JPH0883374A - Unmanned member's card issuing machine with updating function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the unmanned member's card issuing machine with which the issue and update of a member's card required for utilizing an automatic rental machine can be performed in unmanned manner. CONSTITUTION: An admission application 3 is read by an image scanner 2 and the picture of a person, who desires admission, is photographed by a still camera 5. This information is transmitted through a communication line 4 to the side of a head office 100 and the issue of the member's card is permitted or refused on the head office side. When the instructing signal of issue permission from the head office side and a signal showing an entrance fee is paid are received, at a discriminating circuit mechanism 21 of an unmanned ticket issue machine 1, the member's card is issued by driving a card issue part 24. The expired member's card is read by a card reader 30, whether it is possible to update that card or not is decided by transmitting this information and the information of the member to update the card to the head office side, and the updated member's card is issued. The expired card is collected by a collecting part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an unmanned membership card issuing machine for automatically issuing a membership card necessary for using an automatic rental machine installed in an automatic rental store such as a video cassette, a compact disc, or a magazine. It is about. More specifically, the present invention relates to a member card unmanned issuing machine having a function of updating an issued member card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Rental shops for video cassettes, compact discs, etc. are frequently used. In such rental shops, automatic rental machines are often installed due to lack of manpower and accompanying rise in personnel costs.
Even if an automatic rental machine is installed, in most cases, the issuance of a membership card for using it is dependent on manpower. This is a factor that hinders the reduction of labor and labor costs at rental stores.

Therefore, if the procedure for issuing such a membership card can be made unmanned, manpower and hence labor costs can be saved, which is preferable. In particular, in recent years, there are many customers who use the rental shop at midnight, and it is preferable that the membership card issuance procedure can be made unattended so that a complete 24-hour business can be performed.

In view of this point, the applicant of the present invention has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 5-1.
No. 5949 proposes an unmanned ticket issuing machine which can perform the procedure for issuing a membership card necessary for using an automatic rental machine unattended.

If such an unmanned ticket issuing machine is installed in an unmanned rental shop together with an automatic rental machine, a new user can issue a membership card and rent video software etc. without being bound by time. be able to.

[0006]

When a member card is issued, customer information is sequentially accumulated. However, if the membership card has expired and the owner of the card reissues the membership card,
The customer information of the expired membership card remains, while the customer information of the same person as a newly registered member is stored. In other words, the same person is registered twice, and there is a problem that customer management cannot be performed accurately.

In view of this point, an object of the present invention is to collect a member card that needs to be renewed, such as when it has expired, and issue a new member card after the renewal. It is to propose an unmanned member card issuing machine with an update function that can avoid the adverse effects such as.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the unmanned membership card issuing machine of the present invention is an image reading means for reading the identification of the applicant and the application form, for example, an image scanner. From the transmitting means for transmitting the read information to the head office side, the receiving means for receiving the instruction signal for instructing whether or not to issue the ticket transmitted from the head office side, the admission fee receiving means for receiving the admission fee, and the receiving means. It is provided with a judging means for judging whether or not to permit ticketing based on the supplied instruction signal and a signal from the admission fee receiving means, and a membership card issuing means for issuing a membership card based on the judgment result of this judging means. In addition to accepting the membership card and reading the card information, it is necessary to update the membership card based on the read information and the member card reading means. Renewal determination means for determining whether or not, a temporary holding means for temporarily holding the membership card accepted by the membership card reading means, a collection means for collecting the updated membership card, and a holding means for holding by the temporary holding means. A card ejecting means for ejecting the member card, and a control means for controlling whether the member card held by the temporary holding means is ejected by the card ejecting means or is collected by the collecting means, The information of the updated membership card is transmitted to the head office by the transmitting means.

Generally, the membership card reading means reads the expiration date information of the membership card, and the update determination means
It is determined that the expired membership card is a card that needs to be updated based on the read information. Besides this, for example,
The card may be renewed when the membership card is deteriorated and necessary information cannot be read.

In order to confirm the identity of the applicant, the unmanned ticket issuing device is equipped with a photographing means for photographing the applicant, for example, a still camera or a floppy camera, so that the applicant can be identified. It is desirable to take a picture so that the head office can check it against ID cards such as a driver's license.

[0011] In addition, since video tapes and the like lent out by automatic rental machines include those for which minors are prohibited from lending, the ticket issuing means issues both adult and minor membership cards. It is desirable to be able to do so.
In order to do this, it is necessary to carry the information indicating the type of card to be issued in the instruction signal regarding the approval or disapproval of ticket issuance sent from the head office.

Generally, each video rental store in which the unmanned membership card issuing machine having the above-mentioned structure is installed is connected to the head office by a communication line, and the head office side is concerned with whether or not to issue a ticket to each branch. Instructions will be sent.

[0013]

[Operation] When a membership card unmanned issuing machine is loaded with a membership card, the contents are read by the card reading means. For example, the expiration date is read. The membership card is held inside by the temporary holding means. When it is determined by the update determination means that the membership card has expired and needs to be updated, the customer can update the membership card by the same procedure as issuing a new membership card. After updating the member card and issuing the updated member card, the expired old member card held by the temporary holding means is sent to the collecting means and collected there. The information of the member card updated in this way is transmitted to the headquarters by the transmitting means. Therefore, on the side of the head office, since the new member information is not stored when the member card is updated, the same member will not be registered twice.

[0014]

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

First, FIG. 1 shows the entire structure of the member card unattended issuing system of this example. As shown in this figure, each video rental store is provided with a membership card unmanned issuing machine 1. The issuing machine 1 is connected to the head office 100 side via a communication line 4 such as a telephone line. A facsimile 101 is installed in the head office 100.

The unmanned ticket issuing machine 1 has an image scanner 2 (transmission facsimile) incorporated in the front thereof. On the back surface of the cover 2a of the image scanner 2, items such as operation procedures are described. Those who wish to become members can read it when they attach the ID card such as driver's license to the designated field of the application form 3 on the equipment, put it on the platen and read it with the image scanner 2. The information is transmitted via the communication line 4 to the head office 100 at a remote place. Further, a still camera 5 is built in above the image scanner 2,
It is possible to take pictures of people who want to join in this position. The photographed information is transmitted to the head office 100 side together with the information read by the image scanner.

At the upper part of the front surface of the unmanned issuing machine 1, a ready lamp 6 for displaying an operating state, a ticket issuing lamp 7 and a ticket issuing completion lamp 8 are arranged. In addition, a minor card issuing slot 9 and an adult card issuing slot 10 are arranged at intermediate positions. In addition, image scanner 2
An admission fee slot 11 is arranged at a position below, and a printer output port 12 is arranged at a position below it.

Further, on the front surface of the unmanned issuing machine 1 of this example,
Headquarters communication button 1 for contacting the headquarters 100 side
3, a microphone 14 for the applicant to contact the head office, and a speaker 15 for the contact and operation instruction from the head office to the applicant. In addition to this, a detector 16 is installed to detect that a person who wants to join is approaching the unmanned ticket issuing machine 1.

The unmanned issuing machine 1 of this example is provided with a member card insertion slot 17 in addition to the above-mentioned configuration.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the internal structure of the unmanned issuing machine 1 of this example together with the control system. The control system is mainly composed of the microcomputer 20, and the ticket issuing operation described later is performed according to a built-in control program. A determination circuit mechanism 21 is formed by the computer 20, and a signal indicating that the admission fee has been input from the deposit processing machine 22 is input to the determination circuit mechanism 21. Further, from the side of the head office 100, an instruction signal for instructing whether to issue a ticket is input via the communication line 4 and the modem 23. The determination circuit mechanism 21 determines whether or not to issue a ticket based on these signals. When permitting ticketing, a ticketing signal is supplied to the card issuing unit 24. The card issuing section 24 of this example includes a minor card issuing section 24a and an adult card issuing section 24b.
It has both.

A signal from the card reader 30 is input to the determination circuit mechanism 21. Card reader 30
Is configured to read the information recorded on the membership card 26a inserted from the insertion slot 17, in this example, at least the expiration date information. The determination circuit mechanism 21 determines, based on the read expiration date information, whether the inserted membership card 26a has expired and needs to be updated, or not. Here, the card reader 3 of this example
0 has a holding function for temporarily holding the inserted membership card 26a. Then, under the control of the computer 20, the membership card 26a temporarily held in the card reader 30 is divided into a case where it is ejected from the insertion slot 17 and a case where it is collected in the expired card collection section 31. It is supposed to be replaced.

On the other hand, the printer 25 is supplied with the information read by the image scanner 2, and the hard copy 3a of the membership application form is printed out.

Here, on the side of the head office 100, a facsimile 101 is installed as a receiving means for receiving the information transmitted from the side of the branch. There is a resident at the head office, which confirms the information sent and sends an instruction signal regarding the approval or disapproval of ticketing to the branch office via a facsimile.

Next, with reference to the schematic flow chart of FIG. 3, a ticket issuing operation by the unmanned issuing machine 1 of this example will be described. First, when an applicant for membership stands in front of the unmanned issuing machine 1, the detector 1
This is detected by 6 and the operation is instructed by voice through the speaker 15 (step ST1). The operation content is also displayed on the back surface 2a of the cover of the image scanner 2. In accordance with these instructions, the applicant for enrollment sets the name and address on the admission application form 3 provided, attaches the driver's license, and installs it on the image scanner 2.

Next, the applicant is instructed to insert the admission fee through the speaker 15 (step ST
2). If the admission fee is input from the coin slot 11 within a certain period of time after instructing the deposit, the deposit processing machine 22
Is supplied to the determination circuit mechanism 21. When the set amount is deposited (step ST3), the application form 3 is read by the image scanner 2. At the same time, the built-in still camera 5 captures an image of the applicant for membership (step ST4).

The reading information of the application form 3 and the photographing information of the applicant are sent to the head office 100 via the modem 23 and the communication line 4 (step ST5).
The resident at the head office 100 side confirms the information sent. That is, the membership application form and the photograph of the applicant are checked to see if they meet the membership criteria and if they are who they are. When admitting membership, a type signal indicating the type of card to be issued (either a minor card or an adult card in this example) and a ticketing permission signal are sent via the communication line 4 to the branch office. Send to the side. If you do not permit the issue, leave it as it is.

When the issuance permission signal and the type signal are received within a preset time (steps ST6 and 7), the unmanned issuing machine 1 on the branch side performs a ticket issuing operation (step ST8). In other words, the decision circuit mechanism 21 of the unmanned issuing machine 1 is supplied with the ticketing permission signal transmitted from the head office side, and when both this signal and the signal from the deposit processing machine 22 are supplied, a ticketing instruction is issued. The signal is supplied to the card issuing unit 24. In the present example, the type signal is also transmitted from the headquarters side, and if the minor card 25a is issued by this signal, the issuing unit 24a is driven and the adult card 25b is issued. If so, the issuing unit 24b is driven. The issued membership card is issued to the applicant for membership through the ticket issuing ports 9 and 10, respectively.

However, if the issuance permission signal and the type signal are not received within the time, the applicant is notified that the ticket is not issued, and then the process is terminated (step S).
T11, 12 or steps ST13, 14, 15).

Here, although the applicant for membership is eligible for membership, there may be a case where the ticket is not issued because, for example, there is no contact from the headquarters. For such a case, in the present example, a head office communication button 13 is installed, and a member who wants to join can call the head office side to respond by pressing the button 13.

As described above, in the unmanned ticket issuing machine 1 of this example, the image scanner and the still camera are used to
Since the identity of the applicant is checked, the eligibility for membership can be accurately determined.

Further, instead of the image scanner, for example, a method may be considered in which a copying machine is installed in a branch office, and a membership application form copied by the copying machine is transmitted to the head office by using a facsimile provided. However, since the branch office is unmanned, there is a possibility that harmful effects such as unauthorized use of the copying machine may occur. On the other hand, in this example, since the membership application is read by the built-in image scanner, there is an advantage that such unauthorized use can be prevented.

(Member Card Renewal Procedure) Next, the operation of renewing and issuing a expired member card by the member card unmanned issuing machine 1 of this example will be described.

In FIG. 3, when the membership card is inserted through the insertion slot 17 (step ST31), the expiration date of the membership card is read by the card reader 30. The read information is supplied to the determination circuit mechanism 21 and it is determined whether the membership card has expired (step ST32).
When it is determined that the membership card has expired, the membership card inserted into the card reader 30 is temporarily held.

After this, the process proceeds to step ST1 and the updated member card issuance operation is performed by the same procedure as the new member card issuance operation. In this case, in the transmission information to the headquarters in step ST5, information indicating that the member card to be renewed is due to expiry of the membership card and information indicating that the member is not a new member is transmitted together with the information on the member who is about to renew. It Therefore, the head office does not doubly register the same member as a new member. Therefore, customer management can be accurately performed.

After issuing the updated membership card, the old membership card temporarily held in the card reader 30 is discharged to the card collection unit 31 and collected there (step ST9).

When the issuance of the renewal card cannot be permitted, the member card temporarily held in the card reader 30 is discharged from the insertion slot 17 and used in step ST15 from step ST6 to steps ST13 and 14. Return to the person. Alternatively, in step ST12 after step ST7 to step ST11, the similarly inserted membership card is returned to the user.

Next, if the inserted membership card has not expired, that is, if it is determined that the expiration date has not expired as a result of reading, and if the expiration date cannot be read, steps ST32 to S
In T33, it is determined whether or not the inserted membership card is a regular membership card. If the membership card is a legitimate membership card but not expired, the user is instructed in step ST41 that the membership card is not expired, and then in step ST42, the card reader 30 is temporarily operated. Eject the retained membership card and return it to the user.

If the inserted membership card is not a legitimate membership card, it is instructed in step ST34 that it cannot be updated, and then step ST35.
The membership card inserted in will be returned to the user.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, each rental store side reads the application form of the applicant for membership by the image reading means such as an image scanner and automatically transmits it to the headquarters side. The membership card can be automatically issued by each rental shop based on the result of the determination, by having the resident at the head office determine whether or not to admit membership. In addition, it is possible to read the expiration date of the inserted membership card and issue an updated membership card based on this, and send the updated membership card information to the headquarters so that the updated member can register as a new member. You can prevent it from being registered twice. Therefore, each rental shop can automatically issue and update the membership card, and the same member is double-registered due to the update, so that accurate customer management cannot be performed. Can be avoided.

Further, since the unmanned ticket issuing machine of the present invention is provided with a photographing means such as a still camera and a floppy camera for the applicant, the head office side confirms the identity of the applicant and confirms that the person is the applicant. There is also an advantage that the confirmation can be surely performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an unattended membership card issuing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an internal configuration of the unmanned issuing machine of FIG. 1 together with a control system.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of a new member card issuing operation and updating operation by the unmanned issuing machine of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Member card unmanned issuing machine 2 ... Image scanner 3 ... Enrollment application form 4 ... Communication line 5 ... Still camera 6, 7, 8 ... Lamp 9, 10 ... Ticketing Port 11 ... Coin slot 12 ... Print output port 13 ... Headquarters communication button 14 ... Microphone 15 ... Speaker 16 ... Detector 17 ... Card insertion port 20 ... Microcomputer 21 ... Discrimination circuit mechanism 22 ... Deposit processing machine 23 ... Modem 24 ... Card issuing machine 26a ... Expired membership card 30 ... Card reader 31 ... Old card collection unit 100 ... Headquarters

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An unmanned membership card issuing machine for issuing a membership card required to use automatic rental machines such as video cassettes, compact discs, magazines, etc. installed in a branch, and the status of the applicant An image reading means for reading the certificate together with the membership application form, a transmitting means for transmitting the read information to the headquarters side, and a receiving means for receiving an instruction signal instructing whether or not to issue a ticket transmitted from the head office side, Admission fee receiving means for receiving the admission fee, based on the instruction signal supplied from the receiving means and the signal from the admission fee receiving means, a determination means for determining whether or not to issue a ticket, and based on the determination result of this determination means, A membership card issuing means for issuing a membership card, a membership card reading means for receiving the membership card and reading the card information, and a read information The update determination means for determining whether or not the membership card needs to be updated based on the report, the temporary holding means for temporarily holding the membership card accepted by the membership card reading means, and the need for updating. Collection means for collecting the determined membership card, card ejection means for ejecting the membership card held by the temporary holding means, and ejection of the membership card held by the temporary holding means by the card ejection means Or
An unmanned person with an update function, characterized in that it has a control means for controlling whether to collect in the collection means, and the information of the updated membership card is transmitted to the head office side by the transmission means. Member card issuing machine. 2. The membership card reading means according to claim 1, wherein the membership card reading means reads the expiration date information of the membership card, and the update determining means determines whether or not the update is necessary based on the read expiration date information. Unattended membership card issuing machine with update function. 3. The image pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising a photographing unit for photographing a person who wants to join, and in order to confirm the identity of the person who wants to join, the photographing information is also read together with the information read by the image reading unit. An unmanned member card issuing machine with an updating function, which is transmitted to the headquarters side via a transmitting means. 4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising:
An unmanned membership card issuing machine with an updating function, which has an output means for outputting the information read by the image reading means as a hard copy. 5. The membership card issuing means according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the membership card issuing means can issue different types of membership cards, and the instruction signal transmitted from the headquarters side includes: It also includes information for instructing the type of membership card to be issued, and the membership card issuing means is capable of issuing a membership card of the type instructed by the headquarters side. Card issuing machine. 6. The unmanned membership card issuing machine with an updating function according to claim 5, wherein the different types of membership cards are an adult membership card and a minor membership card. 7. A video cassette, a compact disc,
It has a plurality of branches where automatic rental machines such as magazines are installed, and a head office connected to these branches via communication lines, in order to use the automatic rental machines installed there. An unattended ticket issuing device is installed to issue the membership card necessary for the, and the unattended ticket issuing device takes an image scanner to read the identification card of the applicant and the application form, and photographs the applicant. And an output means for outputting the information read by the image scanner as a hard copy for the applicant for membership, and the information read by the image scanner and the information photographed by the imaging means to the headquarters side. A transmitting means, a receiving means for receiving an instruction signal instructing whether or not to issue a ticket transmitted from the head office side, an admission fee acceptance means for accepting an admission fee, Based on an instruction signal supplied from the receiving means and a signal from the admission fee receiving means, a determining means for determining whether or not to issue a ticket, and a membership card issuing operation for issuing a membership card based on the determination result of the determining means Means, a membership card reading means for receiving the membership card and reading the card information, an update determination means for determining whether or not the membership card needs to be updated based on the read information, and the membership card reading means for receiving the membership card reading means. The temporary holding means for temporarily holding the member card, the collecting means for collecting the updated member card, the card discharging means for discharging the member card held by the temporary holding means, and the temporary holding means. Controls whether the held membership card is discharged by the card discharging means or collected by the collecting means. The head office has a control means, the head office receives the information transmitted from the branch side, and a transmission for transmitting an instruction signal instructing the branch side whether or not to issue the membership card. An unmanned membership card issuing device, which is provided with: