JP2002150386A - Automatic vending machine management system, automatic vending machine management host and automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic vending machine management system with easy locking and unlocking of a door. SOLUTION: When the management host 200 receives an unlocking or locking request of the automatic vending machine 100 from a portable communication terminal 300, it authenticates a user by using an authentication host 400, delivers a list of automatic vending machines 100 to the portable communication terminal 300, and sends an unlock request to the automatic vending machine 100 selected at the portable communication terminal 300. The automatic vending machine 100 is unlocked when it receives the unlock request.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine management system for centrally managing vending machines installed in various places.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional vending machine, a different key is used for unlocking and locking a lock provided on a door for each vending machine. The key of each vending machine is managed for each manager such as an operator who replenishes the goods stored in each vending machine and collects the sales proceeds. Unlocking and locking were performed using a key corresponding to each vending machine. Specifically, in a management operation by an ordinary operator, 50 to 1 per operator
In order to manage about 00 vending machines, this operator had to carry around 50 to 100 bundles of keys, and when opening and closing the door, he had to find the target from the bundle of keys. . In addition, a service person who performs maintenance and inspection of a vending machine borrows a key from an operator in charge of the vending machine to be maintained and inspected, and opens and closes the door using the key.

[0003]

As described above, a conventional vending machine uses a different key for each vending machine.
The number of keys became large, and key management and unlocking / locking operations were very complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine management system, a vending machine management host, and a vending machine which can easily unlock and lock a door. To provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a vending machine installed at various locations for selling stored goods, and a management host capable of communicating with each vending machine via a network. In a vending machine management system for centrally managing each vending machine by transmitting and receiving management information between each vending machine and a management host,
The management host includes a lock opening / closing request transmission unit that transmits a door unlocking request or a locking request to the vending machine, and the vending machine responds to an unlocking request or a locking request received from the management host. The present invention proposes a lock device provided with lock control means for unlocking or locking a door.

According to the present invention, the door of the vending machine can be unlocked or locked by transmitting a door unlocking request or a locking request from the management host to the vending machine. Therefore, vending machine managers and maintenance inspectors
By requesting the management host to transmit a door unlocking request or a locking request to the vending machine, the door can be opened and closed without having a key corresponding to the vending machine lock.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to the first aspect, the management host includes lock information management means for managing unlocking permission information for each vending machine. The lock opening / closing request transmission means of the host determines whether or not the vending machine to be unlocked is permitted to be unlocked based on the unlock permission information of the lock information management means, and unlocking is permitted. In this case, an unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine.

According to the present invention, the management host has unlocking permission information as to whether or not to permit unlocking of the door for each vending machine. Can be prevented.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to any one of the first and second aspects, the management host stores a history of the unlock request or the lock request transmitted to the vending machine. A feature is provided that includes a history recording unit for recording.

According to the present invention, it is possible to manage the status of unlocking and locking the door using the vending machine management system. This makes it possible to obtain progress and work records of, for example, an operator who performs replenishment of goods, collection of sales proceeds, and the like, and a service person who performs maintenance and inspection, and the like, so that detailed management of vending machines can be performed. .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the management host opens the vending machine from a portable communication terminal owned by an administrator via a network. A lock opening / closing request receiving means for receiving a lock request or a lock request is provided, and the lock opening / closing request transmitting means of the management host sends the lock vending machine a target vending machine in response to the unlock request or the lock request received from the mobile communication terminal. And transmitting an unlock request or a lock request.

According to the present invention, when the administrator sends an unlock request or a lock request for a vending machine from a portable communication terminal to a management host, the management host sends an unlock request or a lock request to the vending machine. I do. As described above, since the administrator can easily unlock or lock the door of the vending machine using the portable communication terminal without carrying many keys as in the related art, the work efficiency is improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to the fourth aspect, the portable communication terminal which has transmitted the unlock request is prompted to input the authentication information of the administrator and received from the portable communication terminal. Authentication means for confirming an administrator based on the authentication information obtained, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmitting means of the management host issues an unlock request to the vending machine only when the administrator is authenticated by the authentication means. A proposal for transmitting is proposed.

According to the present invention, prior to the unlock request from the management host to the vending machine, the authentication of the administrator using the mobile communication terminal is performed, and the unlock request from the mobile communication terminal is authenticated. Only from an administrator ’s mobile device,
An unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine. Thus, it is possible to manage what can unlock the door of the vending machine and prevent unauthorized unlocking.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to any one of the fourth and fifth aspects, the management host can open and close the portable communication terminal that has transmitted the unlocking request or the locking request. Vending machine selecting means for transmitting a list of vending machines, prompting the administrator to select a vending machine to be opened and closed from the list, and receiving information on the vending machine selected by the mobile communication terminal. Wherein the lock opening / closing request transmission means of the management host transmits an unlock request or a lock request to the vending machine selected by the vending machine selection means.

According to the present invention, when a manager requests unlocking or locking of a vending machine using a portable communication terminal, a list of vending machines is sent from the management host. Alternatively, if a vending machine requiring locking is selected, an unlocking request or a locking request is transmitted from the management host to the vending machine. In this manner, since the vending machine for unlocking or locking can be selected from the received list, the convenience is high and the operation efficiency of the administrator is improved.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the vending machine includes a door open / close detecting means for detecting a door open / close state, and the lock control. A door opening notifying means for notifying the management host that the door has been opened when the door opening / closing detecting means detects the opening of the door when the means is not unlocked. suggest.

According to the present invention, the management host is notified that the door has been opened in spite of the fact that the door has not been unlocked based on the unlock request from the management host. Can open the door.

Further, according to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the vending machine includes a door open / close detecting means for detecting a door open / closed state, The lock control means locks the door if the door open / close detection means does not detect the opening of the door within a predetermined time after unlocking in response to the unlock request received from the management host. suggest.

According to the present invention, if the vending machine is unlocked in response to the unlock request from the management host but the door is not actually opened, the vending machine is locked after a predetermined time has elapsed. As a result, for example, when an unlocking request is transmitted to a vending machine different from the requested one due to communication error or the like, or when an unlocking request is transmitted Even if the vending machine is unlocked, the vending machine is locked after a lapse of a predetermined time, thereby improving safety.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vending machine for centrally managing each vending machine by transmitting / receiving management information via a network to / from vending machines installed at various locations and selling stored goods. It is proposed that the management host is provided with a lock opening / closing request transmitting means for transmitting a door unlocking request or a locking request to a vending machine.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management host according to the ninth aspect, there is provided a lock information management means for managing unlocking permission information for each vending machine, and the lock opening / closing request transmitting means. Determines whether or not the vending machine to be unlocked is permitted to be unlocked based on the unlocking permission information of the lock information management means. A feature of transmitting an unlock request is proposed.

Further, in claim 11, claim 9 or 1
0. The vending machine management host according to claim 1, further comprising a history recording unit that records a history of an unlock request or a lock request transmitted to the vending machine.

Further, in claim 12, claims 9 to 1
The vending machine management host according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: a lock opening / closing request receiving means for receiving a vending machine unlocking request or a locking request from a portable communication terminal possessed by an administrator via a network. The request transmitting means transmits an unlock request or a lock request to a target vending machine in response to an unlock request or a lock request received from the mobile communication terminal.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management host according to the twelfth aspect, a list of openable / closable vending machines is transmitted to the portable communication terminal that has transmitted the unlocking request or the locking request, and the management is performed. Vending machine selection means for prompting the user to select a vending machine to be opened and closed from the list and receiving information on the vending machine selected by the mobile communication terminal, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmission means comprises: A vending machine selected by the vending machine selection means is transmitted with an unlocking request or a locking request.

Further, in a vending machine centrally managed by transmitting and receiving management information to and from a management host via a network, an unlocking request received from the management host or The present invention proposes a lock control device that includes a lock control unit that unlocks or locks a door in response to a lock request.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to the fourteenth aspect, a door open / close detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the door, and the door open / close detecting when the lock control means does not open the door. It is proposed that a door is provided with a door open notifying unit for notifying the management host that the door has been opened when the unit detects the opening of the door.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine according to any one of the fourteenth and fifteenth aspects, the vending machine further comprises a door open / close detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the door, and the lock control means is provided by a management host. It is proposed to lock the door if the door opening / closing detecting means does not detect the opening of the door within a predetermined time after unlocking in response to the received unlocking request.

According to the vending machine management host according to the ninth to thirteenth aspects and the vending machine according to the fourteenth to sixteenth aspects, the vending machine management system according to the first to eighth aspects is surely constructed. be able to.

[0030]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vending machine management system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine management system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vending machine management system includes a plurality of vending machines 100 installed at various locations.
And a management host 20 for centrally managing each vending machine 100
0, a mobile communication terminal 300 used by a user such as an operator who replenishes products or collects sales proceeds, or a serviceman who performs inspection and maintenance, and an authentication host 400 which authenticates a user who accesses the management host 200. The vending machine 100 is accommodated in a first network 501, and the first network 501 is connected to a gateway 50.
4 to the second network 502.
The management host 200 and the authentication host 400 are connected to the second network 502. The mobile communication terminal 300
A terminal capable of communicating with the management host 200 via the second network 502, such as a mobile phone or a PDA (Personal Dig).
ital Assistant) It consists of a terminal. In addition, the portable communication terminal 300 is connected to the third network 50 according to the form.
3 and to the second network 502 via the gateway 505.

Here, each of the networks 501 to 503
May be in any form of communication, such as wireless communication or wired communication. In addition, the protocol may be in any form. In the present embodiment, as the first network 501, P
A dedicated vending machine network using an HS (Personal Handyphone System) was used, the Internet was used as a second network, and a portable communication network such as a PHS was used as a third network.

The vending machine 100 accommodates a product and sells the product to a user (not shown) and a product management unit (not shown) for managing various information such as sales information and operation information. It has. The configurations and operations of the merchandise sales unit and the merchandise management unit are the same as those of the conventional well-known ones, and will not be described here. Each vending machine 100 is assigned a vending machine ID for identifying itself in advance so that the management host 200 can manage each vending machine 100 individually.

The vending machine 100 includes a communication control unit 101 which is an interface with the first network 501,
The lock driving device 102 includes an actuator and a solenoid that open and close the lock by driving a lock (not illustrated) installed on a door (not shown), and a microswitch and an optical sensor that detect the open / closed state of the door. Door open / close detection sensor 1
03. Further, the vending machine 100 includes a lock control unit 104 that controls the lock driving device 102 based on an unlock request and a lock request received from the management host 200 via the communication control unit 101, and a door open / close detection sensor 103. A door management unit 105 that instructs the lock control unit 104 to open and lock based on a detection signal, an unlocking / locking operation by the lock control unit 104, a built-in timer, and the like, and performs various notifications to the management host 200. I have.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned product management unit is a communication control unit 10.
1, various types of management information can be transmitted to and received from the management host 200.

The management host 200 includes a communication control unit 201 which is an interface with the second network 502,
A vending machine central management unit 202 for centrally managing each vending machine 100, and a vending machine database 203 that accumulates various information of each vending machine 100 and is accessed from the vending machine central management unit 202. I have. The vending machine centralized management unit 202 performs centralized management by transmitting and receiving various types of management information to and from each vending machine 100 via the first network 501. The centralized management of the vending machine 100 is the same as the conventionally known one, so that the description is omitted.

The management host 200 also receives an unlocking request and a locking request from the portable communication terminal 300 via the second network 502.
In response to the unlock request and the lock request received by the unlock request receiving unit 204, permission for unlocking and locking is determined, and when the unlock request is received, the vending machine 100 to be opened and closed is requested to open and lock. And unlocking request transmitting unit 20 for transmitting a locking request
5 and an unlocking / locking history recording unit 206 for recording the unlocking / locking history of the vending machine 100.

The vending machine database 203 includes an unlocking permission table 203 containing information on whether or not the unlocking of the vending machine 100 from the management host 200 is permitted.
a. FIG. 2 shows this unlocking permission table 203a.
An example is shown below. As shown in FIG. 2, the unlocking permission table 203a includes a vending machine ID, a vending machine name, an installation location, a door open / closed state, unlocking permission information, and a time period during which unlocking is permitted. It is stored for each device 100.

Further, the vending machine database 203
An unlocking / locking log 203b recorded by the unlocking / locking history recording unit 206 is provided. FIG. 3 shows an example of the unlocking log 203b. As shown in FIG. 3, the unlocking / locking log 203b stores the vending machine ID, the unlocking date and time, the locking date and time, and the user ID of the user who has unlocked and locked.

The mobile communication terminal 300 communicates with the communication control unit 301, which is an interface with the second network 502, the third network 503, etc., for inputting an unlock request and a lock request, and for selecting a vending machine. A user interface unit 302 having a possible input unit and an output unit capable of displaying a vending machine list and the like is provided.

The authentication host 400 includes a communication control unit 401 which is an interface with the second network 502,
An authentication management unit 402 that performs user authentication management and an authentication information database 403 that stores user authentication information are provided. The authentication at the authentication host 400 is performed based on the user ID and password of the user.

Next, the operation of the vending machine management system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the unlocking operation by the vending machine management system, and FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the locking operation by the vending machine management system.

First, a case where the door of the vending machine 100 is requested to be unlocked will be described. A user, such as an operator or a service person, sends the vending machine 10 to the portable communication terminal 300.
The unlock request and the authentication information including the user ID and the password are input (step S1), and the unlock request and the authentication information are transmitted to the management host 200 (step S1).
2).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
When receiving the unlock request and the authentication information from the portable communication terminal 300, the terminal 04 transmits the authentication information to the authentication host 400 to perform user authentication (step S3).

The authentication management unit 402 of the authentication host 400
When the authentication information is received from the management host 200, the user is authenticated based on the authentication information and the authentication information database 403 (step S4). Then, the authentication result is returned to the management host 200 (step S5).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
In step S04, the authentication result received from the authentication host 400 is determined, and if the user authentication fails, the process ends (step S6). On the other hand, if user authentication is successful,
Unlocking permission table 20 of vending machine database 203
A list of vending machines 100 is generated based on 3a and transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 300 (step S7).

The portable communication terminal 300 displays the received list of vending machines 100, and the user selects the vending machine 100 for which unlocking is requested from the list (step S8). Then, the selection result is returned to the management host 200 (step S9).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
04 transfers the selection result received from the mobile communication terminal and the unlock request to the unlock request transmission unit 205. The unlocking / locking request transmission unit 205 refers to the unlocking permission table 203a of the vending machine database 203, and indicates that the selected vending machine 100 is unlocked and the current time is unlocked. It is determined whether or not it is within the time zone for permitting (step S10). If the result of the determination is that unlocking is permitted, an unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine 100 (step S11).

When receiving the unlock request from the management host 200, the lock control unit 104 of the vending machine 100 controls the lock driving device 102 to unlock the lock installed on the door (step S12). Then, the management host 20 reports that the lock has been unlocked.
0 is notified (step S13). Here, the door management unit 1
In step 05, the lock drive device 102 is unlocked and timekeeping is started, and it is determined whether the door open / close detection sensor 103 detects the opening of the door within a predetermined time (step S14). And
If the opening of the door is not detected within the predetermined time, the locking is instructed to the lock driving device 102 (step S1).
5), the lock is notified to the management host 200 (step S16).

The unlocking / locking history recording unit 2 of the management host 200
06 receives the unlocking notification or the locking notification from the vending machine 100, and records this in the unlocking / locking log 203b of the vending machine database 203 (step S17).

Next, the case where the door of the vending machine 100 is requested to be locked will be described. A user, such as an operator or a service person, sends the vending machine 10 to the portable communication terminal 300.
A lock request of 0 and authentication information including a user ID and a password are input (step S21), and the lock request and the authentication information are transmitted to the management host 200 (step S21).
22).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
When receiving the lock request and the authentication information from the mobile communication terminal 300, the 04 transmits the authentication information to the authentication host 400 to perform user authentication (Step S23).

The authentication management unit 402 of the authentication host 400
When the authentication information is received from the management host 200, the user is authenticated based on the authentication information and the authentication information database 403 (step S24). Then, the authentication result is returned to the management host 200 (step S25).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
In step S04, the authentication result received from the authentication host 400 is determined, and if the user authentication fails, the process ends (step S26). On the other hand, if the user authentication is successful, a list of vending machines 100 is generated based on the unlocking permission table 203a of the vending machine database 203,
This is transmitted to portable communication terminal 300 (step S2).
7).

The portable communication terminal 300 displays the received list of vending machines 100, and the user selects the vending machine 100 for which locking is requested from the list (step S28). Then, the selection result is returned to the management host 200 (step S29).

The unlocking request receiving unit 2 of the management host 200
04 transfers the selection result and the lock request received from the mobile communication terminal to the unlocking request transmitting unit 205. The unlocking / locking request transmission unit 205 refers to the unlocking permission table 203a of the vending machine database 203 and determines whether or not the door of the selected vending machine 100 is open (step S30). If the result of determination is that the door is open, a lock request is transmitted to the vending machine 100 (step S31).

When receiving the lock request from the management host 200, the lock control unit 104 of the vending machine 100 controls the lock driving device 102 to lock the lock installed on the door (step S32). Then, the management host 20 reports that the lock has been performed.
0 is notified (step S33).

The unlocking / locking history recording unit 2 of the management host 200
06 receives the lock notification from the vending machine 100,
This is referred to as unlocking log 2 of the vending machine database 203.
03b (step S34).

On the other hand, the door management unit 205 of the vending machine always monitors the open / closed state of the door by the door open / close detection sensor 203 when the unlock request is not received from the management host 200 (step S35). ). Then, when the opening of the door is detected, the management host 200 is notified that the door has been opened (step SS36).

According to such a vending machine management system, a user such as an operator or a service person connects to the management host 200 using the portable communication terminal 300, and opens the vending machine 100 to the management host 200. By issuing a lock request or a lock request, unlocking or locking can be performed without carrying the key of the vending machine 100. This improves the efficiency of operator work, maintenance and inspection work, and the like. Also, when making an unlocking request or a locking request from the mobile communication terminal 300, a vending machine list is sent from the management host 200, and the user only has to select a desired vending machine from this list. It is highly likely. As described above, it is highly convenient for the manager who goes to the place where the vending machine is installed, such as an operator or a service person, to perform the work, and the work efficiency can be improved.

Further, since the user is authenticated in response to the lock request or the unlock request from the portable communication terminal 300, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized user from unlocking the vending machine 100, thereby improving security. It will be expensive. Particularly, in the management host 200, permission conditions for unlocking, such as a time period during which unlocking is possible, can be finely set for each vending machine 100, so that security is further enhanced.

Further, even if the door is unlocked in response to the unlocking request from the portable communication terminal 300, if the door is not opened within a predetermined time, the door is automatically locked. Even in such a case, it is possible to prevent the vending machine 100 from being left in an unlocked state. Thereby, the safety is further improved.

Further, when the door is opened in spite of the fact that there is no unlock request from the portable communication terminal 300, the management host 200 is notified of the opening of the door, so that the security is further enhanced.

Further, when the vending machine 100 is locked or unlocked using the portable communication terminal 300, the locking or unlocking history is recorded as an unlocked lock log 203b. Various managements can be performed by analyzing the unlocking / locking log 203b. For example, unauthorized unlocking or locking can be detected. Also, as exemplified in FIG.
By recording the user ID of the user who has unlocked or locked, together with the unlocking date and time and the locking date and time, management such as confirmation of the user's traveling route and estimation of work time can be performed. In addition, it becomes possible to analyze a proper patrol interval and the like regarding product replenishment. In this manner, the administrator of the vending machine 100 can obtain useful information for conducting a business using the vending machine 100.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this. For example, vending machine 100, management host 200,
The network connecting the portable communication terminal 300 and the authentication host 400 may be in any form.

In the present embodiment, the user authentication is performed in the authentication host 400 different from the management host 200. However, the user may be authenticated in the management host 200. Further, in the present embodiment, the authentication information including the user ID and the password is used as the authentication method, but another authentication method may be used. For example, there are various authentication methods such as voice recognition and fingerprint recognition.

Further, in the present embodiment, the portable communication terminal 3 responds to an unlocking request or a locking request of the portable communication terminal 300.
Although the list of vending machines 100 is transmitted to the vending machine 100 and the permission of unlocking is determined for the vending machine 100 selected by the mobile communication terminal 300, the list of vending machines 100 for which unlocking is permitted is performed. May be generated and sent to the mobile communication terminal 300. As a list of vending machines 100 to be sent, the vending machines 100 in charge of the user may be extracted, and a list may be generated based on the extracted vending machines 100. Further, more detailed unlocking control can be performed by setting unlocking permission for the user or setting unlocking permission for the group to which the user belongs.

Further, in this embodiment, the management host 2
00 received an unlock request or a lock request from the mobile communication terminal 300 and transmitted an unlock request or a lock request to the vending machine 100, but without receiving a request from the mobile communication terminal 300 It goes without saying that a lock request can also be transmitted.

[0069]

As described above in detail, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a door unlocking request or a locking request is transmitted from a management host to a vending machine, thereby opening the vending machine door. It can be unlocked or locked. Therefore, if the vending machine administrator or the maintenance and inspection person requests the management host to transmit a door unlocking request or a lock request to the vending machine, the vending machine has a key corresponding to the vending machine lock. Since the door can be easily opened and closed without any trouble, the working efficiency is improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the management host has unlocking permission information as to whether or not to unlock the door for each vending machine. Unlocking can be prevented beforehand. Further, the permission for unlocking and locking the vending machine can be centrally managed by the management host, so that the management efficiency is improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to manage the status of unlocking and locking of the door using the vending machine management system. This makes it possible to obtain progress and work records of, for example, an operator who performs replenishment of goods, collection of sales proceeds, and the like, and a service person who performs maintenance and inspection, and the like, so that detailed management of vending machines can be performed. .

Further, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the administrator sends a vending machine unlocking request or a locking request from the portable communication terminal to the management host, the management host sends the vending machine an unlocking request. Alternatively, a lock request is transmitted. in this way,
Since the administrator can easily unlock or lock the door of the vending machine using the portable communication terminal without carrying many keys as in the related art, the work efficiency is improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 5, prior to the unlock request from the management host to the vending machine, the authentication of the administrator using the mobile communication terminal is performed, and the unlock request from the mobile communication terminal is performed. Is transmitted from the authenticated administrator's mobile communication terminal, the unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine. Thus, it is possible to manage what can unlock the door of the vending machine and prevent unauthorized unlocking.

Further, according to the invention of claim 6, when the administrator requests unlocking or locking of the vending machine using the portable communication terminal, a list of vending machines is sent from the management host. If a vending machine requesting unlocking or locking is selected from this list, the management host sends an unlocking request or a locking request to the vending machine. In this manner, since the vending machine for unlocking or locking can be selected from the received list, the convenience is high and the operation efficiency of the administrator is improved.

Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 7, the management host is notified that the door has been opened in spite of the fact that the door has not been unlocked based on the unlock request from the management host. In addition, the management host can know that an unauthorized door has been opened.

Further, according to the invention of claim 8, if the vending machine is unlocked in response to the unlocking request from the management host but the door is not actually opened, it is locked after a predetermined time has elapsed. . As a result, for example, when an unlocking request is transmitted to a vending machine different from the requested one due to communication error or the like, or when an unlocking request is transmitted Even if the vending machine is unlocked, the vending machine is locked after a lapse of a predetermined time, thereby improving safety.

Further, according to the invention of claims 9 to 16, the vending machine management system according to claims 1 to 8 can be reliably constructed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine management system.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an unlocking permission table of a vending machine database.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an unlocking log of a vending machine database.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an unlocking operation by the vending machine management system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a locking operation by the vending machine management system.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: vending machine, 102: lock driving device, 103: door open / close detection sensor, 104: lock control unit, 105: door management unit, 200: management host, 202: vending machine central control unit, 203: vending machine Database, 203a: unlocking permission table, 203b: unlocking log, 204: unlocking request receiving unit, 205: unlocking request transmitting unit, 206
... unlocking / locking history recording unit, 300 ... portable communication terminal, 400
… Authentication host

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine which is installed in various places and sells stored goods, and a management host which can communicate with each vending machine via a network, wherein management information is transmitted between each vending machine and the management host. In the vending machine management system for centrally managing each vending machine by performing transmission and reception of the vending machine, the management host includes a lock opening / closing request transmission unit that transmits a door unlocking request or a locking request to the vending machine. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, further comprising lock control means for unlocking or locking a door in response to an unlocking request or a locking request received from a management host. 2. The management host includes lock information management means for managing unlocking permission information for each vending machine, and the lock opening / closing request transmission means of the management host includes unlocking of the lock information management means. Based on the permission information, it is determined whether or not the vending machine targeted for the unlocking request is unlocked, and if the unlocking is permitted, the unlocking request is transmitted to the vending machine. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein 3. The management host according to claim 1, further comprising a history recording unit that records a history of an unlock request or a lock request transmitted to the vending machine. Vending machine management system. 4. The management host further includes a lock opening / closing request receiving unit that receives a vending machine unlocking request or a locking request from a portable communication terminal owned by an administrator via a network, The transmission means transmits an unlock request or a lock request to a target vending machine in response to an unlock request or a lock request received from a mobile communication terminal. Vending machine management system described in the section. 5. An authentication means for prompting the mobile communication terminal, which has transmitted the unlock request, to input authentication information of the administrator, and for confirming the administrator based on the authentication information received from the mobile communication terminal, 5. The vending machine management system according to claim 4, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmitting unit of the management host transmits the unlocking request to the vending machine only when the administrator is authenticated by the authentication unit. . 6. The management host transmits a list of vending machines that can be opened and closed to the mobile communication terminal that has transmitted the unlocking request or the locking request, and sends the vending machine to be opened or closed from the list to the administrator. Vending machine selection means for prompting selection of a vending machine and receiving information on the vending machine selected by the mobile communication terminal, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmission means of the management host is selected by the vending machine selection means. The vending machine management system according to claim 4, wherein the vending machine transmits an unlocking request or a locking request to the vending machine. 7. The vending machine includes: a door open / close detecting unit that detects an open / closed state of the door; and a door open / close detecting unit that detects the opening of the door when the lock control unit does not open the door. The vending machine management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a door opening notifying means for notifying the management host that the door has been opened. 8. The vending machine includes a door opening / closing detection unit for detecting a door opening / closing state, and the lock control unit includes a door opening / closing detecting unit that detects a door opening / closing state in response to an unlocking request received from a management host and waits for a predetermined time. 8. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein the door is locked when the door opening / closing detecting means does not detect the opening of the door. 9. A vending machine management host for centrally managing each vending machine by transmitting / receiving management information via a network to / from vending machines installed in various places and selling stored goods, A vending machine management host, comprising: a lock opening / closing request transmission unit that transmits a door unlocking request or a locking request to a vending machine. 10. A lock information managing means for managing unlocking permission information for each vending machine, and said lock opening / closing request transmitting means transmits an unlock request based on the unlock permission information of said lock information managing means. 10. An unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine, wherein it is determined whether or not the vending machine to be unlocked is permitted, and if unlocking is permitted, an unlock request is transmitted to the vending machine. Vending machine management host. 11. The vending machine management according to claim 9, further comprising history recording means for recording a history of an unlocking request or a locking request transmitted to the vending machine. host. 12. A lock opening / closing request receiving means for receiving a vending machine unlocking request or a locking request from a mobile communication terminal possessed by an administrator via a network, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmitting means receives the request from the mobile communication terminal. 12. The vending machine management host according to claim 9, wherein an unlocking request or a locking request is transmitted to a target vending machine in response to the received unlocking request or locking request. . 13. A list of vending machines that can be opened and closed is transmitted to the portable communication terminal that has transmitted the unlocking request or the locking request, and the administrator is prompted to select a vending machine to be opened or closed from the list. Vending machine selection means for receiving information on the vending machine selected by the mobile communication terminal, wherein the lock opening / closing request transmission means opens the vending machine selected by the vending machine selection means. 13. The vending machine management host according to claim 12, wherein a lock request or a lock request is transmitted. 14. A vending machine centrally managed by a management host by transmitting / receiving management information to / from a management host via a network, in response to an unlocking request or a locking request received from the management host. A vending machine comprising lock control means for unlocking or locking a door. 15. A door opening / closing detecting means for detecting an opening / closing state of a door, and when the door opening / closing detecting means detects the opening of the door when the lock control means does not open the door, the door is sent to the management host. 15. The vending machine according to claim 14, further comprising a door open notifying unit for notifying that the door has been opened. 16. A door opening / closing detecting means for detecting an opening / closing state of a door, wherein the lock control means detects the door opening / closing within a predetermined time after unlocking in response to an unlocking request received from a management host. 16. Locking when the means does not detect the opening of the door.
Vending machine described in the item.