This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-330116, filed on Dec. 25, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The embodiment discussed herein is related to a system and method of providing information related to a product.
In recent years, at many eating establishments, such as family restaurants, toys are provided to customers with children. The provision of toys helps to keep children from leaving the table from the time of order until the meal is served (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-4696).
However, since the toys can be played with away from the table, some children leave the table to play.
According to an aspect of an embodiment, an information providing system includes a display unit installed in a table and having on the table, a display screen that displays an image of a product; a detecting unit that detects placement of an object at the position of the displayed image; and a display control unit that causes content related to the product to be displayed on the display screen when placement of the object at the position of the image is detected by the detecting unit.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. An information providing system of the embodiment is, for example, introduced at eating establishments, such as restaurants, bars, food courts, etc.
Consequently, placement of the toy 104 on the circular
Placement of the toy 104 on the circular
The host computer 501 is a computer governing overall control of the information providing system 500. The host computer 501, specifically, executes processing for providing information according to the embodiment, conventional processing for order entry, etc. The host computer 501 includes a database (DB) 504. The DB 504 stores therein various types of data such as product masters, client masters, the product images 200, the content 201, etc.
The ordering terminal 502 is a computer that transmits data to the host computer 501 and is carried by a clerk. The clerk inputs, into the ordering terminal 502, the table number of the table 100 at which a customer is sitting and the product codes of items ordered. The settlement terminal 503 is a computer that settles the amount due when the customer leaves the eating establishment. Settlement information is transmitted to the host computer 501. Further, notification of settlement completion is transmitted from the settlement terminal 503 or through the host computer 501 to the display apparatus 302 of the table 100 at which the customer who has paid was seated.
The CPU 601 governs overall control of the computer 600. The storage apparatus 602 stores therein various types of information and specifically, for example, is formed by recording media such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk drive and magnetic disk, etc. The input apparatus 603 includes input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a numeric key pad, buttons, etc. The display 604 displays various types of information. The communication I/F 605 is a module executing communication with other computers, the display apparatuses 302, etc.
The memory 702 stores therein various programs as well as table management information and map information. Map information is a background image representing paths such as the image of the maze 102 depicted in
The communication I/F 703 is a module executing communication with the host computer 501. The display panel 704 includes the display screen 101 and is provided to be viewable from a surface of the table 100. The reader 312, as depicted in
Further, the display panel 704 displayed in
A pointer to a product image 200 is an address pointing to a product image 200. A pointer to content 201 is an address pointing to content 201 related to a product. The product master 900, excluding the pointers to the product images 200 and to the content 201, is further stored in the ordering terminal, the settlement terminal 503 etc.
An ordered product code is the product code of a product ordered by a customer. A settlement completion flag is a flag indicating whether a customer has settled the bill. In the present example, if the bill has not been settled, the value is “0”; and if settled, the value is “1”.
Since the clerk knows the position where the circular
Further, the clerk operates the ordering terminal 502 that he carries and inputs the table number of the table 100 at which customers are seated (step S1203). By a pressing of a transmission button, the ordering terminal 502 transmits order information (the input table number and ordered product code(s)) to the host computer 501 (step S1204).
The host computer 501, upon receiving the order information, executes order entry processing identical to a conventional order entry system, and generates a record for the table 100 in the customer master 1000 (step S1205).
The host computer 501 then accesses the product master 900, uses, as a clue, the ordered product code written in the record to identify the pointer to the product image 200, and extracts from the DB 504, a product image 200 correlated with the ordered product code (step S1206). The host computer 501 transmits the extracted product image 200 and the ordered product code thereof to the display apparatus 302 identified by the table number included in the order information (step S1207). In the target screen area, map information is displayed (step S1208).
Subsequently, content display processing is executed (step S1209). Content display processing (step S1209) is repeatedly executed each time the toy 104 is detected. Specifically, for example, the placement of the toy 104 on the circular
Specifically, as depicted in
The host computer 501 accesses the product master 900, uses the ordered product code included in the received detection information as a clue to identify the pointer to the content 201 related to the product, and extracts from the DB 504, the content 201 correlated with the ordered product code (step S1293). The host computer 501 transmits the extracted content 201 together with the detection information to the display apparatus 302 identified by the table number included in the detection information (step S1294).
The display apparatus 302 uses the content 201 together with the reader ID in the received detection information as a clue to read out, from the table management information 1100, position information for the reader 312. The position indicated by the read-out position information is offset by a given amount and at the resulting position, the content 201 is displayed (step S1295). Thus, since content 201 related to the product for which the product image 200 is displayed at the position where the toy 104 has been placed may be displayed, during the time until the meal is served, the child C is not bored and an enjoyable learning experience with respect to dietary education is possible.
Subsequently, when the customer leaves after finishing the meal, the settlement terminal 503 executes settlement processing (step S1210). In the settlement processing, the table number of the table 100 at which the customer was seated is input to the settlement terminal 503 and, the product master 900 and the customer master 1000 are referenced to calculate the charges to be settled by the customer.
When settlement information is transmitted to the host computer 501 (step S1211), the host computer 501 refers to the table number of the settlement information and raises the settlement completion flag (changes the value from “0” to “1”) in the corresponding record in the customer master 1000 (step S1212). Then, the host computer 501 transmits settlement completion notification to the display apparatus 302 corresponding to the table number (step S1213). The display apparatus 302, upon receiving the settlement completion notification, turns off the target screen area (step S1214). Consequently, the resetting of the target screen area is able to occur automatically at the time of settlement thereby reducing the workload of the clerk.
As described, according to the embodiment, during the time a customer waits for the meal to be served, a child C is able to play with a toy 104 and map information while learning about food. Thus, the child C does not leave the table and the waiting time may be put to effective use in conjunction with promoting the dietary education of the child C. Further, in the embodiment, an example has been given where the toy 104 is car; however, configuration is not limited hereto, and the toy 104 may be a stuffed animal, a doll, a comic book, picture book, etc. Further, the child C may be allowed to choose from among various items.
In the embodiment, the display apparatus 302 is integrated with the table 100; however, the display apparatus 302 may be independent of the table 100. In this case, by placing the display apparatus 302 on the table 100 in front of the position where the child C is seated, information may be provided without a partitioning into screen areas. Further, existing tables may be used as is and hence, renovation work is unnecessary thereby making introduction simple and easy.
In the embodiment, through the contactless communication between the RFID tag 311 in the toy 104 and the reader 312 in the table 100, placement of the toy 104 on the table 100 is detected; however, configuration is not limited hereto and the position of the toy 104 may be recognized by a camera (not depicted) equipped above the table 100 to detect that the toy 104 has been placed on the table 100.
Further, in place of the RFID tag 311, the toy 104 may be equipped with an optoelectro conversion element (e.g., a photodiode) and a wireless communication device.
The wireless communication device 1402 detects that the photodiode 1401 has received light and transmits through the network 510 to the host computer 501, detection information indicating that the toy 104 has been placed on the circular
Thus, through the use of the photodiode 1401 and the wireless communication device 1402, installation of the reader 312 in the table 100 is unnecessary. Therefore, since an existing table may be used as is, renovation work is unnecessary thereby enabling easy and simple introduction.
The information providing method explained in the present embodiment may be implemented by a computer, such as a personal computer and a workstation, executing a program that is prepared in advance. The program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a hard disk, a flexible disk, a CD-ROM, an MO, and a DVD, and is executed by being read out from the recording medium by a computer. The program may be distributed through a network such as the Internet.
All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2008-330116 | Dec 2008 | JP | national |