Systems and methods for operating an Electronic Smart Tag (EST). The methods involve: operating the EST in a first operational state in which first item related information is output from an electronic output device of the EST that is powered by an energy storage device storing energy harvested from an external energy source; detecting when a charge level of the energy storage device reaches or falls below a first threshold level; and transitioning an operational state of the EST from the first operational state to a second operation state in which a message is output from EST requesting that a mobile device be placed in proximity to the EST for purposes of obtaining at least a first portion of the first item related information, in response to the detection that the charge level of the energy storage device has reached or fallen below the first threshold level.

Systems and methods for operating an Electronic Smart Tag (EST). The methods involve: operating the EST in a first operational state in which first item related information is output from an electronic output device of the EST that is powered by an energy storage device storing energy harvested from an external energy source; detecting when a charge level of the energy storage device reaches or falls below a first threshold level; and transitioning an operational state of the EST from the first operational state to a second operation state in which a message is output from EST requesting that a mobile device be placed in proximity to the EST for purposes of obtaining at least a first portion of the first item related information, in response to the detection that the charge level of the energy storage device has reached or fallen below the first threshold level.

The present invention provides a processing system 10 which includes a display 2 in which an object is placed on a display surface on which information is displayed, and an arithmetic operation apparatus 5 that detects a placement position of the object, which is placed on the display surface, on the display surface based on image data generated by a camera 4 capturing an image of the display surface of the display 2, and causes the display 2 to display information indicating the placement position.

A self-service checkout counter is disclosed. In implementations of the present specification, the checkout counter includes a countertop for holding at least one product; a lighting panel disposed opposite to the countertop, wherein the lighting panel comprises at least one light source that provides lighting to items placed on the countertop; a pole that connects the countertop and the lighting panel, and supports the lighting panel; and a plurality of cameras that shoot images of items placed on the countertop, wherein the images are used to perform product identification and pricing and at least a part of the plurality of cameras are disposed on the lighting panel.

A price verification system for efficient verification of a transaction price when the price is disputed or missing is described. The price verification system uses current images of the item location within a retail environment to determine a shelf price for the item. The shelf price is compared to the price registered a point of sale terminal and displayed to the customer in order to determine if a price adjustment is needed.

A commodity container includes a main body having a container space, first and second antennas, and a processing circuit. The first antenna is configured to receive tag information from one or more wireless tags in a first range covering at a first region of the container space. The second antenna is configured to receive tag information from one or more wireless tags in a second range covering at a second region the container space. The second range is different from the first range. The processing circuit is configured to store tag information received by the first antenna in a data storage unit, determine whether or not tag information received by the second antenna corresponds to the stored tag information, and generate a control signal for generation of a user notification when the tag information received by the second antenna does not correspond to the stored tag information.

A purchase support system includes a server including a memory storing a list of commodities and purchase conditions specified by a customer, and a first processor, and a terminal including a display, a camera acquiring an image, and a second processor transmitting the image to the server. The first processor, upon receipt of the image from the terminal, identifies commodities in the image, determines first commodities that are included in the list of commodities and are also identified in the image, generates second information indicating where the first commodities are displayed, and transmits the first and second information to the terminal, and the second processor, upon receipt of the first and second information, controls the display to display, in the image, guidance images each indicating a location of a first commodity and whether the first commodity satisfies the purchase condition.

A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product. The ECR emulation hub acts like an ECR, thereby requiring no special software or hardware modifications to existing pricing display systems that already support ECRs.

A system in which a terminal device communicates with a server and processes data enables the terminal device to continue processing data even when a communication fault occurs. A data processing device has a data storage unit storing data processing device-side master data, connects through a server communication path to a server, updates the data processing device-side master data stored in the data storage unit based on server-side master data stored by the server, connects to a tablet through a process communication path, responds based on the data processing device-side master data stored by the data storage unit to a master data transmission request sent by the tablet, and receives the process information sent by the tablet.

A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product. The ECR emulation hub acts like au ECR, thereby requiring no special software or hardware modifications to existing pricing display systems that already support ECRs.