Retail trading systems

(19) DENMARK *

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"2, PRESENTATION

Kii166337 B

patent Office

TAASTRUP (21) Patent Application No.; 2809/86 (51) lnt.Cl.5 G 06 F 15/21 (22) Filing Day; 16 Jun 1986 θ θθ F 15/40 (41) Airri. available: 18 Dec 1986 (44) Submitted: 05 Apr 1993 (86) International Application No: (30) Priority: 17 Jun 1985 GB 8515323 (71) Aneker: * COATS VIYELLA PLC; Bank House; 9 Charlotte Street; Manchester M1 4ET, GB (72) Inventor: Gordon Hugh 'Donald; GB, Jeffrey Lindsay • Hewitt; GB (74) Plenipotentiary: Budde, Schou &amp; Co. A / S (54) Installations for retail sale (56) Published publications

EP Publication No. 109189 GB Official Journal 2105075 (57) Abstract:

2809-86

A retail sale system includes an image storage device (11), in which images of merchandise (e.g. floor pins), an image register device (12) associated with the image storage device (11), and containing identification data for the images therein, an image search device ( 14) and display means (e.g., a video cam (13)) for displaying the images provided.

A transaction data processing device (16) includes a data loading device (IS), whereby the identification data of the displayed images is automatically loaded from the loading device (15). The plant can process composite images.

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2809-86

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The invention relates to plants for retail sale.

In particular, the invention relates to installations for the sale of large items which are to be delivered to the customer in particular, since the items are not included by the customer, and items which must be produced at the customer's request, at least to some extent, or which must be adapted. As an example, there are carpets that are large and need to be adapted.

If a retail store with carpeting is to maintain a versatile carpeting, this must necessarily be placed in rooms of a certain size, which in a pronounced business area will result in a large rent and high costs. It is therefore common to place such premises outside the urban area. Nevertheless, there are problems associated with displaying many carpets and it can be daunting for customers to have to choose from large amounts of patterns, textures and color compositions.

In addition, maintaining such an extensive warehouse that the product itself can be examined is a costly business.

Accordingly, there is a tendency to sell carpets through specimens. Thus, there is no, or almost no, inventory in the retail premises, so they can be located in less voluminous environments, which are significantly cheaper, even in actual retail outlets.

There is, however, the disadvantage that it is difficult for customers on the basis of a small sample to imagine what a carpet will look like in their own surroundings, and how it is, for example. will work with their furniture and other objects. Photographs of a typical room are sometimes included in a sample.

In addition, selling through samples means that a transaction record must be provided based on a sample identification - usually an alphanumeric code. The identification is often provided as an adhesive label, and errors can result from loss, damage, misreading, or incorrect transmission of the identification.

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GB-A-2,105,075 discloses a plant and method whereby objects can be displayed on a screen, either by photographic or optical technology, or by using a display unit operated by a computer, to enable selection by a possible buyer. The system provides a random selector for objects from a data store, and a selector for selecting objects from data stores in connection with information loaded into the system, and at the same time for displaying associated data from another data store. Objects can be selected according to different criteria, e.g. price, color, availability, packaging suitability, etc., so that the potential buyer is assisted in the selection. Once the items are designated, the purchase is made by a sales assistant entering information provided from the other data store into another computer.

When there are a large number of items for display, or where more items are being purchased, it is likely that errors may be introduced when entering information as explained here. The patent mentions the possibility of a position where there are two sales assistants, and if they are experienced, mistakes should not occur too frequently. However, if you want to avoid such experienced help and let the customer load the information yourself, errors are likely to occur.

The present invention provides a system whereby these disadvantages can be avoided.

The invention includes a retail sales facility with an image storage device in which images of the product range are stored, an associated image register device identifying the images herein, an image search device and display means for displaying the images provided, and a transaction data processing device having a data entry device, a data entry device, a transaction-specific working method, in which the identification of the eye-visible display image is automatically loaded from the register device into a transaction record prepared by the transaction data processing device in accordance with transaction data entry by the data entry device, and through which device identification of the displayed image is automatically loaded from the register.

Said image storage device may include video recording means and the display means may include a video screen.

The input device may include an alphanumeric keypad.

The input device may include a function key which operates by setting the input device to an image search operation mode.

The image register device may include an image register divided into categories, and the image search device may be associated therewith to search images in categories, preferably after pointing out images which are in two or more categories. Such images retrieved can be displayed automatically in sequence.

The stored images may be composite images which include a first image component generated from a commodity item and a second image component generated by the computer program. The two components of the composite image may be stored in different portions of the image storage device. The second component may include color composition information. The first image component may be associated with masking information which limits the displayed area of ​​the second image component to the area not occupied by the first image component.

The system may also include color input means associated with the image search device which act by influencing the image search device to only output images with a color composition associated with a color input signal over the color input means.

The system can also work by displaying price and / or availability information along with a designated image.

The system may be provided with means for connecting to a remote control terminal, for transmitting transaction information to the remote control terminal and for transmitting price and / or availability information from the remote control terminal.

Embodiments of plants for retail sale are described in the following with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a plant for e.g. carpeting trade, fig. 2 is a block diagram of an image storage device and associated register device; FIG. 3 shows in diagram form a search device which works by looking up pictures which are divided into categories.

<td rowspan="2">FIG. FIG.</td><td colspan="4">4 is a view</td><td colspan="2">of a composite image,</td>

<td> 5</td><td>is</td><td>one</td><td>view</td><td>of</td><td>another composite car-</td>

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the drawing is a picture storage device 11, in which images of the product range are stored, such as e.g. carpets, furniture, clothing, home textiles, household items and even motor vehicles. The image storage device 11 may include a video recording device of a kind available on the market and provided with controlled access to images stored thereon so that a single video image can be output. A suitable record player is Phillips Laservision VP35.

A storage device may also include a partial image storage 11a for storing image information on digital

DK 166337 Β form, which information should work in conjunction with image processing, as discussed below.

An image register device 12 associated with the image storage device 11 contains identification data, e.g. alphanumeric codes 21 in digital form in a read / write memory (random access memory) (Fig. 2) with storage addresses 23 in common with the address of the individual images 24 in the storage device 11.

A video screen 13 receives video signals from the car10 joint bearing 11. The individual images / sub-images are retrieved from the image register device 12 by an image search device 14, controlled by signals, from a input device 15 which includes a standard alphanumeric keypad included in a transaction data processing device 16 which also includes a data read device 17 which may include a printer or a visual display device or a modem connecting the device to a remote control device, which is designed to receive data, or simply to a storage device adapted to be connected to any of the aforementioned means for subsequent examination.

Associated with the image register device 12 may be provided a database 18 which is similarly available and which contains information on price and / or availability of goods whose images are stored in the image storage device 11. Information from the database 18 can be provided to display on the video screen 13, either superimposed on the video image, or on a special screen, alternating with the video image. A specially-designated function key 30 on the keyboard 15 can act by providing (and deleting) the displayed information.

Likewise, a special function key on the keyboard 15 operates by setting the input device 16 to a transaction specification method in which identification data for the immediately displayed image is automatically read from the image register device 12 into the output DK 166337 ind device 17 as part of a transaction register. The other part of the registration - date, customer name and address, number of goods ordered, price, payment details, discount, method of payment, delivery date, etc. - can be entered from the keyboard. For more advanced programming, information from the database, e.g. the price, is made available and treated with standard operators, e.g. price multiplied by (keyboard loading) the number of items, which generates the total price, which again is treated with a standard discount statement (eg 5% cash payment discount), or with a standard credit statement, which adds a percentage interest, as well as dividing the total amounts by 12 or 24 to calculate a monthly payment. The software for this transaction-specifying mode of loading entry can - to the considerable advantage of the user - be menu-driven. For example, the first menu can be. include the following options:

Show details

order intake

When designing the display of details (in which way the designation is obtained, for example by moving a cursor key or line wrench to a cursor or pointing device to the display detail field on the screen), the details contained in database 18 are displayed on the screen. price / time availability along with a request for data entry, which request can be designed as a down-key delete key until starting point. Designated order taking can³⁰ a number of input requests are presented, such as enter customer name, enter customer address and enter desired number, as well as submenus, such as

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Payment Method:

cash credit check ₅ credit card, which in turn can provide another menu if credit cards are selected, presenting a list of approved credit cards.

The keyboard 15 is also designed with a special ₁₀ function key by which the system is set to an image pointing mode. This can also be set up in a menu, as the menus allow for designations depending on the goods being sold.

In connection with the sale of carpets can a typical ₁₅ first menu includes designation of price ranges, followed by a menu that allows to choose between unpainted and patterned, a second menu by which designation can be selected, again a second menu of pigeon type and a second menu of color.

Identification data in the image register device 20 12 may include a coding as shown in FIG. 3, by which the goods are categorized into the designation areas specified above, or such other designation areas as may be suitable for the goods being traded. For example, the first symbol in identification data may indicate price range, the second symbol may indicate whether the carpet is unpainted (1) or patterns (2), while the third symbol indicates the remodeling (e.g. Wilton, Axminster, tuft, backed carpets and the like) etc.

The keyboard 15 can hereby, by pressing a designated key, be set to an automatic ordering mode of operation, in which all blankets which conform to what is designated are displayed in sequence, the keyboard being designed with a pause key which acts upon providing of a longer viewing period 35, one provided by the automatic sequence display (which last may be a period of few

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seconds for example). The sequence display can also be provided manually, if predetermined, by pressing a forward key. In any case, the designated image is displayed on the video screen 11, and the associated identification data is made available to the transaction data processing device 17, and the associated database information is made available to the screen 13 as well as the processing device 17.

The pictures stored in the storage device can advantageously show the product on a background - for example, a carpet can be displayed in a decorated room, and the same carpet can be displayed in connection with different home furnishings so that the customer is assisted in the design of the ideal carpet. , based on the color composition, or size or pattern, associated with the customer's interior design or furniture.

Each image can, of course, itself be a finished image, so that for displaying a blanket in ten different room environments, ten images must be provided in the image storage device 11. Such ten images may be generated by depicting a designated blanket in ten different designated rooms. This will obviously provide high-quality visual images, but this can in practice be cumbersome and expensive.

The ten images, on the other hand, may be composite images in which e.g. only the carpet is an image of a designated carpet, while the remainder of the image is produced by the computer, either from the bottom up, or from an image of a designated room, which is then car 30 articulated so that e.g. the colors of the walls, ceiling and woodwork are not real and are different or appear in different compositions (or color compositions) on each of the ten images. FIG. 4 shows such a composite image, wherein the blanket area 41 of the image which ³⁵ is provided from a video image of a real blanket, works with an ambient or background image componentDK 166337 on component 42. Such an image series is produced with various artificial color compositions in the background image component 42.

In FIG. 5, another composite image is shown in which₅ a picture 51 of a chair, which is a representation of a real chair, is shown against a room background 52. FIG. 6 shows the background 52 alone, which background can be so simply constructed that it can be easily produced on a computer without the background having to be built up in reality. Image 41 of₁₀ the chair is associated with masking information which wipes out the background component of the computer generated image so that the background is not mixed with a real image part. Hereby, variously designed chairs or other objects can be displayed against the same background. behind₁₅ the color composition of the ground can be altered to provide a variety of composite images. Information on the color composition may be part of the computer software template, thereby providing operators acting on a computer generated array upon changing the color composition. In this way, e.g. twenty designated tracks in the software instead of storing twenty individual video images.

Alternatively, this could be a way of providing video images from the repository which could reduce the data activity and thus the time for data transfer. However, it may be desirable where the on-screen changing information is background information, first to select the merchandise, and then to let the software change the background through a sequence of colors.

A color sensor 19 (Fig. 1) may act by pointing out projected images in connection with a color of a sample, perhaps a preferred curtain material or piece of furniture, which images are displayed for inspection by a possible buyer. Instead of providing a real sample (which can be difficult with large furniture), a color matching card can be provided to

DK 166337Β compares with the original color, which color matching card is provided instead of for examination. The color detected by the sensor can then be translated into a suitable color code and act instead of a keyboard input signal to designate a color category.

The invention is not limited by the exact details described and illustrated herein. For example, the video screen 13 could. is replaced by any other suitable display device, such as a projection apparatus for slides.

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