JPH0962911A - Data collection system for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the output time to an irreducible minimum by outputting only data needed by a user from an automatic vending machine. SOLUTION: A request data record specifying necessary data is transmitted from a portable terminal 6 to the automatic vending machine 1. On the contrary, the automatic vending machine 1 outputs only data specified by the request data record. A request data record is transmitted at the time of collecting data but if it is not transmitted at the time of collecting data, data specified by the request data record transmitted last time is outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine data collection system for collecting various management data of vending machines online or offline from each vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vending machine holds various management data such as failure history data and sales data, and outputs them according to a user's request. that time,
Since there are many types of management data held by the vending machine, it is not efficient to output all the data at all times because the output time is long. Also, the type of data required differs for each user.

Therefore, in the conventional vending machine, for example,
By defining several types of data collection patterns as shown in Fig. 7, the user selects the pattern that best suits his or her needs and sets the pattern number in the vending machine to set the pattern to that pattern. I was trying to collect only the data that was included. In FIG. 7, the data marked with a circle is the data included in the pattern.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, when the number of users increases and the purpose of using the data also varies, there are many cases where the predetermined pattern cannot be satisfied, and as a result, the total number of users increases. There is a problem that a pattern including a lot of unnecessary data, such as a pattern including data, must be selected, resulting in inefficient data output.

The present invention solves such a problem and outputs only the data required by the user.
The challenge is to minimize the output time.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the data collection method of the vending machine of the present invention, necessary data is arbitrarily designated and only the designated data is output from the vending machine. did. Further, the receiving side transmits a request data record in which an identification code indicating necessary data is set, to the vending machine, and the vending machine outputs only the data indicated by the identification code set in the request data record. Decided to let. Further, until the new request data record is transmitted, the data indicated by the identification code set in the last transmitted request data record is output.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which data is collected by a portable terminal. FIG.
In the figure, 1 is an automatic vending machine, 2 is a main control unit, 3 is a coin processing mechanism control unit, 4 is a sales mechanism control unit, 5 is an infrared light communication unit, 6 is a portable terminal, and 6a is a display.

The main control unit 2 of the automatic vending machine 1 comprehensively controls the terminal control units such as the coin processing mechanism control unit 3 and the sales mechanism control unit 4, and various data sent from each terminal control unit. Is held in memory. When a request for data collection is issued from the portable terminal 6 via the infrared light communication unit 5, the data held in the memory is output to the portable terminal 6 via the infrared light communication unit 5.

In the communication between the infrared light communication unit 5 and the portable terminal 6 at this time, for example, as shown in FIG. 2A, first, a communication request pulse is transmitted from the portable terminal 6 and the infrared ray is transmitted. When the acknowledgment ACK is returned from the optical communication unit 5, the data collection command is transmitted. On the other hand, when a positive response ACK is returned, the portable terminal 6 transmits an ID data frame including ID data provided for maintaining confidentiality of communication.

The ID data frame is, for example, as shown in FIG.
The contents are as shown in (b), ID fixed data that is a fixed part of the ID information, ID setting data that is a changeable part of the ID information, clock data that notifies the current time, and Contains the request data record. EXT indicates the end of the data frame, and FCC
Is a frame check code.

The request data record is for notifying the main control unit 2 of the type of data requested to be output. As shown in FIG. 2C, this data record is placed at the beginning of the request data record. It has a request data record code indicating that Then, after that, the data length indicating the length of the data record in bytes, the item digit number indicating the number of digits of each item, the number of sales by column, the selling price by column, and the like are sequentially stored. Included item 1, item 2, ...
As the data representing the type of collected data to be included in item 1, item 2, ..., As shown in FIG.
The identification code set corresponding to each data can be used.

As described above, if the identification code is set corresponding to each collected data and the necessary collected data is designated by the identification code, the data can be designated easily by key input or the like. Become.

Designation of the identification code to be included in the item 1, item 2, ... Of the request data record is performed, for example, by referring to the correspondence table of various collected data of the vending machine and the identification code as shown in FIG. The identification code of the necessary data may be keyed in on the keyboard of the portable terminal 6, or may be specified by displaying a list of the data on the display 6a. In that case, for example, FIG.
As shown in, after displaying a list of data on the display 6a, move the cursor 6b to the location of the required data and press the designation key, and then move the cursor again and press the designation key. The necessary data is specified by repeating such an operation.

When the necessary data is designated in this way, inside the portable terminal 6, the identification code of the designated collected data is picked up and set in item 1, item 2, ... Of the request data record. To do. By doing so, the operator of the portable terminal 6 can specify the necessary data without paying attention to the identification code. Further, in the method of inputting a key while looking at the correspondence table of the identification codes, an input error may occur, but the method of displaying the list on the display 6a and designating eliminates such an input error.

The portable terminal 6 creates the request data record in this way, incorporates it into the ID data frame, and sends it to the vending machine 1. Main control unit 2 of vending machine 1
When receiving such an ID data frame from the portable terminal 6, the item 1, item 2,
Take out the identification code from ... and set it in the memory. Then, based on this, only the necessary data is extracted from the various data held in the memory and output to the portable terminal 6.

When requesting the same type of data as the previous one, the portable terminal 6 can also send without request data record in the ID data frame. In that case, the main controller 2 outputs data based on the data previously set in the memory. Also, the identification code of the requested data does not necessarily have to be sent in the ID data frame, and a unique data frame may be created and sent.

In addition to collecting data offline using the portable terminal 6, data can be collected online from the management center using a communication line. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state where data is collected online from the center. Reference numerals 1 to 4 correspond to those in FIG. 1, 7 is an interface, 8 and 9 are modems,
Reference numeral 10 is a center personal computer.

Communication between the center and the vending machine is performed in the sequence shown in FIG. 6, for example. When the center calls and the line connection between the two is completed, the center password text is first sent from the center side. In the text, the same request as the one shown in Fig. 2 (c) together with the center password record is requested. Put data record and send.

Upon receiving such a center password text from the center, the main control section 2 of the vending machine 1 extracts the password from the center and verifies it, and at the same time, from the request data record, obtains the identification code of the requested data. Take it out and set it in memory. Then, based on this, only the necessary data is extracted from the various data held in the memory and transmitted to the center side.

In the above description, the request data record is transmitted at the time of collecting data both offline and online, but it may be transmitted at any other time.
For example, at the time of starting the vending machine information system, set the vending machine code and the product code of the contents, and in the initial set communication that changes the product code when changing the product, insert the request data record and send it. May be.

Further, the request data record may be transmitted at the same time as the communication for changing the center telephone number and the test communication at the time of starting the system. Furthermore, the identification code is used as the data indicating the type of collected data set in item 1, item 2, ... Of the request data record, but if the data can identify the type of collected data, it is not always encoded. It may or may not be the one.

[0022]

As described above, according to the data collection method of the vending machine of the present invention, the required data is arbitrarily designated and only the designated data is output from the vending machine. Can be minimized to be efficient. Further, since the request data record in which the identification code is set is transmitted to specify the necessary data, it becomes easy to specify the data by key input or the like. Until the new request data record is sent, the data specified in the last request data record sent is output so that the request data record is sent only when the collected data is changed. All that has to be done is to eliminate waste and become more efficient.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state where data is collected by a portable terminal.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data exchanged between a portable terminal and a vending machine.

[Figure 3] Correspondence table between various collection data of vending machines and identification codes

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data designation screen displayed on a display unit of a portable terminal.

[Fig. 5] Diagram showing the state of online data collection from the center

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a sequence of communication exchanged online between the center and the vending machine.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a data collection pattern in a conventional vending machine.

[Explanation of code] 1 Vending machine 2 Main control unit 3 Coin processing mechanism control unit 4 Sales mechanism control unit 5 Infrared light communication unit 6 Portable terminal 7 Interface 8, 9 Modem 10 Center PC

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A data collection method for a vending machine, wherein desired data is arbitrarily designated and only the designated data is output from the vending machine. 2. The receiving side transmits a request data record in which an identification code indicating necessary data is set, to the vending machine, and the vending machine transmits the data indicated by the identification code set in the request data record. Data collection method for vending machines, which is characterized by outputting only. 3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the data indicated by the identification code set in the last transmitted request data record is output until a new request data record is transmitted. Data collection method.