JP4363709B2 - Wireless card automatic ticket gate and control method therefor - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic ticket gate, and in particular, without reading a ticket into the automatic ticket gate, it is possible to read and write information by simply holding the card over a reader / writer including a wireless card-compatible wireless antenna provided in the ticket gate. The present invention relates to a wireless card compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus having a wireless automatic ticket gate function and a control method thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automatic ticket gates that perform automatic ticket gate processing and automatic ticket gate devices that perform automatic ticket gate processing have begun to be installed at railway stations and other transportation stations.
[0003]
Such an automatic ticket gate and an automatic ticket collector (hereinafter collectively referred to as an automatic ticket gate) read magnetic information recorded on a ticket medium (tickets) inserted into the automatic ticket gate and read the result. Whether or not the vehicle is allowed to pass is determined on the basis of the above, and processing such as recording, punching, and printing of magnetic information is performed on the inserted ticket medium as necessary.
[0004]
Further, among such automatic ticket gates, there have been proposed devices that can cope with the combined use of a plurality of ticket media.
[0005]
The combined use of the ticket medium is, for example, using a combination of two or more boarding sections of a ticket medium such as a regular ticket and a regular ticket, or a regular ticket and a regular ticket.
[0006]
It can also be used in combination with a regular ticket or a regular ticket and a pre-paid card.
[0007]
Such automatic ticket gates that can handle a plurality of cards are used in particular for ticket gate processing at transfer stations or ticket gate processing for which entrance / exit check is performed.
[0008]
In recent years, a reader including a radio card-compatible radio antenna provided in a ticket gate without using a radio card and inserting a ticket into an automatic ticket gate in order to further improve the efficiency of ticket collection processing and the like. / Development of a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate that enables reading and writing of information by simply holding the card over the writer.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above-described conventional wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus has the following problems.
[0010]
(1) In the case of a wireless card, it is determined whether or not the user can pass the ticket gate by holding it over a wireless antenna provided near the entrance of the top cover of the wireless card compatible automatic ticket gate.
[0011]
However, in a conventional wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate device that enables the combined use of a magnetic ticket and a wireless card, a user may accidentally insert the wireless card into the magnetic ticket slot.
[0012]
Normally, in an automatic ticket gate, a magnetic ticket is transported by a transport roller and a belt wound around the same, so that an erroneously inserted wireless card is transported into the machine by a belt as in the case of a magnetic ticket. It will be.
[0013]
In general, since the conveyance path is bent at various places, if the wireless card enters the bent portion, the wireless card may be damaged by being pressed against the bent portion by a roller.
[0014]
(2) Since important parts such as a magnetic head are arranged near the transport path, if the wireless card is transported to that part, the parts inside the automatic ticket gate including this magnetic head are damaged. There was also a possibility to do.
[0015]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. For example, even when a user mistakenly inserts a wireless card into the slot of a magnetic ticket, for example, a wireless provided near the slot of the top cover is provided. A wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus and a control method thereof capable of taking appropriate measures such as returning the insertion slot to the insertion slot by operating a reader / writer including an antenna to detect erroneous insertion of the wireless card The purpose is to provide.
[0016]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus according to the present invention is a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus that opens and closes a door according to the processing contents of the magnetic ticket / wireless card and permits / blocks the passage of users. A communication unit that communicates with a wireless card, and a communication unit that communicates with a wireless card using a conveyance unit that conveys a magnetic ticket inserted into the insertion unit, a conveyance path of the conveyance unit, and an area above the conveyance unit; Processing means for determining whether or not the information is valid based on the information received by the means, and what is being conveyed when the one conveyed by the conveying means communicates with the communication means A control unit that determines that the card is a wireless card and returns the wireless card to the insertion unit, and a detector that detects that the wireless card returned by the control unit has been removed from the insertion unit. And when it is determined that the wireless card returned by the detection means is valid by the processing means and has been removed by the user, by opening the door, When the door is opened by the permission means and the communication means communicates again with the wireless card by the permission means without allowing the wireless card to be processed, And a guide means for maintaining the open state and guiding the passage of the user.
[0017]
  The wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate control method of the present invention is a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate control method for permitting / blocking a user's passage by opening and closing a door according to the processing contents of a magnetic ticket / wireless card. The step of accepting the magnetic ticket in the insertion unit, the step of transporting the magnetic ticket, and the step of communicating with the wireless card using the transport path of the magnetic ticket and the transport path of the magnetic ticket as a communication area And a step of determining whether or not the information is valid based on the information received in the communication, and in the transporting step, when the material being transported communicates, Determining that the wireless card is a wireless card, returning the wireless card to the insertion unit, detecting detecting that the returned wireless card has been removed from the insertion unit, When the returned wireless card is determined to be valid by the determination process and is detected to have been removed by the user, the user is allowed to pass by opening the door. And in the open state of the door, when communicating with the wireless card again, maintaining the open state of the door without guiding the wireless card and guiding the passage of the user; It has.
[0027]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0028]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an external appearance of an automatic ticket gate apparatus to which a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
[0029]
Here, it is assumed that the automatic ticket gate apparatus can execute a ticket gate process, a ticket collection process, and a wireless card handling process.
[0030]
Here, first, the first two parties will be described with regard to the ticket gate processing and the bill collection processing, and then the wireless card handling processing as the main part of the present invention will be described.
[0031]
This automatic ticket gate can be used in combination with a plurality of ticket media (magnetic ticket, wireless card).
[0032]
For example, the case where it applies as an automatic ticket gate apparatus installed in the transfer station of a Shinkansen and a conventional line is assumed.
[0033]
The automatic ticket gate installed at this transfer station accepts conventional train tickets starting from or at the transfer station, and Shinkansen train tickets and limited express tickets starting from or at the transfer station. Based on the data of these three ticket media, it is possible to check whether there is any fraud in the boarding section and to perform the collection ticket processing.
[0034]
Hereinafter, such a bill collection process is described in detail.
[0035]
In addition, the above-mentioned boarding ticket medium which continues the boarding area shall be called a related boarding ticket.
[0036]
The main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate has an entry port 12 into which a ticket medium is inserted when entering the station premises or entering the station premises, and an exit through which the ticket medium received at the entry port 12 is discharged. 14 are provided.
[0037]
There are various types of ticket media, such as ordinary tickets, regular tickets, limited express tickets, number-of-times tickets, prepaid cards, and the like.
[0038]
In such a ticket medium, predetermined information, for example, data such as expiration date information and available section information is magnetically recorded in a predetermined format.
[0039]
The slot 12 can accept a batch of a plurality of ticket media, and can accept a single ticket media.
[0040]
As a combination of a plurality of ticket media, a regular ticket and a regular ticket, a regular ticket and an express ticket, a regular ticket and a regular ticket, and the like are conceivable.
[0041]
Further, when a plurality of ticket media are put together, the discharge port 14 is capable of discharging a plurality of tickets at once, and the plurality of ticket media are discharged in a stacked manner.
[0042]
This collective discharge will be described in detail later.
[0043]
In the vicinity of the insertion slot 12, a shutter for preventing the insertion of the ticket medium is provided.
[0044]
This shutter prohibits the insertion of another ticket medium for a predetermined period of time after the ticket medium is inserted.
[0045]
Due to the action of the shutter, it is possible to prevent other people's ticket media from being continuously inserted.
[0046]
A wireless transmission / reception antenna 16 is provided in front of the insertion slot 12 for transmitting / receiving card usage data to / from a wireless card presented by the user.
[0047]
Further, in the front of the insertion port 12, an insertion port vicinity display unit 17 that displays various guidance to the user is provided.
[0048]
In the insertion slot vicinity display unit 17, for example, the remaining amount of the inserted prepaid card or the like is displayed.
[0049]
Further, a passage guidance display unit 13 for displaying guidance of the passage of the automatic ticket gate is provided at the lower portion of the insertion port 12.
[0050]
In front of the discharge port 14, a discharge port vicinity display unit 18 that displays various guidance to the user is provided.
[0051]
A door portion 20 is provided on a side surface portion of the main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate device to prevent a passenger entering the ticket medium from passing by closing.
[0052]
In addition, a frame 22 serving as a partition for distinguishing a passage corresponding to the main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate apparatus is provided on the upper part of the main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate apparatus.
[0053]
The frame 22 is provided with a display 26 for notifying the insertion of a child ticket, the insertion of an invalid ticket or an abnormal ticket, or an abnormality of a device.
[0054]
Furthermore, a plurality of human detection sensors 24 that detect the passage of the user are provided on the side surface portion of the main body 10 and the frame 22.
[0055]
The human detection sensor 24 detects the passage of the user, and a transmission type or reflection type sensor is used.
[0056]
An invalid ticket is a ticket that cannot be used in combination with other ticket media.
[0057]
For example, an expired ticket medium corresponds to this.
[0058]
An abnormal ticket is a ticket that cannot be read by the automatic ticket gate.
[0059]
For example, a credit card having a different recording format or a ticket that is not magnetically recorded corresponds to this.
[0060]
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the internal mechanism of the automatic ticket gate shown in FIG.
[0061]
A main conveyance path 32 is formed between the insertion port 12 and the discharge port 14 for conveying the ticket medium loaded from the insertion port 12 toward the discharge port 14.
[0062]
On the main conveyance path 32, a plurality of sensors for detecting a ticket medium conveyed on the main conveyance path 32 are provided.
[0063]
For example, a loading port sensor 90 that detects a ticket medium inserted from the charging port 12 is provided, and a discharge port sensor 92 that detects a ticket medium discharged to the discharge port is provided.
[0064]
In the vicinity of the entrance of the main transport path 32 that leads from the slot 12 to the main transport path 32, a shutter 28 that prohibits the insertion of the ticket medium for a predetermined period as will be described later, and a single or single ticket. A separating unit 33 (separating means) including a separating unit 33 for capturing the medium one by one and an aligning unit 34 for aligning the captured ticket medium is provided.
[0065]
Here, the predetermined period is a period until the inserted ticket medium is received from the discharge port 14.
[0066]
The shutter 28 is closed at the moment when the ticket medium is inserted.
[0067]
As a result, a distinction is made between the first-passed ticket medium and the next-passed ticket medium.
[0068]
In the aligning unit 34 of the take-in unit 30, alignment is performed such that a predetermined direction of the ticket medium inserted into the input port 12 is a transport direction and serves as a one-side reference.
[0069]
In addition, the alignment unit 34 is provided with a size detection sensor to be described later for detecting the size of the ticket medium.
[0070]
The ticket medium includes a small ticket called an Edmonson ticket such as an ordinary ticket and a transit ticket, a medium-sized ticket such as a commuter pass and a prepaid card, and a large ticket such as an express ticket.
[0071]
These sizes (in mm) are, for example, 30 × 57.5 for small-sized tickets, 57.5 × 85 for medium-sized tickets, and 57.5 × 120 for large-sized tickets.
[0072]
The alignment unit 34 can detect the size of these ticket media based on the sensor output.
[0073]
That is, the length along the conveyance direction of the ticket medium is detected by measuring the passing time of the sensor by the ticket medium conveyed at a predetermined conveyance speed.
[0074]
Even if the ticket medium is inserted on the downstream side of the take-in part 30 in the main transport path 32, that is, the ticket medium is input with the surface on which the entrance station information, fee information, etc. are printed facing upward, On the back side of the ticket medium so that the magnetic information can be read even if the back side is inserted, that is, when the surface having the magnetic recording part on which magnetic information such as entrance station information and toll information is recorded is turned upward Reading heads 36 a and 36 b (reading means) for reading information magnetically recorded on the provided magnetic recording layer are provided above and below the main conveyance path 32.
[0075]
Further, downstream of the reading heads 36a and 36b in the main conveyance path 32, a reversing unit 38 that unifies and sends out the front and back of the ticket medium is temporarily stored, and the ticket medium is temporarily pooled before the information is written. A pre-write pool section 42 is provided.
[0076]
The reversing unit 38 is provided with a sorting gate 39. In order to unify the front and back of the ticket medium, the ticket medium is pulled into the reversing unit 38 from the main transport path 32 by the sorting gate 39 as necessary. It is.
[0077]
The ticket medium drawn into the reversing unit 38 is reversed through the reversing path 40 and returned to the main conveying path 32.
[0078]
The necessity of drawing the ticket medium into the reversing unit 38 is determined by the size of the ticket medium and information on the ticket medium read by the reading head 36a or 36b.
[0079]
The pre-writing pool unit 42 temporarily pools the ticket medium in order to check the validity of the ticket medium based on the combination of a plurality of sheets, for example, whether or not the sections that can be boarded are continuous. .
[0080]
The pre-writing pool section 42 is provided with a sorting gate 43, a pool transport path 44, a stopper 45, and the like.
[0081]
When pooling the ticket media, the sorting media 43 pulls the ticket media from the main transport path 32 to the pool transport path 44, and the pulled ticket media is stopped by the stopper 45 to be pooled. The
[0082]
At this time, the sorting gate 43 is operated so that a plurality of ticket mediums do not overlap each other in the pool conveyance path 44, that is, pooled one by one in another pool conveyance path 44.
[0083]
The pooled ticket media are returned to the main transport path 32 in a predetermined order set in advance.
[0084]
Further, on the downstream side of the pool section 42 before writing in the main transport path 32, a writing head 46 for recording predetermined magnetic information on a magnetic recording layer provided on the back surface of the ticket medium, a writing head 46 A reading head 48 for confirming the information recorded in (Verify reading), punch processing units 50 and 52 for punching the ticket medium, and a first ticket detection sensor 54 for detecting the passage of the ticket medium, A thermal head 56 that prints and records the ink contained in the ink ribbon 55 by thermal transfer to the ticket medium, a thermal head 58 that prints and records color by heating the heat-sensitive layer of the ticket medium, and a plurality of tickets For example, a collective pool unit 60 that stacks and arranges a plurality of ticket media discharged when the media is inserted, such that a large size of the ticket media is located below, is provided.
[0085]
When printing and recording is required for a ticket medium that does not include a heat sensitive layer, the inserted ticket medium is conveyed to the thermal head 56 by the sorting gate 51.
[0086]
Then, the ink is transferred from the ink ribbon 55 to the boarding ticket medium by the thermal head 56.
[0087]
Further, when printing record is necessary for the ticket medium having the heat sensitive layer, the inserted ticket medium is conveyed to the thermal head 58 by the sorting gate 51.
[0088]
Then, the ticket medium is heated by the thermal head 58, and the heat-sensitive layer is colored, whereby printing is recorded on the ticket medium.
[0089]
The collective pool unit 60 is provided with a pool unit 61, a sorting gate 62, a second ticket detection sensor 63, and the like.
[0090]
The collective pool unit 60 is configured to size a plurality of ticket media having different sizes so that a specific ticket media is not overlooked when a plurality of ticket media having different sizes are discharged. It is a mechanism for rearranging and aligning in order.
[0091]
As described above, when processing a plurality of related tickets having different sizes such as a small-sized ticket, a medium-sized ticket, and a large-sized ticket, when these related tickets are discharged one by one at the time of discharge, This hinders smooth ticket gate processing.
[0092]
However, when trying to discharge all at once, it is conceivable that a small ticket is overlooked and hidden behind a large ticket, and is lost.
[0093]
Therefore, the collective pool unit 60 prepares and discharges the ticket media as follows.
[0094]
For example, it is assumed that an ordinary ticket as a small-sized ticket and a commuter pass as a medium-sized ticket are put together or one by one and are pooled in the pool section 42 before writing.
[0095]
At this time, it is discharged from the pre-writing pool section 42 in order from the largest ticket medium, that is, in the order of the commuter pass and the ordinary ticket, and is taken out onto the main transport path 32.
[0096]
First, a commuter pass as a medium-sized boarding ticket is transported, and when this commuter pass is detected by the first ticket detection sensor 54, the transport mechanism 64 is driven, and the distribution gate 62 sends a commuter pass to the pool unit 61. Capture is performed.
[0097]
When the taken commuter pass is detected by the second ticket detection sensor 63, the driving of the transport mechanism 64 is stopped and the commuter pass is temporarily pooled at a predetermined position in the pool unit 61.
[0098]
Subsequently, when a normal ticket as a small ticket is detected by the first ticket detection sensor 54, the transport mechanism 64 is arranged so that the tip of the commuter pass previously pooled matches the tip of the normal ticket. Driven, the normal gate ticket is taken into the pool section 61 by the sorting gate 62.
[0099]
Accordingly, the commuter pass is taken into the pool unit 61 in a state where the tip of the commuter pass and the tip of the ordinary ticket coincide with each other, and the ordinary ticket is stacked on the commuter pass.
[0100]
When the ordinary ticket and the commuter pass taken into the pool unit 61 are detected by the second ticket detection sensor 63, the driving of the transport mechanism 64 is stopped.
[0101]
That is, the ordinary boarding ticket and the commuter pass are overlapped at a predetermined position of the pool unit 61 and are temporarily pooled with their tips aligned.
[0102]
If no other ticket medium is pooled in the pool section 42 before writing, the discharge roller 65 is rotated, and all the ticket medium taken into the pool section 61 is conveyed toward the discharge port 14.
[0103]
When a plurality of related tickets are discharged in such a stacked state, all the tickets can be confirmed when viewed from the side of the recipient of the related tickets.
[0104]
Therefore, by arranging the ticket media having different sizes in order of size and discharging them together, it is possible to realize a smooth ticket gate process and to prevent the ticket media from being missed.
[0105]
The sorting gate 66 is a gate that sorts between discharge and collection depending on the type of ticket medium.
[0106]
For example, at the time of bill collection, the commuter pass is discharged through the discharge port 14, and the normal ticket when entering from the station premises is collected in the main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate.
[0107]
The ticket medium collected by the sorting gate 66 is sorted and collected by the sorting gate 68 into the first and second bill collection boxes 70 and 72 according to the type of the ticket medium.
[0108]
A plurality of motors for driving each part are attached to the main body 10 of the automatic ticket gate.
[0109]
For example, a main motor (stepping motor, servo motor, etc.) 74 that drives a conveyance roller that conveys the ticket medium, and an induction motor 78 that conveys the ticket medium to the discharge port 14 are provided.
[0110]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the automatic ticket gate explained in FIG. 1 and FIG.
[0111]
The control system of this automatic ticket gate is controlled entirely by the CPU 100 as a control means.
[0112]
The CPU 100 includes a ROM 102 that stores a control program of the CPU 100, a RAM 104 that stores information read from a ticket medium and a buffer for a control program, and an entrance station to a station where the automatic ticket gate is installed. A fare memory 106 that stores the fare information of the vehicle, a read circuit 108 that controls the read heads 36a and 36b, a write circuit 110 that controls the write head 46, and a read head 48 To the reading circuit 112 to be connected.
[0113]
The CPU 100 performs passability determination processing based on the information read by the reading head 36a or 36b and identifies the type of the ticket medium.
[0114]
The CPU 100 also includes a distribution control circuit 114 that controls the distribution gates 39, 43, 51, 59, 62, 66, and 68, a thermal head control circuit 116 that controls the thermal heads 56 and 58, a first A detection circuit 118 that detects the conveyance status of the ticket medium based on signals from the sensors such as the ticket detection sensor 54, the second ticket detection sensor 63, and the discharge port sensor 92, and a main motor 74 that conveys the ticket medium. A conveyance control circuit 120 for controlling, a passage detection circuit 122 for detecting the passage of a passenger of the ticket medium by an output from the human detection sensor 24, and a door control circuit 126 for controlling a door opening / closing mechanism 124 for driving the door portion 20. Is connected.
[0115]
Further, the CPU 100 includes a display control circuit 128 that controls each display unit such as the passage guide display unit 13, the inlet vicinity display unit 17, and the outlet vicinity display unit 18, and a display control that controls the display 26. A circuit 130, a punch processing control circuit 132 for controlling the punch processing units 50 and 52, a collective pool control circuit 136 for controlling the driving of the collective pool unit 60, and a monitoring panel 140 for monitoring a plurality of automatic ticket gates collectively. And a monitoring panel interface 138 for connection to the PC.
[0116]
Further, the CPU 100 is connected to a capture unit control circuit 134 that controls the capture unit 30 including the shutter 28, the separation unit 33, and the alignment unit 34.
[0117]
The take-in control circuit 134 includes a drive mechanism for driving the shutter 28 based on output signals from various sensors included in the separation unit 33 and the alignment unit 34, and various rollers included in the separation unit 33 and the alignment unit 34. The drive control of the motor etc. which rotate is performed.
[0118]
Further, the take-in unit control circuit 134 detects the size of the ticket medium inserted by the size detection sensor included in the alignment unit 34.
[0119]
Further, as a control system for wireless card compatible processing, the CPU 100 described above has a reader / interface that interfaces the information received by the wireless transmission / reception antenna 16 that transmits and receives radio waves with the wireless card and the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10. A writer unit 200 is connected, and a detection circuit 210 that detects a thickness based on detection signals from thickness detection sensors 150a and 150b described later is connected.
[0120]
Next, the traffic determination process will be described.
[0121]
This traffic determination process is a traffic determination process capable of collecting bills using a plurality of related tickets.
[0122]
Note that the bill collection process based on the traffic determination process is controlled by the CPU 100.
[0123]
Hereinafter, with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 6, the bill collection process by the traffic determination process will be described.
[0124]
The bill collection process is started by inserting a ticket medium.
[0125]
When the ticket medium discharged by the discharge port sensor 92 is no longer detected (ST10, YES), the shutter 28 opens (ST12), and the insertion of the ticket medium into the input port 12 is permitted.
[0126]
That is, when the previous ticket medium discharged to the discharge port 14 is received, the next ticket medium is permitted to be inserted.
[0127]
When the discharged ticket medium is detected by the discharge port sensor 92 (ST10. NO), the shutter 28 is closed (ST14), and the next ticket medium is prohibited from being inserted into the input port 12.
[0128]
This is to prevent equipment breakdown or confusion at the time of receipt of the ticket medium due to the insertion of another ticket medium when the ticket medium is held at the discharge port 14.
[0129]
When a ticket medium is inserted into the slot 12 (ST16, YES), the ticket medium is detected by the slot sensor 90 (ST18), the shutter 28 is closed after a predetermined time (ST20), and the next ticket medium. Is prohibited.
[0130]
When only one ticket medium is inserted, this one ticket medium is taken into the main transport path 32 by the take-in section 30 (ST22).
[0131]
If there are a plurality of ticket media inserted in ST16, the plurality of ticket media are separated one by one by the take-in section 30 and taken into the main transport path 32 (ST22).
[0132]
In step ST22, when the ticket medium is taken in, the CPU 100 is normal by the thickness detection signal from the detection circuit 210 via the thickness detection sensor 150a provided immediately after the magnetic ticket slot 12. It is determined whether or not it is a magnetized ticket, and the thickness detected by the thickness detection sensor 150b after passing through a separation mechanism 162 described later for determining whether or not it is a foreign object, and the above-described thickness It is determined whether or not there is a change in the thickness detected by the detection sensor 150a.
[0133]
The plurality of ticket mediums taken in by the take-in unit 30 are separated one by one by the separation unit 33 and then aligned by the alignment unit 34 (ST24).
[0134]
The aligned ticket media are conveyed through the main conveyance path 32, and the magnetic data recorded on the ticket media are read by the read heads 36a and 36b (ST26).
[0135]
At this time, if the data cannot be read, it is determined that the inserted ticket is an abnormal ticket (ST28, YES), and the ticket determined to be an abnormal ticket is immediately discharged (ST31).
[0136]
In addition, if there is a ticket that is inserted at the same time as the ticket determined to be an abnormal ticket, this ticket is also immediately discharged.
[0137]
When it is determined that the ticket inserted in this way is an abnormal ticket, passage through the automatic ticket gate is not permitted.
[0138]
If the inserted ticket is not an abnormal ticket (ST28, NO), it is determined by the CPU 100 whether or not the ticket ticket reversal process is necessary (ST30), and the reversing unit 38 performs as necessary. Inversion processing is performed (ST32).
[0139]
Then, all of the ticket media that have been put together are read one by one and then pooled in the pre-writing pool section 42 (ST34).
[0140]
At this time, until the ticket sensor 90 no longer detects the ticket medium, the process of taking the ticket medium held at the slot 12 to the pool section 42 before writing is repeated (ST36).
[0141]
In this traffic determination process, when only one ticket medium is put in a lump, the ticket medium is transported through the main transport path 32 and is not pooled in the pool section 42 before writing. Subsequent processing is performed on the ticket medium.
[0142]
When all the ticket media entered in a lump are pooled in the pool section 42 before writing, that is, when all the data of the ticket media entered in a lump is read, the traffic determination processing by the lump-sum ticket media entered in a lump is performed. Performed (ST38).
[0143]
The content of this traffic determination processing is whether or not the boarding section and boarding deadline satisfy the use conditions.
[0144]
The determination process is performed in the same manner as if the wireless card antenna 16 received the wireless card usage data.
[0145]
As a result of the traffic determination process, when traffic is permitted (ST40, YES), traffic blocking by the door unit 20 is not performed (ST42).
[0146]
When the passage is not permitted (ST40, NO), the passage is blocked by the door unit 20 (ST44).
[0147]
Along with the traffic determination process described above, the discharge process of the ticket medium pooled in the pre-writing pool unit 42 is started (ST46).
[0148]
The ticket media pooled in the pre-writing pool unit 42 are sent out to the main transport path 32 in order of size, for example.
[0149]
At this time, predetermined information is written by the writing head 46 (ST50) in the ticket medium that requires data writing (ST48, YES).
[0150]
The written information is read by the reading head 48, and the written content is confirmed (ST52).
[0151]
Further, the ticket medium that requires punching (ST54, YES) is subjected to punching (ST56).
[0152]
The ticket medium that has been processed as necessary is transported through the main transport path 32 and detected by the first ticket detection sensor 54, and then the transport mechanism 61 of the collective pool unit 60 is driven, so that the ticket medium is It is taken into this collective pool section 60 (ST58).
[0153]
When there is still a ticket medium conveyed from the pool section 42 before writing (ST60, YES), it is taken into the collective pool section 60 continuously.
[0154]
And the front-end | tip of the taken ticket medium is aligned and pooled.
[0155]
When there is no longer any ticket medium conveyed from the pre-writing pool section 42 (ST60.NO), all the ticket mediums arranged by the collective pool section 60 are collectively discharged (ST62).
[0156]
At this time, all the ticket media are discharged so as not to be lost, that is, in a state where the small size ticket media is not hidden by the shadow of the large size ticket media.
[0157]
Further, during the period when the discharged ticket medium is detected by the discharge port sensor 92 (ST64), the shutter 28 prohibits the insertion of the next ticket medium.
[0158]
In this way, according to the automatic ticket gate according to the above-described embodiment, when processing a plurality of ticket media, after the ticket media are put together and the traffic determination process is performed, The inserted ticket medium is discharged in a lump.
[0159]
In the bill collection process, the ordinary ticket is not discharged, but is collected in the first collection box 70 or the second collection box 72 by the sorting gates 66 and 68.
[0160]
In the bill collection process, the ordinary ticket is not discharged, but is collected in the first collection box 70 or the second collection box 72 by the sorting gates 66 and 68.
[0161]
Next, wireless card compatible processing as a main part of the present invention will be described.
[0162]
First, as shown in FIG. 1, for the processing corresponding to the wireless card, the upper surface cover portion of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 receives the radio wave when the user holds the wireless card, and transmits necessary information to the card. And a reader / writer for interfacing the information received by the wireless antenna unit 16 and the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 inside the automatic ticket gate main body 10. Part 200 is stored.
[0163]
Also, as shown in FIG. 3, as the control system for the wireless card compatible processing, the CPU 100 described above controls the information received by the wireless transmission / reception antenna 16 for transmitting / receiving radio waves to / from the wireless card and the control of the automatic ticket gate main body 10. A reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the unit is connected, and a detection circuit 210 that detects thickness based on detection signals from thickness detection sensors 150a and 150b, which will be described later, is connected.
[0164]
Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the radio transmitting / receiving antenna 16 is provided with a loop antenna 16a having directivity on both the upper surface and the lower surface.
[0165]
As a result, transmission / reception to / from the wireless card 1 is possible at the operating position of the upper surface of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 in which the wireless card 1 is held over the upper surface of the wireless transmission / reception antenna 16.
[0166]
Further, even when a user accidentally inserts the wireless card 1 into the magnetic ticket slot 12, transmission / reception to / from the wireless card 1 is performed at the operation position on the lower surface serving as the magnetic ticket conveyance path in the apparatus. Is possible.
[0167]
FIG. 8 shows a detailed view of the capturing unit 30 in FIG.
[0168]
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the first wireless card handling process of the present invention.
[0169]
Although not shown in FIG. 9, the steps before the shutter closing (ST20) and the alignment processing (ST24) are the same as those in FIG.
[0170]
That is, according to the first wireless card handling process of the present invention, the following measures are taken in order to solve the above problems.
[0171]
(1) In an automatic ticket gate with a wireless card compatible function, if a user accidentally inserts a wireless card into the slot of the magnetic ticket, the thickness of the magnetic ticket is generally about 0.2 mm. Using the fact that the thickness of the wireless card is about 1 mm, as shown in FIG. 8, the thickness detection sensor 150a provided immediately after the magnetic ticket slot determines that the foreign card is not a normal magnetized ticket. The inlet motor is reversely rotated, the closing slot shutter 28 closed once is opened, and the wireless card is returned to the loading slot.
[0172]
In addition, in the automatic ticket gate corresponding to a plurality of sheets, the medium is deformed despite the normal number of sheets inserted, or the wireless card becomes thin in the future, and the thickness detection sensor 150a immediately after insertion is a foreign object. If it is not possible to discriminate between a plurality of magnetized tickets, the thickness detected by the thickness detection sensor 150b after passing through the separation mechanism and the thickness detected by the thickness detection sensor 150a are determined. Since there is no change, it is determined as a foreign object, the entrance motor is reversed, the closing slot shutter 28 closed once is opened, and the wireless card is returned to the loading slot.
[0173]
(2) Further, regarding this foreign matter, whether or not the card is a radio card without newly providing a dedicated radio antenna in the transport path by utilizing directivity on the back side of the radio antenna provided on the top cover. If the card is a wireless card, voice guidance such as “Please pass the wireless card over the antenna unit of the top cover” is given, and the inlet motor is reversed and the closing shutter 28 is opened once. Return the wireless card to the slot.
[0174]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, a thickness detection sensor 150 a is provided in the first transport section 160 immediately after the magnetic ticket slot 12.
[0175]
As a result, in the automatic ticket gate having a function corresponding to a wireless card, when a user accidentally inserts a wireless card into the magnetic ticket slot, as shown in FIG. 9, after closing the slot shutter 28, (ST20), the CPU 100 determines that the foreign matter is not a normal magnetized ticket based on the thickness detection signal from the detection circuit 210 via the thickness detection sensor 150a provided immediately after the magnetic ticket slot 12 (for example, magnetic (ST81), the inlet motor of the first transport unit 160 is driven in reverse (ST82), and the closing shutter 28 that has been closed once is opened (ST82). (ST83), the wireless card is returned to the insertion slot 12 and the process ends (ST84).
[0176]
If it is determined in step ST81 that the object is not a foreign object, a ticket medium taking-in (separating process) (ST22) similar to that described in FIG. 4 is performed.
[0177]
In this case, in the automatic ticket gate for multiple sheets, the medium is deformed despite the normal number of inserted sheets (for example, 4 or less that can be processed), or a thin wireless card is used. Since the detection sensor 150a cannot determine whether or not it is a foreign object, that is, it cannot be distinguished from the insertion of a plurality of magnetized tickets, the following measures are taken.
[0178]
First, in step ST22, the ticket medium is taken in, and there is no change in the thickness detected by the thickness detection sensor 150b after passing through the separation mechanism 162 and the thickness detected by the thickness detection sensor 150a. It is determined as a foreign object (ST85).
[0179]
Further, with respect to this foreign matter, a radio antenna dedicated to erroneous input detection is placed in the conveyance path by using the directivity on the back side of the radio transmission / reception antenna 16 provided on the top surface of the top cover of the automatic ticket gate body 10 (see FIG. 7). It is determined whether or not the CPU 100 is a wireless card via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate body 10 (ST86).
[0180]
If this determination is not a wireless card, the inlet motor of the second transport unit 164 is immediately reversed (ST82), the once closed inlet shutter 28 is opened (ST83), and the foreign matter is inserted. It returns to the mouth 12 and ends (ST84).
[0181]
However, if this determination is for a wireless card, the voice / display guide unit 220 indicates a proper method for presenting the wireless card, such as “pass the wireless card over the antenna unit of the top cover”. The user is notified by voice / display guidance (ST87), the entrance motor of the second transport unit 164 is reversed (ST82), the closing shutter 28 is closed once (ST83), and the wireless card is used. Is returned to the insertion port 12 and the process ends (ST84).
[0182]
If it is determined in step ST85 that the object is not a foreign object, the same alignment process (ST24) as described in FIG. 4 is performed.
[0183]
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the second wireless card handling process of the present invention.
[0184]
Although not shown in FIG. 10, the processes before and after the thickness detection / foreign object determination (ST85) are the same as those in FIG.
[0185]
Moreover, the door part 20 shall be in a closed state.
[0186]
That is, according to the second wireless card handling process of the present invention, the following measures are taken in order to solve the above problems.
[0187]
(1) In an automatic ticket gate having a function corresponding to a wireless card, that is, in an automatic ticket gate corresponding to a wireless card that opens / closes a door according to the processing contents of a magnetic ticket / wireless card and permits / blocks the passage of a user. A determination is made as to whether or not the information is valid based on information received by communication with the wireless card using the transport path for transporting the ticket and the upper part of the transport path as a communication area, and communication with the wireless card. When it is determined that the card being carried is a wireless card and that the wireless card is allowed to pass, the user is notified of the removal of the wireless card and the passage permission, The user is allowed to pass by returning the wireless card to a predetermined return unit, determining that the wireless card has been removed, and opening the door.
[0188]
(2) In a wireless card-compatible automatic ticket gate apparatus that opens / closes a door according to the processing contents of a magnetic ticket / wireless card and permits / blocks the passage of a user, a transport path for transporting a magnetic ticket and an upper portion of the transport path Based on information received by communication with a wireless card as a communication area, a process for determining whether or not the information is valid is performed. When communication with the wireless card is performed, what is being carried is a wireless card. And when it is determined that the wireless card is allowed to pass, the user is notified of the removal of the wireless card and the permission to pass, and then the wireless card is returned to a predetermined return unit. In addition to permitting the passage of the user by determining that it has been extracted by the customer and opening the shutter, the passage of the user is not allowed in the open state of the door. When not determined, when it is determined that the wireless card presented by performing communication with the wireless card presented by the regular presentation method is the same wireless card as the returned wireless card, The pass of the user is permitted by maintaining the open state of the door without processing the wireless card.
[0189]
Specifically, when the thickness detection / foreign matter determination result in step ST85 shown in FIG. 9 is a foreign object in the same manner as the first wireless card handling process described above, the second shown in FIG. Transition to the wireless card compatible processing flow.
[0190]
This is because the monitoring panel shown in FIG. 3 determines whether or not the wireless card can be used as a wireless card compatible process when the thickness detection / foreign matter determination result in step ST85 is a foreign object. This is because it can be set by 140.
[0191]
That is, in the first wireless card handling process described above, it is assumed that the setting by the monitoring panel 140 does not determine whether or not the wireless card is allowed to pass, but simply returns the wireless card to a predetermined return unit. .
[0192]
On the other hand, in the second wireless card compatible processing, the setting by the monitoring panel 140 is configured to determine whether or not the wireless card is allowed to pass.
[0193]
Then, when the process proceeds to the second wireless card compatible processing flow shown in FIG. 10, the foreign matter determined in step ST <b> 85 in FIG. 9 is on the back side of the wireless antenna unit 16 provided on the top cover of the automatic ticket gate body 10. Utilizing directivity (see FIG. 7), a radio antenna dedicated to erroneous insertion detection is not newly provided in the transport path, but via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10. Then, it is determined whether the CPU 100 is a wireless card (ST91).
[0194]
If this determination is not for a wireless card, the entrance motor of the second transport unit 164 is immediately reversed by the flow shown in FIG. 9 in the same manner as the first wireless card handling process (ST82). The closed inlet shutter 28 is opened (ST83), the foreign matter is returned to the inlet 12, and the process ends (ST84).
[0195]
However, if the determination is a wireless card, the CPU 100 reads the data in the wireless card via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 (ST92). At the same time, it is determined whether or not the traffic determination is OK based on the read data in the wireless card (ST93).
[0196]
When this traffic determination is not OK, immediately after the entrance motor of the second transport unit 164 is reversely rotated by the flow shown in FIG. 9 in the same manner as the first wireless card handling process (ST82), the inlet shutter once closed. 28 is opened (ST83), the foreign matter is returned to the insertion port 12, and the process ends (ST84).
[0197]
When the traffic determination in step ST93 is OK, the voice / display guidance unit 220 displays a voice / display such as “Remove the wireless card and pass as it is” indicating that the wireless card is removed and allowed to pass. The user is notified by guidance (ST94), the entrance motor of the second transport section 164 is reversed (ST95), the closing slot shutter 28 once closed is opened (ST96), and the wireless card is inserted. 12 (ST97).
[0198]
Even if the traffic determination is OK, in this state, the door portion 20 is not driven to the open state.
[0199]
In this case, simultaneously with the processing in the voice display guide unit 220, the CPU 100 writes necessary data in the wireless card via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10. Do.
[0200]
Further, the CPU 100 determines whether or not the wireless card returned to the insertion slot 12 has been extracted by the user (ST98), and when the wireless card is extracted by the user, The door unit 20 is driven to the open state via the door control circuit 126 that controls the door opening / closing mechanism 124 (ST99).
[0201]
Subsequently, the CPU 100 determines whether or not the user has passed through the human detection sensor 24 (ST100), and ends the process when the user has passed.
[0202]
Even if it is not detected that the user has passed, the CPU 100 communicates with the next wireless card via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 ( ST101).
[0203]
Subsequently, when it is determined that communication with the next wireless card has been performed, the CPU 100 determines whether or not the wireless card is the same as the wireless card previously returned to the slot 12 ( ST102).
[0204]
When the CPU 100 determines that the wireless card is the same as the wireless card previously returned to the insertion slot 12, the CPU 100 has already determined whether or not the traffic determination is OK. Therefore, the data in the wireless card is read via the reader / writer unit 200 that interfaces with the control unit of the automatic ticket gate main body 10 as described above, and the traffic determination is made based on the read data in the wireless card. Returning to step ST100 and maintaining the door 20 in the open state without determining whether or not it is OK and writing necessary data in the wireless card, it is determined whether or not the user has passed (ST103). ).
[0205]
Subsequent to step ST103, the voice / display guidance unit 220 notifies the user of voice / display guidance such as “please pass as it is” (ST104).
[0206]
According to the present invention as described above, in an automatic ticket gate having a wireless card compatible function, a wireless card that is expected to occur when a user accidentally inserts a wireless card from a magnetic ticket slot. And damage to parts (for example, a magnetic head) in the vicinity of the conveyance path inside the automatic ticket gate can be prevented.
[0207]
Note that the return destination of the wireless card is not necessarily limited to the slot of the magnetic ticket. For example, if the thickness of the wireless card is as thin as that of the magnetic ticket, it is returned to the outlet of the magnetic ticket. You may make it do.
[0208]
Further, in this case, after performing a predetermined process on the wireless card, it may be returned to the magnetic ticket slot or the magnetic ticket outlet.
[0209]
【The invention's effect】
Therefore, as described above, according to the present invention, even when a user accidentally inserts a wireless card into the slot of the magnetic ticket, for example, a wireless antenna provided near the slot of the top cover A wireless card-adaptive automatic ticket gate apparatus and a control method thereof capable of taking appropriate measures such as returning the insertion slot to the insertion slot by detecting an erroneous insertion of the wireless card by operating a reader / writer including Can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an external appearance of an automatic ticket gate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an internal mechanism of the automatic ticket gate apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control system of the automatic ticket gate according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a bill collection process by a traffic determination process applied to the automatic salutation device of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a bill collection process based on a traffic determination process applied to the automatic reforming device of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining a bill collection process by a traffic determination process applied to the automatic reforming device of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing directivity of a loop antenna in a wireless antenna unit.
8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a thickness detector in the internal mechanism of the automatic ticket gate shown in FIG. 2. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining a first wireless card handling process applied to the automatic reforming device of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a second wireless card compatible process applied to the automatic salutation device of the present invention;
[Explanation of symbols]
28 ... Shutter,
30 ... take-in part,
32 ... main transport path,
33 ... separation part,
34 ... the alignment section,
36a, 36b... Read head,
42 ... Pool section before writing,
60 ... lump pool section,
90: Input port sensor,
92 ... outlet sensor,
100 ... CPU,
150a, 150b ... thickness detector,
200: Reader / writer unit,
220 ... voice / display guide,
16: Radio transmitting / receiving antenna.

Claims (2)

In a wireless card compatible automatic ticket gate that opens / closes the door according to the processing contents of the magnetic ticket / wireless card and permits / blocks the passage of the user,
A slot for inserting magnetic tickets;
A transport means for transporting the magnetic ticket inserted into the input section;
A communication means for communicating with the wireless card, with the conveyance path of the conveyance means and the upper part of the conveyance means as a communication area,
Processing means for determining whether or not the information is valid based on the information received by the communication means;
Control means for determining that what is being conveyed is a wireless card and returning the wireless card to the insertion unit when the object being conveyed by the conveying means communicates with the communication means;
Detecting means for detecting that the wireless card returned by the control means is removed from the insertion unit;
When it is determined that the wireless card returned by the detection means is valid by the processing means and is detected by the user, the user opens the door to open the user. Permission means to allow the passage of,
When the communication means communicates again with the wireless card in the open state of the door by the permission means, the open state of the door is maintained without passing through the wireless card and the user passes. Guidance means for guiding
An automatic ticket gate corresponding to a wireless card, comprising: In a control method of an automatic ticket gate corresponding to a wireless card that opens / closes a door according to the processing contents of a magnetic ticket / wireless card and permits / blocks the passage of a user,
Receiving the magnetic ticket in the insertion unit;
Conveying the magnetic ticket;
A communication area above the magnetic ticket transport path and the magnetic ticket transport path, and communicating with a wireless card;
A step of determining whether or not the information is valid based on the information received in the communication;
In the transport step, when the transported one communicates, determining that the transported is a wireless card and returning the wireless card to the insertion unit;
Detecting that the returned wireless card has been removed from the slot;
When the returned wireless card is determined to be valid by the determination process and is detected to have been removed by the user, the user is allowed to pass by opening the door. And steps to
In the open state of the door, when communicating with the wireless card again, without passing through the wireless card, maintaining the open state of the door and guiding the passage of the user;
A control method for an automatic ticket gate corresponding to a wireless card, comprising:

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