JPS61221832A - Processing selection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the fine control for the priority level of each processing request by replacing an indicating means with extraction of the processing request and extracting the next processing request according to the checking order indicated newly. CONSTITUTION:A request accepting part 13 accepts the processing requests given from one or plural request sources to analyze their contents and allocates these requests to either one of plural branch queues 18 according to the type of the requested processing. A processing selection part 15 searches those queues 18 and extracts a request if queued in each queue 18 through an extracting part 14. Furthermore the part 15 includes a table 17 which defines the information on the searching order of queues 18 and an indicating means 16 for plural types of searching order information defined by the table 17. A queue checking order deciding part 19 has a function to select either one of types of the order information defined by the table 17.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] In an apparatus for selectively extracting processing requests distributed to a plurality of queues, a table means is provided that defines the order in which each queue is investigated (searched), and each row of the table means is By reading a plurality of types of queue search order information registered in (entries), it is possible to search each queue in an arbitrary order while maintaining the priority order.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention makes it possible to reliably extract and execute requests in each queue while maintaining a predetermined priority order of processing requests that are sorted into multiple queues according to their type, etc. Regarding the processing selection method.

In a system that accepts and processes multiple requests from one or more processing request sources, a queue is used to temporarily buffer the accepted requests.

And on the processing side, connect to this queue (queuing)
The system is configured to take out a processing request and execute processing according to the request.

In this case, if all requested processes have the same priority level, there will be no problem if the processes are performed in the order of received requests.

However, for processing requests that have priority levels, some measure is required to process requests with higher priority levels first.

Note that the priority level referred to here is the degree to which a faster processing response from the processing side is required for the system or the request source (processing priority).

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a processing method that takes such priority levels into consideration, for example, the highest priority level processing (
A routine for constantly checking whether there is any urgent processing is provided on the processing section side, and the type of request is determined, and urgent processing and other processing are connected to separate queues.

Then, on the processing unit side, the queue for this express processing is constantly investigated.

In this case, always means that when an event of queue investigation by the processing unit occurs, the queue is always investigated first.

As a result, for requests that require urgent processing,
Always given top priority. On the other hand, the processes in that pond will be executed in the order in which requests are received only if there is no urgent process.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, in short, the processing unit is aware of the handling of express processing. Therefore, if a plurality of priority levels are further set as express processing, there will be a plurality of priority level controls. There is also the problem that due to the detailed classification of priority levels, lower level processes may not be executed.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional technology, the present invention has a simple configuration that enables fine-grained priority level control of each processing request, and also ensures that each level of processing is reliably executed. The purpose is to provide a processing selection method.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention to achieve the above object.

In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a request reception unit, which accepts processing requests issued from one or more request sources, analyzes the contents, and selects one of the multiple branch queues 18 depending on the type of processing requested. This is to allocate requests to. That is,
Each queue Q, , Q, .

---Requests of the same level are queued in Qn depending on the priority level of the received requests.

15 is a processing selection unit that searches the branch queue 18;
If there is a request queued in each queue, an extraction unit 14 is provided to extract the request.

Furthermore, the selection unit 15 is provided with a table 17 that defines information regarding the order in which each queue 18 is searched, and an instruction means 16 that instructs a plurality of types of search order information defined in this table.

19 is the cue national examination order deciding section, and the instruction hand Y & 16
The table 17 has a function of selecting any of the order information defined in the table 17 according to instructions given by the table 17.

In addition, in FIG. 1, each row (entry) 17 of the table 17
An example will be shown in which order information for one queue investigation is stored in lines a, 17b, .

[Effect]

With the above configuration, it is possible to search each queue in any order (with any frequency) by simply registering in advance the search order for each of the branch queues 18 in the table 17. Moreover, there is no need for the processing unit to be aware of this queue search order. It is possible to control the queue search order with a simple table indexing operation.

The present invention will be explained in detail below using Examples.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system suitable for applying the present invention.

In the figure, a plurality of PO8 terminals 3-1.
-3-n indicates the PoS system connected to PLU, controller 1, which is the upper controller.

The PLU controller 1 stores the PLU file (price
lookup file) 91, each product code (
Processing is performed to obtain the product name and unit price corresponding to the single item code 9). Furthermore, it is provided with a single item tally file (sales number and cumulative sales amount file for each product), etc. (not shown).

Then, it executes processing corresponding to the processing request sent from each terminal 3 in one message format, and sends out a response message.

The controller 1 also accepts and executes processing from the host device 2 via the line.

Details of these operations will be described later using FIGS. 3 and 4.

In FIG. 2, each POS terminal 3-1. +, 3-
For example, n is installed at the cash register (checkout - location) of each sales floor of one mass merchandiser (supermarket, etc.), and each cash register clerk (
(operator) performs product registration.

The PLU controller 1 is installed, for example, in the office of a mass retailer or near the POS terminal 3.

Further, the host device 2 is installed in an office or the like that connects a plurality of mass retail stores (chain stores).

The operation of the system will be briefly explained below.The operator of each PO8 terminal inputs the product code attached to the product purchased by the customer. This is done by reading barcode labels affixed to each product using a scanner (not shown) or the like.

The PO8 terminal sends a PLO request message including the input product code to the PLO controller 1. The PLU controller 1 searches the file 91 to find the product name and unit price corresponding to the given product code. The obtained product name and unit price data are then sent back as a response message to the PO8 terminal. As a result, the product name and unit price of one product are notified to the PO3 terminal side, and thereafter, the registration of one product is completed by inputting the number of purchased items of the product by the operator.

In addition to the above-mentioned PLU request message, from the PO8 terminal 3, upon completion of a transaction for a unit (one person), a statement is sent from the PO8 terminal 3 to notify the PLO controller 1 of registered product information (product code and purchased quantity). Message (collection message), aggregation message requesting the interim aggregation status of the single item aggregation file held by the PLU controller 1 or the aggregation file by department, group, etc. held by each POS terminal, and the egg of the PLU file 91 held by the controller 1 There are file maintenance request messages that request content changes (changes in unit prices, registration of new products), etc.

On the other hand, the host device 2 also issues the above-mentioned aggregation request message, file maintenance request message, and the like.

FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) show an example of the configuration of the PLO controller 1 shown in FIG. 2. In the figures, corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals.

As shown in the figure, the PLU controller is connected to the main CPU
10 and three sub CPUs 150, 160, and 170. The blocks shown in each CPU are
It shows the functions of U, for example, the unit program (
You can think of it as something that is realized in a routine (routine).

The sub CPU is connected to each POS terminal 3-1. Lower line sub CPU (hereinafter referred to as L-CPU) that controls the line (lower line) with
150 (hereinafter referred to as H-CPU) 1 which controls the line (upper line) with the upper level device 2 (hereinafter referred to as H-CPU)
60, and an arithmetic CPU 70, which will be described later.

The L-CPUI 50 includes a message control unit 155 that controls transmission and reception of messages to and from the POS terminal, and an uplink DMA control unit 151 that sends messages received from the POS terminal to the main CPU 10. Main CPUI sends messages to PO3 terminal
10, and a control processing unit 153 for receiving commands or notifying status from main CPU110. In addition, the timer processing unit 154 monitors transmission and reception of messages on the line, and the main CPU 1
It monitors data transmission and reception with 10.

In addition, H-CPUI 60 also includes the L
- A line-to-line communication interface function similar to that of the CPU and a communication interface function to the main CPU are provided.

On the other hand, the main CPU 10 has these L-CPUs 1
50 and H-CPU 160, respectively, are provided with interface functions 121 to 126, and furthermore, lower and upper line control tasks 111 and 112 are provided.

As is clear from Figure 3(C) (main CPU 10
In addition to the line control tasks 111 and 112 described above, a plurality of processing tasks 113 to 116 are provided. That is, an analysis task 113 analyzes the message received by the lower line control task 111, and an analysis task 114 similarly analyzes the message received by the task 112. A module branching task (described later in FIG. 4) 115 and a floppy processing task are provided.

Each of these tasks 111 to 116 is sequentially given execution rights by a monitor section (not shown). Data is exchanged between each task through each queue 118 to 120 and 129.
It is done through.

It should be noted that the hardware configuration of the PLU controller 1, such as the PLU file, the single item total file, and the floppy drive, is not shown in FIG.

The module branch task 115 corresponds to the process selection unit 15 shown in FIG. 1, and has a function of extracting request messages connected to a plurality of branch queues 118. Further, under this task 115, processing modules 0 to n (117) are provided for performing each process performed by the PLU controller, that is, the above-mentioned PLU inquiry, collection, aggregation, or file maintenance.

Further, a task 0Nn (175) is provided in the arithmetic CPU 70 corresponding to each of these processing modules 117. Therefore, when arithmetic processing occurs in each module 117, the corresponding task 175 in the arithmetic CPU 70 is activated. As shown in Figure 3 (dl), the main CPU 10 and the calculation CPU 7
0 has a task 1 corresponding to each module 117.
Interface functions 130 to 133 and 171 to 174 and 179 are provided for transferring processing to and from 75.

Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 3(C), the branch queue 11
8 is configured with three queues Q and -Q, and processing requests received from the PO8 terminal are classified into three priority levels.

Specifically, a request with the highest priority level is queued in queue Q, and the corresponding request message is PL.
These are the U request message and the collection (Mei I[) message.

The medium-level request message queued in the queue Q2 corresponds to the aggregation request message for various files. Furthermore, the queue Q in which requests at the lowest level are queued corresponds to file maintenance request messages and the like.

In other words, in the system shown in Figure 2, especially the PL
A prompt response from the controller 1 side to the U request is essential. In each PoS terminal, when an operator reads the barcode label of one product using a scanner or the like, the product name and unit price corresponding to that product must be displayed on a display (not shown). Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize the PLU inquiry processing by the PLU controller 1.

The same applies to the assembling process, and the PLU controller 1 is required to tally up individual items in real time.

Therefore, each message analysis task 113, 114 in the main CPU 110 determines the type of processing of the request message received from the POS terminal or the host device. This is done by analyzing the message identification items included in the message. Then, depending on the determined type of processing, it is determined which of the queues Q to Q should be queued. More specifically, the processing type information includes number information of the module 117 that executes the request message. Each analysis task 113, 114 looks at this module number and determines the processing priority and the branch queue to be queued.

On the other hand, the module branching task 115 also activates the corresponding module according to the module number included in this message.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration and operation of this branching task 115.

As shown in the figure, the branch task 115 includes a table 57 and a counter 56.

The table 57 is a table that can be rewritten (changed) using a tool (not shown), and includes a plurality of rows (entries) 57 a + 57, each with a consecutive number 57.
b, has .-. In each entry, order data for searching each queue Q/ to Q of the branch queue 118 is stored in advance. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the entry for block 1 includes rl, 2, 3J, i.e.
, Q3 J is defined. Similarly, the entry for N12 is [Qyu, Q, ,Q,
, J, the search order and data are defined in advance.

On the other hand, the counter 56 has a function of cyclically indicating each entry number % (in the illustrated example, 10 types from O to 9) constituting the table 57. This counter 56 is incremented by 1 when the queue search is completed in the order of the designated entries, or when the request message queued by the queue search is extracted and executed.

In the example of table 57 in FIG.
), 6 times are rQl−'Qco →
Q3 In the order of J, 3 times are rQ, →Q.

→Q, j, once is performed in the order of rQ3→Q, -'Qko''. With such a search order ratio,
While maintaining the priority level of the processing of queue Q/, it is possible to ensure that the processing of the request of the lowest level queue Q is also executed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, information regarding the order in which multiple queues are searched can be arbitrarily defined using table means. Therefore, on the processing section side, the operation of searching each queue in the desired order is performed by simply referring to the table, and the control can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system to which the present invention is applied, and Figs. 3 (a) to (d).
2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the PLU controller in the system, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration and operation flowchart of the branch task 115 in the embodiment. Comprehensive ff request This invention is valid:? An example of the system that can be used Figure 2 Figure 4 Exit 9 (6m Exit 9)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) Request reception unit that accepts requests for multiple types of processing (1
3) and multiple branching queues (18) that distribute requests according to the type of received requests, and selectively extracts and executes the processing requests distributed to each of these branching queues (18). In the processing execution device, a table means (17) for defining the order of checking each of the plurality of types of queues for checking the presence or absence of requests queued in each of the branch queues (18); An instruction means (1
6), which sequentially investigates each queue (18) in accordance with the investigation order instructed by the instruction means (16) and extracts the queued processing requests; A process selection method characterized in that the instruction means is updated by extracting a process request, and the next process request is extracted in accordance with a newly instructed investigation order. (2) The table means (17) is provided with a plurality of rows of areas (17a, b, . . . ) each of which is sequentially numbered, and each row stores information indicating one queue investigation order. The process selection method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction means (16) is a counter that cyclically indicates the number of each row of the table means. (3) The above-mentioned branch queue (18) is for distributing requests classified into different processing priorities, and the above-mentioned table means (17) is for queuing requests with high processing priorities. Claim (1) characterized in that the search order information for sequentially searching from the queue is read out more frequently than other search order information.
Processing selection method described in section.