JPH01214997A - POS system file control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the reliability of a system as a whole by storing the normal/abnormal condition of respective floppy disk drivings into a condition memory and skipping the abnormal driving at the time of writing the sales data. CONSTITUTION:When a status clearing operation is executed as an external command input, a test executing signal is sent to respective connected floppy disk driving devices (FDD) 11, it is tested whether the normality or the abnormality is obtained and the tested result is stored into an FDD condition memory 8a as the status. At the time of the actual action, sales data are inputted from respective POS terminal equipments 2, and then, the sales data are written to the FDD 11 of the number designated by an FDD number counter 8b. When the remaining memory capacity of one FDD is used, it is written into the FDD of the next number, the FDD in which the status of the FDD condition memory 8a corresponding to the FDD before writing shows the abnormality, is automatically skipped and the sales data as a whole are normally written to either of FDD. Thus, the reliability of the system as a whole is improved.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a POS system in which a plurality of POS terminals are connected to one file control device, and in particular, the present invention relates to a POS system in which a plurality of POS terminals are connected to one file control device. The present invention relates to a file control device for a POS system that sequentially stores data in a plurality of FDDs.

[Prior Art] In a POS (point of sale) system that is generally used in large-scale retail stores, a file control device (FC) installed in an office, etc., is connected via a transmission path. A POS terminal, for example, an electronic cash register (ECR) installed at each sales floor is connected to the terminal. A product data file storing product data such as a product code, product name, unit price, etc. is formed in a storage unit such as a RAM of the file control device for each product sold at each sales floor. When an inquiry is made from each POS terminal for product data such as the product name and unit price using the product code, the product data such as the product name and unit price of the corresponding product code is returned to the corresponding POS terminal.

In addition, when sales data such as product code, sales amount, and number of items sold for each product sold from each POS terminal is input,
The sales data is written to a floppy disk drive device (hereinafter abbreviated as FDD) in chronological order. And F
Each piece of sales data stored in the DD is later read out all at once and various information processing is executed by a host computer such as a store control device.

A large number of POs are installed in a file control device with such functions.
When an S terminal is connected, the number of received data sent from the POS terminal increases, so if multiple FDDs are connected, each sales data input from each POS terminal is Sales data is written to the FDD in chronological order, and when the remaining storage capacity of one FDD becomes 0, sales data is written to the next FDD.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, as mentioned in 1, even with a file control device that sequentially writes sales data input to multiple FDDs, there are still problems to be solved as follows. . That is, the order of FDDs in which sales data is written is set in advance.

However, when a large number of FDDs are connected to a file control device, it is often the case that one of the FDDs breaks down and the received data cannot be written to that FDD. In such a case, even if all remaining FDs
Even if D maintains a normal state, if the writing order of received data is cycled to an FDD that is in an abnormal state, it becomes impossible to write received data to that FDD, and the entire function of the file control unit stops.

As a result, there is a concern that each POS terminal connected to this file control device via a transmission line may become inoperable all at once.

Furthermore, even if an FDD exhibiting an abnormality such as a failure is identified, if the FDD is not repaired and restored to normal condition,
The function of the file control device, that is, the function of the entire POS system cannot be restored. Therefore, depending on the nature of the failure, it may take a long time to recover (1), and there is a concern that sales operations may be hindered.

The present invention stores the normal/abnormal status of each FDD in the FDD status memory and skips the abnormal FDD when writing sales data, so that even if one FDD shows an abnormality, the sales data can be saved. An object of the present invention is to provide a file control device for a POS system that can normally store information on an FDD and improve the reliability of the entire system.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a plurality of FDDs (floppy disk drive devices), and transmits each sales data inputted from each POS terminal connected via a transmission line to each FDD in chronological order. In a file control device of a POS system that stores data sequentially, an FDD test means tests whether each FDD is normal or abnormal in response to an external command input, and a status indicating the test result by the FDD test means is stored for each FDD. Do/F
DD status memory and F where inputted sales data should be written
an FDD number counter that counts numbers indicating DD;
a status determining means for determining the FDD state/memory status corresponding to the FDD having the next number when sales data is input in a state where there is no remaining storage capacity of the FDD indicated by the FDD number counter; If it is determined that the status is abnormal, the sales data will be transferred to FD.
FDD skip means for writing to the FDD corresponding to the next number of the D number counter.

[Function] In the file control device of the POS system configured as described above, when a status clear operation is executed as an external command input, a test execution signal is sent to each connected FDD to ensure that each FDD is normal. The test result is stored as a status in the FDD status memory. During actual operation, when sales data is input from each POS terminal, the sales data is written to the FDD designated by the FDD number counter.

When the remaining storage capacity of one FDD runs out, it is written to the next numbered FDD, but before writing, that FDD is
D l: Confirm that the status of the corresponding FDD status memory is normal. If the status is abnormal,
Furthermore, sales data is written to the next numbered FDD. That is, the FDD indicating an abnormality is automatically skipped, and the sales data as a whole is normally written to any FDD.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the entire POS system.
A plurality of POS terminals 2 are connected to one file control device 1 via a transmission line 3 in a closed loop. Further, this file control device 1 is connected online to an external store control device 4 consisting of a host computer.

In addition, within the file control device 1, a CPU (central processing unit) 5 receives various commands from the store control device 4 or
Various information processing is executed for the arrangement from the OS terminal 2. The CPU 5 is connected via a path line 6 to a ROM 7 that stores a control program, a RAM 8 that stores various variable data such as an FDD status memory, an interface 9 connected to the store control device 4, and each POS terminal 2. 5DLC (5DLC) that executes information exchange via transmission path 3
synchronous data link controller) 10,
A plurality of FDDlls control the FDD control unit 12 and the like connected in parallel. In the embodiment, a total of eight FDD IIs, numbered 0 to 7 and numbered B, can be connected to the FDD control unit 12.

Further, the CPU 5 sends a forced ready signal a to the FDD control unit 12 as necessary.

In addition to the product data file that stores product data such as the product code, product name, and unit price for each product sold at each sales floor, the RAM 5 stores product data files numbered 0 to 7 as shown in Figure 2. BO~B indicating whether FDDII is in normal or abnormal state
FDD status memory 18a1 that stores each status of 7.
Further, an FDD number counter 8b is formed to count the number B of the FDD II to which sales data inputted from each POS terminal 2 is to be written.

Note that if 1 is set in each status of the FDD status memory 8a, the FDDll with number B indicates a normal status. Also, if 0 is set, that number B
This indicates that the FDD II is out of order, or that the FDD II with that number was not connected to the FDD control unit 12 from the beginning. For example, in FIG. 2, there are four FDD IIs connected, numbered 0 to 3, indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the first FDD II.

When a status clear operation is executed to check the operation of each device, the CPU 5 executes a predetermined status clear process and also executes the FDD test process shown in FIG. It is configured.

When the flowchart in Fig. 3 starts, first, the FDD is
A forced ready signal a is sent to the control unit 12, and various commands such as the next initial value command and execution command cause each FDD II to transition to a state in which manual input is possible.

Then, BO to B7 of the FDD status memory 8a of the RAM 8
After setting each status to 0, an initial value command is sent to the FDD control unit 12, and each FDDI
Set initial parameters for testing I. Furthermore, the count value of the FDD number counter 8b of the RAM 8,
That is, the number B specifying FDDII is set to the initial value O.

Thereafter, at P2, an execution command is sent to the FDD11 with number B specified by the FDD number counter 8b. Then FD
Based on the initial parameters set in the D control unit 12, actual data is written and read from the corresponding FDDII. When writing and reading are completed normally in P3, the B-th status of the FDD status memory 8a is set to 1 in P4. Then, the process proceeds to P5, and when it is confirmed that the number B of the FDD number counter 18b has not reached the maximum value B max (-8), the number B of the FDD number counter 8b is incremented by 1 in P6, and then the process proceeds to P2. Returns and sends an execution command to FDDII numbered B.

If the writing/reading test does not end normally at P3 due to a failure or because the FDD II itself is not connected, the process directly advances to P5 and the value of number B of the FDD number counter 8b is checked.

At P5, the number B of the FDD number counter 8b reaches the maximum value B
When a+ax is reached, the FDD status memory 8a of RAM 8
Since the setting process for each status has been completed, the FD
The forced ready signal a sent to the D control unit 12 is canceled to restore the FDD control unit 12 and each FDD 11 to the normal state.

With the above, the F of the normal or abnormal state in each FDD11
When the setting process for the DD status memory 8a is completed, the CPU 5 executes normal operations as the file control unit 1. That is, when one piece of sales data is input from each POS terminal 2, writing processing for the corresponding sales data to one FDDII is executed according to the flowchart of FIG.

The flowchart of FIG. 4 is started, and if there is no remaining capacity tα of the number B FDD 11 of the FDD number counter 8b in P7, the process advances to P8, and the input sales data is written in the number B FDD 11.

When the remaining storage capacity of the FDD 11 with number B is exhausted in P7, if the number B of the FDD number counter 8b has not reached the maximum value B11aX in P9, the number B of the FDD number counter 8b is incremented by 1. Also, FDD at P9
If the number B of the number counter 8b has reached the maximum value Bmax, the number B of the FDD number counter 8b is returned to 0 at the beginning.

After that, the updated FDDI counter 8 on Plo
The B-th status in the FDD status memory 8a specified by b is read. Then, when it is confirmed that the read status is set to 1 in Pll, the sales data inputted in P8 is written to the corresponding FDD 11.

Note that if the status read at PLL is set to 0, the FDDII with number B is in an abnormal state, so PLL is set to 0.
Return to step 9, check the value of number B, and then update the value. Then, the status corresponding to the updated number B is checked again in PLO. That is, the number B is sequentially updated until an FDDll whose status is set to 1 is found. And FDDl with status set to 1
When FDDl is found, sales data is written to that FDDll.

With a file control device of a POS system configured in this way, when status clear processing is executed during periodic inspection and repair of each device of the POS system, the file control device will perform the status clear processing following the status clear processing. The FDD test process shown in Figure 3 is automatically executed, and at that point, the FDD11 that shows an abnormality such as a failure
Or, if there is an FDDII that is not yet connected to the file control device 1 at that time, the status corresponding to the number of the corresponding FDDII in the FDD status memory 8a is set to 0.

During normal operation of the file control device 1, when sales data is input from each POS terminal 2, it is normally stored sequentially in the FDD II designated by number B of the FDD number counter 18b, and is stored in one FDD II. When the remaining storage capacity runs out, the data is stored in the next number B FDDll, but if there is an FDDll with an abnormality,
The FDDll is skipped and written to the next FD'DII designated by number B.

In this way, if a failure occurs in one FDDII,
For example, the 3rd command can be controlled by external commands such as clearing the status.
By executing the FDD test process shown in the figure, the number B of the abnormal FDDI 1 is stored in the FDD status memory 8a, and when writing actual sales data, the abnormal FDD
DDll is automatically skipped. Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in one FDDII, by using the remaining FDDII, it is possible to restore the POS system as a whole to a normal operating state in a short time. Therefore, the reliability of the entire system can be improved.

Furthermore, there is no need to connect all FDDIIs numbered 0 to 7, and the number of FDDIIs installed can be adjusted according to the number of installed POS terminals 2 and the frequency of aggregation of sales data cumulatively stored in each FDD11. can be changed arbitrarily by the user without making equivalent changes to the control program.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the file control device of the POS system of the present invention, the normal/abnormal status of each FDD is
It is stored in the D state memory, and the abnormal FDD is skipped when writing sales data. Therefore, even if one FDD shows an abnormality, sales data cannot be transferred normally.
It can be stored on the DD, improving the reliability of the entire system.

Furthermore, the number of FDDs installed can be set arbitrarily by the user.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The figures show a file control device of a POS system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the entire system, Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the main memory of the storage section, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the entire system. and FIG. 4 are flowcharts showing the operation. 1... File control device, 2... POS terminal, 3
...Transmission path, 4...Store control device, 5...CP
U. 8...RAM, 8a...FDD status memory, 8b.
...FDD number counter, 11...FDD, 12...
・FDD control unit. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 30

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a file control device of a POS system that is equipped with a plurality of FDDs (floppy disk drive devices) and stores each sales data inputted from each POS terminal connected via a transmission path in each FDD in chronological order. ,
FDD testing means for testing whether each of the FDDs is normal or abnormal in response to external command input;
An FDD status memory that stores the status indicating the test result by the D test means, an FDD number counter that counts the number indicating the FDD to which the input sales data is to be written, and the remaining memory of the FDD whose number is indicated by this FDD number counter. status determining means for determining the status in the FDD status memory corresponding to the next numbered FDD when the sales data is input in a state where there is no capacity; and when the status determining means determines that the status is abnormal; 1. A file control device for a POS system, comprising: FDD skip means for writing sales data to an FDD corresponding to the next number of the FDD number counter.