JP2007334917A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve an easy and reliable operation, when purchasing an article in an automatic vending machine, using a noncontact type terminal. <P>SOLUTION: This automatic vending machine is provided with an article selecting means for selecting an article, an article dispensing means for dispensing the selected article, a means for determining whether to perform selection by the article selecting means at first or communication with the noncontact type terminal at first, during a sales standby state, a means for executing settlement to the noncontact type terminal after selecting the article, when the mean determins, the selection by the article selecting means at first, during the sales standby state, and for displaying a balance after the communication with the noncontact type terminal is normally executed, and for prompting the selection of the article, when determined to perform the communication by the noncontact type terminal at first, during the sales standby state, a display means for indicating that the noncontact type terminal is ready, and a control means for displaying a message on the display means to hold the noncontact type terminal over the machine when the communication with the noncontact type terminal is interrupted, in the settlement. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a vending machine capable of purchasing products in a vending machine using electronic money such as a non-contact IC card (tag) or a non-contact terminal such as a mobile phone.

In a vending machine, a method for purchasing a product by using a non-contact IC card and holding the card over the vending machine is known as follows.
In the first sales method, a sales start button is provided, and when the sales start button is pressed, the vending machine recognizes that the sales are made by a non-contact IC card, and the user selects a product at this point. To do.
After that, when a non-contact IC card is placed over the antenna unit of the vending machine, radio waves for power supply are transmitted and communication is performed, and after the purchased product is settled, the product is taken out. Yes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Next, the second sales method is a standby state in which the reader / writer can read and write on condition that the product designation switch is operated, and a data carrier (IC card) is brought close to the reader / writer to After the price is settled, the product is carried out (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-167331 A JP 2002-49956 A

However, in the first sales method, a switch operation different from a product selection switch called a sales start button is required, and the convenience of cashlessness cannot be utilized and the operability is deteriorated.
Next, in the second sales method, the product selection switch is operated first, and then the card reader is set in the standby state to bring the data carrier closer to the vending machine.
In contrast, many vending machines that have been known in the past are systems in which money is inserted first and then the product selection switch is operated. In the case of the latter sales system, this normal sales operation is performed. On the contrary, it becomes an unnatural operation for an unfamiliar user, and the operability deteriorates.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a vending machine that enables easy and reliable operation when purchasing a vending machine product using a non-contact terminal. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the vending machine of the present invention, a product selection means for selecting a product, a product carry-out means for carrying out the selected product, and a product in the sales standby state first. A means for determining whether the selection means or a communication with the non-contact type terminal first, and a non-contact type terminal after the product selection when the means determines that the selection is made by the product selection means first in the sales standby state. A means of prompting the selection of goods while displaying the balance after successful communication with the non-contact type terminal when it is determined that the communication is first made by the non-contact type terminal in the standby state. Display means for indicating that the contact-type terminal is in an acceptable state, and control means for causing the display means to display the contactless terminal 5 when the communication with the contactless-type terminal 5 is interrupted during settlement. A composed.

According to the present invention, the product selection means for selecting the product to be purchased, the product carry-out means for carrying out the selected product, and the communication that makes it possible to always communicate with the non-contact terminal. And means for determining whether the selection is first made by the product selection means or the communication with the non-contact type terminal in the sales standby state, and the selection is made by the product selection means first in the sales standby state by the means. When it is determined, after the product is selected and the payment with the non-contact type terminal is normally performed, the product is taken out, and when it is determined that the communication is first performed by the non-contact type terminal in the sales standby state, the non-contact type There is a sales method in which the product selection is performed after the product is selected after the communication with the terminal is normally performed, and then the product is taken out when the settlement is normally performed. Either the previous sales system holding the non-contact terminal enables correspondence, the user no hesitation operation, in which the operability is further improved.
In addition, if communication with the non-contact type terminal 5 is interrupted at the time of payment, the user can instruct the terminal receivable lamp 21a to blink, and the user can make the terminal receivable lamp 21a blink so that the user can contact the non-contact type terminal 21a. 5 will be held over the customer service department 3 again. Settlement is performed.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a control device for a vending machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the front of the vending machine.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a main control unit that supervises the sales operation of the vending machine 1A, 2 is a customer service unit that includes a product selection button 2A, a sellable lamp 2B, a price indicator 2C, etc. for each product, The customer service unit 4 provided on the front of the vending machine for communication with the contact type terminal 5 is provided between the customer service unit 3 and the main control unit 1 to control the customer service unit 3. Reference numeral 21 denotes a terminal customer service section including a terminal acceptance lamp 21a and the like.
The contactless terminal 5 is pre-filled with an amount of money, and the terminal system may be various devices such as an IC card, IC tag, mobile phone, PDA, etc. The customer communication section 3 is configured so that it can be adapted to radio terminals (such as electromagnetic induction), wireless connection (such as wireless) such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), IrDA (infrared communication), and the like.
In addition, on the front surface 1A of the vending machine, in addition to the product selection button 2A, the sellable lamp 2B, the price indicator 2C, and the terminal acceptable lamp 21a, the money insertion slot 7, the product sample display section 8, the product outlet 9, etc. Needless to say, the product can be purchased even in cash, but the coin insertion port 7 may be omitted and a non-contact terminal dedicated machine may be used.

Further, in FIG. 1, a communication terminal 6 is provided so that sales data and the like can be transmitted to an external server (not shown).
In this configuration, FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 are diagrams showing a communication procedure between the non-contact terminal and the vending machine according to the purchase mode.
In addition, as a precondition for this communication, the customer communication unit 3 is in a state where it can always accept the non-contact terminal 5 even in a standby state.
First, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a communication procedure of a merchandise sales method in which the contactless terminal 5 is held first.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the non-contact type terminal 5 is held over the customer communication unit 3 while the terminal acceptance lamp 21 a is lit in the sales standby state, the customer communication unit 3 5 is detected, authenticated, and the remaining amount is read.
Next, the data read by the customer communication unit 3 is transmitted to the communication control unit 4, and the communication control unit 4 transmits the read data to the main control unit 1.
Next, the main control unit 1 displays the read remaining amount data on the money amount display 2C, and lights a saleable lamp 2B of a product that can be sold with the remaining amount.
When the product selection push button 2 </ b> A is pressed, only the sellable lamp 2 </ b> B of the selected product is turned on, and the debit amount is transmitted to the communication control unit 4.

The communication control unit 4 calculates the withdrawal amount and the remaining amount, and transmits the updated new remaining amount to the main control unit 1. If the calculation is normal, the debit amount is transmitted from the main control unit 1 to the customer service unit 3 via the communication control unit 4 so as to update the amount. At this time, if the communication state with the non-contact type terminal 5 is continued, it is assumed that the terminal is the same terminal, and the new remaining amount is written in the non-contact type terminal 5 to perform settlement. The successful completion of payment to the main control unit 1 is transmitted to the main control unit 1 via the communication control unit 4 and the remaining amount is displayed on the amount indicator 2C based on the new remaining amount. At this point, unloading of the product is started and a series of sales operations are completed.
When communication with the contactless terminal 5 is interrupted at the time of settlement, the user is instructed to blink the terminal acceptable lamp 21a, and the user is allowed to blink the terminal acceptable lamp 21a so that the user can 5 is again held over the customer service section 3, and at this time, the contactless terminal 5 is detected and authenticated again, and the remaining amount is read as necessary.
At this time, if it is the same as the contactless type terminal 5 that has been authenticated earlier, the purchase amount is cashless settlement, and when the normal settlement is performed, the main control section 1 is informed via the communication control section 4 If the payment is completed normally, the completion is transmitted to the main control unit 1 via the communication control unit 4, and the remaining amount is displayed on the amount indicator 2C based on the new remaining amount. At that time, the carry-out of the product is started, and a series of sales operations are completed.

Thus, in the said Example, although the remaining amount calculation was performed in the communication control part 4, you may transmit a withdrawal amount to a customer service part, and you may calculate directly in a customer service part. In this case, the remaining amount data is also transmitted when the normal settlement is completed.
Next, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a communication procedure of a merchandise sales method in which the merchandise selection push button is pushed first.
As shown in FIG. 4, first, in the standby state, when the product selection push button 2A is pressed first, the product selection is performed before the non-contact type terminal 5 is held from the main control unit 1 to the communication control unit 4. Is transmitted, and only the sellable lamp 2B is turned on.
Here, when the non-contact type terminal 5 is held over the customer communication unit 3 while the terminal acceptance lamp 21a is blinking, the customer communication unit 4 detects the non-contact type terminal 5.
When the non-contact type terminal 5 is received, the communication control unit 4 transmits data indicating that the terminal is received and provisional balance data stored in advance to the main control unit 1.
The main control unit 1 transmits to the communication control unit 4 the withdrawal amount of the product that has been previously selected, assuming that there is a remaining amount of the non-contact type terminal 5 with the provisional remaining amount data.
In parallel with the data communication between the communication control unit 4 and the main control unit 1, the customer communication unit 3 authenticates the non-contact type terminal 5 and reads the actual remaining amount.

As described above, the data communication is performed in parallel to shorten the communication time.
Next, the communication control unit 4 calculates the provisional remaining amount data and the withdrawal amount, and transmits the calculated provisional remaining amount data to the main control unit 1.
If the calculation result is normal, the main control unit 1 transmits an amount data update so as to make a settlement to the communication control unit 4, and the communication control unit 4 transmits the withdrawal amount to the customer communication unit 3. .
The customer service section 3 communicates with the non-contact type terminal 5, and at this time, the actual remaining amount and the purchase amount are settled, and when the actual settlement is normally performed, the communication control section 4 The successful completion of the settlement is transmitted to the control unit 1, and after confirming the normal settlement by the main control unit 1, the product is carried out and a series of sales operations are completed.
Note that the actual remaining amount may be transmitted to the main control unit 1 when the settlement is completed, and the updated remaining amount may be displayed.
Next, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a communication procedure of an embodiment in which a settlement method is different when a product is previously selected as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, first, in the standby state, when the product selection push button 2A is pressed first, the product selection is performed before the contactless terminal 5 is held over from the main control unit 1 to the communication control unit 4. Is transmitted, and only the sellable lamp 2B is turned on.

Here, when the non-contact type terminal 5 is held over the customer communication unit 3 while the terminal acceptance lamp 21a is blinking, the customer communication unit 4 detects the non-contact type terminal 5.
When the non-contact type terminal 5 is received, the communication control unit 4 transmits data indicating that the terminal is received and provisional balance data stored in advance to the main control unit 1.
The main control unit 1 transmits to the communication control unit 4 the withdrawal amount of the product that has been previously selected, assuming that there is a remaining amount of the non-contact type terminal 5 with the provisional remaining amount data.
In parallel with the data communication between the communication control unit 4 and the main control unit 1, the customer communication unit 3 authenticates the non-contact type terminal 5 and reads the actual remaining amount.
As described above, the data communication is performed in parallel to shorten the communication time.
Next, in the communication control unit 4, if the withdrawal amount is, for example, a withdrawal amount = 100 yen, the settlement amount = 100 yen is transmitted to the main control unit 1.
If the settlement amount is the same as the withdrawal amount, the main control unit 1 transmits a data update to the communication control unit 4 so as to make an actual settlement, and the communication control unit 4 sends the withdrawal amount to the customer communication unit 3. Send.
The customer service section 3 communicates with the non-contact type terminal 5, and at this time, the actual remaining amount and the purchase amount are settled, and when the actual settlement is normally performed, the communication control section 4 The successful completion of the settlement is transmitted to the control unit 1, and after confirming the normal settlement by the main control unit 1, the product is carried out and a series of sales operations are completed.

Note that the actual remaining amount may be transmitted to the main control unit 1 when the settlement is completed, and the updated remaining amount may be displayed.
In the embodiment of FIG. 5, compared with the embodiment of FIG. 4, it is not necessary to calculate the provisional balance and the withdrawal amount, so that the communication time can be further shortened.
As described above, in this embodiment, since communication with the terminal is always possible, the terminal is held first, the sales method for selecting the product later, the product selected first, and the terminal later It is now possible to support both the sales method and the sales method.
Moreover, although the terminal acceptance lamp 21a is provided exclusively, an existing display provided in advance in the vending machine may be used.
Moreover, when a non-contact type terminal is normally received, it may be notified by a buzzer or the like.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of the control apparatus of the vending machine of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the vending machine front surface of this invention. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure of the goods sales system which holds the non-contact-type terminal of this invention first. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure of the goods sales system which pushes the goods selection pushbutton of this invention first. It is a figure which shows the communication procedure regarding the modification of FIG. 4 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main control part 2 Customer service part 3 Service customer communication part 4 Communication control part 5 Non-contact-type terminal 21 Terminal customer service part

Claims (1)

A product selection unit for selecting a product, a product carry-out unit for carrying out the selected product, and a selection by the product selection unit or a communication with a non-contact type terminal first in a sales standby state And when it is determined that the selection is made by the product selection means in the sales standby state first, the settlement with the non-contact type terminal is performed after the selection of the product. When it is determined that there is a contact with the non-contact type terminal, a means for displaying the balance after promptly performing communication and prompting the selection of the product, a display means for indicating that the non-contact type terminal is in an accepting state, and at the time of settlement A vending machine comprising control means for displaying on the display means so as to hold the non-contact terminal when communication with the non-contact terminal 5 is interrupted.

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