JPH06150127A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic vending machine of which brightness of a video display and the size of sound output are automatically adjusted accord ing to sales time zones and installation places and at which a selling product can be purchased after the trial listening and the confirmation of the effective contents explanation of the saling product are performed. CONSTITUTION:The automatic sales mechanism 1 of plural types of CD (compact disks) is provided with a controller 2. This controller 2 is connected with an input means 3, an information recording medium 4 such as a CD, etc., and a sound output means 5 and a video display means 6 outputting and displaying the information on a commodity CD stored in this information recording medium 4 by sound and video. A communication line 7 is provided on the controller 2 and it controls an automatic vending machine B from the outside. By a sensor 8, automatic adjustments to sound output and video display which are adaptive to ambinet environments are performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine capable of outputting a description of the contents of an automatic vending machine by voice or video.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, vending machines for products are installed all over Japan, and the products for sale are diversified. By the way, when looking at this type of conventional vending machine, as shown in the front view of FIG. 3, the description of the product is simply displayed on the product sample 2 or is performed only by a simple catchphrase. In addition to this, in order to improve the PR effect, in addition to this, a monotonous repetitive motion such as a one-point display by the PR holder 3 or the like, or rotation of the product or its display plate is merely performed.

[0003]

However, such a method of explaining the contents of a sold product has many problems as described below. First, even if there is an explanation displayed on the product sample, it is difficult to read because the characters are small. Further, with the PR holder alone, the content display of only a specific product can be displayed, and there is also a moving display system in which the product and the display board are moved, but it is only monotonous and the PR effect is not so great. Furthermore, if the voice output and display contents are fixed, it will be simple, and if the types of products for sale increase, the display will become more difficult.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and its purpose is to be more effective depending on the sales time zone and the installation place. It is possible to motivate purchasing by outputting contents, and output contents (brightness) according to the surrounding conditions (time, such as daytime and nighttime) and environment (noise, weather, etc.) of the vending machine. ， The volume of the sound) is changed, and when it is not popular,
It is to provide a vending machine that can automatically reduce lighting and sound.

[0005]

The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object will be described with reference to FIG. 1 in which a product corresponds to an embodiment of a compact disc (hereinafter referred to as CD) as an information medium. Is an automatic vending machine A that automatically sells CDs and the like as information media, and although not shown, an automatic vending mechanism 1 including a basic mechanism of a money mechanism, a storage mechanism, an instruction mechanism, and a storage and sales mechanism, and a performance A controller 2 composed of a CPU and a memory, which are composed of a control means and a microcomputer as a transport control mechanism, and various information such as the contents preview and purchase of a desired product connected to the controller 2 are inputted. An input unit 3, an information recording medium 4 such as a CD controlled by the controller 2, an audio output unit 5 such as an amplifier, and an image display unit 6 such as a cathode ray tube or liquid crystal.
The controller 2 is operated by the information signal from the input means 3 and each information about the product stored in the information recording medium 4 is explained by the voice output 5 and the image display means 6 to explain the content of the product. It is characterized by being output as audio and video. When the input means 3 does not specify the product to be purchased, all the stored products of the automatic vending machine A are explained or displayed by audio and video in program order.

Further, as the input means 3, the communication line 7 is connected to the controller 2 and the controller 2 is operated from the outside to output the information of the information recording medium 4, the audio output means 5 and the video display means 6. You can also output directly from. Further, the contents of the information recording medium 4 can be rewritten by the communication line 7 to freely change the output contents.

In particular, by connecting the sensor 8 to the controller 2, the output levels of the audio output means 5 and the video display means 6 can be adjusted according to the environmental illuminance of the vending machine B.

[0008]

According to the present invention, since the main part or all of the contents of the product such as the sales medium CD is stored in the information recording medium 4 according to the present invention, the contents are stored in the amplifier or the like. The audio output means 5 and the video output means 6 such as a liquid crystal are outputted, and an exclusive product for trial listening or viewing and an autochanger or the like as a reproducing means thereof are not required. Further, not only the information about itself but also the information about other products for sale can be added to the CD or the like of the information recording medium 4, so that the purchase will be more motivated. Further, the vending machine B provided with the sensor 8 automatically changes the brightness, the volume, etc. by the sensor 8 in response to the temporal surrounding conditions such as daytime and nighttime and environmental conditions such as noise and weather. be able to. Since the product content is output as audio and video, a more detailed content description can be obtained compared to the conventional product, which is advantageous in that the user can purchase after confirming this. Further, if the communication line 7 is used, it is possible to remotely control rewriting of recorded contents and the like from the outside.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an entire structure of an embodiment of an automatic vending machine according to the present invention and an application example thereof. In FIG. 1, A is an automatic vending machine according to the present invention, 1 is an automatic vending mechanism, and although not shown, basically, from various mechanisms such as a monetary mechanism, a storage mechanism, an instruction mechanism, and a merchandise storing and selling mechanism. It is configured. Reference numeral 2 denotes a controller, which is composed of a CPU and a memory which are composed of a microcomputer as a performance control means and a conveyance control means. 3 is an input means such as a numeric keypad for inputting a purchase information signal of a desired product, such as a CD, connected to the controller 2, 4 is a tape,
An information recording medium such as a video tape, a CD, a floppy disk, 5 is an audio output means such as an amplifier, and 6 is a video display means such as a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal, and these input means 3, information recording medium 4, audio output means 5 and The image display means 6 is connected to the controller 2. The vending machine A configured in this way operates as follows. First, when a customer inserts money for a desired CD and operates the input means 3, the money is registered by the money registration mechanism of the automatic vending mechanism 1 and the contents or information of a specific CD on the information recording medium 4 is output. The voice output means 5 outputs a voice or the like, while the video display means 6 displays the output content. This output is simultaneously BGM broadcast in the store, and the customer who listened
When the contents of D are liked, when the input operation for purchase is performed again, the conveyance mechanism conveys and discharges from the discharge port, and the purchase operation ends.

FIG. 2 shows an application example of the embodiment shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, 7 is a communication line connected to the controller 2, and 8 is a light / sound sensor similarly connected to the controller 2. In this application example, it is possible to operate the controller 2 from outside the vending machine B by the communication means 7 to output necessary information on the information recording medium 4, or to directly control the audio output means 5 and the video display means 6. it can. The contents of the information recording medium 4 can be rewritten by the communication line 7 to freely change the output contents.
Further, by incorporating the sensor 8, it is possible to control and adjust the output level of audio or video corresponding to the brightness of the surroundings, so during the daytime, the audio output of a volume superior to noise is output and at the same time, the brightness of the image is increased. Can be adjusted appropriately, and the volume can be automatically controlled at night or at other times when it is not popular. In the present embodiment, the case where the product is a CD has been described, but it is needless to say that it can be applied to a tape, a video tape, a floppy disk, and can be applied to other kinds of products.

[0011]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. Since the main part or all of the contents of the sales medium such as a CD can be stored in the information recording medium, a dedicated product medium for trial listening or viewing and its medium reproducing means such as an autochanger are not required. Further, not only the information about the sales medium itself but also other information about the sale item can be added to the information recording medium, so that the purchaser can be more motivated to purchase. Further, by exchanging the information recording medium, the output contents of the vending machine can be easily changed. It should be noted that the use of the communication line allows direct control from the outside, and the use of the sensor allows adjustment of the output level of audio and video corresponding to the surrounding environment.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A automatic vending machine B automatic vending machine 1 automatic vending mechanism 2 controller 3 input means 4 information recording means 5 audio output means 6 image display means 7 communication means 8 sensor

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An automatic vending mechanism capable of selling a plurality of types of merchandise, a controller for controlling and operating the mechanism, and an input means connected to the controller for inputting respective information of content preview and purchase of a desired merchandise. An information recording medium controlled by the controller, an audio output means, and a video display means, respectively, the controller is operated by the information from the input means, and each information about the products stored in the information recording medium is displayed. An automatic vending machine, wherein the description of the product content is output as audio and video by the audio output means and the video display means. 2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the information recording medium stores merchandise information that can be sold and outputs the merchandise information in program order when no merchandise is designated in the input means. 3. The automatic vending according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of types of merchandise are information media such as CDs, and a part or all of the main part of the content of the medium to be sold is stored in the information recording medium. Machine. 4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a communication line is used as the input means. 5. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the output content can be changed by rewriting the content of the information recording medium through a communication line. 6. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a sensor is connected to a controller, and the sensor obtains an output level corresponding to ambient brightness, environmental sound volume and the like.