JP2001093025A - Money stock management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate such need that a manager prepares extra cash for change in some extent, because the manager knows the amount of coins and paper monies necessary for supplying change only when he goes to each money processor in the conventional money processor. SOLUTION: The money processor 1 is provided with a function as a Web server. A manager performs access from a managing personal computer 3 through an internet 2 to each money processor 1 for reading a money receiving/ dispensing situation. Also, a request for the replenishment of change or the collection of a large denomination paper money is transmitted from the money processor 1 to the managing personal computer 3 through an electronic mail.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a money management system for managing the balance (money) in a money handling apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At cash registers in supermarkets and the like, a plurality of cash processing apparatuses are installed to process payment of shoppers.

At present, at a certain time, an administrator patrols the cashier and checks the stock status of coins and bills in each of the cash processing apparatuses. It replenishes change as needed and collects large bills that do not need to be kept at cash registers.

[0004]

Therefore, since the amount of cash required for replenishment of change to each cash processing apparatus and all cash processing apparatuses can be known only when an administrator goes to each cash register, some extra is required. It is necessary to prepare cash for change in advance. For this reason, the interest on deposits corresponding to the extra amount prepared decreases. This has a greater effect since the number of money processing devices increases as the store becomes larger.

If the change runs out before the replenishment time, the cashier must close the cash register temporarily to replenish the change. This affects the flow of customers and leads to a decrease in services such as waiting for customers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a money amount management system capable of finely managing the money amount of bills and money in each money handling apparatus.

[0007]

The money amount management system according to the present invention is premised on a structure in which a plurality of money processing devices for managing the entry and exit of money and a terminal device are connected via a network.

[0008] Each of the money processing devices includes first network interface means for connecting to the network and money amount managing means. The cash management means manages a function as a WWW server that provides the terminal device connected to the network with information possessed by itself, and manages the state of entry and exit for each type of coin and bill.

[0009] The terminal device has second network interface means for connecting to the network. Further, the terminal device includes second network interface means.

[0010] The second network interface means connects to a network based on the Internet technology. Further, in this money amount management system, each money processing device further includes an e-mail transmitting means for transmitting an e-mail to the terminal device when the number of coins and bills contained therein satisfies a predetermined condition, The terminal device may further include an e-mail receiving unit that receives the e-mail. In the case of this configuration, each money processing device notifies the administrator by e-mail when a change is insufficient or the number of high value coins exceeds a specific value.

[0011] Further, in the money amount management system, the terminal device may be a Web service provided by any of the money processing devices.
It is also possible to provide a configuration further comprising setting / change processing means for performing setting and setting change processing for the money handling apparatus based on page information. In this configuration, the administrator
It is possible to set or change settings of each money processing device from the terminal device.

[0012] Further, this money amount management system is a transaction data log transmission requesting means for requesting the terminal device to transmit a transaction data log indicating an entry / exit status of the money processing device to any of the money processing devices. And the money processing device may further comprise a transaction data log transmitting unit for transmitting a transaction data log to the terminal device in response to the transmission request. In the case of this configuration, the administrator can grasp the status of any money processing device at any time.

[0013] Further, in the cash amount management system, the money processing device may further comprise a fixed-cycle transaction data log transmitting means for transmitting a transaction data log indicating the entry / exit status of itself to the terminal device at a predetermined cycle. You can do it.
In the case of this configuration, various information can be obtained based on the transaction data log transmitted at regular intervals.

According to the present invention, the administrator can grasp the status of each money processing device from the terminal device via the network. In addition, the terminal device has a W
The web page is displayed, and the user can set or change the settings of each money processing device from the web page.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the present system.

In FIG. 1, each of the money processing devices 1-1 to 1-1
-N is connected to the management personal computer 3 via the Internet 2. The money processing apparatus 1 has a network unit connectable to the Internet 2 and holds an IP address and an e-mail address. In addition, the Internet 2 is a general term that includes not only the Internet but also an intranet and an extranet, and also includes, for example, a LAN configured by an intranet technology in one store. The management personal computer 3 is a management information device installed at the location of the administrator of each money processing apparatus 1.
It monitors the state of money of n, and collects transaction data logs indicating the transfer of coins and bills in the money handling apparatus 1. Since the management personal computer 3 can be easily reduced in size and weight as will be described later, it can be configured as a portable terminal so that the administrator can carry it.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the money processing apparatus 1. The money processing apparatus 1 includes a network adapter 10 and a change machine 20. The network adapter 10
It connects the change machine 20 and the Internet 2,
It has an IP address and an e-mail address, and has a mail transmission function and a Web server function. Here, the Web server function refers to a function of providing a Web page to a client accessing via a network.

The network adapter 10 includes the control unit 1
1, a storage unit 12, a network interface unit 13, and a change machine interface unit 14, which are connected to a bus.

The control unit 11 includes a network adapter 10
It controls the entire system, and operates based on a program stored in the storage unit 12. The storage unit 12 stores programs and data for the network adapter 10 and provides a work area to the control unit 10.
M and the like. The storage unit 11 has a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory and
Web page display data is stored. The network interface unit 13 is an interface that connects the Internet 2 and the money handling apparatus 1. The change machine interface unit 14 connects the network adapter 10 and the change machine 20 and sends data such as a transaction data log from the change machine to the storage unit 12.

The change machine 20 has a so-called automatic change payment function. The change machine 20 counts the number of coins and bills coming and going by giving and receiving money to and from the shopper, and notifies the network adapter 10 of this. Each change machine 20 includes
A sensor is provided at the storage location of the bills, and when the number of coins / bills becomes less than a certain number or becomes more than a certain number, the type and the type of the change are transmitted to the network adapter 10 together with an alarm indicating that the change has occurred or the number of bills is too large.

In the cash processing apparatus 1, even if the network adapter 10 and the change machine 20 are housed in the same housing and configured as one device, the network adapter 10 and the change machine 20 are configured separately, and The connection interface and the change machine interface unit 14 of the network adapter 10 may be connected externally.

The management personal computer 3 is installed in the same store (site) as the money processing apparatus 1 or in a different place from the money processing apparatus 1. It manages the status of coins and bills in each money handling apparatus 1. In addition, this management personal computer 3
A personal computer, a dedicated information processing device, an NC (network computer), or the like may be used as long as it has an eb page browsing function and a mail receiving function. In the present invention, the money handling apparatus 1 has Web page data and various setting functions, and the management personal computer 3 can be configured as a so-called thin client. Therefore, the management personal computer 3 is small, lightweight, and easy to save power. By connecting or incorporating a mobile communication device such as a PHS or a mobile phone, the management personal computer 3 can be configured as a mobile device by connecting to the Internet 2 by wireless communication. You can also.

The administrator uses the management computer 3 to enter WWW
By accessing each money processing device 1 using a browser, it is possible to browse the data of the deposit / withdrawal status of the money processing device 1 and to change various settings of the money processing device 1. In addition, each money processing device 1 notifies the management personal computer 3 via the Internet 2 by e-mail when the change of money or the like occurs. Further, when the management personal computer 3 is configured as a portable device, the administrator can browse the deposit / withdrawal status of each money processing apparatus 1 and receive an alarm notification e-mail anywhere, inside or outside the store.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a software configuration of the network adapter 10. Network adapter 1
0 has a function of displaying a page or sending an e-mail to a partner connected to the Internet 2 via the Internet 2. To realize these functions, the network adapter 10 has a software configuration in which an OS is mounted as an upper layer of hardware (HW), on which TCP / IP is used as an Internet protocol, and an FTP for file transfer is further provided. , HTTP for displaying web pages
-Server, E-Mai as e-mail sending function
1 and each protocol on the Internet, and each application is on top of it. This application includes a function of collecting transaction data logs from the change machine 20, a function of transferring a transaction log collection file for transmitting the collected transaction data logs to the management personal computer 3, and a Web function.
There are application software for realizing a CGI setting function and a mail transmission function for realizing page display, and data for each display page.

As described above, the network adapter 10 has a relatively simple configuration as shown in FIG. 3 as a configuration for realizing page display and mail transmission to a party who has accessed itself from the Internet 2 and has a stable configuration. Operation has been realized.

FIG. 4 shows each money processing apparatus 1 in the present system.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of processing and data performed by the management personal computer 3. In FIG. 1, a management personal computer 3 has a browser for displaying each setting Web page prepared by the network adapter 10 on a screen and transmitting setting data input from the setting screen by the administrator to the network adapter 10. Function, a mailer function for receiving an e-mail from the money processing apparatus 1 and displaying the screen, a transaction data log file acquisition function for receiving and displaying the transaction data log file from the money processing apparatus 1 on the screen, and an acquired transaction data log It has a transaction data log file display function that processes the contents of the file and displays it on the screen. Note that these functions are provided in a general OS and existing applications, and there is no need to prepare special software and hardware for this system in the management personal computer 3. When the management personal computer 3 is configured as a dedicated information device, it can be configured as an inexpensive, small, and lightweight device without a large memory capacity because of a simple software configuration.

On the other hand, the money processing apparatus 1 authenticates the access from the management personal computer 3 and then accepts a transaction data log file transmission request or provides each setting page, and Based on the setting data, the network setting, mail transmission setting, clock setting, transaction data log transfer setting, and setting change of each setting value are performed.
Further, the network adapter 10 receives change information such as a transaction data log indicating the entry / exit status of each currency sent from the change machine 20 and an alarm for notifying a change shortage.
Based on these, a transaction data log file and an e-mail notifying of a change shortage are transmitted to the management personal computer 3.

Next, the operation of the present system will be described. First, the administrator starts a WWW browser from the management personal computer 3, specifies the IP address of the money processing apparatus 1 to be accessed, and establishes a network connection.

In response, the money handling apparatus 1 displays an authentication screen on the management personal computer 3 as an authentication process. FIG. 5 shows an example of an authentication screen displayed on the WWW browser. On the screen, input fields 51 and 52 for inputting a user name and a password, an authentication button 53 for transmitting and authenticating data after inputting, and an input are provided. A clear button 54 for canceling data is provided. The administrator enters the user name and password in the input fields 51 and 52 from the screen of FIG.
The user pushes the button and sends these data to the money handling apparatus 1. The network adapter 10 in the money handling apparatus 1 that has received this performs the authentication process with reference to the authentication data stored in the storage unit 12. When authentication is permitted by the network adapter 10, a menu screen is displayed on the WWW browser of the management personal computer 3, from which the administrator selects a desired function and changes each set value of the money handling apparatus 1. , And sending transaction data logs.

Next, the process of setting and changing each set value of the money handling apparatus 1 will be described. In the system of the present embodiment,
When it becomes necessary to change the setting for connection to the Internet 2 with respect to the money processing apparatus 1 or the setting for the processing for managing the amount of banknotes and money in the money processing apparatus, the setting change is sent from the management personal computer 3 to the Internet. 2 can be performed.

FIG. 6 is an example of a setting input screen displayed on the WWW browser of the management personal computer 3 when changing the network setting of the money handling apparatus 1. When changing the network settings for the money handling apparatus 1, the administrator selects a network setting change process from the menu screen, displays a screen as shown in FIG. Enter and go. In the case of FIG. 6, the input fields 61 and 6 are used to enter the IP address, sub-mask set, default gateway, administrator mail address, and register number for identifying the money processing device 1.
When the setting button 65 is pressed after directly inputting or selecting input to 2, 63 and 64, these data are transmitted to the network adapter 10 of the corresponding money handling apparatus 1. The network adapter 10 changes each set value of the network based on the set value. Note that the item type of the network setting is not limited to the example shown in the screen example of FIG. 6 and differs depending on the network environment to which the money handling apparatus 1 is connected. Is done.

FIG. 7 is an example of a screen displayed on the management personal computer 3 when the administrator selects the mail transmission setting. In the present embodiment, the money handling apparatus 1 notifies the manager of an out-of-change or excessive bill amount alarm notification by sending a mail to the management personal computer 3. FIG. 7 shows a screen for setting a condition value for performing a change-of-change alarm notification by e-mail. When the number of coins or bills becomes less than (or more than), an e-mail notifying of change shortage is transmitted to the management personal computer 3. This is a screen for setting whether to perform.

When the administrator selects the mail transmission setting change processing from the menu screen, a screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the WWW browser. The administrator inputs the number of coins and bills in the input fields 71 to 80 for each coin and bill from this screen, and presses the setting button 81 to set the setting value in the network adapter 10. Note that, when inputting and setting as shown in FIG.
When any of the 0 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen coins are 30 or less, or the number of 1,000 yen bills is 20 or less, or when any of the 1,000 yen, 5,000 yen, or 10,000 yen bills is 50 or more Sends an e-mail to notify the administrator of a change shortage or collection of a large amount of money.

FIG. 8 shows an example of an e-mail sent to the management personal computer 3 to notify the change of change. The example shown in the figure is a case in which a letter notifying of a shortage of 10-yen coins has been transmitted from the cash processing apparatus 1 of the cash register number 2 at Tamadaira Hino City. In the present system, each of the money handling apparatuses 1 is a set-up shop and each of the money handling apparatuses 1-1 to 1-1 in the shop.
It is identified by the register number set to n.

The upper column 81 in the figure is a column for displaying a list of newly arrived e-mails. In the e-mail, the store cashier number of the cash processing apparatus 1 is set as the sender. The name is displayed together with the subject and the reception date and time, and when the administrator selects a mail from this column 81, the content is displayed in a column 82. In the case of FIG. 8, the mail informs the contents of the time when the change became insufficient, the store name and the cash register number, and the types of coins and coins that were insufficient. In addition, in this mail, in addition to the coins for which change was insufficient, a state close to the set value set on the setting screen in FIG.
Attention notice is also given for yen coins and 100 yen coins.

When such an e-mail arrives at the management personal computer 3, the administrator prepares a necessary amount of coins and bills from the financial institution and replenishes the money processing device 1 which has transmitted the e-mail with change. go. At this time, transaction data logs are collected from other cash processing devices 1 near the cash processing device 1 of the cash register number 2 which has notified the change shortage, and change is replenished to the money processing device 1 which has performed the alarm notification. In addition, it is possible to replenish the change of the money processing apparatus 1 in the vicinity. Alternatively, if there are too many coins and bills in the nearby money processing device 1, the money processing device 1
You can also instruct them to replenish any missing coins or bills. The transaction data log will be described later.

FIG. 9 is an example of a screen displayed on the management personal computer 3 when setting the clock. The network adapter 10 has a timekeeping function using an internal clock, and performs processing such as setting a change shortage occurrence time to be notified by e-mail based on the internal clock and periodically collecting transaction data logs. The clock setting screen is for setting the time of the internal clock. The administrator inputs the year, month, day, hour, and minute to be set in the input fields 91 on the screen, and then presses the setting button 92 to set the time. Do. When an erroneous input is made, the user presses the clear button 93 to clear the input value and set again.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a transaction data log transfer setting screen. In each of the money handling apparatuses 1, the number of incoming and outgoing coins and bills is counted. Then, this count information is transmitted to the management personal computer 3 as a transaction data log file at the cycle set in the transaction data log transfer setting from the management personal computer 3 or upon a request from the management personal computer 3. FIG. 10 is an example of a page screen for setting when transmitting the transaction data log file to the management personal computer 3 at a fixed period. In the case of FIG. 10, the collection start time is 1
0:00 is set in the input fields 1001 and 1002, and the collection cycle is set by pressing the setting button 1005 after inputting 0 hours and 30 minutes in the fields 1003 and 1004. In the case of this setting, the network adapter 10 transmits the deposit / withdrawal information from the change machine 20 to the management personal computer 3 as a transaction data log file every 30 minutes from 10:00.

In the management personal computer 3, the manager processes and displays the data in the transaction data log file collected from each of the money handling apparatuses 1-1 to 1-n according to the intended use. Then, the administrator analyzes the deposit / withdrawal status from the displayed contents, and can use the analyzed value as a reference value for reducing the reserve for change and improving the turnover rate of customers. The transaction data log file sent from the money handling apparatus 1 is SLK (Symbolic Link forma
t) It is a general-purpose format such as a format, and the management personal computer 3 can take out data from this transaction data log file by various application software and process and display it according to the purpose.

FIG. 11 shows a request for transmission of a transaction data log file from the management personal computer 3 to the money processing apparatus 1, and processing and display for checking the state of the money processing apparatus 1 based on the transmitted information. 6 is a screen display example of the management personal computer 3.

When the administrator wants to know the current money status of the money handling apparatus 1, he starts up a WWW browser, accesses the IP address of the desired money handling apparatus 1 from there, and sends a transaction data log file. Request, the data of the deposit / withdrawal status of the money handling apparatus 1 can be viewed.

In FIG. 11, the number of coins in the money processing apparatus (the cash processing apparatus with the cash register number 2 at Tamahira Hino City) at the time of making the request is displayed for each coin and bill type. . Since such data can be displayed on the management personal computer 3 when necessary, the manager can manage the money status in real time even if the manager is away from each money processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 12 is an example of a screen display in which data in the transaction data log file transmitted at a fixed period is processed and displayed on the management personal computer 3. FIG. 12 shows the register number 2
This table summarizes the entry and exit of coins and bills every 30 minutes in the cash processing apparatus 1 of FIG. It is possible to know the amount of money for each coin and bill, and from this data, it is possible to plan a change reserve.

The method of processing the data in the transaction data log file is determined according to conditions such as the time zone, the day of the week, the presence or absence of an event, the arrangement position of the money handling apparatus, and the like in addition to the format shown in FIG. Coins and bills can be collected and used as reference data, such as change reserve reduction, customer turnover improvement, and cash register arrangement.

FIG. 13 shows a network configuration example of the present system. FIG. 13 shows an example in which one network is used, and one management personal computer 1301 and all the money processing apparatuses 1303-1 to 1303 are connected to one network 1302.
This is an example in which -n is connected by wire or wirelessly.

In the case of the configuration shown in the figure, all the money handling apparatuses 1301-1 to 1303-n are connected to the management personal computer 1301.
Is managed centrally. The network 1 in the figure
Reference numeral 302 denotes a configuration in which LAs of a plurality of stores are connected via the Internet, as well as a LAN in one store, and money processing devices 1301-1 to 1303 installed in a plurality of stores.
-N is directly connected to the network 1302.

FIG. 14 shows another example of the network configuration of the present system. In the example of the figure, a network and a management personal computer are provided for each store, and one management personal computer 1402 and a network 1403 are installed in each store 1401, and a center personal computer 1405 for managing all stores.
Is provided.

In the case of this configuration, the cash processing device 1404 in each store 1402 has the management personal computer 1 installed in that store.
The center PC 1405 refers to information compiled for each store.

[0049]

According to the present invention, the deposit / withdrawal information of each money processing apparatus can be known before the manager goes to each money processing apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to prepare only the necessary amount of cash before actually replenishing the money processing device with change, and it is possible to suppress a decrease in interest on deposit due to extra cash withdrawal.

Further, since the manager can grasp the state of the money in any money processing apparatus when necessary, it is possible to perform detailed management. Further, the cash in the cash processing device of each cash register can be efficiently replenished / collected, which leads to a reduction in labor costs.

Since the terminal of the administrator is notified before the change runs out, it is possible to avoid the temporary closing of the cash register due to the change running out. Further, since the administrator can set and change each money processing device from the terminal device, it is possible to easily perform network management and management of each money processing device.

Further, since the balance information is periodically sent from each money processing apparatus, various information can be obtained by processing them under various conditions according to the purpose of use.

Further, the terminal device used by the administrator does not require any special hardware and software. Therefore, this terminal device can be easily reduced in size, weight, and power consumption. Therefore, by adopting a portable configuration and combining it with mobile communication such as a mobile phone, the administrator can manage the status of each money processing apparatus from an arbitrary position.

In addition, both the money processing device and the management information device,
Since the processing can be realized with a relatively simple software configuration, stable system operation can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of the present system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a money processing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of a network adapter.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a flow of processing and data performed by each money processing apparatus and a management personal computer in the present system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an authentication screen displayed on a WWW browser.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network setting input screen for a money processing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a setting input screen displayed on the management personal computer when setting mail transmission.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of a mail transmitted to the management personal computer to notify the change of the change.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the management personal computer 3 when setting a clock.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a transaction data log transfer setting screen.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of processing display of data in a transaction data log file displayed on a management personal computer.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a screen display in which data in a transaction data log file transmitted at regular intervals is processed and displayed on a management personal computer.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration example of the present system.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing another example of the network configuration of the present system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Money processing apparatus 2 Internet 3 Management personal computer 10 Network adapter 11 Control part 12 Storage part 13 Network interface part 14 Change machine interface part 20 Change machine

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Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A money amount management system in which a plurality of money processing devices for managing the entry and exit of money and a terminal device are connected by a network, wherein each of the money processing devices is connected to a network for connecting to the network. (1) a network interface unit, a function as a WWW server for providing information owned by the terminal device to the terminal device connected to the network, and a cash management for managing the input / output status of each coin and bill type. Means, and the terminal device comprises second network interface means for connecting to the network. 2. The money processing device further includes an e-mail transmitting unit that transmits an e-mail to the terminal device when the number of coins and bills accommodated therein satisfies a predetermined condition. 2. The money amount management system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic mail receiving means for receiving the electronic mail. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting / change processing unit configured to perform a setting and a setting change process for the money processing apparatus based on information of a Web page provided from an arbitrary money processing apparatus. The money amount management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transaction data log transmission requesting unit for requesting any of the money processing apparatuses to transmit a transaction data log indicating an entry / exit status of the money processing apparatus. 4. The processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a transaction data log transmitting unit that transmits a transaction data log to the terminal device in response to the transmission request.
Money management system described in one. 5. The transaction processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the money processing devices further includes a fixed-cycle transaction data log transmitting unit that transmits a transaction data log indicating a status of entry / exit to the terminal device at a predetermined cycle. 5. The money amount management system according to any one of items 1 to 4. 6. A first network interface unit for connecting to a network, a money amount managing unit for managing the status of each coin and bill, and a cash amount managing unit for receiving access through the network. And a function as a WWW server for providing information possessed by the user.