A method operates a sales device for goods. The method includes: detecting, using a shelf with automatic removal monitoring, a removed item and determining item data of the removed item; receiving, by a controller, the item data of the removed item; adding, with the controller, the item data of the removed item to a list of items intended for payment; and detecting, with a detector, items for which a payment transaction is to be executed, the detector having at least one sensor and an evaluator. For detecting the items, at least data of the sensor and the list of items intended for payment is made available to the evaluator as input variables.

A method for a contactless experience, comprising: via server, registering guest information, initiating the experience prior to arrival of a party of guests, wherein said initiating comprises communicating by the server with a smart device corresponding to each of the guests to pre-order items from a menu and specify initial coursing instructions, and adding the pre-order items to an electronic ticket; detecting arrival of the party and communicating arrival to the server; continuing said communicating to enable each of the guests to order additional items and to specify additional coursing instructions, adding the additional items to the electronic ticket, preparing the pre-order and additional items, transmitting notifications to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a server assigned to the guest to deliver prepared items to the guest in accordance with the initial and additional coursing instructions; and delivering the prepared items to the party.

A method for a contactless experience, comprising: via server, registering guest information, initiating the experience prior to arrival of a party of guests, wherein said initiating comprises communicating by the server with a smart device corresponding to each of the guests to pre-order items from a menu and specify initial coursing instructions, and adding the pre-order items to an electronic ticket; detecting arrival of the party and communicating arrival to the server; continuing said communicating to enable each of the guests to order additional items and to specify additional coursing instructions, adding the additional items to the electronic ticket, preparing the pre-order and additional items, transmitting notifications to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal of a server assigned to the guest to deliver prepared items to the guest in accordance with the initial and additional coursing instructions; and delivering the prepared items to the party.

An information processing device includes: a settlement request reception unit that receives a settlement request; an inquiry unit that inquires of an inquiry system in charge of permission determination for settlement using a first settlement method about the settlement permission determination related to the settlement request; a result acquisition unit that acquires a result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; a settlement confirmation request reception unit that is able to receive settlement confirmation requests for inquiring about a settlement result related to the settlement request a plurality of times from a settlement request issuing source while awaiting the result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; and an alternative processing start unit that starts alternative processing to the first settlement method at a timing at which a final settlement confirmation request is received among the settlement confirmation requests received by a first time point determined with reference to the settlement request.

An information processing device includes: a settlement request reception unit that receives a settlement request; an inquiry unit that inquires of an inquiry system in charge of permission determination for settlement using a first settlement method about the settlement permission determination related to the settlement request; a result acquisition unit that acquires a result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; a settlement confirmation request reception unit that is able to receive settlement confirmation requests for inquiring about a settlement result related to the settlement request a plurality of times from a settlement request issuing source while awaiting the result of the settlement permission determination by the inquiry system; and an alternative processing start unit that starts alternative processing to the first settlement method at a timing at which a final settlement confirmation request is received among the settlement confirmation requests received by a first time point determined with reference to the settlement request.

A checkout system is implemented by one or more computers. The checkout system includes: a product detection unit configured to detect a product to be purchased; a determination unit configured to detect whether the product detected by the product detection unit is a restricted product; an input unit configured to receive a designation operation of a settlement method by a customer; a reading unit configured to read settlement information from a settlement medium corresponding to the settlement method; an acquisition unit configured to acquire age information of the customer in accordance with the settlement method; and a processor configured to determine, in a case in which the restricted product is detected by the determination unit, purchase permission process of the restricted product based on whether the age information can be acquired by the acquisition unit.

Solid-state miniature atomic clock (SMAC) within the form factor of an integrated circuit chip (aka microchip) or flexible device. The present invention includes architectures and methods of manufacture of SMACs. SMACs may include one or more vias, with some or all of the vias containing or other material suitable for an antenna. In addition, the SMAC may include a heating device for temperature stabilization.

Disclosed are a printing method using websocket communication and a management method for a websocket communication channel. The printing method includes establishing, by a printing apparatus, a websocket channel for communicating with an external apparatus, requesting, by the printing apparatus, print data from the external apparatus through the websocket channel, determining, by the printing apparatus, whether a predetermined condition associated with an acquisition of the print data is satisfied in response to the request for the print data, and controlling, by the printing apparatus, a channel duration time of the websocket channel when the predetermined condition is satisfied.

Disclosed are a printing method using websocket communication and a management method for a websocket communication channel. The printing method includes establishing, by a printing apparatus, a websocket channel for communicating with an external apparatus, requesting, by the printing apparatus, print data from the external apparatus through the websocket channel, determining, by the printing apparatus, whether a predetermined condition associated with an acquisition of the print data is satisfied in response to the request for the print data, and controlling, by the printing apparatus, a channel duration time of the websocket channel when the predetermined condition is satisfied.

A store management server configured to communicate with a first gate control device that controls a first gate installed in a store includes a network interface, and a processor configured to identify a customer entering the store, acquire customer information about the detected customer, detect that the customer is holding a commodity in the store, acquire sales restriction information about the commodity held by the customer, determine whether the customer is eligible to buy the commodity held by the customer based on the acquired customer information and sales restriction information, and control the network interface to transmit, when it is not determined that the customer is eligible to buy the commodity, a first command to the first gate control device. The first command causes the first gate control device to close the first gate.