Electronic cash register

Abstract

 An electronic cash register comprises a RAM (5) for storing code and working hours of each operator. When an operator code is entered by a ten-key (21) and then a CAS key (26) is operated, a CPU (1) determines whether the entered operator code has been registered in the RAM or not, and if registered, it further determines whether the present time outputted from a timer circuit (3) represents data within the operator's working hours stored in the RAM, and if within the working hours, it allows registering of data concerning commodities, and if outside the working hours, it inhibits registering. Accordingly, even if anyone other than the operator knows the code of the operator, iniquitous operation of the ECR can be prevented outside the working hours.

Description

Background of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to electronic cash registers (referred to as ECR hereinafter). More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic cash register which allows an operator to register data concerning commodities only during the specific time period assigned to the operator.

Description of the Prior Art

[0002] An operator is allowed to begin registering operation with an ECR only when it is determined that an operator code which has been assigned to the operator in advance and key-inputted to declare operator-ON has been registered in the ECR. Therefore, as far as the declaration of operator-ON is valid, the operator could handle money in the cash box at his or her own will.

[0003] When an operator finishes registering operation at the closing time, he or she will key-input a predetermined code to make a declaration of operator-OFF. Once the operator-OFF is declared, open and shut of the cash box as well as registering operation is inhibited thereafter.

[0004] In the above described ECR, an operator can make a declaration of operator-ON to open and shut the cash box at any time so that he or she may commit iniquity such as stealing money. Furthermore, anyone who knows the operator code for operator-ON declaration other than the very operator could make an operator-ON declaration at any time so that an iniquity may occur again. Additionally, if the operator is away from the ECR while the operator-ON declaration is valid, the cash box could be easily opened and shut by anyone, which has been a problem in terms of prevention of crimes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ECR capable of preventing an operator or others from iniquities by assigning in advance a period of time to each operator during which the operator can register data concerning commodities, and inhibiting the operator from registering operation in any time other than the assigned period.

[0006] Briefly stated, an ECR according to the present invention comprises a random access memory (RAM) in which data indicative of working hours corresponding to each operator code are stored. Data indicative of the working hours corresponding to an entered operator code is read out from the RAM in response to entry of the operator code by a key board. The operator who entered the operator code is allowed to register data concerning commodities only where the present time is within the working hours as read out.

[0007] Therefore, according to the present invention, an operator or anyone who knows the operator code of the operator can not operate the ECR to register data concerning commodities outside the working hours of the operator so that iniquities such as stealing money from the cash box can be effectively prevented.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is determined whether the present time is within the working hours of the operator at a predetermined time interval and if it is outside the working hours, any registering by the operator is inhibited with respect to data concerning commodities.

[0009] Therefore, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is ensured that registering of data concerning commodities can be inhibited if it is over the working hours of the operator.

[0010] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the time which has passed since entry of data concerning commodities was stopped is clocked, and in response to the fact that the clocked time has passed over a predetermined time, registering of data concerning commodities is inhibited. Accordingly, if an operator is away from position for more than the predetermined time during his or her working hours, registering of data concerning commodities can be automatically inhibited so that iniquitous operation of the ECR by anyone other than the operator can be prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] 

Figs. 1A and 1B are flow charts for explaining specific operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a key arrangement of the key board shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing contents stored in the RAM shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing procedure of key operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, a structure of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In Fig. 2, a key board 2, a timer circuit 3, a read only memory (ROM)4, a RAM5, a display 6, a printer 7 and a cash box 8 are connected to a CPU1 constituting control means. The key board 2 is provided for entering an operator code and the like for operator-ON declaration characteristic of the present invention, along with unit price amount data and a department code of commodities, and comprises several kinds of keys as shown in Fig. 3.

[0013] More particularly, the key board 2 comprises a ten-key 21, a department (DEPT) key 22, a PLU key 23, a @ key 24, a ST key 25 and a CAS key 26. The ten-key 21 is operated to enter unit price amount data, a department code, an operator code and the like. The department key 22 is operated to specify that a numerical data entered by the ten-key 21 is a department code. The PLU key 23 is used to specify that a numerical data entered by the ten-key 21 is a PLU code, as such, it is operated to register data concerning commodities by means of a so-called price-look-up function. The @ key 24 is operated to enter the number of commodities and further to set data for IDLE time as will be described with reference to Fig. 5 later. The ST key 25 is operated to set several kinds of data. The CAS key 26 is operated for amount adjustment and also for data setting.

[0014] The timer circuit 3 shown in Fig. 2 is adapted to clock the present time and the ROM4 has programs stored in advance based on flow charts shown in Figs. 1A and 1B as will be described later. The RAM5 stores data entered by the key board 2 and comprises a table as shown in Fig. 4. More specifically, the RAM5 comprises a sign table 50 including areas 501, 502 ... in which respective cash codes and data indicative of working hours of the respective operators are stored. In an area 52, IDLE time is stored. This IDLE time is set to automatically make an operator-OFF declaration unless anything is key-inputted even after a lapse of a predetermined time. In an operator-ON data area 53, the operator code and the working hours of the operator on duty are stored, which have been copied from the sign table 50. In an area 54, a flag which indicates that sales are being registered (referred to as "sales registering flag" hereinafter) is stored. An area 55 is used as a counter for IDLE timer.

[0015] The display 6 shown in Fig. 2 displays data, such as entered by the key board 2, operated by the CPU1 and the like, which are printed out by the printer 7. The cash box 8 is adapted to receive money prepared for change or payed by customers.

[0016] Figs. 1A and 1B are flow charts for explaining specific operation of an embodiment of the present invention and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing procedure of key operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Referring now to Figs. 1A, 1B and 5, specific operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. First regarding key operation, when an operator-ON is to be declared, as shown in Fig. 5(a), an operator code is entered by the ten-key 21 and then the CAS key 26 is operated. This means an operator-ON declaration has been made. When an operator-OFF declaration is to be made, "0" is first entered by the ten-key 21 and then the CAS key 26 is operated.

[0018] Furthermore, when an operator code and working hours are to be set in the sign table 50 of the RAM5, the operator code is first entered by the ten-key 21 and then the CAS 26 is operated, subsequently, the starting time and ending time of the working hours are entered, and thereafter the ST key 25 is operated. By repeating this procedure, data indicative of the respective operator codes and working hours are sequentially set in the areas 501, 502 ... of the sign table 50. Furthermore, when IDLE time is to be set, as shown in Fig. 5(d), after data is key-inputted by the ten-key 21, the @ key 24 is operated, subsequently, a setting time is entered by the ten-key 21 and thereafter the ST key 25 is operated.

[0019] Referring next to Fig. 1A, checking operation of operator-ON will be described. The CPU1 is in the stand-by state until key-inputted by the key board 2, and when the CAS key 26 is operated following entry of an operator code according to the procedure shown in Fig. 5(a), it determines that operator-ON has been key-inputted and searches the sign table 50 for the key-inputted operator code. If the key-inputted operator code has not been registered in the sign table 50, an error indication will be made, and if registered, the present time will be read out based on a clock signal applied by the timer circuit 3. The CPU1 then determines whether the present time is within the working hours registered corresponding to the operator code as entered. If it is not within the working hours, an error indication will be made, and if within the working hours, operator-ON will be permitted so that register processing along with open and shut of the cash box 8 is allowed. Furthermore, the CPU1 copies the operator code and working hours as concerned and stores the same in the operator-ON data area 53.

[0020] Check 1 during operator-ON will now be described. The CPU1 constantly reads out the present time based on a clock output of the timer circuit 3 and determines whether the present time is within the working hours stored in the sign table 50 corresponding to the operator on duty. If it is within the working hours, the CPU1 proceeds to check 2 during operator-ON as shown in Fig. 1B, and if it is not within the working hours, it determines whether a sales registering flag is set in the area 54 or not. If the sales registering flag is set, the CPU1 will be in the stand-by state until the sales registering is accomplished and then jump to an operator-OFF processing. If it is not in course of sales registering, it will also jump to the operator-OFF processing. This operator-OFF processing takes procedure as shown in Fig. 5(b) in which "0" is first entered by the ten-key 21 and then, after it is determined that the CAS key 26 is operated, register processing along with open and shut of the cash box 8 is inhibited.

[0021] Turning to Fig. 1B, check 2 during operator-ON will be described. The CPU1 starts up the IDLE timer in the area 55 when an operator has finished sales registering and does not operate the key board 2 any more, or after the CAS key 26 is operated. This IDLE timer is adapted to count up by one after every lapse of one minute. At the same time, the CPU1 will be in the stand-by state until key-inputted. If there is a key-input, the IDLE timer will be stopped, and if there is not, a comparison will be made between the counted value of the IDLE timer and the IDLE setting time set in the area 55. If the clock output of the IDLE timer has not passed over the IDLE setting time, the CPU1 will be in the stand-by state until key-inputted, and if passed, it will be determined whether the sales registering flag is set in the area 54 or not. If the sales registering flag is not set, the CPU1 will jump to the operator-OFF processing, and if set, it will be in the stand-by state until completion of the sales registering and then jump to the operator-OFF processing.

[0022] In other words, after an operator has completed sales registering, register processing will be permitted until the IDLE setting time passes, but if there can not be seen any key-input even after a lapse of the IDLE setting time, then the register processing will be inhibited. Therefore, even if the operator is away from the ECR in the operator-ON state, after a lapse of the IDLE setting time, open and shut of the cash box 8 as well as register processing will be inhibited so that there remains no problem in terms of prevention of crimes.

[0023] As described in the foregoing, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an ECR is adapted to store data indicative of working hours corresponding to each operator code and allow an operator register processing only when an operator code is entered to declare operator-ON and at the same time the present time is within the working hours of the operator, so that the operator or anyone who knows the operator code of the operator can not make an operator-ON declaration outside the working hours and thus iniquities such as stealing money from the cash box can be effectively prevented.

Claims

1. An electronic cash register capable of being operated by an operator only within the time period predetermined for the operator, comprising:
memory means (501, 502) for storing data indicative of working hours corresponding to each operator code;
timer means (3) for clocking the present time,
entry means (21, 26) for entering an operator code; and
control means (1) in response to entry of an operator code by said entry means for reading out data indicative of the working hours corresponding to the entered operator code from said memory means and performing control to allow an operator register processing of data concerning commodities only when the present time by said timer means represents data within the working hours as read out.

2. The electronic cash register according to claim 1, wherein
said control means comprises means for determining whether the present time represents data within the working hours of said operator each time said timer means clocks a predetermined time, for allowing registering of data concerning commodities if it represents data within the working hours, and for inhibiting registering of data concerning commodities if it represents data outside the working hours.

3. The electronic cash register according to claim 2, wherein
said entry means comprises:
numerical data entry means (21) for entering numerical data; and
key-input means (26) for specifying that the numerical data entered by said numerical data entry means is an operator code and for specifying that predetermined numerical data entered by said numerical data entry means is a code indicative of inhibiting registering; and
said control means comprises means responsive to entry of said code indicative of inhibiting registering for inhibiting registering of data concerning commodities.

4. The electronic cash register according to claim 3, wherein
said timer means comprises means for clocking the time which has passed since entry of data concerning commodities by said entry means was stopped within the working hours of said operator, and
said control means comprises means responsive to a lapse of time over a predetermined time after entry of said data concerning commodities was stopped for inhibiting registering of data concerning commodities.

Drawing