JPH0863642A - Vending machine product management device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] The product data indicating the product barcodes of the product storage shelves 3-1 to 3-n is registered in the product data storage memory 7 without manual input, and the product is mistakenly inserted. prevent. [Structure] When storing a product, when a barcode of the product is read by the barcode reading device 6 and loaded into a product storage shelf (referred to as 3-1) in which the product is to be stored, a loading detection sensor of the storage shelf 5-1 detects this, and the CPU 2 registers the correspondence between the product storage shelf 3-1 and its bar code in the product data storage memory 7 as product data. Further, when the barcode of the supplemented product is read by the barcode reading device 6 when replenishing the product, the CPU 2 collates it with the product data in the product data storage memory 7, and the insertion port display lamp ( Any one of 4-1 to 4-n) is turned on to prevent a mistake in making.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for managing the contents of products stored in a vending machine and the presence / absence of erroneous replenishment. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional vending machine, when a product nameplate is attached to a product storage shelf and the product is stored in the product storage shelf for supplementing the product, the product and the product nameplate are checked and stored. There is. Further, in a conventional vending machine POS system that manages sales information by connecting a center device and a vending machine via a communication line, the data of the products stored in the managed vending machine is manually transferred to the center device. I have registered.

[0003]

Therefore, in the conventional product storing method of the vending machine, there is a problem that the wrong replenishment cannot be detected even if the different product storing shelves are replenished by the wrong recognition of the product nameplate. is there. In addition, the conventional vending machine POS
In the system, the input management data and the product stored in the vending machine may be different due to the data input error in the center device or the storage error of the product in the vending machine as described above. . In this case, the center device cannot check whether the products registered in the management data are actually stored.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent erroneous replenishment of different product storage shelves when replenishing products to the vending machine, and registering management data of the vending machine to the center device in the vending machine POS system. An object is to provide a product management device for a vending machine that eliminates mistakes, prevents data inconsistency between the center device and the vending machine, and enables accurate product management of the vending machine. .

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a product management apparatus according to claim 1 is a bar code reading device (6 or the like) for reading a bar code attached to a product, and a product storage shelf ( 3-1 to 3-n, etc.) and a loading detection sensor (5-1 to 5-n, etc.) for detecting loading of a product into the product storage shelf, and a bar of the product on the bar code reading device. After scanning the code, put this product into the product storage shelf where it should be stored, based on the product storage work repeated for each product storage shelf A means (CPU 2 or the like) for registering the product data as barcode data of the product for each product storage shelf in the product data storage memory (7 or the like) from the detection signal of the insertion detection sensor corresponding thereto is provided.

The product management device according to claim 2 is the product management device according to claim 1, wherein the product management device is provided for each of the product storage shelves and shows an insertion port indicating lamp (4-1 to 4-1).
4-n), and based on the barcode reading by the barcode reader of the supplementary product after registering the product data in the product data storage memory for the first-time input product, the supplementary product is stored. It should be provided with means (CPU 2 etc.) for turning on the input port display lamp of the commodity storage shelf.

A commodity management apparatus according to a third aspect is the commodity management apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein means (CPU2 or the like) for monitoring replenishment storage of a replenishment commodity in an incorrect commodity storage shelf via the input detection sensor is used. ). Also,
A commodity management apparatus according to claim 4 is the commodity management apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the commodity data registered in the commodity data storage memory is transmitted to a center device of the vending machine POS system ( CPU2, modem 11
Etc.).

[0008]

[Operation] After the bar code of the product to be stored in the vending machine is input by the bar code reading device, the product is inserted into the product storage shelf at the storage destination and the product detection shelf detects the product storage shelf into which the product has been inserted. By doing so, the product storage shelves and the barcodes of the products detected are registered in the product data storage memory as product data.

By inputting the bar code of the product to be replenished at the time of replenishing the product, the input bar code is compared with the product data registered in the product data storage memory, and the product is stored in the corresponding product storage shelf. The provided entrance display lamp is turned on. In addition, whether or not products are replenished to the corresponding product storage shelves is monitored by a loading detection sensor. Further, the product data registered in the product data storage memory is transmitted to the center device of the vending machine POS system.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the essential parts of an automatic vending machine as an embodiment of the present invention. This vending machine 1 has product storage shelves 3-1, 3-2 to 3-n for storing products and input port display lamps 4-1 and 4 attached to the input ports of the product storage shelves.
-2 to 4-n, loading detection sensors 5-1 and 5-2 to 5-n for detecting loading of a product into a product storage shelf, and a bar code reading device 6 for reading a bar code of a product. ,
A product data storage memory 7 for storing product data and a CPU 2 for controlling the entire product are provided.

Next, referring to FIG. 1, the case of registering the product data of the products stored in the product storage shelf 3-1 will be described.
The CPU 2 is caused to read the barcode of the product in advance via the barcode reading device 6. Next, store this product in the product storage shelf 3
When the product is loaded into -1, the CPU 2 detects that the product has been loaded into the product storage rack 3-1 by the loading detection sensor 5-1 installed in the loading slot of the product storage rack 3-1. Then, the barcode of the product stored in the product storage shelf 3-1 is registered in the product data storage memory 7 as product data.

Next, the case of replenishing the merchandise storage rack 3-1 with merchandise will be described. The CPU 2 is caused to read the barcode of the product to be replenished via the barcode reading device 6. Then, the CPU 2 discriminates the product storage shelf 3-1 corresponding to the inputted bar code from the product data registered in the product data storage memory 7, and displays the insertion port installed at the insertion port of the product storage shelf 3-1. The lamp 4-1 is turned on to specify the replenishment destination of the product.

At this time, the CPU 2 uses the loading detection sensors 5-1 to 5-n installed in the loading slot to move to the product storage shelves 3-2 to 3-n other than the designated product storage shelf 3-1. Monitor for incorrect replenishment. At the time of erroneous replenishment, the erroneous replenishment is notified to the merchandise replenishment operator through, for example, blinking of the charging port display lamp or a buzzer alarm not shown. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the system configuration when the present invention is applied to a vending machine POS system using a telephone line. This system is composed of a vending machine 1, a center device 8 for managing its data, modems 9 and 11 for performing communication via a telephone line, and a telephone line network 10.

Next, a case where the vending machine 1 of FIG. 1 is applied to the system of FIG. 2 will be described. Bar codes of all the products handled in advance are registered in the center device 8 as data. The center device 8 collects the product data registered in the product data storage memory 7 by the vending machine 1 through the telephone line 10 according to the procedure described with reference to FIG. Thus, by confirming the contents of the product data storage memory 7 at the center device, the contents of the products stored in the vending machine 1 can be confirmed at the center. Therefore, it is possible to check a mistake in storing the product in the vending machine 1. Further, the product data actually registered by the vending machine 1 when the product is stored can be registered in the center device 8 as management data of the vending machine 1.

The present invention is based on the modems 9 and 1 in FIG.
It is also applicable to a system using a communication line other than a telephone line, such as a wireless system in which 1 is replaced with a wireless device.

[0016]

According to the present invention, a bar code reading device is provided in an automatic vending machine, and the bar code of the product to be stored is read by the bar code reading device to store the product in the automatic vending machine. In addition to registering the product data for each product storage shelf of the vending machine by collating with the detection signal of the loading detection sensor provided for each shelf, at the time of product replenishment work, the destination of the product replenishment can be specified by the input port indicator lamp. Therefore, the replenishment destination can be easily selected. Also, since the input detection sensor is used to monitor the input of products into the product storage shelf,
Even when a product is loaded into a different product storage shelf due to a mistake in checking the loading port indicator lamp, it is possible to detect an erroneous loading. In this way, it becomes possible to reliably perform the work of replenishing the vending machine with the product.

Since the merchandise data registered in the vending machine is transmitted to the center device of the vending machine POS system, the contents of the merchandise actually stored in the vending machine can be confirmed by the center device. Therefore, it becomes possible to accurately reflect the product content of the vending machine as the management data of the vending machine POS system.

The product contents of the vending machine may be changed after the vending machine is installed due to the change of the product to a new product or the change of the product depending on the season. In the present invention, since the product data of the vending machine is registered by the product storing operation in the vending machine, the data can be easily changed after the installation. Further, by registering the data in the vending machine and transmitting the data to the center device when the product is changed, the management data of the center device can be kept up to date.

By performing registration management of merchandise data and replenishment management of merchandise as described above, it is possible to prevent data inconsistency between the center device and the vending machine, and perform accurate merchandise management of the vending machine. Is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of a POS system using the vending machine of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vending machine 2 CPU 3-1 to 3-n Product storage shelves 4-1 to 4-n Input port display lamps 5-1 to 5-n Input detection sensor 6 Bar code reader 7 Product data storage memory 8 Center device 9 Modem 10 Telephone line network 11 Modem

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A bar code reading device for reading a bar code attached to a product, a loading detection sensor provided for each product storage shelf to detect loading of the product into the product storage shelf, and the bar code reading device. The barcode reader reads the barcode of the product after loading the product on the product storage shelves to be stored based on the product storage work repeated for each product storage shelf. Automatic sales, characterized by including means for registering product data as bar code data for each product storage shelf in the product data storage memory from the bar code and the detection signal of the corresponding insertion detection sensor Machine product management device. 2. The product management device according to claim 1, wherein the product storage shelf is provided for each product storage shelf, and an insertion port display lamp indicating an insertion port of the product storage shelf and a product data storage memory for a product initially inserted as described above. A means for turning on an input port indicator lamp of a product storage shelf in which the supplemental product is to be stored based on the barcode read by the barcode reader for the supplemental product after the data is registered. Product management device for vending machines. 3. The vending machine according to claim 2, further comprising means for monitoring the replenishment and storage of the replenishment product in the wrong product storage shelf via the input detection sensor. Product management device. 4. The product management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting the product data registered in the product data storage memory to a center device of a vending machine POS system. Characteristic vending machine product management device.