JPH05151431A - Ticket vending machine for prepaid card - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the processing efficiency of business by providing a printing mechanism which prints information, which specifies a ticket vending machine, on the surface of a prepaid card. CONSTITUTION:A print mechanism 10 connected to a control part 9 through an interface 10a prints information specifying a ticket vending machine such as the selling shop name, the value corresponding to the selling price of the prepaid card, the service point given by the selling shop, the ticket vending machine number, and the date of issue on the center of the prepaid card as print contents. The control part 9 performs various arithmetic processings in accordance with a prescribed algorithm based on the money amount signal from a paper money processing mechanism 2, each card select signal from a selecting mechanism 3, an exchange signal, and a return signal. The select signal to a display part 6, the card carrying-out signal to a card carrying mechanism 7, the printing signal to the print mechanism 10, the magnetic data signal to an encoder 11, the change carrying-out signal to a money carrying-out mechanism 8 are outputted in accordance with these arithmetic results.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ticket vending machine, and more particularly to a prepaid card ticket vending machine suitable for selling prepaid cards for pachinko parlors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various conventional prepaid cards for the pachinko industry, for example, a prepaid card as a so-called common card that a plurality of stores jointly issue a single prepaid card is common. Has been adopted by. This common card can reduce the operating cost of prepaid cards for prepaid card issuers and card system installation stores, and for users, the demand can grow rapidly due to the advantages of being able to use multiple stores. ing.

However, since the common card is issued by a plurality of stores in mutual aid, the front surface of the prepaid card cannot be occupied as an advertising space for each store, and therefore a dedicated card issued individually by each store. Compared to, the effect as an advertising medium can not be expected so much.

The common card can add value to the card by encoding magnetic data inside the ticket vending machine. However, when a plurality of types of prepaid cards are sold at the same ticket vending machine, the card can be stored in advance. A plurality of types of prepaid cards with printed values have to be stored in individual storage spaces provided inside the ticket vending machine, and the mechanism for that has become complicated.

Further, the common card cannot give a service unique to the store to the prepaid card itself. Therefore, when the prepaid card is issued in the same industry, the card itself cannot differentiate itself from other stores. Have.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the problems of the prior art, the main object of the present invention is to write information on a prepaid card at the time of sale and display the written information on the surface of the prepaid card. It is to provide a prepaid card ticket vending machine that can.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a prepaid card that is not pre-encoded and that can be used in a plurality of stores, and an encoder that encodes the value of the prepaid card with respect to the prepaid card. It is achieved by providing a prepaid card ticket vending machine having a printing mechanism for printing information for identifying the ticket vending machine on the surface of the prepaid card. In particular, the information for identifying the ticket vending machine may be a bar code.

[0008]

By doing so, since it is possible to print the information for specifying the ticket vending machine such as the shop name at the time of selling the prepaid card and encode the value of the card, if the information for specifying the ticket vending machine is used as the shop name, for example, , In addition to being able to use the card as an advertising medium for retailers, it can add originality to the card.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a ticket vending machine to which the present invention is applied. A banknote processing mechanism 2 including a banknote identification device (not shown), a banknote transport mechanism and the like is integrally provided inside the banknote vending machine 1 of the banknote insertion slot 2a provided in the central portion of the banknote vending machine 1. The banknote handling mechanism 2 is of a known type, and is capable of distinguishing the authenticity and type of inserted banknotes,
It has a function of generating an amount signal corresponding to the inserted amount.

Card selection buttons 3a to 3d, which are push button switches, are installed above the bill insertion slot 2a.
These card selection buttons 3a to 3d are electrically connected to a selection mechanism 3 installed inside the ticket vending machine 1, and when the buttons are pressed, a card selection signal corresponding to each button is generated. That is, in this embodiment, 1,000 yen, 3,000 yen,
Card selection buttons 3a to 3d corresponding to respective amounts of 5,000 yen and 10,000 yen are installed. Further, on the upper side of each of the card selection buttons 3a to 3d in the figure, a bulletin board window 4 for placing prepaid cards 5a to 5d of a type corresponding to the buttons 3a to 3d is installed.

On the left side of the bill insertion slot 2 in the figure, a display window 6a is provided.
Is provided. A display unit 6 including a plurality of light emitting elements is installed inside the ticket vending machine 1 of the display window 6a. Further, on the left side of the display window 6a in the figure, the card exit 7a
Is provided, and a card unloading mechanism 7 described later is linked to the card outlet 7a.

Below the drawing of the bill insertion slot 2a, a currency exchange selection button 3e consisting of a push button switch is installed. The exchange selection button 3e is electrically connected to the selection mechanism 3,
When the button 3e is pressed, an exchange selection signal is generated. The coin payout opening 8a is provided below the exchange selection button 3e in the figure.
However, on the left side of the coin payout exit 8a in the figure, a bill payout exit 8b is installed. The coin payout exit 8a and the bill payout exit 8b are linked to the change discharge mechanism 8 installed inside the ticket vending machine 1.

A return button 3f, which is a push button switch, is provided below the display window 6a in the figure, and is electrically connected to the selection mechanism 3 inside the ticket vending machine 1. A return signal is generated by pressing.

Next, the internal structure of the ticket vending machine 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The banknote processing mechanism 2 that receives a banknote from a user using the banknote insertion slot 2a as an input end is electrically connected to the control unit 9 via the interface 2b. Each card selection button 3a-3
The selection mechanism 3 that is a connection terminal for the d and exchange selection buttons 3e and the return button 3f is also electrically connected to the control unit 9 via the interface 3g.

The display section 6 in which a plurality of light emitting elements are exposed to the outside of the ticket vending machine 1 through the display window 6a is electrically connected to the control section 9 through the interface 6a.

The coin transport mechanism 8 for paying out coins using the coin payout exit 8a and the bill payout exit 8b as output ends is electrically connected to the control section 9 through the interface 8c. The money transport mechanism 8 is of a known type, and includes a money safe, a change hopper, a change machine, etc., which are not shown in the figure.

A card transport mechanism 7 for ejecting a prepaid card with the card outlet 7a as an output end, a storage portion 7b for storing the prepaid card, a printing mechanism 10 for printing predetermined items on the prepaid card, and writing magnetic data to the prepaid card. It is composed of an encoder 11 as a so-called card recorder for carrying out, a carrying belt (shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2) for carrying a prepaid card, and the like, and is electrically connected to the control unit 9 via an interface 7a. ing.

Control unit 9 via interface 10a
The printing mechanism 10 electrically connected to is equipped with a printing machine of a known type. For example, a thermal transfer printing machine is adopted in this embodiment. Then, as shown in FIG. 3 as the print content, in the central portion of the prepaid card 5,
The name of the store 12a, the value equivalent to the selling price of the prepaid card (in this case, displayed as a frequency) 12b, and the service points 12 given by the store for this selling price
c, the ticket vending machine number 12d, the issuing date and time 12e, and other information for identifying the ticket vending machine 1 are printed as the character 12, and this character 12 is converted according to a predetermined law (in this case, the JAN code is applied) 13 is also printed on the left side of the prepaid card 5 in the figure.

The control unit 9 via the interface 11a
The encoder 11 electrically connected to is of a known type and is a device for encoding various magnetic data, for example, the value of the prepaid card, etc., on the magnetic layer 14 of the prepaid card 5.

The control unit 9 performs various arithmetic processes according to a predetermined algorithm on the basis of the money amount signal from the bill processing mechanism 2 and each card selection signal, exchange signal and return signal from the selection mechanism 3, and the calculation is performed. Depending on the result, a display signal to the display unit 6, a card carry-out signal to the card carry-out mechanism 7, a print signal to the printing mechanism 10, a magnetic data signal to the encoder 11, a currency carry-out mechanism. The change-out signal for 8 is output.

Next, the operating procedure of the ticket vending machine 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

In the figure, ST1 to ST36 indicate the respective processing steps 1 to 36, and Y in the judgment processing is affirmative,
N indicates negation. First, when a banknote is inserted into the banknote insertion slot 2a, the banknote processing mechanism 2 determines the authenticity and type of the inserted banknote.
Is output to. That is, the inserted amount is substituted into the inserted money algebra A (step 2). The control unit 9 then controls the display unit 6
A predetermined display signal is output to display a predetermined message on the display unit 6, and the inserted money algebra A is substituted for the deposit money algebra B (step 3). Further, the insertion money algebra A is initialized (step 4), and the process proceeds to step 5.

In step 5, it is judged whether or not the return button 3f is pressed, and if it is not pressed, the process proceeds to step 6. In step 6, it is determined whether or not the exchange button 3e has been pressed. If not, the process proceeds to step 7. In step 7, it is determined whether or not the thousand-yen button 3a has been pressed. If not, the process proceeds to step 8. If the deposit algebra B is 3000 or more in step 8, the process proceeds to step 9, and if it is less than 3000, the process returns to step 2. In step 9, it is determined whether or not the 3,000 yen button 3b has been pressed. If not, the process proceeds to step 10. Step 1
When the deposit money algebra B is 5,000 or more at 0, the process proceeds to step 11, and when it is less than 5000, the process returns to step 2. In step 11, it is determined whether or not the 5000 yen button 3c has been pressed. If not, the process proceeds to step 12. If the deposit algebra B is 10000 or more in step 12, the process proceeds to step 13, and if it is less than 10000, the process returns to step 2. In step 13, it is determined whether or not the 10,000 yen button 3d is pressed. If it is pressed, the process proceeds to step 14, and if it is not pressed, the process returns to step 5.

When the 10,000 yen button 3d is pressed in step 13, a card selection signal from the button 3d is output to the control section 9. At this time, the control unit 9 outputs a predetermined card transport signal to the card transport mechanism 7 to transport the prepaid card, in which the magnetic data is not encoded, stored in the storage unit 7b to the printing mechanism 10. Further, the control unit 9 outputs a predetermined print signal to the printing mechanism 10,
Information for identifying the ticket vending machine 1 is printed on the surface of the prepaid card as characters and a bar code (step 14). The information printed in step 14 is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the name of the store 12a, the value 12b of the prepaid card equivalent to 3,000 yen, the service point 12c unique to the store, the machine number 12d, the sales date and time 12e, and the like 12, and these characters 12 are displayed in a black and white bar. And the barcode 13 converted into.

When printing on the prepaid card 5 is completed in step 14, the process proceeds to step 15. In step 15, the control unit 9 outputs a predetermined magnetic data signal to the encoder 11, and in this case, the value of the prepaid card equivalent to 10,000 yen is the magnetic layer 1 of the prepaid card 5.
4 is encoded as magnetic data.

The printed and encoded prepaid card 5d is conveyed to the card exit 7a (step 1).
6). Then, the card purchase amount (10,000 yen in this case) is subtracted from the deposit amount B (step 17), and step 1
Go to 8. In step 18, the balance of the inserted amount is judged. If the balance exists, the process proceeds to step 5, and if it does not exist, the process proceeds to step 1 to initialize all algebras.

Next, when the return button 3f is pressed in step 5, the process proceeds to step 19, the amount corresponding to the deposit bill B is paid from the bill payout outlet 8b, and the process returns to step 1.
If the 1,000 yen button 3a is pressed in step 7,
Proceeding to step 25, the characters 12 and the bar code 13 are printed on the surface of the prepaid card 5 (step 25),
The magnetic data is encoded for the magnetic layer 14 (step 26). The information printed and encoded at this time is the same information as in steps 14 and 15 described above, except for the value 12b of the prepaid card worth 1,000 yen and the service point 12c unique to the store. The printed and encoded prepaid card 5a is discharged from the card exit 7a (step 27), the purchase amount of the card, 1000, is subtracted from the deposit bill B, and the process proceeds to step 18.

When the 3,000 yen button 3b is pressed in step 9, the process proceeds to step 29. The information printed and encoded on the prepaid card 5b in the processing of steps 29 and 30 is the same as steps 14 and 15 except for the value 12b of the prepaid card worth 3,000 yen and the service point 12c unique to the store. The processed information is similar to the processed information. And the prepaid card 5b is the card exit 7
It is discharged from a (step 31) and is 3 from the deposit money B
000 is subtracted (step 32), and the process proceeds to step 18.

When the 5,000 yen button is pressed in step 11, the process proceeds to step 33. Similar to the processes of steps 29 and 30, the processes of steps 33 and 34 are the same as the processes of steps 14 and 15 except for the value 12b of the prepaid card equivalent to 5,000 yen and the service point 12c unique to the store. The printed and encoded prepaid card 5c is also discharged from the card exit 7a (step 35), 5000 is subtracted from the deposit money number B (step 36), and the process proceeds to step 18.

Next, the exchange operation of the ticket vending machine 1 will be described. When the exchange button 3e is pressed in step 6, the process proceeds to step 20. In step 20, 1000 (10 hundred-yen coins) is subtracted from deposit money algebra B, and the process proceeds to step 21. In step 21, it is judged that there is a balance. If deposit money algebra B exists, the process proceeds to step 22. move on. At step 22, the thousands digit of the deposit money algebra B is substituted for the change algebra C, and the routine proceeds to step 23. In step 23, the banknote payout outlet 8b pays C thousand yen bills, and in step 24, pays ten hundred yen coins and proceeds to step 1. If there is no balance in step 21, step 24
Proceed to step 1, pay 10 coins and proceed to step 1.

As described above, by using the ticket vending machine 1, the user can select and purchase a plurality of types of prepaid cards and can also exchange bills. Then, at the time of sale, the store name 12a, on the surface of the prepaid card 5,
Prepaid card value 12b, service points 12
Since information for identifying the ticket vending machine 1 such as c is printed, and the value of the prepaid card is further encoded,
The prepaid card 5 stored in the ticket vending machine 1 only needs to have the card magnetic layer 14 initialized. Therefore, it is not necessary to store a plurality of types of prepaid cards 5a to 5d inside the ticket vending machine 1, and the card transport mechanism 7 is simplified.

Since the store name can be printed larger than ever, the effect as an original prepaid card, for example, the advertising effect of the store name, leads to securing fixed customers who are important in the business of pachinko parlors. Also,
By becoming an original prepaid card, each store gives its own service, for example, by printing a predetermined service point 12c on the prepaid card, it becomes a prepaid card with a premium, so the number of customers will increase due to the premium effect. Now, instead of playing with cash, you can play with prepaid cards, which dramatically reduces the amount of work such as replenishing and collecting change, and also significantly reduces accounting clerical work.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the prepaid card ticket vending machine of the present invention, it is possible to print the information for specifying the ticket vending machine at the time of selling the card, and to add the value of the prepaid card. can do. Therefore, if the information for specifying is, for example, a store name, a ticket vending machine number, or the like, the prepaid card that has passed through the ticket vending machine can be an advertising medium of an individual store. This means that the prepaid card, which was a common card, can be used as a dedicated card, and therefore it is possible to newly give service points unique to the store to the prepaid card together with the advertisement of the store name and the like. In addition, since a barcode is printed on the prepaid card that has passed through the ticket vending machine, in addition to the characters, when applied to a pachinko parlor, for example, a scanner in the register installed at the counter is used to attach the barcode to the prepaid card. It is possible to easily read the service points, etc., and improve the processing efficiency of clerical work.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a prepaid card having two aspects, that is, the advantage of the dedicated card in the prepaid card system and the advantage of the common card.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an appearance of a prepaid card ticket vending machine to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of FIG.

3 is a plan view showing a prepaid card sold by the ticket vending machine of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operating procedure of the ticket vending machine of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 prepaid card ticket vending machine 2 bill processing mechanism 2a bill insertion slot 3 selection mechanism 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d card selection button 3e currency exchange selection button 3f return button 4 bulletin window 5 prepaid card 6 display section 6a display window 7 card unloading mechanism 7a Card exit 7b Storage section 8 Change out mechanism 8a Coin payout exit 8b Banknote payout exit 9 Control section 10 Printing mechanism 11 Encoder 12 Characters 13 Bar code 14 Magnetic layer 2b, 3g, 6a, 7c, 8c, 10a, 11a Interface

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A ticket vending machine, comprising: a prepaid card that is not pre-encoded and that can be used in a plurality of stores; and an encoder that encodes the value of the card with respect to the prepaid card. A prepaid card ticket vending machine comprising a printing mechanism for printing information for identifying the vending machine. 2. The prepaid card ticket vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the information for specifying the ticket vending machine is a bar code.