JP2000113315A - Charging device and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging device which can be used as the charging device of plural units such as a television receiver and a telephone set and can charge a refrigerator which is always cooled and is superior in maintenance. SOLUTION: A charging device 10 managing the charging of the use of plural units by using a storage medium (IC card, magnetic card and the like) which can accumulate a money alternate value is provided with a means reading the money alternate value accumulated in the storage medium, operating a television receiver 20 when the accumulated balance exits and subtracting the accumulated balance with time and a means setting time corresponding to the number of selection times, unlocking a refrigerator 30 within setting time, making it to be usable, overlapping the accumulated balance with the subtraction of the use of the television receiver and executing subtraction. Thus, the refrigerator which is always cooled can be charged in addition to the charging of the television receiver 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a billing apparatus for paying for goods and services using a storage medium such as a magnetic card or an IC card used as a money substitute means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A region / facility limited type in which an IC card is used as a postpaid card and the amount set on the IC card or the magnetic card is subtracted when a patient or a guest uses a hospital or hotel facility. Electronic money system is used.

As a usage form of such a postpaid card, a user deposits cash in a card vending machine and receives an IC card (or magnetic card) in which the value of the cash is quantified and stored. And every time you use the refrigerator, TV set, telephone, etc. provided in the private room,
The value of the usage amount is subtracted by an IC card reader / writer (or a magnetic card reader / writer) attached to a refrigerator, a television receiver, a telephone, or the like.

[0004] For example, when a hotel guest uses a television receiver, an IC card (or magnetic card) is inserted into a card insertion slot of a charging device attached to the television receiver, and the main body of the television receiver is used. Turn on the switch.
When the guest selects the channel of the paid program, an IC card (or a magnetic card) is used according to the viewing time.
Are sequentially subtracted. If the guest selects the free program, the amount stored on the IC card (or magnetic card) is not deducted.

When a guest uses a refrigerator, an IC card (or magnetic card) is inserted into a card insertion slot of a charging device attached to the refrigerator, and a main switch of the refrigerator is turned on. When the guest turns on the main switch of the refrigerator, the refrigerator is cooled and ready for use. Then, the amount stored in the IC card (or magnetic card) is sequentially reduced according to the usage time.

Further, a card billing apparatus has been proposed in which a card billing apparatus is not provided for each of a plurality of devices (such as a television receiver, a refrigerator, and a telephone), and billing is performed for a plurality of devices collectively.

[0007]

However, the conventional card billing apparatus requires that the card be inserted before the card is inserted.
The main switch could not be turned on. That is, the refrigerator is at room temperature when not in use, and the refrigerator is cooled only after the card is inserted into the charging device and the main switch is turned on.

Therefore, even if a guest wants to use the refrigerator, he must wait until the refrigerator is cooled, and cannot use the refrigerator immediately. Further, when the refrigerator is not in use, the temperature in the refrigerator is normal temperature, so that odor, mold, and the like are easily generated. Therefore, it takes time to maintain the refrigerator.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can be used as a billing device for a plurality of devices such as a television receiver and a telephone, and is always cooled and has excellent maintainability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a charging device that also charges a refrigerator.

[0010]

The present invention employs the following means in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is,
The first means of the present invention is a charging device for charging a plurality of devices using a storage medium capable of accumulating a money alternative value, a reading means for reading the money alternative value stored in the storage medium, Selecting means for selecting any one of the plurality of devices, state changing means for setting the device selected by the selecting means to a usable state, and equipment changed to a usable state by the state changing means Writing means for writing into the storage medium the money substitute value after charging for.

Thus, regardless of whether or not power is supplied to the selected device, the state changing means can
The selected device can be made usable.
Then, billing can be performed for the device that can be used.

Here, the selecting means is a refrigerator use button, and the state changing means is an electromagnetic locking / unlocking section of the refrigerator. By pressing the refrigerator use button once, the electromagnetic lock of the refrigerator is unlocked for a predetermined time, and the refrigerator can be used for a predetermined time.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the storage means is an IC card or a magnetic card. The money substitute value is stored in a memory of an IC card or a magnetic layer (such as a magnetic stripe) of a magnetic card, and is read / written by a charging device that also functions as a card reader / writer.

[0014] A third means of the present invention is the first means, further comprising a display means for displaying the currency substitute value read by the reading means. Thereby, the monetary value remaining in the storage medium can be confirmed.

[0015] A fourth means of the present invention is the first means, wherein: a measuring means for measuring a use time of the device which is made usable by the state changing means; and a use time measured by the measuring means. Usage time display means for displaying time.

Here, the measuring means is a refrigerator use measuring section, and the use time display means is a refrigerator use time display section. The usage time display unit may display the time of use of the refrigerator, or may display the remaining time indicating how long the refrigerator can be used.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the device selected by the selection means is a refrigerator provided with a lock, and the state changing means unlocks the lock. To make the refrigerator usable.

Here, the lock is preferably an electromagnetic lock which can be electrically locked and unlocked. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the refrigerator is provided,
It was always cool.

Thus, no odor or mold is generated in the refrigerator, and the maintenance is simplified. The seventh means of the present invention is a charging method for charging a plurality of devices using a storage medium capable of storing a money alternative value, wherein the step of reading the money alternative value stored in the storage medium, Selecting any one of the plurality of devices, making the selected device usable, and storing the money substitute value after being charged for the usable device in the storage medium. And writing to.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is a charging apparatus for performing charging management of use of a plurality of devices by using a storage medium capable of storing a money substitute value, wherein the money substitute value stored in the storage medium is provided. Is read and the first
Means for operating the device and subtracting the accumulated balance over time, and setting a time corresponding to the number of selections when the accumulated balance is present and selected by the selecting means, and setting a second time within the set time. Means for enabling use of the device and superimposing and subtracting the accumulated balance from subtraction of use of the first device.

Here, the storage medium is an IC card, a magnetic card, or the like. The first device is a television receiver, and the means for subtracting the accumulated balance over time is a television usage time measuring unit and a writing unit. Further, the selection means is a refrigerator use button, the second device is a refrigerator, and the means for superimposing and subtracting the accumulated balance from the subtraction of the use of the first device is a refrigerator use measurement unit and a writing unit. It is.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage pattern of a card charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the card charging device 10
Is attached to the television receiver 20. Further, the card charging apparatus 10 is connected to the refrigerator 3 via the signal line L1.
0 and is connected to the telephone 40 via the telephone line L2. The plug 32 of the refrigerator 30 is inserted into the socket 33 and the refrigerator 30 is always
Power is supplied.

The card charging device 10 includes a card insertion slot 11
, Card removal button 12, card frequency display section 13
, Refrigerator use button 14, refrigerator use time display section 1
5 is provided.

The IC card C is inserted into the card insertion slot 11, and the card ejection button 12 is
Is pressed to take out the IC card C inserted in. The card frequency display unit 13 segmentally displays the remaining frequency of the money substitute value set in the IC card C.
When the remaining number displayed on the card frequency display unit 13 is used by the television receiver 20, the telephone 40, and the refrigerator 30,
It is subtracted. Here, the displayed residual count may be the same value as the actual monetary amount, for example, if the residual count is “100”, it means “100 yen”, or the residual count is “100”. Then, the value may be a value obtained by truncating the lower digits of the actual money amount so as to mean “1000 yen”.

The refrigerator use button 14 is pressed when a guest or the like wants to use the refrigerator 30. When the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed, the electromagnetic lock 31 is unlocked. For example, if the guest presses the refrigerator use button 14 once, the refrigerator 30 can be used for 24 hours, and if pressed twice, the refrigerator 30 can be used for 48 hours. Further, the refrigerator use button 14 can be continuously pressed up to four times, for example. That is, the setting is such that the electromagnetic lock 31 of the refrigerator 30 can be kept unlocked continuously for up to 96 hours.

The refrigerator use time display section 15 indicates the remaining time in which the refrigerator 30 can be used based on the number of times the refrigerator use button 14 has been pressed and the elapsed time since the button was pressed. For example, the refrigerator usage time display unit 15 indicates “1”.
In the case of "2", the refrigerator can be kept unlocked for another 12 hours.

FIG. 2 shows a card charging apparatus 10 according to this embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing main functions of the first embodiment. Card billing device 1
0 is a reading unit 16, a refrigerator unlocking unit 17 in addition to the card slot 11, the card frequency display unit 13, the refrigerator use button 14, and the refrigerator use time display unit 15 shown in FIG. Refrigerator use measuring unit 18 and TV measuring unit 19
And a telephone use measuring unit 21 and a writing unit 22.

The reading unit 16 reads the remaining number (money substitute value) stored in the memory (or the magnetic layer of the magnetic card) of the IC card C inserted into the card insertion slot 11. The read remaining frequency is displayed on the card frequency display unit 13.

The refrigerator locking / unlocking unit 17 unlocks the electromagnetic lock 31 of the refrigerator 30 when the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed. Further, based on the number of times the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed, the electromagnetic lock 31 is locked for a predetermined time.

The refrigerator use time measuring unit 18 measures the time since the refrigerator use button 14 was pressed. That is,
The refrigerator use time measuring unit 18 measures the elapsed time from when the electromagnetic lock 31 is unlocked, and when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined value, the refrigerator lock / unlock unit 17 sets the electromagnetic lock 31
To lock. In this manner, charging can be managed by opening and closing the refrigerator 30, that is, by locking or unlocking the electromagnetic lock 31. Therefore, there is no need to turn off the main switch of the refrigerator 30, so that the refrigerator 3
0 can always be cooled.

The television usage measuring section 19 is provided with the television receiver 2
0 measures the time that the paid program was broadcast. The remaining number displayed on the card remaining number display unit 13 is subtracted based on the measured broadcast time.

When the telephone 40 is used, the telephone usage measuring unit 21 measures the usage of the telephone 40 according to the usage time and the destination. The remaining number displayed on the card remaining number display unit 13 is subtracted based on the measured usage amount.

When the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed, the writing unit 22 writes the remaining frequency, which has been subtracted in accordance with the number of times the refrigerator usage button 14 is pressed, into the memory of the IC card C, and is measured by the television usage measurement unit 19. Based on the airing time of the pay program and the usage measured by the telephone usage measuring unit 21, the subtracted remaining number is written in the memory of the IC card C.

As described above, according to the use of the refrigerator 30, the television receiver 20, the telephone 40 and the like, the IC card
The residual number stored in the memory of C is subtracted. Next, in the above configuration, an IC card (or a magnetic card)
The procedure of the accounting process using C will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the accounting process. When the IC card (or magnetic card) C is inserted into the card insertion slot 11 (S01), the reading unit 16 reads the data stored in the memory of the IC card C (or the data stored in the magnetic layer of the magnetic card). Data) is read (S02). Then, the card frequency display unit 13 displays the remaining frequency of the card C based on the read data (S03).

Next, the user selects any one of the refrigerator 30, the television set 20, and the telephone 40 (S0).
4). When the user uses the refrigerator 30, it is determined whether or not the refrigerator use button 14 has been pressed (S05).
When the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed, the remaining number of cards is subtracted according to the number of times the button is pressed (S06).

For example, each time the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed once, the card remaining number is equal to 10 yen corresponding to “100 yen”.
Points are subtracted. Then, the electromagnetic lock 31 is unlocked (S07), and the usable time of the refrigerator 30 is displayed on the refrigerator use time display section 15 (S08).

For example, when the refrigerator use button 14 is pressed once, the electromagnetic lock 31 of the refrigerator 30 is unlocked for 24 hours, and the user can use the refrigerator 30 freely. In addition, the user can press the refrigerator use button 14 continuously four times, and can use the refrigerator 30 for 96 hours.

When the electromagnetic lock 31 is unlocked (S
07), the time since the refrigerator 30 was first used was measured (S09), and the elapsed time after the refrigerator was started to be used (that is, the time since the electromagnetic lock 31 was unlocked) was subtracted from the refrigerator usable time. The time is displayed on the refrigerator use time display section 15 (S10).

Then, it is determined whether the usable time displayed on the refrigerator use time display section 15 has become "0" (S11). When the usable time becomes "0", the electromagnetic lock 31 is locked. (S12). Usable time is "0"
If not, the processes of steps S09 and S10 are repeated. That is, the time from when the refrigerator 30 is first used is measured (S09), and the time obtained by subtracting the elapsed time after starting the use of the refrigerator from the refrigerator usable time is displayed on the refrigerator use time display section 15 (S10).

When the usable time reaches "0" and the electromagnetic lock 31 is locked (S12), it is determined whether or not the card C has been removed from the card insertion slot 11 (S1).
3). If the card C has not been removed, the process returns to step S04, and the user selects a device (fridge, telephone, television set, etc.) to be used. If it is determined in step S13 that the card C has been removed, the charging process ends.

When the user uses the telephone 40, the user dials a desired telephone number to start a telephone call (S14).
When the call is started, the telephone use measuring unit 21 measures the call time (S15), and subtracts the remaining number of the card C based on a predetermined fee system that takes the call time and the call destination into consideration (S16). . The subtracted card remaining count is displayed by the card remaining count display unit 13 (S17).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the call has ended (S18). When the call ends, the process proceeds to step S13, and it is determined whether or not card C has been removed. If the call has not ended, the steps S15 to S15 are performed until the remaining number of the card becomes “0”.
Step 17 is repeated. As a result, the remaining number displayed on the card remaining number display section 13 is sequentially reduced as the call time elapses.

When the user uses the television receiver, it is determined whether the main switch of the television receiver 20 has been turned on (S19). When the main switch is turned on, it is determined whether the user has selected a pay program (channel) (S20). When the pay program is selected, the pay program is broadcast (S21),
The airing time of the pay program is measured (S22). Then, the remaining card count is subtracted based on the measured broadcast time, that is, the viewing time of the pay program (S2).
3) The remaining card count is displayed (S24).

Then, it is determined whether or not the user has switched to the free program, or whether or not the user has turned off the main switch of the television receiver (S25). When the program has not been switched to the free program, that is, when the program remains the paid program, the processing of steps S21 to S24 is repeated until the remaining card number becomes “0”, and the remaining card number is displayed on the card remaining number display unit 13. The remaining frequency is sequentially subtracted.

When the user selects the free program, the free program is broadcast (S26), and thereafter, it is determined whether or not the main switch of the television is turned off (S27), and the main switch is turned off. The free program will be aired until. If a paid program is not selected in step S20, a free program is broadcast (S26).

In step S25 or step S27,
When the user turns off the main switch of the television receiver, it is determined in step S13 whether or not the card has been removed (S13).

The user can use two or more types of equipment, for example, the telephone 40 and the refrigerator 30 and the television receiver 20 and the telephone 40 at the same time. In this way, the user can use one IC card (or magnetic card, etc.)
Can be used to pay for the use of multiple devices. In addition, as for the refrigerator 30, the user can use the IC.
After payment by card, the electromagnetic lock 31
Is unlocked and the refrigerator 30 can be used, so that the main switch of the refrigerator 30 is not turned off. That is, the refrigerator is always cooled. For this reason, it is possible to prevent smell, mold, and the like that may occur when the main switch of the refrigerator is turned off. Further, since the refrigerator is constantly cooled, the refrigerator can be used immediately when the user wants to use the refrigerator.

[0050]

According to the card billing apparatus of the present invention, in addition to billing a plurality of devices such as a television receiver and a telephone, billing is performed for a refrigerator which is always cooled and has excellent maintainability. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a usage mode of a card charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a card charging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a billing process;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Billing device 11 IC card (magnetic card) 12 Card removal button 1 13 Card frequency display part 14 Refrigerator use button 15 Refrigerator use time display part 16 Reading part 17 Refrigerator lock / unlock part 18 Refrigerator use measurement part 19 Television measurement part 20 Television reception Device 21 telephone use measuring unit 22 writing unit 30 refrigerator 31 electromagnetic lock 40 telephone

Continued on front page F term (reference) 3E044 AA00 AA02 AA03 AA08 BA04 BA06 CA05 CA06 EA02 FB04 3E048 AA10 BA07 5B049 BB46 BB52 CC31 CC39 DD04 EE01 FF03 FF04 FF08 5B058 CA01 CA31 KA12 YA06 YA07

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A billing device for billing according to the usage time of a plurality of devices using a storage medium capable of storing a money substitute value, wherein a reading means for reading the money substitute value stored in the storage medium; Selecting means for selecting use of any one of the plurality of devices; state changing means for setting the device selected by the selecting means to a usable state; and setting the state to be usable by the state changing means. Writing means for writing the money substitute value after charging for the device in the storage medium. 2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage means is an IC card or a magnetic card. 3. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying the money substitute value read by said reading unit. 4. A measuring device for measuring a use time of a device made usable by the state changing device, and a use time display device for displaying a use time measured by the measuring device. The charging device according to claim 1. 5. The apparatus selected by the selecting means is a refrigerator having a lock, and the state changing means unlocks the lock to make the refrigerator usable. The charging device according to claim 1. 6. The charging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said refrigerator is constantly cooled. 7. A billing method for billing according to the usage time of a plurality of devices using a storage medium capable of storing a money substitute value, wherein a step of reading the money substitute value stored in the storage medium; Selecting the use of any one of the plurality of devices; enabling the selected device to be used; and converting the monetary substitute value after charging for the enabled device to the Writing to a storage medium. 8. A billing apparatus for performing billing management for use of a plurality of devices using a storage medium capable of storing a money substitute value, wherein the money reading value stored in the storage medium is read and the accumulated balance is read. Means for operating the first device in a certain case and subtracting the accumulated balance over time; and setting the time according to the number of selections when the accumulated balance is present and selected by the selecting means. And a means for enabling the second device to be used within the device and superimposing and subtracting the accumulated balance from the subtraction of the use of the first device.