JPH09270054A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Problem] When using the prepaid card 20,
It enables recognition of the prepaid card 20 whose prepaid card 20 is. It is also possible to perform lottery when offering products and accumulate points according to purchased products. An insertion slot for inserting a prepaid card having at least a non-rewritable card number recording section and a rewritable prepaid balance recording section, and a recording section of the prepaid card inserted into the insertion slot. The vending machine 10 is provided with a card reader for reading and a card information rewriting section for rewriting data in the prepaid balance recording section. A lottery section is provided so that the lottery result in the lottery section can be recognized. The prepaid card 20 is provided with a cumulative point recording unit to record the cumulative points of product enjoyment for each product provision.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine, and more specifically to a vending machine that receives a product provision using a prepaid guard, and if necessary, a lottery associated with the product provision, or the number and amount of the product provision. The present invention relates to a vending machine capable of recording accumulated points according to the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various vending machines have been used. Among such vending machines, many vending machines that require cash are provided as a condition for receiving products from the vending machines. In addition, here, as a cash clerk, there are those who directly insert coins or banknotes and those who insert so-called prepaid cards.

As a vending machine for inserting coins or bills, for example, a vending machine for drinks, cigarettes, telephone cards, etc. installed in a town, or a ticket vending machine installed in a station There was a machine. On the other hand, as a vending machine for receiving a product provision using a prepaid card, for example, there is a ticket vending machine installed at a station.

Among these, in ticket vending machines installed at stations, not only can coins or bills be used directly, but so-called prepaid cards can also be used. There was also something that could be used. Among such vending machines that have been used in the past, particularly for vending machines using prepaid cards, ticket vending machines using prepaid cards issued by each transportation facility are often used. ing.

The prepaid card used in such conventional vending machines is provided with a prepaid balance recording section, and the prepaid balance recording section is reached until the balance is reached. During that period, it was possible to receive various product offerings using prepaid cards.

[0006]

However, such a conventional prepaid card does not have any function of identifying each prepaid card, and no matter who uses the particular prepaid card at any time. Was being offered. Therefore, as a side that provides products by using a prepaid card, although various products have been provided, it is not only possible to grasp what kind of person the product was purchased, It was impossible to understand the age group of the person who receives the product or the type of product.

Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention will be described in terms of the difference from the conventional prepaid card. At least by providing a non-rewritable card number recording section in the prepaid card, the prepaid card whose prepaid card is used. It will be possible to recognize whether it is a card. Therefore, when the prepaid card is used, the vending machine is provided so that it is possible to know what age group or what kind of product is provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a product is provided using a prepaid card, a lottery is conducted for each product provided, and the result of the lottery is displayed on a vending machine. A lottery is always carried out when a product is provided using a card, and depending on the result of the lottery, it will be possible to receive new services or to add a balance to the prepaid card. Is.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is provided with a cumulative point recording unit for rewritably recording on a prepaid card, and a specific cumulative point is set for each provision of a product or for each price of a product, and the cumulative total is set. By rewritably recording points in the cumulative point recording unit of the card, a new product providing means can be realized by using a prepaid card.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is provided with at least a non-rewritable card number recording section and a rewritable prepaid balance recording section. An insertion slot for inserting a prepaid card, a card reader for reading the recording section of the prepaid card inserted in the insertion slot, a card information rewriting section for rewriting the data of the prepaid balance recording section, and a storage section for the product And a product providing unit for providing the product in the product storage unit based on the supply signal.

Here, in the prepaid card, a card-specific number or symbol is recorded in a non-rewritable card number recording section. Therefore, with respect to this prepaid card, it is possible to identify each prepaid card. In addition, the prepaid balance recording unit records the usable amount of money of the prepaid card in a rewritable state. This prepaid balance recording unit
It is possible to form it so that it is written when purchasing a prepaid card in advance, or if the vending machine is provided with a cash inserting section, for example, by inserting this prepaid card together with the tag, it can be recognized by the tag It is also possible to write the amount of money to be paid into a prepaid card as a prepaid balance. Furthermore, when purchasing a prepaid card,
Record the prepaid balance equivalent to the purchase price,
After use, it is possible to additionally write the amount of money equivalent to the amount of money invested in the vending machine.

Further, such a prepaid card insertion port is provided on the front side of the vending machine, and is provided with a lid so as not to get wet by rain or the like, or with an umbrella-shaped protrusion. Is desirable. The card reader is provided at the back of the insertion slot, and is for reading the recording section of the prepaid card inserted into the insertion slot, that is, the card number recording section and the prepaid balance recording section. The card number recording unit read by this card reader makes it possible to recognize which specific card was used, and by reading the balance recorded in the prepaid balance recording unit, it is possible to provide the product thereafter. The amount of money that can be used can be determined.

Further, the card information rewriting section is for rewriting the data recorded in the prepaid balance recording section, and is usually rewritten in the subtraction direction by providing the service. However, when the vending machine has a cash slot, it is possible to rewrite the data recorded in the prepaid balance recording unit by adding the cash to match the cash input. .

[0014] As products, for example, drinks, cigarettes, telephone cards, etc. are considered when the vending machine is installed in a town, and tickets, etc. are considered when the vending machine is installed at a station. . Further, it is desirable that the product storage section is formed so that it can be cooled or heated.

Further, the vending machine can be regarded as a vending machine that simply provides a service corresponding to a cashier, but as described in claim 2, a lottery section for each product offering in the product offering section If a vending machine is provided with a recognition section capable of recognizing the lottery result in the lottery section, the lottery is always carried out when the product is provided by the use of the vending machine, and the lottery result is displayed in the recognition section. Will be done.

This lottery means, for example, when a prize is won by a lottery, a prize card providing section is provided for providing some kind of prize card, and by sending the prize card to a specific institution, another service, for example, It is also possible to form so as to receive other product offerings. On the other hand, by winning the lottery by the lottery unit, the data in the prepaid balance recording unit of the prepaid card can be rewritten in the addition direction. Specifically, if the lottery section wins the first prize, the prepaid balance recording section will have 1,0
It is also possible to form such that the data for 00 yen is additionally recorded and the data for 500 yen is additionally recorded when it hits the second grade.

Further, it is possible to form the lottery in the lottery section so that only a specific product among the products offered by the vending machine has the right to the lottery. Specifically, for example, when a drink vending machine is used as a vending machine, priority is given to the sale of a specific drink by forming a specific drink among various drinks so that only the specific drink has a right to draw. Etc. can also be planned.

Further, as described above, if it is desired to promote the sale of a particular drink, the probability of winning by a lottery can be set to be high for that particular drink. Further, the invention according to claim 3 is provided with a total point recording unit for rewritably recording on the prepaid card, and the total point of product enjoyment is rewritten and recorded in the total point recording unit of the card for each product provision of the product provision unit. It is characterized by

With this structure, when a product is purchased using a prepaid card, points corresponding to the number of purchases are accumulated and the points are recorded on the prepaid card. Therefore, when the accumulated points of the prepaid card recorded in this way reach a certain accumulated point, it is possible to form another service. Specifically, when the total number of points reaches a certain number, it is possible to provide other services, such as provision of products, and to record the balance in the addition direction in the prepaid balance recording unit. It is also possible to form.

In this case, the number of points can be set to the unit price of the product instead of the number of purchases of the product. Furthermore, when a drink vending machine is used as a vending machine, by forming the point number of a specific drink to be higher among various drinks, the priority of the specific drink is increased. It can also be sold.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is one embodiment using the vending machine 10 according to the present invention, and before describing the details of the vending machine 10 here, first, a prepaid card 20 used in the vending machine 10 will be described. To do.

The prepaid card 20 used in the vending machine 10 is provided with a non-rewritable card number recording section, a rewritable prepaid balance recording section, and a rewritable cumulative point recording section. Here, in the non-rewritable card number recording section, a single number or symbol is recorded for each card. Therefore, regarding the card numbers recorded in the card number recording section, it is not issued a plurality of cards having the same card number.

Further, the rewritable prepaid balance recording unit records the prepaid balance currently held by the prepaid card 20. Further, when the service is received using the prepaid card 20, points are added and recorded in the cumulative point recording unit according to the number of times the service is received.

The recording in each recording section can be performed as magnetic recording, but the prepaid card 20 itself may be formed as an IC card and stored in a memory in the IC. It is possible. Also, the vending machine 1
0 shows as an example a vending machine 10 for selling a drink in a can, such as is usually placed in a town. Therefore, since the sale is to provide a drink, the vending machine 10 is internally provided with a product storage unit (not shown) and a product supply unit for providing the product in the product storage unit based on the product supply signal. ing. Although illustration is omitted, a cooling device or a heating device is attached to the product storage unit.

On the other hand, on the front of the vending machine 10, a bill insertion slot 11, a coin insertion slot 12, a card insertion slot 13,
Total point display window 14, prepaid balance display window 15,
A coupon winning output port 16 is provided. The vending machine 10 is formed so that sales information is transmitted wirelessly.

The vending machine 10 will be described in more detail. The vending machine 10 for using the prepaid card 20 includes a card reader for reading each recording portion of the prepaid card 20 inserted into the card insertion slot 13 and a prepaid card. A card information rewriting unit for rewriting the data in the balance recording unit and a point information rewriting unit for rewriting the accumulated points are provided.

Further, the vending machine 10 is internally provided with a lottery section for each product offered by the product offering section. When the lottery in the lottery section is won, in this embodiment, the winning coupon ticket is output from the coupon winning output port 16. However, in addition to the recognition of the lottery result by the output of the winning coupon ticket from the coupon winning output port 16 as described above, for example, a lottery result display window (not shown) may be provided and displayed in such a portion. .

In the lottery here, a method of taking out one number from the random numbers at the time of purchase and performing the lottery by the number can be considered. In the case of such lottery, there is a method of winning when the number taken out is in the winning number group set in the vending machine 10 in advance, or a card number recording unit defined for each prepaid card 20. It is possible to win the prize in relation to the card number recorded in.

Furthermore, in such a lottery, the vending machine 10 in which the respective commodities are arranged can be limited to the purchase of a specific merchandise.
When purchasing a specific product, the probability of the result of the lottery can be improved. By carrying out such a method, it is possible to plan a sales promotion of a specific product.

Further, in this embodiment, when the product is provided using the prepaid card 20, the points according to the number of times the product is provided are additionally recorded in the accumulated point recording unit. However, the number of points can be set to the unit price of the product instead of the number of times the product is provided. Furthermore, when a drink vending machine is used as the vending machine 10, for example, by forming the point number of a specific drink to be high among various drinks, sales of the specific drink can be performed. It can also be promoted.

Further, when the lottery section wins the lottery,
Alternatively, when the cumulative number of points reaches a certain point, the data in the prepaid balance recording unit of the prepaid card 20 can be rewritten in the addition direction. Specifically, when the first prize is won by the lottery section, 1,000 yen of data is additionally recorded in the prepaid balance recording section,
It is also possible to form such that data of 500 yen is additionally recorded when hitting the second grade. Further, when the number of points reaches 10, it is possible to form the display of the prepaid balance display unit so as to additionally record 100 yen.

Next, a case where a product is provided with the prepaid card 20 using the vending machine 10 will be described first. First, the user purchases the prepaid card 20 in advance. Here, for example, 1,000
If it is purchased in yen, 1,000 yen is recorded in the prepaid balance recording unit.

Next, the user inserts a predetermined prepaid card 20 into the card insertion slot 13 of the vending machine 10 as a drink vending machine. Then, of the prepaid card 20 inserted into the insertion slot 13 of this card, the card number recording unit, the prepaid balance recording unit, and the accumulated point recording unit are read by the card reader. As a result, in the vending machine 10, the fact that the prepaid card 20 having a certain card number is inserted, and the prepaid balance and the accumulated points in the prepaid card 20 are displayed in the prepaid balance display window 15 and the accumulated point display window 14. Will be displayed in.

Therefore, the user can purchase a drink according to the prepaid balance displayed on the prepaid balance display window 15. Then, the user then presses the purchase button for the desired drink, and the product providing unit provides the product from the storage unit to the product providing unit. As a result, it is possible to know which drink the owner of the prepaid card 20 having a particular card number purchased.

At the same time, the number displayed in the accumulated point display window 14 is increased by "1" by the provision of such a product, and the number displayed in the prepaid balance display window 15 is subtracted by the purchase amount. Will be displayed. Further, in the vending machine 10, when a drink is purchased in this way, at the same time when the drink purchasing button is pressed, a lottery is conducted in a lottery section provided inside the vending machine 10.

As a result of this lottery, when it is determined that the winning is won, the winning coupon ticket indicating the winning is displayed from the coupon winning output port 16.
After such a series of operations, operations, and recording, the prepaid card 20 is inserted into the card insertion slot 13 of the vending machine 10.
Will be returned from. Next, marketing using the vending machine 10 according to the present invention will be described together with the embodiment shown in FIG.

Here, in addition to the user, an information manager is required in addition to the bottler that also serves as the issuer of the prepaid card 20 and the dealer who is the installer of the vending machine 10. Furthermore, here, the relationship between the bottler and the dealer is
The bottler delivers the prepaid card 20 and the subscription application to the dealer, and the dealer sends the subscription application to the bottler in which the user fills in predetermined items.

Further, the relationship between the dealer and the user is the same as the money submitted by the dealer when the user who has described the predetermined items in the subscription application provided by the dealer submits it to the dealer together with the predetermined money. The prepaid card 20 in which the prepaid amount is recorded is provided to the user. Furthermore, the relationship between the user and the information manager is that the user sends the winning coupon coupon that is paid out when a lottery is won or the prepaid card 20 that has reached a predetermined cumulative point to the information manager, and the information manager wins the winning coupon. The prize according to the number of points of the ticket or the prepaid card 20 is sent to the user.
Further, the information manager will organize and manage the information regarding the winning coupon ticket or the prepaid card 20 that has reached the predetermined number of points.

Regarding the relationship between the information manager and the bottler, the bottler sends the member information described in the application form to the information manager, and the information manager reaches the bottler with a winning coupon or a predetermined number of points. Prepaid card 2
The information of the member who owns 0, for example, the exchange history of prizes is sent. Next, marketing in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

Here, first, the bottler delivers the prepaid card 20 to which a specific card number or symbol is attached and the subscription application form to the dealer. At this time, in addition to the specific card number, a prepaid card 20 in which a fixed prepaid balance is recorded is delivered.
In addition, the accumulated points in this prepaid card 20 are “0”.

When the user purchases this card, the user pays money to the dealer according to the prepaid balance recorded in the prepaid balance recording unit. At the time of this purchase, the user fills in predetermined items on the application form for purchase. It is possible to request various data such as sex, age, residential area, taste, hobby, etc. in this subscription application form. The various data described in the card application form allows the bottler to know the distribution of tastes and the like.

In other words, the user responds to the subscription application and the cash amount recorded in the prepaid balance in exchange for
The prepaid card 20 is distributed. On the other hand, this subscription application is sent from the dealer to the bottler,
After that, it will be provided to the information manager. The user purchases a drink by inserting the prepaid card 20 into the card insertion slot 13 of the vending machine 10.

When the prepaid card 20 is inserted into the card insertion slot 13 of the vending machine 10 in this way, of the prepaid cards 20 inserted into the insertion slot 13 of this card,
The card number recording unit, the prepaid balance recording unit, and the cumulative point recording unit are read by the card reader. As a result, in this vending machine 10, the fact that the prepaid card 20 having a specific card number has been inserted, and the prepaid balance and accumulated points in the prepaid card 20 are displayed in the prepaid balance display window 1
5 and the cumulative point display window 14 will be displayed.

Therefore, the user can purchase the drink corresponding to the prepaid balance displayed on the prepaid balance display window 15. Then, the user then presses the purchase button for the desired drink, and the product providing unit provides the product from the storage unit to the product providing unit. As a result, it is possible to know which drink the owner of the prepaid card 20 having a particular card number purchased.

At the same time, the number displayed in the accumulated point display window 14 is incremented by "1" by the provision of such a product, and the number displayed in the prepaid balance display window 15 is subtracted by the purchase amount. Will be displayed. Further, in the vending machine 10, when a drink is purchased in this way, at the same time when the drink purchasing button is pressed, a lottery is conducted in a lottery section provided inside the vending machine 10.

As a result of this lottery, when it is determined that the winning is achieved, the winning coupon ticket displaying the fact of winning is paid out from the coupon winning output port 16.
After such a series of operations, operations, and recording, the prepaid card 20 is inserted into the card insertion slot 13 of the vending machine 10.
Will be returned from. Then, the user who receives such a winning coupon ticket can receive the prize corresponding to this coupon ticket by sending the winning coupon ticket to the information manager next time.

Furthermore, when the accumulated points displayed in the accumulated point display window 14 reach a preset number of points, the prepaid card 20 is sent to the information manager so that the accumulated points are accumulated. It is possible to receive a free gift according to. In the information manager, the prepaid card 20 used by a specific person described in the above-mentioned subscription application is provided by the sent winning coupon ticket or the prepaid card 20 having accumulated a certain number of points. It is possible to manage the history of how often it is used.

Here, when the accumulated points displayed in the accumulated point display window 14 reach a predetermined predetermined point, the accumulated points reach a certain numerical value other than sending the prepaid card 20 itself. At this time, the accumulated points displayed in the accumulated point display window 14 may be set to “0”, the point coupon ticket may be paid out, and the free gift may be received by sending the point coupon ticket.

Furthermore, the user inserts the card slot 13
If the balance displayed in the prepaid balance display window 15 is small when the prepaid card 20 is inserted into the banknote, in the illustrated example, the banknote inserted into the banknote insertion slot 11 or the coin insertion slot 12 or It is also possible to increase the prepaid balance displayed in the prepaid balance display window 15 according to the amount of coins or the like.

In this way, the history corresponding to the card numbers collected by the information manager is sent to the bottler, and the bottler receives the winning coupon ticket or the accumulated point display window from the information manager. The prize is provided in accordance with the point coupon ticket corresponding to the accumulated points displayed in 14. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the vending machine 10 and the bottler are wirelessly connected.

Therefore, the type, number, time, etc. of drinks sold by the vending machine 10 are collected as sales information for individual products. In this way, by collecting the sales information for each individual item in the bottler, the bottler is limited in what region, at what time, or in summer, what drink is when what temperature is and how much. You can get information such as if it sells.

Therefore, by using such information,
Bottlers will be able to make plans for the supply of new products. In this way, the vending machine 1
0 and the bottler are wirelessly connected, the vending machine 1
A radio antenna of the telephone is set at 0, and information can be transmitted using the radio antenna of the telephone.

Further, according to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the bottle manager does not issue the card, but the information manager issues the prepaid card 20. When formed in this way, a subscription application for applying for the prepaid card 20 is sent to the information manager's hand, so at the information manager, what level of personnel purchases products at what frequency. It is easier to collect data such as "What?" And information management becomes easier. Then, after organizing the collected information in this way, the information manager can send the information to the bottler, thereby enabling the bottler's business strategy.

[0054]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the prepaid card is provided with the non-rewritable card number recording section. It can enable recognition. Therefore, when the prepaid card is used, it is possible to know what age group or what kind of product was provided.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, when a product is purchased using the prepaid card, a lottery is conducted every time the product is purchased, and the result of the lottery is formed so as to be displayed on the vending machine. A lottery is always held when you purchase a product using, and depending on the result of the lottery, it will be possible to hit other products or add a balance to the prepaid card. Is.

The invention according to claim 3 is further provided with a cumulative point recording section for rewritably recording on a prepaid card, and a specific cumulative point is set for each provision of a product or for each purchase price of the product, By recording the accumulated points rewritably in the accumulated point recording section of the card, by using the prepaid card,
This enables a new product providing means.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining marketing using a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining another marketing using the vending machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Vending machine 11 Banknote insertion slot 12 Coin insertion slot 13 Card insertion slot 14 Accumulated point display window 15 Prepaid balance display window 16 Coupon winning output slot 20 Prepaid card

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An insertion slot for inserting a prepaid card having at least a non-rewritable card number recording section and a rewritable prepaid balance recording section, and for reading the recording section of the prepaid card inserted in the insertion slot. Card reader, a card information rewriting unit for rewriting the data in the prepaid balance recording unit, a product storage unit for the product to be provided, and a product providing unit for providing the product in the product storage unit based on the supply signal. A vending machine characterized by having it. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a lottery unit for each product provision by the product provision unit, and a recognition unit capable of recognizing a lottery result in the lottery unit. 3. A prepaid card is provided with a cumulative point recording section for rewritable recording, and a point information rewriting section for rewriting and recording cumulative points of product enjoyment for each provision of a commodity by a commodity providing section in the cumulative point recording section of the card. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine is provided.