JPS6055876B2 - refrigerator system - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a centralized refrigerator management system.

In recent years, refrigerators that are placed in each guest room of a hotel and sell several types of products such as beer and juice are connected to a central processing unit located at the front desk, etc., and this central processing unit stores each product in the refrigerator of each guest room. Systems are often used that centrally manage the sales volume of customers and bill customers at checkout. In such a system, a group of product switches for detecting the presence of products is usually provided at the product storage position of each product storage shelf formed in a honeycomb shape in each refrigerator, and a central processing section is provided with a group of product switches for detecting the presence of products at the product storage position of each product storage shelf formed in a honeycomb shape. One-to-one with each switch in the group
Equipped with a storage device with a storage area corresponding to The area was referenced and charges were billed. However, with the above-described configuration of the refrigerator system, the refrigerator must be filled every time a customer checks in, which increases the need to replenish and collect products from the refrigerator, which is a hassle for employees.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a centralized refrigerator management system that does not require refilling the refrigerator every time a user checks in. An embodiment of the system according to the invention will be described below.

Figure 1 shows the system configuration, with central processor 1 (
The CPU (hereinafter referred to as the CPU) is connected to the transmission circuit 2, the keyboard 8, the display 9, and the printer 10 by a bus line 56.

On the other hand, the transmission line 3 coming out from the transmission circuit 2 is connected to the terminal refrigerator #
Starting from 14, #2, #3,......#
It is connected in a chain-like fashion to the n terminal refrigerator 5, and is terminated at the last terminal.

Therefore, according to this method, when it is necessary to increase the number of terminals,
Simply removing the terminating resistor of the transmission cable 3, extending the cable to the additional terminal refrigerator 7, and terminating it there will not affect the structure of the CPU1.

Now, the CPUl has a display 9 as an output device, a printer 10, and a keyboard 8 as an input device.When the operator gives commands from the keyboard, the CPUl executes various prescribed programs and displays and prints the results. conduct.

However, at other times, CPUl is always terminal refrigerator 4,
5...7 is automatically scanned, and when a certain product is taken out of the refrigerator, the contact signal of the product detection switch is immediately transmitted to the transmission cable 3, transmission circuit 2. The data reaches the CPU1 through the CPU1 and is stored in the CPU1 internal storage device. The signals transmitted here will be briefly explained.

FIG. 2 shows the format of the signals on the transmission cable.

Signals are bidirectional on a transmission cable. As a result, a party line including all the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, 7 and the transmission circuit 2 is formed. Also, synchronization is based on the start-stop synchronization method. In FIG. 2, 11 represents a terminal control signal from CPU1.

The first bit is a start signal.

The second bit is an out mark indicating that this data block has been sent from CPU1 to the terminal, and has a logic level of 66r3.

The 8 bits from bit 3 to bit 10 specify a terminal number, and 256 terminals can be individually specified.

The 4 bits from the Zll bit to the 14th bit are command codes for the terminal, and there are the following types. 0000→Switch data read 0001→Buzzer on 0010→Buzzer off 0011→Door lock 0100→Door unlock The 15th bit is a parity bit.

The 16th bit is a stop bit.

12 in Fig. 2 is the terminal control signal 1 from CPU1.
This is a response signal sent back by the terminal specified in 1.

The second bit is an in mark indicating that this data block is sent from the terminal to the CPU1) and is at logic level ゜゜0゛.

The 3rd to 10th bits are the same as the terminal control signal 11 and are the terminal number code.

By checking this with CPU1, control signal 1
It is possible to check whether the signal of 1 was correctly received by the intended terminal. The 11th to 14th bits have the following types of status.

11 → Buzzer on 12 → Door-locked 13 → Reset button on 14 → Not used 13, 14, and 15 shown in Fig. 2 are used as response signal 12 only when the command code of terminal control signal 11 is switch data read. These are data blocks that occur consecutively.

Each bit from 3 bits to 14 bits corresponds to an individual product detection switch on a product storage shelf in the refrigerator.

In this embodiment, since 36 products are to be handled, the switches are divided into three groups: switch data group 1, switch data group 2, and switch data group 3. Data block 13 then transmits switch data group 1, and data block 14 similarly transmits switch data group 1.
transmits group 2 and block 15 transmits group 3.

Of course, the number of times the switch data is sent can be changed in response to an increase or decrease in the number of products in the refrigerator. Terminal refrigerator 4,
The circuit configurations of Nos. 5 and 7 will be explained with reference to FIG.

A balanced signal is transmitted using a 1-bear twisted pair wire for the transmission cable 3.

All the terminal refrigerators and the central transmission circuit share a pair of lines in the form of a party line, and communicate by dividing this line in time. Each terminal refrigerator 4, 5, 7, etc. transmission circuit 2 has a pair of line driver 16 and line receiver 17 through which signals are transmitted and received. A terminal control signal 11 issued from the CPU 1 is transferred to the transmission line 3 by the driver of the transmission circuit 2 and sent to the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7.

The terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7 receive the signal at the receiver 17, reproduce the level, and then send it to the serial/parallel converter 18. Here, detection of a start bit, generation of a reception clock, detection of data full, detection of data break, etc. are performed using a known method generally performed in asynchronous transmission, and the terminal control signal 11 is sent as a level signal to the converter 18. Obtainable. Each terminal refrigerator 4, 5, 7 has, for example, a (DIP) switch 19 that generates a unique terminal number.
is provided, and the terminal number section of bits 3 to 10 of the terminal control signal 11 on the serial/parallel converter 18 is compared with the data set in the DIP switch, and only the terminal with a match becomes active. The output of the comparator circuit 20 is further logically ANDed (43) between the output of a parity check circuit (not shown) and the out mark of bit 2 and is applied to the active input of the command coater 21.

The command decoder 21 generates five signals: switch data read, buzzer on, buzzer off, door lock, and door unlock, and the set terminal, reset terminal, and door lock one shot of the controller 36, buzzer flip-flop 28, respectively. 22 input, the door-unlock one-shot is added to the 25 input.

Buzzer flip-flop, door-lock one-shot, door-unlock one-shot outputs are sent through the respective drivers, buzzer 30, door lock solenoid 2
4. Drive the door-unlock solenoid 27. When a switch data read command is issued, a switch data flip-flop (not shown) in the controller 36 is set, and then the data block 13,
It is remembered that switch data 14 and 15 must be sent.

When the terminal control signal 11 is received by the specified terminal refrigerator, the response signal 1 is always sent regardless of the type of command.
2 is sent back to the CPU1, the transmission operation from the terminal refrigerator is started by the logical product 43 output that satisfies all of the terminal number check and parity checkout mark specification.

The terminal number generator 19 and the status signal 31 cause the response signal 12 to be loaded into the parallel-to-serial converter 32 through the data selector 33. The data selector 33 selects the data block 1 under the control of the controller 36.
2, data blocks 13, 14, 1 are loaded through the terminal number generator 19 and the signal from the status 31.
5, the signal from the switch matrix 34 is passed. Here, adding a start bit and a stop bit,
It performs transmission clock generation, buffer empty detection, etc., and sends the data on the parallel-to-serial converter 32 onto the transmission line 3 through the driver 16.

If the command code of the terminal control signal 11 is other than switch data read, the transmission operation is completed when the terminal response signal 12 is sent.

If the command code is switch data read, data blocks 13, 14, and 15 are subsequently transmitted.

When the switch data flip-flop in the controller 36 is set, a switch data sending sequence is started and the outputs of the switch group selection counter 35 are sequentially applied to the switch matrix 34. j
As shown in FIG. 4, the switch matrix 34 consists of timing signal lines 37, 38, and 39 from the counter 35 and one switch signal line 40 that intersects with the timing signal lines 37, 38, and 39, as shown in FIG. 42, and a diode 44 inserted in series with the switch to prevent malfunction 7 due to interference, and the switch signal line 4
0 is connected to the parallel-to-serial converter 32 through the data selector 33.

When transmitting the data block 13, the counter 35 activates the timing signal line 37, and only the data of the switch group connected thereto is loaded into the parallel-to-serial converter 32 through the data selector 33. Similarly, when transmitting the data block 14, the timing signal line 38
When the data block 15 is sent out by activating the timing signal line 39, the timing signal line 39 is activated, and the data of the corresponding switch group is loaded into the parallel-to-serial converter 32. In this way, from the CPU1 to the terminal refrigerators 4, 5,
It can be seen that giving commands to the terminal refrigerators 7 and collecting the status of the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, 7 and the consumption situation of products in the product storage shelves of the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, 7 are performed under control from the CPU1.

Next, the configuration and function of the transmission circuit 2 on the CPU1 side shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. This circuit is CPUl
It is located between two signal transmission lines used for communication with the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7, that is, the CPU bus line 56 and the terminal refrigerator transmission cable 3, and is intended to convert signal formats. From CPU1, terminal refrigerator 4,5
, 7 is generated, the controller 55 detects that the instruction is related to the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7, and loads the data on the CPU bus line 56 onto the parallel-to-serial converter 51. .

This data is the terminal control signal 1 shown in Figure 2.
1, and when it reaches the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7, it performs a job specific to the data content, but on this transmission circuit 2, it is processed as mere data. The data on the parallel to serial converter 51 is transferred to the transmission line 3 through the line driver 50 under control. On the other hand, data sent from the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7 is loaded onto a serial/parallel converter 53 through a line receiver 52.

When transmitting switch data from the terminal refrigerators I4, 5, and 7, reception is performed four times in a row. Therefore, an out data buffer 54 is provided to provide enough time for importing the data to the CPU1. The controller 55 detects the completion of transmission in the case of transmission and the completion of reception in the case of reception.
Generates an interrupt signal on Ul(1).

In the block diagram shown in Fig. 1, the transmission cable connecting the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7 is composed of one cable, but if the number of terminal refrigerators becomes very large, all terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and
, 7 takes too much time, and the service to the individual right terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7 deteriorates.

In such a case, it becomes necessary to provide a plurality of transmission circuits 2 and transmission cables 3. Even in that case, there will be no change in the structure and function of the individual system components described above. What has been described above is the structure and function of the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, 7 and the transmission circuit 2, centering on the transmission cables 3, 6. Subsequently, description will proceed to other components of the block diagram of FIG. 1. CPU
As shown in FIG.
, the other is named the initial switch data area 62. The terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7 all have their corresponding switch data SN63 and initial switch data I.
N64 has been assigned. In this example, both SN63 and IN64 have a capacity of 36 bits, and correspond to the switch data of terminal refrigerators 4, 5, and 7. The effect of the switch data SN63 is as explained below.

In other words, let's assume that a "scan" has been performed on a specific terminal refrigerator.The switch data obtained here is sent to the CPU
1, where it is matched with switch data SN63. If the two are the same, then between the previous scan and the current scan, the terminal refrigerators 4, 5, 7
SN63 remains unchanged (indicating that no use was made). If the newly obtained switch data differs from the switch data SN63 in that certain bits have disappeared, in this case, from the previous scan,
Indicates that products corresponding to the specific bit have been sold up to the current scan.

Then, the newly obtained switch data is entered into the switch data SN63. If the newly obtained switch data is different from the switch data SN63 and a specific bit appears, in this case, the product shelf corresponding to the specific bit between the previous scan and the current scan Indicates that an empty pin or other object has been inserted into the storage hole.

The IN 64 belonging to the initial switch data area 62 in FIG. 7 stores switch data at the time of check-in of the Nth refrigerator.

When check-in is performed in the Nth room, the contents of the switch data SN63 at that time are entered into the initial switch data IN64. This value does not change unless the refrigerator is replenished with products during the process, and at checkout, IN64 and SN63 are compared, and products corresponding to bits that exist in IN64 but disappear in SN63 are checked. Settlement will be made assuming that the item has been sold.

A sales quantity counter area 65 shown in FIG. 8 may be provided in place of the initial switch data area 62 shown in FIG. 7.

The sales quantity counter PN66 consists of counters for each type of refrigerator sales product, and corresponds to a specific refrigerator. Moreover, its structure is determined at the time of system design. Now, when check-in is done to the Nth room, the counter PN6
Clear 6. Thereafter, every time a product in the refrigerator is sold, the SN 63 changes, the products of the bits whose SN 63 changes are detected, and the counter for that product is accumulated. Of course, as mentioned above, if an empty pin or the like is inserted in the SN63, the buzzer will still sound without changing. When checking out, payment is made based on the data accumulated in the counter PN66. In either method, the effect of SN63 is the same,
This allows the status of all terminal refrigerators to be constantly monitored. As described above, the centralized refrigerator management system of the present invention has a product switch group data area in the storage device that stores the current product data for each terminal refrigerator, so the inventory status of each terminal refrigerator can be checked at any time. I can know.

In addition, a product switch group initial data area is provided in the storage device to store product data at the time of check-in of each terminal refrigerator, and product data in the product switch group data area and product switch group initial data at the time of check-out. Since the system detects the sold products and calculates the billing amount by comparing with the product data of the area, it is not necessary to fill the refrigerator in each guest room at the time of check-in, which saves the burden on employees. It is possible to obtain a centralized refrigerator management system with few problems and good workability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the refrigerator system according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a format diagram of data blocks on the transmission Kegel that connects the terminal refrigerator and the central processing unit, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the data control circuit of the terminal refrigerator. , Figures 4 and 5 are configuration diagrams of the product detection switch in the data control circuit of the terminal refrigerator,
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the transmission cable control circuit of the central processing section, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are examples of allocation diagrams of various data areas within the storage device of the central processing section. 18 is a serial/parallel converter, 21 is a command decoder, 22, 25 are one shots, 24, 27 are solenoids, 32 is a parallel/serial converter, 33 is a data selector, 34 is a switch matrix, and 36 is a controller, respectively. It shows.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A terminal refrigerator that is arranged in each guest room and equipped with a group of product switches that detects the position of products in the product storage position of the honeycomb-shaped product storage shelf, and a terminal In a centrally managed refrigerator system, the central processing unit is configured to control the product status in the terminal refrigerators by the central processing unit, and the central processing unit is configured to control the product switch groups of each terminal refrigerator. A storage device has a product switch group data area in one-to-one correspondence with each switch, and a product switch group initial data area in one-to-one correspondence with each switch in the product switch group of each terminal refrigerator. It is equipped with a function that rewrites the contents of the product switch group data area according to the switch data sent from the refrigerator, and a function that rewrites the contents of the product switch group data area according to the switch data sent from the refrigerator. If the bits of the corresponding switch data that are sent are in an unconsumed state, there is a function that detects this and notifies you, and at the time of check-in, it is stored in the product switch group data area corresponding to the terminal refrigerator in the corresponding guest room. The function transfers the data stored in the product switch group to the product switch initial data area, and compares the data in the product switch group initial data area and the data in the product switch group data area of the refrigerator in the corresponding guest room at checkout, A centrally managed refrigerator system that has a function of detecting products that have been purchased and calculating the billing amount.