JP2600845B2 - Prepaid card vending machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a prepaid card type vending machine that sells goods using a cash substitute card (such as a magnetic card).

[Conventional technology]

A prepaid vending machine is used in offices and the like in which amount information is recorded in advance on a magnetic card in exchange for cash, and each time a card-type vending machine is used, the usage fee is deducted from the amount information on the magnetic card. , FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the configuration of a conventional prepayment system. Reference numeral 1 denotes a deposit machine for depositing money into the magnetic card 2, a card insertion slot 3a, a card balance display section 4a, and a bill insertion slot for depositing money.
5a. 6 shows an external view of the card type vending machine, which includes a card insertion slot 3b, a card balance indicator 4b, and a push button 7 for selecting a product. First, the user inserts the magnetic card 2 into the card depositing machine 1 and then inserts a banknote, whereby only the amount of the banknote is deposited on the magnetic card 2 in advance. After that, the magnetic vending machine 6 in the card type vending machine 6
Is inserted, and when the product is purchased, only the used amount is subtracted from the amount of the magnetic card 2,
Since the user carries the magnetic card 2 on which the balance is written, it is not necessary to carry coins.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the card type vending machine 6.

When the deposited magnetic card 2 is inserted into the card insertion slot 3b, the card reader / writer 13 reads out the money amount information written on the magnetic card 2,
The amount is sent to the arithmetic control unit 14, and the amount is displayed on the display 4b. The operation control unit 14 includes a product selection button P1
To P3 are input from the sales control unit 15, and the calculation control unit 14 determines whether or not the product can be sold, and sends bend signals V1 to V3 corresponding to the sellable products to the sales control unit.
Send to 15. Thereafter, when the sellable product selection buttons P1 to P3 are pressed, predetermined products are sold by the product unloading devices S1 to S3, and the sales control unit 15 sends the calculation control unit 14 with the price information of the sales product. A certain select signal and a reset signal indicating the end of sales are sent. As a result, the arithmetic and control unit 14 subtracts the sales amount from the deposit amount in the magnetic card 2, the balance is displayed on the display unit 4b, and is written on the magnetic card 2 by the card reading and writing unit 13. Thereafter, the magnetic card 2 is returned, and the selling operation ends. The card return button 16 is a button for returning the magnetic card 2 in the continuous sales mode.

In the card type vending machine 6, as a method for detecting a defect of the write magnetic head of the card reader provided in the card reader / writer 13, if it is determined that the card can be sold at the time of reading after inserting the card, The card is made available for sale, and after the product is sold, the balance of the card is subtracted, a new balance is written to the card 2 by turning on the card return button, and the verification is performed to read whether or not the balance is correct.

In the case of this verify read, if the write data and the read data do not match, it is repeatedly inspected. If the data does not match, it is determined that the magnetic head is defective.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in such an apparatus, the defect of the magnetic head can be detected after the sale of the product, and there is a problem that the card balance is not updated despite the sale of the product, or the card format becomes defective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a prepaid card type vending machine which can easily detect a defect of a magnetic header.

[Means for solving the problem]

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a format checking means for reading the contents stored in a magnetic card to be inserted and checking the contents of a format, and a data writing means for writing data to a portion other than the format. ,
Data reading means for reading the data, card discriminating means for judging whether or not the write data by the data write means and the read data by the read means match, and when the write data and the read data do not match. Card return means for returning the magnetic card.

[Action]

According to the present invention, the write data written on the magnetic card 22 and the read data read are compared, and if they match, the write head defect is released to sell the product. Return and write head failure. By comparing the write data with the read data, it is extremely easy to determine the defect of the magnetic head.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the format of a card used in the present invention. In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 8 indicate the same members. Reference numeral 22 denotes a card shown in FIG. 3. Reference numeral 41 denotes a user's area for determining whether or not the card can be used, and reference numeral 42 denotes a check area for checking a magnetic head for a defect. Reference numeral 28 denotes a card reader / writer for receiving the card 22, reference numeral 34 denotes a card discriminator for discriminating a card based on a signal from the reader / writer 28, and reference numeral 35 denotes an operation control unit for performing an operation. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the user area 41 described above.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a program according to the present invention.

When the card 22 is inserted into the card reader / writer 28, it is determined whether or not the card is inserted (step 1). If YES, the contents of the card are read (step 2), and then it is determined whether the format is correct (step 2). Step 3), YES
, Data is written to the check area 42 (step 4). The data may be any data other than the data that is input when the contents of the card are read, and may be, for example, a random number, bit-inverted data of the read data, or the like.

Next, the data written in step 4 is read again (step 5), and it is determined whether the write data matches the read data (step 6). If the data matches, the write head defect is released (step 6). Step 7) The display 4b is turned on (Step 8), the merchandise is sold (Step 9), and the card is returned (Step 10).

If they do not match in step 4, the card is returned (step 11), and the write head is defective and is determined to have failed (step 12), and the card is returned.

In this embodiment, even if a head write failure is detected, the card contents (user area) are not changed, so that there is no need to stop the card sales as in the past, so that the process returns to step 1 even after the failure is detected. be able to. That is, even when the head becomes temporarily defective due to the adhesion of dust to the head, if the dust is removed, it is possible to automatically cancel the writing failure at step 7 described above.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, the failure of the magnetic head can be easily detected before the sale of the product, the free sale of the product can be prevented, and the format of the card can be prevented from being defective. In the case of a temporary failure of the card, the write failure can be automatically canceled, so that the maintenance that must occur can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a claim correspondence diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a magnetic card format, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a program of the present invention, FIGS. 6 and 7 are front views of a conventional depositing machine and a card-type vending machine of a prepayment system, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a control device in the card type vending machine of FIG. 15: Sales control unit, 22: Card, 28: Card reader / writer, 34: Card discrimination unit, 35: Operation control unit.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A format checking means for reading contents stored in a magnetic card to be inserted and checking contents of a format, a data writing means for writing data to a portion other than the format, and reading the data. Data reading means, card discriminating means for judging whether or not the data written by the data writing means matches the data read by the reading means, and returning the magnetic card when the write data and the read data do not match. A prepaid card-type vending machine, comprising: