JPH08161546A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To vend admission tickets corresponding to the seating capacity distinctively between a current and the next show time band by announcing the stop of vending and then starting tickets for the next show when the number of tickets that can be sold for one show reaches 0 or a specific number. CONSTITUTION: Of the automatic vending machine 10 which vends admission tickets of a movie theater whose seats are all reserved, a controller 28 is stored with a maximum vending number A as the number of seats for every show. When ticket are sold, the current sold number B is subtracted from the maximum vending number A to calculate the vendable number (n) of tickets which can be sold at present. When the vendable number (n) reaches 0 or the specific number, and the vending of the automatic vending machine 10 is stopped, a vending stopping device 20 stops vending operation for a certain time (e.g. 10 minutes) and announces customers the stop of vending on the vending machine 10, and starts vending admission tickets for the next show time band. Consequently, it can be decided whether an admission ticket is for the current or next show.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine for selling entrance tickets for movie theaters and concert halls.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a movie theater or the like, there are cases where the number of persons who can be stored in one screening is set. For example, in the case of a reserved seat or the like, the number of people who can store only that seat is set. Therefore, in the vending machine that sells admission tickets for reserved seats, the number of admission tickets to be sold is limited.

In a movie theater or the like, as shown in Table 1,
In some cases, the screening time zones of the first to eighth times are set, and a capacity of 150 persons or the like is set for each time zone.

[0004]

[Table 1] Therefore, it is necessary to sell the admission ticket in accordance with the capacity of each screening time.

[0005]

However, in an automatic vending machine, for example, when the number of admission tickets during the first screening time period is sold and the number of sales reaches 150,
Immediately afterwards, we will sell the admission ticket for the second screening time.

In this case, for example, a group of four people buy an admission ticket from a vending machine in order to watch the first screening. And if the admission ticket has already been sold for 148 people, if the next 4 people sell the admission ticket, the first two will be the admission ticket for the first screening time. , The remaining two will be admission tickets for the second screening time. Therefore, a group of four results in the first
I can't buy the 4th entrance ticket for 4 people.

In view of the above problems, the present invention sells an admission ticket according to the capacity determined for each screening time (that is, frame) so that the screening time zone (that is, current frame) of this time is sold. It is intended to provide a vending machine which can be sold separately from an admission ticket and an admission ticket for the next screening time (that is, the next frame).

[0008]

The vending machine according to the present invention comprises:
In a product in which a plurality of frames exist and the maximum sales number is determined for each frame, a selling means for selling the product, a maximum sales number storage means for storing the maximum sales number of the products in each frame, and The maximum number of sales stored in the maximum sales number storage means, subtracting the number already sold by the sales means from the maximum number of sales in the current frame, the available sales number calculation means for calculating the number that can be sold in the current frame; When the number of available sales within the current frame calculated by the available sales number calculating means reaches 0 or a predetermined number, the notifying means for stopping the selling and notifying that the selling is stopped, After informing that the sale has been stopped by the informing means, the instructing means instructs the selling means to sell the product in the next frame.

[0009] The above "frame" means each screening time slot in the case of selling an entrance ticket to a movie theater.

[0010]

[Operation] The operation state of the vending machine having the above configuration will be described below.

Merchandise is sold by selling means. The sellable calculation means subtracts the number of sold pieces by the selling means from the maximum sales quantity in the current frame stored in the maximum sales quantity storage means, and calculates the number that can be sold in the current frame.

[0012] When the number of available sales within the current frame calculated by the available sales number calculating means reaches 0 or a predetermined number, the notifying means stops the sale of the product and the sale is stopped. To inform. As a result, the sale within this frame is stopped and the customer is notified of that.

After informing that the sale has been stopped by the informing means, the instructing means instructs the selling means to sell the next item in the frame.

[0014]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical construction of a ticket vending machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The vending machine 10 sells admission tickets for movie theaters with all seats designated, and, as shown in Table 1, each show time divided into the 1st to 8th sessions. Admission tickets can be sold for each capacity. The issued admission ticket is described as, for example, "1st screening admission ticket".

Reference numerals 12 to 18 are ticket issuing switches provided on the front of the vending machine 10 for purchasing an admission ticket. The ticket issuing switch 12 is for purchasing one admission ticket, the ticket issuing switch 14 is for purchasing two tickets in bulk, and the ticket issuing switch 16 is for purchasing three tickets in bulk. Ticketing switch 18 is 4
It is for buying a batch of sheets.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a sale stop display device provided on the front surface of the vending machine 10. The sale cancellation display device 20 displays the fact that the sale of the admission ticket is canceled.

Reference numeral 22 is a bill burr device for handling bills.

Reference numeral 24 is a coin mech, which is an apparatus for handling coins.

Reference numeral 26 is a printer for printing an admission ticket.

Reference numeral 28 is a control device for the vending machine 10, which includes the ticket issuing switches 12 to 18 and the sale stop display device 2.
0, the bill Bali device 22, the coin mech 24, and the printer 26 are connected. Then, the control device 28 stores the maximum sales number A (x), which is the number of persons who can enter at each showing time. Here, x indicates the number of times of the screening time period, and x = 1 in the case of the first time.

The operation state of the vending machine 10 having the above structure will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step 1, from the maximum sales number A,
The current sales number B is subtracted to calculate the available sales number n, which is the number of admission tickets that can be currently sold. Then go to step 2.

In step 2, if the number n of available sales is 0, the process proceeds to step 3a, and if n is 1 or more, the process proceeds to step 4.

In step 3a, since the number of admission tickets that can be sold is 0, the vending machine 10 is discontinued, and the sales discontinuation display device 20 causes the sales discontinuation display device 20 to set a fixed time (for example, 1).
(0 minutes) Stop selling and proceed to step 3b.

In step 3b, x = x + 1 is set and the operation proceeds to step 3c.

In step 3c, the maximum sales number A
(X) is called. Then, the process proceeds to step 3d.

In step 3d, the sale of the admission ticket for the x-th screening time zone is started, and the process returns to step 1.

In step 4, when the customer inputs money from the coin mech 24 or the bill-barrier device 22, the amount of money inserted is detected. Then, the process proceeds to step 5.

In step 5, it is judged whether or not the input amount of money is equal to or more than the number n of available for sale, and if the amount of money is equal to or more than the number of available for sale n, the process proceeds to step 6, otherwise the process proceeds to step 7.

In step 6, since the amount of money input is equal to or greater than the number n of sellable tickets, only the ticket issuing switch corresponding to the number n of available tickets, which is the number of admission tickets that can be sold, can be operated. Then, the process proceeds to step 8.

In step 7, the ticket-issuing switch corresponding to the inserted amount is made operable, and the process proceeds to step 8.

In step 8, the selling operation is performed and the process returns to step 1.

In step 9, the current sales number C is added to the previous sales number B to obtain a new sales number B. Step 1
Return to

The flow of the above flow chart will be further described based on a specific example.

The case where the price of the admission ticket is 1,000 yen and the maximum sales number A (x) in each screening time period x is 150 people will be described. In addition, currently, the vending machine 10
Sells the second admission ticket.

In step 1, maximum sales number A (2)
= The current number of available sales n is calculated from 150 people, and it is determined in step 2 whether the number of available sales is 0 or not. If the number of tickets is 0, the admission ticket cannot be sold at all, so the process proceeds to step 3a.

In step 3a, the sale of the vending machine 10 is stopped, the sale stop display device 20 is used to display to the customer that the vending machine 10 is on sale, and the state is continued for 10 minutes. Then, the process proceeds to step 3b.

In steps 3b and 3c, the maximum sales number A (3) for the third time is called, and in step 3d, the vending machine 10 starts selling the admission ticket for the third screening time, Return to step 1.

When the number of tickets is 0 or more, the admission ticket can be sold, and the selling operation is continued.

When it is determined in step 4 that money has been input by the customer, it is determined in step 5 whether or not the input amount is equal to or more than the number n of sellable items. For example, when the input amount is 10,000 yen and the available number n is 11, it is possible to issue all the admission tickets corresponding to the amount, so the process proceeds to step 7 and the available number n is 2.
If it is a sheet, go to step 6.

In step 6, the ticket issuing switch can be operated according to the number n of available sales. In the above example, even if 10,000 yen has been put in, the number of cards that can be sold is two, so only one ticket issuing switch 12 and two ticket issuing switches 14 can be operated, and three tickets can be operated. The ticket-issuing switch 16 and the four ticket-issuing switches 18 are in the state of being discontinued.

At step 7, since all the admission tickets can be sold according to the input amount, all the ticket issuing switches 12 to 1
8 can be operated.

In step 8, the admission ticket is issued by the printer 26 in accordance with the number of operated ticket issuing switches 12 to 18, and in step 9, the current sales number C is added to the previous sales number B to obtain a new ticket. The number of sales B is set to B, the process returns to step 1, and in step 1, the available sales number n is calculated again.

With the vending machine 10 having the above-described structure, the number of available tickets n is always calculated and only the ticket issuing switch can be operated, so that the maximum number of tickets sold can be sold. Absent.

When the sale of the second admission ticket is over, the vending machine is not on sale for 10 minutes until the sale of the third admission ticket is started. It is possible to determine at a glance whether to sell the 2nd or 3rd admission ticket, and mistakenly purchase the 2nd and 3rd admission ticket at the same time as before. There is no.

Incidentally, the sale stop display device 20 of the above embodiment.
Depending on, other than the method of stopping the sale for a certain period of time, for example, "The first admission ticket has been sold."
It can be displayed, notified by voice, or coin mech 2
4. It may be possible to indicate that the sale is stopped by prohibiting coins or coins from being inserted into the bill burr device 22.

In the vending machine 10 of the above embodiment, the case where the vending machine sells the admission ticket with one vending machine has been described. However, when a plurality of vending machines are used, the central control unit is installed. Then, the maximum number of sales is collectively managed here, and this central control unit calculates the number of available sales according to the number of admission tickets sold by each vending machine, and the available sales number is calculated for each automatic sales. The vending machine may output the ticket to the vending machine so that each vending machine can sell the admission ticket according to the number of available tickets.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the number of products that can be sold is 0.
Although the sale is discontinued at the time of becoming the number of pieces, the sale is not limited to this, and the sale may be discontinued when a predetermined number such as two tickets remains for safety reasons.

[0051]

As described above, according to the vending machine of the present invention, when the number of products that can be sold in one frame reaches 0 or a predetermined number of products is discontinued, the sales are notified. Since the sale of the product in the next frame is started after the notification by the means, the customer can determine at a glance whether the product in the current frame or the product in the next frame is sold.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Vending Machine 12 Ticketing Switch 14 Ticketing Switch 16 Ticketing Switch 18 Ticketing Switch 20 Sales Discontinuation Display Device 22 Bill Bali Device 24 Coinmec 26 Printer 28 Control Device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a product having a plurality of frames, the maximum sales number of which is determined for each frame, a sales means for selling the product, and a maximum sales number which stores the maximum sales number of the products of each frame. A storage unit and the maximum number of sales that can be sold within this frame by subtracting the number already sold by the sales unit from the maximum number of sales in this frame stored in the maximum sales number storage unit. When the available number of sales within the current frame calculated by the calculation means and the available sales number calculation means reaches 0 or a predetermined number,
An informing means for stopping the sale and notifying that the sale has been stopped; and an instruction for instructing the selling means to sell the product in the next frame after notifying that the sale has been stopped by the notifying means. A vending machine characterized by comprising means.