KR20000030375A - Remote management system of vending machine using data communication unit connected power line and usage method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for remotely controlling a vending machine is provided to effectively save the maintenance time by a remote control of the vending machine using a power line data transmitting/receiving system. CONSTITUTION: A system for remotely controlling a vending machine includes a data collecting system(110) disposed within the vending machine(100) to collect in real time a variety of information occurring at the vending machine. The data collecting system(110) includes a power line data transmitting/receiving system and an interface for the power line data transmitting/receiving system. The collected information is transmitted to a central computer(200) by the power line data transmitting/receiving system. The central computer processes the information and stores the same in a data base(204) so that the vending machine can be controlled by a personal digital assistant or a personal computer(300).

Description

Remote control system of vending machine using data communication unit connected power line and usage method}

The present invention provides a system and use for remotely managing a vending machine using a data transmission / reception device using a power line as a medium, the Internet, and a portable information terminal (laptop, cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.). It is about a method.

Vending machines are rapidly increasing in demand due to the ease of use and simplicity of sales methods, but profitability is gradually increasing due to increase in management costs and shorter operating hours due to traffic jams, distribution of installation area, stocks of materials, and check for change. The trend is decreasing. In addition, since the manager (owner) cannot directly grasp the individual sales status for each vending machine, there is a problem of distrust between the manager and the manager due to embezzlement or neglect of the sales price of the manager.

Existing vending machine management system or remote management system generally takes the form of management by using separate wireless equipment or public telephone network. However, this approach or technology is feasible but practically difficult to apply due to the cost of installation. Wireless technology requires the construction of repeaters and networks to deliver data to the station. In addition, remote management using a public telephone network requires the installation of telephone lines for each vending machine, and it is difficult to secure real-time data because of continuous phone calls at certain times. There is a problem in that maintenance costs such as telephone bills are increased.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is a data transmission and reception device using a power line medium and a plurality of vending machines distributed in various places, the Internet and a portable information terminal (notebook, mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.) The present invention relates to a system that can be remotely managed using and a method of using the same. By sending data from the vending machine to the management system without network construction, the vending machine's status information (out of stock and inventory status, sales status, vending machine vending, door open, external intrusion, change) Etc.) to the manager in real time, and the manager (or manager) is moving for effective management. Also, by using the Internet and a portable information terminal to access the management computer to know the status of the vending machine, it is possible to identify the vending machine that needs to be checked and managed in real time. In addition, the location information of the vending machine that requires management is shown in the form of a multimedia to increase the efficiency of management. In addition, in the case of hiring a management engineer, it is possible to grasp the management journal's inspection log and current location, thereby preventing the management manager's negligence of management in advance, thereby increasing profitability and improving the quality of service to users. To get it.

1 is a configuration diagram of a vending machine remote management system using a power line, the Internet, and a portable terminal according to the present invention and a method of using the same.

2 is a configuration diagram in which the present invention is applied to an existing vending machine

3 is a configuration diagram of a management computer of a remote management system of a vending machine.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: vending machine 110: vending machine data collection device

112: central processing unit

115: Interface for data transmission / reception apparatus using power line

120: data transmission and reception device via the power line medium

200: central management computer 300: vending machine management other connection device

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention collects in real time the status information of the vending machine (sold out of stock and inventory status, sales status, vending machine vending, door opening, change balance, etc.) generated in the vending machine. To transmit the data to the central management computer using a data transmission / reception device using the power line as a medium in the vending machine at the interval set by the vending machine manager (1 second, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 1 minute, etc.). Part 110 and the central management system part 200 for reconstructing the transmitted data in accordance with the management purpose to store in the database, provide the vending machine management information to the administrator, and supports interworking with the Internet, management information of the vending machine when moving The Internet and the portable information terminal is composed of a portion of the other connection device 300 is the main access means so as to cope with the situation.

A data transmission / reception apparatus using a power line as a medium (hereinafter, referred to as a power line data transmission / reception apparatus) performs the same function as a conventional modem, but has a different data transmission / reception medium. Conventional modems transmit data using telephone lines, but power line data transmission and reception devices transmit data using ordinary power lines (electric lines).

Hereinafter, described in detail by the accompanying drawings as follows.

1 senses and collects vending machine status data such as sales product inventory, external intrusion, material quantity, etc. of vending machines distributed and installed in various places, and transmits the data to the power line data transmitting and receiving apparatus (110). The management computer 200 comprehensively analyzes the status data of each vending machine and delivers the information necessary for the management of the vending machine to the manager, and also accesses devices such as the Internet or a portable information terminal even when the manager is located outside the central office. 300 shows the overall configuration of the vending machine remote management system that provides the vending machine management information in real time. In the case of a connection device capable of informing its own location in the connection device 300, the location information is notified to the central management computer 200, thereby enabling the grasp of the movement path of the manager or the management engineer.

2 is a block diagram showing a detailed system required for an existing vending machine in order to collect the status data of the vending machine in real time in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the vending machine state sensing unit 111 is generated in the vending machine. The signal is received and transmitted to the CPU 112. The CPU 112 stores the received data in the RAM 114 and transmits the data to the power line data transmission and reception apparatus 116 via the power line data transmission and reception interface 115. In addition, the ROM 114 includes information necessary for the initial operation of the vending machine data collection device 110 and enables the data collection device 110 to use necessary information when power is supplied.

The CPU 112 allows to build an environment in which the equipment identification number and the transmission period can be set. In addition, the CPU 112 transmits data to the power line data transmission and reception interface 115 so that the power line data transmission and reception interface 115 can drive the power line data transmission and reception device 116 to send data, and the power line data transmission and reception device ( 116 sends the data transmitted through the power line to the central management computer (200). The CPU 112 generates a warning sound for a signal prioritizing self processing such as illegal external intrusion or external excessive shock among signals transmitted from the sensing unit 111 and transmits the situation data to the central management computer 200. do.

The received data processing 201 of the central management computer 200 identifies the unique number of the vending machine in the transmitted data, identifies the form of the transmitted data, and transmits the data to the management information generation / storage / inquiry 203 module. Done.

The management information generation / storage / inquiry 203 part processes the data transmitted from the reception data processor 201 according to the purpose of use to generate useful information, and records the generated information in the database 204. The data necessary for monitoring is transmitted to the user interface 202 so that the administrator can immediately check the changed data. It also handles data retrieval requirements delivered from the user interface 202.

The user interface 202 part displays the information delivered in real time in a form that can be confirmed by the administrator, and various information necessary for management (sales related information such as inventory quantity, vending machine information to be checked, operating status of the vending machine, External intrusions, activities of management articles, etc.) to the management information generation / storage / retrieval 203 part at the request of the administrator, and the administrator checks the information transferred from the management information generation / storage / retrieval 203. Express it in the possible form. The expression is displayed in multimedia form such as text information, map, voice, etc., and also indicates the location information of the vending machine.

In addition, the administrator or management engineer also supports information retrieval / inquiry via the Internet to check the management information using a portable information terminal 300, such as a laptop, a mobile phone, a personal information terminal (PDA) while on the move.

The central management computer 200 may generate other warning sounds in the control center according to the situation of the vending machine, and also supports automatic notification to the security company if necessary.

The portable information terminal 300 is one of the ways to increase the efficiency of management and reduce the management cost. Even when the manager or the manager is out for the inspection of the vending machine at the station, the laptop, the mobile phone, the personal information terminal, etc. The portable information terminal allows access to the management computer 200 so that the vending machine always needs to be checked, and information about the vending machine closest to its location can be obtained.

According to the present invention, the state information of the vending machine can be grasped in real time using a data transmission / reception apparatus using an existing power line, which is already extensively constructed, so there is no need to use a separate network for construction, a commercial network, or a public network. The installation cost of the management system can be reduced, the management cost can be reduced, and the vending machine uptime can be increased. In addition, it is possible to obtain the management information about the vending machine on the go, so it is easy to access the vending machine that requires management, and it generates a warning sound by recognizing the external shock or illegal door opening for the vending machine. The information can be delivered to the station and, if necessary, sent to the security company, which can reduce conscious machine damage, thereby dramatically reducing the maintenance cost of the vending machine.

Claims (5)

Equipped with a data collection device 110 including a power line data transmission and reception device 116 and a power line data transmission and reception device interface 115 to the vending machine to collect data generated from the vending machine in real time, power line data transmission and reception device 116 Transfer the collected data to the central management computer 200, the central management computer 200 processes the transmitted data and stores it in the database 204, processing and expressing in the form available to the administrator, and move Remote management system of a vending machine using a power line, the Internet, and a portable information terminal, characterized in that the vending machine can be managed using a portable information terminal and a personal computer 300 that is accessible to the general Internet even when the station is in the middle or outside the management center. [Claim 2] The power line, the Internet and the portable information terminal of claim 1, wherein the location of the vending machine or the administrator's moving path or the vending machine using the portable information terminal can be identified. Remote management system Equipped with a data collection device 110 including a power line data transmission and reception device 116 and a power line data transmission and reception device interface 115 to the vending machine to collect data generated from the vending machine in real time, power line data transmission and reception device 116 Transfer the collected data to the central management computer 200, the central management computer 200 processes the transmitted data and stores it in the database 204, processing and expressing in the form available to the administrator, and move Remotely manage the vending machine using a power line, the Internet, and a portable information terminal, characterized in that the vending machine can be managed using a portable information terminal and a personal computer 300 with general Internet access, even during or outside the management center. How to The vending machine using the power line, the Internet, and the portable information terminal according to claim 3, characterized in that it is possible to check the position of the vending machine or the moving path of the manager or the management engineer using the portable information terminal in the form of a text or a multimedia expression. To remotely manage Equipped with a data collection device 110 with a power line data transmission and reception device 116 and a power line data transmission and reception device interface 115, to collect the data generated from the vending machine in real time, by using the power line data transmission and reception device 116 Vending machine, characterized in that for transmitting the collected data to the central management computer (200)