JPH0749983A - Pos system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the increase of the transaction processing time without increasing the processing burden of a POS terminal equipment despite the complicated contents of the data processing by ordering a file server to carry out the data processing. CONSTITUTION:A file server 6 which is shared by plural POS terminal equipments 2 holds the transaction data for each commodity and processes data in parallel. Furthermore the server 6 includes a PLU file 11 which stores the relations among the commodity codes, commodity names and unit prices, a bundle control file 12 which stores the relation between the commodity codes and the discount codes, a discount file 13 which stores the relations among the discount codes, discount conditions and discount prices, a selling price change control file 14 which stores the relations among the commodity codes, selling time bands and unit prices, and the sale log files LF1-LFn which store the sale histories of each equipment 2. Thus those files are retrieved for each equipment 2 and in parallel to each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a POS system which is constructed by connecting a plurality of POS terminal devices and manages point-of-sale information at stores.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A PO that collects information at the time of sale in order to benefit product management in stores and grasp customer demand trends.
The S system is provided with a PLU file that stores the relationship between the product code and product data such as product name, unit price, and sales amount for each product. Each POS that makes up the POS system
The terminal device searches for a corresponding record in the PLU file based on the product code during the transaction process, executes the transaction process based on the product data included in this record, and at the same time records the transaction history such as sales amount included in the corresponding record. Update the represented log data.

On the other hand, in a store that sells so-called packaged products whose prices are discounted when a predetermined number of them are collectively purchased, and products whose selling prices are changed such as fresh foods whose selling prices are changed according to the sales time, these packages are sold. Data such as a discount condition and a discount amount related to a bundle process that is a product discount process, and data such as a selling price for each time period related to a selling price change process are commonly centralized in an external PLU file for a plurality of POS terminal devices. . That is, each POS terminal device searches the external PLU file for the input product code, reads out the data related to the bundling process or selling price change process for the product, and matches the conditions in each POS terminal device. And so on.

Therefore, the POS terminal device has an external P
After executing the search process for the product name and selling price based on the product code in the LU file, for the packaged product or the selling price changed product, PL again based on the product code.
The U file is searched to read data such as discount conditions and discount amounts related to the bundle processing or selling price data for each time zone related to the selling price change processing. Furthermore, it is determined whether the number of purchases for the same customer matches the number of packages set as a discount condition.If the number of sales matches the number of packages, the sales amount is discounted in the condition data. Discount processing. In addition, regarding the selling price changed product,
Determine which time zone the current time falls in and change the selling price to correspond to the time zone.

As described above, the POS terminal device has to execute a large number of data processes for the transaction processing of the packaged product and the selling price changed product. A high-grade POS terminal device having a high processing speed is used.

[0006]

However, in the conventional POS system, when a process other than a normal transaction process such as a bundle process involving a change in transaction conditions or a selling price change process is executed, a PLU file is sent from the POS terminal device. For each product, a plurality of times are accessed, necessary data is read based on the product code, and then determination processing regarding bundle processing, selling price change processing, and the like is performed. There is a problem that a long time is required for data transmission between the two and the registration processing time becomes long.

Further, in a low-grade POS terminal device having a slow processing speed, the processing time is remarkably lengthened due to an increase in processing load. Therefore, in order to improve customer service, bundle processing and selling price change processing are executed. Need to be replaced with a high-grade POS terminal device having a high processing speed, and there is a problem that the cost is remarkably increased as the transaction function is advanced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a file server shared by a plurality of POS terminal devices, and to have this file server search processing in a PLU file,
A plurality of files relating to bundle processing and selling price change processing are searched for by providing means for determining whether or not to change transaction conditions and executing processing such as change of transaction conditions in parallel for each POS terminal device. If you do
An object of the present invention is to provide a POS system in which the number of times of data transmission / reception between an S terminal device and a PLU file can be performed once for one product, and the registration processing time can be shortened.

Further, it is possible to reduce the processing load on the POS terminal device and prevent the registration processing time from being lengthened.
An object of the present invention is to provide a POS system that can handle bundle processing, selling price change processing, and the like even with an S terminal device.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a POS system configured by connecting a plurality of POS terminal devices, a relationship between a product code and a plurality of data including transaction conditions is set for each product. A plurality of file processing means for performing processing on the data stored in the plurality of files in parallel based on the plurality of files to be stored and one product code supplied from each of the POS terminal devices. And processing results of the plurality of files by the file processing means for each POS for each product code.
A file server provided with a distribution means for distributing to the terminal device is shared by the plurality of POS terminal devices.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the file server is provided with a log file for storing a history of transaction processing in each POS terminal device, and when a predetermined number of the plurality of files are simultaneously purchased. A determination is made as to whether or not the product code transmitted from each POS terminal device is a packaged product, including a bundle management file storing discount conditions and discounted amounts for each packaged product at a discounted amount. , And a process of determining the suitability of the discount condition stored in the bundle management file based on the contents of the log file.

[0012] In the invention described in claim 3, the plurality of files include a selling price change file for storing a relationship between a product code of a selling price changed product whose selling price should be changed for each time zone and a selling price for each time zone. The processing of the file processing means determines whether the product code supplied from each POS terminal device is a selling price change product, and whether the current time is included in the time zone stored in the selling price change file. And a process of changing the selling price based on the result of this determination.

[0013]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the file server shared by the plurality of POS terminal devices constituting the POS system is provided. This file server is provided with a plurality of files for storing the relationship between a product code and a plurality of data for each product.
Data processing is performed on each of the plurality of files according to the product code supplied from the OS terminal device. This data processing is performed in parallel for each POS terminal device. The file server returns the processed data to each POS terminal device for each product code. Therefore, the file server processes the data corresponding to the product code supplied from each POS terminal device for its own plurality of files, and returns the processing result to each POS terminal device.
Each POS terminal device does not need to perform processing such as data search for each of a plurality of files, and does not need to perform transmission processing for one product code a plurality of times.

In the invention described in claim 2, the file server is provided with a log file for each POS terminal device, a bundle management file is provided, and the file processing means is supplied from the POS terminal device. Based on the product data, the product discriminates whether the product is a package product or not, and executes a search process for discount conditions and discount amounts. Therefore, even when the bundle management is executed, the processing load on the POS terminal device does not increase.

In the invention described in claim 3, the file server is provided with a selling price change file, and the file processing means determines whether the selling price is a changed product based on the product code and a time zone including the current time. Read the selling price of. Therefore, the processing load on the POS terminal device does not increase even when the selling price changing process is executed.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a POS system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The POS system 1 is configured by connecting a plurality of POS terminal devices 2 to a controller 4 via a data transmission line 3. The POS terminal device 2 is generally an ECR (electronic cash register)
Is used. The controller 4 is connected to a store computer 5 inside the store, and the store computer 5 is connected to a host device outside the store via a public telephone line or the like. A file server 6 is connected to the data transmission line 3 that connects the POS terminal device 2 to the controller 4. As a result, the plurality of POS terminal devices 2 share one file server 6.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the file server that constitutes the POS system. File server 6
Includes a PLU file 11, a bundle management file 12,
A plurality of files including a discount file 13 and a selling price change management file 14 are provided.
A processing program for 1 to task Tn is provided. Each of the tasks T1 to Tn is executed by multitasking in parallel and is linked to each of the POS terminal devices 2 connected to the data transmission line 3. Therefore, the total number of tasks T is POS connected to the data transmission line 3.
It is equal to the total number of terminal devices 2. Further, the file server 6 is provided with log files LF1 to LFn corresponding to each of the POS terminal devices 2. This log file L
F1 to LFn store a history of sales processing in each POS terminal device 2.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the PLU file 11 provided in the file server 6 stores the relationship between the PLU code, the product name and the product unit price as one record for each product. As shown in FIG. 2B, the bundle management file 12 stores the relationship between the PLU code of the packaged product and the discount code as one record for each packaged product. As shown in FIG. 6C, the discount file 13 stores the relationship between the discount code, the discount condition, and the discount amount as one record for each discount code. As shown in FIG. 3D, the selling price change management file 14 stores the relationship between the PLU code of the selling price changed product, the plurality of time zones and the unit price of the selling product as one record for each selling price changed product.

FIG. 4 shows the P which constitutes the POS system.
It is a flowchart which shows the processing procedure of an OS terminal device.
5 and 6 are flowcharts showing the processing procedure of the file server that constitutes the POS system. When the bar code data is input from the bar code reader (n1), the POS terminal device 2 converts the bar code data into a PLU code (n2) and transmits the converted PLU code to the file server 6 (n3). When transmitting the PLU code to the file server 6, the POS terminal device 2 adds an identification code for identifying itself.

When the file server 6 receives the PLU code transmitted by the POS terminal 2 (n11), it passes the PLU code to the corresponding task Ti among the tasks T1 to Tn based on the identification code included in the PLU code (n1).
2).

When the task Ti stored in the file server 6 receives the PLU code (n21), the PLU file 11 is searched by this PLU code (n21).
22) If there is a corresponding record, store the product name and unit price in the return buffer (n23, n
24) and stores the contents in the corresponding log file LFi (n25). If there is no corresponding record, data to that effect is stored in the return buffer (n40). The return buffer temporarily stores data to be returned from the file server 6 to each POS terminal device 2.

Next, the bundle management file 12 is searched (n26), and if there is a corresponding record, the discount file 13 is searched by the discount code included in the record (n27, n28). When the record corresponding to the discount file 13 exists, the discount condition and the discount amount included in the record are read (n29, n3).
0). Further, by searching the log file LFi, it is possible to determine whether or not a certain number of the same products exist as the discount conditions among the products that have already been registered in this transaction process, that is, whether or not the discount conditions are appropriate. Perform (n31, n32).
If the discount condition is satisfied in this determination, the discount condition and the discount amount are stored in the return buffer (n3).
3).

Further, the selling price change management file 14 is searched by the supplied PLU code (n34), and if the corresponding record exists, the current time is read from the clock (not shown) (n35, n36) and the corresponding record is read. It is determined whether the current time matches the time zone data included in (n37). If the current time matches the time zone data, the unit price recorded in the return buffer is rewritten with the product unit price corresponding to the time zone data (n38). After that, the PLU file 11, the bundle management file 12, the discount file 13, and the selling price change management file 14 are searched, and post-processing completion data is passed to the transmission / reception task (n39).

When the processing completion data is received in the transmission / reception task shown in FIG. 5, the data stored in the return buffer is read (n13, n14) and the return data to be transmitted to each POS terminal device 2 is edited (n15). ), This return data is transmitted to the POS terminal device 2 (n1
6).

After transmitting the PLU code, the POS terminal device 2 waits for transmission of return data from the file server (n4). When the return data is received, the sales process based on the product name and unit price included in the return data is performed. Execute (n
5). Furthermore, when the discount amount included in the return data is not 0, the discount process based on the discount amount is executed (n6, n).
7). Further, the return data includes a discount condition, and when the transaction content is printed on the receipt, it is possible to display which product has undergone the discount process. The POS terminal device 2 repeatedly executes the above processes n1 to n7 until the settlement key is processed, finishes the sales process for all the products purchased by the customer, and when the settlement key is operated, the settlement process according to the payment amount of the customer. Is executed (n8, n9).

As described above, the POS terminal device 2 transmits the PLU record for each product relating to the transaction processing to the file server 6 and the file server 6 receives the PO.
P based on the PLU code transmitted from the S terminal device 2
The LU file 11, the bundle management file 12, the discount file 13, the selling price change management file 14, and the log file LFi are searched, and the product name, unit price, discount condition, and discount amount corresponding to the PLU code are returned to the POS terminal device 2. The POS terminal device 2 executes sales processing and settlement processing according to the returned data.

Therefore, even if the POS terminal device 2 constituting the POS system 1 is a relatively low-grade model and the processing speed of the control unit of the POS terminal device 2 is slow, P
Since the search process for a plurality of files based on the LU code is performed by the file server of another device, the transaction function is added by configuring the control unit of this file server 6 with a sufficiently high processing speed. Even in such a case, the transaction processing time of the POS terminal device 2 does not become long, and it is not necessary to replace the POS terminal device 2 with a faster processing speed of the control unit.

[0028]

According to the invention described in claim 1, each P
The OS terminal device does not need to execute processing such as data search for each of the plurality of files, and
It is only necessary to transmit the product code from the terminal device to the file server and the processing result from the file server to the POS terminal device once, and the number of data transmissions can be reduced to shorten the transaction processing time. Further, it is not necessary to execute a plurality of data processes in the POS terminal device, and the processing load can be reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 2, since the data processing relating to the bundle management can be executed in the file server, the data between the POS terminal device and the file server can be used even when the packaged product is sold. Transaction processing time can be shortened without increasing the number of transmissions, the processing load of the POS terminal device does not increase, and the transaction function can be improved by using a low-grade POS terminal device with a relatively slow processing speed. You can

According to the invention described in claim 3, since the data processing relating to the selling price change can be executed in the file server, even when selling the selling price changed product,
A lower POS terminal having a relatively slow processing speed without increasing the number of data transmissions between the POS terminal device and the file server, shortening transaction processing time, and not increasing the processing load of the POS terminal device. The device can be used to improve the trading function.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a POS system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a file server that constitutes the POS system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a record structure stored in a file of the file server.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a control unit of a POS terminal device which constitutes the POS system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a control unit of the file server.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-POS System 2-POS Terminal 3-Data Transmission Line 4-Controller 6-File Server 11-PLU File 12-Bundle Management File 13-Discount File 14-Sales Price Change Management File LF1 to LFn-Log File

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a POS system configured by connecting a plurality of POS terminal devices, a plurality of files storing a relationship between a product code and a plurality of data including transaction conditions for each product, and supplied from each POS terminal device. A plurality of file processing means for executing the processing on the data stored in the plurality of files in parallel for each POS terminal device on the basis of the generated one product code; and the processing for the plurality of files by the file processing means. A file server provided with a distribution means for distributing the result to each POS terminal device for each product code is shared by the plurality of POS terminal devices.
OS system. 2. The file server is provided with a log file for storing a history of transaction processing in each POS terminal device, and a plurality of files are packaged at a discounted amount when a predetermined number is purchased at the same time. Including a bundle management file for storing discount conditions and discount amounts, determining whether the product code transmitted from each POS terminal device is a package product in the processing of the file processing means, and the contents of the log file. The POS system according to claim 1, further comprising a process of determining whether or not the discount condition stored in the bundle management file is based on the. 3. The processing of the file processing means, wherein the plurality of files include a selling price change file which stores a relationship between a selling code of a selling price changed product whose selling price is to be changed for each time zone and a selling price for each time zone. Processing for determining whether or not the product code supplied from each POS terminal device is a selling price change product, processing for determining whether the current time is included in the time zone stored in the selling price change file, and The POS system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a process of changing a selling price based on the result of the determination.