JP2000293763A - Network POS terminal system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] In a network computing system, a business program and business data on a client are downloaded from a server when the power is turned on and operated. At this time, it is possible to solve the disadvantage that the business process is stopped when the network cannot be used due to a network failure or the like. A POS terminal device, a network device connected to a server device via a data transmission line, a storage area for storing business programs, business data, and sales data are provided. The device 3 is provided with a data holding device 5 for holding the data in the storage area when the power is turned off. When it is determined that the connection with the network cannot be established when the power is turned on, and when it is confirmed that the data in the storage area is held, A start selection unit 6 for returning to the end state is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network POS terminal system used in the POS industry.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional server / client type network system, as a countermeasure in the event of a network failure, a technique of network recovery using a transmission line of a communication line or network recovery by switching a line network is known. I have.

Further, as a countermeasure for the case where the network is disconnected, a client side stores a business program or business data in a local hard disk or the like to prepare for an accident.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following disadvantages. Recent server,
In a client system, particularly a network computing system called NC, a business program and business data on a client are downloaded from a server device at power-on and operated. A major feature of this network computing system is that no special external storage device is required on the client side, and the device on the client side can be simplified.

[0005] However, while the apparatus can be simplified, the download of business programs and business data and the uploading of processing result data are indispensable conditions. If this is not possible, communication with the server device will not be possible and there will be a drawback that business processing will stop.

[0006] Further, when an external storage device such as a hard disk is held on the client side, it is not possible to simplify the client side device, which is one of the great features of the network computing system.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems,
In this network POS terminal system, a POS terminal device equipped with a device required for POS sales processing is provided.
The S terminal device includes a network device connected to a server device via a data transmission line. The POS terminal device includes a storage area for storing data such as business programs, business data, and sales data. A data holding device for holding data in the storage area when the power is off, a connection monitoring means for monitoring the network connection state with the server device when the power is on, in the POS terminal device; A data updating unit that transmits and receives data to and from the storage area to update data in the storage area, and that the connection monitoring unit determines that connection to the network is not possible, and that the data in the storage area is held. Activation selection means for returning to the previous end state when confirmed.

When the connection monitoring means determines that connection to a network is possible with the POS terminal device, the data of the server device is compared with the latest data of the storage area of the POS terminal device. And comparing and selecting means for selecting data to be transmitted and received.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional network POS terminal system, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a network POS terminal system according to this embodiment.

The network POS terminal system includes a POS terminal device 3 provided for each store, a network device 2 connected to the POS terminal device 3, and an identical POS terminal device connected to the network device 2 via a network line 4. A server device 1 arranged in a store or at a center. Further, the POS terminal device 3 includes a data holding device 5 that automatically holds a memory even when the power is off. The network line 4 uses a LAN or a modem telephone line. The data holding device 5 uses a backup battery and supplies backup power to the memory at the same time as the main power is shut off. The POS terminal device 3 has a storage area 7 using a RAM that can be backed up by the data holding device 5 and a judgment control means 6 for performing various judgments and controls.
ROM.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the POS terminal.

The network POS terminal system shown in FIG. 3 has a state monitoring means 21 for monitoring a failure of the server device 1 via the network line 4 and a failure of the network line 4 situation, and holding of the RAM at the time of the previous system termination. Startup selection means 22 for checking the state and selecting whether to continue the program from the state at the time of the previous end or to transmit and receive with the server device 1 to download the program and start the program; A comparison / selection unit 23 that compares the latest degree of data when transmitting / receiving data to / from the apparatus 1 to determine the necessity of updating the data, a business program that actually performs a sales operation from the server apparatus 1, and a code of each product Download business data used to reference prices and prices, and upload sales data, which is a sales record. Data updating means 24, a RAM 25 for storing and executing downloaded business program data, a RAM 26 for storing and referencing downloaded business data, and holding business data generated when the business program sells a product. RAM 27
And a display device 2 used to prompt a warning when a failure occurs
8 and a sounding device 29.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a use state of a memory in the POS terminal device, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an information structure for managing the memory.

The table information 31 includes a business program 32,
It is a table for managing information of business data 33 and sales data 34. For each data, item information 41, date information 42 for storing the last update status, position information 43 for storing the location of programs and data files, It is composed of capacity information 44 for storing the data size, attribute information 45 including a flag indicating validity / invalidity of data, and a checksum for improving data reliability.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a start-up process included in the ROM of the POS terminal. Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6. FIG.

When the POS terminal 3 is powered on, B
The IOS performs various types of initial processing (step 51), and the connection monitoring unit monitors the state of the server device 1 and the network line 4 (step 52). When a failure is detected, the connection is controlled by the boot selection unit (step 53-2). give. The start selecting means (step 53-2) refers to the attribute information 45 of the business program information 46 and the business data information 47 from the table information 31, and uses the validity / invalidity of the information and the checksum to confirm the consistency of the information. Is determined. If the information held in the data is appropriate, a warning sound of a poor network connection state is sounded (step 56), and the previously downloaded business program 31 that has already been downloaded is started (step 58). If it is determined that the information held in the data is inappropriate, a warning screen such as an inability to start or contact the administrator is displayed (step 57).

On the other hand, the connection monitoring means monitors the status of the server device 1 and the network line 4 (step 52).
If no failure has occurred, the activation selection means (step 5
Control is passed to 3-1). Start-up selection means (step 53-
1) is from the table information 31 to the business program information 4
6. With reference to each attribute information 45 of the business data information 47 and the sales data 48, the validity / invalidity of the information and the consistency of the information are determined using the checksum. If the information held in the data is appropriate, it communicates with the server device 1 through the network line 4 and updates the latestness of the business program information 46, business data information 47, and sales data 48 with the information and date on the server device 1. The data 42 is compared with the information 42 to determine the type of data to be updated (step 54). If there is no need to update, the previously downloaded business program 31 that has already been downloaded is started (step 58). When it is necessary to update, only the business program information 46, business data information 47, and sales data 48 that are determined to be required to be updated are communicated with the server device 1 while communicating with the business program area 25, business data storage area 26. To the latest state (step 55). At this time, the date information 42 of the business program information 46 and the business data information 47 is updated with the date downloaded from the server device 1.
When the sales data 34 is uploaded to the server device 1, the valid / invalid information of the attribute information 45 of the sales data information 48 is updated to invalid (processed).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the business program.

After executing the normal product sales processing (step 62), the business program 32 determines the state of the network line 4 with the server 1, and if the communication with the server 1 is good, The sales data is transmitted to the server device 1 (step 64). If there is a failure in transmission and reception with the server device 1, the sales data is stored in the sales data storage area 27, and the attribute information 4 of the sales data information 48 is stored.
5 is updated to valid (unprocessed).

When the network line 4 recovers while the POS terminal 3 is operating, the stored data 27 is transmitted to the server 1 at the same time as the current sales data is transmitted. (Step 6
4) The states of the server device 1 and the POS terminal device 3 are synchronized.

Here, the business program 32 determines the line status and separates the flow of processing. However, the status monitoring means 21 automatically stores sales data in the sales data storage area 34 when a failure occurs, and By updating the stored data automatically at the time of recovery, the load on the business program can be reduced.

It is to be noted that, in the above embodiment, the POS
Although the description has been given of the network POS terminal system that handles business, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applied to a server-client type network computer system in which data on the client side is retained even during power-off. be able to.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the network POS terminal can be simplified, and even when a network failure occurs, the business program is started without communicating with the server device, and the POS business is started. Can be accomplished.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a network POS terminal system showing an example of the prior art.

FIG. 2 shows a network POS showing one embodiment of the present invention.
Terminal system diagram.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a POS terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a storage area for holding data according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a table configuration for managing storage areas according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow at the time of starting the POS terminal device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the POS terminal device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Server apparatus 2 Network apparatus 3 POS terminal apparatus 4 Data holding apparatus 5 Control determination means 6 Storage area 20 CPU 21 Connection monitoring means 22 Startup selection means 23 Data update means 24 Comparison selection means 25 Business program storage / execution area 26 Business data storage・ Holding area 27 Sales data storage / holding area 28 Display device 29 Ringing device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A PO equipped with a device required for POS sales processing
S terminal device, a network device connected to the server device via a data transmission line to the POS terminal device, the POS terminal device is provided with a storage area for storing data such as business programs, business data, sales data, Further, a data holding device for holding data in the storage area when the POS terminal device is turned off is provided, and a connection monitor for monitoring a network connection state with the server device when the POS terminal device is turned on. Means, data updating means for transmitting / receiving data to / from the server device to update the data in the storage area, and the connection monitoring means judging that connection with the network is impossible, and the data in the storage area is Activation selection means for returning to the previous end state when it is confirmed that it is held,
A network POS terminal system comprising: 2. When the connection monitoring means determines that connection to a network is possible with the POS terminal device, the data of the server device is compared with the latest data of the storage area of the POS terminal device. And a comparison / selection means for selecting data to be transmitted / received.