JPH04149694A - Managing system for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively perform the management of a system at a center by transmitting data with respect to abnormality to the center in real time, and transmitting sale data to the center at decided time. CONSTITUTION:Automatic vending machines 11-18 are equipped with data transmission equipment, respectively, and every kind of data generated at every automatic vending machine is collected to a multiple terminal station 2. When the abnormality such as a fault or sold-out, etc., occurs in the automatic vending machines 11-18, a transmission control means 2 transmits abnormality data to the center 4 in real time. Also, the transmission control means 2 transmits the sales data of the automatic vending machines 11-18 at the decided time. In such a way, it is possible to effectively manage the automatic vending machines 11-18 for the transmission of abnormality information to the center by separating from that of the sales data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a vending machine management system that transmits various data of vending machines to a center.

(D) Conventional technology Previously, various data from vending machines were transmitted using telephone lines.
A system for notifying a center such as a central sales office is already known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 12394/1994).

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, since the conventional system collects data at predetermined time intervals, it has the disadvantage that if an abnormality occurs in a vending machine, the abnormality is not reported in real time. .

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to effectively manage vending machines at a center.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the vending machine management system of the present invention transmits data regarding vending machine abnormalities to a center in real time, and The data is configured to be transmitted to the center at a predetermined time.

(E) Effect When an abnormality occurs in the vending machine, such as failure or sold out, the transmission control means transmits abnormality data to the center in real time. Further, the transmission control means transmits the vending machine sales data to the center at a predetermined time.

(f) Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a vending machine management system according to this embodiment, in which a plurality of vending machines 1. ~1
8 is installed. Vending machine 1, ~1. Each of the vending machines is equipped with a data transmitting device, and various data generated for each vending machine is collected at the collection terminal station 2. Although the vending machines 11-1 and the collective terminal station 2 are connected in various ways, the vending machines 11-1. are connected via a dedicated transmission line 4, the vending machines 14-16 are connected to the collective terminal station 2 using the commercial power line 6 as a transmission line, and the vending machines 17. In the case of Is, communication with the collective terminal station 2 is performed wirelessly.

The tco data collected at the collection terminal station 2 is sent to the communication medium 3
The communication medium 3 in this case is a telephone line, 1SDN line, MCA
There are wireless systems, teleterminal systems, etc.

Data is input into the vending machines 11-1s through optical communication with the handy data setting unit 5. In addition to the optical communication type, such data setting units include a manual key type and a card input type using an IC card, a memory card, or the like.

Figure 2 shows vending machine 1. Since the electrical configuration of ~1s is shown in blocks, it does not include the vending device 10 and the money processing device 1], and these devices IQ, 11 are controlled by the program via the interface 12. It is connected to and controlled by a central processing unit 7) (CPU) l3 that executes. The CPU 13 also has a tJjROM that stores operating programs through a path line 14.
+5. RAM】61 Clock circuit 17. and an optical signal input/output device IO are connected. Furthermore, this pass line 14 includes a vending machine 1. ~1. In the case of the communication interface 7, in the case of the vending machines 14 to 16, the power line communication device 8,
In the case of the vending machines 17 and 18, a low-power groove wireless device 9 that performs communication using the MCA method (multi-channel access method) is connected to each of the vending machines 17 and 18.

The operating program stored in ROM 15 includes C
The PU 13 includes a failure diagnosis program for diagnosing failures in various parts of the vending machine including the vending device 10 and the money handling device 11. When the CPU 13 detects a failure through the processing of the failure diagnosis program, it transmits failure data containing the details of the failure, the location of the failure, etc. to the collective terminal station 2 through the communication interface 7.

The RAM 16 has at least two storage units I6° to 16
．． have. Storage unit 16. is a sales aggregation file, and the CPU 13 aggregates the sales at the vending machine each time there is a sale, and stores it in the electronics department 16. Store in. Storage unit 16.
is an area for storing various system data. The system data includes the vending machine code assigned to the vending machine, the center station number, the password for communicating with center station 4, and the collective terminal station number. The center station number is an aphasia number if the communication medium 3 is a telephone line or an ISDN line, and is an ID number if it is an MCA wireless system or a teleterminal system. These system data are then input to the optical signal input device IO of each vending machine 1 to 18 by the data setting unit 5 and stored in the RAM.
The 6-set terminal station 2 stored in CPL 120.
The CPU 20 includes a ROM 21 and a RAM 22, and a communication interface 23 connected to the transmission line 4. Power line communication device 24, small power barrel wireless device 25. A communication device 26 for communicating with the aggregate terminal station 2 is connected via the communication medium 3.

The operation of the vending machine management system having the above configuration will be explained.

(Abnormality Report) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of processing among one vending machine, the collection terminal station 2, and the center station 4 when an abnormality is reported. Incidentally, the abnormal data here includes not only failure data detected by the CPU I 3 through processing of the failure diagnosis program but also sold-out information indicating sold-out or sold-out T-notification.

When an abnormality occurs in the vending machines 11- and 1B, the CPU 13
starts communication and performs connection processing with the collective terminal station 2. In this case, if the CPU 13 of the vending machines 11-13 starts the communication interface 17,
16's CPU 13 activates the power line communication device 18, and if the vending machine 1718 activates the low power in-plant wireless device 7.
Start.

When the line is terminated, the CPU 13 sends the failure data and the vending machine code of the vending machine to the collective terminal station 2.
After that, both sides perform the cutting process.

In addition, when the collective terminal station 2 receives the fault data and the vending machine code, it activates the communication device 26 and sends it to the center station 4.
At this time, the collective terminal station 2 performs connection processing with the center station number indicated by this vending machine. When the line is terminated, the collective terminal station 2 transmits these data to the center station 4, and then both sides perform a disconnection process.

(Sales ■ - Data transmission (菖)) When sending sales data rχ, in this example, each vending machine 1 to 18 sends sales data in response to a regular request from the center station 4, which is a "center station led method". There are two methods: 1) (Fig. 4) and a ``terminal side-initiated method'' (Fig. 5) in which sales data is periodically transmitted from the vending machines 1 to 18.

In the "center station led system," when the scheduled data collection time arrives, the center station 4 performs connection processing with the collection terminal station 2 and requests collection of sales data.

In response to this collection request, the collection terminal station 2 polls each vending machine 11 to 111 to collect the sales tab and vending machine code, and transfers the data to the center station 4 each time it receives the data. . Then, upon completion of the collection of sales data, both parties perform a disconnection process.

In the "terminal-side initiative method", the data is sent at a fixed time and one of the vending machines 11 to 18 (Fig. 5 shows the vending machine)
1) sends the sales-L data and vending machine code to the collective terminal station 2, the collective terminal station 2 performs connection processing with the center station 4, transfers the data, and sends the remaining data. It polls the vending machines II to 18, collects the total sales data and vending machine codes, and transmits them to the center station 4. Then, when the center station 4 finishes collecting the sales data, it transmits data indicating the next collection time to the collection terminal station 2 5, and then both sides perform a disconnection process.

When the collection terminal station 2 receives the next collection time data, each automatic sale! l, ~1. polls and sends time data. As a result, the vending machines 11 to 8 will transmit the sales data and vending machine code to the collection terminal station 2 when the collection time arrives, but each vending machine 1
The current times of clock circuits 17 1 to 18 each have an error. Therefore, when the vending machine that receives the collection time first sends the sales data and vending machine code, the collection terminal station 2 performs the above polling and collects the sales data from the remaining vending machines. Collect data and vending machine codes. By using this W-immersion method, the collective terminal station 2 can start communication with the center station 4 every time it receives sales data and vending machine codes from each vending machine 11 to 1s. Communication efficiency can be improved without any problems.

The vending machine management system described in detail above includes a collective terminal station 2 as a transmission control means, and this collective terminal station 2 transmits data related to abnormalities to a center station 4 in real time, and sales data is transmitted to a central station 4. It is transmitted at a predetermined time instructed by the station 4. The transmission control means controls a plurality of vending machines 11 to 1, like the collective terminal station 2 of this example.
The configuration is not limited to transmitting the data of 8 to the center station 4, but it is also possible to provide a transmission control means on each side of the vending machine. A configuration 6 in which the center station 4--transmits is possible.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the vending machine abnormality report is transmitted to the center in real time, distinguishing it from the sales data transmission, so that the vending machine can be effectively managed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system of the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vending machine,
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are diagrams explaining the processes of the vending machine, center station, and collective terminal station, respectively. Figure 3 shows the process when an abnormality is reported, and Figure 4 shows the sales The processing at the time of transmission is shown, and FIG. 5 shows another example of sales transmission. 1, ~l, --- Vending machine, 2. Transmission control means (collection terminal station), 3. Communication media, 4. Center station.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A vending machine management system that connects the vending machine side and a center via communication media and transmits various data from the vending machine side to the center, the system being able to detect abnormalities in the vending machine. 1. A vending machine management system characterized by comprising a transmission control means for transmitting data related to vending machines to a center in real time and transmitting vending machine sales data to a center at a predetermined time.