JP3419971B2 - Coin processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to predicting a change out.
And a coin processing device capable of predicting an appropriate replenishment amount of change coins.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional coin processing device used in, for example, an automatic ticket vending machine, when a coin is inserted into the coin processing device, the amount of coins inserted by an insertion detecting portion is counted and Information on the input amount is sent to the control unit. Further, information on the purchase account selected by the account selection unit is sent to the control unit. The control unit calculates the difference between the input amount and the purchase account amount from the sent information, and outputs the control signal to the display unit and the coin processing unit. The difference is displayed as the change amount on the display unit, and at the same time, the change, the ticket, etc. are discharged to the discharging unit via the coin processing unit.

Here, an example of a conventional coin processing unit will be described with reference to the schematic diagram shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the coin processing unit 11 includes a change hopper 50 for storing change reserves, a change cassette 51 for replenishing the change reserves to the change hopper 50, and a holding unit for temporarily holding coins inserted into the device. A plurality of coins 52 and a safe 53 for collecting excess coins when the change hopper 50 is full are provided according to the types of coins handled by the apparatus. This coin processing unit
The normal operation of 11 can be released by preparing an arbitrary number of change fund in advance in the change cassette 51 from the state that there are no coins in the coin processing unit 11 and supplying the change change reserve to the change hopper 50. It will be in a state. Coin C inserted by the user
Is temporarily held in the holding unit 52, and is stored in the change hopper 50 when the next user inserts a coin. When a control signal for discharging change is output from the control unit (not shown), coins stored in the change hopper 50 are discharged to the discharging unit (not shown) for the amount of money designated by the control signal. Further, the change hopper 50 is provided with a plurality of change-out detection sensors 50a, a change-out notice sensor 50b, and a full-state detection sensor 50c for detecting the amount of change coins stored, and when there are insufficient coins in the change hopper 50, a change cassette When the change fund of 51 is replenished and the change fund to be replenished runs out and there are no coins in the change hopper 50, the sale will be discontinued. In addition, change hopper 50
When the coins therein are full, excess coins in the change hopper 50 are collected in the safe 53.

In such a conventional coin processing device,
The replenishment amount and the replenishment timing of the change fund prepared in the change cassette 50 are usually determined by the experience and intuition of the person who manages the device.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional coin processing device, for example, when the account or the amount of money handled by the coin processing device is changed, such as when the fare is revised, an appropriate amount of change fund is provided. It is difficult to predict when the change will run out (when the change fund will be replenished). Further, when designing a coin processing device, there is a problem that it is difficult to appropriately set the capacity of the change cassette for storing the change fund according to the usage status of the device.

As a method for controlling change coins in a coin processing device, for example, in a coin processing device control method known in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-237396, fuzzy inference is executed from change data of coin storage amount in a change hopper, A method has been proposed in which the amount of coins supplied to the change hopper or the amount of coins collected from the change hopper is determined based on the result of this fuzzy inference. This invention, for example, prevents the situation in which the supplied coins are immediately collected and the supplied coins are not used effectively when the amount of coins supplied to the change hopper is more than an appropriate amount. The amount of coin replenishment is determined by fuzzy reasoning to improve the operating efficiency of the coin processing device.

However, the above-mentioned invention is intended to provide a control method for efficiently using the coin for change in the change hopper, which is different from the object of the present invention. It is difficult to predict the amount of change fund reserves and the timing of change out. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coin processing device capable of predicting an appropriate supply amount of change fund and a timing of change out.

[0008]

For this reason, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a deposit detecting means for detecting the amount of coins inserted, and the amount of the inserted coin and the amount of money of the purchased account. And a coin processing means for discharging a coin corresponding to the difference as change from a change reserve of a predetermined amount prepared in advance according to the control signal. in configured coin processing device, the input and withdrawal conditions of the coin in the coin processing unit on the basis of the coin processing data including an expected value generated by the coin insertion pattern for rate and account amount to at least account launch The coin processing simulation means for simulating and the output means for outputting the simulation result in the coin processing simulation means are provided. To.

According to this structure, the coin processing simulation means changes the coin input / output status in the coin processing means after being changed by the coin processing simulation means in accordance with the usage status of the coin processing apparatus, and the output means controls the coin processing apparatus. By managing and confirming the simulation result by the manager,
It becomes possible to predict in advance the appropriate amount of change reserve for the coin processing means, the timing of the change out, and the like.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the coin processing device stores processing information when a coin is actually processed by the coin processing means. And a processing means stored in the storage means is used as the coin processing data to simulate the coin depositing / withdrawing status in the coin processing means by the coin processing simulation means. Characterize.

According to such a configuration, in addition to the operation of the invention described in claim 1, the coin processing means actually performs the simulation of the coin deposit / withdrawal status in the coin processing means, which is performed by the coin processing simulation means. The simulation is performed based on the processing information when the processing is performed, and the simulation reflects the actual usage status of the coin processing device.

Further, the invention described in claim 3 is, as a concrete configuration of the coin processing simulation means in the configuration of the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the usage conditions of the coin processing device and the change in the coin processing means. Means for setting the initial state of reserves, means for reading the coin processing data, means for setting the combination of input coins and account amount based on the coin processing data, and combination of the set input coins and account A means for updating the initial status of the change fund according to the coin processing performed by the coin processing means for the amount of money, and a means for determining whether or not the status of the updated change fund is out of change. And a means for determining whether or not the current number of coin processing times has exceeded a preset predetermined number of coin processing times.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, for example, a case where the coin processing device of the present invention is used in an automatic ticket vending machine installed in a station or the like will be described. FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an automatic ticket vending machine according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the automatic ticket vending machine has a CPU 1 for controlling coin processing, and a coin deposit detecting section 2 as coin deposit detecting means for detecting the denomination and the number of coins inserted into the apparatus by a user. An account selection unit 3 for selecting an account of a ticket to be purchased, a change reserve counting unit 4 for counting the amount of coins stored in a coin processing unit 11 as a coin processing unit, which will be described later, and a deposit amount, A display unit 5 as an output unit for displaying a purchase account amount, a change amount, etc., and displaying a simulation result when executing a coin processing simulation, which will be described later, and a releasing unit 6 for releasing the change and the ticket. An operation unit 7 for inputting data necessary for operating the device, a ROM 8 for storing data and programs used by the CPU 1, and a coin processing data output from the CPU 1. RA as a storage means for storing such
And M9.

The CPU 1 is a coin processing unit 11 described above,
It is composed of a control unit 12 as control means and a coin processing simulator 13 as coin processing simulation means.
The coin processing unit 11 is the same as the coin processing unit used in the conventional coin processing device shown in FIG. 5 described above, and therefore the description thereof is omitted here. The control unit 12 calculates change from the received amount of money and information of the purchase account, and outputs a control signal to the coin processing unit 11, the display unit 5, and the like. The coin processing simulator 13 is a ROM based on the data input from the operation unit 7 and the coin processing data stored in the RAM 9.
The coin processing simulation program stored in 8 is executed to simulate the movement of coins in and out of the coin processing unit 11.

However, the change fund described in the claims means the change coins stored and the inserted coins in the coin processing unit 11 in the present embodiment. Next, the operation of the automatic ticket vending machine according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, for example, the operation when the fare system for setting the account amount of the automatic ticket vending machine is changed by the fare revision is considered.

First, the operation of a normal automatic ticket vending machine before the fare revision will be described. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart regarding the operation at this time. 2, in step 21 (indicated by S21 in the drawing, the same applies hereinafter), the user inserts the number of coins required for purchasing the ticket into the automatic ticket vending machine. In step 22, the denomination and the number of coins inserted are detected by the coin detector 2. Information on the detected amount of money to be paid is sent to the control unit 12. Further, the inserted coins flow into the coin processing unit 11, are temporarily held in the holding unit 52, and are stored in the change hopper 50 when the next coin is inserted.

In step 23, in the account selection unit, the purchase account of the boarding ticket is determined, for example, by the user pressing the purchase account button. Information on the determined purchase account is sent to the control unit 12. In step 24, the control unit 12
At, the difference between the input amount of money and the purchase account is calculated from the information of the input amount of money and the purchase account, and a control signal is output. A control signal including information on the input amount, the purchase account and the difference is sent to the display unit, and the input amount, the purchase account and the change amount are displayed. At the same time, the control signal is sent to the coin processing unit 11.

In step 25, the coin processing unit 11 discharges coins corresponding to the difference calculated by the control unit 12 to the discharging unit 6 as change due to the received control signal.
The coins stored in the change hopper 50 are used for the change, and at this time, the change reserve counting unit 4 is for 500 yen coins or
If it is detected that there is a coin in the change hopper for 50 yen coins, the change will be released for 500 yen coins or including 50 yen coins.

In step 26, along with the release of the change in step 25, the ticket for the account selected by the account selection section 3 is released to the release section 6. In step 27, based on the coin insertion pattern detected in step 22 and the information regarding the purchase account determined in step 23, the probability of occurrence of the coin insertion pattern for each account amount is determined. The data shown, the data showing the sales ratio of each account, the total number of daily sales for each day of the week, etc. are stored in the RAM 9. However, the coin insertion pattern for each account amount is, for example, when the purchase account amount is 140 yen, the inserted coins are a combination of one 100 yen coin and four 10 yen coins without change. Whether it is two 100-yen coins, or a combination of one 100-yen coin and one 50-yen coin. It is released as change due to the difference in the pattern of the coins. The number of coins
The coin discharge pattern is determined.

By the operations of steps 21 to 27, one ticketing operation is completed. Next, an operation for predicting the usage status of the vending machine after the revision in advance when the fare is revised will be described. When the type and amount of tickets handled by automatic ticket vending machines are changed due to fare revision,
Appropriate amount of change reserves and time of change will change from those before the fare revision. In such a case, for example, the change reserve may be insufficient to cause a sale stop due to running out of change, or by supplying an excessive change reserve, the change hopper will soon become full and coins collected in the safe. May increase and the change fund may not be used effectively. Therefore, in the automatic ticket vending machine according to the present embodiment, the coin processing unit 13 uses the coin processing simulator 13 to determine the coin deposit / withdrawal status after the fare revision in the coin processing unit 11 based on the information about the coin processing before revision stored in the RAM 9. It is simulated in advance. From this simulation result, it is possible to predict an appropriate amount of change reserve supply after revision and the timing of change out. The operation of the coin processing simulator 13 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In FIG. 3, in step 31, for example,
A station clerk or the like who manages the automatic ticket vending machine inputs into the coin processing simulator 13 the fare system (total number of set accounts, account amount, number of released accounts for each account, etc.) after the fare revision from the operation unit 7. In step 32, the setting conditions of the automatic ticket vending machine when executing the simulation are input to the coin processing simulator 13 from the operation unit 7. The setting conditions are appropriately set for the following items, for example. (1) Detection conditions of change-out detection sensor 50a and full-count detection sensor 50c (For example, change-out detection number is 25 or less for each coin, full-detection number is 1000 or more for 10 yen and 100 yen coins, etc.) . (2) The number of change reserves prepared in advance in the change cassette and the number of replenishments supplied from the change cassette to the change hopper (initial condition in the change hopper). (3) Number of simulations, that is, the total number of vending machine sales. (4) Maximum number of coins (for example, 5 or less) when multiple coins are purchased with one coin insertion. (5) Occurrence ratio of the number of coins purchased with one coin insertion (for example, 1 coin is 85%, 2 coins is 8%, 3 coins is 4%, etc.).

The above items and setting conditions are not limited to the above, and can be changed as appropriate according to the purpose of simulation, accuracy, and the like. In step 33, the coin processing simulation is started from the operation unit 7. Step
At 34, the coin processing simulator 13 reads the data related to past coin processing accumulated in the RAM 9. The data to be read includes, for example, an expected value in which a coin insertion pattern is generated for each account amount, a time interval at which the automatic ticket vending machine is used, and the number of daily sales of each account.

In step 35, it is determined whether or not the current number of sales in the coin processing simulation is less than or equal to the total number of sales set in step 32 (3). When the current number of releases is less than or equal to the total number of releases, the process proceeds to step 36, and when the number of current releases exceeds the total number of releases, the process proceeds to step 42. At step 36, the purchase account is determined. The purchase account is determined by, for example, an account in which the numerical value preset for each account based on the number of sold days of each account read in step 34 and the random number generated by the coin processing simulator 13 match. To be selected.

At step 37, the coin insertion pattern is determined. The coin insertion pattern is determined by, for example, a numerical value for each coin insertion pattern preset based on the expected value generated by each coin insertion pattern corresponding to the account determined in step 36 and read in step 34, and a numerical coin. The coin insertion pattern that matches the random number generated by the processing simulator 13 is selected. When the coin insertion pattern is determined, coins according to the coin insertion pattern are stored in the change hopper, so that the coin storage state in the change hopper is updated. Further, the updated situation in the change hopper is displayed on the display unit.

In step 38, the difference between the coin insertion pattern determined in step 37 and the amount of money in the account determined in step 36 is calculated, and coins of an amount corresponding to the difference are discharged from the change hopper 50 as change. Therefore, the coin storage status in the change hopper is updated. Also,
The updated situation in the change hopper is displayed on the display unit.
In step 39, it is determined whether or not the number of coins stored in each change hopper is less than or equal to the change change detection number set in step 32 (1). When it is detected that at least one of the change hoppers is out of change, the process proceeds to step 40, and when there are more coins than the change-out detection number in all change hoppers, the process returns to step 35.

In step 40, for example, "Cancel sale" is displayed on the display unit to inform that the change in the automatic ticket vending machine is insufficient. In step 41, the data when the change is out is stored in the RAM 9. This data includes, for example, information such as the final amount of coins in each change hopper, the number of sales, and the initial setting. Then, the process proceeds to step 44 to change the setting condition and execute the simulation again.

In step 42, when it is determined in step 35 that the current number of sales in the coin processing simulation has exceeded the total number of sales, the display unit 5 displays, for example, "release completed", and the predetermined number of simulations are performed. Notify that it is finished. FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen displayed when 3000 sales have been completed. In the example of FIG.
“Sold” is displayed, and the number of coins stored in each change hopper and safe is displayed.
The situation inside the change hopper for 100-yen coins is displayed graphically. Also, the data at this time is stored in the RAM 9. Similar to the data in step 41, this data also includes information on the final amount of coins in each change hopper, the number of sales, the initial setting, and the like.

In step 43, the display section 5 is displayed by the station staff.
It is determined whether or not the remaining amount of coins in each change hopper displayed in is appropriate. If all the change hoppers have an adequate amount of coins that are unlikely to run out of change or become full, the amount of change reserve set in step 32 will be the appropriate amount of change reserve after the fare revision. It is predicted that the coin processing simulation ends. On the other hand, if the remaining amount of at least one coin in the change hopper is not appropriate, for example, if there is a risk that the remaining amount of coins is large and the change is full, the change fund may not be used effectively. Move to step 44 to change the setting so as to reduce the amount of change fund and execute the simulation again.

In step 44, among the initial conditions set in step 32, the setting conditions of the items which are judged to be unsuitable based on the result of the simulation are input and changed from the operation unit 7. Then, returning to step 35, the coin processing simulation is executed again in the same manner as above. By executing the coin processing simulation including steps 31 to 44 described above, it is possible to predict in advance the appropriate number of change fund to be prepared in the change cassette. In addition, based on data such as the number of releases and the amount of coins remaining in the change hopper at the end of the simulation, the time required from the start of the sale after the change reserve is prepared in the change cassette to the end of change. It becomes possible to predict. Furthermore, the appropriate capacity of the change cassette or change hopper can be predicted by predicting the appropriate number of change fund. Therefore, according to the automatic ticket vending machine equipped with the coin processing simulator 13, it is possible to simulate the deposit / withdrawal status of the coins in the coin processing unit 11 in advance, and therefore the management and operation of the automatic ticket vending machine at the time of fare revision. Correspondence becomes easy.

In the above embodiment, the case where the coin processing simulation is executed based on the data related to the coin processing stored in the RAM 9 has been described, but the coin processing data actually processed by the coin processing unit is used. Instead, a coin processing simulation is executed based on the simulated expected value of the coin insertion pattern for each account amount, the time interval at which the automatic ticket vending machine is used, the number of tickets sold per day for each account, etc. It is also possible. However, it is clear that the accuracy of the result of the coin processing simulation improves as the coin processing data reflects the more actual coin processing.

The coin processing device of the present invention is not limited to the automatic ticket vending machine described in the above embodiment,
It can be widely applied to devices equipped with a coin processing function such as a coin processing unit.

[0033]

As described above, the effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 3 is that the coin processing simulation means changes the coins in the coin processing means after the change when the usage status of the coin processing device changes. By simulating the deposit / withdrawal situation, it is possible to predict in advance the appropriate amount of change reserve for the coin processing means, the timing of the change out, and the appropriate capacity of the container for storing change reserve. Becomes Therefore, the manager of the coin processing device can clearly set the amount of change fund supply and the capacity of the change fund container after the usage situation has changed, and the time when change has occurred is clear. Therefore, for example, it is possible to easily determine the time when a coin or the like for the change fund must be prepared from a bank or the like.

The effect of the invention described in claim 2 is, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1 or 3, a simulation of the deposit / withdrawal status of coins in the coin processing means performed by the coin processing simulation means. By reflecting the actual usage status of the coin processing device, the administrator can more accurately set the amount of change fund, the timing of the change out, the capacity of the change fund container, and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a normal operation before the fare revision according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the coin processing simulator of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen after simulation according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a coin processing unit used in a conventional coin processing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 CPU 2 Money detector 3 Account selection section 4 Change reserve counter 5 Display 6 Discharge part 7 Operation part 8 ROM 9 RAM 11 coin processing unit 12 Control part 13 coin processing simulator

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07F 5/00-9/10 G07D 1/00-9/06

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A deposit detecting means for detecting the amount of coins inserted, a control means for calculating a difference between the inserted amount and the amount of a purchased account and generating a control signal, and the control signal. in the coin processing apparatus configured to include a coin processing means for emitting as change coins corresponding to the difference from the predetermined amount of change fund prepared in advance in accordance with, the coin against the proportion and account amount to at least account launch and coin processing simulation means for simulating the input and withdrawal conditions of the coin in the coin processing unit on the basis of the coin processing data including an expected value generated by the charged pattern, and outputs the simulation result of the coin handling simulation means A coin processing device comprising: an output unit. 2. A coin storing means for storing processing information when a coin is actually processed by the coin processing means, wherein the processing information stored in the storing means is used as the coin processing data. 2. The coin processing device according to claim 1, wherein the processing simulation means is configured to simulate the coin depositing / withdrawing status in the coin processing means. 3. The coin processing simulation means sets a usage condition of the coin processing device and an initial situation of change reserve in the coin processing means, a means for reading the coin processing data, and the coin processing data. Means for setting a combination of input coins and an account amount based on the means, means for updating the initial state of the change fund according to the coin processing performed by the coin processing means for the set combination of input coins and the account amount; Means for determining whether or not the status of the updated change fund is out of change, and means for determining whether or not the current number of coin processing times exceeds a preset predetermined number of coin processing times The coin processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coin processing device comprises: