JP4513461B2 - Ticketing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ticket issuing machine that is operated interactively while a user views a screen display.

  Recently, tickets for public transportation and the like have been released by automatic ticketing machines. In such a case, an automatic ticket issuing machine can issue a receipt as needed separately from the tickets for the purpose of responding to accounting demands of users of public transportation. In this case, whether or not to issue a receipt is usually selected by a user operation.

JP 2000-163606 A

However, in practice, the operation of selecting whether to issue or not issue this receipt is not only troublesome for users who do not need a receipt, but also a piece of paper on which the ticket itself is printed and displayed on the ticket. Therefore, it is often the case that a user who does not need a receipt does not notice that such an operation is necessary.
Considering this in reverse, such users do not need to issue a receipt in the first place.

  However, in many of the current automatic ticketing machines, unless the user finishes the above operation, even if the user tries to execute the next stage operation, the automatic ticketing machine performs processing according to the next stage operation. Do not execute. As a result, for the user, a situation occurs in which the automatic ticketing machine seems to not accept the operation.

In order to solve such a problem, in the present invention, in an automatic ticketing machine for public transport tickets and the like, a user omits the operation of selecting whether to issue or not issue a receipt. When the next stage operation is performed without performing the operation to select whether to issue or not issue the receipt, the same as when the user selects not to issue the receipt. Processing is performed, and the function for selecting non-issuance of receipts is made easier to call the user's attention than the function for selecting issuance of receipts.

  By employing the present invention, the operation of the automatic ticketing machine becomes easy for the user to understand. As a result, an operator operating an automatic ticketing machine can expect an improvement in the operating rate of the automatic ticketing machine.

  Information that allows the user to confirm the contents of the ticket issuance and the purchase amount is displayed, the user selects whether or not a receipt is required, and then confirms that the user accepts the transaction according to the information displayed on the user. If the user performs a confirmation operation without selecting whether or not a receipt is issued, the ticket issuing machine will select that the receipt is not required, and then perform the confirmation operation. The same processing as in the case of

  FIG. 1 shows an outline of a system configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a ticketing machine, 2 is a host computer, and 3 is a network. The ticket issuing machine 1 and the host computer 2 are connected to each other via a network 3 so that data can be exchanged as necessary.

The ticket issuing machine 1 includes a central control unit, a monitor, a touch panel, a deposit / withdrawal unit, and a ticket issuing unit. The central control unit is loaded with software of an operating system, a Web client, a Web server, and middleware, and appropriately executes them. The middleware plays a role of mediating data exchange between the Web server and the host computer 2 via the network 3. The monitor displays the image in a form that the user can visually recognize in accordance with an instruction sent from the central control unit.
The image displayed on the monitor includes a button image corresponding to a specific function. The touch panel is disposed so as to overlap the display portion of the monitor. Here, when the user touches a part of the touch panel that overlaps the push button with a fingertip or the like, the central control unit recognizes that the user has designated a function corresponding to the button image.
The deposit / withdrawal unit includes a cash input unit, a cash discrimination unit, a cash storage unit, a cash discharge unit, and a control unit, and plays a role of accepting purchase price of tickets, determining whether to receive the price, paying out change.

  The ticket issuing unit includes a ticket surface printing unit and a ticket transport unit, and plays a role of issuing tickets in accordance with instructions sent from the central control unit.

  Next, the operation of the above system will be described. Hereinafter, the content displayed on the screen of the ticket issuing machine 1 will be mainly illustrated, and the description of the screen display and the operation of the system will be associated with each other.

FIG. 2 shows the display contents of the initial screen in the operating state of the system. This screen display corresponds to step 101 in the flowchart shown in FIG.
The data of this screen is stored in advance in the HTML format in the software of the Web server (hereinafter simply referred to as “Web server”) built in the ticketing machine, and similarly the software of the Web client built in the ticketing machine. (Hereinafter simply referred to as “Web client”) accesses the Web server to read data and execute screen display. The HTML format data includes a program that sends a signal to the Web server in response to the operation of the touch panel arranged on the screen. When the user touches the screen, the HTML data is displayed on the touched portion. An input to select the content is made. The same applies to each screen described below.

  In the screen of FIG. 2, an image 5 of a destination direction button and an image 6 of a number button are displayed. Hereinafter, the image of this button is simply referred to as “button”. Further, an operation of touching a part of the touch panel that overlaps the button image with a fingertip or the like is simply referred to as “pressing a button”. Here, the user may select either “in the direction of XX” or “number of people”. Of these, “large 1 (one adult)” is the default value.

When the user presses the button 2 corresponding to the desired number of passengers, the update of the number of passengers is detected in step 102, the updated information on the number of passengers is transmitted to the Web server, and the number of persons updated from the Web server is returned. Is sent to the Web client, and the display of the number of passengers on the screen is updated in step 103. At the same time, the guidance voice “Come on. Please select a destination. Is output.

  Here, when the user presses the button 1 corresponding to the desired destination direction, it is detected in step 104 that the button 1 has been pressed, and information indicating that the button has been pressed is transmitted to the Web server, The data of the screen shown in FIG. 3 is transmitted from the return Web server to the Web client, and this screen is displayed by the Web client in step 105.

When the user presses the button 2 corresponding to the desired number of passengers after selecting the destination direction, the update of the number of passengers is detected in step 106, and the updated information on the number of passengers is transmitted to the Web server and returned to the Web server. The updated display information of the number of persons is sent to the Web client, and the display of the number of passengers on the screen is updated at step 107.

FIG. 3 is a screen for selecting an alighting place in the destination direction designated by the operation on the screen display of FIG.
In FIG. 3, for each destination direction shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of screens for displaying a list of destinations according to the destination direction are prepared, and the destination direction selected by the user in FIG. 2 is prepared. A screen corresponding to is displayed. Here, the user can select an alighting place as in the stage of FIG. This operation is detected by the touch panel on the screen in step 108 and sent from the web client to the web server. The Web server creates a database inquiry sentence for inquiring about the vacancy status according to the contents selected by the user based on the contents received from the Web client in Step 110, and issues this database inquiry sentence to the host computer. In parallel with this processing, the screen shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. FIG. 4 shows that the host computer is inquired about the seat availability and is waiting for an answer.

  In response to this inquiry, the host computer searches the seat reservation database to check whether there is room in the seat corresponding to the condition specified by the user. Here, when there are so-called frequent services where many flights depart frequently in the same direction, the current time is detected at the ticketing machine, and the first flight after the current time is the default. Can be used as a search target. In this case, taking into account the standard travel time from the ticketing machine to the boarding position, for example, a flight that departs first after 10 minutes from the current time may be the default search target.

  In step 111, if the response from the host computer is “vacant”, a temporary reservation is recorded in the database according to the specified conditions, and information on the boarding place, the getting-off place, the departure time, the number of passengers, and the ticketing price is provided. Reply to the Web server. In the Web server, the information received from the host computer in step 112 is added to the screen information in the HTML format, and this is sent to the Web client. The Web client displays a screen as shown in FIG. 5 based on the HTML format data received from the Web server.

In the display of FIG. 6, the contents of the boarding schedule for which the provisional reservation has been made are displayed in a form simulating the ticket surface to be released, and “Do you need a receipt? As well as “Receive”, “No Receipt”, “Confirm”, “Takeshi”, and “Select another departure flight” button.
Here, if there is no need to change the displayed boarding schedule, the user may press either “with receipt” or “without receipt” as necessary. Whether or not the “confirm” button in step 113, the “with receipt” button in step 114, and the “with receipt” button in step 116 are each pressed in response to the operation of pressing any of these buttons. Is detected by the touch panel, and a signal is sent to the Web server according to the detected content. On the other hand, in the Web server, the contents of the screen display are switched so that the pressed button has a highly visible color or high luminance display, so-called highlight display.

  If the user presses the “confirm” button without selecting “with receipt” or “without receipt”, the Web server obtains a Yes result at step 116. As in the case of the case, it is assumed that the “no receipt” button has been pressed, and that the user has subsequently confirmed.

As described above, when the Web server recognizes the confirmation operation by the user, in Step 117, the Web server switches the screen display to the cash insertion screen shown in FIG.
In FIG. 7 , the “release amount”, that is, the amount necessary for purchasing the ticket designated by the user, and the “insert amount”, that is, the amount that the user actually inserted into the ticket issuing machine are displayed simultaneously on the screen. With respect to the “input amount”, the amount inserted by the user in step 118 is monitored in real time by a cash discrimination unit (not shown) provided in the ticket issuing machine, and every time cash is inserted, step 119 is performed. The amount is updated and displayed.

  Here, when the “insert amount” reaches an amount that does not fall below the “release amount” in step 120, the web server switches the screen display to the in-ticketing screen shown in FIG. 7 in step 121. In parallel with this, a transaction establishment signal is transmitted from the Web server to the host computer. In response to this, the host computer switches the temporary reservation described above to a formal reservation and records it in the database. Further, the ticket surface printing unit of the ticket vending machine prints the same contents as those shown on the screen of FIG. 5 on the ticket surface. Similarly, the control unit of the ticket issuing machine compares the inserted amount with the ticketed amount and calculates the amount of change. If the amount of change is not zero, cash equivalent to the change is taken out at the cash discharge unit of the ticket issuing machine. Further, when the user designates “with receipt”, the receipt is printed. Thereafter, in step 122, the printed ticket, the cash corresponding to the changed change, and the receipt if necessary are discharged in a lump. After that, when a predetermined time elapses, the Web server returns the screen display to the initial screen shown in FIG.

  The present invention can be applied to an apparatus in which a user operates interactively while viewing a screen display. For example, in an automatic ticketing machine or the like, the present invention can be applied to an apparatus that allows a user to arbitrarily select whether to issue or not issue a receipt.

Explanatory drawing showing an overview of the system of the present invention Explanatory drawing showing the display screen for the destination Explanatory drawing showing the destination display screen Explanatory diagram showing the display screen Explanatory drawing showing a display screen indicating that a reservation inquiry is in progress Explanatory diagram showing the display screen for selecting receipt issuance Explanatory drawing showing the display screen of the input amount Flow chart showing the processing procedure of the device Flow chart showing the processing procedure of the device Flow chart showing the processing procedure of the device Flow chart showing the processing procedure of the device

Explanation of symbols

1 Ticketing machine 2 Host computer 3 Network 5 Direction selection button 6 Passenger selection button 7 Destination selection button 8 Alighting place selection button 9 Receipt issue selection button 10 Receipt non-issue selection button 11 Confirm button

Claims (3)

A ticketing machine that sells tickets for public transport according to information entered in a dialog form by a user in a predetermined order,
Input means for the user to input and select information related to ticketing;
Means for displaying information on the tickets temporarily reserved by the input means;
Receipt issue selection means for allowing the user to select whether or not to issue a receipt for the ticket sales price;
Subsequent information input means for allowing the user to input information after the selection,
Deposit / withdrawal means for accepting purchase tickets, determining whether to receive the tickets, and paying out changes,
Control means for controlling the issuing operation of the tickets in accordance with the input information and the acceptance status of the purchase price ,
The control means simultaneously displays information on the temporarily reserved tickets and a selection screen by the receipt issuance selection means, and selects whether or not the user issues the receipt by the receipt issuance selection means. Without the operation, the subsequent information input means is operated to input information after the selection , and the amount of money inserted into the deposit / withdrawal means by the user has reached an amount that does not fall below the sales amount of the tickets. In the case, the ticket issuing machine is characterized in that the reservation of the tentatively reserved ticket is confirmed and the user selects not to issue a receipt. Display means for displaying information necessary for operation;
Information input means for the user to input information;
Provisional reservation means for provisional reservation of public transport tickets,
Printing means for printing the tickets for which the reservation has been confirmed;
Deposit / withdrawal means for accepting purchase tickets, determining whether to receive the tickets, and paying out changes,
Control means for operating at least each means according to information input by a user and acceptance status of the purchase price ;
A payment means for paying for the ticket,
A ticketing machine equipped with
When the user selects one of the information on the tickets that are provisionally reserved by the provisional reservation means, the option whether or not to issue the receipt of the price, and the display means , Displays a confirmation that asks the user to confirm the selection,
The information input means accepts the selection and confirmation input by the user;
When the user performs the confirmation input without selecting any of the options, and the amount of money inserted into the deposit / withdrawal means by the user reaches an amount that does not fall below the sales amount of the tickets The control means, as well as confirming the reservation of the tentatively reserved tickets, the option that does not issue a receipt out of the options is operated as being selected by the user, Ticketing machine. A display means, an input means, a provisional reservation means, a deposit / withdrawal means, a ticket issuing means, a receipt issuing means, and a control means;
Based on the information input by the user using the input means in accordance with contents displayed on the display means, together with the provisional reservation of tickets such, issues a ticket such that reservation has been confirmed by the ticketing section, to need A ticketing machine that issues a receipt in response,
The input means includes a destination input unit for a user to input a destination,
The deposit / withdrawal means includes a cash input unit, a cash discrimination unit, a cash storage unit, and a cash discharge unit,
The control means controls the temporary reservation means by using the vacant seat information obtained from the outside in accordance with the destination input to the destination input unit and the departure place information registered in advance, and the temporary tickets are temporarily stored. While making a reservation and controlling the ticket issuing means to issue the tickets,
The control means also allows the display means to simultaneously display the contents of the tentative reservation of the tickets, the contents for allowing the user to select whether or not to issue a receipt, and the contents for allowing the user to confirm the result of the selection. Display
After the user selects and inputs whether or not a receipt is issued by the input means, the user performs an operation for confirming the result of the selection, and the input amount by the user to the deposit / withdrawal means is the ride If the amount reaches less than the ticket sales amount , the reservation of the tentatively reserved ticket is confirmed and a receipt is issued or not issued based on the selection input.
The user performs an operation of confirming the result of the selection without selecting and inputting whether the receipt is issued or not by the input means, and the amount of money inserted into the deposit / withdrawal means by the user is the ticket A ticket-issuing machine characterized by confirming a reservation for a tentatively reserved ticket and not issuing a receipt when it reaches an amount that does not fall below the sales amount of the ticket.

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