JPS62130459A - Product information retrieval system for pos system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a waiting time for retrieval without pushing up a cost by outputting a bit of product information obtained from a file at a center side when the bit of product information requested to retrieve is not present within a RAM at its own terminal, and providing a learning function to register additionally an obtained bit of product information within its own RAM. CONSTITUTION:When a retrieval request for the bit of product information is inputted from an input/output device 12 to a processor 11 in a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal equipment 2a, the bit of product information within a RAM13 is retrieved. And when a corresponding bit of product information is registered, it is displayed on a CRT at the input/output device. But when it is not registered, a product information file 1b within a center device 1 is retrieved with the processor 11 through a series transmission line 3a and a terminal controller 1a. And the obtained bit of product information is registered additionally at the RAM13, and also, it is displayed on the CRT at the input/output device 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Purpose of the invention Industrial application field The present invention is directed to a POS (Po1
nt Of 5ales) This relates to the product information search method used in the system.

Traditional technology distribution systems include POS with product information files;
A well-known POS system has been constructed that includes a terminal control device and a plurality of POS terminal devices connected to the POS terminal control device via a serial transmission line.

Conventionally, in such a POS system, when inputting a product code from each POS terminal device to search for product information such as the corresponding product name and price, the PLU in the terminal control device on the center side is transmitted via a serial transmission line. (Pr1ce Look
It searches for product information files called Up) files, and displays or prints out the search results.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the product information search method in the conventional POS system described above, product information search requests from all terminal devices are concentrated on the terminal control device on the center side. As the number of users increases, the waiting time from issuing a search request to obtaining results becomes longer, which may cause problems in cash register operations.

A possible solution is to distribute product information files to each terminal device, but this requires many large-capacity product information files, which increases system creation costs. If the fluctuations are severe, there is a risk that product information will be inconsistent between the center side and the terminal device side, or between the terminal devices.

Structure of the Invention Means for Solving the Problems The product information retrieval method of the present invention which solves the problems of the prior art described above uses a high-speed random access memory in which each POS terminal device registers a part of the product information. We are prepared.

When a product information search request occurs, each terminal device first searches the contents of its own random access memory, and if product information related to the search request exists, it immediately outputs this as a search result, and then requests the search request. If there is no product information related to p.

The system is equipped with a learning function that acquires the relevant product information from the product information file in the S terminal control device, outputs it as a search result, and additionally registers the acquired product information in its own random access memory. The system is designed to shorten the time required to search for product information without increasing the cost of creating the product.

Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, when each terminal device additionally registers product information in the random access memory, if there is no storage area for registration, the product information registered or updated first By updating information with product information related to additional registration, product information is automatically deleted in chronological order, making it possible to prevent content discrepancies from occurring between product information files distributed at the center or other terminal devices. It is prevented.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be explained in detail together with examples.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a portion of a POS system to which a product information search method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, which is necessary for explaining this embodiment.

This POS system includes a center-side device 1 and multiple POS systems.
OS terminal devices 2a12b...2n, and serial transmission lines 3a, 3b... that connect these terminal devices and the center side.
3n.

The center device 1 includes a POS terminal control device 1a and a product information file 1b composed of a large-capacity magnetic disk device and the like.

Each of the terminal devices 2a to 2n, as exemplified by the terminal device 2a, includes a processing device 11 and an input/output device 12, as well as a random access/output device for registering part of product information.
It is equipped with memory (RAM) 13.

Product information search processing by the processing device in each terminal device,
The processing device 11 in the terminal device 2a will be explained as a representative example.

When the processing device 11 receives a search request for product information, such as by inputting a product code, from the input/output device 12, it starts a search process according to the procedure illustrated in the flowchart of FIG.

First, in the first step 21, the processing device 11 performs the following steps.
The input product code is received, and in the next step 22, product information registered in the RAM 13 is searched using this product code as a key.

In the next determination step 23, it is determined whether the product information corresponding to the search request is registered in the RAM 13. If the corresponding product information is registered, the processing device 11 proceeds to step 26 and inputs the CRT of the input/output device 12.
Output product information such as price and product name to the next step 2.
At step 7, these are printed out and the search process is completed.

On the other hand, if the corresponding product information is not registered in the RAM 13, the processing bag W11 proceeds from determination step 23 to step 24. In step 24, the processing device 11 acquires product information related to the search request by searching the product information file 1b in the center device via the serial transmission line 3a and the terminal control device 1a.

In the next step 25, the processing device 11 additionally registers the product information acquired from the center side in the RAM 13.

The processing device 11 displays this additionally registered product information on the CRT in step 26, prints it out in step 27, and completes the product information search process.

When the control device 11 additionally registers the product information acquired from the center side in step 25, if a storage area for this additional registration does not exist in the RAM 13, the control device 11 registers the oldest product that was registered or updated first. The information is updated with product information related to this additional registration. This increments the write address counter in the RAM 13 each time product information is registered, and resets it to the minimum value when the contents of the write address counter reach the maximum value determined by the storage capacity of the RAM 13. This can be easily achieved by

Above, price and product name have been exemplified as the product information to be searched, but it goes without saying that other product information similar to these may also be included in the search target.

Effects of the Invention As explained in detail above, the product information search method of the present invention retrieves product information obtained from the product information file on the center side only when the product information related to the search request does not exist in the RAM of its own terminal device. Since the system has a learning function that outputs the search results as search results and additionally registers the acquired product information in its own RAM, the search waiting time can be shortened without increasing the cost of the system. I can do it.

Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the registration amount in the RAM becomes full, the product information that was registered or updated first is updated with new product information, so that the product information is automatically sorted in chronological order. Since the configuration is such that the data is deleted, it is possible to effectively prevent content inconsistency, which tends to be a problem when product information files are distributed and installed between the center side and other terminal devices.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a portion of a POS system to which a product information search method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, which is necessary for explaining this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a search process in each terminal device. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure using the terminal device 2a as a representative example. l...Center side device, la...POS terminal control device,
1b...product information file, 2a-2n...terminal device,
3a to 3n: Serial transmission line connecting each terminal device and the center side device 1; 11: Processing device; 12: Input/output device; 13: Random access memory for registering part of product information.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a POS system consisting of a POS terminal control device equipped with a product information file and a plurality of POS terminal devices connected to this POS terminal control device via a serial transmission line, each of the POS terminal devices , is equipped with a random access memory for registering part of product information, and when a product information search request occurs, the contents of the random access memory are searched, and if product information related to the search request exists, this is retrieved. is output as the search result, and if the product information related to the search request does not exist, the corresponding product information is obtained from the product information file in the POS terminal control device and output as the search result, and this obtained product information is sent to the random A product information search method for a POS system characterized by additional registration in an access memory. (2) When additionally registering the product information to the random access memory, if there is no storage area for registration, the product information that was registered or updated first is updated with the product information related to the additional registration. A product information search method for a POS system according to claim 1.