JPH10222566A - Automatic ordering machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to conveniently use this device in a short time, and to save the processing load of a center by operating the propaganda advertisement, ordering, and settlement of accounts of merchandise based on one order form in which each prescribed information is described, and automatically transmitting this order form to a subscribing trader being the direct destination of order. SOLUTION: This device is constituted of a touch panel part 10 having a function as an interface with a user, bar code read part 11, settling function part 13, FAX part 12, and overall control function part 15 for controlling each part. The bar code read part 11 reads information from the bar code of an order form 2 selected, described, and inserted by the user. The overall control function part 15 displays the information on the screen of the touch panel part 10, and the settling function part 13 operates the settlement of accounts based on the information and money or a card inputted by the user. The FAX part 12 automatically transmits the order form 2 through a telephone line to a direct subscribing trader based on the information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic ordering machine in a non-store sales system for performing a reservation procedure such as purchase and delivery of goods according to a predetermined order form.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a terminal device of a conventional non-store sales system, there is a terminal device described in, for example, JP-A-1-236356. That is, in the terminal device of the conventional non-store sales system, the product purchase procedure information input by the user using the keyboard of the terminal device is printed and issued by a printer device on a slip prepared in advance in the terminal device, and used. After the user fills out the issued slip with predetermined items such as a product shipping address, the user operates the facsimile to send the slip to the system center. In the system center, the product is sent out based on the copy of the received slip.

[0003]

However, the terminal device of the conventional non-store sales system has the following inconveniences. Since the product purchase procedure information such as product selection and purchase quantity is input using a keyboard, the occupation time of the terminal device per user becomes longer, and many users cannot use the terminal device effectively. . In particular, when a terminal device is installed in a place where a large number of people gather, it is necessary to reduce the occupation time of the terminal device per user and to provide a system that can be easily used by many people. When the user is an elderly person, keyboard operation is generally not easy, so a simpler method has been desired. Further, the user himself has to operate the facsimile, which is complicated. In addition, the system center performed the shipping processing of the goods based on the copy of the slip, but the shipping processing was complicated and labor costs were high.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic ordering machine that can be used by a user simply and in a short time and that can reduce the processing load on a system center.

[0005]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel unit having a function as an interface with a user, a bar code read unit, a payment function unit, and a fax function. Unit, in an automatic ordering machine including an overall control function unit for controlling each unit, the bar code read unit, the user selects,
The information is read from the barcode in the written and inserted order form, the overall control function unit displays the information on the screen of the touch panel unit, and the payment function unit stores the information and the money or card inserted by the user. The FAX unit automatically sends the order form directly to the subscriber via a telephone line based on the information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic ordering machine according to the first aspect, the control function unit collects information read from the bar code, accumulates the information for a predetermined period, and transmits the information to the center as POS information. It is characterized by.

[0007] The invention described in claim 3 is claim 1 or 2.
In the automatic order machine described above, the order form has an advertising function, and the bar code information of the order form includes order details specified by a user.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic order machine according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the embodiment. The embodiment is
After the automatic order machine 1 and the user fill in the specified items,
It has an order form 2 to be inserted into an automatic ordering machine, and a center 3 for drawing up so-called POS information from the automatic ordering machine 1. After performing predetermined processing, confirmation procedures, and the like, the automatic ordering machine 1 sends the order form 2 to a subscribing retailer by facsimile via a telephone line. Then, the participating retailer delivers the product specified by the order sheet 2 to the destination. “Card” and “cash” in the figure indicate a method of paying the user's fee, and “receipt” indicates that a receipt is issued from the automatic ordering machine 1 after the user has paid the fee. I have. Although only one automatic ordering machine 1 is shown in the figure, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to install the automatic ordering machine anywhere in the whole country, and it is also possible to install plural machines at one place.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the automatic ordering machine 1 of the present embodiment. The automatic ordering machine 1 includes a touch panel unit 10 having a man-machine interface function (MMI function),
Barcode reading unit 1 that reads the barcode of purchase order 2
1, a FAX unit 12 for sending an order sheet 2 to a participating retailer or a center 3 via a telephone line, and settlement by money (banknotes, coins) and a card put into the automatic ordering machine 1 by a user. A settlement function unit 13, a receipt issuing function unit 14 for issuing a receipt including a transaction statement to the user when the settlement is properly performed, and all the constituent units 10, 11, 12, And an overall control function unit 15 that also has a function of controlling and controlling the POS information 13 and 14 and transmitting POS information to the center 3 and the like.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the processing flow of the present embodiment, focusing on the automatic ordering machine 1. In step g1, the user selects the order form 2 classified for each product. The contents of the order form 2 will be described later.
In step g2, the user writes predetermined items, for example, entry of the delivery destination of the product, and marking on a barcode indicating the selected product, the number of products, and the like. In step g3, the user touches a screen provided on the touch panel unit 10 of the automatic ordering machine 1. Then, the screen switches the standby screen (step s1) and displays predetermined items (step s2). The user inserts the order form 2 into the insertion slot of the automatic ordering machine 1 (step g4 and step s).
3).

[0011] In step s4, the vending machine 1
The barcode of the purchase order 2 is read (performed by the barcode reading unit 11), and it is checked whether there is any defect in the entry method and the contents. If there is any defect, the order form 2 is returned to the user in step s5. If there is no defect, the contents of the order form are displayed on the screen in step s6. The contents include a product name, a quantity, a total price, and the like. In step g5, the user confirms the contents of the order form 2 on the screen. In step s7, the automatic ordering machine 1 displays the settlement method on the screen. The user pays a fee in step g6.

In step s8, the settlement function unit 13 of the automatic ordering machine 1 confirms the inserted cash or credit card. If the payment method is cash, a receipt is issued after confirming the amount (steps s9 and s1).
0). The user receives the receipt in step g7. If your payment method is credit card,
After checking the credit card (step s11), the automatic ordering machine 1 returns the credit card to the user (step s13), and issues a "customer copy" in step s14. If the credit card is not valid, a message that the credit card is invalid is displayed on the screen (step s12), and the credit card is returned to the user in step s13. The user receives the credit card and the "copy of customer" (step g8 and step g9, respectively).

In step s15, the FAX section 12 of the automatic ordering machine 1 sends the order form 2 to the subscribing retailer specified by the bar code by facsimile via a telephone line. Note that the above processes are all performed automatically. In step s15, the order form 2 may be sent to the center 3 by facsimile.

The overall control function unit 1 of the automatic ordering machine 1
In step s16, data such as order details and date and time is stored in a memory provided inside the automatic ordering machine 1. Further, the overall control function unit 15 compiles the data at regular intervals (for example, every day at 23:00) and sends it as POS information to the center 3 or the like via a telephone line or the like (this is called closing work).

FIG. 4 is an example of an order form 2 which is a component of this embodiment. Purchase Order 2 contains the product number, product name,
A product description section 21, which is classified according to the content, the sending method, and the like, and in which the price is specified, a description field 22, in which the user describes the delivery destination, the requester, and the like by hand, and a barcode 23 are displayed. The order form 2 can display not only the product name but also information for a publicity advertisement such as a photograph of the product.

The user selects a desired order form 2 and marks a bar code corresponding to a desired product number, quantity, and the like. In FIG. 4, a bar code is indicated by diagonal lines. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a square box is provided on the right side of each selectable bar code, and the bar is filled with a pencil. For example, a so-called mark sheet method may be used. Then, the user manually writes predetermined items such as a delivery address, a name, a telephone number, a client address, a name, a telephone number, etc., in the description column 22, and writes the predetermined items of the automatic ordering machine 1 as described above. Insert at the location. Other barcodes include not only the contents such as the product number and purchase quantity selected by the user, but also, for example, the general classification of the product, the fax number of the participating retailer responsible for actually selling and delivering the product, the account, etc. Information is also included. Based on this information, the FAX unit 12 automatically sends the order form 2 to the designated subscribing retailer.

The order form 2 also serves as a flyer for product catalogs and advertisements. For example, the order form 2 is put together in a booklet and placed in a place where people gather, placed on a shelf for advertisements, or automatically placed. It is placed on a shelf provided in the ordering machine 1 so that a user can inspect it.

Next, the POS function of the overall control function unit 15 (see FIG. 2) of the automatic ordering machine 1 will be described. The automatic ordering machine 1 is connected to the center 3 online. Between the center and the center, a general telephone line or a wireless system via a modem using an RS232C interface is used, and a LAN such as Ethernet is used as the window processing system. The POS information includes the machine number of the automatic ordering machine 1, the number per reception, the number per reception, the transaction time, change information, failure information, invalid credit card information, the order form 2 or an alarm for running out of paper for the customer's copy. Information is included. Overall control function unit 1
The time at which the POS information 5 is transmitted to the center 3 or the like is when a warning alarm for failure or out of paper occurs, a designated time, or a request from the window processing system. The overall control function unit 15 also has a function of constantly storing all data for the latest three days. This is in order to cope with the case where the window processing system is not operating or has failed.

Further, the automatic ordering machine 1 has a function for dealing with foreigners and a function for dealing with persons with disabilities. As a function for foreigners, it is possible to switch characters on the screen display from Japanese to English by operating the touch panel on the initial screen. In addition, a portion (for example, a cash slot) requiring user operation other than the touch panel operation can be handled by an easy-to-understand picture or a combination of Japanese and English.

As a function for the disabled, there is a function of incorporating a voice generating device in the automatic ordering machine 1 and guiding the operation procedure by voice. Furthermore, a Braille remote box for selecting a type can be installed, and a Braille guide can be provided at a cash slot or the like to respond.

FIG. 5 is an external view of the automatic ordering machine 1. In the figure, 31 is a coin slot, 32 is a return lever, 33
Is a bill insertion slot, 34 is an insertion portion of the order sheet 2, 35 is a card insertion slot, 36 is a receipt or customer copy issuing slot, 3
Reference numeral 7 denotes a change take-out port.

[0022]

As described above, according to the first, second, and third aspects of the present invention, information such as advertisement, product selection, order destination, delivery destination identification, and orderer identification is described. Based on the order form, the product is advertised, ordered, and settled, and the order form is automatically sent directly to the subscribing partner. Can be used. Further, since the center does not need to carry out the merchandise shipping process based on the copy of the slip, the processing load on the center can be reduced, and the labor cost can be reduced.

According to the invention described in claim 2, the center is P
It is possible to collectively manage OS information and quickly deal with a failure of an automatic ordering machine.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the erroneous writing of the user is reduced, a reliable non-store sales system can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a non-store sales system.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an automatic ordering machine.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart mainly showing an automatic ordering machine in a processing flow of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an order form.

FIG. 5 is an external view of the automatic ordering machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic order machine 2 Order form 3 Center 10 Touch panel part 11 Barcode read part 12 FAX part 13 Payment function part 14 Receipt issue function part 15 Overall control function part 21 Product description part 22 Description field 23 Barcode 31 Coin slot 32 Return lever 33 Bill insertion slot 34 Purchase order insertion section 35 Card insertion section 36 Receipt, customer note issuance port 37 Change take-out port

Claims (3)

[Claims] A touch panel unit having a function as an interface with a user, a bar code read unit,
In an automatic ordering machine including a payment function unit, a FAX unit, and an overall control function unit for controlling each unit, the bar code read unit is selected and described by a user,
Read the information from the barcode in the inserted order form,
The overall control function unit displays the information on the screen of the touch panel unit, the payment function unit performs payment based on the information and the money or card inserted by the user, and the FAX unit automatically performs the payment based on the information. An automatic ordering machine, wherein the order form is sent directly to a subscriber via a telephone line. 2. The automatic ordering machine according to claim 1, wherein the control function unit collects information read from the bar code, accumulates the information for a certain period, and transmits the information to a center as POS information. Machine. 3. The automatic ordering machine according to claim 1, wherein the order form has an advertising function, and the bar code information of the order form includes order contents specified by a user. An automatic ordering machine characterized by the following.