JP2002308395A - Fuel oil self-filling equipment with amusement function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide fuel oil self-filling equipment convenient for a customer and attracts customers by stimulating their desire for fun. SOLUTION: A service station with this fuel self-filling equipment 1 is located on the premises where different business style stores are also located. The equipment 1 includes a touch panel 22 working as an input means for accepting a customer's order for a fuel oil being input by the customer and also as a display means for displaying an image for prompting the customer to operate for an order and for displaying an image for guiding the customer how to fill the oil, a controller unit 10 having a memory storing a probability setting table, and a printer 50 for issuing a receipt, etc., and is provided with an order machine 3 able to offer a fuel oil filling customer a prize winning roulette game and a fuel oil filling machine 5. The probably setting table can be changed according to a period, a day of the week, a time zone, the customer's sex, the amount of order for fuel oil and the method of payment for the fuel oil ordered. According to the table, the customer can win or lose the roulette. When the customer wins, a gift certificate usable at the stores on the premises is issued by the printer 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refueling device for supplying fuel oil to an automobile, and more particularly to a self-refueling device in which a customer himself performs a refueling operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in gas stations, an attendant refueling system in which a worker at a gas station carries out refueling work has been adopted. However, in recent years, due to advances in safety technology and deregulation, customers themselves have been required to refuel. The self-service refueling system has been approved and has begun to spread. For this reason, various refueling devices adapted to self-refueling have been developed.

[0003]

However, there have been various efforts to improve safety and operability so far, but all of them are for solving the problems that have been noticed also in the conventional attendant system, and are convenient for customers. There are still few proposals that focus on the aspects of sex and customer attraction.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a self-refueling device capable of improving customer convenience and improving the ability to attract customers by stimulating the playfulness of customers. is there.

[0005]

The present invention solves the above problems by the following means.

That is, according to the present invention, an input means for receiving an order for fuel oil by a customer himself, a display means for displaying an image prompting the customer to perform an order operation and a guide image for a fueling operation by the customer himself, A roulette game for a prize is started in response to a signal indicating completion of a refueling operation by a customer, an operation of the roulette game is simulated on the display means, and a stop operation of the roulette via the input means is performed. Means for prompting the customer and a stop operation of the roulette by the customer, and determines whether the prize is won by the roulette game based on a preset probability table, and displays the determined result on the display means. Self-service with an amusement function, which includes means for performing a gift certificate or a service providing ticket in the case of winning. Oil device is provided.

According to the self-refueling device with an amusement function according to the present invention, input means for receiving an order for fuel oil by the customer himself / herself, an image prompting the customer to perform an order operation, and a guide image of the customer's own fueling operation are displayed. And a display means for performing a refueling operation, even if the customer is unfamiliar with self-refueling. Thereby, a self-lubricating device excellent in convenience is provided.

The self-refueling device with an amusement function starts a prize roulette game in response to the completion of the refueling operation by the customer, and receives a preset operation of the roulette by receiving a stop operation of the roulette by the customer. Since means for determining whether or not the prize is won by the roulette game based on the probability table is provided, it is possible to stimulate the playfulness of the customer without boring the refueling customer during the waiting time such as the receipt issuing time. Further, in the case of a winning, the printing means prints a gift certificate or a service providing ticket, so that a self-refueling device with an amusement function capable of increasing customer attracting power is provided.

The probability table can be changed in accordance with an arbitrary parameter, and this parameter includes at least a period, a day of the week, a time zone, the gender of the customer, an order quantity of fuel oil, and a settlement method of the order price. It is desirable to include any of them. Thus, by varying the prize probability according to the time of day, gender, and other customer attracting conditions, it is possible to eliminate the variation in the operation rate of the refueling device and to guide the refueling customers of a desired customer class to visit the store. In the case of adopting a membership system that gives preferential treatment to fixed customers, it is possible to promote the increase of members by setting the probability table for the settlement method so that the winning probability of members is improved. This provides a self-refueling device with an amusement function that can contribute to stabilization of management.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the self-refueling device with an amusement function comprises: a money receiving means for receiving the insertion of money; and a money returning means for returning money corresponding to a difference between the received money and the price. Further prepare.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The self-refueling device with an amusement function further includes a card processing machine that processes information of a card for settlement of sales price. This allows the customer to select various credit cards as one of the settlement means, thereby further improving customer convenience. Further, the card includes at least one of a credit card and an IC card. When a card processor capable of reading and writing IC card information with excellent security is provided, the security of transactions can be enhanced on both the customer side and the store side.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The self-refueling device with an amusement function is installed at a gas station where stores of different business types are provided in the same premises, and the printing means is the gift certificate or the service provision that can be exchanged or provided at the stores of the different business types. Print the ticket. In this case, it is possible to guide a customer who has visited the gas station to a store of another business type, so that the customer collection rate of the entire store can be increased.

[0013]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an installation example of an embodiment of a self-fueling device with an amusement function according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the self-fueling device 1 with an amusement function of the present embodiment is installed on an island IL of a gas station SS in a multipurpose store. The multipurpose store shown in FIG. 1 includes a convenience store CVS, a restaurant RT, and a pharmacy DS, in addition to the gas station SS.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-lubricating device 1 with an amusement function according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the self-fueling device 1 with an amusement function includes an ordering machine 3 and a fueling machine 5 provided on the island IL.

The ordering machine 3 receives a fuel oil order from a customer, sends a signal for instructing refueling to the refueling machine 5 via a wiring 7, receives an order price, and reads various cards. A protective cover DC for protecting the internal device from dust is provided on the front surface of the ordering machine 3. The specific configuration of the ordering machine 3 will be described later.

The refueling machine 5 incorporates a system of three oil types of regular gasoline, high-octane gasoline, and light oil, and has a wire 74 for suspending a refueling hose 72 and a refueling nozzle 62 attached to a tip of the refueling hose 72. There is a nozzle hook 64 for stopping, and a nozzle switch 66 for detecting the hooking of the refueling nozzle 62. The oil supply hose 72 is connected to an oil supply pipe (not shown), and supplies fuel oil supplied from an oil storage tank (not shown) of each oil type by a pump (not shown) provided below (underground) the island. It is conveyed to the nozzle 62.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the ordering machine 3. For clarity of explanation, the protective cover DC is omitted in the front view shown in FIG. The order machine 3 includes a controller unit 10, an order operation unit 20, a bill unit 30, a currency unit 40, and a printer 50. The controller unit 10 is connected to a central management device (not shown), controls the entire self-fueling device 1 with an amusement function, and includes a random number generation circuit (not shown) and a memory (not shown). The memory is provided with an area for storing a probability setting table for the prize roulette game, which will be described later, and a memory area for determining whether or not the roulette game is appropriate. The order operation unit 20 includes a touch panel 22 serving both as a display unit and an input unit, a card reader 25 provided in a credit / member card insertion slot 24, and an IC card reading / writing provided in an IC card insertion opening 26. And a speaker SP for voice guidance. The card reader 25 reads the information of the credit / member card through the credit / member card insertion slot 24 by the customer, and communicates between the controller unit 10 and a management computer of the credit company via the central management device (not shown). Credit /
Exchange payment information. In addition, IC card reading / writing machine 2
7, a customer reads information of an IC card through the IC card insertion slot 26, and exchanges settlement information between the controller unit 10 and a management computer of a credit company or a bank via a central management device (not shown). Along with
Write the information after payment to the IC card. Banknote unit 3
0 accepts the insertion of bills when the customer selects cash settlement, and returns the bills as fishing when there are fishing bills. Similarly, the money unit 4
0 accepts the insertion of money from the money insertion slot 42 and returns change to the coin return slot 44.

A series of operations of the self-fueling device 1 with an amusement function according to the present embodiment will be described below. FIG. 4-
FIG. 8 shows a specific example of an operation screen displayed on the touch panel 22 of the ordering machine 3.

When a customer who visits the store refuels at the refueling station S
4A is displayed on the touch panel 22 when the vehicle is placed sideways on the island IL of S, gets off the vehicle, and opens the protective cover DC (see FIG. 2) of the ordering machine 3. Touch buttons B2 to B8 for selecting a transaction settlement method are displayed on the touch panel 22, and a message prompting the user to select a payment method is displayed above the touch buttons B2 to B8. You. In the ordering machine 3 of the present embodiment,
"Cash" (touch button B2), "credit" (touch button B4), "membership card" (touch button B6) and "IC
It is configured to be able to select four types of settlement methods of "card" (touch button B8). The “member card” is a dedicated card issued by the store in order to give various benefits to customers in cooperation with a desired credit sales company or the like. In addition, at the upper left of the touch panel 22, a “call clerk” button B1 is displayed for the customer to call a clerk when the operation method is unknown or when any trouble occurs. This button B1
Is always displayed on the screen prompting the customer for some operation (see FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, and 8).

Here, for example, when the customer enters the “credit” button B
4 or when the "member card" button B6 is pressed, a screen schematically showing the whole of the order operation section 20 is displayed together with the message "Please pass the card" as shown in FIG. The customer is prompted to pass a credit card or a membership card through the credit / membership card slot 24 to read the information. In addition,
A “cancel” button B12 is displayed in the lower left corner of the touch panel 22 in case the customer wants to cancel the operation. This point will be described with reference to FIGS.
This is common to the screens up to (a). Further, for the customer who wants the receipt, a screen for confirming whether the receipt is issued is displayed as shown in FIG. 4C (buttons B14 and B1).
6). Further, in the screen shown in FIG.
When the card button B8 is pressed, a screen prompting the customer to insert an IC card into the IC card reader insertion slot 26 is displayed in a similar manner, though not shown. If the customer chooses to pay by cash, the products / items shown in FIG.
Move to the screen for specifying the quantity etc.

When the designation of the payment is completed, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the screen is switched to a screen prompting the user to specify the type of oil desired to be refueled. Here, "regular" button B22, "high octane" button B24 and "light oil"
Button B26 is displayed. When the ordering machine 3 is connected to a refueling machine that can supply four types of oils, a button B28 for selecting a fourth type of oil can be displayed in an empty area at the lower right of the screen.

When the customer designates a desired oil type, FIG.
As shown in (b), a screen prompting the user to specify the refueling amount is displayed. Here, the numeric keypad button B34 and the “liter” button B
In addition to the method of directly specifying the amount of refueling at 38, the ten-key button B3
4 and a method of specifying the amount by using the “yen” button B36;
By pressing the "full tank" button 32, a method of designating a fuel supply amount until the fuel tank of the automobile of the customer is filled with the fuel oil can be selected. FIG. 5C is an example of a screen that prompts the customer to confirm the specified refueling amount. The example shown in the figure is a screen when the customer selects settlement by cash and designates “high octane” gasoline at 18.00 liters. In this example, cash settlement is selected,
A message "Please insert cash" is displayed, prompting the customer to input cash. Also, in this example, since the customer has put only the amount of cash that is less than the cash corresponding to the specified refueling amount, the quantity that can be refueled within the range of the inserted amount is displayed, and a screen prompting the customer to confirm. Has become. When the customer presses the confirmation button B44, a command signal is sent from the controller unit 10 to the refueling machine 5, and the specified amount of fuel oil of the specified oil type system is supplied (if the amount is less than the specified amount, refueling is possible. Supply quantity).

Next, as shown in FIG. 6A, the touch panel 22 is switched to a screen for prompting the customer to start a refueling operation. The customer removes the refueling nozzle 62 from the nozzle hook 64 of the refueling machine 5 (see FIG. 2) according to the message “Please insert the nozzle into the refueling port and start refueling” on the screen (see FIG. 2). (Not shown) by inserting the refueling nozzle 62 and grasping its lever,
Supply fuel oil of the specified oil type. In the meantime, as shown in FIG. 6B, a screen is displayed on the touch panel 22 to prompt the user to return the fueling nozzle 62 to the original state after the fueling operation is completed.

When the refueling of the quantity specified by the ordering machine 3 is completed and the customer returns the refueling nozzle 62 to the nozzle hook 64,
This is detected by the nozzle switch 66 (see FIG. 2),
A signal indicating that the refueling operation has been completed is sent from refueling machine 5 to ordering machine 3. Order machine 3 receives this signal,
Before issuing a receipt (see FIG. 8), a prize roulette game characteristic of the present embodiment is started.

FIG. 7A is a specific example of a screen schematically showing the start of a roulette game. On the screen shown in the figure, images of balloons BL1 to BL4 representing "round"
The images of the balloons BU1 to BU4 representing “out” are alternately arranged at predetermined intervals around the “stop” button B52,
Further, a state in which the image character CR moves so as to go around the images of these balloons is shown. While the image character CR is moving, a melody sound representing the state is output from the speaker SP. Touch panel 2
In the upper part of the screen of 2, "Stop with STOP button."
Is displayed, prompting the customer to press the "STOP" button B52. The method of setting the hit / miss of the roulette game will be described later in detail.

When the customer presses the "STOP" button B52, the roulette is stopped, and in the case of a hit, a lively melody voice is output from the speaker SP, and FIG.
As shown in (b), the effect and the contents of the prize are displayed on the touch panel 22. In the example shown in FIG.
One 350-meter can of the cola is displayed as a prize, and a message to the effect that it can be exchanged for an actual item at the convenience store CVS shown in FIG. 1 is also displayed.

When the roulette game is over, a settlement screen is displayed on the touch panel 22 as shown in FIG. 8, a receipt is issued from the printer 50 of the ordering machine 3, and a prize is shown as shown in FIG. Is issued as a gift certificate. If there is change, the change is returned from the coin return slot 44 and the
Is returned from a bill return port (not shown).

As described above, according to the self-fueling device 1 with the amusement function of the present embodiment, the operation method is guided by using the touch panel 22 so that the customer can easily perform the self-fueling operation by simple operation. Since the roulette game is executed using the waiting time from the end of the refueling operation to the issuance of the receipt, the playfulness of the customer can be stimulated. Further, since the prize is added to the roulette game, it is possible to promote the customer to other corners in the same premises as a winning ticket. In the above-described example, a gift certificate exchangeable at the convenience store CVS is issued as a winning ticket. However, a gift certificate exchangeable at a restaurant RT or a pharmacy DS may be issued, for example.
As a result, customers can enjoy the provision of services that could not be obtained at conventional gas stations at the same time. On the other hand, stores can not only attract customers at gas stations SS, but also sell other products such as convenience stores CVS and restaurants RT.・ The ability to attract customers to service corners can be improved.
Regarding the selection of a prize, various plans can be incorporated by, for example, sponsorship of a restaurant RT or a supplier.

A method of setting the above-described roulette game will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a plurality of probability setting tables stored in a memory (not shown) of the controller unit 10. The probability setting table shown in the figure is set for each day and time zone, and the winning probability of the roulette game varies according to the time zone on the vertical axis of the table. Thus, for example, by increasing the winning probability in a time zone in which the number of visitors is expected to decrease, particularly in the late-night time zone, guiding customers in such a time zone and improving the average operation rate of the gas station SS. Can be. Also,
FIG. 10 shows an example of the probability setting table for each day of the week and time zone. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the probability may be varied according to various parameters such as the gender, refueling amount, and settlement method of the customer. . Such setting and changing of the probability setting table can be easily executed by using a central management device (not shown).

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a memory area provided in the memory of the controller unit 10 for determining whether or not a roulette is hit (hit or miss).
In the memory area shown in the figure, 100 addresses are provided, and each address corresponds to the ordinal number of a customer's car who has visited the gas station SS within a predetermined time period. When the refueling amount designation operation by the customer is completed, the controller unit 10
Is generated by a random number generation circuit (not shown) for each probability value according to the probability table, and the remainder value obtained by dividing each by 100 is determined as a hit value, and the hit value is stored in a memory area at an address corresponding to the hit value. Set the flag “1”. When the same remainder value is generated, a random number is generated again to determine a winning value. In this embodiment, 1
Since the probability fluctuates with time, if there are 100 or more visits within one hour, the memory area in which the hit value is set is cleared once and the above procedure is repeated.

If the customer's car matches the address of the hit value (flag "1"), for example, address 4 (4
If this is the case, the controller unit 10 causes the random number generation circuit to generate a random number again at the start of roulette, and sets a remainder value obtained by dividing the random number by 4 as the stop position of the image character CR. As a result, after a lapse of a predetermined number of seconds after the “STOP” button B52 is pressed, the image characters CR are displayed in the balloon images BL1 to BLB of FIG.
Stop near any of L4. Similarly, if the customer's car matches the address of the outlier (flag “2”), for example, if the address is 5 (fifth car) in FIG. 11, the image character CR is the balloon image BU1 to BU4 in FIG. Stop near any of.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously applied within the technical scope. For example, FIG.
8 can also be changed as appropriate. Further, the rotation time of the roulette can be changed as appropriate.

[0035]

As described in detail above, the present invention has the following effects.

That is, according to the present invention, a roulette game for a prize is executed for a refueling customer, and in response to the operation of stopping the roulette by the refueling customer, the success or failure of the prize is determined based on a preset probability table. Means for determining, and printing means for printing a gift certificate or a service providing ticket in the case of winning,
Therefore, it is possible to provide a self-refueling device with an amusement function that enhances the ability to attract customers by stimulating the playfulness of customers.

The self-refueling device with an amusement function according to the present invention is installed at a gas station provided on the same premises by stores of different business types, and the above-mentioned gift certificate or the above-mentioned gift certificate which can be used in the stores of different business types by the printing means. In the case of issuing a service providing ticket, it is possible to enhance not only the above-mentioned gas station, but also the overall ability to attract customers including the stores of the different business types.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an installation example of an embodiment of a self-fueling device with an amusement function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of one embodiment of a self-fueling device with an amusement function according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of an order machine provided in the self-fueling device with an amusement function shown in FIG. 2;

4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen displayed on a touch panel of the ordering machine shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen displayed on the touch panel of the ordering machine shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen displayed on the touch panel of the ordering machine shown in FIG.

7 is a view showing a specific example of a screen showing a state of a roulette game by the ordering machine shown in FIG. 3;

8 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen displayed on the touch panel of the ordering machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example of a gift certificate as a prize of a roulette game.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a plurality of probability setting tables stored in a memory of a controller unit included in the ordering machine illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a memory area provided for determining whether a roulette is valid or not in a memory of a controller unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Self-refueling device with amusement function 3 Ordering machine 5 Refueling machine 10 Controller unit 20 Order operation section 22 Touch panel 24 Credit / member card insertion slot 25 Card reader 26 IC card insertion slot 27 IC card reader / writer 30 Banknote unit 40 Currency Unit 42 Money slot 44 Coin return slot 50 Printer 62 Refueling nozzle 64 Nozzle hook 66 Nozzle switch

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An input means for receiving an order for fuel oil by a customer himself, a display means for displaying an image prompting the customer to perform an order operation and a guide image of a fueling operation by the customer himself; Means to start a roulette game for prizes in response to a signal indicating that the roulette game operation is simulated on the display means, and to prompt the customer to stop the roulette via the input means. Means for receiving the roulette stop operation by the customer, determining whether the prize is won by the roulette game based on a preset probability table, and displaying the determined result of the prize on the display means; A self-refueling device with an amusement function, comprising: printing means for printing a gift certificate or a service providing ticket in the case of (1). 2. The self-fueling device with an amusement function according to claim 1, wherein the probability table can be changed according to an arbitrary parameter. 3. The parameter includes a period, a day of the week, a time zone,
The self-refueling device with an amusement function according to claim 2, wherein the self-refueling device with an amusement function includes at least one of the gender of the customer, an order amount of fuel oil, and a settlement method of an order price. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: money receiving means for receiving the input of money; and money returning means for returning money corresponding to a difference between the received money and the price. Self-lubricating device with an amusement function according to the item. 5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a card processor for processing information of a card for settlement of sales price.
The self-lubricating device with an amusement function according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The card according to claim 5, wherein the card includes at least one of a credit card and an IC card.
Self-lubricating device with an amusement function according to the item. 7. A service station installed in a gas station where stores of different business types are provided side by side on the same premises, wherein the printing means prints the gift certificate or the service providing ticket which can be exchanged or provided at the stores of different business types. ,
The self-lubricating device with an amusement function according to claim 1.