JPH0429118B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (A) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention provides a means for making inquiries about account numbers and the like to a point-of-sale terminal device, especially a host device, in response to a predetermined sequence. The present invention relates to a sales point terminal device which allows key input by an operator and prevents the operator from feeling anxious as much as possible while waiting for an inquiry.

(B) Technical background and problems Conventionally, for example, in the case of credit transactions, point-of-sale terminal devices (hereinafter referred to as POS) have made inquiries to higher-level devices about the validity of account numbers, etc. . Traditionally, all operator keystrokes are prohibited during this type of inquiry. In other words, in the conventional case, if a key input is performed, if the response to the above-mentioned question about validity is "not valid," the process returns to the point where the account number must be re-entered. key input by all operators is prohibited. However, it takes 1 to 2 seconds for a response to the above inquiry to be returned.
It takes about a second, and even if the operator is slow to input keys, it takes about 0.2 seconds, so the time it takes to receive the above response seems relatively long, which causes a sense of anxiety for the operator. It's summery.

(C) Purpose and structure of the invention In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to enable key input to be permitted until a response arrives, for example, in a predetermined sequence in credit transactions. . Therefore, the point-of-sale terminal device of the present invention has an operation sequence control table that is created for each of a plurality of operation sequences corresponding to one transaction, and also provides a control table for each of the plurality of operation sequences. an operation sequence control means configured to proceed with a corresponding operation sequence while checking the contents of a transaction sequence control table; A message transmission control means for transmitting a message to the host device in response to an inquiry process for the host device included in at least one of the host devices, and a message receiving device for receiving a message from the host device. , and advance the sequence in the content of the operation sequence control table or the content instructed based on the content until a response to the inquiry processing to the host device arrives. In response to the above inquiry process, the sales point terminal device is configured to set prohibition information indicating that the operation sequence is prohibited in response to an operation sequence in which the operation sequence is prohibited. A first operation mode that prohibits the sequence from proceeding in advance until a response arrives, and a second operation mode that allows the sequence to proceed in advance without waiting for a response to arrive. 2 operation modes, an inquiry control means activated in response to the inquiry processing, and a number representing an operation sequence with an inquiry processing request corresponding to the inquiry processing. a memory for storing a return destination when the process fails; a memory for storing a preceding process bit for setting a flag indicating that the preceding process is being performed in the second operation mode corresponding to the inquiry process; and alarm control means for controlling alarm reporting based on the result of the inquiry to the host device, and the inquiry control means responds to the inquiry and determines the return destination in the case of NG. It is configured to write to a storage memory and the preceding processing bit storage memory, and when the alarm control means activates the operation sequence control means, the operation sequence control means writes the contents of the storage memory to which to return in the case of NG. The apparatus is characterized in that it is configured to return the operation sequence to the operation sequence position corresponding to the number indicated by the number. This will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

(D) Embodiments of the Invention Figure 1 shows an example of an operation sequence in credit transactions, etc., Figure 2 shows the main part of an example for executing the sequence shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment mainly showing the functions of the point-of-sale terminal device used in the present invention.
An example configuration of a table and an output control table is shown.

When processing credit transactions, etc.
Operations within the POS proceed according to a plurality of operation sequences corresponding to the processing in question. Fig. 1 conceptually shows this mode, and while the sequence progresses as #1, #2, etc., for example, when an account number is input in sequence #3, an inquiry is made to the host device. It will be done. In the case shown in the figure, sequences #4 and #5 may or may not proceed until a response to the inquiry is received, and sequence #6 does not require a response. It is indicated that the sequence is prohibited from proceeding until it returns.

Conventionally, sequence #4 shown in Figure 1
In both case #5, the progress of the process is stopped until the above response is returned. In the case of the present invention, prohibition information is set to prohibit the process from proceeding with respect to sequence #6, and it is made possible to proceed with key inputs with respect to sequences #4 and #5. If this happens, this fact will be recorded.

FIG. 2 shows a main part of an embodiment in which the sequence shown in FIG. 1 is executed. The explanation will be given below in accordance with the flow that represents the main aspects shown in the drawings.

(1) Waiting for account number registration (in the input stage for checking validity, it is checked whether or not a message output is required.The necessity of this is determined in correspondence with the sequence as described below) It is described as a message output designation flag in the output control table.

(2) When it is necessary to output a message, the message data is edited.

(3) In response to the next sequence (for example, the #4 sequence in the case shown in Figure 1 - the same applies hereafter), processing is performed in advance until the response to the above inquiry message is returned. If so, it is specified by a preceding process specification flag in the output control table along with the above-mentioned message output specification corresponding to the sequence #3.

(4) "Traveling processing bit" which remembers that the preceding processing has started when the preceding processing is specified.
is turned on, and the return destination of the process is saved if the result of the inquiry is NG.

(5) Then, the message is sent.

(6) Under this state, the key input corresponding to sequence #4 is awaited.

(7) When input is performed, the input data is stored and processed.

(8) If the above-mentioned output control table corresponding to the sequence #4 indicates that the preceding process should be continued for the next sequence #5, a key input corresponding to the sequence #5 is awaited.

(9) When a preceding processing stop item is specified as in sequence #6 shown in FIG. 1, a response corresponding to the above inquiry is awaited.

(10) If the response is OK, the process waits for key input corresponding to the next sequence #7. NG again
If so, it becomes an alarm output and waits for the operator to clear the alarm.

(11) When the alarm is cleared, if the preceding processing bit mentioned above is on, the return destination is loaded and the return destination is returned to the home position.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment mainly showing the functions of a point-of-sale terminal device used in the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a monitor, 2 is a key input control means, 3 is a key input means, 4 is a key buffer, 5 is a registered data storage means, 6 is a data storage memory 1, 7 is a message transmission control means, and 8 is a A message transmitting means, 9 a sending buffer, 10 a message receiving control means, 11 a message receiving means, 12 a receiving buffer, 13 an operation sequence control means, which performs the operation sequence as shown in FIG.
14 is an operation sequence control table and an output control table, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 4;
5 is an inquiry control means, 16 is a pre-processing bit storage memory which sets a flag to that effect when pre-processing is performed, 17 is a return destination storage memory in case of NG, 18 is an alarm control means, and 19 is an alarm. It represents a means of notification. Further, 20 represents a terminal controller, and 21 represents a host data processing device.

Corresponding to each sequence as shown in FIG. 1, operation sequence control tables 22-1, 22-2, . . . are prepared in the form shown in FIG. 4. Then, in the table 22-i, there is a "pre-processing stop item designation" that indicates whether or not the pre-processing of the corresponding sequence is prohibited.
and a pointer to the output control table "output control table No." can be written at least. In addition, in the output control table 23-i pointed to by the output control table No., for example, there is a "precedent processing designation flag" that indicates whether advance processing should be specified, and a "previous processing designation flag" that indicates whether or not to output a message. "Message output designation flag" etc. are described.

As explained in connection with FIG. 2, when the "pre-processing bit" is turned on prior to transmitting a message, this fact is recorded in the pre-processing bit storage memory 16 shown in FIG. Regarding the saving of the return destination in the case of NG, the return destination is saved in the return destination storage memory 17 in the case of NG as shown in FIG. If an alarm occurs, as explained with reference to FIG. 2, when the alarm is canceled, it is checked whether the travel processing bit is on.

(E) Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, key input by the operator is allowed during inquiry processing, and the waiting time during inquiry processing is reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 shows an example of an operation sequence in credit transactions, etc. Fig. 2 shows a main part of an embodiment that executes the sequence shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a sales point terminal used in the present invention. A block diagram of an embodiment mainly showing the functions of the device, Figure 4 shows the operation sequence.
An example configuration of a table and an output control table is shown. In the figure, #1, #2, ... are operation sequences, 1 is a monitor, 2 is a key input control means,
7 is a message transmission control means, 10 is a message reception control means, 13 is an operation sequence control means, 15 is an inquiry control means, 22-i is an operation sequence table, and 23-i is an output control table. .

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operation sequence control table is created corresponding to each of a plurality of operation sequences corresponding to one transaction, and each operation sequence control table is provided. an operation sequence control means configured to proceed with the corresponding operation sequence while checking the contents of the transaction; a message transmission control means for transmitting a message to the host device in response to inquiry processing for the host device located at the host device; and a message receiving device for receiving a message from the host device, and During the content of the operation sequence control table or the content instructed based on the content, it is prohibited to proceed with the sequence in advance until a response to the inquiry processing to the host device arrives. In response to the above inquiry process, the sales point terminal device is configured to set prohibition information indicating that the above operation is prohibited in accordance with the operation sequence, until a response to the inquiry process arrives. a first operation mode that prohibits the sequence from proceeding in advance during this period, and a second operation mode that allows the sequence to proceed in advance without waiting for a response to the inquiry processing to arrive. In addition, an inquiry control means activated in response to the above inquiry processing, and a return in the case of NG that stores a number representing an operation sequence with an inquiry processing request in response to the inquiry processing. a pre-storage memory; a pre-processing bit storage memory for setting a flag indicating that the pre-processing is being performed during the second operation mode corresponding to the above-mentioned inquiry processing; , an alarm control means for controlling alarm reporting based on the result of the inquiry to the host device, and the inquiry control means responds to the inquiry to the return destination storage memory in the case of NG and the preceding The operation sequence control means is configured to write to a processing bit storage memory, and when the alarm control means is activated, the operation sequence control means is instructed by the contents of the return destination storage memory in the case of NG. A point-of-sale terminal device, characterized in that the device is configured to return an operation sequence to an operation sequence position corresponding to a number.