JPH11232537A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic vending machine which has a display, serving as an article display part, built in the front of a vending machine main body and is excellently handled. SOLUTION: The plane type display 2 on which arrayed plural article sample images of nearly full size are displayed is built in the front of the automatic vending machine main body and a transparent touch panel 3 is provided on the front of this plane type display. When the approach of a human body is sensed by using a human sensing sensor 9 which detects a man approaching the automatic vending machine main body, the article sample images are displayed on the plane type display for a specific time and while the article sample image is displayed on the plane type display, an article to be vended is specified according to coordinate information indicated through the touch panel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flat display with a touch panel provided on the front of a vending machine main body.
A product sample image is adaptively displayed using the flat display when a person approaches, and when an individual product image in the product sample image is pressed and designated via a touch panel, the designated product is specified. The present invention relates to a vending machine for packaged products that is sold for sale.

[0002]

2. Related Background Art A vending machine for packaged goods such as cigarettes and beverage cans usually has a product display section displaying a plurality of product samples on a front door of a vending machine body. In addition, in the product display section, a plurality of product selection switches (push buttons) are incorporated in the front end of the display shelf on which the product samples are placed, for example, in association with each product sample. By detecting a selective pressing operation, the designated product is sold.

On the other hand, recently, in various vending machines,
It has been proposed to incorporate a display with a touch panel into the front door. For example, JP-A-7-27207
No. 4 discloses a technique of displaying information of salable products corresponding to the amount of money to be input in a vending machine for dispensing and selling beverage products such as coffee using a display, using characters (characters). Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-128614
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-91506 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-91506 disclose a technique for performing an advertisement using the display.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-60256 discloses a technique in which the display with a touch panel functions as a product selection switch and also functions as a game operation unit.

[0004]

By the way, in a vending machine for packaged products, exhibiting all product samples of the products to be sold has higher product appeal and is superior in terms of product selectivity. Therefore, in general, a product display section is provided so as to occupy a large area in the upper half of the front door. Further, since each product sample is a packaged product itself or a three-dimensional object made of a dummy having the same external shape, the product display unit is realized as having a certain depth. For this reason, the front door of the vending machine must be made thicker based on the depth dimension of the product display section, and even if the front door itself is thinned, the back side of the front door, and thus the vending machine It is undeniable that the rear side of the product display section protrudes from the product storage space inside the main body, which is one factor that hinders the thinning of vending machines.

[0005] In this regard, it is conceivable to display a product sample as an image (package image) using the display incorporated in the front door as described above. However, the displays described in the above-mentioned publications and the like have a small screen that displays characters (characters) of information on salable products and displays images for publicity. For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-128614 and
In a vending machine for packaged products as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.-60256, a display for displaying a plurality of product samples is provided after providing a product display section.

By the way, when trying to display a product sample (package image) using the small-screen display described above, for example, when all the products to be sold are displayed collectively, the image of each product becomes very small. Can not deny. In addition, if a product image is to be displayed in the size of a real product, all of the products to be sold cannot be displayed collectively, so that it is necessary to selectively display several product images in a plurality of groups. Because of this,
It cannot be denied that not only the presentation (exhibition) of the product sample (product image) is impaired, but also the operability of product selection is significantly impaired.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine in which a display serving as a product display unit is incorporated in the front of a vending machine body. is there. In particular, the present invention relates to a flat panel display with a touch panel that can collectively display package images of a plurality of products to be sold as product sample images with good visibility and can sufficiently secure selection operability for the displayed product images. The flat panel display is provided with a function as a product display section (selection operation section) by incorporating the flat panel display into the front of the vending machine body, and the function of the flat panel display as the product display section is responsive to a purchaser's approach. It is intended to provide a vending machine adapted to be operated adaptively.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a vending machine according to the present invention automatically sells a flat display capable of displaying a sample product image in which a plurality of product sample images of substantially the original size are arranged. In addition to being incorporated in the front of the vending machine main body, a transparent touch panel is incorporated in front of the flat display, while the vending machine main body has a human sensing sensor for detecting approach of a person to the vending machine main body, For example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor is provided, and when an approach of a person is detected by the sensor, the product sample image (for example, a still image) is displayed on the flat display under a control of a display control device at a predetermined time. When the product sample image is displayed on the flat display, the coordinate information indicated through the touch panel is displayed in the sales control device. Thus characterized in that so as to identify the commodities.

That is, according to the present invention, a flat display incorporated in the front of a vending machine main body functions as a product display section for displaying a product sample image having a screen configuration in which a plurality of product sample images are arranged. The transparent touch panel provided on the front of the display functions as a product selection unit.In particular, these functions are adaptively activated only when a person approaches the vending machine. Features.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the display control device has a function of displaying another image in addition to the display of the product sample image. It is characterized in that advertisement information composed of a still image or a moving image is displayed as described. Furthermore, since the flat display functions as a product display section, the flat display is provided with a display screen corresponding to a product display section for displaying a plurality of product samples as described in claim 5, It is characterized in that it is incorporated in the front door of the vending machine main body instead of the product display section. In order to realize a large-screen display corresponding to a product display section, a plurality of flat displays having a predetermined screen size are brought into close contact with each other.
A large screen may be equivalently formed by dimensional arrangement.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vending machine for packaged goods according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a cigarette vending machine as an example. FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a front part of a vending machine for cigarettes (packaged goods). Reference numeral 1 denotes a front door provided on the front of the vending machine main body so as to be openable and closable. A flat display 2 that can function as a product display section is provided in a substantially upper half area of the front surface of the front door 1. This flat display 2
Comprises a liquid crystal color display with a backlight, for example, and a transparent touch panel
Are integrated. In the case where the area of the display screen is insufficient with only one liquid crystal color display, a plurality of (for example, four) liquid crystal color displays are arranged with the edges of the display screen facing each other. Thus, one large screen that can function as the product display unit in a so-called multi-screen system is configured.

The front door 1 has a money receiving and paying portion including a coin insertion slot 4, a bill insertion slot 5, a change return lever 6, and a change return port 7, and the like.
In addition, a product payout opening 8 and the like for taking out a product for sale (tobacco) are provided at a lower position thereof. Further, the front door 1 has a human detection sensor 9 composed of, for example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor for detecting approach of a person (purchaser) as described later.
Is incorporated.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a control system that controls the operation of a vending machine that includes the flat display 2 and the touch panel 3 on the front door 1 and further includes a human detection sensor 9. , 11 are control devices mainly composed of a microprocessor. This control device includes a coin discriminating machine 1 which performs a basic product selling operation in the vending machine.
2. The bill validator 13, the sales control unit 14, and the change issuing unit 15 are connected to each other. The coins and bills inserted from the coin insertion slot 4 and the bill insertion slot 5 are authenticated by the coin discriminating machine 12 and the bill discriminating machine 13 and the amount of the coin is determined. Then, the sales control unit 14 obtains a product (tobacco type) that can be sold under the above input amount, and gives the information to the control device 11. Further, the sales control unit 14 selects a product payout unit (not shown) of the product column storing the corresponding product in order to pay out the product designated for sale under the control of the control device 11 to the product payout opening 8. It is designed to be driven. The change issuing unit 15 is activated after the product is sold by the operation of the sales control unit 14 or when the change return lever 6 is operated, and plays a role of dispensing change to the change return port 7.

Here, the characteristic configuration (function) of the control system in the vending machine according to the present invention will be described.
The flat display 2 is driven by a display control section 16 under the control of the control device 11, and is used for displaying a product sample image, which will be described later, or advertisement information including a moving image or a still image. The image information for composing the product sample image is stored in advance in the data memory 17 according to the product to be sold in the vending machine, and includes a plurality of product sample image data, information on product sales prices, and the like. Consists of The information stored in the data memory 17 is read out by the control device 11, edited by the display control unit 16 as a product sample image (for example, a still image), and then displayed on the flat display 2. You.

The advertisement information is directly read from the video memory 18 to the display control unit 16 and is displayed on the flat display 2 in place of the product sample image. The advertisement information including the still image and the moving image to the video memory 18 is provided as a video tape, a video disk, or the like, and is also provided as a TV tuner 19.
Is also given through. In addition, it is of course possible to form a so-called window using the part of the display screen of the flat display 2 and display such advertisement information simultaneously with the product sample image.

On the other hand, the control device 11 detects the approach of a person (purchaser) to the vending machine via the person detection sensor 9. The detection of the approach of a person using the pyroelectric infrared sensor is performed, for example, in a predetermined detection target area on the front side of the vending machine, whether infrared rays corresponding to the human body temperature are continuously detected for a predetermined time. This is done by determining whether or not it is. Thus, when the approach of a person is detected, the control device 11 operates to switch the operation mode of the display control unit 16 and display the above-described product sample image on the flat display 2 for a predetermined time.

At this time, the control device 11 operates the designated coordinate detector 20 to execute the coordinate detection operation of the designated position via the touch panel 3 mounted on the front surface of the flat display 2. That is, when a pressing instruction is given by a finger or the like to the product sample image displayed on the flat display 2 through the touch panel 3, the pointing position on the touch panel 3 is detected by the pointing coordinate detector 20. It has become something. Identification of the product selected and designated by the purchaser from the relationship between the coordinates of the designated position on the touch panel 3 detected in this way and the display positions of a plurality of product images in the product sample image displayed on the flat display 2. Is performed.

When the approach of a person is not detected, or when the display of the product sample image for a predetermined time is completed, the control device 11 switches the operation mode of the display control unit 16 again, so that the flat display can be controlled. 2 displays the advertisement information including the above-described still image and moving image. That is, instead of causing the flat display 2 to function as a product display unit (product selection unit), the flat display 2 functions as a display medium for advertisement information. In addition, even when the merchandise selling operation is not performed in this way, by displaying the advertising information on the flat display 2, the flat display 2 functions as a night illumination light source for the front side of the vending machine. Has become.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a schematic operation procedure of the vending machine configured as described above will be described. First, this process is performed to determine whether or not the approach of a person is detected by the human detection sensor 9. [Step S1]. Then, when the output of the sensor 9 is off and the approach of a person is not detected, the advertisement information display mode is set and an advertisement image as shown in FIG. 4A is displayed on the flat display 2. [Step S
2]. In this case, the pointing position on the touch panel 3 using the pointing coordinate detector 20 described above is not detected.

The advertisement image is not limited to an image of a newly released product, but may be an image of a main product for sale, or an image that appeals to a company or a store. good. Needless to say, the image is not limited to a moving image but may be a still image. Such image display of the advertisement information is repeatedly and continuously performed until the approach of a person is detected via the sensor 9. However, by setting the advertisement time zone, it is also possible to stop the advertisement display at midnight, for example.

On the other hand, when the approach of a person is detected by using the person detecting sensor 9 (step S1), a commodity sample display mode is set and the flat display 2 is displayed on the flat display 2, for example, as shown in FIG. A product sample image as shown is displayed [Step S3]. This product sample image is a single image in which a plurality of product images a, each of which represents a package image of a plurality of products to be sold in a substantially full scale, are arranged, and the selling price information b is displayed near each product image a. Of still images. In other words, the product sample image is configured as a still image representing a state where a plurality of product samples are displayed side by side, like a product display section of a conventional vending machine.

When the display of the sample product image (still image) is started, the input amount is determined next, and it is determined whether there is a product which can be sold under the input amount [step S4]. ]. That is, it is determined whether or not an amount corresponding to the sales conditions of the product has been inserted. If the input amount condition is not satisfied (if the amount is insufficient), it is determined whether or not the display of the sample product image has been continuously performed for a predetermined time [Step S5]. Wait for currency input in. If there is no currency input in spite of displaying the product sample image for a predetermined time, for example, a person who has sensed approach judges that it has just passed the front of the vending machine, The approach of the person by the sensor 9 is sensed again.

When a predetermined amount of currency is inserted in the display state of the sample product image, the designated coordinate detector 20 is started next, and a process of detecting a product selected and instructed via the touch panel 3 is performed. Perform [Step S6]. That is, when the product sample image is displayed on the flat display 2, the purchaser instructs the product image a of the product to be purchased in the display image (product sample image) with a finger or the like. Then, the touch panel 3 provided on the front surface of the flat display 2 operates in response to the designated position and generates an output corresponding to the designated position, so that the designated position is detected using the designated coordinate detector 20. By detecting the pressed position, the specified product is specified as described above.

When the designated product is specified, the sales controller 14 is operated under the control of the controller 11 to sell the product [Step S].
7]. Then, the balance of the input amount after the sale of the goods is checked (step S8), and if the balance indicates that the goods can be sold again, the processing procedure from step S3 described above is repeatedly executed. If the balance is insufficient, the change issuing unit 1
5 is started to issue a change (remaining balance) to complete the sales process, and the sensor 9 shown in step S1 is used to detect the approach of a person.

At this time, the purchaser who has returned the change may still remain in front of the vending machine, and in this case, the product sample image is displayed again. In practice, a product sample image is continuously displayed. However, when the product sample image is displayed for a predetermined time [Step S5], and when the sensor 9 detects a person again [Step S1], the person who has already purchased the product (purchaser). Has left before the vending machine,
This sets the advertising information display mode described above,
The advertisement information is displayed as shown in FIG. 4A instead of the product sample image.

In the processing procedure shown in FIG.
Although the detection process and the like for the operation of the change return lever 6 are omitted, for example, after the display output of the product sample image [Step S3], the operation of the change return lever 6 may be determined. When displaying a product sample image, for example, when a specific product is sold out, FIG.
As shown in (c), the sold-out product is displayed by displaying the sold-out product by superimposing the x mark c on the product image a of the sold-out product, or the product image a of the sold-out product is displayed as a blank area d. You don't have to.

If the input amount has reached the sellable price only for a specific product, the sales target product that has not reached the sellable price is displayed on the product image a by a broken line e in the figure.
The display brightness is reduced as shown schematically in
It is desirable to be distinguishable from the product image a of the salable product. It is also desirable to display in color the product image a that has become a salable product according to the input amount, and to display a product image a of a product that cannot be sold due to the shortage of the input amount as a monochrome image. Further, it is also useful to display character information (message character string) such as sellable or sold out in association with each product image a.

According to the vending machine configured as described above, the package images of a plurality of products to be sold can be displayed using the large flat display 2 incorporated in the front door 1 of the vending machine body. A plurality of product images a, each of which is shown to be approximately the original size, are arranged, and a product sample image consisting of a single still image displaying the selling price information b is displayed near each product image a. 2 can function effectively as a product display section. Then, using the touch panel 3 incorporated in the front of the flat display 2, a pressing instruction (selection designation) on the product image a in the product sample image displayed on the flat display 2 is detected to specify the designated product. Therefore, the entire area of the display screen can be effectively used as a product selection unit.

In particular, in the present invention, the approach of a person to the vending machine is detected by using the person detecting sensor 9 and the person (purchaser) is detected.
Displays the product sample image only when the user is in the vicinity of the vending machine, and displays advertisement information and the like using the flat display 2 during other periods.
The functions possessed by can be used effectively. In particular, if advertisement information or the like composed of moving images is constantly displayed, it is possible to strongly appeal the existence of the vending machine itself, and a sales promotion effect can be expected. Further, as described above, the product sample image is only displayed adaptively on the flat display 2 for a predetermined time in response to the approach of a person, so that a screen which is seen when a still image is displayed for a long time is displayed. In the case of burn-in and a liquid crystal display, it is possible to effectively prevent element destruction of pixel segments (deterioration of alignment characteristics).

Further, as described above, a product sample image is displayed on the flat-panel display 2 so as to function as a product display section. Can be easily dealt with. Further, there is an advantage that the identification display of the salable product corresponding to the sold-out product or the input amount can be easily changed to various display forms by image processing. Also, since there is no need for a product display section to directly display the product itself or a full-size product sample, it will greatly contribute to the thinning of vending machines, and it will be possible to further reduce the weight. The effect can be achieved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the size of the display screen of the flat display 2 may be set according to the size of the vending machine main body, particularly the size of the front door 1, and the number of products to be sold. In addition, the display time of the product sample image may be set in consideration of the time required for the purchaser to insert currency, the time required for a product selection operation, and the like. Further, it is desirable that the range of detection of the approach of a person (purchaser) by the human detection sensor 9 can be variably set according to the installation environment of the vending machine and the like.

The approach of a person may be detected using an ultrasonic sensor or the like, and the ultrasonic sensor and the infrared sensor may be used in combination. Further, the present invention is not limited to cigarette vending machines, and can be similarly applied to vending machines for other packaged products, dispensing vending machines for beverage products, and vending machines for meal tickets and the like. Furthermore, the display mode of the product sample image may be determined as appropriate. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, a flat display in which the front of a vending machine is incorporated functions as a product display section, and is adapted adaptively only when a person approaches the vending machine. Since the product sample image is displayed for a predetermined time, the visibility of the product for sale is not impaired, and the operability of selecting the product can be maintained at a sufficiently high level. In addition, it is possible to effectively prevent a failure and characteristic deterioration of the flat display caused by continuous display of the product sample image for a long time.

Further, by displaying advertisement information or the like using a flat display during a period other than when a sample product image is displayed, the presence of a vending machine can be strongly appealed.
As a result, a great effect can be obtained in practical use such as a sales promotion effect can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing the external appearance of a vending machine of a cigarette according to an embodiment of the present invention, in particular, the configuration of the front part.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a control system in the vending machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic process control flow in a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display image on a flat display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front door 2 Flat panel display 3 Touch panel 9 Human detection sensor 11 Control device 14 Sales control part 16 Display control part 17 Data memory 18 Video memory 20 Pointing coordinate detector

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A flat display provided on a front surface of a vending machine main body and capable of displaying a product sample image in which a plurality of product sample images are arranged, a transparent touch panel incorporated in a front surface of the flat display. A sensor for detecting a person provided in the vending machine main body for detecting the approach of a person to the vending machine main body; and when the approach of a person is detected by the sensor, the product sample image is converted to the flat type. A display control device for displaying for a predetermined time on a display, and a sales control device for specifying a sales product according to coordinate information specified via the touch panel when a product sample image is displayed on the flat display. A vending machine comprising: 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the display control device has a function of displaying another image in addition to displaying the product sample image. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein the another image is advertisement information composed of a still image or a moving image. 4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the sensor for detecting a person comprises a pyroelectric infrared sensor. 5. The flat display has a display screen corresponding to a product display section for displaying a plurality of product samples, and is incorporated in a front door of a vending machine main body instead of the product display section. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine is used.