JPS63316294A - Goods information output system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a point of sale system (POS system).
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for outputting product information such as price and product name of sales registered products in a POS system.

[Conventional technology]

In general, the product management system in a store has the lowest layer containing individual products (
Item), the upper layer is a product group (item group) that collects multiple products, the layer above that is a department that collects multiple product groups, and the layer above that is a major classification. The data files in the POs system are hierarchical according to this product management system, including data files (PLO files) for the price lookup (PLU) function, and data files (PLO files) corresponding to the hierarchy of product groups. IQ file) etc. at each store, and each master file at the headquarters that oversees all stores.

A PLU file is a file that stores individual product records consisting of items such as price and product name for each individual product, and an IO file is a file that stores product group records consisting of items such as product name for each product group. , examples of each are shown in FIG.

The individual product record in the PLU file 1 shown in FIG. 4 consists of PLU code (key item), price, product name (text), linked product group code, and various management information items. Furthermore, the product group record in the IG file 2 consists of a product group code (key item), product name (text), linked department code, and various management information items.

In conventional POS systems equipped with such files, when the code printed on the product is read by the barcode reader of the PO8 terminal when registering the sale of the product, this code is converted to a PLU code, and this PLU code is read.
A search (price lookup) of the PLU file is performed using the U code, and an individual product record corresponding to the registered sales product is read. The contents of the price item and product name item in this individual product record are displayed on the display of the corresponding PO8 terminal as product information regarding the sales registered product, and are also printed on the receipt by the printer. At this time, the sales amount and number of sales items for each individual product, and the sales amount of the corresponding product group are also updated.

Now, since IQ files are classified according to predetermined classifications, their data is rarely changed or replaced. On the other hand, with FLU files, it is often necessary to change or replace data (file maintenance) for about several dozen items every day in accordance with the movement of products within a store.

This file maintenance is basically carried out from a host computer at the headquarters through a communication line to the files of each store all at once. However, for products that have been left out of this file maintenance process, it is necessary to perform file maintenance at each store by operating a keyboard.

Regarding the PLU file in the POS system as mentioned above, for example, the book [PO8 Introduction for Store Automation] (Zenben, Ohmsha Co., Ltd., 1932)
(September 25, 1999), pages 21, 22, 90, 91, etc. Further, the basic configuration of the POS system is described, for example, in the magazine [Software Science J (July 1972 issue), pages 23 to 29.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Now, if a product that is not registered in the PLU file is found in one store, it is necessary to perform maintenance to additionally register this product. in this case.

It is often desirable to set and additionally register only the data that does not interfere with the operation of the POS system and use it on the day of operation.

In particular, when it comes to product names (text), it is necessary to type each character one by one while referring to the operation manual using the keyboard layout for product sales registration, which takes a considerable amount of time. If you can omit setting item data, you can save files and files for additional product registration.
The burden of maintenance work is significantly reduced.

However, in the conventional POS system as described above, the data setting of product items is omitted and the product is added to the PLU file9. If the product name is recorded, the product name on the display and receipt will be blank when registering sales of the product, making it impossible to identify the product, significantly impairing serviceability, and interfering with the operation of the POS system. Omission of such settings for product name item data was not allowed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a product that enables a POS system to print and/or display a receipt with information that allows sufficient recognition of the product, even if the product is additionally registered in the PLU file without setting data in the product name field. The objective is to provide an information output method.

[Means for solving problems]

The above purpose is to have a PLU file and an IO file, and at the time of product sales registration, read the individual product record corresponding to the sales registered product from the PLU file, and create a receipt with the contents of the price and product name items as product information. In a POS system that prints and/or displays on a display device, determines whether the item of product name in the individual product record of the sales registered product read from the PLU file is unset, and determines that it is unset. In this case, the product group record corresponding to the product group to which the sales registration product belongs is read from the IG file, and the contents of the product name item in the product group record are printed on the receipt as the contents of the product name item of the individual product record. and/or by displaying on a display.

[For production]

For example, when chocolate is considered as a product, the names of individual products vary, but the comprehensive name "chocolate" for various chocolate products is set in the product name field of the product group record.

Therefore, according to the present invention, for a certain chocolate product, data setting of the product name item is omitted and P LtJ
Add to file<? Even if you perform U, when registering the sales of that chocolate product, "chocolate", which is the content of the product name field of the corresponding product group record, will be output, and this will make it possible to recognize the product, making it easier to operate the PoS system. No particular hindrance will be caused. In other words, it is possible to simplify the PLU file maintenance work and shorten the time by one hour without hindrance to the operation of the PoS system.6 [Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. This will be explained with reference to Figure 3.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a product information output method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a PoS system to which this product information output method is applied.

First, in FIG. 2, 3 is a host system installed at the headquarters, and 4 is a store controller installed at each store, which is connected to the host system 3 via 1 communication line.

Reference numeral 5 denotes PO8 terminals installed in the store, and generally a plurality of these terminals are connected to the store controller 4 via transmission lines. The store controller 4 has a PLU file 6.
, IG file 7, and the like. Each PO
The terminal 5 is equipped with input means such as a barcode reader for reading product codes, a display device for displaying product information such as price and product name, and a printer for issuing receipts. 1 Not shown.

Next, FIG. 1 will be explained. 8 is a processing control unit for performing processing such as determining the presence or absence of data settings, which will be described later, and controlling each part, and 9 is a PLU for searching the PLU file 6.
A search unit 10 is an IG search unit that searches the IG file 7. These functional units are provided in the store controller 4 in FIG.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a product information output unit for outputting product information (price and product name) given from the processing control unit to the display of the PO8 terminal 3 and the receipt issuing printer.

Practically, the product information is sent from the store controller 4 to the corresponding PO8 terminal 5 through a transmission line, and output to the display and printer via the control mechanism within the PO8 terminal. That is, the product information output section 11 performs its functions in cooperation with a control mechanism within the PO8 terminal via a transmission line.

Next, the operation of outputting product information (price, product name) of a product whose sales have been registered at a certain PO8 terminal 5 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of this operation.

When the processing control unit 8 receives a command related to product sales registration, the processing control unit 8 inputs the product code (PO8) input from the PO8 terminal 5.
8) The code read from the product by the barcode reader of the terminal 5) is converted into a PLU code (step ■). Although such code conversion is generally required, if the code system of the product code and PLU code is the same,
There may be cases where code conversion is not required.

Next, the processing control unit 8 gives this PLU code to the PLU search unit 9 to activate it. The PLU search unit 9 searches for the PL
Search PLU file 6 using the U code as a key,
An individual product record having the same key is searched for and passed to the processing control unit 8 (step ■).

The processing control section 8 determines whether or not the data of the product name item in the individual product record received from the PLU search section 9 is set (step 2). If the data for the product name item is set, the processing control unit 8 passes the contents of the price item and product name item in the individual product record as product information to the product information output unit 11, and activates it. The product information output unit 11 outputs this product information to the display and printer of the corresponding PO8 terminal 5, and when the product information is displayed, it is printed on the receipt (step (4)
).

On the other hand, if the data of the product name item in the individual product record retrieved from the PLU file 6 is unset (blank), the processing control unit 8 controls the "consolidated product group code J%" in the individual product record. The content of the item, that is, the product group code is given to the IQ search unit 10 and it is activated.

The IQ search unit 1o searches for IQ using the product group code as a key.
The file 7 is searched to find a product group record with a matching key and passed to the processing control unit 8 (step 2).

The processing control unit 10 takes the content of the product name item in this product group record as a product name, and creates product information by combining it with the content of the price item in the previously searched individual product record.
The information is passed to the product information output unit 11 and activated (step ■). The product information output unit 11 outputs this product information to the corresponding P.
The data is output to the display and printer of the O8 terminal 5 (step ■).

For example, the registered sales product is "Nakamoto Chocolate",
Assume that the data in the product name field of the individual product record A is not set (see FIG. 1). It is also assumed that product group record B in the IQ file 7 corresponds to a chocolate group including "Mon*Chocolate" and that the content of the product name item (text) is "chocolate" (see FIG. 1).

In this case, product group record B is searched using the contents of the [Consolidated product group code] item of individual product record A as a key, and the contents of the product name item "chocolate" and the price item in individual product record A are searched. The combination with the contents will be output as product information, which will be displayed on the display of the PO8 terminal 5 and printed on the receipt. In other words, the product name field will not be left blank as in the past, but instead
``Chocolate'' is displayed or printed instead of ``Nakamoto Chocolate'', which allows for sufficient sales of products.
i! Therefore, there is no particular problem in system operation.

In other words, by omitting the most troublesome and time-consuming data setting of product name items during maintenance of the PLU file 6 in the store, the maintenance work of the PLU file 6 can be simplified and speeded up. There is no particular problem in the operation of the POS system.

In this embodiment, the contents of the product name item in the product group record read from the IG file 7 are unconditionally output as the product name. However, it is checked whether the data for the product name item in the product group record is set, and if it is not set,
A record corresponding to a product group record (that is, a record of a larger product group) is read from a department data file at a higher level than the IO file 7, and the contents of the item corresponding to the product name are output as the product name. Alternatively, a file obtained by integrating the IO file and the department file (or a part thereof) may be used as an upper file of the PLU file 6 (corresponding to the IG file 7 in this embodiment).

Also, sales 9. @If the data in the product name field in the individual product record of a product is not set, the contents of the product name field in the corresponding product group record will be automatically temporarily set in the product name field in the individual product record. You may also do so.

In this way, when recording the sales of the product for the second and subsequent times, it is possible to output product information without searching the IG file 7, and processing efficiency can be improved.

Furthermore, the product information output method of the present invention is not limited to the POS system having the configuration shown in FIG. Similar application is possible to other POS systems.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, even for products that are cataloged in the data file of individual products without setting product name data, information that allows identification of the product is provided at the time of sales registration. Because it is output, it is possible to simplify the file maintenance work for adding additional product records and shorten the time, without causing any special problems in the operation of the POS system such as a significant deterioration in serviceability. effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a POS system according to the same embodiment, FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart of product information output operation, and FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a PLO file and an IG file. 3... Host system, 4... Store controller, 5... PO8 terminal, 6... PLU file, 7... IG file, 8... Processing control unit, 9...
...PLU search section, 10...IQ search section, 11.
・Product information output section. Representative Patent Attorney Makoto Suzuki'-゛ ゝ：5.
1- Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A first file that stores individual product records consisting of items such as price and product name for each individual product, and a second file that stores product group records consisting of items such as product name for each product group. At the time of product sales registration, the individual product record corresponding to the sales registered product is read from the first file, and the contents of the price and product name items are printed and/or displayed on the receipt as product information. In the point-of-sale information management system displayed on the device, it is determined whether the item of product name in the individual product record of the sales registered product read from the first file is unset, and it is determined that it is unset. reads the product group record corresponding to the product group to which the sales registered product belongs from the second file, and prints the contents of the product name item in the product group record on the receipt as the contents of the product name item of the individual product record. A product information output method characterized by displaying the product information on a display device and/or displaying it on a display device.