JPH03252792A - Automatic ticket issuing terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform reservation replying to the intention of a user by selecting a vehicle with departure time near to desired time from a storage means based on inputted desired time, performing the collation of a vacant seat of the vehicle, and issuing a reserved ticket. CONSTITUTION:The reservation operation of a train is performed by inputting the desired time from a touch panel 2, selecting the train with departure time or arrival time near the desired time from the storage means 10 based on the inputted desired time, performing the collation for the vacant seat of the train, and issuing the reserved ticket. Thereby, since the train with a time near the inputted desired time can be selected from the storage means 10 by inputting indefinable departure or arrival time by the user and the reserved ticket can be issued, the reservation replying to the intention of the user can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an automatic ticket issuing terminal device for reserved seat tickets in a seat reservation system for a vehicle such as a train or an airplane.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, automatic ticket issuing terminal devices display available train information on the screen, and when a user wants to reserve a ticket, he or she selects the train that he or she can board from among the trains displayed on the screen. One of the trains displayed as having vacant seats is selected and a reserved seat ticket is issued for that train, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 70900/1983.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

When a user wishes to reserve a seat, he or she usually has the following intentions.

(1) I would like to take the train around 10am. Any train nearby will do.

(2) I'm going to ○○, but I want to arrive around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. You can leave at any time.

(3) I usually want to ride around 9 a.m., but preferably 9:05 a.m.
I want to split it up.

(4) I want to board the train right away, but I want to make a reservation for the earliest train I can sit on.

etc., I often don't think about which train to take.

However, conventionally, terminal devices only mechanically display departing trains, and when boarding a train, there is a sense of anxiety as you do not know whether you will arrive as expected, and the train does not go according to the user's wishes. I can't say that it is.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ticket issuing terminal device that enables a user to make a reservation according to his or her wishes.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention has a storage means for storing train information including at least departure or stop times of trains in operation,
When making a train reservation, you will be asked to enter your desired time, and based on the entered desired time, you will select a train with a departure or arrival time that is close to your desired time from the storage means, and then search for vacant seats on this train and reserve your seat. Issues tickets.

[Effect]

The automatic ticket issuing terminal device of the present invention can select a train close to the desired time entered from the storage section based on the user's vague boarding or arrival time input, and issue a designated ticket. Allows for similar reservations.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows the appearance of an automatic ticket issuing terminal device which is an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 shows the operation section for the user of this device in detail, and Fig. 3 shows the automatic ticket issuing terminal device. This shows the configuration of

Automatic ticket issuing terminal device [1 includes a display 2 that displays passenger guidance, a touch panel 3 placed on top of the display so that the ticket counter overlaps with the display 2, and a ticket issuing terminal that prints and issues tickets (reserved tickets, boarding passes, etc.) It has a machine 4, a bill counter 5 for settling the ticket purchase price, a coin counter 6, and a card mechanism 7 that can handle credit cards, and further includes a microprocessor and a program for controlling these. It is comprised of a control section 8 including a storage section 10 that stores train information, and is connected to a reservation center 9 via a communication line. The reservation center 9 collectively manages train operation information and seats.

A user (operator) stands in front of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device 1 and inputs the desired train designation using the touch panel 3 in accordance with the guidance displayed on the display 2. Based on the content, the reservation center 9 is inquired about vacant seats, and if there are vacant seats, bills and coins are sent to the bill counter 5. If the amount exceeds the fare, a ticket is issued from the ticket issuing machine 4. In the case of card payment, a credit card is inserted into the card mechanism 7 instead of cash to make a withdrawal.

The storage unit 10 stores operating train information shown in FIG. As shown in this example, this memory stores the departure time, train number, and destination of each train, as well as the station where the train stops and the stop time, in association with each other.

In this example, the Yamabiko No. 13 bound for Morioka departing at 9:45 is
Arrived at Omiya at 10:05, passed through Koyama, arrived at Sendai at 11:03.
It is remembered as 4 minutes. Further, an empty seat indication (O in this example) is added to the arrival time at each station. This vacant seat display is set to 0 at the start of morning service.

In the automatic ticket issuing terminal device configured as described above, a process of issuing a reserved seat ticket in response to a user's vague desired input will be described.

In FIG. 4, a"e corresponds to the guidance display screen shown in FIGS. 5(a) to (e). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the candidate train selection process.

When the user stands in front of this ticket issuing terminal device, the display 2
The guidance shown in FIG. 5(a) is displayed in step a. Here, the user selects and inputs the name of the station he or she wants to go to from among the displays using the touch panel 3 (step 31). In this example, it is the Tohoku Shinkansen, but first,
The selection may be made by sequentially displaying the destinations of the train.

In this case, destinations are displayed by direction.

Once the destination is known, the train that will stop at that station and the fare are determined. Next, in step b, the guidance shown in Figure 5(b) is displayed, and here you input your wishes (step 32).Here, you can select from three patterns: desired departure time, desired arrival time, and earliest train. possible, e.g.
Touch the desired departure time display on the touch panel, then press 1.
Enter your desired time using a portion of 0 keys. At this time, you may directly input the departure time of the train you wish to board.

If you input this time while referring to the current time display, you will not have to input a train that has already departed.

Similarly, when entering the desired time of arrival, touch the desired time of arrival and then enter the time.

If any train is the fastest, touch the part of the fastest train. Here, the selection of these three patterns is exclusive,
Only one of them is valid.

To determine whether this desired time is after the current time, step 33)
, if so, the process moves to step 34 and selects a candidate train. FIG. 7 shows the processing process.

First, if the desired departure time (for example, 10 o'clock departure) is input (step 61), from the recorded train information in Figure 6, the train should be selected in order of departure from 10 o'clock or later, and at the destination station (for example, Sendai). ) Trains stopping at Yamabiko 39, Yamabiko 1
05...) and compare them (step 62). The number of trains selected here is limited by the number that can be displayed on the screen, but trains that last approximately one hour are selected. Here, if a train among the candidate trains is already known to be full, there will be an indication that it is full at the stop time using the method described later, so if you exclude this train from the target candidate trains, it would be a waste of inquiry. You don't have to do it.

Next, if the earliest train is input (step 6
3) Select trains departing after the current time in the same way (step 64).

If the desired arrival time is input (step 65), the train stops at the destination station after the desired time,
Also, from among the trains that are not displayed as full, a train that departs after the current time is selected (step 66).

Step C
The screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 4(c). Here, the user looks at it, and if it is acceptable, touches confirmation, and if it does not match his/her wishes, touches cancel (step 35). If all seats are full, you will not be able to select a candidate train, so a message will be displayed saying that the train is full at the desired time. When the user presses "Confirm", an inquiry is made about the availability of seats on the earliest candidate train (step 36). Here, if the reservation response is determined, step 37), and if there is a vacant seat, step d
The display shown in FIG. 5(d) is performed. Here, along with the reservation answer, you will also be asked to answer the price, and the price will also be displayed.

Next, in response to the user's input of the fee (step 38), the process moves to step 39, where each banknote and coin are counted to determine whether or not more cash has been deposited than the fee (step 4o). If so, the process moves to step 41, where the ticket is printed, the change is counted, the ticket and the change are released (step 42), and the series of ticket issuing processes is completed.

If the response to the available seat arrangement is that there are no seats available, the process moves from step 37 to step 43, where it is determined whether there is a next candidate train, and if so, the process moves to step 44.

Here, as a result of the inquiry, candidates for which there are no vacant seats are deleted.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the storage unit 10 stores a full seat indication (X in the example) in the field of the destination cane of the train (
Step 45). Then, inquire about the next candidate train (
Step 46). Depending on the result, repeat the same procedure.

If all the trains arranged in step 43 are full, the display shown in FIG. 5(e) is performed in step e. Here, the user chooses whether to make a reservation for a further train, choose a non-reserved seat, or cancel the reservation. If you press "Continue" here, the screen returns to the original display shown in FIG. 5(b) and the input is performed again. Also, if it is an unreserved seat, the unreserved seat fee will be displayed and the fourth
The process moves to step 38 in the figure. If you cancel, you will have to go home and wait for the next person.

Next, as shown on the right side of Figure 6, as a process when there is a reply that the train is fully booked, the full sign (in this example, 0 is changed to X) is placed in the arrival time section of the destination station of the makeshift train. If added, it can be referenced when selecting candidate trains in step 34, and can be excluded from the selection of candidate trains. The reason why a symbol is added to each destination station is because the state of fullness varies from section to section.

Further, as a modification of e in FIG. 4, if all candidate trains are full, the train for the next time may be automatically selected and the inquiry may be restarted until a vacant seat is found.

Furthermore, as a modification of C1 in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5(C), a method may be considered in which a desired train is selected from among the displayed candidate trains and an inquiry is made regarding that train.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, when a reserved seat ticket is sold by an automatic ticket issuing terminal device, a user can input a reserved ticket for a desired train without knowing the operation of the train. can be obtained. In addition, even when business passengers are in a hurry to board a train, they will be able to obtain a reserved ticket for the earliest train.

Furthermore, by adding full seat information to the stored trains, you can exclude full seats from the selected candidate trains, increasing the probability that you will be able to get a seat from among the displayed trains. This improves convenience for customers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation section of the automatic ticket issuing terminal device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the automatic ticket issuing terminal device of FIG. 1. A diagram showing the configuration of
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a ticket issuing process, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a guidance display screen, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of storing train information, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a candidate train selection process. 1... Automatic ticket issuing terminal device, 2... Display, 3
...Touch panel, 4...Ticket issuing machine, 5...Banknote counting machine, 6...Coin counting machine, 7...Card mechanism, 8
. . . Control unit, 9 . . . Reservation center, 10 . . . Storage unit. (', ',;,'-J \ 1ゝ 7 Drawing, :'If', 1ξ content unchanged) Summary of Hayabusa? Figures and Figures (a) Figure (a) Figure (b) Next transaction Figure 5 Figure 5 Procedure auxiliary device (method) Display of case 1990 Patent application Title of invention Automatic ticket issuing terminal device amendment Relationship with the case of a person who does -Chome 5-1
No. Hitachi, Ltd. Tel: Tokyo 212-1111 (
Main representative) Content drawing of the amendment subject to amendment

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) In an automatic ticket issuing terminal device that is connected to a reservation center, communicates with the reservation center based on the operator's operation, and issues reserved seat tickets, the vehicle information including at least the departure time of the vehicle in operation is transmitted. The system has a storage means for storing information, and when performing a reservation operation for a vehicle, inputs a desired boarding time, selects a ride with a departure time close to the desired time from the storage means based on the input desired time, and selects a ride whose departure time is close to the desired time. An automatic ticket issuing terminal device that performs an inquiry on vacant seats in a vehicle and issues the reserved seat ticket. (2) An automatic ticket issuing terminal device that is connected to a reservation center, communicates with the reservation center based on the operator's operations, and issues reserved seat tickets. The system has a storage means for storing train information including train information, and when performing a train reservation operation, inputs the destination and desired time of arrival, and selects a train close to the desired time from the storage means based on the input desired time. An automatic ticket issuing terminal device, wherein the automatic ticket issuing terminal device performs an inquiry on vacant seats on the train and issues the reserved seat ticket. (3) The automatic system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in response to a response that the vehicle or train is full in the vacant seat inquiry, the next closest vehicle or train is selected and the vacant seat inquiry is performed. Ticketing terminal device. (4) In an automatic ticket issuing terminal device that is connected to a reservation center, communicates with the reservation center based on the operator's operation, and issues reserved seat tickets, the control means and designated desired information are transmitted to the operator's operation. an input means specified based on the input means, an output means for outputting the reserved seat ticket, a storage means for storing train information including at least the time and stop station of the train in operation, and an input by the operator using the input means. guidance display means for displaying train information stored in the storage means, and the control means selects a train near the desired time from the storage means based on the desired time information and destination input from the input means. The automatic system is characterized in that it selects a plurality of candidate trains and displays them on the guidance display means, makes an inquiry to the reservation center about vacant seats on the train selected from the display by the input means, and issues a reserved seat ticket. Ticketing terminal device. (5) The control means stores the train in the storage means in response to a full-seat response from the reservation center in association with the stop station of the train, and excludes the train from subsequent train selection. Automatic ticket issuing terminal device.