JP5707431B2 - Label printer system, label printer and control program therefor - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a label printer system in which one or a plurality of label printers are connected to a server through a network, a label printer used in the system, and a control program for the label printer.

  For example, a store such as a supermarket sells a product such as a fresh food or a processed food with a label on which a product name, a price, or the like is printed. For this reason, this type of store has a label printer for printing a label. Information relating to the date and time such as the processing date, processing time, and expiration date is also printed on the label. This information is based on the date and time measured by the clock unit built in the label printer.

  The clock unit generates an error with the passage of the month and day. For this reason, it is necessary to adjust the clock unit periodically to ensure the accuracy of the date information printed on the label. The label printer has a function of manually adjusting the clock unit and a function of automatically adjusting the clock unit in accordance with a setting command from the server.

  The automatic adjustment function of the clock unit is utilized in a label printer system in which a label printer is connected to a server via a network. The server transmits a date and time setting command to each label printer at a preset timing. The label printer that has received this command adjusts the date and time of the clock unit so that it matches the date and time in the command. For this reason, if the label printer is not started when the setting command is transmitted from the server, the clock unit of the label printer is not adjusted.

JP 2004-195800 A

  The problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a label printer system and a label printer used in this system that can reliably adjust the clock part of the label printer.

In one embodiment, a label printer system is formed by connecting a label printer and a server via a network. The label printer includes a display unit, a printer-side clock unit, a date and time confirmation unit, a rising unit, and an adjustment unit. The printer clock unit measures the date and time. The date and time confirmation means causes the display unit to display a confirmation screen for the date and time counted by the clock unit on the printer side at the time of startup due to power-on. The rising means transmits a rising declaration command to the server in response to a confirmation operation on the confirmation screen after the power-up. The adjustment means adjusts the date and time of the printer clock unit based on the date and time of the setting command in response to receiving the date and time setting command from the server. The server includes a server-side clock unit, storage means, and transmission means. The server-side clock unit measures the date and time. The storage means stores that the rising declaration command has been received from the label printer. Based on the data stored in the storage unit, the transmission unit transmits a date and time setting command measured by the server-side clock unit to the label printer that has transmitted the rising command.

1 is a schematic diagram of a label printer system. The block diagram which shows the principal part structure of a shop server. The schematic diagram which shows a clock management table. The block diagram which shows the structure of a label printer. The schematic diagram which shows an example of a label. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the rising declaration command reception process which CPU of a shop server performs. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the timer interruption process which CPU of a shop server performs. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a rising process executed by a CPU when a label printer is powered on. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the reception interruption process which CPU of a label printer performs. The schematic diagram which shows an example of a date confirmation screen. The schematic diagram which shows an example of the date confirmation screen on which guidance was displayed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a label printer system will be described with reference to the drawings.
This embodiment relates to a system including a label printer 2 (see FIG. 1) that issues a label 5 (see FIG. 5) on which a processing date, a processing time, and a expiration date are printed as information related to the date and time. This will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a label printer system. In this system, a plurality (two in the figure) of label printers 2 are connected to the store server 1 via a LAN (Local Area Network) 3 that is one mode of the network. The network is not limited to a LAN. For example, the network may be the Internet. When the network is the Internet, the store server 1 may function as a cloud computer.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of the store server 1. The store server 1 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 11, a read only memory (ROM) 12, a random access memory (RAM) 13, a clock unit 14, a communication interface 15, a hard disk drive (HDD) 16, and a system bus 17. . The system bus 17 connects the CPU 11 with the ROM 12, RAM 13, clock unit 14, communication interface 15, and HDD 16.

  The CPU 11 corresponding to the central part of the computer executes information calculation processing necessary for the store server 1 according to a predetermined program. A ROM 12 corresponding to a main storage portion of the computer stores fixed data such as the above-described program. Similarly, the RAM 13 corresponding to the main storage portion of the computer stores variable data processed by the store server 1. The clock unit 14 measures the current date and time. The communication interface 15 communicates with the label printer 2 connected via the LAN 3. The HDD 16 corresponding to the auxiliary storage part of the computer stores programs and data files necessary for store management. It also functions as a data backup area when the power is turned off.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the clock management table 4 formed in the RAM 13 of the store server 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the clock management table 4 stores the printer ID and the flag F in association with each other. The printer ID is set for each label printer 2 in order to individually identify a plurality of label printers 2 connected via the LAN 3. The flag F indicates the state of the label printer 2 specified by the related printer ID. When the flag F is “0”, the label printer 2 has not started up. Alternatively, the label printer 2 is offline. When the flag F is “1”, the label printer 2 is up. However, the clock unit 24 (see FIG. 4) of the label printer 2 is not adjusted. When the flag F is “2”, the label printer 2 has started up. Further, the clock unit 24 of the label printer 2 has been adjusted.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the label printer 2. The label printer 2 includes a CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, clock unit 24, communication interface 25, HDD 26, keyboard 27, touch panel 28, printing unit 29, measuring instrument 30, and system bus 31. The system bus 31 connects the CPU 21 to the ROM 22, RAM 23, clock unit 24, communication interface 25, and HDD 26. The system bus 31 connects the keyboard 27, the touch panel 28, the printing unit 29, and the measuring instrument 30 via an input / output circuit (not shown).

  The CPU 21 corresponding to the central part of the computer executes information calculation processing necessary as a label issuing device according to a predetermined program. A ROM 22 corresponding to a main storage portion of the computer stores fixed data such as the above-described program. Similarly, the RAM 23 corresponding to the main storage portion of the computer stores variable data such as label data printed on the label. The clock unit 24 measures the current date and time. The communication interface 25 communicates with the store server 1 connected via the LAN 3. The HDD 26 corresponding to the auxiliary storage part of the computer stores programs and data files necessary for issuing labels. It also functions as a data backup area when the power is turned off.

  The keyboard 27 is an array of various keys necessary for issuing labels such as a numeric keypad, a clear key, and an execution key, and functions as an input device. The touch panel 28 is a combination of a display and a touch sensor, and functions as an input device and a display device. If the input function of the touch panel 28 is unnecessary, a display device such as a liquid crystal display may be applied instead of the touch panel 28.

  The printing unit 29 prints label data on a label sheet and issues a label. Specifically, the printing unit 29 conveys a label sheet on which labels are arranged at equal intervals on a belt-like mount via an adhesive layer. In the middle of the label sheet conveyance path, the print head and the platen are arranged to face each other with the label sheet interposed therebetween. The printing unit 29 drives the print head to print the label data on the label paper. The label on which the label data is printed is peeled off from the mount on the downstream side of the print head and issued from the label issuing port.

  The measuring device 30 measures the weight of the product. There are two types of products that are subject to label issuance: fixed-price products that have a fixed price regardless of the content, and unfixed products that change in price according to the content. The label printer 2 has a function of obtaining the content of the undetermined amount product from the weight measured by the measuring device 30, calculating a price corresponding to the content, and printing on the label.

  FIG. 5 is an example of a label 5 issued by the label printer 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the label 5 is printed with a product name 51, a price 52, a bar code 53 indicating a product code, etc., and a processing date 54, a processing time 55, and a expiration date 56 as information related to the date and time.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of reception processing executed by the CPU 11 of the store server 1. This process follows a control program stored in the ROM 12 which is a program storage unit of the store server 1.

  Each time a command is received from one of the label printers 2 via the LAN 3, the CPU 11 starts processing of the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the command is a rising declaration command (Act 1). When the command is not a rising declaration command (NO in Act 1), the CPU 11 executes processing corresponding to the command.

  When the command is a rising declaration command (YES in Act 1), the CPU 11 acquires the printer ID of the label printer 2 that is the transmission source of the command. The printer ID is included in the command. The CPU 11 updates the flag F associated with the printer ID in the clock management table 4 from “0” to “1” (Act 2: storage unit). Thus, the CPU 11 ends the reception process of the rising declaration command.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of timer interrupt processing executed by the CPU 11 of the store server 1. This process is started each time a time measured by the clock unit 14 passes a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute) in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM 12 which is a program storage unit of the store server 1.

  First, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the date counted by the clock unit 14 has been updated since the previous interrupt process (Act 11). When the date is updated (YES in Act 11), the CPU 11 resets all the flags F corresponding to the printer IDs in the clock management table 4 to “0” (Act 12). If the date has not been updated (NO in Act 11), the CPU 11 returns to the Act 13 process without executing the Act 12 process.

  Next, the CPU 11 searches the clock management table 4 to check whether or not there is a printer ID with the flag F being “1” (Act 13). If there is no printer ID having the flag F “1” (NO in Act 13), the CPU 11 ends the interrupt process.

  If there is even one printer ID with the flag F set to “1” (YES in Act 13), the CPU 11 creates a setting command including the current date and time measured by the clock unit. Then, the CPU 11 distributes this setting command to all the label printers 2 identified by the printer ID having the flag F “1” via the LAN 3 (Act 14: transmission means). Further, the CPU 11 updates the flag F corresponding to the printer ID of the label printer 2 that has transmitted the setting command from “1” to “2” (Act 15). As described above, the CPU 11 ends the interrupt process.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the rising process executed by the CPU 21 when the power of the label printer 2 is turned on. This process follows a control program stored in the ROM 22 which is a program storage unit of the label printer 2.

  First, the CPU 21 acquires date and time data from the clock unit 24 (Act 21). Then, the CPU 21 displays the date / time confirmation screen 6 on the touch panel 28 (Act22: date / time confirmation means).

  An example of the date confirmation screen 6 is shown in FIG. As shown in the drawing, the date and time confirmation screen 6 has areas 61 and 62 for displaying the date (year / month / day) and time (hour / minute / second) acquired from the clock unit 24. The date confirmation screen 6 also displays a confirmation button 63 that is touched when the operator confirms the display contents.

  The CPU 21 waits for the confirmation button 63 to be input (Act 23). When it is detected that the confirmation button 63 is touch-input by a signal from the touch panel 28 (YES in Act 23), the CPU 21 determines whether or not the date and time adjustment function is valid (Act 24: determination means).

  The label printer 2 can set whether to enable or disable the date / time adjustment function in the date / time adjustment function setting menu in the setup mode. The set data is stored in the HDD 26.

  When the date and time adjustment function is valid (YES in Act 24), the CPU 21 confirms whether or not it is connected to the store server 1 online (Act 25: communication confirmation means). When connected online (YES in Act 25), the CPU 21 transmits a rising declaration command to the store server 1 (Act 26: rising means). This command includes a printer ID preset for the label printer 2.

  When the date and time adjustment function is invalid (NO at Act 24) or when the connection with the store server 1 is offline (NO at Act 25), the CPU 21 displays the clock unit 24 on the date and time confirmation screen 6 as shown in FIG. The guidance 64 for manually adjusting the date and time is displayed (Act 27: guide means). Thereafter, the CPU 21 waits for the confirmation button 63 to be input again (Act 28).

  When transmitting a date / time request command in the process of Act 26 or detecting that the confirmation button 63 is touch-input in the process of Act 28 (YES in Act 28), the CPU 21 deletes the date / time confirmation screen 60. (Act29). Thereafter, the CPU 21 shifts to a normal label issuing process.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the reception interrupt process executed by the CPU 21 of the label printer 2. This process also follows the control program.

  Each time a command is received from the store server 1, the CPU 21 starts processing according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9. First, the CPU 21 identifies the type of command (Act 31). When the received command is a date and time setting command (YES in Act 31), the CPU 21 analyzes the setting command and acquires the date and time included in the command (Act 32). If the date and time can be acquired, the CPU 21 adjusts the date and time counted by the clock unit 24 so as to coincide with the date and time acquired from the setting command (Act33: adjusting means). ). The CPU 21 ends the reception process for the date and time setting command.

  As described above, the store server 1 waits for a rising declaration command from the label printer 2 every time the date counted by the clock unit 14 is updated. When the rising declaration command is received, a date and time setting command is transmitted to the label printer 2 of the command transmission source. On the other hand, when the label printer 2 starts up when the power is turned on, it transmits a startup declaration command to the store server 1.

Therefore, unless there is a communication error between the store server and the label printer 2, a date and time setting command is transmitted from the store server 1 to the label printer 2 that is operating after startup. A date and time setting command is not transmitted to the non-operating label printer 2 that has not started up.

  In the label printer 2 that has received the setting command, the built-in clock unit 14 is automatically adjusted based on the date and time of the setting command. Thus, according to the label printer system of the present embodiment, it is possible to reliably adjust the clock unit 24 included in each label printer 2 without any burden on the user. As a result, the date and time such as the processing date, processing time, and expiration date printed on the label issued from the label printer 2 are always accurate, so that the reliability of the label printer 2 can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, the label printer 2 displays the date and time confirmation screen 6 on the touch panel 28 when the label printer 2 is turned on by power-on. When the operator performs a confirmation operation on the date confirmation screen 6, the label printer 2 transmits a rising declaration command to the store server 1. However, if the date / time adjustment function is disabled or offline, the label printer 2 does not transmit a rising declaration command. At this time, the label printer 2 causes the touch panel 28 to display a guidance 64 for manually adjusting the date and time of the clock unit 24.

  Thus, according to the label printer 2 of the present embodiment, the date and time of the clock unit 24 is automatically adjusted by setting the date and time adjustment function to be valid. Moreover, when automatic adjustment is impossible, guidance 64 for manually adjusting the date and time of the clock unit 24 is displayed. Therefore, the operator only needs to manually adjust the date and time of the clock unit 24 according to the guidance only when the guidance 64 is displayed after the confirmation operation on the date and time confirmation screen 6, and is otherwise aware of the adjustment of the clock unit 24. Since there is no need to do this, the burden on the operator can be reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.
For example, the embodiment has exemplified the system of the label printer 2 that issues the label 5 on which the processing date, the processing time, and the expiration date are printed as information related to the date and time. The type of label issued from the label printer 2 is not particularly limited. The present invention can be applied to any label printer and system for printing information related to date and time.

  Moreover, you may change the timer interruption process of the store server 1 shown by FIG. 7 as follows. That is, after transmitting a setting command to the label printer 2 in Act 14, the CPU 11 waits for response data from the label printer 2. Only when response data can be received within a predetermined time, the CPU 11 updates the flag F corresponding to the printer ID of the label printer 2 from “1” to “2”. By doing so, the setting command is transmitted again to the label printer 2 that has transmitted the setting command but the clock unit 24 has not been adjusted due to some abnormality. 24 can be adjusted.

  The date and time adjustment function described as having the label printer 2 may be omitted. In that case, the guidance 64 is displayed only when the label printer 2 is offline. Further, the guidance 64 may be always displayed on the date and time confirmation screen 6 regardless of whether it is offline. In this case, the processing of Act 27 and Act 28 is omitted in the processing procedure of FIG.

  Further, instead of waiting for the re-input of the confirmation button 63 in the processing of Act 28, for example, it waits for a certain time to elapse after displaying the guidance, and when the certain time has passed, the date confirmation screen 6 is deleted. You may do it.

  In the embodiment, the confirmation operation on the date confirmation screen 6 is the transmission timing of the rising declaration command. The label printer 2 may transmit a rising declaration command at a timing other than the confirmation operation. For example, after the power is turned on, the date confirmation screen 6 may be displayed after starting the processing of Act 24 and transmitting the rising declaration command.

  In the above embodiment, a control program for realizing the functions of the invention is recorded in advance in the ROM 22 which is a program storage unit in the apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a similar program may be downloaded from the network to the apparatus. Alternatively, a similar program recorded on the recording medium may be installed in the apparatus. The recording medium may be in any form as long as it can store a program such as a CD-ROM or a memory card and can be read by the apparatus. Further, the function obtained by installing or downloading the program may be realized in cooperation with an OS (operating system) in the apparatus.

In addition, although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof.
Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims of the present application will be appended.
[1] In a label printer system in which a label printer and a server are connected via a network, the label printer transmits a rise declaration command to the server at the time of start-up upon power-on, and a printer-side clock unit that measures the date and time And a adjusting unit that adjusts the date and time of the printer clock unit based on the date and time of the setting command in response to receiving the date and time setting command from the server. The server includes a server-side clock unit for measuring the date and time, storage means for storing the reception of the rising declaration command from the label printer, and the rising command based on the data stored in the storage means. The date and time that is counted by the server clock unit for the label printer that has transmitted Label printer system characterized by comprising transmission means, a to send configuration commands.
[2] In response to receiving a date and time setting command from the server, a clock part on the printer side that measures the date and time, a rising means for transmitting a rising declaration command to the server at the time of rising upon power-on, A label printer comprising: adjusting means for adjusting the date and time of the clock part on the printer side based on the date and time of the setting command.
[3] Further comprising: a display unit; and a date and time confirmation unit for displaying a date and time confirmation screen timed by the printer-side clock unit at the time of startup by turning on the power. The label printer according to [2], wherein the rising declaration command is transmitted to the server in response to a confirmation operation on the confirmation screen.
[4] Communication confirmation means for confirming whether or not the communication state with the server is offline, and guidance for manually adjusting the date and time of the printer-side clock unit when the communication state with the server is offline The label printer as set forth in [2] or [3], further comprising guide means for displaying on the display section.
[5] When the online date and time adjustment function is valid, and when the online date and time adjustment function is invalid, the date and time of the printer clock section are manually set. The label printer as set forth in [2] or [3], further comprising guide means for displaying guidance for adjustment on the display unit.
[6] A function of transmitting a start declaration command to the server at the time of start-up upon power-on to the computer that controls the label printer connected to the server through the network, and receiving a date and time setting command from the server And a function for adjusting the date and time of the printer clock section that measures the date and time based on the date and time of the setting command.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Store server, 2 ... Label printer, 3 ... LAN, 4 ... Clock management table, 5 ... Label, 11, 21 ... CPU, 12, 22 ... ROM, 13, 23 ... RAM, 14, 24 ... Clock part, 15 25, communication interface, 16, 26, HDD, 28, touch panel, 29, printing unit.

Claims (6)

A display unit;
A clock section on the printer that measures the date and time;
Date and time confirmation means for displaying a confirmation screen of the date and time measured by the clock section on the printer side at the time of startup due to power- on on the display section;
A startup means for transmitting a startup declaration command to a server connected via a network in response to a check operation on the confirmation screen after the startup by turning on the power ;
An adjusting means for adjusting the date and time of the printer-side clock unit based on the date and time of the setting command in response to receiving the date and time setting command from the server;
A label printer comprising: A display unit;
A clock section on the printer that measures the date and time;
A startup means for transmitting a startup declaration command to a server connected to the network at startup by power-on;
An adjusting means for adjusting the date and time of the printer-side clock unit based on the date and time of the setting command in response to receiving the date and time setting command from the server;
Communication confirmation means for confirming whether the communication state with the server is offline;
When the communication state with the server is offline, guide means for displaying guidance for manually adjusting the date and time of the printer-side clock unit on the display unit;
A label printer comprising: Communication confirmation means for confirming whether the communication state with the server is offline;
When the communication state with the server is offline, guide means for displaying guidance for manually adjusting the date and time of the printer-side clock unit on the display unit;
Furthermore according to claim 1, wherein the label printer, characterized by comprising a. A determination means for determining whether the online date and time adjustment function is effective; and
And a guide means for displaying guidance for manually adjusting the date and time of the clock section on the printer side on the display section when the online date and time adjustment function is disabled. The label printer according to claim 1 . A label printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A server-side clock unit for measuring the date and time, storage means for storing the reception of the rising declaration command from the label printer, and the label printer that has transmitted the rising command based on data stored in the storage means A server provided with a transmission means for transmitting a date and time setting command timed by the server-side clock unit;
A label printer system characterized by being connected by a network. Ri Na connected to the server through a network, a display unit, a computer for controlling the label printer and a printer-side clock unit for measuring date and time,
A function for causing the display unit to display a confirmation screen for the date and time measured by the clock unit on the printer side at the time of startup due to power-on ;
A function of transmitting a startup declaration command to the server in accordance with a confirmation operation on the confirmation screen after the startup by turning on the power ;
A function of the response to receiving the set command date and time from the server, to adjust the date and time of the printer-side clock unit based on the date and time of the setting command,
Control program to realize.

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