JPH03273467A - Setting and collecting system for sale information or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set or collect various kinds of necessary data quickly and correctly by inputting and setting sent data into an automatic vending machine as set data when a special code stored in a portable memory device coincides with the special code stored in the automatic vending machine. CONSTITUTION:The set data of each of plural automatic vending machines 1 installed as being distributed over a zone is generated correctly by a computer, etc., at a center device, and the generated data is sent directly to the corresponding automatic vending machine 1 through a transmission line 7, and is stored once. The data is read in automatically after the specific code is confirmed by setting the portable memory device 8 which is carried with a routeman at the time of a maintenance patrol and in which the specific code such as the apparatus code of the automatic vending machine 1, etc., is stored to the automatic vending machine 1, and the data is set as the set data in the automatic vending machine 1. Thus, complicated sale data can be set and inputted to the automatic vending machine 1 correctly and automatically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention is useful for collecting information such as sales data from a large number of vending machines located in a wide area, or
The present invention relates to an information setting collection system for setting various data such as prices.

(Conventional Technique M) In recent years, vending machines have become capable of complex sales settings such as selling price and sales format such as single item sales or continuous sales (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-171087). As the products become more sophisticated and complex, the operation of setting sales conditions becomes complicated. For example, when selling cup beverages, it is necessary to set complex and diversified conditions regarding the flavoring of the beverage, such as the amount of sugar and cream in the coffee, or the amount of syrup or carbonated water. Keys and displays for setting various data are arranged and formed in parts of vending machine devices that cannot be operated by the general public.

The route manager of the vending machine operator or the vending machine installer (vending machine owner) should refer to the instruction manual and check the display as necessary when replenishing sales products or maintaining the vending machine. Settings are being made.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in general, the above-mentioned sales data is set when the route personnel in charge of replenishing sales products, etc. are on their way to the site where vending machines are installed, and the environment is not very good. ,
Since settings are made directly in accordance with the vending machine, as vending machines become more sophisticated and complex, setting operations are not easy, and setting errors can cause inconvenience to users, and users may be inconvenienced due to inexperience. There was a problem in that the service efficiency of the route man decreased, leading to an increase in management costs and a decline in service.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a setting collection system for vending machine sales information, etc., which can quickly and accurately set or collect various necessary data without bothering an operator such as a route man. shall be.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention achieves the above-mentioned purpose by setting or changing sales information on a large number of vending machines installed scattered over a wide area, or collecting sales information from vending machines. , in the setting collection system for sales information, etc.

A center device is provided to create setting data such as sales conditions to be set or changed in a vending machine, the created setting data is sent to the vending machine via a transmission line and stored, and the stored setting data is A special code stored in a portable memory device that stores other special codes,
This is achieved by inputting the setting data into the vending machine only when the code matches the special code stored in the vending machine.

(Function) According to the present invention, setting data for each of a plurality of vending machines installed in a geographically scattered manner is accurately created by a computer or the like in a central device, and the created data is directly transmitted via a transmission path. , is sent to the corresponding vending machine and stored once, and is carried by the route man when making maintenance rounds. By setting a portable memory device that stores a special code such as a vending machine device code into the vending machine, the special code will be automatically read only after it is confirmed and set as setting data in the vending machine. That will happen.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.
1 is a vending machine, and a, b, . . . indicate each vending machine arranged therein. 2 is a control means that controls the entire inside of the vending machine; 3 is a sales means that sells products according to the instructions thereof; a money discrimination means that discriminates the denomination of the price of the sold product; a product selection means; and a carry-out means. 4 is a storage means, which includes a setting data storage area 4a for storing information on sold products, price per unit, data aggregation time, etc., and setting data sent from the outside; A sales condition record that stores sales conditions such as the price of the vending machine and the amount of powder and syrup.

It has a storage area 4b. 5 is a means for reading a special code stored in a portable memory device, which will be described later, and 6 is an interface means for transmitting and receiving with the outside, to which is connected a multi-drop capable transmission line 7 for transmitting signals. . Further, 8 is the above-mentioned portable memory device that stores a special code for setting sales conditions.

The above portable memory device [8 is the device code (
A readily portable device, such as a memory card or I
It is formed using a C card or a handy terminal.

A center device 9 collects information about the vending machine 1 and creates setting data for the vending machine, and is composed of a computer, a CRT display, a keyboard, a disk drive, and the like. 10 is an interface means for transmitting and receiving setting data to and from an external vending machine via the transmission path 7; 11 is a sales condition setting means for setting sales conditions of the vending machine; the output sales conditions are stored in a sales condition storage means 12; is memorized. Further, 13 is a changed device storage means for storing special codes such as the 5 device codes of vending machines for which the above sales conditions are changed or new sales conditions are created; , is an information selection means that selects a vending machine whose settings need to be changed, reads its sales conditions from the sales conditions storage means 12, and sends them to the transmission line 7 via the interface means 10.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating in detail the present invention having the above configuration.

The present invention starts with the creation of various data to be set in the vending machine 1 in the center device 19 (FIG. 1) (Sl)
. First, the old setting conditions of the vending machine currently set, which are stored in the sales condition storage means 12, are read (S2
), the sales condition setting means 11 then sets or changes the data that you want to newly set or change (S
3).

Next, after storing a special code such as a unique device code of the vending machine to be set or changed as changed device information in the changed device storage means 13 (S4), it is determined that the above data setting is finished. (S S), the process returns to S3 until the process is finished, and if it is finished, the set sales conditions are stored in the sales condition storage means 12 (S6).

Next, based on the data in the changed device storage means 13, select a vending machine whose sales conditions need to be set or changed,
The sales condition is selected from the sales condition storage means 12 by the information selection means 14 (S7), and the information signal is transmitted to the corresponding vending machine via the transmission line 7 (SS). Each vending machine transmits the above-mentioned information. If the incoming information signal is determined to be data for the self, it is received (S9) and stored in the setting data storage area 4a of the storage means 4 (S9).
10).

Next, if the route man who patrols to replenish the vending machines with products, etc., is not selling products in vending machine 1 (S11
), and sets the portable memory device 8 that he/she is carrying in the reading means 5 of the vending machine 1 (S12).

Thereby, the reading means 5 reads the special code for setting sales conditions stored in the portable memory device (S13), and the control means 2 confirms that the special code matches the code for setting sales conditions of its own vending machine. If it is confirmed that it is genuine, the control means 2 automatically changes the sales conditions in the sales condition storage area 4b based on the setting data in the setting data storage area 4a (s is).
. Upon completion, a sales condition setting completion signal is transmitted to the center device W9 via the transmission line 7 (S16), and the portable memory device w8 is removed (S17), and the center device W9 that received the setting completion signal is transferred to the center device W9. Finish the data setting operation (51
g).

Note that if there are other vending machines that require sales conditions to be set or changed, they can be changed in exactly the same way.

When the setting of the above data is completed for all the vending machines whose setting data has been changed stored in the changed device storage means 13, the setting ends (S19).

Here, the route man who carries the portable memory device W8 knows in advance the new sales conditions of the vending machine, etc., which need to be changed from the computer in the center device [9].
It is possible to confirm the changed sales conditions or sales data (S20).

The data setting operation of the present invention has been explained above, but since the center device 9 and the vending machine 1 are connected via the transmission line 7, sales information and the like can be stored at the center! It is natural that it can be collected at 9.

This makes sales analysis easier.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention allows extremely complex sales data settings to be set in vending machines that require data settings using portable memory devices carried by operator route personnel. If the device code of the vending machine matches the device code stored in the portable memory device, the setting data that has been input and stored separately from the transmission path will be automatically input and set to the vending machine without any mistakes. Alternatively, various data such as vending machine sales data can be collected in the central device, eliminating the need to set data in environments where vending machines are installed, and creating the data stably and accurately in the central device. This makes it easy to set the data that has been set, and it also becomes possible to collect sales data.

Such improvements in operability will give route managers more time to replenish the original products, and will therefore not only improve service, but also make it easier to accurately manage vending machines, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse. It has the effect of making things easier, and there are great benefits to using it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The first part is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and the second part is a flow chart explaining the operation. [...Vending machine, 2...Control means, 3...Vending means, 4...Storage means, 5...Reading means,
6, 10...interface means. 7... Transmission line, 8... Portable memory device, 9...
Center device, II... sales condition setting means, 12.
... Sales condition storage means, 13. Change equipment storage means, 14. Information selection means.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Setting or changing sales information for a large number of vending machines installed scattered over a wide area, or in a settings collection system for sales information etc. that collects sales information of vending machines, A center device is provided to create setting data such as sales conditions to be set or changed, the created setting data is sent to the vending machine via a transmission line and stored, and the stored setting data is prepared for others. Only when the special code stored in the portable memory device storing the special code matches the special code stored in the vending machine, the vending machine is inputted and set as setting data. Setting collection system for sales information, etc. (2) The center device is a vending machine sales condition setting means,
It has a sales condition storage means for storing the sales conditions set thereby, a sales information selection means for selecting specific sales information from among the stored sales conditions, and a change equipment storage means. 2. The system for collecting settings for sales information, etc., according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be able to send setting data to the vending machine. (3) The vending machine has a memory that consists of a special code reading means such as a portable memory device, a setting data storage area that stores setting data sent from the center device, and a sales conditions storage area that stores sales conditions. It is checked whether the means and the special code read by the reading means are genuine or not, and the setting data stored in the setting data storage area and the sales conditions stored in the sales conditions storage area are checked. It is equipped with a control means that compares the sales conditions with the condition data and changes the sales conditions, and confirms that the sales conditions can be set or changed only when the above special code for confirming the vending machine is input. An information collection system for sales information, etc., according to claim (1). (4) The information collection system for sales information, etc. according to claim (1), characterized in that the system is configured to collect sales information of vending machines.