JPH07141431A - Rental item return system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make rental items such as video tapes and CDs, etc. possible to be accurately and quickly returned, and to perform an unmanned return processing. CONSTITUTION:This system is composed of an antenna 31 for originating enquiry signals to a data carrier mounted to an item at the time of the return of the rental item and also receiving information from the data carrier, a transmission/reception part 56, a checking part 51 for confirming the rental item to be returned, a storage part 40 for storing an item DB, a customer DB, a lending DB and a return DB which are the information of the rental item and a return port window part 55 based on the result of collation with the storage part 40 in the checking part 51.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for returning rental items such as videos, CDs (compact discs) and libraries for lending. In addition, paid here
We will use "rental" to mean that you can rent an item regardless of whether it is free of charge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, rental products such as video / CDs have a bar code attached to the surface or the like of the object to which the bar code is attached, and the bar code reader performs the lending and returning processes.

[0003]

However, as described above, the lending by the barcode is performed. Returning is troublesome because the bar code reader has to approach the bar code of the rental item and read the item information to perform the lending / returning process. In addition, even if you simply return it, it was inconvenient because you had to go to the rental shop counter and carry out the return processing.

In some cases, the article information cannot be read due to stains on the bar code, and in such a case, it is necessary to manually input the information from a keyboard or the like.

The present invention has been proposed in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to accurately and promptly perform the return processing of rental items and to improve the efficiency of the return processing and the return operation. Is to reduce the

[0006]

In view of the above, according to the present invention, a data carrier that is attached to a rental item and transmits prewritten information in response to an inquiry signal from the outside and an article when the rental item is returned. A transmission / reception unit that transmits an inquiry signal to the mounted data carrier and receives information from the data carrier, a check unit that confirms whether or not the product is a rental product of the store based on the information from the data carrier, and a rental Item D, which is information about the item
B, a customer DB, a lending DB, and a return DB, and a return port window unit that controls the window of the return port based on the collation result with the information in the storage unit in the check unit.

[0007]

In the rental item return system of the present invention, the customer sends an inquiry signal to the data carrier mounted on the rental item from the antenna installed at the entrance of the return port when the rental item is returned.

The article information (article number, title name, etc.) previously written in the data carrier in response to the inquiry signal is returned to the transmitting / receiving section via the antenna.

The item information check unit compares the item information received from the data carrier with the information stored in the item DB of the storage unit, and confirms whether the item information is in the rental shop of its own. .

When the checking section can confirm that the rental article is the article of the rental shop, the return window is opened so that the rental article can be returned.

When the check section cannot confirm that the article is a rental shop article, an error message is displayed on the display section and the return opening window is not opened to accept the return.

The rental items returned from the return opening window are registered in the return DB of the storage unit.

The storage unit stores a customer DB in which store member information is stored and a product D in which store product information is stored.
B, a lending DB that stores information on items for lending, customer information, information such as a lending period, and a return DB that stores item information on returned items and customer information.

[0014]

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

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a returning machine 10 exclusively for returning rental items such as video tapes. The rental item can be returned from a return port 11.
The display unit 12 is adapted to display an abnormal message upon return.

FIG. 2 shows a video tape 20 as a rental product and a sheet-shaped data carrier 21 attached to a part thereof.

FIG. 3 shows a return port 30 and a return port window portion 3 when the rental video tape 20 is returned to the return machine 10.
The positional relationship between 2 and the antenna 31 is shown in cross section.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of the return device 10. The function will be described below.

The antenna 31 and the transmission / reception unit 56 transmit an inquiry signal to the data carrier 21, and receive the article information of the rental item transmitted from the data carrier 21 in response to the inquiry signal.

The checking unit 51 checks whether the received article information is correct with the article DB (shown in FIG. 4) of the storage unit 52, and if it is correct, the return port window 55 is opened and the return port is returned. Can be received, the article is stored in the article storage unit 58, and the article information is stored in the return DB (illustrated in FIG. 4) in the storage unit 40.

When the transmitter / receiver 56 cannot receive the product information, and when the checker 51 checks the rental product as an incorrect rental product, the return port window 55 is kept closed and the rental product is accepted. Absent.

The control unit 53 controls each functional unit of the return device 10.

FIG. 4 shows the DB of the storage unit 40, the contents of which are shown below.

The customer DB 41 stores the member information of the rental shop, and the lending DB 42 stores the item information (item number, title name, lending period, etc.) being rented.

The article DB 43 stores information on all articles in the rental store, and the return DB 44 stores returned article information and customer information.

Further, the return DB 44 stores delinquency information so that settlement processing can be performed at the time of subsequent lending based on the information.

Further, it is assumed that all four DBs in the storage unit 40 are linked so that the information in each DB can be updated mutually.

Next, the processing flow of the present return system will be described with reference to the flow of FIG.

First, the check unit 51 receives ID data (article information) from the data carrier 21 attached to a rental item (for example, the video tape 20) in the transmission / reception section 56 via the antenna 31 of the return machine 10 when returning the article. ) Is received (step S61).

When the reception of the ID data can be confirmed (Y in step S61), the checking section 51 compares the received article information with the article DB 43 in the storage section 40.

When the item information can be confirmed (OK in step S62), the return port window 55 for the rental item of the return machine 10 is opened (step S63).

If the ID information cannot be read (N in step S61) or the product information of the returned product cannot be confirmed (NG in step S62), the return port window 55 of the return device 10 is kept closed. (Step S67),
An error is displayed on the display unit 54 (step S6).
8).

On the other hand, after the return opening window 55 is opened (step S63), the articles returned from the opened return opening window 55 are stored in the article storage 58 (step S64) and stored in the storage section 40. Item information and the like (item number, customer number, return date, etc.) are stored in the return DB 44 (step S65), and thereafter, the same processing is repeated each time an item is inserted.

The return machine 10 described so far is for return only, and can be returned even after the rental shop ends. For example, the opening of the return device 10 can be provided in a shutter of a store or the like.

Next, FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the lending / returning machine 70 installed at the counter of the rental shop so as to lend / return.

When renting a rental item, the inquiry signal from the transmitting / receiving unit 75 is transmitted to the data carrier 78 via the antenna 76, and the item information of the rental item returned from the data carrier 78 is received.

The contents of the item information are the item number, the item name, etc., and are stored in the lending DB (shown in FIG. 4) of the storage unit 72 at the same time when the lending process is completed.

After the customer number is input from the input unit 77, the checking unit 71 compares the information with the information in the customer DB in the storage unit 72, and then stores the information in the lending DB (shown in FIG. 4).

The input from the input unit 77 may be manual input by a clerk at a rental shop using a keyboard or the like, or input by a bar code or a data carrier.

Further, the display unit 74 displays an error message when an error occurs in the collation during the above processing, and the control unit 73 controls the processing of each unit comprehensively.

Further, at the time of return, as in the case of lending, the transmitting / receiving unit 7
5 transmits an inquiry signal from the antenna 76 to the data carrier 78 mounted on the rental product, and receives the article information of the rental product transmitted from the data carrier 78 in response to the inquiry signal.

Next, the checking unit 71 checks whether the received article information is correct with the information in the article DB (shown in FIG. 4) of the storage unit 72, and if it is correct, the lending DB (shown in FIG. 4). And the return processing is performed, and if the information is incorrect, an error message indicating that the article is different is output to the display unit 74.

[0043]

As described above, the rental item return system of the present invention has the following effects.

With the data carrier, the process of returning the rental item can be accurately performed without delay.

Since the procedure of the return work can be performed unattended, and the return work can be accepted even after the store is closed, which leads to the improvement of the service.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an appearance of a return machine in a rental item return system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a video tape and a data carrier as an example of rental products.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a return port and a return port window when returning a rental item in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a DB stored in a storage unit of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the return system of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a return process of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an example of a functional block diagram of a lending / returning system in which the present invention is expanded so that lending can be performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 return machine 11 return port 12 display unit 20 video tape 21 data carrier 30 return port 31 antenna 32 return port window unit 40 storage unit 41 customer DB 42 lending DB 43 article DB 44 return DB 51 check unit 53 control unit 54 display unit 55 Return port window 56 Transmitting / receiving unit 58 Item storage unit 71 Checking unit 72 Storage unit 73 Control unit 74 Display unit 75 Transmitting / receiving unit 76 Antenna 77 Input unit 78 Data carrier

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location G06K 17/00 F 19/07 H04B 1/59

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A data carrier mounted on a rental product, which transmits prewritten information in response to an inquiry signal from the outside, and an inquiry signal for a data carrier mounted on the product when the rental product is returned. Sending and receiving information from the data carrier, a check unit that confirms whether or not the product is a rental product of the store based on the information from the data carrier, a product DB that is information on the rental product, and a customer DB, rental D
B. A rental item return system comprising: a storage unit that stores a return DB; and a return port window unit that controls the window of the return port based on the comparison result with the information in the storage unit in the check unit.