JP2002307765A - Printer, advertisement printing system, print area control method, and information recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] In a printer of a POS terminal system, receipt print information received from a host controller via one control port and advertisement print information received via another control port are used. Print on printing paper based on
The present invention provides a printer, an advertisement printing system, a print area control method, and an information recording medium for issuing an advertisement-printed receipt by editing pieces of output print information and printing the edited output print information on a print sheet. A printer receives a reception information from a device connected through each control port.
A storage unit 203 for storing required print information from received information in a designated area storage unit designated for each control port, and a print information in a designated area storage unit designated for a plurality of different control ports. An editing unit 204 that edits one piece of output print information to be printed on a print sheet, and a print control unit 205 that executes printing on a print sheet based on the print information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printer, an advertisement printing system, a print area control method, and an information recording medium. In particular, a plurality of control ports, a receiving unit that receives reception information from a device connected via each control port, and a specified area storage unit specified for each control port are required from the reception information. A printing unit for storing print information of a print area, an editing unit for editing one piece of output print information to be printed on printing paper based on print information of a designated area storage unit designated to a plurality of different control ports, and a print unit. A printer having a print control unit that executes printing on printing paper based on the information,
The present invention relates to an advertisement printing system, a printing area control method, and an information recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A POS terminal system executes a settlement process based on input information of a purchased product input from an input device such as a scanner and information of a previously set product, and obtains information such as the name and the amount of the purchased product. The settlement processing information such as the total amount and the payment amount is output for each device. For example, it displays settlement processing information for display on a display device such as a customer display or issues a receipt from a printer.

[0003] Various attempts have been made to use this POS terminal system for personal advertisement. For example, advertisement information is displayed during the process of displaying the payment processing information for display on a display device such as a customer display. For example, a receipt on which advertisement information is printed is issued from a printer.

[0004]

When advertising information is printed on a receipt using a printer of a POS terminal system, receipt printing information and advertising printing information are printed by application software in a host controller of the POS terminal system. The print information is printed on a receipt by generating a single piece of output print information that combines the output print information and a print request together with the generated output print information. For this reason, the application software must be modified so that the print information for the advertisement is pre-loaded into the host controller and output print information is printed together with the print information for the advertisement which is obtained when the receipt print information is generated. There was a problem that it had to be done.

[0005] In some cases, the advertisement information is printed on printing paper in advance, and the receipt printing information is printed on the printing paper on which the advertisement information is printed. For this reason, there is a problem that application software for printing the advertisement information on the printing paper must be created. Further, there is a problem that the operation of printing the advertisement information on the printing paper must be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and it is intended to transmit a plurality of control ports and information received from a device connected via each control port. A receiving unit for receiving, a storage unit for storing required print information from received information in a designated area storage unit designated for each control port, and printing of a designated area storage unit designated for a plurality of different control ports A printer, an advertisement printing system, and a print area each including an editing unit that edits one piece of output print information to be printed on print paper based on information, and a print control unit that executes printing on print paper based on the print information. It is an object to provide a control method and an information recording medium.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted studies to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. As a result, P
In the printer of the OS terminal system, based on receipt print information received from the host controller through one control port and advertisement print information received through another control port, printing is performed on print paper 1 It has been found that a receipt printed with an advertisement can be issued by editing the output print information and printing the edited output print information on a print sheet.

[0008] It has also been found that advertisement information can be printed on printing paper without changing the print area of receipt information printed in an existing POS terminal system.

[0009] Further, in the construction of a POS terminal system in which a function of printing advertisement information on a receipt using the printer of the POS terminal system is added, a new host / host is required.
It turned out that there is no need to use a controller, and an existing host controller can be used.

[0010] Further, the printer receives the advertisement print information generated by the advertisement agency server from the advertisement agency server via a network connected to a predetermined control port, thereby retrieving the advertisement print information. It has been found that printing can be performed without generating or generating.

Based on the above research results, the following invention is provided.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer comprising: a plurality of control ports; a reception unit for receiving reception information via the control ports; and a reception unit receiving the reception information via the control ports. A storage unit for storing required port-specific print information from the received information in a port-specific area storage unit designated for each control port, and a plurality of different control ports designated for each of a plurality of different control ports stored by the storage unit. An editing unit that edits one piece of output print information to be printed on a print sheet based on port-specific print information in a plurality of port-specific area storage units; and executes printing on a print sheet based on the output print information. This is a printer including a print control unit.

A second aspect of the printer according to the present invention is a printer further provided with a transmission unit for transmitting required information to a device connected via a control port.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer, wherein one or a plurality of the above-mentioned port area storage units are designated for each control port.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer according to the present invention, wherein the storage unit stores required port-specific print information extracted from received information received via a control port. The printer includes a storage area search unit for searching for a set, and a port-specific print information storage unit for extracting port-specific print information from received information and storing the port-specific print information in the port area storage unit searched by the storage area search unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the above-mentioned printer, the storage unit stores predetermined print information for each port for each control port for editing one piece of output print information to be printed on printing paper. The printer further includes an area designating unit for designating the port-specific area storage unit from a plurality of port-specific area storage units.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer according to the sixth aspect, wherein the editing unit retrieves print information for each port from a port area storage unit designated for each of a plurality of different control ports. And a print information generation unit that generates one piece of output print information to be printed on a print sheet based on a plurality of port-specific print information extracted by the print information extraction unit.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the printer, the print information generating unit prints the port-specific print information in the predetermined port area storage unit received via the predetermined control port. The printer is characterized in that it is possible to designate a print area for printing port-specific print information in a predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via another control port with reference to the print area.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the above aspect, the editing unit may be configured to perform printing by port in a different designated port-based area storage unit based on port-specific printing information in a predetermined port-based area storage unit. The printer further includes a print information determination unit that determines required information of output print information from the information.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the printer, the port-specific print information received through the predetermined control port in the predetermined port area storage unit is receipt print information. Is a printer characterized in that the port-specific print information received in the port-specific area storage unit via different control ports is advertisement print information.

In a first aspect of the advertisement printing system according to the present invention, one or more advertisement providing clients for providing an advertisement to be printed on a receipt and an advertisement on the receipt are printed. A POS system for one or more stores equipped with the printer according to any one of the above,
An advertisement agency server that transmits the advertisement providing information of the advertisement to be printed on the receipt received from the advertisement providing client to the POS system of the store and causes the printer of the POS system of the store to print the advertisement; The providing client and the advertising agency server can mutually receive and transmit information, and the POS system of a predetermined store and the advertising agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via a network. An advertisement printing system.

According to a second aspect of the advertisement printing system of the present invention, the above-mentioned advertisement agency server has contracted in advance based on the advertisement providing information of the advertisement to be printed on the receipt received from the advertisement providing client. An advertisement printing system characterized in that a desired store is selected from one or a plurality of stores, and advertisement print information for printing an advertisement on a receipt is transmitted to a POS system of the selected store.

A third aspect of the advertisement printing system according to the present invention is characterized in that a predetermined printer of the POS system and an advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via a network. An advertising printing system.

According to a first aspect of the printing area control method of the present invention, (a) a receiving step of receiving received information via a plurality of control ports; And (c) storing a plurality of different control information stored in the port-specific area storage unit designated for each control port from the received information received through the storage step. An editing step of editing one piece of output print information to be printed on a print sheet based on port-specific print information in a plurality of port-specific area storage units designated for each port; and (d) an output step based on the output print information. And a printing control step of performing printing on printing paper.

A second aspect of the print area control method of the present invention is a print area control method further comprising a transmission step of transmitting required information to a device connected via a control port.

According to a third aspect of the print area control method of the present invention, the above-mentioned port area storage section stores one control port for each control port.
A print area control method is characterized in that one or more print areas are designated.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a print area control method, wherein the above-mentioned storing step is capable of storing required port-specific print information extracted from the received information received via the control port. A print area comprising: a storage area search step of searching a separate area storage unit; and a port print information storage step of extracting port-specific print information from received information and storing the print information in the port area search unit searched by the storage area search step. It is a control method.

According to a fifth aspect of the printing area control method of the present invention, the storing step includes the step of storing the print information for each port for each control port for editing one piece of output print information to be printed on print paper. This is a print area control method further comprising an area specifying step of specifying the stored predetermined port-specific area storage unit from a plurality of port-specific area storage units.

According to a sixth aspect of the printing area control method of the present invention, in the above-described editing step, the printing step retrieves port-specific print information from a port-specific area storage unit designated for each of a plurality of different control ports. A print area control method comprising: an information extraction step; and a print information generation step of generating one output print information to be printed on a print sheet based on a plurality of port-specific print information extracted in the print information extraction step. is there.

In a seventh aspect of the print area control method according to the present invention, the print information generating step described above is characterized in that the print information for each port in the predetermined area storage unit for each port received via the predetermined control port is used. A print area control method characterized in that a print area for printing port-specific print information of a predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via another control port can be designated based on a print area to be printed. .

According to an eighth aspect of the print area control method of the present invention, the above-mentioned editing step includes the step of changing the designated port-specific area storage unit based on the port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit. This is a print area control method further comprising a print information determining step of determining required information of output print information from port-specific print information.

According to a ninth aspect of the print area control method of the present invention, the port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the predetermined control port is the receipt print information. The print area control method is characterized in that the port-specific print information received in the port-specific area storage unit via a control port different from the port is advertisement print information.

The first aspect of the information recording medium of the present invention is:
An information recording medium on which a program for the above-described print area control method is recorded.

According to a second aspect of the information recording medium of the present invention,
An information recording medium on which a program characterized by being a compact disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital versatile disk, a magnetic tape, or a memory card is recorded.

[0035]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are for explanation, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adopt embodiments in which each of these elements or all elements are replaced by equivalents, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the POS system.

The POS terminal system uses a PO
Host that runs S application software
It comprises a controller, a printer for printing receipts and the like, a display device for displaying the price of goods and the like, an input device such as a keyboard and a scanner, and the like, and each component is connected by wire. In the POS system, a plurality of POS terminal systems are wired or wirelessly connected to a network 103 such as a LAN. Here, the POS terminal system includes a host system in which the host controller is one of the components, and a stand-alone system in which the host controller is not a component.

In the POS system 100, the host
The system 101 is connected to the LAN 103 by wire, and the stand-alone system 102 is connected wirelessly. The host system 101 includes, in a host controller 110, a printer 111 having a wireless communication device,
The display device 112 and the input device 113 are connected by wire. The printer 111 further has a control port for connecting to a network 104 such as a telephone line, and can print advertisement print information received from an advertisement agency server (not shown) via the telephone line 104 on a receipt. it can.

The stand-alone system 102
Displays the display device 1 on the printer 121 having the wireless communication device.
22 and the input device 123 are connected by wire. Based on a control request from the application software of the host controller 110 of the host system 101, the printer 121 of the stand-alone system 102 can execute control or display on the display device 122 by using a wireless communication device. Or you can. Also,
The information input from the input device 123 can be transmitted to the host controller 110 of the host system 101 using a wireless communication device.

The printer according to the present invention includes a plurality of control ports, a receiving section for receiving the received information via each control port, and a required section from the received information received via each control port by the receiving section. A storage unit for storing port-specific print information in a port-specific area storage unit specified for each control port, and a plurality of port-specific areas specified for each of a plurality of different control ports stored by the storage unit An editing unit that edits one piece of output print information to be printed on print paper based on the port-specific print information in the storage unit; and a print control unit that executes printing on print paper based on the output print information. ing. Further, the printer of the present invention further includes a transmission unit for transmitting necessary information to a device connected via the control port.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the printer.

The printer comprises a control unit 201, a receiving unit 20
2, storage unit 203, editing unit 204, print control unit 205,
A status detection unit 206 and a transmission unit 207 are provided.

The receiving unit 202 receives the receipt print information from the host controller via the port A, or the advertisement print information from the advertisement agency server via the port B, and stores it in the reception buffer 211. Reception from the host controller via the port A may be wired communication or wireless communication.

The storage unit 203 stores the receipt print information received from the host controller via the port A based on the received information stored in the reception buffer 211 by the reception unit 202 and the print area management information unit 221 for the port A. The advertisement print information stored in the buffer 212 and received from the advertisement agency server via the port B is stored in the port B No. 1
No. for buffer 213 or port B 2 buffers 21
4 is stored. Here, two buffers for port B are prepared, but any number of buffers for port B may be used as long as the number of buffers is two or more. The print area management information section 22
Reference numeral 1 stores information for managing the storage status of the port B buffer. For example, when two buffers for port B are prepared as shown in FIG.
No. 1 for the port B as management information of the buffer 1 213.
The advertisement print information stored in the first buffer 213 is the port B No. used for receipt printing. 2 is the advertisement print information after receipt printing of the advertisement print information stored in the buffer 214, or the port B No.
Information for distinguishing that no information is stored in one buffer 213 is stored. Therefore, the advertisement print information received from the advertisement agency server via the port B is stored in the empty area based on the storage status of the port B buffer of the print area management information unit 221 and the result is stored in the print area management. The information is reflected in the information section 221, or when there is no free area, error information is returned to the advertising agency server via the transmission section 207 described later.

The editing unit 204 stores the receipt print information stored in the port A buffer 212 by the storage unit 203 and the port B No. 1 buffer 213 or port B
No. 2 advertisement print information stored in the buffer 214;
Then, based on the print area management information section 221, print information for printing on print paper is edited and stored in the print information buffer 215.

The print control unit 205 prints on printing paper based on the print information in the print information buffer 215 edited by the editing unit 204.

The status detection unit 206 detects various printer statuses such as paper cut, cover open, and maintenance counter.

The transmission unit 207 includes a status detection unit 206
Paper cut, maintenance,
Based on the status of the counter or the like, the number of issued receipts on which the advertisement print information is printed is calculated, the calculated result is stored in the issued number management unit 222, and further transmitted to the advertising agency server. Further, status information for the information received from the advertising agency server described above is transmitted. Further, various statuses detected by the status detection unit 206 are transmitted to the host controller.

The control unit 201 includes a receiving unit 202, a storage unit 2
03, the editing unit 204, the print control unit 205, the status detection unit 206, and the transmission unit 207 are associated with each other and controlled.

The print area control method according to the present invention comprises: (a) a receiving step of receiving received information via a plurality of control ports; and (b) a receiving information received via each control port in the receiving step. And (c) storing the required port-specific print information in a port-specific area storage unit specified for each control port, and (c) specifying a plurality of different control ports stored in the storage step. An editing step of editing one piece of output print information to be printed on printing paper based on the port-specific print information in the plurality of port-specific area storage units;
(D) a printing control step of executing printing on printing paper based on the output printing information. Further, the print area control method of the present invention further includes a transmission step of transmitting required information to a device connected via the control port.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the processing of the printer.

First, receipt print information from the host controller via the port A or advertisement print information from the advertisement agency server via the port B is received and stored in the reception buffer 211 (S301).

Next, based on the reception information stored in the reception buffer 211, the receipt print information received from the host controller via the port A is stored in the port A buffer 212 and stored in the reception buffer 211. Based on the reception information and the storage status of the port B buffer in the print area management information section 221, the advertisement print information received from the advertising agency server via the port B is converted to the port B No.
No. 1 buffer 213 or port B No. 2 buffer 2
14 (S302).

Next, the receipt print information stored in the port A buffer 212 and the port B No. 1 buffer 2
13 or port B No. 2 print information stored in the buffer 214 and a print area management information section 221
, The print information for printing on the print paper is edited and stored in the print information buffer 215 (S303).

Next, printing is performed on printing paper based on the print information in the print information buffer 215 (S304).

Finally, the number of issued receipts on which the advertisement print information has been printed is calculated, and the calculation result is used as the issued number management unit 2.
22 and further transmitted to the advertising agency server (S3
05).

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG.
The above processing will be described in detail.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating the storage processing in step S302 described above in detail.

First, the transmission source of the reception information stored in the reception buffer 211 is extracted (S401), and it is determined whether the transmission source is the host controller (S40).
2).

If the transmission source is the host controller (S402; Yes), it is determined whether the received information is receipt print information (S403). If the received information is receipt print information (S403; Yes), it is determined whether it is time to switch the buffer for port B in which the advertisement print information is stored (S404).
That is, the port B No. If the contracted number of receipts printed with the advertisement print information stored in the first buffer 213 is issued, the port B No. 2 for the port B for switching to the advertisement print information stored in the second buffer 214. 1 buffer 213 to port B No. 2
The timing of switching to the buffer 214, or conversely, the port B No. 2 from buffer 214 to N for port B
o. It is determined whether or not it is the timing of switching the buffer for port B in which the advertisement print information is stored, such as the timing of switching to one buffer 213.

When it is time to switch the buffer for port B in which the advertisement print information is stored (S40)
4; Yes) designates a buffer for port B after switching (S405), retrieves receipt print information from the reception information stored in the reception buffer 211, and stores it in the port A buffer 212 (S406). On the other hand, when it is not the switching timing of the port B buffer in which the advertisement print information is stored (S404; No), the process proceeds to step S406.

If the received information is not the receipt print information (S403; No), a process corresponding to the received information is executed (S407).

If the source is not the host controller (S402; No), it is determined whether or not the source is an advertising agency server (S408). If the transmission source is the advertisement agency server (S408; Yes), a free buffer for port B for storing reception information is set based on the storage status of the buffer for port B in the print area management information unit 221. A search is performed (S409), and it is determined whether there is a free buffer for port B (S410). If there is a free buffer for port B (S410; Yes), the advertisement print information is extracted from the reception information received from the advertisement agency server and stored in the free buffer for port B (S4).
11). On the other hand, when there is no free buffer for port B (S410; No), error processing such as transmitting that there is no free area to the advertising agency server is performed (S4).
12).

When the transmission source is not the advertising agency server (S
408; No) executes the process corresponding to the received information (S413).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating the editing process in step S303 in detail.

First, the receipt print information stored in the port A buffer 212 is extracted (S501). Next, it is determined whether there is advertisement print information based on the storage state of the port B buffer in the print area management information section 221 (S502).

When there is advertisement print information (S502; Ye)
s) is based on the storage status of the port B buffer in the print area management information section 221 based on the port B No. No. 1 buffer 213 or port B No. The advertisement print information stored in the second buffer 214 is extracted (S503). It is determined whether or not there is a condition print such as issuing a coupon by linking the obtained advertisement print information with the purchased product (S504). If there is conditional printing in the extracted advertisement print information (S504; Yes), condition information that matches the condition printing of the advertisement print information is searched from the receipt print information (S505), and the condition that matches the condition printing of the advertisement print information is searched. It is determined whether the information is in the receipt print information (S506). When the condition information suitable for the condition printing of the advertisement print information is included in the receipt print information (S506; Y
es) extracts print information for condition printing from the advertisement print information (S507), and further extracts print information for advertisement printing from the advertisement print information (S508).

Finally, print information for printing on print paper is generated based on the extracted print information for condition printing, print information for advertisement printing, and receipt print information (S509). Print information buffer 2
15 (S510). Here, the print area of the print information for advertisement printing on the print paper is printed in a preset print area. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print area of print information for advertisement printing. As shown in FIG. 9A, print information for advertisement printing is printed on the left and right areas of the receipt print area, and as shown in FIG. 9B, advertisement print information is printed on the upper and lower areas of the receipt print area. Can be printed. Also, by changing the print head to a high-density head as shown in FIG. 9C, print information for advertisement printing can be printed in the left area of the receipt print area. Also, as shown in FIG. 9D, a coupon can be printed as condition information suitable for condition printing of advertisement print information.

If there is no condition information matching the condition printing of the advertisement printing information in the receipt printing information (S50).
6; No) moves on to step S508. Similarly,
When the extracted advertisement print information has no condition print (S50)
4; No) also proceeds to step S508.

When there is no advertisement print information (S50)
2; No), the process moves to step S510, and the receipt print information is stored in the print information buffer 215.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating the transmission process of step S305 in detail.

First, it is determined whether it is time to transmit the number of issued advertisements to the advertising agency server (S60).
1). When it is the transmission timing of the number of issued advertisements to the advertisement agency server (S601; Yes), the advertisement printing is performed based on the status of the paper cut, maintenance counter, etc. detected from various sensors provided in the printer. The number of receipts on which information is printed is calculated (S602).

It is determined whether or not the number of receipts on which the calculated advertisement print information is printed has reached the contract number (S
603). If the number of receipts has reached the contracted number (S603; Yes), the switching timing of the port B buffer storing the advertisement print information and the storage status of the port B buffer of the print area management information unit 221 Is set (S604). On the other hand, if the number of receipts issued has not reached the contracted number (S603; N
In step o), the process proceeds to the next step S605.

Transmission information for transmitting the number of receipts on which the advertisement print information is printed to the advertising agency server is generated (S605), and a transmission request to the advertising agency server is executed together with the generated issuing number transmission information. Yes (S60
6).

If it is not time to transmit the number of issued advertisements to the advertising agency server (S601; No), the corresponding processing is executed (S607).

The advertisement printing system according to the present invention may further include one or more advertisement providing clients for providing advertisements to be printed on receipts and print advertisements on receipts. And a POS system of one or more stores provided with the printer described in (1), and advertisement providing information of an advertisement to be printed on a receipt received from the advertisement providing client is transmitted to the POS system of the store. An advertisement agency server that causes the printer to print an advertisement, the advertisement providing client and the advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via the network, and can store and receive information at a predetermined store via the network. The POS system and the advertising agency server can mutually receive and transmit information.

Further, in the advertisement printing system of the present invention, the advertisement agency server may include one or a plurality of contracts in advance based on the advertisement providing information of the advertisement to be printed on the receipt received from the advertisement providing client. A desired store is selected from the individual stores, and advertisement print information for printing an advertisement on a receipt is transmitted to the POS system of the selected store.

Further, the advertisement printing system of the present invention
A predetermined printer of the S system and an advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via a network.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the advertisement printing system.

As shown in FIG. 7, the POS system 701a of the store A includes a POS terminal system 710a including a host controller 711a, a printer 712a and the like. The printer 712a includes a port A 721a for control and a port B 722a, and the printer 712a is connected to the host controller 711a via the port A 721a.

The printer 712a is connected to the port B72
It is connected to the advertisement agency server 702 via a network 704 such as a telephone line via 2a.

The advertisement agency server 702 searches for a suitable store based on the contract information of the advertisement received from the advertisement providing client 703. When the searched store is the store A, the advertisement information is transmitted to the printer 712a of the store A connected via the network 704. The printer 712a prints the advertisement information received from the advertisement providing client 703 when printing the receipt information.

Further, the POS system may be connected to a network via a communication server. Store B PO
The S system 701b includes a host controller 711
b, POS terminal system 7 including printer 712b, etc.
10b and a communication server 715b. The printer 712b includes a control port port A 721b and a port B 722b.
Host controller 711 through port A 721b
b and is connected to the communication server 7 via the port B 722b.
15b. Also, the communication server 715b
Is connected to the network 70 via the advertising agency server 702.
4 is connected.

When the store searched based on the advertisement contract information received from the advertisement providing client 703 is the store B, the advertisement agency server 702 communicates with the store B connected via the network 704. The advertisement information is transmitted to the server 715b. Communication server 715b
Transmits the advertisement information received from the advertisement providing client 703 to the printer b, and the printer 712b prints the advertisement information received from the communication server 715b when printing the receipt information.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flowchart of processing in the advertisement printing system.

[0086] The advertisement agency server and the advertisement providing client make a contract for the contents and conditions related to the advertisement in advance. In this contract, communication conditions and communication information between the advertisement agency server and the advertisement providing client are also set. This communication information is called advertisement providing information. In addition, a contract is made between the advertising agency server and the store in advance regarding the contents, conditions, etc. relating to the advertisement printing for printing the advertisement together with the receipt printing by the printer of the store. In this contract, communication conditions and communication information between the advertising agency server and the POS system of the store are also set. This communication information is called advertisement print information.

Therefore, the processing between the advertising agency server and the advertisement providing client is executed based on the advertisement providing information, and the processing between the advertising agency server and the printer at the store is performed based on the advertisement print information. Be executed.

First, the advertisement providing client transmits the advertisement providing information to the advertisement agency server (S801). Here, the advertisement providing information includes customer data, advertisement data, product link data, and the like. The customer data is an advertisement provision that includes a genre (for example, a grocery store, a liquor store, a bookstore, and the like) that is information that specifies a store that prints an advertisement on a receipt, the number of receipts on each store where the advertisement is printed, and the like. This is the previous condition information. The advertisement data is print information to be advertised (for example, a logo, an advertisement, a coupon, etc.). The product link data is information (for example, a JAN code, a coupon No., etc.) linked to the purchased product such as issuing a coupon when the specified product is purchased.

The advertisement agency server determines a store on which the advertisement is to be printed based on the customer data of the received advertisement providing information,
A search is made from a store group consisting of a plurality of stores contracted in advance (S811). The advertisement print information to be transmitted to the printer of the searched store is generated based on the received advertisement providing information (S812), and the generated advertisement print information is transmitted to the printer of the searched store (S813).

The printer stores the received advertisement print information in the advertisement print storage unit (S821). When receiving a receipt print request from the host control, the printer issues a receipt with an advertisement based on the receipt data received from the host control and the advertisement print information in the advertisement print storage unit (S822).

Further, the printer counts the number of issued receipts and transmits the number of issued receipts to the advertising agency server, or terminates issuing when the number of issued receipts reaches the designated number. Information is transmitted (S823).

The advertisement agency server executes a billing process based on the number of receipts issued or the issue end information received from the printer (S814), and transmits the processing result to the advertisement providing client (S815).

The information recording medium of the present invention can also record a program for the above-described print area control method.

The information recording medium of the present invention may be a compact disk, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, digital versatile disk, magnetic tape, or memory card.

[0095]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The following effects are obtained.

In the printer of the POS terminal system,
Edits one piece of output print information to be printed on print paper based on receipt print information received from the host controller through one control port and advertisement print information received through another control port. Then, by printing the edited output print information on a print sheet, it is possible to issue an advertisement-printed receipt.

Further, the advertisement information can be printed on the printing paper without changing the print area of the receipt information printed in the existing POS terminal system.

Further, in the construction of a POS terminal system in which a function of printing advertisement information on a receipt using the printer of the POS terminal system is added, a new host / host is used.
There is no need to use a controller, and an existing host controller can be used. Therefore, the POS terminal system can be easily reconfigured, and the cost of the reconfiguration can be reduced.

[0099] Further, the printer receives the advertisement print information generated by the advertisement agency server from the advertisement agency server via a network connected to a predetermined control port, thereby retrieving the advertisement print information. It can also be printed without generating or generating.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a POS system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating functional blocks of the printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of processing of a printer.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart illustrating storage processing in detail.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart illustrating an editing process in detail.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart illustrating transmission processing in detail.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of an advertisement printing system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of a process in the advertisement printing system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print area of print information for advertisement printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 POS system 101 host system 102 stand-alone system 103 LAN 104 telephone line 110 host controller 111 printer 112 display device 113 input device 121 printer 122 display device 123 input device

Continuation of the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 AS02 JJ04 2C087 AB06 BC02 BC06 BD02 BD07 CA02 CA05 CA12 CB11 3E042 CE05 CE07 EA01 5B021 AA01 BB01 BB04 BB10 CC05 EE04

Claims (23)

[Claims] A plurality of control ports; a receiving unit for receiving received information via each of the control ports; and a receiving unit for receiving required information from the received information via each of the control ports by the receiving unit. A storage unit for storing port-specific print information in a port-specific area storage unit specified for each of the control ports, and a plurality of different control ports designated for each of the plurality of different control ports stored by the storage unit; An editing unit that edits one piece of output print information to be printed on print paper based on the port-specific print information in the port-specific area storage unit; and executes printing on the print paper based on the output print information. A printer including a print control unit. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit for transmitting required information to a device connected via said control port. 3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the port area storage units are designated for each of the control ports. 4. A storage area search in which said storage unit searches said port-specific area storage unit which can store the required port-specific print information extracted from said received information received via said control port. And a port-specific print information storage unit that extracts the port-specific print information from the received information and stores the port-specific print information in the port-specific area storage unit searched by the storage area search unit.
A printer according to any one of the preceding claims. 5. The predetermined port storage area storing the port-specific print information for each control port for editing one piece of the output print information to be printed on the print paper. 5. The printer according to claim 4, further comprising: an area designating unit that designates a plurality of port-specific area storage units. 6. A print information retrieving section for retrieving each port-specific print information from the port-specific area storage section designated for each of a plurality of different control ports, and the print information retrieving section. 4. The print information generating unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a print information generating unit configured to generate one piece of the output print information to be printed on the print sheet based on the plurality of the extracted pieces of print information for each port. 5. The printer described. 7. The printing information generating unit according to claim 1, further comprising, based on a printing area in which the port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the predetermined control port is printed, 7. A print area for printing the port-specific print information in the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the control port, wherein the print area can be designated.
Printer according to. 8. The printing unit according to claim 1, wherein the editing unit is configured to output the output print information from the port-specific print information of the different designated port-specific area storage unit based on the port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit. The printer according to claim 6, further comprising a print information determination unit configured to determine required information. 9. The port-specific print information of the port-specific area storage unit received via the predetermined control port is receipt print information, and is a control port different from the predetermined control port. The port-specific print information of the port-specific area storage unit received via the PC is advertisement print information.
Printer according to paragraph. 10. An advertisement providing client for providing an advertisement to be printed on a receipt, and the printer according to claim 1 for printing the advertisement on a receipt. The POS system of one or more stores and the advertisement providing information of the advertisement to be printed on the receipt received from the advertisement providing client are transmitted to the POS system of the store.
An advertisement agency server that causes the printer of the S system to print an advertisement, wherein the advertisement providing client and the advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via a network, and An advertisement printing system in which a POS system of the predetermined store and the advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via the Internet. 11. The advertisement agency server selects a desired one or a plurality of stores based on the advertisement providing information of the advertisement to be printed on a receipt received from the advertisement providing client. The advertisement printing system according to claim 10, wherein the advertisement printing information for printing the advertisement on a receipt is transmitted to the selected POS system of the store. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined printer of the POS system and the advertisement agency server can mutually receive and transmit information via a network. Advertising printing system. 13. A print area control method comprising the following steps. (A) a receiving step of receiving received information via a plurality of control ports; and (b) a required port-specific print information from the received information received via each of the control ports in the receiving step. (C) storing a plurality of ports designated for each of the plurality of different control ports stored in the storage step in a port-specific area storage unit designated for each of the control ports; Printing on print paper based on port-specific print information in area storage 1
And (d) a print control step of executing printing on the printing paper based on the output print information. 14. The print area control method according to claim 13, further comprising a transmission step of transmitting required information to a device connected via said control port. 15. The print area control method according to claim 13, wherein one or a plurality of the port area storage units are designated for each control port. 16. The storage area search for searching the port area storage unit capable of storing the required port-specific print information extracted from the received information received via the control port in the storing step. 16. The port-specific print information storing step of extracting the port-specific print information from the received information and storing the port-specific print information in the port-specific area storage unit retrieved by the storage area retrieval step. 2. The print area control method according to claim 1. 17. The predetermined port-by-port area storage unit in which the storing step stores the port-specific print information for each of the control ports for editing one piece of the output print information to be printed on the printing paper. 2. An area designating step of designating the number from the plurality of port-specific area storage units.
7. The print area control method according to item 6. 18. The print information retrieving step of retrieving each port-specific print information from the port-specific area storage unit designated for each of a plurality of different control ports, and the print information retrieving step. 16. A print information generating step of generating one piece of output print information to be printed on the printing paper based on the plurality of pieces of port-specific print information taken out, wherein The print area control method described in the above. 19. The print information generating step according to claim 1, wherein, based on a print area in which the port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the predetermined control port is printed, 19. The printer according to claim 18, wherein a print area for printing the port-specific print information in the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the control port can be designated. 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the editing step is configured to convert the output print information from the port-specific print information in the different designated port-specific area storage unit based on the port-specific print information in the predetermined port-specific area storage unit. The print area control method according to claim 18 or 19, further comprising a print information determination step of determining required information. 21. The port-specific print information of the predetermined port-specific area storage unit received via the predetermined control port is receipt print information, and is a control port different from the predetermined control port. The print area control method according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein the port-specific print information of the port-specific area storage unit received via the PC is advertisement print information. 22. An information recording medium in which a program for the print area control method according to claim 13 is recorded. 23. The information recording medium includes a compact disk, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, and a hard disk.
23. The information recording medium according to claim 22, wherein the information recording medium is a disk, a magneto-optical disk, a digital versatile disk, a magnetic tape, or a memory card.