JPS62220435A - Weighing in-line system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is a weighing in-line system that is capable of managing the planned production quantity, etc. when selling fresh foods, etc. using a label printer by weighing and pricing them in a supermarket or the like. Regarding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, when selling fresh foods at supermarkets and the like, label printers equipped with scales are often used to weigh and price the products. In the case of products that are sold by weight and price, the planned production quantity, such as how much to pack per day, must be planned in advance depending on the situation, such as sales, bulk arrivals, inventory adjustments, etc. When looking at the actual work, the sales staff learns the planned production quantity based on the verbal instructions of the person in charge and the instructions provided in the work instruction manual, and then the sales staff performs the work of weighing and pricing.

In addition, it is necessary to understand the label issuance record of the labels that are weighed and priced and sold in this way in relation to the planned production quantity, but this is not the case in the past.

The measurement value can be obtained directly from the worker, or by the aggregation function of the label printer (printing the total memory contents on a label, journal paper, external printer, etc.)
This is done using the . Alternatively, a multi-drop inline system configuration can be configured in which a personal computer and each label printer are connected inline in a batch manner, and the label issuance results (work results) are temporarily stored in the memory of the label printer, and then the inline-connected host Some label printers transmit label issuance record data to a host machine upon request from the machine.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with this conventional method of managing the planned production quantity, it is inconvenient that it is not possible to collectively manage the amount of backing to be done during weighing and pricing work.

In addition, in terms of understanding the label issuance record, it is inconvenient to attach a measurement value by obtaining information from the operator. If the label printer's tabulation function is used, other tasks cannot be executed during the tabulation operation, and the weighing and pricing task must be interrupted. A scale is required to be always ready for weighing, and such a long period of time during which weighing is not possible is a problem. This also applies to systems in which the host machine and each label printer are configured as a batch-type inline system, and other tasks cannot be performed due to the inline state while label issuance record data is being sent to the host machine. It is. In other words, it is not possible to grasp the label issuance record without interrupting the weighing process.

Therefore, the present invention has been developed in view of the above points, and it is possible to collectively manage the planned production quantity of products to be sold by weighing and pricing, and furthermore, it is possible to manage the actual production quantity with respect to this planned production quantity. The objective is to obtain a weighing inline system that can grasp the label issuance record and attach weighing values without interrupting work.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a plurality of label printers, each of which is equipped with a scale and has a label issuing function, and a file controller that stores in advance a plurality of PLUs required by these label printers as a PLU file and manages them collectively. are connected inline in a real-time manner, and the PLU file is provided with a production schedule memory for storing the production schedule for controlling the number of labels issued by the label printer. A record memory is provided for each label printer to receive label issue data from the label printer and store label issue records.

Basically, multiple label printers and one file controller equipped with a PLU file are connected inline in real time, and when each label printer assigns a weight value, the label is printed using the PLtJ file of the file controller. Issuance information is managed collectively. Since such a PLU file also includes a planned production quantity memory, the planned production quantity stored in this planned production quantity memory is instructed to each label printer to control the number of labels issued, and the pricing process is performed. Managed collectively. Furthermore, by providing a label issuance record memory in the PLU file, when a label is issued by a label printer, it is stored in this label issuance record memory and centrally managed on the file controller side, reducing the work involved in pricing. without interruption,
It is also possible to understand and manage work results.

Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. First, Figure 1 shows the system configuration.
One file controller (FC) 1 has multiple label printers 2 and 3 in real time mode (loop mode)
connected inline. Here, the label printers 2 and 3 are both equipped with electronic scales and have the function of issuing labels with weighted values, but the label printer 2 is for use in pack rooms, and the label printer 3 is for use in stores. belongs to. Also, to explain the inline connection, the inline cable 4 of this embodiment is I(D L, C
(High level data link control) or 5DLC
(synchronized data link control) or by the procedures specified in these. In other words, as an inline system, there is also a multi-drop method in which label printers each having a PLU memory are connected to a personal computer etc. in a batch method, but in this type of inline system, while communicating with a specific label printer, other label printers is impossible to interrupt and takes a long time to process. In this regard, according to the real-time inline system of this embodiment, even if there is communication between a specific label printer 2 or 3 and the file controller 1, another label printer 2 or 3 can interrupt the communication. Such a file controller 1 includes a personal computer (PC) installed in a management department such as an office together with the file controller 1.
5 are connected by a connecting line 6 using a BSC procedure or a procedure similar thereto. This personal computer 5 has a PLU file (
It performs tasks such as settings and changes (to be described later).

Next, the contents of the PLU file 7 held by the file controller 1 are shown in FIG. This PLU file 7
1 item is PLU number memory 8, product name memory 9. It is configured as a PLU memory including a unit price memory 10, a planned production quantity memory 11, and a memory 12 for other product information (for example, tare, etc.). Such a PLU file 7 contains a plurality of PLUs used in the label printers 2 and 3.
PLUs are stored in advance and managed collectively, and up to 2000 items can be registered.

In such a configuration, the data processing between the personal computer 5, the file controller 1, and each label printer 2, 3 that is involved in the weighing process will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. First, the PLU file 7 in the file controller 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is set in advance by transferring a file set in the personal computer 5 itself to the memory in the file controller 1. Further, the contents of this PLU file 7 are also changed according to instructions from the personal computer 5. In other words, the personal computer 5 performs setting/changing operations for the PLU memory 7 within the file controller 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the information on the planned production quantity stored in the planned production quantity memory 11 provided in the PLU file 7 is also stored in the personal computer 5.
Set by. When the PLU number is entered in any label printer 2 or 3 at the time of weighing and pricing, the label printer 2 or 3 sends a PLU makeshift message RPLU to the file controller 1.

This makeshift message RPLU includes, for example, the address of the label printer 2 or 3 (for example, as shown in FIG. 4(a)).
01) and the PLU number to be called (for example, 0035). When the file controller 1 side receives this make-up message RPLU, it searches the PLU memory of the corresponding number from the PLU file 7, and sends the response data message A to the label printer 2 or 3 that made the make-up.
Send PLU. This response data message APLU includes
For example, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the PLU with the corresponding number
It includes memory information, that is, product name, unit price, etc., as well as information on the planned production quantity. Then, by receiving this response data message APLU, the label printer 2 or 3 that has arranged it can obtain the information necessary for label issuance, so this information (product name, unit price, planned production quantity, etc.) is transferred to the label printer It will be displayed on the display section 2 or 3, and the weight value will be added to the weighed product. At this time, in this embodiment, since the response data message APLU also includes information on the planned production quantity, the receiving label printer 2 or 3 checks whether the label printer 2 or 3 has issued the planned production quantity. Weighing and pricing and label issuance work is performed, and when the planned production number of labels is reached, label issuance is stopped. In other words, it is controlled to issue labels up to the number of production schedules.

In this way, according to this embodiment, each label printer 2,
3 is a file controller 1 having a production schedule memory 11 provided in the PLU file 7 for each PLU.
Labels are issued after obtaining information on the planned production quantity along with information such as unit prices in time for the production process, so the label issuance information is stored in the planned production quantity memory 11 of the file controller l for weighing and pricing. It is possible to collectively control and manage according to the planned production quantity.Furthermore, if you want to change the planned production quantity for inventory adjustment etc., the file controller 1
The contents of the planned production quantity memory 11 can be changed at any time, and the changed planned production quantity can be stored in each label printer 2 as is.
, 3, and will be collectively controlled based on the changed production schedule.

Next, this embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the PLU file 7 in the file controller 1 is provided with not only a production schedule memory 11 but also a label issuance record memory 13.

In such a system, the weight value assignment is the fifth step regarding data processing between the personal computer 5, the file controller 1, and the label printers 2 and 3 during work.
This will be explained with reference to the drawings and FIG. The data exchange until label issuance by any label printer 2 or 3 is the same as in the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, when the label printer 2 or 3 issues a label, the label printer 2 or 3 creates a record data message GDATA regarding the label issue and sends it to the file controller 1. This performance data message GDAT
Since the file controller 1 that received A has a label issuance record memory 13 in the PLU memory 7, the data is cumulatively stored in this memory 13. Such cumulative storage of performance data in the memory 13 is performed every time a label for a product having the same PLU number is issued by any label printer 2 or 3. After storing the label issuance record data in the memory 13 in this way, the label printer 2 or 3 receives the contents of the label issuance record memory 13 again from the file controller 1 side, and records the accumulated label issuance record. It is checked whether the value has reached the planned production quantity, and if it has reached the planned production quantity, the label issuance stop mode is set. This is because label issuing work for attaching a weight value to the same product is not necessarily performed by one label printer 2 or 3, but may be performed by another label printer 2 or 3. The actual value of label issuance until the planned production quantity is reached is for these label printers 2 and 3.
This should be grasped as a whole, and even if labels are issued by other label printers 2 or 3, they are stored in this label issue record memory 13, so depending on the contents, the records by other label printers 2 or 3 may also be included. This is because it is necessary to check. In other words, in the case where the label issuance record memory 13 is not provided as in the above embodiment, when the same product is handled by a plurality of label printers 2.3, there is no correlation between the label issuance records of each label printer 2. 3
However, according to this embodiment, the entire system can control the number of labels to be produced up to the planned production number. To explain further, P for products for which labels have already been issued (weighed and priced) for the planned production quantity.
Inquiries about the LU are made from the label printers 2 and 3, and when attempting to issue a label, the information in the label issue record memory 13 is also sent as response data, so that the weighing process for the product has already been completed. It is possible for the file controller 1 to send a notification to the make-up label printer 2.3 that the process has been completed, and double pricing exceeding the planned production quantity can be prevented. In this way, the file controller 1 always knows the production results from the label issuing record memory 13, and when the data is needed in the management department, the personal computer 5 sends a data request message to the file controller 1 to send the results data. By making a request to the statement RRDAT and receiving the response data message ADATA based on the label issuance record memory 13, it is possible to report the production status of a plurality of label printers 2.3 one by one. When processing such performance data, data is exchanged between the personal computer 5 and the file controller 1, and the label printers 2 and 3 are not affected by interruptions, and the original measurement value assignment is performed. I can concentrate on

That is, the label printers 2 and 3 are unable to perform measurement for a very short period of time, such as when transmitting the performance data message GDATA after the label is issued.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention has a plurality of label printers and printers.
One file controller equipped with LU files is connected inline in real time, and the PLU information in the PLU file is used to centrally manage the label issuing operations of each label printer. Since we have created a PLU file, we can collectively control and manage the planned production volumes of multiple label printers.Also, since we have provided a label issuance record memory that stores label issuance record data in this PLU file,
Each label printer can be controlled to issue labels up to the number of production plans regulated by the entire system.
In this way, the memory in the file controller manages the track record every time a label is issued, so there is no need for each label printer to interrupt its pricing work.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 4 show the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a wiring diagram of the entire system, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of the PLU file, and Figure 3 shows the time with measurement values. 4 is a message format diagram, FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of data exchange showing this embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the PLU file, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of the data exchange sequence. It is a flowchart. 1...File controller, 2.3...Label printer, 7...PLU file, 11...Production schedule memory, 13...Label issuance record memory.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of label printers each equipped with a scale and having a label issuing function, and a plurality of PLs required by these label printers.
A file controller that stores U in advance as a PLU file and manages it collectively is connected inline in real time, and a planned production quantity memory is provided in the PLU file to store a planned production quantity that controls the number of labels issued by the label printer. A weighing in-line system featuring the following features: 2. Multiple label printers, each equipped with a scale and a label issuing function, and multiple PLs required by these label printers
A file controller that stores U in advance as a PLU file and manages it collectively is connected inline in real time, and a planned production quantity memory is provided in the PLU file to store a planned production quantity that controls the number of labels issued by the label printer. A weighing in-line system is further provided in the PLU file with a performance memory that receives label issuance data from the label printer and stores label issuance results each time the label printer issues a label.