JP2017123080A - Settlement processor and vending machine including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a settlement processor capable of readily recognizing a kind of a corresponding settlement service and capable of readily dealing with an increase and a decrease in the corresponding settlement service, and a vending machine including the same.SOLUTION: A settlement processor 10 includes: a display 130 for displaying information; a storage unit 211 for storing, for every settlement service, settlement service information including at least type information of a settlement service to which a person himself or herself corresponds; and a main control unit 210 for sequentially switching type information related to each of the settlement services stored in the storage unit 211 during a standby state at a predetermined time interval and displaying it.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a payment processing apparatus that performs payment processing by transmitting and receiving payment information to and from an information recording medium used for providing a payment service, and a vending machine including the same.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, payment services using electronic money as a payment means have become widespread. In this payment service, an information recording medium such as an IC card is used, and the payment processing apparatus performs payment processing by transmitting and receiving payment information to and from the information recording medium wirelessly or by wire. Settlement result information as a result of the settlement process is transmitted / recorded from the settlement processing device to a predetermined management server via the network, or sucked out to a portable terminal carried by the administrator from the portable terminal to the predetermined management server To be recorded. Note that the information recording medium has various forms such as an IC card, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a wristwatch, and a ring in which an IC chip is incorporated.

  In recent years, various types of settlement services using electronic money have appeared with different operators and methods. There are various types of payment services such as prepaid type, postpay type (credit card type), and immediate payment type (debit card type). In order to cope with such a plurality of types of payment services, information recording media and payment processing apparatuses that can support a plurality of types of payment services have appeared. The post-pay type and the immediate payment type do not record electronic money, that is, electronic monetary value information (value) on an information recording medium, but these are also included in the payment service using electronic money. Therefore, the present application shall be based on this.

  As a payment processing apparatus that can handle a plurality of types of payment services, a reader / writer apparatus described in Patent Document 1 is known. This reader / writer device is mainly attached to a vending machine or the like, and is used to perform a settlement process related to product sales in the vending machine. The reader / writer device includes a wireless processing unit and a communication antenna that perform transmission / reception of payment information to and from an information recording medium in a contactless manner, and a payment processing unit and a display operation unit that perform payment processing. The wireless processing unit, the communication antenna, and the display operation unit constitute an external unit, and this external unit is attached to the front outside of the vending machine. The settlement processing unit constitutes an internal unit, and this internal unit is attached inside the vending machine. The display operation unit includes two buttons as a display unit for displaying various types of information to the user and the administrator and an input unit for inputting operations from the user and the administrator.

  This reader / writer device displays that the payment service using electronic money such as “you can use electronic money” is available while the vending machine is on sale. In addition, when there is an operation on the input unit during standby for sales, the type name (also referred to as “brand name”) of a plurality of types (also referred to as “multiple brands”) that the user supports is displayed. The display unit can display only one brand name because of its size. Therefore, in the brand name display process, a plurality of brand names are sequentially switched and displayed each time the input unit is operated. Specifically, each brand name is ordered, and when one of the buttons on the input section is operated, the brand names are displayed in ascending order, and when the other button is operated, the brand names are sequentially displayed in descending order. Scroll display processing is performed.

JP 2010-86200 A

  However, the above reader / writer device has a problem in that it is not convenient because it cannot recognize which brand payment service can be used unless the user operates the input unit. A sticker or a panel printed with a brand name may be pasted and displayed on an external unit of the reader / writer device or a vending machine that is a host device of the reader / writer device. However, the payment service that can be handled by the reader / writer device can be increased or decreased even during operation by updating the program in the reader / writer device. There is a problem that the work cost is high.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to easily recognize the types of payment services that are supported and to easily cope with the increase or decrease of the corresponding payment services. It is an object of the present invention to provide a settlement processing apparatus capable of performing the above and a vending machine equipped with the same.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a payment processing apparatus capable of supporting a plurality of types of payment services and performing payment processing by contactlessly transmitting / receiving payment information to / from an information recording medium. A wireless communication means for communicating with an information recording medium; a display means for displaying information; a storage means for storing for each payment service payment service information including at least type information of a payment service to which the information recording medium corresponds; And display control means for sequentially switching and displaying the type information related to each settlement service stored in the storage means at a predetermined time interval.

  According to the present invention, at the time of standby, one or more types of payment service type information to which the user corresponds is sequentially switched and displayed at predetermined time intervals, so that the type of the corresponding payment service can be easily recognized. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with increase / decrease in payment services.

Functional block diagram of payment processing device Front view of external unit An example of payment service information and display order information Flow chart for explaining the operation of the payment processing apparatus Flow chart for explaining the operation of the payment processing apparatus Diagram explaining switching display of brand name An example of payment service information and display order information according to another example The figure explaining the switching display of the brand name which concerns on another example

  A settlement processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the payment processing apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a front view of an external unit of the payment processing apparatus.

  The settlement processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is attached to a vending machine that is a higher-level apparatus, and is used for settlement processing of merchandise sales in the vending machine. The information processing medium on which the payment processing apparatus 10 transmits and receives payment information has various forms such as an IC card, a mobile phone, a smartphone, a wristwatch, and a ring with a built-in IC chip that can be contactlessly communicated. In the embodiment, the IC card 30 will be described as an example. An information recording medium such as the IC card 30 is compatible with one or more types of settlement services.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the payment processing apparatus 10 includes an external unit 100, an internal unit 200, and a signal line 300 that connects the external unit 100 and the internal unit 200.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the external unit 100 records information based on an instruction from the RF processing unit 110 and the communication antenna 115 that perform transmission / reception of information and a payment information in a contactless manner, and the internal unit 200. A payment processing unit 120 that performs payment processing with a medium, a display 130 that displays various types of information, and a first input button 141 and a second input button 142 that are push buttons for inputting user operation instructions are provided. ing. In the present embodiment, as the display 130, a horizontally long fluorescent display tube capable of displaying a character string, a figure, or the like is used. In addition, the size of the display 130 is generally about 2 characters per line in terms of a practically sized character string.

  The payment processing unit 120 includes an independent payment processing function unit for each type (brand) of payment service. In the example of FIG. 1, the payment processing unit 120 includes first to third payment processing function units 121 to 123. Each payment processing function unit of the payment processing unit 120 is managed by the internal unit 200, and a payment processing function unit is added to or deleted from the payment processing unit 120 by installing a program or the like from an external device or an external medium. be able to.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the internal unit 200 includes a main control unit 210 that comprehensively controls payment processing by the payment processing unit 120 and other operations of the payment processing unit 120, and a communication interface for connection to an external network. Unit 220 and a vending machine interface unit 230 for connection to the main controller 20 of the vending machine. The settlement processing device 10 and the main control device 20 of the vending machine are connected so as to be communicable according to a predetermined communication standard. The main control unit 210 includes a storage unit 211 that stores various types of information. The communication interface unit 220 is connected to a communication device 40 for connecting to a management server or the like via an external network.

  In the storage unit 211, information on the display order (display) in the sequential switching display of the payment service information for each payment service including at least the type information (brand information) of the payment service to which the storage unit 211 corresponds and the type of payment service type information described later. Order information) is stored at least. FIG. 3 shows an example of payment service information and display order information. In this embodiment, the display order information is included in the payment service information. As shown in FIG. 3, the payment service information includes at least type information (brand information) of each payment service information, display order information, including. The brand information may be character string information representing a brand name as shown in FIG. 3, logo image information representing a brand name, or a combination thereof. The payment service information and the display order information are updated at least at the same time when the main control unit 210 adds / deletes the payment processing function unit to / from the payment processing unit 120.

  Although not shown, the vending machine main control device 20 is connected to a well-known device such as a vending machine product selection button, a product carry-out device, a display unit, a banknote handling device, and a money handling device. At the same time, it is connected to the communication device 40.

  Next, the operation of the payment processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the payment processing apparatus.

  First, the settlement processing apparatus 10 performs a standby display process, which will be described later, during standby (step S100). Here, the settlement processing apparatus 10 detects whether the IC card 30 is detected during standby, that is, during execution of the standby display process (whether the IC card 30 has been touched), the first and second input buttons 141, It is monitored whether 142 has been pressed or a signal indicating that the product selection button has been pressed from the main controller 20 of the vending machine. In the detection monitoring process of the IC card 30, when the IC card 30 is detected, the payment service type that the IC card 30 can handle and the balance value when the payment service is a prepaid type are also read. Further, the signal indicating that the product selection button from the main control device 20 of the vending machine is pressed is actually payment amount information related to the payment processing request from the main control device 20 of the vending machine. .

  When the touch of the IC card 30 is detected during standby, the payment processing apparatus 10 is a payment service that can be handled by the IC card 30 obtained during the detection process, and there are a plurality of payment services that the payment processing apparatus 10 supports. It is determined whether or not there is (step S11), and in the case of 1, the balance value obtained during the detection monitoring process is displayed on the display 130 (step 13). On the other hand, in the case of a plurality, one payment service is selected by using the first and second input buttons 141 and 142 from the plurality of payment services corresponding to both the IC card 30 and itself (step S12). The balance value of the selected settlement service is displayed on the display 130 (step S13). In the selection process, one payment service information is taken out from the storage unit 211 and displayed on the display 130. When the first input button 141 is pressed, the brand name of the payment service information of the next rank is displayed. When the 2 input button 142 is pressed, the brand name of the settlement service information of the previous rank is displayed. In order to display the brand name of which payment service information first, the one with the highest rank may be selected, the one with the current rank in the standby display process described later, or the previous payment process. You may select the thing concerning the payment service used in.

  Thereafter, when a signal indicating that the product selection button has been pressed is received from the main controller 20 of the vending machine (step S14), the settlement processing apparatus 10 monitors the detection of the IC card 30 and touches the IC card 30. Is detected (step S15), settlement processing is performed with the IC card 30 (step S16). Here, the payment processing uses the payment service when there is a single payment service at the step S11, and uses the payment service selected at the step S12 when there are a plurality of payment services at the step S11.

  On the other hand, when it is detected that the first and second input buttons 141 and 142 are pressed during standby, the payment processing apparatus 10 selects the first and second input buttons 141 and 142 from among a plurality of payment services corresponding to the payment processing apparatus 10. Use to select one settlement service (step S17). In the selection process, one payment service information is extracted from the storage unit 211 and displayed on the display 130. When the first input button 141 is pressed, the brand name of the payment service information of the next rank is displayed. When the 2 input button 142 is pressed, the brand name of the settlement service information of the previous rank is displayed. In order to display the brand name of which payment service information first, the one with the highest rank may be selected, the one with the current rank in the standby display process described later, or the previous payment process. You may select the thing concerning the payment service used in.

  Thereafter, when a signal indicating that the product selection button has been pressed is received from the main controller 20 of the vending machine (step S14), the settlement processing apparatus 10 monitors the detection of the IC card 30 and touches the IC card 30. Is detected (step S15), settlement processing is performed with the IC card 30 (step S16). Here, the payment process uses the payment service selected in step S17.

  On the other hand, when a signal indicating that the product selection button from the main control device 20 of the vending machine is pressed during standby is detected, the settlement processing device 10 monitors the detection of the IC card 30. Then, when the payment processing device 10 detects a touch on the IC card 30 (step S18), the payment processing device 10 is a payment service that can be handled by the IC card 30 obtained during the detection process, and the payment service that the payment processing device 10 supports. Is determined (step S19), and in the case of one, payment processing is performed by the payment service (step S16). On the other hand, in the case of a plurality, one payment service is selected by using the first and second input buttons 141 and 142 from the plurality of payment services corresponding to both the IC card 30 and itself (step S20). The balance value of the selected settlement service is displayed on the display 130 (step S21). In the selection process, one payment service information is taken out from the storage unit 211 and displayed on the display 130. When the first input button 141 is pressed, the brand name of the payment service information of the next rank is displayed. When the 2 input button 142 is pressed, the brand name of the settlement service information of the previous rank is displayed. In order to display the brand name of which payment service information first, the one with the highest rank may be selected, the one with the current rank in the standby display process described later, or the previous payment process. You may select the thing concerning the payment service used in.

  Thereafter, the payment processing apparatus 10 monitors the detection of the IC card 30 and, when detecting the touch of the IC card 30 (step S21), performs a payment process with the IC card 30 (step S16). Here, the payment processing uses the payment service when there is a single payment service at the step S19, and uses the payment service selected at the step S20 when there are a plurality of payment services at the step S19.

  If no operation is performed by the user during each of the above processes, and when the payment process in step S16 is completed, the payment processing apparatus 10 shifts the process to the standby display process again (step S100). ).

  Next, the standby display process described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, it is assumed that “current order” is stored in advance in the storage unit 211 with an appropriate initial value.

  The payment processing apparatus 10 extracts the payment service information corresponding to the current order from the storage unit 211, and displays the brand name on the display 130 for a predetermined time (step S101). When the display for the predetermined time is completed, the payment processing apparatus 10 increases the current order by one (step S102), and when the current order is larger than the number of the corresponding payment services (step S103), the current order. Is set to 1 and switching to the display processing of the next-ranked brand name is repeated.

  Through such processing, the brand names of a plurality of settlement services that the user corresponds to are sequentially displayed on the display 130 in a predetermined order and at predetermined time intervals. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the brand name of each settlement service is displayed at a frequency of once during one period.

  As described above in detail, according to the payment processing apparatus according to the present embodiment, at the time of standby, one or more types of payment service type information corresponding to itself are sequentially switched and displayed at predetermined time intervals. It is possible to easily recognize the types of supported payment services, and to easily cope with an increase or decrease in payment services.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the order information is stored in a one-to-one relationship with each payment service in the payment service information, and each payment service is stored in one cycle as shown in FIG. The brand name is displayed once each, but payment service information and display order information are made independent as shown in FIG. 7, and one or a plurality of payment service brands are included in one cycle as shown in FIG. The name may be displayed multiple times.

  In the above embodiment, the brand name display time is fixed for each payment service, but the brand name display time may be set for each payment service. In order to realize such a function, display time information for each settlement service may be stored in the storage unit 211.

  In the above embodiment, the display order information and the display time information are fixed at the time of operation, but may be appropriately changed at the time of operation. For example, the display order information and the display time information can be updated based on the usage status of the settlement service, particularly the usage frequency.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the brand name display switching process is performed only during standby, but the same display switching process may also be performed in the payment service selection process (step S11 in FIG. 5 and the like).

  In the above embodiment, the payment processing apparatus 10 is separate from the vending machine, but can be integrated with the vending machine. In this case, for example, the main control unit 210 of the settlement processing apparatus 10 in the above embodiment is mounted integrally with the main control apparatus 20 of the vending machine. The display 130 and the first input buttons 141 and 142 may be shared with the display and input buttons provided in the vending machine.

  Moreover, although the example which attached the payment processing apparatus 10 as a separate body to the vending machine was demonstrated in the said embodiment, it can be attached or connected to another apparatus, or can be integrated with another apparatus. Examples of the other devices include various devices that require a settlement process such as a register, a POS terminal, and a charge settlement machine in a parking lot or a bicycle parking lot.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Payment processing apparatus, 20 ... Main control apparatus of vending machine, 30 ... IC card, 40 ... Communication apparatus, 100 ... External unit, 110 ... RF processing part, 115 ... Antenna, 120 ... Payment processing part, 130 ... Display , 141, 142 ... input buttons, 200 ... internal unit, 210 ... main control unit, 220 ... communication interface unit, 230 ... vending machine interface unit

Claims (7)

In a payment processing apparatus that can handle a plurality of types of payment services and perform payment processing by contactlessly transmitting and receiving payment information to and from an information recording medium,
Wireless communication means for communicating with the information recording medium;
Display means for displaying information;
Storage means for storing, for each payment service, payment service information including at least the type information of the payment service to which it corresponds;
A payment processing apparatus comprising: display control means for sequentially switching and displaying type information relating to each payment service stored in the storage means at a predetermined time interval during standby. The storage means stores display order information in the sequential switching display process of type information,
The settlement processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit performs a sequential switching display process of type information based on the display order information. 3. The settlement process according to claim 2, wherein the display order information is set so that type information related to each settlement service stored in the storage means is displayed at least once in one cycle. apparatus. The payment processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit updates the display order information based on a usage status of a payment service. The storage means stores type information display time information in the type information sequential switching display process,
The settlement processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the display control means determines a display time of the type information based on the display time information. The display control means includes type information based on the operation instruction when detecting the input of the operation instruction by the input means during the sequential switching display process of the type information. The settlement processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the settlement processing apparatus is switched to display processing. In a vending machine equipped with a payment processing device that can handle a plurality of types of payment services and perform payment processing by contactlessly transmitting and receiving payment information to and from an information recording medium,
The settlement processing device
Wireless communication means for communicating with the information recording medium;
Display means for displaying information;
Storage means for storing, for each payment service, payment service information including at least the type information of the payment service to which it corresponds;
A vending machine comprising display control means for sequentially switching and displaying type information relating to each settlement service stored in the storage means at a predetermined time interval during standby.

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