KR101405054B1 - Apparatus for queuing system and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sequential number issuing device and a control method thereof. The serial number issuer sequentially issuing a numbered table of sequential numbers according to the present invention includes an external communication interface unit for receiving time information from a predetermined external apparatus; The control unit controls the time information generated in the built-in counter to be embedded in the number table and displays time information received via the external communication interface unit at at least any one of a time point at which the device newly boots up and a time point at which the predetermined time is reached And a controller for updating the counter time with a basis.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS FOR QUEUING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a sequential number issuance apparatus and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a sequential number issuance apparatus and a control method thereof used for ordering waiters in a bank or a hospital.

In general, banks and hospitals are equipped with a system for issuing order numbers to reduce the inconvenience of long waiters.

The order issuing system can be configured in various ways, for example, a serial number issuer for issuing a number list to customers (waiters), a call button to be pressed when the employees call the next order customer, A display board to be displayed, and the like.

In this case, the order number issuer performs a function of outputting a number table in which the next number is written each time the customers subtract the number paper. For example, the order number indicating the order of the customer and the number of customers waiting The number of queues to be printed may be printed.

In this state, when the employee presses the call button to receive the next customer, a number corresponding to the next order is outputted to the electric sign board, the order issuer senses that the current waiting person has been reduced by one person, Let the number of waiters be reflected.

As a result, customers do not have to wait in line for long periods of time, and can predict roughly how long to wait, especially by comparing the number currently displayed on the electronic signboard with the number printed on the number plate, or by referring to the number of waiters displayed on their number plate.

However, although the sequential issuer used in the conventional order issuing system performs the function of sequentially issuing a number table, it has not been able to evaluate how much each customer actually waited.

In other words, in order to increase the customer satisfaction, it is necessary to evaluate the time taken from the time when each customer picked up the number table to the time when the actual service is provided, but there has been no proposed order issuing system that provides such a function.

In particular, the serial number issuer includes a RTC (Real Time Clock). The RTC generates an error over time. In order to correct or correct the RTC, conventionally, a person has to set the time manually.

However, correcting the time error directly by the person not only causes a lot of inconveniences but also causes various problems such as having a separate key button for manual error correction.

In general, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel is provided to display a predetermined number of information to a visiting customer, such as displaying the current number of waiters. Typical LCD panels, in particular TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD panels, They have different viewing angles.

Generally, a general LCD panel generally has a lower viewing angle than an upper viewing angle. In order for its customers to view the LCD panel from the lower side more frequently than the upper side, The disadvantage is that the text or image displayed on the panel can not be viewed properly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a sequence number issuing device and a control method thereof, which solve the problem of manual operation of time, .

It is another object of the present invention to provide a sequence number issuing machine and a control method thereof that solve the problem of securing a viewing angle according to the upper and lower viewing angles of an LCD panel.

In order to attain the above object, a serial number issuer for sequentially issuing a numbered table of sequential numbers according to the present invention includes: an external communication interface unit for receiving time information from an external predetermined apparatus; The control unit controls the time information generated in the built-in counter to be embedded in the number table and displays time information received via the external communication interface unit at at least any one of a time point at which the device newly boots up and a time point at which the predetermined time is reached And a controller for updating the counter time with a basis.

In order to accomplish the above object, there is provided a method of controlling an order issuing apparatus for issuing sequentially numbered tickets each having a sequential number according to the present invention, wherein the order number issuing unit prints the time information generated in the counter provided in the number table, Determining whether or not the boot time point corresponds to at least one of a time point when booting and a time point when a predetermined time is reached; And updating the counter time based on time information received from a predetermined external device when the determination corresponds to the time update time.

As described above, according to the present invention, the sequence number issuer can automatically maintain the accuracy of the internal time even if there is no manual operation by the user by synchronizing the internal time through communication with the external device.

Particularly, it is possible to find a way to increase the customer satisfaction by cumulatively storing the waiting time until the customer using the order number issuing device is called.

Also, the order number issuer according to the present invention allows the vertical position of the LCD panel to be changed and the data outputted to the corresponding LCD panel to be rotated by 180 degrees so that each customer can easily check necessary information through the LCD panel having a secured viewing angle .

Particularly, by determining the rotation angle of the LCD output data according to the rotation direction of the LCD panel, customers can view characters or images in a proper direction regardless of how the LCD panel is assembled in the order issuer .

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an order issuing system including a sequence number issuer according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the sequential number issuing device of FIG. 1,
3 is a view showing a view angle of the LCD panel,
4 to 7 are control flowcharts of a sequence number issuing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The overall system including the sequence number issuer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is as shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the overall system comprises a sequence number issuer 100, at least one pager 300, and at least one display device 400.

Herein, the pager 300 may be provided as a call button, but hereinafter, the pager 300 is a computer in which a paging program is installed.

Each pager 300 performs a function of generating a customer call event and transmitting it to the sequence number issuing device 100 when a user (for example, an employee) presses a call button (corresponding to a software button). Here, the pager 300 and the sequential issuer 100 may be connected by various communication methods, but in the present embodiment, the pager 300 and the sequential issuer 100 communicate with each other by communication according to TCP / IP (Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

The pager 300 may include an identification code capable of identifying itself in a customer call event transmitted to the sequential issuer 100. [

In addition, the pager 300 may periodically transmit a connection signal to maintain the connection state with the order issuer 100, and the pager 300 may include time information in the connection signal.

The time information included in the connection signal is information that can be used for time synchronization in the sequence number issuing device 100 as described later.

The display device 400 may be a device for displaying a calling number according to the operation of the pager 300 and may be a light emitting diode (LED) or a liquid crystal display (LCD) installed in front of each bank employee. That is, the display device 400 displays numbers and the like received from the pager 300 or the order issuing device 100. Since the configuration and functions of the display device 400 are well known, detailed description thereof will be omitted .

The order number issuing device 100 operates according to a number table issuing event and a customer calling event. Here, the number issuing event occurs as a customer operates to issue a number, for example, pressing the number plate issuing button on the touch screen, A customer call event may be received from pager 300 and may occur when an employee or the like presses the call button to call the next customer as previously mentioned.

The functions of outputting the next numbered table or changing the number of waiting lines according to the detection of the numbering table issuing event and the customer calling event correspond to the known technology and will not be described in detail.

The function block of the sequence number issuing device 100 is as shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the order issuing apparatus 100 includes a control unit 110, an LCD module 120, an internal interface unit 130, a printer driver 140, an external interface unit 150, and a power unit 160 .

Here, the LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module may include an LCD panel and an LCD TC unit, which can control the LCD timing in the LCD TC unit.

The LCD module 120 displays a text or an image received from the control unit 110 or the like, which will be described later, on the LCD panel.

Here, the LCD panel is vertically distinguishable, and the vertical viewing angle of the LCD panel may be different from each other as shown in FIG. 3 (a). Generally, the LCD panel is configured such that the upper viewing angle is larger than the lower viewing angle.

The LCD panel may be mounted in a state in which the up and down directions are reversed 180 degrees with respect to the user time when the LCD panel is mounted in the order issuing apparatus 100 according to the present invention.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, a mounting direction sensor may be provided on a specific portion of the LCD module 120, particularly, the LCD panel. The installation direction sensor is a switch for sensing the direction in which the LCD panel is mounted on the order issuing machine 100 and is constituted by, for example, a switch corresponding to the tilt sensor or performing a pressing operation according to the protrusion at a specific position of the order issuing machine 100 .

That is, the installation direction sensor senses the inclination of the LCD panel sensed by the inclination sensor or senses the position of a switch that is pressed when the LCD panel is mounted on the sequential issuer 100, So that it can sense the direction in which it is mounted.

For example, the installation direction sensor may be configured to sense whether the LCD panel is mounted in the normal orientation as shown in FIG. 3 (b) or in a reverse orientation rotated 180 degrees as shown in FIG. 3 (c) will be.

The LCD panel may be provided as a touch screen for sensing a user touch input.

The internal interface unit 130 mainly corresponds to an option specification part, and may include a key unit for a user button, an audio codec or an amplifier for sound generation, and the like.

The printer driving unit 140 functions to issue a number table under the control of the control unit 110. For example, the printer driving unit 140 prints the waiting information indicating the number of waiting lines and the calling target number for specifying the calling target, And to perform the function of exporting the data.

The external interface unit 150 is for communicating with an external device, for example, the pager 300 or the display device 400. The external interface unit 150 may be a USB communication port, a TCP / IP communication port RS485 communication port, And the like.

The external interface unit 150 may support various communication protocols not limited thereto.

The power supply unit 160 supplies necessary power to each component of the serial number issuing machine 100 and can change the voltage magnitude while converting AC to DC or DC to DC. The configuration of the power supply unit 160 itself is well known in the art and will not be described in detail.

The controller 110 controls each element of the serial number issuing machine 100 and may include a counter capable of counting time, that is, a real time clock (RTC) and other necessary storage units.

The controller 110 issues a number table according to the main functions of the order issuer 100, that is, the number issuance request event and the customer call event, and updates the number of queues.

Particularly, the controller 110 controls the time information generated by the counter (RTC) included in the timer to be embedded in the number table, and controls the external interface unit (RTC) time on the basis of the time information received through the RTC 150.

The time information received through the external interface unit 150 may be received from the pager 300 or a separate NTP (Network Time Protocol) server not shown in FIG.

At this time, the time information received through the external interface unit 150 may be received by a polling method or a push method. That is, the sequence number issuing device 100 may request the external device (the pager 300 or the NTP server) for a predetermined period of time or periodically to receive the time information, or even if there is no request from the order issuing device 100, The time information may be transmitted to the sequence number issuing device 100 at a predetermined time or periodically.

For example, the controller 110 can update the counter time at a preset time or a device boot time using the time information included in the connection signal periodically received from the pager 300.

At this time, the controller 110 may perform the updating process only when the difference between the internal counter time and the time information received from the outside is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

The control unit 110 stores and manages the waiting information indicating the number of waiting persons and the calling target number for specifying the calling target, so that each time the number plate issuing request event is detected, the currently stored waiting information and the number table in which the calling target number is engraved are issued At this time, the control unit 110 stores the issuance information matching the call target number with the issuance time, and updates the currently stored waiting information and the call target number by 1, respectively.

In addition, the controller 110 subtracts 1 from the previously stored waiting information by receiving the customer calling event through the external communication interface unit, and updates the actual time that the calling object corresponding to the corresponding customer calling event waits until the calling It can be calculated using information and current time and then saved.

For example, the control unit 110 calculates and stores the time taken from the time the customer picks up the number table printed with the call object number 5 to the time when the call object number 5 is actually called. This can contribute to enhancing customer satisfaction by allowing the manager or the like to check the wait time of each customer and take measures accordingly.

For this, the control unit 110 continuously stores the issuance information that matches the calling subject number and the current issuance time each time the number-plate issuance request event is detected, and the control unit 110 also stores the issuance information, Is calculated and stored and managed in consideration of the point in time at which each call object is actually called.

It is needless to say that the calculated actual waiting time can be transmitted to a separate device in real time.

The control unit 110 may display information such as information to be known by customers or the number of waiters on the LCD panel. At this time, the control unit 110 may generate output data corresponding to necessary text or image data, The output data is rotated by 180 degrees, and the generated rotation data can be transmitted to the LCD module 120. [0064]

As described above, since the LCD module 120 according to the present embodiment (especially the LCD panel) is installed upside down, the controller 110 generates rotation data of 180 revolutions for proper display, (120).

As another example, the control unit 110 may select whether to include the process of generating rotation data depending on whether or not the user presses a specific button of the key unit provided in the internal interface unit 130. [

As another example, if the LCD module 120 further includes an installation direction sensor, the control unit 110 calculates the rotation angle in consideration of the installation direction sensed by the installation direction sensor, And generates rotation data in which the output data is rotated by the calculated rotation angle, and transmits the generated rotation data to the LCD module 120.

Hereinafter, a specific control process of the controller 110 of the sequential issuer 100 will be described with reference to FIGS.

4 shows a process of updating the internal counter of the controller 110, that is, the time of the RTC.

The controller 110 periodically receives the time information from the pager 300 through the external interface and temporarily stores the time information (step S1). For example, the control unit 110 may receive the time information transmitted by the pager 300 from the pager 300 at intervals of one minute.

When the time reaches a time update point (step S3), for example, when the time reaches a certain angle or when a time according to a predetermined period is reached, the controller 110 calculates the internal time, i.e., (E.g., 5 minutes) (step S5), the time of the internal counter is compared with the time information received from the external pager 300 using the time information received from the outside (Step S7).

5 shows another example in which the controller 110 updates the time of the internal counter.

When the corresponding order issuer 100 is booted or reaches a preset time (step S11), the controller 110 requests and receives a current time from the NTP server (step S13).

Then, when the difference between the time of the internal counter and the time received from the NTP server exceeds a preset value (step S15), the controller 110 updates the time of the internal counter using the received time information (step S17).

FIG. 6 illustrates a process of calculating the time that the call object waits according to the detection of each event by the control unit 110. FIG.

The control unit 110 initializes the call object number and the wait information at the booting time of the order issuing apparatus 100 (step S21). For example, the call target number can be set to '1' and the wait information can be set to '0'.

In the case of detecting the number-plate issuing event (step S23), the control section 110 controls the issuance of the number table printed with the number-to-call and the waiting information (step S25), and stores the issuing information (step S26).

Here, the issuance information may correspond to data that matches the call target number and the issuance time.

Next, the control unit 110 sets the call target number to a value obtained by incrementing the current call counter number by 1 (step S27), sets the waiter information to a value obtained by incrementing the current waiter information by 1 (step S29 ).

On the other hand, when detecting a customer call event (step S31), the controller 110 updates the waiter information to a value obtained by subtracting 1 from the current waiter information (step S33), and also calculates the time when the call object actually waits (Step S35).

At this time, the controller 110 may calculate the time actually waited until the call object is called by using the issuance information stored in step S26 and the time when the current customer call event is detected.

For example, when a number plate printed with the next number is printed at the time when the customer pulled out the number, the time at which the specific call target actually waits is the time at which the next numbered printed number is printed, .

Although not shown in FIG. 6, when the controller 110 detects a customer call event, it is also possible that the call object number corresponding to the customer call event is transmitted to at least one of the display apparatuses 400 and displayed .

FIG. 7 illustrates a process of generating rotational data dynamically by detecting the installation direction of the LCD panel.

The controller 110 measures the mounting direction of the LCD panel mounted on the order issuing machine 100 using the installed direction sensor (step S41).

Subsequently, the control unit 110 calculates the rotation angle based on the measured installation direction (step S43), calculates the rotation angle in proportion to the installation direction according to the algorithm, It is also possible to calculate the angle.

When a specific situation such as a number-plate issuance event of a user occurs, the control unit 110 can generate output data for customer guidance corresponding thereto or extract it from previously stored data (step S45), and the corresponding output data is stored in step S43 And generates rotation data rotated corresponding to the calculated rotation angle (step S47).

Then, the control unit 110 transmits the generated rotation data to the LCD module 120 and controls the display to be displayed (step S49).

Accordingly, the order issuing apparatus 100 automatically changes the rotation angle of the LCD output data in accordance with the rotation direction of the LCD panel, so that even if the LCD panel is assembled and mounted in the order issuing machine 100, So that the character or image of the user can be normally viewed.

It goes without saying that the process of performing each of the above-described embodiments may be performed by a program stored in a predetermined recording medium (e.g., a computer readable recording medium).

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that such variations and modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the appended claims.

100: sequence number issuer 200: communication network
300: pager 400: display device
110: control unit 120: LCD module
130: internal interface unit 140: printer driver
150: external interface unit 160: power supply unit

Claims (8)

A sequential number issuer sequentially issuing a number table in which sequential numbers are respectively engraved,
An external communication interface unit for receiving time information from a predetermined external apparatus;
Wherein the control unit controls the time information generated in the built-in counter to be embedded in the number table, and when the time reaches at least any one of a time point at which the device newly boots up and a time point at which the predetermined time is reached, A controller for updating the time of the counter based on time information received from the external device in response to the request;
And an LCD module having an LCD panel having a vertical direction distinction and displaying received text or images on the LCD panel,
The LCD panel is mounted with its vertical direction reversed 180 degrees with respect to the user's time,
Wherein the controller generates or extracts output data corresponding to a text or image for output, generates rotation data in which the output data is rotated by 180 degrees, and transmits the generated rotation data to the LCD module Order publisher. A sequential number issuer sequentially issuing a number table in which sequential numbers are respectively engraved,
An external communication interface unit for receiving time information from a predetermined external apparatus;
Wherein the control unit controls the time information generated in the built-in counter to be embedded in the number table, and when the time reaches at least any one of a time point at which the device newly boots up and a time point at which the predetermined time is reached, A controller for updating the time of the counter based on time information received from the external device in response to the request;
An LCD module having an installation direction sensor and displaying the received text or image via an LCD panel,
The control unit generates or extracts output data corresponding to text or images for output, calculates a rotation angle in consideration of an installation direction sensed by the installation direction sensor, and rotates the output data by the calculated rotation angle And transmits the generated rotation data to the LCD module. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The control unit stores the waiting information indicating the number of waiting parties and the calling target number for specifying the calling destination, and controls the issuance of the number list with the currently stored waiting information and the calling target number each time it detects the number ticket issuing request event, Storing the issuance information that matches the target number and the issuance time, updating the currently stored waiting information and the calling target number by 1, and decreasing the waiting information by 1 as the customer calling event is received through the external communication interface unit And stores the calculated time using the stored issuing information and the current time, and stores the time when the call object corresponding to the customer call event is queued until the call. delete A control method of a serial number issuing device for issuing sequentially numbered engraved numbered tables, wherein the numbered table prints the time information generated in the provided counter,
(a) determining whether a time update point corresponding to at least one of a time point at which the apparatus is newly booted and a point at which the predetermined time is reached;
(b) updating the time of the counter based on the time information received from the external device according to the request after requesting the predetermined external device when the time corresponds to the time update time as a result of the determination in step (a) Wow;
(f) generating or extracting output data corresponding to text or images for output;
(g) generating rotation data in which the output data is rotated 180 degrees;
and (h) transmitting the generated rotation data to the display LCD module. A control method of a serial number issuing device for issuing sequentially numbered engraved numbered tables, wherein the numbered table prints the time information generated in the provided counter,
(a) determining whether a time update point corresponding to at least one of a time point at which the apparatus is newly booted and a point at which the predetermined time is reached;
(b) updating the time of the counter based on the time information received from the external device according to the request after requesting the predetermined external device when the time corresponds to the time update time as a result of the determination in step (a) Wow;
(i) measuring an installation direction of a built-in LCD module that displays received text or images through an LCD panel;
(j) calculating a rotation angle in consideration of an installation direction of the LCD module measured in the step (i);
(k) generating or extracting output data corresponding to text or images for output;
(1) generating rotation data of the output data rotated by a rotation angle calculated in the step (j);
(m) transmitting the generated rotation data to the LCD module. The method according to claim 5 or 6,
(c) storing waiter information indicating the number of waiters and a call target number for specifying a call target;
(d) issuing a number table in which the currently stored call target number is engraved each time it detects the number plate issuance request event, but currently stored waiting information is printed on the number table or displayed on a separate display device Storing the issuance information matching the call target number with the issuance time, updating the currently stored waiting information and the call target number by 1, respectively;
(e) subtracting 1 from the waiting information by 1 when a customer calling event is received from the outside, and calculating a waiting time until the calling object corresponding to the customer calling event is called, using the stored issuing information and the current time And then storing the data in the memory. delete

Images