KR20230118335A - Food vending machine system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an unmanned food vending machine system, in which frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature food is stored and a food container arranging unit having a food container attached with a digital code recording a recipe, and when the food is selected according to a user's selection, A food container dispensing unit for dispensing a food container, and reading the digital code of the discharged food container, determining one of steam-based food cooking or electromagnetic wave-based food cooking based on the recipe, and based on the decision, the recipe and a food processing unit that processes the food by controlling a steam sprayer or a microwave oven based on a cooking time.

Description

Food vending machine system {FOOD VENDING MACHINE SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to unmanned food vending machine technology, and more particularly, to an unmanned food vending machine system capable of storing food and processing food selected by a user based on a recipe recorded on a food container.

Unmanned vending machines that automatically sell food such as coffee and beverages, disposable items such as tissues, or subway tickets are installed in outdoor and indoor public spaces. A general unmanned vending machine has a structure in which, after recognizing a payment method, when a user selects a desired product, the product is transported to an outlet through a mechanical transport means installed therein so that the user can acquire the product.

Recently, the types of food sold through unmanned vending machines are diversifying. For example, ramen in a cup-shaped packaging container, so-called 'Hatbahn' packaging, disposable sauce for eating on top of the packaging or general rice, packaged side dishes such as pickled radish or kimchi, and Meal-Kit. It is sold as disposable packaged food.

Meal-Kit is a meal set that means Meal (meal) and Kit (kid, set), and is also called a cooking box or recipe box. Meal kit is a meal kit that can be cooked easily and quickly using prepared ingredients and mixed sauce.

Although unmanned vending machines provide convenience to users, it is common to purchase stored food as it is and cook it separately. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a technology capable of supplementing this.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0089005 (2012.08.09) relates to a frozen food vending machine including a heating device, a main body with an outer door installed in the front, installed inside the main body, and insulated to block outside air. A frozen food storage room composed of walls, a microwave oven for primary cooking by heating frozen food taken out from the frozen food storage room, and a secondary cooking while moving the frozen food primarily cooked and discharged from the microwave oven along the coil Including a coil-type heating device, the inside and outside of the frozen food is warmed by first cooking in a microwave oven, and the second cooking is done with a coil-type heating device, so that the surface of the first-cooked frozen food can be baked crispy and provided to the user. technology is being disclosed.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0102597 (2021.08.20) relates to a smart vending system, which stores products refrigerated or frozen and has an opening so that buyers can directly pick up the stored products, and product information and payment information. A refrigerated/frozen product vending machine that transmits in real time, and if the product information received in real time from the refrigerated/frozen product vending machine is not received, the payment information is sent to the payment company so that the payment for the corresponding product is processed. Including the seller management server provided, products such as refrigerated or frozen food can be sold unattended, buyers can directly pick up and purchase refrigerated or frozen products they want, and technology can be automatically paid for purchased products. there is.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0089005 (2012.08.09) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0102597 (2021.08.20)

One embodiment of the present invention is to provide an unmanned food vending machine system capable of storing food and processing food selected by a user based on a recipe recorded in a food container.

One embodiment of the present invention is to provide an unmanned food vending machine system capable of unmannedly selling frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature foods and checking inventory in real time so that popular foods are not exhausted.

An embodiment of the present invention can cook food based on steam or electromagnetic waves according to frozen, refrigerated or room temperature food, and control the steam sprayer and microwave based on the cooking time in the recipe to improve food processing perfection. It is intended to provide an unmanned food vending machine system.

Among the embodiments, the unmanned food vending machine system stores frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature food and places a food container arranging unit with a digital code recording a recipe attached thereto, and when the food is selected according to a user's selection, the food A food container dispensing unit that discharges a container, and reading the digital code of the discharged food container, determining one of steam-based food cooking or electromagnetic wave-based food cooking based on the recipe, and cooking on the recipe based on the determination and a food processing unit that processes the food by controlling a steam sprayer or a microwave oven based on time.

The food container arranging unit may detect the loading amount of the food container and, if the loading amount is less than a specific standard, place an order for the food to the food sales headquarters terminal through the sales network.

The food container arranging unit provides the identification code of the unmanned vending machine in the process of ordering the food, and the food sales headquarters terminal searches for specialized order contents in a pre-established unmanned vending machine database, determines the food container, and packages the food. can make it

The food processing unit determines whether the food corresponds to frozen food based on the digital code, determines the recipe as the steam-based food cooking, and determines whether the food corresponds to refrigerated food or normal temperature food based on the digital code. It is possible to determine whether the recipe is microwave-based food cooking.

The food processing unit may determine a degree of completion of processing of the food by detecting a temperature distribution according to processing of the food before the processing of the steam sprayer or the microwave oven is completed.

The food processor may process the food by determining whether to extend the cooking time based on the degree of completion of processing the food, calculating a deviation according to the temperature distribution, and determining an extended cooking time.

The food processing unit may request a maintenance service for the steam injector or the microwave oven from a food sales maintenance service terminal when the deviation according to the temperature distribution is equal to or greater than a specific standard.

The food processing unit permits remote access to the unmanned food vending machine system to the food sales maintenance service terminal when the maintenance service of the steam injector or the microwave oven is determined, so that the types of food sold during a specific period and the processing of the corresponding food are controlled. It is possible to provide sales processing history information including the temperature distribution according to the temperature distribution.

The disclosed technology may have the following effects. However, it does not mean that a specific embodiment must include all of the following effects or only the following effects, so it should not be understood that the scope of rights of the disclosed technology is limited thereby.

An unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention may store food and process and provide food selected by a user based on a recipe recorded on a food container.

An unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention can sell frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature food unattended, and can check stock in real time so that popular food is not exhausted.

An unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention can cook food based on steam or electromagnetic waves according to frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature food, and controls a steam sprayer and a microwave oven based on the cooking time in the recipe to ensure the food is stored. It is possible to increase the degree of completeness of processing.

1 is a diagram illustrating an unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the physical configuration of the unmanned food vending machine in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a view explaining the functional configuration of the unmanned food vending machine in FIG. 1 .
4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of selling and processing food performed in an unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment.

Since the description of the present invention is only an embodiment for structural or functional description, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described in the text. That is, since the embodiment can be changed in various ways and can have various forms, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention includes equivalents capable of realizing the technical idea. In addition, since the object or effect presented in the present invention does not mean that a specific embodiment should include all of them or only such effects, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the meaning of terms described in this application should be understood as follows.

Terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one component from another, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, a first element may be termed a second element, and similarly, a second element may be termed a first element.

It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, but other elements may exist in the middle. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that no intervening elements exist. Meanwhile, other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as “between” and “immediately between” or “adjacent to” and “directly adjacent to” should be interpreted similarly.

Expressions in the singular number should be understood to include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, and terms such as “comprise” or “having” refer to an embodied feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or these. It should be understood that it is intended to indicate that a combination exists, and does not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In each step, the identification code (eg, a, b, c, etc.) is used for convenience of explanation, and the identification code does not describe the order of each step, and each step clearly follows a specific order in context. Unless otherwise specified, it may occur in a different order than specified. That is, each step may occur in the same order as specified, may be performed substantially simultaneously, or may be performed in the reverse order.

The present invention can be implemented as computer readable code on a computer readable recording medium, and the computer readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices storing data that can be read by a computer system. . Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage devices. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected through a network, so that computer-readable codes may be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

All terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, unless defined otherwise. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as consistent with meanings in the context of the related art, and cannot be interpreted as having ideal or excessively formal meanings unless explicitly defined in the present application.

1 is a diagram illustrating an unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an unmanned food vending machine system 100 may include an unmanned vending machine 110, a cooker 130, a food sales headquarters terminal 150, a database 170, and a food sales maintenance service terminal 190. can

The unmanned vending machine 110 may correspond to a computing device installed in a store and capable of processing unmanned automatic sales of food, and may be implemented with various devices such as a KIOSK. The unmanned vending machine 110 may be connected to the food sales headquarters terminal 150 and the food sales maintenance service terminal 190 through a network, and the plurality of unmanned vending machines 110 maintain the food sales headquarters terminal 150 and food sales. It may be connected to the maintenance service terminal 190 at the same time.

The cooker 130 may include a steam injector 130a and a microwave oven 130b capable of processing food selected by a user among foods stored in the unmanned vending machine 110 . The cooker 130 may be included in the unmanned vending machine 110 and integrally implemented. In the cooker 130, a steam injector 130a or a microwave oven 130b may be selectively operated based on a food recipe. Here, the steam injector 130a may process by injecting steam when the food is frozen food. The microwave oven 130b may process food by heating it with electromagnetic waves when the food is refrigerated food or normal temperature food.

The food sales headquarters terminal 150 may be implemented as a server corresponding to a computer or program capable of receiving food orders from the unmanned food vending machines 110 installed in the store. The food sales headquarters terminal 150 may be connected to the unmanned food vending machine 110 through a sales network.

In one embodiment, the food sales headquarters terminal 150 may store information necessary for ordering food in association with the database 170 . Meanwhile, unlike FIG. 1 , the food sales headquarters terminal 150 may be implemented by including a database 170 therein.

The database 170 may correspond to a storage device for storing various pieces of information required in the process of ordering food. The database 170 may store information about the unmanned food vending machine 110 installed in the store, store food information ordered from the unmanned food vending machine 110, but is not limited thereto, and may store specialized order contents. there is.

The food sales maintenance service terminal 190 may correspond to a computing device or server capable of receiving a maintenance service for the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b from the unmanned food vending machines 110 installed in the store. .

FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining the physical configuration of the unmanned vending machine in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 2 , the unmanned vending machine 110 may be implemented by including a processor 210, a memory 230, a user input/output unit 250, and a network input/output unit 270.

The processor 210 may execute a procedure for processing each operation of an unattended and automatic food selling process, manage the memory 230 read or written throughout the process, and volatile information in the memory 230. Synchronization time between memory and non-volatile memory can be scheduled. The processor 210 can control the overall operation of the unmanned vending machine 110, and is electrically connected to the memory 230, the user input/output unit 250, and the network input/output unit 270 to control data flow between them. there is. The processor 210 may be implemented as a central processing unit (CPU) of the unmanned vending machine 110 .

The memory 230 may be implemented as a non-volatile memory such as a solid state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD) and may include an auxiliary memory device used to store all data necessary for the unmanned vending machine 110, and RAM. It may include a main memory device implemented as a volatile memory such as (Random Access Memory).

The user input/output unit 250 may include an environment for receiving user input and an environment for outputting specific information to the user. For example, the user input/output unit 250 may include an input device including an adapter such as a touch pad, a touch screen, an on-screen keyboard, or a pointing device, and an output device including an adapter such as a monitor or touch screen.

The network input/output unit 270 includes an environment for connecting to an external device or system through a network, and includes, for example, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), and a VAN ( An adapter for communication such as Value Added Network) may be included.

FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the functional configuration of the unmanned vending machine in FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the unmanned vending machine 110 may include a food container dispensing unit 310, a food container dispensing unit 330, a food processing unit 350, and a control unit 370.

The food container arranging unit 310 may store frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature foods and place food containers attached with digital codes recording recipes. Here, the food container arranging unit 310 divides the internal space and maintains a different internal temperature for each partitioned space, so that frozen food, refrigerated food, and room temperature food can be separately disposed. For example, the food container arranging unit 310 may keep the inside of the space where the frozen food is placed cold by a freezer.

In one embodiment, the food container arranging unit 310 may store food in a container, and at this time, the food container may be made of a material that can be used in the steam injector 130a of the cooker 130 or the microwave oven 130b. there is. The food container arranging unit 310 may attach a digital code recording the recipe of the corresponding food to the food container. Here, the digital code may use a QR (Quick Response) code or a barcode.

The food container arranging unit 310 detects the loading amount of the food container, and if the loading amount is less than a specific standard, it may place an order for food from the food sales headquarters terminal 150 through the sales network. In one embodiment, the food container arranging unit 310 may attach a load sensor to the inner space where the food container is placed to measure loading information of the food container placed in the inner space. The loading amount sensor may use an ultrasonic sensor. An ultrasonic sensor is a sensor using the characteristics of ultrasonic waves and can be composed of an ultrasonic transmitter and a receiver and can measure various physical quantities such as speed, distance, and thickness. In one embodiment, the food container arranging unit 310 may detect the loading amount of food containers for each food by subtracting the number of food containers for each food sold from the number of food containers for each food placed. Here, the food container arranging unit 310 may place an order for the corresponding food from the food sales headquarters terminal 150 when the loading amount of each food container is less than a specific standard.

The food container placement unit 310 provides the identification code of the unmanned vending machine 110 in the process of ordering food, and the food sales headquarters terminal 150 searches for specialized order contents in the pre-established unmanned vending machine database 150, You can decide on the food container and have it package the food. The food container arranging unit 310 transmits the unique identification code assigned to the unmanned vending machine 110 to the food sales headquarters terminal 150 so that specialized order contents for each unmanned vending machine can be searched. The food sales headquarters terminal 150 searches for specialized order contents of the corresponding unmanned vending machine in the database 150 based on the identification code received from the unmanned vending machine 110 in the process of ordering food, and places food containers according to the searched specialized order contents. can be determined, and the food can be packaged and supplied in the determined food container.

The food container discharge unit 330 may discharge the food container when food is selected according to the user's selection. The food container discharge unit 330 may provide an interface for interaction with a user. For example, the interface may correspond to a menu, an icon, etc. displayed on the screen of the unmanned vending machine 110 . The user may select at least one or more of the foods in the unmanned vending machine 110 through an interface provided from the food container dispensing unit 330 and then perform payment. The food container dispensing unit 330 may withdraw and discharge the food container for the food selected by the user from the food container arranging unit 310 after payment is completed. In one embodiment, the food container dispensing unit 330 may discharge the food container toward the cooker 130 when the user selects cooking in the process of selecting food, and if cooking is not selected, the food container is delivered to the user. It is discharged to the side so that the user can receive the uncooked food container.

The food processing unit 350 may read the digital code of the discharged food container and determine one of steam-based food cooking and electronic plate-based food cooking based on the recipe. In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 may include a reader capable of reading a digital code such as an optical camera, a QR code scanner, a barcode scanner, or an RF reader. For example, a reader may be an application for scanning a QR code. The food processing unit 350 may read the recipe of the food packaged in the food container by reading the digital code attached to the food container by the reader.

The food processing unit 350 may determine whether the food corresponds to frozen food based on the digital code and determine the recipe as steam-based food cooking. The food processing unit 350 may determine whether the food corresponds to refrigerated food or normal temperature food based on the digital code, and determine the recipe as microwave-based food cooking. In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 may process the food by controlling the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b based on the cooking time in the recipe when the food cooking method is determined. Here, the steam injector 130a may cook food packed in a food container discharged using steam. For example, the steam injector 130a may steam frozen food by generating steam using water. The microwave oven 130b is a cooking appliance that heats with high frequency, and can heat and cook refrigerated food or room temperature food.

The food processing unit 350 may determine the degree of completion of processing of the food by detecting the temperature distribution according to the processing of the food before the processing of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b is completed. In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 may process the food by controlling the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b during the cooking time on the recipe, and for example, before the cooking time ends, the cooking time By detecting the internal temperature distribution of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b 30 seconds to 1 minute before the end of the process, it can be confirmed that the food is heated unevenly or a large temperature deviation occurs inside the food.

The food processing unit 350 may process the food by determining whether to extend the cooking time based on the degree of completion of food processing, calculating the deviation according to the temperature distribution, and determining the extended cooking time. In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 requests the maintenance service of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b from the food sales maintenance service terminal 190 when the deviation according to the temperature distribution is equal to or greater than a specific standard. can When the maintenance service of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b is determined, the food processing unit 350 permits the food sales maintenance service terminal 190 to remotely access the unmanned vending machine 110 so that the food is sold during a specific period. It is possible to provide sales and processing history information including the type of food and the temperature distribution according to the processing of the food. In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 may store sales and processing history information including temperature distribution according to the type of food and processing whenever the food is sold. The food processing unit 350 provides sales processing history information to the product sales maintenance service terminal 190 when determining the maintenance service of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b, thereby diagnosing and maintaining failures more quickly and conveniently Maintenance service can be performed.

The control unit 370 may control the overall operation of the unmanned vending machine 110 and manage control flow or data flow between the food container dispensing unit 310, the food container dispensing unit 330, and the food processing unit 350. .

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of selling and processing food performed in an unmanned food vending machine system according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the unmanned food vending machine system 100 may store frozen, refrigerated, or room temperature food in the food container arranging unit 310 and place a food container attached with a digital code recording a recipe (step S410). ).

In one embodiment, the food container arranging unit 310 may detect the loading amount of the food container and place an order for food from the food sales headquarters terminal 150 through the sales network if the loading amount is less than a specific standard. More specifically, the food container arranging unit 310 detects the loading amount of food containers in real time and, when the loading amount is below a certain standard, places an order for food to the food sales headquarters terminal 150, thereby stocking popular foods with high sales volume. can manage The food container arranging unit 310 provides the identification code of the unmanned vending machine 110 in the process of ordering food, so that the food sales headquarters terminal 150 is assigned the identification code in the unmanned vending machine database 170 built in advance. A food container may be determined by searching the vending machine's specialized order contents, and the food may be packaged in the determined food container.

When food is selected according to the user's selection, the food vending machine system 100 may discharge the food container through the food container dispensing unit 330 (step S430).

In addition, the unmanned food vending machine device 100 reads the digital code of the food container discharged through the food processing unit 350, determines one of steam-based food cooking or electromagnetic wave-based food cooking based on the recipe, and based on the decision The food may be processed by controlling the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b based on the cooking time of the recipe (step S450).

In one embodiment, the food processing unit 350 may read the digital code, determine a recipe according to the type of food, and process the food using the cooker 130 suitable for the recipe. Here, the cooker 130 may include a steam injector 130a and a microwave oven 130b, which may be included in the food processing unit 350 and implemented. The food processing unit 350 may determine the degree of completion of processing of the food by detecting the temperature distribution according to the processing of the food before the processing of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b is completed. The food processing unit 350 extends the cooking time of the recipe when the internal temperature distribution of the steam injector 130a or the microwave oven 130b is non-uniform, and determines the cooking extension time according to the deviation of the temperature distribution, thereby increasing the degree of food processing perfection. It can be raised and provided to the user.

Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will variously modify and change the present invention within the scope not departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention described in the claims below. You will understand that it can be done.

100: food unmanned vending machine system
110: unmanned vending machine 130: cooker
130a: steam injector 130b: microwave oven
150: food sales headquarters terminal 170: database
190: food sales maintenance service terminal
210: processor 230: memory
250: user input/output unit 270: network input/output unit
310: food container dispensing unit 330: food container dispensing unit
350: food processing unit 370: control unit

Claims (8)

Food container arranging unit for storing frozen, refrigerated or room temperature food and placing a food container attached with a digital code recording a recipe;
a food container discharge unit for discharging the food container when the food is selected according to a user's selection;
The digital code of the discharged food container is read, one of steam-based food cooking or electromagnetic wave-based food cooking is determined based on the recipe, and a steam injector or microwave oven is operated based on the cooking time in the recipe based on the decision. An unmanned food vending machine system including a food processing unit that controls and processes the food.
The method of claim 1, wherein the food container arrangement unit
The unmanned food vending machine system, characterized in that for detecting the loading amount of the food container and ordering the food to the food sales headquarters terminal through the sales network if the loading amount is less than a specific standard.
The method of claim 2, wherein the food container arrangement unit
In the process of ordering the food, the identification code of the unmanned vending machine is provided, and the food sales headquarters terminal searches for specialized order contents in a pre-built unmanned vending machine database, determines the food container, and packs the food. food unmanned vending machine system.
The method of claim 1, wherein the food processing unit
Based on the digital code, determining whether the food corresponds to frozen food determines the recipe as the steam-based food cooking;
The unmanned food vending machine system, characterized in that determining whether the food corresponds to refrigerated food or room temperature food based on the digital code and determining the recipe as electromagnetic wave-based food cooking.
The method of claim 1, wherein the food processing unit
The unmanned food vending machine system, characterized in that the processing completeness of the food is determined by detecting the temperature distribution according to the processing of the food before the processing of the steam injector or the microwave oven is completed.
The method of claim 5, wherein the food processing unit
The unmanned food vending machine system characterized in that the food processing is performed by determining whether to extend the cooking time based on the degree of completion of processing the food, calculating a deviation according to the temperature distribution, and determining an extended cooking time.
The method of claim 6, wherein the food processing unit
The unmanned food vending machine system, characterized in that, when the deviation according to the temperature distribution is greater than or equal to a specific standard, a maintenance service for the steam injector or the microwave oven is requested from a food sales maintenance service terminal.
The method of claim 7, wherein the food processing unit
When the maintenance service of the steam injector or the microwave oven is determined, remote access to the unmanned food vending machine system is allowed to the food sales maintenance service terminal, and the type of food sold during a specific period and the temperature distribution according to the processing of the corresponding food are displayed. A food unmanned vending machine system characterized in that for providing sales processing history information including.