JPH07121766A - Beverage selection button assigning method of automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need for test vending for setting confirmation by enabling a user to confirm the relation among a beverage selection button, a column No., and a cup No. CONSTITUTION:A master CPU 2 transfers part of data stored in a program ROM 3 to a ROM 4 after being powered ON. The data include data on the correspondence among the door push button 10, column No., and cup No. A door slave 9 is equipped with the door push button 10, an LED matrix, and a 7-segment LED display unit 16. The user after manually or automatically indicates the beverage selection button 11 to be set indicates the column No. with the frequency of operation of a sugar amount increase/decrease button 14 and indicates the cup No. with the frequency of operation of a cream amount increase/decrease button 15. The indicated column No. and cup No. are written in a RAM 4. Thus, the operation buttons and display unit 16 provided on the external surface side of the door such as the beverage selection button 11 are used to set the correspondence relation between the kind of a beverage and the drink selection button 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a beverage selection button allocating method for a vending machine for allocating a type of beverage to be sold to a beverage selection push button installed on a door of the vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine called VTS,
As a method of assigning various types of beverages to be sold to the door push button, the door push button number is displayed on the inner surface of the door or the liquid crystal display of the keyboard / slave in the vending machine, and the desired beverage column No. And cup No. There is a method of inputting from the keyboard of the keyboard slave. However, with this method, the entered No. The only way for the user to confirm whether there is an error is to press the door push button and actually test-sell the beverage.

[0003]

Therefore, when the vending machine is newly installed or when the beverage is changed to a new beverage, it takes time to set the beverage selection button and work efficiency is not good.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a beverage selection button allocation method for a vending machine which does not require test sale for setting confirmation.

[0005]

In order to achieve such an object, the invention of claim 1 is a column N assigned to a beverage.
o. And cup size No. In the beverage selection button allocation method of the vending machine to set the correspondence between the beverage selection button and the memory in the vending machine, when the beverage selection button allocation mode is instructed, when the beverage selection button allocation mode is instructed, The beverage selection button to be set is instructed, and the instructed beverage selection button to be set is displayed using the sales related display lamp on the outer surface of the door corresponding to the beverage selection button to sell the outer surface of the door. By operating the related operation buttons, the column No. And cup No. Is designated, and the designated column number. And cup No. In order to set the item, the item is stored in the memory in association with the instructed beverage selection button to be set.

According to the invention of claim 2, the designated column No. And cup No. Is displayed on a numerical display related to sales on the outer surface of the door.

[0007]

[Function] The desired beverage column No. is assigned to the button to be assigned from the keyboard / slave inside the door. And cup No. In the present invention, the beverage selection button and the column N
o. , Cup no. Since the user can visually check the relationship with, it is possible to check the setting contents without actually selling the beverage by test.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a control system of a VTS type vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The master box 1 has a master CPU 2, a program ROM 3 and a RAM.
4, a buzzer 17 is provided. Program ROM3
In addition to a program for operating the master CPU 2, various data for operating the vending machine are also stored in. The master CPU 2 transfers a part of these data of the program 3 to the RAM 4 after the power is turned on. This data includes the door push button and the column number. , Cup no. Corresponding data of is also included.

FIG. 3 shows an example of RAM mapping (address storage). The storage area of RAM4 is the master CPU2
Work area, door push button and column No. , Cup N
o. Is divided into an area for storing corresponding data and another data area. This data area is connected to the keyboard slave 6 and door slave 9 via the VTS line 5.
It is changed by the data setting operation from. Door push button and column No. , Cup no. Corresponding data area for each push button N
o. Column No. for each. Data and cup No. Data is assigned. The keyboard slave 6 is provided with a liquid crystal display 7 and operation keys 8. The door slave 9 includes a door push button 10, an LED matrix and a 7-segment LE.
A D display 16 is provided.

The door push button and the LED matrix 10 are composed of a product selection button 11, a sales lamp (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as API) 12, a sold-out lamp 13, a sugar increase / decrease button 14, and a cream increase / decrease button 15. ing. Door push button and 7
The segment LDE display 16 is installed on the outer surface of the door. The keyboard slave 6 and the door slave 9 are
Each has a built-in CPU, ROM, and RAM, and internal control is performed by the CPU.

The setting operation executed in such a circuit configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The user operates the operation key 8 of the keyboard / slave 6 to instruct the beverage type allocation mode by the beverage selection button (step S10 in FIG. 4). This instruction is sent to the master CPU 2, and the master CPU 2 sends the door slave 9
No. 1 product selection button 11 sold-out lamp 13
The data for blinking is transmitted.

When the door slave 9 receives this data,
No. The product selection button 11 of No. 1 is made to blink (step S20 of FIG. 4). The master CPU 2 currently uses the sold-out lamp 13
Of the product selection button (here, No. 1
Column No. corresponding to button 11). Data and cup No.
The data is read from the storage area in the RAM 4 (see FIG. 3) and transmitted to the door slave 9. The door slave 9 receives these data, displays the contents indicated by these data on the 7-segment display 16 and blinks them (step S30 in FIG. 4). An example of this display is shown by reference numeral a in FIG. This display a is currently No. The product selection button for No. 1 is the column No. "0
1 ”and cup No.“ 03 ”are set.

During this time, the keyboard slave 6 monitors the operation of the operation keys 8. If the user does not operate any of the operation keys 8, the execution procedure is determined by the negative determination in step S40 of FIG. 4, step S40 of FIG. 4 → S60 → S110 of FIG.
→ S130 → The loop process of step S40 of FIG. 4 is repeated, and the operation waits for the user. User is in column N
o. To increase the current value by 1 + sugar increase button 14
Operate once. Current column No. When the user wants to decrease the value of by -1, the user operates the sugar weight reduction button once. In addition, cup No. A cream increase button / cream decrease button is used to increase / decrease the value of.

When the user looks at the 7-segment display 16 and operates the sugar increase (decrease) amount button 14 and the cream increase (decrease) amount button 15 several times in order to switch from the current set value to a desired value. , Every time this operation is performed, the door slave 9 displays the column number. And / or cup no. Value is increased or decreased and the changed value is displayed on the 7-segment display 16 (loop processing of steps S40 to S50 of FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the column No. , Cup no. A ring system is adopted in which the values of 1 and 2 respectively reach the maximum value, and when +1 is instructed, the value returns to the initial value "1", and in the opposite case, returns to the maximum value. For example, if the user operates the sugar amount increase button 14 four times, the column number. Is displayed as the numerical value "5" as shown in display b of FIG. When the user operates the cream weight reduction button once, the cup no. Is shown in Figure 2.
The numerical value is “2” as shown in the display c.

Thus, the sold-out lamp is currently blinking. Column No. corresponding to the product selection button of No. 1
And cup No. After the user indicates the value of, the user operates the product selection button. This operation is detected by the door slave 9 in step S60 of FIG. 5, and at this time, the currently displayed column number. And cup No.
Is sent from the door slave 9 to the master CPU 2. Upon receiving this information, the master CPU 2 causes the buzzer 17 to sound, for example, for 1 second (steps S60 → S7 in FIG. 5).
0). Then, the master CPU 2 receives the received information, that is, the column number. (“5” in this case), cup No.
(In this case, "2", see FIG. 2) is the N in the storage area corresponding to the current product selection button (currently No. 1) in RAM4.
o. The information is replaced (step S80 in FIG. 5).

Next, the master CPU 2 determines the column number. And cup No. The door slave 9 is notified that the above has been rewritten. Further, the master CPU 2 controls information for the next operation, that is, control information for stopping the blinking of the sold-out lamp 13, turning it off, and turning on the API 12 for 2 seconds, and blinking display of the 7-segment display 16. (Column N
o. And cup No. ) Is transmitted to the door slave 9. With this control information, the door slave 9 stops displaying the 7-segment display 16,
Next, the door slave 9 displays the sold-out lamp 13 to be blinked.
Is switched to the next (No. 2 in this case) API button sold-out lamp 13 (step S100 in FIG. 5).

As described above, in this embodiment, for example, the column No. for the first API 12 is set.
And / or cup no. When the setting is completed, the second API 12 is automatically set. On the other hand, the user selects an arbitrary No. When it is desired to set the second API 12 as the setting target, a desired API 12 other than the API 12 whose sold-out lamp is currently lit is operated. This operation is detected by the door slave 9 in step S110 of FIG. The door slave 9 newly operates the AP in response to this detection.
In order to set I12 as a setting target, the current API 12 is turned off and the sold-out lamp 13 of the new API 12 is blinked (step S120 in FIG. 5). After this, the execution procedure is shown in FIG.
Since the process returns to the step before step S30, the user uses the sugar increase / decrease button 14 and the cream increase / decrease button 15 while observing the 7-segment display 16 to select the column No. , Cup no. Can be set.

When the type (column No., cup No.) setting of the API 12 is completed by the above processing, the user uses the operation keys 8 of the keyboard / slave 6 to instruct the end of the beverage type allocation mode. This instruction is sent to the master CPU 2 and the door slave 19. In response to this instruction, the master CPU 2 and the keyboard / slave 6 shift to a conventionally known operation mode. Also, the door slave 9
Then, the operating state of the 7-segment display 16, the API 12, and the sold-out lamp is returned to the state before this mode, and the operation mode shifts to the conventional operating mode (steps S130 to S150 in FIG. 5).

As described above, in this embodiment, A
Since the correspondence between the beverage type and the API is set using the operation buttons and the display provided on the outer surface side of the door such as the PI (product selection button), it is possible to set the column by test sales as in the past. There is no need to check. In addition, in this embodiment, No. No. 1 API, No. 1 The API of No. 2 and the API of the setting target can be automatically switched, and the user can set the desired API as the setting target. Also,
It is not necessary for a specific user to instruct the type of these processing modes themselves.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the setting contents can be confirmed using the beverage selection button on the outer surface of the door, the display lamp related to sales, and the display. For this reason, it is not necessary to confirm the setting contents by test sales as in the conventional case, and the setting work of the user can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a memory configuration in a RAM 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a setting procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a setting procedure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 master box (box) 2 master CPU 3 program ROM 4 RAM 5 VTS line 6 keyboard / slave 7 liquid crystal display 8 operation keys 9 door slave 16 7 segment (LED) display 11 product (beverage) selection button 12 sales lamp ( API) 13 sold-out lamp 14 Sugar increase / decrease button 15 Cream increase / decrease button

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A column No. assigned to a beverage. And cup size No. In the beverage selection button allocation method of the vending machine, which sets the correspondence between the beverage selection button and the beverage selection button in the memory of the vending machine, when the beverage selection button allocation mode is instructed and the beverage selection button allocation mode is instructed, The beverage selection button to be set is instructed, and the instructed beverage selection button to be set is displayed using the sales-related display lamp on the outer surface of the door corresponding to the beverage selection button. By operating the related operation buttons, the column No. And cup No. Column number. And cup No. A beverage selection button assigning method for an automatic vending machine, which is stored in the memory in association with the instructed beverage selection button for setting. 2. The designated column number. And cup No. 2. The beverage selection button allocation method for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein is displayed on a numerical display related to sales on the outer surface of the door.