Allocation apparatus and allocation method

An allocation apparatus, comprising:

• a layout table, which is associated with the key button identification information for identifying the key buttons in a key layout formed by a plurality of key buttons and includes an area for storing the data of the commodities allocated to the key button;
• an allocation candidate storage unit configured to store the data of each commodity as a candidate of an allocation to the key button of the key layout;
• a selection commodity registration unit configured to register the data of the commodity selected from the commodities which are the allocation candidate in the area of the layout table associated with the identification information of the key button specified one of the key buttons in the key layout;
• and
• an associating commodity registration unit configured to register, if there is a commodity that is associated with the commodity which is registered a data by the selection commodity registration unit in the commodities which are the allocation candidate, the data of the associating commodity in the area of the layout table associated with the identification information of the key button that the data of which is not registered from the key button of the key layout.

An allocation method for allocating a key button allocation information to an allocation information storage unit which stores the key button allocation information for allocating the key button which operate to select and input a commodity, including:

• specifying the key button allocated the commodity which stored in a commodity data storage unit which stores the name of each commodity corresponding to the data specifying the commodity;
• displaying for invoking the name of the commodity stored in the commodity data storage unit;
• registering the data of the commodity selected as allocation object of the key button from the commodities displayed the names by the commodity name display unit in association with the key button specified by the key button specifying unit;
• and
• taking the associated commodity as allocation object of next key button if the existence of the commodity which is associated with the commodity registered by the selection commodity registration unit is confirmed according to the information stored in the associating commodity information storage unit.