JP2018156397A - POS system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a POS system allowing a shop clerk to smoothly deal with an error for a price payment machine causing the error.SOLUTION: A POS system includes: a commodity register operated by a shop clerk to execute a registration process of commodities; a plurality of price payment machines operated by customers to execute a payment process of a price on the basis of price data generated by execution of the registration process; and a control unit for controlling communication between the commodity register and the price payment machines. The control unit restricts communication between the commodity register and a price payment machine upon detecting occurrence of an error at the price payment machine.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a POS (Point of Sales) system.

There is known a POS system that includes a product registration machine that executes a product registration process and a price payment machine that executes a payment process based on the price data generated by the execution of the registration process (for example, a patent). Reference 1). For example, in a semi-automatic POS system, a store clerk operates a merchandise registration machine and a customer operates a price payment machine, thereby shortening the time required for payment. For example, in the POS system merchandise registration machine and the payment machine as described above, if an error is detected such as an excess or shortage of change or a shortage of receipt paper, the type of error that occurred is displayed. It has a function to display on the screen.

JP 2013-242839 A

However, the POS system is not always operated by a store clerk. For this reason, for example, in a payment machine frequently used by customers at times of congestion, even if a clerk tries to respond to an error, if the payment is made one after another, the error cannot be resolved, and the error is notified. However, sometimes change and receipts could not be supplied in time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a POS system in which a clerk can smoothly handle an error for a payment machine in which an error has occurred.

The POS system of the present invention is operated by a store clerk to execute a product registration process, and a plurality of products that execute a payment process based on price data that is operated by a customer and generated by executing the registration process. And a control unit that controls communication between the product registration machine and the price payment machine. When the control unit detects that an error has occurred in the price payment machine, the communication between the price payment machine and the product registration machine Limit.

In the POS system with this configuration, when an error such as an excess or shortage of change or receipt paper is detected in the payment machine, the control unit restricts communication between the payment machine and the product registration machine where the error occurred. Therefore, there are no customers in the payment machine where the error occurred, and the clerk can smoothly resolve the error during that time.

In the POS system of the present invention, when the control unit detects that a more serious error has occurred in the payment machine, the control unit may stop communication between the payment machine and the commodity registration machine.

In the POS system with this configuration, a plurality of criteria for detecting an error are prepared. For example, when the change is less than 20 sheets, the communication is restricted, and when the change becomes 5 sheets or less, it is serious. Stop communication as an error. Thereby, the situation where a customer's payment cannot be completed due to a change of money can be prevented.

In the POS system of the present invention, the control unit may detect at least one of a state where the change stored in the payment machine is insufficient and an excessive state as an error.

In the payment machine, it is a fatal error that the change is out or the change cannot be made because there is too much change. By detecting this, it is possible to prevent the payment machine from being disabled.

In the POS system of the present invention, the control unit may detect as an error that the remaining amount of receipt paper printed by the printing unit is insufficient.

In the POS system configured as described above, it is detected as an error that the receipt sheet is almost exhausted in the payment machine. This allows the store clerk to change to a new roll before the payment machine's receipt paper is completely exhausted, so that the receipt paper will run out while the customer is operating the payment machine. Can be prevented.

In the POS system of the present invention, the control unit is provided in the merchandise registration machine, and when the merchandise registration machine selects a payment machine according to a predetermined priority, the control unit detects that an error has occurred in the payment machine. Then, the communication with the product registration machine is restricted by lowering the priority of the price payment machine.

In the POS system with this configuration, if an error has occurred in the price payment machine, the product registration machine uses the price payment machine in which the error has occurred by lowering the priority for selecting the price payment machine. The frequency of doing this will be reduced, and the store staff will be able to respond.

According to the present invention, an error can be smoothly solved by a store clerk for a payment machine in which an error has occurred.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the POS system of one Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the goods registration machine of the POS system of FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view of the goods registration machine of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the price payment machine of the POS system of FIG. It is an external appearance perspective view of the price payment machine of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each figure, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same or equivalent part, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.
[POS system configuration]

As shown in FIG. 1, the POS system 1 includes a store controller 10, a plurality of product registration machines 20, and a plurality of price payment machines 30. The store controller 10, each product registration machine 20, and each price payment machine 30 are wired or wireless LAN (Local Area Network).
2 are connected to each other. The POS system 1 is a semi-automatic POS system built in a store such as a supermarket. In other words, in the POS system 1,
Each merchandise registration machine 20 is operated by a store clerk to execute a merchandise registration process, and each price payment machine 3
0 is operated by the customer and executes the payment process of the price based on the price data generated by the execution of the registration process. The store clerk includes employees and users of the store where the POS system 1 is introduced, and in a broad sense includes related businesses of the store. A customer includes a person who purchases and / or purchases a product. In a broad sense, the customer includes a person who gives and / or receives a price to a store.

The store controller 10 is a computer that controls the POS system 1 and manages various information such as a product master. The store controller 10 is communicable with each product registration machine 20 and each price payment machine 30, and appropriately transmits a product master to each product registration machine 20 and each price payment machine 30. The product master is product information about each product (product identification information,
This is a file that stores information such as product names and sales prices. The product master is updated as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the commodity registration machine 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 2.
01, ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, and RAM (Random Access Memory) 2
03, a scanner 204, a store clerk display 205, a customer display 206, and an operation unit 207.
A communication unit 208, a speaker 209, and a printing unit 210. These are connected to each other by a bus 215. The appearance of the merchandise registration machine 20 is as shown in FIG.

The CPU 201 controls the operation of the commodity registration machine 20 by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 202. The ROM 202 stores a program for controlling the operation of the product registration machine 20. The RAM 203 is a product master transmitted from the store controller 10 and a barcode (product code) read by the scanner 204.
The product information acquired from the product master based on the information, the information related to the operation history, and the like are stored as needed.

The scanner 204 optically reads a barcode or the like attached to a product. The store clerk side display 205 displays the product name and sales price corresponding to the barcode read by the scanner 204 to the store clerk. The customer-side display 206 displays the product name and sales price corresponding to the barcode read by the scanner 204 to the customer. Note that the clerk-side display 205 and the customer-side display 206 also function as an operation unit by configuring a touch panel.

The operation unit 207 has various operation buttons (such as a subtotal key, a current total key, a numeric key, a correction key, and a preset key) for operating the commodity registration machine 20. The communication unit 208 is L
It communicates with other devices via AN2. The speaker 209 outputs the operation sound of the product registration device 20 and various sounds. The printing unit 210 appropriately prints various characters on a paper piece and issues the paper piece.

In the product registration machine 20 configured as described above, when the barcode attached to the product that the customer intends to purchase is read by the scanner 204 under the operation of the store clerk, C
Product information is acquired from the product master by the PU 201, and price data is generated (execution of product registration processing). The price data includes information on the unit price and quantity of all the products that the customer is going to purchase, the total price, and the like. The generated price data is stored in the store controller 10 or the product registration device 20. The price payment machine 30 acquires price data from the store controller 10 or the commodity registration machine 20.

Then, when the generated price data is acquired by any one price payment machine 30, the price payment machine 30 that acquired the price data among the plurality of price payment machines 30 (that is, the customer is charged for the price). The payment machine 30) to be paid is informed. The customer pays for the product at the price payment machine 30 designated based on the notification. Hereinafter, the configuration of the payment machine 30 will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 4, the payment machine 30 includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, and a RAM.
303, a scanner 304, a customer-side display (display unit) 305, an operation unit 307, a communication unit 308, a speaker 309, a printing unit 310, a settlement unit 311, a sign pole 312, and a human sensor. 313 and a camera 314. These are connected to each other by a bus 315. The appearance of the payment machine 30 is as shown in FIG.

The CPU 301 functions as a control unit 320 that controls the operation of the payment machine 30 by reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 302. The ROM 302 stores a program for controlling the operation of the payment machine 30. RAM (storage unit)
303 stores the product master transmitted from the store controller 10 and the information related to the operation history as needed.

The scanner 304 optically reads a bar code or the like printed on an accounting ticket. The customer side display 305 displays to the customer an operation procedure for the customer to pay the price. In addition, the customer side display 305 functions also as an operation part by comprising a touch panel.

The operation unit 307 has various operation buttons (such as a correction key and a preset key) for operating the payment machine 30. The communication unit 308 communicates with other devices via the LAN 2. The speaker 309 outputs operation sound of the payment machine 30 and various sounds. When the customer pays for the price, the printing unit 310 prints a list of purchased products, the amount of each product, the total amount, the received amount, the fishing amount, and the like on the piece of paper (receipt). ). The printing unit 310 is provided with a sensor (not shown) that monitors the remaining amount of receipts. The sensor sends a signal to the control unit 320 when the remaining amount of the receipt is less than the predetermined remaining amount.

The settlement unit 311 includes a bill insertion / discharge port 311a, a coin insertion port 311b, and a coin discharge port 311.
c, a credit card insertion / discharge port 311d, an electronic money reader 311e, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling them. The bill insertion / discharge port 311a, the coin input port 311b, and the coin discharge port 311c function as a deposit / withdrawal machine (cash settlement unit) 330.
The customer pays in cash through the cash settlement unit such as the bill insertion / discharge port 311a, pays in the credit card through the credit card reader, and pays in electronic money through the electronic money reader. At least one of the payments can be selected.

The depositing / dispensing machine 330 will be described in detail. The money delivered from the customer in the settlement process is stored in the depositing / dispensing machine 330 through the bill insertion / discharge port 311a and the coin insertion port 311b. Moreover, the money as change is paid out from the depositing / dispensing machine 330 through the bill insertion / discharge port 311a and the coin discharge port 311c. The depositing / dispensing machine 330 includes a coin counting unit (not shown) for counting coins inserted through the coin insertion slot 311b, a coin storage unit (not shown) for storing coins, and bill insertion. The banknote counting part (not shown) which counts the banknote thrown in via the cum discharge port 311a and the banknote accommodating part (not shown) which accommodates a banknote are provided. The coin counting unit and the bill counting unit also have a function of determining whether or not the inserted money is a true coin.
The coin storage unit stores the coins counted by the coin counting unit and supplies the coins to be discharged to the coin discharge port 311c. Similarly, the banknote storage unit stores the banknotes counted by the banknote counting unit and supplies the banknotes to be discharged to the banknote insertion / discharge port 311a.

The depositing / dispensing machine 330 has a control unit 320 which is a computer that controls the depositing / dispensing machine 330 and performs various arithmetic processes. Various functions of the control unit 320 are performed by the CPU 301.
Is realized by performing arithmetic processing according to the control program in the ROM 302.

The above-described bill insertion / discharge port 311 a, coin input port 311 b, coin discharge port 311 c, coin counting unit, and bill counting unit are connected to the control unit 320 via a bus 315. Thereby, each part of the depositing / dispensing machine 330 operates under the control of the control unit 320, and count results in the coin counting unit and the bill counting unit are input to the control unit 320.

In such a depositing / dispensing machine 330, “change full” and “change empty” may occur as operation errors. “Changing full” is an operation error in which a storage space for a predetermined banknote or coin is physically full in the coin storage unit and the banknote storage unit. In such a case, even if money is inserted from the bill insertion / discharge port 311a or the coin input port 311b, if the storage space is physically full, further money cannot be stored. For this reason, the money which cannot be stored is discharged without being stored in the depositing / dispensing machine 330. The “change empty” is an operation error in which the amount of a predetermined bill or coin becomes zero in the coin storage portion and the bill storage portion. In such a case, even if money is inserted, there is a possibility that an event may occur in which money to be refunded as change cannot be refunded. For this reason, the inserted money is discharged without being stored in the depositing / dispensing machine 330.

In the depositing / dispensing machine 330 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 320 detects a state where the money of the depositing / dispensing machine 330 is close to zero (that is, a state of change near empty) as an operation error. Similarly, the control unit 320 detects a state in which the money in the depositing / dispensing machine 330 is close to the allowable storage limit number (that is, a change near full state) as an operation error.

Thus, the control part 320 grasps | ascertains the classification | category and the number of sheets of the money accommodated in the coin storage part and the banknote storage part. And the control part 320 can display the screen as shown in FIG. 9 on the customer side display 305, and the amount of money of the banknotes and coins in the depositing / dispensing machine 330 can be displayed to the clerk via the screen. Can be notified. At the same time, it is possible to notify that it is near full or near empty by changing the type of font, the color of the font, the thickness or the like indicating the number of banknotes or coins. The quantity that is near full or near empty is set in advance as an appropriate value.

The sign pole 312 notifies that the customer can perform an operation for paying the price and that some abnormality has occurred by turning on or blinking the indicator lights of a plurality of colors. The human sensor 313 detects a customer or the like existing in a predetermined area in front of the payment machine 30. The camera 314 images a customer or the like existing in a predetermined area in front of the payment machine 30.

In the payment machine 30 configured as described above, when a customer entering the predetermined area in front of the payment machine 30 is detected by the human sensor 313, an operation procedure for the customer to pay the price is displayed. Is started by the customer side display 305. At this time, sound output indicating the operation procedure is also started by the speaker 309. It should be noted that when the customer touches the screen of the customer side display 305, when a button on the operation unit 307 is pressed by the customer, and when the customer enters a predetermined area in front of the payment machine 30, the camera 314 takes an image. At any time, the display of the operation procedure may be started by the customer-side display 305, and the output of sound indicating the operation procedure may be started by the speaker 309.

The customer follows the display on the customer-side display 305 and the sound output from the speaker 309.
The price payment machine 30 is operated via the operation unit 307 and the customer-side display 305 constituting the touch panel to pay the price. As an example, when the customer causes the scanner 304 to read the barcode printed on the bill issued by the merchandise registration machine 20, a selection screen for selecting a settlement type is displayed on the customer side display 305. . The customer selects one of the payment types of cash, credit card, and electronic money or a plurality of payment types to be used in combination on the customer-side display 305, and pays with the selected payment type in the payment unit 311. When payment is made by the customer, a receipt on which a list of purchased items is printed is printed on the printing unit 3.
10 issued.

[Operation example when an operation error occurs in the payment machine]
An operation example when an operation error occurs in the payment machine 30 of the POS system 1 described above will be described. Here, attention is paid to one payment machine 30.

When the control unit 320 in the price payment machine 30 detects an operation error, the product registration machine 20
Limit the number of times you go to get data. Specifically, the product registration machine 20
When the registration of the product is completed, it is confirmed whether the settlement process is possible at the price payment machine 30 closest to the product registration machine. If possible, the price payment machine 30 goes to the product registration machine 20 to acquire the price data. If the price payment machine 30 is in use by the customer, the price registration data is not acquired and the product registration machine 20 It is repeated that the payment machine 30 near to confirms whether the settlement process is possible. Here, if the control unit 320 detects an operation error in the price payment machine 30, the merchandise registration machine 20
The number of times to go to obtain the price data is limited, for example, the number of times to acquire the price data is limited to about once every two confirmations by the product registration device 20.

Further, for example, when the control unit 320 detects a state where the depositing / dispensing machine 330 is in a serious shortage of change (change near empty) (for example, when the remaining number of 100 yen coins is 5 or less), The control unit 320 prohibits the price payment machine 30 from going to the price registration machine 20 to acquire price data.
[Action and effect]

In the POS system 1 of the above embodiment, when detecting that an operation error has occurred in the price payment machine 30, the control unit 320 sends the price data to the product registration machine 20 to the price payment machine 30 in which the operation error has occurred. In order to limit the purchase of the product, the payment machine 30 close to the product registration machine 20 is prevented from being continuously used by customers, such as the payment machine 30 having a high priority (usage frequency), and the clerk can smoothly The error can be resolved. In addition, if the operation error is minor, the priority can be lowered and the operation can be continued during times of congestion, so that it is possible to prevent customer dissatisfaction due to waiting for a transaction.

In the POS system 1 of the above-described embodiment, the control unit 320 detects, as an operation error, a state where the change stored in the payment machine 30 is insufficient (change near empty) and an excessive amount (change near full). However, since it can be solved more smoothly by the store clerk, it is possible to prevent a serious situation such as change of money or inability to pay with the payment machine.

In the POS system 1 of the above embodiment, the control unit 320 sets an operation error to indicate that the remaining amount of receipt paper printed by the printing unit 310 is insufficient, and lowers the priority of the payment machine. The receipt paper of the payment machine 30 can be replaced with a new roll before it is completely consumed, and it is possible to prevent the receipt paper from running out while the customer is operating the payment machine 30. it can.
[Modification]

Although one embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the POS system 1 of the above-described embodiment or modification, the operation error has been described as a shortage of change in the deposit / withdrawal machine 330, an excessive change in the deposit / withdrawal machine 330, and a shortage of remaining receipt paper. It is not limited to these. For example, in addition to or instead of the above three error operations, a state in which the deposit amount in the depositing / dispensing machine 330 may not match the theoretical balance in the depositing / dispensing machine 330 (a state in which a so-called “scrutiny” is required), etc. May be. In addition to the above-described error that does not hinder the current operation, for example, there is no change in the deposit / withdrawal machine 330 (change change empty), and the change in the deposit / withdrawal machine 330 is full (change is full). Operation errors such as receipt paper jams may also be included.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the control part 320 was provided in the price payment machine 30, you may provide in the goods registration machine 20 or the store controller 10. FIG. In this case, the control unit 320 performs payment processing for the price data generated by the merchandise registration machine 20 or the store controller 10 that has executed the merchandise registration process from the plurality of price payment machines 30 by executing the merchandise registration process. May be selected according to the priority order.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... POS system, 10 ... Store controller, 20 ... Merchandise registration machine, 30 ... Price payment machine, 301 ... CPU, 302 ... ROM, 303 ... RAM, 305 ... Customer side display (display part)
, 310 ... printing unit, 311 ... settlement unit, 320 ... control unit, 330 ... depositing and dispensing machine.

Claims (5)

A product registration machine that is operated by a store clerk and performs a product registration process;

Based on the price data operated by the customer and generated by the execution of the registration process.

Multiple payment machines that perform the payment process for money;
A control unit for controlling communication between the product registration machine and the payment machine;
When the controller detects that an error has occurred in the payment machine, the control unit restricts communication between the payment machine and the commodity registration machine. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit detects that a more serious error has occurred in the payment machine, the control unit stops communication between the payment machine and the commodity registration machine. 3. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects at least one of a state in which change stored in the payment machine is insufficient or an excessive state as the error. 4. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit detects that the remaining amount of receipt paper printed by the printing unit is insufficient as the error. The control unit is provided in the merchandise registration machine, and when the merchandise registration machine selects the payment machine according to a predetermined priority, the control unit detects that an error has occurred in the payment machine. The POS system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein communication with the merchandise registration machine is restricted by lowering a priority of the payment machine.

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