JPS63249291A - Prepaid type card applied vending machine with settling function - 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] [Industrial application field]

The present invention is a so-called prepaid card (in other words, the available amount (remaining amount) is written in advance by prepayment, and each time you purchase a product using this card from now on, the amount of the purchased product is deducted from the remaining amount on the card. A vending machine (also abbreviated as "vending machine") that allows you to sell products by inserting a card in which the remaining amount is written on the card, and in particular, the remaining amount on the card can be paid out. This invention relates to a prepaid card-operated vending machine with a payment function that allows users to make payments using a prepaid card.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the methods for settling (rounding) the remaining amount on a card in a system equipped with multiple prepaid card vending machines of this type are: - Using a card deposit machine, add a new deposit amount to the card that has a low balance. Write and reuse this card. ■Use two cards, add the balance of the first card to the second card, and use this second card. ■Pay the remaining amount on your card using a dedicated card payment machine. Such methods are known.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in methods ① and ② above, that is, methods that do not use a card payment machine, if you want to reduce the balance on your card to 0, when you purchase a product at a vending machine, the balance will be 0.
It must be done so that However, if the remaining amount on the card happens to match the product price when purchasing this product, there is no problem, but if they do not match, there is always a remaining amount and there is a problem that payment cannot be made. Furthermore, in the method (2) above, it is necessary to install a card payment machine near the card-based vending machine, and a plurality of payment machines are required in one card-based vending machine system. Furthermore, since it is possible to pay off the remaining amount on the card, if the payment is made before purchasing a product with the card, there is a problem that only the cost of the card itself will be incurred and no profits will be made. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a prepaid card vending machine equipped with a device that allows payment to be made only when the card balance falls below a certain amount.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the vending machine of the present invention is a vending machine that can sell products based on the insertion of a card on which the available amount after r (hereinafter referred to as the remaining amount) is written, In a prepaid card-using vending machine in which the amount obtained by subtracting the amount of the sold product from the remaining amount of the inserted card immediately before the sale is written as a new remaining amount on the inserted card each time a product is sold. , a money dispensing means (such as the money dispensing device 6), a settlement request inputting means (such as the Slower settlement) for inputting a settlement request, a maximum settlement amount setting means (such as the keyboard 4) for setting the maximum settlement amount, and the card. settlement control that causes the money dispensing means to pay out money corresponding to the remaining amount only when the remaining amount in the inserted card is equal to or less than the maximum settlement amount based on the insertion of the card and the input of the settlement request. It is assumed that j is provided with means (card control unit 2, etc.).

[For use]

According to the above configuration, when the card is inserted and a payment request is made by the payment request input means, it is determined whether the remaining amount on the card is less than or equal to the maximum payment amount. If it is below, the remaining amount is paid out by the settlement control means via the money dispensing means.

【Example】

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing the main structure of a card-using vending machine as an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of FIG. 1. In Fig. 1, l is a card league that reads and writes the contents of the inserted prepaid card, and 2 is a card control unit, which controls various devices related to this card and also transmits the remaining amount of the inserted card to the vending machine control unit 3. It is possible to select and sell products that can be sold using the remaining amount of the lever, and control is performed such as obtaining the amount of the selling product from this vending machine control section 3 and subtracting it from the remaining amount of the inserted card. Reference numeral 4 denotes a keyboard, which is used to set various data such as the maximum settlement amount in the card control section 2. 5 is a card return button for inputting a command to the card control section 2 to return the inserted card. 6.7 is a new means provided in the present invention,
Reference numeral 6 represents a money dispensing device, and reference numeral 7 represents a payment button for inputting a command to the card control unit 2 to pay the balance on the card. Note that the money dispensing device 6 is a 10 yen dispensing device 6 in this example.
It consists of: 1. 100 yen dispensing device 62. 1000 yen dispensing device 63. Next, the operation shown in FIG. 1 will be explained using FIG. 2. In step S1, insertion of the card is determined via the card reader 1, and the remaining amount on the card is read.Furthermore, in step S2, a product selection signal is input to the vending machine control unit 3 via a product selection button (not shown). (branch Y), the vending machine control section 3 carries out the selected product through a product discharging means (not shown), and at the same time notifies the card control section 2 of the price of the carried out product (step S6). subtracts the price of the exported product from the remaining amount on the card via the card reader 1, and updates the remaining amount (step S7). On the other hand, the product selection button is not turned on in step S2 (branch N)
If the card return button is not turned on in step S3 (branch N), and if the remaining amount on the card is less than or equal to the maximum settlement amount set via the keyboard 4 in step S4 (branch Y), the process proceeds to step S5. Check whether payment button 7 is ON or not. If payment button 7 is turned on (branch Y), step S
In step S9, money corresponding to the remaining amount on the card is paid out via the money paying out device 6, and in step S9, the money is paid out to the card reader 1.
(write 0 to clear the remaining amount on the inserted card),
The inserted card is returned in step S10. Furthermore, even if the remaining amount on the card after carrying out the product is less than the maximum settlement amount in step S6, it is possible to return to step S2 and settle the remaining amount on the card through the same procedure from step S3 as described above. It is.

【Effect of the invention】

According to the present invention, a vending machine that uses a prepaid card is provided with a means to settle the balance only when the balance on the card falls below a predetermined amount (maximum settlement amount). If you want to stop using your card, you can pay off the remaining balance on your card, and for the product seller, you will not be forced to pay off your card unnecessarily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing the main structure of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of FIG. 1. 1: Card reader, 2: Card control unit, 3: Vending machine control unit, 4: Keyboard, 5: Card return button, 6: Money dispensing device, 7: Payment button.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A vending machine that enables the sale of products based on the insertion of a card on which the amount of money that can be used thereafter (hereinafter referred to as the remaining amount) is written, the vending machine comprising: A prepaid card-using vending machine that writes the amount obtained by subtracting the amount of the sold product from the remaining amount of the card immediately before the sale as a new remaining amount on this inserted card, comprising: a money dispensing means; a settlement request input means for inputting a request; a maximum settlement amount setting means for setting a maximum settlement amount; and based on the insertion of the card and the input of the settlement request, the remaining amount in the inserted card is less than or equal to the maximum settlement amount. A prepaid card-using vending machine with a payment function, comprising: payment control means for dispensing money corresponding to the remaining amount through the money dispensing means only in the case where: