JP2007026461A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vending machine that can be easily used by a visually impaired person who uses a vending machine. <P>SOLUTION: A voice generator 54 is connected to each article selection button 53 of the vending machine 51. The operation of each article selection button transfers a voice signal of an article name corresponding to the article selection button from the voice generator to a cellular telephone 57 to facilitate the use by a visually impaired user using vending machine 56. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine with improved usability particularly for visually impaired persons.

  The vending machine is an automatic machine that takes out the goods contained in the vending machine body on condition that you pay the price. It can sell the products unattended, and it can be installed not only indoors but also outdoors. It has a different feature from manned stores in that. Various improvements have been made to the structure of the vending machine itself, and on the vending machine user side, the operation required to select a product has been simplified, and not only cash but also a card can be used. Various services such as those found on cards can also be received. On the other hand, on the vending machine management side, vending machines are incorporated into the network, product replenishment and machine maintenance are streamlined and required for management. Costs are also decreasing.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine that is easy to use for a visually impaired person using a vending machine.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention includes connecting a sound generator to each product selection button of a vending machine and providing a weak radio wave generator, and operating each product selection button, thereby selecting the product selection button. The voice signal of the product name corresponding to is transferred from the voice generator to the mobile phone via the weak radio wave generator, thereby facilitating the use of the vending machine user who is visually impaired.
In the present invention, a mobile phone is not limited to a normal mobile phone using a radio frequency in the 800 MHz band, but refers to an electronic device that can transmit and receive data wirelessly by PHS and other various portable devices.

  According to the present invention, the product selection information can be provided to the visually handicapped person using the mobile phone, so the installation position of the vending machine and the voice transmitted from the voice generating unit of the vending machine Since it is made possible to listen on a mobile phone, the visually impaired person can purchase a product without being conscious of the eyes of others.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to examples shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system for a vending machine user who has a visual impairment. The main control unit 52 of each vending machine 51 includes an audio generation unit 54 that synthesizes an audio signal of each product name of the product selection button 53, and a weak radio wave interface unit 55 is connected to the main control unit 52. Communication with other communication devices is possible. When the vending machine user 56 presses the product selection button 53 in the standby state of the vending machine, the sound generation unit 54 in the main control unit 52 operates in conjunction with that, and the corresponding product name of the product selection button 53 is displayed. The voice signal is synthesized and transferred as a radio signal from the weak radio wave interface unit 55 to the mobile phone 57 of the vending machine user 56. The vending machine user 56 listens to the voice with his / her ear, thereby operating the product selection button. It is possible to check whether 53 is a product desired by the user. Then, the user enters the price and operates the product selection button 53 again to carry out the desired product. In the case of a vending machine with a post-price payment, if the selection is desired, it is not necessary to press the product selection button again. Just operate. An 800 MHz band mobile phone needs to have a weak radio wave interface unit, but in the case of a PHS, it can be replaced with a weak radio wave interface unit by using its transceiver function.

It is a block diagram of the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

51 Vending Machine 52 Main Control Unit of Vending Machine 53 Product Selection Button 54 Sound Generation Unit 55 Weak Radio Wave Interface Unit 56 Vending Machine User 57 Mobile Phone

Claims (1)

A voice generator is connected to each product selection button of the vending machine, and a weak radio wave generator is provided. By operating each product selection button, the voice signal of the product name corresponding to the product selection button is generated. A vending machine for transferring from a sound generator to a mobile phone through a device.

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