Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Abstract

An information processing apparatus for commodity registration includes a cart body, a weight sensor, a movement sensor, a code scanner, a display, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to detect change of a weight according to the weight sensor. Upon detecting the weight change, the control circuit determines whether the code scanner has read a commodity code within a predetermined time period before or after the weight change. If the code scanner has not read a commodity code within the predetermined time period, it is determined whether or not movement of the cart body, as detected by the movement sensor, satisfies a predetermined condition. If the movement satisfies the predetermined condition, the control circuit controls the display to display a registration alert screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 a cart body having a commodity placement portion and a wheel;   a weight sensor configured to detect a weight of commodities in the commodity placement portion;   a movement sensor configured to detect movement of the cart body;   a code scanner configured to read a commodity code;   a display; and   a control circuit configured to:
 determine change in the weight detected by the weight sensor; 
 determine whether a movement of the cart body, as detected by the movement sensor, satisfies a predetermined condition; control the display to display a registration alert screen based on the determined change in the weight and a determination result of the movement of the cart body; 
 obtain a registered weight of a commodity identified by a commodity code read by the code scanner; and 
 perform registration or deregistration of the commodity identified by the commodity code based on comparison of the change in the weight detected by the weight sensor and the registered weight. 
   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit determines whether the movement of the cart body satisfies the predetermined condition upon determining the change in the weight. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the registration alert screen indicates a non-registration of a commodity when an increase in weight was detected by the weight sensor and a deregistration of a commodity when a decrease in weight was detected by the weight sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the control circuit is further configured to perform registration of the commodity identified by the commodity code when an increased amount of the weight detected by the weight sensor matches the registered weight.   
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the control circuit is further configured to perform deregistration of the commodity identified by the commodity code when a decreased amount of the weight detected by the weight sensor matches the registered weight.   
     
     
         6 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes that the movement of the card body detected by the movement sensor is greater than a predetermined movement amount. 
     
     
         7 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes that a time period from start of movement of the card body as detected by the movement sensor is greater than a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         8 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement sensor is configured to detect movement of the wheel. 
     
     
         9 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display and the control circuit are included in a terminal device attached to cart body and communicably connected to the weight sensor and the movement sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display and the control circuit are in a handheld wireless device, and the handheld wireless device is wirelessly connected to the weight sensor and the movement sensor. 
     
     
         11 . A method for performing commodity registration, comprising:
 detecting a change in a weight detected by a weight sensor positioned to detect a weight of commodities in a commodity placement portion of a shopping basket;   determining whether a movement of the shopping basket, as detected by a movement sensor, satisfies a predetermined condition; and   controlling a display to display a registration alert screen based on the determined change in the weight and a determination result of the movement of the cart body;   obtaining a registered weight of a commodity identified by a commodity code read by a code scanner; and   performing registration or deregistration of the commodity identified by the commodity code based on comparison of the change in the weight detected by the weight sensor and the registered weight.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said determining whether the movement of the shopping basket satisfies the predetermined condition is performed upon determining the change in the weight. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the registration alert screen indicates non-registration of a commodity when the weight is increased and indicates deregistration of a commodity when the weight is decreased. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein
 registration of the commodity identified by the commodity code is performed when an increased weight detected by the weight sensor matches the registered weight.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein
 deregistration of the commodity identified by the commodity code is performed when a decreased weight detected by the weight sensor matches the registered weight.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined condition includes that the movement is greater than a predetermined movement amount. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined condition includes that a time period from start of the movement is greater than a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the movement is detected based on movement of a wheel attached to the shopping basket. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein a tablet terminal device is attached to the shopping basket and communicably connected to the weight sensor, the movement sensor, and the code scanner. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the display is on a handheld wireless device carried by a user of the shopping basket, and the handheld wireless device is wirelessly connected to the weight sensor, the movement sensor, and the code scanner.