JPH1055490A - Pos terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a crime preventing function with respect to cash management when an operator is absent in a POS (point-of-sales information management) system with a cash drawer device. SOLUTION: A monitoring sensor 12 detects that the operator 11 leaves a prescribed position to be absent. At the same time a safe position sensor 5 detects that the cash drawing safe 3 of the' cash drawer device 1 is in an opened state and when a fixed time passes from the point of time when the operator is absent, a control means consisting of an electronic controller 17, etc., controls based on a detection signal from each detecting sensor and sends an operation signal to the driving mechanism part 4 of the device 1 to close the safe 3 into a closed state. When a prescribed time passes from the point of the time when the operator is absent, this is detected and alarmed by an alarm information means 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a point of sale (POS) system having a security function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A terminal device of a POS system has a function of a conventional cash register, so that a cash storage drawer device (cash drawer device) for cash management.
It has. When a user (operator) leaves the place and becomes absent while using a terminal device disposed at a store or the like, the operator himself locked the cash drawer device from a security aspect.

[0003]

In the case of the cash drawer device provided in the conventional POS system terminal, when the operator leaves the seat, the operator may be in a careless state due to carelessness and forgetting to lock the cash drawer device. There is. At present, no security measures have been taken in such situations.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a POS system that includes a cash drawer device for cash management and has an enhanced security function for cash management when no operator is present.

[0005]

A POS system according to the present invention includes a cash drawer device for cash management, detects that an operator has left a predetermined position and is absent, and at the same time, has a cash drawer. In addition to detecting that the cash withdrawal safe of the device is in an open state and having each detecting means for detecting that the elapsed time from the time when the operator is absent exceeds a certain time, the control means includes: Control is performed based on a detection signal from the detection means, and an operation signal is sent to the cash drawer device to close the cash withdrawal safe and put it in a closed state.

Therefore, when the elapsed time from the time when the operator is absent exceeds a certain time and the cash withdrawal safe on the cash drawer side is open, the cash withdrawal safe is opened by the control signal from the electronic control unit. Since the operation is automatically performed from the state to the closed state, crime prevention in cash management when the operator is absent can be enhanced.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a POS system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment. The POS system is installed at a store or the like and has a function of collecting sales data such as inputting a purchase slip, a deposit and withdrawal slip, and the like with a keyboard, and outputting a receivable ledger and the like, mainly for cash management at the point of sale. POS system body 10
Has a cash drawer device 1 for cash management as one of the terminal devices.

The cash drawer device 1 includes a drawer body 2
The drawer safe 3 for storing cash can be taken in and out of the drawer body 2. The drawer safe 3 can be slid in the cash storage direction (closed state) and the drawer direction (open state) by the operation of the drive mechanism unit 4 including a motor and the like. In addition, a safe position sensor 5 for detecting the position of the withdrawal safe 3 is disposed, and each position of the withdrawal safe 3 in the closed state where the drawer safe 3 is located at the storage position in the drawer main body 2 or the open state where the withdrawal safe 3 can be slid and cash withdrawn can be set. It is designed to detect. The safe position sensor 5
A switch type such as a limit switch may be used, or an optical sensor such as a photocoupler or an infrared sensor may be used.

On the other hand, in the POS system main body 10, a monitoring sensor 12 of operator monitoring means for detecting the presence of an operator 11 who is a system user is disposed on the front side. As the monitoring sensor 12, an optical sensor such as a photocoupler or an infrared sensor can be used. Further, an absent time measuring timer 13 which is an absent time measuring means of the operator 11 is provided. The absent time measurement timer 13 measures the time that has elapsed since the operator 11 left the operation fixed position as shown in the figure and became absent.

Further, the POS system main body 10 has an alarm notification means 1 such as a buzzer or a lighting / flashing light.
4 are provided. When the absence time after leaving the operator exceeds the predetermined time, the alarm notification means 14 can issue a warning to the related persons including the absence operator 11. Further, an alarm start setting unit 15 is provided, and the time until an alarm is generated by the alarm notifying unit 14 is set. Further, a close start setting means 16 as cash drawer / close time setting means is provided to set the time from when the drawer safe 3 of the cash drawer apparatus 1 starts to be closed from an open state due to absence of an operator.

Further, the POS system body 10 is provided with a central processing unit (CPU) such as a microcomputer, and an electronic control unit 17 including a calculation unit and a control unit. Here, signals detected by the monitoring sensor 12 of the operator 11 and the safe position sensor 5 of the cash drawer device 1 are input from an I / O port (not shown). Also, the setting data signals output from the operator absence time measurement timer 13, the alarm start setting unit 15, and the close start setting unit 16 are input. A control value is calculated by comparing and calculating based on these detection and setting signals, and an operation signal is transmitted to the alarm notification means 12 and the drive mechanism unit 4 of the cash drawer device 1.

Next, the operation flow of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S1 (hereinafter simply referred to as S1), the monitoring sensor 12
It is detected whether the operator 11 is located at a predetermined operation position. When the operator 11 is not present (Yes),
Proceeding to S2, on the cash drawer device 1 side, the safe position sensor 5 detects whether or not the drawer safe 3 is open. When the withdrawal safe 3 is in the open state (Yes), the process proceeds to S3.

That is, when it is detected in S1 and S2 that the operator is absent and the drawer safe is open, these detection signals are sent to the electronic control unit 17 of the system body. The electronic control unit 17 performs control based on the detection signal, and sends a command signal for instructing the operator absence time measurement timer 13 to start the absence time measurement (S3). The measured time is compared with a preset time stored in the alarm start setting means 15 in advance. In S4,
It is monitored whether the measurement time of the absence of the operator has exceeded the set time. If it is determined that the set time has been exceeded (Ye
s), the determination signal is sent from the electronic control unit 17 to the alarm notifying unit 14, and a warning is issued by a buzzer or the like (S5). If the set time has not been reached (No), S3
Return to

On the other hand, the closing start setting means 16 of the withdrawal safe 3 sets and stores the time from when the operator 11 is absent until the withdrawal safe 3 in the open state is closed. The closing start time is set to, for example, about 30 seconds. In S6, the time measured by the operator absence time measurement timer 13 is compared with the set time set by the close start setting means 16,
It is monitored whether the measurement time has exceeded the set time.

In S6, if the measured time exceeds the set time (Yes), the control signal from the electronic control unit 17 which has determined that the measured time exceeds the set time is transmitted to the drive mechanism unit 4 of the cash drawer device 1.
Sent to The drawer safe 3 is stored in the drawer main body 2 from the open state by the operation of the drive mechanism unit 4 to prevent the cash unprotected state.

Here, in S7, the operator 1
It is checked whether or not 1 is absent, and at the same time, whether or not the withdrawal safe 3 is open. If the safe is open in the absence of the operator, the operation flow returns to step S5, and a warning is issued again by alarm notification.

In step S7, when it is confirmed that the operator 11 has returned and is now located and the withdrawal safe 3 has also been closed (Ye).
s) This time, in S8, it is determined whether or not the warning by the alarm notification means 14 is being continued. Warning ongoing (Yes)
In the case of, the electronic control unit 1
7, an alarm stop signal is sent, and a warning by a buzzer or the like is stopped (S9). Thereafter, the routine returns to step S1, and this routine is repeated.

As described above, in the first embodiment, when the operator 11 is absent for a certain period of time,
If the cash withdrawal safe 3 of the cash drawer device 1 is open and vulnerable, a warning is issued by a buzzer or the like, and the operator 11 concerned as well as surrounding persons are warned to close the cash withdrawal safe 3, It can call attention to security.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment according to the present invention. In this case, a foot mat type weight sensor 18 on which the operator 11 rides is provided instead of the monitoring sensor 12 of the operator 11 used in the first embodiment. The weight sensor 18 allows the operator 11
Is detected, the absence of the operator 11 is detected, and a signal is output. The other components are the same as those of the first embodiment, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment according to the present invention. In this case, the light source 20 is arranged behind the operator 11, and the photo sensor 19 is used as the monitoring sensor 12 of the operator 11 used in the first embodiment. The photo sensor 19 detects light from a light source 20. Therefore, the light from the light source 20 is blocked when the operator 11 is located therebetween, and the photo sensor 19 detects the light from the light source 20 when the operator 11 is not present. Other components are the same as those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a fourth embodiment according to the present invention. In this case, various input devices 21 of the POS system terminal are used instead of the monitoring sensor 12 and the photo sensor 19 used in each of the first to third embodiments, that is, without using such sensors. Input devices include a keyboard, mouse, barcode scanner, magnetic card, OCR (optical character reader),
There is a reading unit or writing unit such as a prepayment card, a touch-type keyboard, and the like. Cash drawer device 1 and P
The configuration of the OS system main body 10 is the same as in each of the first to third embodiments.

In the fourth embodiment, an input signal from the input device 21 is used, and if an input signal from the input device 21 is not obtained within a predetermined time, it is determined that there is no operator. is there. That is, first to first
The sensors shown in each of the third embodiments are unnecessary.
In this case, in the operation flow, in S7 of FIG. 2 shown in the first embodiment, it is confirmed whether or not the withdrawal safe 3 is in the open state, and at the same time, the presence or absence of an input signal from the input device 21 is determined. Except for S7 in FIG. 2, it is common to the operation flows of S1 to S9.

Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the sensors shown in the first to third embodiments are not required, and the input device 2 of the existing POS system terminal is not required.
Since 1 can be used, cost reduction by reducing the number of sensors can be expected.

FIG. 6 shows a fifth embodiment according to the present invention. In this case, the cash drawer device 1
In this configuration, the number of drive mechanism units 4 for taking out and taking out the drawer safe 3 is reduced, and the operator 11 is only warned by a buzzer or the like of the alarm notification means 14. FIG. 7 shows an operation flow according to the fifth embodiment. In this case, the step of S6 shown in the first embodiment of FIG. 2 is unnecessary, and is common to the other operation flows of S1 to S9.

FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment according to the present invention. In this case, the structure is such that the alarm notifying means 14 for giving a warning to the operator 11 shown in each of the first to fifth embodiments is omitted. In this connection, the alarm start setting timer 15 is unnecessary. FIG. 9 shows an operation flow according to the sixth embodiment. First
In S3 of FIG. 2 shown in the embodiment, the measurement of the absence time of the operator 11 is started, and the elapsed time for starting the closing of the withdrawal safe 3 is confirmed. When it is confirmed by the close start setting means 16 that the close start time has reached the set time, the drive mechanism unit 4 operates to automatically close the drawer safe 3 (S10). Here, S1
At 1, it is confirmed again whether or not the operator 11 is absent.
At the same time, it is confirmed whether or not the withdrawal safe 3 is open. If the operator returns and is located and the withdrawal safe 3 is closed (Yes), step 11 returns to S1 to repeat the operation flow. If the operator 11 is still absent and the withdrawal safe 3 is open (No), the process returns to S10.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, the POS system according to the present invention is provided with the cash drawer device for cash management, and the operator who is the system user leaves and is absent. , When the elapsed time from that point exceeds a certain time and the cash withdrawal safe on the cash drawer side is left open due to the carelessness of the operator, cash withdrawal is performed by a control signal from the electronic control unit. Automatically activate the safe from open to closed. Therefore, there is an effect that crime prevention is improved in cash management when an operator is absent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a POS system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a POS system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a POS system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a POS system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a POS system according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation flow according to the sixth embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cash drawer apparatus 2 Drawer main body 3 Cash withdrawal safe 4 Drive mechanism part 5 Safe position sensor 10 POS system main body 11 Operator 12 Operator monitoring sensor 13 Operator absence time measurement timer 14 Alarm notification means 15 Alarm start setting means 16 Start of closing of drawer safe Setting means 19 Photo sensor 20 Light source 21 POS system terminal input device

Claims (5)

[Claims] In a POS system having a cash drawer device for cash management, it is detected that an operator leaves a predetermined position and becomes absent, and at the same time, a cash withdrawal safe of the cash drawer device is open. Detection means for detecting that the time elapsed since the absence of the operator has exceeded a predetermined time, and performing control based on a detection signal from each detection means to operate the cash drawer device. Control means for sending a signal to close the cash withdrawal safe and bring it into a closed state. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising alarm notification means for issuing a warning when an elapsed time from the time when the operator is absent exceeds a predetermined time and the cash withdrawal safe is open. A POS system as described. 3. A cash drawer device comprising: a drawer body;
A drawer safe for cash storage to be taken in and out of the drawer body, a drive mechanism for slidingly moving the drawer safe in a closed state or an open state, and a safe position sensor for detecting a position of the drawer safe; The system body is provided with an operator monitoring means arranged at a position for detecting the presence of the operator, an operator absence time measuring means for measuring an elapsed time from the time when the operator is absent, and when the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time. Alarm notification means for issuing a warning, alarm start setting means for setting a time until a warning is issued by the alarm notification means, and cash drawer closing start for setting a time until the drawer safe is closed from an open state due to absence of an operator. Setting means, detection signals from operator monitoring means and safe position sensor And control based on each output signal from the operator absence time measurement means, the alarm start setting means and the cash drawer close start setting means, and sends the control signal to the alarm notification means and the drive mechanism. The POS system according to claim 1, further comprising: an electronic control device for sending. 4. The personal computer according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means is an input device of a POS system terminal.
OS system. 5. An input device is a reading unit or a writing unit such as a keyboard, a mouse, a barcode scanner, a magnetic card, an OCR (optical character reader), a prepayment card, a touch-type keyboard, and the like. The POS system according to claim 4.