JP2005115682A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vending machine which improves convenience by displaying a proper guidance for a user at the time of his or her throwing in a denomination of money. <P>SOLUTION: This invention is applied to a vending machine provided with a money reception device for receiving thrown-in money and a main control part for controlling sale of articles in accordance with information obtained from the money reception device, and the money reception device is provided with a means which informs the main control part that a denomination of money of which the reception is inhibited by the main control part has been detected, when detecting throwing-in of this denomination of money, and the main control part uses this information to provide various information for the user of the vending machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine having a simple configuration that improves the convenience of purchase when purchasing a product sold by a vending machine.

  In general, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a vending machine is provided with a money transfer device including a bill recognition device 3 and a coin recognition device 4 for determining the type of bills and coins to be inserted on the front surface of the main body 1. On the other hand, sales control of the vending machine is performed by a main control unit 5 provided in the main body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the main control unit 5 is configured to be capable of mutual communication via the money transfer devices 3 and 4 and the transmission path 6 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The main control unit 5 gives a command for prohibiting the sales to the money transfer apparatuses 3 and 4 through the transmission path 6 when performing control of permitting / stopping the sale of the products sold by the vending machine. On the other hand, the money transfer devices 3 and 4 that have received a command to stop selling from the main control unit 5 return the denominations that have been input to the money transfer devices 3 and 4 to the user of the vending machine. The main control unit 5 also instructs the money transfer apparatuses 3 and 4 to designate unusable denominations via the transmission path 6. For example, the main control unit 5 instructs the banknote identification device 3 to prohibit the use of 2000 yen banknotes, or prohibits the coin identification device 4 from using old 500 yen coins.

In general, in the vending machine configured as described above, in detail, the main control unit 5 receives the main CPU 7 for controlling the sales of the vending machine, and the front CPU 2 in response to an instruction from the main CPU 7. Are provided with an input / output unit 8 composed of a display for displaying a product selection button and an input amount, and an interface CPU 9 for controlling the input / output unit 8.
On the other hand, the bill validating device 3 is provided with a bill validator CPU 10 that manages and controls bills inserted into the bill validating device 3 in response to a command from the main controller 5. As will be described in detail later, the bill validator CPU 10 detects a banknote inserted into the banknote recognition device 3, a banknote detection unit 11, a banknote identification unit 12 that determines the type of the inserted banknote and the authenticity of the banknote, and banknote identification. The bill take-in / pay-out mechanism 13 that takes in bills into the device 3 or pays out bills is controlled.

  In addition, the coin identifying device 4 is provided with a coin mechanism CPU 14 that manages and controls the coins inserted into the coin identifying device 4 in response to a command from the main control unit 5. As will be described in detail later, the coin mechanical CPU 14 recognizes the authenticity of the coins to be inserted into the coin discriminating apparatus 4, and the coin swing that sorts the coins for each type of coin identified by the coin discriminating unit 15. The minute mechanism 16 and the coin dispensing mechanism 17 for returning the change or the inserted coin are respectively controlled.

In the vending machine configured as described above, when a banknote or a coin prohibited from being taken in by the main control unit 5 is inserted, the banknote recognition device 3 and the coin identification device 4 notify the main control unit 5. The bill identifying device 3 and the coin identifying device 4 return the bill or the coin, respectively.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-140675

  However, in the vending machine configured as described above, when the sale of the product is stopped by the main control unit 5 or the denomination of use prohibited by the main control unit 5 is made. In this case, the denominations put into the money transfer devices 3 and 4 are simply returned to the return port (not shown) without any guidance. Therefore, there is a problem that the user of the vending machine cannot understand why the input denomination is returned. For this reason, there is a concern that the user of the vending machine may be mistaken for the failure of the vending machine. For this reason, the conventional vending machine has a problem that it misses the opportunity to sell products.

  The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and its purpose is to improve the convenience of the vending machine by displaying an appropriate guidance display at the time of denomination introduction to the vending machine user. Is to provide a vending machine.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the vending machine according to the present invention includes a money transfer device that performs payment for the inserted money, and a main control unit that controls the sale of goods according to information obtained from the money transfer device. The money transfer device detects an input of a denomination that is prohibited from being accepted from the main control unit, or inputs a denomination that is prohibited from being accepted in advance. It is characterized by comprising means for notifying the main control section of information to that effect when detected.

For this reason, the main control unit can perform various guidance to the vending machine user by using the input denomination information notified from the money transfer device, thereby improving the convenience of the vending machine. Can do.
Preferably, when the main control unit instructs the money transfer device to stop selling, a first display form indicating that it is in preparation when receiving a denomination input notification from the money transfer device, A second display form indicating that the denomination is unacceptable when receiving a notice that an unacceptable denomination instructed by the main control unit is received, and an acceptable denomination instructed by the main control unit It is desirable to provide a display in which the third display form showing the amount of money to be inserted is selectively displayed when receiving the notification that the money is inserted.

  More preferably, when the main control unit instructs the monetary exchange device to stop selling, the first voice guidance indicating that it is in preparation when a denomination input notification is received from the monetary exchange device. When receiving an output form and a notification that an unacceptable denomination commanded by the main control unit has been inserted, a second voice guidance output form indicating that the denomination is unacceptable is alternatively output. It is desirable to provide voice guidance output means.

  For this reason, when the main control unit has stopped selling items from the vending machine, or when a denomination prohibited by the main control unit is thrown into the money transfer device, it is prohibited to stop selling or use it. It is possible to display a guidance or voice notification that a denomination has been inserted. Incidentally, the money transfer device is configured as a coin recognition device and / or a bill recognition device.

  As described above, in the vending machine according to the present invention, information indicating that a denomination was inserted during the suspension of sales or information indicating that a denomination that is not permitted to be used was input. The main control unit uses this information to input the denomination to the vending machine user. In some cases, it is possible to provide appropriate guidance, and there is a great practical effect such as the convenience being improved.

Hereinafter, a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The schematic configuration of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of the conventional vending machine described above as shown in FIGS. The money transfer devices 3 and 4 provided in the vending machine basically operate according to the procedure shown in the schematic operation flowchart of FIG.

  In the control procedure illustrated in this flowchart, the main control unit 5 is configured to give a command to permit or prohibit the money transfer devices 3 and 4 from accepting denominations. Specifically, a command (acceptance prohibition command) for prohibiting acceptance of denominations given to the money transfer devices 3 and 4 by the main control unit 5 is a sales stop command for stopping the sale of goods, a predetermined denomination (for example, the old 500) This is an unusable denomination directive that prohibits the acceptance of yen coins, 2000 yen bills, and the like.

  First, the money transfer devices 3 and 4 wait for the insertion of money (coins or banknotes) [Step S1]. When the money transfer devices 3 and 4 determine in step S1 that money has been inserted, as described above, when the sale stop designation (denomination acceptance is not possible) is set in advance from the main control unit 5 [step S2] The main control unit 5 is notified that the denomination has been inserted into the money transfer devices 3 and 4 [step S3]. Then, in response to the insertion of money in step S3, the main control unit 5 displays that it is being prepared on a display unit (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 [step S4]. Next, the money transfer devices 3 and 4 return the inserted money (return process) [Step S5].

  On the other hand, if the money transfer devices 3 and 4 determine in step S2 that the denomination has been input and the main control unit 5 has not received a sale stop designation, the input denomination is the main control unit described above. It is determined whether or not the denomination is not set from 5 [step 6]. When the money transfer devices 3 and 4 determine in step S6 that they are not unusable denominations, the denominations are notified to the main control unit 5 [step S7]. The main control unit 5 pays out the goods desired by the user and gives an instruction for the settlement process to the money transfer apparatuses 3 and 4 (normal sales process) [Step S8].

  Further, when the money transfer devices 3 and 4 determine that a denomination that is not permitted in step S6 has been inserted, the money transfer device 3 and 4 notifies the main control unit 5 of the denomination [step S9]. Then, the main control unit 5 displays on the display unit (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 that a denomination that is not permitted to be used has been inserted [Step S10] and the money transfer device 3 , 4 is issued (deletion process) for the input denomination (Step S11).

As described above, the vending machine according to the present invention is characterized in that, when a denomination that is not instructed to stop sales or use is input to the money transfer devices 3 and 4, this input information is sent to the main control unit 5. It has a means to notify.
Schematically, the banknote identification device 3 of the vending machine according to the present invention that operates based on the flowchart as described above will be described in more detail based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here, first, the main control unit 5 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 4 showing an operation procedure when the banknote identification device 3 outputs a command to stop selling with banknotes due to, for example, a change of money.

  First, the main control unit 5 instructs the banknote recognition device 3 to stop selling, that is, instructs the banknote acceptance prohibition [step S20]. The bill validator CPU 10 of the bill validator 3 receives a bill acceptance prohibition command from the main control unit 5 [Step S21], and gives an instruction to start bill sensing to the bill sensing unit 11 [Step S22], and bill fetch / A banknote take-in stop command for stopping the take-in of banknotes is given to the dispensing mechanism 13 [step S23].

Next, the bill detector 11 waits for a bill to be inserted into a slot (not shown) [step S24]. When the bill validator CPU 10 senses that a bill has been inserted into the slot in step S24, the bill validator CPU 10 sets the sensing flag to ON [step S25] and transmits this sensing flag to the main controller 5 [ Step S26].
The main control unit 5 receives the data in which the detection flag is set [step S27], and uses the voice synthesizer (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 to indicate that the inserted banknote cannot be used. Guidance is performed [step S28]. The notification made by the speech synthesizer in step S28 is output as a voice, for example, “You can't use the bill right now”. Of course, a display provided in the input / output unit 8 may display that the inserted bill cannot be used.

  Next, when the main control unit 5 prohibits the banknote recognition device 3 from using only 2000 yen bills and permits the use of other denomination bills, the procedure will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. To do. In this figure, in order to facilitate the understanding of the operation procedure of the banknote recognition device 3, only 1000 yen bills are set as usable banknotes and 2000 yen bills are set as unusable banknotes. is there. However, it goes without saying that bills can be taken / returned in the same manner if other types of bills are similarly set to be usable or unusable.

  The main control unit 5 then permits the banknote recognition device 3 to accept 1000 yen bills (acceptance), and issues a command not to accept 2000 yen bills (unusable) [step S30]. The bill validator CPU 10 of the bill validator 3 receives a 1000 yen bill acceptance permission command and a 2000 yen bill unusable command from the main control unit 5 [step S31], and gives an instruction via the bill sensing to the bill sensing unit 11 [step S31]. S32]. And the banknote detection part 11 waits for insertion of a banknote [step S33]. The bill validator CPU 10 issues an instruction for taking in the banknote to the banknote take-in / out mechanism 13 when the banknote detector 11 detects the insertion of the banknote in step S33 [step S34]. And the banknote taking in / out mechanism 13 which received this taking-in instruction takes in the inserted banknote [Step S35].

  Thus, the banknote taken into the banknote identification device 3 is judged by the banknote identification part 12 whether it is a 1000 yen bill or a 2000 yen bill [step S36]. When it is determined that the banknote taken in step S36 is a 1000 yen bill, the banknote identification unit 12 further determines whether the 1000 yen bill is a regular banknote [step S37]. If it is determined in step S37 that the 1000-yen bill is a regular bill, the bill validator CPU 10 transmits an acceptance notification that the 1000-yen bill has been correctly received to the main control unit 5 [step S38]. The main control unit 5 receives the reception notification output by the banknote identification device 3 [step S39], and causes the input / output unit 8 to turn on the acceptance display of the 1000 yen bill and the product that can be sold [step S40].

  On the other hand, when it determines with the banknote identification part 12 being a 2000 yen bill in step S35 by step S36, it further determines whether the 2000 yen bill is a regular banknote [step S41]. If it is determined in step S41 that the 2000 yen bill is a regular bill, the bill validator CPU 10 determines that the 2000 yen bill is prohibited [step S42], and the 2000 yen bill is in spite of the 2000 yen bill prohibited state. The prohibition acceptance flag indicating that is inserted is turned on [step S43]. Thus, the bill validator CPU 10 outputs a payout command to the banknote take-in / payout mechanism 13 to pay out the banknotes taken into the banknote recognition device 3 [step S44]. The banknote take-in / payout mechanism 13 performs a payout operation for paying out the banknotes taken into the banknote recognition apparatus 3 in response to the discharge command [Step S45].

  Next, when the prohibition acceptance flag described above is set, the bill validator CPU 10 transfers information that the 2000 yen bill has been inserted to the main control unit 5 [step S46]. The main control unit 5 receives the information that the 2000 yen has been inserted [Step S47], and using the voice synthesizer (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8, the inserted bill cannot be used. [Step S48]. The notification performed by the speech synthesizer in step S48 is output as a voice such as “2000 yen bills cannot be handled”. Of course, a display provided in the input / output unit 8 may display that the inserted 2000 yen bill cannot be used.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the banknotes inserted in step S37 and step S41 are not regular banknotes (fake banknotes), steps S44 and S45 are sequentially executed. In this case, since the prohibition acceptance flag set by the bill validator CPU 10 is not set in step S42, the banknote recognition device 3 returns to the standby state.
Next, the coin identification device 4 of the vending machine according to the present invention which operates based on the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 3 will be described in more detail based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. Here, first, description will be made based on FIG. 6 showing a flowchart when the main control unit 5 outputs a command to stop selling with money due to, for example, out of goods or change to the coin identifying device 4.

First, the main control unit 5 instructs the coin discriminating apparatus 4 to stop selling, that is, instructs to prohibit the acceptance of coins [Step S50]. The coin mechanical CPU 14 of the coin identifying device 4 receives a command to stop selling from the main control unit 5 [Step S51], and gives a coin acceptance prohibition command to the coin identifying unit 15 [Step S52].
Next, the coin identifying unit 15 determines whether or not it has been inserted but is a genuine coin [step S53]. When the coin identifying unit 15 determines that the coin inserted in step S53 is a genuine coin, the coin identifying unit 15 performs the acceptance prohibition instruction in step S52, so that the coin identifying unit 15 returns the coin. The correct coin determination is forcibly corrected to the false coin determination [step S54]. In addition, when the coin identification part 15 determines with the coin thrown in step S53 being a fake coin, it transfers control to the following step S55.

  In this way, the coin identifying unit 15 that has performed the false value determination for both the genuine coin and the false value coin sets (turns on) a flag (identification flag) indicating the result (with false coin insertion). In addition to transmitting to the coin mechanism CPU 14 [step S55], a command for passing the coins inserted into the coin identifying unit 15 is given to the coin sorting mechanism 16 [step S56]. Then, the coin distribution mechanism 16 allows the inserted coins to pass through [Step S57]. As described above, the coin identifying device 4 passes (dispenses) the inserted coin, and then notifies the main control unit 5 that the coin has been inserted [step S58].

The main control unit 5 receives this identification flag [step S59] and uses a speech synthesizer (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 to generate a voice message such as “I am currently preparing”. [Step S59a]. Of course, in step S59a, the main control unit 5 may display on the display (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 that the vending machine is being prepared.
Next, the case where the main control unit 5 permits or prohibits the coin identifying device 4 from using the old 500 yen coin will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. In addition, in this figure, in order to make an understanding easy, it illustrated about the use of old 500 yen coin, but the vending machine which concerns on this invention can be similarly used also about another kind of coin. Alternatively, it can be set as unusable.

  The main control unit 5 notifies the coin discriminating apparatus 4 of whether or not the old 500 yen coin can be accepted [step S60]. When the main control unit 5 permits the acceptance of the old 500 yen coin [step S61], the coin mechanism CPU 14 issues a command to accept the old 500 yen coin to the coin identification unit 15 [step S62]. And the coin identification part 15 identifies whether the old 500 yen coin thrown into the coin identification device 4 is a genuine coin [step S63]. When it is determined that the coin inserted in step S63 is a genuine coin, the coin identifying unit 15 issues a command to accept the coin to the coin sorting mechanism 16 [step S64]. And the coin distribution mechanism 16 receives the coin inserted in response to this coin acceptance command [Step S65]. Next, the coin mechanism CPU 14 transmits an acceptance signal indicating that the old 500 yen coin has been accepted to the main control unit 5 [step S66].

The main control unit 5 receives a coin acceptance signal from the coin mechanism CPU 14 [Step S67], and causes the input / output unit 8 to light up a display of a 500 yen coin acceptance display and a product that can be sold [Step S68].
On the other hand, when the main control unit 5 prohibits the coin identifying device 4 from using the old 500 yen coin in step S61, the coin mechanical CPU 14 instructs the coin identifying unit 15 to prohibit the acceptance of the old 500 yen coin. [Step S69]. Then, the coin identifying unit 15 identifies whether the inserted old 500 yen coin is a genuine coin or a false value [step S70]. When the coin identifying unit 15 determines in step S70 that the inserted old 500 yen coin is a genuine coin, since the use of the old 500 yen coin is prohibited as described above, the old 500 yen coin is used. In order to reimburse, it is forcibly changed to fake coin determination [step S71]. The coin identifying unit 15 turns on a correction determination flag in which the coin inserted after receiving the false coin determination is a false coin [Step S72].

  And the coin identification part 15 gives the instruction | indication which passes the coin determined to be a fake coin to the coin distribution mechanism 16 [step S73]. Then, the coin distribution mechanism 16 passes the inserted coins and pays them out to the return port [Step S74]. At this time, the coin mechanism CPU 14 sets the correction determination flag in which the old 500 yen inserted into the coin identifying device 4 by the coin identifying unit 15 in step S72 is determined to be a genuine coin, and therefore the old 500 yen coin is used. The main control unit 5 is notified that the original coin of the old 500 yen coin has been inserted in spite of being prohibited [step S75].

  On the other hand, the main control unit 5 receives a notification of insertion of the old 500 yen coin from the coin mechanism CPU 14 [Step S76], and uses a speech synthesizer (not shown) provided in the input / output unit 8 to, for example, “old 500”. Sound output such as “Yen cannot be handled”. Of course, the main control unit 5 may display on the indicator provided in the input / output unit 8 that the old 500 yen coin cannot be used.

  In addition, the coin identification part 15 performs step S73, S74 sequentially, when it is judged that the coin thrown in step S63 and step S70 is a fake coin. In this case, the correction determination flag is off because the coin identifying unit 15 does not perform the processes of steps S71 and S72. For this reason, the coin mechanism CPU 14 again shifts to a standby state waiting for coin input [step S75].

  Thus, according to the vending machine configured as described above, when the money transfer devices 3 and 4 detect the insertion of the denomination prohibited from being accepted from the main control unit 5, the detection information is notified to the main control unit 5. Sales stop when the main control unit stops selling vending machine items or when a denomination prohibited by the main control unit is inserted into the money transfer device. Alternatively, it is possible to display a guidance or make a voice notification that a denomination whose use is prohibited is inserted. For this reason, it is possible to give appropriate advice to the user of the vending machine, and the convenience of the vending machine can be improved.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a general vending machine. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the main control part, banknote identification device, and coin identification device which are applied to the vending machine shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the general | schematic control procedure which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the banknote identification device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention (at the time of banknote acceptance prohibition). It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the banknote identification device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention (at the time of 2000 yen bill acceptance prohibition). It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the coin identification device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention (at the time of coin acceptance prohibition). It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the coin identification device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention (at the time of old 500 yen coin acceptance prohibition).

Explanation of symbols

3 Banknote recognition device 4 Coin recognition device 5 Main control unit 7 Main CPU
10 Bill Bali CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Banknote detection part 12 Banknote identification part 13 Banknote taking in / out mechanism 14 Coinmechanism CPU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Coin identification part 16 Coin distribution mechanism 17 Coin delivery mechanism

Claims (4)

A vending machine including a money transfer device that performs payment for money inserted and a main control unit that controls the sale of goods according to information obtained from the money transfer device,
When the money transfer device detects the input of a denomination that is prohibited from being accepted from the main control unit, or detects the input of a denomination that is prohibited from being accepted in advance, information indicating that is sent to the money transfer device. A vending machine comprising means for notifying a main control unit. The main control unit, when instructing the money transfer device to stop selling, is a first display form indicating that it is in preparation when receiving a denomination input from the money transfer device, the main control A second display form indicating that the denomination is unacceptable upon receipt of a notification that an unacceptable denomination instructed by the department has been inserted, and an acceptable denomination instructed by the main control section The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a display in which a third display form indicating the amount of money to be inserted when the received notification is received is alternatively displayed and set. The vending machine according to claim 1 or 2,
A first voice guidance output form indicating that the main control unit is preparing when receiving a notice of denomination input from the money transfer device when the money transfer device is instructed to stop selling; and A voice guidance output in which a second voice guidance output form indicating that the denomination is unacceptable is alternatively output when receiving a notification that an unacceptable denomination instructed by the main control unit is received A vending machine comprising means.   The vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the money transfer device includes a coin recognition device and / or a bill recognition device.

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