JPH04104391A - Controller for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To total sales amount by storage columns and to set sales information by addressing a storage part corresponding to a memory means from an input of a merchandise code. CONSTITUTION:By a bar code reader 1, a JAN code is read, and a column code and a merchandise selection switch code are read. By a CPU 21, a merchandise code included in the JAN code is stored in the address of a storage area 23. By the bar code reader 1, the JAN code is read, and the designation of a merchandise selection switch 8 and the designation of a merchandise storage column 2 are continuously performed, then the correspondence between the merchandise selection switch and the merchandise code and the correspondence between the merchandise storage column and the merchandise code can be performed. When the reading of the bar code from a sheet is performed, the correspondence between the merchandise code and the sales price can be simultaneously performed. Thus, the sales tabulation and the setting of the sales information can be easily performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a control device for aggregating product sales and storing sales information in a vending machine.

(B) Conventional Technology Conventionally, it has been common to aggregate product sales and store sales information for each product storage column. For example, in the case of sales aggregation, a storage section corresponding to each product storage column is set in memory in advance, and when a product is sold, the number of sold products is added to the corresponding storage section.
It is known from Publication No. 187, etc.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, in order to aggregate sales or set sales information for each product storage column, it is necessary to address the storage section provided for each product storage column in the memory means. This is often done using a keyboard, and this configuration makes it difficult for vending machine managers who are not proficient in operating the machine.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by the product code printed in the form of a bar code on the product to be sold in a vending machine,
To provide a control device for a vending machine that can aggregate sales and set sales information for each product storage column.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the vending machine control device according to the present invention includes memory means having a storage section for storing sales totals and sales information for each product code. , processing means for accessing the memory means in response to input of the product code.

(E) When calculating sales and storing sales information by product code,
The processing means addresses the corresponding storage section of the memory means by inputting the product code, and reads out sales information or loads sales information.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a vending machine showing an embodiment of the present invention. A customer service panel 6 of the vending machine 5 is provided with a coin insertion lower and a plurality of product selection switches 8, and a control box 10 and a coin processing device 11 are arranged inside the door 9 when the door 9 is opened. A barcode reader 1 is connected to the control box 10, and a control unit including a CPU and the like is housed therein. Further, next to the control box 10, a printer unit 31 is installed for printing out sales total data. The coin processing device 11 includes a coin input lower, a coin selector 11A that selects coins input into the coin input lower, a coin storage section 11B, and a coin output port for transferring the coins stored in the coin storage section. It consists of a coin dispensing device 11c for dispensing coins. And on the back of door 9,
Corresponding to each product selection switch 8, a product selection switch identification section 29 is provided in which a product selection switch code representing the corresponding product selection switch is displayed in the form of a bar code. This product selection switch code displays, for example, the switch number assigned to each product selection switch 8.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the front door 3 is open, and the interior of the vending machine 5 is provided with five rows of product storage columns 2, and the lower part of the product storage column 2 is connected to the product takeout port 4. A connecting chute 12 is arranged.

A product inlet 2A is opened at the top of the product storage column 2, and the products to be stored are filled into the interior through the product inlet 2A. Further, each of the product storage columns 2 is provided with a column identification section 28 that displays a column code representing the corresponding column in the form of a barcode.

This column code displays, for example, the column number assigned to each product storage column 2.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the vending machine 5 in block form. The control unit stored in the control box 10 is a central processing unit (CPU) that executes control operations using
) 21, and a ROM 22 and a RAM 23 . I10 interface 2
4 is connected. And I10 interface 2
4 includes a barcode reader l, a coin processing device 11, a display device 14, a selection device 15, a vending device 16,
A mode switch 18, a printer unit 31, and a tally switch 32 are connected.

The coin processing device 11 outputs a signal representing the amount of the coin determined to be appropriate by the coin selector 16 to the CPU 21 through the I10 interface 24. Further, the coin processing device 11 drives the coin dispensing device 18 when a signal representing coin dispensing is input from the CPU 10 through the I10 interface 24.

The display device 14 includes five column indicators 19 provided corresponding to each product storage column 2 and seven selection switch indicators 2 provided corresponding to each product selection switch 8.
The driving of each indicator including 0 is controlled based on display data input from the CPU 21 through the I10 interface 24. The selection switch indicator 2.0 is provided on the customer service panel 6, and in the normal sales mode, when the customer inserts money, the selection switch indicator 2.0 is used as a so-called sellable indicator that lights up to indicate the products that can be purchased with the inserted amount. It's something that works.

The selection device 15 includes a plurality of product selection switches 8, and a signal indicating that the product selection switch 8 has been operated is input from the selection device 15 to the CPU 21 through the I10 interface 24.

The vending device 16 includes a drive motor for sending out the product corresponding to the product storage column 2, and the CPU 21 gives a command for sending out the product to this motor through the I10 interface 24.

The printer unit 31 prints out the sales total data output by the CPU 21 in response to the operation of the total switch 32.

The mode switch 18 is operated to switch between normal sales mode and setting mode. When the mode switch 14 is operated in the vending mode, the CPU 2 sets the vending machine to the setting mode and drives the barcode reader 1. This allows the barcode reader 1 to read the product code printed on the product 13, the column code displayed in the column identification section 28, and the product selection switch code displayed in the product selection switch identification section 29. I can do it.

The product code is a common code barcode symbol specified by the JIS standard for POS systems, so-called J
This is called an AN code, and from the beginning it is 2.
A digit country code (49 represents Japan), a 5-digit product manufacturer code, a 5-digit product item code (hereinafter referred to as the product code for convenience), and a 1-digit check digit are arranged. There is. In this way, since the first two digits of the JAN code are determined to be 49, it is possible to determine whether it is a JAN code by checking the first two digits. Therefore, the first two digits of the column code and product selection switch code in this example are used as an identification code part, and by setting a value other than 49 here, the three codes can be distinguished.

The CPU 21 stores the correspondence between the product storage column 2 and the product selection switch 8 in the RAM 23 based on the reading of the barcode reader 1 in the setting mode.

Figure 4 shows the storage format of the RAM 23.
The RAM 23 has at least four types of storage areas.

The storage area 23a is a buffer storage section, which includes a product code buffer for storing the product code read by the barcode reader 1, a column indicator display buffer, a selection switch indicator display buffer, an input amount buffer,
Equipped with print buffer etc. Then, in the 5-bit column indicator display buffer, a 1-bit "1" is written to turn on or off the five column indicators 19.
Alternatively, display data indicated by "0" is stored.

Further, the 5-bit selection switch indicator display buffer stores display data indicating whether the five selection switch indicators 20 are turned on or off as 1 bit "1" or "0".

The storage area 23b is an area for storing the correspondence between each product selection switch 8 and the product code of the product sold by operating the product selection switch 8, and has five addresses equal to the number of product selection switches 8.

The storage area 23c is an area for storing the correspondence between each product storage column 2 and the product code of the product stored in this product storage column 2, and has five addresses equal to the number of product storage columns 2.

The storage area 23d is an area for storing the product code and the sales price of the product corresponding to this code, and this vending machine 5 has 5 product storage columns and can sell up to 5 types of products. has five addresses. In this example, by reading the barcode printed on the sheet 30 with the barcode reader l, the selling price can be stored in the storage area 23d.

The storage area 23e is an area for storing total sales data such as cumulative sales amount and cumulative sales number for each product code.
Depending on the setting of the product code, a sales summary data storage unit is provided according to the set number.

The operation of the vending machine 5 having the above configuration will be explained.

(Setting Mode) The operation in the setting mode will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5A.

First, in step S1, the CPUs 21j and t give drive signals to the barcode reader 1, so that the barcode reader 1 can read the barcode. Then, when the barcode is input in step S2, the CPU 21 performs the next step S3. S4, S5. In each step of S6, the type of the input barcode is determined.

In step S3, if it is determined that the barcode input in step S2 is a JAN code, the process proceeds to step 515. In step S15, C
The PU 21 extracts the product code included in this JAN code and determines whether the same product code is stored in the storage areas 23b and 23C of the RAM 23. If the product code is stored, the process advances to step 816, and the column indicator 19 and selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product code are driven.

That is, the CPU 21 detects the product selection switch 8 storing the product code from the storage area 23b, and selects display data in the RAM 23 that instructs to drive the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to the product selection switch 8. It is stored in the switch indicator display buffer and output to the display device 14. In addition, the CPU 21
From c, the product storage column 2 storing the product code is detected, and display data instructing to drive the column indicator 19 corresponding to this product storage column 2 is sent to RA.
It is stored in the column indicator display buffer of M23 and output to the display device 14.

If it is determined in the process of step S15 that the corresponding product code is not stored in the storage areas 23b, 23c, the process proceeds to step S17, and this product code is stored in the product code buffer.

If it is determined in step S4 that the barcode input in step S2 is a column code, the process proceeds to step S18. In this step S18, it is determined whether a product code is stored in the product code buffer, and if it is, the process proceeds to step S19.

In step S19, the CPU 21
In the storage area 23c, this product code is stored at the address corresponding to the product storage column 2 indicated by the column code. On the other hand, if the product code is not stored in the product code buffer, error processing is performed in step S20 and the process returns to step S1.

In step S5, if it is determined that the barcode input in step S2 is a sales price code, the process proceeds to step S21. In step S21,
It is determined whether the product code is stored in the product code buffer, and if it is stored, the process proceeds to step S22.
If it is not stored, error processing is performed in step S23.

In step S22, the CPU 21 RAs the product code stored in the product code buffer and the barcode representing the selling price read by the barcode reader 1.
It is stored in the storage area 23d of M23. In this way, read the barcode printed on the product 18 for which you want to set the selling price using the barcode noder 1, and then
By selecting a barcode displaying the selling price to be set from 0 and reading it with the barcode reader 1, the correspondence between the product and the selling price is stored in the RAM 23.

In step S6, if it is determined that the barcode input in step S2 is a product selection switch code, the process proceeds to step S8.

Therefore, the product selection switch 8 can be designated by directly operating the product selection switch 8, in addition to reading the product selection switch code with the barcode reader 1. Therefore, if it is determined in step S6 that it is not a product selection switch code, the process goes to step S7.
Here, it is determined whether the product selection switch 8 has been operated.

If the product selection switch 8 is operated, the process advances to step S8.

In step S8, it is determined whether the product code is stored in the product code buffer. If it is stored, the process proceeds to step S9, but if it is not stored, step S2
Error processing is performed at 0.

In step S9, the CPU 21 determines whether the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product selection switch 8 is being driven from the display data stored in the selection switch indicator display buffer. Then, when the corresponding selection switch indicator 20 is activated,
The process advances to step S10. In this step S10, the contents stored in the storage area 23b of the RAM 23 at the address corresponding to the product selection switch 8 are cleared. In the next step Sll, the CPU 21 stores display data for turning off the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to the product selection switch 8 in the selection switch indicator display buffer and outputs it to the display device 14.

However, if the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to the instructed product selection switch 8 is not activated, the process goes to step S12. In step S]2, the CPU 21 stores the product code stored in the product code buffer at the address corresponding to the product selection switch 8 in the storage area 23b of the RAM 23. Then, in the next step S13, the CPU 21
Display data for lighting up the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to the product selection switch 8 is stored in the selection switch indicator display buffer and output to the display device 14.

In this way, by having the barcode reader 1 read the JAN code and then reading all the column codes that correspond to the product column that stores this product, the storage area 23c corresponding to the specified product storage column 2 is stored. The product code included in the J and AN codes is stored in the address.

Also, the barcode reader 1 reads the JAN code, and then the barcode reader 1 reads all the product selection switch codes that correspond to the product selection switch 8 that you want to correspond to this product, or you can directly read the product selection switch 8 By operating , the address of the storage area 23b corresponding to the specified product selection switch 8 is set to J.
The product code included in the AN code is stored. At this time, if you read the JAN code with the barcode reader 1 and then specify the product selection switch 8 and the product storage column 2 in succession, you can see the correspondence between the product selection switch and the product code and the product storage column. and correspondence with the product code can be done together. Furthermore, if the barcode on the sheet 3o is also read at this time, correspondence between the product code and the selling price can be done at the same time.

Then, in step S14, mode switch 1
It is determined whether the setting is completed by the operation 8 again, and if the setting is completed, the vending machine 5 enters the vending mode. However, if the process has not been completed, the process returns to step S1.

(Vending mode) Next, the operation of this vending machine 5 in the vending mode will be described in 5B.
This will be explained using the flowchart shown in the figure.

In step 5100, the CPU 21 determines whether a signal indicating the amount of coins inserted is being sent from the coin processing device 11, and if so, the CPU 21 proceeds to the next step 5101.
Add this amount to the amount stored in the input amount buffer. In the next step 5102, it is determined whether the product selection switch 8 has been operated to select a product, and if the product selection switch 8 has been operated, step 8103
Proceed to processing. In this step 8103, RA
The product code corresponding to the selected product selection switch 8 is detected from the storage area 23b of M23 and stored in the product code buffer. In the next step 5104, based on the product code stored in the product code buffer, RA
The storage area 23d of M23 is searched for the selling price of the product, and this selling price is compared with the input amount stored in the input amount buffer to determine whether the selected item can be sold.

If the selected product is available for sale, the process goes to step 5105, in which the product storage column 2 that stores the product is searched from the storage area 23c of the RAM 23 based on the product code stored in the product code buffer. . In the next step S106, sales control processing is performed, and the CPU 2
1 controls the product delivery operation by giving a drive signal to the drive motor for product delivery corresponding to the searched product storage column 2, calculates change, and operates the coin processing device 11 to dispense change as necessary. control.

Upon completion of the sales operation, the CPU 21 returns to step 5107.
This will be the process. In this step 5107, the product code stored in the product code buffer is transferred to the RAM 23.
It is determined whether the data is stored in the storage area 23e. If a product code is stored, that is, if an address for storing total sales data for this product code is set in the storage area 23e, the process goes to step SL08.

In step 5108, the CPU 21 adds the sales data of the sales operation to the sales summary data stored in the sales summary data storage unit corresponding to this product code, and then returns to the process of step 5100.

However, if the product code stored in the product code buffer is not stored in the storage area 23e of the RAM 23, the process goes to step S109, stores this product code and sales data in the storage area 23e, and then returns to step S51.
Return to 00 processing. Thereby, the CPU 21 sets the sales summary data storage section corresponding to this product code in the storage area 23e, and at the same time stores the first sales summary data in the storage section.

(Sales aggregation mode) When the aggregation switch 32 is operated, the sales aggregation data stored in the storage area 23e can be printed out by the printer unit 31.

This operation will be explained using the operation shown in FIG. 5C.

First, in step S50, the CPU 21 gives a drive signal to the barcode reader 1, and when a barcode is input in the next step S2, it is determined in step S52 whether the input code is a JAN code. And J
If it is determined that it is an AN code, the process advances to step S53.

In step S53, the CPU 21 extracts the product code included in this JAN code and checks whether the same product code is stored in the storage area 23e of the RAM 23, that is, the sales amount is stored in the storage area 23e corresponding to this product code. Determine whether the aggregated data storage section is set.

If the same product code is stored in the storage area 23e, the CPU 21 proceeds to step s54, reads the sales summary data from the sales summary data storage unit corresponding to this product code, and stores it in the print buffer of the RAM 23. It is stored and output to the printer unit 31. This drives the printer unit 31 to print out the total sales data.

Then, in step S55, the total switch 32
Determine whether sales aggregation has been completed by performing the operation again,
When the vending machine 5 is finished, the vending machine 5 enters the vending mode. However, if the process has not been completed, the process returns to step S50.

The above vending machine 5 stores the selling price in the storage area 23d of the RAM 23 by reading the product code and selling price using the barcode reader 1 in the setting mode. The sales information stored in the RAM 23 is not limited to the sales price, but includes, for example, the number of products replenished for each product in the vending machine. Further, by reading the product code with the barcode reader 1 in the sales total mode, sales total data corresponding to this product is read from the storage area 23e of the RAM 23.

(g) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, by inputting a product code, the processing means accesses the memory means having a storage unit for storing sales totals and sales information for each product code.
This has the effect of making it easier to aggregate sales and set sales information.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows the front door open, Figure 3 shows the electrical configuration in blocks, Figure 4 schematically shows the RAM storage format, Figures 5A and 5B. 5C are flowcharts explaining operations in the setting mode, sales mode, and sales aggregation mode, respectively. 1... Barcode reader, 2... Product storage column 8... Product selection switch, 21... CPU (processing means), 22... RAM.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vending machine that sells products with product codes printed in barcodes, comprising: a memory means having a storage unit for storing sales totals and sales information for each product code; and processing means for accessing the memory means in response to input of a product code.