JP2001291151A - Article selection button controller for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article selection button controller for automatic vending machine which does not need much labor and time or components for discrimination and can also improve reliability. SOLUTION: Selection button units provided with a plurality of article selection buttons are respectively provided with button unit controllers 3, the controllers 3 are connected to the controller 4 of the main control part of the automatic vending machine by the communication line 10 of a daisy chain connection method, and the button units 2 are regulated and discriminated by this connection sequence. In this configuration, a manual setting operation for discriminating a selection button unit 2 and components for discriminating the unit 2 is unnecessitated even when the unit 2 is exchanged or newly attached.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product selection button control device for a vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a vending machine is provided with a large number of product selection buttons 1 in order to sell many types of products. Inside each product selection button 1, there is a selling lamp 1a as a first status display lamp indicating a sellable state, and a sold-out lamp 1b as a second status display lamp indicating an unsellable state such as sold out. A selection detection switch 1c for detecting that the button is selected and pressed is provided.

[0003] As a conventional method of controlling these lamps and switches, a selection button unit 2 in which a plurality of (for example, 2 to 4) product selection buttons 1 constitute one unit.
The button unit controller 3 is connected to the main controller controller 4 of the vending machine via a communication line 5 to input and output signals in a bus connection form. Lamp 1a, sold-out lamp 1b,
Each control operation of the selection detection switch 1c is performed.

[0004]

A plurality of selection button units 2 are attached to one vending machine. These selection button units 2 have a degree of freedom so that the selection button unit 2 can be mounted anywhere on the customer service panel 6 of the vending machine in order to guarantee compatibility during manufacturing or maintenance. There must be.

However, when the main controller 4 controls the plurality of selection button units 2 and cannot recognize all of the mounting positions of the selection button units 2, if the sales lamp 1a, the sold-out lamp 1b, and the selection detection switch 1c are not recognized. Control becomes impossible. Therefore, different identification numbers are assigned to the ICs of the button unit controller 3, respectively.
In addition, in order to identify where the IC of the button unit controller 3 is attached on the customer service panel 6, a manual setting operation using a key input device or the like provided inside the vending machine is required. This takes time and effort, and also requires parts for identification.

[0006] Further, since communication with each button unit controller 3 takes a long time when exchanged,
The data to all the button unit controllers 3 is output via the communication line 5 connected in a bus connection manner, and the button unit controller 3 performs broadcast communication in which only necessary data is taken. However, in this case, if a response is made from each of the button unit controllers 3, the signals from each of the button unit controllers 3 are overlapped and cannot be understood, and therefore, no response is made from each of the button unit controllers 3. As a result, the main control unit controller 4 does not know whether the button unit controller 3 is receiving the data normally, and the reliability is reduced.

[0007] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a vending machine which can improve reliability without taking much labor and time, and without requiring parts for identification. It is an object to provide a product selection button control device.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vending machine product selection button control device, comprising:
A button unit controller is provided for each of the selection button units having a plurality of product selection buttons each having a status display lamp and a selection detection switch, and these button unit controllers and a main controller controller of a vending machine are connected in a daisy chain connection system. A connection is established by a communication line, and a selection button unit is defined and identified according to the connection order.

According to this configuration, the plurality of button unit controllers and the main controller of the vending machine are connected by the daisy chain connection type communication line, and the selection button units are defined and identified according to the connection order. Even when the selection button unit is replaced or newly attached, a manual setting operation for identifying the selection button unit and a component for identification are not required.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine product selection button control device according to the first aspect, a bypass circuit that bypasses each button unit controller is provided in a transmission path from the main controller controller. It is characterized by.

According to this configuration, even if one of the button unit controllers fails, a signal is transmitted to the next button unit controller via the bypass circuit, and the other button unit controllers except the failed button unit controller are removed. A signal will be transmitted to the button unit controller.

The invention described in claim 3 is the first or second invention.
In the vending machine product selection button control device described in the above, when each button unit controller receives the transmission data from the main control unit controller or the higher priority button unit controller, it is received by each button unit controller It is characterized in that the received data to be conveyed is added and the data can be transmitted to the next button unit controller.

[0013] According to this configuration, the main controller controller can determine whether each button unit controller is normal or abnormal by confirming the received data returned from the final button unit controller. Becomes

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine product selection button control device of the third aspect, the transmission data transmitted from the main control unit controller includes a check code for confirming the transmission data. In addition, the button unit controller is characterized in that the check code is reset according to the data changed in the button unit controller and transmitted to the next button unit controller.

According to this configuration, the button unit controller also checks the check code when the transmitted data is input, thereby improving reliability. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine product selection button control device according to the third or fourth aspect, a normal or abnormal state of each button unit controller is determined based on data added by each button unit controller. It is characterized by having means for determining.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The components having substantially the same functions as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, each button unit controller 3 of a plurality of (for example, six) selection button units 2 and a main controller controller 4 of a vending machine are connected by a daisy chain connection type communication line 10. The connection order defines and identifies each selection button unit 2. As schematically shown in FIG. 2, when each button unit controller 3 receives transmission data D including each control command data X (X1 to X6) transmitted from the main control unit controller 4, each button unit controller 3 Received data Y (Y1
To Y6) and transmit the result to the next button unit controller 3. Further, at the end of the transmission data D transmitted from the main controller 4, a check code Z for confirming the transmission data is also added, and in each button unit controller 3, The check code Z is reset according to the changed data and transmitted to the next button unit controller 3.

In the above configuration, when each button unit controller 3 receives the transmission data D transmitted from the main control unit controller 4 and inputs it while referring to the check code Z, each button unit controller 3
Necessary data corresponding to the corresponding connection point is fetched, and when transmitting from this button unit controller 3 to the next button unit controller 3, the fact that the button unit controller 3 has received and processed the data and, if necessary, the main The received data Y including the contents of the response data to the control unit controller 4 is added, and a check code Z corresponding to the contents changed by the addition of the received data Y is reset, and the next button unit controller is set. Send to 3. This repetition is performed by each button unit controller 3, and from the last button unit controller 3 to the main control unit controller 4, the received data Y (Y 1 to Y 6) in which all the button unit controllers 3 have been processed
Is transmitted. Then, the main controller controller 4 confirms the received data returned from the final button unit controller 3 and determines whether each of the button unit controllers 3 is normal (with received data) or abnormal (without received data). Judge the state of things.

In each button unit controller 3,
Control output to the selling lamp 1a and the sold-out lamp 1b is performed according to the received data, and the data transmission command of the selection detecting switch 1c is constantly received from the main control unit controller 4.
The necessary response data is output according to the ON / OFF state of c.

According to such a configuration, the main control unit controller 4 and the plurality of button unit controllers 3 are connected by the daisy chain connection type communication line 10, and the order in which the plurality of button unit controllers 3 receive signals is determined. Since the connection order is always established, even when the selection button unit 2 is replaced or newly installed, the operation for identifying the selection button unit 3 does not need to be performed, and no component for identification is required. . Further, each button unit controller 3 can add necessary reply data according to the received data, transmit the data in order, and finally transmit the response data to the main controller controller 4 satisfactorily.

As described above, the main control unit controller 4 can check the received data returned from the final button unit controller 3 to determine whether each button unit controller 3 is normal or abnormal. As well as improving the reliability, it is possible to display an error on a display unit provided in the vending machine, for example.

Also, the button unit controller 3 resets the check code and sets the next button unit controller 3
, The reliability of transmission data is improved.

In this embodiment, when the button unit controller 3 receives the received data from the main control unit controller 4, the button unit controller 3
A case has been described in which necessary response data is output according to the N / OFF state. However, the present invention is not limited to this. When the input of the selection detection switch 1c changes, the button unit controller 3 voluntarily outputs the response data. The button unit controller 3 after receiving this data may add the already received data and sequentially transmit the data. Even in this case, the received data is By confirming, the button unit controller 3 of the transmission source can be specified and identified.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, each button unit controller 3 is provided one by one on the transmission path from the main control unit controller 4 side. A bypass circuit 11 for bypassing is provided.

According to this configuration, even if one of the button unit controllers 3 fails and data is not transmitted to the next button unit controller 3, the previous button unit controller 3 or main Since the same transmission data is transmitted from the control unit controller 4 to the next button unit controller 3, communication is not interrupted, and the control operation can be performed by avoiding the failed button unit controller 3. In addition, the failed button unit controller 3 can be specified. In this case, as shown in FIG.
When the communication line 12 for sending the reception notification data for notifying that the reception operation has been performed when the data is received is provided, the main control unit controller 4 determines to which button unit controller 3 the reception operation has been completed. It has the advantage of being able to know sequentially, but it is also possible to omit such a communication line 12.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of button unit controllers and a main controller of a vending machine are connected by a daisy-chain connection type communication line, and a selection button unit is connected in this connection order. By specifying and identifying, even when the selection button unit is replaced or newly installed, manual setting operation for identifying this selection button unit and parts for identification are not required, and it is time-consuming. Can be omitted,
Cost can be reduced.

Further, by providing a bypass circuit for bypassing each button unit controller in the transmission path from the main controller controller side, even if one of the button unit controllers fails, the reliability can be improved. I do.

When each button unit controller receives transmission data from the main control unit controller or the button unit controller having a higher priority order, it adds received data indicating that each button unit controller has received the data. By being configured to be able to transmit to the next button unit controller, the state of each button unit controller can be confirmed and reliability is improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine product selection button control device according to the third aspect, a check code for confirming the transmission data is added to the transmission data transmitted from the main controller. In addition, the button unit controller is configured to reset the check code in accordance with the data changed in the button unit controller and transmit the check code to the next button unit controller, thereby improving the reliability of the transmission data. .

[0030] Further, by providing means for judging the normal or abnormal state of each button unit controller based on data added by each button unit controller,
This abnormal state can be output to the outside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a connection state in a product selection button control device of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing contents of transmission data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a connection state in a product selection button control device of a vending machine according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view of the vending machine.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a connection state in a conventional product selection button control device of a vending machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Product selection button 1a Sales lamp 1b Sold-out lamp 1c Selection detection switch 2 Selection button unit 3 Button unit controller 4 Main controller controller 10 Communication line 11 Bypass circuit 12 Communication line

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A button unit controller is provided in a selection button unit having a plurality of product selection buttons each having a status display lamp and a selection detection switch, and these button unit controllers and a main controller controller of a vending machine are connected. A merchandise selection button control device for a vending machine which is connected by a daisy chain connection type communication line and defines and identifies a selection button unit according to the connection order. 2. The vending machine product selection button control device according to claim 1, wherein a bypass circuit bypassing each button unit controller is provided on a transmission path from the main controller controller side. 3. When each button unit controller receives transmission data from the main control unit controller or the button unit controller having a higher priority order, it adds received data indicating that each button unit controller has received the data, 3. The vending machine product selection button control device according to claim 1, wherein the device can be transmitted to a next button unit controller. 4. A check code for confirming the transmission data is added to the transmission data transmitted from the main control unit controller, and the button unit controller adjusts the check code according to the data changed by the button unit controller. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control is reset and transmitted to the next button unit controller. 5. The control of a product selection button of a vending machine according to claim 3, further comprising means for judging a normal or abnormal state of each button unit controller based on data added by each button unit controller. apparatus.