JPH0835862A - Sensor control device, transaction medium processing device, and transaction processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Object] The present invention is capable of stably managing the output performance of a sensor by analyzing the output change amount of the sensor and accurately predicting the use limit time of the sensor from this analysis value. An object of the present invention is to provide a sensor control device, a transaction medium processing device, and a transaction processing device that can be performed. The present invention relates to a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of a sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, the sensor control device based on the sensor use amount until the output of the sensor reaches a first level. Is provided with a calculating means for calculating the sensor use allowable amount until the output of the sensor reaches the second level, and a predicting means for predicting the sensor use limit time from the sensor use allowable amount calculated by the calculating means. To do.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sensor control device internally constructed in, for example, an automatic teller machine (ATM), and more specifically, it is possible to accurately manage a use limit point due to a decrease in sensor output. The present invention relates to a possible sensor control device, transaction medium processing device, and transaction processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a photoelectric detection sensor such as that installed in an ATM is shown in FIG.
And a light receiving sensor 102 are opposed to each other with a detection region sandwiched therebetween, and input / output signals of these facing sensors are transmitted to the light projecting circuit 10.
3 and the light receiving circuit 104, the control unit 105 controls and manages the light emitting and receiving sensors 101 and 102.
It has a sensor management function for displaying and outputting the cleaning request item on the display unit 106.

In this case, the light emitting / receiving sensors 101 and 102 have a check function for checking the output level of the sensor because the output tends to gradually decrease due to the adhesion of dust or the like. As shown in FIG. 11, in addition to the normal output light amount 111 that is detected by the normal output light amount, a check output light amount 112 that is detected by reducing the output light amount for sensor check is provided with a two-level light amount control function. During the sensor check, when the check abnormal point 114 in which the check output light amount 112 decreases and reaches the light reception limit level 113 is detected, the normal output light amount 111 reaches the light reception limit level 113 and becomes the error point 115 at this detection time. The period of use is predicted, and the sensor cleaning time is determined based on this predicted value.

However, the degree to which dust adheres to the sensor surface and the output of the sensor actually decreases greatly depends on the medium detection amount of the sensor and changes in the surrounding conditions.
There was a problem that the critical use time of the sensor could not be accurately predicted.

[0005]

Therefore, the present invention analyzes the output change amount of the sensor, accurately predicts the use limit time of the sensor from this analysis value, and stably manages the output performance of the sensor. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor control device, a transaction medium processing device, and a transaction processing device capable of performing the above.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, wherein the output of the sensor is the first
Calculation means for calculating the allowable sensor usage amount until the sensor output reaches the second level, and the sensor usage amount calculated by this calculation means. It is characterized in that a prediction means for predicting the limit time is provided.

The invention according to claim 2 is a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, which is a sensor for detecting by using light.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, wherein the sensor use amount and the sensor use allowable amount correspond to the use period of the sensor. Is characterized by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, wherein the sensor use amount and the sensor use allowable amount are medium detection amounts of a detection target. It is characterized by

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, wherein the sensor use amount until the output of the sensor reaches the second level is displayed. It is characterized in that it is provided with a display means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction medium processing device including a sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transaction processing device including a sensor control device or a transaction medium processing device.

[0013]

According to the present invention, when the use limit time of the sensor is predicted from the output change amount of the sensor, first, the calculating means determines the sensor use amount until the output of the sensor reaches the first level, The sensor use allowable amount until the output of the sensor reaches the second level is calculated, and the predicting unit predicts the sensor use limit time from the sensor use allowable amount calculated by the calculating unit.

Similarly, when predicting the use limit time of the sensor from the output change amount of the sensor, the sensor using light is used to predict the use limit time of the sensor.

Further, when predicting the usage limit time of the sensor from the output change amount of the sensor, the usage period of the sensor corresponds to the usage amount of the sensor and the allowable usage amount of the sensor, and the usage of the sensor is determined according to the usage period length. Predict the marginal period.

Further, when predicting the use limit time of the sensor from the output change amount of the sensor, the medium detection amount of the detection target corresponds to the sensor usage amount and the sensor usage allowable amount, and the sensor detection amount corresponding to the medium detection amount is used. Predict the time limit of usage.

Further, when predicting the use limit time of the sensor from the output change amount of the sensor, the display means displays the sensor use amount until the output of the sensor reaches the second level, whereby the use limit of the sensor is reduced. Notify the staff of the time.

Further, the processing operation of the transaction medium traded by the transaction medium processing device is detected by the sensor of the sensor control device capable of predicting the use limit time.

Further, the transaction processing operation of the transaction processing device is detected by the sensor of the sensor control device or the sensor of the transaction medium processing device capable of predicting the use limit time.

[0020]

As described above, in order to obtain not only the output change amount of the sensor, but also the analysis value of the detection condition such as the medium detection amount of the sensor and the peripheral condition that has caused the output change,
From this analysis value, the use limit time of the sensor can be accurately predicted from the present time. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the cleaning time of the sensor surface, prevent the operation rate from decreasing when the cleaning time is too early, and prevent the detection failure from occurring too late. It is possible to obtain highly reliable sensor management that can constantly manage the output performance of the sensor beyond the use limit regardless of the performance change.

If an optical detection sensor such as a photoelectric detection sensor is used, the sensor can be constructed at low cost, and the highly reliable sensor can be an ATM for handling currency, an automatic ticket vending machine for handling ticket types, an automatic checkout machine, When incorporated into various devices such as an automatic ticket gate, the processing performance and reliability of this type of device itself are improved.

[0022]

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 shows an ATM equipped with a sensor controller,
This ATM has a transaction indicator 12 on the front of the device body 11,
A clerk call button 13, a passbook insertion slot 14, a card insertion slot 15, a coin insertion slot 16, a bill insertion slot 17, and a CRT that also serves as a touch panel for displaying and guiding transaction operations to the customer.
18 is provided for customer service, and has various automatic transaction functions such as deposit, withdrawal, transfer, entry of passbook, and inquiry of balance.

FIG. 2 shows a banknote processing device 19 which is internally provided in the ATM.
The banknotes m inserted into the banknote 7 are connected to the discriminating section 20 for discriminating the authenticity, the denomination and the front and back through the conveying line L, and one side of the discriminating section 20 is provided with a front and back reversing section. It is connected via 21 to a temporary holding section 22 for temporarily storing the banknotes m ... In addition, a return holding unit 23 is connected to the other of the latter stage of the discriminating unit 20, and when a defective discrimination bill or a deposit cancellation bill is generated, it is guided to the return holding unit 23 and temporarily held, and the held bill is held. It is connected to the bill slot 17 so that it can be returned.

Further, in the subsequent stage of the discriminating section 20, each stacker 24 for storing discriminated banknotes in a denomination of 1,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 10,000 yen and a collecting box 25 are connected, and from the stacker 24. Banknotes are dispensed for each withdrawal type and connected to the banknote slot 17 for withdrawal, and the deposited banknotes are operably connected to the withdrawn banknotes in a loop to form a circulation configuration. Further, the payout error banknotes, the forgotten banknotes, and the like are collected in the collection box 25, and the banknotes are replenished and collected in the stacker 24 ... A replenishment / collection operation is performed by 26. In this case, photoelectric detection sensors S ... Are arranged at fixed intervals on the transport line L and at the loading / unloading positions of the processing units to process the bills m ...
Is detected and confirmed for each sheet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an ATM control circuit, in which the CPU 31 controls each circuit device according to a program stored in the ROM 32, and the control data is stored in the RAM 3
It is readably stored in step 3.

The CPU 31 described above is the interface 3
The display processing unit 35, the form processing unit 36, the card processing unit 37, the coin processing unit 38, the banknote processing unit 39, and the communication processing unit 40 are connected via 4, and the display processing unit 35 uses the transaction display 12 for transactions. The CRT 18, which also functions as a touch panel, displays medium / transaction cancellation and the like, and also displays transaction operations such as deposit / withdrawal transactions on the CRT 18, which also serves as a touch panel.

The form processing unit 36 reads the transaction data of the passbook inserted from the passbook insertion port 14 and writes the update data, and records the transaction data and unregistered data in the passbook print field. Do it. When the transaction ends and the withdrawal / withdrawal is canceled, the passbook is returned from the passbook insertion slot 14.

Further, the card processing unit 37 reads transaction data of the card inserted from the card insertion slot 15 and writes updated data, and returns the card from the card insertion slot 15 at the end of transaction and cancellation of deposit / withdrawal. .

The coin processing unit 38 takes in the coins inserted into the coin insertion slot 16 and receives the coins therein, and ejects the coins from the coin insertion slot 16 during withdrawal and withdrawal of coins.

The banknote processing unit 39 takes in the banknotes inserted into the banknote slot 17 and receives the banknotes therein, and discharges the banknotes from the banknote slot 17 at the time of withdrawal and withdrawal / withdrawal. Further, the sensor control circuit 41 checks the output states of a large number of photoelectric detection sensors S incorporated in the bill processing device 19 to control and manage the sensor performance. The sensor control circuit 41 can be applied not only to banknotes but also to passbooks, slips, cards, coins and the like.

The communication processing unit 40 sends the edited deposit / withdrawal request message, transaction setting request message, bookkeeping request message, balance inquiry request message, etc. to the host computer 42, and from the host computer 42 the deposit / withdrawal reply and transaction setting data. Receive processing of unregistered book data, current transaction amount and its balance inquiry data, past balance inquiry data, and the like. Further, when an error occurs such as an abnormal occurrence during a transaction or an abnormal sensor performance, the communication processing unit 41 immediately outputs the fact to the host computer 42 or the monitoring device 43 to notify the staff.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a control circuit of the sensor control device 44. The sensor control device 44 controls and manages all the photoelectric detection sensors S ... Installed in the ATM. A pair of the light emitting sensor S1 and the light receiving sensor S2 are opposed to each other with the detection region sandwiched therebetween, and the input / output signals of the opposing sensors S1 and S2 are controlled and managed by the control unit 47 via the light emitting circuit 45 and the light receiving circuit 46. are doing.

The light projecting circuit 45 described above has a light amount control function capable of switching and outputting in two stages, in addition to the detection with the normal light amount, outputting for checking for detecting the performance state of the sensor in a state where the light amount is lowered. I have it. The degree of light amount is captured on the side of the light receiving circuit 46, for example, in multiple stages of 0 to 255, and the captured light receiving level is AD-converted and output to the control unit 47. Accurately determine.

Further, the control section 47 outputs to the display section 48 guidance items such as the sensor cleaning timing of the light emitting / receiving sensors S1 and S2 and the presence / absence of sensor abnormality, and informs the staff. The time is managed by the control data of the arithmetic unit 49 and the memory unit 50. This is the period of use required for the light amount to decrease from the "high light receiving amount" at a certain time stored in the memory unit 50 to the "low light receiving amount" thereafter,
Alternatively, the computing unit 49 predicts the sensor's use limit time from the number of passed bills detected during that time.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the initial light receiving amount a of the check light amount A stored in the memory unit 50 at the time of sensor check is set, and the light amount gradually decreases from this initial light receiving amount a, and this When the amount of received light 1/2 a, which is half the value, is reached, the effective use of the sensor until the amount of light received A reaches the limit level Ve of light received during the check The calculation unit 49 calculates the period c, and it is possible to accurately predict the use limit time d when the normal light amount B reaches the light reception limit level Vd in the normal state and the sensor becomes defective from the calculated effective use period c of the sensor.

Similarly, when predicting the sensor usage limit time based on the number of passed bills, the initial received light amount a of the check light amount A stored in the memory unit 50 at the time of sensor check is set, and this initial received light amount is set. When the light amount gradually decreases from a and reaches the half received light amount 1 / 2a of this value, the check light amount A gradually decreases after that based on the number e of the checked bill passages during this period, and the received light at the time of checking The calculation unit calculates the number f of valid banknotes passed by the sensor until reaching the limit level Ve, and the normal light amount B from the calculated number f of valid banknotes passed by the sensor reaches the light reception limit level Vd in the normal state, resulting in sensor failure. It is possible to accurately predict the use limit time d.

Further, the above-mentioned sensor usage periods b and c
By setting the data of both the number of bills and the number of passing bills ef as the detection conditions and predicting the use limit time of the sensor, the use limit time d of this sensor can be obtained more accurately.

The control operation of the sensor control device in which both the data of the usage period and the number of passed bills are set as the detection conditions will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 6 and the explanatory views of FIGS. Now, when predicting the time limit of use of the sensor, as shown in FIG. 7, the check light amount at the present time is first emitted, and the initial light reception amount a at this time is stored in the memory unit 50 (steps n1 to n2).

After the memory setting of the initial received light amount a, the original sensor detection mode is returned to detect and confirm the passage state of the bill, and dust adheres to the surface of the sensor according to the detection degree, and the sensor light amount gradually decreases. To do. Further, the number of passing sheets detected by each sensor is stored in the memory section 50 (step n3).

After a certain period of time when such a detecting operation is executed, or after the end of a day's trading, for example, the check light amount A
To check the sensor, and as shown in FIG. 8, the check light amount A is half the initial received light amount a, that is, the received light amount 1/2 a
9 (steps n4 to n5), the control unit 47 reads the check use period b required up to that point and the number e of checked banknotes passed up to that point from the stored data, and based on this data, it is shown in FIG. As described above, the effective use period c of the sensor until the check light amount A reaches the light receiving limit level Ve at the time of checking and the effective banknote passage number f of the sensor are calculated and obtained, and the control unit 47 determines from the obtained values c and f. Normal light amount B
Of the sensor's use limit time d (step n6 ~
n7).

The predicted use limit time d of the sensor is determined as the cleaning time of the sensor surface, and the display unit 48
Display it on the screen and inform the staff (step n8).

After the display, the original sensor detection mode is returned to detect and confirm the passage state of the banknotes, and thereafter, when the sensor is cleaned to return to the initial output state in which the sensor performance is improved, the sensor check operation is performed again. Is performed to manage the performance of the sensor (steps n9 to n10).

As described above, not only is the change in the light amount of the sensor determined, but also the analytical value of the sensor usage condition or the detection condition of the bill detection amount that has caused the light amount change is determined. It is possible to accurately predict the usage limit time from the present time. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine the cleaning time of the sensor surface, prevent the operation rate from decreasing when the cleaning time is too early, and prevent the detection failure from occurring when the cleaning time is too late, and decrease the output in proportion to the detected usage amount. It is possible to obtain highly reliable sensor management that can always stably control the output performance of the sensor beyond the use limit regardless of the change in the performance.

Further, if an optical detection sensor such as a photoelectric detection sensor is used, it can be constructed at low cost, and this highly reliable sensor can be used for ATMs for handling banknotes, automatic ticket vending machines for handling banknote types, automatic checkout machines, When incorporated into various devices such as an automatic ticket gate, the processing performance and reliability of this type of device itself are improved.

In the correspondence between the present invention and the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the transaction medium processing device of the present invention corresponds to the banknote processing device 19 of the embodiment, and hereinafter, similarly, the transaction processing device uses an ATM. Corresponding to the device body 11 to be configured, the medium is
Corresponding to the bill m, the sensor corresponds to the light projecting sensor S1 and the light receiving sensor S2 which constitute the photoelectric detection sensor S, and the first level corresponds to the light receiving amount 1 / 2a which is half of that at the time of checking,
The second level corresponds to the light receiving limit level Ve at the time of checking, the calculating means corresponds to the calculation unit 49 and the memory unit 50, the usage period of the sensor usage amount corresponds to the checking usage period b, and the sensor The usage period of the allowable usage amount corresponds to the effective usage period c of the sensor, the medium detection amount of the sensor usage amount corresponds to the number of passing check banknotes e, and the medium detection amount of the sensor usage allowable amount is the valid banknote of the sensor. The prediction unit corresponds to the control unit 47, and the display unit corresponds to the passing number f.
However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an ATM equipped with a sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill processing apparatus internally configured in the ATM of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an ATM control circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a control circuit block diagram of the sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a chart showing the relationship between the light receiving level and the elapsed time of the sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a chart showing a setting state of an initial received light amount of the sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a chart showing a time point when an initial light receiving amount of half of the sensor control device of the present invention is reached.

FIG. 9 is a chart showing a predicted state of a use limit time of the sensor control device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a control circuit block diagram of a conventional sensor control device.

FIG. 11 is a chart for predicting the limit time of use of the sensor of the conventional sensor control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ... Device main body 19 ... Banknote processing device 44 ... Sensor control device 47 ... Control part 48 ... Display part 49 ... Calculation part 50 ... Memory part m ... Paper S ... Photoelectric detection sensor S1 ... Projection sensor S2 ... Light receiving sensor A ... Check light amount B ... Normal light amount a ... Initial light receiving amount 1/2 a ... Half light receiving amount b ... Check use period c ... Sensor effective use period d ... Use limit time e ... Check bill passage number f ... Sensor valid bill passage Number of sheets Ve ... Receiving limit level during check Vd ... Receiving limit level under normal conditions

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A sensor control device for predicting a use limit time of the sensor from an output change amount of the sensor, wherein the sensor output is based on the sensor use amount until the output of the sensor reaches a first level. To a second level, a sensor control device comprising a calculating means for calculating a sensor use allowable amount and a predicting means for predicting a sensor use limit time from the sensor use allowable amount calculated by the calculating means. 2. The sensor control device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor detects by using light. 3. The sensor control device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor usage amount and the sensor usage allowable amount are usage periods. 4. The sensor control device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor usage amount and the sensor usage allowable amount are a medium detection amount of a detection target. 5. The sensor control device according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying a sensor usage amount until the output of the sensor reaches the second level. 6. A transaction medium processing apparatus comprising the sensor control apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. 7. A transaction processing device comprising the sensor control device according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or the transaction medium processing device according to claim 6.