JP5587953B2 - Product registration device and program - Google Patents

Description

  One embodiment relates to a commodity registration apparatus and a program.

  Conventionally, there has been known a computer device having an interface in which an expansion device such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device can be attached and detached (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A personal computer OS (operating system) manages drive information indicating removable or fixed for a plurality of input / output media respectively connected to the system bus. When expanding the memory, a built-in hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SDD), or the like is used. These hard disk drives and solid state drives are recognized as fixed media by the operating system. Since the operating system recognizes each drive even after the computer is restarted, the application program also correctly recognizes these drives.

  A personal computer adopting a personal computer OS is used for a commodity registration apparatus such as a POS (point of sales) terminal. The product registration apparatus uses a removable medium such as a USB memory or an SD memory card as an additional memory. Before the product registration apparatus is restarted, the program executes a process of safely removing the removable medium. The process of safely removing means a process of completing writing or a process of stopping energization in order to prevent loss of cached data.

JP 2003-108274 A

  However, in the prior art, when the removable media is removed, the product registration device executes the process of safely removing it, and the operating system recognizes that the removable media has been disconnected from this device. Later, the application cannot recognize the removable media drive that is installed. The product registration apparatus performs a process of backing up a file to a removable medium after the end of business. The next time the device is started up, the merchandise registration device cannot recognize the attached removable media. For example, even when the merchandise registration apparatus is restarted due to a malfunction or the like, the merchandise registration apparatus cannot recognize the drive of the mounted removable device.

In order to solve such a problem, according to one embodiment, a data processing unit that is provided in the apparatus main body, executes a product sales registration process, performs a power-off process and a startup process, and the data processing unit And an interface unit that is bus-connected to at least one of a port of a peripheral device and a slot of a card type device that is connected to the apparatus main body, and the port or slot connected to the interface unit is a drive. A first storage area that is accessed by a recognized operating system (OS) and stores drive connection status information indicating whether a corresponding device connected to the drive is removable or fixed for each drive, and the interface connected to the interface unit Recognize a port or slot as a drive and A management unit for connection to the corresponding device generates the information indicating the removable or fixed, this is generated by the management unit, a storing a table indicating the same other drive relationship between drive correspondence the drive connection status information indicating 2 and the other drive correspondence relationship corresponding to the drive assigned to the slot to which a removable medium is connected by the table of the second storage area during the startup from the removable to the fixed state. A product registration device is provided that includes a change setting unit that changes and maintains the changed content upon restart after the power is turned off .

According to another embodiment, the computer has a function of executing a startup process and a process of turning off the power, a function of executing a product sales registration process, a port of a peripheral device, and a slot of a card type device. a function of detecting that at least one the corresponding device is connected to out, recognizes that drives the port or the slot, the drive connection which the corresponding device connected to the drive for each of the drive showing the removable or fixed A function by an operating system (OS) for generating status information, a function for generating a table indicating another drive correspondence relationship that is the same as the drive correspondence relationship indicated by the drive connection status information, and the removable medium by the table during the startup. To the drive assigned to the connected slot A function of changing the other drive correspondence to respond to the fixing of the removable, after dropping the power, the program for the information contents have changed during the reboot perform a reading-free function is provided .

It is a perspective view of the merchandise registration apparatus concerning an embodiment. It is a block diagram of the principal part composition which made the main part the control system of the goods registration apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the execution process by which the removable media by the goods registration apparatus which concerns on embodiment is handled as a fixed drive. It is a diagram which shows the 1st example of the table of the memory | storage part of the goods registration apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a diagram which shows the 2nd example of the table of the memory | storage part of the goods registration apparatus which concerns on embodiment.

  Hereinafter, the product registration apparatus and program according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the drawings, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a product registration apparatus according to an embodiment. The POS terminal 10 (product registration device) is a personal computer POS terminal, and includes a device main body 11, a scanner 12 that reads a barcode, a data processing unit 13 that is provided in the device main body 11 and executes a product sales registration process by scanning, And a transaction information storage unit 14 for storing and storing sales data of products registered for each transaction from the product registration operation to the price payment operation. Further, the POS terminal 10 includes a USB port 15 (port) and a card slot 16 (slot), a data processing unit 13 and an interface unit 17 connected to the USB port 15 and the card slot 16, respectively, a USB port 15 and a card. A management unit 18 that recognizes each slot 16 as a drive, assigns a drive name, and generates drive information (information) indicating that the corresponding device connected to the plurality of drives indicates removable or fixed is provided. The drive name is a drive letter represented by a single alphabetic character such as C, D,..., Y, Z. Further, the POS terminal 10 includes a table storage unit 19 (storage unit) that stores table data in which drive names and drive information assigned to a plurality of drives by the management unit 18 are associated with each drive, and the table storage unit 19. And a change setting unit 20 that changes the drive information corresponding to the drive assigned to the USB port 15 or the card slot 16 to which the removable medium is connected from the removable to the fixed and maintains the change contents.

  The apparatus main body 11 includes an operator display 21 (display) for displaying scanned product input registration information, product settlement, and information for generating sales data, and a customer surface display facing the customer side. A device 22 and a printer 23 for printing a receipt are provided. The data processing unit 13 registers a product, sells the sales data of the product, and settles the price of the product purchased by the customer when the end of registration of the product purchased by one customer is declared by the registration closing. . The data processing unit 13 also performs overall control. The transaction information storage unit 14 stores, for example, a product master file in which product information is registered in association with a product code and a transaction file in which a plurality of transaction data is registered for each transaction.

  The USB port 15 is a connection port for peripheral devices attached to the apparatus main body 11. Peripheral devices refer to memory, keyboard, pointing device or personal computer. The card slot 16 is an insertion slot for an SD memory card. The POS terminal 10 may be provided with a card slot 24 for the CF memory card in the apparatus main body 11 in addition to the USB port 15 and the card slot 16. The interface unit 17 provides the data processing unit 13 with an extended storage area obtained by expanding the storage area of the transaction information storage unit 14.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a main configuration mainly composed of the control system of the POS terminal 10. The above described symbols represent the same elements. The interface unit 17 includes a USB controller 25, an SD memory card controller 26 and a CF memory card controller 27. The USB controller 25 interfaces between the system bus 28 and the USB memory 29. The USB controller 25 generates a control command issued by a CPU (central processing unit) 32 to the USB memory 29. The USB controller 25 generates, for example, a transfer clock, receives a response to a control command, outputs data, and controls power supply. The SD memory card controller 26 has a reader / writer function of the SD memory card 30, reads data and setting contents from the SD memory card 30, and writes data from the CPU 32 to the SD memory card 30. The CF memory card controller 27 has a reader / writer function of the CF memory card 31.

  The management unit 18 handles the drive connected to the USB memory 29, the SD memory card 30 or the CF memory card 31 as a dedicated drive (backup drive) used exclusively for backup. The management unit 18 designates a change from a removable device to a fixed device for each drive. The management unit 18 or the data processing unit 13 may execute a process of safely removing the corresponding device after completing writing or stopping energization in order to prevent loss of cached data. The table storage unit 19 is a storage area allocated to the storage area of the hard disk drive 35. The operator display 21 may display the content changed to fixed by the change setting unit 20 on the screen.

  In the figure, the POS terminal 10 includes a ROM (read only memory) 33 for storing a computer program that causes the CPU 32 to function as the data processing unit 13, the management unit 18, and the change setting unit 20, and a RAM (random access memory) having a work area. 34 and the hard disk drive 35 built in the apparatus main body 11. The hard disk drive 35 has a storage area of the transaction information storage unit 14, a storage area written by an operating system (OS) executed by the CPU 32, and a storage area of the table storage unit 19 written by an application program.

  Further, the hard disk drive 35 is a fixed drive having a system storage area 36 for storing system information of the apparatus main body 11. The hard disk drive 35 may be assigned the first fixed drive name C and the second fixed drive name D by the OS. The system storage area 36 holds a relationship in which an input / output device physically connected to the apparatus main body 11 is associated with a drive name and a removable or fixed type. The management unit 18 generates drive information having substantially the same correspondence as the correspondence in the system storage area 36 as a table 37 in the table storage 19.

  The program stored in the ROM 33 causes the CPU 32 to execute the following functions. A function of executing a product sales registration process by the data processing unit 13. A function of detecting that the USB memory 30 is connected to the USB port 15 by the interface unit 17, that the SD memory card 30 is connected to the card slot 16, or that the CF memory card 31 is connected to the card slot 24. A function of recognizing the USB port 15 and the card slots 16 and 24 as drives by the operating system and management unit 18 and generating information indicating that the device connected to each drive is removable or fixed. A function for generating the table 37 by the management unit 18. A function of changing drive information corresponding to the card slot 16 or the card slot 24 to which a removable medium such as the SD memory card 30 or the CF memory card 31 is connected from a removable to a fixed by the change setting unit 20.

  Further, the POS terminal 10 includes a communication interface 38 for transmitting / receiving files to / from the store computer, a controller 39 for the operator display 21, a controller 40 for the customer display 22, and a printer controller for the printer 23. 41 and a scanner controller 42 for the scanner 12.

  When the POS terminal 10 having the above-described configuration is activated, the operating system collects drive information about input / output devices. The operating system searches to see if devices are installed in order for all drive names. The operating system searches all the physically connected input / output devices, and holds drive connection state information (drive collection information) indicating whether the input / output devices are removable or fixed in the system storage area 36. Non-overlapping drive names for the two drives C and D of the hard disk drive 35, the USB memory 29, the SD memory card 30 and the CF memory card 31 are collected in the system storage area 36. In this state, the POS terminal 10 performs product registration processing. The POS terminal 10 searches the product master file using the code data from the scanner 12, identifies the product, reads the product single product data, and registers the product score and price. The POS terminal 10 generates transaction data.

  The operator removes the removable medium connected to the POS terminal 10 from the apparatus main body 11 at the timing of data backup. The backup timing refers to, for example, when the sales data before closing the store is totaled or confirmed, or when a settlement report is created.

  At the backup timing, the POS terminal 10 copies the sales file or the like to the backup removable media by an operator operation, and instructs the POS terminal 10 to remove the removable media by the operator operation. For example, when the settlement closing key is pressed, the POS terminal 10 starts a processing program for changing the connected removable media drive from removable to fixed.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an execution process in which the removable media is handled as a fixed drive by the POS terminal 10. The above described symbols represent the same elements. In step A1, for example, the management unit 18 on the application program side collects information on the designated drive. The designated drive refers to, for example, all the drives already listed. The management unit 18 generates drive information having the same correspondence relationship as the correspondence relationship in the system storage area 36 as a table 37 in the table storage unit 19.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first example of the table 37. The above described symbols represent the same elements. All the information about the removable media is “removable”. Regarding the drives C and D, since the POS terminal 10 cannot recognize these drives C and D as a removable drive only by OS information, the POS terminal 10 is not treated as a removable drive (external media). . This is because the operating system side has a separate fixed drive information setting file for the drives C and D and is set as a fixed drive.

In step A2 of FIG. 3, the management unit 18 determines from the table 37 whether the corresponding device connected to the designated drive is removable. For example, the management unit 18 determines that it is not removable based on the correspondence relationship of the table 37 with respect to the first drive C of the hard disk drive 35. In step A2, the management unit 18 passes “No”, and in step A3, the management unit 18 performs a process of decrementing the drive name from C to D, etc., a process of determining whether all other drives have been determined, and A process of branching whether to end or return to step A2 is performed according to the result of this determination. If the drive name is lowered in step A2 and all the determinations have not been completed yet, “No” is passed, and in step A2, the management unit 18 determines that the second drive D of the hard disk drive 35 is not removable. The management unit 18 passes “No”, and after executing the processing of step A3 and step A4, in step A2, the management unit 18 determines the drive name E.

If the management unit 18 determines that the drive name E is removable in step A2, the process passes “Yes”, and in step A4, the change setting unit 20 changes the corresponding drive information from removable to fixed. On the table 37, the SD memory card 30 for the drive name E is changed from a removable drive to a fixed drive. Subsequently, after confirming whether or not the management unit 18 is treated as a fixed drive in step A5, the process passes “Yes”, and in step A6, the management unit 18 executes a safe removal process. For example, an icon on the system tray at the lower right of the operator display 21 pops up, and a character string “Safely removed hardware” is displayed on the screen. The management unit 18 executes the process of step A3, and the process returns to steps A2 and A1. In the example shown in the figure, a warning or the like may be given to another route in step A5.

  Alternatively, if the USB memory 29 with the drive name F is determined to be removable (“Yes” route in step A2), the management unit 18 changes the corresponding drive information from removable to fixed (step A4), and performs a safe removal process. Execute (Steps A5 and A6).

  Alternatively, if the CF memory card 31 with the drive name G is determined to be removable (“Yes” route in step A2), the management unit 18 changes the corresponding drive information from removable to fixed (step A4), and a safe removal process is performed. Is executed (steps A5 and A6).

  In step A3, the management unit 18 determines that there are no remaining designated drives, and ends the process. If there is data in the middle of writing to any one or more of the USB memory 29, the SD memory card 30, and the CF memory card 31, the POS terminal 10 completes the writing of this data and stops energization. Any removable media can be removed without data loss.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the second content of the table 37. The contents of the corresponding drives E, F, and G are rewritten from “removable” to “fixed”. The contents of the figure continue to be retained. The POS terminal 10 outputs sales information from the printer 23 or sends sales data from the communication interface 38 to the store computer. The operator turns off the power of the POS terminal 10. Thereafter, when the POS terminal 10 is activated, the application can refer to the drives E, F, and G immediately after activation. In the POS terminal 10 that is used by being placed at the checkout counter, these drives E, F, and G can continue to be used as backup dedicated drives.

  For example, it is assumed that a file for distribution is copied from the host device to the distribution destination POS terminal 10 via the USB memory 29 or the SD memory card 30. It is assumed that none of the USB memory 29, the SD memory card 30 and the CF memory card 31 is connected to the POS terminal 10. At the time of the work before opening the store, the higher-order server device or other POS terminal device of the distribution source creates a file named “aaa.dat” in which the setting data is described, and this file is stored in the USB memory 29, the SD memory Copy to any removable media of the card 30 and the CF memory card 31. When the POS terminal 10 receiving the distribution detects that the removable medium is inserted into the USB port 15 or the card slots 16 and 24, an application program for displaying the drive structure and the file list is started up, and the file is displayed on the screen. Copy to any directory. The same applies to the case where the operator adds either one or both of the SD memory card 30 and the CF memory card 31 and connects to the POS terminal 10 while only the USB memory 29 is connected to the POS terminal 10. To be done.

  Generally, when adding a backup drive to a PC-POS terminal device, it is not possible to add another internal hard disk drive or solid state drive due to the convenience of a personal computer. The convenience of a personal computer means that it is difficult to actually use a POS system device by adding an internal hard disk drive or the like in a store. According to the product registration apparatus and program according to the present embodiment, the USB memory 29, the SD memory card 30 or the CF memory card 31 can be used exclusively as a backup drive.

  Conventionally, in the business of connecting a USB flash memory, the POS terminal automatically performs data “separate removal” processing by automatically separating the data upon completion of the business. Although the operator wanted to use the USB flash memory as a backup medium with the USB flash memory treated as a fixed drive, it was not realized because the USB flash memory was disconnected due to the above processing factors. Also, removable media other than USB flash memory cannot be used as backup media because the process of “remove safely” is automatically executed in the same manner as USB flash memory.

  On the other hand, according to the product registration apparatus and the program according to the embodiment, the SD memory card 30 drive managed by the fixed drive information setting file can be changed to a fixed drive. As a drive for the SD memory card 30, it can be used continuously. The same applies to the POS terminal 10 for the CF memory card 31. In addition, even if a malfunction occurs and the POS terminal 10 is restarted, it becomes possible to recognize the drive of the mounted removable device, so that the cost for capital investment can be reduced. Memory expansion work can be simplified.

  The above-described embodiment is not limited to the embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the components without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In the above embodiment, the change setting unit 20 replicates the same correspondence as the information in the system area. However, the method in which the application program side generates a correspondence different from the operating system side is not limited to this example. Other methods and modifications may be used. The superiority of the product registration apparatus according to the embodiment with respect to the implemented product that has been changed is not impaired at all. The merchandise registration apparatus is used in industries where the POS system is used, such as ECR. In the above description, the example of the removable memory is used. However, the merchandise registration apparatus performs the same process for other removable devices that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 11.

  The removable media may be a mini SD card, a micro SD (registered trademark) card, an SDHC memory card, a mini SDHC card, a micro SDHC card, an SDXC memory card, or a micro SDXC card. The removable media may be MMC (registered trademark), HS-MMC, MMC plus (registered trademark), RS-MMC, DV-RS-MMC, MMC mobile, or MMC micro (registered trademark) cards. The removable media may be a Memory Stick, Magic Gate Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick ProDuo, Memory Stick Micro, or the like. The removable media may be smart media, xD picture card, transflash or PC card.

  In the above example, the product registration device according to the embodiment is sufficient to provide at least one of the USB port 15, the card slot 16, and the card slot 24.

  Although several embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... POS terminal (product registration apparatus), 11 ... Apparatus main body, 12 ... Scanner, 13 ... Data processing part, 14 ... Transaction information storage part, 15 ... USB port (port), 16 ... Card slot (slot), 17 ... Interface unit, 18 ... management unit, 19 ... table storage unit (storage unit), 20 ... change setting unit, 21 ... operator display (display), 22 ... customer display, 23 ... printer, 24 ... card slot ( Slot), 25 ... USB controller, 26 ... SD memory card controller, 27 ... CF memory card controller, 28 ... system bus, 29 ... USB memory (removable media), 30 ... SD memory card (removable media), 31 ... CF memory Card (removable media), 32 ... CPU, 33 ... ROM, 34 ... RAM, 3 ... hard disk drive (fixed drive), 36 ... system memory area, 37 ... table, 38 ... communication interface, 39, 40 ... controller, 41 ... printer controller, 42 ... scanner controller.

Claims (6)

A data processing unit that is provided in the apparatus body, executes a product sales registration process, and performs a process of turning off the power and a process of starting ;
An interface unit that is bus-connected to the data processing unit and is bus-connected to at least one of a port of a peripheral device and a slot of a card type device that is attached to the apparatus main body,
The interface is accessed by an operating system (OS) that recognizes the port or slot connected to the interface as a drive, and stores drive connection status information indicating whether the corresponding device connected to the drive is removable or fixed for each drive. A first storage area;
A management unit for the said port or said slot connected to the interface unit recognizes that drive, connected corresponding device to the drive generates information indicating the removable or fixed,
A second storage area that stores a table that is generated by the management unit and that shows another drive correspondence relationship that is the same as the drive correspondence relationship indicated by the drive connection state information ;
During the activation, the other drive correspondence relationship corresponding to the drive assigned to the slot to which a removable medium is connected by the table of the second storage area is changed from the removable to the fixed, and the power supply is changed. A merchandise registration apparatus comprising: a change setting unit that maintains a change content upon restart after dropping .   The product registration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the management unit assigns the drive connected to the removable medium as a backup drive.   The product registration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the management unit specifies the change for each of a plurality of drives.   The merchandise registration apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display that displays the content changed to the fixed by the change setting unit.   The merchandise registration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the management unit executes the removal process of the corresponding device after completing writing or stopping energization to prevent loss of cached data. On the computer,
A function to execute startup processing and power-off processing;
A function to execute the product sales registration process;
A function of detecting that a corresponding device is connected to at least one of a peripheral device port and a card type device slot;
A function by an operating system (OS) that recognizes the port or the slot as a drive and generates drive connection state information indicating that the corresponding device connected to the drive for each drive indicates removable or fixed;
A function for generating a table showing another drive correspondence relationship that is the same as the drive correspondence relationship indicated by the drive connection state information ;
A function of changing the other drive correspondence corresponding to the drive assigned to the slot to which a removable medium is connected by the table from the removable to the fixed during the activation ;
A program for executing a function of reading the information of the contents changed at the time of restart after the power is turned off .

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