JPH0636222B2 - IC card vending machine system - Google Patents

Description

Description: (a) Technical Field The present invention relates to a vending machine having a built-in microcomputer, and more particularly to a vending machine that substitutes the function of the microcomputer with an inserted IC card.

(b) Conventional technology and its drawbacks Currently, vending machines are used in various products, and the number of products sold by one vending machine is also increasing. Therefore, the vending machine has a built-in microcomputer, and the microcomputer controls the release of products, the management of the input amount, and the like. However, the composition of products sold at each vending machine is various at the moment, and in vending machines that sell multiple products by selecting multiple products with button switches, etc., the button switch for selecting the same product is not It is often different for each vending machine.

For this reason, a large vending machine may have a mistake in buying, which may cause trouble, and inconvenience imposes operational burden on users of many models.

(c) Object of the Invention In view of the above situation, the present invention controls an automatic vending machine with its own IC card and arbitrarily sets the arrangement of button switches, etc., to significantly improve the operability and prevent purchase mistakes. It is an object to provide an IC card vending machine system that can be eliminated.

(d) Structure of the Invention The present invention is a microcomputer for controlling a predetermined sale by detecting the insertion of money into a money slot or the operation of a button switch installed on the front of the device, and a main body control mechanism via a bus. An IC card reader, a card insertion detecting means for detecting that an IC card has been inserted into the IC card reader, and an insertion of the card when the card insertion detecting means detects the insertion of the card. Determining means for determining whether the inserted card is a card that can be used in the vending machine, and controlling the main body part control mechanism when it is determined that the IC card inserted by the determining means is usable And a bus switching means for switching from control by the microcomputer to control by an IC card that stores a program related to selection of purchased commodities, When the money inserted or the button switch is operated in a state in which the inserted IC card is determined to be usable by the determination means, the bus switching means stores the inserted IC card in the inserted IC card. The sales are controlled by controlling the programs that are
When the card insertion detection means does not detect the insertion of the IC card, or when the determination means determines that the inserted card is an unusable card,
It is characterized in that sales are controlled by a microcomputer of the vending machine.

(e) Embodiment FIG. 2 is an external view of a vending machine used in an IC card vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention. On the front of the vending machine, there are provided a display guide section 7 which is a CRT screen, a button switch 6 for selecting a product to be purchased, an IC card reader 4, a coin slot 9, and a product outlet 10. The display guide section 7 displays the appearance, name, price, allocation of button switches 6, etc. of the product.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control unit of the vending machine.
The microcomputer 1 controls the vending machine C
A PU 1a, a ROM 1b in which a table storing the configuration of products sold by this vending machine and allocation of each product to the button switch 6 is set, and further, a program is stored in the ROM 1b, and a RAM 1c storing the amount of money to be inserted, etc. Has been done. Reference numeral 5 denotes a main body control mechanism, which is a part that controls the display guide unit 7, the button switch 6 for selecting a product to be purchased, the release of the product, the processing of money, and the like. This microcomputer is usually connected to the main body control mechanism 5 via the bus 2 and the bus switching circuit 3. The bus switching circuit 3 is connected to the bus 2 and another bus 2 ', and the bus 2'is connected to the IC card reader 4. The bus switching circuit 3 is an IC card reader 4
When a valid IC card is not inserted in the main body control mechanism 5 is connected to the microcomputer 1 side of the vending machine, and when a valid IC card is inserted in the IC card reader 4, the main body control mechanism 5 is connected. Is connected to the IC card reader 4 side.

FIG. 3 is a structural view of the essential parts of the IC card used in the above embodiment. IC11 is built in the card.
C11 forms a microcomputer including a CPU 11a, a ROM 11b, and a RAM 11c. This IC
The terminal 11 is connected to the contact 12 exposed on the surface of the IC card. When the IC card reader 4 receives the IC card, it makes contact with the contact 12 on the IC card by a contactor (not shown), supplies power to the IC 11, and further transfers data with the CPU 11a. ROM11 of this microcomputer
b, RAM 11c, programs and tables relating to selection of purchased commodities have the same specifications as the ROM 1b and RAM 1c of the microcomputer 1 incorporated in the vending machine.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a table set in the ROM 1b of the vending machine. This vending machine has seven button switches and can sell seven types of products, so the table is divided into seven stages (M1 to M7). The number of the button switch, the product to be sold, the presence / absence of lighting of the button switch lamp, and the contents of the display are stored in each stage. FIG. 1B shows the RAM 11 of the IC card.
It is a figure which shows the table set to c. This table is also set in the same configuration as the table set in the ROM 1b described above, but the arrangement of the products is arbitrarily arranged by the holder of the IC card, and the button switch lighting is the button switch of the desired product. Only set to light. This IC card table setting is uniquely set using an IC card holder having an IC card reader / writer and a keyboard for directly accessing the microcomputer of the IC card inserted in this IC card reader / writer and writing data and the like. do it.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a key code table set in the ROM 11b of the IC card. This key code table stores n key codes. One key code is set for each vending machine, and the vending machine is controlled by the specifications corresponding to the key code. The IC card is a table that can perform control corresponding to a plurality of key codes, and stores the usable key codes that can be used.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the microcomputer of the vending machine. At step n1 (hereinafter, step ni is simply referred to as ni), initial operations such as displaying guidance on the display guidance unit 7 and turning on the button switch 6 are performed. At n2, it is determined whether the IC card is inserted or at n3. The process waits until a sale request operation such as insertion of a coin into the coin slot 9 or operation of the button switch 6 is determined. If it is determined at n2 that the IC card has been inserted, the process proceeds to the control transfer operation at n4 and below.

At n, the key code table is searched to determine whether the inserted IC card is a valid IC card for this vending machine (n4). It is judged whether or not the key code of this vending machine is included in this key code table (n5), and if it is not included, this IC card cannot be used in this vending machine and the IC card is returned. (N50) and returns to n1. If the key code is included, the bus switching circuit 3 is switched to the IC card reader side and the control of this vending machine is transferred to the microcomputer of the IC card (n6). After that, the microcomputer waits at n7 until it determines to remove the IC card. If you decide to remove the IC card,
After switching the bus switching circuit 3 to the microcomputer 1 side and taking over the control of the vending machine, the process returns to n1 (n
8).

If the sales request operation is determined in n3, sales processing such as calculation of input money amount, release of merchandise, release of change, etc. is performed (n30),
Return to n1.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of the microcomputer of the IC card. When this IC card is inserted into the IC card reader of the vending machine, the process waits until the control of the vending machine is taken over at n11. If control is taken over, the table of the RAM 11c is searched at n12. The product selection function of the button switch stored in the table in n13 and n14 is set in each button switch, and the product name selected by each button switch is displayed on the display guide unit 7. If this operation ends, n
Wait until there is a sales request at 15. If there is a sales request, the corresponding sales processing is performed (n16) and n again.
Return to 15. This operation stops when the IC card is removed.

When the IC card vending machine system having the above-mentioned configuration is used, when a purchaser of a product purchases the same product at a different vending machine, the IC card is inserted and the vending machine is controlled by the IC card. Then, you can purchase the product with the same operation.

(f) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, an IC card reader is provided in a vending machine that controls sales by a microcomputer, and when the IC card is inserted, the vending machine is controlled by the IC card. Since it was done by the built-in microcomputer, set the unique operation procedure in the IC card owned by oneself, and insert the IC card when purchasing products at vending machines with different product arrangements. If an IC card is used for control, a desired product can always be purchased by the same operation. This greatly simplifies the operating procedure and eliminates purchasing mistakes if you are familiar with the original operating procedure. As a result, it is possible to further increase the effect of popularizing vending machines. In addition, after the IC card is removed, control is returned to the microcomputer of the vending machine, so even if a person who does not have an IC card carries out the operation every time someone uses the vending machine using the IC card. It is possible to obtain the effect that the product can be always purchased by the same operation without changing the method.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control unit of an automatic vending machine used in an IC card automatic vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external view of the automatic vending machine, and FIG. FIG. 4 (A) is a diagram showing a table set in the ROM of the vending machine, FIG. 4 (B) is a diagram showing the structure of the IC card used in the above. FIG. 5 is a view showing a table, FIG. 5 is a view showing a key code table set in the ROM of the IC card, FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the microcomputer of the vending machine, and FIG. 7 is the IC. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the microcomputer of a card. 3 ... Bus switching circuit, 4 ... IC card reader, 5 ... Main body control mechanism, 6 ... Button switch, 7 ... Display guide section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic vending system in which a microcomputer for detecting the operation of a cash input or button switch installed in the money slot provided on the front of the apparatus and controlling a predetermined sale is connected to a main body control mechanism via a bus. With an IC card reader,
Card insertion detecting means for detecting insertion of an IC card into the IC card reader, and when the card insertion detecting means detects insertion of the card, the inserted card can be used in the vending machine. Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not
When it is determined that the C card can be used, the control of the main body control mechanism is controlled by the microcomputer, and a program relating to selection of a purchased product is stored.
A bus switching means for switching to control by a C card, and when the money is inserted or a button switch is operated in a state where the inserted IC card is determined to be usable by the determination means. The bus switching means controls the sale by controlling the program stored in the inserted IC card, and when the card insertion detecting means does not detect the insertion of the IC card, or the determination is made. An IC card vending machine system, wherein when the card inserted by the means is determined to be an unusable card, the microcomputer of the vending machine controls the sales.