JP2628719B2 - Card management device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a card management device that manages storage, payout, inventory, inquiry, and the like of a predetermined number of cards.

[Prior Art] At present, magnetic cards are frequently used as prepaid cards, and a large number of types are issued according to pictures or amounts.

Therefore, it is necessary for the side selling this card to manage sales, inventory, and the like.

Conventionally, when selling a card, a card to be sold is taken out of a plurality of divided cards stored on a shelf, the taken-out card is set in a counter, counted, and the counted card is counted. After counting and confirming again by hand, the required number of cards are taken out and sold, and after the sale is completed, the number of remaining cards is counted for each type, the result is recorded in a management table etc., and the card is returned to the original The card was managed by performing the work of returning to the shelf.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the past, this management was not automated and was performed by obtaining all the data. It was troublesome.

The card counter disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 63-20269 merely counts magnetic cards and does not achieve the above-described automation of card management.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a card management device capable of automating management of storing, dispensing, stocktaking, inquiring, and the like of a large number and types of cards, thereby enabling accurate and efficient card management. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, a card management device of the present invention comprises:
A card management device for managing a plurality of types of cards (C) in respective modes of storage, payout, inventory, and inquiry,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the card is provided near a position of a storage port (2) provided at a predetermined position on the apparatus surface for storing the card inside the apparatus and a payout port (3) for paying out the card to the outside of the apparatus. A storage shelf (10b), a payout shelf (10c), and a plurality of shelves (10a) for storing the cards for each type, which are formed integrally and in the same plane.
Priority setting means (71) for setting a predetermined priority to the shelf (10a) of the card storage shelf (10); empty shelf detection means (73) for detecting an empty shelf of the card storage shelf; Storage shelf detection means (74) for instructing storage of a card in a high priority empty shelf at the time of storing the card based on the information of the priority order setting means and the empty shelf detection means.

According to the second aspect, priority order setting means (71) for setting a predetermined priority order on the shelf (10a) of the card storage shelf (10) according to the first aspect, and for each type of the card (C) Frequency updating means (82) for updating and storing the frequency of the storage or dispensing, and based on the information of the priority setting means and the frequency updating means, stored in each of the shelves at the time of the newly set sorting mode. And a rearranging means (84) for rearranging the cards of each type in the order of higher frequency to the higher priority shelf.

[Operation] The card C is stored in the shelf 10a for each type. The card C is put in and taken out of the apparatus from the storage port 2 or the payout port 3 for each operation.
b, the payout shelves 10c are located at the payout exit 3, and these shelves 10c
a, 10b, and 10c are formed as the same and flat card storage shelves, and the operation of taking in and out the card C is performed by each of the shelves 10a.
It can be performed in a short time between the storage port 2 and the payout port 3.

When the cards are stored, the cards C are stored in order from the empty shelf having the highest priority, so that the storing operation can be efficiently performed in a short time.

Further, in the rearrangement mode, the cards C of each type already stored are rearranged in the high-priority shelf, and the cards C of high frequency are rearranged, so that the insertion and removal can be made more efficient.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a card management device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the card management device.

The card management device 1 is provided with each operation unit on the front surface. Reference numeral 2 denotes a storage port, which stores a predetermined number (500 at maximum) of magnetic cards C in the apparatus by opening.
Reference numeral 3 denotes a payout port from which a predetermined number of magnetic cards C can be paid out from inside the apparatus.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a card case for storing a sample of the magnetic card C to be managed, which is provided to specify the type of the magnetic card C. Here, since a bar code or a code number is printed on the magnetic card C, a magnetic card C to be set is selected from the card case 4 and the bar code is read by the hand scanner 5 to be set. A code number is input by a key group 6 including the key number.

The key group 6 includes business keys 6a to 6i, ten keys 6f, a clear key 6g, a confirmation key 6h, and the like for designating various management modes to be described later.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a display unit for displaying various management statuses, and the printer 8 outputs management information in a format. Reference numeral 9 denotes an insertion slot of an ID card reader 9a for reading an ID card when using the apparatus.

As shown in the side sectional view of FIG. 3, the inside of the apparatus is roughly divided into a card storage shelf 10, a cassette 20, a cassette handler 30,
A card reader 40 and a control unit 50 are provided.

The card storage shelf 10 has a large number of shelves 10a arranged in a plane lattice as shown in the perspective view of FIG. Cassettes 20 are provided on the shelves 10a of the card storage shelves 10 so that they can be stored and taken out. A storage shelf 10b and a payout shelf 10c each having a large-diameter opening are formed at locations corresponding to the storage opening 2 and the payout opening 3, respectively.
0a, a payout card reader 40b is provided.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5 (a), the cassette 20 is formed in a substantially box-like shape in which a plurality of (up to 130) magnetic cards C of the same type are stacked and accommodated in the thickness direction. .

The upper surface 20b of the cassette body 20a, which is an outer shape of the cassette 20, and one surface 20c of the side surface in the longitudinal direction are partially bent.
A card regulating plate 21 having 1a is pivotally supported.

The card restricting plate 21 has the same surface as the surface of the cassette body 20a except for the bent portion 21a when not stored in the card readers 40a and 40b described later.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), in a state of being stored in a storage portion 41a of a storage card reader 40a described later, the bent portion 21
a is rotated about the fixed shaft 23 by the roller 22 provided in the storage portion 41a, and the side facing the bent portion 21a is opened.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (c), in a state of being stored in a storage portion 41b of a payout card reader 40b described later, the bent portion 21a of the card regulating plate 21 on the side surface 20c side of the cassette body 20a is connected to the storage portion 41b. The fixed shaft 23 is provided by the operation block 24 provided.
, And the side facing the bent portion 21a is opened.

The card C is inserted and removed through the openings 25 (25a, 25b) described above. That is,
When the magnetic card C is stored in the cassette 20, the magnetic card C is stored from the upper opening 25a. When removing the magnetic card C from the cassette 20, the cassette body 20
The card C located at the bottom of the stacked cards C is guided to the outside by the rollers 26 attached to the inner wall surface of a, and only one card C is discharged from the lower opening 25b.

Incidentally, both side surfaces of the cassette body 20a are formed by being narrowed down in a U-shape toward the inside.
A through hole 27 is formed at the location. The through holes 27 allow the air that is internally compressed when the card C falls to escape to the outside so that the card C can drop stably when the card C is stored.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 6 (a), the payout card reader 40b includes a storage portion 41b for storing the cassette 20 at the back side, and a tray 42b is provided near the payout port 3 at the front. ing. The cassette 20 is located below the cassette 20.
A take-out mechanism 43 for taking out the magnetic cards C one by one from
A transport mechanism 44b for transporting the magnetic card C forward, a transport mechanism 4
A bar code reader 45b is provided in the portion 4b to read the bar code of the magnetic card C.

The storage card reader 40a has substantially the same configuration as the payout card reader 40b, but the magnetic card C on the tray 42a provided near the storage port 2 as shown in the side view of FIG.
Are loaded one by one from the upper part of the cassette 20 stored in the storage part 41a via the transport mechanism 44a and the barcode reader 45a by the sending mechanism 46 one by one.

Incidentally, as a specific configuration of the sending and removing of the magnetic card C by the above-mentioned sending mechanism 46 of the storage card reader 40a and the taking-out mechanism 43 of the payout card reader 40b, the sending and taking out are performed by, for example, air pressure suction of an air pickup device (not shown). .

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 7, the cassette handler 30 includes a vertically moving block 32 that moves vertically between the columns 31, 31; a left and right block 33 that moves left and right inside the vertically moving block 32; The storage card reader comprises a front and rear block 34 which moves back and forth in the direction of the storage shelf 10, and holds or takes out the narrowed portion 28 of an arbitrary cassette 20 of the card storage shelf 10 by holding claws 35, 35 on the front of the front and rear block 34. 40a, the cassette 20 is moved between the payout card reader 40b and the card storage shelf 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 50 includes a main control unit 50a, an I / F control unit 50b, and a mechanism control drive unit 50c. The I / F control unit 50b
The personal computer system 60 is connected to the external personal computer system 60 via a transmission line according to a predetermined transmission format (for example, RS-232C) and transmission procedure (for example, handshake). The management information and the control can be mutually transmitted to and from a remote place by installing as one of the terminals.

The machine control drive unit 50c regulates the mechanism operation unit in each of the above-described components as described later.
It controls the opening of the payout port 3 and the operation of the cassette handler 30, and controls the operation of the transport mechanisms 44a and 44b, the takeout mechanism 43, and the sending mechanism 46 of the storage card reader 40a and the payout card reader 40b.

Further, the main control section 50a performs central processing of the I / F control section 50b and the mechanism control drive section 50c. The main controller 50a includes the hand scanner 5, key group 6, ID
It has an input port for the signals of the card reader 9a, the barcode readers 45a and 45b, a display unit 7, and an output port to the printer 8.

FIG. 8A is a functional block diagram schematically showing a functional part for obtaining management information in the main control unit 50a.
Shown in

The number setting means 51 is for setting the number of payouts of the magnetic card C in various management modes.
Are held and output to the number calculation means 57.

The bar code reading means A is provided with each of the card readers 40 described above.
The bar code reader 45a, 45b of a, 40b implements bar code reading of the magnetic card C.

The card type specifying means B is provided by the hand scanner 5 described above.
Alternatively, the type of the magnetic card C is designated by means of the ten keys 6f.

The card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 stores the magnetic card C of each predetermined type in any of the card storage shelves 10.
Whether the data corresponds to 10a is stored in the form of a correspondence table.

The type determination means 55 determines which magnetic storage card 10 is the magnetic card C stored in the card storage shelf 10 from the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 based on the read information from the bar code reading means A. Is determined.
Then, a command to set the cassette 20 containing the magnetic card C in each of the card readers 40a and 40b is output to the mechanism control drive unit 50c. Further, after the cassette 20 is set, it is determined whether or not the read information from the barcode reading means A matches the information in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54. , A signal for sequentially counting the number of sheets counting means 56 is transmitted. If they do not match, it is determined that the magnetic card C is a new type, and the correspondence table corresponding to the read magnetic card C is read from the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54, and the mechanism control drive is performed in the same manner as described above. The unit 50c outputs a command to reset the cassette 20 corresponding to the new card type to each of the card readers 40a and 40b.

 The number counting means 56 counts the number.

The card number storage means 58 stores the number of stored cards for each type of magnetic card C stored in the card storage shelf 10.

The number-of-sheets calculating means 57 reads out the currently stored number of sheets from the number-of-cards storing means 58 for the magnetic card C of the type specified by the card type specifying means B,
The addition or subtraction is selected and performed for each mode described later, and the result is output to the external display unit 7 and the printer 8 as management information. It is updated and stored in the storage means 58.

Next, in the storage mode described later in the main control unit 50a,
FIG. 8B is a functional block diagram schematically showing an empty shelf storage function unit 50aa for obtaining a function of accommodating a new card in an empty shelf.

In the figure, the type determination means 55, the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54, and the number-of-cards storage means 58 are the same components as those in FIG. 8 (a).

The priority setting means 71 sets the priority of each shelf 10a of the card storage shelf 10 as shown in FIG.
As the setting of the priority, for example, as indicated by an arrow in the figure, the card readers 40a, 40b are sequentially set radially from the vicinity of the storage shelf dispensing shelves 10b, 10c in which the card readers 40a, 40b are stored. The priority of all the shelves 10a is stored.

FIG. 15 is a view of the card storage shelf 10 as viewed from the back of the apparatus, and A to U in the vertical direction and a to o in the horizontal direction are temporary codes for explaining the arrangement of the respective shelves 10a. It is.

The empty shelf detecting means 73 detects an empty shelf 10a (cassette 20) in which the magnetic card C is not stored, from the information in the card type / shelf number correspondence storing means 54 and the card number storing means 58.

The storage shelf detecting means 74 detects the empty shelf 10a having a higher priority from the shelves 10a detected by the empty shelf detecting means 73 and the priority of each shelf 10a by the priority storage means 72. The detection result is newly stored in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54, and further outputs a signal for setting the shelf 10a to the storage card reader 40a to the mechanism control drive unit 50c.

Next, FIG. 8 (c) is a functional block diagram schematically showing a part of the rearranging function part 50ab which operates in the rearranging mode described later in the main control part 50a.

In the figure, the type determination means 55, the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54, and the number-of-cards storage means 58 are the same components as those in FIG.
Is the same as FIG. 8 (b).

The frequency updating means 82 operates in any of the later-described storage mode and payout mode to update the frequency of each shelf 10a.

Here, the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 stores the shelf corresponding to each card type in a table format as shown in FIG.
The array of 10a and the updated latest frequency are sequentially stored. The shelf 10 is provided with empty shelves (diagonally shaded portions at every tenth place in the set priority order in FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b)) for each of the predetermined places of the priorities described above.

The reordering unit 84 obtains the priority order information in the priority order storage unit 72 and the frequency information in the card type / shelf number storage unit 54 whose frequency has been updated, and sorts the high-frequency shelf 10a (cassette 20). Rearrange to the high priority shelf 10a.

The above-described main control unit 50a controls each of the above-described components according to a predetermined procedure for each of the various management modes described below, using a program stored in a ROM or the like.

# 1 Initial operation (shown in a flowchart in FIG. 9) The activation of the card management device 1 is performed by inserting an ID card into the insertion slot 9 (A1) and inputting a password from the numeric keypad 6f (A2). Then, after a component (not shown) of the main control unit 50a checks the ID, the process branches to each of the following specified management modes (A3).

♯2 Storage mode The storage mode is set by pressing the storage key 6a. (FIG. 10 shows a flowchart in the storage mode.) Next, the storage port 2 is opened (S1), and the magnetic card C is placed in the tray.
Place on 42a (S2).

Confirm that the magnetic card C is placed on the tray 42a in the storage opening (S3), and press the confirmation key 6h (S4).
The storage port 2 closes (S5).

Next, the mechanism control drive unit 50c operates the storage card reader 40a to move the magnetic cards C on the tray 42a one by one.
6, transported by the transport mechanism 44a. During the transport, the magnetic card C is used as a bar code reader which is a bar code reading means A.
The sheets are read one by one by 45a, and the above-described determination operation is performed by the type determination means 55 (S6). Then, the type determination means 55 reads out the correspondence table of the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 and issues a command to the mechanism control drive unit 50c to thereby cause the cassette 20 corresponding to the magnetic card C to be stored.
Is taken out of the shelf 10a of the storage shelf 10 by the cassette handler 30 and set in the storage section 41a of the storage card reader 40a (S7).

However, when the magnetic card C is of a type other than the same type (S8), the type determining means 55 determines whether the magnetic card C is a new magnetic card C that has not been stored from the reading of the card type / shelf number correspondence storing means 54. It is determined (S14), and if they are different, the type determination means 55 determines that the stored magnetic card C is a different type of magnetic card C, and temporarily stores the cassette 20 in the original shelf 10a.
Is output to the mechanism control drive unit 50c (S9), and the cassette 20 corresponding to the different magnetic card C is output as described above.
Is newly set in the storage card reader 40a (S10).
At this time, when the bar code cannot be read (for example, when the direction of the magnetic card C is reversed or when the magnetic card C on which the bar code is not printed is mixed), the type determination means 55 A new card storage card reader 40a for storing unreadable card cassettes
Set again.

Here, the type determination unit 55 outputs to the mechanism control drive unit 50c a command to interrupt the storage operation when three cards whose barcodes cannot be read continue in succession. The type determining means 55 controls the bar code reader 45a not to perform the detection operation when the magnetic card C having no bar code is designated by the function key F of the key group 6.

Next, the magnetic cards C are sequentially loaded and stored in the cassette 20 while the number of stored magnetic cards C is counted by the number counting means 56. At this time, the number-of-cards calculating means 57 is
The current storage number for each cassette 20 is read from 58, and the count of the storage number is sequentially added to the current storage number. Thus, the storing operation of the magnetic cards C can be continued up to the maximum number of stored cassettes 20 (S11).

Then, for the cassette 20 in which the cards are stored, the new storage number is stored again in the card number storage means 58, and the cassette 20 is returned to the original state of the card storage shelf 10 by the cassette handler 30 driven by the command of the mechanism control drive unit 50c. It is stored on the shelf 10a.

At this point, the storing operation of one cassette 20 is completed, and the management information such as the date and time in the storing mode, the type of the magnetic card C, the current stored number, the stored number, and the new stored number is stored in the printer 8.
(S12), where the main control unit 5
The component (not shown) 0a waits for a determination input regarding a case where the user wants to continue the storing operation in another cassette 20 (S13). Since the maximum number of sheets to be stored in the storage opening 2 is 500, when storing the same type of magnetic card C again, and further when storing another type of magnetic card C, the storage key 6a is used again.
Pressing returns to (S1). On the other hand, when the end key 6e is pressed, the storage mode ends, and the mode shifts to the end mode described later.

If it is determined in (S14) that the magnetic card C is a new magnetic card C, the empty shelf storage function 50aa operates as follows.

First, the cassette 20 set in the storage card reader 40a is returned to the original shelf 10a (S15).

Next, the empty shelf detecting unit 73 stores the empty cassette 20 containing the empty cassette 20 based on the information in the card type / shelf number correspondence storing unit 54 and the information of the card number storing unit 58 having the corresponding relationship.
The ten empty shelves 10a are detected (S16). By this detection,
It is assumed that two empty shelves 10a of "Ef" and "Mj" shown in the arrangement in FIG. 15 are detected.

Further, the storage shelf detecting means 74 reads out the priority of the shelf 10a stored in advance from the priority storage means 72 and detects the highest priority shelf 10a among the empty shelves 10a (S1).
7). Here, the priority order of the shelf 10a of “Ef” is 32nd, and the priority order of the shelf 10a of “Mf” is 159th. The shelf 10a of "" is newly stored in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 as a shelf 10a for a new magnetic card C (S18), and is set in the storage card reader 40a (S19). As a result, the shelf close to the storage card reader 40a is selected, so that the set time can be minimized.

Then, the next process returns to (S8) and shifts to the operation for actually storing the magnetic card C described above.

$ 3 Payout mode The payout mode is set by pressing the payout key 6b. (FIG. 11 shows a flowchart in the payout mode.) First, the type of the magnetic card C to be paid out is specified by the above-described card type specifying means B (H1), and the confirmation key 6h is pressed (H2). Next, the payout number is set by the number setting means 51 (H3), and when the confirmation key 6f is pressed (H4), the cassette 20 corresponding to the type of the magnetic card C is stored in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54. It is taken out from the shelf 10 (H5) and set in the storage section 41b of the payout card reader 40b (H6).

Subsequently, the mechanism control drive unit 50c outputs the payout card reader 40b.
The operation of the take-out mechanism 43 and the transport mechanism 44b is commanded to transport the magnetic cards C one by one. At the same time, the barcode is read by the barcode reader 45b as the barcode reading means A (H7). By reading this bar code, the type determining means 55 confirms that the magnetic card C is of the specified type, and the number counting means 56 counts the number of payouts (H8).

Further, the number calculating means 57 reads out the current stored number of cassettes from the card number storing means 58 and subtracts the payout number from the current stored number to calculate the new stored number (H9).

Thus, the magnetic cards C are stacked on the tray 42b up to the payout number set by the number setting means 51,
The number calculating means 57 stores the new stored number in the card number storing means 58. At the same time, the mechanism control drive unit 50c opens the payout opening 3 (H10) and can take out the magnetic card C (H11). When the magnetic card C is taken out, the payout slot 3 is closed (H12), the cassette 20 is stored in the original card shelf 10 by the cassette handler 30 (H13), and the date and time in the payout mode and the The management information such as the type, the current stored number, the payout number, and the new stored number is printed out (H14). When the end key 6e is pressed at (H15), the mode shifts to an end mode described later, and when payout is performed again, the process returns to (H1).

♯4 Inventory mode The inventory mode is set by pressing the inventory key 6c. (A flowchart in the inventory mode is shown in FIG. 12.) First, the type of the magnetic card C to be inventoryed is indicated by a numeric keypad 6f.
Is specified by the storage bin (T1). Next, when the confirmation key 6h is depressed (T2), the mechanism control drive unit 50c commands the cassette handler 30 to operate, removes the cassette 20 of the shelf number from the card storage shelf 10, and stores it in the storage unit 41b of the payout card reader 40b. (T3).

Subsequently, the mechanism control drive unit 50c outputs the payout card reader 40b.
The operation of the take-out mechanism 43 and the transport mechanism 44b is commanded to transport the magnetic cards C one by one. At this time, the barcode is read by the barcode reader 45b as the barcode reading means A (T4). By reading this bar code, the type determining means 55 confirms that the magnetic card C is of the specified type, and the number counting means 56 counts the number of inventories (T5).

Further, the number calculation means 57 sets the current storage number stored in the card number storage means 58 to 0, displays it on the display unit 7 (T6), and displays the date, time, magnetic card C The management information such as the type, the shelf number, and the number of stocks is printed out (T7).

Thus, all the magnetic cards C stored in the cassette 20 are stacked on the tray 42b. Thereafter, the payout port 3 and the storage port 2 are opened (T8), and the magnetic card C can be taken out from the payout port 3. Then, the magnetic card C which has performed the predetermined inventory work is moved to the storage slot 2 (T9).

Next, when the confirmation key 6h is pressed after confirming the movement of the magnetic card C (T10), the mechanism control drive unit 50c closes the payout port 3 and the storage port 2 (T11), and the cassette handler 30 continues to operate the cassette 20. From the payout card reader 40b to the storage section 41a of the storage card reader 40a (T1
2).

Next, the mechanism control drive unit 50c sequentially stores the magnetic cards C in the cassette 20 by the storage card reader 40a (T1).
3). At this time, the number of stored magnetic cards C is sequentially stored in the cassette 20 while being counted by the number counting means 56, and the number calculating means 57 reads the current stored number from the card number storing means 58 and sequentially stores the stored number in the current stored number. Is added. When the storage is completed, the cassette 20 is returned to the original card shelf 10 (T14). When the end key 6e is pressed at (T15), the mode shifts to the end mode described later (T1).
6) When the inventory is performed again, the process returns to (T3).

$ 5 Inquiry mode Inquiry mode is set by pressing the inquiry key 6d. (FIG. 13 shows a flowchart in the inquiry mode.) First, the type of the magnetic card C to be inquired is designated by the above-described card type designation means B (P1), and the confirmation key 6h is pressed (P2). Management information corresponding to the type of the card C (for example, the current number of stored magnetic cards C of a certain type) is read from the card number storage means 58 of the main control unit 50a and displayed on the display unit 7 (P3).

When the end key 6e is pressed at (P4), the mode shifts to the end mode described later, and returns to (P1) when the inquiry is made again.

# 6 Sorting Mode By pressing the sorting mode key 6i in the various modes described above, a sorting mode is set. (A flowchart in the rearrangement mode is shown in FIG. 18.) As described above, in the storage mode and the payout mode, the frequency of each shelf 10a (each cassette 20) is updated (N
1). Here, it is assumed that the priorities and frequencies are stored in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 in a state as shown in FIGS. 16 (a) and 17 (a).

Thereafter, when the sorting mode key 6i is pressed (N
2) The rearrangement means 84 stores the high-frequency (frequency 86) card type C7 at a low-frequency (frequency 20) location in FIG. 16 (b), stored in FIG. 16 (a). As shown in (3), the card is inserted between the card C25 having a frequency of 93 and the card C6 having a frequency of 85, and is sorted in the order of the card type frequency (N4). The rearranged correspondence table is updated and stored again in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage unit 54 (N5).

Thus, as shown in FIG. 17 (b), the cassette 20 accommodating the magnetic card C of the card type C7 is moved from the shelf 10a in the array "Pm" by the cassette handler 30 controlled by the mechanism control drive unit 50c. The shelf is moved to the shelf 10a of the array "Ij" which is the high priority part (N6). Then, by moving the cassette 20, the cards C6 to
Are moved to the low priority shelf 10 one by one in order. Here, assuming that all the shelves 10a store the magnetic cards C, the lower cassettes 20 must be moved one by one to a lower position, and this takes time. It is effective to provide empty shelves for each rank, whereby low-order movement can be performed in a minimum time.

As another method of minimizing low-order movement, when the number of empty shelves becomes equal to or less than a predetermined number, storage of a new magnetic card C may be prohibited to always have a predetermined number of empty shelves.

In the above-described rearrangement mode, a continuous priority is set, so that it takes a long time to perform the low-order movement as described above during the rearrangement operation.

Other arrangements and methods of rearrangement will be described below.

As described above, the storage shelf 10b where the card readers 40a and 40b are arranged, and the shelf 10a near the dispensing shelf 10c are the cassettes.
20 can be moved in a short time. Therefore the 19th
As shown in FIG. 7A, a plurality of (24 in the figure) shelves 10a near the storage shelves 10b and the payout shelves 10c are defined as a high-priority shelf group * 1, and the other shelves 10a are defined as a low-priority shelf group * 2. Is set by the priority setting means 71 so that the priorities in each group are the same.

The processing procedure is the same as the above-described flowchart of FIG. Here, it is assumed that the priorities and frequencies are stored in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 54 in the state as shown in FIGS. 19 (a) and 20 (a).

Thereafter, when the sorting mode key 6i is pressed (N
2) The rearrangement means 84 stores the high-frequency (frequency 146) card type C7 at the low-frequency (frequency 20) location stored in FIG. 20 (a) in FIG. 20 (b). As shown in (1), the card is interposed between the card C9 with the frequency 148 and the card C22 with the frequency 145, and is sorted in the order of the card type frequency (N4). As a result, the card C2 having a frequency of 22 is removed from the high priority shelf group * 1 to the low priority shelf group * 2. The rearranged correspondence table is updated and stored again in the card type / shelf number correspondence storage unit 54 (N5).

As shown in FIG. 19 (b), the cassette 20 accommodating the magnetic card C of the card type C57 is arranged in the low-priority shelf group * 2 by the cassette handler 30 controlled by the mechanism control drive unit 50c. The array "Ij" in which the card C2 previously existed in the high priority shelf group * 1 from the shelf 10a of "Qi"
(N6).

On the other hand, the card C2 which is out of the high-priority shelf group * 1 of only 24 by the rearrangement is moved to the shelf 10a of the array "Q-i" of the low-priority shelf group * 2.

As described above, the sorting means 84 adjusts the entire frequency in the correspondence table in the order of the frequency during the sorting operation, but the cassette handler 30 as a driven mechanism operates each priority group * 1 during one sorting operation. , * 2 only needs to be replaced, and the processing operation of the rearrangement mechanism can be sped up. Since this replacement is performed by one cassette handler 30, the cassettes 20 to be replaced are temporarily stored in the empty shelves 10a or the storage shelves 10b and the payout shelves.
You may make it wait at any of 10c.

# 7 End mode Pressing the end key 6e in the various modes described above sets the end mode. (FIG. 14 shows a flowchart in the end mode.) As described above, when the end key 6e is pressed in each mode (E1), the ID card is ejected from the card insertion slot 9 (E1).
2), the ID card can be removed (E3), and all modes are terminated.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the card management device of the present invention, the moving time between each shelf and the storage port or payout port when a card is inserted into or removed from the apparatus main body can be shortened. When the cards are stored, the cards are stored in order from the empty shelf having the highest priority, so that the storing operation can be efficiently performed in a short time.

Further, according to the second aspect, the cards with high frequency are rearranged on the shelf of the high priority order, so that the insertion and removal can be made more efficient. Therefore, there is an effect that card management can be performed accurately and efficiently.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a card management device of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the device, FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the device, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a card storage shelf according to claim 1, FIG. (B), (c)
Is a perspective view showing a cassette, and a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the cassette is set in each card reader. FIGS. 6A and 6B are side views showing a payout card reader and a storage card reader, respectively. , A perspective view showing a cassette handler, FIG.
FIG. 8A is a functional block diagram of a main control unit, and FIG.
FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram showing an empty shelf storage function unit in the main control unit according to claim 2, FIG. 8 (c) is a functional block diagram showing a rearrangement function unit according to claim 3, and FIG. Is a flowchart showing an initial operation, FIG. 10 is a flowchart in a storage mode, FIG. 11 is a flowchart in a payout mode, FIG. 12 is a flowchart in an inventory mode, and FIG. 13 is a flowchart in an inquiry mode. FIG. 14 is a flowchart of the end mode, FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a card storage shelf for explaining the operation of the empty shelf storage function unit, and FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b) show the contents stored in a card type / shelf number correspondence storage unit for explaining the operation of the rearrangement function unit. FIG. 18 is a plan view showing a card storage shelf for FIGS. 19 (a) and (b) are flow charts in the change mode, and FIGS. 19 (a) and (b) are plan views showing card storage shelves for explaining the operation of another example of the sorting function unit, respectively, and FIGS. FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the contents stored in the card type and shelf number correspondence storage unit for explaining the operation of another example of the rearrangement function unit. 1 ... card management device, 2 ... storage slot, 3 ... payout slot,
5 ... hand scanner, 6 ... key group, 7 ... display unit,
8 Printer, 9 ID card reader, 10 Card storage shelves, 10a Shelf, 10b Storage shelves, 10c Dispensing shelves, 2
0 ... cassette, 30 ... cassette handler, 40a ... storage card reader, 40b ... payout card reader, 50 ... control unit, 50a ... main control unit, 50aa ... empty shelf storage function unit, 5
0ab: Rearrangement function unit, 50c: Mechanism drive control unit, 54:
... Card type / shelf number correspondence storage means 55 55 Type determination means 71 Priority setting means 72 Priority storage means 73 Empty shelf detection means 74 Storage shelf detection means 82
... Frequency updating means, 84... Sorting means, C... Card (magnetic card).

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card management device for managing the number of cards for each of a plurality of types of cards (C) in respective modes of storage, payout, inventory, and inquiry. A storage shelf (10b) and a payout shelf (10c) provided near the position of a storage opening (2) for storing inside and a payout opening (3) for paying out to the outside of the apparatus; A plurality of shelves (10a) for storing each type are integrally formed, and the card storage shelves (10) having the same planar shape and a predetermined priority order for the shelves (10a) of the card storage shelves (10). Priority setting means (71) for setting an empty shelf of the card storage shelf (73), and an empty shelf detecting means (73) for detecting an empty shelf of the card storage shelf. Storage shelf detection that instructs storage of cards in empty shelves with high priority Card management apparatus characterized by comprising a stage (74), the. 2. A card management device for managing the number of cards for each of a plurality of types of cards (C) in respective modes of storing, paying out, inventory, and inquiring. (10a) a priority setting means (71) for setting a predetermined priority; a frequency updating means (82) for updating and storing the frequency of storage or dispensing for each type of the card (C); A sorting unit (S) for rearranging the cards of each type stored in each of the shelves in order of higher frequency to the shelves of higher priority based on the information of the setting unit and the frequency updating unit in a newly set rearranging mode. 84) A card management device comprising: