JP4034704B2 - System for maintenance management of unmanned management equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a vending machine that is normally used in a state where maintenance personnel must not have, unattended car park management apparatus, an automatic ticket issuing machine, a copier, a unmanned management equipment such as a printer to a system for remotely maintenance is there.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as an unmanned management device such as this type of vending machine, an unmanned management device that detects the state of the unmanned management device and automatically transmits information of the detection result via a telephone communication network is known. For example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, states such as device anomalies / failures, inventory of products sold, number of parked vehicles, remaining amount of change, etc. are detected, and information on the detection results is automatically transmitted via a telephone communication network. Vending machines and unmanned parking management devices that transmit are disclosed.
There are also known unmanned management devices that receive control data and remotely control various switches, and unmanned management devices that display information received by a wireless receiver such as a pager on an electronic bulletin board.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-247982 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-187136
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the conventional unmanned management device, there is a case where a contact such as a maintenance management center is contacted in order to deal with the abnormality of the device. There is a problem that the person who encounters the abnormality must contact the maintenance management center at his / her own expense. For example, if a malfunction occurs such as when money (banknotes) is clogged or goods do not come out when using a vending machine, the person who is damaged by the malfunction is displayed on the vending machine. Had to call the contact phone number at his own expense.
In addition, it is inconvenient for the contact work when an abnormality such as the above-mentioned failure occurs to make a call using a mobile phone or a public telephone. Furthermore, due to the inconvenience, when the above failure has occurred but the user has not been contacted and the failure has continued, the vending machine is used until the maintenance person notices during maintenance. It will continue to be impossible. If this unusable state continued, there was a problem that the vending machine traders lost their sales.
As described above, both users and contractors have been disadvantaged in order to deal with abnormalities such as failures occurring in unmanned management equipment such as vending machines.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. Its purpose is configured to reduce the occurrence of abnormality when the user of the failure or the like burden, providing a system for maintenance of unmanned management equipment that the unusable state continues for longer possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormality That is.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 provides a predetermined communication so that communication can be made with an unmanned management device normally used in a state where no maintenance manager is present at the installation site via a cellular phone communication network. A system for maintaining and managing the unmanned management device, wherein the unmanned management device functions as a terminal on a cellular phone communication network in the same manner as a normal cellular phone. and the mobile phone have rows wireless communication through a communication network, a communication module that is limited to the incoming call only for two-way voice communication, a voice output means for outputting a sound when calling in wireless communication, wireless communication A voice input means for inputting a user's voice when making a phone call, a call start operation means for a user to operate to start a call by the wireless communication, and detecting an abnormality of the unmanned management device You And abnormality detection means, when an abnormality is detected in the user operate and the abnormal detecting means vent talk initiation operation means, the terminal identification information and the position of the communication module using the SMS (Short Message Service) The communication module is configured to transmit data including information to the contact, receive a call from the contact made based on the terminal identification information, and establish a communication line for two-way voice communication And the message information providing server is characterized in that the message information is transmitted simultaneously to a plurality of unmanned management devices using SMS (Short Message Service).
Also, According to a second aspect of the invention, the system for maintenance unattended management equipment 請 Motomeko 1, the control means, the device identification information for identifying the unattended management apparatus to said contacts It is characterized by controlling to transmit.
The invention of claim 3 is a system for maintaining and managing the unmanned management device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the unmanned management device is provided with an imaging means for photographing the periphery of the unmanned management device, The control means controls to transmit the image picked up by the image pickup means to the contact address.
[0007]
In the system for maintaining and managing unmanned management devices according to claims 1 to 3 , it is possible to provide a message broadcast service for simultaneously transmitting message information to a plurality of unmanned management devices. Then, when an abnormality such as a failure occurs when the user is using the unmanned management device , the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, and the user operates the call start operation means, first the communication module The data including the terminal identification information and the location information is transmitted by SMS. Based on the transmitted terminal identification information, the contact makes a call for establishing a communication line for bidirectional voice communication from the contact to the communication module of the unmanned management device. When the communication module receives a call from this contact, a communication line for two-way voice communication is established. By establishing this communication line for two-way voice communication, the contents of the abnormality can be explained in detail from the user to the contact, and the countermeasure from the contact to the user can be dealt with. Can be explained accurately by voice. Furthermore, in the present system, even when the communication module is limited to incoming calls for two-way voice communication, it is possible to make a call between a contact and a user of an unmanned management device. In addition, in this system, a communication line for communication (two-way audio communication) is established with the contact only when the user operates the call start operation means. When the user is able to cope with it by himself / herself, an increase in the load on the cellular phone communication network due to useless calls can be suppressed. In addition, since the predetermined data transmission to the contact is performed only when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, it is issued from the contact to the unmanned management device due to an erroneous operation or mischief by the user when no abnormality has occurred. No call is made.
In this case, when a communication line with a contact is established due to the occurrence of the above abnormality, the user is notified by voice or display on the display that a call with the contact is possible. It is preferable to inform .
In particular, the system for maintenance unattended management apparatus of claim 2, by transmitting the device identification information for identifying the unattended management device against the contacts, without briefed from the user In addition, it is possible to accurately determine which unmanned management device has an abnormality.
In particular, in the system for maintaining and managing the unmanned management device according to the third aspect , the periphery of the unmanned management device is imaged by the imaging means. Then, by sending the information of the captured image to the contact information, it is possible to visually grasp the situation around the unmanned management device in which an abnormality has occurred and the state of the user using the unmanned management device. It becomes like this.
[0008]
The control in the unmanned management device can also be realized by executing a predetermined program on a computer provided in the unmanned management device. Delivery of the program used in the computer may be performed using a recording medium such as an FD or CD-ROM in which the program is recorded as digital information, or may be performed using a communication network such as a computer network.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire system capable of realizing a maintenance management method for an unmanned management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system includes a vending machine 10 as an unmanned management device, a mobile phone communication network 20 as a wireless communication network, a private branch exchange (PBX) 31 and a voice terminal 32 in a maintenance management center 30 as predetermined contacts. It is comprised using. The mobile phone communication network 20 and a private branch exchange (PBX) 31 in the maintenance management center 30 are connected using the Internet 40, a public telephone communication network 50 for fixed telephones, a dedicated line 60, and the like. A private branch exchange (PBX) 31 in the maintenance management center 30 is connected to a mail server 33, a database (DB) server 34 storing inventory management data, and other servers.
[0010]
The voice terminal 32 is a telephone for a person in charge at the reception center in the maintenance management center 30 to talk to a user of the vending machine 10, a terminal for an automatic voice response (IVR) system, or the like. The automatic voice response system automatically recognizes the voice of the user of the vending machine 10, automatically generates a voice corresponding to the content, and transmits it to the vending machine 10.
In addition, as two-way voice communication between the maintenance management center 30 and the vending machine 10, IP (Internet Protocol) which is a communication procedure of the Internet is used, and VoIP (Voice (Over IP) can also be used.
[0011]
The mail server 33 is for sending and receiving e-mails via the Internet 40 between a personal computer or the like in the maintenance management center 30 and the vending machine 10. The DB server 34 is a server that stores and manages inventory management data of each vending machine that is maintained and managed by the maintenance management center 30.
Other servers 35, the message information providing server or the like for providing a message broadcast service to send a message information received from the information source such as the content of skill to an asymmetric to each vending machine 10 is provided.
[0012]
The mobile phone communication network 20 performs mail communication by the vending machine 10 and the mobile phone, in addition to the base station 12 and the exchange (not shown) that perform wireless communication with the vending machine 10 of the present embodiment and a normal mobile phone. Various servers such as a server for SMS are provided. This SMS server is a server for providing SMS (Short Message Service) that can transmit and receive a relatively short text message of 100 to 200 characters via the mobile phone communication network 20.
[0013]
2 and 3 are a block diagram and an external view, respectively, showing a configuration example of the vending machine 10 in the present embodiment. The vending machine 10 includes a communication module 11 as a wireless communication means that wirelessly communicates with a base station via an antenna 11a, a main control device 12 as a control means, and an internal memory 13 as a storage means. . Connected to the main controller 12 are a microphone 14 as an audio input means, a speaker 15 as an audio output means, various switches 16, various sensors 17, an electric display 18 as a display means, a camera 19 as an imaging means, and the like. ing. Moreover, the power supply 19 which supplies a predetermined power supply voltage to each part is provided.
The various sensors 7 include a product inventory sensor, a power supply voltage sensor, a sensor for detecting opening / closing of an open / close door, a vibration sensor, and a theft sensor, in addition to a sensor for detecting an abnormal product discharge and a change in a vending machine 10 described later. A fire sensor or the like may be provided.
[0014]
As one of the various switches 16, a call start button 16a is provided as a call start operation means for a user to operate so as to call the maintenance management center 30 and start voice communication. When the user presses the call start button 16a when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the vending machine 10, a call can be made between the user of the vending machine 10 and the maintenance management center 30.
[0015]
The electronic display 18 displays information such as news, weather forecasts, advertisements, etc. transmitted simultaneously from the message information providing server, location information where the vending machine is installed, regional information, and the like. Moreover, you may make it display this free message transmitted by above-mentioned SMS on this electronic display part 18. FIG.
[0016]
The camera 19 captures an image of a user using the vending machine 10 and a landscape around the vending machine 10. Data of an image captured by the camera 19 can be transmitted to the maintenance management center 30 by the communication module 11.
[0017]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the communication module 11 provided in the vending machine 10. The communication module 11 functions as one terminal on the mobile phone communication network 20 like a normal mobile phone. The communication module 11 includes a wireless communication unit 111 that performs wireless communication with the base station 21 via an antenna 11a, an information processing unit 112, an internal memory 113 as a storage unit, a modem unit 114, an interface 115, and a power supply circuit 116. Etc. For the wireless communication unit 111, a subscriber number (telephone number) is set in advance as terminal identification information for uniquely identifying on the mobile phone communication network 20. The wireless communication unit 111 is configured to be able to make a call to a fixed phone or another mobile phone, and to receive a call when a call is received from the fixed phone or another mobile phone. Yes. The interface 115 is a serial interface for communicating with the main controller 12 on the vending machine main body side using an AT command protocol.
[0018]
As the communication module 11, a normal mobile phone may be used as it is and communicated with the main control device 12 via an external terminal having a common specification of the mobile phone. Further, as a communication protocol with the main control device 12, a 16-core interface protocol which is a common specification of mobile phones may be used.
[0019]
When an abnormality such as a failure occurs while the user is using the vending machine 10 having the above configuration, a call can be made between the user of the vending machine 10 and the maintenance management center 30 as follows. can do.
When an abnormality occurs such as a product not appearing or a change not appearing while the user is using the vending machine 10, a call start button 16a provided on the front surface of the vending machine 10 is generated. The user presses. Based on this operation, the main control unit 12 controls the communication module 11 to automatically make a call to the telephone number of the voice terminal 32 of the maintenance management center 30. When the voice terminal 32 of the maintenance management center 30 receives a call made by the communication module 11, a communication line for bidirectional voice communication is established between the communication module 11 and the voice terminal 32. As a result, a user who has encountered an abnormality in the vending machine 10 can inform the person in charge at the maintenance management center 30 of the situation in which an abnormality such as no goods appearing or no change has occurred. Can be explained in detail. On the other hand, the person in charge of the maintenance management center 30 can explain in detail how to deal with the abnormality according to the contents of the abnormality occurrence situation received from the user.
[0020]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when an abnormality such as a failure of the vending machine 10 occurs, there is no need for the user to contact the maintenance management center 30 using his / her mobile phone or public telephone, It is possible to reduce the burden on the user when an abnormality such as a failure occurs. Moreover, it is possible to grasp the occurrence of the abnormality of the vending machine 10 immediately in maintenance center 30, it can be prevented that the abnormal of the state of unusable vending machine 10 lasts longer by generating in advance.
Further, according to the present embodiment, only when the user operates the call start button 16a, a call is made to the maintenance management center 30 to establish a communication line for a call (two-way voice communication). Therefore, when the user can deal with the abnormality of the vending machine 10 by himself / herself, an increase in the load on the mobile phone communication network 20 due to an unnecessary call can be suppressed.
[0021]
In the above embodiment, an abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of the vending machine 10 is provided, and control is performed so that the communication start operation by the communication start button 16a is valid only when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means. May be. Examples of the abnormality detection means include a sensor that detects a product discharge abnormality or a change in the vending machine 10. When this control is performed, the maintenance management center 30 is not called due to a user's erroneous operation or mischief when no abnormality has occurred, which further increases the load on the mobile phone communication network 20 due to unnecessary calls. Can be suppressed.
[0022]
In the above embodiment, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, a call is made to establish a communication line for communication with the maintenance management sensor 30 via the mobile phone communication network 20. The communication module 11 may be controlled. In this case, when the abnormality of the vending machine 10 occurs, the user's operation for starting the two-way voice communication becomes unnecessary. Therefore, even when the user does not notice the abnormality of the vending machine 10 or does not notice the presence of the call start button 16a, the maintenance management setter 30 is reliably communicated when the abnormality occurs.
[0023]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, when the communication module 11 of the vending machine 10 is restrict | limited only to an incoming call, it controls as follows. That is, the communication module 11 is controlled so that data including a terminal identification number (terminal identification information) such as a subscriber number and a mobile station number of the communication module 11 is transmitted to the maintenance management center 30 instead of making the call. To do. Data including this terminal identification number can be transmitted by SMS mail, electronic mail via the Internet, or the like. The maintenance management center 30 makes a call to the vending machine 10 based on the terminal identification number transmitted from the vending machine 10. The communication module 11 is controlled so as to receive a call from the maintenance management center 30 and establish a communication line for a call. In this case, bi-directional audio communication between the maintenance management center 30 and the user of the vending machine 10 is possible even when the communication module 11 is restricted to receive only for bi-directional audio communication due to problems such as charges. become.
[0024]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, you may control to transmit the apparatus identification information for identifying the vending machine 10 with respect to the maintenance management center 30. FIG. The device identification information may be a reference number previously assigned to each vending machine, or a subscriber number (telephone number) assigned to the communication module 11 of each vending machine, a mobile device number, or the like. Terminal identification number. In this case, without receiving an explanation from the user of the vending machine 10, it is possible to accurately determine which vending machine 10 has the abnormality.
Further, the location information of the communication module 11 may be transmitted from the communication module 11 or the mobile phone communication network 20 to the maintenance management center 30 together with the device identification information or instead of the device identification information. In this case, it is possible to immediately determine where an abnormality has occurred in the vending machine 10 installed.
[0025]
In the above embodiment, an image captured by the camera 19 may be transmitted to the maintenance management center 30. In this case, the image transmitted from the vending machine 10 can visually grasp the state around the vending machine 10 where the abnormality has occurred and the state of the user using the vending machine 10. Become.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, the case where the unmanned management device is the vending machine 10 has been described. However, the present invention also applies to other unmanned management devices such as an unmanned parking management device, an automatic ticketing machine, a copying machine, and a printer. The same can be applied.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the unmanned management device used by the user, two-way voice communication is performed between the unmanned management device and a predetermined contact address. Communication lines can be established. Through this call, the user can accurately and in detail explain the details of the abnormality to the contact, and the contact can accurately explain how to deal with the abnormality to the user. Therefore, it is not necessary for the user to contact the contact using his / her mobile phone or public telephone, and the burden on the user when an abnormality such as a failure occurs can be reduced. In addition, since the occurrence of an abnormality of the unmanned management device can be immediately grasped in the contact address, it is possible to prevent the unmanned management device from being unusable for a long time due to the occurrence of the abnormality.
In particular, according to the first aspect of the present invention, only when the user operates the call start operation means and detects an abnormality with the abnormality detection means, the predetermined data transmission is performed to the contact and the contact with the contact is made. A communication line for two-way voice communication has been established. Therefore, when the user can deal with the unmanned management device by himself / herself, no unnecessary call is made from the above contact to the unmanned management device, and the user is not in trouble. Since the above call is not made due to an erroneous operation or mischief, it is possible to further suppress an increase in load on the mobile phone communication network due to a useless call. In addition, even when the communication module is limited to incoming calls for two-way voice communication, there is an effect that a call between the contact and the user of the unmanned management device can be made .
In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, even without receiving the description from the contacts by the user, there is an effect that the abnormality in which unmanned management device has occurred can be accurately determined .
In particular, according to the invention of claim 3 , the state of the periphery of the unmanned management device in which an abnormality has occurred and the state of the user using the unmanned management device can be visually confirmed by the image transmitted from the unmanned management device. There is an effect that it can be grasped.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire system capable of realizing a maintenance management method for an unmanned management device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the vending machine.
FIG. 3 is an external view of the vending machine.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of a communication module of the vending machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vending machine 11 Communication module 11a Antenna 12 Main controller 16a Call start button 19 Camera 20 Mobile phone communication network 30 Maintenance management center 31 Private branch exchange (PBX)
32 Voice terminal 40 Internet 50 Public telephone communication network 60 Dedicated line 111 Wireless communication unit 112 Information processing unit 113 Memory 114 Modem unit 115 Interface

Claims (3)

Between the unmanned management equipment normally used in a state where maintenance personnel are not in location, with the message information providing server provided at a predetermined contact communicatively via a mobile phone communication network, the wireless People A system for maintaining and managing management equipment,
The above unmanned management equipment
There line radio communication through normal cellular and telephone and functions as a terminal on the mobile phone communication network similarly the mobile phone communication network, a communication module that is limited to the incoming call only for two-way voice communication,
Voice output means for outputting voice when calling by the wireless communication;
Voice input means for inputting the voice of the user when making a call by the wireless communication;
A call start operation means for a user to operate to start a call by the wireless communication;
An abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality of the unmanned management device;
When the user operates the call start operation means and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, data including terminal identification information and position information of the communication module is obtained using SMS (Short Message Service). Control means for controlling the communication module to transmit to the contact and to receive a call from the contact made based on the terminal identification information and to establish a communication line for bidirectional voice communication And
A system for maintaining and managing an unmanned management device, wherein the message information providing server transmits message information simultaneously to a plurality of unmanned management devices using SMS (short message service). In the system for maintenance and management of the unmanned management equipment 請 Motomeko 1,
The system for maintaining and managing an unmanned management device, wherein the control means controls to transmit device identification information for identifying the unmanned management device to the contact address. In the system for maintaining and managing the unmanned management device according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The unmanned management device includes an imaging unit for imaging the periphery of the unmanned management device,
The system for maintaining and managing an unmanned management device, wherein the control means controls to send an image picked up by the image pickup means to the contact point.

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