JPH0553947A - Communication control equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm the communicating state of a terminal by a host computer beforehand by storing information showing the discriminated result of the communicating state by respective terminals and suitably transmitting this information to the host computer. CONSTITUTION:When data communication is executed with respective terminals 1, as a communicating state discriminating means, a CPU 1 discriminates the communicating state at that time and stores the information showing the discriminated result in a RAM 14 as a communicating state information storing means by the respective terminals 1. Then, the communicating state information stored by the respective terminals 1 is transmitted to a host computer 5. Therefore, the host computer 5 can confirm the state of communication with the respective terminals 1 without actually executing data communication with the respective terminals 1. On the other hand, information showing the discriminated result of the communicating state for each data class of the data communication is stored by the respective terminals 1. Therefore, when the terminal 1 in the abnormal communicating state is confirmed, it can be confirmed that data are communicated when the abnormality is generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a communication control device used in a POS (point of sale information management) system or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a POS system has a plurality of POS terminals for registering product sales data.
Connected to the file processor via this communication line, the POS terminals are centrally controlled by this file processor, and a host computer is connected to this file processor via the second communication line. It is managed.

In this system, the file processor is preset with product information such as product name and unit price for each product code of each product, and is provided with a product file having a cumulative area of sales data. And each PO
When the product code of the registered product is input to the S terminal via an input device such as a keyboard or a bar code scanner,
The product code is inquired to the file processor via the first communication line, and the file processor receiving this inquiry message reads the product information corresponding to the product code by referring to the product file and displays the product information. It is adapted to reply to the inquired POS terminal via the first communication line.

Further, the POS terminal receiving the product information from the file processor acquires the product sales data based on the product information, performs registration processing in the storage unit, and outputs the data to an output device such as a printer or a display. It has become a thing.

Further, the product sales data registered in the storage unit of each POS terminal is appropriately collected by the file processor via the first communication line, and is aggregated by product code in the sales data accumulation area of the product file. It is supposed to be done.

On the other hand, the host computer has a function of setting data necessary for registration of product sales data at each POS terminal in the storage section of the POS terminal or the file processor via the first and second communication lines. Collecting product sales data registered in the storage unit of each POS terminal or collecting product-specific sales data collected in the product file of the file processor via the first and second communication lines, and outputting a report. It has the function to do.

[0007]

However, in the conventional POS system of this type, when the host computer performs data communication with each POS terminal, the communication state of each terminal cannot be confirmed in advance.
For this reason, when data communication work occurs for an incommunicable POS terminal, the host computer actually starts data communication and becomes aware of the incommunicable communication only because there is no response from the terminal. Therefore, communication efficiency is wasted.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a plurality of terminals are connected via a first communication line and a host computer is connected via a second communication line, and data between the host computer and each terminal is connected. An object of the present invention is to provide a communication control device for controlling communication, which can confirm the communication state of the terminal in advance when the host computer performs data communication with the terminal and can eliminate waste of communication efficiency.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a plurality of terminals are connected via a first communication line, each terminal is controlled by data communication with each terminal, and a second communication line is used. In a communication control device that connects a host computer with each other and controls data communication between the host computer and each terminal, communication state determination means for determining the communication state of data communication performed with each terminal, and communication by this determination means It is provided with communication state information storage means for storing information indicating the result of state determination for each terminal and information transmission control means for transmitting the communication state information for each terminal stored by this storage means to the host computer. ..

Further, it is desirable that the communication state information storage means stores, for each terminal, information indicating a determination result of the communication state for each data type of data communication with each terminal.

[0011]

In the present invention having such a configuration, when data communication is performed with each terminal, the communication state at that time is determined, and information indicating the determination result is stored by the communication state information storage means for each terminal. To be done. The communication status information for each terminal stored by the storage means is transmitted to the host computer. Therefore, the host computer can check the communication status with each terminal without actually performing data communication with each terminal.

Further, in the present invention, the communication state information storage means stores information indicating the result of the communication state determination for each terminal for each data type of data communication with each terminal. Therefore, when the terminal whose communication state is abnormal is confirmed, it becomes possible to confirm which data is transmitted when the abnormality occurs.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a file processor of a POS system will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a POS system. A plurality of POS terminals (TM) 1 for registering merchandise sales data are connected to a file processor (FP) 3 via a first communication line 2, The POS terminal 1 is centrally controlled by the file processor 3, and the host computer (HC) 5 is connected to the file processor 3 via the second communication line 4 so that the host computer 5 manages the entire system. Is configured.

Here, the file processor 3 is provided with a product file in which product information such as product name and unit price is preset for each product code of each product, and a sales data accumulation area is provided. When the product code of the registered product is input to each POS terminal 1 via an input device such as a keyboard or a bar code scanner, the POS terminal 1 inquires of the file processor 3 via the first communication line 2 about the product code, The file processor 3 that has received this inquiry message reads the product information corresponding to the product code by referring to the product file, and outputs the product information as the first product information.
It is adapted to reply to the inquired POS terminal 1 through the communication line 2.

Upon receiving the product information from the file processor 3, the POS terminal 1 acquires the product sales data based on the product information, performs registration processing in the storage unit, and outputs the data to an output device such as a printer or a display. It is supposed to be output.

Further, the product sales data registered in the storage unit of each POS terminal 1 is appropriately collected by the file processor 3 via the first communication line 2 and stored in the sales data accumulation area of the product file. It is designed to be aggregated by code.

On the other hand, the host computer 5 is
Data necessary for registration of product sales data at the terminal 1 is transferred to the PO via the first and second communication lines 2 and 4.
Functions set in the storage unit of the S terminal 1 or the file processor 3, collection of product sales data registered in the storage unit of each POS terminal 1, or sales data by product aggregated in the product file of the file processor 3 It has a function of collecting data via the first and second communication lines 2 and 4 and outputting a report.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the file processor 3, which is a CPU (central processing unit) 11 that constitutes the main body of the control unit.
In the RO, the program data for the CPU 11 to control each unit via the bus line 12 is stored in advance.
M (read only memory) 13, RAM (random
Access memory) 14, a terminal-side communication interface 15 for controlling data communication with each POS terminal 1 via the first communication line 2, and a host computer via the second communication line 4. 5, a host computer side communication interface 16 and the like for controlling data communication with the computer 5 are connected.

Here, in the RAM 14, a communication state table 20 having a structure shown in FIG. 3 is formed. The communication status table 20 stores information (normal: 0, abnormal: 1) indicating the communication status determination result for each data type of data communication with each POS terminal 1.
It is stored for each terminal number assigned to each. Incidentally, the type “1” in the present embodiment is the product data transmitted in response to the product code inquiry,
The type “2” is the collection command data of the merchandise sales data registered in the storage unit of the POS terminal 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the host computer 5, in which a CPU 31 constituting a main body of a control unit, a memory unit of a ROM 33 and a RAM 34 via a bus line 32, and a file processor via the second communication line 4 are provided. 3, a file processor side communication interface 35 for controlling data communication with the computer 3, a keyboard interface 36 to which a keyboard 36a having various function keys other than numeric keys, character keys, execution keys is connected, a CRT display, etc. Each interface unit such as a display controller 37 to which the display 37a is connected, a printer interface 38 to which the printer 38a is connected, and the like are connected.

Incidentally, the keyboard 36a is used for inputting data to be set in the storage section of each POS terminal 1 or the file processor 3 and for inputting various commands.
The display 37a is for key input data and each POS terminal 1
Alternatively, it is used to display the data received from the file processor 3. The printer 38a is used, for example, for outputting a report of product sales data registered in the storage unit of each POS terminal 1 or product sales data aggregated in the product file of the file processor 3.

Then, C of the file processor 3
The PU 11 is programmed to execute the control shown in FIG. That is, when a data transmission operation with each POS terminal 1 occurs, the data is transmitted to any POS terminal 1 designated as the data transmission destination, and the type of this transmission data is detected.

Next, the communication state of data communication with the corresponding POS terminal 1 is determined. Here, if there is no response from the corresponding POS terminal 1 within a fixed time after data transmission, it is determined that the communication state is abnormal. Also, the corresponding POS
Even if there is a response from the terminal 1 but the response is an abnormal response, it is determined that the communication state is abnormal.
(Communication status determination means)

If it is determined that the communication status is abnormal, the information "A" indicating that the communication status is abnormal is displayed in the area of the corresponding data type corresponding to the terminal number of the corresponding POS terminal 1 in the communication status table 20. 1 "
To store. When a normal response is received from the corresponding POS terminal 1 and it is determined that the communication status is normal, the communication status is normal in the area of the corresponding data type corresponding to the terminal number of the corresponding POS terminal 1 in the communication status table 20. Information “0” indicating that is stored. (Communication status information storage means)

When the CPU 11 receives the data inquiry message of the communication state table 20 from the host computer 5 via the second communication line 4, the CPU 11 reads the stored contents of the communication state table 20 and connects the second communication line 4 to the second communication line 4. It is adapted to be transmitted to the host computer 5 via the. (Information transmission control means)

In the present embodiment having such a configuration, each time the file processor 3 performs data communication with each POS terminal 1, the communication state at that time is determined, and the information indicating the determination result is the file. It is stored in the communication state table 20 of the processor 3 for each terminal and for each type of transmission data. The communication status information for each terminal stored in the communication status table 20 is transmitted to the host computer 5 in response to the inquiry message from the host computer 5.

The host computer 5 monitors the communication status of each POS terminal 1 based on the storage data of the communication status table 20 collected by the file processor 3. Further, the communication status of each POS terminal 1 is displayed on the display 37a so that the operator can easily check it.

Therefore, in the host computer 5, when transmitting data to each POS terminal 1, the communication state of the POS terminal 1 of the data transmission destination is confirmed from the stored contents of the communication state table 20 and the terminal having the communication abnormality is confirmed. Since it is possible to control so that data is not transmitted to the POS terminal 1, it is possible to prevent waste of data actually transmitted to the POS terminal 1 having a communication abnormality, and improve communication efficiency.

Further, the communication status table 20 stores information indicating the communication status for each data type. Therefore,
When the operator confirms the POS terminal 1 whose communication state is abnormal from the stored contents of the communication state table 20 displayed on the display 37a in the host computer 5,
It becomes possible to confirm which data was transmitted when the anomaly occurred.

It should be noted that it is not always necessary to store the information indicating the communication state for each type of data, and the effect of the present invention can be sufficiently achieved by storing only the information indicating the determination result of the communication state. .. Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0032]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a plurality of terminals are connected via the first communication line, and a host computer is connected via the second communication line. In a device for controlling data communication between a computer and each terminal, a communication control device capable of confirming the communication state of the terminal in advance when the host computer performs data communication with the terminal and eliminating waste of communication efficiency. Can be provided.

Further, in addition to the above effects, it is possible to provide a communication control device capable of easily confirming which data is transmitted when the abnormality is confirmed when a terminal having an abnormal communication state is confirmed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a POS system that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a file processor in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a communication status table in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a host computer in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a CP of the file processor in the embodiment.
The flowchart which shows the main control of U.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... POS terminal, 2 ... 1st communication line, 3 ... File processor, 4 ... 2nd communication line, 5 ... Host computer, 20 ... Communication state table.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of terminals are connected via a first communication line, each terminal is controlled by data communication with each terminal, and a host computer is connected via a second communication line. In a communication control device for controlling data communication between a host computer and each terminal, a communication state judging means for judging a communication state of data communication with each terminal, and a result of judging the communication state by this judging means are shown. A communication control device comprising: communication state information storage means for storing information for each terminal; and information transmission control means for transmitting the communication state information for each terminal stored by the storage means to the host computer. .. 2. The communication according to claim 1, wherein the communication state information storage means stores, for each terminal, information indicating a determination result of a communication state for each data type of data communication performed with each terminal. Control device.