JPH0779463B2 - CATV equipment for customer service facilities - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a CATV device for a customer service facility.

[Prior Art] Recently, CATV devices have been installed in inns, hotels and the like. In this CATV device, a central control device is provided in the front, a terminal device is provided in each room, each terminal device has a receiver for receiving an image from the central control device, and each terminal device and the central control device are connected to each other. Two-way data communication is performed between them. By using this CATV device, it is possible to receive advanced services such as a map of the surrounding area of a hotel or the like, information on services within the hotel, and tourist information. In addition, a pay TV that allows you to watch a specific video is set, and to watch this pay TV,
I try to pay the pay TV fee at the time of payment.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, since group guests interact with each other in the room, it is difficult to identify who has watched the pay TV when the group guests try to use the pay TV. Is. Therefore,
If you try to centrally control Pay TV billing at the front desk, it will hinder the collection of charges, so pay TV only for group guests
Function may be added to stop the image reception. But,
This reduces the chances of sales, so some hotels have adopted the old-fashioned TV fee method using the coin selector method without introducing a CATV device. As described above, if only the old TV fee system is adopted, there is a problem in that it is not possible to receive advanced services by two-way data communication.

On the other hand, if a coin selector device is provided in each room in addition to the CATV device that performs bidirectional data communication, there is a problem that equipment investment will be duplicated.

[Means for Solving Problems] The present invention provides a plurality of room terminal devices in guest rooms,
It is composed of a room number input means for inputting a room number, a money input means for receiving money corresponding to the viewing fee and detecting the amount, and a transmission means for transmitting the input room number and the input amount information to the central control unit. Installed a terminal device for collecting charges,
In a place different from the room terminal device provided in each room,
When the terminal device for charge collection is installed and the money insertion means of the terminal device for charge collection detects a predetermined amount of money, the room terminal device for the room corresponding to the room number input from the terminal device for charge collection The central control unit sends a command for enabling reception of a predetermined image.

[Operation] In the present invention, since money is thrown into the charge collection terminal device and the room number can be input, a person who wants to use the room terminal device provided in a predetermined guest room can use the room terminal device. Even if you are not a guest staying in the room, there is no problem in collecting charges, and since the charge collecting terminal device is installed in a place different from the setting place of the room terminal device in each room, It is possible to freely specify which room terminal device to use from the collection terminal device, and to collect the charge terminal at a place different from the installation place of the room terminal device in each room, such as a restaurant or the front desk. By installing the device, it is possible to reduce the number of toll collection terminal devices to be installed, and therefore, it is actually used even for customers who cannot watch pay TV, such as group customers. Reliable charge collection from customers Can, moreover, there is no need to adopt old TV Rate method according coin selector system can be introduced CATV system to provide advanced services by the bi-directional data communication.

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

In this embodiment, the central control unit 10 and the room terminal devices 21, 2
2, 23 ... And a second terminal device 30 are provided.
One terminal device 21, 22, 23 is provided in each room of the hotel, and each of the terminal devices 21, 22, 23 ...
a, 22a, 23a, ... are provided. The terminal devices 21, 22, 23 and the central controller 10 are connected by a transmission line 11, and video signals, data signals, and control signals are transmitted through the transmission line 11.

The second terminal device 30 includes a room number input means 31 and a money insertion means 32.
And transmission means 33.

The room number input means 31 is a means for inputting the number of a predetermined room in the hotel, and generates corresponding code data when a keyboard such as a numeric keypad, a key of each room, or an identifying tool attached to the key is inserted. It is possible to read the room number from an item, a magnetic card, or an IC card. The money insertion means 32 is means for receiving money (coin or bill) matching the viewing fee and detecting the amount. Further, the transmission means 33 is means for transmitting the input room number and the input amount information to the central controller 10. Then, the second terminal device 30 is installed in a conspicuous place such as a front desk in a hotel.

It should be noted that the central control device 10 excludes the amount due to the reception of the predetermined image (image by pay TV) from the billed amount when issuing the bill.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second terminal device 30 shown in FIG.

This flow chart shows the operation when a guest of a hotel watches pay TV in his / her room or friend's room, specifies the room in which the pay TV is to be watched, and pays the pay TV fee in advance. is there.

First, if the room number has been entered using the room number input means 31 such as a keyboard (S1), it is determined whether or not money has been inserted through the money insertion means 32 (S2). When money is inserted, it is determined whether or not the fee is the minimum fee for watching pay TV (S3), and if it is less than the predetermined fee, the display means (not shown) indicates that the fee is insufficient ( S
Four). If the input amount is equal to or more than the predetermined charge, the input room number data and the input amount are transmitted to the central controller 10 (S5). Then, prepare for the next room number input and coin insertion.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the central controller 10 in the above embodiment.

When the data is received from the second terminal device 30 (S11), the receiver of the room having the received room number is instructed to be receivable (S12). For example, the terminal device 21 is installed in room 101, the room number input means 31 is used to enter the room number 101,
If a predetermined fee is charged, the central control device 10 issues a command via the transmission line 11 to the terminal device 21 so that the receiver 21a can receive the pay TV. As a result, the pay TV can be viewed using the receiver 21a only for the time corresponding to the input fee.

If the time corresponding to the above charge has passed (S1
3), command the reception prohibition to the receiver of the room of the received room number (S14). In the case of the above example, the central control device 10 issues a command to the terminal device 21 to prohibit receiving of pay TV.

Further, the guest in the room 101 can use the keyboard of the terminal device 21 and the like to see the information of the tourist spot he / she wants to visit on the receiver 21a, and also to know the service contents in the hotel.

Therefore, pay TV can be seen in the room 101 through the receiver 21a, and a high-level service by bidirectional data communication can be received. In this case, pay TV is the same as above even if there is interaction between rooms like group guests.
You can see and receive advanced services by two-way data communication. The same applies to rooms other than room 101.

Furthermore, from the perspective of the hotel, regardless of whether the guest who used Pay TV is a guest in that room or a guest other than that room, the pay TV fee can be reliably collected, and troubles during that time can be collected. Does not happen. Further, when the CATV device is installed, only one second terminal device 30 is provided, and the same effect as when the coin selector is provided in each room is generated, resulting in high investment efficiency.

There are two types of collection fee, one is a flat rate type and the other is a hourly rate type. In the case of the flat rate type, the second terminal device 30 may transmit only the inputted room number to the central control device 10. When the hourly charge method is adopted, the second terminal device 30 must simultaneously transmit the input room number data to the central control device 10 together with the input amount of money or the viewing time data calculated thereby.

By the way, when paying for front billing, if you use Pay TV, the amount of pay will be clearly indicated on the receipt.
There are official guests who dislike this and want to watch Pay TV, but who are patient. However, the prepaid fee is not displayed on the receipt after the fee has been paid in advance to the money insertion means 32, so that the psychological obstacle can be eliminated.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, instead of providing one second terminal device 30, a plurality of similar devices are provided in one hotel. That is, the second terminal devices 30a, 30b, ... Similar to the second terminal device 30.
Set up ... everywhere. For example, one at the front desk, one at the restaurant, and one at each floor.

Further, although the above-mentioned embodiment describes a hotel, the present invention may be adopted for other customer service facilities such as an inn.

The second terminal device 30 transmits a room number input means for inputting a room number, a money input means for receiving money corresponding to a viewing charge and detecting the amount of the money, and an input room number and input amount information to the central controller. It is an example of a terminal device for fee collection that is configured by a transmission means for performing the charge collection.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a plurality of room terminal devices having a receiver for receiving a predetermined image are directly connected to the central control device, and both the room terminal device and the central control device are connected to each other. In a CATV device for customer service facilities that performs data communication for customers, even if it is impossible to identify the customer who watched Pay TV like a group customer, it will be difficult to collect the fee by collecting the fee from the actual user In addition, it is possible to provide an advanced service by bidirectional data communication.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second terminal device in the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the central control unit in the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. 10 ... Central control unit, 21, 22, 23 ... Terminal device, 21a, 22a, 23a ... Image receiver, 30, 30a, 30b ... Second terminal device, 31 ... Room number input means, 32 ... A means of inserting money.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of room terminal devices each having a receiver for receiving a predetermined image are provided in a passenger room, and the room terminal devices are directly connected to a central control device, and the room terminal device and the central control device are provided. In a CATV device for customer service facilities that performs two-way data communication with and, a fee collection terminal device inputs a room number, a room number input means, and a coin deposit that accepts currency matching the viewing fee and detects the amount. Means and a transmission means for transmitting the input room number and the input amount information to the central control device, wherein the charge collecting terminal device is installed in a place different from the room terminal device, and the charge collecting terminal is installed. When the money insertion means of the device detects a predetermined amount of money, the command for enabling the predetermined image to be received to the room terminal device of the room corresponding to the room number input from the fee collection terminal device is set forth above. During ~ Hospitality facility for CATV and wherein the control unit sends. 2. The claim 1 according to claim 1, wherein the central control device is configured to issue a bill by excluding the amount due to the reception of the predetermined image from the bill amount. CATV equipment for customer service facilities.