JPH08297771A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an automatic vending machine capable of efficiently performing the operation of commodity sales. CONSTITUTION: This automatic vending machine is formed by providing plural commodity selection switches 22 provided in accordance with commodities, a commodity feed device 23 which feeds the commoodity in accordance with an operated commodity selection switch 22, a commodity prise storage means 30 which stores the sales price of the commodity set corresponding to a purchase mode such as a cash purchase mode, a credit purchase mode, etc., a commodity price selection means 31 which selects the sales price of the commodity from the commodity price storage means 30 conforming with the purchase mode, and a sales control means 32 which takes out the sales price of the commodity in accordance with the operated commodity selection switch 22 and also, performs sales processing by controlling the action of the commodity feed device 23 corresponding to a taken out sales price. Therefore, the sales of the commodity on the sales price replying to the purchase mode is handled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine sales management system used for selling compact discs and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic vending machine for selling compact discs having music recorded thereon has been developed and provided by the present applicant. FIG. 8 shows an example thereof, and the vending machine A is formed by opening and closing a door 2 in an opening on the front surface of the vending machine body 1, and a plurality of types can be provided in the vending machine body 1. Products such as compact discs are stored.
On the front door 2 of the vending machine, sample products 3 are displayed side by side, and a product selection button 4 is provided below each product sample 3. In addition, a coin insertion slot 5, a bill introduction slot 6, a return lever 7, and a change exit 8 are provided on the side of the door 2, and a card reader 10 through which a credit card is inserted, a ten-key pad 11 for inputting numbers, and a statement sheet. Printer 12 for printing and issuing receipts, monitor display 1
3, a speaker 14 and the like are provided. Further, a product outlet 15 is provided at the lower end of the vending machine A.

In this vending machine A, a coin is inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 or a bill is introduced from the bill introduction slot 6 to pay a fee for the commodity, and then a sample 3 of the desired commodity is obtained. By pressing the product selection button 4 corresponding to
The product delivery device (not shown) in the main body 1 of the vending machine is activated to drop a desired type of product from the products stored in the main body 1 of the vending machine into the product outlet 15 and the product outlet. It can be taken out from 15. In addition, the change is returned from the change exit 8, and the statement slip is printed by the printer 12. In addition to payment in advance by cash such as coins and banknotes, the payment of the fee can be made by paying the payment later by passing a credit card through the card reader 10.

[0004] In such a vending machine A, conventionally, even if the purchase form is different, that is, the purchase form is such that the purchase is made by cash or the credit purchase is made by using a credit card. Even if they are different, the selling price is the same. Furthermore, there are various types of credit cards, depending on the company that issues them and, in the case of affiliated cards, the partner, even if the type of purchase is different in that the type of credit card used is different. The selling price is the same. Further, it is general that the vending machine A cannot sell at a discounted price.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, it is not possible to make a difference in the selling price or to sell at a discounted price depending on the form at the time of purchase such as cash, credit card, or type of credit card. Although it has a great effect of enhancing the purchase intention of the person, since the current vending machine cannot perform such a sale, there is a problem that the efficient operation of the product sale is insufficient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic vending machine that enables efficient operation of selling products.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An automatic vending machine according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a plurality of product selection switches 22 provided corresponding to products and a product corresponding to the operated product selection switch 22. A product sending device 23 for sending out, a product price storage means 30 for storing a selling price of a product set according to a purchase form such as cash purchase or credit purchase,
The commodity price selecting means 31 for selecting the commodity selling price from the commodity price storing means 30 according to the purchase form and the commodity selling price corresponding to the operated commodity selecting switch 22 are taken out from the commodity price selecting means 31 and taken out. The sales control means 32 controls the operation of the product delivery device 23 according to the sales price and processes the sales.

The invention of claim 2 further comprises a commodity discount rate storage means 33 for setting and storing a discount rate of the sale price of the commodity, and the sales control means 32 has the commodity discount rate storage means 33.
It is characterized in that the discount rate is extracted from the product and the sale processing is performed at the discount price calculated by multiplying the sale price of the product extracted from the product price selection means 31 by the discount rate.

Further, the invention of claim 3 is characterized in that the commodity discount rate storage means 33 is formed so as to set and store the same discount rate for all the commodities.
Further, the invention of claim 4 is characterized in that the commodity discount rate storage means 33 is formed so as to set and store an individual discount rate for each commodity. Further, the invention of claim 5 is characterized by comprising a discount period storing means 34 for setting and storing a period during which the discount rate can be taken out from the commodity discount rate storing means 33 as a discount period. .

Further, the invention of claim 6 is characterized in that the discount period storage means 34 is formed so as to set and store the same discount period for all products.
Further, the invention of claim 7 is characterized in that the discount period storage means 34 is formed to set and store individual discount periods for each product.

[0011]

In the invention according to claim 1, a plurality of product selection switches 22 provided corresponding to the products, a product delivery device 23 for delivering the products corresponding to the operated product selection switches 22, a cash purchase or a credit. A product price storage unit 30 that stores a sale price of a product set according to a purchase form such as purchase, and a product price selection unit 3 that selects a sale price of the product from the product price storage unit 30 according to the purchase form.
1 and the sale price of the commodity corresponding to the operated commodity selection switch 22 are taken out from the commodity price selecting means 31 and the sale control means for controlling the operation of the commodity sending device 23 in accordance with the taken out sale price to perform the sale processing. 32, the sales price according to the purchase mode is selected by the product price selection means 31 from the product sales price storage means 30, and the sales price of the product corresponding to the operated product selection switch 22 is the product price. From the selection means 31 to the sales control means 3
It is possible to take out the product by 2 and sell the product at a selling price according to the purchase form.

Further, the invention of claim 2 comprises a commodity discount rate storage means 33 for setting and storing a discount rate of the sale price of the commodity, and the sales control means 32 has the commodity discount rate storage means 33.
The discount rate is stored in the product discount rate storage means 33. The discount rate is stored in the product discount rate storage means 33. Products can be sold at a discount based on the set discount rate.

Further, in the invention of claim 3, the commodity discount rate storage means 33 is formed so as to set and store the same discount rate for all commodities. The discount rate can be set at once. Further, in the invention of claim 4, the product discount rate storage means 33 is formed so as to set and store individual discount rates for each product, and the product discount rate storage means 33 for each product according to the sales of the product or the like. The discount rate can be set freely.

The invention according to claim 5 further comprises a discount period storage means 34 for setting and storing a period during which the discount rate can be taken out from the commodity discount rate storage means 33 as a discount period. It is possible to sell at a discounted price only during the period set in the storage means 34. In the invention of claim 6, the discount period storage means 3
The discount period storage means 3 is configured to set and store the same discount period for all products.
The discount period can be set to 4 at once.

Further, in the invention of claim 7, the discount period storage means 34 is formed so as to set and store an individual discount period for each product, and the product is sold according to the sales of the product. The discount period can be set freely for each.

[0016]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. A microcomputer 25 including a CPU and a memory is built in the main body 1 of the vending machine A. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, a card reader 10 and a ten-key pad 11 provided on the door 2 of the vending machine A, and a keyboard 52 provided in the vending machine body 1 are connected to the microcomputer 25 through an interface, respectively. is there. A hard disk 53 is connected to the microcomputer 25 via a hard disk drive 54. In FIG. 6, 55 is an additional hard disk. Further, the microcomputer 25 is connected to a floppy disk drive 57 for reading data written in the floppy disk 56 or writing data in the floppy disk 56.

Further, the coin insertion slot 5 of the door 2 of the automatic vending machine A is connected to the coin discriminator / calculator 26, and the bill introduction slot 6 is connected to the bill discriminator / calculator 27. The machine 26 and the bill validator / calculator 27 are connected to the microcomputer 25 via the mechanical controller 58.
Connected to The coin discriminator / calculator 26 calculates the amount of coins or bills inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 or the bill introduction slot 6.
Or the bill validator / calculator 27, and based on the read data, the total amount of money to be input is calculated by the microcomputer 2
It is calculated by 5. In addition to the use of coins and banknotes for prepaid payment in cash, the credit card is passed through the card reader 10 in this embodiment so that the identification written on the magnetic stripe of the credit card can be obtained. The data is read by the card reader 10 so that the purchase can be made by payment of postpaid settlement based on the identification data.

Further, the printer 12 is connected to the microcomputer 25, and the microcomputer 2
The statement slip is printed while being controlled by the printer control means 5 of FIG. In addition, the microcomputer 25
A display 13 and a speaker 14 are connected to the display 13, and the display 13 is a display controller 5
It is controlled by the microcomputer 25 via 9.

The microcomputer 25 includes communication means 3
5, a public line 62 is connected by the modem 20 constituting the device 5, and as shown in FIG. 7, the public line 62 connects the microcomputer 25 of each vending machine A, the relay terminal 63, and the remote control terminal. 64 and the terminal device 66 for sales totalization can communicate with each other. The relay terminal 63 is connected to the computer 21 of each credit card issuing company by a network of a dedicated line 65.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 shows a vending machine A for selling a compact disc (hereinafter abbreviated as CD) on which music is recorded. A CD jacket is used as a product sample 3
Are arranged on the door 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the product samples 3 of the CD of the single disc are arranged in the upper three stages, and the product samples 3 of the CD of the album disc are arranged in the lower three stages. A product selection button 4 is provided on the side. Further, a product delivery device 23 is provided in the vending machine body 1. The product delivery device is formed by accommodating the product corresponding to the product sample 3 and having a mechanism (not shown) for sending the product to the product outlet 15, and the mechanical controller 58 is used to form the micro computer 25. The microcomputer 25 controls the delivery mechanism to operate by operating a plurality of product selection switches 22 provided corresponding to the type of product. That is,
When the product selection button 4 corresponding to the product sample 3 is pressed, the product selection switch corresponding to the product of the sample 3 is turned on. The sales control means 32 provided in the microcomputer 25 determines which product selection switch is turned on. (See Figure 1)
It is detected by and compared with the payment amount etc. to determine whether the sale is permitted or not. Then, when the sales permission is issued from the sales control means 32, the mechanical controller 58 is controlled to operate the product delivery device 23, and the same product as the sample 3 is delivered to the product outlet 15.

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram for selling a product at a selling price according to the purchase mode of the product and for selling the product at a discounted price. The product price selection means 31 and the sales control means. 32, a circuit section that constitutes the purchase mode identifying means 38 is provided in the microcomputer. The product price selection means 31 is connected to the product price storage means 30 which is provided on the hard disk 53 and which is composed of a product price setting file. A remote control terminal 64 is connected to the product price storage means 30 by a communication means 35, and the product price storage means 30 can be purchased in cash or credit by remote control from the remote control terminal 64. The selling price of the corresponding product is set and stored.

Here, the commodity price storage means 30 stores a fee system in which the selling price of the commodity is systematized according to the purchase form. Table 1 shows an example of the charge system of the sale price of the product. For example, in the “charge system 1”, the sale price of the product whose No. of the product selection switch 22 is “001” is 800 yen, and the product selection switch 22. No is 00
The selling price of the product of "2" is 1000 yen, the selling price of the product of which the product selection switch 22 is "003" is 1000 yen, and the "charge system 2" is
The sales price of a product having the product selection switch 22 No. "001" is 900 yen, and the product selection switch 22 No. is "00".
The selling price of the product of "2" is 1050 yen, the selling price of the product of No. "003" of the product selection switch 22 is 1000 yen, and so on. The commodity price storage means 30 stores the information. The sales price is input to the product price storage means 30 by remote control from the remote control terminal 64 as described above, and the data stored in the floppy disk 56 is transferred by the floppy disk drive 57. It is also possible to read it in the storage means 30.

[0023]

[Table 1]

Further, the product price selection means 31 is connected with a ten-key 11 provided on the door 2 of the vending machine A and a keyboard 52 provided inside the vending machine A. By operating the ten-key 11 or the keyboard 52, The fee system to be selected is set according to the purchase form.
For example, when the purchase form is cash purchase, “Charge system 1” in Table 1, when the purchase form is credit purchase by a credit card issued by company A, “Charge system 2” in table 1 and purchase form is company B "Charge system 3" in Table 1 is selected in the case of credit purchase by the issued credit card, and "charge system 4" in Table 1 is selected in the case of credit purchase by the credit card issued by company C. The price system to be selected according to the purchase form is set in the product price selection means 31. A remote control terminal 64 is further connected to the commodity price selection means 31 via the communication means 35, and the same setting can be performed by remote control by operating the remote control terminal 64. .

Further, the purchase price identifying means 38 is connected to the commodity price selecting means 31. Sales price identification means 38
Identifies that the purchase mode is cash purchase when cash is inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 or the bill introduction slot 6, and for example, a credit card issued by Company A is a card reader 10.
If the credit card issued by the B company is passed through the card reader 10, the purchase mode is identified as the credit purchase by the credit card issued by the B company. It is supposed to be identified.

The merchandise discount rate storage means 33 comprises a discount rate setting file provided on the hard disk 53 and is connected to the ten-key pad 11 or the keyboard 52. By operating the ten-key pad 11 or the keyboard 52, the merchandise discount rate is stored. The discount rate is set and stored. In the discount rate setting file forming the commodity discount rate storage means 33, a collective discount rate for discounting all the products at the same discount rate may be set and stored, or an individual discount rate may be set for each product. It is designed so that it can be remembered. A remote control terminal 64 is further connected to the product discount rate storage means 33 via the communication means 35, and the same discount rate can be set by remote control by operating the remote control terminal 64. I also have it.

The discount period storage means 34 comprises a discount period setting file provided on the hard disk 53 and is connected to the ten-key pad 11 and the keyboard 52.
By operating the ten-key pad 11 or the keyboard 52, the discount period of the product, that is, the first and last days of the period for selling the product at the discount price are set and stored. In the discount period setting file which constitutes the discount period storage means 34, the same discount period may be set and stored collectively for all products, or individual discount periods may be set and stored for individual products. I can do it. A remote operation terminal 64 is further connected to the discount period storage means 34 via the communication means 35, and the same discount period can be set by remote operation by operating the remote operation terminal 64. There is.

However, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 2, when cash is inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 or the bill introduction slot 6, or when a credit card is passed through the card reader 10, whether the purchase mode is cash purchase or not. , Or the type of credit card purchased by the credit card, is identified by the purchase form identifying means 38. Purchase form identification means 3
When the purchase form is identified in 8, the product price selection unit 31 selects a charge system corresponding to the purchase form from the charge system of the sale price of the product stored in the product price storage unit 30. For example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, when the purchase mode is cash purchase, “Charge system 1” in Table 1 is shown. When the purchase form is credit purchase by a credit card issued by Company A, “Charge” in Table 1 is shown. "System 2", if the purchase form is a credit purchase by a credit card issued by Company B, then "Charge System 3" in Table 1, and if the purchase form is a credit purchase by a credit card issued by Company C, then "Charge" in Table 1 System 4 ”is selected.

Next, a product selection button 4 corresponding to the product sample 3
When is pressed, the product selection switch 22 corresponding to the product of this sample 3 is turned on, but which product selection switch 2
The sales control means 32 detects whether 2 is activated. Then, from the charge system selected by the product price selection means 31, the price corresponding to the detected No of the product selection switch 22 is taken out as the sale price of the product. The selling price thus extracted is compared with the amount of cash inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 or the bill introduction slot 6, and the inserted amount is the same as the selling price or the inserted amount is higher than the selling price. In the meantime, the mechanical controller 58 is controlled to operate the product delivery device 23, the same product as the sample 3 is delivered to the product outlet 15, and the change processing is performed as necessary to complete the sale. In the case of credit sales, after the selling price is recorded in the system history file or the like of the hard disk 53, the step of comparing the selling price with the input amount is skipped, and the mechanical controller 58 is controlled to operate the product delivery device 23. By doing so, the same product as sample 3 is taken out from the product outlet 1
Send to 5 to complete the sale.

In this way, products can be sold at different selling prices depending on the purchase form such as cash purchase or credit purchase. For example, a specific credit card is sold at a preferential price. By differentiating customers by differentiating prices, it becomes possible to increase the customer's willingness to purchase and improve the efficiency of product sales.

Next, a case where discount sale is performed will be described. The No. of the product selection switch 22 detected by the sales control means 32 is detected, and the No. of the product selection switch 22 is detected.
The steps up to taking out the selling price corresponding to the item from the commodity price selecting means 31 are the same as those described above. Thus, at the same time as taking out the selling price from the article price selecting means 31, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. The means 32 makes an inquiry to the discount period setting file constituting the discount period storing means 34 to check whether the discount period is collectively set for all products or individually set. Corresponds to No of the product selection switch 22 operated when the discount period is not set, when the discount period is collectively set, when it is outside the discount period, and when the discount period is individually set. When the product is out of the discount period, the selling process is performed in the same manner as above at the selling price set in the charge system. Further, when the discount period is set collectively, it is within the discount period, and when the discount period is individually set, the product selection switch 2 operated
When the product corresponding to No. 2 is within the discount period, the sales control unit 32 makes an inquiry to the discount rate setting file forming the product discount rate storage unit 33.

That is, as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 5, whether the discount rate is set in the discount rate setting file constituting the commodity discount rate storage means 33, the collective discount is set, or the individual discount is set. It is checked whether it is done. When the discount rate is not set in the commodity discount rate storage means 33, the sale processing is performed at the sale price set in the charge system in the same manner as described above. Further, when a collective discount is set in the product discount rate storage means 33, when a discount rate is set for the product corresponding to the No of the product selection switch 22 operated when the individual discount is set Is a commodity discount rate storage means 33.
From the discount rate, the discount price is calculated by multiplying the sales price retrieved from the commodity price selection means 31 by the sales multiplication rate based on this discount rate as described above. Sales processing is performed.

As described above, the product can be sold at a discounted price, the customer's willingness to purchase can be enhanced, and the product sales efficiency can be improved. Further, when setting and storing the discount rate in the product discount rate storage means 33, if the same discount rate is set for all the products at once, the operator can set the discount rate in a short time. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of mistakes in setting such as when setting individual discount rates for individual products.
In addition, setting individual discount rates for individual products takes time and effort to set the discount rates, but it is necessary to set a high discount rate for products that do not sell well or that have been sold for a long time. The discount rate can be set freely according to the sales of the product, and the efficiency of product sales can be improved.

In addition, by setting a discount period as described above when selling a product at a discount price, it is possible to carry out a discount sale by selecting a period during which the consumer desires to increase, such as a period when a bonus comes out or a year-end and New Year holidays. And so on,
It is possible to increase the efficiency of product sales.
Further, when storing the discount period in the discount period storage means 34, if the same discount period is set for all products at once, the operator can set the discount period in a short time, and at the time of setting the discount period. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of mistakes. Also, setting individual discount periods for individual products takes time and effort, but it is necessary to set a longer discount period for products that are not selling well or that have been sold for a long time. The discount period can be freely set according to the sales of the product, and the efficiency of product sales can be improved.

[0035]

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, a plurality of product selection switches provided corresponding to the products, a product delivery device for delivering the products corresponding to the operated product selection switches, and a cash purchase. Product price storage means for storing the sale price of the product set according to the purchase mode such as credit purchase, credit price selection means for selecting the sale price of the product from the product price storage means according to the purchase mode, and operation The purchase price of the product corresponding to the selected product selection switch is taken out from the product price selection means, and the sales control means for controlling the operation of the product delivery device in accordance with the taken out sales price to process the sale is provided. The selling price of the product corresponding to the product selection switch operated by selecting the selling price according to the form from the product selling price storage means by the product price selecting means It is possible to take out the product from the product price selection means by the sales control means and sell the product at a selling price according to the purchase form. By making a difference in the selling price according to the purchase form, the customer's willingness to purchase. It is possible to improve the efficiency of product sales by raising the price.

The invention according to claim 2 further comprises a commodity discount rate storage means for setting and storing a discount rate of the sale price of the commodity, wherein the sales control means retrieves the discount rate from the commodity discount rate storage means and sells the commodity. Since the sales process is performed at the discount price calculated by multiplying the sale price of the product taken out from the price selection means by the discount rate, the product is sold at the discount rate based on the discount rate set in the product discount rate storage means. It is possible to enhance the customer's willingness to purchase and to improve the efficiency of product sales.

Further, in the invention of claim 3, since the product discount rate storage means is formed so as to set and store the same discount rate for all the products, the discount rate to the product discount rate storage means is set. The settings can be collectively set at the same discount rate, and the operator can set the discount rate in a short time. Further, in the invention of claim 4, since the product discount rate storage means is formed to set and store individual discount rates for each product, the discount rate for each product is set according to the sales of the product or the like. It can be set freely and the efficiency of product sales can be further improved.

The invention according to claim 5 further comprises a discount period storage means for setting and storing a period during which the discount rate can be taken out from the product discount rate storage means. The product can be sold at a discounted price only during the period set as the means, and the efficiency of product sales can be improved. Claim 6
In the invention, since the discount period storage means is formed to set and store the same discount period for all products, the discount period storage means collectively sets the discount period in the same discount period. The discount rate can be set by the operator in a short time.

Further, in the invention of claim 7, the discount period storage means is formed so as to set and store each of the above-mentioned periods for each product. Therefore, the discount is given for each product according to the sales of the product. The period can be set freely, and the efficiency of product sales can be further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram for selling a product at a selling price according to a purchase mode of the product and for selling a product at a discount price in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an operation of selling a product at a selling price according to a purchase mode of the product according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation of selecting a charge system according to a purchase form of a product in the above-mentioned embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an operation of selling a product according to a discount period according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an operation of performing a discount sale according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system incorporated in an automatic vending machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire system in the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 22 product selection switch 23 product delivery device 30 product price storage means 31 product price selection means 32 sales control means 33 product discount rate storage means 34 discount period storage means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shigenobu Nishimura 1048, Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of product selection switches provided corresponding to a product, a product delivery device for delivering a product corresponding to the operated product selection switch, and setting according to a purchase form such as cash purchase or credit purchase. Product price storage means for storing the sales price of the selected product, product price selection means for selecting the sales price of the product from the product price storage means according to the purchase form, and sales of the product corresponding to the operated product selection switch An automatic vending machine, comprising: a selling control means for taking out a price from the commodity price selecting means and controlling the operation of the commodity sending device according to the taken-out selling price to perform the sale processing. 2. A commodity discount rate storage means for setting and storing a discount rate of a sale price of a commodity, wherein the sales control means retrieves the discount rate from the commodity discount rate storage means and retrieves it from the commodity price selection means. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine is configured to perform a sale process at a discount price calculated by multiplying a sale price of a product by a discount rate. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the product discount rate storage means is formed to set and store the same discount rate for all products. 4. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the product discount rate storage means is formed to set and store individual discount rates for each product. 5. The discount period storage means for setting and storing a period during which a discount rate can be taken out from the product discount rate storage means as a discount period, and further comprising: a discount period storage means. vending machine. 6. The vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the discount period storage means is formed to set and store the same discount period for all products. 7. The vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the discount period storage means is formed to set and store individual discount periods for each product.