JPH06167380A - Electronic charge balance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an electronic charge balance for updating commodity information stored in information memory means, e.g. a RAM, according to update information receiving from an external machine, e.g. a host computer, in which abrupt change of sale information displayed on an information display means and visually confirmed by client or clerk is prevented. CONSTITUTION:The electronic charge balance comprises means 2, 10 for updating commodity information stored in an information memory means 4 with information receiving from an external machine 12, and means 2, 3, 10 for transmitting conditional information prohibiting update of commodity information to the external machine 12 when update information is received by the information updating means 2, 10 during display of sale information on an information display means 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic charge balance that communicates with an external device such as a host computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electronic fee scales currently used for metered sale, an information storage means that stores a large number of product information including at least product identification information and unit price in a freely updateable manner is a RAM (Random Access Memory). ) And PLU (Price Look
Up) is formed of a memory or the like, and an information detecting means for reading out predetermined product information from such information storing means by a search based on identification information is a keyboard or a CPU (Central Processing).
Unit) etc. Further, a weight measuring unit for weighing the product and outputting the weight information is formed by a load cell or the like, and the sales information is displayed by the weight information output by the weight measuring unit and the product information read by the information detecting unit. The information generating means for generating is formed by the CPU or the like. The information display means for displaying the sales information generated by the information generation means is a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).
Similarly, an information printing unit for printing sales information and the like on a label is also formed by a label printer or the like.

In the electronic charge balance having such a structure, for example, the information detecting means reads out predetermined product information from the information storing means in accordance with the operation input of the store clerk who has confirmed the product to be weighed. When the weight of the product is measured by the weight measuring device, the information display device displays the sales information generated by the information generating device based on the weight information and the product information. More specifically, this sales information is formed by the name, unit price, weight, selling price, etc. of the product, so that the salesclerk and the customer who see such sales information can exchange money and the product. Is sold in Japan.

[0004] Here, in a store that uses the above-mentioned electronic charge scale for metered sale, for example, the unit price of a predetermined product may be changed for a certain period of time. This is realized by updating the product information in the information storage means of the electronic toll scale for a certain period of time. However, if such update of information is sequentially performed by the operation input of the store clerk, the work is extremely complicated and erroneous. The possibility is high. Therefore, in a store that carries out sales operations in the above-described form, an external device such as a host computer installed in the backyard is connected to the electronic charge balance, and the product information in the information storage means of the electronic charge balance is stored in the external device. It automatically updates with the update information received from.

[0005]

In the electronic charge balance as described above, since the product information in the information storage means can be automatically updated with the update information received from the external device, the unit price of a predetermined product is fixed. It is possible to easily carry out sales operations that change only the time.

[0006] Here, since the electronic bill scale as described above cannot receive update information from an external device during execution of complicated information processing, in such a case, information that cannot be received for information is Is transmitted, or the response information required for information reception is not transmitted, and the information reception is disabled. In the electronic charge balance as described above, when the weight of the product is measured and displayed together with the name, unit price, etc., the information processing is simple, so that the update information can be received from the external device.

However, in this case, while displaying the sales information based on the product information read from the information storage means,
Since the product information in the information storage means is updated by the information received from the external device, the sales information visually recognized by the customer or the store clerk suddenly changes and gives distrust to the customer or the store clerk.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Information storage means is provided in which a large number of product information including at least product identification information and unit price is preliminarily stored in an updatable manner, and a predetermined product is searched by the identification information from the information storage means. An information detecting means for reading out information is provided, and a weight measuring means for weighing the product and outputting weight information is provided. Sales information is output by the weight information output by the weight measuring means and the product information read out by the information detecting means. An information generating means for generating is provided, an information displaying means for displaying the sales information generated by the information generating means is provided, and an information updating means for updating the product information of the information storing means with the update information received from the external device is provided, When the information update means receives the update information while the sales information is being displayed by the information display means, at least status information indicating that the product information cannot be updated is transmitted to the external device. The notification means is provided.

[0009]

The information detecting means reads out predetermined product information by a search based on the identification information from a large number of product information stored in advance in the information storage means so that the weight measuring means weighs the product and outputs the weight information. The information display unit displays the sales information generated by the information generation unit based on the weight information and the product information, and when the information update unit receives the update information from the external device in this state, the status notification unit transmits the status information to the external device. .

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the electronic charge balance 1 includes a CPU 2 that executes various types of information processing,
R in which various kinds of information such as control programs are fixedly stored in advance
An OM (Read Only Memory) 3, a RAM 4 which is an information storage means for temporarily storing various information such as product information in an updatable manner, a weighing section 5 which is a weight measuring means for weighing a product and outputting weight information, and various information. A display 6 which is information display means for displaying and outputting, a label printer 7 for printing out various information on a label (not shown), and a clock L for constantly outputting time information.
It has a structure in which an SI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) 8, a keyboard 9 for inputting various information, an inline I / F (Inter / Face) 10 for transmitting and receiving various information to and from the outside are connected. A host computer 12, which is an external device, is connected to the inline I / F 10 via a connector cable 11.

Here, in this electronic charge balance 1, for example,
The product information stored in the RAM 4 is made up of a PLU code that is identification information, a name, a department, a unit price, etc., and the host computer 12 sends update information indicating such a unit price change of the product information. The output is made according to the detection of the set time or manual operation. Further, in the electronic charge balance 1, the information detecting means for reading the above-mentioned product information from the RAM 4 by the search by the PLU code is formed by the CPU 2, the keyboard 9, etc., and such information detecting means is used. The CPU 2 and the like form information generating means for generating sales information based on the merchandise information read by and the weight information output by the weighing section 5. further,
In this electronic charge balance 1, the information updating means for updating the product information in the RAM 4 with the update information received from the host computer 12 is the CPU 2 or the inline I / F.
When the information updating means receives the update information while the sales information is being displayed on the display 6, the status notifying means for transmitting the text indicating the status of weighing operation to the host computer 12 is provided. CP
It is formed by U2, the ROM 3, the inline I / F 10, and the like.

The above-mentioned text during the weighing operation indicates that the product information cannot be updated during the weighing operation. In this electronic fee scale 1, it is formed in advance and stored in the ROM 3. It is stored. Further, in the electronic charge balance 1, a non-processable text indicating that product information cannot be updated due to insufficient processing capacity, a processable text indicating that product information can be updated, and the like are also formed in advance and stored in the ROM 3. , Such various texts as the CPU
2 is transmitted from the inline I / F 10 to the host computer 12 according to various situations.

In the electronic charge balance 1 having such a structure, for example, when a salesclerk who confirms a product desired by a customer inputs a PLU code with the keyboard 9,
Upon detecting this, the CPU 2 reads the predetermined product information from the RAM 4 by searching the PLU code. Therefore, in this state, when the store clerk loads the merchandise on the weighing unit 5 and measures the weight, the CPU 2 calculates the selling price by multiplying the weight information output by the weighing unit 5 by the unit price of the merchandise information. Will be generated. The sales information generated in this way is printed by the label printer 7 or the display 6
Is displayed, the salesclerk who visually recognizes the sales information on the display 6 and the customer exchange money and merchandise, and the like, whereby the metered sales are performed. The sales information displayed on the display 6 in this way is formed of, for example, the name of the product, the unit price, the weight, the selling price, and the like.

The electronic charge balance 1 is connected to, for example, a host computer 12 installed in a backyard of a store or the like, and updates product information in the RAM 4 in accordance with update information received from the host computer 12 as appropriate. Since it is possible, the unit price of a predetermined product can be changed for a certain period of time during the sales operation.

Therefore, the processing operation of the electronic charge balance 1 will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, in the electronic charge balance 1, the host computer 12
The presence or absence of an inline processing request, which is a request to update the product information received from the customer, is constantly monitored, and unless the request is detected, normal sales operations are executed. Then, the CPU 2 which has detected the reception of the inline processing request as described above,
It is sequentially confirmed that the weighing unit 5 is not in the middle of the weighing operation and the RAM 4 is not in the process of reading the product information. If this is not confirmed, the product information is updated during the weighing operation. A text indicating that the job is not in progress is read from the ROM 3 and transmitted to the host computer 12.

By doing so, the electronic charge balance 1
Then, while the display 6 is displaying the sales information based on the product information read from the RAM 4 and the weight information output from the weighing unit 5, even if the update information is received from the host computer 12, the product information is received. Is not updated. Therefore, in the electronic charge balance 1, the sales information displayed on the display 6 does not suddenly change even in the above-mentioned situation, and it is possible to prevent unnecessary distrust of the customer and the salesclerk. It

In this electronic charge balance 1, if it is confirmed that the balance section 5 is not operating and the product information is not being read at the time of receiving the in-line processing request, the processing capacity is the same as the conventional one. Whether or not inline processing is possible is determined, and in response to this possibility, a text that can be processed or a text that cannot be processed is read from the ROM 3 and transmitted to the host computer 12.

[0018]

As described above, the present invention is provided with the information updating means for updating the product information in the information storing means with the updating information received from the external device, and the information updating means is provided while the sales information is being displayed by the information displaying means. When the update information is received, at least status information indicating that the product information cannot be updated is transmitted to the external device, so that the sales information that is displayed by the information display means and is visually recognized by the customer or the clerk suddenly appears. Since it is prevented from changing, it has an effect of not giving unnecessary distrust to the customer or the store clerk.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic scale according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Electronic Charge Scale 2 Information Generation Means 2,9 Information Detection Means 2,10 Information Update Means 2,3,10 Status Notification Means 4 Information Storage Means 5 Weight Measurement Means 6 Information Display Means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An information storage unit that stores in advance a large number of product information including at least product identification information and unit price in an updateable manner, and information for reading out predetermined product information from the information storage unit by a search based on the identification information. A detection unit, a weight measurement unit that weighs a product and outputs weight information, and an information generation unit that generates sales information based on the weight information output by the weight measurement unit and the product information read by the information detection unit. An information display means for displaying the sales information generated by the information generation means,
At least the product information cannot be updated if the information updating unit receives the update information while displaying the sales information by the information display unit, and the information updating unit updates the product information in the information storage unit with the update information received from the external device. An electronic charge balance, comprising: status notification means for transmitting status information indicating the status to the external device.