JP2002133473A - Parking fee settlement machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a parking fee settlement machine capable of segregating easily a card used at the settlement time of the parking fee into a parking card not to be put to recycling use and a service card to be put to recycling use. SOLUTION: The parking card inserted from a card inserting mouth 8 is detected by a second card sensor 30 after calculation of the parking fee and allowed to wait on the spot. The inserted service card transfers information with a magnetic head 23 during the waiting time. Hereby, the service card determined to be put to recycling use is guided by a second capture 35 (solid line part) erected on a card conveyance surface 32 and collected in a second collection box 36. When processing of the service card is finished, the waiting parking card is guided by a first capture 31 (solid line part) erected on the card conveyance surface 32 and collected in a first collection box 33.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parking fee settlement machine which can be used in combination with a parking card for calculating a parking fee of a vehicle using a parking lot and a service card for a parking fee service. The present invention relates to a parking fee settling machine that can easily separate a card that is not used for recycling and a card that is used for recycling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a parking lot management system, there is a system for managing a parked vehicle by a gate provided at an entrance of a parking lot. In such a system, an entrance gate is opened by issuing a parking card to permit entry of a vehicle, and a parking fee settlement machine is based on information recorded in the parking card or a service card distributed to a user. When the settlement of the parking fee is completed, the exit gate is opened to permit the exit of the vehicle.

[0003]

The parking card and the service card used for the payment of the parking fee are collected in the checkout machine. Among the collected cards, the parking cards are discarded, while the service cards are discarded. Cards may be recycled to reduce the operating costs of parking lots.

However, in the above-described conventional parking fee settlement machine, the parking card and the service card used for settlement are collected in the same collection box in the settlement machine, so that the collected card is not used for recycling. Separately from the service card to be used for recycling and had to be separately performed. All such sorting operations are performed manually by a staff member, and the burden on the staff member is large and inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a parking fee payment machine which can easily separate a card used at the time of parking fee payment into a parking card that does not use recycling and a service card that uses recycling. The purpose is to do.

[0006]

For this reason, the invention according to claim 1 does not use recycling in a parking fee settlement machine that can use both a parking card for calculating a parking fee and a service card for a parking fee service. It is determined whether the card is a parking card or a service card to be recycled, and the parking card and the service card are separated according to the determination result.

With this configuration, when a card is inserted at the time of parking fee settlement, it is determined whether the card is a parking card not used for recycling or a service card used for recycling. Then, the parking card and the service card are separated based on the determination result. Further, the invention according to claim 2 is configured such that the sorting process is performed to collect for each card.

In such a configuration, a parking card not used for recycling and a service card used for recycling are collected separately. Further, the invention according to claim 3 is configured such that the sorting process collects the parking card and returns the service card to a user. In such a configuration, a parking card not used for recycling is collected in the checkout machine, while a service card used for recycling is returned to the user.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the sorting process, the parking card is collected and the service card is returned to the user based on card type information stored in the service card in advance. Or collection. In such a configuration, depending on the type of the service card, whether to return the card to the user or to collect the card in the checkout machine is selected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card which records the number of times of use on the service card, and does not recycle the service card when the number of times of use recorded on the card reaches a predetermined number of times. Is determined. In such a configuration, the usage count information recorded on the service card inserted when the parking fee is settled is read, and if the usage count has reached the predetermined number set in advance, it is determined that the service card is not used for recycling.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are views showing an embodiment of a parking fee settlement machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external view and FIG. 2 is a block diagram. In the figure, a parking fee settlement machine 1 includes a fee display unit 2 for displaying a parking fee, a fee input unit 3 for inserting money, and a bill processing unit 4 for receiving and processing bills and coins inserted from the fee input unit 3. And a coin processing unit 5, a ROM 6 for preliminarily storing information required for settlement, a control unit 7 for controlling the settlement operation of the parking fee settlement machine 1, and reading information recorded on a parking card and a service card. At the same time, a card processing unit that separates the card inserted into the card insertion slot 8 based on an instruction from the control unit 7 into a card not to be recycled (discarded) and a card to be recycled, and collects or returns the card. 9 and a clock unit 10 for measuring time
A RAM 11 for storing service information for reducing a parking fee, a settlement cancel button 12 operated by a user when the user wishes to cancel the settlement, a deposit display unit 13 for displaying the inserted amount, and a parking A receipt issue button 14 operated by the user when the user wishes to issue a fee receipt, a voice guidance unit 15 for guiding the operation procedure of the parking fee settlement machine 1 by voice, a parking card issuing machine (not shown), It comprises an I / O unit 17 and a data communication unit 16 for communicating with other parking facilities such as an entrance indicator.

When the vehicle detector 18 detects a vehicle stopped in front of the checkout machine 1, the control unit 7 opens the card insertion slot 8 so that a card required for checkout can be accepted.
Then, when the operation of adjusting the parking fee by the adjusting machine 1 is completed, the car gate driving section 19 is controlled to open a car gate (not shown) so that the vehicle can depart. When the vehicle leaves the vehicle and is not detected by the vehicle detector 18, the car gate driving unit 19 is controlled to close the car gate.

The service card includes card type information indicating whether the card is a return type or a non-return type (collection type), and service number information for calling the service information stored in the RAM 11. And usage count information indicating the usage count of the card. On the other hand, the parking card records a parking start time (entrance time) and the like.

FIG. 3 shows a parking fee payment machine 1 according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a card transport mechanism of the card processing unit 9 of FIG. Hereinafter, the card processing unit 9 will be described with reference to FIG. When a vehicle stopped in front of the checkout machine 1 is detected by the vehicle detector 19, the insertion portion shutter 20 is opened, and the card is ready to be accepted. First card sensor 21
Detects the parking card inserted from the card insertion slot 7, the first and second motors 22, 24 are sequentially driven to rotate.
Then, the insertion section shutter 20 closes. The first card sensor 21 includes a plurality of sensors so as to detect, for example, the length and width of the card in order to detect whether or not the card is genuine.

The magnetic head 23 includes first and second motors 2.
The parking start time recorded on the parking card conveyed by the rotation drive of 2, 24 is read while being suppressed by the auxiliary roller 25. When the magnetic head 23 reads the parking start time, the rotation of the first and second motors 22 and 24 stops. When the parking fee is calculated based on the parking start time, the second and third motors 24 and 28 are sequentially driven to rotate, and convey the parking card on the magnetic head 23 leftward in the figure.

When the second card sensor 30 detects a parking card conveyed by the rotation of the second and third motors 24 and 28, the insertion section shutter 20 opens to accept a service card. Then, the rotation driving of the second and third motors 24 and 28 is stopped until the settlement operation is completed, and the detected parking card is put on standby. When the service card is inserted from the card insertion slot 8 and the first card sensor 21 detects the service card, the first and second motors 22 and 2
4 are sequentially driven to rotate. Then, the insertion section shutter 20 closes.

The magnetic head 23 includes first and second motors 2.
The information on the number of times of use, card type information, service number information and the like recorded on the service card conveyed by the rotation drive of 2, 24 are read while being suppressed by the auxiliary roller 25. When the magnetic head 23 reads the information, the first, second
The rotation drive of the motors 22 and 24 stops. Then, the magnetic head 23 records magnetic information for updating the number of times of use of the card on the service card based on an instruction from the control unit 7.

If the number of times of use of the service card updated by the magnetic head 23 has reached a predetermined number set in advance, the first capture 31 stands on the card transport surface 32 as shown by a solid line in FIG. The first motor 22 is driven to rotate. As a result, the service card on the magnetic head 23 is conveyed rightward in the drawing, guided by the first capture 31 that stands up, and collected in the first collection box 33 for collecting discarded cards. When the service card collected in the first collection box 33 is detected by the first collection card detection sensor 34, the upright first capture 31 falls down as shown by a broken line in the figure.

On the other hand, if the number of times the service card has been used has not reached the predetermined number, the control unit 7 determines whether the service card is of the return type based on the card type information recorded on the service card. It is determined whether it is the collection type, and the insertion unit shutter 20, the motors 22, 24, and the captures 31, 35 are controlled according to the determination result. That is, the return type service card is conveyed rightward in the figure by the rotational drive of the motors 22 and 24 and returned to the user, while the collection type service card is rotated by the motors 22 and 24 in the figure. The card is conveyed in the left direction, and as shown by a solid line in FIG.
It is guided by the second capture 35 standing upright and collected in the second collection box 36 for recycling card collection. When the service card collected in the second collection box 36 is detected by the second collection card detection sensor 37, the second standing card is detected.
The capture 35 falls down as shown by a broken line in the figure.

When the collection or return of the service card is completed, the first capture 31 stands on the card transport surface 32 and the third, second and first motors 28, 24, 2
2 are sequentially driven to rotate. As a result, the parking card detected by the second card sensor 30 is transported rightward in the drawing. The transported parking card is guided by the first capture 31 standing on the card transport surface 32 and the first collection box 33
When the first capture card 31 is detected by the first recovery card detection sensor 34, the upright first capture 31 falls down.

The thermal head 27 and the platen 29
Is used, for example, when creating a receipt in conjunction with a paper feed mechanism (not shown). Next, the operation of the control unit 7 of the parking fee settlement machine 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 1 (indicated by S1 in the figure, the same applies hereinafter), it is determined whether or not a parking card has been inserted from the card insertion slot 8 based on the output of the first card sensor 21. If the result of the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 2, and if NO, the operation of step 1 is performed again.

In step 2, the parking start time of the parking card read by the magnetic head 23 and the clock unit 1
The parking time is calculated from the current time measured by 0, and a parking fee corresponding to the parking time is calculated. In step 3, when a parking card is detected by the second card sensor 30, the rotation drive of the second and third motors is stopped and the parking card is made to stand by.

In step 4, it is determined whether a service card has been inserted from the card insertion slot 8 based on the output of the first card sensor 21. If the result of the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 5, and if NO, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 11 described later. In step 5, the service information corresponding to the service number information read by the magnetic head 23 is called from the RAM 11. Then, the parking fee calculated in step 2 based on the contents included in the service information is reduced, for example.

In step 6, information for updating the number of times the service card has been used is transmitted to the magnetic head 23. The magnetic head 23 writes magnetic information based on the information on the service card and updates the number of times the service card is used. The thermal head 27 and the platen 29
The updated number of times of use may be printed on the service card by utilizing the above method. That is, the service card whose use frequency has been updated is conveyed onto the platen 29 by the rotational driving of the second motor 24, and the thermal head 2
The updated number of times of use is printed on the service card by the operation of step 7. In this case, a card sensor (not shown) is provided between the magnetic head 23 and the thermal head 27. When the card sensor detects a service card, the control unit 7 transmits print information for updating the number of times of use to the thermal head, The thermal head operates.

If the number of times of use is printed on the service card in this manner, the attendant can easily check the number of times of use of the service card. In step 7, it is determined whether the number of times the service card has been used has reached a predetermined number. If the result of the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 8;
Proceed to step 2.

In step 8, the first capture 31
Is raised on the card transport surface 32 and the first motor 22 is driven to rotate to guide the service card on the magnetic head 23 by the first capture 31 to the first collection box 3.
Collect in 3. In step 9, the amount entered by the user is compared with the parking fee calculated in step 5, and it is determined whether or not the payment of the parking fee has been completed.
If the result of the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to step S10, and if the result is NO, the determination of step S9 is performed again.

In step 10, the first capture 3
1 is raised on the card transport surface 32, and the third, second, and first motors 28, 24, and 22 are sequentially rotated and driven to guide the parking card, which is on standby in step 3, by the first capture 31. Collected in the first collection box 33. Step 4
In, if the service card is not detected by the first card sensor 21, it is determined that the service card is not inserted, and in step 11, it is determined whether the payment of the parking fee calculated in step 2 is completed. . If the result of the determination is YES, the process proceeds to step 10 and the parking card is collected. On the other hand, if NO, the determination in step 4 is performed again.

If the number of times of use recorded on the service card has not reached the preset number of times in step 7, the inserted service card is determined in step 12 based on the card type information read by the magnetic head 23. Is a return type. If the result of the determination is YES, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 13 and N
In the case of O, the operation proceeds to the operation of step 14 described later.

In step 13, the insertion section shutter 2
The service card on the magnetic head 23 is conveyed to the card insertion slot 7 by rotating the second and first motors 24 and 22 sequentially while opening 0. When the service card is removed from the card insertion slot 8 and there is no output from the first card sensor 21, the insertion section shutter 20 is closed. As described above, since the service card is returned based on the card type information recorded on the service card, one user can receive the service a plurality of times with one service card.

In step 14, the second capture 3
5 is raised on the card transport surface 32 and the second motor 24 is driven to rotate to guide the service card on the magnetic head 23 by the second capture 35 to be collected in the second collection box 36. As described above, the card inserted into the checkout machine 1 is separated into a parking card and a service card to be discarded, and the separated service card is separated into a discarded card and a card to be recycled according to the number of uses. Therefore, it is not necessary to manually separate the parking card discarded by the attendant from the service card to be recycled as in the related art, and the work load on the attendant can be reduced. In addition, the service card can be automatically classified into a card that has been used many times and the reading accuracy has been reduced due to dirt or the like and the card cannot be recycled.

In this embodiment, the service card separated from the parking card is further separated into a card to be discarded and a card to be recycled according to the number of uses. However, the parking card and the service card are separated. It is good also as composition which simply collects in each collection box 33 and 36. Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the return type and the non-return type (collection type) are used together as the service card has been described. However, if only the return type is used, the operations of Steps 12 and 14 in FIG. Become.

Further, in the present embodiment, the case where one service card is inserted has been described, but it goes without saying that a configuration in which a plurality of service cards can be inserted is also possible.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the parking card that is not used for recycling and the service card that is used for recycling are separately collected at the time of settlement, so that the staff can separate the card at the time of card collection. Work burden can be reduced. According to the inventions according to Claims 3 and 4, it is possible to adopt a parking lot usage form in which one user can receive a service a plurality of times with one service card, and it is possible to improve the service for the parking lot user. .

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the service card can be automatically separated into a card that can not be recycled and a card that can be recycled, for example, because the number of times the card has been used becomes large. The burden of sorting work can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of a parking fee payment machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a parking fee payment machine according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a card transport mechanism of a card processing unit of the parking fee settlement machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of the parking fee settlement machine of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Parking fee payment machine 8 Card processing unit 7 Control part 23 Magnetic head 31 1st capture 34 2nd capture 32 1st collection box 35 2nd collection box

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A parking fee settling machine that can use a parking card for calculating a parking fee and a service card for a parking fee service, wherein a parking card that is not used for recycling or a service card that is used for recycling. A parking fee payment machine, wherein the parking card and the service card are separated according to the result of the determination. 2. The parking fee settlement machine according to claim 1, wherein the sorting process is configured to collect each card. 3. The parking fee settlement machine according to claim 1, wherein the sorting process is configured to collect the parking card and return the service card to a user. 4. The sorting process collects the parking card, and selects whether to return or collect the service card to the user based on card type information stored in the service card in advance. 2. The parking fee settlement machine according to claim 1, wherein the parking fee is settled. 5. A structure in which information on the number of times of use is recorded on the service card, and when the number of times of use recorded on the card reaches a predetermined number of times, it is determined that the service card is not used for recycling. The parking fee settlement machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: