DE102011122509A1 - Plant for controlling cash registers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for controlling the functions of cash desks of a shop such as a self-service store with arranged at the cash register keys, wherein at each or several cash desks each a keypad (Tableau) is arranged by the keys of his own and the other cash desks and switched off or opened and closed. Furthermore, the invention relates to a network for such a system.

Description

The invention relates to a system for controlling the functions of cash desks of a shop such as a self-service store with buttons arranged at the cash desk and a network for such a system.

It is known to provide a cash register with buttons or buttons to trigger a bell, which is the signal for the staff to occupy another box office. A ringing signal is not enough to make it clear which empty cashier should be occupied. Also, the customer does not know by this which cash register will open.

The object of the invention is to provide a system by which it is possible from any box office to inform the staff of the shop and the customers sufficiently about the cashier and control the cash desks.

This object is achieved in that in each case a keypad (tableau) is arranged at several or all cash desks, by the keys on its own and the other cash desks on and off or opened and closed.

As a result, all cash desks can be controlled from each cashier's desk and optimal information about the cash registers can be given to the staff and the customers.

Technically particularly simple such a system is constructed and manageable when the keypads of cash registers are connected to a network in particular a bus system to which other components are connected.

The cashier sitting at every checkout point is optimally informed when the keypads have several lights for indicating the on and off status of the various functions. Here, the lights are at least partially integrated in the keys.

Preferably, it is proposed that each cashier station has at its entrance a visible to the customer cash register light and / or a (s) visible to the customer display or screen, the / indicates that the cash register is in operation or out of order and by each the keypads on and off. In this case, each cashier station has an actuatable by a key electrical switch, through which the cash register light is switched.

It is particularly advantageous if speech announcements are triggered by the keypads for the customers, by which the customers are informed whether a cash register is opened and / or closed. Also, a signal, in particular a bell can be triggered by the keypads, by which the staff is informed that another box office must be filled. Furthermore, the box containing the cigarette dispenser and / or the valuables contained box can be controlled. Furthermore, an alarm can be triggered by the keypads.

Such a cash control system is preferably part of a network connecting the components, in particular of a bus system, the network having a query of the status of the individual cash registers. In this case, the network can have light barriers in the customer movement areas in order to record the number of customers. The network can also have light barriers in the customer movement areas in order to indicate and, in particular, to prevent customers from running back in the cash flow path.

It is preferably proposed that some or all of the components, in particular the loudspeakers, be connected wirelessly by radio waves.

• • Eine Statusanzeige der Kassenzustände zur besseren Orientierung der Kunden im Kassenbereich.
• • Eine An- und Abwahl von zusätzlichen Kassen inkl, Statusanzeige durch Kassenleuchten.
• • Eine Zusammenfassung vieler Einzelfunktionen, die bislang alle separat als Einzelblocks installiert wurden.
• • Eine Kosteneinsparung und Optimierung von Installationsarbeiten.

The following objectives are pursued with this cash management system:

• • A status display of the cash register states for better orientation of the customers in the cash register area.
• • A selection and deselection of additional cash registers incl, status display by cash register lights.
• • A summary of many individual functions that were previously all installed separately as individual blocks.
• • A cost saving and optimization of installation work.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. Show it

1 an overview of the cash-desk system,

2 the keypad of a cash register.

The cash desks of a retail store, a supermarket, in particular a self-service store / market have at least a cash register, a cashier's seat, a point of charge in front of the cash register, a delivery point behind the cash register and a parallel to this Kassenweg for customers. At the beginning of each Kassenweges a cash register light is attached, which indicates by green light and red light, whether the cash register is busy.

There is a keypad at every cashier's desk 1 arranged, which is clearly visible to the cashier and easy to handle, and that several buttons 2 and lights 3 has, as it is in 2 is shown. For each cash register a key (button) and a lamp is arranged on the keypad and by pressing one of the cash registers belonging button, the cashier can open a previously closed box office, or can first a pre-information to the relevant box office by a flashing green cash register light give to the customers that shortly the cash register / cash desk will be opened and at the same time the staff will be informed by a / ringer / bell informing them that this place has to be filled. This announcement to the customer takes place in addition to or instead of the cash register light also by loudspeaker announcements. As soon as the seat is occupied and the new cashier has put his key in a key-operated switch, the cash register is activated and the flashing green light of the cash-register light becomes a steady light.

If a cashier closes his cash register, he removes his key and the cash register is deactivated and the green light of the cash register light is switched to red light. By connecting all keypads 1 Through the network (bus system), the information of this keypad are also visible on the other keypads.

Instead of a red and green light, a display or screen is provided in an alternative, which / is arranged in the field of vision of the customer and also indicates the state of the cashier ("Open" / "Closed").

Under "keys" are next to depressible keys 2 also touch-sensitive areas of the keypad 1 Understood.

The individual components and thus also the speakers are preferably connected to each other wirelessly by radio waves.

The individual components of the cash register system are described below:

Cash lighting system

The cash register lights 3 are controlled according to the status of the cash register. The selection is made via the buttons 2 of the keypad 1 , Checkout canceled - Cashier light off Cash desk selected via keypad - The cash register light flashes Cash register registered - Cash light steady light

The keys on the keypad (cash registers 1-8) are equipped with an LED 3 deposited and light also analogous to the corresponding light.

Bell system (paging)

The bell can also be from the keypad 1 be operated. If the bell is pressed, a blue LED strip lights up in the corresponding light, which is visible from the front and the back and signals to the staff who has requested an additional cashier. This LED illuminates for about 1 minute and then goes off automatically.

cigarette dispenser

The cigarette carrier can also be from the keypad 1 off, this is a separate button provided. The coupling with the cigarette carrier takes place via the electronics of the rod guard.

Box for high quality goods

To control the box, a button and the two status LEDs (green / red) are provided. For this reason, a separate installation of the buttons and the LEDs in the counter can be omitted. Likewise, distribution boxes in the ceiling and in the cash register area can be omitted.

checkout barrier

The cash register can be closed manually using the keypad and, on the other hand, an electronic impulse is automatically issued after the corresponding cash register has been de-registered. In addition, when the cash register is deactivated, the pulse for closing is activated every five minutes. This will ensure that the checkout is closed again after reopening when the checkout is canceled.

Furthermore, an alarm function is integrated for the cash register lock, which is activated when the cash register is opened (cash register is deactivated).

reserve button

The keypad has two spare buttons for additional functions. These buttons are potential-free and can be used directly for additional functions without programming effort. For this purpose, only a corresponding commercial plug on the back needs to be inserted.

alarm functions

The system includes as standard alarm functions with integrated connection of an alarm transmitter (optical and acoustic). One of these alarms is already paired with the cash register lock, so that when the lock is opened - but only if the cash register is logged off - an alarm is triggered. Another alarm function can z. B. starting from the return valve or other components.

Status query cash PC (Box)

Status query of the cash register PC (cash register registered / not registered), with integrated interface to other components (eg box for valuables, cash register system, cigarette holder, etc.). The status of the cash register can be evaluated by a box control technology.

The following functions can be provided for the standard functions:

Speech module as a supplement to the cash register light

The installation of a speech module in addition to the cash register lights shows the customers even better the status of the cash registers via loudspeakers. Here is the possibility given language texts such. B. "Please now put on cash register 3", o. Ä. To spend. Depending on your wishes, the most diverse language texts can be output here in order to draw the customer's attention to certain states.

Customer registration with automatic selection of additional funds

With the aid of light barriers in the customer channels, it is possible to detect the number of customers in the store, so that manual selection of an additional cash register is supported by this automatic system.

If there are a certain number of customers in the sales room, then the staff is advised to select an additional cash register (the corresponding button on the panel flashes). Now the cashier has the option to confirm or not to accept the selection.

The order of the additionally automatically to be selected cash register can be preset in each branch freely by the personnel.

It is conceivable to couple the recording of the number of customers in the sales room with the so-called backflow protection, since a customer count with light barriers is already integrated here (see next point).

Return valve

The integration of the backflow safety device (input monitoring with light barriers) is also possible. The required alarm outputs for the alarm devices are already integrated as standard.

Other optional features

The cash register system is structured in such a way that it is possible to integrate a wide variety of functions. Depending on customer requirements, additional functions can be introduced with relatively little effort.

Advantageous installation and cabling of the system - "Plug and Play"

A key advantage of the system is the installation and installation of the system. The components are mounted on the designated and already prepared positions.

The system is a so-called bus system, i. H. an independent network, so that the wiring can be done with simple steps. For this purpose, the required components are simply connected to each other by plugging in the network cable. A cabling error is thus excluded. In addition, the wiring effort is reduced to a minimum. Additionally or alternatively, there are wireless connections between at least some components via radio waves in particular as wireless remote controls.

• • Zentral- und Kassen-Controller (230 V/50 Hz)
• • Kassenleuchte oder Display/Bildschirm für Status an-/abgemeldet (gelb, bzw. grün/rot)
• • Tableau zur Anwahl verschiedener Funktionen
• • Ansteuerung der Kassensperre (Magnet) mit Stellungsabfrage
• • Box zur Kopplung mit Kassenschnittstelle, Box für Wertgegenstände und Zigarettenträger

The components of the cash register are:

• • Central and POS controller (230 V / 50 Hz)
• • Cash register light or display / screen for status on / off (yellow, or green / red)
• • Tableau for selecting various functions
• • Control of the cash register lock (magnet) with position inquiry
• • Box for coupling with cash register interface, box for valuables and cigarette holder

Claims (14)

Installation for controlling the functions of cash desks of a shop such as a self-service shop with keys arranged at the cash register ( 2 ), characterized in that in each case one or more cash desks (Tableau) (Tableau) ( 1 ) is arranged, by whose keys ( 2 ) the own and the other cash desks are switched on and off or opened and closed. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the keypads ( 1 ) the cash desks are connected to a network, in particular a bus system, to which even more components. are connected. An announcement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the keypads ( 1 ) several lights ( 3 ) for indicating the on and off state of the various functions. Plant according to claim 3, characterized in that the luminaires ( 3 ) at least partially in the keys ( 2 ) are integrated. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each cashier station has at its entrance area a visible to the customer cash register light and / or a (s) visible to the customer display or screen, the / indicates that the cash register in operation or out of order and can be switched on and off by each of the keypads. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that each cash station has an actuatable by key electrical switch, through which the cash register light is switched. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by the keypads ( 1 ) for the customers voice announcements are triggered, through which the customers are informed whether a cash register is opened and / or closed. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by the keypads ( 1 ) a signal, in particular a bell is triggered by the staff is informed that another cashier station must be filled. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by the keypads ( 1 ) the cigarette delivery and / or the work items contained box are controlled. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by the keypads ( 1 ) an alarm is triggered. Announcement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a network connecting the components has a query of the status of the individual cash registers. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a network connecting the components has light barriers in the customer movement areas to detect the number of customers. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a network connecting the components has light barriers in the customer movement areas in order to indicate a return of the customers in the cash flow and in particular to prevent. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that some or all components, in particular the speakers are wirelessly connected by radio waves.

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