JP2598975B2 - Card vending machine system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vending machine system provided with a plurality of vending machines that can be sold with a credit card.

(B) Conventional technology As a post-payment vending machine system using a credit card in which personal identification information is recorded, there is a technology disclosed in JP-A-62-237597. In this method, a plurality of post-payment vending machines are connected to a center device, and the vending machine determines the authenticity of the inserted card, sells a product selected as genuine, and specifies at least the card. And data indicating the contents of the sale product are transmitted to the center device.

(C) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since the above-described system has a configuration in which each vending machine is connected by a center device via a communication line, a response speed and a load on the host computer of the center device are large. There is a problem of becoming too much.

In view of the above, the present invention provides a vending machine with a vending terminal device, which is locally managed by a vending management device which is a network controller.
By configuring a network, an automatic vending system with excellent response speed and the like is provided.

(D) Means for Solving the Problems To solve the above problems, a card vending machine system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of vending machines capable of selling by credit card, and personal identification information of a used card. Vending machine system for inputting sales information to a host computer, a vending machine is provided with a vending terminal device, and a vending management device for centrally managing the vending terminal device is provided with these vending machines. Separately, the vending terminal device includes means for transmitting personal identification information and sales information of a used card to the vending management device, and the vending management device is transmitted from the vending terminal device. The validity of the card is determined based on the personal identification information received and the sales information transmitted from the vending terminal device is determined. Information, and a delivery unit capable of delivering the sales information collected by the vending management apparatus to a host computer. Determination of card validity and collection of the sales information are usually performed by the vending management apparatus. A card vending machine system, wherein sales information can be transferred to a host computer.

(E) Operation When a credit card is used in a vending machine, the vending terminal device of the vending machine transmits the personal identification information recorded on the card to the vending management device to determine the validity. The sales information of the vending machine is transmitted from the vending terminal device to the vending management device and recorded in the vending management device. Then, when totaling sales information and the like, management processing such as totaling can be performed by inputting the sales information recorded in the automatic sales management device to the host computer via the delivery means.

(F) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a card vending machine system according to the present invention, in which vending machines (20)... (20) capable of selling postpaid by credit card are vending terminal devices (1).
Each vending terminal device (1) is connected to one coaxial cable (15) by a bus line system, and is centrally managed by a vending management device (2) which is a network controller. The vending management device (2) records sales data such as personal identification information (ID information) and sales information transmitted from the vending terminal device (1), and transfers the sales data to the host computer (21). , A floppy disk unit (8) as a delivery means, a keyboard (9) for parameter setting and data confirmation, and a display unit (10). The ID information and sales information recorded in the automatic vending management device (2) are transferred to the host computer (21) by a floppy disk recorded by the delivery means.
Alternatively, the vending machine may be connected to the host computer (21) via a line as a delivery means, and may be transmitted on-line. On the front of the vending machine (20), selection switches (16) to (16) provided for each product type and a credit card slot (17) are provided.
And an OK lamp (18) and an NG lamp (19) respectively indicating whether or not the card is sold.

Figure 2 shows a vending machine (20) and a mobile sales management device (2)
Is shown by blocks. The vending management device (2) includes a CPU (5), a RAM (11), and a communication interface (7). The CPU (5) has a floppy disk unit (8), a keyboard (9), and a display. Unit (10) is connected. Vending machine (20)
Is roughly divided into a sales control unit (12) and a vending terminal device (1). The vending terminal device (1) includes a terminal CPU (4) and a communication interface (6). And terminal CPU
In (4), a display (14) including an OK lamp (18) and an NG lamp (19) is connected to a card reader (3).
Product selection device (13) including selection switches (16) to (16)
Is connected to the sales control unit (12), and the sales control unit (1
2), when an instruction to start a sales operation is given by the terminal CPU (4), the customer controls the sales operation of the product specified by the product selection device (13).

In this example, the appropriateness of the card information read by the card reader (3) is determined by the vending management device (2), and the terminal CPU (4) communicates the card information read by the card reader (3). Means for transmitting to the vending management device (2) via the interface (6) is included. The terminal CPU (4) further includes means for giving an instruction to start a sales operation to the sales control unit (12) when the use of the card is indicated by the automatic sales management device (2), and the sales control unit (1).
Means for transmitting the sales data generated by the sales operation in 2) to the automatic sales management device (2) via the communication interface (6).

Further, the CPU (5) determines whether the card information transmitted from the vending machine (20) is true or false, and issues a command for permitting or prohibiting use of the card to the vending machine (20) via the communication interface (7). Means for controlling the driving of the floppy disk unit (8) and means for recording the sales data transmitted from the vending machine (20) on the floppy disk; The communication system between the vending terminal device (1) and the vending management device (2) employs HDLC, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a transmission block according to this communication system. In the transmission block, the address portion is assigned to the vending management device (2) and each vending machine (20), and each vending terminal device (1) communicates only with the vending management device (2). Is set as follows.
At the time of communication, a communication sequence number is put on the control unit, and a check code is also added to improve the reliability of communication. The information field carries information to be communicated. When the information is sent from the vending terminal device (1) to the vending management device (2), the card information and sales data read by the card reader (3) are loaded. When sending from the vending management device (2) to the vending terminal device (1), a command indicating permission or prohibition of use of the card is carried.

The operation of the vending terminal (1) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4 showing the operation of the terminal CPU (4). Terminal
The CPU (4) determines in step S1 whether the card has been inserted into the card reader (3), and if inserted, determines in step S2 whether the card reader (3) has finished reading the card information. I do. When the card reader (3) reads the card information of the inserted card and outputs it to the terminal CPU (4), the terminal CPU (4) determines whether the format of the card information is appropriate in the next step S3, and thereby the card reader (3). It is determined whether the reading according to 3) is normal.
If the reading is normal, proceed to the next step S4,
The card information read to check the validity of the card is transmitted to the CPU (5). If the format of the card information is not appropriate, the process proceeds to step S10 as a reading error, and the terminal CPU (4) drives the NG lamp (19).

When the CPU (5) of the vending management device (2) determines the validity of the card based on the sent card information and sends a command to permit or prohibit use of the card, the terminal
The CPU (4) receives the command in step S5, and proceeds to the next step S6 if it is a valid card, but returns to step S1 if it is a valid card. In this step S6, the OK lamp (18) is driven to indicate that the insertion card can be sold, and in the next step S7, a sales enable signal is output to the sales control means (12). The sales control means (12) enters a state in which a sales operation is possible when a sellable signal is input, and controls the sales of the product when a customer selects the product on the product selection device (13). Terminal
In step S8, the CPU (4) executes the sales control means (1
When a signal indicating the end of the selling operation is input from 2), the process proceeds to the next step S9. In this step S9, the terminal
The CPU (4) transmits sales data such as ID information, vending machine number, and product code to the CPU (5).

The operation of the vending management apparatus (2) will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5 showing the operation of the CPU (5). CPU
In step (5), upon receiving the transmission from the vending machine (20) in step S100, the process proceeds to the next step S101. This step S1
In 01, the control unit of the transmission block determines whether or not the received data is card information. If the received data is card information, the process proceeds to step S106, where the CPU
(5) determines whether the card is appropriate or not, and performs an invalid registration card master search to determine the validity of the card.

The determination of a proper card by the CPU (5) is performed by comparing the company code and the expiration date of the card information with the proper data.
Such appropriate data is stored in the RAM (11) in advance by operating the keyboard (9). Even if a proper card is lost, it must be invalidated, but in this case, the ID code and card number of the invalid card are stored in the RAM (11) in advance using the keyboard (9). By doing so, the CPU (5) can perform an invalid registration card master search. If the CPU (5) determines that the card is a valid card, the process proceeds to step S107, and returns a use permission command to the terminal CPU (4). Reply to 4).

When determining in step S102 that the data received from the vending machine (20) is sales data, the CPU (4) proceeds to step S103. In step S103, the transmitted sales data is stored in the RAM (11), and in the next step S104, it is determined whether the number of stored sales data in the RAM (11) is eight. If the number of sales has reached eight, the floppy disk unit (8) is driven in step S105, and the sales data for the eight cases is recorded on the floppy disk.

The sales data recorded in the automatic vending management device (2) is stored on a floppy disk in the host computer (21).
Is input to When the automatic sales management device (2) and the host computer (21) are connected online, the sales data is transmitted periodically according to the closing of the settlement.

In the card vending machine system described above, a vending terminal device (1) is attached to each vending machine (20), and these vending terminal devices (1) are centrally managed by a vending management device (2). Forms a local area network, and sales data generated by each vending machine (20) is relayed to the vending machine (2) and introduced into the host computer (21).

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, since a plurality of vending machines are controlled by a unique network, the response speed and the burden on the host computer can be reduced, and the card vending machine with excellent reliability and processing speed can be achieved. Machine system is provided. Moreover, since the network is easily constructed by providing the vending terminal device and the vending management device, there is an advantage that the existing individual vending machines can be easily networked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a card vending machine system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a vending machine and a vending management apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a configuration of a transmission block according to an HDLC communication system. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the terminal CPU, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the CPU. (1) ... vending terminal device (2) ... vending management device (4) ... terminal CPU (5) ... CPU, (20) ...
Vending machine, (21) ... Host computer.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card vending machine system comprising a plurality of vending machines which can be sold by a credit card and inputting personal identification information and sales information of a used card to a host computer. In addition to providing a vending terminal device, a vending management device for centrally managing the vending terminal device is provided separately from these vending machines, and the vending terminal device has personal identification information and sales information of a used card. To the vending management device, the vending management device determines the validity of the card based on personal identification information transmitted from the vending terminal device, and from the vending terminal device Means for recording the transmitted sales information, and the sales information collected by the vending management apparatus to the host computer. A card vending machine provided with a delivery means capable of handing over, and normally determining the validity of the card and collecting sales information by an automatic vending management device, and enabling the sales information to be delivered to a host computer. system.