JP2006139542A - Pos system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a POS system where it is possible for a master unit to manage whole transaction data acquired by a slave unit. <P>SOLUTION: The POS system is configured so that a slave unit can be connected through a first network to a master unit, and that the first network can be connected to a second network, and that a tabulation server can be connected to the second network. The POS system is characterized in that non-transmitted transaction data from the slave unit to the master unit can be transmitted to the master unit, based on a command from the master unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a POS system.

A conventional POS system including a slave unit, a master unit, and an aggregation server has a connection form in which the slave unit is connected to the subordinates of the master unit. Therefore, the transaction data acquired by the slave unit is once sent to the master unit,
The master unit sent transaction data to the aggregation server as needed. In this situation, the transaction data acquired by the handset, regardless of the type of payment method (cash, gift certificate, credit, etc.)
It is always sent to the aggregation server via the parent machine.
Further, in the POS system, when communication between the slave unit and the master unit is abnormal, the slave unit accumulates acquired data and transmits transaction data to the master unit when communication is possible. more than,
See Patent Documents 1-3.
JP 2002-157647 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1181188 JP 11-110648 A

However, in the POS system, even when there is no exchange of cash, gift certificates, etc., as in the case of credit card settlement, and there is no need to use the cash drawer of the parent device, the transaction data of the child device is sequentially sent to the parent device. For this reason, there is a problem that the burden on the parent machine becomes large, requiring extra procedures for the operator of the parent machine and making the customer wait.
In addition, even if an error occurs in the connection between the slave unit and the master unit, the transaction data is sent from the slave unit to the master unit after the connection between the two units is restored, and the transaction data is sent to the aggregation server via the master unit. I had to send it. Therefore, there is a possibility that the status of transactions in the slave units cannot be aggregated in real time by the aggregation server.

Therefore, the present inventor considered the following POS system. That is,
The slave unit and the master unit are connected by the first network,
The first network is connected to a second network;
A POS system in which an aggregation server is connected to the second network,
The POS system, wherein the transaction data is transmitted from the slave unit to the aggregation server when the transaction data acquired by the slave unit is unnecessary or impossible to be transmitted to the master unit.

According to such a POS system, the slave unit and the master unit are connected to the aggregation server in the same row. Thereby, when it is not always necessary to transmit the transaction data acquired by the slave such as a credit card to the master, the transaction data can be transmitted directly to the aggregation server without performing the procedure with the master. . Therefore, the burden on the master unit is eliminated, and the operator of the master unit eliminates unnecessary procedures and does not make the customer wait.

Further, when communication is not possible, such as when an abnormality occurs in the connection between the slave unit and the master unit, the slave unit can directly send transaction data to the aggregation server. As a result, the status of transactions at the slave units can be totaled in real time by the totaling server.

As a result of intensive studies to improve the POS system, the present inventor has found the following problems.
That is, there is a request to manage all transactions at the store in the store where the first network exists. The management can be executed by extracting necessary data from all the transaction data aggregated in the aggregation server. However, it is preferable that the transaction data can be managed independently by the store from the necessity of backup or the like.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is,
The slave unit and the master unit are connected by the first network,
The first network is connected to a second network;
A POS system in which an aggregation server is connected to the second network,
Transaction data that has not been transmitted from the slave unit to the master unit is transmitted to the master unit based on a command from the master unit.

With the above configuration, transaction data that is not transmitted to the parent device among the transaction data acquired by the child device is transmitted to the parent device based on the command. As a result, all transaction data can be managed by the parent device in the store where the first network exists.

Hereinafter, each element of the present invention will be described.
(Cordless handset)
The slave unit is connected to the master unit or the aggregation server via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. The child device and the parent device are connected to the aggregation server in the same row. The slave unit performs sales registration and deposit registration with the customer. Transaction data is created by determining the type of money, gift certificate, or credit card based on the transaction with the customer. Normally, transaction data such as sales registration and deposit registration input to the slave unit is sent to the master unit, but if the transaction data acquired by the slave unit contains information that does not require money transfer, Can be sent directly. Therefore, a list of transaction data that should be transmitted directly only to the aggregation server and a list of transaction data that should be transmitted only to the parent device are stored in the memory device of the slave unit so that they can be referred to.
Further, even when a network failure occurs or a failure occurs in the parent device and communication with the parent device becomes impossible, the transaction data can be transmitted directly to the aggregation server. When both the parent device and the aggregation server cannot communicate, the transaction data is stored in the memory of the child device, and is transmitted to the parent device or the aggregation server after the communication is restored. For example, when the slave unit tries to access the master unit a plurality of times and the connection between the slave units is not confirmed, the slave unit transmits the transaction data to the aggregation server.

(Base unit)
The parent device is connected to the child device or the aggregation server via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. The master unit receives transaction data such as sales registration and deposit registration transmitted from the slave unit, and performs change processing and deposit processing. Money stored by the operator of the child machine is collected in the parent machine, and change processing and receipt printing are performed in the parent machine. Thereafter, the operator obtains change and receipt from the parent machine, passes them to the customer, and the transaction is completed.
The parent machine performs payment after the transaction of all the child machines is completed, and transmits the transaction data to the aggregation server.
When communication between the slave unit and the master unit is unnecessary or impossible, the transaction data of the slave unit is transmitted directly to the aggregation server. However, considering the case where payment is to be confirmed at the parent machine, the transaction data sent only to the aggregation server among the transaction data sent by the child machine is not sent to the parent machine. The transaction data can be transmitted from the slave unit and the transaction data can be aggregated in the master unit. A command from the parent device is transmitted to the child device at an arbitrary timing or at the end of one day of transaction.
As described above, even when the transmission of the transaction data is impossible or unnecessary, when the settlement in the store to which the parent device belongs is necessary, the transaction data can be aggregated and settled in the parent device.

(First and second networks)
The first network is for connecting the child device and the parent device. The child device and the parent device are connected to the aggregation server in the same row. The connection format is not particularly limited, and for example, a bus type can be used.
The second network is for connecting the first network and the aggregation server.
An intranet or the Internet can be used as the second network.

(Aggregation server)
The aggregation server is connected to the child device or the parent device via the network, and receives transaction data acquired by the child device or the parent device. The sales are settled based on the transaction data. PO of this invention
All transaction data acquired in the S system is aggregated and processed by the aggregation server regardless of the acquisition process.

(Transaction data)
Transaction data in the handset includes transaction number, transaction date / time, sales amount, change amount, product code, gender, transaction type (cash, gift certificate, credit card, etc.), practice mode or normal mode, parent Various data such as presence / absence of transmission of transaction data to a machine or a summary server is provided (see FIG. 4). If the transaction data acquired by the slave unit includes a sales type (in the case of payment by cash or gift certificate) that requires money transfer, the slave unit transmits the transaction data to the master unit (FIG. 1). (See Route A). If the transaction data acquired by the slave unit includes a sales type (in the case of payment by credit card) that does not require exchange of change etc., the slave unit can send the transaction data directly to the aggregation server. (See route B in FIG. 1).

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a POS system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the POS system 1, the slave unit 3 and the master unit 4 are connected by a LAN (first network) 8, and each is connected to the aggregation server 2 via the Internet (second network) 9. The slave unit 3 and the master unit 4 are connected to the aggregation server 2 in the same row, and the transaction data 10b acquired by the slave unit 3 can be directly transmitted to the aggregation server 2 even when the master unit 4 is out of order.
The master unit 4 includes a receipt printer 5 and a cash drawer 6, and usually only the master unit 4 performs money management and receipt issuance. In order to complete the transaction even when the master unit 4 is out of order,
A receipt printer 7 may be connected to N8.

FIG. 2 shows an operation flowchart of the slave unit. The slave unit is activated when the power is turned on, and can be operated by inputting a password or the like (step 01). The operator inputs information required for sales registration, deposit registration, and other transaction data based on the product transaction with the customer into the slave unit (
Step 02). The slave unit creates transaction data based on the information (step 03). Next, the slave unit determines the input transaction data (step 04), and a transaction that requires exchange of money with the customer. In the case of type (transaction with cash or gift certificate), transaction data is transmitted to the parent machine (route A in FIG. 1) (step 05). On the other hand, in the case of a transaction type that does not require exchange of money with a customer (transaction by cash card), transaction data is transmitted directly to the aggregation server (path B in FIG. 1) (step 06). When it is necessary to send and receive money, the parent machine receives change and receipt, and passes it to the customer to complete the operation of the child machine. On the other hand, when it is not necessary to exchange change, only the receipt is given to the customer and the transaction is completed (step 07).
After the completion of one transaction, the handset is ready to accept the next customer (step 08).

FIG. 3 shows an operation flowchart of the base unit. The master unit is activated by turning on the power, and can be operated by inputting a password (step 11). The master unit receives transaction data from each slave unit and displays a list of transactions of the slave units (step 12). The operator of the parent machine selects the transaction from the transaction list (step 13) and displays the transaction (step 14).
). In this case, change processing is performed when the sales amount is smaller than the deposit amount. Conversely, when the sales amount is greater than the deposit amount, deposit processing is performed, and the transaction enters a waiting state. When the parent machine performs change processing, the operator receives money from the parent machine, receives a receipt, and delivers it to the customer to complete the transaction (step 15). On the other hand, transaction data for which the transaction has been completed is transmitted to the aggregation server (step 16).
After the completion of one transaction, the parent device displays the transaction list of the child device again and can be operated by the next operator (step 17).

Transaction data acquired by the slave unit includes transaction number, transaction date / time, sales amount, change amount, product code, sex type, transaction type (cash, gift certificate, credit card, etc.), practice mode or normal mode. Separately, various data such as presence / absence of transmission of transaction data to the parent device or the aggregation server are provided (see FIG. 4). After the transaction for one day is completed, the transaction data of the child device is settled in the parent device and transmitted from the parent device to the aggregation server at a predetermined transmission interval (for example, transmitted every day).

Transaction data transmitted from the slave unit that does not require money exchange is transmitted to the aggregation server and is aggregated and stored in a predetermined format.
Note that transaction data is not transmitted to the parent device when transmission of transaction data from the child device to the parent device is unnecessary or impossible. However, if it is necessary for the parent device to perform payment, the transaction data stored in the child device that has not been transmitted to the parent device is transmitted to the parent device based on a command from the parent device. Since the transaction data 10b at this time has a flag that has been transmitted to the aggregation server, the transaction data is not sent from the parent device to the aggregation server.

Since the configuration of the POS system in the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 shows an operation flowchart of the slave unit. The slave unit is activated by turning on the power, and can be operated by inputting a password or the like (step 21). The operator inputs information required for sales registration, deposit registration, and other transaction data based on the product transaction with the customer into the slave unit (
Step 22). The slave unit that has acquired the sales registration, deposit registration and other information creates transaction data based on the information (step 23). Next, the slave unit determines whether there is a failure of the master unit or a communication failure (step 24), and if communication with the master unit is possible (path A in FIG. 1), transaction data is transmitted to the master unit (step 25). ). The operator receives the change and the receipt from the parent machine, passes them to the customer, and the operation of the child machine is completed (step 27). On the other hand, if the base unit cannot communicate (FIG. 1
Route B) The transaction data is transmitted to the aggregation server (step 26). If it is necessary to send or receive money, change is prepared and handed over to the customer along with the receipt (step 27).
).
After the completion of one transaction, the handset is ready to accept the next customer (step 28).

Transaction data transmitted from the child device or the parent device is transmitted to the aggregation server via the Internet.
The transaction data transmitted to the aggregation server when the slave unit cannot transmit to the master unit is transmitted to the master unit based on the command of the master unit. Since the transaction data 10b at this time has a flag that has been transmitted to the aggregation server, the transaction data is not sent from the parent device to the aggregation server.

As described above, when there is untransmitted transaction data from the child device to the parent device, the transaction data can be aggregated to the parent device based on a command from the parent device. Therefore, it becomes possible to collect and settle transaction data in the store, and management of transaction data in the store becomes easy.

The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments and examples of the invention described above.
Various modifications may be included in the present invention as long as those skilled in the art can easily conceive without departing from the description of the scope of claims.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a POS system. FIG. 2 shows an operation flowchart of the handset used in the embodiment. FIG. 3 shows an operation flowchart of the master unit used in the embodiment. FIG. 4 shows the structure of transaction data. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the slave unit used in another embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

1 POS system 2 Total server 3 Slave unit 4 Master unit 8 First network 9 Second network

Claims (1)

The slave unit and the master unit are connected by the first network,
The first network is connected to a second network;
A POS system in which an aggregation server is connected to the second network,
Transaction data that has not been transmitted from the slave unit to the master unit is transmitted to the master unit based on a command from the master unit.

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