JPH0330339B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides data that is aggregated and registered in a data file provided in a storage unit of a file control unit connected via a data line. The present invention relates to a data collection system, and particularly relates to a data collection system including a second file control unit that protects data transmitted from each terminal when an abnormality occurs in the file control unit.

[Prior Art] For example, in department stores, large-scale supermarkets, etc., electronic cash registers, which serve as numerous terminals installed at each sales floor, are connected to a file control unit via a data line, and sales generated at each sales floor are processed. It inquires product information such as unit price and product name of the product to the file control unit, and also stores sales data such as the product code, sales amount, and number of sales items of the sold product in the data file provided in the storage unit of the file control unit. A POS (point-of-sale) system that performs aggregation and registration is used.

In such a data collection system, if any abnormality occurs in the file control section, inquiries and sales data cannot be transmitted from each terminal, causing a serious hindrance to business operations. Therefore, in such a data collection system, in addition to the main file control section that exchanges data with each terminal, an auxiliary file control section having the same function is connected to the data line. ing. The auxiliary file control section normally sends a request signal to the main file control section via this data line to send the stored contents of the data file of the main file control section to the main file control section at regular intervals. Copies the stored contents of the file to its own data file. If any abnormality occurs in the main file control section, the power to the main file control section and the auxiliary file control section is temporarily cut off, and the operation changeover switch between the main file control section and the auxiliary file control section is switched to the auxiliary file control section. Switch the file control to the main file control section. Thereafter, when the power of the auxiliary file control section is turned on, the auxiliary file control section operates as the main file control section. Therefore, the data from each terminal is aggregated and registered in the data file of the new main file control section.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, even in the data collection system configured as described above, the following problems still need to be solved. That is, since the auxiliary file control unit is connected to the data line that connects the main file control unit and each terminal, the auxiliary file control unit sends a request signal to the main file control unit to send the stored contents of the data file. During,
And while the main file control unit is transmitting the stored contents of the data file, each terminal may be transmitting data to the main file control unit,
A response signal cannot be sent from the main file control unit to each terminal. As a result, the time required for data transmission between each terminal and the main file control section increases.
As a result, there is a problem that the data processing efficiency of each terminal device decreases.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the data file of the auxiliary file control section is rewritten with the contents of the data file of the main file control section at regular intervals, so the contents of the data file of the auxiliary file control section are the same as those of the main file control section. It is always delayed by a certain period compared to the content. Therefore,
There is a problem in that when an abnormal situation occurs in the main file control section and the auxiliary file control section is switched to the main file control section, an error occurs in the stored contents of the data file.

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to connect each file control unit with a dedicated line and to provide a changeover switch circuit that switches and connects the line when an abnormality occurs. This reduces data transmission time between each terminal and the file control unit, improves data processing efficiency at each terminal, and ensures that data from each terminal is accurately transferred to the data file even if an error occurs. The goal is to provide a data collection system that can be aggregated and registered.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The data collection system of the present invention is connected via a main line to a plurality of terminals into which data is input,
A first file control unit that receives data transmitted from each terminal and aggregates and registers it in a first data file provided in a storage unit is connected to a first file control unit that has a second data file via an auxiliary line. The second file control unit receives the data from each terminal inputted to the first file control unit and totalizes and registers it in the second data file. a terminal and the first and second
A changeover switch circuit is inserted between the first file control section and the second file control section to switch and connect the main line from the first file control section to the second file control section when an abnormality occurs in the first file control section.

In another invention, the plurality of terminals are divided into a first terminal group and a second terminal group, and the first and second terminal groups are connected to the first main line and the second terminal group, respectively. The first and second file control units having a first data file and a second data file are connected via the main line of the
The second file control unit aggregates the data into the first and second data files, respectively, and the data from the first terminal group input to the first file control unit is sent to the second data file via the auxiliary line. The data from the second terminal group input to the second file control unit is aggregated and registered in the second data file of the file control unit of Register the total to the data file. When an abnormality occurs in either one of the first and second file control units, the file in which the abnormality has occurred is stored between the first and second terminal groups and the first and second file control units. A changeover switch circuit is inserted to switch and connect the main line of the terminal group of the control section to the other file control section.

[Function] With the data collection system configured as described above, during normal operation, data sent from each terminal is sent to the first file controller via the main line every time the data is sent. The data are totaled and registered in one data file, and are also totaled and registered in the second data file of the second file control unit from the first file control unit via the auxiliary line. and,
When an abnormality occurs in the first file control section, the main lines connected to each terminal can be switched and connected from the first file control section to the second file control section using a changeover switch circuit.

Further, in another invention, during normal operation, data transmitted from each terminal of the first and second terminal groups is sent to the first and second file control units via each main line, respectively, for each data transmission. The data are registered in total in each data file, and are also registered in total in each data file of the second and first file control units via the auxiliary line. When an abnormality occurs in either the first or second file control unit, the main line of the terminal group of the file control unit in which the abnormality has occurred can be switched and connected to the other file control unit using the switch circuit. .

[Example] An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a data collection system according to an embodiment, and numeral 1 in the figure is a first file control section that processes data transmitted from each terminal during normal operation. A plurality of terminals 4 are connected to the first file control section 1 via a main line 2a, a changeover switch circuit 3, and the main line 2 in a closed loop. Further, the first file control section 1 is provided with a first data file 5 configured of, for example, a magnetic disk recording device for totalizing and registering data transmitted from each terminal 4.

The first file control unit 1 also has an auxiliary line 6.
A second file control section 7 having the same functions as the first file control section 1 is connected via the first file control section 1 .
This second file control section 7 is provided with a second data file 8 having the same configuration as the first data file 5 of the first file control section 1. Furthermore, the second file control unit 7 connects the main line 2b to receive data transmitted from each terminal 4 when an abnormal situation occurs in the first file control unit 1.
The changeover switch circuit 3 is connected through the switch.

Each terminal 4 is composed of, for example, an electronic cash register placed in each sales floor, and transmits the product code of the sold product as inquiry data to the first file control unit 1 via the main line 2, and Sales data such as the number of sales items and sales amount of the purchased products is transmitted to the first file control section 1 in order to be registered in the first data file 5 in total.

The first file control section 1 is configured as shown in FIG. 2, for example. That is, 9 in the figure is a CPU (central processing unit) that executes various information processing, and this CPU 9 is connected to a ROM 1 that stores fixed data such as various control programs via a bus line 10 consisting of a data bus and an address bus.
1. A RAM 12 that temporarily stores various variable data such as data transmitted from each terminal 4, a disk control circuit 13 that controls the first data file 5 constituted by the magnetic disk storage device, and the main line 2a. The connected main line control circuit 14, the auxiliary line control circuit 15 connected to the auxiliary line 6, etc. are controlled.

In the first data file 5, product information such as unit price and product name, and sales data such as the number of sales items and sales amount are stored for each product code of each product sold at each terminal 4.

Note that the second file control section 7 has almost the same configuration as the first file control section.

The changeover switch circuit 3 has six changeover contacts 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, as shown in FIG.
It consists of a relay with 21, and each contact 1 can be turned on by turning on an external switch (not shown).
Each of the common terminals 6 to 21 is connected by switching from the normally closed terminal a to the normally closed terminal b. First file control unit 1
The two main lines 2a from
The two main lines 2b from the second file control section are connected to the common terminals c of the switching contacts 20 and 21, respectively. Further, the main line 2 connected to each terminal 4 is connected to each common terminal c of the switching contacts 17 and 18, respectively.

Switching contacts 17 and 20 and switching terminals 18 and 21
The normally open terminals b of each are connected to each other. Switching contacts 16 and 17 and switching contacts 19 and 1
The normally closed terminals a of the switching contacts 16 and 19 are connected together, and the normally closed terminals a of the switching contacts 20 and 21 are shorted together.

Therefore, under normal conditions without turning on the external switch, the main line 2 to which each terminal 4 is connected is connected to the first file control unit 1 via the changeover switch circuit 3, and the external switch is not turned on. When turned on, the main line 2 is connected to the second file control section 7 via the changeover switch circuit 3.

Thus, under normal conditions, the CPU 9 of the first file control section 1 is configured to execute data processing according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
That is, when the power is turned on, a polling signal is sent to each terminal 4 via the main lines 2a, 2 at regular intervals to instruct the terminal 4 to start transmitting data. Then, when a data signal is input from the corresponding terminal 4 to the main line control circuit 14,
Check the type of this input data. If the data is inquiry data for product information of a sales product, the first data file 5 is searched using the product code included in this inquiry data, and product information such as the unit price and product name of the corresponding product code is read out. It is then sent back to the corresponding terminal 4 via the main line 2a, the changeover switch circuit 3, and the main line 2.

If the data input to the main line control circuit 14 is data such as sales data that requires updating the registered contents of the first data file 5, the number of sales items and sales amount of the corresponding product in the first data file 5 is updated. Update.

When the update processing for the first data file 5 is completed, the input sales data is transmitted to the second file control section 7 via the auxiliary line 6, and the data processing for the input data is completed.

Further, when the second file control unit 7 receives the aforementioned sales data from the first file control unit 1 via the auxiliary line 6, the second file control unit 7 uses this sales data to
The sales number and sales amount of the applicable product in the data file 8 are updated. As a result, the storage contents of the second data file 8 are always equal to the storage contents of the first data file 5.

In such a state, if an abnormal situation occurs in the first file control unit 1 due to some factor and information cannot be exchanged between the first file control unit 1 and each terminal 4, For example, a display lamp or the like is lit on each terminal 4 or the first file control section 1 to indicate the occurrence of an abnormal situation, so the operator operating this system turns on the aforementioned external switch. When the external switch is turned on, the common terminals c of the switching contacts 16 to 21 of the changeover switch circuit shown in FIG. 3 are switched to the normally open terminal b. As a result, the main line 2 connected to each terminal 4 is switched and connected from the main line 2a of the first file control section 1 to the main line 2b of the second file control section 7.

Since the second file control unit 7 has the same function as the first file control unit 1, each data generated in each terminal 4 is transmitted to the second file control unit 7, and The data processing shown in FIG. 4 is executed by the file control unit 7 of No. 2. As a result, each sales data is aggregated and registered in the second data file 8. In this second data file 8, the sales data from each terminal 4 until an abnormal situation occurs in the first file control unit 1 is aggregated and registered, so even after an abnormal situation occurs, the correct data continues. The data will be counted and registered.

Note that when the first file control section 1 is in an abnormal state, sales data is not transferred from the second file control section 7 to the first file control section 1 via the auxiliary line 6.

In a data collection system configured in this way, during normal operation, the first file control unit 1
Since the sales data is transmitted from the auxiliary line 6 to the second file control unit 7 via the auxiliary line 6, the main lines 2, 2a, and 2b are not exclusively occupied by the transmission of this sales data. Therefore, the time required for data transmission between each terminal 4 and the first file control section 1 can be shortened, and as a result, the data processing efficiency in each terminal 4 can be improved.

Further, since the second data file 8 is updated to have the same content as the first data file every time the content of the first data file 5 is updated, it is possible to prevent an abnormal situation from occurring in the first file control unit 1. Even if the second file control unit 7 directly receives data from each terminal 4 and starts updating the second data file 8, no error will occur in the stored contents of the second data file. .

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a data collection system according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the same parts as those in FIG.

In the system of this embodiment, a plurality of terminals 4 are divided into a first terminal group 31 and a second terminal group 32.
divided into two terminal groups, each terminal group 3
1, 32 to the first and second main lines 33a, 33
b, changeover switch circuit 34, each main line 2a, 2b
are connected to the first and second file control sections 1 and 7, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 7, the changeover switch circuit 34 of this embodiment has four terminals: a common terminal c, a normally closed terminal a, and two normally open terminals d and e.
switching contacts 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 4
Consists of 0. And each switching contact 35~
40 is incorporated into one relay, and by operating an external switch (not shown) as in FIG. 3, the common terminal c of each contact can be changed from the normally closed terminal a to each normally open terminal d or e. Selectively switched and connected.

Each main line 2a from the first file control unit 1 is connected to the normally closed terminal a of the switching contact 35 and the common terminal c of the switching contact 39, and each main line 2b from the second file control unit 7 is connected to the normally closed terminal a of the switching contact 35 and the common terminal c of the switching contact 39, respectively. It is connected to the common terminal c of the switching contact 40 and the normally closed terminal a of the switching contact 38. In addition, the first terminal group 3
The first main line 33a of the terminal group 32 is connected to the common terminal c of the switching contacts 35 and 36, and the second main line 33b of the second terminal group 32 is connected to the common terminal c of the switching contacts 37 and 38. has been done.

Further, the normally open terminals e of the switching contacts 35 and 40 are connected together, and the normally open terminals d of the switching contacts 38 and 39 are connected together. Furthermore, the switching contact 36,
The four normally open terminals e and d of the switching contact 37 are short-circuited to each other, and the normally closed terminal a and the normally open terminal d of the switching contact 35 are connected to each other.
The normally closed terminal a and the normally open terminal d of the switching contact 38 are short-circuited. Further, each normally open terminal d of the switching contacts 39 and 40 is open.

When the above-mentioned external switch is not operated in the changeover switch circuit 34 configured as described above, the first main line 33 of the first terminal group 31 is
a is connected to the first file control unit 1 via the switch circuit 34 and the main circuit 2a, and the second main circuit 33b of the second terminal group 32 is connected to the switch circuit 34 and the main circuit 2b. It is connected to the second file control section 7. Then, when the external switch is turned on to the normally open terminal d side, each main line 2b of the second file control section 7 is opened, and the first terminal group 31 and the second terminal group are connected to the first file control section 1. Each terminal 4 of the terminal group 32 is connected in a closed loop via the first and second main lines 33a, 33b and the main line 2a. On the other hand, when the external switch is turned on to the normally open terminal e side, each main line 2a of the first file control section 1 is opened, and the first and second
Each terminal 4 of the terminal group 31, 32 is connected to the second file control section 7 via the first and second main lines 33a, 33b and the main line 2b.

However, under normal conditions, the external switch is not turned on to either side, so the first
The data transmitted from each terminal 4 of the terminal group 31 is input to the first file control section 1, and the data transmitted from each terminal 4 of the second terminal group 32 is input to the second file control section 1. The information is input to section 7. The data input to the first file control unit 1 is processed by the first file control unit 1, and the necessary data is aggregated and registered in the first data file 5 and sent via the auxiliary line 6. second
is transmitted to the file control unit 7 of. The second file control unit 7 aggregates and registers the received data from the first terminal group 31 in a second data file.
On the other hand, the data transmitted from each terminal 4 of the second terminal group 32 is first processed by the second file control unit 7, aggregated and registered in the second data file 8, and then transferred to the auxiliary line 6. is transmitted to the first file control unit 1 via the first data file 5.
Aggregation is registered to . In this manner, under normal conditions, the data transmitted from each terminal 4 is registered equally in the first and second data files 5 and 8. Therefore, the stored contents of the first and second data files 5, 8 are always equal.

In such a state, if the first file control unit 1
When an abnormal situation occurs, the operator turns the aforementioned external switch to the normally open terminal e side. Then,
Each terminal 4 of the first and second terminal groups 31 and 32 is connected to the second file control section 7 via a changeover switch circuit 34. Therefore, all data transmitted from each terminal 4 after this point will be transmitted from the second terminal 4.
The data is input to the file control unit 7 , processed by the second file control unit 7 , and then aggregated and registered in the second data file 8 . Therefore,
Correct data will continue to be aggregated and registered in the second data aisle 8.

Furthermore, when an abnormal situation occurs in the second file control section 7, when the external switch is turned on to the normally open terminal d side, correct data is continuously aggregated and registered in the data file 5 of the first file control section 1. Ru.

In this way, even if an abnormal situation occurs in either one of the first and second file control units 1 and 7, correct data will be aggregated and registered in the data file of the other file control unit. , it is possible to obtain the same effects as the above-mentioned embodiments.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, first and second terminal groups 31 and 32 are connected to the first and second file control units 1 and 7 via first and second main lines 33a and 33b, respectively. Therefore, each file control unit 1,
7 can be used efficiently. As a result, each terminal 4
Data processing efficiency can be further improved.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a changeover switch circuit is provided which connects each file control section with a dedicated auxiliary line and switches and connects the lines when an abnormality occurs. Therefore, the data transmission time between each terminal and the file control unit can be shortened, the data processing efficiency of each terminal can be improved, and even if an error occurs, the data from each terminal can be accurately transferred to the data file. can be registered in aggregate, improving the reliability of the entire system.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a data collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a first file control section of the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a changeover switch circuit of the embodiment. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the operation of the same embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a data collection system according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the same embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a changeover switch circuit. 1...first file control unit, 2, 2a, 2b
...Main line, 3, 34...Switch circuit, 4
...Terminal, 5...First data file, 6...
...Auxiliary line, 7...Second file control unit, 8...
...Second data file, 9...CPU, 31...
...First terminal unit, 32...Second terminal group, 3
3a...first main line, 33b...second main line, a...normally closed terminal, b, d, e...normally open terminal,
c...Common terminal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plurality of terminals into which data is input, and a storage unit connected to each of these terminals via a main line to receive data transmitted from each of the terminals and stored in a storage unit. The first data file to be aggregated and registered in the first data file.
a file control unit connected to the first file control unit via an auxiliary line, and provided in a storage unit for receiving data from each of the terminals input to the first file control unit. A second file control unit that aggregates and registers data in a second data file, and is inserted between each of the terminals and the first and second file control units, and detects the occurrence of an abnormality in the first file control unit. A data collection system comprising: a changeover switch circuit that switches and connects the main line from the first file control section to the second file control section. 2 A plurality of terminals consisting of a first and second terminal group into which data is input, and a plurality of terminals connected to the first terminal group via a first main line and connected to the first terminal group A first file control unit that receives data transmitted from each terminal and aggregates and registers it in a first data file provided in a storage unit; a second file control unit that is connected to the second terminal group and receives data transmitted from each terminal of the second terminal group and aggregates and registers the data in a second data file provided in a storage unit; and an auxiliary line that connects the second file control unit, and the data from the first terminal group input to the first file control unit is transmitted to the second file control unit via the auxiliary line. Said second
The data from the second terminal group inputted to the second file control unit is aggregated and registered in the data file of the first file control unit, and the data is sent to the first data file of the first file control unit via the auxiliary line. means for registering aggregation to the file controller; A data collection system comprising: a changeover switch circuit that switches and connects the main line of the terminal group of the file control unit in which the abnormality has occurred to the other file control unit when an abnormality occurs in the control unit.