JPH05143843A - Management device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To communicate with a center without hindering an automatic vending operation by providing a MODEM interface which is connected to a main control part through a common transmission line together with a slave control part and takes partial charge of the control function of data transmission of a vending machine. CONSTITUTION:A MODEM 2 is connected to a slave control part 124, namely, the MODEM interface by RS232C. The MODEM interface 124 is controlled by a master control part 11 to start the MODEM 2 and communicates with a center 5. With respect to communication between the master control part 11 and the MODEM interface 12, sales data, alarm data, and a vending machine code are transmitted from the master control part 11, and communication abnormality data is transmitted from the MODEM interface 12 if communication with the center 5 is impossible. When receiving communication abnormality data, the master control part preserves this data in the history and controls the slave control part 123 to drive the abnormality display device of a customer device 16.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine management apparatus for transmitting various data of vending machines to a center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is already known a system for reporting various data of an automatic vending machine to a center such as a central sales office by using a telephone line (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-12943).

[0003]

However, if the vending machine is provided with the function of transmitting data to the center, the control section of the vending machine will be overloaded and the control of the normal vending operation will be hindered. Sometimes.

Therefore, the present invention provides a management device for a vending machine capable of communicating with the center by providing a modem interface for sharing communication with the center, without hindering control of normal vending operation. Is provided.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, in a vending machine management apparatus according to the present invention, the vending machine has a plurality of slave control units that share control functions, and these slave control units. Connected to the main control unit via a common transmission line together with the sub-control unit, a main control unit that controls the control operation of the unit, a modem that transmits the data via a public telephone line, And a modem interface that shares the control function of the data transmission of the machine.

[0006]

[Operation] The main control unit controls the operation of the vending machine,
When the data to be sent to the center is generated, this data is sent to the modem interface. As a result, the modem interface, which shares the control function of data transmission, controls the modem and transmits the data to the center via the public telephone line.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a management device for a vending machine, in which various data such as sales and malfunctions occurring in the vending machine 1 are transmitted by a modem 2 via a public telephone line 4. It is sent to Center 5. The vending machine 1 sends alarm data indicating failure or sold-out to the center 5 by calling itself, and vending machine data such as sales data and stored money information responds to a call from the center 5 side. Send. Then, in the center 5, the computer 6 collects data via the modem 3, and collects and manages this data. Then, the accumulated data is printed out by the printer 7 as a form of sales totalization, inventory management, maintenance, etc., if necessary.

In such a system, the vending machine 1 may be provided with a telephone 10 for general calls. However,
When the telephone 10 is installed, it is preferable to use a no ringing system so that the telephone 10 does not ring when a call is made from the center 5.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the vending machine. The control unit 8 adopts a master-slave system, and includes a master control unit 11 that is a main control unit that controls the control of the vending machine and a plurality of slave control units that share the control function of the vending machine. Slave control unit 12 ₁ to 1
2 ₄ and these control units are central processing units (CPU) that execute control operations by a program.
It is composed of. Each slave control unit 12 _{1 to} 12
₄ are shared to control the coin mechanism 14, the product sending device 15, the customer service device 16 equipped with a product selection switch and an indicator, and the modem 2, and the master control unit 11 is provided via the vending machine control bus line 13. Connected with. Then, the master control unit 11 applies polling to each slave control unit 12 _{1 to} 12 ₄ ,
Attempt to transmit transmission and reception of data and commands, while controlling the control unit 12 ₁ to 12 _4, so as to oversee the entire operation of the vending machine.

The master control unit 11 includes a RAM 18, which has at least three types of storage units 18 ₁ to 18 ₃ . The storage unit 18 ₁ is a sales totalization file, and the master control unit 11 totalizes the sales by the vending machine and stores the sales in the storage unit 18 ₁ every time the sales are performed. The storage unit 18 ₂ is an area for storing various system data. The system data includes the vending machine code, center telephone number, and center 5 assigned to the vending machine.
You have a password to communicate with. The storage unit 18 ₃ is an area for storing alarm data such as failure or sold-out.

The modem 2 is connected to the slave control section 12 ₄ (hereinafter referred to as a modem interface) by RS232C. And the modem interface 12
₄ is controlled by the master control unit 11 to activate the modem 2 and communicate with the center 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the master controller 11 and the modem interface 12 exchange data between the master controller 11 and sales data, alarm data, etc.
The vending machine code is sent and the modem interface 12
From this, communication abnormal data is transmitted when communication with the center 5 is impossible. This communication error data indicates the cause of communication failure as "center error", "modem error", "line error"
“1” is set in each predetermined bit in accordance with each cause of abnormality. Controls the blanking control section 12 ₃ - the master control unit 11 receives the communication error data, with leaving the abnormality history thread to drive the abnormality indicator within customer equipment 16.

The "center abnormality" is an abnormality in communication on the side of the center 5, and although the modem interface 12 is connected to the center 5 through the modem 2, a series of processing such as data communication and line disconnection is not normally performed. If it is not completed, it is judged as "center abnormality".

The "modem error" is a communication error of the modem 2, and the modem interface 12 does not respond when there is no operational signal (DR line) output from the modem 2 or when a command is sent to the modem 2. If there is no response even after resetting three times, or if there is no transmission permission signal (CS line) even if the transmission request signal (RS line) is turned on, it is judged as "modem abnormality".

The "line abnormality" is an abnormality of the line 4, and when the modem interface 12 does not receive a ringing tone even when it is off-hook, or when the telephone 10 is installed, the telephone 10 is off-hook. If the call cannot be made from the vending machine without recovering after a certain period of time, it is judged as "line error". Also, the modem interface 12 determines that each is a "line error" when the dial line signal is sent from the modem 2 to the push line and there is no response, or when the push line signal is sent to the dial line and there is no response. To do.

The communication operation between the vending machine 1 and the center 5 will be described.

(Alarm Notification) FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of processing between the vending machine 1 and the center 5 in the alarm notification. When the vending machine 1 has alarm information such as a failure, a sold-out condition, or a sold-out notice, the master control unit 11 controls the modem interface 12 to activate communication and perform a connection process with the center 5. Then, when the line is entangled, the vending machine 1 transmits alarm data and the vending machine code of the vending machine to the center 5, and then both sides perform disconnection processing.

(Transmission of sales data / vending machine data)
FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of processing between the vending machine 1 and the center 5 when transmitting sales data or vending machine data. In the case of transmitting sales data or vending machine data, in this example, the center calling method is adopted in which the vending machine 1 transmits these data in response to a periodic request from the center 5.

In the center call system, when the data collection time is reached at a fixed time, the center 5 performs a connection process with the vending machine 1 to make a data collection request. The modem interface 12 transfers the sales data, the vending machine data, and the vending machine code, which are transmitted from the master control unit 11 and are stored, in response to the concentration request, to the center 5. Then, after transmitting the data, the disconnection process is performed on both sides.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the function of communicating with the center of the vending machine is shared by the modem interface, so that data can be surely transmitted to the center without affecting the vending operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a management device for an automatic vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of an automatic vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining exchange of data between a main control unit and a modem interface.

[Fig. 4] Vending machine 1 and center 5 for alarm notification
6 is a flowchart of processing between and.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing between the vending machine 1 and the center 5 when transmitting sales data or vending machine data.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vending Machine 2 Modem 4 Public Telephone Line 5 Center 11 Main Controller 12 ₄ Modem Interface

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Takahashi 2-18 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine management apparatus for transmitting various data relating to a vending machine to a center, wherein the vending machine has a plurality of slave control units sharing control functions, and control operations of these slave control units. And a main control unit that controls
A modem for transmitting the data via a public telephone line,
A management device for a vending machine, comprising: a modem interface that is connected to the main control section through a common transmission line together with the slave control section and shares a control function of data transmission of the vending machine.