JP2009110465A - Vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vending machine capable of easily providing an article without charge by easily switching power sources of the vending machine during a disaster. <P>SOLUTION: The vending machine configured so as to be communicable, by a communication means, among a cellular phone 31, the vending machine and a center device for managing the vending machine is provided with an uninterruptible power supply 9 for feeding the power during power outage as well as electric supply from a commercial power source, and a switching means for switching to the uninterruptible power supply side from the commercial power source side when the commercial power source is disrupted due to power outage, acquires an authentication key that can operate the switching means by the cellular phone by accessing the center device from the cellular phone and switches the switching means to the uninterruptible power supply side by communicating between the cellular phone and the vending machine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vending machine that can provide a product free of charge when a commercial power supply fails due to a disaster such as a large-scale earthquake.

The following sales systems are known as sales systems for conventional vending machines for disaster countermeasures.
When a vending machine is blacked out due to a disaster such as a large-scale earthquake, and the power supply to the vending machine is cut off from the commercial power supply, the power supply provided on the front of the vending machine by the key owned by the administrator Operate the selector switch. By operating this power supply changeover switch, it switches to the uninterruptible power supply side and power is supplied to the vending machine (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-195950 A

By the way, in the above method, the administrator has to do with a key switch, and it is good if only one vending machine is managed, but a plurality of vending machines with different installation locations are managed. It is necessary to go to multiple installation locations, and in the case of a large-scale disaster, the traffic infrastructure may be blocked, so it is not possible to immediately respond to the location that requires beverages There was a problem.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine capable of switching to power supply from the uninterruptible power supply side at the time when it is desired to carry out a product from the vending machine in the event of a power failure.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a power supply from a commercial power source in a vending machine configured such that a mobile phone, a vending machine, and a center device that manages the vending machine can communicate with each other by a communication means. In addition to this, there is an uninterruptible power supply that supplies power in the event of a power failure, and switching means that switches from the commercial power supply side to the uninterruptible power supply side when the commercial power supply stops due to a power failure. A control means for switching the switching means to the uninterruptible power supply side by acquiring an authentication key capable of operating the means with a mobile phone and communicating between the mobile phone and the vending machine is provided.
Further, the distribution period of the authentication key or the vending machine to be distributed is set in the center device.
Further, when accessing the center device from the mobile phone, the unique number of the vending machine is input.

In the present invention, even in the event of a disaster, the victim can access the center device by mobile phone to switch to the power supply from the uninterruptible power supply side, and when the product such as beverage is needed, the product in the vending machine can be Can be provided free of charge.
Further, by setting an effective period or the like on the center device side, it is possible to prevent mischief even if it is accessed in a normal state, switched to the uninterruptible power supply device side and provided free of charge.

A description will be given below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 showing another embodiment of the present invention.
First, FIG. 3 shows an example of a schematic front view of a vending machine that is an object of the present invention. The vending machine 1 includes an outer door 20 on the front surface of the main body cabinet, and the main body cabinet includes the outer door 20. Comprises a plurality (n) of columns. This column is composed of, for example, a serpentine rack, and stores a plurality of types of products individually, while the product selection button 22 is pressed and corresponds to the product selection button 22 pressed when a sales instruction is given. Carry out the products to be sold.
The outer door 20 has a product sample display room 21 on its front side, a product selection button 22 incorporating a sale lamp and a sold-out lamp, a coin insertion slot 23, a return lever 24, an amount indicator 25, a coin return slot 26, A product outlet 27 is provided.
The product sample display room 21 is a transparent window formed on the upper part of the outer door 20, and the product sample 21 a arranged inside can be visually recognized to the outside. The product sample 21a visually recognized through the product sample display room represents the product stored in each column, and is provided corresponding to the product selection button 22.
In the present invention, an infrared communication unit 28 is newly provided in the outer door 20 for such a vending machine and performs communication with the mobile phone 31 using infrared communication.

Next, FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
A main control unit 2 controls the entire vending machine and includes a memory 2a for storing a control program and a memory 2b for storing various data.
The main control unit 2 controls a remote controller 3 for inputting necessary data, a coin processing unit 4 for receiving and calculating coins, a cooling / heating control unit 5 for controlling the cooling / heating device 5a, and an unloading device 6a for carrying out goods. Unloading control unit 6, lighting control unit 7 for controlling lighting device 7a such as a fluorescent lamp, commercial power supply 8, uninterruptible power supply 9 as a storage battery used when commercial power supply cannot be used, commercial power supply 8 and uninterruptible power supply 9 Is connected to a power source switching unit 30 including operation means, and a product selection button 22 and a price indicator 25 are also connected to each other. Both the commercial power source 8 and the uninterruptible power supply 9 are connected to a power source of 100 ■. The uninterruptible power supply 9 is always in a charged state.
Next, the infrared communication unit 28 is connected to the power supply switching unit 30, and the power supply switching unit 30 is operated by a signal from the infrared communication unit 28.
Next, the center device 40 manages a plurality of vending machines. The center device 40 provides the vending machine products free of charge and distributes an authentication key for switching to the uninterruptible power supply side. Therefore, it is distributed by access from the mobile phone 31 through the communication line 50, and the distribution period can be set to prevent access by mischief.

To access the mobile phone 31 of the center device 40, a QR code 29 or the like is clearly indicated on the front surface of the outer door 20 of the vending machine 1, and the QR code 29 is read by the mobile phone 31 and is transmitted via the communication line 50. In order to be able to access the center apparatus 40 and obtain an authentication key, the unique number of the vending machine described in the outer door 20 is input, and the center apparatus 40 determines whether it is the target vending machine. To do.
Next, processing at the time of a power failure will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
First, it is assumed that the power supply from the commercial power source 8 to the vending machine 1 is cut off due to a power failure due to a disaster such as a large-scale earthquake.
Assuming that the vending machine 1 is a vending machine 1 for disasters, the disaster victim, not the administrator, can attach the QR code 29 attached to the outer door 20 of the vending machine 1 to the mobile phone 31. (Step S1, Yes) and access the center device 40 via the communication line 50 (step S2, Yes).
Here, when communication with the center device 40 is connected, when a unique number assigned in advance to the vending machine 1 is input from the mobile phone 31 based on a predetermined format (step S3), the center device 40 If it is determined that the vending machine 1 has an effective period for disaster response (step S4, Yes), an authentication key is transmitted to the mobile phone 31 via the communication line 50 (step S5).

Next, when the authentication key is transmitted to the mobile phone 31, the mobile phone 31 is brought close to the infrared communication unit 28 of the vending machine 1.
As described above, infrared communication by the infrared communication unit 28 is used for communication between the vending machine 1 and the mobile phone, and the vending machine 1 and the mobile phone 31 become communicable by the infrared communication (step S6). An authentication key is transmitted from the mobile phone 31 to the vending machine 1 (step S7).
Next, if the authentication key is that of the vending machine 1, regular authentication is determined (step S 8, Yes), and the power source switching unit 30 switches from the commercial power source 8 to the uninterruptible power supply 9 side (step S <b> 9), the vending machine 1 is supplied with power from the uninterruptible power supply 9.
The power supply from the uninterruptible power supply 9 is supplied only to the functions necessary for carrying out the product (step S10). For example, the power supply to the coin processing unit 4 and the money amount display 25 is stopped, and the cooling control unit 5 The power supply to the cooling / heating device 5a and the lighting device 7a is stopped via the lighting control unit 7 so that the power is supplied to the product selection button 22 and the carry-out device 6a which are functions of the minimum condition as free single item sales at the time of disaster. To reduce power consumption.
When the product selection button 22 is pressed in this state (step S11), a command for carrying out 6 products is issued from the carry-out control unit 6 to the carry-out device 6a, and the products stored from the corresponding column are sent to the product outlet 28. Unload (step S12).

Thus, in this embodiment, even if not a manager, the disaster victim can use the mobile phone 31 to supply power to the vending machine and to provide goods free of charge in the event of a disaster.
In addition to the above embodiment, the following method is also conceivable.
First, since the infrared communication unit 28 is driven by a battery, for example, infrared communication can be used only when the return lever 24 which is an operation unit provided on the outer door 20 of the vending machine 1 is operated. Thus, battery consumption may be prevented. In addition to the return lever 24, the product selection button 22 may be used as the operation unit.
Further, when power is supplied from the product power source 8 to the vending machine 1, the power source switching unit 30 by infrared transmission is prevented from operating. This is to prevent switching to the uninterruptible power supply 9 when the commercial power supply 8 has already been restored although the authentication key is being distributed.
In addition, when the product power supply 8 is restored, it is possible to cancel the provision of the product free of charge. As a command from the mobile phone 31 to the vending machine 1, the following commands are also considered according to the disaster situation. It is done.
In other words, when the commercial power supply 8 is restored, the free provision of the product is stopped. However, depending on the scale of the disaster situation, it may be possible to provide the product free of charge even if the commercial power supply 8 is restored. In addition, a product charge (discount) can be considered only by feeding the uninterruptible power supply 9.

Configuration block diagram showing a control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention The flowchart figure which shows the operation | movement which is one embodiment of this invention. Schematic front view of a vending machine subject to the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vending machine 2 Main control part 8 Commercial power supply 9 Uninterruptible power supply 20 Outer door 22 Product selection button 28 Infrared communication part 29 QR code 30 Power supply switching part 31 Cellular phone 40 Center apparatus 50 Communication line

Claims (3)

In a vending machine configured such that a mobile phone, a vending machine, and a center device that manages the vending machine can be communicated by communication means,
An uninterruptible power supply that supplies power in the event of a power failure in addition to power from a commercial power source,
And switching means to switch from the commercial power supply side to the uninterruptible power supply side when the commercial power supply stops due to a power failure,
By accessing the center device from the mobile phone, an authentication key that can operate the switching means is obtained by the mobile phone,
A vending machine comprising control means for switching the switching means to the uninterruptible power supply side by communicating between the mobile phone and the vending machine. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a distribution period of the authentication key or a vending machine to be distributed is set in the center device. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a unique number of the vending machine is input when accessing the center device from a mobile phone.

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