JPH08106554A - Automatic ticket vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] One vending machine issues a number of tickets and a seat reservation ticket to eliminate the hassle of users. [Structure] An automatic ticket vending machine 1 includes a display 2 for displaying guidance guides to users, a touch panel 3 on which an input area is overlapped, and a bill counting machine for paying for a ticket. 4, a coin counter 5, a ticket issuing unit 6 for printing and issuing tickets (count tickets, seat designation tickets, etc.), a ticket reader 7 for reading magnetic information of the inserted ticket, and ticket issuing management for seats. A communication adapter 8 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer, and a control unit 9 including a microprocessor for controlling these and a storage unit for storing programs, train information, and reservation information are provided. Connected through. According to the selection input information from the touch panel 3, any one of the “issuance of coupon ticket”, “issue of coupon ticket and seat reservation”, and “seat reservation” is performed by one unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ticket vending machine which is operated by a user in a seat reservation system to issue a coupon ticket, and more particularly to an automatic ticket vending machine capable of issuing a seat reservation ticket.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-25279.
There is a ticket vending machine that can purchase an arbitrary number of tickets as described in Japanese Patent No. 1 and a ticket vending machine that uses a number of tickets to issue a designated ticket as described in JP-A-63-237193. One ticket vending machine that has both functions is not mentioned, and if you want to perform both operations, it was necessary to use separate devices or windows.

[0003]

In the above prior art, a user who wants to issue a designated ticket at the same time as purchasing a coupon ticket purchases the coupon ticket at a ticket vending machine and then purchases the coupon ticket to reserve a seat. There was the trouble of having to go to a ticket vending machine or a window to issue a seat reservation ticket using it. An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ticket vending machine that solves such a problem and that can purchase a coupon ticket and reserve a seat with a single device and that is suitable for reducing window operations.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the automatic ticket vending machine of the present invention has a guide means (2 of FIG. 2) for guiding the operation of the user (buying a coupon / designating a seat). Input means (3 in FIG. 2) for performing an input operation according to the contents displayed on the guide means, bill and coin counting means (4, 5 in FIG. 2) for settlement of charges, and ticket issuing means for issuing a ticket (6 in FIG. 2), ticket reading means (7 in FIG. 2) for reading the contents of the inserted ticket, and communication means (8 in FIG. 2) for transmitting / receiving data to / from a host computer that manages ticketing of seats. And a control unit (9 in FIG. 2) including a microprocessor and a program for controlling them, and a storage unit for storing train reservation information and the like. Required information (eg boarding time, number of people Train, by entering the type of (non smoking / smoking), etc.), the seat reservation of the number of people that you entered,
It is characterized in that it is configured to issue a desired number of tickets and reserve a seat with one unit, such as issuing as many seats as tickets for the number of reserved seats issued (issue a seat reservation ticket). .

[0005]

The above-mentioned guide means guides the user to perform an operation, and the input means selects and inputs information such as a section to be used and a train to board in order to purchase a coupon ticket or reserve a seat. Used to do. Further, the bill and coin counting means settles the fee for the purchase of the coupon ticket, and the ticket issuing means issues a coupon ticket and a seat reservation ticket in which information on the section and vehicle equipment is written by magnetism or the like. Further, the ticket reading means reads the content of the inserted ticket (designated seat coupon) when making a seat reservation, and the host computer manages ticket issuing including train information and seat information. Further, the communication unit has a storage unit for storing a local processor and a program, etc., transmits and receives data to and from the host computer, and the control unit is a microprocessor and a program for controlling a series of operations. The automatic ticket vending machine is controlled to perform the multiple ticket issue processing, the multiple ticket issue and seat reservation processing, and the seat reservation processing (issue of the designated seat ticket) in accordance with the information of 1. Therefore, one terminal (automatic ticket vending machine) can issue any number of tickets and reserve seats.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of an automatic ticket vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram thereof. The automatic ticket vending machine 1 has a display 2 for displaying guidance guidance to users, a touch panel 3 on which an input area is overlapped, and a bill counting machine 4 for paying for a ticket. , A coin counter 5, a ticket issuing unit 6 for printing and issuing tickets (designated seat coupon, seat reserved ticket, etc.), a ticket reader 7 for reading magnetic information of the inserted ticket, and a host for ticket management of seats A communication adapter 8 for transmitting and receiving data to and from a computer, and a control unit 9 including a microprocessor for controlling these and a storage unit for storing programs, train information, and reservation information, and a host computer 10 and a communication line. Connected.

The operation of the automatic ticket vending machine 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. It is assumed that the automatic ticket vending machine described here purchases 6 designated seat coupon tickets for the Shinkansen, and that there are coupon tickets for all sections. In addition, the equipment type information is limited to ordinary cars / green cars and non-smoking seats / smoking seats. The automatic ticket vending machine 1 displays a handling selection screen (FIG. 5) on the display 2 as an initial screen (step 301 in FIG. 3). Here, when the user purchases the coupon ticket (YES in step 302)
S), and select "Purchase ticket purchase" on the touch panel 3 according to the guidance. Next, according to the guidance of the line segment selection screen (FIG. 6), selection input is performed on the touch panel 3 (steps 303 and 304). Next, section selection screen A
According to the guidance shown in FIG. 7, one of the stations is selected and input using the touch panel 3 (steps 305 and 306).
Next, according to the guidance of the section selection screen B (FIG. 8), the other station is selected and input by the touch panel 3 (steps 307 and 308). Next, according to the guidance of the vehicle equipment selection screen (FIG. 9), selection input is performed on the touch panel 3 (steps 309 and 310). The control unit 9 stores the selected and input contents in the storage unit, displays the confirmation screen A (FIG. 10) on the display 2 (step 311), and after the user confirms (step 312), the display 2 A seat reservation selection screen (FIG. 11) is displayed on (step 313). Here, when the user does not make a seat reservation and only purchases a coupon ticket (NO in step 314),
In accordance with the guidance, seat reservation "No" is selected and input on the touch panel 3, and the automatic ticket vending machine 1 shifts to the operation of issuing an arbitrary number of tickets, which is a conventional technique (step 355).

On the other hand, when the user makes a seat reservation (YES in step 314), the seat reservation "make" is selected and input on the touch panel 3 according to the guidance. Next, according to the guidance of the number of people selection screen (FIG. 12), selection input is performed on the touch panel 3 (steps 315, 3).
16). Next, according to the guidance of the boarding station selection screen (FIG. 13), the selection input is performed on the touch panel 3 (steps 317 and 318). Next, boarding date selection screen (Fig. 14)
In accordance with the guidance, the touch panel 3 is used to make a selection input (steps 319 and 320). Next, according to the guidance on the boarding time zone selection screen (FIG. 15), the touch panel 3
Then, selection input is performed (steps 321 and 322). The control unit 9 stores the selected and input contents in the storage unit, creates vacant seat request information from the input contents, and the communication adapter 8
To the host computer 10 via (step 323). After receiving the reply from the host computer 10, the received reply information is stored in the storage unit of the control unit 9 and displayed on the display 2 as a train selection screen (FIG. 16) (step 324). The user selects a desired train from the touch panel 3 from the vacant seat information displayed on the display 2. (Step 325) Next, the type selection screen (FIG. 17) is displayed on the display 2, and the user inputs from the touch panel 3 (steps 326, 3).
27). Then, the control unit 9 stores the selected and input information in the storage unit, displays the confirmation screen B (FIG. 18) on the display 2 (step 328), and after the user confirms (step 329), the information is input. Reservation request information is created from the contents, and the host computer 10 is connected through the communication adapter 8.
(Step 330). Host computer 1
After receiving the response from 0, the received response information is stored in the storage unit of the control unit 9 and the cash insertion screen (FIG. 19) is displayed on the display 2 (step 331), and the user pays the designated fee to the bill counting machine. 4 or deposit money from the coin counter 5 (step 332). Then, after confirming that the deposited amount is equal to or more than the designated charge, the control unit 9 issues from the ticket issuing unit 6 seat designated tickets, designated number of tickets and remaining number of designated seats. Step 333),
The change is withdrawn from the bill counting machine 4 and the coin counting machine 5, and the processing is terminated (step 334).

When the user makes a seat reservation for a ticket that has been purchased in advance (NO in step 302), "seat reservation" is selected and input on the touch panel 3 according to the guidance (step 335 in FIG. 4), and automatically. The ticket vending machine 1 shifts to a conventional seat ticket issuing operation using a coupon ticket. That is, after the number of people selection screen is displayed on the display 2 and the number of people is input (steps 336 and 33).
7) Then, a screen for instructing the insertion of a coupon ticket is displayed to insert a coupon ticket for use (steps 338 and 339). Use the ticket reader 7 to enter the details of the coupon (lane, section,
While reading information such as vehicle equipment and expiration date), the boarding station selection screen, boarding date selection screen, and boarding time selection screen are displayed (steps 340, 342, 34).
4) Selective input of each information (step 34)
1, 343, 345). The control unit 9 stores the thus read and selectively input contents, creates empty seat request information from the input contents, and sends it to the host computer 10 via the communication adapter 8 (step 346). After receiving the response from the host computer 10, the received response information is stored in the control unit 9 and the train selection screen and the type selection screen are displayed on the display 2 (step 34).
7, 349), and allows the user to select and input (step 34).
8, 350). Then, the control unit 9 stores the selected and input information in the storage unit, displays a confirmation screen showing each input content on the display 2 (step 351), and prompts the user (step 352) to input the information. Reservation request information is created from the contents and transmitted to the host computer 10 via the communication adapter 8 (step 353). After receiving the reply from the host computer 10, a seat reservation ticket is issued based on the received reply information (step 354).

[0010]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it promotes the effects described below. A user who wishes to purchase a reserved seat coupon ticket and reserve a seat by issuing a coupon ticket and a seat reservation ticket with a reserved seat coupon ticket at a vending machine You can make a reservation, eliminate the hassle of moving to another device or the green window, and reduce the work of the green window.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an automatic ticket vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automatic ticket vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a part of a flowchart showing operations of an automatic ticket vending machine and a user in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a part of a flowchart showing operations of an automatic ticket vending machine and a user in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a handling selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a line segment selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a division line selection screen A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a division line selection screen B in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a vehicle equipment selection screen in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a confirmation screen A according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a seat reservation selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a number-of-people selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a boarding station selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a boarding date selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a boarding time zone selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a train selection screen in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a type selection screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a confirmation screen B in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a cash insertion screen in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Automatic ticket vending machine body, 2 ... Display, 3 ... Touch panel, 4 ... Banknote counter, 5 ... Coin counter, 6 ... Ticketing unit, 7 ... Ticket reader, 8 ... Communication adapter, 9 ...
Control unit, 10 ... Host computer.

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Masaru Miyazaki 1 Ikegami, Haruoka Town, Owariasahi City, Aichi Prefecture Hitachi Office Systems Division

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A communication means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a host computer that manages the issuing of coupon tickets and seat reservation tickets, a means for providing operation guidance for purchasing coupon tickets and seat selection, and input according to the operation guide. Input means to receive information, bill / coin counting means to settle fees, means to issue coupons and seat reservation tickets, means to read inserted coupons, and purchase coupons according to the above operation guide If the necessary information is selected and input, the coupon ticket issuing process is performed, and if the information necessary for purchasing the coupon ticket and seat reservation is selected and input,
Performs ticket issuing processing and seat reservation processing,
When a coupon ticket is inserted and the information necessary for seat reservation is selected and input, the information read from the coupon ticket and means for controlling the seat reservation processing based on the selected input information are provided. An automatic ticket vending machine characterized by that.