JPH0371388A - Card type automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the operability and the sale working efficiency of card type automatic vending machine by providing a set area of a card for the commodity selection information and a sale control part which gives an instruction to a commodity discharging device to discharge the commodities based on the commodity selection information read out of the card. CONSTITUTION:The commodity selection information is written into a set area of a card 1, and a sale control part 3 gives an instruction to a commodity discharging device to discharge the selected commodities based on the commodity selection information read out of the card 1. When the coins and then the card 1 are inputted, the commodity selection information of the card 1 is updated into the contents designated by the commodity selection switches 6a - 6x which are later operated. At the same time, an amount obtained by subtracting the difference between the charges of the commodities designated by the switches 6a - 6x and the amount of input coins from a prepaid amount is returned. Then the discharge of the selected commodity is instructed. Thus a customer can purchase the commodities without performing any complicated operation. As a result, the time required for a single sale action is shortened and the sale working efficiency is improved together with improvement of the operability of card type automatic vending machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card-type vending machine that sells selected products using a private card on which a prepaid amount is written.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional card-type vending machine is constructed as shown in FIG. The prepaid amount is written on the private card 1. The card reader/writer 2 once takes in the inserted card, reads the prepaid amount written on the card 1, and inputs the read prepaid amount as deposit information M to the sales control section 3. The sales control unit 3 compares the sales prices of the plurality of sales columns with the advance payment amount given by the input money information M to determine whether the product can be sold, and the sales control unit 3 determines whether the product can be sold or not by comparing the sales prices in the plurality of sales columns with the prepaid amount given by the input money information M, and then selects the sales possibility lamps 5a to 5a provided in the product selection switch group 4. 5X
The column corresponding to the sales column determined to be available for sale by the above determination is lit.

When one of the product selection switches 6a to 6X of the product selection switch group 4 corresponding to a sales column determined to be available for sale is operated, a product dispensing device 7 is instructed to dispense the selected product. Along with this, the sales control section 3
The card reader/writer 2 is instructed to update the prepaid amount written on the card 1. Specifically, the prepaid amount for the card 1 is updated to the amount given in the deposit information minus the selling price, and the updated card 1 is returned.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional configuration, in order to purchase a product, it is necessary to input the card 1 and specify the product by operating one of the product selection switches 6a to 6X. . In recent years, the number of products handled by vending machines has increased, and the number of product selection switches 6a to 6X has become extremely large.You can purchase the desired product by operating any of the product selection switches. It takes a long time for the user to realize that the system can be used, making it difficult to use. Furthermore, if it takes time for the user to recognize the item, the time required for one sale will increase, leading to a problem that the sales utilization rate per unit time will decrease.

An object of the present invention is to provide a card-type vending machine that can contribute to improved operability and improved sales operation efficiency in a usage mode where the same product is purchased every time.

Means for Solving the Problems The card-type vending machine of the present invention specifies the product to be purchased by operating a product selection switch, and either deducts the price of the product to be sold from the amount of coins inserted, or The selected product is sold by deducting the charge for the sold product from the written prepaid amount, and a product selection information setting area is provided on the card, and the product selection information specified by the operation of the product selection switch or the product selection information read from the card is sold. Instructs the product dispensing device to dispense the product, and when it is detected that the card is input with a coin inserted, the product selection information of the card is specified by the product selection switch whose operation is subsequently detected. The present invention is characterized by being provided with a sales control part which instructs payout of the selected product by updating the content and subtracting the difference between the price of the product specified by the product selection switch and the amount of coins inserted from the prepaid amount.

According to this configuration, product selection information is written in the setting area of the card, and the sales control section instructs the product dispensing device to dispense the selected product according to the product selection information read from the card.

If you insert a coin and then input your card, the product selection information on the card will be updated to the content specified by the product selection switch operated after that, and the price and coin input for the product specified by the product selection switch will be updated. The difference between the amount and the prepaid amount is updated to the amount deducted from the prepaid amount, the item is returned, and instructions are given to pay out the selected item.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 1 and 2. Components having the same functions as those in FIG. 3 showing the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a card-type vending machine of the present invention.

In conventional Brebate cards, only the prepayment amount was written in the setting area, but Card 1 shown in Figure 1
Here, the prepayment amount and product selection information are written.

When purchasing a product by operating the product selection switches 6a to 6X, coins are inserted into the coin unit 8 without inputting the card 1.

The sales control unit 3 into which the coin has been inserted compares the amount of coins inserted with the sales price of each sales column to determine whether it can be sold. Of the available lamps 5a to 5X, ゛°can be sold’
Only those corresponding to the sales column determined to be lit are lit. When the sales control unit 3 detects that the product selection switch of the sales column determined as 'available for sale' has been operated, it instructs the product dispensing device 7 to dispense the product.

When the card 1 is input before the coin, the sales control unit 3 processes as follows. The card reader/writer 2 reads the deposit information M of the prepaid amount and the product selection information S from the card 1 inputted before the coin, and inputs them to the sales control section 3. The sales control section 3 determines whether the product can be sold and lights up one of the sales lamps 5a to 5X corresponding to the sales column in which the product can be sold. At the same time, the sales control unit 3 determines that the product in the column specified by the product selection information S is “
Determine whether it is determined as “Available for sale” and check whether this is “Available for sale”
If so, the product dispensing device 7 is instructed to dispense the product in the column designated by the product selection information S. Then, the card reader/writer 2 is instructed to update the prepaid amount. The card 1 with the updated prepaid amount is returned to the card insertion slot.

If the column specified by the product selection information S read from card 1 is not ready for sale with the prepaid amount of card 1, the message ``please insert additional coins'' will be displayed on display 9. Ru.

If no additional coins are inserted after the specified time has elapsed, an instruction to return the card 1 is issued to the card reader/writer 2. In this way, by using the card 1 on which the product selection information S is written, the user can quickly purchase a predetermined desired product without operating a product selection switch.

If card 1 is input after inserting a coin,
The sales control section 3 operates according to the flow shown in FIG.

The state in which a coin has been inserted prior to the input of card 1 is detected in steps (a-1) and [a-2], and after switching to the product selection information rewriting mode, step (a-3)
), when it is detected that any of the product selection switches 6a to 6X has been operated, in step (a-4), card 1 is selected.
The card reader/writer 2 is instructed to update the input money information M and the product selection information S.

Specifically, the product selection information S is updated to specify the sales column in which the operation was detected in step (a-3), and the price of the product specified in step (a-3) and the coin input amount are updated. The card reader/writer 2 is instructed to update the immersion amount information M to the amount obtained by subtracting the difference from the prepaid amount.

In step (a-5), the product dispensing device 7 is instructed to dispense the product specified by the product selection switch whose operation was detected in step (a-3).

In step [a-11i], the card reader/writer 2 is instructed to return the card 1 to the card insertion slot.

In addition, when updating the input money information M in step (a-4), if the prepaid amount is insufficient for the price of the selected product, the sales control unit 3 will display on the display unit 9, “Prepaid amount Please insert additional coins due to the shortage of coins.'' is displayed. If the user does not purchase the product, the user operates the refund switch IO. Here, when the sales control unit 3 detects the operation of the refund switch IO, the sales control unit 3
It is configured to instruct the reader/writer 2 to return the card 1 and to instruct the coin unit 8 to issue a refund.

The above product selection information S also includes the following.

For cup-type beverage vending machines, "product brand"
and "cooking details" are written as product selection information.

More specifically, "product brand" is written as "coffee" or "black tea," and "cooking content" is written as "
``hot'' or ``cold'', ``without sugar'' or ``in the amount of sugar added'', ``without ice'' or ``with ice''.
This includes the difference between

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a product selection information setting area is provided on a card, and a product dispensing device is configured to dispense a product based on the product selection information read from the card among a plurality of handled products. As a vending machine is equipped with a sales control unit that instructs customers to use the product, even if the vending machine handles a wide variety of products, if it is a preset product, it can be purchased without complicated operations by simply inputting the card, making it easy to operate. - It is possible to shorten the sales operation time and improve sales operation efficiency.

Furthermore, when the sales control unit detects that a card has been input with a coin inserted, the product selection information on the card is updated to the content specified by the product selection switch whose operation was subsequently detected. Since the system is configured to instruct the payout of the selected product, the product selection information can be updated in accordance with changes in the user's preferences.

Further, the product selection information on the card by the user can be updated in the vending machine itself used for selling products without installing a rewriting device separate from the vending machine at various locations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the card-type vending machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the main parts of the same device, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional card-type vending machine. 1...Card, 2...Card reader/writer, 3
...Sales control unit, 6a to 6X...Product selection switch, 7...Product payout device, 8...Coin unit, M...Input money information, S...Product selection information.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Specify the product to purchase by operating the product selection switch, and select by deducting the price of the product for sale from the amount of coins inserted, or by deducting the price for the product for sale from the prepaid amount written on the entered card. In addition to selling the product, a product selection information setting area is provided on the card, and the product dispensing device is instructed to dispense the product specified by the product selection information read from the card or by operating the product selection switch, and coins are inserted. When it is detected that the card has been input in a state where the card has been input, the product selection information on the card is updated to the content specified by the product selection switch whose operation was subsequently detected, and the price of the product specified by the product selection switch is updated. This card-type vending machine is equipped with a sales control section that instructs the dispensing of selected products by subtracting the difference between the amount of money and the amount of coins inserted from the prepaid amount.