JP2861887B2 - Label printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printer for issuing labels to be attached to products to be displayed at a store such as a supermarket.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the sale of products in supermarkets and the like, period sales such as special sales are always performed.
Even for the same product, its selling price always fluctuates depending on the selling date and selling time. Also, it is necessary to print different sales prices on the price tag labels affixed to these products in accordance with the period of the special sale or the like. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-144514 discloses a PLU file in which, in addition to a normal unit price, a unit price during a service time is set and stored, and the start and end times of the service time are set and stored in a register. An electronic weighing apparatus that determines whether or not the service time has entered a service time, and if so, prints the unit price at the service time on label paper is described.

[0003]

However, in the electronic weighing apparatus described in the above publication, the customer checks the unit price printed on the label and determines whether the unit price is low or not. It is not known whether the product is bargain or not. Therefore,
When the label is affixed to a product, there is a drawback that simply reducing the unit price does not necessarily increase the customer's willingness to purchase.

The above publication also describes a label on which words such as "service time" and "service price" are printed as print item names. However, when selling products that are particularly recommended for customers, such as products advertised in advertising or popular products during period sales such as bargain sale, customers who came to buy these recommended products after seeing advertisements, If the above label is affixed to the product, the above-mentioned distinction is easy for the customer, even if the recommended product can be easily distinguished from other special sale products so that the desired product can be found immediately. It cannot be done.

[0005] To solve the above problem, there is a method of providing a message column on a label and setting message data to be printed in the message column for each product. Therefore, the message data must always be set or deleted in accordance with the period of the bargain sale or the like. Forgetting to set the message data or setting mistakes often cause confusion of work. I was

The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and provides a label printer that can automatically print a message dedicated to a period during a period of sale, such as a bargain sale, on a label. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A product file for storing normal price information for each product; storing a product code of the product and period price information of the product in the period corresponding to the period data indicating a predetermined period; For the label to be affixed to the product to be sold, the period price determined based on the period price information corresponding to the period data is printed, and for the label to be affixed to the product to be sold during a period other than the period. Te is in the label printer for printing a normal price determined based on the normal price information of the product file, the period data
Is entered, then the product code and period corresponding to the period data
The setting data for price information and message information
Simultaneously on the same screen for multiple products every period
Is displayed and set on the screen .

Further, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the storage
As the data, the product code and the period price information
At the same time, the message information is also stored and sold before the period.
For labels affixed to the goods,
Print a message based on the corresponding message information
It is characterized by the following.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the invention, in the label printer of claim 1, wherein, in response to the period data, characterized in that a period file for storing a product code, period price information and message information .

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the label printer. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of the label printer. A control unit shown in FIG. 2 is provided inside the main body 1, and a balance 2 is connected to the control unit. On the other hand, the label printing mechanism 3
And an operation unit 4. Label printing mechanism 3
Has a thermal head that performs dot printing, a shift register that accumulates data for one dot line and supplies it to the thermal head, and a stepping motor that moves the label one dot line at a time. ,
Numbers and images can be printed.

The operation panel of the operation unit 4 includes a bellows 5 for adjusting the angle.
Attached to the main body 1 so that the angle can be adjusted. The operation unit 4 includes a keyboard 6, a power switch 7, an operation / display unit 8, a connector 9 for connecting the image scanner 10, and the like. Here, in addition to the numeric keypad, the keyboard 6 is provided with a "product code" key used when entering a product code described later, an "issue" key used when issuing a label, and the like. The operation / display unit 8 has a structure in which a touch panel 8a (see FIG. 2) is stacked on the upper surface of a liquid crystal display 8b (see FIG. 2), and displays and inputs menus, data, and the like on the same surface. I can do it.

The operating section 4 includes the connector 9
, The image scanner 10 can be connected. The image scanner 10 has a line sensor having a resolution of 8 dots / mm, and reads an image having a maximum width of 64 mm (512 dots) by moving on the image. Each dot that makes up the read image is based on a certain level (variable)
1 of "black"("1" signal) or "white"("0" signal)
It is converted into a bit signal and output as image data.

Reference numeral 20 shown in FIG. 2 denotes a C for controlling each part of the apparatus.
It is a PU (Central Processing Unit). 30 is a CPU / 2
0 is a ROM (read only memory) in which a control program used in 0 is stored. As shown in FIG. 2, the load cell 2a of the scale 2 is connected to the touch panel 8a via the load cell control unit 21, the label printing mechanism unit 3 via the print control unit 22, the image scanner 10 via the scanner control unit 23, and the touch panel 8a. The keyboard 6 is an operation control unit 24
, The liquid crystal display 8b via the display control unit 25,
Each is connected to CPU20. The scanner control unit 23 has a built-in buffer for storing image data input from the image scanner 10. Reference numeral 50 denotes a clock unit having a calendar function.
U.20 can obtain the current date (year, month, day) and time data from the clock unit 50.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a RAM (random access memory), as shown in FIG. 3, a working area including a flag register used for various processing, and the like.
A message file, a period file, a product file, and the like, which will be described later, are provided. In the RAM 40, the area storing the message file, the period file and the product file is backed up by a battery, so that even if the main body 1 is turned off, the contents of these files are not lost. It has become.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the message file provided in the RAM 40. As shown in this figure, the message file can store different message data for each message code. In this figure, when the message code is “2”, as shown in the print sample of FIG. 6, “advertisement product (character with frame)”
Is printed. The message data can be set in the message file by specifying a message code using the numeric keypad of the keyboard 6 and inputting the message data corresponding to the message code from the touch panel 8a. Is used to specify a message code, and the message data corresponding to the message code is stored in the image scanner 10.
There is a method of setting by taking in and input from.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the product file provided in the RAM / 40. As shown in this figure, the product file stores, for each product code, various data (unit price, effective date, product name, etc.) corresponding to the product code. The value stored in the “number of units” column in the product file shown in FIG. 5 is a value indicating the minimum number of the product at the time of sale. For example, in the example shown in FIG. Hamburger is one unit of four
The unit is sold for 600 yen, that is, four units cost 600 yen,
It is shown that the product is sold only in multiples of 4, such as 1200 pieces for 8 pieces, 1800 yen for 12 pieces, and so on.
The “advertisement text” in the product file shown in FIG. 5 is a text describing an annotation of the product, and in the example of the label shown in FIG. 6, “advertisement text” printed below the product name (beef hamburger) Beef Onion Bread crumbs ... Seasoning (amino acids, etc.).

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the period file provided in the RAM 40. As shown in this figure, in the period file, a plurality of types of special sale periods can be set in the “period” column, and for each period, for all the products sold in the period, the product code and period unit price of the product , And a set of message codes (hereinafter referred to as period sale data).

Next, a procedure for setting each data in the period file will be described with reference to FIG. Here, it is assumed that a message code and message data corresponding to the message code are created and stored in a message file (see FIG. 4) in advance by the above-described method. First, when the operator sets the touch panel 8a to a menu selection screen, selects a setting mode, and further selects a display menu "period sales data setting" on the touch panel 8a, the display contents of the touch panel 8a are shown in FIG. Screen.

In the initial state of this screen, the columns shown in FIG. 8 ("Start date", "End date", "Product code", "Period unit price", "Message code" columns) are blank, and The cursor is blinking in the "Start date" field. When the operator inputs a start date and an end date using the numeric keys of the keyboard 6, the start date and the end date are displayed in a “start date” column and an “end date” column shown in FIG. .

Next, the input cursor is moved to the "commodity code" column in the first row, and when the operator uses the numeric keypad of the keyboard 6 to enter a commodity code, a period unit price, and a message code, these values are displayed. It is displayed in each column shown in FIG. At this time, in order to confirm the correspondence between the message code and the message data stored in the message file (see FIG. 4), the operator operates the display menu "Confirm message file contents" on the touch panel 8a.
When is selected, a window opens on the touch panel 8a,
The contents of the message file (the message code shown in FIG. 4 and the message data corresponding to the message code) may be displayed in the window.

Next, the operator checks the start date, end date, product code, period unit price, and message code displayed in the respective columns shown in FIG. 8, and if the content is OK, the operator is displayed at the top of the screen. Press the “SET” key. Thus, the contents displayed in each column are written to the period file (see FIG. 7). At this time, the CPU 20 refers to each period data already set in the “period” column of the period file, and includes a period corresponding to the displayed “start date → end date” in these period data. If there is data, the displayed "product code", "period unit price", and "message code" are added to the "product code", "period unit price", and "message code" fields corresponding to the period data, respectively.

On the other hand, among the period data already set in the “period” column of the period file, “start date →
If there is no period data matching the “end date”, new period data indicating “start date → end date” is added to the “period” column of the period file, and the “product code” corresponding to the period data is added. ”,“ Period unit price ”,“ Message code ”
In the fields, the displayed “product code”, “period unit price”, and “message code” are respectively written. Thus, the setting of the period sale data for one product in one period in the period file is completed.

When the setting of the period sale data for one product in one period is completed according to the above-described procedure, the input cursor is moved to the "product code" column in the second row shown in FIG. In this state, the operator uses the numeric keypad of the keyboard 6 to set the "product code",
Enter the product code, period unit price, and message code for the next product in the "Period unit price" and "Message code" fields, and press the "Set" key. The start date and end date are the same as the previously set product As it is, the newly input product code, period unit price, and message code are set in the same period (start date → end date) of the period file. Hereinafter, by the same procedure, the period sale data of another product in the same period can be sequentially set.

When the setting of the period sale data for all the commodities in one period is completed, and the operator presses the "end" key displayed in the upper part of the screen, the display of each column displayed on the touch panel 8a is performed. Cleared, the input cursor returns to the "start date" column, and the period sale data can be set for the next period (start date and end date). Further, if the "end" key is pressed without inputting the start date and the end date, the setting processing on this screen is ended, and the screen returns to the original screen.

Next, the operation of the label printer having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a label issuing process performed by the label printer according to the present embodiment. It should be noted that the flowchart shown in this figure shows only the parts related to the present invention in various processes performed by the present apparatus.

When the operator selects the display menu "label issue" on the touch panel 8a, the processing of the CPU 20 advances to step S1 shown in FIG. Step S1
Then, it is determined whether or not a product code has been input. This determination process is performed by first inputting the product code using the numeric keypad of the keyboard 6 and then entering the “product code”
When the key is pressed, the product code is stored in the product code register provided in the working area of the RAM 40, and then the CPU 20 determines whether the stored value of the product code register is non-zero. It is performed by judging whether or not. The determination process of step S1 is repeatedly performed until the determination result becomes “YES”, and when the determination result becomes “YES”, that is, when the product code is input, the process proceeds to step S2.

In step S2, based on the product code stored in the product code register, the product data corresponding to the product code is read from the product file (see FIG. 5) into the RA.
The data is read into registers (unit price register, effective date register, product name register...) Provided for each item in the working area M · 40, and the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, first, date data is read from the clock unit 50 as today's date.
When the operator uses the numeric keypad of the keyboard 6 to enter the number of days remaining until the sale date of the product corresponding to the product code input in step S1, the remaining days are added to the date data, and Calculate the sale date. After calculating the sales date, each period data set in the “period” column of the period file (see FIG. 7) is referred to, and it is determined whether or not there is any period data including the sales date in these period data. to decide. If this determination is "NO", the flow proceeds to step S7.

On the other hand, if the result of this determination is "YES", each product code set in the "product code" column corresponding to the period data including the sales date in the period file (see FIG. 7) It is determined whether or not these product codes include the same product code as the product code stored in the product code register in step S1. If this determination is "NO", the flow proceeds to step S7.
On the other hand, if this determination is "YES", the flow proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the period unit price corresponding to the product code whose period data and product code match in step S3 is read from the period file into the period unit price register provided in the working area of the RAM 40. Then, the message code corresponding to the product code whose period data and product code match in step S3 is read from the period file into the message code register provided in the working area of the RAM 40, and the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the unit price in the unit price register is changed by writing the period unit price stored in the unit price register in step S4 into the unit price register storing the unit price in step S2, and the process proceeds to step S6.

In step S6, based on the message code stored in the message code register in step S4, each message code set in the "message code" column of the message file (see FIG. 4) is referred to.
From these message codes, a message code equal to the message code stored in the message code register is searched, and the message data corresponding to the message code is stored in the message file from the message file.
The data is written in the message register provided in the working area of AM / 40, and the process proceeds to step S7.

In step S7, steps S2 and S
The contents stored in the register for each item in 5 and S6 are
The data is transferred to the display controller 25 and displayed on the liquid crystal display 8b.
Proceed to step S8. In step S8, the operator checks the display contents displayed on the liquid crystal display 8b, and presses the "issue" key of the keyboard 6 if the contents are OK. The CPU 20 determines whether or not the "Issue" key has been pressed. If the determination result is "NO", the process returns to step S1, and if the determination result is "YES", the process proceeds to step S1. Proceed to S9. The above-described determination processing is an example in the case where the printing mode of the present apparatus is the manual printing mode. In addition, the printing mode of the present apparatus is the automatic printing mode suitable for the weighing product. in case of,
The determination process in step S8 is performed by determining whether or not a weighing completion signal indicating that the weighing has been completed is received from the load cell control unit 21.

At step S9, steps S2 and S
Print data based on a predetermined format is created from the contents stored in the register for each item in 5 and S6,
The print data is stored in a print data register provided in the working area of the RAM / 40, and step S10
Proceed to. In step S10, the print data stored in the print data register in step S9 is transferred to the print control unit 22, the content indicated by the print data is printed on a label sheet, and a label as shown in FIG. 6 is issued. , Step S1
Return to This is the end of the description of the operation of the label printer configured as described above.

The CPU 20 periodically (for example, when the current time obtained from the clock unit 50 is the closing time set by the operator) is the current date (year) obtained from the clock unit 50. ) Is compared with the period data set in the “period” column of the period file (see FIG. 7), and the period sales data in which the period has passed among the data set in the period file is Automatically delete from period file.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and changes in design and the like can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Even if there is, it is included in the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the message file, the period file, and the product file are provided in the label printer. In addition, these files are not provided in the label printer, but are provided in another device. The present invention can also be realized by using a master / satellite system in which necessary data is received from the device and printed each time, or an online system with a management device.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which a message code is stored in a period file (see FIG. 7) and message data in the message file (see FIG. 4) is referred to using the message code. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the message data itself is directly stored in the period file instead of the message code, the setting error of the message data in the period file can be further reduced. The present invention is not limited to this. If the message data is linked to the period data, the message data may be provided anywhere.

Further, in the embodiment, the period unit price (that is, the bargain price itself in the period) is stored in the period file, but instead of the period unit price, the unit price in the normal time (FIG. 5) Discount data or discount data for the reference file may be stored in the period file.

In this embodiment, the operator inputs the number of days remaining until the sale date in step S3 shown in FIG. 9, but the remaining days can be set and stored in advance. You may leave. In this case, in the determination processing of step S3, it is possible to omit the operation of inputting the remaining days data by the operator every time the determination processing is performed.

In this embodiment, when the operator inputs the number of days remaining until the sale date in step S3 shown in FIG. 9, the number of remaining days is added to today's date data, and the sale of the product is started. The day is calculated, and it is determined whether or not there is the period data including the sales date in each of the period data set in the period file, but the operator uses the numeric keypad of the keyboard to determine the number of remaining days. Instead, the sales date itself may be input, and the above-described determination processing may be performed based on the key-input sales date (year, month, day). If a conventional normal message that is not linked to a period and a period message according to the present invention can be set, the period message may be preferentially printed.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the work of setting and deleting the message information is not performed in accordance with the period of the period sale such as the bargain sale, the period is not changed during the period. Since a special message is automatically printed on the label, it is easy for the customer to understand not only the period price but also the message, and for the store side, different messages are used depending on the type of special sale Can be effectively used. Further, since the period price information and the message information are linked, there is no mismatch between the price printed on the label and the message.

Further , since the period price information and the message information can be set while simultaneously viewing the same screen, the setting mistake in the correspondence between the period price information and the message information can be reduced. In addition, since the product code, the period price information, and the message information are stored as a set in the period file, a mismatch between these data can be reduced, and a setting program for controlling the setting process of the apparatus can be simplified. Becomes

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the label printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a memory map occupying an example of an area configuration of a RAM in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a message file in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a product file in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a label created by the label printer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a period file in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a period file setting screen in the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a label issuing process according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... body, 2 ... scale, 3 ... label printing mechanism,
4 ... operation unit, 8 ... operation / display unit, 8a ... touch panel, 8b ... liquid crystal display, 10 ... image scanner, 20 ... CPU, 30 ... ROM, 40 ...
... RAM, 50 ... Clock section

Continued on the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 5/30 B65C 9/46 G01G 19/415 G01G 23/42

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A product file for storing normal price information for each product, wherein a product code of the product and period price information of the product in the period are stored in correspondence with period data indicating a predetermined period. A period price determined based on the period price information corresponding to the period data is printed on a label attached to the product sold during the period, and the label is printed on the product sold during a period other than the period. For the label to be affixed, the label printer that prints the normal price determined based on the normal price information of the product file corresponds to the period data after inputting the period data.
Each setting of product code, period price information and message information
Constant data for the same period for multiple products
On the screen, it is displayed and set at the same time , message information is stored together with the product code and the period price information as the storage data, and the period data is stored for a label attached to the product sold during the period. A label printer which prints a message based on message information corresponding to the label printer. 2. The label printer according to claim 1 , wherein a period file for storing a product code, period price information and message information is provided corresponding to the period data.