JP2880603B2 - Information communication equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a POS (Point Of
The present invention relates to an information communication device used in a sales system, a local area network (LAN) system, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Information communication devices such as POS systems and LAN systems transmit and receive various types of information via information lines such as bus type, star type and loop type.
For example, in an information processing system in which a plurality of information communication devices are connected to a loop-type information line in which the information transmission direction is defined in one direction, the entire system operates when an abnormality such as disconnection occurs in a part of the information line. Becomes impossible.

[0003] As a conventional example of an information communication apparatus for solving such a problem, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-163597 by the present applicant will be described with reference to Figs. First, in the POS system 1, as shown in FIG. 5, a loop-type information line 2 in which the information transmission direction is defined in one direction is formed in a double structure of a normal line 3 and an emergency line 4. The information line 2 has one host computer 5 as an information communication device and a plurality of POs.
The S terminals 6 are sequentially connected.

Here, the host computer 5 and P
The OS terminal 6, as illustrated in FIG.
The connection between the receiving unit 7 and the transmitting unit 8 is normally set to the normal line 3, and a line switching unit that can switch to the emergency line 4 in an emergency is provided by a relay circuit 9. In addition, a disconnection detecting circuit 10 as an abnormality detecting means for detecting a disconnection of the normal line 3 in an abnormal state is provided by a comparator or the like. Further, the host computer 5 and the POS terminal 6 are connected to the disconnection detecting circuit 1.
When an abnormal state of the normal line 3 is detected, a relay driver 11 for driving the relay circuit 9 to switch the connection between the receiving unit 7 and the transmitting unit 8 to the emergency line 4 is provided.

In the POS system 1, the input lines 12 and 13 and the output line 1 of the normal line 3 and the emergency line 4 are used.
4 and 15 are formed in duplicate, and positive and negative signals with inverted polarities are transmitted here.

In such a configuration, in the POS system 1, the host computer 5 and the POS terminal 6
Normally, the relay circuit 9 is connected to the normal line 3 by switching, and sales information and the like are transmitted and received through the normal line 3. At this time, the double input lines 12 and 13 of the normal line 3 normally output positive and negative signals, but if the normal line 3 is disconnected, the input line 1
The polarities of 2 and 13 are both negative. Therefore, when the disconnection detecting circuit 10 detects the disconnection of the normal line 3 based on the coincidence of the polarities of the input lines 12 and 13 of the normal line 3, the relay driver 11 drives the relay circuit 9 and the receiving unit 7 and the transmitting unit. 8
Are connected to the emergency line 4.

When one POS terminal 6 is connected to the emergency line 4 in this way, the polarities of the input lines 12 and 13 of the next POS terminal 6 connected to the normal line 3 are both negative. Therefore, the POS terminal 6 also switches the connection destination to the emergency line 4, and such switching sequentially spreads to all the host computers 5 and the POS terminal 6.
Are connected to the emergency line 4.

[0008]

In the POS system 1 described above, when a disconnection occurs in a part of the normal line 3, all the host computers 5 and the POS terminal 6 are automatically connected to the emergency line 4. The information line 2 can be maintained and the information can be transmitted while the disconnection of the normal line 3 is repaired.

However, in the POS system 1 described above,
When the host computer 5 or the POS terminal 6 detects the disconnection of the normal line 3 and switches the connection destination, this switching operation causes the next host computer 5 or POS terminal 6 to detect the disconnection of the normal line 3 and switch the connection destination. As a result, all the host computers 5 and the POS terminals 6 sequentially execute time-consuming disconnection detection and connection destination switching operations. If the number of POS terminals 6 is large, P
It is not preferable because a large amount of time is required for the entire OS system 1 to complete the switching of the connection destination.

[0010]

A plurality of information communication devices sequentially formed on a loop-type information line which is formed in a double structure of a normal line and an emergency line and whose information transmission direction is defined in one direction. In the above, the connection destination of the receiving unit and the transmitting unit for the information line is usually provided as a normal line and line switching means is provided which can be switched to the emergency line in an emergency, and the line switching means is connected to the normal line. An abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the normal line from the reception content of the receiving unit is provided, and when the abnormality detecting means detects the abnormal state of the normal line, notification information of line switching is transmitted to the next information communication device by the transmitting unit. A switching notifying means for transmitting the information on the normal line from the receiver, and when it is detected whether the operation of the switching notifying means is completed or the receiving information is received by the receiving unit, the line switching means is driven to transmit to the receiving unit. The connection of the provided switching control means for switching to the emergency line.

[0011]

Even if many information communication devices are connected on the information line, if one information communication device detects an abnormality of the normal line, the line switching notification information is transmitted on the normal line. When the information communication device can switch the connection destination to the emergency line at substantially the same time, and even if the number of information communication devices connected to the information line is large, the time required for switching the connection destination as a whole is one information communication device Can be equivalent to

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, in the POS system 16, as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, a loop type information line 2 in which the information transmission direction is defined in one direction has a double structure of a normal line 3 and an emergency line 4. One host computer 17 as an information communication device and a plurality of POS terminals 18 are sequentially connected to the information line 2.

As shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 2, the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18 usually connect the receiving section 7 and the transmitting section 8 of the communication controller 19 to the information line 2 normally. A line switching means that can be switched to the emergency line 4 in an emergency as the line 3 is provided by a relay circuit 9, and a disconnection which is a failure detection means for detecting a disconnection in an abnormal state of the normal line 3 from the reception content of the receiving unit 7. The detection circuit 10 is provided as a comparator or the like. Further, the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18
When the disconnection detecting circuit 10 detects an abnormal state of the normal line 3, the relay circuit 9 is provided with a relay driver 20 for driving the relay circuit 9 to switch the connection destination between the receiving unit 7 and the transmitting unit 8 to the emergency line 4.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18 are connected to a bus 22 connected to a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21 by a RAM (Random Access Memory).
y) 23, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 24, a printer 25, a keyboard 26, a display 27, a disconnection detection circuit 10, the communication controller 19, the relay driver 20, and the like. Therefore, in the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18, the disconnection detection circuit 10
When the CPU 21 detects an abnormal state of the normal line 3, a switching notification means for transmitting the line switching notification information in the normal line 3 from the transmission unit 8 with the disconnection status is provided in the CPU 21, the ROM 24, or the like. A switch control means for driving the relay circuit 9 to switch the connection destination to the emergency line 4 when detecting whether the transmission operation of the status is completed or the reception of the disconnection status by the receiving unit 7 is provided in the CPU 21 or the relay driver 20 or the like. I have.

In the POS system 16 as well, the input lines 12 and 13 and the output lines 14 and 14 of the normal line 3 and the emergency line 4 are used.
15 are formed doubly, and positive and negative signals with inverted polarities are transmitted here.

In this configuration, the POS system 16 includes the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 1.
8 is the normal line 3 by switching the relay circuit 9 normally.
, And transmits and receives sales information and the like via the normal line 3. At this time, the host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18 always detect the presence / absence of the disconnection status for notifying the line switching as illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. The presence / absence of disconnection of the normal line 3 is detected from the polarities of the input lines 12 and 13.
Therefore, when the disconnection detecting circuit 10 detects the disconnection of the normal line 3 from the polarity of the input lines 12 and 13 of the normal line 3, the disconnection status in the CPU 21 changes the disconnection status from the transmitting unit 8 to the next normal line 3. To the POS terminal 18 and the host computer 17.
When the transmission operation is completed, the host computer 17 or the POS terminal 18 that has transmitted the disconnection status drives the relay circuit 9 by the relay driver 20 to switch the connection destination to the emergency line 4 and receives the disconnection status from the normal line 3. The host computer 17 and the POS terminal 18 that have driven the relay circuit 9 by the relay driver 20 switch the connection destination to the emergency line 4.

In this manner, in the POS system 16, when one host computer 17 or POS terminal 18 detects a disconnection of the normal line 3, a disconnection status for notifying the line switching is transmitted on the normal line 3. So
All the POS terminals 18 and the host computer 17 switch the connection destination to the emergency line 4 substantially simultaneously. That is, in the POS system 16, unlike the conventional POS system 1, the time-consuming disconnection detection is not performed by all the host computers 5 and the POS terminals 6. However, the time required for the entire POS system 16 to complete the switching of the connection destination is equivalent to the case where only one POS terminal 18 is used.

In the POS system 16 of this embodiment, the disconnection is exemplified as an abnormal state in which the connection destination needs to be switched from the normal line 3 to the emergency line 4, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned type. For example, as an abnormal state of the normal line 3, interference, noise, electric leakage, and the like can be considered.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of information lines are sequentially connected to a loop-type information line which is formed in a double structure of a normal line and an emergency line and in which the information transmission direction is defined in one direction. In the information communication device, the connection destination of the receiving unit and the transmitting unit for the information line is usually provided as a normal line as a normal line, and a line switching means that can be switched to the emergency line in an emergency,
An abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the normal line from the reception content of the receiving section connected to the normal line by the line switching means, and when the abnormality detecting means detects an abnormal state of the normal line, the line switching is performed. Switching information means for transmitting the notification information of the next information communication device from the transmission unit via the normal line, and when it is detected whether the operation of the switching notification means is completed or whether the reception information is received by the reception unit, the line switching means is transmitted. By providing switching control means for driving and switching the connection between the reception unit and the transmission unit to the emergency line, even when a large number of information communication devices are connected on the information line, one information communication device When an abnormality is detected in the normal line, the line switching notification information is transmitted on the normal line, so that a large number of information communication devices can switch the connection destination to the emergency line at substantially the same time. Those having an effect such as can be the number of the information communication apparatus that is connected to the information communication device the time required for the entire even number switch the connection destination to equivalent to that of one.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a POS system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a POS terminal which is an information communication device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example filed earlier by the present applicant.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a POS terminal which is an information communication device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 information line 3 normal line 4 emergency line 7 receiving unit 8 transmitting unit 9 line switching unit 10 abnormality detecting unit 17, 18 information communication device 20, 21 switching control unit 21, 24 switching notification unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-52-76803 (JP, A) JP-A-59-204339 (JP, A) JP-A-60-125039 (JP, A) JP-A 61-204 129938 (JP, A) JP-A-61-154332 (JP, A) JP-A-62-284539 (JP, A) JP-A-63-24456 (JP, A) JP-A-63-163597 (JP, A) Electronics Vol. 34 No. 9, September 1989, Hirokatsu Iida et al. [Effects and operation of POS system introduction], pages. 43-48 (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04L 12/437 JICST file (JOIS)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of information communication apparatuses sequentially connected to a loop-type information line which is formed in a dual structure of a normal line and an emergency line and whose information transmission direction is defined in one direction. Normally, a connection destination of the receiving unit and the transmitting unit to the line is provided as the normal line, and line switching means is provided which can be switched to the emergency line in an emergency, and the reception of the receiving unit connected to the normal line by the line switching means is provided. An abnormality detecting means for detecting an abnormal state of the normal line from the contents is provided, and when the abnormal state detecting means detects the abnormal state of the normal line, the notification information of the line switching is sent from the transmitting unit to the next information communication device via the normal line. A switching notification unit for transmitting is provided, and when it is detected whether the operation of the switching notification unit is completed or the reception unit receives the notification information, the line switching unit is driven to set a connection destination between the reception unit and the transmission unit. An information communication device comprising a switching control means for switching to an emergency line.