JPH08235440A - Cash register - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the point system small in equipment investment by extracting a cumulative point from the bar code information of a receipt, adding points calculated by new transactions and defining the result as the latest cumulative point. CONSTITUTION: When a customer caries the paper of receipt on which a cumulative point TVP in the state of previous transactions is printed, tis bar code is read by a bar code reader 70 and the cumulative point TVP is converted into bit data. Besides, when transaction contents are fixed, a cash registration processing part 11 extracts the cumulative point TVP from the bit data. Based on transaction content data DJ from the cash registration processing part 11, a point calculating part 12 calculates a point VP for each transaction and transfers it to a cumulative arithmetic part 13. The cumulative arithmetic part 13 calculates the total of the point VP and the cumulative point TVP as the latest cumulative point TVP and transfers it to a printing control part 14. The printing control part 14 prepares latest bar code printing data and the receipt is printed and issued by a printer 60.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cash register (cash register) for selling goods. In various retail businesses such as department stores, mass retailers, small and medium-sized supermarkets, and individual shops, the introduction of a point system is spreading as a part of customer service for acquiring fixed customers.

The point system is a system (sales method) in which the contents of merchandise transactions are converted into points and accumulated for each customer, and the profit is returned to each customer according to the accumulated points, such as issuance of gift certificates and discounts. Is. When calculating points, not only the purchase amount but also various factors including the profit margin of the product are considered comprehensively. By doing so, it is possible to more accurately reflect the degree of customer contribution from the store side in the return of profits.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of distribution, electronic cash registers capable of reading barcodes attached to products are widely used. Usually, this type of cash register has a data communication function as well as a barcode reading function, and is also used as a terminal device of a POS system (point of sale information management system).

Conventionally, a point system has been realized by using a POS system in which a cash register and a sales management device are connected by a communication line, and by issuing an identification card to each customer. The identification card was necessary to accumulate points for each customer.

For example, as a form of calculating the accumulated points, the cash register (terminal device) notifies the sales management device of the transaction contents and the identification code read from the identification card at the time of the transaction, and the sales management device calculates the points. There is a known form in which the cumulative points of the corresponding customer in the customer management file are updated. It should be noted that, generally, the profit return according to the accumulated points is performed by issuing a gift certificate or a coupon at a service window in the store.

[0006]

Conventionally, when introducing a point system, a large number of identification cards must be prepared in advance. Further, a computer system having a large-capacity memory that stores cumulative points for each customer is required. Although the required memory capacity of the computer system can be reduced by writing the accumulated points on the identification card, it is necessary to prepare a high-priced identification card capable of rewriting data, which in turn raises the operating cost.

In other words, there is a problem that the burden of capital investment for returning profits is large, and small and medium-sized retailers such as individual shops and shopping mall associations cannot easily introduce the point system.

The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and an object thereof is to realize a simple point system with a small burden of equipment investment.

[0009]

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cash registering apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is a printing means capable of bar code printing on receipt paper, and is displayed by a bar code. Bar code reading means for converting information into bit data, point calculating means for calculating points according to transaction contents for each transaction, and cumulative point extracting means for extracting cumulative points from the information read by the bar code reading means. A total calculation means for calculating the sum of the points calculated by the point calculation means and the cumulative points extracted by the cumulative point extraction means as the latest cumulative point; and the latest cumulative point calculated by the cumulative calculation means. Print control means for instructing the print means to print the bar code indicating the accumulated points.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided the cash registering apparatus, wherein when the cumulative total calculating means does not notify the cumulative total points from the cumulative total point extracting means, the cumulative points calculating means calculates the points calculated by the point calculating means into the latest cumulative points. Is notified to the print control means.

In the cash registration apparatus according to the invention of claim 3, when the cumulative total calculating means is notified of the plurality of cumulative total points by the cumulative point extracting means, all the notified total cumulative points and the point calculation. The means is configured to calculate a sum with the points calculated.

A cash registering apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises point management means for accumulating the points calculated by the point calculation means. The money registration device of the invention of claim 5 performs data communication with an external transaction management device.
An OS terminal processing means is provided.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cash registering apparatus comprising: a printing means capable of printing a barcode on a receipt paper; a point calculating means for calculating points according to transaction contents for each transaction; and the point calculating means. Print control means for instructing the print means to print a barcode representing the calculated points.

[0014]

In the case of the cash registering apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the customer brings the receipt paper on which the accumulated points at the time of the previous transaction are printed by the bar code. The barcode is read in a timely manner and the accumulated points are converted into bit data.

On the other hand, when the transaction contents are confirmed after the cash registration is completed, points corresponding to the transaction contents are calculated. Then, the cumulative points to which the calculated points are added are updated, and the updated cumulative points are printed as a barcode on the previously loaded receipt paper. That is,
A point receipt is printed that prints the latest accumulated points for each transaction.

In the case of the cash registering apparatus according to the invention of claim 6, points corresponding to the transaction contents are calculated for each transaction, and a point receipt in which a bar code representing the points is printed is issued. The customer can receive the privilege by collecting the point receipts for the predetermined points.

[0017]

1 is an external view of a cash register 1 of the present invention. The cash register 1 includes a controller unit 10 containing a microcomputer, a drawer unit 20 for storing money, a keyboard 30 in which various keys are arranged, and a CRT display 4 for an operator.
0, display 50 for customers, thermal printer 60 for issuing receipts, barcode reader 7
0, and a magnetic card reader 80 for a credit card.

The thermal printer 60 uses a combination of dots to form characters, logo marks, and a bar code BC to be described later.
It is possible to print an arbitrary image on the receipt paper (roll paper) P. The barcode reader 70 optically reads a barcode attached to a product or the like, and outputs bit data corresponding to the code.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the controller unit 10. The controller unit 10 includes a cash registration processing unit 11, a point calculation unit 12, a cumulative calculation unit 13,
It has a print control unit 14, a point management unit 15, a POS terminal processing unit 16, and a display control unit 17. Each of these units is realized by hardware centered on a microprocessor unit and software represented by a program.

The cash registration processing section 11 is a data processing means having a basic function of the cash register 1, discriminating the output of the input device (keyboard 30, bar code reader 70, magnetic card reader 80) and responding to the transaction. Register the contents for money. For example, when a product code is input from the bar code reader 70 or the keyboard 30 during a transaction, a journal which is record data of the transaction is created by referring to a product management file (price table). The registration status of the product information (item, price, quantity, etc.) is displayed by the display control unit 1.
It is sequentially displayed by 7.

Further, the money registration processing unit 11 extracts the cumulative points (specific bit string) TVP from the bit data output by the bar code reader 70, as a process peculiar to the present invention. Then, the extracted cumulative points TVP are transferred to the cumulative calculation unit 13.

The point calculation unit 12 receives the transaction content data D given from the cash registration processing unit 11 after the cash registration is completed.
Based on J, the point VP is calculated for each transaction. The point VP is a numerical value indicating the degree of customer contribution, and is transferred to the cumulative calculation unit 13 and the point management unit 15.

The cumulative total calculation unit 13 updates the total of one point VP sent from the point calculation unit 12 and one or more cumulative points TVP sent from the cash registration processing unit 11. Is calculated as a cumulative total point TVP of and is transferred to the print control unit 14. Cash registration processing unit 11
If the cumulative points TVP has not been sent from, the point VP is used as it is for the latest cumulative points TVP.
Is transferred to the print control unit 14.

The print control unit 14 creates text print data indicating the details of the transaction in accordance with the transaction content data DJ sent from the cash registration processing unit 11, and issues the receipt P1 to the thermal printer 60. Give instructions. Also,
The latest cumulative points T sent from the cumulative total calculation unit 13
Bar code print data corresponding to the VP is created, and the thermal printer 60 is instructed to issue the point receipt P2. In response to these instructions, the thermal printer 60
Prints the specified information on the receipt paper P and issues the receipt P1 and the point receipt P2 in order. The thermal printer 60 is provided with a partial cutting mechanism that cuts the receipt paper P in the width direction.
The receipt P1 and the point receipt P2 are discharged in a state of being connected to each other and easily separated as shown in FIG.

The point management unit 15 is the point calculation unit 1
The points VP sent from 2 are accumulated. That is, the previous cumulative value is read from the point management file F1 for each transaction, and the result of adding the point VP this time is stored in the point management file F1. Here, it should be noted that the cumulative value by the point management unit 15 indicates the total of the points VP of all transactions related to the cash register 1. On the other hand, the cumulative points TVP calculated by the cumulative calculation unit 13 indicate the total points VP for each customer who owns the point receipt P2.

The POS terminal processing unit 16 is responsible for data communication with the transaction management device 5 which is the host of the POS system.
The transaction content data DJ is transmitted, inquired, and the price table is downloaded through the POS terminal processing unit 16.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of printing a point receipt. The cash register 1 has a point receipt P.
At the time of issuing 2a to 2c, the numbers indicating the point VP and the accumulated points TVP are printed in association with the bar code BC indicating the accumulated points TVP in association with appropriate words and phrases showing their meanings. Also, as reference information,
The date of issue and the time of issue are also printed.

The bar code BC has identification information (for example, a store number) and cumulative points TVP as information, and can be read by the bar code reader 70 in the same manner as a product code.

The point system to which the cash register 1 is applied will be described below with reference to FIG. First, this transaction is the first transaction. That is, consider the case where the customer first shop at the store where the cash register 1 is installed.

When the customer completes the bill, for example, as shown in FIG.
The point receipt P2a shown in (A) is issued and handed to the customer from the cashier (clerk). In this example, the value of the point VP printed on the point receipt P2a is “5”, and the value of the cumulative point TVP is also “5”. That is, the cumulative point TVP has the same value as the point VP. The customer manages the received point receipt P2a at his own risk.

At the time of the second transaction, the customer gives the point receipt P2a brought to the cashier. The cashier uses the bar code reader 70 to accumulate cumulative points TVP
Enter Then, as mentioned above, point VP
And the cumulative points TVP are calculated. Here, if the value of the point VP in this transaction is “12”,
The accumulated points TVP are updated to “17 (= 5 + 12)”, and the point receipt P2b shown in FIG. 3B is issued. The processed point receipt P2a, on which the accumulated total points TVP before the update is printed, is either collected at the store side or returned to the customer after stamping indicating that the processing has been completed.

In the third transaction, the cumulative points TVP are read from the point receipt P2b and the updated cumulative points TVP are printed, as in the previous transaction.
The point receipt P2c of (C) is issued. FIG.
In the example of (C), the value of the point VP is “0”, and the cumulative point TVP after the update is “17” which is the same as before the update.
Is. Examples of the case where the value of the point VP is “0” include a case where the purchase amount is small and a case where the purchase product is a bargain product that is not subject to the points.

Thus, normally, the cumulative points TVP are updated at each transaction. However, the customer may forget to bring the point receipts P2a-c.
In this case, as in the first transaction, the point receipt P2a in which the point VP is directly used as the cumulative point TVP
Is issued.

In the subsequent transaction, if the customer brings a plurality of unprocessed point receipts P2a and P2b, the total of the cumulative points TVP printed on them and the point VP at that time is the latest cumulative point TVP. It is calculated. Therefore, the customer receives the point receipt P2b, which is the accumulated points VP up to that point without omission.
Can receive P2c. However, if you lose the point receipts P2a and P2b that have not been processed,
The points VP for that amount will not be accumulated.

If the accumulated points TVP are greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the point receipts P2a-c can be exchanged for a desired privilege. According to the above-described embodiment, the hardware which is almost the same as the general electronic cash register having the receipt issuing function and the bar code reading function is used, and the software for the data processing is only partially changed. The system-compatible cash register 1 can be configured.

According to the above-described embodiment, the receipt P1 and the point receipt P2 can be easily separated from each other. Therefore, for example, keep the receipt P1 at home and put only the point receipt P2 in the wallet. Can
It is possible to construct a highly convenient point system in daily life.

In the above embodiment, the bar code reader 70 may be a handy type or a hands free type. Further, a printer other than the thermal printer 60 can be used as long as it can print the barcode BC in a predetermined format. Besides, various changes can be made to the configuration of the cash register 1.

In the above-described embodiment, it is possible to easily separate the receipt P1 and the point receipt P2 by providing perforations instead of the partial cut. Alternatively, the barcode Pc may be printed on the receipt P1 without dividing the receipt P1 and the point receipt P2.

In the above embodiment, the cumulative points T
Although the bar code BC representing the VP is printed as described above, the point receipt P2 in which the point VP calculated by the point calculation unit 12 is converted into a bar code and printed may be issued. In this case, for example, an operation mode is provided in which the cumulative calculation unit 13 totals the points VP read from a plurality of point receipts P2 and displays or prints the result. That is, the total of the plurality of point VPs can be notified to the customer without manual input and calculation. The customer can receive the privilege by collecting and bringing the point receipts P2 for the predetermined points. Further, such a cumulative processing of the point VP may be performed by a dedicated device, and the dedicated device may be installed in a service counter or the like. At that time, since the cumulative calculation unit 13 can be omitted in the cash register 1 and the reading of the point VP is not necessary, the bar code reading function is not necessarily required.

[0040]

According to the inventions of claims 1 to 6,
It is possible to realize a point system that is easy to install and does not need to issue an identification card.

According to the invention of claim 3, it is not necessary for the customer to bring the receipt received at the previous transaction for each transaction, and the points can be correctly accumulated even if the receipts for a plurality of times are brought together. . Therefore, it is possible to realize a point system which has a high degree of freedom of operation and is convenient for the customer.

According to the invention of claim 4, since the cumulative points for each cash registration device are calculated separately from the cumulative points for each customer, when a plurality of sellers jointly operate the point system, the sales are performed. You can easily know the cumulative points for each business operator, and you can share operating expenses fairly.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the money registration device can be utilized in the construction of the POS system. According to the invention of claim 6, the structure of the cash registering device can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a cash register of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a controller unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a print example of a point receipt.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cash Register (Cash Registration Device) 5 Transaction Management Device 11 Cash Registration Processing Unit (Cumulative Point Extraction Unit) 12 Point Calculation Unit (Point Calculation) 13 Cumulative Calculation Unit (Cumulative Calculation Unit) 14 Print Control Unit (Print Control Means) 15 Point management section (point management means) 16 POS terminal processing section (POS terminal processing means) 60 Thermal printer (printing means) 70 Bar code reader (bar code reading means) BC Bar code P Receipt paper TVP Cumulative points VP points

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printing means capable of printing a barcode on receipt paper, a barcode reading means for converting the information displayed by the barcode into bit data, and calculating points according to the transaction content for each transaction. Point calculation means, cumulative point extraction means for extracting cumulative points from the information read by the barcode reading means, the points calculated by the point calculation means, and the cumulative points extracted by the cumulative point extraction means And a print control unit for instructing the printing unit to print the barcode representing the latest cumulative points calculated by the cumulative calculation unit. A cash register device characterized in that 2. The cumulative total calculating means notifies the print control means of the point calculated by the point calculating means as the latest cumulative point when the cumulative point extracting means does not notify the cumulative total point. The cash registration device according to item 1. 3. The cumulative total calculating means, when a plurality of cumulative points are notified from the cumulative point extracting means, sum of all the notified cumulative points and the points calculated by the point calculating means. The cash registration device according to claim 1, which calculates 4. The money registration device according to claim 1, further comprising point management means for accumulating the points calculated by the point calculation means. 5. A POS terminal processing means for performing data communication with an external transaction management device, comprising:
The cash registration device according to any one of 1. 6. A printing means capable of printing a bar code on receipt paper, a point calculating means for calculating points according to transaction contents for each transaction, and a bar code representing the points calculated by the point calculating means. A cash registration apparatus comprising: a print control unit that instructs the printing unit to print.