JP5736851B2 - Sales analysis program using print data, sales information acquisition device, and sales information acquisition method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a program for enabling sales analysis using print data output from an existing application, and in particular, for sales analysis that can easily realize the function without changing the program of the existing application. It relates to programs.

  In retail sales businesses such as supermarkets, a POS system, which is a sales management system, has become widespread, and in this system, a plurality of terminal devices (registers) connected to a server via a network operate according to applications provided in the device. Execute the process. Also, normally, each terminal device is provided with a printer, and outputs a receipt or a coupon according to an instruction from the application.

  Even in such a POS system, there is a need for function expansion and function change in response to technical improvement and business improvement requests after introduction, but such a system is generally always used as a business center. In many cases, it is also complicatedly linked with other systems, so it is usually not easy to modify the application. Further, as the above function expansion, there is a demand for adding a sales analysis function.

  As for this problem, the following proposals have conventionally been made regarding the functions of the output processing system.

  The following Patent Document 1 describes a device that performs a modem function in a personal computer that can remove the microprocessor and memory required for a conventional modem without having to modify an existing application program. Has been.

  Further, in Patent Document 2 below, by accessing one communication port without changing the application, it is possible to cause a printer connected to another communication port to execute printing simultaneously. A device is described that enables it.

JP-A-8-69427 JP 2006-338443 A

  However, the contents described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are not limited to realizing limited functions of the output system such as a modem function and a duplication printing function, and cannot satisfy other various demands. In particular, the above sales analysis function cannot be added. Further, since the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 is processing in the OS kernel layer, there is a problem that function construction (program development or the like) is generally not easy and functions are limited.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is a program for enabling sales analysis using print data output from an existing application, and can easily realize the function without changing the program of the existing application. To provide a sales analysis program.

In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention is to acquire sales information in a computer having a communication port, which is operated by an operating system of the OS kernel layer and an application layer application outputs print data. When the sales analysis program for executing the process is in the rule setting mode, the OS kernel layer receives the print data output from the application, and the application layer acquires the print data based on the plurality of received print data. a step of generating a rule, is executed by the computer, when not in the rule setting mode, in the OS kernel layer, a step of receiving the print data output from the application, in the application layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, The received print data A step of extracting sales information, a step of converting the extracted sales information into a data format that can be processed by a sales analysis application in the application layer, and connecting the converted sales information to the computer Outputting to the sales analysis application, and outputting the received print data to the communication port to which a printer is connected.

  Furthermore, in the above-mentioned invention, a preferable aspect thereof is characterized in that the acquisition rule includes information on the contents and location of sales information to be acquired.

In order to achieve the above object, another aspect of the present invention provides a sales information acquisition apparatus comprising a computer having a communication port, which is operated by an operating system of an OS kernel layer and an application layer application outputs print data. A virtual port that receives the print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer, a rule setting unit that generates an acquisition rule based on the plurality of received print data at the application layer, and the application in the layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, from the received print data, and sales information extractor for extracting sales information, at the application layer, the sales information in which the extracted, the sales analysis application can process data format A data conversion unit to convert, and the converted data On information, anda sales information output unit for outputting the sales analysis applications connected to the computer, the received print data, and outputs to the communication port the printer is connected, is that.

Furthermore, in the above invention, the preferred embodiment, prior Symbol acquisition rule includes information about the content and location of the sales information to be acquired, characterized in that.

In order to achieve the above object, still another aspect of the present invention provides a sales information acquisition method in a computer having a communication port, which is operated by an operating system of an OS kernel layer and an application layer application outputs print data. In the rule setting mode, the computer receives the print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer, and generates an acquisition rule based on the plurality of received print data at the application layer. the process has, when not in the rule setting mode, the computer, the steps of receiving the print data output from the application in the OS kernel layer, wherein the computer, in the application layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, The received Extracting the sales information from the print data, the computer converting the extracted sales information into a data format that can be processed by a sales analysis application in the application layer, and the computer And outputting the converted sales information to a sales analysis application connected to the computer, and the computer outputting the received print data to the communication port to which a printer is connected. That's it.

Furthermore, in the above invention, the preferred embodiment, prior Symbol acquisition rule includes information about the content and location of the sales information to be acquired, characterized in that.

  Further objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention described below.

It is a schematic block diagram which concerns on the embodiment of the POS terminal device to which this invention is applied. It is a schematic function block diagram of a POS terminal device. It is the flowchart which illustrated the procedure of the setting process of an acquisition rule. It is the figure which showed an example of the receipt which acquires sales information. It is the flowchart which illustrated the procedure of the acquisition process of sales information. It is a figure for demonstrating the improvement of a POS system.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals or reference symbols.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram according to an embodiment of a POS terminal device to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic functional configuration diagram of the POS terminal apparatus. A POS terminal apparatus 2 (sales information acquisition apparatus) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In the apparatus, print data (for example, receipt data) output from the POS application 201 is communicated. The data is received by the virtual port 203 of the OS kernel layer 230 before being output to the port 209. The received data is received by the sales information extraction unit 204 of the application layer 220, and sales information is extracted from the print data according to a predetermined acquisition rule. Thereafter, the extracted sales information is converted into a standard format that can be processed by the sales analysis application 5 by the data conversion unit 205, and is output from the sales information output unit 206 to the application. On the other hand, the print data is output to the communication port 209 and the printed matter is output from the printer 3.

  Further, the POS terminal device 2 is provided with the above-described sales information acquisition rule generation function. According to the generation function, the rule setting unit 208 compares a plurality of print data of a printed matter, for example, a receipt, and determines whether the print content is a fixed portion or a variable portion for each object. After that, for each variable part, determine what sales information it is from its print contents and location, etc., and based on the result, what kind of sales information is included in the printed matter as an acquisition rule Remember.

  In the POS terminal device 2, by executing such processing, it is possible to easily add a function of sales analysis without changing the program of the existing application.

  In this embodiment, a POS system used in a store or the like is assumed, and a plurality of POS terminal devices 2 are connected to a POS server 1 via a network 4 as shown in FIG. ing. The POS server 1 is constituted by a computer system, and executes processing such as management of the plurality of POS terminal devices 2 and aggregation and management of various data acquired from the POS terminal devices 2.

  The POS terminal device 2 is installed at each cash register and is connected to the printer 3. The printer 3 outputs a receipt or the like according to the print data output from the POS terminal device 2. Therefore, the POS terminal device 2 is positioned as the host device of the printer 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1, each POS terminal device 2 includes a POS terminal main body 21, a display 22, a keyboard / mouse 23, a barcode reader 24, a card reader 25, and the like. The display 22 displays the price of the product to the customer, and the keyboard / mouse 23 is used by the operator to input product information such as price and product code, and customer information such as sex and age. Further, the barcode reader 24 reads the barcode attached to the product to acquire product information, and the card reader 25 reads the information stored in various cards to acquire information necessary for settlement.

  The POS terminal main body 21 generates information to be printed on a receipt or a coupon based on information acquired from the keyboard / mouse 23, the barcode reader 24, and the card reader 25 described above, and outputs the information to the printer 3. The POS terminal main body 21 is configured by a computer and includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an HDD and the like (not shown). A program for the POS application 201 described later, a program for sales information acquisition processing, and the like are stored in the ROM, and each process is executed by the CPU operating in accordance with these programs.

  Further, the POS terminal device 2 has a functional configuration as shown in FIG. The POS application 201 performs processing for generating and outputting information to be printed on the receipt and the like described above. However, the POS application 201 does not have a function for analyzing sales or a function for analyzing sales or has a poor function. The generated and output print data is data in a format that can be output to the printer 3 as it is, or data in a format that is passed to the printer 3 driver 202. The former is generated in the case of simple print data such as printing of text only.

  The printer 3 driver 202 is a printer driver for the printer 3, and the data output from the POS application 201 can be received and printed by the printer 3 using a command depending on the model (device) of the printer 3. Output as print data.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the POS application 201 and the printer 3 driver 202 are located in an application layer 220 on which a program executes each process based on an operating system (OS) of a computer. Both are constituted by a program stored in the ROM for instructing each processing content and the CPU for executing processing according to the program. As the POS application 201 and the printer 3 driver 202, those used in the conventional apparatus before applying the present invention are used as they are.

  Next, the virtual port 203 is a part that receives print data output from the POS application 201 or the printer 3 driver 202 by the OS kernel layer 230 in which the operating system is located before the communication port 209 receives the print data. Then, the virtual port 203 delivers the acquired print data to the sales information extraction unit 204.

  Next, a sales information extraction unit 204, a data conversion unit 205, a sales information output unit 206, a rule setting unit 208, and a data storage unit 207 are units for performing processing for acquiring sales information from print data. By this processing, it becomes possible to perform sales analysis processing that the POS application 201 does not have, using the print data output from the POS application 201.

  The sales information extraction unit 204 is a part that extracts sales information from the transferred print data, and uses an acquisition rule stored in the data storage unit 207 in the process. Further, after the extraction process, the print data is output toward the communication port 209 set therein. The sales information extraction unit 204 has a function capable of interpreting the print data output from the POS application 201 or the printer 3 driver 202.

  The data conversion unit 205 is a part that converts the data format of the extracted sales information. Specifically, the data format processed by the sales information extraction unit 204 is converted into XML (extensible Markup Language), CSV (CSV). It is converted into a standard format that can be processed by a general sales analysis application (software) such as Comma-Separated Value.

  Next, the sales information output unit 206 is a part that outputs the sales information after the format conversion to a predetermined sales analysis application 5. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the sales analysis application 5 is output via the network 4, and the sales analysis application 5 is a general sales analysis application described above, and is provided in a computer that can communicate via the network 4. .

  Next, the rule setting unit 208 is a part that generates the acquisition rule described above and sets it in the data storage unit 207. The rule setting process is executed in advance before performing the sales information acquisition process from the print data. The specific processing content will be described later.

  The virtual port 203, the sales information extraction unit 204, the data conversion unit 205, the sales information output unit 206, and the rule setting unit 208 are stored in the ROM and instructed for processing performed by each unit and the program, respectively. The CPU is configured to execute processing according to These programs correspond to the sales analysis program of the present invention.

  The data storage unit 207 is a part that stores information used by the sales information extraction unit 204 such as the acquisition rule. The data storage unit 207 is composed of the HDD or the like.

  Next, the POS terminal device 2 includes a communication port 209 in the physical layer 240 and is connected to the printer 3. As the printer 3, a printer in a conventional system before applying the present invention is used as it is. The communication port 209 is a COM communication port for serial communication, a USB communication port for performing USB communication, or the like.

  The present POS terminal device 2 having the above-described configuration is characterized in the generation of sales information acquisition rules described above and the sales information acquisition processing at the time of printed matter output using the rules. The procedure will be described.

  First, the acquisition rule setting process by the rule setting unit 208 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the setting process. When setting a rule, first, the user of the POS terminal apparatus 2 gives an instruction to that effect using the display 22 and the keyboard / mouse 23, and the instruction is received by the rule setting unit 208 (step S1). Then, the rule setting unit 208 notifies the sales information extraction unit 204 that it is the rule setting mode.

  Thereafter, the rule setting unit 208 instructs the user to use the display 22 or the like to cause the POS application 201 to output print data of a printed matter for which sales information is acquired. In response to this, the user performs the same operation as that for normal output of the printed matter, and outputs print data.

  Here, a case will be described in which the printed matter is a receipt, and sales information is acquired from print data of the receipt. FIG. 4 shows an example of the receipt.

  The output print data is issued from the POS application 201 or the printer 3 driver 202 toward the communication port 209. The print data is received at the virtual port 203 before being received at the communication port 209, and then transferred to the sales information extraction unit 204. The mechanism of reception by the virtual port 203 will be described later.

  Next, since the sales information extraction unit 204 is notified of the rule setting mode as described above, it transmits the transferred print data to the rule setting unit 208. The sales information extraction unit 204 does not perform any further processing on the print data.

  The rule setting unit 208 receives the transmitted print data (step S2), and converts the print contents included in the print data into an object (step S3). Here, a continuous character string, one image (image), and one graphic (graphics) that are not separated by line breaks or spaces on the printed material (on the receipt) are objects, and the contents of the print data are divided into these objects. Execute the process.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, each part enclosed by the rectangle in the receipt is an object, and in this example, it is divided into 16 objects. The object setting process is performed by the rule setting unit 208 interpreting each command of the print data and extracting objects one by one according to the object definition for the print contents of the receipt. Each extracted object is held in the RAM together with the print contents and print position information.

  Next, the rule setting unit 208 issues an instruction to output the next print data for the receipt of the same format, and the user operation and the output / reception / transfer of the print data are performed in the same manner as described above. Print data is received (step S4).

  The rule setting unit 208 converts the received print data into an object similar to step S3 (step S5), and compares the held object with the extracted object (step S6). Specifically, the held print contents of each object are sequentially compared with the extracted print contents of the object.

  As a result, if an object with the same print content exists in the extracted object, that is, if the same object exists in the next print data, the number of appearances of the object is counted up by one (step S7). Here, the number of appearances is 1. If there is no object with the same print content, the appearance count is not counted up.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, “Epson Matsumoto Minami Store” (FO1) is the store name and is printed on every receipt, so the number of appearances is counted up here. In addition, “vegetable” (VO7) is a purchased product name and does not always appear every time, so there is a high possibility that the number of appearances will not be counted up.

  When the processing is completed for all the held objects, it is checked whether the comparison processing (steps S4 to S7) with the other print data has been executed a predetermined number of times (number of sheets) (step S8), and the predetermined number of times has been executed. If not (No in step S8), the processing from step S4 is executed. The predetermined number of times (number of sheets) can be, for example, 10 times (sheets).

  When the predetermined number of times of processing is executed (Yes in step S8), the rule setting unit 208 determines whether each of the held objects is a fixed unit or a variable unit (step S9). Specifically, the determination is made based on the number of appearances of each object at this time. The fixed part is a fixed content part (object) whose print content does not change depending on each print data, and includes a store name, a fixed phrase, and the like. The variable part is a part (object) whose print contents can be changed by each print data, and includes the name of a purchased product and its price.

  As an example of the determination, an object whose number of appearances matches the predetermined number (number) (for example, 10) is determined as a fixed part, and if the number of appearances is less than the predetermined number (number), it is determined as a variable part. .

Thereafter, the rule setting unit 208 determines what should be acquired as sales information among the held objects (step S10). The rule setting unit 208 basically determines that the object determined to be the variable unit includes sales information. Then, the rule setting unit 208 grasps the sales information of the variable unit according to a predetermined rule and determines that it should be acquired. For example, according to the rule that the print contents of the variable part that is printed next to the fixed part of the print content “in charge” is the information of the person in charge, the fixed part “in charge” is searched, and the next variable part is the person in charge It is assumed that it represents and should be acquired. Also, for example, a variable part that is printed from the next line of the fixed part of the print content “receipt” to the previous line of the fixed part of the print content “total”, where the print content is a character According to the rule that the name of the purchased product, which is on the same line as the product name, and the printed content is a number after “\” is the price, the product name and the price information are ascertained It is determined that information should be obtained.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, in accordance with the former rule, the fixed part object FO4 called “in charge” is searched, the next variable part object VO5 called “Yoneyama” is grasped as the person in charge information, and the information to be acquired Determine as. Further, according to the latter rule, “receipt” FO6 and “total” FO13 are searched, and in each line between them, a character object (VO7, 9, 11) and a number object (VO8, 10, 12) are respectively a product name and We grasp that it is the price and decide it as information to be acquired.

  According to the same rule, the fixed part object FO13 “total” is searched, the next variable part object VO14 “¥ 600” is grasped as information of the total amount, and the information is determined as information to be acquired. Further, the variable part object “2010/05/20/12: 10” VO15 recognizes that the print content is the date and time information because it is in a format representing the date and time, and determines that the information should be acquired.

  Next, the rule setting unit 208 generates an acquisition rule for acquiring the determined sales information and stores it in the data storage unit 207 (step S11). Specifically, a rule indicating what information should be acquired as the print content of the object located on the receipt is generated and stored. That is, the acquisition rule indicates the location of each object including information to be acquired and information items. This acquisition rule is generated in accordance with the object information held in step S3 and the sales information grasped in step S10. At this time, for the location information of the object, if there is only a fixed part and a variable part whose print area is within a certain range in front of the object in the printing order, the held position information is used as it is, That is, it has absolute position information, otherwise it has relative position information.

  In the example of FIG. 4, first, it is necessary to acquire information on the object (VO5) including the above-mentioned person-in-charge information. Since there is only a fixed part before the information, the object at the absolute position of the object VO5 is displayed. A rule that the contents should be acquired as person-in-charge information is generated and stored.

  In addition, with respect to the product name and price information described above, there are only a fixed part and a variable part with a print area within a certain range in front of the leading object VO7. A rule is generated and stored that the contents of the object should be acquired before the object of “total” (FO13) as information on the product name and its price.

  Further, a rule is generated and stored that the contents of the object (VO14) following the object “total” (FO13) should be acquired as information on the total amount.

  Furthermore, a rule that the next object (VO15) should be acquired as date / time information is generated and stored.

  Thus, in the example of FIG. 4, four rules are stored as acquisition rules.

  As described above, the acquisition rule is set. In the above description, the print data for the predetermined number of sheets is instructed and the user performs an operation. However, the print data for the predetermined number of sheets may be first output to one side. In this case, the rule setting unit 208 holds a predetermined number of print data in the RAM. Further, in these print data, as described above, since it is desired to determine the “in charge” information as a variable part, it is preferable to generate and output print data in which the person in charge is consciously changed.

  Next, processing at the time of acquiring sales information using the set acquisition rule will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the sales information acquisition process.

  First, as described above, print data is output directly from the POS application 201 or via the printer 3 driver 202 (step S21). Here, the print data is the print data of a receipt output from the printer 3. Therefore, the communication port 209 is designated as the output destination communication port, and is expressed by a command depending on the printer 3.

  Next, the output print data is received by the virtual port 203 before reaching the designated communication port 209 (step S22). This processing is realized by changing the (priority) setting of the registry so that the virtual port 203 receives data for any communication port 209, and the setting change is started by the OS. Sometimes executed. Thereafter, the received print data is transmitted from the virtual port 203 to the sales information extraction unit 204 of the application layer 220 (step S22).

  The sales information extraction unit 204 extracts print information from the transmitted print data (step S23). Note that the sales information extraction unit 204 determines that it is not in the rule setting mode because it does not receive the above-mentioned notification from the rule setting unit 208 at the time of outputting the actual print data, and starts the information extraction process itself. .

  Specifically, in accordance with the acquisition rule stored in the data storage unit 207, information at the position indicated by the rule in the transmitted print data is extracted as information content defined by the rule.

  In the example shown in FIG. 4, since the four rules as described above are stored, first, a character string from the start position of the object VO5 to a space or a line feed command is extracted as person-in-charge information. Next, the information between the start position of the object VO7 and the information separated by the space or line feed command until the character string “total” (FO13) appears, in order of the product name information and the price information, these information Extracted as Further, immediately after the character string “total” (FO13) and the subsequent space or line feed command, information between the space or line feed command is extracted as total amount information. Finally, information immediately after the subsequent space or line feed command is extracted as date and time information.

  In this manner, information on the person in charge, the purchased product and its price, the total amount, and the date and time are extracted from the output print data of the receipt.

  Next, the extracted information is passed to the data conversion unit 205, and the data conversion unit 205 processes the data format of the extracted sales information by a general sales analysis application (software) such as XML or CSV. Conversion into a possible standard format (step S24). Here, the sales analysis application 5 converts it into a format that can be processed.

  The converted sales information is passed to the sales information output unit 206, and the sales information output unit 206 transmits the sales information to the sales analysis application 5 via the network 4 (step S25). The sales analysis application 5 receives the sales information and executes various sales analysis processes. Note that the output to the sales analysis application 5 does not have to be performed every time each receipt is output, that is, the sales information output unit 206 does not have to be performed every time the sales information is received. The information stored in the RAM or HDD may be output to one side at a predetermined timing, for example, when the store is closed every day.

  Next, the sales information extraction unit 204 outputs the print data transferred from the virtual port 203 toward the communication port 209 set in the data (step S26). Note that the processing is performed immediately after the sales information extraction unit 204 extracts sales information from the data, or when the print data received by the sales information extraction unit 204 is copied and held, immediately after the copy, Preferably, it is done. In particular, when the sales information is not immediately output (S25), it is executed without waiting for the output.

  Thereafter, the print data is transmitted to the printer 3 via the communication port 209, and a receipt is output by the processing of the printer 3 (step S27).

  As described above, the sales information acquisition process using the print data output from the POS application 201 is executed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the function of acquiring sales information from print data has been described. Further, different function extensions of the POS system are executed using the print data output from the POS application 201. You can also. For example, when a predetermined product name is included in the print data of the receipt, a coupon is issued. When a predetermined printed material is printed, a plurality of copies are printed. The layout of the printed material is changed. Processing such as changing can be added.

  When executing these other processes, the sales information extraction unit 204 has a function of executing the following processes for the print data received. First, the print data is analyzed to determine the printed material, or the predetermined information included in the data is detected, and the processing determined by the printed material or for the predetermined information To decide. If the determined processing requires processing of print data, the processing is executed. Thereafter, the print data is output to a communication port to which the printer is connected by a command corresponding to the printer suitable for the determined processing. In FIG. 2, only one communication port 209 and one printer 3 are shown. However, the POS terminal device 2 can be provided with a plurality of communication ports, and therefore connected to them. Multiple printers can be used.

  Also in this case, the printed matter and the processing contents, or the information indicating the predetermined information and the processing contents in association with each other are stored in the data storage unit 207 in advance.

  As described above, in the POS terminal device 2 according to the present embodiment, the sales analysis function can be added using the print data output from the POS application 201. Then, the POS terminal device and the POS system that do not have the sales analysis function or have a poor function can be improved to the POS terminal device 2 and the POS system including the POS terminal device by a relatively easy method.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the improvement. This figure is the same functional configuration diagram as FIG. 2, and the solid line portion shows the POS terminal device and POS system before improvement described above. That is, the system before improvement is configured such that print data output directly from the POS application 201 or via the printer driver 202 is received by the communication port 209 and output from the printer 3. And it is possible to make this POS terminal device 2 and the POS system containing it by adding the part shown with a dotted line with respect to the system of such a structure.

  In other words, the function of the existing POS system can be expanded by adding the program indicated by the dotted line and the data in the data storage unit 207 without changing the existing POS application 201. In addition, a new printer 3B indicated by an alternate long and short dash line may be added. In this case, the improvement is performed by installing a new printer 3B and installing the printer driver software including the program and data. obtain. Note that the computers constituting the printer 3 and the POS terminal device 2 can be replaced with new devices.

  Thus, by using the POS terminal device 2 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to add a sales analysis function by an easy method that does not involve changing an existing POS application program. In addition, the function expansion for other existing systems can be easily realized.

  In addition, since the main processing for that purpose is configured to be performed in the application layer of the computer, it is possible to easily develop a program that executes various processing.

  Moreover, since the acquisition rule is easily generated by the rule setting unit 208 and used when the sales information is acquired, the accuracy and speed of the acquisition process can be improved.

  In the present embodiment, the POS server 1 is a system connected to a plurality of POS terminal devices 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and is in an environment where a POS terminal device and a printer are connected. It can be applied to.

  In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the program of the POS terminal device 2 is stored in the ROM. However, these programs are not limited to the ROM, and may be stored in a storage medium such as a RAM or an HDD. . These programs may be stored in separate storage media.

  The protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but covers the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof.

1 POS server, 2 POS terminal device, 3 printer, 4 network, 5 sales analysis application, 21 POS terminal body, 22 display,
23 Keyboard / Mouse, 24 Barcode Reader, 25 Card Reader,
201 POS application, 202 printer 3 driver, 203 virtual port, 204 sales information extraction unit, 205 data conversion unit, 206 sales information output unit, 207 data storage unit, 208 rule setting unit, 209 communication port, 220 application layer, 230 OS kernel layer, 240 physical layer

Claims (6)

A sales analysis program for causing a computer having a communication port, which is operated by an operating system of an OS kernel layer and an application layer application outputs print data, to execute a process of acquiring sales information,
When in rule setting mode,
Receiving the print data output from the application in the OS kernel layer, and causing the computer to execute a step of generating an acquisition rule based on the plurality of received print data in the application layer;
When not in the rule setting mode,
Receiving the print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer ;
In the application layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, from the received print data, a step of extracting the sales information,
Converting the extracted sales information into a data format that can be processed by a sales analysis application in the application layer; and
Outputting the converted sales information to a sales analysis application connected to the computer;
A program for sales analysis which causes the computer to execute the step of outputting the received print data to the communication port to which a printer is connected. Oite to claim 1,
The acquisition rule includes information on the contents and location of sales information to be acquired. A sales information acquisition device that is operated by an operating system of an OS kernel layer and that includes a computer having a communication port, in which an application layer application outputs print data,
A virtual port for receiving print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer;
A rule setting unit for generating an acquisition rule based on a plurality of the received print data in the application layer;
In the application layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, from the received print data, and sales information extractor for extracting sales information,
A data conversion unit that converts the extracted sales information into a data format that can be processed by a sales analysis application in the application layer;
A sales information output unit for outputting the converted sales information to a sales analysis application connected to the computer;
The sales information acquisition apparatus, wherein the received print data is output to the communication port to which a printer is connected. In claim 3 ,
Before SL capture rules, sales information acquisition device which comprises an information about the content and location of the sales information to be acquired. A sales information acquisition method in a computer having a communication port, which is operated by an operating system of an OS kernel layer and an application layer application outputs print data.
When in rule setting mode,
The computer receiving print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer and generating an acquisition rule based on the plurality of received print data at the application layer;
When not in the rule setting mode,
The computer receiving print data output from the application at the OS kernel layer;
The computer, in the application layer, in accordance with the acquisition rule, from the received print data, a step of extracting the sales information,
The computer converting the extracted sales information into a data format that can be processed by a sales analysis application in the application layer;
The computer outputting the converted sales information to a sales analysis application connected to the computer;
The computer includes a step of outputting the received print data to the communication port to which a printer is connected. In claim 5 ,
Before SL capture rules, sales information acquisition method, which comprises information about the content and location of the sales information to be acquired.

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