JP5242053B2 - Cigarette vending machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cigarette vending machine used to sell cigarette packs and the management of such vending machines.

  Vending machines are used for selling a wide variety of products such as canned beverages and confectionery, for example. One of the problems with vending machines is that it is inconvenient because the customer does not necessarily have coins for the price of the desired product. Some (more complex) vending machines have the ability to change, but only a few. Furthermore, the presence of cash in the vending machine also has the problem of being easily targeted by thieves (especially when installed in a relatively quiet place). Such theft causes the owner of the vending machine to suffer damage to the machine in addition to the decrease in sales.

Non-Patent Document 1 below describes a vending machine that addresses such a problem. This document proposes the use of radio frequency identifier (RFID) cards as an alternative payment mechanism when using vending machines. More specifically, an RFID card including data that uniquely identifies the consumer is issued to the consumer. When the RFID card is used at a vending machine, the vending machine contacts an authorization server and the purchase amount is charged to the purchaser's credit card account holding the RFID card.
http://www.ti.com/tris/docs/solutions/pos/vending.shtml

  Such attempts do not require cash at the time of purchase, but require large and complex equipment. This vending machine must be networked with the credit card system and issue an appropriate RFID card to all consumers. There is also a security issue if the RFID card is lost or stolen.

Vending machines are also often used to sell tobacco products. In places such as hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars, there are two different ways to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products. In one of these methods (front-of-bar), a vending machine is provided for customer use. The owner of the store where the vending machine is installed typically contracts with a vending machine operator (VMO), which is responsible for supplying the vending machine and maintaining its functions and inventory processing. In return for the location of the vending machine, the VMO typically pays the owner a fixed amount for each packet of cigarettes sold. A vending machine for a front-of-cover is described in Patent Document 1 below.
European Patent Application Publication No. 1,426,905

In the other method (back-of-bar), cigarettes are displayed in merchandise machines on the back of a shelf or bar. In this method, the cigarette is paid to the customer by the store staff instead of directly obtaining the product. A vending machine for back-of-bar is described in Patent Document 2 below.
British Patent Application No. 2,180,527

  Tobacco machines are usually known to be subject to legal restrictions. Thus, the owner of the store where the vending machine is installed wants to easily show that the vending machine complies with such restrictions. In addition, since tobacco is a relatively expensive product, owners and / or vending machine managers want to record the use and access of inventory.

  Accordingly, in a first aspect of the invention, a cigarette vending machine is provided that includes a discharge mechanism, a memory, an input device, and control logic. This memory is used to store approval data regarding at least two or more different tasks performed on the vending machine and information when the product is dispensed from the vending machine. The stored information includes at least the date and time of product sales and an identifier. The input device operates to receive a request to access the vending machine. The control logic checks whether this request is valid for the stored authorization data. Vending machine operations are allowed only if the request meets the approval data for that particular operation. Such a system allows safe and reliable access to the vending machine over a wide range of tasks. Such cigarette vending machines are mainly used in attended retail settings where someone in the store's staff can access the vending machine on behalf of the customer (this situation is , Bars, restaurants, etc.).

  Systems that can be used for input devices include keypads (touch screens are available), radio frequency identifier (RFID) readers, magnetic card or fobs readers, barcode readers, wireless remotes There are various things such as receivers for control readers. The user is issued relevant information (key code) or access device (eg, a card printed with a barcode, an RFID tag, etc.) to allow access to the vending machine.

  In one aspect, vending machine security is based on a role-based model in which more than one role is defined for the vending machine. Authorization data identifies which operations are allowed for each role. When a request is received, control logic determines whether the request meets the authorization data for a particular operation by examining whether the operation is authorized by the role corresponding to the person making the request.

  There are various ways to assign a role to a requester. It is therefore possible to incorporate the role directly into the request. For example, each role may be assigned a different RFID tag or a different keypad code (according to the corresponding access mechanism). The user is then assumed to have the role assigned to the RFID tag or keypad code used in making the request, and is thus approved.

  In other aspects, a more indirect method of assigning a user-specific serial number to each user can be used. All user serial numbers are each assigned a role and stored as part of the authorization data. In this case, each access mechanism (keypad code, RFID tag, etc.) is assigned a serial number that identifies who uses it, and this serial number is provided as part of the request to the vending machine. For example, the serial number may be encoded in a read RFID tag or barcode, or may be incorporated in the key code that is entered. By receiving the serial number, the control logic determines the role of the requester (via the received serial number) and determines whether to accept the corresponding operation based on the determined role.

  In other embodiments, it is not necessary to use a role-based authentication model. For example, the authorization data may only specify the operation that is authorized for each serial number (substantially omits the role as an intermediary between the serial number and the operation).

  A wide variety of operations related to vending machines are defined and controlled in the manner described above. Examples of such operations include refilling vending machines, updating price information for products available from vending machines, discharging tobacco products from vending machines (sales) and adding new approval data to the system (new Perform administrative tasks such as making users available or revoking retired staff approval).

  In some aspects, the user specifies the desired operation when making a request (possibly depending on how the request was made implicitly). In this case, the desired operation can or cannot be performed according to the approval data corresponding to the request. Alternatively, the initial request may not specify the operation to be performed, in which case authorization is performed for all possible operations. Only if the user subsequently attempts to perform a particular operation, that operation can or cannot be performed upon approval.

  In one aspect, the information stored in the memory includes the role and / or serial number of the person performing the operation, depending on the particular authorization model used (all the same roles are stored by storing the serial number). It will be possible to distinguish between multiple assigned staff). Furthermore, information on other matters such as replenishment of vending machines and addition of new users may be stored. This stored information will provide a complete audit trail of access to the vending machine. This is useful to demonstrate compliance with internal inventory management and any relevant legal requirements.

  In one aspect, the vending machine is provided with one or more data ports that allow external access to stored information. Such a data port can be used to output stored information to a local printer, or to output stored information to a remote system over a network connection. The data port can also be used to synchronize the laptop computer or PDA with the stored information. Any given vending machine may support one or more of these output routes. Usually, the stored information is output in the form of a report. These reports may be made available on multiple time scales (eg, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.).

  The data port can also be used as a mechanism for sending data into the vending machine for system setup. For example, pricing for different product lines within a vending machine and / or approvals corresponding to various users or roles may be downloaded to the vending machine from this external data port. This download also has a number of options, such as synchronizing with a laptop computer and / or communicating with a remote system over a network.

  In another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a tobacco vending machine as described above is provided. The method includes causing the vending machine to store authorization data regarding at least two or more different operations performed on the vending machine. The method further includes receiving a request to access the vending machine and validating the received request against the stored authorization data. An operation is allowed only if the request satisfies the authorization data for that particular operation.

  Such a method can utilize the same specific features described above with respect to device aspects.

  In another aspect of the invention, a cigarette vending machine for use in the sale of cigarette packs and other similar products (eg, cigar packets) is provided. In one aspect, the cigarette vending machine includes a discharge mechanism, a radio frequency identifier (RFID) reader, memory, and control logic. The RFID reader is used to access the serial number from the RFID card, and the memory is used to store a set of serial numbers that are approved for operation of the ejection mechanism. Enables or disables the ejection mechanism according to whether the serial number accessed from the RFID card by the control logic is included in the series of approved numbers.

  In one particular aspect, the tobacco vending machine manages stock removal and replenishment based on a roll-based security model. Vending machines therefore require secure activation by means of RFID tags or cards when stock is taken in or out. For all stock removal operations, the date and time stamp can be recorded with information about this removal operation stored in the local memory of the vending machine. The stored data can include price and information about the particular slot or column sold. Other roles defined in the system and identified by specific RFID tags may include vending machine replenishment and updating price information stored in the vending machine.

  In one aspect, the cigarette vending machine is provided with at least one data port that allows local and remote access to stored data. A thermal printer can also be attached via a data port to provide a local reporting mechanism. Normally, a cigarette vending machine has information and current status such as sales for each user (determined from the RFID tag) and sales by brand (determined from the operated slot) for a certain period (day, week, month, etc.) Output various report formats of stored data that provide information regarding the amount and price of stock.

  In another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a tobacco vending machine is provided. This method involves entering a series of serial numbers that are allowed to be sold from the vending machine into the vending machine and accessing the serial numbers from the RFID card using an RFID reader embedded in the vending machine. Including. Next, it is determined whether or not the accessed serial number is included in a series of serial numbers permitting sales from the vending machine. The product is sold from the vending machine only when it is determined that the accessed serial number is included in a series of serial numbers that allow the vending machine to be sold.

  In one particular embodiment, multiple rolls are provided to the tobacco vending machine. Each role has one or more operations that it is authorized to perform. Each serial number is assigned to one of these multiple roles. An example of such a roll is stock replenishment, which allows a user with an RFID card containing a serial number assigned a stock replenishment roll to open a vending machine to refill the product. . Another role is the owner of the store where the vending machine is installed. Users with RFID cards containing serial numbers assigned the role of store owner are allowed to add new serial numbers to existing serial numbers and assign roles to these new serial numbers. It is also possible to roll stock for sale. A user with an RFID card that includes a serial number assigned a stock discharge roll is allowed to discharge the product from the vending machine.

  1 and 2 illustrate a tobacco vending machine 10 according to a first aspect of the present invention. 3 and 4 illustrate a tobacco vending machine according to the second aspect of the present invention. These two aspects have many common parts and will be described together.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the tobacco vending machine 10 includes a central cavity 8 in a housing formed by a top cover 52, a bottom cover 35, and a rear cover 50. In this illustrated embodiment, the covers are formed from a composite material such as aluminum or Alcobond (consisting of two aluminum sheets separated by a plastic core). These covers are attached to each other by a stainless steel fastener 28. Aluminum has the advantage of being strong, but different materials may be used for the housing (eg some form of acrylic).

  A key lock 44 is provided on the rear cover 50 of the vending machine. This lock can be used by a person with a corresponding key, so that the rear cover 50 and, if necessary, the top cover 52 can be removed to take advantage of the cavity 8. This work is usually required during service operation. The key lock 44 also serves as a manual control stop device that allows the stock in the vending machine to be removed, for example, when the machine fails.

  The cavity 8 houses one or more drawers 18 that function as cassettes that hold cigarette packets. These cassettes are typically water resistant to prevent product damage from spilling around the vending machine. Each drawer includes a plurality of slots 12, each slot being filled with a cigarette pack. The vending machine of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 has one drawer with six slots 12, whereas the vending machine of the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4 has two drawers 18, each with three drawers. Slot 12 is included. Slots and drawers can be formed in various other shapes depending on the desired physical dimensions and orientation of the tobacco vending machine and the number and quantity of tobacco brands held in the vending machine.

  Normally, cigarette packets placed in one slot belong to the same brand so that all packets in the same slot have the same price. Multiple slots are used to accommodate different brands of packets, which allows the price to vary from slot to slot (depending on the price for different brands). Cigarette packets are discharged from the slot 12 in front of the vending machine 10 (one at a time). Any packet displayed to the user at the front of the slot is available for purchase (thus the user does not think the vending machine is stocking the user's desired product if not displayed).

  Attached to the bottom cover 35 of the cigarette vending machine is a rubber leg 24 for supporting the vending machine. In addition, a power cord 26 extends from a socket provided in a recess (not visible in the drawing) of the bottom cover. This power supply is sent to a 110 to 220 volt switchable converter 42 that supplies power to the rest of the vending machine. In one aspect, tobacco vending machine 10 includes a nickel cadmium battery that can be used to provide extra power to the vending machine when the main power is interrupted.

  The front of the cigarette vending machine includes a key lock 20 having three settings: off, on and alarm. In the alarm setting, the vending machine is in a non-operating state, i.e., does not sell cigarettes, but an alarm sounds when someone tries to tamper with the machine. Even if the power cord 26 is simply unplugged from the power source, the vending machine is inactive. In one aspect, the vending machine is provided with an additional alarm function that operates during normal operating settings to detect tampering with the vending machine (eg, placing a hand in a cigarette delivery port).

  Further, a serial data port 22 is provided at the front of the cigarette vending machine. This data port can be used to input data and control commands to the vending machine 10 and to extract data from the vending machine as will be described in detail below. The data ports do not have to be wired serial connections, but may use any suitable form, such as a parallel connection or a wireless connection such as Bluetooth. In practice, the tobacco vending machine 10 may support a plurality of data ports. It is also possible to have such an additional port installed in the same recess used to attach the power cord.

  Further, a plurality of pressure sensitive buttons (PSBs) 15 are provided at the front of the cigarette vending machine. These buttons are used to eject the cigarette pack from the tobacco vending machine 10. Each button includes an identifier (number) indicating a slot, and a product corresponding to the specific button is discharged from the slot. Each button is further provided with a light emitting diode (LED) 16. This light emitting diode does not light up when the corresponding slot is empty and the product cannot be discharged.

  In addition, the front of the vending machine includes a small display 11 comprised of an LED, liquid crystal display (LCD) or other suitable device. This display 11 is used to display the current time, but can be used to provide other necessary information. For example, when one of the pressure sensitive buttons is pressed, the display 11 may display the price of the brand in the slot corresponding to the button. The display 11 can also display the state of the machine, such as whether the machine is set to an alarm state.

  A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader 30 is included in the tobacco vending machine. As will be described in more detail below, the tag reader 30 cooperates with the vending machine's discharge mechanism to ensure that only authorized personnel can touch the stock in the vending machine. In other words, only those who have an officially approved RFID tag or card are allowed to operate the vending machine.

  Technologies other than RFID may be used to control access to the vending machine 10. For example, magnetic key fobs, bar codes, key code entry using a touchpad and / or some biometric authentication can be used for the same purpose. Still, RFID tags are preferred because they have advantages such as being cost effective, can be used to uniquely identify users, and are reprogrammable.

  A variety of discharge mechanisms (not visible in the drawings) that release the cigarette pack upon removal of the cigarette stock can be used in the tobacco vending machine 10. For example, when money corresponding to the price of a product is put into a vending machine, a mechanism for releasing the product itself is already known in the art. Typically, this ejection mechanism drops the packet into the tray 38 (see FIG. 2) so that the user can pick up the packet. However, other discharge mechanisms, for example, a mechanism such as releasing a door provided at the front of the vending machine so that the user can directly obtain the discharged packets may be adopted. (In the back-of-bar format where the direct customer does not touch the tobacco vending machine 10, the safety requirements of the discharge mechanism may be relaxed compared to the front-of-bar format.)

  Further, micro electronic boards 30 and 31 are incorporated in the tobacco vending machine 10. Board 30 includes a processor, such as a digital signal processor (DSP) or application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and both volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory is typically provided in the form of random access memory (RAM), while non-volatile memory is provided by flash memory, disk drives, and / or other suitable storage devices. The board 30 includes suitable software (firmware) and / or hardware that implements the functionality of the cigarette machine detailed below. This software is typically stored in non-volatile memory and loaded into RAM for execution by the system processor as needed.

  The aspect of the tobacco vending machine 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 is merely given as an example. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes are possible in terms of materials, fixtures, layout, number of components, and the like. For example, the tobacco vending machine 10 may include a keypad for inputting various data and / or a display screen (usually an LCD panel) for outputting data. This display screen can also be used in sales data reports and for displaying promotional messages.

  FIG. 5 is an illustration illustrating the use of the tobacco vending machine 10 in a bar or similar environment. A typical transaction begins with a customer 103 requesting a cigarette packet telling a bar employee 101 or staff. Customers pay 191 when they request the cigarette according to the bar's convention or when they actually receive the cigarette.

  Each store employee or operator 101 typically has an RFID tag or card 102. Such tags may be of various shapes and sizes, but are typically shaped like credit cards. The RFID card 102 may be provided with a function that can be attached to a key ring, a belt, or the like in order to facilitate carrying and use. Each card includes a unique serial number 107 that is stored as a read-only memory (ROM). A photo of the person to whom the card is assigned for identification is affixed to one side of the card, and instructions for using the card are described on the back side. The card 102 can also be used by the employee 101 for other business purposes, such as entering and leaving a building and recording attendance and departure. In this way, access to the cigarette vending machine 10 can be incorporated into the general security and management functions of the entity as needed.

  In order to use the card, the operator 101 passes the card 102 through the vending machine 10. As a result, the RFID reader 30 (see FIG. 1) in the vending machine accesses the unique serial number 107 of the card 102 as indicated by an arrow 190. (RFID is a technique well known to those skilled in the art, so the description of the operation of data access from the card 102 is omitted here.)

  The tobacco vending machine 10 compares the received serial number 107 with a series of stored roles 108 and determines whether to approve the sale of stock. These rolls 108 will be described in detail below. In some situations, the operator is required to apply the RFID card to the reader 30 for a predetermined time (eg, 4 seconds) as a secondary authorization form. When the operator 101 is properly authenticated by comparing the serial number 107 with the roll information 108 and indicates that other relevant criteria have been met, the vending machine discharges the requested cigarette. The cigarette is provided to the customer 102 by the operator 101, and the sale is completed.

  In another embodiment, the role level of the operator 101 can be encoded in the RFID tag 102 itself. In this case, the cigarette vending machine simply needs to verify that the coded roll fits the requested task. If so, the corresponding operation (eg stock sale) is approved. In this aspect, the RFID tag need not store an individual identifier (serial number) of the operator 101 to give approval for use of the vending machine. Nevertheless, it is generally desirable that the serial number be stored on a card and provided to the tobacco vending machine 10 for each transaction. Thereby, the use of the vending machine can be recorded for each user.

  Whenever a cigarette is sold, the vending machine records details of the transaction in the storage device 109. The stored data for any particular transaction includes the date and time of the transaction, the serial number 107 of the RFID card used to authenticate the purchase of the item, the slot that sold the cigarette (this maps the specific brand sold) )). The serial number 107 is more information about the owner of the card 102 (name or staff number) if more information is available in the vending machine 10 (such information may be provided during setup). Etc.).

  In some embodiments, special features may be incorporated into the tobacco vending machine 10 to confirm that the tobacco has actually been sold. For example, a signal can be sent that the cigarette has been sold by dropping into the tray 38 and blocking the beam. Such confirmation can also be used as a trigger to write event data to the storage device 109 and update the recorded stock level.

  Tobacco vending machine 10 may be connected to a remotely located machine (shown as back office 130 in FIG. 5) via network 120. The network 120 can be provided by a local area network (such as Ethernet), a bus (such as USB), a fixed or mobile telephone line, or other suitable topology. In one aspect, multiple vending machines may be daisy chained to allow easy access to all the different vending machines.

  Network 120 allows sales analyst 131 or any other suitable person to access vending machine 10 records from remote system 130. Such remote access can be used for various purposes. For example, a vending machine operator or tobacco company may track sales to determine when the vending machine 10 needs to be refilled. Sales data should be tracked for auditing purposes or marketing (eg, comparing sales of vending machines located at different locations to understand various factors that affect the vending machine's sales capabilities). You can also.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating operations in selling tobacco from a vending machine 10 according to one aspect of the present invention. The transaction begins with the customer requesting tobacco (step 210). In response to this request, the employee swipes the RFID card 102 possessed by the employee through the cigarette vending machine 10, thereby accessing the serial number 107 described on the card 102 (step 215). ). The vending machine then accesses the roll data 108 stored therein (step 220) and determines whether the user indicated by the serial number 107 has the authority to sell cigarettes (step 225).

  If the user does not have the necessary authority, the vending machine refuses to sell the requested cigarette (step 228). The vending machine can also record details of the executed (or failed) operation in the storage device 109, such as the date and time of the customer's request and the operator's ID corresponding to the request. More generally, the vending machine may store details of all requested processes and include a field in the record that indicates whether a particular process has been approved.

  Assuming that the user ID 107 is approved according to the stored role information 108, the result of step 225 is positive. In this case, the desired tobacco is sold (step 235) and supplied to the customer (step 240). Further, the vending machine 10 records the details of the process in the storage device 109 for subsequent correction and analysis (step 230).

  Table 1 below shows the role information 108 of various parties involved in the operation of the tobacco vending machine 10 according to one aspect of the present invention. In particular, Table 1 specifically illustrates the different classes of roles, the functions that are expected to perform the roles, and the restrictions imposed on the roles.

  The actual method of operation of the tobacco vending machine 10 depends on the vending machine's interconnectivity with external systems (as illustrated in FIG. 5). In one aspect, the operating method is set to one of three levels.

  Level 1 (stand-alone) —In this case, the vending machine is a stand-alone unit and includes a data storage module. This vending machine is not connected to a third party device. Each user is assigned a unique ID via an RFID key. The owner of the store where the vending machine is installed can obtain a static report for the conference in order to obtain the report information 109.

Level 2 (Pre-programmed report)-A Level 2 vending machine provides the same functionality as Level 1, but has two more major functions.
(A) A plurality of pre-programmed and defined reports (as detailed below) are provided.
(B) The vending machine can be connected to an external device such as a laptop computer, PDA, etc. via the serial data port 22 or other suitable data link. Information 109 about the transaction can be downloaded to this external device for further analysis and interrogation.

Level 3 (Real-time connection)-Level 3 vending machines provide the same functions as Level 1 but also have the following major functions:
(A) a permanent real-time connection with a network, for example a local area network (LAN) 120;
(B) withdrawing data from or to the vending machine via the network;
(C) Real-time data query and order report (bespoke report) at the vending machine and over the network, for example at the back office 130.

  The operations supported by the tobacco vending machine 10 and performed by various parties will be described in detail.

1. System Setup This includes initial configuration of the vending machine by the administrator when installed in the store. After system setup, the system is enabled and ready for the store staff details to be entered.

  System settings are initiated by the administrator operating the vending machine (ie, by connecting the vending machine to a power source and switching the key lock 20 to the on position). The administrator connects the laptop computer to the vending machine 10 and executes a setup program on the laptop computer. Furthermore, the administrator presses the RFID card held by the administrator against the RFID reader for 4 seconds or more. This allows the vending machine to send the serial number to the laptop computer and through it to the central recording facility.

  Next, the administrator inputs various setting data to the vending machine. This input is performed by first entering the data into an appropriate setting program on the laptop computer and uploading the setting conditions to the vending machine. In particular, the manager inputs the date and time and details of the installation location for the owner of one or more installation locations, and sets the tag. Also, the administrator usually sets up a vending machine replenishment role for the sales staff of the tobacco company and sets up a reporting system. The form of the report usually depends on how the vending machine is connected externally or whether it is connected externally, i.e. the level of the vending machine (as described above). The manager also enters details and prices for each slot into which various brands of cigarettes are placed, but this may be done according to the opinion of the store owner.

  Once the above information has been uploaded, the vending machine LED 11 should display the exact time. At this point, the administrator performs several tests of the vending machine, such as confirming that the sales and reporting functions are working correctly and that the display 11 displays the correct time.

  For Level 2 and 3 machines, some or all of the system settings are performed by the remote system. Therefore, after the vending machine 10 is activated, the administrator can also establish a data connection between the vending machine 10 and one or more remote systems via the network 120 to connect to the back office 130 (see FIG. 5). An administrator can use this connection to send one or more settings to the vending machine 10 over the network 120. For example, a standard report format can be sent that is implemented on all machines operated by a particular organization.

2. User settings When a vending machine is installed and set up at a specific location, the owner of the location (more precisely, the person assigned the role of the owner) further selects the user there. The owner sets a staff member responsible for selling cigarettes at the vending machine 10 as the vending machine.

  In one aspect, the user setting method includes the owner first passing his card through a vending machine for identification. The card may need to be approved by pressing it against the RFID reader for a certain amount of time (for example, to prevent the machine from approving the owner just passing the vending machine). . The owner can then test the tag to ensure that the RFID tag is working properly. In addition, the owner can confirm that the tag only gives the appropriate level of access to the staff who owns the tag (for example, they can sell cigarettes but set or remove users). Tasks that require advanced privileges cannot be performed).

  Staff associated with a vending machine may be selected, changed, and deleted as staff are moved and reassigned, so staff cards are always operated continuously. In this case, it is also possible to exchange the already approved card between the staff members to deal with the staff replacement. It is still desirable to record which RFID card is assigned to which staff for a given time. Such a record may be stored outside the vending machine 10 or may be incorporated in the stored data 109.

  Typically, the owner is responsible for defining the role and distributing the RFID card to the other parties involved in the vending machine. For example, the owner activates and assigns an RFID card for a tobacco company salesperson who restocks stock.

3. Stock replenishment Vending machines are replenished when their stock decreases. This replenishment operation is performed by an owner or a salesperson of a tobacco company who has the corresponding access right. Alternatively, it is possible to define a role for stock replenishment and issue an RFID card that supports this particular function to one or more appropriate staff (this can be used by owners and tobacco company salespersons). Alternatively or in addition thereto).

  Stock replenishment is performed by swiping the RFID card 102 that has been approved through the RFID reader 30. This allows the drawer 18 to be opened to replenish the stock. After refilling the stock, the operator resets the system and verifies that the number of cigarettes in each slot is correct. The operator then closes the drawer and the vending machine becomes available. Information relating to the replenishment work (for example, the replenishment date and time, the serial number of the card of the person who performed the replenishment) is recorded in the stored data 109.

  In other embodiments, stock replenishment is outside the scope of the RFID control mechanism. For example, a special key 44 (see FIG. 2) may be provided for opening the vending machine and taking in and out the drawer containing the merchandise. In this embodiment, a button is provided that is reset when the stock is replenished. By pressing this button, it is assumed that each slot has been refilled with cigarettes, and this is indicated in the stored data 109. Furthermore, the vending machine 10 may be provided with a sensor capable of automatically confirming how many cigarettes are currently contained in a predetermined slot, and this information is recorded in the data 109 as necessary.

4). Selling Stock This operation corresponds to the flow chart of FIG. 6, where the customer requests cigarettes and a bar employee or other staff removes the cigarettes from the vending machine to sell the cigarettes to the customer. This operation is usually performed by staff, but may be performed by the owner.

  This operation will be described more specifically. The first vending machine is in idling mode. The staff presses the PSB 15 corresponding to the desired selection, thereby switching the LED 11 between the channel price and the stock level. The staff then passes the RFID tag through a reader. This allows the vending machine to access the tag serial number. In one aspect, a beep confirms that the vending machine has successfully read the serial number, and then the serial number is checked against the vending machine's authorization level.

  Assuming that the staff has been approved for sale, the vending machine enters sales mode and all sellable LEDs 16 turn green. The staff then presses the PSB 15 corresponding to the desired tobacco brand. All other channel lights will turn off and a beep will sound to confirm the selection. Next, the discharge mechanism of the vending machine 10 is activated, and the selected cigarette falls on the chute. The staff takes out the cigarette and provides it to the customer. The vending machine records in the stored data 109 details about which cigarettes were sold and the serial numbers of the staff involved. Eventually the vending machine returns to idling mode.

5. Reports This system supports the creation of various reports such as daily, weekly, monthly and so on. Each report includes data indicating the number of days covered by the report and the creation date and time of the report. A local report is generated daily at the end of business to move stock to match the payment system at the vending machine location. In this case, the store will cease trading with the vending machine for a predetermined time, or at least the vending machine will temporarily suspend service while creating the report. The data is then erased and archived by the operator pressing another PSB. By archiving the data, it is possible to generate a report even after a longer time scale, for example a week, month or quarter. In one aspect, archived data is evaluated and cleared monthly. However, any desired time schedule can be implemented depending on the size of the vending machine's memory. For example, in one embodiment, the memory size is about 1 megabyte, and events corresponding to roughly 10 full stocks can be stored.

  The local report is created by an authorized person such as an owner who operates the vending machine using the corresponding RFID tag. In one aspect, this is done by applying the officially approved RFID tag to the reader for 4 seconds when the vending machine is in idle mode. The user then enters appropriate instructions at the vending machine to access the desired local report. At this time, the user may first connect a suitable printer to the vending machine to make a hard copy of the report. Once the desired report is obtained, the user may exit the system.

  As described above, the sales machines of level 2 and 3 have a communication function separately. These communication functions can be used to download the report data 109 stored in the vending machine 10 to a central storage, where the data is analyzed and interrogated, and specific A specific report is created.

  The selection of the report is done by pressing another PSB on the vending machine. For example, in one aspect, the output of a local report to a printer is performed by the operator involved passing the RFID card and pressing a specific PSB. A specific button for transferring data to the remote system may be provided.

In one aspect, the following fields are included in the level 1 (ie, local) daily report.
Report date / time Location Sales User ID
Sales volume Slot number (ie, brand)
Total Sales by user ID Sales by slot user Sales by slot Total sales

Another report includes monthly sales by users Date and time of report creation Target period (xy weeks)
User ID
Sales volume per slot Total sales per slot user

In addition, the system supports stock reports based on total sales per slot (ie, brand) within an appropriate time period.
Date and time the report was created Stock amount at the start of each slot (from previous numbers)
Sales volume per slot Total stock in stock per slot

  Different levels of cigarette vending machines may support different (or additional) report formats. For example, in one aspect, a level 2 or 3 vending machine typically downloads raw information from the local data storage device 109 to a third party device, for example, via a suitable cable connection via the serial data port 22. it can. The data is interrogated using third party device software. For level 3 vending machines, a real-time link via land-line can be used to pull data from the local store 109 and send it to a central data source, where the data is detailed Used for analysis and creation of specific reports.

  Finally, although various specific embodiments have been described herein, it is clear that these are for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications and adaptations are within the scope of the claimed invention and equivalents.

1 is a front perspective view of a tobacco vending machine according to one aspect of the present invention. FIG. It is an exploded view of the tobacco vending machine of FIG. FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a tobacco vending machine according to another aspect of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the tobacco vending machine of FIG. 3. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of the tobacco vending machine of FIGS. 1-4 according to one aspect of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the use of the tobacco vending machine of FIGS. 1-4 according to one aspect of the present invention.

Claims (32)

A cigarette vending machine used to provide back-of-bar service ,
A discharge mechanism;
A memory for storing approval data regarding at least two or more different operations to be performed on the vending machine and at least product discharge information including the date and time and product identifier each time the product is discharged from the vending machine; The authorization data is a role and / or an individual serial number ;
An input device for receiving a request for access to the vending machine;
Control logic for validating the request against the stored authorization data,
Two or more roles are defined for the vending machine, and the authorization data specifies which operations are allowed for the two or more roles;
The request includes the serial number and / or role of the person making the request;
If the request includes a serial number, the authorization data includes a series of serial numbers, each of which is assigned to one of the two or more roles;
Only when the request satisfies the approval data for the operation corresponding to the request, the operation of the vending machine is permitted,
The control logic determines whether or not the request satisfies the approval data for the operation corresponding to the request by checking whether the operation is permitted to the role corresponding to the requester. Cigarette vending machine. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a keypad. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a radio frequency identification identifier (RFID) reader. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a magnetic card or fob reader. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a barcode reader. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the input device includes a wireless remote control device. 7. A cigarette vending machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the two or more operations includes refilling the vending machine. The cigarette vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein one of the two or more operations includes updating price information stored in the vending machine. 9. A cigarette vending machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the two or more operations includes discharging tobacco from the vending machine. 10. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 9, wherein the control logic causes the discharge mechanism to function or not to function depending on whether the request satisfies approval data for tobacco discharge operation. The cigarette vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the information stored in a memory includes at least a roll corresponding to the person who made the request. The cigarette vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the information stored in a memory includes at least a serial number corresponding to the person who made the request. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one data port so that stored information can be accessed from the outside. 14. The cigarette vending machine according to claim 13, wherein the at least one data port is used to configure one or more settings of the vending machine from an external system. The cigarette vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it identifies a specific operation in which the request is executed. A method of operating a cigarette vending machine used to provide a back-of-bar service ,
Allowing the vending machine to store approval data regarding at least two or more different operations performed on the vending machine, wherein the approval data is a role and / or an individual serial number ;
Receiving a request to access the vending machine;
Checking the validity of the request against the data stored to allow the operation of the vending machine only when the request satisfies the approval data for the operation corresponding to the request; and
Determining whether the request satisfies approval data for an operation corresponding to the request by checking whether the operation is permitted to a role corresponding to the requester;
Look including the step of storing information about each approved manipulation on emissions from vending machine including the date and time and discharged product identifier of at least the operation,
Two or more roles are defined for the vending machine, and the authorization data specifies which operations are allowed for the two or more roles;
The request includes the serial number and / or role of the person making the request;
If the request includes a serial number, the authorization data includes a series of serial numbers, each of which is assigned to one of the two or more roles. The method of claim 16, wherein the request includes a role assigned to the person making the request. 18. A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein one of the two or more operations comprises refilling a vending machine. 19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein one of the two or more operations includes updating price information stored in a vending machine. 20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein one of the two or more operations includes discharging tobacco from a vending machine. 21. The method of claim 20, comprising enabling or disabling the discharge mechanism depending on whether the request satisfies approval data for tobacco discharge operations. The method of any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein one of the two or more operations includes adding a new serial number to the authorization data. 23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein one of the two or more operations includes assigning a serial number to the role. 24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the stored information includes at least a role corresponding to the requester. 25. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the stored information includes at least a serial number corresponding to the requester. 26. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 25, further comprising the step of using a data port for external access to information regarding authorized operations. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising configuring one or more vending machine settings from an external system via the data port. 28. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 27, further comprising the step of outputting the stored information to a local printer. 28. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 27, further comprising outputting the stored information via a network connection. 30. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 29, further comprising the step of creating a report based on the stored information, wherein the report can cover a plurality of time scales. 31. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 30, further comprising the step of synchronizing data or information in the vending machine with a laptop computer or PDA. 32. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 31, characterized in that it identifies a specific operation on which the request is performed.

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