System for changing print format

Abstract: A print format changing system of the present inven­ tion comprises a printer (22), a device (12) for inputting print format-related information and, a memory (36) containing an edit table region for storing the print format-related informa­ tion input by the input device, thereby rewriting the print format-related information stored in the edit table region of the memory so as to change the format of data printed out by the printer.

Description: The present invention relates to an electronic cash register (hereinafter abbreviated as ECR) which prints numerical information, such as unit prices, quantities, etc. on a purchase receipt. A department store, for instance, uses a number of ECR's on each floor for cash registration work. In such registration work, receipts are issued for the payments from customers. An example of printout on a receipt is shown in Fig. 4. The name of the store, the date, the unit price and quantity of the commodity sold and the total amount of the prices are printed downward on the receipt 1. Typically, the receipt 1 shown in Fig. 4 includes a unit price print region 2, a quantity print region 3 where the quantity of each commodity sold is printed, etc. In printing a unit price, say, "100" in the unit price print region 2, with the leftmost limit for printing on the receipt 1 as a highest digit place point P1, a point spaced in the rightward direction by a distance of L1 from the point P1 is set as a print reference point P2. Here, the distance L1 corresponds to the maximum assumable number of digits to be printed out. So, the unit price is printed out in the unit price print region 2 with the unit digit at the print reference point P2. Conventionally, the print format data such as the print reference point P2 and the maximum number of digits to be printed out L1 are stored in form of a program in a ROM (read-only-memory) in the ECR, and are therefore difficult to be changed by the user. In order to change the print format, it is necessary for the user to replace the ROM storing the print format with a different ROM, which is quite troublesome for the user. US patent specification 4,508,962 discloses an ECR which can operate in a readout mode in which transaction data accumulated in a memory during normal registration is read out for administration checking purposes. The ECR has the facility for programming the printout format to be used in the readout mode, using numeral and function keys on the ECR keyboard. However, the printout format in the normal registration operation is fixed. In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide an electronic cash register having the facility for changing the print format on a purchase receipt, thereby rendering the ECR readily adaptable to meet various user requirements. According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic cash register comprising: manually-operable data input means, in the form of a keyboard including a set of numerical keys, for inputting in a normal register mode of the cash register numerical data relating to purchases; an electronic memory means for storing print format data; printing means operable in said normal register mode for printing said numerical data on a purchase receipt in a printing format determined by said print format data; manually-operable mode selection means for selectively placing the electronic cash register in said normal register mode, or in a print format-changing mode for selectively altering a printing format of said printing means by the operation of said data input means; characterised in that in said print format-changing mode the print format data determining the printing format for printing a purchase receipt in said normal register mode is alterable. In the print format changing system of the present invention, the print format data is stored in a region allocated in the electronic memory means. If the user wants to print out data on a purchase receipt in a different format, he may rewrite the print format data stored in the electronic memory means. Then, the printer means will print a receipt according to a new print format. Thus, according to the present invention, the print format for a purchase receipt can be changed very easily. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ECR according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a key input section of the ECR; Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the basic electrical components of the ECR; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a receipt on which data is printed by the ECR; Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the operation procedure for changing print format data in the edit table; Fig. 6 shows an example of data set in the edit table; and Fig. 7 is a flow chart of the operation procedure for changing print format data in the print table. Referring to Fig. 1, an ECR 11 comprises an ECR main body 14 having a housing 13 with key input means 12 arranged on an upwardly facing surface, and a cash storage 17 comprising a housing 16 for accommodating a drawer 15 in which cash is stored. A mode selector switch 18 is provided on the ECR main body 14 in the vicinity of the key input means 12. The mode selector switch 18 is used to select an operation mode of the ECR 11 from among various modes described later. Information input through the key input means 12 is displayed on a first display panel 19. A second display panel 21 is connected via a mounting leg 20 with the ECR main body 14. Monetary information is displayed on the second display panel 21 for reference by customers. Monetary information input from the key input means 12 is printed on a receipt 23 by a printer 22. Fig. 2 shows the key arrangement on the key input means 12 set at the cash register mode normally selected for cash registration work in shops and stores. Referring to Fig. 2, the key input means 12 includes a receipt feed key 25 and a journal feed key 26. Here, a journal means a printing paper on which the same data as those printed on a receipt 25 (to be handed to a customer) is printed out for storage in the ECR11. The key input means 12 includes ten keys 27 with which monetary information is input. The mode selector switch 18 provided adjacent the key input means 12 is used to select the operation mode of the ECR11 from various modes such as program execution modes (PGM) 29 and 30 in which such data as commodity names stored in the ECR11 are changed, power off mode (OFF) 31, clock mode (TIME) 32 and cash register mode (REG) 33. To select a desired mode, a key (not shown) is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise in a key hole 28 of the mode selector switch 18. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection of the ECR11. Referring to Fig. 3, the ECR11 contains a central processing unit (hereinafter abbreviated as CPU) 34 realized by a large scale integrated circuit (LSI). The CPU 34 is connected to the key input means 12 and the first and second display panels 19 and 21. It is also connected to a ROM (read-only-memory) 35 and a RAM (random-access-memory) 36. The ROM 35 retains programs for allowing the ECR11 to execute various operations selected by the mode selector switch 18. The RAM 36 stores print format-related information input with the mode selector switch 18 set at the service mode 37 which will be described later. The RAM36 contains an edit type table 38, an edit table 39 and a print table 40 each of which is allocated with a specified memory capacity. A drive mechanism 41 for actuating the cash-storing drawer 15 is also connected to the CPU34. Table 1 shows the construction of the edit type table 38 in the RAM36. The 1 ○, 2 ○ and 3 ○ in the above Table 1 represent symbols described later. The character "9" represents a numeric data string for the sum of money. The space between 2 ○ and 1 ○ in the Edit Type Nos. 3 and 4 and between 1 ○ and "9" in the Edit Type No. 6 indicates zero suppression. The typical construction of the edit table 39 is shown on Table 2 below. Here "SP" indicates a space. The edit table 39 comprises an edit type column and symbol 1 through symbol 3 columns, each column having 16 lines. Since one byte memory capacity is allocated for each data, the edit table 39 has a memory capacity of 64 bytes at the maximum. "No. 1" through "No. 16" indicating edit types on Table 2 above are displayed in terms of 8 bit binary numbers with the following bit construction: C7, C6, C5, C4, C3, C2, C1, C0 The bits C6 through C0 are used for indicating the numerals 01 to 16 in the edit type column. C7, the most significant bit, is used as a flag for setting the character size of data printed according to the selected edit type. Specifically, data is printed with normal size characters when C7 is set at 0, and with double size characters when C7 is set at 1. The construction of the print table 40 is shown in Tables 3 through 6. The edit table numbers in the print table 40 correspond to the edit table Nos. "1" through "16" on Table 2. Numbers of two digits shown in the print position column on Tables 3 through 6 represent the maximum number of digits to be printed out L1 which determines the print reference point P2 in the unit price printing region 2 at which the unit digit of a price is printed. The figures in the number of digits (characters) column in Tables 3 through 6 represent the number of digits for unit prices printed in the unit price printing region 2. Printing operation by the ECR11 is described with reference to Figs. 1 through 7. In the description, it is assumed that two commodities whose unit price is $100 have been purchased. First, the user inputs "2" for the quantity by using the ten keys 27 and depresses "@" key 42. Then the CPU34 of the ECR11 operates, referring to the print table 40 in the order of the table No. Namely, operation starts from the multiplication in the table at No. 1 at which quantity is printed out. In accordance with "06" for the edit table No., the CPU34 reads the data in the edit table at No. 6 of the edit table 39 shown on Table 2. Since the edit type of the edit table at No. 6 is "02", reference is made to edit type No. 2 of the edit type table 38 shown on Table 1. The edit type No. 2 represents the print format in which the symbol 1 ○, a numeric data, the symbol 2 ○ and the symbol 3 ○ are printed out successively in this order, with the print reference point set at the unit digit of the numeric data to be printed out. "Pack sign" indicates the data contains the sign "±". Reference is then made to the data in the symbol 1 to symbol 3 columns for edit table No. 6 in the edit table 39 on Table 2. The symbols 1 ○, 2 ○ and 3 ○ in the edit type table 39 represent data in the columns of symbol 1 , symbol 2 and symbol 3 , respectively, of the edit table 39. Since these data for edit table No. 6 are : SP × SP a space is put in places of the symbols 1 ○ and 3 ○ and "X" in place of the symbol 2 ○ in the print format of the edit type No. 2. Then, in accordance with "08" for the print position shown on Tables 3 through 6, the distance L1 from the point P1, or the maximum number of digits to be printed out on the receipt 1 of Fig. 4 is set at 08, which determines the print reference point P2. From "06" for the number of digits shown on Tables 3 through 6, it is understood that the number of digits or characters of data to be printed out is six. Using this format, the printer 22 prints out: 2X Thus, the numerals for quantities and unit prices and various other characters are printed out following the above process. It is intended that the present invention provides a system for changing data in the edit table 39 on Table 2 and in the print table 40 on Tables 3 through 6 by using the key input means 12 to modify the format of the data printed cut on the receipt 1. Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure for changing data in the edit table 39 on Table 2. The procedure is described with reference to Figs. 1 through 5. In the step nl of Fig. 5, the operator rotates the specified key in the mode selector switch 18 of the ECR 11 to change the operation mode from, say, the normal register mode to the service mode (SRV) 37, also referred to herein as print format-changing mode, and operates ten keys 27 to call the program for changing data in the edit table 39. In the step n2, referring to the edit table 39, the operator inputs, by using ten keys 27, the edit table No. (1 to 16) containing data to be corrected, and operates "@" key 42 in the step n3 to make the ECR11 ready to accept data input in the edit table 39. In the step n4, the operator inputs data for the edit type and for the symbols 1 through 3 of the edit table 39 shown on Table 2. These data are displayed in terms of 11-digit numerical data strings shown below: D10, D9, D8, D7, D6, D5, D4, D3, D2, D1, D0 Fig. 6 shows an example of data setting in which a data string "$@SP" is set at the edit table No. 1 in the edit table 39. The numerical value shown in parantheses under each character setting in Fig. 6 is the ASCII code in hexadecimal notation corresponding to the character. In actual input operation, the hexadecimal data code is converted to a decimal number and the decimal number is input. The data string of D0, D1, D2 in the above expression (4) corresponds to the data for the symbol 3, the data string of D3, D4, D5 to the data for the symbol 2, and the data string of D6, D7, D8 to the data for the symbol 1. The data D9 and D10 corresponds to the data for the edit type on Table 2. In other words, the data of D9 and D10 is equivalent to the data string C0 to C7 in the expression (1): the data D9 corresponds to the data string C0 to C6, and the data D10 to the data C7. After the above data input, the operator depresses the sub total (SBTL) key 43 in the step n5. With this key operation, new data input in the step n4 replaces the old data in the edit table 39 on Table 2 as exemplified in Fig. 6. In the step n6, the operator decides whether or not the correcting operation is continued. If yes, the operator returns to the step n2 to designate a new edit table No. for data correction. If no, the operator proceeds to the step n7 and depresses CA key 44 to end the procedure. Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation procedure for changing data in the print table 40 shown on Tables 3 through 6. The procedure is described with reference to Figs. 1 through 7. In the step ml of Fig. 7, the operator inputs a code for calling the program for this procedure as in the step nl of Fig. 5. In the step m2, referring to the print table 40 shown in Tables 3 through 6, the operator inputs the table No. (1 to 60) containing data to be corrected, and depresses @ key 42 in the step m3. Then in the step m4, the operator inputs data for the edit table No., data for the print position and data for the number of digits in the print table 40. These data are input in form of a seven-digit data string shown below: E6, E5, E4, E3, E2, E1, E0 The data string of E0, E1 represents the number of digits of the data printed in, say, the unit price print region 2 of the receipt 1 of Fig. 4. The data string E2, E3 corresponds to the maximum number of digits to be printed out L1 which determines the print reference point P2 in the unit price print region 2 of Fig. 4. The numeric value for this data string is 1 to 22 for a receipt and 1 to 48 for a slip. The data string E4, E5, E6 corresponds to the edit table No. in the edit table 39 on Table 2: the data string E4, E5 represents the edit table No. (1 to 16) and the data E6, the most significant bit, is a flag determining whether the data in the format designated by the input edit table No. is printed or not. The data is printed when E6 = 1, and not when E6 = 0. Following the above data input, the operator depresses SBTL key 43 in the step m5 to replace the old data with new one in the edit table 39. Then in the step m6, the operator decides whether or not the correction operation is continued. If yes, the operator returns to the step m2 to designate a new print table No. for data correction. If no in the step m6, the operator proceeds to the step m7 and depresses CA key 44 to end the procedure. As understood from the above, the print format of various data printed out by the ECR 11 can be changed easily by using the key input means 12, so that it is easy to adapt the ECR's 11 installed in a store to a new line of commodities added to the existing ones in the store as well as to possible future changes in the print format demanded by law. According to the present invention, print format can be changed without putting users to the trouble of replacing the ROM as required in the prior art. Consequently, the operability of the ECR 11 is improved remarkably.

Claims: An electronic cash register (11) comprising: manually-operable data input means, in the form of a keyboard (12) including a set of numerical keys (27), for inputting in a normal register mode of the cash register numerical data relating to purchases; an electronic memory means (36) for storing print format data; printing means (22) operable in said normal register mode for printing said numerical data on a purchase receipt in a printing format determined by said print format data; manually-operable mode selection means (18) for selectively placing the electronic cash register in said normal register mode, or in a print format-changing mode for selectively altering a printing format of said printing means by the operation of said data input means; characterised in that in said print format-changing mode the print format data (D10 - D0) determining the printing format for printing a purchase receipt in said normal register mode is alterable. An electronic cash register according to claim 1, wherein: said electronic memory means (36) comprises an edit type table region (38) for storing a plurality of first format data sets, an edit table region (39) for storing a plurality of second format data sets (D10 - D0), and a print table region (40) for storing a plurality of third format data sets (E6 - E0); each of said third format data sets contains data (E5, E4) identifying one of said second format data sets; each of said second format data sets contains data (D10, D9) identifying one of said first format data sets; said second format data sets (D10 - D0) are selectively alterable in said print format-changing mode by operation of said data input means (12); said third format data sets (E6 - E0) are selectively alterable in said print format-changing mode by operation of said data input means (12). An electronic cash register according to claim 2, wherein said electronic memory means is a RAM (random access memory) (36) with said edit type table (38), edit table (39) and print table (40) regions occupying predetermined allocated spaces therein.

Inventors: GOTO KAZUYUKI, KOMAI KENSAKU, GOTO,KAZUYUKI, KOMAI,KENSAKU
Applicants: SHARP KK, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: G07G5
IPC codes: G06F3, G07G1, G07G5, G06K15, G06F17