JPH11185121A - Automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exchange data of an automatic vending machine from other than a local area network and to control it by providing an electronic mail transmission/reception function which can transmit/receive data of the automatic vending machine as an electronic mail by an SMTP protocol function through internet to which the local area network is connected. SOLUTION: The automatic vending machine 3 is connected to a LAN connection device 2 in an automatic vending machine server 16 through an extension bus 9. The main controller 4 of the automatic vending machine 3 is provided with a mail transmission/reception function by the SMTP protocol or a mail transmission/reception function by a POP 3 protocol. Thus, data of the automatic vending machine 3 and the automatic vending machine server 16 can be transferred to the outside as the electronic mails from an office, a factory site, etc., by using LAN and internet and data of the automatic vending machine can be received from the outside as electronic mail information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to the field of vending machines connected to a local area network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In factories, office buildings, and the like, it is common to install vending machines at various locations as one of in-house benefits. In addition, vending machines are installed in places where an unspecified number of people gather, such as department stores and amusement parks, from the viewpoint of improving customer service and promoting sales.

[0003] In order to ascertain the sold-out, breakdown, sales situation, etc. of each of these installed vending machines, it is also practiced to manage by placing people and looking around these vending machines. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage by such a method.

Therefore, in order to manage the vending machine, a communication means such as an in-house communication line is installed to provide information necessary for managing the sold-out / failure / sales data of the vending machine. The vending machine management center collects these data and centrally manages vending machines in various places by connecting to a personal computer or the like at the center.

In order to collect such data, a new premises communication line is sometimes laid. However, since this is expensive, a telephone line has been used. ing. However, on-premise telephone lines have a limited number of lines. For this reason, it has been practiced to temporarily rent a line by branching out the telephone line where the vending machine is installed. In the case of no use.

[0006]

On the other hand, in recent years, a local area network LAN such as Ethernet has been installed in factories, office buildings, and the like, and computerization of offices and factories has been promoted.

[0007] Under such circumstances, it is not advisable that many networks span the same office or the same factory in view of duplication of facilities.

In view of the above problems, the present invention connects a vending machine to a local area network such as Ethernet and collects information on the vending machine via the network.
It is an object to be able to control the operation of vending machines and to avoid duplicate investments for networks. Another object is to make it easier to introduce a vending machine management system to avoid duplicate investment.

[0009] The local area network is capable of exchanging information with the outside via a public line.
However, the exchange of information with the outside is often set in an environment in which only a specific protocol is passed from the viewpoint of security.

[0010] Since such a so-called firewall is provided, data such as vending machine data (sales information, maintenance data, and the like) cannot be transmitted and received as is.

An object of the present invention is to enable vending machine data to be transmitted and received from outside the local area network through the firewall, and to control the vending machine data.

[0012]

This problem is solved by the following means.

(1) First invention A LAN connection function for connecting to a local area network, an SMTP protocol function, a local area network connected by the LAN connection function, and an Internet to which the local area network is connected. A vending machine having an e-mail transmission / reception function capable of transmitting / receiving vending machine data as e-mail using the SMTP protocol function.

(2) Second invention A LAN connection function for connecting to a local area network, a POP3 protocol function, a local area network connected by the LAN connection function, and an Internet to which the local area network is connected. A vending machine having an e-mail transmission / reception function capable of transmitting / receiving vending machine data as e-mail using the POP3 protocol function.

[0015]

1 shows a local area network Ethe.
It is a figure showing signs that a vending machine is connected to rnet via a LAN connection device.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes Ethernet which is most often used for a local area network, and 2 denotes L
An AN connection device.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a vending machine, which is connected to the LAN connection device 2 in the vending machine server 16 via the expansion bus 9.

The vending machine server 16 has a function as a vending machine and an L server having a server function.
It is a vending machine server having the AN connection device 2 in the machine.

Reference numeral 4 denotes the main controller described above, and reference numeral 8 denotes a vending machine internal bus connected to the main controller 4. Reference numeral 5 denotes a vending control device, 6 denotes a coin processing device, and 7 denotes a plurality of elements constituting the vending machine. The vending control device 5, the coin processing device 6, and the other components 7 are connected to the vending machine internal bus 8, and perform their respective functions under the control of the main control device 4. The relationship between the main control unit 4 and each of the elements 5, 6, and 7 in the vending machine is not particularly different from that of the conventional vending machine, and will not be described further.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall system configuration according to the present invention.

In the figure, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a network that has been constructed, assuming that a local area network has already been constructed.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an Internet gateway.

Reference numeral 13 denotes DNS (Domain Name).
System) server for managing Internet addresses, domain names, and the like.

Reference numeral 14 denotes SMTP (Simple Mail).
Transfer Protocol) Server, 15
Is POP (Post Office Protocol)
l) 3 servers, 16 are vending machine servers, which are also vending machines and servers.

The SMTP server 14 and the POP3 server 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes a protocol for transferring mail. The former requires that the SMTP server on the receiving side always operates, while the latter can always receive mail.

The main control unit 4 of the vending machine 3 has an SMTP
A mail transmission / reception function based on a protocol or a mail transmission / reception function based on a POP3 protocol is provided.

With the above function, the vending machine data of the vending machine 3 and the vending machine server 16 can be transmitted to the outside as e-mail from an office or a factory site using a LAN and the Internet. The vending machine data can be received from outside as e-mail information. At this time, communication between the office or factory site and the outside cannot be performed by a normal protocol using a firewall. However, the present invention uses an e-mail protocol and can pass through the firewall.

[0029]

The vending machine of the present invention has a mail transmission / reception function based on the SMTP protocol, so that vending machine data can be exchanged with the outside without being connected to a firewall. Since it can be used, the usage fee for the line or the like is not directly charged and the cost can be reduced.

Further, since the present invention has a mail transmission / reception function based on the POP3 protocol, vending machine data can be exchanged with the outside without using a firewall, and an existing LAN can be used. Since it is possible, the usage fee for the line or the like is not directly charged and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a local area network Ethernet
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a state in which a vending machine and a vending machine server of the present invention are connected via a LAN connection device.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall system configuration according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Local area network Ethernet 2 LAN connection device 3 Vending machine 4 Main control device 5 Sales control device 6 Coin processing device 7 Other several elements which comprise a vending machine 8 Vending machine internal bus 9 Expansion in vending machine 3 Bus 11 Built network 12 Internet gateway 13 DNS (Domain Name System)
m) Server 14 SMTP (Simple Mail Trans)
server (15) POP (Post Office Protocol)
ol) 3 servers 16 vending machine server

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yasuhiko Miyata 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshitake Maruyama 2-5-2 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka No. 5 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A LAN connection function for connecting to a local area network; an SMTP protocol function; a local area network connected by the LAN connection function; and the SMTP protocol via the Internet to which the local area network is connected. A vending machine having an e-mail transmission / reception function capable of transmitting / receiving vending machine data as e-mails by function. 2. A POP3 protocol via a LAN connection function for connecting to a local area network, a POP3 protocol function, a local area network connected by the LAN connection function, and the Internet to which the local area network is connected. A vending machine having an e-mail transmission / reception function capable of transmitting / receiving vending machine data as e-mails by function.