JP7103281B2 - Media processing equipment, media processing method, and media processing program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for updating medium information stored in a non-contact medium by wireless communication with the non-contact medium.

Conventionally, a non-contact type IC card having a wireless communication function (hereinafter, referred to as a non-contact IC card) has been used for various purposes. For example, in a station ticket gate system, a non-contact IC card is used as a prepaid ticket (SF (Stored Fare) card). As is well known, in this ticket gate system, the value balance (amount) held by the non-contact IC card used as a ticket is reduced by the automatic ticket gate at the time of ticketing according to the fare of the current boarding section. .. The non-contact IC card stores the value balance in the memory.

In addition, the non-contact IC card can be continuously used as a ticket by charging the value with a device such as a ticket vending machine, a payment machine, or a dedicated charging machine installed at a station. As is well known, the charge process is a process of increasing the value held by a non-contact IC card according to the deposit amount. When charging a non-contact IC card that is a ticket, there is also a device that does not take the non-contact IC card inside the main body but mounts it on a mounting table formed on the outside of the housing (patented). Reference 1).

Design Registration No. 1580278

However, in a device such as Patent Document 1 in which the non-contact IC card is mounted on a mounting table formed on the outside of the housing, the user removes the non-contact IC card during the execution of the charging process (non-contact IC card). The contact IC card may be moved out of the wireless communication area.) In this case, the non-contact IC card is in a state in which the current charge process has not been completed and the process has not been completed. That is, the non-contact IC card is in a state in which the value held is not increased according to the deposit amount of the user.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for suppressing the non-contact medium from being moved out of the wireless communication area during the execution of processing on the non-contact medium.

The medium processing apparatus of the present invention is configured as shown below in order to achieve the above object.

The wireless communication unit performs wireless communication with a non-contact medium arranged at a medium arrangement position formed on the outside of the housing. The update processing unit performs update processing for updating the medium information stored in the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position in the wireless communication in the wireless communication unit. The motion detection unit detects the motion of removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position. Then, when the guide unit detects a movement of removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position while the motion detection unit is executing the update process by the update processing unit, the first guidance is performed.

According to this configuration, when the motion detecting unit detects a motion of removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position, the first guidance is performed. Therefore, this first guide is arranged at the media placement position, which is a guide for notifying that the process being executed for the non-contact medium is not completed (a guide for notifying that the process is in progress). By providing guidance or the like asking not to take the non-contact medium, the non-contact medium is removed from the medium placement position and moved out of the wireless communication area during the execution of processing on the non-contact medium. Can be suppressed. That is, it is possible to prevent the non-contact medium from being in an unprocessed state.

Further, the motion detection unit may detect a hand approaching the medium placement position as a movement for removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position, for example.

Further, the guide unit may be configured to perform a second guidance for urging the user to take his / her hand away from the vicinity of the medium arrangement position prior to the start of the update process by the update processing unit. With this configuration, the motion detection unit can appropriately detect the motion of removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position during the execution of the update process by the update processing unit.

Further, if the motion detection unit detects that the hand is away from the vicinity of the medium placement position before the second guidance is performed, the guide unit may not perform the second guidance. good. With this configuration, the second guidance will not be wasted.

Further, the update processing unit may be configured to start the update process after waiting for the motion detection unit to detect that the hand is away from the vicinity of the medium placement position. With this configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent the non-contact medium from being removed from the medium placement position and moved out of the wireless communication area during the execution of processing on the non-contact medium.

Further, the non-contact medium may be, for example, a prepaid ticket or an electronic money medium that can be used to settle the transaction amount at the store.

The non-contact medium is not limited to the card medium, and may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone.

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the non-contact medium from being moved out of the wireless communication area during the execution of processing on the non-contact medium.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the main part of the ticket vending machine which concerns on this example. It is a front schematic diagram of the ticket vending machine which concerns on this example. It is a figure explaining the detection method of the movement which removes an SF card. It is a flowchart which shows the charge process of the ticket vending machine which concerns on this example. It is a flowchart which shows the charge processing of the ticket vending machine which concerns on another example.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by taking a ticket vending machine as an example.

<1. Application example>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a ticket vending machine according to this example. Further, FIG. 2 is a front schematic view of the ticket vending machine of this example. The ticket vending machine 1 of this example can charge the SF (Stored Fare) card 100 owned by the user and can be used as a prepaid ticket. This charge process is a process of increasing the value held by the SF card 100 according to the deposit amount. The SF card 100 is a non-contact IC card having a wireless communication function. The SF card 100 corresponds to the non-contact medium referred to in the present invention.

The ticket vending machine 1 also performs a ticketing process for issuing a ticket to the user. The ticket vending machine 1 can settle the ticketing amount of the ticket with money or the value held by the SF card 100. Further, the ticket vending machine 1 may be configured so that the ticketing amount of the ticket can be settled with a credit card.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ticket vending machine 1 has a tray 8a on which the SF card 100 is placed (arranged) formed on the outside of the housing. The ticket vending machine 1 can perform wireless communication with the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a. In other words, the SF card 100 is located in the wireless communication area on the ticket vending machine 1 side by being placed on the tray 8a.

The ticket vending machine 1 monitors the movement of the user to remove the SF card 100 from the tray 8a when the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a is being processed. When the ticket vending machine 1 detects the movement of the user removing the SF card 100 from the tray 8a, the ticket vending machine 1 informs the user that the process is in progress.

As a result, the ticket vending machine 1 can prevent the SF card 100 from being moved out of the wireless communication area while the processing for the SF card 100 is being executed, and as a result, the SF card 100 is in an unprocessed state. ..

<2. Configuration example>
As shown in FIG. 1, the ticket vending machine 1 includes a control unit 2, a display unit 3, an operation unit 4, a ticket issuing unit 5, a coin processing unit 6, a bill processing unit 7, a wireless communication unit 8, and the like. It includes an image sensor 9 and a communication unit 10.

The control unit 2 controls the operation of each part of the main body. Further, the control unit 2 has a motion detection unit 21, an update processing unit 22, and a guide unit 23. The motion detection unit 21, the update processing unit 22, and the guide unit 23 included in the control unit 2 will be described later.

The display unit 3 has a display 3a provided on the front of the ticket vending machine 1 main body, and controls the screen display on the display 3a.

The operation unit 4 has an input device such as a touch panel 4a attached on the screen of the display 3a, and receives an input operation of the user.

The ticketing unit 5 discharges the ticket, which is a ticket, to the ticketing port 5a.

The coin processing unit 6 identifies the authenticity and denomination of the coin inserted in the coin insertion slot 6a.

The bill processing unit 7 identifies the authenticity and denomination of the bill inserted in the bill insertion slot 7a.

The wireless communication unit 8 performs wireless communication with the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a. The wireless communication unit 8 transmits to the SF card 100 a request for reading the card data stored in the memory and a request for writing the card data stored in the memory (update request). Further, the wireless communication unit 8 receives a read request and a response to the write request from the SF card 100. The tray 8a corresponds to the medium placement position referred to in the present invention.

The image sensor 9 images the side of the tray 8a facing the mounting surface of the SF card 100 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a mounting surface). The frame rate of the image sensor 9 may be, for example, about several frames / sec to about ten and several frames / sec.

The communication unit 10 communicates with a higher-level device such as a station server (not shown).

Next, the motion detection unit 21, the update processing unit 22, and the guide unit 23 included in the control unit 2 will be described.

The motion detection unit 21 processes the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 and detects the motion of removing the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a. Specifically, the motion detection unit 21 is placed on the tray 8a when the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand exceeds the set ratio in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9. It is detected as a movement to remove the SF card 100. The motion detection unit 21 may detect the user's hand captured in the frame image by a known pattern matching or other method.

In this example, when the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 is the image shown in FIG. 3A, the motion detection unit 21 removes the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a. Does not detect as. On the other hand, when the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 is the image shown in FIG. 3B, the motion detection unit 21 detects it as a motion of removing the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a. FIG. 3A is an example in which the ratio of the region occupied by the captured user's hand (rectangular region shown by the broken line in the figure) does not exceed the set ratio in the frame image. FIG. 3B is an example in which the ratio of the region occupied by the captured user's hand (rectangular region shown by the broken line in the figure) exceeds the set ratio in the frame image.

As is well known, as the user's hand approaches the mounting surface of the tray 8a, the proportion of the area occupied by the captured user's hand in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 increases. That is, the motion detection unit 21 detects the motion of the user who brings his / her hand close to the mounting surface of the tray 8a to a certain distance as the motion of removing the SF card 100 mounted on the tray 8a.

If the user's hand is not captured in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9, the motion detection unit 21 removes the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a. Not detected.

The update processing unit 22 controls the wireless communication unit 8 to acquire the card data stored in the memory of the SF card 100. Further, the update processing unit 22 generates update data to be stored in the memory of the SF card 100 based on a user's input operation or the like in the operation unit 4. Further, the update processing unit 22 controls the wireless communication unit 8 to write the update data as card data in the memory of the SF card 100.

The guide unit 23 controls the display unit 3 to control the screen to be displayed on the display unit 3a. Further, the guidance unit 23 may be configured to control a notification unit (not shown) to output a guidance message to the user by voice.

The control unit 2 of the ticket vending machine 1 is composed of a hardware CPU, a memory, and other electronic circuits. When the hardware CPU executes the medium processing program according to the present invention, it operates as a motion detection unit 21, an update processing unit 22, and a guide unit 23. Further, the memory has an area for developing the medium processing program according to the present invention and an area for temporarily storing data and the like generated when the medium processing program is executed. The control unit 2 may be an LSI in which a hardware CPU, a memory, and the like are integrated. Further, the hardware CPU is a computer that executes the medium processing method according to the present invention.

<3. Operation example>
Hereinafter, the operation of the ticket vending machine 1 of this example will be described. Here, a case where the charge process is executed for the SF card 100 will be described as an example.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the charging process of the ticket vending machine according to this example. The ticket vending machine 1 waits for the SF card 100 to be placed on the tray 8a (s1). In s1, it is determined whether or not the SF card 100 is placed on the tray 8a based on the presence or absence of a response from the SF card 100 to the polling that the wireless communication unit 8 periodically repeats. That is, the ticket vending machine 1 determines whether or not the SF card 100 is placed on the tray 8a based on whether or not wireless communication between the wireless communication unit 8 and the SF card 100 is established.

The ticket vending machine 1 accepts the insertion of money according to the value (charge amount) to be charged to the SF card 100 (s2). In s2, the operation unit 4 waits for money of a charge amount or more specified by the user to be inserted. In other words, when money equal to or greater than the charge amount specified by the user is inserted, it is determined that the money has been inserted. Similar to the known ticket vending machine 1, coins can be inserted by inserting coins in the coin insertion slot 6a and inserting bills in the bill insertion slot 7a.

The order of processing of s1 and s2 may be reversed.

When the ticket vending machine 1 determines that the money has been inserted in s2, the ticket vending machine 1 starts imaging by the image sensor 9 (s3). The process related to s3 may be started when it is detected in s1 that the SF card 100 is placed on the tray 8a, but the process is placed on the tray 8a for the period during which the user is inserting money. Since it is not necessary to detect the movement of removing the SF card 100, this timing is used in this example.

If the movement of removing the SF card 100 placed on the tray 8a is detected during the period when the user is inserting money, the movement of the user who inserts money is placed on the tray 8a. It may be erroneously detected as a movement to remove the SF card 100.

The ticket vending machine 1 determines in the motion detection unit 21 whether or not the user's hand is close to the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a to some extent (s4). In s4, it is determined whether or not the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand exceeds the set ratio in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9. In the frame image captured by the image sensor 9, the motion detection unit 21 places the user's hand on the mounting surface of the tray 8a if the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand exceeds the set ratio. It is determined that the position is close to the mounted SF card 100. In other words, in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9, the motion detection unit 21 puts the user's hand on the tray 8a if the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand does not exceed the set ratio. It is determined that the position is not close to the SF card 100 placed on the surface.

When the ticket vending machine 1 determines that the motion detection unit 21 is s4 and the user's hand is close to the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a, the guide unit 23 informs the user. On the other hand, guidance is given to urge the hands to be separated from the SF card 100 placed on the mounting surface of the tray 8a (s5). In s5, for example, the display unit 3 is controlled so that the screen of the display 3a is displayed.
"Please take your hand off the card.",
"Your hand is near the card. When you release it, the process begins.",
"The process cannot start if your hand is near the card. Please remove your hand from the card.",
Etc. are displayed. Further, these guidance messages may be output by voice, or may be performed by both display and voice. The guidance given to the user in this s5 corresponds to the second guidance referred to in the present invention.

When the ticket vending machine 1 provides guidance on s5, the ticket vending machine 1 waits for the user's hand to move away from the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a (s6). In s6, as in s4, the motion detection unit 21 processes the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 and determines whether or not the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand exceeds the set ratio. do. After the motion detection unit 21 starts imaging by the image sensor 9 in s3, whether or not the ratio of the area occupied by the user's hand captured in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 exceeds the set ratio. The judgment is repeated. The motion detection unit 21 updates the frame image for determining whether or not the ratio of the area occupied by the user's hand being imaged exceeds the set ratio at predetermined frame number (for example, 1 to 5 frames) intervals.

When the motion detection unit 21 determines that the user's hand has left the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a, the ticket vending machine 1 ends the guidance display started in s5 (s7). ..

The ticket vending machine 1 starts the update process when it is determined in s4 that the user's hand is away from the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a, or when the guidance display is finished in s7. (S8). In the update process started in s8, the card data stored in the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a is read, the update data to be stored in the SF card 100 by the current charge process is generated, and SF. Processes such as writing update data to the card 100 are executed.

The ticket vending machine 1 monitors the movement of the user who removes the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a by the motion detecting unit 21 until the update process started in s8 is completed (s9, s10). .. In s10 as well, as in s4 and s6, the motion detection unit 21 processes the frame image captured by the image sensor 9, and whether the ratio of the area occupied by the captured user's hand exceeds the set ratio. I'm repeating the judgment. The motion detection unit 21 is mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a if the ratio of the area occupied by the user's hand captured in the frame image captured by the image sensor 9 exceeds the set ratio. It is detected as the movement of the user who removes the SF card 100.

When the ticket vending machine 1 detects the movement of the user removing the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a in s10, the ticket vending machine 1 notifies the user that the processing is in progress. Do (s11). In s11, for example, the display unit 3 is controlled so that the screen of the display 3a is displayed.
"It's still in process, don't take the card.",
"It's still in process, don't take the card and let go."
"It's still in process, please wait a little longer without taking the card.",
Etc. are displayed. Further, these guidance messages may be output by voice, or may be performed by both display and voice. The guidance given to the user in this s11 corresponds to the first guidance referred to in the present invention. Further, the first guidance may be a notification of a warning sound.

Note that the ticket vending machine 1 interrupts the update process started in s8 even if the motion detection unit 21 detects in s10 the movement of the user removing the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a. Continue without. This is to prevent the processing time from becoming long.

When the update process is completed, the ticket vending machine 1 performs the end process (s12). In s12, the image pickup by the image sensor 9 is stopped, and the change is discharged to the user as needed. In addition, the display unit 3 is controlled so that the screen of the display 3a can be displayed.
"The process is finished. Please take the card.",
"I'm sorry to trouble you. Please take your card."
"It's done. Don't forget to bring your card.",
Etc. are displayed. Further, these guidance messages may be output by voice, or may be performed by both display and voice. The ticket vending machine 1 ends this process when the user removes the card placed on the mounting surface of the tray 8a.

As described above, in this example, it is possible to suppress the occurrence frequency of the situation where the user removes the SF card 100 placed on the mounting surface of the tray 8a during the processing for the SF card 100. That is, it is possible to prevent the SF card 100 from being in an unprocessed state.

Further, in the above description, the operation of the ticket vending machine 1 has been described by taking the charging process for the SF card 100 as an example, but the same applies when purchasing a ticket which is a ticket with the value held by the SF card 100. You can. Only the type of processing started in s9 is different.

Although not particularly shown in FIG. 4, if the user removes the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a during the processing for the SF card 100, error processing is performed in the same manner as in a well-known device. I do.

<4. Modification example>
Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the charge processing in the ticket vending machine 1 may eliminate the processing of s4 to s7 shown in FIG.

Further, in the above description, the image sensor 9 is supposed to image the side of the tray 8a facing the mounting surface, but it may be mounted at an angle for imaging the mounting surface of the tray 8a from above, for example. It may be attached at an angle for photographing the mounting surface of the tray 8a from below, or it may be attached at another angle. That is, the angle of the image sensor 9 may be any angle as long as it can image the user's hand approaching the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a.

Further, in the above example, the configuration is described in which the user's hand approaching the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a is detected by using the image sensor 9, but infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, and the like are used. Using another type of sensor (sensor other than the image sensor 9) such as a proximity sensor (human sensor), the user's hand approaching the SF card 100 mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 8a is detected. It may be configured.

Further, in the above example, the tray 8a on which the SF card 100 is placed (arranged) is formed on the outside of the housing, but the tray 8a has a pocket for inserting the SF card 100 and a dome-shaped recess. It may be configured with a shape such as.

Further, in the above description, the present invention is taken as an example of the ticket vending machine 1, but the present invention can also be applied to other types of station affairs equipment such as a fare settlement machine and a charge-only machine.

Further, in the above description, the SF card 100 in which the non-contact medium referred to in the present invention is used as a ticket is taken as an example, but a non-contact electronic money card used for settlement of a transaction amount in a transaction at a store or the like. Etc., it may be a non-contact medium used for purposes other than tickets. That is, the present invention can also be applied to a device that performs charge processing on a non-contact medium used for purposes other than a ticket. In other words, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to station affairs equipment.

Further, in the above description, the non-contact medium referred to in the present invention is a card medium such as the SF card 100, but the non-contact medium may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments. In addition, components from different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

Further, the correspondence between the configuration according to the present invention and the configuration according to the above-described embodiment can be described as described in the following appendix.
<Additional notes>
A wireless communication unit (8) that performs wireless communication with a non-contact medium (100) arranged at a medium arrangement position (8a) formed on the outside of the housing, and a wireless communication unit (8).
With the update processing unit (22) that performs update processing for updating the medium information stored in the non-contact medium (100) arranged at the medium arrangement position (8a) in the wireless communication in the wireless communication unit (8). ,
A motion detection unit (21) that detects a motion of removing the non-contact medium (100) arranged at the medium arrangement position (8a), and a motion detection unit (21).
When the motion detection unit (21) detects a motion of removing the non-contact medium (100) arranged at the medium arrangement position (8a) during execution of the update process by the update processing unit (22). , A medium processing device (1) including a guide unit (23) for performing the first guidance.

1 ... Ticket vending machine 2 ... Control unit 3 ... Display unit 3a ... Display 4 ... Operation unit 4a ... Touch panel 5 ... Ticketing unit 5a ... Ticketing port 6 ... Coin processing unit 6a ... Coin slot 7 ... Banknote processing unit 7a ... Banknote insertion Mouth 8 ... Wireless communication unit 8a ... Tray 9 ... Image sensor 10 ... Communication unit 21 ... Motion detection unit 22 ... Update processing unit 23 ... Guide unit 100 ... SF card

Claims (7)

A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication with a non-contact medium arranged at a medium arrangement position formed on the outside of the housing, and a wireless communication unit.
An update processing unit that performs update processing for updating media information stored in the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position in wireless communication in the wireless communication unit.
A motion detection unit that detects the movement of the hand that removes the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position, and a motion detection unit.
When the motion detection unit detects the movement of the hand removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position during the period from the start of the update process to the end of the update process, the first Equipped with a guide section that provides guidance
The update processing unit starts the update process after waiting for the motion detection unit to detect that the hand is away from the vicinity of the medium placement position.
The guide unit is a medium processing device that does not perform the first guidance at the start of the update process by the update processing unit. The medium processing device according to claim 1, wherein the motion detection unit detects a hand approaching the medium placement position as a movement of a hand for removing the non-contact medium placed at the medium placement position. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the guide unit provides a second guide for prompting the user to take his / her hand away from the vicinity of the medium arrangement position prior to the start of the update process by the update processing unit. .. The guide unit does not perform the second guidance if it is detected by the motion detection unit that the hand is away from the vicinity of the medium arrangement position when performing the second guidance. Item 3. The medium processing apparatus according to item 3. The medium processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the non-contact medium is a prepaid ticket. An update processing step of performing an update process of updating the medium information stored in the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position formed on the outside of the housing by wireless communication in the wireless communication unit, and
A motion detection step for detecting the movement of the hand for removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position, and a motion detection step.
When the movement of the hand removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position is detected in the motion detection step during the period from the start to the end of the update process by the update process step, the first guidance is obtained. The computer will perform the guidance steps and
The update processing step is a step of starting the update process after waiting for the motion detection step to detect that the hand is separated from the vicinity of the medium arrangement position.
The media processing method , wherein the guidance step is a step in which the first guidance is not performed at the start of the update processing by the update processing step . An update processing step of performing an update process of updating the medium information stored in the non-contact medium arranged at the medium arrangement position formed on the outside of the housing by wireless communication in the wireless communication unit, and
A motion detection step for detecting the movement of the hand for removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position, and a motion detection step.
When the movement of the hand removing the non-contact medium arranged at the medium placement position is detected in the motion detection step during the period from the start to the end of the update process by the update process step, the first guidance is obtained. Let the computer perform the guidance steps and
The update processing step is a step of starting the update process after waiting for the motion detection step to detect that the hand is separated from the vicinity of the medium arrangement position.
The media processing program is a step in which the first guidance is not performed at the start of the update processing by the update processing step .

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