JPH03216795A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a sales control means that executes product sales based on input product sales information and outputs own machine information related to product sales. Regarding vending machines equipped with

[Conventional technology]

In this type of vending machine mentioned above, products are sold based on product sales information such as the unit price of the product stored in the vending machine, but sales information is used to manage sales status, etc. It is now possible to output own machine information related to product sales such as products to the outside.

Incidentally, in recent years, it has been considered to sell products using purchase storage media such as magnetic cards and IC cards that can freely store price information for product purchases.

Therefore, conventionally, it has been considered to use a storage medium input/output means for a purchase storage medium for product sales as a means for outputting sales information (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-7639
(See Publication No. 0).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional configuration, it was only possible to output sales information from the vending machine, and it was not possible to input product sales information such as product unit price. Therefore, the input of product sales information has to be manually performed by the operator, for example, by opening the door of the vending machine, which is cumbersome. In addition, in order to input product sales information into a vending machine or output its own information related to product sales, an operator must go to the location where the vending machine is installed and perform input/output operations. Yes, it was inconvenient.

Therefore, in recent years, vending machines have been equipped with communication means for communicating information with an external management means such as a host controller that manages the product sales information and the own machine information. It has also been proposed to make it easier to input and output information to and from the machine. However, in the case of this configuration, since it is necessary to connect the host controller and the vending machine using a communication line, there are cases in which it is suitable to use this configuration and cases in which it is not suitable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to input product sales information and output machine information related to product sales, regardless of the situation in which the vending machine is installed. The goal is to make it as easy as possible.

[Means to solve the problem]

A vending machine according to the present invention is equipped with a sales control means that executes product sales based on input product sales information and outputs own machine information related to product sales. is as follows.

A first characteristic configuration includes a storage medium input/output means for inputting and outputting information to and from a management storage medium capable of storing the product sales information and the own device information, and A communication means for communicating information with an external management means for managing machine information is provided, and the sales control means inputs and outputs information using the storage medium input/output means and the communication means. The point is that it is structured like this.

A second characteristic configuration specifies a preferable configuration for implementing the first characteristic configuration, and includes a purchase storage medium in which the storage medium input/output means can freely store price information for product purchase. It is configured so that information can be input and output between
The product sales control means is configured to store an amount obtained by subtracting the sales price of the product from the remaining amount in the purchase storage medium as a new remaining amount in the purchase storage medium as the product is sold. It is in.

[For production]

In the first characteristic configuration, the input/output of product sales information and the own machine information is performed using a management storage medium and its input/output means, and between the input and output using communication with an external management means. Since it is possible to do both, it becomes possible to easily input and output product sales information and own machine information related to product sales.

To explain, if the external management means and the vending machine can be connected using a communication line, information can be input and output using the communication means, thereby eliminating the need to go to the location where the vending machine is installed. You can easily input and output information.

On the other hand, if it is not possible to connect the external management means and the vending machine, information can be input and output using the storage medium input/output means, although the effort of having to go to the location where the vending machine is installed remains. Information can be easily input and output by simply inputting and outputting information to and from the management storage medium using the storage medium input/output means.

In the second characteristic configuration, the input/output means for the storage medium can also be used as an input/output means for the amount information on the purchase storage medium which can freely store the amount information for purchasing the product. It will also be possible to sell it as a storage medium.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the first characteristic configuration, since the product sales information and the machine information can be easily input and output, the vending machine can be easily and accurately managed.

In the second characteristic configuration, it is possible to sell products using the management storage medium input/output means, so that the device configuration can be effectively utilized.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in Figure 3, the front panel (1) of the vending machine has a sample shelf (1) where samples of stored products are displayed.
2), multiple product selection buttons (3) for selecting products displayed on the sample shelf (?), a coin slot for purchasing products (4), and a coin slot for dispensing selected products. A product outlet (5) is provided. The front panel (1) also has a management card (6a) as a management storage medium that can store product sales information such as the price of stored products and own machine information related to product sales such as sales information.
) is provided with a card reading device (7) as a storage medium input/output means for inputting/outputting information to/from the storage medium.

However, as will be described in detail later, the card reading device (
7) sells products using a purchase card (6b) as a purchase storage medium that can store price information for purchasing products using a card instead of coins inserted from the coin slot (4); In order to be able to do this, information is also configured to be input/output to and from the purchase card (6b).

The management card (6a) and the purchase card (6b)
) have the same shape and the same storage information storage format, and for example, a magnetic card or an IC card, in which the storage information can be rewritten, is used. Then, based on specific identification information such as an ID code that is set and stored in the card in advance, the card reading device (7)
It is designed to identify whether the card inserted is for management or purchase. Also, whether the management card (6a) or the purchase card (6b) is inserted into the card reading device (7), that is,
In order to display whether processing is to be performed for product sales or input/output of own machine information, there are three operation mode display buttons above the card insertion slot of the card reading device (7). lamps (8a), (8b). (8c)
is provided.

To explain the control configuration for controlling the input/output of product sales and management information, as shown in FIG. 1, information on the product selection button (3) and the coin slot (4)
In order to process product sales and input/output own machine information related to product sales based on information on coins inserted into the machine or information read on cards (6a) and (6b) by the card reading device (7). A control device (9) is provided.

The control device (9) includes a vending machine controller (IO) as a sales control means that performs product sales processing and management processing of own machine information such as sales information based on input product information;
By exchanging information with the vending machine controller (10), information can be input/output to and from the card reading device (7) and connected to the host controller (12) as an external management means via the communication line (11). an interface unit (13) as a communication means for communicating product sales information and own machine information, and the interface unit (13)
an operation unit (14) equipped with a display (not shown) for inputting the product sales information and instructing the control state;
, an information output section (15) equipped with an external storage device or printer (not shown) for accumulating and storing the own machine information, and a connector section (l6) for exchanging information with an external information output device (not shown). It is equipped with In addition, the operation section (l4),
The information output section (l5) and the connector section (l6)
) will be manually input and output by the operator. In addition, the product selection button (3)
) and the information on the coins inserted into the coin slot (4) are input to the vending machine controller (lO).

In other words, input/output of product sales information and self-machine information to the vending machine controller (10) is performed by the management card (10).
6a), directly from the host controller (12) via the communication line (11), and the operation section (14) and the information output section (15).
This can be done in any of three ways: , and manually by an operator using the connector part (16). Although not described in detail, the input product sales information includes, for example, information regarding operating conditions such as the product unit price and accident card number, and the output own machine information includes, for example, the information on the sold products. Sales information such as type and quantity,
Ru.

Next, the operation of the control device (9) will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

When a control operation is started, first, it is determined whether or not there is communication from the host controller (l2), and if there is communication, the operation conditions are input with the host controller (l2). It will perform communication processing to perform processing and output its own machine information.

If it is not a communication process, the card reader (7)
), and if a card is inserted, the stored information is read and it is determined whether the card is valid or not.

If the card is valid, as described above, it is determined whether the inserted card is a management card (6a) or a purchase card (6b) based on preset identification information, and the card is purchased. If it is for use, a normal sales process to be described later will be executed, and if it is for management, a management process to be described later will be executed. However, if the card is not valid (for example, if it is a different type of card that is not for vending machines, or if it is an accident card), the process ends.

If the determined process is a normal sales process, the normal sales lamp (8) of the three operation mode display lamps is
a) is turned on, the selected product is determined based on the operation information of the product selection button (3), and its price is determined based on the input product sales information.

Next, it is determined whether the balance stored in the purchase card (6b) is greater than or equal to the price of the determined product, and if the balance is greater than or equal to the price, new amount information is created by subtracting the price from the balance. After writing the balance into the purchase card (6b) and dispensing the selected product to the product dispensing port (5), the inserted purchase card (6b) is ejected. If the balance is less than the price of the selected product, the inserted purchase card (6b) is ejected and the process ends.

If the determined process is a management process, based on the identification information of the inserted management card (6a), it is determined whether the product sales information is being input or the own machine information is being output, and the own machine information is sent to the card. , the sales information output lamp (8b) of the three operation mode display lamps is lit, and the sales information stored in the information output section (l5) is inserted. It will be written on the card. When the writing of sales information is completed, the sales information output lamp (8b
) is turned off and the inserted card is ejected, the normal sales process is returned to a state where it can be executed, and the process of determining whether or not a card has been inserted is re-executed.

If it is determined that the input is product sales information, the operation condition input lamp (8C) of the three operation mode display lamps is lit, and the information is read from the inserted card as described above, for example. , product sales information such as the unit price of stored products and discount sales conditions will be read and stored. After the information reading process is completed, turn off the operation condition input lamp (8C), eject the inserted card, return to the executable state of normal sales process 4, and check whether the card has been inserted. The process of determining whether or not this is the case will be re-executed.

Although not described in detail, when a coin is inserted into the coin slot (4), a product will be sold using coins.

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, the input of product sales information and the output of own machine information were exemplified using different management cards (6a) for input and output. It may be possible to input/output, and the specific configuration of each part necessary for carrying out the present invention can be changed in various ways.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of a vending machine according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control configuration, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of control operation, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the vending machine. (6a)... Management storage medium, (6b)...
...storage medium, (7) ...storage medium input/output means, (10) ...sales control means, (l
2)... External management means, (13)...
means of communication.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vending machine equipped with a sales control means (10) that executes product sales based on input product sales information and outputs own machine information related to product sales. A management storage medium (
Communication of information between the storage medium input/output means (7) for inputting and outputting information with 6a) and the external management means (12) for managing the product sales information and the own machine information. A communication means (13) for performing the above is provided, and the sales control means (10) is configured to input and output information by the storage medium input/output means (7) and the communication means (13). vending machine. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium input/output means (7) inputs/outputs information to/from a purchase storage medium (6b) capable of storing price information for product purchase. With the sale of the product, the product sales control means (10) subtracts the sales price of the product from the remaining amount in the storage medium for purchase (6b), and sets the amount as a new remaining amount to the purchaser. A vending machine configured to store data on a storage medium (6b).