JPH04142695A - Display device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to confirm a selling item without the aid of switch operation by providing an automatic vending machine with a display drive means for driving the display device in response to reading a bar code. CONSTITUTION:The present automatic vending machine is provided with bar codes indicating selling items, a display device 14 that can display selling items so as to be visually identified individually, a bar code reader 1, and display drive means 21 and 24 for driving the display device 14 in response to a bar code read by the bar code reader 1. Further, by making the bar code reader 1 read the bar code corresponding to a desired selling item, the display drive means 21 and 24 drive the display device 14 so as to visually identify the selling item to display. Thereby, selling items of the automatic vending machine can be easily and accurately confirmed, enabling the automatic vending machine to have superior controllability.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a display device for a vending machine that can selectively sell a plurality of sales items. In this case, sales items are not limited to tangible items such as tickets or products;
For example, it includes intangible things such as services.

(B) Conventional Technology In such vending machines, the administrator may wish to display sales items for confirmation. Therefore, for example,
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-183489 discloses that a plurality of selection switches and a plurality of indicators are provided corresponding to a plurality of sales items, and when one of the selection switches is operated, the corresponding indicator is driven to display. The configuration is disclosed.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, the prior art has a problem in that the operation is cumbersome because confirmation is made by operating a selection switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a display device for a vending machine that allows confirmation of sales items without operating a switch.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the display device for a vending machine of the present invention provides a display device for a vending machine that can selectively sell a plurality of sales items. a barcode representing the sales item, a display capable of displaying each of the sales items so that each of the sales items can be visually identified, a barcode reader, and when any of the above barcodes is read by the barcode reader, the above sales items are displayed accordingly. and display driving means for driving the display.

(E) When the barcode reader reads a barcode corresponding to a sales item to be checked, the display driving means drives the display to visually identify and display the sales item.

(F) EXAMPLE The present invention will be described in detail below using a product vending machine. FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a vending machine, and a customer service panel 6 of this vending machine 5 is provided with a coin insertion lower, a plurality of product selection switches 8, and an indicator 20. A control box 10 and a coin processing device 11 are installed inside the vending machine 5 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 in the control box 1°.

The coin processing device 11 includes a coin selector 11A that selects coins inserted into a coin input lower, a coin storage section 11B, and a coin storage section 11B that sorts the coins stored in this coin storage section into 8017 coins.
It consists of a coin dispensing device 11C for dispensing coins. Also,
On the back side of the door 9, there is a product selection switch identification section 29 that corresponds to each product selection switch 8 and displays a product selection switch code representing the corresponding product selection switch in the form of a barcode. has been established. This product selection switch code represents, for example, a 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 represents, for example, a column number assigned to each product storage column 2.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the vending machine 5 in blocks.
The control unit stored in the control box 10 is a central processing unit (CPtJ) that executes control operations based on a program.
21, and a ROM 22. RAM23. I10 interface 24
are connected. The I10 interface 24 is connected to the barcode reader 1, the coin processing device 11, the display 14, the selection device 15, the vending device 16, and the mode switch 18.

When a coin is inserted into the coin input lower, the coin processing device 11 determines whether the coin is appropriate using the coin selector IIA,
If the coin is appropriate, a signal representing the amount of the coin is output to the CPU 21 through the I10 interface 24. Further, the coin processing device 11 drives the coin dispensing device 11G when a signal representing coin dispensing is input from the CPU 10 through the I10 interface 24.

The display device 14 is set up corresponding to each product storage column 2.
It includes five column indicators 19 and seven selection switch indicators 20 provided corresponding to each product selection switch 8, and each indicator is driven based on display data input from the CPU 21 through the I10 interface 24. A 1-selection switch indicator 20 is provided on the customer service panel 6, and in the normal sales mode, when a customer inserts money, the indicator 20 lights up to indicate the products that can be purchased with the amount inserted. It functions as a possible indicator.

The selection device 15 includes a plurality of product selection switches 8, but in the vending machine 5 of this example, the number of product storage columns 2 and the number of product selection switchers 8 do not match. There is a product storage column corresponding to the product selection switch 8. 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 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 21 sets the vending machine to the setting mode and drives the barcode reader 1.

When the barcode reader 1 receives a drive signal from the CPU 21, it selects the product code printed on the product 13, the column code displayed in the column identification section 28, and the product selection displayed on the product selection switch identification section 29. The switch code and the sales price data printed on the sheet 30 as a barcode can be read.

This product code is a common code Bartu r symbol specified by the JIS standard for POS systems, so-called JAN code, and is a two-digit country code (49 represents Japan) starting from the beginning. ), 5-digit product manufacturer code, and 5-digit product item code (hereinafter,
For convenience, this is referred to as a product code) and a one-digit check digit. In this way, the JAN code is
Since the first two digits of the code are determined to be 49, checking the first two digits determines whether it is a JAN code. Therefore, the first two digits of the column code and product selection switch code in this example are used as the identification code part, and by setting a number other than 49 here, it is possible to distinguish between the three codes and the sales price data. There is.

In the vending machine 5 of this example, since a product corresponds to a sales item, the product code becomes a barcode representing the sales item. Based on the product code read by the barcode reader 1, the CPU 21 drives the column indicator 19 and selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product. Therefore, the display 14 displays the product so that it can be visually identified when any product code is read by the barcode reader.

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, and 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, and the like. Then, the 5-bit column indicator display buffer contains
1 to turn on or off the 5 column indicators 19
Display data indicated by a bit of "1°" or "0°" is stored. Further, the 7-bit selection switch indicator display buffer stores display data indicating whether the seven 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 seven 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 1, the selling price can be stored in the storage area 23d.

In the vending machine 5 having the above configuration, the operation in the setting mode will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step S1, the CPU 21 provides a drive signal to the barcode reader 1, so that the barcode reader 1 can read the barcode. and,
When the barcode is entered manually in step S2, the CPU2
+ means next 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 lettuce code input in step S2 is a JAN code, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S]5,
The CPU 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 S16, and the column indicator 19 and selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product code are driven.

That is, the CPU 21 retrieves the product selection switch 8 storing the product code from the storage area 23b, and stores display data instructing the drive of the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to the product selection switch 8 in the RAM 23. It is stored in the selection switch indicator display buffer and output to the display 14.

Further, the CPU 21 detects the product storage column 2 storing the product code from the storage area 23c, and the column indicator 19 corresponding to this product storage column 2.
Display data instructing the drive of the column indicator is stored in the column indicator display buffer of the RAM 23 and applied to the display 14.

In the process of step SI5, if it is determined 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.

In step S4, if it is determined that the barcode input in step S2 is a column code, the process proceeds to step S18. In this step 318, it is determined whether the product code is stored in the product code buffer, If stored, 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 manually entered in step S2 is a sales price code, the process proceeds to step S21, and in step 321,
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 reader 1, and then
By selecting and comparing the barcodes displaying the sales price to be set from 0 and reading them with the barcode reader 1, the correspondence between the products and sales/prices 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 the product selection switch code, the process proceeds to step S7, where 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,
In this step SIO, which proceeds to the process of step S10, the content stored in the address corresponding to this product selection switch 8 is cleared for the storage area 23b of the RAM 23.In the next step Sll, the CPU 21
stores display data for turning off the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product selection switch 8 in the 1 selection switch indicator display buffer and outputs it to the display 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 S12, 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, CPtJ21
stores display data for lighting up the selection switch indicator 20 corresponding to this product selection switch 8 in the selection switch indicator display buffer and outputs it to the display 14.

In this way, by having the barcode reader 1 read the JAN code and then reading all the column hoods 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 JAN code 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 from the sheet 30 is also read at this time, correspondence between the product code and the selling price can be performed at the same time.

Then, in step S]4, the setting switch 18
If you repeat the operation again, the setting mode will end.

As described above, this vending machine 5 allows the barcode reader 1 to read the product code in the setting mode, and thereby sets the correspondence between the product storage column 2, product selection switch 8, and product in the RAM 23, so that the column indicator Each of the selection switch indicator 19 and the selection switch indicator 20 can visually identify and display the set product. After setting, enter the product code of the product into the barcode reader 1.
By reading the column indicator 19 and the product selection switch 8, the product is identified and displayed. Therefore, the manager of the vending machine can check the product by having the barcode reader 1 read the barcode of the product.

In this example, the display unit 14 displays the products individually using a column indicator 19 and a selection switch indicator 20 provided for each product, so that the products can be visually identified. It may be only one of the indicators, or it may be not limited to such individual indicators, but may be one in which a product name or the like is switched and displayed on a single display.

Further, according to the configuration of this example, since the column indicator 19 is provided near the product input port 2A of the product storage column 2, when the administrator replenishes products from the product input port 2A to the product storage column 2, It becomes effective. That is, by reading the product code of the product to be replenished with the barcode reader 1, the corresponding column indicator 19 is activated, so it is easy to know from which product input port 2A the product should be replenished. It also has another effect of eliminating errors in replenishment work.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the vending machine's sales items can be easily and accurately confirmed by inputting bar-to-r, and a vending machine with excellent manageability is provided. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

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, and Figure 5 shows the setting mode. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation in FIG. 1...Barcode reader, 14...Display device, 21
・CPU, 23...RAM. Figure 23b No.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a vending machine that can selectively sell a plurality of sales items, a barcode representing each sales item and a display that can be displayed so that each sales item can be visually identified. A display device for a vending machine, comprising: a vending machine, a barcode reader, and a display driving means for driving the display device in response to reading of any of the barcodes by the barcode reader.