JPS61216096A - Mode specification for vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention relates to a method of specifying a mode of a vending machine by key input.

[Prior art and its problems] For vending machines, prices are set in each column.

Various settings are often required, such as setting the same product or setting two items to be sold.In particular, it is possible to use the same control unit regardless of differences in the vending machines to be controlled (for example, number of selections, etc.) However, since this is more preferable from the viewpoint of manufacturing, market maintenance, etc., the number of operation setting modes provided to control units in recent years has tended to increase rapidly.

However, as a result of this, operating methods have become more complex, and installers with little product knowledge may make incorrect settings due to erroneous operation, or they may not understand the setting methods well, resulting in an unnecessary market. There was a problem that a call occurred.

[Purpose of the Invention] Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a system that can handle the increasingly complex settings of vending machines while also making it easy for even people with less product knowledge to easily operate the vending machine on a daily basis. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for selecting a function by key input in a way that is easy to operate.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a "mode key" that is commonly used when setting various modes and instructs to start mode selection, and a number key for specifying various mode settings. Numeric keys (numeric keypad) from O to 9 for specifying
It has a "setting key" that instructs to confirm the mode, and a display LED that clearly shows the selected mode. The modes are classified into modes that can only be selected when specified by number, and modes necessary for daily management operations are assigned to progressive modes.
Modes such as changing the method of discharging the vending machine body are assigned to modes specified by numbers. As a result, a person with little product knowledge only needs to select a desired mode from only the progressive modes, making it difficult for erroneous operations to occur and eliminating unnecessary market calls.

[Embodiments of the invention] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

For simplicity, vending machine A has 1 to 8 product columns, each of which independently sells up to 8 types of products, and 3 to 8 columns independently sells up to 6 types of products. However, in the large area including the 1st column and 2nd column, larger products such as parcels are set in common to both columns, and when either 1st column or 2nd column is selected, 1st and 2nd columns are sold. The present invention will be described below by taking as an example a case where there is a vending machine B in which the unloading drive units of both columns operate to unload products from a wide area.

Normally, whether vending machine A or vending machine B is preferable depends on the installer. However, for vending machine manufacturers, it is not advantageous to develop and manufacture the control unit for vending machine A and the control unit for vending machine B separately; It is preferable to provide a so-called general-purpose control unit that can be used commonly for A and B.
Therefore, in such a case, the setting of whether the vending machine is for A or B has nothing to do with the daily management of the vending machine and is operated by an installer with little product knowledge. This part is not necessary at all.

In this invention, in such a case, the mode for setting the form of the applied vending machine as described above is specified by a corresponding number, and on the other hand, the mode for setting the form of the applied vending machine as described above is Settings such as whether to sell 2 or 2 pieces can be made by simply operating the mode key while advancing. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a control circuit for a vending machine of the present invention having such a setting device section. 0 to 9) 2 to 11, setting key 12 for instructing mode confirmation and LED 13 for displaying the selected mode
1B is connected to a control unit 17 composed of a central processing unit, etc. 0 display LED 13 indicates "price setting mode", 14 indicates "same product setting mode", and 15 indicates "2 piece selling setting mode"; displays the vending machine's r type (A/B) setting mode. Reference numeral 18 denotes an end key used to interrupt the setting operation. Note that, here, parts normally necessary for controlling the vending machine, such as a vendable display section and a carry-out drive section, are omitted from illustration.

The control unit 17 is incorporated into the vending machine, and the type of vending machine and various settings are made by the time it is tested.

The settings are made according to the steps shown in Figure 2 (A) and (B), and the settings are valid for about 1 to 2 weeks from the time the vending machine is shipped until it starts operating at the store. Usually, it is desirable to store the data by means such as battery backup.

Now, an example will be explained in which the setting mode of the vending machine type (A/B) is assigned to number 9. When the mode key 1 is pressed first, the control section 17 goes to step St.
92 and S3, the mode is set, and in the next step S4, the display of the LEDs 13 to 14 in the step mode (previous display) is stepped to display the next mode. For example, if steps are taken in the order of the numbers in FIG. 1, if the previous mode was the price setting mode, the steps will be taken to the same product setting mode. Therefore, further step S5. SI3. S? As shown in the figure, by pressing only the mode key 1 many times, the step mode LEDs 13, 14 and 15 repeatedly display in this order, and when the desired mode is displayed, the setting key 12 is pressed. By pressing the control unit 17
In step S8, the operation of the setting key 12 is determined, and the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the desired mode is determined, and the crotch mode corresponding to the desired mode is determined. Operations are performed in the next step S10.

On the other hand, if you want to set the vending machine type (A/B), do not press the setting key 12 after inputting the mode key 1, so proceed to step 911, step Sll.
Now, determine whether the "9" key 11 has been pressed, and press the "9" key 11.
If it is pressed, the process advances to step S12 and the numeric key input "9" is stored. Furthermore, stage 2 step S13
．． After S14 and S15, the process waits for input from the setting key 12. In step S15, when the setting key 12 is input, the process advances to step S1B.

Here, the control 1 part 17 is the numeric keypad input with the mode number first.
9”. If a match is found, in step S17 the LHDs 13 to 1 in step mode are
5 is all turned off, and in step 91B the type (A
/B) lights up the setting mode display LE01B. Next, after confirming the mode in step S19, the vending machine type (A/B) is determined in step 92G.
) mode is set.

On the other hand, in step 91B, if it is determined that the numeric key input in step Sll does not match the mode number, the mode set in the previous step SIO is set as the setting mode.

If the setting key 12 is not input in step S15, the process returns to the large step S13 via steps S21 and S22, and waits for the setting key 12 to be input. During this time, if there is a need to change the number keys, for example, and the number keys are input again, the stored numbers in the control section 17 are updated in step S21 and then step s22.

Note that it is not particularly necessary to notify the installer that the number "9" corresponds to the vending machine type setting, but even if the installer knows this vending machine type setting mode, other users may The setting method is very different from the setting mode that is often used on a daily basis, so accidents such as changing the type setting due to erroneous operation are unlikely to occur.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, setting modes that are often used on a daily basis are displayed on the sidewalk when selecting the mode, and there is no need for the installer to operate, but the setting is possible. The desired setting mode can be selected by specifying a number, so it is easy to create a control unit that can be used commonly for various types of vending machines, and it is also possible to prevent errors caused by incorrect operation by the installer. This also has the effect of eliminating problems such as type settings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vending machine embodying the present invention, and FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are flowcharts showing an example of a mode setting control procedure. 1...Mode key, 2-11...Numeric keypad, 12...Setting key, 13...Price setting mode display LED, 14...Same product setting mode display LED. 15...2 (I selling setting mode display LED. 18... Vending machine type setting mode display LED, !7... Control unit, 18... End key. l7 Figure 2 (A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] The setting modes of the vending machine are divided into a first and second mode group, different numbers are assigned to the setting modes belonging to the first mode group, and the setting mode is specified by key input of the number. A method for specifying a mode in a vending machine, characterized in that the setting mode belonging to the second mode group is specified by stepping through the modes each time a mode key is operated.