JP3316131B2 - Automatic ticket gate - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ticket gate,
In particular, the present invention relates to a device capable of protecting a magnetic ticket processing mechanism such as a magnetic head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic ticket gate that is frequently used at present is provided with a ticket gate, a commuter pass or the like in which predetermined ticket gate data is magnetically recorded on an automatic ticket gate body (hereinafter referred to as a main body). When the ticket is inserted, the ticket gate data recorded on the magnetic ticket is taken into the main body. The main body performs an arithmetic process based on the ticket gate data, performs an entrance / exit process based on the operation result, and writes the entry / exit data as the operation result on a magnetic ticket.

In addition, the above-mentioned automatic ticket gate of the magnetic ticket insertion type has a disadvantage that a commuter pass must be taken in and out of a commuter pass every time a commuter pass user passes through a ticket gate. In recent years, the commuter pass has been made into an IC card type non-contact ticket having a wireless communication function, and the ticket exchange data is transmitted and received between the non-contact ticket and the main body in a non-contact manner. Non-contact type automatic ticket gates that perform automatic ticket gates without inserting a ticket have been proposed (for example,
JP-A-1-246687).

[0004]

However, even if a conventional magnetic ticket insertion type automatic ticket gate is converted to a non-contact type automatic ticket gate in the future, a one-time short-distance ordinary ticket will not work. Since a low-cost magnetic ticket is advantageous, two types of automatic ticket gates, a magnetic ticket insertion type and a non-contact type, must be installed, which requires a large installation area and increases equipment costs. Occurs.

In order to solve such a drawback, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-25288,
There has been proposed a combined-type main body that can process both a magnetic ticket and a non-contact ticket with one main body. However, when the magnetic ticket and the non-contact ticket can be processed by one main body as described above, if the non-contact ticket is erroneously inserted into the insertion slot of the magnetic ticket, the non-contact ticket is larger than the magnetic ticket. Due to the large thickness, the magnetic ticket processing mechanism in the main body may be destroyed, or the non-contact ticket itself may be damaged.

[0006] The destruction of the above-mentioned magnetic ticket processing mechanism is not limited to a non-contact ticket, and there is a concern that a coin card such as a bank card or various credit cards thicker than a magnetic ticket is inserted. Is done.

In order to prevent such inconvenience, the present applicant has previously disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 7-25449 a detection device comprising an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the thickness of an insert near the insertion opening of the main body. When an insert other than a magnetic ticket is detected, the drive of the transport path in the main body is stopped, and then the transport path is driven in the opposite direction to discharge the insert into the insertion slot and return it. Propose that.

[0008] By the way, inserts such as contactless tickets and credit cards that are ejected and returned to the insertion slot have a large value contained in the inserts, so that they are not returned to anyone other than the inserter. Was desired.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to meet the above-mentioned demand, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to reliably return an inserted product discharged to an insertion port and returned to an inserter. To provide an automated ticket gate machine.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic ticket gate according to the present invention takes in a magnetic ticket inserted into an insertion slot provided in a main body into the main body. In an automatic ticket gate that performs an entry / exit process by performing an arithmetic process based on data recorded in an entrance, an insert detecting means for detecting a type of an insert inserted into the insertion slot, and a use of the main body in a ticket gate passage. User detecting means for detecting the position of the user, and when the insert detecting means detects an insert other than a magnetic ticket, to stop taking in the insert,
Holding means for holding the insert in the main body; and when the holding means holds the insert and the user detecting means detects the exit of the user from the ticket gate passage, the insert is inserted. Discharging means for discharging to the mouth.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic ticket gate that can handle both a magnetic ticket and a contactless ticket according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration thereof. an insertion port 1 for inserting the C _1,
Between the discharge port 2 for returning the inserted magnetic ticket C _1, the transport mechanism 3 is arranged to be driven by a motor M composed of a reversible motor.

A take-in mechanism b comprising a pair of upper and lower endless belt conveyors is provided between the insertion slot 1 and the transport mechanism 3. The uptake mechanism b is driven by the motor M, as extraordinary force in contactless tickets C ₂ contactless tickets C ₂ is erroneously inserted into the insertion slot 1 does not act, the resiliently insert It is devised so that it can be clamped.

A measuring device d including an ultrasonic oscillator d ₁ and a receiver d ₂ is provided in the capturing mechanism b. The oscillator d ₁ emits an ultrasonic wave toward an insert such as the magnetic ticket C ₁ or the contactless ticket C ₂ captured by the capture mechanism b, and the receiver d
₂ is configured to be able to receive the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected on the insert. The received reflected wave is configured to be processed by a received wave processor (not shown) and then input to a controller e described later.

[0014] type determination principle of the insert by the measuring device d in the case of magnetic tickets C ₁ to insert consists of paper, the reception level is part of the ultrasonic wave absorption is low, whereas the insert If is such contactless tickets C ₂ consisting of plastics, because ultrasound is less absorbed, it is based on the fact that the reception level is high.

As the measuring device d, an eddy current type thickness sensor can be used in addition to the above-mentioned ultrasonic type sensor. This thickness sensor has a fixed roller on the lower side, and has a conductive movable roller constantly pressed on the fixed roller side above the fixed roller. The transmitter is configured to emit an eddy current toward the movable roller. When an insert is conveyed between the rollers and the position of the movable roller changes, the change is detected as an eddy current. It is configured to be able to measure as a change, that is, a change in the distance between the fixed roller and the movable roller.

Further, even in the case of a measuring instrument using an ultrasonic sensor, a method of irradiating an ultrasonic wave to an insert and measuring the magnitude of the reflection time can be adopted, or a laser beam can be applied to the insert. And a direct contact method in which the displacement is measured by amplifying the displacement by directly touching the insert, and the like.

The transport mechanism 3 comprises a well-known aligned transport path 4, a main transport path 5, and a discharge transport path 6. Among these, the aligned transport path 4 holds the magnetic ticket C ₁ inserted from the insertion slot 1. The main transport path 5 has a function of aligning the magnetic tickets C ₁
A magnetic head H ₁ for reading magnetic data recorded in the magnetic head, and a magnetic head read by the magnetic head, which is configured mainly by a microcomputer, and is subjected to arithmetic processing by a controller e which controls the main body a comprehensively, a magnetic head of H ₂ for writing the operation result, the magnetic head H for verification for reading whether data writing has been normally
₃ and has. Further, the discharge conveyance path 6 is provided with a magnetic ticket C _1.
Can be discharged to the discharge port 2.

In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes a door provided on a side surface of the main body a for opening and closing a ticket gate passage based on a calculation result of the controller e. In addition, S in the figure is a human detector for detecting a user's approach to or exit from a ticket gate passage formed between an adjacent main body (not shown) and a passage position thereof. Reference numeral 8a denotes a speaker provided on the side wall of the main body a, which is used when giving voice guidance to the user, and 8b denotes a display screen provided near the outlet 2. It is used when providing text guidance to the user. Although not shown, the main body a
The inner, or punching unit for punching the magnetic ticket C ₁ that is incorporated in the main body a, but a mechanism for recovering the magnetic ticket C ₁ in the body a is provided, is omitted to simplify the drawings Have been.

An antenna 9 having a communication area f for exchanging data by wireless communication with a non-contact ticket C ₂ possessed by the user is provided on the approach side of the user on the upper surface of the main body a.
Is provided.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the electrical configuration of the controller e is a central processing unit that performs arithmetic processing using a system program stored in the ROM 10 and working data stored in the RAM 11. (CPU)
12.

The CPU 12 includes the magnetic heads H _{1 to} H _{3 and the} like via an I / O unit 13 and a magnetic ticket C _1.
A magnetic ticket processing unit 14 for processing comprises an antenna 9 or the like, a non-contact ticket processing unit 15 for processing the contactless tickets C _2, a motor driver 16 for driving the motor M, the human detector S , S... Are input to the sensor amplifier 17 and the measuring device d. In addition, I / O
Although a driver for driving the door 7 is connected to the unit 13, it is omitted because it is not directly related to the description of the present invention.

Next, the control operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0023] First, although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 will be described when the contactless tickets C ₂ was used successfully. In this case, the user carrying the noncontact tickets C ₂ is, when the closer the non-contact tickets C ₂ in the communication area f, transferring data between the main body a and the non-contact tickets C ₂ is performed, wicket processing by contactless tickets C ₂ is performed.

[0024] If the data of the non-contact tickets C ₂ is enabled, the door 7 is opened (as is the case main body a is normally open type), the user can pass through the ticket gate passage, if the contactless tickets C ₂ is in the disabled expired or the like, the door 7 is closed, the passage of the user is prevented.

[0025] Until the automatic ticket processing by contactless tickets C ₂ is completed, the insertion port 1 is closed by a stopper (not shown). Accordingly, the user of the contactless tickets C ₂ of invalid, disadvantageously pass through the ticket gate passage valid magnetic ticket C ₁ inserted subsequent user is effectively prevented.

[0026] Now, a user in possession of a non-contact tickets C ₂ is, it is assumed that the attempt to insert a non-contact tickets C ₂ to accidentally insert port 1 (step 100 positive. Below, the step to S. ).

In this case, the non-contact ticket C ₂ is captured by the capturing mechanism b, and the thickness of the non-contact ticket C ₂ (insert) is detected by the measuring device d (S102). Of course, when the magnetic ticket C ₁ is inserted into the insertion slot 1, the magnetic ticket C ₁
The normal entry / exit processing using is performed (Yes at S104,
S105).

[0028] Now, CPU 12, the thickness of the insert which is input from the measuring instrument d is based on a signal with a predetermined value or more non-magnetic ticket C _1, stops the motor M via a motor driver 16 ( S104 affirmative). Therefore, the driving of the take-in mechanism b and the transport mechanism 3 is stopped, and no further take-in of the insert (non-contact ticket C ₂ ) into the main body a is performed, and the insert is at least the take-up mechanism b or It is reserved in the alignment conveyance path 4. Therefore, it is possible to prevent damage to the main body a and contactless tickets C _2. At this time, through the speaker 8a and a display screen 8b, that the non-contact tickets C ₂ is improperly inserted, and the guiding of the to leave the ticket gate passage is performed (S106).

When it is detected via the human detectors S, S... That the user has exited the ticket gate, the motor M is driven in the direction of discharging the insert to the insertion slot 1 in the reverse direction. (S110). Therefore, the contactless tickets C ₂ which has been held in the main body a is discharged into the insertion slot 1, it is returned to the user.

[0030] As described above, the automatic ticket gate machine according to the present embodiment, when you put the wrong contactless tickets C ₂ into the insertion slot 1, the uptake into the body a is stopped, the main body or damage the a, with damage to the non-contact tickets C ₂ itself can be prevented, it is possible to reliably return the contactless tickets C ₂ which is erroneously inserted into owner.

[0031] In the above example, erroneous While the inserted insert was contactless tickets C _2, inserts is erroneously inserted is returned to owners Similarly for cards with a thickness of such bank cards be able to.

[0032]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automatic ticket gate according to the present invention, comprising: an insert detecting means for detecting a type of an insert inserted into an insertion slot; a user detecting means for detecting a user position in a ticket gate passage; When the object detection means detects an insert other than a magnetic ticket, the taking of the insert is stopped, and the holding means for holding the insert in the main body, and the holding means holds the insert, and When the user detecting means detects the exit of the user from the ticket gate passage, there is provided discharging means for discharging the inserted material into the insertion slot. Since the magnetic ticket processing mechanism is not taken in, the inconvenience of damaging the contactless ticket and the main body is prevented, and the insert can be reliably returned to the owner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a cross section of a part of an automatic ticket gate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a controller.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 insertion opening 3 the conveying mechanism a automatic ticket gate machine body (main body) b uptake mechanism d instrument e controller C ₁ magnetic tickets C ₂ contactless tickets

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07B 15/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A magnetic ticket inserted into an insertion slot provided in an automatic ticket gate main body is taken into the automatic ticket gate main body,
In an automatic ticket gate that performs an entry / exit process by performing arithmetic processing based on data recorded on the magnetic ticket, an insert detector that detects a type of an insert inserted into the insertion slot; and the automatic ticket gate. User detecting means for detecting a user position in a ticket gate passage of the main body; when the insert detecting means detects an insert other than a magnetic ticket, taking in of the insert is stopped; A holding means for holding in the ticket gate main body, and when the holding means holds the insert and the user detecting means detects the exit of the user from the ticket gate passage, the insert is discharged to the insertion slot. An automatic ticket gate comprising: