JPS63658A - Terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To exchange a message without using other line, by adding the titled equipment with each function of reception of a message, an output display, and transmission. CONSTITUTION:A message data which is sent from other terminal equipment or a host device is stored temporarily in a message reception processing part 12, and a message output processing part 13 outputs and displays the message data which is stored in the message reception processing part 12, and informs the contents of a message to an operator. In case it has become necessary to send a message to other terminal equipment or the host device, a message data is transferred from a message transmission processing part 14. In such a way, a message can be exchanged between operators without using other line.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [II! 11 Required] A terminal device that has the function of receiving messages from other terminal devices, performing predetermined processing, and sending messages to other terminal devices. This allows messages to be exchanged between operators without disconnecting the line.

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a terminal device used in an online system in which a plurality of lower terminals are connected to a device, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a terminal device for use in an online system in which a plurality of lower terminals are connected to a device, and more specifically, a terminal device that allows messages to be exchanged between terminal devices. In recent years, computer-based distribution management systems have come into use in the distribution industry (retail and wholesale).

As this type of distribution management system, for example, a POS system (point of sale system) is well known. A POS system consists of a combination of a POS controller, which is a higher-level system, and multiple lower-level terminal devices (for example, registers), and the barcodes attached to products are read by barcode readers attached to the registers. , the read information is processed by the POS controller, or the POS
This system sends information via a controller to a central host computer via a communication line to manage product inventory.

[Prior Art] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conventional online system of this type composed of terminal devices.

In the figure, 1 is a controller (control device) that controls the lower terminal "2" 7M, and 2 is the controller 1.
A plurality of terminal devices, such as registers, are connected to the terminal device through a line, and reference numeral 3 is a barcode league connected to these terminal devices for reading barcodes attached to products. Reference numeral 4 denotes a file memory in which data such as product names, prices, etc. are stored.

In a system configured in this way, barcodes attached to products are read by a barcode reader 3 at each register.
The data is read by the controller 1 and sent from the register 2 to the controller 1 via a line in response to a polling signal for data collection from the controller 1. The controller 1 searches for the product name stored in the filename L4 from the received barcode data, fifi VU'yr (without searching the D data6 (P1.-U-Price Look)
(called up). Next, the controller 1 sends the searched product name and price to the lower terminal device (register) 2 via the line.
We have notified and are processing the customer.

[Problem to be solved by the invention 1 (Normal terminal devices are capable of sending messages between each terminal device)
It did not have the ability to carry out a retrieval. For this reason, when exchanging messages between operators who are operating terminal equipment, a separate dedicated line must be established and communication must be made by telephone, or an operator must travel to the other operator's location. I had to go there and contact them.

This Komei was developed in view of this point J: A terminal device that allows messages to be exchanged (message reception, message display, message communication) between operators without using separate lines. The purpose is to provide 12 people.

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the terminal device of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a control unit that performs ff+ll III for data communication with a host device or other terminal device through a line, and various calculation amounts 911 of the internal circuit, and 12 is a control unit that receives messages from the terminal device or other host device. Message reception processing I! which receives messages and performs predetermined processing! I! 13 is a message output processing section that outputs the content of the message received by the message receiving section 12; 14 is a message output processing section that outputs the content of the message received by the message receiving section 12; This is a message transmission processing section.As the message output processing section 13, for example, a CRT or a printer is used.Control section 1
1, a message reception processing section 12, a message output processing section 13, and a message transmission processing section 14 are interconnected by a bus 15. It is assumed that components not shown are the same as those of a conventional terminal device.

[Operation] In the device configured as described above, message data sent from another terminal device or a host device is temporarily stored in the message reception processing section 12, and the message output processing section 13 is stored in the message reception processing section 12. Outputs and displays the message data being sent and informs the operator of the message content. When it becomes necessary to send a message to a local terminal device or a host device, the message data is transferred from the message reception processing section 14. This makes it possible to exchange messages between operators without using a separate line.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. Components that are the same as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. The control unit 11 includes an input/output interface 21 that exchanges signals with external terminal devices, etc., and a CPU 2 that performs various calculation controls.
2, the message reception processing unit 12 includes an interface 23 and a mailbox (memory) that stores message data sent from an external terminal device.
24.

The message output processing section 13 is composed of an interface 25 and a CRT 26, and the message transmission processing section 14
The keyboard 27. consists of data entry keys and other function keys. It is composed of an encoder 28 and an interface 29 that convert key contact signals into code signals.

The operation of the gi awn constructed in this way can be explained as follows.

If there is a message to be sent on the terminal,
This message is input from the year board 27. The input message data has an identification datum indicating that it is a message, as shown in FIG. These are the destination address B and the message content C. These are En:1-Dani8
．． 2 interfaces, interface], and is stored in the mailbox 24 via the chair 23. On the other hand, the controller 1 shown in FIG. 4 periodically generates a polling signal for collecting data to each terminal. When the terminal device receives this polling signal, its control unit 11 checks whether there is any transmitted data, and in this case, whether there is data stored in the mailbox 24. If a message is stored, the control unit 11 returns an acknowledgment to the controller 1 and then sends it to the mailbox 24.
Read the data from and send it to the line. Controller 1
determines the data received from the line, and the identification data A is
If it is message data and 11 + data number i indicates controller 1 (tt), the data is not imported, the data transmission/reception procedure of the terminal is terminated, and a polling signal is sent to the next terminal. It's true.

- On the other hand, message data sent from the terminal device to the line is given to the CPU 22 via another terminal or the input/output interface 21 of the controller. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of message data sent. As shown in the figure, message data sent from an external device is, for example, A.

It consists of sections B and C. △ is identification data indicating that the data is message data, B
C is data indicating the device number of the terminal device to which the message data is to be transferred, and C is data indicating the content of the message to be transferred. CPU22
reads the identification data A and confirms that it is message data, then reads the lit number data B and checks whether it is selected. If it is confirmed that it is not selected, no further processing is performed. When it confirms that it has been selected, it sends the message data to the message reception processing section 12.

The memory reception processing section 12 receives the sent message data through the interface 23 and sends it to the mailbox 24.
Stored sequentially in .

At the same time, the CPU 22 is the message output processing section 13.
``Message Is'' can be output and displayed.

That is, the output display data output from the CPU 22 is sent to the CRT 26 via the interface 25, and
``Message right J'' will be displayed on the RT26 screen.

When the operator sees the display on the CRT 26 and learns that message data has been sent from another terminal device, he issues a message output command. The message output command can be given, for example, by operating a function key on the keyboard 27 of the message transmission processing section 14. C.P.
Upon receiving this message output command, U22 reads the message data stored in the mailbox 24 and sequentially sends it to the message output processing section 13. The interface 25 sequentially displays message data sent via the bus 15 on the CRT 26.

As a result, the operator can know the contents of the message sent from the terminal device in the pond.

If it is necessary to respond to the content of the message that has been sent, or if it is necessary to send the message to another terminal device independently due to other needs other than responding,
The operator uses the keyboard 2 of the message transmission processing section 14.
1-in the contents of the message from 7. The contents of the key-in are as follows: First, key in the information indicating that the data to be transferred is message data, the information identifying the terminal device to be transferred (machine number data), and then key in the contents of the original message. . The keyed-in contact information is converted into a code signal such as ASC-If by the subsequent encoder 28, and is sent to the control unit 11 via two interfaces as a data string as shown in FIG.

The CP jJ 22 sequentially transfers message data sent via the input/output interface 21 to an external terminal device.

Alternatively, after storing it in the -tan mailbox 24, it is sequentially transferred as necessary.

In the second part of the F-2 explanation, we have explained using the jJ1 case using Cr<T as an output display means, but any device such as a liquid crystal display or printer can be used as long as it can notify the operator of the message. You may also use Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the keyboard and CRT have been explained as separate means from the device, for example, the PO8 terminal device, but the keyboard can be used as a keyboard for product registration of a PoS terminal, and the CRT can be used as a monitor display for registered products. May be used for both. Further, in the above description, the case of exchanging messages between terminal devices has been explained as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. Exactly the same can be applied to the case where messages are exchanged between the terminal Bffi and a higher-level device (upper-level controller).

[Effects of the Invention] As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, by adding the functions of message reception, output display, and transmission, message exchange (message reception) is possible without using a separate line. , message display.

It is possible to provide a terminal device that is capable of sending messages. According to the present invention, it can be conveniently used not only for exchanging messages between operators, but also for communication between employees in a store, for example.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 1J1 Principle block diagram of the terminal device of the present invention, 2nd
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of message data, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the conventional structure of an online system. 1 and 2, 11 is a control unit, 12 is a message reception processing unit, 13 is a message output processing unit, 14 is a message transmission processing unit, 15 is a bus, 21 is an input/output interface 1, and 22 is a message output processing unit. 23.25.2') is an interface, 24 is a mailbox, 26 is a CRT, 27 is a keyboard, and 28 is an encoder. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A terminal device that is connected to a host device and other terminal devices through a line and performs data processing by transmitting and receiving data to and from the host device, in which messages from other terminal devices are transmitted through the line. A message reception processing section (12) that receives the message, a message output processing section (13) that displays and outputs the contents of the message, and a message output processing section (13) that outputs and displays the contents of the message; A terminal device comprising a message transmission processing section (14) that transmits a message to a line.