JPH0744482B2 - Wireless device system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention is applied to a wireless order management system that receives an order using a handy terminal (portable order terminal) at, for example, a restaurant or a fast food restaurant. The present invention relates to a suitable wireless device system.

[Prior Art] In recent years, in restaurants such as restaurants and fast food restaurants, waiters and waiters have their own handy terminals as mobile units each having a built-in wireless circuit, and these handy terminals and kitchens are used. By connecting to the kitchen terminal (kitchen terminal) installed inside by a communication line via a relay station as a base station, each waiter receives an order at the guest seat and inputs it to the handy terminal. Some places have adopted a wireless order management system that transmits order data generated from a handy terminal to a kitchen terminal via a repeater and prints it out.

In the conventional system of this type, only one repeater is used as a base station for a plurality of handy terminals as mobile devices, and the communication frequency thereof is a predetermined one.
It was common to operate at one frequency. However, in this case, if one handy terminal is wirelessly communicating with the repeater, the other handy terminal cannot transmit data, and it is kept waiting until the wireless communication with the previous handy terminal is completed. . Therefore, rapid data transmission cannot be achieved, resulting in reduced efficiency. In addition, there is also a problem that if the relay is out of communication due to a failure or the like, it does not function as a wireless system at all.

Therefore, for example, the number of relay stations as base stations is set to be two, and the respective communication frequencies are made different, and when one relay station is in wireless communication with another handy terminal, it is switched to the wireless frequency of the other relay station to transmit data. There is a system that aims to improve the efficiency by doing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, even in such a system, there were the following problems. That is, the handy terminal in the data transmission mode transmits data to one of the repeaters unless one of the repeaters is in wireless communication, but a response may not be returned due to a failure of the repeater. In such a case, the handy terminal waits for a response from the relay machine, and wireless communication is relayed.

Therefore, the present invention provides a wireless device system including a plurality of base stations for a plurality of mobile devices not only when one base station is performing wireless communication but also when communication is correctly performed due to a failure of the base station. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wireless device system that can automatically switch to another base station to perform data transmission when it is not present, and can further improve efficiency.

[Means for Solving Problems] According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of mobile devices 1 wirelessly transmitting data input from an input unit and the mobile device 1 at different communication frequencies from each other. In a wireless device system including a plurality of base stations 2 that perform wireless communication between terminals, each mobile device 1 has a frequency setting means 11 for setting a communication frequency of one predetermined base station, and a setting by the setting means 11. The first judging means 12 for judging whether or not the base station of the specified communication frequency is in communication with another mobile station, and the base station of the communication frequency set by the setting means 11 is operating normally. When it is determined by the second determining means 13 for determining whether or not the base station is communicating or abnormal operation is performed by the second determining means 13 for determining whether or not there is another base station Frequency automatic switching to the communication frequency of And a motion switching means (14).

[Operation] By taking such means, when the base station of the communication frequency set by the frequency setting means is judged to be in communication or abnormal operation by the first or second judging means 12, 13. Since the communication frequency is automatically switched to the communication frequency of another base station by the automatic frequency switching means, there is less risk of waiting for data transmission from the mobile device.

[Embodiment] An embodiment in which the wireless device system of the present invention is applied to a wireless order management system such as a restaurant will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic system configuration of this embodiment. In the figure, 21,21, ... are a plurality of handy terminals that function as mobile units with built-in wireless circuits. Each handy terminal is carried by a waiter, and keys are input according to the order received from the customer at the seat. As a result, the order data is wirelessly transmitted, and the transmitted data is received by the first relay 22 or the second relay 23 functioning as a base station. The first repeater 22 performs wireless communication with each handy terminal 21 at the communication frequency A, and the second repeater 23 performs wireless communication with each handy terminal 21 at a communication frequency B different from the above frequency A. It is something to do. A kitchen terminal 25 and an electronic cash register 26 as a sales registration processing device are connected in-line to the repeaters 22 and 23 via a common cable 24.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the handy terminal 21. As shown in the figure, a keyboard 32 is provided on the front surface of the housing 31, and a display unit 33 for displaying menu items and the like key-inputted is provided above the keyboard 32. Further, at the top of the casing 31, the repeater 2
A transmission / reception antenna 34 for transmitting / receiving data to / from 2, 23 is attached.

The keyboard 32 is provided with a numerical key for inputting the number of items, a menu key for inputting menu items, a transmission key for instructing data transmission, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the handy terminal 21. In the figure, reference numeral 41 is a control unit composed of a microcomputer or the like, which controls data display processing on the display unit 33 based on key input from the keyboard 32, data transmission processing performed via the transmission / reception antenna 34, and the like. In addition to the keyboard 32 and the display unit 33, the control unit 41 is connected with a memory 42 having a menu table and the like, and a timer 43 for measuring a response waiting time. Further, the synthesizer 45 that synthesizes the reference frequency oscillated from the crystal oscillator 44 and the frequency instructed from the control unit 41 to create a variable communication frequency, and the frequency obtained by the synthesizer 45 is divided by a predetermined integer. A frequency divider 46, a modulation circuit 47 that modulates the transmission data from the control unit 41 at the communication frequency obtained by the synthesizer 45, a transmission-side amplifier 48 that amplifies the transmission data modulated by the modulation circuit 47, transmission / reception A receiving side amplifier 49 that amplifies the receiving data received by the antenna 34, a demodulation circuit 50 that demodulates the receiving data amplified by the receiving side amplifier 49 at the frequency obtained by the frequency divider 46, and a command from the control section 41. A transmission control circuit including a changeover switch 51 for automatically switching between the transmission side 51a and the reception side 51b is connected to the control unit 41.

Then, the control unit 41 is programmed to execute the flow chart shown in FIG. 5 when the transmission key is input by the keyboard 32 and the transmission mode is selected. That is, in the transmission mode, it is determined in ST1 whether or not the communication frequencies A and B of the repeaters 22 and 23 and the number of repetitions n of the transmission operation are set in the memory 42. And
If it is not set, it waits until it is set by key input. When the communication frequencies A and B and the number of repetitions n are set, the control unit 41 outputs a changeover command to the changeover switch 51 as ST2 and switches to the receiving side 51b. Next, in ST3, the communication frequency A of the first repeater 22 is read from the memory 42,
Output to the synthesizer 45 (frequency setting means). Then, the synthesizer 45 synthesizes it with the reference frequency from the crystal oscillator 44, divides it by the frequency divider 46, and gives it to the demodulation circuit 50.
The data of the communication frequency A received at 34 is demodulated.
Therefore, the control unit 41 determines whether or not the wireless communication at the communication frequency A is performed depending on the presence or absence of the data demodulated by the demodulation circuit 50 as ST4, that is, the repeater 22 having the communication frequency A is another handy terminal. It is determined whether or not the wireless communication is in progress (first determining means). Then, when communication is not in progress, a command is issued to switch the changeover switch 51 to the transmission side 51a, and predetermined transmission data is output to the modulation circuit 47.
Then, the transmission data is modulated by the modulation circuit 47 at the communication frequency A, amplified by the amplifier 48, and then transmitted from the transmission / reception antenna 34 to the first repeater 22.

After confirming the end of transmission of the transmission data, the control unit 41 commands the changeover switch 51 to be switched to the reception side, and the timer 43
To start. The timer 43 is set to be slightly longer than the time when a response from the relay device 22 is sent for data transmission. Then, the control unit 41 determines in ST5 whether or not a response from the repeater 22 has been received, and in ST6 determines whether or not the time count of the timer 43 has exceeded the set time (response monitoring means), and sets the set time of the timer 43. If there is no response after the lapse of time, or if there is a response within the set time but the response does not seem to be normal, it is determined that the relay device 22 has failed and communication is impossible ( (Second judging means), as ST7, the communication frequency B of the second repeater 23 is read from the memory 42 and transmitted to the synthesizer 45 (second frequency automatic switching means). Then, the synthesizer as well
The data of the communication frequency B received by the transmission / reception antenna 34 in the demodulation circuit 50 is combined with the reference frequency from the crystal oscillator 44 in 45, divided by the frequency divider 46 and given to the demodulation circuit 50. Is demodulated, the control unit 41
As a result, it is determined whether the repeater 23 having the communication frequency B is wirelessly communicating with another handy terminal. If not, the changeover switch 51 is switched to the transmitting side 51a to modulate the predetermined transmission data. Output to. Then, the transmission data is modulated by the modulation circuit 47 at the communication frequency B, amplified by the amplifier 48, and then transmitted from the transmission / reception antenna 34 to the second repeater 23.

After confirming the end of the transmission of the transmission data, the control unit 41 switches the changeover switch 51 to the receiving side and starts the timer 43, and in ST9, whether or not the response from the repeater 23 is received, and in ST10, the timer 43 measures the time. Determines that the timer has exceeded the set time, and if there is no response even after the set time of the timer 43 has passed, or if there is a response within the set time but the response does not seem to be normal, then Repeater 23
It is determined that communication is not possible due to a failure. And
As ST11, the number of repetitions n is subtracted by "-1", and steps ST2 to ST11 are repeated until this number n becomes "0", and if it becomes "0", the process ends as an error.

On the other hand, when the first repeater 22 having the communication frequency A is in wireless communication at ST4, or when the second repeater 22 having the communication frequency B at ST8.
When the repeater 23 is performing wireless communication, the transmission operation to the other repeater 23 or 22 is automatically switched (first frequency automatic switching means).

Thus, in this embodiment, the first and second repeaters 2
A waiter who has a handy terminal 21 in which the communication frequencies A and B of 2, 23 and the number of repetitions n are preset, receives an order from the customer at the guest seat, inputs it with the menu key of the keyboard 32, etc., and then transmits it. When the key is operated, the transmission mode of the handy terminal 21 is selected, and first, the communication frequency A of the first repeater 22 is set. Then, it is determined whether or not the repeater 22 having the communication frequency is in wireless communication with another handy terminal, and if it is in the wireless communication, the communication frequency B of the second repeater 23 is set.

If the first repeater 22 is not in wireless communication, data is transmitted from the handy terminal 21 at the communication frequency A. Here, if the first repeater 22 is out of communication due to a failure and a response is not sent back to the data transmission, the first relay 22 in the handy terminal 21 will not receive the response after the time set in the timer 43 has elapsed. Machine 22 is judged to be defective and second
The communication frequency B of the repeater 23 is set. Also, when an abnormal response to data transmission is received, it is determined that the first repeater 22 is out of order, and the communication frequency B of the second repeater 23 is set. Then, it is judged to the second repeater 23 whether it is currently communicating or is normally operating, and if the second response is not currently communicating and there is a normal response, the second The wireless communication with the repeater 23 is performed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the wireless order management system including the two relays 22 and 23 having mutually different communication frequencies capable of wireless communication with the plurality of handy terminals 21, one of the relays is Not only when wireless communication is being performed with another handy terminal, but also when the repeater is unable to communicate due to a failure, etc., it is promptly determined that communication is not possible at the handy terminal, and data with the other relay is received. Switching to transmission takes place. Therefore, data transmission will not be relayed because there is no normal response from the failed relay station, and each handy terminal 21 and each relay station
The data transmission between 22 and 23 can be performed efficiently.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the number of repeaters is two is shown, but it is needless to say that the same applies when the number of repeaters is three or more. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the invention is applied to the wireless order management system is shown, but it is applicable to any wireless equipment system including a plurality of mobile devices having a wireless circuit and a plurality of base stations having mutually different communication frequencies. Is.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, in a wireless device system including a plurality of base stations for a plurality of mobile devices, not only when one base station is performing wireless communication, In the case where communication is not properly performed due to a failure of the base station or the like, it is possible to automatically switch to another base station to perform data transmission, and it is possible to provide a wireless device system capable of further improving efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram functionally showing a wireless device system of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 5 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration of a wireless order management system. 3 and 4 are external views of the handy terminal, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the handy terminal, and FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control unit in the handy terminal. 21 …… Handy terminal, 22,23 …… First and second repeaters, 32 …… Keyboard, 34 …… Transmission / reception antenna, 41 ……
Control unit, 42 ... Memory, 43 ... Timer, 51 ... Changeover switch.

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location 7304-5K H04Q 7/04 J

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A wireless device system comprising: a plurality of mobile devices that wirelessly transmit data input from an input unit; and a plurality of base stations that wirelessly communicate with the mobile devices at communication frequencies different from each other. Each of the mobile devices determines frequency setting means for setting a communication frequency of a predetermined one base station, and determines whether or not the base station having the communication frequency set by the setting means is in communication with another mobile device. First determining means, a timer for measuring the elapsed time after wirelessly transmitting data at the communication frequency set by the setting means, and the setting means before the predetermined time is measured by the timer. Response monitoring means for monitoring whether or not a normal response from the base station of the set communication frequency is received, and when the normal response cannot be received by the response monitoring means within a predetermined time, Second judging means for judging that the base station having the communication frequency set by the above-mentioned operation is abnormal, and if the first judging means judges that the base station is in communication, the communication frequency is changed to another base station. First frequency automatic switching means for automatically switching to the communication frequency of the station, and when the second judging means judges that the base station is operating abnormally, the communication frequency is changed to the communication frequency of another base station. And a second frequency automatic switching means for automatically switching.