JPH01265388A - Sales information collecting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the latest sales data at the side of a center device all the time by simultaneously transmitting sales information in a current time zone together with every piece of sales information in every time zone from the side of a terminal and clearing the sales data in the preceding current time zone at the side of the center device after receiving the latest sales information including selling number data for every piece of goods at a current time at the side of the center device. CONSTITUTION:In addition to the sales information closed for every prescribed time zone, for example, every one-hour time zone, the sales information in the current time zone (namely, the sales information at the current time before the closing of the sales information) is also on-line transmitted from the side of a terminal V to a center device 12 using a switched line 9. Further, at the center device 12, the sales information in the preceding current time zone is erased, and the sales information at the closing time in this time zone is used instead by the erased sales information. Thus, the latest sales information can be obtained all the time at the side of the center device 12.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a plurality of vending machines (also simply referred to as vending machines) serving as terminal stations (also simply referred to as terminals), and a center device that collects sales information for each time period (or period) from each vending machine via a public communication line. This relates to a sales information collection system consisting of the following, and in particular, sales information that allows a center device to know the latest (current) sales information even if sales information is collected in the middle of the elapsed time period. Concerning the collection system. Note that in the following figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. A system is known in which only sales information that has been closed is transmitted from the terminal (vending machine) side to the center device at each time the time zone (period 1, for example, the hour of a clock) changes.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, with the collected information as described above, the sales information for the current time zone, that is, the sales information from the most recent time zone change back to the present time, is not sent because the data deadline has not been set. There was a problem in that the latest sales collection information could not be obtained on the center device side. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a sales information collection system that transmits current sales information as well as sales information for each deadline from a terminal to a center device.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the system of the present invention collects sales information from a plurality of vending machines (V, etc.) as r terminal stations and from each vending machine via a public communication line (9, etc.). In a sales information collection system consisting of a center device (such as 12), the vending machine collects the cumulative number of sales for each product type (product number 21, etc.) each time a product is sold (such as 22, etc.). 21. 22 collectively)) a means for accumulating sales by product (such as cumulative sales counter 2) that calculates sales data by product (current sales data by product 20, etc.); and a timekeeping means (such as 3). And, each time the predetermined period is changed through this timekeeping means, at least the deadline point information (3a, etc.) indicating the point in time and the cumulative sales number by product at this point (sales data by product at the deadline 20a, etc.) ) (Hereinafter, this information and the cumulative value will be referred to as deadline sales information (deadline data D, etc.))
a deadline sales information storage means (such as deadline data storage means 4A) for storing the deadline sales information, and the deadline sales information obtained by changing at least the cumulative sales number for each product in response to a request from the center device or under other predetermined conditions. sales information transmitting means (such as 5A) for transmitting information and the current cumulative sales number for each product as current sales information to the center device; Sales information receiving means 12A
Based on the above-mentioned deadline sales information (received via etc.) and the above-mentioned current sales information, the number of sales for each period and each product type, and from the most recent switching point of the above-mentioned period back to the present time The number of sales for each type of product (hereinafter referred to as the number of products sold in the current period) is determined and stored (via the time period sales calculation means 12B, etc.), and the stored data of the number of products sold in the current period obtained previously is stored. It is assumed that j is provided with means (such as a RAM not shown) for storing the number of products sold by period to be invalidated (via the data clearing means 12C, etc.).

[For use]

In addition to the sales information for which the deadline has been set for each predetermined time period, for example, every hour, the present invention also allows sales information for the current time period (i.e., sales information for the current time before the deadline) to be sent online using public communication lines. The data is sent from the terminal side to the center device, the center device erases the previous sales information for the current time period, and uses the sales information as of the deadline for the time period instead of the sales information. The purpose is to make it possible to obtain the latest sales information.

【Example】

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 2 is a bird configuration diagram of a system as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram in which the configurations of the vending machine and center device in FIG. 2 are replaced with equivalent functional blocks. Also, Figures 3 (A) and (B) are similar to Figure 1 or 2, respectively.
It is a flowchart which shows the main part operation|movement of the vending machine (terminal) and center apparatus in a figure. In Fig. 1, V (Vl to Vn) is a vending machine that also serves as a terminal, 1 is a sales control device that controls sales of this vending machine, and vs is a type of product for each product sold (the number of types is n). In addition to this, there is a sales product discrimination signal outputted from this sales control device 1, 2 is a sales number cumulative counter that receives the sales product discrimination signal S and totals the number of sales for each type of product, and 3 is a clock, etc. The timekeeping means 4A is a deadline data storage means, which stores deadline data D, which will be described later, at each switching point (deadline time) of a predetermined time zone (period) based on the deadline point information 3a from the timekeeping means 3. . Reference numeral 5A denotes a sales information transmitting means, which transmits the information in the deadline data storage means 4A and cumulative sales counter 2 as sales information to the public communication line 9. After transmitting the data to the center device 12 via the exchange 10, the deadline data in the storage means 4A is cleared. The center device 12 also includes a sales information receiving means 1289, a time zone sales calculating means 12B, and a data clearing means 12c as main functional parts. In Fig. 2, 01 is the CPU that controls the calculation and transmission of sales information in this vending machine v, and 2A1 is the first CPU.
The input/output interface (also abbreviated as Ilo) belonging to the cumulative sales counter 2 shown in the figure, 3A1 is the clock 1C that belongs to the time measuring means 3, and the clock 1C14A1 is the R that mainly belongs to the cumulative sales counter 2 and the deadline data storage means 4A (FIG. 1).
AM, 5A1 is a modem that belongs to the sales information transmitting means 5A (FIG. 1), and the input/output interface 1C1IIA also belongs to the transmitting means 5A. Reference numeral 12 denotes a center device such as a personal computer, 13 a printer attached to the center device 12, and IIB a modem belonging to the sales information receiving means 12A in the center device 12 shown in FIG. Returning to FIG. 1 again, 20 is the current sales volume data for each product stored by the cumulative sales counter 2. This data 20
is made up of the current cumulative sales number 22 for each product number 21. Further, D (Dl, D2.D3-) is deadline data stored in the deadline data storage means 4A, and this individual deadline data is the deadline point information 3a output from the clock means 3, that is, a predetermined time period (or The period (in this example, clock time) is composed of data indicating each switching point (deadline point), and 20a as the current sales number data 20 for each product at each deadline point. Next, the operations in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be explained using FIG. 3. In FIG. 3(A), when a sale is made in the vending machine (terminal) ■ (step 52, branch Y), the vending machine (terminal) ■ sells the goods according to the sales product discrimination signal vS output from the sales control device l according to the number of types of sales products n. The cumulative number counter 2 increments the cumulative sales value 22 of the relevant sales product (number 21) in the current sales volume data 20 for each product as a memory area (step S3). Next, when the deadline point information 3a indicating the time zone (period) switching point is output from the clock means 3 (Step 34. Branch Y
), each time the deadline data storage unit 4A outputs the deadline data D, the deadline data storage unit 4A sets the deadline point information 3a and 20a as the (current) product sales number data 20 at the deadline point.
(DI, D2...-) (step S
5). When the predetermined time point for sending sales information is reached (
Step S6. Branch Y), the sales information transmitting means 5A dials the center device 12 (Step S7), transmits the deadline data D and the current sales number data 20 by product as sales information (Step S8), and then sends the deadline data D and the current sales number data 20 by product as sales information (Step S8). Clear deadline data D (step 39
). In addition, in the center device 12 in FIG. 3(B), the sales information receiving means 12^ receives the sales information (deadline data D and current sales volume data 20 by product) from the vending machine (step 5111 branch Y). , the time zone sales calculation means 12B first calculates sales by time zone in step 312. Therefore, in this example, the difference between the sales number data 20a by product in the deadline data D and the same data 20a one hour ago, In other words, the number of sales (also referred to as sales data) within this time period is determined for each time period. Next, the sales by time period calculation means 12B calculates the sales for the current time period in step S13, that is, the sales as the difference between the current sales data by product 20 and the latest sales data by product 20a in the deadline data D. Ask for data. Although not shown, such step S12. S1
It goes without saying that step 3 is performed for all product types (product number 21). And step S14
Then, the previous current time period sales data is cleared via the data clearing means 12C, and in step 315, the process returns to step S12.
．． The calculation result of the sales data obtained in S13 is stored. The sales data obtained in this way is printed on a sales slip via the printer 13 by inputting a print request (step 8161 branch Y) (step 517). As a result of the above, the center device has the advantage of being able to collect sales data for the current time slot as well as sales data for each time slot at the same time.

【Effect of the invention】

According to this invention, the terminal (vending machine) side simultaneously transmits sales information by time zone as well as sales information for the current time zone, and the center device side transmits the latest sales information including the current sales volume data by product 20 at the time of transmitting the sales information. After receiving the sales information,
Since the previous sales data for the current time period is cleared, it is possible to obtain the effect that the latest sales data can always be obtained on the center device side.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main part of FIG. 1. V (Vl~Vn): Vending machine, 1: Sales control device, ■S:
Sales product identification signal, 2: Cumulative sales counter, 3: Time measurement means, 3a: Deadline point information, 4A: Deadline data storage means, 5A: Sales information transmission means, 9: Public communication line, 10:
Switching machine, 12: Center device, 12A: Sales information receiving means, 12B: Time zone sales calculation means, 12C: Data clearing means, 20: Current sales data by product, 20a: Sales data by product as of deadline, 21 :Product number, 22;
Cumulative sales value, D (DI, D2.D3-.): Deadline data. Fang 2 Cause 1, Incident Indication 1988 Patent Application No. 32597
No. 2 No. 2 Name of the invention Sales information collection system 3, relationship to the case of the person making the amendment Patent applicant address 1-1 Tanabeshinden, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City Name
Name (523) Fuji Electric Co., Ltd. (other name) 4. Agent address 1-1-6 Tanabeshinden, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki City. Subject of amendment Contents of amendment to the specification Page 12, line 10 of the specification It says "r 1st" in the eye.
Correct with Figure J.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A sales information collection system comprising a plurality of vending machines as terminal stations and a center device that collects sales information from each vending machine via a public communication line, comprising: The machine includes a means for accumulating the number of sales by product, which calculates the cumulative number of sales for each type of product (hereinafter referred to as the cumulative sales number by product) each time the product is sold; a timekeeping means; A cut-off sales information storage means for storing at least cut-off point information indicating the point in time and cumulative sales number for each product at this point (hereinafter referred to as "cut-off sales information") for each switching point in time; , the cut-off sales information that is obtained by changing at least the cumulative sales number by product in response to a request from the center device or under other predetermined conditions, and the current cumulative sales number by product as current sales information. sales information transmitting means for transmitting the sales information to the center device, the center device transmitting the sales information for each period and based on the sales deadline information and the current sales information transmitted from the vending machine. The number of sales for each type, as well as the number of sales for each type of product from the most recent switching point to the current period up to the present time (hereinafter referred to as the current period product sales number) are determined and stored, and the previously determined A sales information collection system characterized by comprising means for storing the number of products sold by period to invalidate stored data of the number of products sold during a period.