JPS6227973Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Field of Application> This invention relates to a vending machine determining device for vending machines, and particularly to a device suitable for controlling vending determination when coins stored for change are in short supply.

<Conventional technology> The basic criteria for determining whether a vending machine can be sold is that it can be sold on the condition that an amount (K) greater than or equal to the sales set price (SPi) has been inserted (K≧SPi). It is to judge that. However, in order to not allow sales where it is impossible to pay change,
Conventionally, when there is a shortage of stored coins for change, the conditions under which coins can be sold are limited. If there is a shortage of stored change coins of high denominations and there are enough stored change coins of low denominations, the change corresponding to high denominations can be replaced with low denomination coins and dispensed as described above. It is acceptable to permit sales based on basic criteria for determining whether a product can be sold. However, if there is a shortage of stored change coins of low denominations, there is a risk that change cannot be dispensed. In other cases, sales were prohibited even if the amount invested was greater than the set sales price. Therefore, when there is a shortage of coins stored for change (particularly low denomination coins), sales opportunities are often missed, and there is a problem in that the operating efficiency of the vending machine is reduced.

One way to solve the above problems is〓〓〓〓〓
If there is a shortage of stored change coins of low denominations, but there is no shortage of stored change coins of high denominations, the change can be paid out in the high denomination coins even in sales that require change. Conventionally, it has been considered that sales should be permitted in such cases. To this end, conventionally, when comparing the input amount K and the sales set price SPi, the amount of a predetermined high denomination coin (for example, 50 yen) is added to the sales set price SPi in advance, and the addition result and the input amount are compared. When the two match when compared (K=SPi+50
). In other words, the fact that the sum of the predetermined high denomination coin amount added to the sales set price matches the input amount means that the difference between the input amount and the sales set price, that is, the change, can be paid out in the high denomination coin. .

<Problems to be solved by the invention> However, in this conventional determination method, an addition circuit is required in addition to a comparison circuit for detecting a match, which may result in a complicated configuration and high cost. It was hot. This is not so much of a problem when there is only one type of high denomination coin for change, but it becomes a particular problem when there are many types of coins because an addition circuit and a comparison circuit must be provided for each denomination.

This idea was made in view of the above points,
To make it possible to determine whether coins can be sold when there is a shortage of stored coins for change with a simple configuration without using calculations such as addition.

<Means for solving the problem> The sellability determining device according to this invention includes a first comparing means that compares the input amount K and the sales set price SPi and determines that it is sellable when K=SPi; a second comparison means that compares the input amount K and the sales set price SPi and determines that the coin can be sold when K>SPi; a shortage detection means that detects a shortage of stored change coins for each predetermined denomination; gating means for supplying or blocking sales setting price data to the second comparison means;
An effective least significant digit denomination that detects a digit that takes a value other than 0 among the decimal digits of the sales price, and detects the coin denomination corresponding to the value of the least significant digit as an effective least significant digit denomination. detecting means, detecting all of these information regarding the effective least significant digit denomination and lower denominations based on the output signal of the effective least significant digit denomination detection means and the shortage detection signal given from the shortage detection means; logical means for determining whether there is a shortage of storage coins for change of a denomination or whether there is at least one denomination that is not in short supply; The present invention is characterized in that the gate means is closed for sales set prices for which it is determined that all lower denominations are in short supply, and the sales set price data is not supplied to the second comparison means.

If this is shown in correspondence with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the comparator 10A corresponds to the first comparing means, and the comparator 10
B corresponds to the second comparison means, the empty detection means 12 to 14 correspond to the shortage detection means, and the control circuit 11 corresponds to the effective least significant digit denomination detection means and the logic means.

<Operation> The first comparison means performs a sales decision that does not require change, that is, a decision as to whether K=SPi holds true. The second comparison means determines whether or not a sale is possible when change is required, that is, it is determined whether K>SPi holds true.

Data on the sales set price SPi is input unconditionally to the first comparison means, but is input to the second comparison means via the gate means. The gating means is controlled in response to the output of the logic means. The logical means are
Based on the output of the effective least significant digit denomination detection means and the output of the shortage detection means, it is determined whether there is a shortage of even one denomination or all of the change denominations predicted from the sales setting price SPi. Determine if there is a shortage.

Here, the "valid least significant digit denomination" is defined as the coin denomination necessary to form the value of the least significant digit among the decimal digits that take a value other than 0. For example, if the sales price is 110 yen,
The 10 yen coin is the valid denomination of the lowest digit, and is "120 yen".
Similarly, in the case of "170 yen", a 10 yen coin is the denomination with the least significant digit. Furthermore, when the sales price is "100 yen" or "200 yen", only the hundreds digit takes a value other than 0, so the effective denomination of the lowest digit is a 100 yen coin. In other words, the "effective lowest digit denomination" is the lowest denomination when the sales price is composed of one or more predetermined denominations, giving priority to the highest possible denomination. It is about. For example, a sales price of 120 yen is made up of a 100 yen coin and a 10 yen coin, and the lowest denomination is the 10 yen coin.

The denominations below the valid lowest digit of the sales price are the denominations below the valid denomination of the lowest digit of the sales price for the product corresponding to the sales price.
Indicates the denominations that may be used as the minimum unit of change coins in the case of a sale that requires change. For example, if the sales price is 120 yen, the minimum change denomination is 10 yen, no matter how much is input. Also, if the sales price is "100 yen" or "200 yen", change will be given.
It is clear that the money will be paid out in units of 100 yen. Therefore, without looking at the input amount, the minimum unit of change to be paid out at the sale can be determined from the sales set price alone. Therefore, when there is a shortage of coins stored for change of a certain denomination, the sales price data that allows change to be paid only in that denomination is blocked in advance by the gate means, and the sales price data is used as the 2
If no input is made to the comparison means, comparison regarding the sales set price is prohibited, and as a result, sales in which change cannot be paid out are prohibited. On the other hand, sales that do not require change are permitted by the first comparison means. In addition, if the minimum unit of change corresponding to a certain sales price is a predetermined high denomination, even if there is a shortage of change coins of a low denomination, there is a shortage of change coins of the predetermined high denomination. If not, the gate corresponding to the set sales price data is opened and the data is input to the second comparing means. As described above, in this invention, as a prerequisite for the comparison for determining whether a sale that requires change is possible, whether or not sales set price data is input to the second comparison means is determined whether or not there is a shortage of stored coins for change. The feature is that it is controlled according to the

<Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, K is data indicating the input amount (or its remaining amount), and is given from an addition/subtraction counting circuit (not shown) of the vending machine. SPi～
SPn is data indicating the sales price setting for each product (for each product delivery column) to be sold in the vending machine, and is given from an appropriate sales price setting means (not shown). The sellable comparison section 10 is
Input amount K and each sales setting price SPi (where i=
1, 2, . The comparison unit 10 determines the conditions for sales that do not require change (K
= SPi), and a comparator 10B for determining the sales enable condition (K>SPi) that requires change. “K=
Each sales setting price data SPi to SPn is directly input to the comparator 10A for determining "K>SPi", but the comparator 10B for determining "K>SPi"
Only the sales setting price data SPi that has passed through the gates 15-1 to 15-n is input to the gates 15-1 to 15-n.

The comparison outputs of the comparators 10A and 10B regarding each sales setting price SPi are OR circuits 16-1 to 16-
n, and output as sellable signals V1 to Vn corresponding to each product. As is well known, each vendable signal V1-Vn is supplied to a vending control circuit (not shown) of a vending machine to enable the product delivery column in which the vending signal V1-Vn is generated to be vendable. A product is dispensed by operating a product selection switch in a column that is set to be available for sale. It is also well known that it is sold.

The control circuit 11 outputs gate control signals C ₁ to _Co for each gate 15-1 to 15-n based on change storage coin shortage detection signals E10, E50, and E100 for each denomination. Insufficiency detection signal E10,
E50 and E100 are well-known empty detection means (change storage coin shortage detection means) 12, 13, 1
Output from 4. For example, if there are three denominations of storage coins for change: 10 yen, 50 yen, and 100 yen, 12 is the 10 yen empty detection means, 13 is the 50 yen empty detection means, and 14 is the 100 yen empty detection means. Yes, E1 is a 10 yen shortage detection signal, E5 is
E10 is a 50 yen shortage detection signal, and E10 is a 100 yen shortage detection signal. It is assumed that the level of each signal E1, E5, E10 is "1" when there is a shortage of stored change coins of the corresponding denomination, and "0" when there is no shortage.
As is well known, each of the empty detection means 12, 13, and 14 may be an empty sensor (not shown) provided at a predetermined location of a change coin storage tube (not shown), or an automatic replenishment device for the change coin storage tube (not shown). An empty counter (not shown) that estimates the amount of coins stored in the tube by adding and counting the coins that have been inserted (those that are stored in the tube among the input coins) and subtracting and counting the coins that have been paid out from the tube. ) etc. can be used.

The control circuit 11 detects the denomination of the effective disaster control digit for each sales set price SPi and the shortage of stored change coins for each denomination.
Products that require change and can be sold are detected according to the relationship with output signals E10, E50, and E100. Here, "the denomination of the least significant digit" refers to the coin denomination necessary to form the value of the least significant digit among the decimal digits that take a value other than 0. For example, if SP ₁ is 100 yen, the only decimal digit that takes a value other than 0 is the hundreds digit, and the denomination of the least significant digit is a 100 yen coin. Also, if SP ₂ is 120 yen, the decimal digits that take a value other than 0 are the hundreds and tens digits, and the least significant digit is the tens digit, so the effective least significant digit is the denomination. is a 10 yen coin.
Furthermore, if SP _o is 200 yen, the denomination of the least significant digit is a 100 yen coin. The control circuit 11 operates on the condition that there is no shortage of stored change coins for any denomination below the valid least significant digit of each sales setting price SP _i (i.e., corresponding to the sales setting price SP _i) . (provided that there is no shortage of change coins of any denomination that may be used as change coins) to generate corresponding control signals Ci, C ₁ to _Co will be organized.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the internal configuration of the control circuit 11 in relation to only one set sales price SP ₁ , and the other set sales prices SP ₂ to SP _o can be configured in the same manner. The control circuit 11 includes an effective least significant digit denomination detection logic 20 and a control signal generation logic 21, into which data indicating the sales set price _SP1 is input. In this example, the sales price SP ₁ (SP _i ) is made up of three digits: the ones digit, tens digit, and hundreds digit of a decimal number, and the ones digit is always 0. and 2 in the hundreds place
Assume that the value is indicated by digits.
It is assumed that each decimal digit is expressed as a 4-bit binary coded decimal number (BCD). In the effective least significant digit denomination detection logic 20, the sales set price
All bits of data SP ₁ and SP 10 in the tens place of SP ₁ are added to the OR circuit 22, and the least significant bit (LSB) and the third bit are added to the AND circuit 23, and the most significant bit (MSB) and the third bit are added to the AND circuit 23. A 2-bit inverted signal is applied to the remaining inputs of AND circuit 23. When the tens place is 5 (50 yen), data SP _1.1
0 is "0101", and the output of the AND circuit 23 becomes "1". The output of this AND circuit 23 is inverted by an inverter 24 and applied to an AND circuit 25. The other input of the AND circuit 25 is an OR circuit 22.
The output of is added. When the tens digit takes some value other than 0, the output of the OR circuit 22 is "1", and on the condition that the value is not 5, the AND circuit 25
The output of becomes "1". On the other hand, sales set price SP ₁
All bits of data SP _1.100 in the hundredth place are input to the OR circuit 26. Therefore, the hundreds place is 0
When it takes some value other than that, the output of the OR circuit 26 becomes "1". The output of the OR circuit 26 is applied to an AND circuit 27. A signal obtained by inverting the output of the AND circuit 23 or 25 by a NOR circuit 28 is added to the other input of the AND circuit 27. When the tens digit takes some value other than 0, the output of the NOR circuit 28 is "0", and the output of the OR circuit 26 is blocked by the AND circuit 27.

With the above configuration, when the effective least significant digit denomination of the sales setting price SP ₁ is a 10 yen coin, the output signal Y10 of the AND circuit 25 becomes "1", and at this time, the outputs of the AND circuits 23 and 27 are always "0". ” is. Further, when the effective least significant digit denomination is a 50 yen coin, the output signal Y50 of the AND circuit 23 becomes "1", and the other signals Y10 and Y100 become "0". If the effective lowest digit denomination is a 100 yen coin, the output signal Y100 of the AND circuit 27 becomes "1", and the other signal Y1
0, Y50 becomes "0". For example, if the sales price SP ₁ is 110 yen, SP ₁ and 10 are “0001”,
SP ₁・100 is "0001", the output of the OR circuit 22 is "1", the output signal Y50 of the AND circuit 23 is "0", the output of the OR circuit 26 is "1", the output signal Y10 of the AND circuit 25 is "1" ”, the output of the NOR circuit 28 is “0”, the output signal Y10 of the AND circuit 27
It is detected that 0 is "0" and the effective least significant digit denomination is 10 yen.

In the control signal generation logic 21, the shortage detection signals E10, E50, and E100 for each denomination are inverted by inverters 29, 30, and 31, respectively. Output signals E10, E5 of each inverter 29, 30, 31
0, E100 indicates that there is no shortage of change coins of each denomination (10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen) when the value is "1". Signal E10 is AND circuit 3
2, 34, and 37, respectively. Signal E50 is applied to AND circuits 33 and 36, respectively. Signal E100
is added to the AND circuit 35. The effective lowest digit denomination is
Signal Y10 indicating that it is 10 yen is AND circuit 3
〓〓〓〓〓
Join 2. Signal Y indicating that it is also 50 yen
50 is added to AND circuits 33 and 34, respectively. Similarly, a signal Y100 indicating that the amount is 100 yen is applied to AND circuits 35, 36, and 37, respectively. Therefore, if there is no shortage of stored change coins for any one of the denominations below the effective least significant digit denomination, any of the conditions of AND circuits 32 to 37 will be satisfied,
A signal “1” is applied to the OR circuit 38. The output of the OR circuit 38 is sent to the gate 15 as the control signal _C1 .
−1 is given.

For example, if the sales set price SP ₁ is 200 yen, the effective lowest digit denomination is a 100 yen coin, and the AND circuits 35, 3
6, 37, become operational. At this time, signal Y
50, Y10 is "0", and the AND circuit 32,
33 and 34 were inoperable. Here, if there is a shortage of change coins of all denominations, the signals E10, E50, and E100 are all "1", and the conditions of the AND circuits 35, 36, and 37 do not hold. Therefore, the control signal _C1 is "0" and _SP1 is blocked at the gate 15-1. Therefore, in this case, sales that require change are prohibited. On the other hand, low and medium denominations (10 yen, 50
If there is a shortage of storage coins for change in yen), but not in large denominations (100 yen), signal E1 is activated.
0, E50 is "1" and signal E100 is "0", the conditions of AND circuit 35 are satisfied, and the control signal
C ₁ becomes “1”. Therefore, the gate 15-1 is opened, a comparison operation of "K>SP ₁ " is enabled, and sales requiring change are permitted. Here, if a 1,000 yen bill or a 500 yen coin is inserted, "K>SP ₁ " holds true (because 1000>200 or 500>200), and it is determined that it can be sold. The amount of change at this time is 800 yen or 300 yen, and even if there is a shortage of low and medium denominations, it is possible to pay out with coins of the high denomination (100 yen). Yoshiba, if an extra coin (for example, 10 yen) is inserted in addition to the 1,000 yen bill or 500 yen coin, for example, K = 1010 or K = 510, and the change amount is 810 yen or 310 yen, it is still a fractional change. Since the amount of 10 can be paid out using the 10 yen coin that was just inserted, there is no particular problem even if there is a shortage of low and medium denominations (10 yen, 50 yen).

When there is no shortage of coins of any denomination, the shortage detection signals E10, E50, and E100 are all "0", and all the control signals C ₁ to _{C o} output from the control circuit 11 are "1". '', all gates 15-1 to 15-n are opened and all set sales price data _SP1 to _SP0 are input to the comparator 10B. Therefore, for all products (columns), a comparison between the sales set price SP _i and the input amount is performed: ``K>SP _i'' .

If there is a shortage of storage coins for change, gates 15-1 to 15-
n closes. For example, SP ₁ = 100 yen, SP ₂ = 120
When yen, SP _o = 200 yen, if there is a shortage of 10 yen coins but not 100 yen coins, the signal E10 is "1" and the signal E100 is "0", and the control When the signals C ₁ and C _o are “1”, the control signal C ₂
becomes “0”. Therefore, gates 15-1 and 1
5-n opens and sales setting price data SP ₁ (100
yen) and SP _o (200 yen) are input to the comparator 10B, but since the gate 15-2 is closed, the sales set price data SP ₂ (120 yen) is blocked. Therefore,
Comparator 10B performs comparisons for K>SP ₁ and K>SP _o , but does not perform comparisons for K>SP ₂ . Therefore, even if a larger amount of coins than SP ₂ are inserted, the sales enable signal V2 regarding SP ₂ is not generated. For example, if a 500 yen coin is inserted, K=
500, K>SP ₁ (500>100) and K
＞SP _o (500＞200) is established and sales possible signal V
1, Vn is generated, but since SP ₂ (120 yen) is blocked by the gate 15-2, a comparison of K>SP ₂ cannot be made, and the sales enable signal V2 is not generated. In this example, there is a shortage of 10 yen coins for change, so if a sale possible signal V2 is generated for K>SP ₂ (500>120) and a sale is made, the change (380 yen) is It becomes impossible to pay out. However, as described above, this invention prevents such inconveniences. still,
It is assumed that the comparator 10B outputs "1" when K>SP _i and SP _i >0. This is gate 1
If SP _i is blocked from 5-1 to 15-n, SP _i
= 0 and K>SP _i may hold true, so this is to be prohibited.

By the way, recently, the control circuit for vending machines has become
It is implemented as an LSI circuit, and the existing commercial comparison unit 10 is included in such an LSI circuit. There〓〓〓〓〓
Then, the gates 15-1 to 15-n and the control circuit 11
This idea can be easily applied to existing vending machines by making these circuits external to the LSI circuit and connecting them to the terminals that supply the selling price SP _i to the existing LSI circuit. I can do it.

The configuration of the control circuit 11 can be simplified if these prices SP _i are set so that the effective least significant digit denomination of each sales set price SP _i is the same. That is, the effective least significant digit denomination detection logic 15 and control signal generation logic 16 are
No need to provide each SP _i , just one control signal
Each gate 15-1 to 15-n can be commonly controlled by _C1 .

Furthermore, even if the effective least significant digit denominations of each price SP _i are actually different, the least significant digit denomination is given priority and all prices SP _i can be sold in common based on this prioritized denomination. The determination may be controlled, and in that case as well, the configuration of the control circuit 11 can be simplified.

Furthermore, the control circuit 11 does not need to use the shortage detection signal for all denominations of stored change coins, and may use only a part of them. For example, sufficient effects can be achieved even with two types of change, one for the minimum denomination and one for the maximum denomination, and furthermore, the configuration of the control circuit 11 can be simplified. For example, if three types of storage coins, 10 yen, 50 yen, and 100 yen, are used, the 50 yen coin is generally considered to be used less frequently, so only the shortage of 10 yen and 100 yen coins is considered. In many cases, it is sufficient to determine whether the product can be sold.

<Effects of the invention> As explained above, according to this invention, only the data on the possible sales setting price for dispensing change is inputted to the comparison means for determining whether sales are possible. It becomes possible to perform a limited sale possibility judgment when storage coins for change are in short supply, and the excellent effect of simplifying the configuration is achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the sellability determining device according to this invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the control circuit in FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Sale possibility comparison unit, 10A... Comparator for sales that do not require change, 10B... Comparator for sales that require change, 11... Control circuit, 12, 13, 14... Empty detection means , 15-1 to 15-n... gate, 20...
Effective least significant digit denomination detection logic, 21...control signal generation logic, K...data indicating input amount,
SP ₁ ~SP _o ...Data indicating the sales setting price, C ₁ ~
C _o ...Control signal, V1~Vn...Sellable signal,
E10, E50, E100...Storage coin shortage detection signal for change. 〓〓〓〓〓

Claims (1)

[Scope of request for utility model registration] Compare the input amount K and the sales price SPi.
The first comparison method determines that it is possible to sell when =SPi, and the input amount K is compared with the sales set price SPi.
>SPi, a second comparing means determines that the coins can be sold; a shortage detecting means detects a shortage of stored change coins for each predetermined denomination; and supplying sales setting price data to the second comparing means. or detecting a digit that takes a value other than 0 among the decimal digits of the sales price, and detecting a coin denomination corresponding to the value of the least significant digit as an effective least significant digit denomination. an effective least significant digit denomination detection means for determining the effective least significant digit denomination and the denomination lower than the effective least significant digit denomination based on the output signal of the effective least significant digit denomination detection means and the shortage detection signal given from the shortage detection means; and logical means for determining whether there is a shortage of stored change coins of all these denominations or whether there is even one denomination that is not in short supply, and the logical means determines the effective maximum amount. Regarding the sales setting price for which the lower digit denomination and all the lower digit denominations are determined to be insufficient, the gate means is closed, and the sales setting price data is not supplied to the second comparison means. A vending machine determining device for determining whether sales are possible in a vending machine.