JP2002099950A - Control method and device for vending machine using portable terminal, and the vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control method for vending machine using cellular phone, capable of simplifying the setting operation of a desired commodity. SOLUTION: When a user operates a commodity setting condition at a vending machine 50 and purchases a commodity, the setting condition of the commodity is temporarily stored in the taste information of the vending machine 50 as taste information. A vender server 40 reads the taste information of the user from the vending machine and registers it in a database 45 by a taste information registration part 44. When the user purchases the same commodity in the vending machine 50 or another vending machine, using a cellular phone 10, a vender server 40 transmits the registered taste information to the vending machine, whereby the user can purchase the desired commodity without having to perform the commodity setting operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine control method and apparatus using a portable terminal and a vending machine, and more particularly to a vending machine using a portable terminal such as a portable telephone. The present invention relates to a vending machine control method and device for purchasing a product, and a vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of purchasing merchandise from a vending machine, a banker or coin is not inserted into the vending machine, but a desired product is purchased using a mobile phone, and settlement is made using a billing system of a telephone company. A vending machine payment system has been proposed.

A vending machine settlement system using such a mobile phone is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-249530.

[0004]

However, in a payment system for a vending machine using the above-mentioned portable telephone,
If the vending machine is one that requires some conditions to be set when the user purchases a product, for example, a coffee vending machine, the user can select the type of coffee, the amount of sugar, the amount of cream, etc. It is necessary to set various preferences every time a purchase is made, and such an operation is a very complicated operation for the user. On the other hand, since personal preferences do not change, the setting conditions for each product purchase are almost the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine control method and apparatus using a portable terminal, and a vending machine, in which the above-mentioned complicated preference setting is eliminated.

[0006]

A method of controlling a vending machine using a portable terminal according to the present invention comprises the steps of: registering preference information of a product purchased by a user with the vending machine in a database; Receiving the purchase instruction of the product transmitted from the PC, reading the preference information of the product from the database in response to the received purchase command, and transmitting the read preference information of the product to the vending machine.

[0007] Thereby, when the user purchases the product, the user's preference information registered in the database of the server computer in advance is transmitted to the vending machine. Therefore, the user can easily purchase a favorite product without performing a complicated operation such as selecting a preference in the vending machine.

[0008] A control device for a vending machine according to the present invention comprises:
A method of controlling a vending machine connectable to a mobile terminal and a vending machine, comprising: a database for registering preference information of a product purchased by a user at the vending machine; and a purchase of a product transmitted from the mobile terminal. The vending machine includes a receiving unit that receives the command and a preference unit that reads preference information of the product from the database in response to the received purchase command, and transmits the read preference information of the product to the vending machine.

Thus, when the user purchases a product, the user's preference information registered in the database in advance is transmitted to the vending machine. Therefore, the user can easily purchase the desired product without performing a complicated operation such as selecting a preference.

[0010] A vending machine according to the present invention is a vending machine connectable to a portable terminal and a server computer, wherein a storage means for storing preference information when a user purchases a product, and a database of the server computer. Transmitting means for transmitting the preference information to the server computer for registration; receiving means for receiving the preference information of the product read from the database in response to the product purchase command transmitted from the portable terminal; And a product discharging means for discharging the product in response to the preference information received by the user.

Thus, the user can select his / her favorite product at the time of the next purchase without performing a complicated operation such as selecting a preference at a vending machine, according to the preference information when the user purchased the product in the past. It will be possible to purchase.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding portions have the same reference characters allotted, and description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a vending machine settlement system using a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a mobile phone 10 is connected to a vendor server 40 via a mobile phone company 20 and a network 30. Further, the vendor server 40 and the vending machine 50 are connected by a dedicated line 60. The vendor server 40 includes a user matching unit 41 for confirming a user who uses the vending machine 50 using the mobile phone 10 and a vending machine selecting unit 42 for specifying a vending machine for which the user desires to purchase a product. A price information transmitting unit 43 that transmits price information of a purchased product to the charging system 21 of the mobile phone company 20 when a user purchases a product, a preference information registration unit 44 that registers user preference information, Information registration part 4
4, a database 45 for storing user preference information registered, a product purchase command receiving unit 46 for receiving a user product purchase command, and transmitting user preference information to the vending machine in accordance with the purchase command. Preference information transmission unit 4
7 is included.

[0014] The mobile phone company 20 has the above-mentioned vendor server 4
A billing system 21 for performing settlement in accordance with the price information transmitted from the price information transmitting unit 43 within 0 is included.

The vending machine 50 has a preference information memory 51 for storing preference information set when a user purchases a product.
A preference information transmitting unit 52 for transmitting the preference information to the vendor server 40, a preference information receiving unit 53 for receiving the preference information sent from the vendor server 40, and a product discharging unit 54 for discharging the product. .

FIG. 2 and FIG.
10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vending machine settlement system using the mobile phone 10 in the case where after purchasing a product, the setting conditions of the product when the product is purchased are registered in the vendor server 40 as preference information.

When the user purchases a product from the vending machine 50, the user uses the mobile phone 10 to dial the vendor server 40 that owns the vending machine 50 (step S101). The dial of the mobile phone 10 is received by the mobile phone company 20 (step S20).
1) The mobile phone company 20 connects to the vendor server 40 (step S401). At this time, the vendor server 40
Receives the ID information of the mobile phone 10 such as the mobile phone number, and confirms the user ID in the user matching unit 41 in the server computer based on the mobile phone number or the like (step S4)
02). The vendor server 40 further requests a password to confirm whether the person using the mobile phone is the owner of the mobile phone (step S403).
After the password request is received by the mobile phone company 20 (step S202), the mobile phone 1
0 (step S102). The user inputs the password according to the request for the password from the vendor server 40 (step S103). The entered password is transmitted via the mobile phone company 20 (step S20).
3) Received by the vendor server 40 (step S40)
4).

Next, the vendor server 40 collates the received password (step S405). As a result of the verification, if a password different from the password registered in the vendor server 40 in advance is received, the vendor server 40 issues a line disconnection command (step S40).
6), the line is disconnected (step S204). on the other hand,
As a result of the verification, if the received password is correct, the vendor server 40 transmits a vending machine number input request in order to specify a vending machine for which the user wants to purchase a product (step S407). The input request for the vending machine number is received by the mobile phone 10 used by the user via the mobile phone company 20 (step S205) (step S104).

Subsequently, based on the vending machine number input request sent from the vendor server 40, the user inputs the number of the vending machine 50 for which he wants to purchase a product (step S105). This number is the vending machine 50
Is displayed in. The entered number of the vending machine 50 is input via the mobile phone company 20 (step S206).
It is received by the vending machine selection unit 42 in the vendor server 40 (step S408). On the basis of the received vending machine number, the vender server 40 specifies the vending machine for which the user desires to purchase a product in the vending machine selecting unit 42, and transmits a sales permit command to the vending machine 50 (step S409). ). The vending machine 50 receives the sales permission command transmitted from the vendor server 40 (step S50).
1), the product is ready to be sold to the user using the mobile phone 10 (step S502).

Subsequently, the vending machine 50 sets the product based on the setting of the product desired by the user to purchase (steps S601 to S60n) (step S5).
03). Here, for example, the vending machine 50 is a coffee vending machine, and when the user desires to purchase coffee, the user uses the setting buttons provided on the vending machine 50 to input the type of coffee and sugar. The setting of the product such as the setting of the amount and the amount of the cream is performed according to the user's preference (steps S601 to S60n). As a result of the above-described product setting, when the user's favorite product is determined, the user presses a product purchase button set on the vending machine 50, whereby the vending machine 50 desires the user to purchase. It is confirmed that the commodity has been determined (step S504). As a result, the merchandise is discharged from the vending machine 50, and the sale is determined (step S50).
5).

At this time, in the vending machine 50, a preference information memory 51 installed in the vending machine 50 stores conditions set when the user purchases a desired product as preference information.
(Step S506).

Subsequently, the vending machine 50 is connected to the portable telephone 1
A notification of the sale of the product sold to the user who uses 0 is transmitted to the mobile phone 10 owned by the user through the vendor server 40 (step S410) and the mobile phone company 20 (step S207) (step S50).
7). The user sees the sales notice (step S106) received by the mobile phone 10 and confirms the purchase content (step S107).

On the other hand, the vendor server 40 is connected to the vending machine 5
After receiving the sales notice from 0 (step S410), the price information transmitting unit 43 transmits the price information to the mobile phone company 20 (step S411). The mobile phone company 20 receives the price information from the vendor server 40 (step S20).
8) The user is charged for the price received by the charging system 21 (step S209).

Next, the vendor server 40 inquires of the user whether or not to register the setting conditions of the favorite product purchased by the user this time as the preference information in the preference information registration unit 44 in the vendor server 40 (step S412). ). The setting registration inquiry is sent via the mobile phone company 20 (step S21).
0), and is received by the user's mobile phone 10 (step S108).

Next, the user determines whether or not to register the setting conditions of the favorite product purchased this time as preference information (step S109). If the user does not want to register the preference information, the vendor server 40 does not register the preference information, and the user ends the use of the mobile phone 10 (step S111).

If the user wishes to register the setting of the preference information, the fact is notified through the mobile phone company 20 (step S
211), and transmitted to the vendor server 40 (step S).
413). Vendor server 4 receiving preference information setting instruction
No. 0 transmits an instruction to output the preference information to the vending machine 50 in order to obtain the preference information stored in the preference information memory 51 in the vending machine 50 (step S414). The vending machine 50 that has received the preference information output instruction (step S507) transmits the user preference information stored in the preference information memory 51 from the preference information transmitting unit 52 to the vendor server 40 (step S508). The vendor server 40
The preference information sent from the vending machine 50 is received (step S415), and the information is registered in the database 45 in the preference information registration unit 44 of the vendor server 40 (step S416).

At this time, the vendor server 40 registers the user's preference information in the preference information registration unit 44 by linking the user's preference information with the dial button information on the mobile phone 10 of the user.
For example, when the user sets the dial button “1” on the mobile phone 10 as the assignment button for the current preference information, the preference information registration unit 44 in the vendor server 40 stores the preference information on the dial button “1” on the mobile phone 10. Is stored in the database 45 as the content to be transmitted to the vending machine when "" is pressed. Database 45
Then, the preference information of each user is stored and managed in a table for each user, for example, as shown in FIG. Further, the set amounts such as the amount of sugar, the amount of cream, and the amount of hot water can be managed in such a manner that the smallest amount is 1 and the largest amount is 5, which is represented by a five-level evaluation. Thus, the user can register a plurality of pieces of preference information in the vendor server 40.

After the registration, the vendor server 40 sends a message to the effect that the registration of the preference information has been completed to the user's mobile phone 10 through the mobile phone company 20 (step S212) (step S417). The user confirms the content of the registered preference information by receiving the registration notification by the mobile phone 10 (step S110).

With the above-described operation, the user can register the preference information for purchasing the desired product from the vending machine in the vendor server 40.

Next, the operation of the vending machine settlement system when purchasing a product using a mobile phone when the user's preference information is recorded in the vendor server 40 will be described.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a vending machine settlement system using a mobile phone after registering user preference information in the vendor server 40.

With reference to FIG.
(Step S101) until the vending machine 50 becomes ready for sale (step S50).
2) The operation is the same as the operation before the user's preference information registration shown in FIG. 2, and therefore, description thereof will not be repeated.

Subsequently, after the vending machine 50 is ready for sale, the user presses a dial button on the mobile phone 10 to which preference information has been previously assigned (step S1).
20). At this time, the preference information and the contents of the dial button number to which the preference information is assigned are transmitted from the vendor server 40 to the user's mobile phone 10, and the mobile phone 10
The user can confirm the content of the preference information displayed above. Alternatively, there is also a confirmation method in which, when the dial button is pressed once, the setting button of the vending machine 50 flashes according to the preference information, and the user presses the dial button of the mobile phone 10 again when deciding to purchase. It is possible.

Subsequently, the vendor server 40 receives the press signal of the dial button to which the preference information transmitted from the mobile phone 10 is allocated by the purchase command receiving section 46 (step S420), and is assigned to the dial button. The preference information of the user is transmitted from the preference information transmitting unit 47 to the vending machine 50 (step S421). Vending machine 50
Receives the user preference information sent from the vendor server 40 (step S520), and sets the product according to the sent preference information. For example, vending machine 5
When 0 is a coffee vending machine, the type of coffee, the amount of sugar, the amount of cream, etc. are set based on the user's preference information sent from the vendor server 40. After setting the product based on the preference information, the vending machine 50 quickly discharges the product from the product discharge unit 54 and completes the sale (step S506). The operation after the sale of the product is the same as the operation before the registration of the user's preference information shown in FIG. 2, and thus the description thereof will not be repeated.

Also, for another vending machine handling the same product as the vending machine 50, the user can purchase the product using the preference information registered in the vendor server 40.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the preference information registration unit 4 of the vendor server 40 uses the setting conditions of the product once purchased by the user at the vending machine as the preference information.
By registering the information in advance in item 4, the next time the user purchases the same product, the user can purchase the product using the preference information. This avoids complicated operations such as inputting setting conditions to the vending machine every time the user purchases the same product.

The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the embodiments described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

[0038]

According to the present invention, the setting conditions of a product once purchased by a user at a vending machine are previously registered in a server computer as preference information, so that the next time the user purchases the same product, A product can be purchased using preference information without performing complicated work such as inputting setting conditions to a vending machine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a vending machine settlement system using a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile phone, the mobile phone company, the server computer, and the vending machine shown in FIG. 1 when user preference information is not registered.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart following FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table of preference information registered in the database of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the mobile phone, the mobile phone company, the server computer, and the vending machine shown in FIG. 1 when user preference information is registered.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 mobile phone, 20 mobile phone company, 21 billing system, 30 network, 40 vendor server, 4
1 User collation unit, 42 vending machine selection unit, 43 price information transmission unit, 44 preference information registration unit, 45 database, 46 product purchase command reception unit, 47 preference information transmission unit, 50 vending machine, 51 preference information memory, 52
Preference information transmission unit, 53 Preference information reception unit, 54 Commodity discharge unit, 60 Dedicated line.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 17/60 506 G06F 17/60 506 G07F 9/00 G07F 9/00 L 110 110Z H04M 11/00 302 H04M 11/00 302

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling a vending machine using a portable terminal, comprising: a server computer connectable to the portable terminal and the vending machine; Registering in a database; receiving the purchase command for the product transmitted from the mobile terminal; reading preference information of the product from the database in response to the received purchase command; Transmitting a preference information to the vending machine, the method including the steps of: 2. A vending machine control device connectable to a mobile terminal and a vending machine, comprising: a database for registering preference information of a product purchased by a user at the vending machine; Receiving means for receiving the transmitted product purchase command; reading the preference information of the product from the database in response to the received purchase command; and transmitting the read product preference information to the vending machine. A control device for a vending machine using a portable terminal, the control device including a transmission unit. 3. A vending machine connectable to a mobile terminal and a server computer, wherein the storage means stores preference information when a user purchases a product, and the vending machine stores the preference information in a database of the server computer. Transmitting means for transmitting preference information to the server computer; receiving means for receiving preference information of the product read from the database in response to a product purchase command transmitted from the mobile terminal; and A product discharging means for discharging the product in response to the received preference information.