JPH1040469A - Data transfer function between plural pos terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the reliability and operability of data in a POS system by storing sales information or the like generated in a POS terminal itself and information obtained from another POS terminal as backup information in its own POS terminal. SOLUTION: Respective POS terminals 2, 2' are provided with files 3, 3' for storing the information of their own terminals and files 7, 7' for storing the backup information of the opposite POS terminals 2', 2. When source information to be various registering information is generated, the information is stored in the files 3, 3' of their own terminals 2, 2' and stored also in the backup files 7, 7' of the previously specified opposite terminals and a file 5 in a store information managing device 1. The operation states and screen states of the terminals 2, 2' are transferred to the specified terminals 2', 2 through a transmission line 6 so that the transferred POS terminals 2', 2 can continuously execute operation or processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a POS system (point-of-sale information management system) suitable for installation in a store such as a convenience store, and more particularly to backup of information generated at POS terminals between POS terminals. The present invention relates to a data assurance function and a method of transferring operations / screens between POS terminals in order to improve operability of the POS terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a convenience store or the like, the introduction of a POS system has made it possible to collect / analyze sales information such as single item data in detail.
Then, by analyzing the details of the sales information, the deadly merchandise (underperforming products) is excluded from the merchandise shelf, and the highly profitable constitution is realized by extracting the best selling merchandise.

[0003] In such a situation, the primordial information of sales registered in the POS terminal is required, and the disappearance of the primordial information or the like lacks the accuracy of the information in sales analysis and the like. This could be an obstacle to realizing a profit structure.

As a conventional method of backing up detailed information, as shown in FIG. 5, a store information management device 1 for storing data in a storage device 3 in its own POS terminal 2 or controlling a plurality of POS terminals. Data storage in the storage device 5 is mainly used. That is, referring to FIG.
The primitive information generated by the OS terminal 2 is stored in the local POS terminal 2
In addition to the accumulation in the internal file 3, the accumulation is simultaneously performed on the file 5 in the store information management device 1 which is a higher-level device.

In this case, a failure occurs in the POS terminal 2,
When the information is lost, the data is restored by extracting the corresponding data from the file 5 in the higher-level store information management device 1.
, The primitive information of all the POS terminals installed in the store is accumulated, and the process of extracting the information of the corresponding POS terminal and retransmitting the information takes time.

[0006] As a function that occupies a large proportion as the existence value of a convenience store or the like, there is a provision of various service operations. The service business includes a storage service for public utilities, a reception service for home distribution,
There are services such as DPE (photo development) reception service, and the number tends to increase further in the future.

At present, such various service operations are operations in which the operation at the POS terminal is complicated and the time for occupying the POS terminal is long.

[0008] As a conventional technology of the POS system,
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H5-114084 discloses that in order to reliably back up the memory contents of a POS terminal, a store processor having a hard disk is provided, and a memory for storing management data is provided. Of a backup device in which POS terminals are connected, management data stored in the memory of each POS terminal is collected in a store processor at the end of business of these POS terminals, and the collected adjustment data is stored on a hard disk. Has been proposed. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 05494 proposes a POS system that protects sales information and improves the reliability of the system by registering sales information registered in each other's own sales information file in the sales information file of the other party. .

[0009]

The above-mentioned conventional system is
It has the following problems.

(1) The first problem is that in the data backup by the conventional method, the data guarantee against the missing data of the primitive information is insufficient.

The reason for this is that referring to FIG. 5, data is stored only in the own POS terminal 3 and the storage device 5 in the store information management device 1, but a plurality of POS terminals for improving the accuracy of data assurance. This is because data backup between terminals has not been performed.

(2) The second problem is that when a failure occurs in the POS terminal and the failed POS terminal is replaced with a non-defective product or a part is replaced, the state is restored to the state before the failure and the continuation of operation is started. It takes a lot of time.

The reason is that a failure occurs in the POS terminal,
This is because when hardware replacement is performed, the store destination of the data is the store information management device, and processing time is required due to the complexity of control due to the data capacity, the degree of processing multiplicity, and the like.

(3) The third problem is that a POS for completing one process is increased due to an increase in service operations such as an agency service for storing public utilities and the like and operations with many operation items.
This means that the occupation time of the terminal is increasing.

[0015] The reason is that each of the above service operations is
Rather than the clerk operating the POS terminal itself (time),
This is because the place where the POS terminal is installed is occupied for a long time in the preprocessing for inputting to the POS terminal.

(4) The fourth problem is that, when performing the pre-processing of the service business, depending on the contents of the processing, it is necessary to stop the business being processed and re-register at another POS terminal. That is.

The reason is that the PO for performing the pre-processing is used.
This is because the S terminal is not fixed or equipment and the like are not always provided in the corresponding POS terminal.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to realize a mutual backup process of primitive information between a plurality of POS terminals, and to provide three layers of backup information. Realize (in your POS terminal,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a POS system that improves reliability by using other POS terminals (inside a store information management device).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for restoring data from a POS terminal that has been backing up each other easily and continuing operation without data loss even if a POS terminal failure occurs by using backup information. Another object of the present invention is to provide a POS system with improved operability.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a POS system in which an operation state / screen state on a POS terminal is shifted to another POS terminal via a transmission line and operation is continued without interruption. To provide.

[0021]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a POS terminal in which a POS terminal is connected to a unit for storing information such as sales information generated by the terminal itself, and another unit connected via a transmission line. Means for accumulating information in a POS terminal as backup information.
The information management device connected to the terminal includes means for storing information on each of the POS terminals.

In the present invention, the POS terminal stores operation information and / or screen information of the POS terminal in addition to the sales information, and mutually exchanges the various information between the plurality of POS terminals via a transmission path. A transmission / reception unit is provided.

The present invention preferably provides means for transferring information generated in a POS terminal and stored in the POS terminal to another POS terminal via a transmission line, and means for transferring operation / screen state in the POS terminal. Means for accumulating information transferred from another POS terminal, and a transfer destination POS terminal configured to maintain continuity of information at a transfer source POS terminal and maintain continuity of an operation state / screen state. It is characterized by being done.

In the POS system configured as described above, the sales information input from each POS terminal is transmitted to the own POS system.
The data is stored in the S terminal and also stored in another POS terminal via the transmission path. This sales information can be synchronized in order to accumulate immediately when sales are generated.
Even if the S terminal fails, continuous operation is possible by restoring the information.

Also, since the operation state / screen state can be transferred from the own POS terminal to another POS terminal via a transmission line, the operation can be continued at the other POS terminal without stopping the operation. It is possible.

[0026]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that information to be held in a POS terminal is immediately transmitted between POS terminals designated via a transmission line 6 to each other. ing. That is, P
The OS terminal includes a storage unit (file in the own POS terminal) 3 for storing information of the own terminal, and a storage unit (backup file for another POS terminal) 7 for storing backup information of the other party's POS terminal 2 '.

With this configuration, the following two processes can be realized.

(1) If the POS terminal becomes a hardware failure and cannot be recovered, the information of the failed POS terminal (the state immediately before the failure occurred) is used in another POS terminal whose information is backed up. By performing the closing process, the faulty POS terminal can be brought to the end state.

(2) If the hardware failure of the POS terminal is minor and recovery is possible, but the information held in the POS terminal is lost, the POS of the other party backing up each other is By transferring the information in the terminal, the continuation of the operation can be immediately started.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of the information storage processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, when primordial information as various types of registration information is generated (step S1), this information is stored in a file in its own POS terminal (step S2) and is specified in advance. Backup file 7 in another POS terminal and file 5 in store information management device
(Steps S3 and S4).

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the information restoration processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, when a failure occurs in the POS terminal (step S10), the following two processes are performed according to the level of the failure.

If the recovery is possible in step S11, for example, if only information such as data loss is recovered, the information in the backup target POS terminal is retransmitted to the failed POS terminal.
The corresponding information is restored (step S12). In this case, continuous operation becomes possible immediately after restoration (step S1).
3).

On the other hand, in step S11, if the POS terminal cannot be recovered immediately, such as when the POS terminal is replaced, as in the case of a hardware failure, etc. (Step S14). As a result, continuation in operation is realized.

In the embodiment of the present invention, in order to improve operability, for example, as shown in FIG.
The operation state and screen state on the POS terminal are transferred to the designated POS terminal via the transmission path 6 between the terminals 2 and 2 ', and the operation can be continued at the transfer destination POS terminal 2'.

At the POS terminal 2, information 8 such as the registered operation and the screen state at that time is transferred to the designated POS terminal via the transmission path 6 between the POS terminals, and the information is transferred to the designated POS terminal 2 '. It is possible to continue the processing.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The first effect is that the reliability of primitive information, which is basic information of a POS system, can be greatly improved.

The reason is that, in the present invention, each POS
This is because mutual complementation of information is performed between terminals, and the POS terminal can transmit and receive complementary information.

(2) The second effect is that the operability of the POS terminal is improved, and in particular, the operation for processing that must move between POS terminals is improved.

The reason is that, in the present invention, the operation state and the screen state are transmitted and received between the POS terminals via the transmission path, the state / processing is taken over, and the operation can be continued.
It depends.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of accumulating primitive raw information according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of restoring information in a POS terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram schematically showing a state of operation / screen state transfer.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional POS system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Store information management apparatus 2 POS terminal 3 File in own POS terminal 4 Various registration processing 5 File in store information management apparatus 6 Transmission path 7 Backup file for other POS terminals 8 Operation / screen state information / POS terminal operation information

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A POS terminal comprising: means for accumulating information such as sales information generated by the POS terminal; and means for accumulating information at another POS terminal connected via a transmission line as backup information. A POS system, wherein the information management device connected to the plurality of POS terminals includes a unit for storing information on each of the POS terminals. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the POS terminal includes a sales
2. The POS system according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing operation information and / or screen information of the S terminal, and mutually transmitting and receiving the information between a plurality of POS terminals via a transmission path. . 3. Means for transferring information generated in the POS terminal and stored in the POS terminal to another POS terminal via a transmission line, means for transferring operation / screen state information in the POS terminal, Means for storing information transferred from the POS terminal, and a transfer destination POS terminal configured to maintain continuity of information at the transfer source POS terminal and maintain continuity of the operation state / screen state. A POS system, characterized in that: 4. The information generated at the POS terminal is transmitted and received between each POS terminal in the store via a transmission path, and the information is complemented to each other to avoid a loss of information. POS for operation status and screen status information
A POS system in which a POS terminal transmits data to a terminal, and the POS terminal at the receiving destination takes over the state of the transmission source and continues operating the POS terminal.