JPH0273488A - Ticket issuing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the data receiving time and to improve the ticket issuing efficiency by using a format table, etc., which stores the format data to designate such as the print size of each item to be printed on a ticket form. CONSTITUTION:Each of air ticket issuing machines 31-3n connected to a terminal equipment 23 contains a RAM 14 including a format table 14b. Each table contained in the table 14b stores the data on the item numbers, the print sizes, etc., received previously from the equipment 23. When the air tickets are issued, each ticket issuing machine receives the item numbers and the print data of all items received from the equipment 23. At the same time, the print position of each item is designated via the table 14b and the print data on each item is edited and stored in the RAM 14. Thus the air tickets are issued. Therefore the item number and the print data of only the part different from the print data stored in the RAM 14 and the data on the RAM 14 is partly rewritten for issue of the subsequent tickets. In such a way, the data receiving time is shortened and the ticket issuing efficiency is improved.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application fields] The present invention relates to a ticket issuing machine for airline tickets and the like.

[Prior Art] A ticket issuing machine, for example, an airline ticket issuing machine, receives data indicating the airline name item and its print data, and data indicating the departure point item and its print data from a terminal controlled by a host computer. data, data specifying the arrival point item and its print data, and data specifying the passenger name item and its print data, respectively, are received, and each print data is printed on the ticket paper in a predetermined format. We are trying to issue tickets. Conventional ticket issuing machines receive all data from the terminal each time a ticket is issued.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, if all the data is received from the terminal each time and the airline ticket is issued in this way, it takes time to receive the data, resulting in a problem that the ticket issuing efficiency decreases.

Incidentally, most airline tickets have a fixed format, and the previously issued airline ticket and the next issued airline ticket often differ in only some of the data, such as different passenger names or different destinations.

Therefore, the present invention first receives all the data and issues a ticket, and for subsequent ticket issuance, only the data that is different from the previously received data is received and the previously received data is rewritten. The aim is to create a ticket issuing machine that can shorten the reception time and improve ticket issuing efficiency.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a format table that stores format data that specifies the print position and print size of each item to be printed on spring paper, and an item number for each item that is externally input. and a data storage means that edits the print data into ticket printing data based on the format data of the format table and stores it in the memory, and some item numbers that are externally input after the ticket printing data is stored in the memory. and a data rewriting means for rewriting only the data of the item specified by the item number among the ticket printing data stored in the memory based on the printing data, and a data rewriting means for printing out the ticket printing data in the memory on spring paper. It consists of a printing section that issues tickets.

[Operation] In the present invention having such a configuration, first, the item number and print data for each item are received, and the print position and print size of each item are specified from the format table based on each item number. to edit the print data for each item and store it in memory.

Then, based on the ticket printing data in the memory, the print unit prints on spring paper and issues a ticket. After the ticket printing data is stored in the memory, the item number and print data of only the parts different from the printing data in the memory are received, and part of the ticket printing data in the memory is rewritten with the received data. Based on this rewritten ticket printing data, the print section prints on spring paper and issues a ticket.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the present invention will be described as applied to an airline ticket issuing machine.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the entire system, where 1 is a host computer, 20.2□, 23°24,...2n
is a terminal controlled by the host computer 1. And the terminal 23 has n airline ticket issuing machines 31.
, 32, 33, -3n are connected.

Each of the ticket issuing machines 31 to 3n includes a CPU (central processing unit) 11, which constitutes a main body of the control unit, as shown in FIG.
A program ROM (read-only) that stores program data for this CPU 11 to control each part.
Memory) 12. Character generator ROM 1 that stores the dot pattern used to develop the final edited ticket printing data into a dot pattern for dot printing.
3. RAM 14, a reception control unit 15 that controls reception of data from the terminal 23, a printing unit 16 that prints data in dots on the front printing surface of the spring paper to issue an airline ticket, and an encoder on the back side of the spring paper. Surface (magnetic stripe)
It is comprised of an encoding section 17 for magnetically recording data on a computer, and an input/output device 18 consisting of a keyboard and a display device. The CPU 1 and each ROM 12, 13, RA
The M14, communication control section 15, print section 16, encode section 17, and input/output device 18 are electrically connected by one pass line.

As shown in FIG. 3, the RAM 14 includes a receiving buffer 14a for storing data received from the terminal 23, a format table 14b for storing one type of ticket printing format, and a format table 14b for storing edited ticket printing data.
Text buffer 1401 for pages An image buffer 14d for m pages for storing ticket printing data expanded into dot images is provided.

Each table of the format table 14b has a fourth
As shown in the figure, data indicating the item number, print size, print position, and encode position is stored. The data of this format table 14b is received from the terminal 23 and stored in advance (.

Figure 5 shows the structure of the printing surface and encoding surface of spring paper.The printing surface is composed of a matrix of n rows and m columns, as shown in (a), and the starting position of each item is (Xα, Yβ )
It is specified by the coordinates of The encoded surface is composed of a matrix of i-track Xj characters as shown in (b), and the starting position of each term 1 is (Tα1Mβ).
It is specified by the coordinates of

The CPU 1 performs the control shown in FIG. 6 based on the program data of the program ROMI 2.

That is, if there is data from the terminal 23, the communication controller 15 is controlled to perform data reception processing and store the received data in the reception buffer 14a.

Then, it is checked whether the received data is format data or not, and if it is format data, the data is stored in the format table 14b.

If the received data is ticket data, it is checked how many pages the data is, and if it is one page data, the received ticket data is converted into ticket printing data based on the data in the corresponding format table 14b. Edit the text buffer 1 corresponding to 1 page.
Store in 4c. This process is the same for the second and subsequent pages. (Data storage means and data rewriting means) When the data storage in the text buffer 14C is completed, the ticket printing data is transferred to the image buffer 14d of the corresponding page in the character generator ROM 13.
Convert and develop dot image data based on the dot pattern.

Then, the dot image data developed in the image buffer 14d is outputted to the printing section 16 and printed on spring paper to issue an airline ticket.

Further, if the received data is neither format data nor ticket data, other processing is performed based on the data content.

In this embodiment with such a configuration, the terminal 23 is
Specify the print size "12", print position "BO2", encoding position rl OIJ for the item number "01" that specifies the airline name from "," and the item number "01" that specifies the departure point.
02”, print size “03”, print position “BO7”
”, specify the encoding surface r205J, specify the print size “03”, the print position rD12J, and the encode position r209J for the item number “03” that specifies the destination,
For item number “04” specifying passenger name, print size “13”, print position rFO4J, encode position r30
3J is received and stored in one of the format tables 14b as shown in FIG.

In this state, ticket data is sent from the terminal 23, for example, one page is specified, the item number is "01", the print/encode data is rABCAIRLINESJ, the item number is "02", the print/encode data is rNRTj, and the item number is Print/encode data is "03"
When data of JFKJ, item number is "04" and print/encode data is rTOKYOTARO/MRJ is received, item "01" is edited based on the data of item "01" of format table 14b, and data of text buffer 14c is edited. Store on one page. Also, regarding the item "02", edit based on the data of the item "02" of the format table 14b, and edit the text buffer 1.
Store in 1 page of 4c. Furthermore, the item "03" is edited based on the data of the item "03" in the format table 14b and stored in one page of the text buffer 14c. Furthermore, the item "04" is edited based on the data of the item "04" in the format table 14b and stored in one page of the text buffer 14c.

In this way, when the storage of the ticket printing data in one page of the text buffer 14c is completed, the ticket printing data is converted into dot image data and developed on one page of the image buffer 14d. Then, the data is expanded into this dot image, and the print unit 16 is driven according to the data to print on spring paper.

In this way, the airline name rABCA IRL INES is printed on the printed side of the spring paper in the format shown in Figure 7 (a).
J, the place of departure rNRTJ, the place of arrival rJFKJ, and the passenger name rT OK Y OT A RO/MRJ will be printed respectively. The printing start position of each data is rB02J, rDO7J, rDl 2 of the format data.
Coordinates specified by J, [FO4J.

Furthermore, data is magnetically recorded on the encoded surface in the format shown in FIG. 7(b).

Next, the ticket data is sent from the terminal 23, for example, 2 pages are specified, the item number is "01", and the print/encode data is r.
ABCAIRLINESJ data, item number is “02”
” and the print/encode data is rNRTJ data, and the item number is “03” and the print/encode data is rHKG.
When the data of J, the item number is "04" and the print/encode data is rO3AKA HANAKO/MSJ is received, the item "01" is edited based on the data of the item "01" of the format table 14b and the text buffer 14c It is stored on two pages. Furthermore, the item "02" is edited based on the data of the item "02" in the format table 14b and stored in page 2 of the text buffer 14c. Further, the item "03" is edited based on the data of the item "03" in the format table 14b and stored in page 2 of the text buffer 14c. Furthermore, the item "04" is edited based on the data of the item "04" in the format table 14b and stored in page 2 of the text buffer 14c.

When the storage of the ticket printing data in the two pages of the text buffer 14c is completed, the ticket printing data is converted into dot image data and developed on the two pages of the image buffer 14d. The dot image is developed and the print unit 16 is driven according to the data to print on the ticket paper.

In this way, the printed side of the ticket paper has the format shown in Figure 8(a) with the airline name rABCAIRLINESJ,
Departure point rNRTJ, arrival point rHKGJ, passenger name [)
SAKA HANAKO/MSJ will be printed respectively. At this time, the printing start position of each data is rBO2, rDO7J, rD12 of the format data.
J, “Coordinates specified by FO4J.

Furthermore, data is magnetically recorded on the encoding surface using the frame shown in FIG. 8(b).

As described above, the first page of the text buffer 14c stores the ticket printing data to be printed in the format shown in FIG. 7(a), and the second page of the text buffer 14C stores the ticket printing data in the format shown in FIG. 8(a). Data for printing the ticket will be stored.

In this state, next specify page 1 from the terminal 23 and the item number is "04" and the print/encode data is rKYOTo.
When J IRO/MRJ data is received, the data corresponding to item number "04" among the ticket printing data stored in page 1 of text buffer 14c based on the data of item number "04" of format table 14b is Rewrite only. i.e. rTOKyo TAR
Rewrite O/MRJ to rKYOTo J IRO/MRJ. Then, one page of ticket printing data in the rewritten text buffer 14c is developed as a dot image on one page in the image buffer 14d, and the print section 16 prints it on the ticket paper. Thus, an airline ticket in the format shown in FIG. 9(a) will be issued. At this time, data is magnetically recorded on the encoded surface in the format shown in FIG. 9(b).

In this way, if the airline name, departure place, and arrival place are the same, only the page designation, item number r04J, and passenger name print/encode data need to be received, so the reception time is very short. When tickets are issued continuously, each roll is issued in a relatively short time, which improves ticket issuing efficiency.

In the above embodiment, the text buffer 14c and the image buffer 14d are each provided for m pages, and a ticket is issued by rewriting only the passenger information by specifying each page, but this is not necessarily the case. 14c and image buffer 14d
may be only one page each. In this case, for example, if the ticket shown in Figure 8 is issued after the ticket shown in Figure 7 is issued, the item number or "03" is printed/encoded from the terminal 23.
, the item number is "04" and the print/encode data is rO3AKAHANAKO/MSJ, and the data for that item is rewritten.

In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to an airline ticket issuing machine, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and can also be applied to a ticket issuing machine.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, all data is first received to issue a ticket, and for subsequent ticket issuance, only data different from previously received data is received. By rewriting previously received data, it is possible to provide a ticket issuing machine that can shorten data reception time and improve ticket issuing efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the overall system configuration, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ticket issuing machine, and Figure 3 is the main memory of RAM. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the format table; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the coordinates for determining the data printing position and data recording position on the print surface and encoded surface of the ticket paper;
Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the main control by the CPU of the ticket issuing machine, and Figures 7, 8, and 9 are diagrams showing the data printing format and data recording format on the print surface and encoded surface of the ticket paper. It is. 31~3ru...Ticket issuing machine, 11...CPU. 12...Program ROM, 14...RAM. 14b...Format table, 14c...Text buffer, 15...Communication control unit, 16...Print unit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A format table that stores format data specifying the print position and print size of each item to be printed on the ticket paper, and the item number and print data for each item input externally are based on the format data of the format table. a data storage means for editing the ticket printing data and storing it in the memory; and after the ticket printing data is stored in the memory, storing in the memory based on some item numbers and print data that are externally input. a data rewriting unit that rewrites only the data of the item specified by the item number among the ticket printing data that has been generated; and a printing unit that prints out the ticket printing data in the memory on ticket paper and issues the ticket. A ticket issuing machine featuring: