Applied
GCSE Unit 2b EPOS(eftpos)
Information systems are used widely in shops and in
the distribution of goods and one area in which their use is
particularly important is supermarkets. Computer systems are used
in a variety of ways in the modern, large supermarket, from stock
control to maintaining temperatures in fridges and freezers.
The supermarket uses several computers which are located
in a room known as the system office and form the
supermarkets own Local Area Network. These computers are used to control
the stock and are connected to the checkouts. These are the 'branch
computers'. The computers are multifunctional, and each can access
the data, which gives the management a number of access points.
Admin and stock control staff now have access to hand
held computers, SEC (Shelf Edge Computers). These are used for price
changes, creating stock pictures (information on stock totals) and
for forecasting deliveries. (The electronic till and receipt before
EPOS).
Located at each checkout is an ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE
( EPOS ) till. This EPOS till comprises a keyboard, a digital display,
a scanner which reads bar codes, a set of scales, a printer, a credit
/ debit card reader and a till drawer. Each till also has its own
base to which all of the above is attached. It is the base unit which
is connected by cables to the branch computer in the supermarket's
system office.
Each product to be sold must have an identifying code
number which is different from that of every other product.
Different sizes of the same product even need different code numbers.
These code numbers are printed onto the labels or packaging of the
product in the form of bar codes.
INPUTS:- Bar codes, Scanner, Weights scales, Keyboard,
Card reader. OUTPUTS:- Monitor, Receipts, Speakers.
Axiohm plc, through Siemens Nixdorf in the United
Kingdom has supplied Tesco with 13,000 A756 hybrid printers for
roll-out throughout Europe.
Tesco has a programme of innovation and development, updating
and extending its stores to offer the best possible shopping environment.
Part of this is to ensure that shopping at Tesco is as enjoyable
and as easy as possible, including paying for your purchases.
To ensure improved efficiency and customer service at the checkout,
Tesco installed the Axiohm A756, the revolutionary hybrid printer
designed specifically for the point-of-sale market.
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EFTPOS
The A756 has reformed the point of sale market, with its thermal
receipt and impact slip printing technologies. The development
of IT in the shopping or retail market has been matched with
the financial and banking sector, resulting in new developments
of methods of payment, the simplest of these being the function
of cheque printing by the checkout printer, based upon information
used to produce the receipt. The slipcheque printing facility
prints at 4 LPS, accepts multi-part forms or tickets, with a
reliability of 15 million lines. Its ergonomic design of the
impact station offers efficient printing, on its flat slip table,
within a compact footprint.
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Bar codes are made up of a set of black lines and white
spaces.
Many bar codes today use the European Article Number or EAN. This
is a thirteen digit number which can be used to uniquely identify
a product.
Using the bar code as an example :
a) The first 2 digits represent the country from which the company
producing the product comes. 50 - U.K.
b) The next five digits represent the company which produced the product.
00208 - Lyons Tetley Ltd.
c) The following five digits represent the product. 02100 - 80 Tea
bags.
d) The last number is a check digit. This is used to make sure the
bar code has been read correctly.
So 5000208021000 is the EAN for a box of 80 Tetley tea bags.
The bar codes on products are read by the EPOS tills
at the checkouts. This is achieved by using a scanner, which sends
out infra-red laser beams via a set of mirrors, enabling the bar code
to be read at most angles.
When an item is passed over the scanner, the black and white parts
of the code are detected by the laser, as the black parts
reflect very little light whilst the white parts reflect most of the
light. This is converted into electrical pulses which are sent
along the cables to the branch computer. The branch computer then
searches its stock file for the product matching
the EAN number. When this record is located the price and description
of the product is extracted and sent back to the
EPOS till at the checkout which then shows this item and price on
the digital display, prints them on a receipt and adds
the price to the total. At the same time, the branch computer records
that one of this item has been sold. When a bar code has been correctly
scanned, the scanner emits a bleep. If no such sound is made, the
item can be passed over the scanner again until it has been correctly
read. The keyboard is used to enter codes of products that will not
scan, for example reduced price items.
The scales at the EPOS till are also linked up to the
branch computer. All loose fruit and vegetables are weighed at the
checkout. Each product has a code number which, when typed in at the
keyboard, gives the customer a description of the product on the receipt
along with the weight and price of the purchase. The weight of the
product is also deducted from the stock file. As well as printing
an itemised receipt, the printer attached to the EPOS till can also
print the name of the supermarket, the date and the amount owing on
cheques and debit / credit card vouchers. This lessens the chance
of mistakes as well as minimising the amount of time a customer has
to spend at the checkout.
Not every customer pays by cash or cheque though. Many
now opt to pay by a debit card such as Switch or Delta. In these cases
the customer’s card is swiped through the card reader which reads
the information ( such as the account number and date of expiry )
held on the magnetic strip on the back of the card. The latest in
store development has been the arrival of smart card readers at the
EPOS. A debit card with a smart chip is placed in the reader and the
customer then enters their PIN to authorise the money being taken
out of their account. This is much more secure than signing a docket
as it cannot be forged. This information is then added to the details
of how much the customer has spent and, after checking that sufficient
funds are present, used to transfer this amount from the customer’s
bank account to that of the supermarket’s. This process is called
ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER and works even if the supermarket's bank
is different from that of the customer.
PRICING
The price of a product, as we have seen, is sent to the EPOS terminal
when the product’s bar code is read. In the past, every single
item had a price sticker attached and when a price change was required,
new labels had to be placed over the old ones. This was a time consuming
task, as every single item on the shelves of the product requiring
the price change required a new label. Mistakes were sometimes made
and customers over or undercharged. Nowadays there are no price labels
attached to products, neither does the packaging of the product show
the price. The only reference to the price of a product is contained
on a label attached to the shelf where that product is situated. These
shelf labels are produced by the branch computer and are printed out
in different sizes according to the size of the shelf display for
a particular product. Special offers such as Multibuy - "Buy
one get one free" or LinkSave - "Buy one product and save
50% on another" could not be offered before the introduction
of Information Technology. As bar codes are scanned, the branch computer
looks for items which are on special offer and discounts the prices
where necessary.
STOCK CONTROL
There are, in fact, six branch computers linked to the EPOS terminals
at the checkouts. They all record information about items sold and
provide backup for each other. If only one computer was used and it
broke down, the supermarket could not function. These branch computers
are linked via the satellite links to a large main computer housed
at the supermarket's head office elsewhere in the country. All branches
of this supermarket are also linked in this way to the main computer
and this is an example of an extranet.
After the supermarket has closed at the end of the day,
the following happens :
1) The branch computer sends the details of every individual sale
to the main computer at the Head Office.
2) Using this information, the main computer system updates its record
of the number in stock of every item in the store. The SEC allows
managers to get a real time stock picture and allows a manager to
escalate stock deliveries from nothing to 72 hours to 48 hours. It
also gives a better picture of stock losses and improves the service
the shop can give its customers
3) Using a forecast of sales along with other factors (such as the
weather and the time of the year etc. ) the system automatically orders
the correct amount of stock required by the store for the next available
delivery 48 or 72 hours ahead.
4) The main computer also transmits these orders to computers in the
distribution centres (large warehouses storing products ready for
delivery to stores ) across the satellite link.
5) These distribution centres then deliver the required stock to the
stores immediately.
6) Price changes and prices of new products, special offers etc. are
sent back to branch computer in the supermarket.
7) New shelf labels are printed and the night staff of the supermarket
place these on the shelves ready for the following day.
OTHER USES
The stores are also big users of email. Each store is connected to
each other, to every depot and to the Head Office. The email is used
for area initiatives, promotional planning, quality control issues,
head office bulletins, warning about shoplifters and banning letters.
The company also uses computers for staff recruitment. New applicants
can fill in an application form over the Internet and have it vetted
by the Head Office. This saves time at branch level and serves to
get rid of some applicants. If an applicant fills in a form at the
branch, this can be scanned in and then uploaded to the Head office.
Before reading the following sections, please use: Hardware
used by Tesco and The
six sections of Unit 2b.
Extra information is below.
SOFTWARE
| Each time a delivery
arrives, KC Stock Manager allows you to scan and quantify stock
as it comes in, comparing it to exactly what was ordered on your
supplier purchase order. KC Stock Manager allows for part orders
received, damages in transit and missing stock. Each time an item
of stock is scanned, a record of the arrival time and the staff
member scanning is made for future reference.
KC Stock Manager can support a multi-process
warehouse, allowing movement of stock in one stage: straight
to bin operation, two stages: quarantine and process operation
or any number of stages. KC Stock Manager can show the warehouse
worker default bin number, and any amendments that have been
to its location, whist supporting serial and batch, single and
multi-bin items.
KC Stock Manager allows data transfer to your
accounts package on-demand at any time of the day. This allows
received items to be picked for manufacture or delivery on the
delivery date.
KC Stock Manager allows you to review outstanding
sales orders, and prioritise picking schedule. You can choose
your picking criteria based on order value, percentage ready
for picking, stock location, customer priority, age of order
or due date, and with this KC Stock Manager reverts to your
accounts package for any specific notes or flags on the order
or designated customer.
Orders can be split per scanner, and stock differences
reconciled on-the-fly allowing multiple workers to pick separate
or the same order. The scanners then relay back to the main
servers so the warehouse or shipping manager can track the process
of orders and allocate pickers or packers to their relative
station. KC Stock Manager's 'Workflow Manager' can help with
this as a standard feature.
You can choose to print the picking list, which
includes stock location and which carton or pallet each item
should be packed into, as well as any delivery notes for that
specific item.
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WIN-EPOS - Windows Embedded for Point of Service
Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS)
Advantages for Point-of-Service Devices
As the first Microsoft operating system designed specially for
point-of-service systems used by retail and hospitality organisations,
Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS) will deliver at
the point of sale and beyond.
As a core component of the Microsoft Smarter Retailing Initiative,
WEPOS offers the following advantages to retail and hospitality
organizations:
• Easier. Windows Embedded for Point of Service is the
first POS operating system platform to provide plug-n-play peripheral
support. Extending standard desktop PC plug-n-play support to
retail device peripherals, this will enable retailers to quickly
install and integrate current and legacy retail device peripherals
into a point-of-service system. WEPOS also offers a standard
platform optimised for retail and hospitality applications and
familiar device management technologies.
• Empowering. Windows Embedded for Point of Service also
empowers retailers to create the most compelling customer interactions
by providing a standard, retail-optimised platform that includes
the required retail-specific technologies, and full support
for standard retail applications and device peripherals.
• Lower Life-cycle Costs. Windows Embedded for Point of
Service also provides low retail point-of-service life-cycle
costs by decreasing OS and application development costs, deployment
costs, servicing and maintenance costs, and POS hardware costs
while providing the longest published product support life cycle
for point-of-service systems.
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CABLES
| PCP AT/DIN to PS2 Keyboard Converter Cable |
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PCP PS2 to AT/DIN Converter Cable |
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| PCP Serial Interface Cable |
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PCP Parallel Interface Cable |
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PCP UK Mains Power Cable |
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PROCESSORS
STORAGE
Backing storage:
The difference between internal memory and backing storage:
Backing storage (also known as secondary storage) means data storage
that retains its contents when the computer is switched off. It
can be used to hold both programs and data.
When you run a program or load a file they are
copied from the backing store into the internal memory.
When you save a file it is copied from the internal
memory to the backing store.
It is always slower to access data from backing
storage than from internal memory.
Data stored in backing storage is permanent so it is NOT lost
when the computer is turned off.
Data stored in internal memory is lost when the computer is
turned off.
Categories of storage media:
Backing storage can be divided into two main categories:
Magnetic media which stores the binary data
on a disk or tape coated with a material that can be magnetised
differently, depending on whether a 0 or 1 is stored.
Optical media which stores the binary data in a surface that
reflects laser light differently, depending on whether a 0 or
1 is stored.
Magnetic media - Hard discs:
Data is stored by magnetising the surface of flat, circular
plates called platters which have a surface that can be magnetised.
They constantly rotate at very high speed. A read/write head
floats on a cushion of air a fraction of a millimetre above
the surface of the disc. The drive is inside a sealed unit because
even a speck of dust could cause the heads to crash.
Programs and data are held on the disc in blocks
formed by tracks and sectors. These are created when the hard
disc is first formatted and this must take place before the
disc can be used. Disc are usually supplied pre-formatted.
For a drive to read data from a disc, the read/write
head must move in or out to align with the correct track (the
time to do this is called the seek time). It must wait then
until the correct sector rotates round until it underneath the
the read/write head.
Uses:
The hard disc is usually the main backing storage media for
a typical computer or server. It is used to store:
The operating system (e.g. Microsoft® Windows)
Applications software (e.g. word-processor, database, spreadsheet,
etc.)
Files such as documents, music, video etc.
A typical home/school microcomputer would have a disc capacity
of over 100 gigabytes.
Advantages:
Very fast access to data. Data can be read directly from any
part of the hard disc (random access). The access speed is about
1000 KB per second.
Disadvantages:
Non really! It can however be a real disaster when they eventually
fail because few home users have the data on their home computer
hard drive backed up.
Magnetic media - Magnetic Tape:
Just like the tape in a tape-recorder, the data is written to
or read from the tape as it passes the magnetic heads.
Uses:
Magnetic tapes are often used to make a copy of hard discs for
back-up reasons. This is automatically done overnight on the
KLB network and the tapes are kept in a safe place away from
the server.
Advantages:
Magnetic tape is relatively cheap and tape cassettes can store
very large quantities of data (typically 26 GB).
Disadvantages:
Accessing data is very slow and you cannot go directly to an
item of data on the tape as you can with a disc. It is necessary
to start at the beginning of the tape and search for the data
as the tape goes past the heads (serial access).
Optical Media - CD-Rom:
CD-ROM - means Compact Disc - Read Only Memory. This means you
can only read from the disc, not write or store data onto it.
They are also known as optical discs because the data is read
by a laser beam reflecting or not reflecting from the disc surface.
A CD-ROM only starts spinning when requested
and it has to spin up to the correct speed each time it is accessed.
It is much faster to access than a floppy but it is currently
slower than a hard disc.
Uses:
Most software programs are now sold on CD-Rom.
Advantages:
CD-ROM's hold large quantities of data (650 MB).
They are relatively tough as long as the surface does not get
too scratched.
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INPUT DEVICES
Keyboard - the commonest way to
enter data into a computer. Each key is simply a switch, which when
pressed, results in a digital code being sent to the computer. For
example, pressing the 'A' key produces the code 01100001 representing
the lower case letter 'a'. Holding down the shift key at the same
time produces the code 01000001 representing the upper case letter
'A'.
Mouse - the movement of the mouse over a flat
surface is mirrored by a pointer on the monitor screen. Under the
mouse is a ball which rolls and turns two shafts, one for each direction
- left/right & up/down. Buttons on the mouse enable selections
to be made from menus, movement of objects around the screen, and
painting or drawing.
Joystick - works in similar way to a mouse
but usually used for playing action games. The "fire" button
or trigger is used to shoot at the targets provided in the game.
Microphone - for the input of voice in place
of using the keyboard and mouse. Special software is used to convert
voice into text or to activate menu options. This requires fast processing
and a lot of memory and will become more common as the technology
improves.
Digital Camera - light received through the
lens is converted to digital signals by sensors, rather than stored
by chemical change on a film as in a normal camera. The resulting
"photograph" can then be stored on a computer and used just
like any clipart files.
Video Digitiser - enables video signals from
a standard video camera or cassette recorder to be read into a computer.
The video can then be stored as a file, displayed on screen and edited.
Still images can be captured and printed or used as clipart.
Midi Instruments - normal musical instruments
which have a midi port for input into a midi interface in the computer.
The music can then be stored as a file, displayed on screen and edited
ready for playback.
Scanner - like a photocopier it scans a full
page with laser light but instead of printing copies, it transmits
the image to the computer as digital code, which can be saved as a
file. In effect, it performs the exact opposite function to a printer
by converting a printed page into a computer file. There are also
hand held scanners which can be wiped over the page but they have
to be used very slowly and carefully for good results.
Graphics Tablet - a flat pad which you can
write or draw on with a pressure sensitive stylus (like a pen). Movement
across the pad is mirrored by drawing on the monitor screen. Used
for art work and computer aided design.
Sensor - chemical responses to the physical
environment or movement can be converted to electrical signals in
the sensor that can be translated and used by the computer. Various
sensors can be used to measure heat, light, sound, pressure, strain,
acidity (pH), oxygen concentration, humidity, pulse, water level,
water flow, speed, tilt or simply whether something like a door or
a valve is open or shut.
Remote Control - emits a beam of infra red
light which carries data signals. Commonly used for input to TVs and
VCRs and now becoming used by computers as a "wireless"
method of communication.
Light Pen - the pen works directly on the
screen. Touch sensitive screens and electronic whiteboards that respond
to the touch of a finger are now replacing these.
Bar Code Reader - almost everything you buy
has a bar code either on it or on its packaging. The bar coded item
is wiped over a laser scanner or a wand is wiped over the bar code
to read in the data. It is the same as a scanner but due to the simple
nature of the bar code the scanning is very rapid. Used at supermarket
checkouts and some libraries.
Braille Keyboard - the keys are marked with
raised dots as an aid for the blind.
Concept Keyboard - a flatbed of contact switches
covered by a flexible membrane over which can be placed an overlay
marked with whole words, pictures or symbols. The computer is then
programmed to respond appropriately to these. Used in education as
an early-learning aid, in restaurants so the operator does not need
to know the prices, and in messy places where a normal keyboard would
be at risk.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) - uses
an ordinary scanner to take a photographic image of printed or even
hand-written text. Special software then looks at the image, recognises
each character and converts it into a text file. This can then be
edited using a word processor. It is also used to automatically recognise
post codes on letters at sorting offices.
Optical Mark Reader (OMR) - similar to a bar
code reader but uses infra-red light to scan pencil marks on prepared
forms such as multiple-choice examination answer sheets or lottery
tickets.
Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)
- uses ink containing magnetic particles. This method is used by banks
to print on a cheque the amount that it is made out for, then it is
scanned into a computer.
OUTPUT DEVICES
CRT Monitor
- The commonest visual display unit (VDU) used by desktop computers
today. It is similar to a TV but has no UHF receiver. For the scientists
amongst you - it uses a cathode ray tube (CRT) to fire electrons at
a coating of very tiny phosphor dots on the inside of the screen.
This causes the dots to glow. A red, green and blue (RGB) dot makes
up a pixel of visible light. By varying the intensity of each of these
primary colours, the whole pixel will appear to the human eye as any
colour desired. The more dense the pixels the greater is the clarity,
or resolution, of the screen image.
VGA (Video Graphics Array) = 640 x 480 pixels
SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array) = 800 x 600 pixels
XGA (Extended Graphics Array) = 1024 x 768 pixels
LCD Monitor - smaller, lighter and using much less power than
a normal CRT monitor makes them ideal for portable lap-top computers.
Also used in watches and calculators. For the scientists amongst you
this is all to do with the polarisation of light by an electromagnetic
field applied to a crystal which produces a liquid crystal display
(LCD). These screens are rapidly replacing CRT both for computers
and for home television.
Daisy-Wheel Printer - like a typewriter but
with the preformed letters on the ends of spokes to form a wheel.
The letters strike an inked ribbon onto paper. Good (typewriter quality)
resolution. Very slow - ½ ppm (page per minute). Very noisy.
Can only print the characters provided on the wheel and no graphics
(line drawings, pictures). One colour (monochrome) only. PROBABLY
NO LONGER IN USE.
Dot-Matrix Printer - a set of steel pins strike
an inked ribbon onto paper producing any desired sequence of dots.
Low resolution - 72 dpi (dots per inch) - can just see the dots. Quite
fast - 1 ppm. Slightly noisy. Can print any shape of character (font)
stored in the computer memory and any graphics, all on the same page.
PROBABLY NO LONGER IN USE.
Ink-Jet Printer - fires a jet of liquid ink
through tiny holes. High resolution - 300 to 600 dpi for almost professional
quality, sharp printing. Fast - 3 ppm. Very quiet. Cost around £100.
Full black and colour print on same page. Thousands of colours are
created by mixing tiny dots of cyan, magenta and yellow (CMY) ink
on the paper. Replacement ink cartridges for each colour cost around
£10-25. Better printers have separate black, cyan, magenta and
yellow cartridges for more economical replacement when empty.
Laser Printer - works like a photocopier,
powdered ink is fused onto paper by heat and pressure. Very high resolution
- 600 to 1200 dpi for full professional quality. Very fast: 6 -16
ppm for multiple copies. Almost silent. Cost around £100. Replacement
black 'toner' cartridges cost around £50 but last a long time
and much more economical than ink-jet printing. Colour laser printers
are more expensive at around £250 with £50 for each of
4 replacement cartridges but still cheaper to run than colour inkjet
printers.
Braille Printer - by converting text into
the Braille code, this printer produces patterns of raised dots on
paper for use by the blind.
Graphics Plotter - uses high precision motors
controlled by the computer to draw on paper with coloured ink pens.
Used for drawings where a high degree of accuracy is required such
as building plans, printed circuit boards and machine parts.
Speaker - for music or speech from programs,
CD-ROMs and musical instruments.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) - small low power
devices which emit light. Used to indicate various events such as
power on or hard disk in operation and to monitor other control applications.
Relay switches & motors - a computer can
be programmed very easily to turn switches on and off at the required
times. For example to control traffic lights or electric motors in
a robot arm. Used in the automobile industry to spray body shells
or to assemble and weld parts together; or to assemble delicate electronic
components on a printed-circuit board for computers, radios and almost
anything else you can think of.
Mathstutor
2003-08
