JPH04241087A - Automatic vending machine that can deal with ic card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve reliability for the use of IC cards by recognizing it beforehand that the cumulative number of times for reloading an E<2>PROM reaches the limit number of times at the automatic vending machine to utilize the IC card using the E<2>PROM for a memory as a prepaid card or a card for the sales sum total. CONSTITUTION:The automatic vending machine or an IC card 1 records the cumulative number of times for reloading in an E<2>PROM 6 and calculates this cumulative number of times or judges whether the cumulative number of times reaches the limit number of times or not and when the cumulative number of times reaches the limit number of times, it is displayed at the automatic vending machine 7.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to an IC card-compatible vending machine (IC card-compatible vending machine) in which an IC card can be used, for example, by a customer as a prepaid card for purchasing products, or by an operator of the vending machine as a card for tabulating sales. The present invention relates to an IC card compatible vending machine (hereinafter also referred to as a vending machine), which is particularly capable of using an IC card with high reliability. Note that in the following figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventional IC card compatible vending machines do not control how many times the memory of the IC card has been rewritten (erased, written), and whether or not the memory has reached its lifetime number of rewrites. It does not have any output means such as display.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such conventional IC card compatible vending machines, E2 PROM is used as a PROM that can be electrically erased and written to the memory of the IC card.
Due to the characteristics of E2 PROM, erasing,
Although the number of rewrites has a lifespan, this lifespan is not particularly involved in control. Therefore, the present invention is an IC card-compatible device that can determine the cumulative number of memory rewrites of this E2 PROM, output whether it has reached the end of its service life on an external display, etc., and advise the IC card user to reissue the card. The challenge is to provide vending machines.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to solve this problem, the vending machine according to claim 1 is provided with an E2 PROM (6, etc.) as a memory for storing product purchase data or operational data of the vending machine. ) A means for reading and writing IC cards (such as 1) (IC card reader/writer 8
In an IC card-compatible vending machine (such as 7) equipped with an IC card (such as 7), the cumulative number of rewrites of the E2 PROM (such as 6a) is recorded in the E2 PROM via the CPU (such as 5) in this IC card. At the same time, when the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds a predetermined number of times, (writable display means 11a
to the external display means 14 etc.),

In the vending machine according to claim 2, in the vending machine according to claim 1, ``the vending machine includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and determining whether the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds the predetermined number of times. shall be equipped with means for determining the

[0006] In the vending machine according to claim 3, in the vending machine according to claim 1, ``the IC card is provided with means for calculating the cumulative number of rewriting, and the vending machine is configured such that the cumulative number of rewriting is the predetermined number of times. shall be equipped with a means to determine whether or not the

[0007] In the vending machine according to claim 4, in the vending machine according to claim 1, ``the vending machine is provided with means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and the IC card is arranged so that the cumulative number of rewrites is the predetermined number of times. shall be equipped with a means to determine whether or not the

[0008] In the vending machine according to claim 5, in the vending machine according to claim 1, ``the IC card includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and a means for calculating whether the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds the predetermined number of times. shall be equipped with means for making a determination.

[0009]

[Operation] The number of times the memory has been erased and rewritten is stored in the IC card, and the reference value for determining the number of times life is stored in the vending machine or at the IC card.
It is provided in a C card, the judgment is controlled by a vending machine or an IC card, and the result is displayed externally by the vending machine, so that an IC card user can know the notice of the lifespan of the IC card.

0010

Embodiments An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration as an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an IC card;
Reference numeral 2 indicates an IC chip 3 in this card 1, an internal circuit within the IC chip, and 7 a vending machine. 4 is a vending machine interface within this internal circuit 3, 5 is also a CPU, and 6 is an E2 PROM. Also, 6a is this E2 PROM
This is the cumulative number of rewrites of the E2 PROM written in a predetermined area within 6. Next, 7 is a vending machine, 8 is a vending machine 7
IC card reader/writer (also abbreviated as card R/W) inside, 13 is also the vending machine control unit, 14 is the vending machine 7
This is an external display means that is attached to the outside and displays information to the outside. Next, 10 is a CP installed in the vending machine control section 13.
Similarly, U and 11 are ROM, and 12 is RAM. Reference numeral 11a is a write-disabled display means, which will be described later, as software in the ROM 11. CPU5 and E2 PROM
The IC card 1 having a built-in IC card 6 is connected to an IC card reader/writer 8 of a vending machine 7 via a vending machine interface 4 to exchange signals. The vending machine 7 processes the data read from the IC card 1 with the CPU 10 and displays the external display means 1.
Output to 4.

Next, FIGS. 2 to 5 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of FIG. 1 as first to fourth embodiments of the present invention, respectively. Figures 2 to 5 with reference to Figure 1 below.
Explain. Note that the symbols 21 to 44 below indicate the steps in FIGS. 2 to 5. (1) Regarding the first embodiment: In FIG. 2, the CPU 10 of the vending machine 7 transfers the data in the IC card 1 to the IC card R/
Read via W8 (21). The read data includes the write count 6a of the IC card memory 6 stored in the memory (E2 PROM) 6 in the IC card 1, and this value is set as a variable x (22). Vending machine CPU1
0 is the magnitude of the predetermined rated number of rewrites a and the variable x,
(23), and if the value x exceeds the rated value a (branch Y), no more IC
A message indicating that writing or rewriting to the card 1 is not possible is displayed on the external display means 14 (27). If the value x is within the rating a (23, branch N), perform some processing (24) and
In the E2 PROM 6 of card 1, the total number of rewrites x, which is the sum of the number of rewrites this time, is added to the number of rewrites 6a via its CPU 5.
Write to the relevant memory area as .

(2) Regarding the second embodiment: In FIG. 3, the difference from the first embodiment (FIG. 2) is that the first embodiment is different from the first embodiment (FIG. 2).
In the embodiment, the number of rewrites is added in the vending machine and the result is written to the number of rewrites 6a in the memory of the IC card.
In the second embodiment, the CPU 5 of the IC card 1 manages the number of times the vending machine rewrites the IC card memory 6, adds up the number of rewrites, and stores the cumulative total in the E2 PROM 6 belonging to itself. Number of times to write additional value 6
Write as a (31). However, the determination as to whether the variable x exceeds the rated value a is made on the vending machine side, as in the first embodiment.

(3) Regarding the third embodiment: In FIG. 4, the difference from the first embodiment (FIG. 2) is that the first embodiment is different from the first embodiment (FIG. 2).
In this embodiment, the vending machine determines whether the value x of the number of rewrites has reached the rated number of times a, but in the third embodiment, it is determined whether the number of rewrites has reached the rated number of times or not. This is done by the CPU 5 in the IC card 1 (42), and depending on the determination result, a rewrite prohibition signal is sent to the vending machine (43).
A rewrite permission signal is transmitted (44). The vending machine reads the determination result (21), and if the subsequent processing is permitted to be rewritten (41, branch Y), the process proceeds to step 24,
If rewriting is not permitted (41, branch N), the process branches to step 27, where an external display indicating that writing is not permitted is performed. However, in this third embodiment, the cumulative addition of the number of rewrites x is performed on the vending machine side (25).

(4) Regarding the fourth embodiment: In FIG. 5, the difference from the first embodiment (FIG. 2) is that the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment (FIG. 2).
, the third embodiment, in which the above-mentioned variable elements are combined. That is, the CPU 5 of the IC card 1 performs a comparative judgment (42) between the number of rewrites x of the IC card memory and the rated number a, and a cumulative addition process (31) of the number of rewrites. In the end, the above examples (1) (2) (3) (4)
) are summarized in Table 1 below.

[0015]

[Table 1]

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, E2 PR is used as a memory.
In vending machines that use IC cards with OM,
The cumulative number of times the card memory (E2 PROM) has been rewritten is E.
2 In addition to writing into the PROM, the vending machine or IC card performs cumulative addition calculations and determines whether or not the number of cumulative additions has reached the limit number of times that the memory of the IC card can be used. When the IC card E2 PRO is reached, the vending machine will display a message to that effect.
This has the effect of detecting the lifespan of M memory and providing guidance to the user.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 IC card 2 IC chip 3 Internal circuit 4 Vending machine interface 5 CPU 6 E2 PROM 6a　Number of rewrites 7 Vending machine 8 IC card reader/writer 9 Interface 10 CPU 11 ROM 11a Writable display means 12 RAM 13 Vending machine control section 14 External display means

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An IC card compatible vending machine comprising means for reading and writing an IC card using an E2 PROM as a memory for storing product purchase data or vending machine operational data, wherein the E2 PROM The cumulative number of rewrites of the E is stored via the CPU in this IC card.
2. A vending machine compatible with an IC card, which is recorded in a PROM and displays a message to that effect when the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds a predetermined number. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and means for determining whether the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds the predetermined number of times. A vending machine that accepts IC cards. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the IC card includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and the vending machine determines whether the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds the predetermined number of times. An IC card compatible vending machine characterized by being equipped with a means for determining. 4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites of the IC card, and determines whether the cumulative number of rewrites of the IC card exceeds the predetermined number of times. I characterized in that it is equipped with a means for
Vending machine that accepts C cards. 5. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the IC card includes means for calculating the cumulative number of rewrites, and means for determining whether the cumulative number of rewrites exceeds the predetermined number of times. A vending machine that accepts IC cards.