NUM>. Various keys for auxiliary input for the tablet <NUM> are disposed on the keyboard <NUM>. The receipt printer <NUM> prints a receipt. The card settlement terminal <NUM> is a terminal for performing payment by a credit card or an electronic money medium. The ticket printer <NUM> prints a ticket such as a discount ticket.

The tablet <NUM> has at least the following first to fourth functions. The first function is a function of registering sales data of commodities purchased by a customer. The second function is a function of generating payment data based on the registered commodity sales data. The third function is a function of receiving price payment from a customer based on the generated payment data and settling a commercial transaction with the customer. The fourth function is a function of generating a printing job for a receipt indicating details of the commercial transaction and wirelessly transmitting the printing job to the receipt printer <NUM>.

The checkout system further includes position measurement tags (abbreviated as TG in <FIG>) attached to or incorporated in the respective peripheral devices and a plurality of stationary base stations <NUM> connected to the network NW. The plurality of stationary base stations <NUM> are connected to the network NW by wire. The plurality of stationary base stations <NUM> may be directly connected to the server <NUM> by an exclusive line separate from the network NW.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating a physical positional relation among elements in the checkout system in a store area. In <FIG>, the reference sign "NWS" represents network segments in the network NW connected to one another by bridges or the like. In an embodiment, the store area may consist of a plurality of network segments NWS. The automatic coin change machines <NUM> are abbreviated as "CM," the keyboards <NUM> are abbreviated as "KB," the receipt printers <NUM> are abbreviated as "RP," the card settlement terminals <NUM> are abbreviated as "CT," the ticket printers <NUM> are abbreviated as "TP," the tablets <NUM> are abbreviated as "TT," the position measurement tags <NUM> are abbreviated as "TG," and the stationary base stations <NUM> are abbreviated as "BS. " As illustrated in <FIG>, the stationary base stations <NUM> are fixedly set in predetermined positions in the store. The stationary base stations <NUM> are suitably set at equal intervals in an X direction and a Y direction, for example, on a ceiling of the store but are not limited to this arrangement. A positional relation between the network segments NWS and the stationary base stations <NUM> is not particularly limited either.

The position measurement tags <NUM> and the stationary base stations <NUM> are connected to the network NW and function as measurement devices that measure position coordinates of the respective peripheral devices in the store. The stationary base stations <NUM> transmits BLE (Blue tooth® Low Energy) waves or UWB (Ultra Wide Band) waves. The position measurement tags <NUM> receive the BLE waves or the UWB waves. Position coordinates of the position measurement tags <NUM>, that is, position coordinates of peripheral devices to which the position measurement tags <NUM> are attached can be measured based on incident angles and arrival times of the BLE waves or the UWB waves. Alternatively, the position measurement tags <NUM> transmit BLE waves or UWB waves and he stationary base stations <NUM> receive the BLE waves or UWB waves. Position of the position measurement tags <NUM> can be measured based on incident angles and arrival times of the BLE waves or the UWB waves at the stationary base stations <NUM>. For example, in in <FIG>, as position coordinates of the three receipt printers <NUM>, (x, y)=(<NUM>, <NUM>), (x, y)=(<NUM>, <NUM>), and (x, y)=(<NUM>, <NUM>) are measured.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the server <NUM>. The server <NUM> includes, as illustrated in <FIG>, a processor <NUM>, a main memory <NUM>, an auxiliary storage device <NUM>, a communication interface <NUM>, a timer <NUM>, and a system transmission line <NUM>. The system transmission line <NUM> includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control signal line. In the server <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, the main memory <NUM>, the auxiliary storage device <NUM>, the communication interface <NUM>, and the timer <NUM> are connected to the system transmission line <NUM>. In the server <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, the main memory <NUM>, and the auxiliary storage device <NUM> form a computer and the system transmission line <NUM> connects the foregoing components.

The processor <NUM> controls the units in order to perform various functions according to an operating system or application programs (software programs). The processor <NUM> is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

The main memory <NUM> includes a nonvolatile memory region and a volatile memory region. The main memory <NUM> stores the operating system or the application programs in the nonvolatile memory region. The main memory <NUM> can store, in the nonvolatile or volatile memory region, data necessary for the processor <NUM> to execute processing for controlling the units. The main memory <NUM> uses the volatile memory region as a work area in which data is rewritten as appropriate by the processor <NUM>. The nonvolatile memory region is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory). The volatile memory region is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). In this embodiment, a position table <NUM>, which stores position coordinates of the peripheral devices, is in the volatile memory region of the main memory <NUM>.

For example, an EEPROM (Electric Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or an SSD (Solid State Drive) can be the auxiliary storage device <NUM>. The auxiliary storage device <NUM> stores data used by the processor <NUM> in performing various kinds of processing, data created by processing in the processor <NUM>, and the like. The auxiliary storage device <NUM> sometimes stores the application programs. In the auxiliary storage device <NUM>, a commodity database (DB) <NUM> , a sales database (DB) <NUM>, and the like are provided. The commodity database <NUM> stores, for each of commodities sold in the store, commodity records in which various commodity data and information are described. The commodity record includes a commodity code (may also be referred to as a product code), a price, and a commodity name. The commodity code is an identification code of a corresponding commodity. The sales database <NUM> stores sales records in which sales data (transaction records) can be provided by such matters/items as a commodity type, a store department, a time period range, a date, a week, or a month. The sales data includes the number of sold items and a sales amount.

The communication interface <NUM> is connected to the network NW. The communication interface <NUM> performs, according to a communication protocol, data communication between the communication interface <NUM> and other devices connected via the network NW.

The timer <NUM> starts a time tracking operation according to a command from the processor <NUM>. The timer <NUM> times out if a preset time is reached. A time when the timer <NUM> times out can be optionally set.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the tablet <NUM>. The tablet <NUM> in this example is a general-purpose tablet PC. The tablet <NUM> downloads and installs a control program according to the present embodiment. The control program is also referred to as a POS register application. The tablet <NUM> executes the control program to function as the portable POS terminal according to the present embodiment. The tablet <NUM> includes, as illustrated in <FIG>, a processor <NUM>, a main memory <NUM>, an auxiliary storage device <NUM>, a touch panel <NUM>, a wireless unit <NUM>, a sensor group <NUM>, a speaker <NUM>, and a system transmission line <NUM>. The system transmission line <NUM> includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control signal line. In the tablet <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, the main memory <NUM>, the auxiliary storage device <NUM>, the touch panel <NUM>, the wireless unit <NUM>, the sensor group <NUM>, and the speaker <NUM> are connected to the system transmission line <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> controls the units in order to perform various functions according to an operating system and/or application programs. The processor <NUM> is, for example, a CPU.

The main memory <NUM> includes a nonvolatile memory region and a volatile memory region. The main memory <NUM> stores the operating system or the application programs in the nonvolatile memory region. The main memory <NUM> sometimes stores, in the nonvolatile or volatile memory region, data necessary for the processor <NUM> to execute processing for controlling the units. The main memory <NUM> uses the volatile memory region as a work area in which data is rewritten as appropriate by the processor <NUM>. The nonvolatile memory region is, for example, a ROM. The volatile memory region is, for example, a RAM.

For example, an EEPROM or an SSD can be the auxiliary storage device <NUM>. The auxiliary storage device <NUM> stores data used by the processor <NUM> in performing various kinds of processing, data created by processing in the processor <NUM>, and the like. The auxiliary storage device <NUM> may store the application programs. In this embodiment, the auxiliary storage device <NUM> stores a POS register application <NUM> (abbreviated as "POS application" in <FIG>). The auxiliary storage device <NUM> provides a priority setting memory <NUM> that stores priority setting information, which is data that the processor <NUM> rewrites as appropriate during execution of the POS register application <NUM>.

The touch panel <NUM> is a device functioning as both of an input device and a display device of the tablet <NUM>. The touch panel <NUM> functions as a display. The touch panel <NUM> detects a touch position for a displayed image and outputs information concerning the touch position to the processor <NUM>. The touch panel <NUM> displays, for example, names, prices, and total amounts of commodities registered by the tablet <NUM>.

The wireless unit <NUM> is connected to the network NW via a access point and performs data communication with the server <NUM> and the peripheral devices. The wireless unit <NUM> functions as a network interface unit. The wireless unit <NUM> may be referred to as a wireless communication interface. The wireless unit <NUM> has a function of transmitting or receiving a BLE wave or a UWB wave and thus can perform substantially the same functions as a position measurement tag <NUM>. The wireless unit <NUM> further functions as a detecting unit. For example, in the example illustrated in <FIG>, (x, y)=(<NUM>, <NUM>) is detected as a position coordinate of the tablet <NUM>. If the wireless unit <NUM> is not adapted to the BLE wave or the UWB wave, as in the peripheral devices, the position measurement tag <NUM> may be attached to the tablet <NUM>.

The sensor group <NUM> includes a camera, a GPS sensor, a gyro sensor, and the like. The camera can read a code symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional data code attached to a commodity. The camera may thus serve as an optical code reader. The speaker <NUM> outputs warning sound or the like.

The POS register application <NUM> is an application for causing the processor included in the tablet <NUM> to function as an acquiring unit, a presenting unit, a setting unit, a designating unit, and a selecting unit. The POS register application <NUM> can be stored in the auxiliary storage device <NUM> and accessed by communication performed via a network. The POS register application <NUM> may be recorded in a removable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a memory card and distributed. In this case, the POS register application <NUM> can be read from the recording medium by a recording medium reader connected to the tablet <NUM> or a recording medium reader included in or connected to a personal computer that can communicate with the tablet <NUM> and can be stored in the auxiliary storage device <NUM>.

The acquiring unit acquires, from the network NW, position coordinates of a respective plurality of peripheral devices, position coordinates of which in the store can be acquired, connected to the network NW. The presenting unit is a unit that, if a first peripheral device is unusable when communication with the first peripheral device is attempted via the network NW, presents, as a use recommended device (may be referred to as an alternative peripheral device or station), a second peripheral device at a position coordinate the shortest distance from the tablet <NUM> (excepting the first peripheral device). The setting unit sets a peripheral-device-to-be-preferentially-used (preferred peripheral device) among the plurality of peripheral devices. The designating unit designates whether the peripheral-device-to-be-preferentially-used or a peripheral device at the position coordinate the shortest distance from the tale <NUM> is prioritized. The selecting unit selects, as the first peripheral device, the peripheral device designated by the designating unit. In some examples, the selecting unit may select without reference to the designation by the designating unit, the peripheral-device-to-be-preferentially-used (may be referred to as an associated peripheral device or station). Alternatively, the selecting unit may select, without depending on the setting by the setting unit or the designation by the designating unit, the peripheral device at the position coordinate at the shortest distance from the tablet <NUM> as the first peripheral device.

In the following explanation, the operation of the checkout system according to the embodiment is specifically explained with reference to the flowcharts of <FIG>. Content of processing explained with reference to <FIG> is an example. A processing procedure and processing content are not particularly limited if the same result can be obtained.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of position coordinate control, which is one of many kinds of control processing executed by the processor <NUM> of the server <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines whether to acquire a position coordinate of a peripheral device. This determination can be performed by determining whether acquisition timing predetermined in order to acquire a position coordinate of the peripheral device comes. It is optional to determine to which degree the acquisition timing is set. Unlike the tablet <NUM>, the peripheral device does not frequently move. Therefore, the acquisition timing may be a several seconds to several ten seconds interval. This interval can be set as a tracked time of the timer <NUM>. Therefore, in Act <NUM>, if the timer <NUM> times out, the processor <NUM> can determine to acquire a position coordinate of the peripheral device. If not acquiring a position coordinate of the peripheral device, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines whether a transmission request for location information including a position coordinate designating a type of a peripheral device such as a receipt printer is received from any tablet <NUM> via the network NW. If a transmission request for location information is received from no tablet <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

If the acquisition timing for acquiring a position coordinate of the peripheral device when the timer <NUM> times out comes, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> acquires position coordinates from the respective peripheral devices, that is, the plurality of automatic coin change machines <NUM>, the plurality of keyboards <NUM>, the plurality of receipt printers <NUM>, the plurality of card settlement terminals <NUM>, and the plurality of ticket printers <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> registers the acquired position coordinates of the peripheral devices in the position table <NUM> provided in the main memory <NUM>. At this time, the processor <NUM> causes the timer <NUM> to start a time tracking operation. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

If receiving a transmission request for location information from any tablet <NUM> via the network NW, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> transmits location information including a position coordinate of the peripheral device of the designated type registered in the position table <NUM> to the tablet <NUM> at a request source via the network NW. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of peripheral device-use processing, which is one of a large number of kinds of control processing by the POS register application <NUM> executed by the processor <NUM> of the tablet <NUM>.

In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> of the tablet <NUM> determines whether processing for priority setting is instructed by operation of the touch panel <NUM>. The processing for priority setting is processing for setting a peripheral device to be preferentially used among the plurality of peripheral devices. For example, the processor <NUM> determines whether a touch position for a [priority setting] button image displayed on the touch panel <NUM> is touched or whether a touch position for a corresponding item image is touched from a menu item displayed according to touch on a touch position for a [menu] button image. "Button" discussed above and described hereinafter is an example of a selectable object unless the button is in a non-selectable state, in which case may be referred to as a "non-selectable object". If the processing for priority setting is not instructed, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. The processor <NUM> determines whether use of any peripheral device is instructed by operation of the touch panel <NUM>. For example, the processor <NUM> determines whether a touch position for a button image indicating peripheral device operation content such as a [receipt print] button image displayed on the touch panel <NUM> is touched or whether a touch position for a corresponding item image is touched from a menu item displayed according to touch on a touch position for the [menu] button image. If use of a peripheral device is not instructed, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

If the processing for priority setting is instructed, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> performs priority setting processing for setting a peripheral device to be preferentially used. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of the priority setting processing in Act <NUM>. <FIG> are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of screens displayed on the touch panel <NUM> of the tablet <NUM> in the priority setting processing.

In the priority setting processing, in Act <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> causes the touch panel <NUM> to display a type designation screen <NUM>. The type designation screen <NUM> is a screen for designating a type of a peripheral device to be preferentially set. The type designation screen <NUM> includes a plurality of peripheral device type designation button images <NUM> for designating a peripheral device. As illustrated in <FIG>, the type designation screen <NUM> may include a [return] button image <NUM> for instructing return to an immediately preceding screen even if the processing for priority setting is stopped. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and waits for any peripheral device to be set. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for a touch position for any peripheral device type designation button image <NUM> to be touched. If a touch position for any peripheral device type designation button image <NUM> is touched, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the priority setting memory <NUM> to store, as one of priority setting information, priority device information indicating a peripheral device corresponding to the touch position. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

In Act <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> causes the touch panel <NUM> to display a priority designation screen <NUM>. The priority designation screen <NUM> is a screen for designating, concerning the peripheral device designated on the type designation screen <NUM>, in an example illustrate in <FIG>, a receipt printer, which of a distance and the designates device is prioritized. The priority designation screen <NUM> includes two priority designation button images <NUM> for designating the distance or the designated device to be prioritized. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and waits for any peripheral device to be designated. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for a touch position for any priority designation button image <NUM> to be touched. If the touch position for any priority designation button image <NUM> is touched, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the priority setting memory <NUM> to store, as one of priority setting information, priority designation information indicating priority designation corresponding to the touch position. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as a designating unit. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

If a touch position for any peripheral device type designation button image <NUM> is touched, the processor <NUM> may cause the touch panel <NUM> to display a priority designation screen <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> rather than the priority designation screen <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. The priority designation screen <NUM> is a screen for designating, concerning the peripheral device designated on the type designation screen <NUM>, in an example illustrated in <FIG>, a receipt printer, which of a distance and the designated device is prioritized and to which degree the distance or the designated device is prioritized. The priority designation screen <NUM> includes the slider image <NUM> for designating the priority to be prioritized. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> waits for a priority level to be designated. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for any touch position corresponding to a slider image <NUM> to be touched. If any touch position is touched, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the priority setting memory <NUM> to store, as one of priority setting information, priority designation information indicating priority level designation corresponding to the touch position. Priority levels of <NUM> to <NUM>% can be set according to a position touched for the slider image <NUM>. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as a designating unit. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

In Act <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, the processor <NUM> causes the touch panel <NUM> to display a priority device designation screen <NUM>. The priority device designation screen <NUM> is a screen for designating, concerning the peripheral device designated on the type designation screen <NUM>, in an example illustrated in <FIG>, a receipt printer, which device is designated as a priority device. The priority device designation screen <NUM> includes a plurality of priority device designation button images <NUM> for designating the priority device. The priority device designation screen <NUM> includes not only peripheral devices present in the network segment NWS in which the tablet <NUM> is located but also peripheral devices present in the other network segments NWS. If the number of peripheral devices is large and the peripheral devices cannot be displayed on one screen, the screen is scrolled or switched by scroll operation. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and waits for any peripheral device to be designated. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for a touch position for any priority device designation button image <NUM> to be touched. If a touch position for any priority device designation button image <NUM> is touched, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the priority setting memory <NUM> to store, as one of priority setting information, priority device designation information indicating priority device designation corresponding to the touch position. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as a setting unit. Thereafter, the process returns to Act <NUM> in <FIG>.

Priority setting can be performed for each of types of the plurality of peripheral devices.

If it is instructed to use any peripheral device, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> performs device-use processing for using the peripheral device. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> are flowcharts illustrating an example of a procedure of the device-use processing in Act <NUM>. <FIG> are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of screens displayed on the touch panel <NUM> of the tablet <NUM> in the device-use processing.

In the device-use processing, in Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> controls the wireless unit <NUM> to detect a position coordinate of its own device (that is, the device incorporating the processor <NUM>) in the store. Thereafter, the processor <NUM> controls the wireless unit <NUM> to transmit a transmission request for location information including a position coordinate concerning a peripheral device of a type instructed to the server <NUM> via the network NW. The process proceeds to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> waits for the position coordinate of the peripheral device from being received from the server <NUM> by the wireless unit <NUM>.

If the server <NUM> transmits a position coordinate of a peripheral device of a designated type registered in the position table <NUM> and the position coordinate of the peripheral device is received by the wireless unit <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as an acquiring unit. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> calculates distances between itself (its own device location) and peripheral devices based on the its detected position coordinate in the store and position coordinates of the acquired peripheral devices of the designated type. The distances are typically linear distances. However, if a complicated passage is formed by arrangements in the store, a store map may be stored in the auxiliary storage device <NUM> in advance and a moving distance along a route (that a potentially non-straight line distance) may be calculated in this context. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> ranks the peripheral devices based on the calculated distances and the priority setting information stored in the priority setting memory <NUM>. For example, concerning the receipt printer <NUM>, if a receipt printer #<NUM> is designated as a priority device and the priority designation is the designated device, the processor <NUM> ranks the receipt printer #<NUM> in the first place and ranks the peripheral devices in the second and subsequent places in ascending order of the distances. If the priority designation is the distance, the processor <NUM> ranks the peripheral device at the shortest distance in the first place and ranks the peripheral devices in the second and subsequent places in ascending order of the distances. If a type of a peripheral device designated to be used is a type for which priority setting information is not stored in the priority setting memory <NUM>, the processor <NUM> performs ranking based on the distances. The processor <NUM> selects the peripheral device in the first place as a first peripheral device attempted to be communicated with. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as a selecting unit. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

In At <NUM>, the processor <NUM> executes a procedure for using the peripheral device ranked in the first place. For example, the processor <NUM> generates a print job for a receipt and controls the wireless unit <NUM> to transmit the print job to the receipt printer #<NUM> in the first place. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines whether the procedure normally ends. A response signal indicating the normal end is returned from the receipt printer <NUM> that successfully normally executes the print job. A response signal indicating an abnormal end is returned from the receipt printer <NUM> that does not successfully normally execute the print job. If receiving the response signal indicating the normal end within a predetermined time, the processor <NUM> determines that the print job normally ends. If receiving the response signal indicating the abnormal end within the predetermined time or if not successfully receiving the response signal indicating the normal end or the abnormal end within the predetermined time, the processor <NUM> determines that the print job does not normally end. The predetermined time is determined based on a normal processing time statistically requested for each of the types of the peripheral devices. For example, the predetermined time is approximately three seconds for the receipt printer <NUM>.

If the use of the peripheral device normally ends, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process returns to Act <NUM> in <FIG>.

If the use of the peripheral device does not normally end, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the touch panel <NUM> to display a guidance screen <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The guidance screen <NUM> is a screen for notifying that a preferentially designated peripheral device cannot be used and presenting a peripheral device recommended as an alternative device for the peripheral device. In other words, the guidance screen <NUM> includes a use recommended device display area <NUM> for presenting such a peripheral device. The peripheral device displayed in the use recommended device display area <NUM> is the peripheral device in the second place ranked in Act <NUM>, that is, the second peripheral device present in a position coordinate at the shortest distance from the tablet <NUM> except the first peripheral device, which is the preferentially designated peripheral device. In this way, the processor <NUM> functions as a presenting unit.

The guidance screen <NUM> includes, as illustrated in <FIG>, a recommendation button image <NUM>, a designation button image <NUM>, and a standby button image <NUM>. The recommendation button image <NUM> is an image of a button touched when instructing use of the peripheral device recommended as the alternative device. The recommendation button image <NUM> has a display area larger than display areas of the other buttons. The designation button image <NUM> is an image of a button touched when instructing use of a peripheral device other than the recommended peripheral device. The standby button image <NUM> is an image of a button touched when instructing to continue the use of the preferentially designated peripheral device. After displaying the guidance screen <NUM>, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> waits for operation that should be performed next to be selected. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for a touch position for any one of the recommendation button image <NUM>, the designation button image <NUM>, and the standby button image <NUM> to be touched. If any touch position is touched, the process proceeds to Act <NUM>.

In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines whether the touch position for the standby button image <NUM> is touched. If the touch position for the standby button image <NUM> is touched, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM>, and the process returns to Act <NUM>, where the processor <NUM> attempts to communicate with the preferentially designated peripheral device again. Retry may be prevented from being repeated many times by restricting the standby button image <NUM> to be displayed only a predetermined number of times such as twice.

If the touch position for the standby button image <NUM> is not touched, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> determines whether the touch position for the designation button image <NUM> is touched. If the touch position for the designation button image <NUM> is not touched, that is, the touch position for the recommendation button image <NUM> is touched, the processor <NUM> determines NO in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> changes the peripheral device to be used to the recommended peripheral device in this case. The process returns to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> attempts to communicate with the peripheral device changed from the peripheral device to be used.

If the touch position for the designation button image <NUM> is touched, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> causes the touch panel <NUM> to display a selection screen <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The selection screen <NUM> includes a plurality of peripheral device button images <NUM> for designating the peripheral device to be used. The peripheral device button image <NUM> corresponding to the recommended peripheral device, in an example illustrated in <FIG>, the receipt printer #<NUM> is displayed in a form different from a form of the other peripheral devices such that the peripheral device button image <NUM> can be identified. The peripheral device button image <NUM> corresponding to an unusable peripheral device, which does not normally end, in the example illustrated in <FIG>, the receipt printer #<NUM> is displayed in an un-selectable display form. If the number of peripheral devices is large and the peripheral devices cannot be displayed on one screen, the screen is scrolled or switched by scroll operation. Thereafter, the process proceeds to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> waits for any peripheral device to be designated. In other words, the processor <NUM> waits for a touch position for any peripheral device button image <NUM> to be touched. If the touch position for any peripheral device button image <NUM> is touched, the processor <NUM> determines YES in Act <NUM> and the process proceeds to Act <NUM>. In Act <NUM>, the processor <NUM> changes the peripheral device to be used to the designated peripheral device in this case. The process returns to Act <NUM> and the processor <NUM> attempts to communicate with the peripheral device changed from peripheral device to be used.

In this way, according to this embodiment, if communication with the first peripheral device is attempted in the tablet <NUM> and the first peripheral device is unusable, the second peripheral device present in a position coordinate at the shortest distance from the tablet <NUM> except the first peripheral device is presented as the use recommended device. Accordingly, it is possible to find the use recommended device presented when the peripheral device attempted to be communicated from the tablet <NUM> is in an unusable state and switch a use destination to another peripheral device. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a waiting time of a customer. Since it can be found which peripheral device is a switching destination, it is possible to easily guide the customer to the position of the peripheral device.

It can be selected in advance whether the first peripheral device will be a peripheral device close to the tablet <NUM> or a peripheral device designated to be preferentially used. Accordingly, it is possible to use an appropriate peripheral device corresponding to a situation of the customer or the store.

If the first peripheral device is the peripheral device close to the tablet <NUM>, the waiting time of the customer can be reduced. Time for guiding the customer to another position or time for the customer moving to the position can be saved.

If the first peripheral device is the peripheral device desired to be preferentially used, a peripheral device in a predetermined position can be used first. Therefore, the customer is not guided to a position unexpected by the customer. It is less likely to confuse the customer.

The checkout system and the portable POS terminal used in this system according to the embodiment that can reduce a waiting time of a customer if a peripheral device that the portable POS terminal attempts to communicate with is in an unusable state are explained above. Such an embodiment is not limited to this.

For example, in the embodiment, the position measurement tag <NUM> is attached to each of the peripheral devices and a position coordinate is periodically measured. However, the measurement of a position coordinate may be unnecessary for a peripheral device used in a substantially fixed position. In other words, a position coordinate may be measured at a setting time of the peripheral device and stored and the stored position coordinate may be repeatedly used.

If displaying the guidance screen in Act <NUM>, the tablet <NUM> may emit alarm sound with the speaker <NUM> to call attention.

If the general-purpose tablet terminal functioning as the tablet <NUM> includes a microphone, the tablet <NUM> may be configured to be able to perform selection and instruction by voice without depending on the touch.

The portable POS terminal is not limited to the tablet PC and may be a notebook PC. The portable POS terminal may be a hand-held type POS terminal. However, the portable POS terminal may be a POS terminal of any form and shape so long as the portable POS terminal is a POS terminal that can be moved by or with a user by, for example, being carried by the user, attached to the user, or attached to a cart or the like moving with the user or any POS terminal that is not fixed but can be moved about in a store.

In the embodiment, a portable POS terminal and a checkout system are explained as examples. However, embodiments can also be applicable to other devices and systems.

Claim 1:
A wireless checkout system, comprising:
a plurality of peripheral stations (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) located in a store area;
a server (<NUM>) configured to store location information indicating a position coordinate of each of the peripheral stations in the store area;
one or more base stations (<NUM>) having a wireless communication range covering the store area; and
a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal (<NUM>) including:
a wireless communication interface (<NUM>) configured to receive a wireless signal from at least one of the one or more base stations;
a display; and
a processor (<NUM>) configured to:
set one of the plurality of peripheral stations as an associated peripheral station to be communicated with by the mobile POS terminal for checkout;
determine a position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal based on the wireless signal received by the wireless communication interface;
obtain the location information from the server;
select, based on the position coordinate of the mobile POS terminal and the location information, a closest one of the plurality of peripheral stations that is closest to the mobile POS terminal, other than the associated peripheral station, to be an alternative peripheral station to be recommended for checkout, when the associated peripheral station is not available;
control the display to display a screen indicating the alternative peripheral station;
wherein each of the plurality of peripheral stations is configured to determine its position coordinate based on a wireless signal from at least one of the one or more base stations and transmit its position coordinate to the server and wherein the processor determines that the associated peripheral station is unavailable based on an unsuccessful communication attempt via the wireless signal.