JPS63234356A - Automatic air ticket vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce working load for customer services and counter jobs and at the same time to always grasp the number of customers waiting for cancel of reservation, by adding a cancel waiting ticket issuing function to an automatic ticket vending machine. CONSTITUTION:When the flight is filled on a date desired by a customer, this fact is displayed on a CRT 15 and at the same time a key picture is displayed for input of desire for cancel waiting. When the customer performs an input operation for his/her desire for cancel ticket via a touch panel, a CPU of a ticket vending machine has communication with a center to record the desired date, flight name, etc., as well as the issue of a cancel waiting ticket. Then the CPU issues a cancel waiting ticket where the cancel waiting number is printed together with the name, the telephone number, the destination, the flight date, the flight name, etc., and returns a credit card, etc. In such a way, the load of the counter jobs can be reduced and the number of customers waiting for cancel tickets can always be grasped. Furthermore it is possible to easily cope with the increase of flights, the change of plane types, etc.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Summary of the invention A waitlist ticket issuing function has been added to the automatic ticket vending machine.

This can be expected to save labor for customers and counter operations, expand the use of ticket vending machines, and help track and utilize the number of customers waiting for seats (increase in flights, etc.).

Background of the invention This invention relates to an automatic airline ticket vending machine.

The functions of conventional airline ticket vending machines include issuing oven tickets (air tickets without flight reservations), issuing reserved tickets, issuing tickets that have already been boarded (checked in), etc.

However, with such conventional airline ticket vending machines, if the flight you wish to reserve is full, it is impossible for the ticket vending machine to process the request. For this reason, customers had no choice but to go through waiting procedures at a waiting list counter or the like.

Therefore, with conventional airline ticket vending machines, if the seats are full, the customer has to go to the counter, which takes time and effort. Airlines also have to set up waitlist counters, which requires securing space and personnel, which limits the range of use of automatic ticket vending machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic airline ticket vending machine that can perform necessary processing even when a flight desired by a customer is full.

The automatic ticket vending machine according to the present invention has a means for inputting predetermined data regarding the ticket to be purchased, such as the flight number of the desired boarding, etc. 1, a flight number, 1 date, and a file storing the ticket issuance data for each date. Inquiry means for inquiring the input data and obtaining data including whether the relevant flight has seats available or full, and means for issuing a ticket recording the data set by the input means if the above inquiry indicates that seats are available. and, if the seats are full according to the above-mentioned inquiry, means for issuing a waiting list ticket on which data including a waiting list number is recorded is provided.

According to this invention, in the automatic ticket vending machine, when the flight for which the customer wishes to reserve is already full, a notification to that effect is notified, and when the customer requests to be placed on the waiting list.

We have added a function to issue waitlist tickets that display the waitlist number, so even if the seats are full, customers can perform the necessary processing using only this ticket vending machine, eliminating the hassle of having to go to the counter. Also, there are effects such as the ability to save labor at counter operations. In addition, the usage efficiency of the airline ticket vending machine having such expanded functions is increased. Furthermore, since the issuance data for waiting list tickets can be saved in a predetermined file, it becomes possible to grasp the number of passengers who wish to wait for seats at any time, and it becomes possible to easily respond to changes such as increasing the number of flights by one model.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of an automatic airline ticket vending machine. At this ticket vending machine, customers can use their credit card or bank card once.

Alternatively, you can purchase a ticket by paying in cash. A ticket card is a prepaid magnetic card that magnetically records the fees for multiple airline tickets paid in advance.

On the almost vertical customer service panel on the front of this automatic ticket vending machine, there is a handling display 11. Also provided are a slip ejection port and an insertion/ejection port 12 for the various cards mentioned above. Inserting cash on the horizontal customer service panel,
Outlet 13. Exit 1 for issued tickets and standby tickets
4. A CRT 15 with a touch panel is also provided. The CRT 15 not only guides the customer through text and graphics on the operating procedure, but also displays the positions of touch keys for the customer to input data during the operation.

The touch panel includes a detector or switch that detects the position of the displayed touch key. Furthermore, a customer sensor 16 is provided at the lower front surface to detect when a customer approaches the ticket vending machine.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of the electrical configuration of the airline ticket vending machine. This ticket vending machine is controlled by a CPU 2G, and a memory 21 is connected to this CPO 20 to store its execution program and to store various data. Further, the following various input/output devices (parts 31 to 37) are connected to the CPU 20 via an interface. The customer service operation section 31 has a 9 display 11. Card slot 1
Card reader/writer placed inside of 2, CRT with touch panel 15. Including customer sensor IB, etc., display control, card reading, writing control, key human input,
Captures customer detection signals, etc. The banknote processing section 32 and the coin processing section 33 are a cash discrimination device 9 and a banknote storage box.

It includes a coin storage box, its conveyance device, etc., and performs the discrimination and counting of banknotes etc. inserted into the input slot 13, and the discharge of change.

The slip issuing unit 34 issues slips with airline ticket sales data printed thereon, especially when payment is made using a credit card or bank card. The ticket processing unit 35 encodes (magnetically records) and prints predetermined data on an airline ticket having a magnetic stripe, and also performs the same process on waitlist tickets to issue these tickets. The journal printing section 3θ prints all transaction data on a journal. The attendant operation display section 37 controls an attendant operation panel (not shown).

This airline ticket vending machine is a type of terminal.

It is connected to the control center via a dedicated line, etc. The ticket vending machine has a transmission control section 22 connected to the CPU 20 in order to communicate with the center.

The control center has a center file that contains data about customers who have booked for each flight on each date, such as names, telephone numbers, and similar data about waitlisted customers. recorded. So by accessing this file.

You can see whether a particular flight has empty seats, whether it is full, how many passengers are on the waiting list, etc.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a standby ticket issued by an automatic ticket vending machine. This waitlist ticket includes the following information: that it is a waitlist ticket, the waitlist number 1, your name, and your phone number 1.
The destination, boarding date, flight number, etc. are printed on it. This waiting list ticket also has a magnetic stripe, and the above-mentioned data is magnetically recorded on this magnetic stripe as well.

FIG. 4 shows the procedure of ticket issuing processing in the automatic ticket vending machine. This is executed under the control of CPU 20.

This process begins when the customer sensor IB detects a customer. A screen requesting the selection of a payment method is displayed on the CRT 15, and the customer selects the desired payment method.

If the customer chooses to pay by credit or bank card, the customer inserts the card into slot 12.
Insert into. This card's data is read by the card league described above.

Next, the customer uses the touch panel to enter the desired date of boarding, one destination, two flight numbers, etc., according to the menu displayed on the CRTIS, and finally confirms that there are no errors in the input data (step 41).

Next, the customer enters a PIN number on the touch panel (step 42), and the entered PIN number is compared with the PIN number in the card data to see if they correspond to the schedule (for example, if they match). ) is checked. If you pass this check, you can move on to the next center communication, but 2
If the two PIN numbers do not correspond as planned, the customer will not be able to purchase an airline ticket using a credit card or bank card. If necessary, the customer may be required to enter the password again.

In the center communication (step 43), the ticket vending machine sends its terminal number, the data input in step 41, etc. to the center. The center searches the above file, checks whether there are empty seats on the flight on the date, etc., and notifies the ticket vending machine of the results.

When the ticket vending machine receives the message from the center, if it indicates a vacant seat (NO at step 44), it moves on to the ticket issuing process. In other words, the magnetic stripe of the blank ticket stored inside the ticket vending machine shows the flight number, 2 destinations, boarding date, 2 names, and ? l! Along with encoding the talk number etc. (step 46), similar data is printed and discharged to the outlet 14 (step 47). In parallel with this process, a ticket is created by printing the fare along with data such as the flight number that specifies the issued airline ticket (step 48).

Finally, the credit card or bank card is returned and the created slip is released to complete the ticket sales process (step 51).

Even if the customer wishes to pay by cash or uses a coupon card, data input via the touch panel in step 41, communication with the center in step 43, and step 44 are performed.
The checking to see if the seats are full and the ticket issuing process in steps 46 and 47 are performed in the same way.

In the case of payment using cash, there is no need to enter a personal identification number and check (step 42), and after communicating with the center, the customer inserts cash, which is then verified and counted (step 45). As a result, if it is found that cash has been inserted in excess of the ticket price, the ticket is issued, and if there is finally 19 sen, the change is released (step 52).

In ticket sales using a coupon card, a customer first inserts the coupon card into the insertion slot 12. After that, data entry using the touch panel, communication with the center, and ticket issuance are performed.

Then, the process moves on to the 9-times card. That is, the data regarding the number of airline tickets that can be issued on the 5-time card 49 is updated (Step 49), and the fact that the card has been used is recorded (Step 50). Afterwards, a number card is released (step 53).

In any of the above ticket sales processes, transaction results are printed on a journal.

As a result of the center communication, if the flight on the date requested by the customer is fully booked (YES in step 44).

The CRT 15 displays a message that the seats are full, as well as an image of a key for inputting whether or not to request to be placed on the waiting list (step 81). When the customer inputs a request to be placed on the waiting list using the touch panel, Shifting to communication with the center again, the center is notified that a waiting list ticket will be issued (step 63). The center stores in the file the fact that the waitlist ticket was issued along with the flight number, date 9, etc. After that, a waiting list ticket as shown in FIG. 3 is issued (step 64), and the credit card, bank card, or coupon card is returned to complete the process (step 85).
.

If the customer does not wish to be issued a waitlist ticket, the process ends. In this case, the customer can perform the ticket sales operation specifying another flight from the beginning.

In the embodiments described above, communication with the center is always performed before ticket issuance, but for example, in the case of issuance of an airline ticket without a flight reservation (open ticket), communication with the center may not be necessary. Furthermore, if necessary, seat reservations may be made through communication with the center.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an automatic airline ticket vending machine, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the ticket vending machine, Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a waitlist ticket, and Figure 4 is the same. It is a flow chart showing the operation of the ticket vending machine. 15...CRT with touch panel. 20...CPU. 22...Transmission control unit. 35...Ticket processing department. Patent applicant Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Kenji Ushiku (1 other person) Figure 2 Figure 1 Figure 3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Means for inputting prescribed data regarding the ticket you wish to purchase, such as the flight number you wish to board, and querying the data entered by the above input means in a file that stores ticket issuance data for each flight number and date. , an inquiry means for obtaining data including whether the relevant flight has seats available or full; means for issuing a ticket that records the data set by the input means if the flight is empty according to the above inquiry; if applicable, means for issuing a standby ticket recording data including a waitlist number; (2) The method according to claim (1), further comprising means for inputting a command to issue a waitlist ticket, and wherein the waitlist ticket issuing means issues a waitlist ticket in response to the input of the command to issue a waitlist ticket. Airline ticket vending machine.