SK13832000A3 - Device for detecting and representing product characteristics - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for detecting and representing product characteristics, comprising a detection device (24, 26) which can be operated such that it detects the product characteristics and emits corresponding detection signals, a display device (50) comprising a defined number of display elements and a control device (70, 72) which in response to the detection signals controls the display elements such that they visually display symbols representing the detected product characteristics. The invention is substantially characterized in that the control device (70, 72) comprises a driver circuit (72) configured to control a number of display elements which exceeds the defined number of display elements.

Description

The invention relates to a device for identifying and marking the properties of goods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such devices are used, for example, in the form of weighing scales, in particular price calculating scales in many stores. In addition to the at least one weighing cell of the weighing device for the weight of the goods and the corresponding unit of weight, the basic price of the goods relating to its weight must also be shown. By multiplying the base price by the quantity and weight, the selling price as well as other sales information, e.g. marking of goods on the indicator. The area of the indicators of known devices of this kind is generally limited by construction requirements. In particular for commercial scales, care shall be taken to ensure that the necessary information is available on as small as possible the areas of the indicators with the corresponding displays. In general, this requires not only a corresponding display device but also a control device which is connected to the device. This raises the problem that, for each of the customer's specific requirements, a device of the type in question must be developed, and a pointing device and a control device specifically designed for it must be developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of these problems of the prior art, it is an object of the invention to provide, with the least possible development, a device of the above type adapted to the specific wishes of customers.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by extending the known device essentially in that the control device has a particular operating circuit for exceeding a predetermined number of illustrative elements. With such a control device, a significant number of recognizing devices may vary with a plurality of display elements, provided that the quantity is less than the maximum number of these elements controlled by a particular wiring.

The invention comprises a device for recognizing the characteristics of the goods and transmitting a corresponding identification signal, a display device for a predetermined number of elements, and a control device processing the corresponding identification signals for displaying the necessary symbols of the goods property.

In this way, the scale of development can be significantly reduced by adapting the device to the specific wishes of the customer, since the same control device can be used for a larger number of corresponding devices. In doing so, it is recognized that, at first sight, the disadvantageous over-dimensioning of the operating circuit is related to the reduction of development costs. In the context of the invention, it is thus particularly possible to set up only a smaller number of display elements on the recognition device in operational connection in the form of conventional graphics cards such as VGA graphics cards.

Especially when using a commercial scale device, at least two display devices are generally required, one of which serves and is directed to the customer and the other is required for further information from the sales staff and is not visible to the customer. In view of the oversizing of the process circuit according to the invention, the device can be provided with a predetermined number of elements of the display device, whereby the control device is also used to control these additional display elements.

Setting up two display devices with only one operating circuit can be done, for example, by suitable programming. However, with respect to the setting of two or more display devices with only one control device, it is particularly convenient if the connection has at least two groups of data outputs. The elements and outputs of one of the groups are connected to only one display device. While the data outputs of the second group are connected only to the second display device. In this way, it is particularly possible to assemble different information contents on different display devices of a single inventive device using a single circuit, whereby the corresponding data lines are already physically separated from one another. Then, to show the different information contents on the display devices, only one corresponding data marking distribution at the respective data outputs must be available, which can be achieved by simply programming the operating circuit.

To set up the display devices, in addition to the marking data, control signals for the electronic parts of the display device, such as a shift register, function generators and the like, are also necessary. For this purpose, the operational wiring of the device preferably has at least one of the display devices connected to the output of a control signal for transmitting the signal to the display device.

Since the control signals determine only the form of representation but not the information content, the operational connection signals in this device can be connected to two or more display devices without affecting the possibility of displaying different information content on the device.

When using a device for identifying and marking goods with a corresponding device for transmitting recognition signals, it is generally still desirable to process the signal with the corresponding signal processing device. For a price-calculating weight, for example, a multiplication of the weight by its base price must be carried out before the exact price is shown. In general, signal processing devices specially developed for this purpose are used for the customer. Also in this context, taking into account the special wishes of customers leads to a corresponding increase in development and production costs for original equipment of a given type.

This problem can be solved according to the invention using a conventional PC Main Board with a signal processing device. The use of such a signal processing device limits the customization of the customer's special wishes to build a corresponding evaluation program using conventional PCs, since by integrating the conventional PC Main Board in the inventive device without further enabling the corresponding program to be produced. such as DOS or Windows. It is also ensured that, at first glance, disadvantageous application systems in terms of requirements for initially oversized signal processing equipment may be satisfactory in view of achievable developmental simplification.

In order to simplify the operation of this device, it has further proven to be particularly advantageous to use a signal processing device in connection with a memory (Massenspeicher) and, for example, a conventional hard disk, in a recognition device and a signal processing device as an illustration but also for retransmitting data. In this way, the device can be in operation as a system itself, regardless of other devices such as central memory or an additional data processing device, as long as the necessary data such as the data are available. basic price of goods, designation of goods etc. preloaded into memory.

In addition, when a conventional PC Main Board is deployed in a device of the above-mentioned type, the almost unlimited possibility of interconnecting the inventive device is achieved, i. there is an open possibility to connect this device in a particularly simple manner to a network or other device of the same kind as, for example, a weighing machine. In such a connection, it can also be achieved, inter alia, that the device takes over the function of so-called. of the main equipment or. the main balance, where there is a central data memory to which all other devices of the system can be connected. In order to prevent unauthorized access to the thus created data system, it is specifically provided that the recognition signals and / or data obtained on the recognition signal device are coded before being inserted into the memory of the individual devices and / or the central data memory. Furthermore, it is ensured that the signal processing apparatus according to the invention is operated in such a way that only the coded data is released for processing.

To integrate the inventive device into a system of the type described above, the signal processing device is suitably adapted to exchange data with another data exchange device, which may, for example, take the form of a conventional interface. In this connection, the operation of the wireless data interchange with the use of a data interchange device or a device is also usually taken into account. interface.

In the case of an inventive device in the form of a weighing device which acquires the goods mass signals arising in the weighing cell of the recognizing device, it has proved to be particularly useful with respect to the relevant calibration regulations if the recognizing device also has a wiring weight and only these signals are forwarded for further processing on the control device. signal processing equipment.

In order to extend the possibilities of using the inventive device, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the control device is associated with a device for storing control commands and / or associated data such as an input keyboard or a card reader. With such an input device, for example, the further waveform from the memory of the intermediate sales data to the central memory can be influenced. Furthermore, data relating to the goods can be read or read separately via said input device as a base price of the unit of goods. Furthermore, data relating to the goods may be stored in the input device for further processing of signals coming from the recognition device.

In the inventive embodiment in the form of a weight, in order to minimize the space required, it has proven particularly advantageous when the input keyboard is arranged above a storage plate for receiving goods and as part of a weighing cell and control device with signal processing, memory and / or exchange devices The data is performed in an input keyboard stored on a carrier. In this embodiment of the invention, the display device may be provided above the input keyboard.

In view of adapting the inventive device to the particular wishes of the customer, it has further proven to be particularly advantageous if at least one display device is assigned in the form of a dot matrix to the display element. In this embodiment, arbitrary symbols and thus also any information content may be assembled. Such a dot matrix can be particularly easily controlled by operating wiring in the form of a conventional VGA card, in particular a conventional VGA flat display card. In addition, this card can also be integrated on the PC Main Board.

Typical VGA display cards are for introducing a display device in the form of a dot matrix with 640 x 480 dots assigned to a display element. For this purpose, they are equipped with a total of eight data outputs in the normal operating circuit, the first four of which are used to transmit the upper 240 rows of the dot matrix with the corresponding representations and the others to transmit the lower 240 rows of the dot matrix with these data.

In addition, conventional VGA flat panel cards also have a number of control signal outputs which transmit clock signals to the electronic parts of the display device.

It has been shown that with such an operational connection, two mutually separate 240-line dot matrix display devices can also be operated, where the top 240 lines of a conventional 240-line dot matrix matrix with 640 columns have associated data outputs from one display device and other data outputs are connected to a second display device, wherein the outputs of the operational wiring control signals are connected to both devices. Surprisingly, it has further been shown that with such an adjustment also the dot matrix display devices with associated display elements with only 320 columns can be controlled when data outputs exceeding 320 columns are ignored. This can happen, for example, when the data assigned to the individual rows of the dot matrix is inserted into the shift register and the excess data is ejected from the register during this procedure.

Image overview

The invention is further elucidated in detail by reference to the drawings relating to all relevant and not detailed details. The images show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the balance according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the balance of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of the balance of FIG. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the scale according to Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a view of the scale according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6; 8 is a side view of a balance according to a third embodiment of the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The price-calculating weight shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 consists essentially of a weighing body 20 on which the plate 22 of the carrier 30 mounted on the back of the weighing body is mounted, a keyboard case 40 positioned on the carrier 30 and two above the input keyboard 42 on liquid crystal display 50 and 60. The display surface of the display 50 is turned to the operator during operation of the balance, while the display surface of the display 60 is turned to the customer during operation. Both liquid crystal surfaces 50 and 60 are in the form of a dot matrix with display elements in 240 rows and 320 columns.

1 to 3, it can be seen particularly clearly that the carrier 30 is directly connected to the back of the weighing body and extends obliquely and vertically upwardly by the arms 32, 34. The keyboard housing 40 and the input keyboard 42 are mounted on the side of the vertical arm 34 and the keyboard buttons are at an inclined upward inclined plane above the mounting plate. Liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 are also above the keyboard housing 40 also on the vertical arm 34 of the carrier. This results in a particularly compact scale that requires only a small storage space, has simple and ergonomic keyboard operation for normal sales staff and allows easy access to weighed goods on the storage plate 22. It also ensures error-free reading on liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 .

In the schematic representation of Fig. 3, the weighing cell 24 stored in the weighing body 20 connected to the storage plate 22 and the calibration circuit 26 are clearly seen. The weighing cell is the weight of the load on the storage plate converted to a digital baseline. weight values. This data is sold for further processing to a central data processing device in the form of a PC Main Board 70. Here, the calibration weight 26 can be determined by the calibration circuit 26 according to the data entered by the input keyboard 42 and the control commands. In this case, additional data is downloaded from the memory on the arm of the carrier 30 in the form of a hard disk or CD-ROM or is retrieved via the interface 74 by an external device. It is also possible to sell the weight value determined by the calibration circuit and / or the additional data via the interface 74 to the add-on devices such as central memory, other scales or so-called. the main weight of the weighing system. With the central data processing device 70, the displayed weight values from calibration circuit 26 and / or additional information on liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 with different information contents may also be generated via the corresponding VGA card 72 in the form of a VGA flat display card.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1 to 3, the PC Main Board 70 central signal processing apparatus and the operational wiring of liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 are in the form of a VGA flat display card on the keyboard housing 40, while the memory 76 and the associated unrestricted weighing link assembly. with interface 74 is in the carrier arm

30. The block wiring of the individual electronic components of the balance shown in FIG. 1 to 3 is shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 further illustrates the setup of liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 with operational circuit 72. The card wiring for a VGA flat display is generally only for setting a single dot matrix display with 480 rows and 640 columns. To this end, the operational circuit has a total of eight data outputs D1 to D8, of which the outputs D1 to D4 are assigned to the top 240 rows of the dot matrix display for data. In this case, the data lines D1 to D4 and / or D4 can be provided. D5 to D8 transmit parallel one-bit data assigned to four matrix points. Alternatively, however, to set different grayscale and / or color levels, data lines D1 to D4 and / or D4 are possible. D5 to D8 transmit four-bit or multi-bit data assigned to individual matrix points. Finally, the operating circuit 72 also has a plurality of control signal outputs representing the outputs S1 and S2 in FIG. These control signal outputs output the control signals necessary for the operation of the electronic building elements of the display device e.g. clock and similar signals.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 5, the output data D1 to D4 is sold by a corresponding line to the liquid crystal display of the dot matrix 50 with 240 lines t

and 320 columns, while data from outputs D5 to D8 are sold to the liquid crystal display of dot matrix 60 with the same 240 rows and 320 columns. In this case, the control signals from the outputs S1 and S2 are sold to the liquid crystal displays 50 and 60. Thus, both displays 50 and 60 can be adjusted with only one operating circuit 72, with the additional possibility of data outputs D1 to D4 and D5 to D8 sell different data to liquid-crystal displays, which opens up the possibility to compile different information content on display devices.

6 and 7 differs from that of FIG. 1-3 mainly because the PC Main Board 70 and VGA flat display cards are not in the keyboard case 40 but in the vertical arm 34 of the carrier 30. This makes it possible to reduce the keyboard case and facilitate weight handling especially when storing bulky goods on the storage board .

In the embodiment of Fig. 8, liquid crystal displays 50 and 60 are on both sides of the weighing body 20, while corresponding liquid crystal displays 50 are provided in the keyboard housing 40, where there is also a PC Main Board, flat screen cards, during operation. VGA and memory.

In all embodiments of the invention, a printer 28 is also provided in the weighing body 20 adjacent to the weighing cell 24 and the calibration circuit 26, which is connected to a PC Main Board by a data line (not shown). By suitably positioning the printer in the weighing body, the weighing protocols as well as the bones can be printed and output through the outlet port 29 in the weighing body 20 (cf. FIG. 1).

The invention is not limited to the examples given in the figures. For example, it is also provided to control more than two display devices with only one operating circuit. Furthermore, the input keyboards can be structurally separated from other building components. In this way, it is possible to arrange, in one central balance of the weighing system, the main memory to which other balances can be connected in the interface. The signals from the VGA cards in the inventive device can finally be used to set up the computer display device.

Claims (20)

A device for identifying and marking goods, comprising a device for recognizing the characteristics of the goods and transmitting the corresponding identification signal (24, 26), a display device for a predetermined number of display elements (50) and a control device processing corresponding recognition signals for displaying the properties of the goods (70). 72), characterized in that the control device (70, 72) has a suitable operating circuit (72) for adjusting a predetermined number of illustrative elements. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one further predetermined amount of additional display device (60) with a control device (70, 72) for adjusting the additional display elements. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operation circuit (72) has at least two groups of data outputs (D1 to D4, D5 to D8) through which the marking data for the transmission of the corresponding group of display elements and only the data outputs D1 to D4 are associated with one of a plurality of display devices (50). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the data outputs of one of the groups (D5 to D8) are connected only to another display device (60). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating circuit (72) has at least one control signal output (S1, S2) connected to the display device (50) for transmitting the control signals to the display device (50). . Device according to claims 2 and 5, characterized in that at least one control signal output (S1, S2) is connected to at least two display devices (50, 60). Device for identifying and marking the goods separately according to one of the foregoing proposals with a device for recognizing the characteristics of the goods and selling the corresponding identification signal (24, 26) in one piece to the assembled signal processing device (70), signal processing has a conventional PC Main Board (70). Device according to claim 7, characterized in that a memory (76) is connected to the signal processing device (70) in one building unit. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the memory (76) is adapted for marking and retransmission of data, in particular with a conventional hard disk. Device according to claims 7 and 9, characterized in that the signal processing device (70) has an associated data exchange device (74) with other devices. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the data exchange device (74) is capable of wireless data exchange. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recognition device has a weighing cell (24) emitting signals of the weight of the goods. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the recognition device has a calibration circuit (26) receiving signals of the weight of the goods and emitting signals of their calibration weight. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (70, 72) is associated with an input device for inserting control commands and / or goods-related data, in particular an input keyboard and / or a card reader. Device according to claim 14 and one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the input keyboard (42) is above the storage plate (22) for receiving goods and is connected to the weighing cell (24) and the control device (70). 72), a signal processing device (70), a memory (76) and / or a data exchange device (74) arranged in a carrier (30) with an input keyboard and / or a case (40) with an input keyboard (42) . Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the process circuit (72) uses conventional VGA cards, particularly conventional VGA flat card cards. The device of claim 16, wherein the VGA card (72) is integrated with the PC Main Board data processing device (70). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the display devices (50,60) has display elements in the form of a dot matrix. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the dot matrix has 240 rows and 320 columns. Device according to one of Claims 2 to 19, characterized in that at least two display devices have display areas which differ in direction from one another.