JP2004021312A - Label issuing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily recognize the fact from recording when detecting illicitness by surely recording the fact of issuing an illicit label such as cheating a production area name. <P>SOLUTION: An interface part is arranged for giving-receiving data with a freely detachably connected external storage medium. Setting item data including at least a commodity name and the production area name is acquired from various item data printed on an issuing label, and this acquired setting item data is written in the external storage medium connected to the interface part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a label issuing device for printing and issuing a bar code label or the like attached to fresh foods such as meat, fish, vegetables and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, in the case of fresh foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, etc., the value of the same item differs depending on the place of production. For example, in the case of beef from a locality that is trusted by many consumers for good quality and beef from other localities, the former can be sold at a higher value than the latter. Therefore, we want to increase consumers' motivation to purchase products by printing the name of the place of production along with the product name, price, and contents on the barcode label attached to fresh food to appeal to consumers. There was a request.
[0003]
Conventionally, in order to satisfy such a demand, in addition to a PLU file in which a product name, a unit price, and the like of a product to which the PLU code is set are separately stored for each PLU (Price Look Up) code unique to each product, A production location name file that stores and stores the production location names of various products for each production location code is provided. When the production location code is input together with the PLU code of the label issuing target product, the product name corresponding to the PLU code and the price according to the unit price are displayed. A label issuing apparatus for issuing a bar code label on which a production place name corresponding to an inputted production place code is printed has been developed and put to practical use.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, this kind of conventional label issuing device unconditionally issues a bar code label on which a production place name corresponding to the production place code is printed when the production place code is input together with the PLU code. For this reason, for example, a user of a label issuing device such as a food processor that processes meat and packs the meat into an incorrect label by inputting a production code of a production place different from the actual production place in order to increase the value of the product. Issued and attached to the product, it was difficult to find out the fact of this fraud.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention is to provide a label issuing device which can keep a record of the fact that an improper label that deceives the name of the place of production has been issued, and can easily recognize the fact from the record when the fact is found. It is assumed that.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a label issuing apparatus for issuing a label on which item data such as a product name, a place of production, and a price are printed, and to a removable external storage medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and the like. An interface unit is provided for transmitting and receiving the setting item data including at least the product name and the name of the place of production from among various item data printed on the issued label, and the obtained setting item data is connected to the interface unit. It is written on an external storage medium.
[0007]
In the case of a label issuing apparatus employing such means, since the setting item data including the product name and the name of the place of production printed on the issued label is stored and stored in the external storage medium, the data stored in the external storage medium is stored. By analyzing the name, the name of the product or the place of production printed on the issued label can be easily confirmed.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a memory card 2 formatted by a dedicated personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) 1 is used. That is, by attaching the memory card 2 to the label issuing device 3, the log data of the barcode label 4 (see FIG. 4) actually issued from the label issuing device 3 is written to the memory card 2. . The log data stored in the memory card 2 is analyzed by the personal computer 1 so that the fact that an improper label that falsifies the place of production is issued can be recognized. Note that the personal computer for formatting the memory card 2 and the personal computer for analyzing the log data stored in the memory card 2 are not necessarily the same.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined approval code 5 and encryption key data 6 are fixedly recorded on the memory card 2 formatted by the personal computer 1. Further, a log file 7 in which log data is written by the label issuing device 3 is formed.
[0010]
The approval code 5 is a code for certifying that the memory card 2 is used for writing log data of the label issuing device 3, and may be common to all the memory cards 2. It may be different for each memory card 2. The approval code 5 is encrypted, and a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted approval code 5 is set in the label issuing device 3 in advance.
[0011]
The encryption key data 6 is data used for encryption when the label issuing device 3 writes log data to the log file 7, and the decryption key data corresponding to the encryption key data can be obtained only by the personal computer 1. Is managed.
[0012]
The log file 7 includes various items (for example, a product name 41, a production place name 42, a product number 43, a unit price 44, a quantity or weight 45, a price 46, and a processing date 47) printed on the barcode label 4 issued by the label issuing device 3. , Expiration date 48, barcode 49), and stores data of a plurality of items that are set in advance. In this embodiment, the issue date (processing date), product name, production place name and quantity or weight are stored. Are stored as log data.
[0013]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the label issuing device 3. The device 3 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 as a control unit main body. The CPU 11 stores, via a bus line 12 such as an address bus and a data bus, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 13 in which fixed data such as a program is stored in advance, and various memory areas such as a PLU file and a production location name file. (Random Access Memory) 14, in which a clock is formed, a clock section 15 for measuring the current date and time, a communication interface 16, a keyboard controller 17, a display controller 18, a printer controller 19, a balance interface 20, an I / O port 21 and signal input / output units such as a memory card adapter 22 are connected.
[0014]
The communication interface 16 is connected to a host computer (not shown) via a communication line, and transmits and receives data signals to and from the host computer. The keyboard controller 17 receives a signal from a keyboard 23 provided with a key for inputting a PLU code, a production area code and the like, a key for issuing a label, and the like. Also, a signal from the mouse 24 functioning as a pointing device is taken in. The display controller 18 controls the liquid crystal panel 25 to display a product name, a production place name, a unit price, a quantity or weight, a price, and the like. The printer controller 19 outputs print data and control data to the printer 26 that issues and prints the barcode label 4, and causes the printer 26 to issue the label. The scale interface 20 captures the weight data measured by the load cell unit 27. The I / O port 21 exchanges signals with various sensors. The memory card adapter 22 reads data from the memory card 2 that is detachably connected and writes data to the memory card 2, and forms an interface with an external storage medium.
[0015]
The label issuing apparatus having such a configuration is program-controlled so that the CPU 11 particularly executes the label issuing process shown in the flowchart of FIG. This process is started in response to input of a key for issuing a label in a state where data of various items 41 to 49 to be printed on the barcode label 4 is generated and stored in the RAM 14. Note that this processing may be started in response to the weight of the product being measured by the load cell unit 27.
[0016]
When starting the label issuing process, the CPU 11 first determines whether or not the memory card 2 is mounted on the memory card adapter 22 as ST (step) 1 (medium determining unit). Here, when the memory card 2 is not mounted, a message indicating a card error is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 25 to end the processing, and the bar code label 4 is prohibited from being issued (first label issuance prohibited). means).
[0017]
If the memory card 2 is attached to the memory card adapter 22, the encrypted authorization code 5 is read from the memory card 2 and decoded (ST2) (code check means). Here, if the authorization code 5 is not recorded in the memory card 2 or the authorization code 5 can be read but not decoded in ST3, a message indicating a card error is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 25 as well. Is displayed, and this process is terminated, and the bar code label 4 is prohibited from being issued (second label issuance prohibiting means).
[0018]
When the approval code 5 is read from the memory card 2 and decryption is normally performed, the log file 7 formed on the memory card 2 is opened as ST4. Then, among the label print data of the various items 41 to 49 stored in the RAM 14 as ST5, the data of the items set in the log file 7, that is, the issue date (processing date) 47, the product name 41, and the production place name Each item data of 42 and quantity or weight 45 is read (setting item data acquisition means).
[0019]
In step ST6, it is determined whether the reading of the corresponding item data has been completed normally. Then, when the operation is completed normally, the read pertinent item data is encrypted with the encryption key data 6 set in the memory card 2 as ST7. When the encryption is completed, this encrypted data is written to the log file 7 of the memory card 2 as log data in ST8 (medium writing means).
[0020]
In ST9, it is determined whether the writing of the log data has been completed normally (writing determining means). Then, when the operation is completed normally, the log file 7 of the memory card 2 is closed in ST10. Thereafter, the control of the printer 26 is controlled as ST11, and the barcode label 4 is printed and issued based on the data of the various items 41 to 49 stored in the RAM 14 (label issuing control means).
[0021]
Thus, the CPU 11 ends the label issuing process.
If it is determined in ST6 that the reading of the corresponding item data has failed, a message indicating a reading error is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 25, the log file 7 of the memory card 2 is closed, and this process is terminated. If it is determined in ST9 that the writing of the log data has failed, a message indicating a writing error is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 25, the log file 7 of the memory card 2 is closed, and this processing ends. In either case, the barcode label 4 is not printed.
[0022]
As described above, in the label issuing apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment, when a label is instructed while the memory card 2 formatted by the personal computer 1 is mounted on the memory card adapter 22, various types of data printed on the barcode label 4 are output. Of the items 41 to 49, item data such as an issue date (processing date) 47, a product name 41, a production place name 42, and a quantity or weight 45 are extracted and encrypted, and are logged in the log file 7 of the memory card 2. Written as data. When the log data is normally written, the bar code label 4 corresponding to the log data is printed and issued.
[0023]
Therefore, in the log file 7 of the memory card 2, each item of the issue date (processing date) 47, product name 41, production place name 42, and quantity or weight 45 of each barcode label 4 printed and issued by the label issuing device 3. Is stored in an encrypted state. Therefore, by decoding and analyzing the log data stored in the log file 7 with the personal computer 1, it is possible to easily check what kind of barcode label 4 is issued by the user of the label issuing device 3. it can. As a result, for example, it is possible to easily recognize the fact that an improper label that deceives the place of production is issued by comparing the contents of the slip of the product actually purchased by the user with the result analyzed by the personal computer 1. it can.
[0024]
In addition, in the present embodiment, the log data is encrypted and written to the log file 7, and the encrypted log data can be decrypted only by the dedicated personal computer 1. It is possible to prevent the log data stored in the log file 7 of the card 2 from being falsified.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the printing of the corresponding barcode label 4 is performed on condition that the log data is written in the log file 7. Therefore, the log data of the barcode label 4 issued from the label issuing device 3 is reliably stored in the log file 7, so that a user's misconduct can be found with high reliability. In other words, the user's misconduct can be easily confirmed, so that the user does not cheat.
[0026]
Further, in the present embodiment, issuance of a label is prohibited when the memory card 2 is not mounted on the memory card adapter 22. In addition, issuance of a label is also prohibited when the memory card 2 in which the predetermined approval code 5 is not set is inserted. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to issue an incorrect label by removing the memory card 2, or if an attempt is made to issue an incorrect label by mounting the memory card 2 on which the approval code 5 is not recorded, it is impossible to issue the label. Therefore, this kind of fraud can be prevented.
[0027]
In the above-described embodiment, the log data items include the issue date (processing date) 47, the product name 41, the production place name 42, and the quantity or weight 45. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Items necessary from the viewpoint of preventing user's fraud may be extracted and recorded as log data. Further, the label is not limited to the barcode label 4.
[0028]
Further, the external recording medium having the log file 7 for storing the log data is not limited to the memory card 2, but may be a general-purpose external recording medium such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk which can be read by a computer. Any recording medium may be used.
[0029]
In addition, it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, for example, by applying the present invention to a label issuing device having no load cell unit 27.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to keep a record of the fact that an improper label that deceives the name of the place of production is issued, and when the fraud is discovered, the fact can be easily recognized from this record. It is possible to provide a label issuing device capable of performing the above.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram used for schematically describing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a memory area configuration of a memory card used in the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the label issuing device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a label issued from the label issuing device of the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a label issuing process executed by a CPU of the label issuing device according to the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Personal computer 2 ... Memory card 3 ... Label issuing device 4 ... Barcode label 5 ... Approval code 6 ... Encryption key data 7 ... Log file 22 ... Memory card adapter

Claims (5)

In a label issuing device that issues a label printed with item data such as a product name, a production place name, and a price,
An interface unit that exchanges data with an external storage medium that is detachably connected;
Setting item data acquisition means for acquiring setting item data including at least a product name and a production place name from among various item data printed on the issue label;
A label writing device comprising: a medium writing unit that writes the setting item data obtained by the setting item data obtaining unit into the external storage medium connected to the interface unit. 2. The label issuing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium writing unit writes the setting item data in an encrypted form. Writing determination means for determining whether the setting item data has been normally written to the external storage medium by the medium writing means,
3. The label issuing control unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a label issuing control unit that issues a label including the setting item data on condition that the setting item data has been normally written by the writing determination unit. Label issuing device. Medium presence / absence determination means for determining whether or not the external storage medium is connected to the interface unit;
3. The label issuing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising first label issuing prohibiting means for inhibiting label issuance when the medium presence / absence determining means determines that the external storage medium is not connected. . When the medium presence / absence determination unit determines that the external storage medium is connected, an approval code check unit that checks whether a predetermined approval code is recorded in the external storage medium, and the check unit checks the external storage medium 5. The label issuing device according to claim 4, further comprising a second label issuing prohibiting unit for prohibiting the issuance of a label when it is confirmed that the authorization code is not recorded.

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