JPH034852B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic price scale used, for example, in a label printer.

Generally, in label printers and the like, the weighing section and the label issuing section are formed separately, and a unit price preset memory, which is set in advance for each product, is often located on the scale side. However, it is often the case that a plurality of scales are connected to one printer, and in such cases it is better to provide a unit price preset memory on the printer side. Therefore, the unit price is called up from the scale, but the unit price data is supplied from the printer. In this case, the problem is that there are various keys on the scale side, and the unit price called up can be changed by operating these keys. Therefore, if the operator accidentally presses a numeric key or the like, the unit price will be different, resulting in incorrect calculations, or there is a possibility that the operator may intentionally operate the key and use it fraudulently. In addition, for special sale items, it is necessary for the scale to be able to consciously change the unit price, and the requirements differ depending on the product number.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic price scale in which a condition is set as to whether or not the unit price can be set on the scale side under control from the printer side. .

The present invention provides information on whether or not the unit price data can be changed on the scale side in the condition setting code of the unit price data called from the printer's unit price preset memory in the scale and the printer that are connected via the printer interface. By including it, it will be entered into the scale according to that condition, and thereby,
The structure is such that the product number can be set without changing the unit price by operating the scale.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the scale 1 has a weighing section 2 composed of a load cell, etc., a CPU 3, a printer interface 4, an external ROM 5, and a lamp 6, which are interconnected, and the CPU 3 has a multi-digit display. A display section 7 formed by a tube and a key matrix 8 are connected to each other via a digit signal line, a segment data signal line, and a key return data line. In particular, since the CPU 3 connects the display unit 7 and the key matrix 8 through a common digit signal connection line 3A and scans both, signal lines can be omitted and key return data can be input. This will improve time efficiency.
This is extremely effective in relation to the connection terminals in the case of a one-chip CPU 3.

A printer 9 is selectively connected to the printer interface 4 through four connection lines for input and four connection lines for output. The printer 9 includes a unit price preset memory 10 in addition to a control circuit such as a CPU (not shown).

The relationship between the scale 1 and the printer 9 is as follows.
Not only is there a one-to-one relationship as shown in the figure, but usually a plurality of scales 1 are connected to one printer 9 as shown in FIG.

However, the one shown in Figure 3 is
RAM, MAP, memory for data processing 11, price register 12, unit price register 1
3. Weight register 14, key data processing memory 15, flag 116, flag 217, flag 3
18, a working memory 19, a display register 20, and other areas. The price register 12 also serves as a code register. The contents of the flags 1, 2, and 3 are shown in FIG. 4, and in particular, flag 1 includes an automatic issue flag, a manual issue flag, a fixed print flag, a printer HP connection flag,
Consists of unit price changeable flag, etc. That is, one byte has an area for one flag.

First, the main flow will be explained based on FIG. In the diagram, HP is printer 9 and SC is scale 1.
, and PLU is unit price preset memory 10. After the initial setting, a signal code is input from the printer 9. Of course, this part is passed if the printer 9 is not connected. Then, check whether the code is the same as the previous one, and if it is the same, jump the following routine,
If they are not the same, a check is made to see if printer 9 is connected. This signal is given from the printer interface 4.

The operating status of the printer 9 can be broadly classified depending on whether or not it is connected. If the printer 9 is not connected now, it will operate as a standalone scale. First, the display is set to the initial weighing mode, the printer connection flag is set to 0, data from the scale 1 is taken in, and a check is made to see if any keys are being operated. If there is this key setting, key processing is performed according to the content, and when this processing is completed or when there is no key setting, the weighing mode is checked. In the weighing mode, the price is calculated by multiplying the unit price and the weight, and the display is performed after auto-clear processing, and in the weighing mode, the calculation is jumped and displayed. After this display, a check is made to see if the printer 9 is connected, and since this is a stand-alone scale with no printer 9 connected, the process returns here.

Then, in the above-mentioned initial check to see if the printer 9 is connected, if the printer 9 is connected, the printer connection flag is set and the automatic issue code, manual issue code, and fixed print code are checked in sequence. If it is an automatic issue code, it is checked whether it was not issued manually last time, and if it was, the manual issue flag and print fixing flag are set to 0, and the automatic issue flag is set. If it is not issued manually, the display is set to the unit price preset memory 10 recall mode and the flag is processed as described above.

When the code is a manual issue code, it is checked whether it was automatically issued last time, and if it is automatically issued, the automatic issue flag and print fixing flag are set to 0, and the manual issue flag is set to 1. Then, if it was not automatically issued last time, the display is set to the unit price preset memory 10 recall mode and the flag is processed as described above.

Furthermore, if it is a fixed print code, set the display to fixed print mode, set the automatic issue flag and manual issue flag to 0,
Set the print fixing flag to 1. Moreover, if it is not any code, these processes are jumped.

After the above-mentioned processing is performed, the routine from reading the scale data through key processing to display is followed as described above. When checking whether the printer 9 is connected after this display, since the printer 9 is connected this time, the label issuing conditions are checked.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that what is printed out by the printer 9 is a label.

Then, after performing this check, if it is not possible to issue, the process returns, but if it is possible to issue, it outputs the print data, waits until printing is completed, and then returns.

Next, a specific routine for key processing in the main flow shown in FIG. 5 will be explained based on FIGS. 6 to 13. First, in FIG. 6, when entering the key processing routine, a check is made to see if the PLU key used for unit price calling etc. has been pressed. If this PLU key is pressed,
Check the printer connection flag and connect printer 9.
If not connected, return; if connected, check the print fixing flag. If this is set, return is made, and if it is not set, the recall mode of unit price preset memory 10 is checked. If it is not the call mode, the display is changed to the unit price call mode and the process returns, and if it is the call mode, the PLU code input using the numeric keys is transferred to the printer 9 in the format shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

First, Figure 7 shows the code used when sending the PLU code and normal weighing data from the scale 1SC, and Figure 8 shows the condition setting code.
Shows PLU code and normal data code. D ₂ is the data discrimination code, 0 is the print data mode (PLU), 1 is the unit price, 2 is the PLU code,
D ₃ is a unit such as 1b, Kg, etc., D ₄ is a magnification,
D ₅ is the reserve, D ₆ is the unit price, the price point position, and D ₇ is the weight point position. next,
The PLU code has 6 digits, _D8 to _D11 , and _D14 is the end E. Next, the normal data are _D8 to _D23 , and _D24 is the end E.

The process then proceeds according to the format shown in FIG. First of all, 5 _OR 6 _OR 7 _OR 8 means automatic issue 5 or manual issue 6 when the print key is pressed.
, manual issue 7, or fixed print 8. Then, as can be understood by referring to FIG. 7, a start signal is output and strobe 1 is output. Thereafter, this strobe 1 causes strobe A and strobe 2 to be output, and _D2, that is, the data discrimination code is called. After that, D ₃ , D ₄ , etc. continue for every strobe 2, but E of the PLU code
When (D ₁₄ ) comes out, it returns to D ₁ again, then from D ₈ to D ₂₄
Retrieve normal data. This is the part marked with → in FIG. Then, strobe A is output again and the state becomes BUSY. After that,
If 5 _OR 7 _OR 8 is checked or the data from the scale (1) is a PLU code, the position shown in Figure 12 is reached.

In this way, the task of transferring the PLU code input using the numeric keys in FIG. 6 to the printer 9 is performed.

Next, operations such as inputting data in the format shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 and setting or resetting the unit price change flag are performed.

The code at this time is the scale 1SP side and the printer 9HP.
The settings are as shown in Figure 10, and the 11th
As shown in the figure, D ₁ to _{D 4} are condition settings and D ₅ to _{D 9} are 5.
In the digit unit price data, _D10 to _D15 are 4-digit tare data, and _D14 is end E. Therefore, D ₁ indicates the weight unit, and D ₂ indicates the magnification. Further, _D4 can be set on the printer side, but 0 means that the unit price cannot be changed, and 1 means that the unit price can be changed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
When the start signal is output from the BUSY state, or the strobe 2 signal from the scale 1, strobe 1 is output, followed by strobe A and strobe 2, and for each strobe 2, D ₂ to D ₁₄ in Figure 11 are set to scale 1. be called in. Then, the BUSY state becomes the 0 code of the scale 1, and the mode signal of the printer 9 becomes 5 _OR 7 _OR 8.

When the format has been transferred from the printer 9 to the scale 1 in this way, in Fig. 6, "unit price x weight =
The calculation process for "price" is performed, the display is changed to the weighing mode, and the process returns.

Then, we return to the initial stage of the key processing in Figure 6,
When the PLU key is not pressed, numeric key or clear key processing indicated as key processing 1 is performed. First, if a number key is pressed, a check is made to see if the printer connection flag is set, and if the printer 9 is not connected, the key data is entered into the unit price register 13, and the unit price x weight =
calculates the price, displays this, and returns.

If the printer 9 is connected, the PLU call mode is checked, and if it is not in the call mode, it is checked whether the unit price changeable flag is set. The fact that this can be changed means that the key data is entered in the unit price register 13, so regardless of the unit price preset in the unit price preset memory 10 on the printer 9 side,
This means that the necessary unit price is set on the scale 1 side using the numerical keys.

Also, if the PLU call mode is YES,
The key data is put into the code register, that is, the price register 12 which is also used, the key data is displayed, and the process returns. This is to perform business processing in accordance with the unit price read from the unit price preset memory 10 of the printer 9, and its contents are as explained with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12.

Next, the contents of key processing 1 will be explained based on FIG. 13. This determines whether the clear key or another key has been pressed. If it is another key, the explanation will be omitted, but if it is the clear key, a check is made to see if the printer 9 is connected. If printer 9 is not connected, unit price register 1
Clear 3, display and return. If the printer 9 is connected, it checks whether the PLU is in call mode or not, and if it is not in the call mode, it checks the unit price changeable flag and if it is changeable, clears and displays the unit price register 13 mentioned above, and changes it. If not possible, simply return. Also, PLU
If the call mode is YES, the code register, that is, the price register 12, is cleared, its contents are displayed, and the process returns.

Thus, various display tasks are performed when performing the various tasks described above. The lighting method of the display tube in this display is conventionally carried out as shown in FIG. That is, the display work is performed by an interrupt flow, and the interrupt processing time in which the digit signal is scanned digit by digit is the time required for display, and the interrupt starts again after another processing time. As an example, when displaying 16 digits, the other processing time is 47% and the display time for one digit is 3.3%. Therefore, since the time per digit is short, the voltage of the display tube must also be increased, and the power consumption of the display tube is 0.04A x 50V = 2W. Moreover, as other processing time
There is a problem that only 47% can be obtained.

For this reason, the display is processed as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16. That is, even if the switching timing of the digit signal becomes a little long, the interrupt processing time for display is set at the beginning of the digit signal, and the remaining processing time is used to repeat all the digits. In the flowchart, the segment data signal is turned OFF by a timer interrupt and the digit signal is switched. Then, the segment data of the next digit is output and latched. The key return data is then input, processed, and returned.

To give a specific example of such a system, in the case of 16 digits, even if the display time for one digit is 6.25%, the other processing time can be as much as 70%. Since the display time per digit is long, the power consumption of the display tube is only 0.04A x 40V = 1.6W.

As described above, the present invention connects a printer including a unit price preset memory to a scale via a printer interface, and performs arithmetic processing on the scale based on unit price data from the printer. By including information on whether the unit price can be changed or not in the condition setting code of the unit price data called from the unit price preset memory, if the unit price cannot be changed, the unit price can be changed unless a new unit price preset operation is performed. This prevents the user from making the mistake of touching a key or the like and changing the set unit price, or from fraudulent use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a block diagram, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing other connection states, Fig. 3 is a RAM MAP of the scale, and Fig. 4 is a map of the flag portion. , Figure 5 is a flowchart of the main flow, Figure 6 is a flowchart of key processing, Figure 7 is a format showing the code, Figure 8 is a format of data array, Figure 9 is a format of transfer processing, Figure 10 is a format of the data array. The figure shows the format of the code, Figure 11 shows the format of the data array,
FIG. 12 is a format of transfer processing, FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a part of key processing, FIG. 14 is a timing chart showing a conventional display state, and FIG. 15 is a timing chart showing a display state according to this embodiment. Chart FIG. 16 is a flowchart for display. 1... Scale, 2... Measuring section, 4... Printer interface, 9... Printer, 10... Unit price preset memory.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A scale that calculates a price based on the weight data from the weighing section and a set unit price and selectively displays each data, a printer equipped with a unit price preset memory that stores the unit price for each product number, and this printer. The printer interface connects the printer to the scale to refer to the unit price preset memory in the printer, and the unit price is changed on the scale side during the condition setting code for unit price data called from the unit price preset memory of the printer. An electronic fare scale characterized by including information on whether changes are possible or unchangeable.