JPH0719310B2 - POS system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a POS system, and more particularly to a POS system test method for reducing the test man-hours of the POS system.

[Conventional technology]

Not only keyboards but also optical readers disclosed in JP-A-55-115164 and bar code scanners disclosed in JP-A-60-235277 have been diversified in recent years as input devices for POS terminals.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Tests such as operation check of the POS system may use the test data input method with an automatic keystroke machine, but in this method, the input data is limited to the keyboard, and the input data from other input devices of the POS terminal is limited. Cannot enter data P
It doesn't test the OS. Therefore, conventionally, a method has been adopted in which an operator performs a data input operation on a POS terminal according to a program check list and confirms output data with respect to input data. On the other hand, the POS system, unlike other general-purpose terminal systems, has strong individual requirements for each customer, so the software must be changed for each customer, and the POS system must be tested each time.
For this reason, the POS system test for each customer cannot be done in time with the operator's manual operation confirmation test method. An object of the present invention is to reduce the number of man-hours required for testing the POS system by observing the manual operation of the operator who has performed each test and automating the test of the POS system.

[Means for solving problems]

The means usually adopted as means for achieving the above object is to create a simulator of an input device, connect it to an input device adapter of a data processing device instead of the input device, and input simulation data (input data) that has been created in advance. There is a method to send it to the device adapter. However, the input devices of POS terminals are diverse, such as keyboards, slot scanners, magnetic card readers, etc., and there is a possibility that more various input devices will be connected in the future, making it difficult to create a simulator for each input device. is there. Furthermore, since it is necessary to input the data of each of these input devices to the POS terminal in a mixed form, it is necessary to realize the one that integrates the simulator of each input device. Therefore, in order to easily achieve the above object, the present invention focuses on a line adapter which is one of the input devices of a POS terminal, sends pseudo input data from this adapter, and sends the pseudo input data in the POS terminal. Create the input data of each input device from
This is the method of sending to the data processing unit in the POS terminal. As means for realizing this method, means 1 for creating data (pseudo input data) equivalent to the data input by the operator from each input device to the POS terminal, and the created pseudo input data for the line adapter of the POS terminal Whether the means 2 for transmitting to the POS terminal and the means 3 for transmitting the pseudo input data transmitted to the POS terminal to generate the input data of each input device and transmitting to the data processing unit of the POS terminal are in the operating state (test mode) This is achieved by providing means 4 for performing mode switching of whether or not (normal operation mode). Furthermore, after the data is input to the POS terminal by the above-mentioned series of means, the processing result of the POS terminal is set in the correct P
This is achieved by adding a means for comparing and judging with OS terminal processing data.

[Action]

The means 1 for creating pseudo input data and storing it in a recording medium is
It has a role to store the data input operation to the POS terminal by the operator and to make it a library. Therefore, once the pseudo input data is stored, it is not necessary to create the input data each time the POS system test is performed. At the time of POS system test, means 2 for reading out the pseudo input data libraryd by means 1 and transmitting it to the POS terminal, and means for receiving the transmitted data and inputting data from each input device connected to the POS terminal as a data processing unit in the POS terminal By the means 4 for switching the mode of sending the means 3 to the operable state (test mode) to the data processing part of the POS terminal, it is as if the POS
It operates as if data was input by the operator from the input device connected to the terminal, and automates data input to the POS terminal. Further, after the data is input, the means 5 for comparing and judging the processing result of the POS terminal with the prepared processing result of the correct POS terminal makes the judgment of the POS system and automates the whole process of the test of the POS system.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. A store controller (central device) 1, a master POS terminal 2, and slave POS terminals 3 to 5 are connected by a and b2 types of lines. Line a to connect adapter A1, store controller
1, the master POS terminal 2 and the slave POS terminals 3 to 5 are constituent elements of the POS system. When the POS system is operating, each POS terminal operates independently, inquires from each POS terminal 2-5 to the store controller 1, and stores the business contents of each POS terminal 2-5 in response to a request from the store controller. The file transfer of the stored file to the store controller 1 and the store controller 1 perform processing such as monitoring of the POS terminals 2 to 5 via the line a. Meanwhile, the adapter A2
The line b for connecting with is a means necessary for the POS system test to realize the present invention.

Generally, a personal computer, a workstation or the like is used as the store controller 1. POS system test P
A step of creating data to be input from the input device of the OS terminal and storing it in a recording medium (first step), a step of transmitting the created data from the store controller to each POS terminal, and a step of the POS terminal fetching the transmission data as input data ( The second step), the step of the store controller receiving the input data and the result of data processing by the POS terminal (third step), and the step of determining whether the data received by the store controller is correct (fourth step) It consists of a series of processes.

The first stage is the store controller keyboard (KB) 7
Is a process of creating input data and additional data of each input device of the POS terminal and registering them in the FD6. The data input as test data during the POS system test follows the program check list.
It is normal for each test item to be organized. Therefore, the data to be registered in the FD is registered in the FD in each test unit as one combination test in which one unit test is combined with a plurality of test items for each test item so that it can be easily operated during the test. FIG. 2 is a file configuration diagram in the FD. Combination test directory file (file A), combination test data file (file B), unit test directory file (file C), unit test data file (file D) in one FD
4 files are formed. The target test data is referred to by performing a sequential search on a directory of a file of either a unit test or a combination test, and then arriving at the test data by pointer information held by the directory. The data of the combination test is composed of a pointer to a unit test and the number of tests as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the unit test data consists of multiple records that are a list of records, and one record is POS.
It is data corresponding to one data input from the input device of the terminal and has the structure shown in FIG. Unlike other terminals, POS terminals have various operator input devices such as keyboards, slot scanners, OCRs, and credit card readers. Therefore, the test data created in this step should be the input data from the input device (data in Fig. 3).
In addition to this, it is necessary to add, as additional information, an input device type that represents the type of input device of the POS terminal and a timer value that specifies the waiting time for input data. The input device type is
It is necessary to create this input data of each input device when the POS terminal receives this pseudo input data. Since the input processing time differs depending on each input device, the timer value is used to send the created data to the POS terminal by using the time difference as a waiting time. By freely creating and adding these additional information by the operator, the pseudo input data from various input devices can be mixed in the PO.
It realizes input to the S terminal. As other additional information, the length represents the data length input from the device. This step (first stage) is executed according to the screen shown in FIG. When the unit test is designated on the screen 14, the screen moves to the screen 15, and when the combination explanation test is designated, the screen moves to the screen 16. The screen 15 is a screen for creating unit test data, and the device, code, and timer areas correspond to the records in FIG. 3, and data is created by inputting values into these input areas from the keyboard 7. Screen 16 is a screen for creating combination test data.After specifying the required unit test test name and the number of repetitions from the registered unit tests in the same FD, the number of repetitions as the combination test is changed to the total number of repetitions. Key in the designated area. After creating the unit test and the combination test, move to screen 17 and register to the FD. According to the screens 14 to 17, the man-machine interface can well execute the process of creating and changing the test data.

In the second stage, the test data registered in FD6 is read out, and each PO is recorded in record units from adapter A2 through line b.
This is a process in which data is transmitted to the S terminals 2 to 5, and each POS terminal 2 to 5 processes the transmission data as input data. In order to execute this step, a control structure in the POS terminal is created as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 9 is an application section (data processing section) of the POS terminal control program, and the individual specifications for each customer are created in this section. Reference numeral 10 denotes a data input processing unit that inputs to the application unit 9 the input data for each input device that is input from the program 11 (driver unit) that controls the various input devices 12 of the POS terminal. PO
When the S system normally operates, when the operator inputs data from the various input devices 12, the input data from the driver unit 11 enters the data input processing unit 10 (10-a) and the application unit 9. Equivalent to this
Since the data is sent to the application unit 9 during the POS system test, the A2 driver in FIG. 5 transmits the data transmitted from the store controller 1 in FIG. 1 via the adapter A2 while waiting for a question according to the timer value in the test data. After receiving, the data input processing unit 10 performs processing (10-b) for expanding the transmission data into the same data as the data from the input device of the POS terminal based on the device type and data length information in the transmission data. To do. The adapter A2 operates as an input device during normal operation, and is not particularly easy to implement the test method. This step is executed according to the screen shown in FIG. When the unit test is selected on the screen 18, the screen moves to the screen 19, and when the combination test is selected, the screen moves to the screen 20. Both screens 19 and 20 have areas for specifying the POS terminal that sends the test data, the test name, and the number of times the test is repeated. The screens from the middle to the bottom have the test data currently set in the store controller 1. A list of tests registered in FD6 of the file is displayed, and test data can be sent with good operability. When the unit test is selected, the test data of the specified unit test is FD6.
Read from each specified record from adapter A2, specified POS
Send to the terminal. When the combination test is selected, the test data of the specified combination test is read out from the FD6, and then the test data of the unit test which points is read out and transmitted from the adapter A2 for each record. It should be noted that the transmission interval of the record is set close to the actual processing time of the input device of the POS terminal according to the timer value in the record of FIG. Thus, from the store controller 1 to each POS terminal 2
The data sent to ~ 5 is received by each POS terminal,
As if it was input from the input device of the POS terminal, each POS terminal executes data processing in parallel and stores the processing result in the accumulation file in each POS.

In the third step, the store controller 1 issues a file transfer request command, transfers the accumulated file of the data processing result for the input data obtained by the POS terminal to the store controller 1 via the adapter A1, and transfers the file to the magnetic disk 8. Store in specified file.

In the fourth stage, comparison judgment is performed between the specified file and another file containing normal data, and the result is displayed on the screen. The normal data is created by assuming the correct POS system and executing the first to fourth steps. Therefore, when a correct POS system does not exist, the determination performed in the fourth step uses other means such as confirmation by human hands.

[Effect of the Invention] According to the present invention, there is an effect that the test data input to the POS terminal is automated and the test work man-hour of the POS system is reduced. Further, there is an effect that the structure of the means for realizing the automation is simple and the number of steps for realizing the automation is small. If there is a processing result obtained in the correct POS system,
It is possible to judge the system by comparing and judging with the processing result obtained from the POS system, and it is possible to automate the entire POS system test work, and there is an effect of further reducing the POS system test work man-hour.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a test data file, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of test data, FIG. 4 is a screen when creating test data, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a control program of the POS terminals 2 to 5 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a screen when transmitting test data to the POS terminal. 1 ... Store controller, 2 ... Master POS terminal, 3-5
... Slave POS terminal, 6 ... Floppy disk device, 7
... keyboard, 8 ... magnetic disk device, 9 ... application section, 10 ... data input processing section, 11 ... driver section,
12 ... POS terminal input device, 13 ... Line adapter A2.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shunsaku Haga 1 Horiyamashita, Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Hitachi Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-60-243796 (JP, A)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A store controller, at least one input means connected to the store controller via a transmission line, a data processing means for processing data input from the input means, and the data processing means. In a POS system consisting of a POS terminal device having a terminal transmission means for transmitting the result to the store controller, the store controller causes the data processing unit to execute a pseudo test to test the POS terminal device. Storage means for storing test data composed of input data and conversion information necessary for converting the pseudo input data into an input format input from the input means; and reading the test data from the storage means, And a higher-order transmission means for transmitting to the POS terminal device via a transmission line. A line adapter that receives data sent from the transmission line, and pseudo input data included in the test data received via the line adapter is input from the input means based on conversion information included in the test data. A conversion processing unit for converting the data format and inputting the data to the data processing unit; and operating the conversion processing unit on the data received by the line adapter to pass the data to the data processing unit, or the data without operating the data processing unit. A POS system comprising means for switching whether to pass data to a processing unit. 2. The POS system according to claim 1, wherein the store controller further stores expected data which is a processing result when the pseudo input data is correctly processed by the data processing means. A POS system comprising: storage means and means for comparing the processing result of the test data sent from the POS terminal with the expected data to determine whether or not they match.