# US 2021/0241259 A1 · Shopping support apparatus and shopping support method

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- Number: US 2021/0241259 A1
- Document ID: US20210241259A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/076,396
- Filed: 2020-10-21
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2020-02-05
- Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi KAWAMOTO; Fumio NAKATSUKASA; Mikio ITO; Kiyomitu YAMAGUCHI; Shigeki NIMIYA; Takuya HAKETA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210241259A1

## CPC

- G06Q 20/3276: {using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device}
- G06K 7/1417: {2D bar codes}
- G06Q 20/209: {Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output}
- G06Q 20/346: {Cards serving only as information carrier of service}
- G06Q 30/0607: {Regulating the sale of restricted items, e.g. alcohol}
- G06Q 30/0613: {using intermediate agents}
- G07G 1/0045: {with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader}
- G06Q 20/201: {Price look-up processing, e.g. updating}
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring}
- G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing}
- G06Q 20/326: {Payment applications installed on the mobile devices}
- G06Q 30/0185: {Product, service or business identity fraud}
- H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC]
- H02J 7/855: {with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

## Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a shopping support apparatus includes a reader, a memory, and a processor. The processor causes the reader to read a data code, obtains store-specific setting information, and causes the memory to store control mode information included in the obtained setting information. The processor determines, on the basis of the control mode information of the setting information stored in the memory, whether to set a first mode for shopping support at the store as the control mode of the processor or set a second mode for a task restricted to an operation of an authorized person as the control mode of the processor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A shopping support apparatus that performs a support operation of shopping at a store when a consumer performs shopping at the store, the shopping support apparatus comprising:
a reader that reads a data code indicating store-specific setting information;
a memory that stores the store-specific setting information; and
a processor that performs the following processing of
causing the reader to read the data code and obtaining the store-specific setting information,
storing control mode information included in the setting information in the memory,
determining, on a basis of the control mode information of the setting information stored in the memory, whether to set a first mode for shopping support at the store as the control mode of the processor or set a second mode for a task restricted to an operation of an authorized person as the control mode of the processor,
performing, in a case where the processor determines that the first mode is set as the control mode, the support operation of shopping on a basis of the obtained setting information, and
performing, in a case where the processor determines that the second mode is set as the control mode, the task restricted to the operation of the authorized person.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the processor deletes the setting information stored in the memory when the processor terminates the second mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the store-specific setting information includes a store entry flag as store entry information for determining whether or not the consumer enters the store, and
the processor causes the memory to store the obtained setting information in a case where the processor determines that the consumer enters the store on a basis of a status of the store entry flag.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the data code includes a first data code indicating setting information including the store entry information and a second data code indicating setting information including the control mode information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein
the processor, in the second mode, associates identification information of the shopping support apparatus with identification information of the consumer's point card and stores them in the memory.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
if the processor reads the data code and obtains the store-specific setting information, the processor further determines whether a remaining capacity of a battery of the shopping support apparatus is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and
if the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the threshold value, the processor does not perform the first mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
if the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the threshold value, the processor does not perform the first mode and second mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the processor displays a message indicating that the remaining capacity of the battery is low on the display of the shopping support apparatus.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The shopping support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the reader includes a camera that reads the data code by capturing the data code obtained by coding the setting information in a predetermined code system.

### Claim 10

A shopping support method for a shopping support apparatus including a reader that reads a data code indicating store-specific setting information and a memory that stores the store-specific setting information and performing a support operation of shopping at a store when a consumer performs shopping at the store, the shopping support method comprising:
causing the reader to read the data code and obtaining the store-specific setting information;
storing control mode information included in the setting information;
determining, on a basis of the control mode information of the setting information stored in the memory, whether to set a first mode for shopping support at the store as a control mode of a processor or set a second mode for a task restricted to an operation of an authorized person as the control mode of the processor;
performing the support operation of shopping on a basis of the obtained setting information, if the control mode is determined to set the first mode; and
performing the task restricted to the operation of the authorized person, if the control mode is determined to set the second mode.