JP3446503B2 - vending machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine provided with a large-sized display for displaying a message or animation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When refilling a vending machine with a product, it is necessary to go to the site. Preferably, operations such as modifying the internal clock can be managed remotely to save labor costs. For example,
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-290334, "display device of vending machine", data is received by a receiver installed in the vending machine, and hot / cold display is switched according to the data.

As a receiving device, a wireless telephone (a mobile phone or a simple PHS thereof) that does not require a pull-in work is used.
), Receiving-only receivers with message functions (pagers, pagers, etc.) and broadcast services for consumer data (setting data for vending machines, etc.) provided by FM multiplex broadcasting An FM receiver that can be used is conceivable, but if such a telephone or a receiver is installed only for the purpose of data setting, the price of the vending machine will be relatively high and the sales competitiveness will be lost.

[0004] Telephones and receivers have high purchase costs (equipment and subscription costs) and operating costs (need basic charges in addition to usage). On the other hand, in the case of FM receivers, the receivers themselves are not expensive. The use of consumer data broadcasting services is expected to be surprisingly expensive. Although the consumer data broadcasting service can be implemented in television broadcasting, the usage fee is expected to be higher because the reception area is wider than in FM broadcasting.

[0005] By the way, those using LEDs as display elements have high luminance and are therefore rapidly spreading as display devices installed outdoors. Large display devices are provided on the rooftops and walls of buildings, and small display devices are used. The display device is easily installed on a vending machine in consideration of easiness of wiring, easiness of wiring work and securing of an installation place, etc.Therefore, a vending machine equipped with such a display device is required. Already installed in various places.

Display data of a display device attached to a vending machine is stored in a memory card in a business office in advance, and the memory card is inserted into a card slot of the display device and downloaded. To change the display content, the user removes the memory card from the display device, takes it back to the sales office, loads new data, goes to the site again, and inserts the memory card into the display device.

As described above, since the display change is a troublesome operation, the same contents are often repeatedly displayed in a general vending machine, so that the display loses its freshness. Therefore, in JP-A-8-36670, "vending machine", a display device attached to the vending machine is provided with a receiving device, and the display content is changed by data received by the receiving device. However, providing the receiving device only for changing the display also increased the price of the main body.

[0008]

Providing a receiving device only for downloading setting data or display data in this way has little merit in terms of price, let alone two receiving devices for setting both data. There is no merit at all.

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a vending machine with enhanced cost performance so as to perform the data setting for both beauty Display device Oyo vending machine using the reception device of one I do.

[0010]

The above-described display device has a dedicated CPU built therein, and control for display is performed based on the CPU. That is, even if the display device is attached to the vending machine, its display operation is not related to the control of the vending machine itself. In this invention, by enabling the communication between the two CPU connected to each other using the communication means and the CPU of the CPU and a display device that are responsible for the control of a vending machine, taken on one CPU data Is sent to the other CPU so that data can be set.

According to a first aspect of the present invention (claims 1 and 2 ), a display device is provided with a receiving device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-36670, and a CPU of the vending machine and a display device are provided. The CPU and the CPU are mutually connected using communication means. While the data received by the receiving device is registered as the display data of the display device, if the data received by the receiving device is the setting data, the setting data is transmitted to the vending machine through the communication means and registered as the setting data. can do.

[0012] The second state like of the present invention, JP-A-6-2903
No. 34, “Display device of vending machine”, a receiving device is provided on the vending machine side, and the CPU of the vending machine and the CPU of the display device are connected to each other using communication means. While the data received by the receiving device is registered as setting data, when the data received by the receiving device is display data, the display data can be transmitted to the display device through communication means and registered as display data. it can.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, if an FM receiver that receives data transmitted by FM multiplex broadcasting is adopted as a receiving apparatus, a wide area (such as a conventional main station with a radius of Setting data and display data can be registered collectively for vending machines installed in a large number of tens of kilometers. If it is managed on the scale of a business office, a vending machine within a radius of several kilometers can be managed by using a community FM station with an output of 10 watts which has been crowded with the opening rush in recent years.

On the other hand, when vending machines are not installed at such a high density that FM multiplex broadcasting is suitable for use, a wireless telephone (mobile phone and PHS) is used for each vending machine. It would be more economical to have a receiving machine. If multiple vending machines are installed in one corner, one vending machine can be controlled simultaneously with one telephone or receiving machine, and even if vending machines are scattered in various places , Telephones and annunciators do not need to have separate calling numbers, they can be a common number (one subscription is enough),
In particular, if a large amount of data can be exchanged, such as a PHS, the vending machine can be selectively managed by attaching ID information unique to the vending machine to the transmission data. Also, in the case of a telephone, transmission can be performed.
As shown in 4 , the sales information collected by the vending machine can be transmitted to a computer at a center connected to a public line network used by the telephone. Although the receiving machine is only for receiving, the transmitting output for calling is large, so that there is an advantage that even if a vending machine is installed in a building, it can function without radio interference.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is an external front view of a vending machine V according to the present invention. Reference numeral 51 denotes a display unit on which a product sample is displayed; and 52, a panel on which product selection buttons are arranged. 53 is a slot for receiving coins and bills, 54 is a display for displaying the deposit amount,
55 is a product take-out door. In the apparatus having the above-described display device, an indicator 56 having an LED configuration is provided above the display section 51, and various messages and simple animations can be displayed. The above is the general configuration of the vending machine.
A receiving device 30 having an FM antenna A is provided at the top of the receiver.

[0016] Figure 2 is a control block diagram of a vending machine V ₁ showing one embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention.
1 is a CPU for controlling sales, and 2 is a CPU.
A ROM 1 stores a control program to be executed.
3 is a RAM that remembers the various types of data required for the sale. 4 is a sales control unit that performs control relating to the merchandise, as shown in FIG. 1, it sells 16 kinds of items Q ₁ to Q _16, thus the column (not shown) of the 16 groups for accommodating the product, respectively Is provided.

The display device 10 having the above-described display device 56 is provided with the display device 10 indicated by a broken line. In addition to the display device 56, a CP for controlling display on the display device 56 is provided.
U11, R for storing a basic program for display
The OM 12 includes a RAM 13 which stores display data (including a display program) to be displayed on the display 56.

Further, in FIG.
0 is added to the receiving device 30. The receiving device 30 has an FM antenna A and is capable of receiving an FM multiplex broadcast.
Comprising a first and universal communication interface 32, this interface 32, the interface 21 provided in the display device 10 side is connected via a serial communication line L _2.
For the FM antenna A, a rod antenna which can be easily installed and whose directivity can be easily changed was used. If the display data received by the receiving device 30 is taken into the CPU 11, RA
Registered in M13.

[0019] a typical configuration when more than with a display device 10 and the receiving apparatus 30, the display operation of the display device 10, but independent control of the vending machine V _1, in the present invention , each comprise a general purpose output interface 5,14 to CPU1 and the display device 10 side for sales control, connects these both interface serial communication line L _1. Then, in the display device 10 side, comprising determining data determination unit 11A whether the supplied data is set data of the automatic vending machine V ₁ or a display data from the receiving apparatus 30, the determined data is display data for but it is registered in the RAM 13, if the data is setting data is sent to CPU1 vending machines V ₁ through the communication line L ₁ for registration.

[0020] By providing the communication line L _1,
It is also possible to display to reflect the variety of distribution status and control contents of vending machines V ₁ to the display device 10,
For this purpose, for example, sales data in the sales control unit 4
A situation recognition unit 1B that recognizes (sold out and poor sales, etc.) and control contents (heating / cooling, setting of sales time in the case of liquor sales, etc.). The corresponding command is sent to the communication line L ₁
And a change command unit 1C for sending a message corresponding to the sent command from the RAM 13 and displaying the message on the display 56 on the display device 10 side.

[0021] FIG. 6 shows the operation mode of the automatic vending machine V _1. The program produced by FM broadcasting station 101 is transmitting station 1
02 is transmitted as an FM multiplex broadcast including text broadcasting such as a weather forecast. On the other hand, setting data and display data are transmitted from a center 103 that centrally manages the operation of vending machines through a public network 104 to an FM broadcast station. By transmitting the data to 101, data for the vending machine is transmitted as a text broadcast instead of a weather forecast or the like at a fixed time.

When this data is received by the receiving device 30 and taken into the CPU 11 of the display device 10, the process proceeds from step S1 to step S2 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, and the data is display data for the display device 10. the or either the set data of the vending machine V ₁ is judged by the data determining section 11A.

In the case of display data, at step S3, R
Whether the display data is newly registered in AM13 or updated
By being (rewritten), the display on the display 56 is changed.

On the other hand, in the case was registered data proceeds from step S2 to step S4, the registration data is sent to CPU1 vending machines V ₁ through the communication line L _1. Thus, if successfully received the setting data vending machine V ₁ is at step S11, and sends to the display device 10 the ACK (acknowledge) signal in step S12, and at step S13, vending the setting data Machine V
₁ is registered in the RAM 3.

[0025] When it in the display device 10 receives the ACK signal and the flow at which ends, the setting data is not successfully received by the vending machine V _1, therefore the ACK signal is not transmitted to the display device 10 proceeds from step S5 to step S6, the count value N is incremented indicating the number of transmissions, until the count value becomes 3, the transmission of the setting data to the vending machine V ₁ is Kurikae from the display device 10, 3 If the setting data has not been transmitted normally even after the first transmission, an abnormal process is performed in step S8.

[0026] In order to facilitate signal acquisition in from the external device such as a receiving apparatus 30 has been connected between the display device 10 and the receiving apparatus 30 in a general-purpose communication lines, display the vending machine V ₁ A communication line dedicated to a vending machine may be provided between the apparatus 10 and the apparatus 10.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of a vending machine V ₂ showing one embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, are denoted by the same reference numerals for the same elements as FIG. The receiving device 30 in FIG. 4 is connected to the vending machine V ₂ through the interface 21 '. Along with this,
Data determination unit is provided in the vending machine V ₂ side CPU 1.

[0028] explaining the control operation of the automatic vending machine V ₂ in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. Is received by the data receiving apparatus 30 according to the FM multiplex broadcast, vending machines V ₂ CP
When it is taken into U1, steps S11 to S
Proceeding to 12, the data determining unit 1A determines whether the data is setting data or display data.

In the case of setting data, in step S23,
By the setting data in RAM3 is registered, the operation mode of the automatic vending machine V ₂ is changed.

On the other hand, in the case were displayed data proceeds from step S22 to step S24, the display data is sent to the CPU10 of the display device 10 through the communication line L _1. Accordingly, if the display device 10 normally receives the display data in step S31, the process proceeds to step S32.
Sends an ACK signal to the vending machine V ₂ , and stores the display data in the RAM 1 of the display device 10 in step S 33.
Register to 3.

At the vending machine V ₂ which has received the ACK signal, this flow is completed, but the display data is not normally received by the display device 10, and therefore the ACK signal is not transmitted to the vending machine V _2. when the proceeds from step S25 to step S26, the count value is incremented indicating the number of transmissions, until the count value reaches 3, the transmission of the display data to the display device 10 from the vending machine V ₁ is the Kurikae, If the transmission of the display data is not performed normally even after performing the transmission three times, an abnormal process is performed in step S28.

In the embodiment described above, the receiving device 30
Although the receiver is used, as shown in FIG. 7, a wireless receiver and a telephone (PHS or the like) 40 can also be used.
If the computer at the center 103 connected to the public network 104 automatically dials the dial number of the transmission destination and then sends out the setting data or display data,
The data can be directly transmitted from the wireless base station 105 to a vending machine receiving machine or a PHS. When transmission is possible as in PHS, sales data of vending machines can be collected through the PHS.

[0033]

According to the present invention, by providing communication means for performing communication between the CPU responsible for sales control and the CPU of the display device, data fetched into one of the CPUs using an external device can be registered. Therefore, when the display device is provided with a receiving device as an external device, and when the receiving device receives the display data, as in the first mode, when the receiving device receives the display data, The data is taken into the display device. When the received data is the setting data, the setting data is sent to the vending machine side through the communication means for registration, while the setting data is sent to the vending machine side as in the second mode. When a receiving device is provided, when the receiving device receives the setting data, the data is taken into the vending machine itself. However, when the receiving data is display data, it is registered for registration. Display data, which is sent to the display device side via the communication means, by one of the receiving apparatus, for enabling the setting of the setting data and the display data,
High cost performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram showing one embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the vending machine of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram showing one embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the vending machine in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a system diagram showing an operation mode of the vending machine of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a system diagram showing another operation mode of the vending machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

V vending machine 1 CPU 1A Data judgment unit 1B Situation recognition section 1C Change command section 2 ROM 3 RAM 4 Sales Control Department 5 General-purpose communication interface 10 Display device 11 CPU 11A Data judgment unit 11B Display change unit 12 ROM 13 RAM 14 General-purpose communication interface 21 General-purpose communication interface 30 Receiver 31 FM receiver 32 General-purpose communication interface 56 Display A antenna L communication line

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-5-108938 (JP, A) JP-A-8-273035 (JP, A) JP-A-8-36670 (JP, A) JP-A-60-1985 164887 (JP, A) JP-A-4-312196 (JP, A) JP-A-6-290334 (JP, A) JP-A-4-55683 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 5/00-9/10

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A display device for displaying commercial messages, etc. (10) is a provided a vending machine (V _1), the receiving apparatus (30 to capture display data to be displayed on the display device (10) by radio ) Is provided on the display device (10), by providing communication means for performing communication between the CPU (1) responsible for sales control and the CPU (11) of the display device (10),
(30) When the setting data for the vending machine is received, the setting data is transmitted to the CPU (1) through the communication means for registration of the setting data. 2. A RAM (13) for storing a commercial message and the like, a display (56), and a CPU (1) for reading a commercial message from the RAM (13) and displaying the commercial message on the display (56).
Vending machine (V ₁ ) equipped with a display device (10) equipped with ( ₁ )
A communication means connecting the CPU (11) and the CPU (1) responsible for sales control via a serial communication line (L) through appropriate interfaces (5, 14); and a display device (10). ) That wirelessly captures the display data of (), and a data determination unit (11A) that determines whether the captured data is display data or setting data of a vending machine. When the data is display data, the display data is registered in the RAM (13) of the display device (10), while when the data is setting data, the CPU (1) is registered through the communication means to register the setting data. A vending machine characterized by sending to a vending machine. 3. The receiving device (30) is an FM receiver that receives data transmitted by FM multiplex broadcasting.
3. The vending machine according to 1 or 2 . 4. The vending machine according to claim 1 , wherein the vending machine collects sales data from the vending machine through the receiving device when the receiving device can perform transmission and reception.