JPH09270059A - Control program display system for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to easily know the version of a control program for an individual automatic vending machine(AVM) any time when necessary. SOLUTION: A main control part 16 and a terminal control part 20 in the AVM 1 execute prescribed control by control programs written in respective ROMs. The version information of the written control programs is also written in respective ROMs. At the time of inputting a version information display command from an input device 9, the version information of the control program for the main control part 16 or the terminal control part 20 is displayed on a display device 10. When the input device 9 is not provided with the display device 10, the version information may be displayed on a charged amount display device arranged on the front side of the AVM 1. Similar operation may be executed by a handy terminal 11 or a personal computer 14 in a management center.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control program display system for a vending machine, which makes it easy to check the version of a control program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A control program for a vending machine needs to be rewritten when a new specification is added to the vending machine, a specification that has been used up to now is changed, or when a bug is found in the program. . Then, the rewritten control program is written in the ROM as a program of a version different from the program before the rewriting. Thus, every time a new specification is added, a specification is changed, a bug is fixed, etc., new program versions are created one after another, and currently vending machines with different program versions (ROM versions for ROM specifications) are available. Are operating in many markets.

Under such circumstances, in an automatic vending machine installed in the market and in operation, for example, new specifications such as communication means for data collection are added, or the communication means is changed from a wired type to a wireless type. When it became necessary to change the specifications of
It is necessary to check whether the control program of the ROM that has been installed in the vending machine until now has such a function, and if it does not have such a function, replace it with a new ROM. Then, in order to make such a confirmation, it is necessary to know what the version of the ROM attached to the vending machine is. In such a case, conventionally, in order to check the version of the control program of each vending machine, the ROM version written in the label of the ROM provided in the control box behind the door of the vending machine is written. It was done by checking.

Further, when a bug is found in a certain version of the control program, the vending machine to which the ROM in which the control program is written is attached is the ROM.
Needs to be replaced with a bug-free one, but to do that, you need to find a vending machine with that version of ROM installed. Conventionally, even in such a case, it was finally necessary to confirm the ROM version written on the label of the ROM provided in the control box behind the door of the vending machine.

As a conventional document related to such a vending machine, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-72661 (G06).
F 15/21).

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, in order to confirm the ROM version, it is necessary to open the control box lid after removing the set screw with a screwdriver. There is a problem that it takes a lot of time to perform such a thing for each one.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to make it possible to easily know the version of the control program of each vending machine whenever necessary. is there.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, in the control program display method for a vending machine of the present invention, each part is controlled by each part control program, and version information of each part control program is provided. And a plurality of terminal control units that respectively hold, and collectively control the plurality of terminal control units by a main control program,
And a main control unit that holds version information of the main control program, wherein the main control unit displays the version information of the control program of the main control unit or the terminal control unit on a display device based on a command. I chose

Further, a display of a handy terminal is used as the display device. And, as the display device, an input amount indicator is used. Furthermore, as the display device, a data output device of a computer at a remote place connected to the main control unit via a communication line is used.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a data collection system of a vending machine. In FIG. 1, 1 is a vending machine, 2 is a coin slot, 3 is a banknote slot, 4 is an input amount indicator, 5 is a return lever, 6 is a product carry-out port, 7 is a product sample, and 8 is a product selection button. , 9 is an input device, 10 is an input device display, 11 is a handy terminal, 12 is a handy terminal display, 13 is a communication line, 14 is a management personal computer installed in a business office, and 15 is a display.

The input device 9 is installed on the back side of the front door of the vending machine 1 and has a keyboard so that the main controller of the vending machine 1 can be provided with a selling price, a product storage column, and the like. Various setting data such as correspondence with the product selection button 8 is input. The input device display 10 is provided in the input device 9 for displaying and confirming setting data and the like. The handy terminal 11 communicates with the main control unit via the optical adapter and collects sales information held in the main control unit. The handy terminal display 12 is for displaying the data read from the vending machine 1. PC 14
Collects vending machine sales information via a communication line 13 such as a public telephone line.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the vending machine. Reference numerals 1 to 14 correspond to those in FIG. 1, 16 is a main control unit, which is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 17, RA
M (Random Access Memory) 18, ROM (Read Only Mem)
ory) 19. 20 is a coin processing mechanism control unit,
It is a terminal control unit such as a product sales mechanism control unit. The communication control unit 21 is connected to the main control unit 16 and the personal computer 1 via the modem 22.
4 is a terminal control unit that controls communication with the terminal 4. The optical adapter 24 is for communicating between the main control unit 16 and the handy terminal 11.

Version information is written in the ROM 19 of the main controller 16 and the ROMs of the terminal controller 20 and the communication controller 21 together with the control programs of the respective controllers. In such a vending machine 1, when it is necessary to confirm the version information of the control program of each control unit, the input device display 10, the handy terminal display 12, the display 15 of the personal computer 14, etc., such as FIG. As shown in, the control unit name, ROM capacity, control program version, checksum, etc. are displayed. In addition to these, the version information displayed at that time may include the type of vending machine, the product number of the ROM, the standard, and the like.

In the case of displaying on the input device display 10, the display command is given by operating the input device 9 with a key. When displaying on the handy terminal display 12, the handy terminal 11 is operated by a key to give a display command. Also, by online correspondence, it can be transmitted to the personal computer 14 at a remote place such as a sales office. The data output in that case is the personal computer 14
The keyboard may be operated to give a command, and the result may be displayed on the display 15 or may be output to a printer.

Furthermore, when the input device 9 does not have an input device display and does not have the handy terminal 11 or the like, the input amount display 4 can be used for displaying. In that case, a display command may be given by a key operation of the input device 9, or a display command may be given by performing a special operation using the product selection button 8 or the return lever 5. In this way, if the display command is given using the product selection button 8 or the return lever 5, etc.,
Even if the door of the vending machine 1 does not have a key, it can be displayed with the door closed.

[0016]

As described above, according to the control program display system of the vending machine of the present invention, the version information of the control program of each control unit can be displayed by giving a display command, so that data collection can be performed. Whenever it becomes necessary to add new specifications such as communication means for communication, or change specifications such as changing the communication means from wired to wireless, the version of the control program of the main control unit and terminal control unit should be updated. It can be easily confirmed.

If a display device of a handy terminal is used as the display device, the version of the control program can be confirmed while the service person routinely visits each vending machine to collect sales data. It is possible to always know which version of the control program is currently used in the vending machine. Further, if the input amount display is used as the display device,
Even if the input device 9 does not have the input device display 10 and the handy terminal 11, the version of the control program can be displayed.

Further, as the display device, if the main control section and a computer in a management center are connected via a communication line so that the version of the control program can be displayed on the computer, the vending machine can be displayed. You can check the version of the control program of any vending machine at any time, without going to the place where is installed.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1] Schematic diagram of the data collection system for vending machines

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of a vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of program version information.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vending machine 2 Coin slot 3 Banknote slot 4 Insertion amount indicator 5 Return lever 6 Commodity exit 7 Product sample 8 Product selection button 9 Input device 10 Input device display 11 Handy terminal 12 Handy terminal display 13 Communication line 14 PC 15 Display

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of terminal control units for controlling respective units by respective respective unit control programs and holding version information of the respective unit control programs, respectively.
And a main control unit that controls the plurality of terminal control units by a main control program, and that holds version information of the main control program, wherein the main control unit is based on a command. Alternatively, a control program display method for a vending machine, characterized in that version information of a control program of the terminal control unit is displayed on a display device. 2. The control program display system for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein a display of a handy terminal is used as the display device. 3. The control program display system for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein an input amount display is used as the display device. 4. The control of an automatic vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a data output device of a computer at a remote place connected to the main control unit via a communication line. Program display method.