JPS62221099A - Pos 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] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an error log file in each electronic cash register to store error information that occurs during execution of various tasks such as sales registration, and stores the error information in a host computer. This relates to a POS system that enables automated results.

[Prior Art] Each electronic cash register (ECR) built into a PO3 (point of sale) system stores various business data in a memory such as a C-RAM that is always stored even in the event of a power outage. Some programs have an error log file that stores error information that occurs during execution. For such electronic cash registers, [registration]
A printer installed in an electronic cash register during the execution of various tasks such as [inspection], [calculation], [setting], etc.

Components such as the display unit and a floppy disk drive (FDD) connected to this electronic cash register,
If a peripheral device such as a card reader (CR), keypad, or barcode scanner does not work properly, or if the electronic cash register and file control unit (
If data transmission between FC) is not performed normally, the printer, display unit, or
Terminal ID that specifies the relevant terminal member such as FDD, Part I that specifies which part of this terminal member has failed.
Error information consisting of D and detailed error information indicating details of the failure (error) is sequentially stored in the error log file together with the time of error occurrence.

When a trouble occurs, the above-mentioned error information cumulatively stored in the error log file can be printed out on, for example, a receipt or a journal by operating keys on a keyboard by a service person or a store manager.

By storing detailed error information at the time of error occurrence in the error log file in this manner, error analysis can be facilitated and the time from trouble occurrence to trouble resolution can be shortened.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as described above, P is provided with an error log file for storing error information in each electronic cash register.
The following problems still need to be solved in the OS system. In other words, in department stores, large-scale supermarkets, etc., the scale of POS systems adopted has become larger, and as a result not only has the number of electronic cash registers increased, but the configuration of each electronic cash register has also changed. Become II. Therefore, once a problem occurs with an electronic cash register, a service person goes to the location where the electronic cash register is installed and prints out the stored contents of the error log file in the electronic cash register on a receipt to obtain the above-mentioned error information. In many cases, it is not possible to take immediate action based on the error information. In such a case, the outputted detailed error information is taken back to, for example, a service center, and an attempt is made to further analyze the error in detail. Therefore, in such a case, the service person must go to the location where the electronic cash register is installed just to obtain detailed error information. As a result, there is a problem in that the time required from the occurrence of a trouble until the trouble is actually resolved increases.

In addition, if the service engineer obtains only the trouble status over the phone without actually visiting the location where the electronic cash register is installed, error analysis will proceed more smoothly as detailed raw information about the error cannot be obtained. Sometimes there isn't. Therefore, even in this case, the time required from the occurrence of the trouble to the resolution of the trouble increases.

The present invention was made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to transmit error information stored in the error log file of each electronic cash register to a host computer via a transmission line. To provide a POS system that allows service personnel to grasp detailed error information of each electronic cash register while they are there, shortens the time from trouble occurrence to resolution, and improves the reliability of the entire system.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the POS system of the present invention, as shown in FIG. printer.

An error log file 3 is provided to store error information such as failures of components such as a display unit and transmission errors between the host computer 4 and the file control unit 2, and an error information collection command 5 is sent from the host computer 4 via the file control unit 2. When input, the error information transmission means 6 transmits the error information stored in the error log file 3 to the host computer 4.
It is transmitted as Heera response information 7.

[Operation] With the POS system configured as described above, when an error occurs in each electronic cash register during the execution of various tasks such as sales registration, the error information is stored in the error log file.

Then, when an error information collection command is input from the host computer, the error information stored in the error log file is transmitted to the host computer as error response information. As a result, error information for all electronic cash registers is available on the host computer while it is still there.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the entire PoS system of the embodiment, in which a plurality of file control units (FC) 13 are connected to one host computer 11 via a transmission line 12.
is connected online. A plurality of electronic cash registers 15 installed in each sales floor are connected in-line to each file control section 13 via a transmission line 14.

Normally, each file control section 13 and each electronic cash register 15 connected to this file control section 13 are installed in the same building, and if the file control section 13 is different, the building may be different. Therefore, the transmission line 12 connecting each file control section 13 and the host computer 11 is constituted by a telephone line or the like.

Normally, the host computer 11 is installed at the head office of each store, and collects sales information from each electronic cash register 15 compiled by each file control section 13, and is connected to an operator console 16 operated by an operator.
A printer 17 and the like for outputting data are connected.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of each electronic cash register 15, and 18 in the figure is a CPtJ (central processing equipment). This CPU 18 has an address bus 19. Data bus 20. Through the control line 21, a ROM 22. A RAM 23 that stores variable data such as sales data input from a keyboard or the like. C-RAM in which an error log file for storing error information is formed
Operate 24.

Further, a control key input circuit 26 receives a work command signal from the control key 25 for selecting and setting various work modes such as [registration], [inspection], and [accounting].
A keyboard input circuit 28 into which key signals are input from a keyboard 27 on which various registration keys are arranged. A display control circuit 30 that sends display data to the display unit 29 that displays sales amounts, total amounts, etc. A printer control circuit 32 that sends print data to a dot printer 31 that prints out sales amounts and total amounts on receipts and journals. Floppy disk drive device (FDD) as an external recording device
FDD control circuit 34 which inputs and outputs data to 33. Inline control circuit 35 connected to file control unit 13 and other electronic cash registers 15 via transmission line 14
are connected to the CPU 18 via a data bus 20 and a control line 21, respectively.

In the C-RAM 24, as shown in FIG.
An error log file R1 is formed that stores error information of errors that occur when executing the various business programs stored in M22. In this error log file R1, as shown in the figure, the dot printer 311 display section 29 where the error was detected. Area R2 stores the terminal 10 that specifies the relevant terminal member such as the FDD 33, area R3 stores the error part ID that specifies which part of the terminal member the error occurred in, and area R3 stores the time when the error occurred. A storage area R4° and a work area R5 for storing error detailed information indicating details of the error (failure) are formed.

Note that, as described above, the stored contents of the error log memory R1 are retained even if the power is cut off due to a failure or the like.

FIG. 5 shows the space between each electronic cash register 15 and the file control unit 13 and the file! , 13 control unit 13 and the host computer 11. That is, the message length information indicating the length of this message is stored at the beginning of this message 36, and the destination address DA indicating the device number of the destination and the source address SA indicating the device number of the source are stored in the next area. is stored and the business (JO) is stored in the next area.
B) A symmetrical electronic cash register (ECR) that performs
The number is stored as two digits (00-FE). However, if the number is FF, all ECRs are symmetrical. Furthermore, the number of the job LJOB> that is requested to be executed is stored in the next area. That is, this request IO consists of MJOB indicating the major classification of the job and 5JOB indicating the minor classification of the job. For example, types of MJOB include JOB used for general sales registration and maintenance JOB including error information collection work.

Additional information is stored in the next area. That is, this message 36 is transmitted from the host computer 11 to the file control unit 1.
The additional information is meaningless if it indicates a request command to be sent to the host computer 1 from each electronic cash register 15 or file control unit 13.
1, error information is stored, for example.

Therefore, the CPU of each electronic cash register 15
18 is configured to execute the main routine shown in FIG. 6 when various initial processes are completed after the power is turned on. That is, when a processing request for each node is input from the keyboard 27 or the inline control circuit 35, the display unit 29. Dot printer 31. FDD
33 etc. is executed for each terminal. When an error occurs at each processing execution stage, the terminal IQ where the error occurred and the error component ID are stored in the error log file R1.
The sheller occurrence time and detailed error information are stored in the respective areas R2, R3, R4, and R5.

Furthermore, each electronic cash register 15 is configured to execute the process shown in FIG. 7 upon receiving the message 36 from the file control unit 13. In other words, received message 3
If the request ID included in 6 is an error information collection command,
Terminal 10. stored in error log file R1. 1 consisting of error part ID, error occurrence time, and error detailed information
The error information for the line is inserted into the additional information area of the message 36 in FIG. Then, this message 36 is edited by incorporating the destination address DA, source address SA, request 10 indicating that it is error response information, etc., and is sent to the file control unit 13 as an error response message.

Note that if a plurality of pieces of error information are stored in the error log file R1, the message 36 is transmitted multiple times.

When the file control unit 13 receives the error information collection instruction message 36 from the host computer 11, it executes the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, after checking the request 10 of the received message 36 and confirming that it is an error information collection command, the message 36 entered into the electronic cash register 15 specified by the ECR number of the message 36 is sent to the destination address DA and the sender. Only address SA is changed and transferred. Note that if the ECR number of the message 36 is FF, the message 36 is transmitted to the all-electronic cash register 15.

Then, when a message of error response information is input from the electronic cash register 15 at Pl, the response message is transferred to the host computer 11 without changing only the destination address DA and source address SA of the message 36. .

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the host computer 11. That is, when an error information collection command is input from the keyboard of the operator console 16, the request ID, DA, SA, symmetric ECR number, etc. corresponding to the error information collection command are incorporated into the message 36 and sent to the file control unit 13.
Send to.

Then, when each message 36 including error response information is received from the file control unit 13 in R2, the terminal 10. Ella part 10. Read each error information consisting of error occurrence time and error detailed information. Then, the information is edited so that it can be easily read and analyzed by a service person, and is printed out by the printer 17 and displayed on, for example, a CRT display section.

In a POS system configured in this manner, a service person goes to the location where the host computer 11 is installed, such as the head office of the dealer, and manually enters the ECR number and error collection command for which error information is to be collected from the operator console 16. These ECR numbers and error collection commands are incorporated into the message 36 and input to the corresponding electronic cash register 15 via the file control unit 13. The error information cumulatively stored in the error log file R1 of the electronic cash register 15 is incorporated into the message 36 and sent back to the host computer 11 via the file control unit 13. Then, the printer 17 prints out a list of error information consisting of the terminal ID, error component ID, time of error occurrence, and detailed error information of the portion of the electronic cash register 15 where the error was detected.

Therefore, the service person can obtain detailed error information about the electronic cash register 15 without going to the electronic cash register 15 where the trouble has occurred.

Then, the error information can be brought back and error analysis can be started immediately. As a result, there is no need to go to the sales floor where the corresponding electronic cash register 5 is installed just to obtain error information, so the time required from the occurrence of a trouble until the trouble is resolved is shortened. as a result,
The reliability of the entire POS system can be improved.

Furthermore, by periodically sending error information collection commands from the host computer 11 to each electronic cash register 15 without specifying a specific electronic cash register 15, inspection and repair work of this POS system can be carried out efficiently. can.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the error information stored in the error log file of each electronic cash register is transmitted to the host computer via the transmission line in response to an error information collection command from the host computer. That's what I do. Therefore, service personnel can grasp detailed error information of each electronic cash register while they are there, shorten the time from trouble occurrence to resolution.
The reliability of the entire system can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a POS system of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 9 are diagrams showing POS systems of embodiments.
Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the entire system, Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the electronic cash register, Figure 4 is a diagram showing the error log file formed in the storage section, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the message format, and Figure 6 is a diagram showing the message format. 9 to 9 are flowcharts showing the operation. 11... host computer, 12... transmission line,
13... File control unit, 14... Transmission path, 15.
...Electronic cash register, 18...CPU, 22
...ROM, 23...RAM, 24...C-RA
M, 25...Control key, 27...Keyboard, 29...Display section, 31...Dot printer, 3
3...Floppy disk drive 8! (FDD)
, 35... Inline control circuit, 36... Telegram, R
1...Error log file. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue C. Figures 8 and 9

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a POS system in which the file control unit aggregates the sales data of each sales product registered for sale in each electronic cash register, the file control unit is connected to an external host computer via a transmission line. Each electronic cash register is responsible for any errors that occur during the execution of various tasks, such as failures of at least components such as the printer and display section incorporated in this electronic cash register, and transmission errors between the electronic cash register and the file control section. an error log file that stores information, and when an error information collection command is input from the host computer via the file control unit, the error information stored in the error log file is transmitted to the host computer as error response information. A POS system comprising: error information transmission means.