POS system, POS system control method, and recording media processing system

• US 9,001,342 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takamoto, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, DOUGLAS Q
• Application Number:
  US13/812,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130128300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.1, 358/1.15, 358/1.13, 358/1.14
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1206 resulting in increased flexibility in input data format or job format or job type
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00 Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00344 with a management, maintenance, service or repair apparatus monitoring H04N1/00002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0024 Converting image communication control signals, e.g. group 3 facsimile protocol signals, to non-image communication control signals or vice versa

Abstract

A host device includes an application unit that outputs a first command or a second command, a receiving unit that receives the output first command or second command, a command control unit that converts the received first command to a third command, and converts the second command to a fourth command, and a host communication unit that transmits the converted third command or fourth command. A device includes a device reception unit that receives the third command or fourth command, a first operating unit that performs the first operation based on the third command, and a second operating unit that receives the fourth command and performs the second operation.

Claims

1. A POS system comprising:

a host device including

an application unit that outputs a first command that performs a first operation on a medium to a first communication port, or a second command that performs a second operation different from the first operation to a second communication port,

a receiving unit that receives the first command or second command output by the application unit, the first command or the second command being received by the receiving unit before being received by the first communication port or the second communication port,

a command control unit that converts the first command received by the receiving unit to a third command, or converts the second command to a fourth command, and

a host communication unit that transmits the third command or fourth command output from the command control unit to a third communication port; and

a device including

a device communication unit that receives the third command or fourth command,

a first operating unit that performs the first operation based on the third command, and

a second operating unit that performs the second operation based on the fourth command.

2. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

the host device has a control unit with a kernel layer for an operating system and an application layer where the application executes;

the receiving unit is a virtual port that is implemented on the kernel layer, the receiving unit transmitting the first command or the second command to the application layer; and

the command control unit operates on the application layer.

3. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

the command control unit adds first operation information to the third command when converting the first command, and adds second operation information to the fourth command when converting the second command.

4. The POS system described in claim 3, wherein:

the device includes a selection unit that selects the first operating unit based on the first operation information added to the third command, or selects the second operating unit based on the second operation information added to the fourth command.

5. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

the device communication unit sends a signal reporting the end of the first operation of the first operating unit based on the transmitted third command, or the end of the second operation of the second operating unit based on the transmitted fourth command; and

the host communication unit receives the signal sent from the device communication unit.

6. The POS system described in claim 5, wherein:

the host communication unit does not send the fourth command to the device communication unit after sending the third command until the signal transmitted from the device communication unit is received.

7. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

when converting the first command to the third command, the command control unit changes and converts the first operation instruction contained in the first command to the third command.

8. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to the medium;

the second operation is a reading operation for reading the medium;

the first operating unit is a print unit that prints on the medium; and

the second operating unit is a scanner unit that scans the medium.

9. The POS system described in claim 1, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to roll paper;

the second operation is a printing operation for printing to a slip;

the first operating unit is a roll paper printing unit that prints on roll paper; and

the second operating unit is a slip printing unit that prints on a slip.

10. The POS system described in claim 1, further comprising:

a POS server that manages the host device over a network.

11. A POS system control method, comprising steps of:

an application outputting a first command that performs a first operation on a recording medium to a first communication port, or a second command that performs a second operation different from the first operation to a second communication port,

receiving, by a receiving unit the output first command or second command, the first command or the second command being received before being received by the first communication sort or the second communication sort,

converting the first command to a third command when the first command is received by the receiving unit, or

converting the second command to a fourth command when a second command is received by the receiving unit, and

transmitting the converted third command or fourth command to a third communication port;

the device performing the first operation when the third command is received, and

performing the second operation when the fourth command is received.

12. The POS system control method described in claim 11, wherein:

the receiving unit is a virtual port.

13. The POS system control method described in claim 11, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to the medium; and

the second operation is a reading operation for reading the medium.

14. The POS system control method described in claim 11, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to roll paper; and

the second operation is a printing operation for printing to a slip.

15. A non-transitory medium processing system comprising:

a host device including

an application unit that outputs a first command that performs a first operation on a medium to a first communication port, or a second command that performs a second operation different from the first operation to a second communication port,

a receiving unit that receives the first command or second command output by the application unit, the first command or the second command being received by the receiving unit before being received by the first communication port or the second communication port,

a command control unit that converts the first command received by the receiving unit to a third command, or converts the second command to a fourth command, and

a host communication unit that transmits the third command or fourth command output from the command control unit to a third communication port; and

a device including

a device reception unit that receives the third command or fourth command,

a first operating unit that performs the first operation based on the third command, and

a second operating unit that performs the second operation based on the fourth command.

16. The recording medium processing system described in claim 15, wherein:

the host device has a control unit with a kernel layer for an operating system and an application layer where the application executes;

the receiving unit is a virtual port that is implemented on the kernel layer the receiving unit transmitting the first command or the second command to the application layer; and

the command control unit operates on the application layer.

17. The recording medium processing system described in claim 15, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to the medium;

the second operation is a reading operation for reading the medium;

the first operating unit is a print unit that prints on the medium; and

the second operating unit is a scanner unit that scans the medium.

18. The recording medium processing system described in claim 15, wherein:

the first operation is a printing operation for printing to roll paper;

the second operation is a printing operation for printing to a slip;

the first operating unit is a roll paper printing unit that prints on roll paper; and

the second operating unit is a slip printing unit that prints on a slip.