GB2152723A

GB2152723A - Electronic cash registers

Info

Publication number: GB2152723A
Application number: GB08430808A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fusahiro Shiono
Original assignee: Sharp Corp
Current assignee: Sharp Corp
Priority date: 1983-12-07
Filing date: 1984-12-06
Publication date: 1985-08-07
Also published as: GB8430808D0; DE3444559C2; DE3444559A1; GB2152723B

Abstract

A master/slave electronic cash register system includes a plurality of slave electronic cash registers SL1, SL2 and a master electronic cash register MA, connected to each slave electronic cash register via a data communication line L1. Each slave electronic cash register includes a keyboard panel to introduce a customer code number and the transaction data related to the customer in the registration operation. The thus introduced customer code number and the transaction data are transmitted to the master electronic cash register, and stored in a predetermined memory section in the master electronic cash register. When a desired customer code number is introduced from a keyboard panel included in the master electronic cash register in the payment operation, the transaction data related to the customer code number is read out from the predetermined memory section so as to conduct the payment operation at the master electronic cash register. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Centered storage in a master/slave electronic cash register system BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a master/ slave electronic cash register system and, more particularly, to a data storage system in a master/slave electronic cash register system wherein a plurality of slave electronic cash registers are commonly connected to a mater electronic cash register through a communication line.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A master/slave electronic cash register system has been proposed in, for example, copending U. S. Patent Application Ser. No.

370,296 "DATA TRANSFER CONTROL IN A REGISTER-IN-LINE SYSTEM", filed on April 20, 1982 by Fusahiro SHIONO and Soichi OHNISHI, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The British counterpart was published on February 2, 1983 as GB 2,102,604 A. The German counterpart was published on November 18, 1 982 as DE 3,216,029 Al. In the conventional master/slave electronic cash register system, both the master electronic cash register and the slave electronic cash registers are constructed to perform both the registration operation and the payment operation. That is, each slave electronic cash register stores the transaction data which is registered into the slave electronic cash register.The master electronic cash register checks the transaction data stored in each of the slave electronic cash registers when the read operation is conducted. In the conventional master/slave electronic cash register system of the above-mentioned type, the transaction data stored in the master electronic cash register is not changed even when the read operation is conducted.

The transaction data registered in the slave electronic cash registers is not stored in the master electronic cash register.

On the other hand, an electronic cash register has been developed, which has a PB LOOK UP function. The PB LOOK UP function means an operation wherein a balance of each customer is stored in an electronic cash register, and the balance is updated each time when the transaction occurs in connection with the customer. When such an electronic cash register having the PB LOOK UP function is used in a master/slave electronic cash register system employed in, for example, a restaurant, it is very effective if a master electronic cash register stores the balance of the transaction data of each customer which is registered by a plurality of slave electronic cash registers, and the payment operation for the entire transactions can be conducted at the master electronic cash register.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVEN TION OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a master/slave electronic cash register system wherein the payment operation is conducted at the master electronic cash register in connection with the transaction data which is registered at a plurality of slave electronic cash registers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a master/slave electronic cash register system which is suited for use in a restaurant wherein the registration operation is conducted at various places in a store and the payment operation is conducted at a specific place, for example, at the exit of the restaurant.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above objects, pursuant to an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of slave electronic cash registers are connected via a common communication line to a master electronic cash register. Each slave electronic cash register has an input keyboard to register the transaction data, and a master electronic cash register has a memory system which stores a customer code number and the transaction data related to each customer. When the transaction data and the customer code number are introduced from the input keyboard of any one of the slave electronic cash registers in the registration mode, the cusomer code number and the transaction data are transmitted to the master electronic cash register so that the transaction data stored in the memory section corresponding to the customer code number is updated.

When the customer code number is introduced from an input keyboard of the master electronic cash register, the transaction data stored in the memory section corresponding to the introduced customer code number is read out, whereby the payment operation is conducted at the master electronic cash register.

In another preferred form, a plurality of master electronic cash registers are provided, each of which is connected to a plurality of slave electronic cash registers so as to form plural groups of the master/slave electronic cash register system. A super master electronic cash register is provided, which is commonly connected to the plurality of master electronic cash registers. The super master electronic cash register has a plurality of memory sections each of which stores the transaction total data stored in each of the plurality of master electronic cash registers.

The transaction data stored in the super master electronic cash register is utilized for the group by group administration purpoess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be better understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a master/slave electronic cash register system of the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of an electronic cash register included in the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a schematic table showing the contents stored in a memory system of a slave electronic cash register included in the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a schematic table showing the contents stored in a memory system of a master electronic cash register included in the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1;; Figure 5 is a schematic table showing the contents stored in a memory system of a super master electronic cash register included in the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1; Figures 6(A) and 6(B) are flow charts for explaining a registration operation conducted by the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1; Figure 7 is a flow chart for explaining a payment operation conducted by the master/ slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1; and Figure 8 is a flow chart for explaining a group total operation conducted by the master/slave electronic cash register system of Fig. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI MENTS Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a master/ slave electronic cash register system of the present invention. A plurality of slave electronic cash registers SL, through SL, are com monly connected to a master electronic cash register MA1 via a common communication line L,. A plurality of slave electronic cash registers SL1 +1 through SLm are commonly connected to a master electronic cash register MA2 via a common communication line L2.

Further, a plurality of slave electronic cash registers Sol,,, through SL, are commonly connected to a master electronic cash register MAk via common communication line Lk. Each of the slave electronic cash registers SL1 through SL1 is installed at a desired position in, for example, a restaurant, and the slave electronic cash registers SL1 through SL1 form a first group. The slave electronic cash registers So1 + through SL form a second group, and each of which is installed at a desired position in the restaurant. The slave electronic cash registers Slut 1 through SL, form the kth group, and each of which is installed at a desired position in the restaurant.Each of the slave electronic cash registers functions as the registration-only electronic cash register. The grouping can be conducted in a manner, for example, that the first group is assigned to the slave electronic cash registers installed on the first floor in the restaurant, the second group is assigned to the slave electronic cash registers installed on the second floor, and the k-th group is assigned to the slave electronic cash registers installed on the k-th floor. Each of the master electronic cash registers is located at, for example, the entrance (exit) of the restaurant, and functions as the paymentonly electronic cash register. Further, the master electronic cash registers MA1 through MAk are commonly connected to a super master electronic cash register M via a common communication line L0.The master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk and the slave electronic cash registers SL1 through SL, are controlled by the slave electronic cash register activation. The super master electronic cash register M and the master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk are controlled by the super master electronic cash register activation. In Fig. 1, the broken line represents the transmission of the registered data.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an electronic cash register (super master electronic cash register, master electronic cash register and slave electronic cash register). Each of the electronic cash registers (super master, master and slave) includes a numeral data input keyboard (N) 11 for introducing the unit cost data, the quantity data, etc., and a function keyboard (F) 1 2 which includes department keys, a PLU (Price Look Up) key, a customer code key, a total key, etc. A key encoder (K/E) 13 is connected to the numeral data input keyboard (N) 11 and the function keyboard (F) 1 2. A central processing unit (CPU) 14 controls the system operation, and a read only memory (ROM) 1 5 stores the control program to be applied to the central processing unit (CPU) 14. A random access memory (RAM) 1 6 stores the transaction data registered into the electronic cash register. The electronic cash register further includes a pin ter (P) 17, a display panel (D) 18, a transmission buffer (TB) 19, a transmission controller (Tc) 20, a transmission interface (T1/F) 21, and a mode switch (M-S) 22 for selecting the operational mode between the master mode (M) and the slave mode (S).

Fig. 3 shows the contents stored in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6 of the slave electronic cash registers SL, through SL,,. The random access memory (RAM) 1 6S includes a customer code area A, a total area B, a department memory area C, a PLU memory area D, and a transaction data memory area E for storing the transaction data related to one customer. The PLU memory area D stores the unit cost information at a section D1, and the quantity data at a section D2 Fig. 4 shows the contents stored in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6 of the master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk.The random access memory 16MA includes a customer memory area N, a department accumulation memory area Cm, a PLU accumulation memory area Dm, and a grand accumulation memory area Tm.

Fig. 5 shows the contents stored in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6 of the super master electronic cash register M. The random access memory (RAM) 1 6M includes a department total memory area Ctm, a PLU total memory area Dtm, a group total memory area Tgm, and a grand total memory area Ttm.

Figs. 6(A) and 6(B) shown an operational flow in the registration operation. The slave electronic cash registers SL, through SL, are set to the registration-only electronic cash registers, and the master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk are set to the paymentonly electronic cash tregisters through the use of the mode switch (M-S) 22. Now assume that a customer appears at the slave electronic cash register SL,. and orders some articles.

First, the operator of the slave electronic cash register SL, introduces the customer code number (for example, "1") through the numeral data input keyboard (N) 11. The customer code number "1" is assigned to the specific customer, and the customer code number "1" is also used when the specific customer appears at a different slave electronic cash register. Then, the operator actuates the customer code key included in the function keyboard (F) 1 2 so as to indicate that the numeral ''1'' is the customer code number. The central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 functions to introduce the customer code number "1" into the customer code area A included in the random access memory (RAM) 16S (step n1).

Thereafter, the operator introduces the quantity information (for example, "2") ordered by the customer through the numeral data input keyboard (N) 11 and the function keyboard (F) 1 2 into the central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 (step n2). Then, the operator actuates one of the PLU keys corresponding to the ordered article (step n3). The central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 functions to select the memory portion in the PLU memory area D corresponding to the introduced PLU code (step n4). Further, the central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 functions to read out the unit cost information (for example, 500 Yen) which has been preset in the selected memory portion of the PLU memory area D of the random access memory (RAM) 1 6S (step n5).Then, the central processing unit (CPU) 14 conducts the calculation, (quantity) x (unit cost) (step n6).

The calculation results and the introduced transaction data are memorized in the transaction data memory area E (step n7). Further, the introduced data and the calculation result are printed out by the printer (P) 17, and are displayed on the display panel (D) 1 8 (step n8). The steps n2 through n8 are repeated to complete the registration of the articles ordered by the customer. When the registration related to one customer is completed (step n9), the operator actuates the total key included in the function keyboard (F) 1 2 so as to inform the central processing unit CPU) 14 of the completion of the registration operation (step n10).In response thereto, the central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 functions to add the transaction data stored in the transaction data memory area E (step null). The addition result is introduced into the total area B of the random access memory (RAM) 16S. the deparment total stored in the department memory area C and the quantity data stored in the quantity data memory section D2 are updated in accordance with the transaction data stored in the transaction data memory area E (step n12). Further, the addition result and the customer code number are printed out onto a bill by the printer (P) 17, and are displayed on the display panel (D) 18 (step n13).

Thereafter, the central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 functions to transmit the transmission command to the master electronic cash register (MA,) via the common communication line L1 through the use of the transmission buffer 19, the transmision controller 20 and the transmission interface 21 (step n14).

When the transmission command is received by the master electronic cash register MA1, the master electronic cash register MA, checks whether the master electronic cash register MA1 is now in a condition suited for the reception of the transmission (steps n21 and n22). The ditermination result is sent back to the slave electronic cash register SL as the disapprove command (step n23) or the approve command (step n24). The slave electronic cash register SL1 repeats steps n14 through n16 until the approve command is transmitted from the master electronic cash register MA,.When the approve command is received, the customer code number stored in the customer code area A, the total data stored in the total area B and the transaction data related to the customer which is stored in the transaction data memory area E of the random access memory (RAM) 1 6S are transmitted to the master electronic cash register MA, (step n17). The contents stored in the customer code area A, the total area B and the transaction data memory area E are cleared after the transmission (steps n 1 8 and n19).When the master electronic cash register MA, receives the transaction data transmitted from the slave electronic cash register SL, (step n25), the master electronic cash register MA, checks the customer code number (step n26), and functions to select a memory address (for example, the address "1") in the customer memory area N of the random access memory (RAM) 16MA in accordance with the customer code number transmitted from the slave electronic cash register SL1 (step n27). The total data which has been stored in the total area B is introduced into the thus selected memory address and is accumulated.Further, the department transaction accumulated data stored in the department accumulation memory area Cm, and the PLU accumulated data stored in the PLU accumulation memory area Dm are updated in accordance with the transaction data which has been stored in the transaction data memory area E and has been transmitted to the master electronic cash register MA, (step n28). In this way, the registration operation is completed (step n29).

If a customer appears at the slave electronic cash register SL2, the registration operation is conducted in a same manner, and the transaction data is transmitted to the master electronic cash register MA, and stored therein. If the same customer having the customer code number "1" orders other articles at the slave electronic cash register SL2, the transaction data is introduced into the same memory address in the customer memory area N so as to accumulate the transaction data related to the customer having the customer code number "1".In the same manner, the master electronic cash register MA2 stores the transaction data which is registered through the slave electronic cash registers Sol1 + 1 through SLrn. That is, each of the master electronic cash registers MA1 through MAk stores the transaction data which is registered through the slave electronic cash registers belonging to the corresponding group.

Fig. 7 shows an operational flow in the payment operation. Now a'ssume that a customer appears at the master electronic cash register MAt disposed at the exist of the restaurant in order to pay money before leaving the restaurant. The operator introduces the customer code number (for example, "1") through the use of the numeral data input keyboard (N) 11 and the function keyboard (F) 12 into the master electronic cash register MA1 (steps n31 and n32). The central processing unit (CPU) 14 of the master electronic cash register MA, functions to select the corresponding memory address in the customer memory area N of the random access memory (RAM) 16MA (step n33).The transaction total data related to the customer ''1" is read out (step n34), and the rad out data is printed out onto a bill by the printer (P) 17, and is displayed on the display panel (D) 1 8 (step n35). Then, the operator received money from the customer, and introduces the money amount data into the master electronic cash register MA, (step n36). The master electronic cash register MA, calculates the change to be handed to the customer, and the change amount is displayed on the display panel (D) 1 8 (step n37). The change is handed by the operator to the customer with reference to the displayed change amount, and the receipt slip is developed by the printer (P) 1 7 (step n38).

The central processing unit (CPU) 14 included in the master electronic cash register MA, functions to apply the transaction data read out from the selected memory address in the customer memory area N to the grand accumulation memory area Tm for accumulation purposes (step n39). Then, the memory address in the customer memory area N corresponding to the customer code number ''1" is cleared to zero (step n40) to complete the payment operation.

It is clear that the payment operation is conducted at the master electronic cash register MA, if the registration operation is conducted at any one of the slave electronic cash registers SL, through SL, included in the group of the master electronic cash register MA1.

Fig. 8 shows an operational flow in the group total operation. The super master electronic cash register M has the capability of accumulating the transaction data stored in the master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk. The mode switch included in the super master electronic cash register M is set at the transmission mode so as to inform the central processing unit (CPU) 14 included in the super master electronic cash register M of the transmission mode. The central processing unit (CPU) 14 operates in accordance with the transmission program stored in the read only memory (ROM) 1 5. The operator of the super master electronic cash register M first introduces a desired master electronic cash register number (for example, a number assigned to the master electronic cash register MA,) into the central procesing unit (CPU) 14 through the use of the numeral data input keyboard (N) 11 (step n51). Then, the operator actuates a total instruction key included in the function keyboard (F) 1 2 so as to introduce the total operation instruction command related to the master electronic cash register MA1 into the central processing unit (CPU) 14 of the super master electronic cash register M (step n52).The central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 transmits the total instruction command to the master electronic cash register MA1 through the transmission buffer (TB) 19, the transmission controller (Tc) 20 and the transmission interface (T1/F) 21 in accordance with the transmision program stored in the read only memory (ROM) 15 (step n53).

The master electronic cash register MA receives the total instruction command transmitted from the super master electronic cash register M (step n54), and reads out the transaction data stored in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6MA1 under the control of the central processing unit (CPU) 1 4 of the master electronic cash register MA1. Then, the read out transaction data which has been stored in the master electronic cash register MA1 is transmitted to the super master electronic cash register M (step n55).The super master electronic cash register M receives the accumulated transaction data transmitted from the master electronic cash register MA, (step n56), and the transaction data stored in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6M of the super master electronic cash register M is updated (step n57). Thereafter, if required, the data transmission instruction command is transmitted to the master electronic cash register MA2. In this way, the accumulated transaction data which has been stored in the master electronic cash registers MA, through MAk is collected at the super master electronic cash register M. The total data is printed out by the printer (P) 1 7 (step n58).

If the reset operation should be conducted, a desired master electronic cash register number is selected (step n59), and the reset instruction key is actuated (step n60). The super master electronic cash register M transmits the reset instruction command to the desired master electronic cash register (step n61). The master electronic cash register MA receives the reset instruction command (step n62), and transmits the reset tranaction data stored in the random access memory (RAM) 16MA to the super master electronic cash register M (step n63). The super master electronic cash register M receives the thus transmitted reset transaction data (step n64).

The reset transaction data is stored at a preselected memory location in the random access memory (RAM) 1 6M in the super master electronic cash register M, and is printed out by the printer (P) 1 7 (step n65).

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A master/slave electronic cash register system comprising: a plurality of slave electronic cash registers, each slave electronic cash register comprising, data input means for introducing a custome code number and transaction data related to a customer; a master electronic cash register communicated to said plurality of slave electronic cash registers through a communication data line, said master electronic cash regiser comprising, memory means for storing the customer code number and the transaction data related to the customer, and customer code number input means for introducing a customer code number; first control means operable in the registration operation for transmitting said customer code number and said transaction data introduced from said data input means included in said slave electronic cash register to said master electronic cash register;; second control means for storing said customer code number and said transaction data transmitted from one of said plurality of slave electronic cash registers to said master electronic cash register at a predetermined memory section included in said memory means of said master electronic cash register; and third control means operable in the payment operation, and responsive to a customer code number introduced from said customer code number input means included in said master electronic cash register for reading out said transaction data stored in said predetermined memory section of said memory means corresponding to said customer code number introduced from said customer code number input means.

2. A master/slave electronic cash register system comprising: a plurality of slave electronic cash registers, each slave electronic cash register comprising, data input means for introducing a customer code number and transaction data related to a customer; a plurality of master electronic cash registers each of which is communicated to selected ones of said plurality of slave electronic cash registers through a communication data line to form a group of mater/slave electronic cash registers, each of said master electronic cash registers comprising, first memory means for storing the customer code number and the transaction data related to the customer, and customer code number input means for introducing a customer code number;; a super master electronic cash register communicated to said plurality of master electronic cash registers through a communication data line, said super master electronic cash register comprising, second memory means for storing a master electronic cash register number and the transaction data related to the master electronic cash register, and master electronic cash register number input means for introducing a master electronic cash register number; first control means operable in the registration operation for transmitting the customer code number and said transaction data introduced from said data input means included in said each slave electronic cash register to one of said master electronic cash registers included in a group to which the slave electronic cash register belongs;; second control means for storing said customer code number and said transaction data transmitted from one of said plurality of slave electronic cash registers to said master electronic register at a predetermined memory section included in said first memory means of said master electronic cash register; third control means operable in the payment operation, and responsive to a customer code number introduced from said customer code number input means included in said one of said plurality of master electronic cash registers for reading out said transaction data stored in said predetermined memory section of said first memory means corresponding to said customer code number introduced from said customer code number input means;; fourth control means operable in the total operation, and responsive to a master electronic cash register number introduced from said master electronic cash register number input means included in said super master electronic cash register for reading out said transaction data stored in said first memory means included in said master electronic cash register of the introduced master electronic cash register number; fifth control means for transmitting said transaction data read out from said first memory means to said super master electronic cash register; and sixth control means for storing said transaction data transmitted from said one of said master electronic cash registers at a predetermined memory section in said second memory means included in said super master electronic cash register for accumulation purposes.

3. A master-slave electronic cash register system comprising a master register and a plurality of slave registers connected in use to the master register for data communication, each slave register being arranged in use to allow entry of information identifying a customer and associated with it information relating to transactions performed by that customer, said slave register being operable in use to transmit transaction data and customer identification data to the master register, the master register being responsive in use to identification of a customer to provide data pertaining to transactions performed by the customer so identified at any said slave register, thereby to facilitate payment by the customer for those transactions.

4. A master-slave electronic cash register system according to claim 3, comprising a plurality of said master registers, each connected in use for data communication to a respective plurality of slave registers, and a super-master register connected in use for data communication to each said master register, the master register being operable in use to obtain from each said master register data pertaining to transactions performed at the said slave registers connected to the master register.

5. A master-slave electronic cash register system substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.