JPH09245231A - Automatic vending machine having age identification function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sell even the commodities having the age limit via an automatic vending machine by comparing the looks of a purchaser photographed by a user photographing means with the pattern of the purchaser's face photo that is printed on his license to decide the identity of the purchaser and permitting only the purchaser satisfying the age limit to purchase his desired commodities. SOLUTION: An optical reading means 29 sends the pattern of a purchaser's face photo to an identity decision means 31. The means 31 compares the looks of the purchaser photographed by a CCD camera 25 with the received pattern of the face photo to decide the identity of the purchaser. At the same time, an age calculation circuit 30 calculates the age of the purchaser based on his date of birth received from the means 29 and sends this calculated age to an age condition decision means 32. The means 32 compares the age information with a set age sent from an age setting circuit 33 to decide whether the purchaser satisfies the age limit. When it is determined that various conditions are satisfied from those decision results, these satisfied conditions are sent to an electric circuit and a selective sale mechanism 34. Thus the commodities are selectively discharged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine having an age identification function, and in particular, identifies a user's age with a driver's license and enables selective control of sales of prohibited items according to age conditions. It concerns vending machines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Tobacco, liquor, some magazines, etc. are prohibited from selling to minors as a means to prevent minors from selling to minors. There has been proposed an automatic vending machine in which a card proving that the sale is permitted or a similar prepaid card is prepared and the product is sold only when the card is inserted. There is also proposed a vehicle driver's license instead of the card.

The above-mentioned card system has inconveniences such as regional limitation such that it cannot be purchased unless the vending machine is different for each card issuing place, and that the card must be issued in advance for application. In addition, the method of using a driver's license is universal and convenient, but if the sales restriction age differs depending on the product, it is not possible to comply with these restrictions in detail, so for example, even if you are 18 years old. There is a problem that if you have a driver's license (motorcycle license etc.), cigarettes with a restricted age of 20 years or older will be sold, and all products will be sold under 20 years of age. If this happens, some magazines that can be purchased at the age of 18 will be restricted.

The present inventor has previously added a function of reading the date of birth (or year, month) from a license in an automatic vending machine that determines whether or not a product can be sold using a driver's license. In consideration of the fact that the size of the current license is different between the old type (width 68 mm) and the new type (width 54 mm), it is possible to finely respond to the sales limit age for each product Even if it is a driver's license, a vending machine with a highly accurate age identification function was proposed with an automatic positioning mechanism that can accurately position the date of birth in the specified age reading sensor. Registration No. 3022877).

[0005]

However, even if the inserted license is authentic and it is determined that the product is of a purchaseable age, the person who has inserted the license cannot It is clear that it is meaningless if it cannot be determined whether or not the person is the person.

Therefore, the present invention has an appropriate user photographing means, and compares the appearance photographed by it with the pattern of the facial photograph printed on the license to judge whether or not the person is the person. , Intends to provide a vending machine that allows only the purchase of the person who meets the age limit.

[0007]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a driver's license insertion section, a user photographing means provided in the vicinity of the insertion section, and the inserted license. Is held at the reading position and is released from the holding state after the product is discharged or after the license reading operation is completed, and the command waiting state when the user selects a product below the input amount of money. As a means to operate when the license is held at the reading position at least, it is possible to: a) optically detect the authenticity of the license and check the numerical value of the date of birth stamp part. An optical reading means for reading and recognizing the pattern of the facial photograph printed on the license; b) the appearance of the user photographed by the user photographing means and the optical reader Comparing the recognized face photograph pattern by, means for determining whether a person, c) the license in the optical reading means is "true"
And an arithmetic circuit for calculating the age of the license holder from the numerical data read when it is determined that d), d) a setting circuit for setting the purchasable age of the product handled by the vending machine, and e) the above. Age condition determination means for determining "age permitted" when the calculated age of the license holder is equal to or more than the set purchaseable age, f) "true" output of the person determination means, When the "Age OK" output of the age condition determination means and the command waiting signal from the money holding mechanism are output, the selected product is ejected to the merchandise outlet and the money holding mechanism is charged. The present invention is characterized by further comprising a selective sales mechanism for performing a series of sales processing operations consisting of instructing to collect only the consideration value of the product in the amount of money.

Further, according to the present invention, in the above structure, whether the age condition judging means makes a judgment of "age not possible",
The "refund" command is given to the money holding mechanism in at least one of the states when the principal judging means judges that the person is "another person".

In another aspect, the present invention provides a money holding mechanism until the selective sales mechanism receives the "true" output of the principal determining means and the "ageable" output of the age condition determining means. On the other hand, it always issues a "refund" command. In this case, after all, unless the person inserts the driver's license, even if the money is put into the vending machine, the money will be refunded (passed) as it is.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic vending machine equipped with a license reading means of the present invention and having a control circuit and the like built therein. The main body 2 of the license reader is attached, and the control box 3 accommodating the control circuit and the like is provided below the reader main body 2 inside the vending machine, and is used on the front plate 1 immediately below the reader main body 2. For example, a CCD camera 25 is installed as a means for photographing the appearance of a person.
A plurality of product selection buttons 5 are arranged on the upper show window 4 of the front plate 1, a bill inserter 6 is provided below the reader body 2, and a coin slot 7 is provided below the bill inserter 6.
Also, a cancel knob 8 is provided, a return opening 9 is provided at a relatively low position below the coin insertion slot 7, and a product exit 10 having a width corresponding to the show window 4 is provided below the return opening 9.

FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a state in which a CCD camera 25 as the photographing means is installed inside the vending machine. On the front plate 1 of the vending machine, when the main body 2 of the license reader is generally arranged at a position slightly higher than the extension of the user P, the transparent or translucent protective cover 26 is just used for the user P. It is placed at a height corresponding to the face of the CCD camera 25 and installed in the vending machine behind the CCD camera 25. This CCD camera is activated by the operation of inserting the license into the license reader body 2 or the presence of a person, and focuses on the eyes of the user P, and the position of the camera is automatically controlled to move up and down. If the user's eyes are still higher or lower than the upper or lower limit, the optical axis angle is changed appropriately, or the focus is lower than the eyes. Or, it is adapted to the higher position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of the license reader 2 including an optical reading means and a mechanism for mechanically holding the license. The license insertion guide plate 11 and the license insertion opening are provided at the lower end. 12 is provided, and the license L is manually pushed in from the insertion opening 12 along the guide plate 11 in the arrow direction. Although not shown, the inserted license is preferably sandwiched by a suction mechanism composed of a pair of rubber rollers arranged so as to be positioned in front of and behind it, and its tip comes into contact with the stopper wall 13 at the back of the guide plate by the rotation of the roller. Is automatically pushed to and held at the contact position for at least the time required for reading. For example, on the back side of the front cover of the reader 2, 14 is an optical reading unit of the date of birth, which is an image light for optically reading the number of the date of birth imprinted on the lower left of the license. It is composed of a sensor and a light emitting diode for lighting, and 15 is the authenticity detection part of the license. This is a signal indicating whether the inserted license is authentic based on the reflectance of the central part of the license and other factors. And a light emitting diode for illumination and the like, and 27 is a facial photograph pattern recognition unit having a slightly larger optical element array than the optical reading unit 14. These optical configurations 14, 15 and 27 constitute the optical reading means for the entire license described above.
Both of them face the surface of the license that is positioned and held in the main body 2, and are provided in the back plate structure of the main body 2 when the license is inserted to the back. Reference numerals 16 and 17 show an embodiment of an automatic positioning mechanism. Reference numeral 16 is a positioning roller that abuts on the right side of the inserted license. Reference numeral 17 is a lever that holds the roller.
Is always urged in the direction of the dotted arrow. Therefore, such a positioning mechanism 16 and 17 and the suction mechanism described above constitute a license holding device for holding the license at the reading position.

Currently issued licenses include large ones (width 68 mm, length 97 mm) and small ones (width 54 mm, length 87 mm), which are indicated by the dotted line L in the figure.
(Large size) and L '(small size) indicated by the one-dot chain line. On the other hand, since the date stamped part of the license is unified in the lower left part of the license, the date stamped part faces the optical reading part 14 in order to accurately read the date of birth from the license. It must be positioned exactly in position.

The above-mentioned automatic positioning mechanism solves this problem. When a small license shown by a one-dot chain line is inserted,
Whether this is inserted in the right side of the guide plate or in the center, the inserted license is pushed further inward and the positioning roller 16 contacts the right side surface of the license midway. This roller 16 urges the license in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction by a spring 18, so that the inserted license is pushed toward the left guide wall 13 'of the guide plate during the insertion process. When the leading end of the license finally reaches the stopper wall 13, as shown by L'in the figure, the position where it touches the left wall 13 'of the guide plate, that is, the date stamped portion regardless of the license insertion position Is properly set at the position of the optical reading unit 14. Positioning roller 1 at this time
The positions of 6 and lever 17 are indicated by a chain line. Incidentally, 20 is a stopper pin of the lever 17.

In the above, the case where a small license is inserted is mainly explained, but even in the case of a large license, even if it is inserted obliquely, it is always set at a fixed position by the same operation as described above, and the correct age is obtained. Readable.

Reference numerals 21, 22 and 23 are color-coded pilot lamps which respectively indicate the states of "acceptable", "determining" and "saleable", and constitute a sale availability notification device. Insertion port 1
When the license is not inserted in 2 and the license is acceptable, the lamp 21 lights up, the license is inserted along the guide plate 11, and the lamp is displayed when the authenticity determination and the age determination are performed. 22 is turned on, and the lamp 23 is turned on if the result of the determination is "saleable". If the result is "not for sale", all the lamps are turned off.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration in the embodiment of the present invention. The driver's license L or L'inserted in the insertion opening 12 is the license shown in FIG. 3 regardless of its size. The birth date stamped portion is read by the birth date reading portion 14 by means of a certificate holding device (herein, generally summarized by block 28).
And the face photograph portion is positioned so as to correspond to the face photograph pattern recognition portion 27. At this stage, the genuine / counterfeit detector 15 first operates to detect the genuine / counterfeit from the reflectance of the surface of the license L or the like. Here, when the license is not authentic, that is, when the license is detected as "false", the optical reading means 29, which is the main part of the license reading, causes the age calculation circuit 30 to operate.
This circuit configuration will eventually not issue a "saleable" signal, such as by sending a zero signal to. The optical reading means 29 detects such authenticity of the license L, reads the value of the date stamped on the date of birth, and recognizes the pattern of the face photograph imprinted on the license. When the reading operation of the license is completed, the license holder 28
To the end of reading, which allows the holding device 28 to return the license to the insertion position.

The optical reading means 29 transfers the facial photograph pattern to the personal identification means 31. The personal identification means 31 compares the appearance of the user photographed by the CCD camera 25 with this photographic pattern, and when the basic features of both are the same, it is determined that the person is the principal and a “true” output is output. In other cases, it is judged as another person and a "false" output is output. The age calculation circuit 30 calculates the age from the birth date information sent from the optical reading means 29 and supplies it to the age condition judging means 32. As described above, if the license itself is a fake such as a copy, for example, the age calculation circuit 30 receives a zero signal from the optical reading means 29 and outputs it as zero as it is. Age condition determination means 3
Reference numeral 2 compares the age information sent from the age calculation circuit 30 with the set age sent from the age setting circuit 33, and when it is determined that the age of the user is the set age, for example, 20 years or older, the age enable signal is given. Is generated. The age setting circuit 33 can cope with various restricted ages such as the age at which purchase is possible corresponding to a vending machine for alcohol, cigarettes, etc. is set to 20 years, and other products are set to 18 years or older. . The outputs of the age condition judging means 32 and the person judging means 31 are supplied to an electric circuit for making a final decision for the selective discharge of the products and a selective sales mechanism 34 having a mechanical structure for the selective discharge. The selective selling mechanism 34 is also electrically connected to a money holding mechanism 35 including a well-known coin mech, etc., and the personal identification means 31 outputs a "true" output, and the age condition determination means 32 "ages acceptable". Further, the money holding mechanism 35 determines that the selected product can be sold only when the "waiting for order" signal is issued, and then outputs the output. This output is supplied to a sales approval / disapproval notifier 36 capable of generating an appropriate lamp instruction or acoustic instruction as shown in FIG. 3 and is also supplied to a money holding mechanism 35. Of the amount of money put in by, the amount of money for the product concerned is collected in the safe and the change is returned to the return port 9. The selective selling mechanism 34 discharges simultaneously selected products to the product outlet.

The money holding mechanism 35 temporarily holds the money inserted from the coin insertion slot 37 and a bill insertion slot (not shown here), and when one of the plurality of commodity selection buttons 5 is pressed, the purchase amount is changed. When it is less than or equal to the reserved amount of money purchased, it is determined that the amount of money is sufficient, and it is in a command waiting state. At the same time, the selected merchandise types are selected and sold through the money holding mechanism 35 or directly.
It is clear that this is what is indicated in 4.

In addition to the optical reading means 29, the selective selling mechanism 34 further replaces the optical reading means 29 with the license holding device 28 in the case of deciding whether to sell or not after the product discharging operation or from the information obtained from the inserted license. A return order can be issued to the suction mechanism, which will return the license to a position where it can be extracted by the user. It should be noted that it is desirable to hold the license (the end portion on the insertion side) loosely by rollers or the like even in such a pushing back position of the license. In that case, if the user forgets to remove the license, the optical reading means Upon detection of this, 29 receives the signal, and by the selective sales mechanism 34, the forget-to-take warning device 38 can be driven and an appropriate voice message or warning can be generated.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an age-restricted product is handled by a vending machine, the age can be determined and purchased only when the driver's license of the user is inserted. It is possible to sell the product when the customer has reached a certain age, which enables the vending machine to handle the age-restricted product.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a front surface and a side surface of a vending machine equipped with a mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing the main body structure of the license reader in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration in an example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 License reader body 3 Control box 11 License insertion guide plate 12 License insertion slot 14 Date of birth reading section 25 CCD camera 27 Face photo pattern recognition section L Driver's license

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A driver's license inserting section, a user photographing means provided in the vicinity of the inserting section, the inserted license is held at a reading position, and after the product is discharged or the license is read. The license holding device is designed to be released from the holding state after the end of the period, and a money holding mechanism that waits for an instruction when the user selects a product less than the input amount, and the license is at least the above-mentioned. The means to operate when held in the reading position are: a) Optically detecting the authenticity of the license, reading the date stamped on the date of birth, and recognizing the pattern of the face photograph printed on the license. B) comparing the appearance of the user photographed by the user photographing means with the pattern of the facial photograph recognized by the optical reading means, Means for determining whether a person, c) the license in the optical reading means is "true"
And an arithmetic circuit for calculating the age of the license holder from the numerical data read when it is determined that d), d) a setting circuit for setting the purchasable age of the product handled by the vending machine, and e) the above. Age condition determination means for determining "age permitted" when the calculated age of the license holder is equal to or more than the set purchaseable age, f) "true" output of the person determination means, When the "Age OK" output of the age condition determination means and the command waiting signal from the money holding mechanism are output, the selected product is ejected to the merchandise outlet and the money holding mechanism is charged. A vending machine having an age identification function, which is also provided with a selective sales mechanism for performing a series of sales processing operations consisting of instructing to collect only the consideration value of the product in the amount of money. 2. The monetary suspension in at least one of the states in which the selective sales mechanism judges that the age condition judging means is "age not possible" or the principal judging means judges "another person". The vending machine having the age identification function according to claim 1, wherein the vending machine has a "refund" command to the mechanism. 3. The selective sales mechanism always "refunds" to the money holding mechanism until the "true" output of the principal judging means and the "ageable" output of the age condition judging means are received. The vending machine having an age identification function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vending machine issues a command. 4. The age identification function according to claim 1, further comprising a lateral positioning mechanism for restricting a lateral position of the license perpendicular to the insertion direction of the license holder. vending machine. 5. The sales approval / disapproval notification device is further provided, and the selective sales mechanism gives a “sale approval” instruction to the sales approval / disapproval notification device as part of the sales processing operation. A vending machine having the age identification function described in any one of 1.