JPH05346989A - Data processor with spooler function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform processing corresponding to one mode even if the mode is switched to another mode during printing operation. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 11 holds input data in a spooler buffer 17-1 in order, processes the data in the spooler buffer 17-1 in order, and prints the processing result out asynchronously. If the mode is switched to a REG mode with a mode switch MS during inspection report printing operation, the CPU 1 writes the mode information in the spooler buffer 17-1 and performs the processing corresponding to the mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing device such as an electronic cash register (ECR) having a spooler function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in ECR, input sales data is registered, and the registration result is displayed and output or printed out. However, the printing operation takes a longer time than the processing speed. Therefore, the conventional ECR has a spooler function. This kind of ECR with a spooler function is equipped with a spooler buffer that sequentially holds the input key code, executes registration processing sequentially according to the key code stored in this spooler buffer, and asynchronously outputs the registration result. It prints out.

[0003]

However, in this type of ECR, for example, even if there is a customer waiting for registration while the detailed report is being printed in the inspection / settlement mode, the ECR cannot perform the registration processing. Therefore, it is necessary to make the customer wait for a long time until the issuance of the report or move the customer to another ECR that is in the process of registration, which is an obstacle to the customer service. An object of the present invention is to enable a process according to a mode to be executed even if the mode is switched to another mode during a printing operation.

[0004]

The means of the present invention are as follows. The input memory 1 (see the functional block diagram of FIG. 1, the same applies hereinafter) is a spooler buffer or the like that sequentially holds data such as input key codes.
The data inside is sequentially processed, and the processing result is asynchronously printed out. The operation mode switching means 2 is a mode switch or the like for designating the first mode to the second mode. For example, in ECR, it is a control lock for switching from the inspection mode or the payment mode to the registration mode. The control unit 3 writes the second mode information in the input memory 1 and responds to the second mode when the second mode is designated by the operation mode switching unit 2 during the printing operation in the currently designated first mode. Execute the process.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. Now, assume that the registration mode is designated by the operation mode switching means 2 while the inspection report is being printed in the inspection mode in the ECR. Then, the control means 3 writes the mode information indicating the registration mode in the input memory 1 and executes the registration process according to the input sales data. Therefore, even if the printing operation in one mode is switched to another mode, the processing according to the mode can be executed.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an ECR with a spooler function. The CPU 11 has an arithmetic unit 11-1 and a control unit 11-2, and controls the overall operation of the ECR according to various programs stored in the ROM 12. The input unit 13, which is a peripheral device, and the display unit. 14, printing unit 1
5. Control the input / output operation of the drawer 16.

[0007] On the keyboard of the input unit 13, as usual, in addition to the numeric keys AK, department key BK, closing key CK, etc.,
A mode switch MS is provided. This mode switch MS has "REG (registration)" according to its switching position,
"OFF (power off)", "RF (return)", "PGM"
(Setting), "Z (check)", and "X (settlement)" modes. Here, every time a key on the input unit 13 is operated, the key code input from the input unit 13 is CP.
It is taken in by U11 and written in the spooler buffer 17-1 in the RAM 17. Further, in the registration mode in which the mode switch MS is set to its switching position “REG”, the sales data input from the input unit 13 is displayed on the display unit 14.
In addition to being displayed and output to a receipt / journal set in the printing unit 15, the section totalizer memory 17-2 in the RAM 17 and other totalizer memory 1
7-3 is registered.

The RAM 17 has its write / read operation controlled under the control of the CPU 11, and the spooler buffer 17-1 has a mode area in which mode information is stored for each record number corresponding to the record number, and a key. A CP having a key code area for storing a code
U11 fetches the mode information and the key code from the spooler buffer 17-1 record by record and processes them.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when some key operation is performed, FIG. 5 is a flowchart following FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows a specific example of data written in the spooler buffer 17-1. There is. Now, it is assumed that "X" is stored in the mode area and "# 01" is stored in the key code area corresponding to the record number "1" in the spooler buffer 17-1. First, in step S1, it is checked whether or not the mode switch MS is in the registration mode set to the "REG" position. Since it is now in the inspection mode, the process proceeds to step S6, and it is checked whether or not there is data input after the switching operation to another mode is performed. In step S7, it is checked whether there is data in the spooler buffer 17-1. Here, since there is data in the spooler buffer 17-1, step S8
Proceed to and execute the spooler process. As a result, the printing operation for issuing the inspection report is performed. The data in the spooler buffer 17-1, that is, the record
The data "X" in the mode area and the data "# 01" in the key code area corresponding to No. "1" are erased by this spooler processing (step S8) after issuing the inspection report, but the spooler buffer 17-1 The process returns to step B1 and the inspection report issuing process (the spooler process of step S8) is repeated until the data inside is erased.

While issuing such an inspection report,
It is assumed that the mode switch MS is switched from the "X" position to the "REG" position. Then, in this ECR mode, if "1" is entered in order to perform the first registration, it is detected in step S6 that there was data input after the switching operation to another mode. Then, the process proceeds to step S9, and it is checked whether or not the X mode or the Z mode is switched to the REG mode. Now, since it is the case where the X mode is switched to the REG mode, it is checked in the next step S10 whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. That is, it is checked whether or not a certain period of time elapses from the switching to the X mode or the Z mode and the issuing of the inspection / accounting report to the switching to the REG mode. Since the time required to issue the inspection / settlement report is determined according to the number of records in the department totalizer memory 17-2, etc., this time has passed,
If the switch to the REG mode is made before issuing the inspection / settlement report,
If the time required to issue the settlement report is 20 minutes, 19
It is checked whether or not minutes have elapsed, and if it is one minute before the inspection / accounting report issuance, switching from the X / Z mode to the REG mode is permitted even during report printing (step S11). In this way, REG is performed on condition that a certain time has elapsed.
Depending on the length of the registration time, the reason for permitting the switching to the mode is to eliminate or minimize the waiting time until the receipt is issued, and to immediately move to the receipt issuance after issuing the inspection / accounting report. In addition, from X / Z mode to R
When switching to the EG mode, a certain time (19
If a minute has not yet elapsed, a mode switching error occurs and mode switching is prohibited (step S12).

Now, when the X mode is switched to the REG mode while the inspection report is being issued, if the elapse of a certain time is detected and the mode switching is permitted, the process returns to step B1. In this case, since it is in the REG mode, when a registration operation is performed, the fact is detected in step S2 and the process proceeds to step S3, where the input data is the spooler buffer 1
7-1 is written. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, the numerical data "1" is written together with the mode information of "REG" corresponding to the record number "2" of the spooler buffer 17-1. Since the inspection report is being issued, the record No. "1" of the spooler buffer 17-1 holds the data regarding the inspection mode as it is. And
In the next step S4, it is checked whether or not the input data is the numeric data, but since it is the numeric data, the flow proceeds to step S6. Here, if the mode is not switched and there is data in the spooler buffer 17-1, the spooler processing is started (step S8), and in this case, the inspection report printing operation is continued. Hereinafter, similarly, in the REG mode, the same operation as described above is repeated every time the numerical data is input. As a result, as shown in FIG.
The record number "3" in the spooler buffer 17-1 is RE
Numerical data "0", record number together with G mode information
The numeral data "0" is written in "4" together with the REG mode information. Then, when the key BK of the department “1” is operated, the key code is written in the spooler buffer 17-1 together with the REG mode information corresponding to the record No. “5”, but in this case, it is not the numerical data. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S5, the registration operation is executed based on the numerical data "100" and the department "1" in the spooler buffer 17-1 to update the contents of the department totalizer memory 17-2,
Update the subtotal amount. When the cash / deposit key, that is, the closing key CK is operated to end the registration of one transaction, the key code is written in the next record position of the spooler buffer 17-1 in step S3,
Arithmetic processing is performed accordingly (step S5).

In this way, when the inspection report is issued and the mode is switched to the REG mode and the registration operation for one transaction is performed, the registration contents are displayed and output based on the registration operation, and the registration calculation is executed. However, in this case as well, the issuance of the inspection report is not interrupted, and the printing operation for issuing the report continues to be executed.

Now, when switching to another mode,
From step S6, S9 to step S13, REG
Check if the mode is switched to X / Z mode. In this case, if it is assumed that the REG mode is switched to the X mode, it is checked in the next step S14 whether or not the mode is switched after the closing key CK is operated, and after the closing key CK is operated, that is, after the registration of one transaction is completed. If the mode is changed, the mode change is permitted (step S15), but if the transaction is not completed yet, the mode change is prohibited (step S12). That is, only when the REG mode is switched to the X / Z mode,
The mode switching is permitted when such a condition (step S14) is satisfied, but the mode switching is permitted unconditionally for other mode switching (step S14).
13, S15).

Here, when the mode is switched to the X mode after the registration of one transaction is completed, the key code is written in the next record position of the spooler buffer 17-1 together with the mode information "X" (see FIG. 5). ). Then, in the next step S17, a process relating to the data currently written in the spooler buffer 17-1 is executed. In this case, since the inspection report is being printed, the process in step S17 has no particular meaning. For example, from the REG mode. When the mode is switched to the RF mode, the returning process is performed in step S17. When the printing operation for issuing the inspection report is completed, the receipt is issued based on the registered content held in the spooler buffer 17-1.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the spooler function can be enabled regardless of the mode position, so that the registration calculation can be performed even while issuing a report, for example.

In the above embodiment, the X mode is changed to the REG.
Although the description has been centered on switching to the mode, the spooler function is also effective when switching from the RGM mode to the REG mode and from the X mode to the RF mode.

[0017]

According to the present invention, even if the mode is changed to another mode during the printing operation in a certain mode, the processing according to the mode can be executed. Therefore, especially in the ECR, the registration operation is performed even while the report is being printed. Can be done
As a result, work efficiency can be improved and customer waiting time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an ECR with a spooler function according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation when any key is operated.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart following FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram specifically showing the contents of a spooler buffer 17-1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 CPU 12 ROM 13 Input Section 14 Display Section 15 Printing Section 17 RAM 17-1 Spooler Buffer MS Mode Switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data processing device with a spooler function, comprising: an input memory for sequentially holding input data; sequentially processing the data in the input memory; and asynchronously printing out the processing result from the first mode. Operation mode switching means for designating the second mode, and when the second mode is designated by the operation mode switching means during the printing operation in the currently designated first mode, the second mode information is written in the input memory. And a control means for executing processing according to the second mode, and starts the printing operation in the mode in accordance with the second mode information held in the input memory at the end of the printing operation in the first mode. A data processing device with a spooler function, which is characterized in that