JPS63106206A - Article lending processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform accurate rental management, by providing a rental manage ment memory for storing rental information of each article, and automatically cancelling the registration if an object is returned to shelf within predetermined cancellation time after rent is registered. CONSTITUTION:A rack 21 is provided with many shelves 22 for housing articles and a body controller 23 is arranged while adjoining thereto. When a cassette 24 contained as an article in said shelf 22 is taken out and a normal rental registration is made, a table of rental management memory is retrieved with the number of said shelf 22 and necessary items are written. If said cassette 24 is returned to the shelf 22 within cancellation time, e.g. 30 min. from the time point when rent is registered, rental items of said cassette 24 in the rental management memory are cancelled automatically.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an article rental processing device that rents out a plurality of different articles for a fee, and particularly relates to an article rental processing device that rents out a plurality of different articles for a fee, and particularly relates to an article rental processing device that rents out a plurality of different articles for a fee. For example, the present invention relates to an article rental processing device that allows the cancellation of rental registration.

[Prior Art] For example, when renting out almost regular items for a fee at a bookstore or a rental iodine store, the clerk must enter the item name or product code that specifies the rental item, the name and address of the rental item, and the rental date. I try to record this on my loan slip or notebook. However, if the store clerk records the name and product code of each loaned item on the rental slip or notebook, the efficiency of the rental office work will be reduced. Also,
If this type of manual work is done, there is a risk that the clerk may write the product code incorrectly or forget to record the loan altogether.

On the other hand, software rental companies that rent out records, audio tapes, CD records, and audiotapes to the general public for a fee generally limit the number of rentals or the rental amount to software supply companies such as record companies, movie companies, and TV companies. There is an obligation to pay copyright fees at a certain rate accordingly. Therefore, conversely, the software supply company will
It is necessary to strictly manage which software is lent out and how many times. It is also necessary to prevent careless duplication in stores.

In order to eliminate this inconvenience, we attach a barcode indicating the product code to the rental item, issue a membership card with the membership number recorded at the time of borrowing, and use a barcode reader to identify the item with the barcode when lending the item. An article lending processing device has been developed that reads a code and stores it in a storage device together with a membership number entered manually from a keyboard, for example.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, even in the above-mentioned article lending processing device that uses barcodes to strictly manage article lending, the following problems still exist. In other words, with the above-mentioned device, the product code of the item currently being lent out is stored in the storage device, so by printing out the stored contents of this storage device, it is possible to ascertain the item being lent out. It is. However, there is a problem in that no information is stored that indicates that items that are not currently being lent are definitely stored on the shelf.

Furthermore, for example, if a customer borrows an item from a store and is on his way home, he changes his mind and requests to return the item he has borrowed. Since the shop does not use the borrowed item at all, the shop does not need to pay copyright fees for the item to the software supplier. However, in the conventional apparatus described above, once the lending process is performed, the number of lending times is incremented in the storage device, which is an inconvenience. therefore,
It has been desired to develop an article lending process @place that can carry out stricter and fairer lending management.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a rental management memory that stores rental information of each item, and to return the item to the shelf within a certain cancellation permission time after being registered for rental. It is an object of the present invention to provide an article rental processing device that can perform article rental management more strictly and fairly by automatically canceling registration when the article is canceled.

[Means for Solving the Problems] As shown in FIG. 1, the article rental processing device of the present invention includes an IC circuit 2 that is incorporated into an article 1 that is rented for a fee, and that stores product information of this article. , a plurality of shelves 3 into which one article is inserted, a detection device 4 provided in each of these columns to detect that an article has been inserted into the shelf, and a detection device 4 that detects the insertion of an article into the shelf corresponding to each article. A lending management memory 5 includes a plurality of tables having a product information area for storing product information, a lending information area for storing lending information, and a storage bin area for storing insertion shelf numbers, and information for this lending management memory. A main body control device 6 that performs writing and reading, and a signal connection mechanism 7 provided between the shelf and the article to perform data transmission between the IC circuit and the main body control device when the article is inserted into the shelf. After the detecting device detects the pulling operation of the article from the shelf, the rental registration means 8 registers rental information including the rental time in the rental information area of the table corresponding to the shelf number of the shelf where the withdrawal operation occurred. In addition, in response to the detection of the insertion operation of the article into the shelf by the detection device, the product information reading means 9 reads the product information of the inserted product via the signal connection mechanism, and the read product information is read. If the elapsed time from the rental time stored in the rental information area of the stored table to the insertion time of this article is less than a predetermined cancellation permission time, the cancellation registration means 10 cancels the rental information of the corresponding table. .

[Operation] In the article lending processing device configured as described above, the presence or absence of articles on the eight shelves is constantly detected by the detection device.

Further, product information for each item stored on the eight shelves is stored in each table along with the shelf number and rental information. Then, when an item is pulled out from the shelf for lending, lending information including the lending time is registered in the lending information area of the product information stored in the shelf number table of the pulled-out shelf. Also,
When an article is inserted into the shelf, the detection device is activated again and the article information stored in the IC circuit is read through the signal connection mechanism. If the elapsed time from the rental time stored in the rental information area of the table in which the read product information is stored to the insertion time of this item is less than the cancellation permission time, the item is not rented. As a result, the lending information stored earlier in the corresponding table is canceled.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire article rental processing apparatus of the embodiment. In this embodiment, a case will be explained in which the device is installed in a video rental shop that rents out video tapes to the general public for a fee. That is, numeral 21 in the figure is a rack with a large number of shelves 22 arranged on the front side, and a main body control device 23 is installed adjacent to this rack 21. The eight shelves 22 provided in the rack 21 have a rectangular shape into which video tape cassettes 24 as articles are inserted with a slight gap in the longitudinal direction. If
A micro switch is installed on the shelf 22.
When the cassette 24 is inserted to the correct position, the microswitch is closed.

Furthermore, a light emitting element and a light receiving element as a signal connection mechanism are arranged on one side wall of the shelf 22. Also,
An operation panel 25 is attached to the front of the main body control device 23.

In the cassette 24, as shown in FIG. 3, a window 26 for optical communication is provided near the corner of the side surface of the cassette case. Force opposing this window 26, set 24
An IC circuit 27 is arranged inside the IC circuit 2.
A light emitting element 28a and a light receiving element 28b are disposed on a PC board supporting 7. Furthermore, a battery 29 is provided adjacent to the PC board. Note that since these electronic components are arranged in the corners of the cassette case, they do not interfere with tape running. Then, with this cassette 24 properly inserted into the shelf 22
It faces a light emitting element and a light receiving element attached to the inner side wall.

As shown in FIG. 5, the operation panel 25 has indicator lamps 30a, 3 indicating that the cassette has been inserted incorrectly and cannot be borrowed.
0b, a display section 31 for displaying various messages and amounts, a number key 32 for inputting numerical data such as account number,
Alphabet keys A to F for hexadecimal display used when setting various data in the storage section, set key 34 used when inputting numerical data, rental key 3 to press when renting a cassette
5. A transmission key 36 for transmitting data to the host computer of the video software management center; operated by three discount keys 37; a discount available lamp 38 that displays discount availability; and keys for selecting and setting various business modes. A mode selection key 39, a printing port 41 of a printer 40 for printing rental slips, etc. are provided.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the IC circuit 27 built into the cassette 24. ROM 27c to CPLI 27a via pass line 27b.

The RAM 27d is connected to an input/output port 27e to which the light emitting element 28a and light receiving element 28b are connected. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the RAM 27d contains the product code of the videotape of this cassette 24, the branch number used when there is more than one of the same product, the title name, and the rental unit price indicating the rental fee for one time. Product information consisting of is stored. Note that this product information is written at the video software management center, and the cassette 24 is supplied to the rental store with the product information written therein.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the main body control device 23. C
PLJ42 is connected to ROM43 and RA via the pass line.
M44, each micro switch 4 provided in each shelf 22
An input boat 46 receives opening/closing information of 5, an input/output port 48 connects a light emitting element 47a and a light receiving element 47b attached to the side wall inside @22, and a key signal is input from the keyboard 49 of the operation panel 25. An input port 50° output port 51 for sending data to the printer 40 and the display unit 31, a clock circuit 52 that includes a built-in timer 52a and measures the current month, day, hour, and minute, and an I10 interface 53 for sending data such as rental information. control”.

Note that this I10 interface 71-53 is MODEM5.
4. It is connected via a switch 55 to a host computer 56 of a video software management center.

Further, each of the electronic components described above is supplied with a driving voltage from a 'ms circuit 58 connected to an AC IF source via an N source switch 57.

In the RAM 44, as shown in FIG. 9, a lending memory 59 is formed. This lending management memory 59
is formed from a number of tables 60 corresponding to the number of installed shelves 22 formed on the rack 21, and each table 60
includes a shelf number area 62 that stores the shelf number of the shelf 22, a product code, and a branch number.

Product information area 63 that stores product information consisting of title name, rental unit price, total number of loans lent to date, total loan amount, total arrears, month, date and time of loan (rent time) if the loan is currently in progress, loan. A lending information area 64 is formed to store lending information consisting of a member number for borrowing in the case of medium. In addition, if it is currently on loan, shelf number 9 11ii!
Shelf number 62 has been cleared.

Furthermore, in the RAM 44, when the cassette 24 is lent out, 1
Each cassette 24 for one customer drawn from 122
A lending buffer that temporarily stores product information and lending information?
65, a lending number counter 66 that counts the number N of cassettes 24 lent to - customers; a bad member memory 6 that stores the membership number of a bad member (customer) who caused a problem when returning the cassettes;
7. Discount memory 68 that stores discount information such as each discount rate or discount amount corresponding to each discount key 37. Rental days memory 69 that stores the number of days of one rental, and when the rental is returned after the rental period has passed. A cassette 24 for the shelf 22 of the arrears memory 701 that stores the delinquency amount or delinquency rate per day in case of
A shelf number flag 71 and the like is formed to set the shelf number of the shelf when an abnormality occurs during the insertion operation of the shelf.

Furthermore, the RAM 44 includes, in addition to the above-mentioned memories used during normal lending operations, as shown in FIG.
A transmission data memory 72 is formed for transmitting lending information and the like to the host computer 56 of the video software management center. In this transmission data memory 72, the main body 1
1tltll Occurred in the device 23, A: loan, B: return, C: cancel, D = power on, E:? Each piece of information, such as power off, etc., is sequentially stored in the order of occurrence time. For example, when a loan occurs, the loan classification [A], the month, date, hour and minute of the loan, product code and branch number, and the slip number of the loan slip and the 10% discount amount.

Membership number 1, customer class, etc. are stored. In addition, when a cancellation occurs, the cancellation category [C], cancellation month, date, hour, minute, product code, branch number, etc. are stored.

The main body control section 23 of such an article lending processing device is the 11th
The lending, cancellation, and return processing of the cassette 24 is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. First, when the power switch 57 is turned on, 1! is sent to the transmission data memory 72 at Sl.
Predetermined initial processing including registration of power-on time is performed. When the initial processing is completed, it is confirmed that the mode selection key 39 is set to the [ON] position indicating normal operations such as lending and returning.

Then, in S2, one of the microswitches 45 on the shelf 22
When the cassette 24 is opened, the cassette 24 inserted in the cassette 22 is pulled out, so the timer 52a is reset and restarted in S3. Next, store the RAM using the shelf number of the corresponding shelf 22.
The shelf number area 62 of each table 60 in the lending management memory 59 of 44 is searched. Then, the table 60 of the corresponding shelf number
is specified, the rental information area 64 of the table 60
The current month, day, hour, and minute read from the clock circuit 52 are stored as the rental month, day, hour, and minute. Clear the shelf number at the same time. Also,
The product information in the product information area 63 of the corresponding table 60 is stored in the lending buffer 765, and the lending and stack number counter 66
Add 1 to the number of loans N. Then, the number of loans after addition N
is displayed on the display unit 31 for a certain period of time, such as about 2 seconds.

If discount information is set in the discount memory 68 of the RAM 44 in S4, the rental unit price of the corresponding cassette 24 is discounted in response to the key operation of the discount key 37. Cassette 2
When the single item discount processing in step 4 is completed, the timer 52a is activated in S6.
Confirm that the elapsed time has not exceeded a preset grace time such as 5 minutes. If the predetermined grace period has not elapsed in S6, and if the rental key 35 is not pressed manually in S7, the process returns to S2 and the next cassette 24 is pulled out. Then, when the microswitch 45 of the other shelf 22 is opened in S2, the timer 52a that is measuring time is cleared in 83, and the timer 52a starts counting again from zero.

If the rental key 35 is pressed manually at 87 before the timer 52a finishes counting the grace period, the selection of the rental cassette 24 for one customer is completed, so the timer value of the timer 52a is cleared.

If the discount information is set in the discount memory 68 again in S8, in response to the manual key operation of the discount key 37, the lending buffer? Among the rental cassettes stored in 65, all cassettes for which discount processing has not been executed are subjected to discount processing for the rental unit price. Then, the total discount amount for all loaned cassettes is calculated and displayed on the display section 31.

When the discount processing is completed and the customer's membership number is entered using the stroke number key 32 at 811 and the displayed membership number is confirmed using the set key 34, at 812 it is determined that the customer's membership number has been registered in the defective member memory 67 of the RAM 44. Make sure there are no. Next 81
3, when a code indicating a customer group such as students, office workers, housewives, etc. is input using the number key 32 and the set key 34, the input member number 2 customer group is stored in the lending buffer 65.

When the above processing is completed, in step 814, a rental slip 73 as shown in FIG. 1 Total number of loan points 9 Total loan amount, membership number, loan month, day, hour and minute, loan deadline, etc. are printed out by the printer 40 and discharged from the issuing port 41.

Note that the loan slip 73 in FIG. 13 is a loan slip, a late fee bill,
Also serves as a cancellation form.

When the issuance of the lending slip 73 is completed, each piece of lending information in the lending buffer 65 is registered in the lending information area 64 of the corresponding table 60 of the lending management memory 59 in S15. That is, the total number of placings and the total amount of placings are updated, and the membership number is stored. Next, at 816, the loan month, date, hour, and minute, and the loan buffer 76
5 is stored in the transmission data memory 72 shown in FIG.

Since the lending process of the cassette to one customer has been completed above, the lending buffer 765. Rental number counter 6
6 is cleared and the process returns to S2, where each microswitch 45 is opened and closed.

In addition, if the elapsed time counted by the timer 52a at 86 before operating the rental key in S7 exceeds the grace period,
It is assumed that the corresponding cassette 24 has been lent, and the lending registration process of step 314 and subsequent steps is performed.

At S2, the microswitch 45 is not opened and the 12th
When the microswitch 45 of the other open shelf 22 is closed at 818 in the figure, it is determined that the cassette 24 has been inserted into the shelf 22. Then, the shelf number of the five shelves 22 is read, and the cassette 22 is read through the light emitting element and the light receiving element.
The product information stored in the RAM 27b of the IC circuit 27 incorporated in the IC circuit 27 is read. Then, in step 819, it is confirmed that no communication error has occurred. Further, each table 60 of the rental management memory 59 is searched using the product code of the product information read from the cassette 24 at 820, and the corresponding product information is found as Rent 1! Confirm that it is set in the management memory 59. If an abnormality occurs in steps 819 and 820, the details of the abnormality are displayed on the display section 31, the shelf number flag 71 is set, and the process returns to 818.

At 821, the read shelf number is stored in the shelf number area 62 of the searched corresponding table 60. Then, the shelf number flag 71 is cleared. At 822, if the elapsed time of the timer 52a is before the grace period, it is determined that the cassette 24 has not been properly lent yet, and that the customer changed his mind during the lending process and returned it to the shelf 22. Then, the lending date and time in the lending information area 64 is cleared, the corresponding product information and lending information in the lending buffer 65 are cleared, and the process returns to 818.

If the grace period has elapsed in step 822, the rental has already been registered, so in step 323, the rental month, day, hour, and minute of the rental information area 64 of the corresponding table 60 are read out, and the clock circuit 52 reads out the rental month, date, and time. Calculate the elapsed time up to the current time (insertion time). Then, it is confirmed that this elapsed time has passed a preset cancellation permission time such as 30 minutes. When the confirmation is completed, it is determined that the cassette 24 has been properly returned. Then, a return message is displayed on the display section 31, and in step 824, the rental date in the rental information area 64 is compared with the current month and date from the clock circuit 52 to determine whether the rental period is within or outside the period.

If the lending period has passed, the overdue charge memory 7 in RAM 44 will be saved.
The delinquent amount is calculated using the amount information set to 0 and displayed on the display unit 31. At the same time, the arrears are printed out on the loan slip 73 shown in FIG. As mentioned above, the loan slip 73
In this case, the loan slip 73 becomes a bill for arrears, since a duplex printing paper on which frames and fixed characters are printed in advance is used.

When the arrears processing is completed, the corresponding table 60 is displayed at 825.
The return registration process for the rental information area 64 is executed.

That is, the overdue charge is updated, and the loan month, date, hour, and minute and membership number are cleared.

Furthermore, in S26, the return month, date, hour, minute, product code, branch number, and late fee are stored in the transmission data memory 72 as return information. With this, the return process for one returned cassette 24 is completed.

In addition, even if the elapsed time is less than 30 minutes in 823, a cancellation message is displayed on the display section 31 in 827, and the product code, branch number, title name, refund amount, etc. of the corresponding cassette 24 are displayed in the 13th column. It is printed and issued on the cancellation slip (loan slip) 73 shown in the figure.

Then, cancellation registration processing for the rental information area 64 of the corresponding table 60 is performed. In other words, the total number of placements, I! In addition to reducing the loan amount, clear the loan month, date, time, and membership number. In addition, the current month, date, hour, and minute, and the corresponding cassette 2
The product code and branch number of No. 4 are stored in the transmission data memory 72 with a cancellation classification [C] attached.

With the article rental processing device configured in this manner, the store clerk simply pulls out the cassette 24 desired by the customer from 122, operates the rental key 35, and inputs the membership number, etc., and the rental information is stored in the rental management memory. It is registered in 59. Also,
A lending slip 73 with necessary information printed on it is issued. Therefore, the clerk only needs to pull out the cassette 24 from the shelf 22 without any special operation when renting out the cassette 24. As a result, the efficiency of office work at the time of lending can be greatly improved.

In addition, the storage status of each cassette 24 in each column 22 is constantly monitored by a microswitch 45, and information on whether all cassettes 24 are being loaned/in stock is always stored in the lending management memory 59, so the inventory is always strictly maintained. Can be managed.

Furthermore, even if the cassette 24 is pulled out from the 1122 and once registered for lending, the corresponding cassette 24 must be registered within a certain cancellation permission time, such as 30 minutes, from the time when the cassette 24 is registered for lending.
When the cassette 4 is returned to the shelf 22, the fact that the corresponding cassette 24 was previously lent is canceled and registered in the lending management memory 59. Therefore, since the rental information in the rental management memory 59 returns to the state before the rental operation, the total number of times the cassette 24 was actually used by the customer and the total deposit fee are stored in the rental management memory 59. Therefore, lending management can be carried out fairly and strictly for all three parties: the borrowing side, the lending company, and the software supply company.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a rental management memory is provided to store rental information of each item, and when the item is registered for rental and returned to the shelf within a certain cancellation permission time, the item is automatically registered. I am trying to cancel the registration. Therefore, borrowing and withdrawal,
For the lending company, it is possible to manage the lending of goods more strictly and fairly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 13 are illustrations of an article lending processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire device, and FIG. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cassette, and Figure 4 shows the I installed in the cassette.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the C circuit, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the operation panel, FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the IC circuit, FIGS. 7, 9, and 10 are diagrams showing memory contents, and FIG. FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are flowcharts showing the operation, and FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the lending slip. 22... Shelf, 23... Main body control device, 24... Cassette, 25... Operation panel, 27...) C circuit,
31...Display section, 32...Number key, 35...Rental key, 37...Discount key, 39...Mode selection key, 40...Printer, 42...CPtJ, 44・
...RAM. 45...Micro switch, 57...Power switch, 59...Rental management memory, 60...Table, 6
2...Shelf number area, 63...Product information area, 64.
...Rental information area, 68...Discount memory,... 70... Overdue charge memory, 72... Transmission data memory, 73... Loan slip (cancellation slip). Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue U Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] An IC circuit that is built into an item lent to a fee and stores the product information of the item, a plurality of shelves into which one item is inserted, and an IC circuit that is installed in each shelf and stores the item information. a detection device that detects that an article has been inserted; a product information area that stores product information of the article corresponding to each of the articles; a rental information area that stores rental information; and a shelf bin area that stores an insertion shelf number. a rental management memory consisting of a plurality of tables having a plurality of tables; a main body control device that writes and reads information to and from the rental management memory; a signal connection mechanism provided between the fence and the article for data transmission therebetween, and a shelf number of the shelf on which the withdrawal operation occurred after the detection device detects the withdrawal operation of the article from the shelf. rental registration means for registering rental information including rental time in a rental information area of a table corresponding to the table; and a rental registration means for registering rental information including rental time in a rental information area of a table corresponding to A product information reading means that reads the product information via a connection mechanism, and an elapsed time from the rental time stored in the rental information area of the table in which the read product information is stored to the insertion time of this article is less than a predetermined cancellation permission time. If so, the article rental processing device is characterized by comprising: cancellation registration means for canceling the rental information in the corresponding table.