JP4595221B2 - Vending machine control method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control method for a vending machine, and more particularly to a control method for a vending machine in which setting data relating to the column number can be easily confirmed simply by inputting a column number (product number).
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many vending machines that sell a plurality of types of products select products by pressing a product selection button that is installed in correspondence with a display product sample on the customer service. However, this method not only increases the number of buttons as the number of product types increases, but also complicates the button mechanism and electrical wiring, and it also makes it difficult to reach the buttons on the high customer service area. there were.
[0003]
As a countermeasure, there is provided a vending machine that selects a product by inputting a product number using a numeric keypad push button (including a display) provided on the outer door. For example, JP 2000-90343 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-182130 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-182124 by the applicant of the present application are known.
[0004]
By the way, when maintaining a vending machine equipped with such a numeric keypad push button, the numeric keypad push button and a dedicated data input device (keyboard) are often used in combination. That is, operations such as setting a price for each product column, setting the operation content of the product transport mechanism (hereinafter referred to as “mechanical code”) for each product column, or confirming these settings are performed by service personnel. Has been done by.
[0005]
For example, when the product price is confirmed using both the numeric keypad push button and the keyboard, the serviceman performs the following operation. First, the outer door is opened, the keyboard mounted in the machine is taken out, the price setting key or the up / down key is pressed, and for example, ¥ 100 is input as the price. When a determination key of a ten-key push button provided on the outer door is pressed, one commodity column number with a price of ¥ 100 is displayed on the display.
[0006]
When there are a plurality of columns of the price, the corresponding column numbers are sequentially displayed each time the enter key is pressed. Therefore, for example, the products in all the columns are priced at ¥ 100, and when the column number 15 is confirmed, the determination key is pressed 15 times. That is, the determination key is pushed by the number of selections. To end the confirmation of the set price, press the end key on the keyboard to end.
[0007]
Also, when checking the mechanical code, it can be checked in the same manner as the price check. That is, a predetermined code number to be confirmed is input from the keyboard, and the enter key is pressed to sequentially confirm the column of the code number.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional vending machine control method, in order to check the data (price, mechanical code, etc.) set in a predetermined column, first, input by a keyboard is required and preset data is set. There is a problem that the data cannot be confirmed without knowing this.
[0009]
In addition, in order to confirm the data of the desired column, it is necessary to display the data by pressing the decision key for the number of the column numbers, and there is a problem that the column number cannot be directly specified and confirmed. In particular, as in recent years, when sales products are diversified and there are a large number of selections, the number of times of operation of the enter key has increased dramatically, and the above confirmation work has become complicated.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control method for a vending machine in which setting data relating to a column number can be easily confirmed simply by inputting the column number.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the purpose of the above, the control method for an automatic vending machine according to the inventions consists of a button for the selection of the numbers indicated by the numeric keypad and the numeric keypad to select the desired purchase goods enter the item number, outer door outer surface In the control method of the vending machine comprising the numeric keypad push button provided on the display and a display for displaying at least input data from the numeric keypad push button, the setting data relating to the product number of the desired product to be purchased is confirmed. If the product number is selected by the same selection operation as the selection operation of the desired product to be purchased by the ten-key push button, the setting determined in advance in the setting data related to the selected product number The data is displayed on the display.
[0012]
Therefore, when confirming the data set in the column, the conventional keyboard input is unnecessary, and if the column number is input by the ten-key push button, even if the data set in advance is not known, It can be automatically displayed on the display.
[0013]
In addition, since the setting data can be checked by directly specifying the column number, even if there are many selections, there is no need to press the enter key of the numeric keypad many times as in the past, and setting data can be easily and quickly. Can be confirmed.
[0014]
The control method for an automatic vending machine according to the inventions as set forth in the invention described above, when the outer door is opened, is obtained so as to shift to the confirmation mode.
[0015]
Thereby, it is possible to automatically shift to a state in which setting data relating to a predetermined product number can be confirmed by simply opening the outer door, and an input operation using a keyboard or the like for shifting to the confirmation mode becomes unnecessary.
[0016]
The control method for an automatic vending machine according to the inventions as set forth in the invention described above, after the setting data of the product number said predetermined is displayed, which is the previously determined by operating the coin return lever Setting data other than the setting data related to the product number is displayed.
[0017]
Therefore, the main setting data (for example, price and mechanical code) with high confirmation frequency can be displayed easily and quickly for each column by operating the numeric keypad, and other data with low confirmation frequency can be displayed by operating the coin return lever. (For example, the expiration date, the number of sales, the amount of sales, the number of goods supplied, the number of goods remaining, etc.) can be displayed for each column as necessary.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a control method for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
[0019]
Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device for a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a column number (b) sequentially displayed by an operation (a) with a numeric keypad and a cash set price. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a control method of the vending machine.
[0020]
The main control unit 1 includes a CPU (not shown) for controlling the entire vending machine, a control program is stored in a ROM (not shown), and control data and setting data are stored in the RAM 1a. The numeric keypad push button 2 is provided on the outer surface of the outer door, and includes a numeric keypad 3 for inputting a product number (column number), a determination key 4 for determining an input value, and a correction key 5 for correcting the input value. I have.
[0021]
The display 6 displays, for example, a column number, a product price, a carry-out mechanical code, and the like. The keyboard 7 is for inputting basic data necessary for controlling the vending machine. The outer door opening / closing detection switch 8 is for detecting opening / closing of the outer door. The numeric keypad push button 2, the display 6, the keyboard 7, and the outer door open / close detection switch 8 are connected to the main control unit 1.
[0022]
Next, the control operation will be described based on FIG. 3 with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. When a service person performs maintenance work on a vending machine, it is normal to open the outer door. Further, since the setting data having a high confirmation frequency is a commodity price and a carry-out mechanical code for each column, a case where these data are set will be described as an example.
[0023]
First, it is determined from the signal from the outer door opening / closing detection switch 8 whether or not the outer door has been opened (step S10). If the outer door is opened (Yes at Step S10), it is determined whether or not the column number is selected (Step S11).
[0024]
That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, when it is desired to confirm the setting data of the column number “1”, the “1” of the numeric keypad 3 is pressed while the outer door is open, and the enter key 4 is pressed. Select the column number by pressing to confirm. If the column number is selected (Yes at Step S11), as shown in FIG. 2B, “CL 1” is displayed on the display 6 as the column number.
[0025]
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the indicator 6 displays the cash set price and the carry-out mechanical code set in the column (step S12). For example, if the price is ¥ 100, “100” is displayed, and if the carry-out mechanical code is 11, “11” is displayed. This cash set price and carry-out mechanical code are repeatedly displayed until the next column number is selected.
[0026]
As described above, according to the control method of the vending machine according to the first embodiment, it is not necessary to input the keyboard 7 when confirming the data set in the column, and the column number is set to the numeric keypad pushbutton. If the input is performed by 2, it is possible to automatically display on the display 6 without knowing preset data.
[0027]
In addition, since the setting data can be confirmed by directly specifying the column number, even if there are many selections, it is not necessary to press the enter key many times as in the conventional case, and the setting data can be confirmed easily and quickly.
[0028]
In the first embodiment, the setting data is described as being able to confirm the price and the mechanical code. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other data may be displayed. For example, the other data includes the expiration date for each column, the number of sales, the amount of sales, the number of products supplied, the number of products remaining, etc., and can be freely set according to customer needs.
[0029]
In addition, as described in step 10 of FIG. 3, it has been described that the mode is such that the data can be automatically confirmed by opening the outer door. However, the mode is not limited to this, and the mode is set separately using the keyboard 7 or the like. Also good. In this case, although the keyboard 7 is used for mode setting, it is not necessary to confirm the data by pressing the enter key many times as in the prior art, so that the labor saving of the operation can be greatly reduced as compared with the prior art.
[0030]
Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the vending machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, in addition to the function of the first embodiment in which main setting data (price and mechanical code) with high confirmation frequency are displayed by operating the numeric keypad push button 2, other data is returned to the coin mech coin. It is displayed by operating a lever (not shown). The coin return lever is connected to the main control unit 1 described above, and can detect the presence or absence of the operation.
[0031]
The above other data is data other than price and mechanical code, such as expiration date by column, number of sales, amount of sales, number of products replenished, number of products remaining, etc., set freely according to customer needs it can.
[0032]
Next, the control operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, it is determined from the signal from the outer door opening / closing detection switch 8 whether or not the outer door has been opened (step S20). If the outer door is opened (Yes at Step S20), it is determined whether or not the column number is selected (Step S21). If the column number is selected (Yes at step S21), the column number is displayed on the display 6.
[0033]
Subsequently, on the display device 6, data having a high confirmation frequency such as a cash set price and a carry-out mechanical code set in the column are displayed (step S <b> 22). Next, it is determined whether or not the coin return lever is operated (step S23). If the coin return lever is operated (Yes at Step S23), the display 6 displays data other than the data displayed at Step 22 (for example, the expiration date). These cash set price, carry-out mechanical code and other data are repeatedly displayed until the next column number is selected.
[0034]
As described above, according to the control method of the vending machine according to the second embodiment, the main setting data (price and mechanical code) having a high frequency of confirmation can be easily and quickly performed for each column by operating the numeric keypad pushbutton 2. In addition, other data with low confirmation frequency can be displayed easily and quickly for each column as needed by operating the coin return lever.
[0035]
In the second embodiment, the cash set price, the carry-out mechanical code, and other data have been described as being repeatedly displayed until the next column number is selected. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The display may be switched by inputting a column number with the numeric keypad push button 2 while operating the lever.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the control method of the vending machine according to the present invention (claim 1), the ten-key push button for inputting the product number and selecting the desired product for purchase, and the input data from at least the ten-key push button In the control method of the vending machine provided with a display for displaying the product number input by the ten-key push button on the display, the setting data relating to the product number is displayed. When checking the data set in the column, it is not necessary to input the keyboard as in the conventional case, and if the column number is input with the numeric keypad, it can be displayed without knowing the preset data. Can be automatically displayed on the instrument.
[0037]
In addition, since the setting data can be checked by directly specifying the column number, even if there are many selections, there is no need to press the enter key of the numeric keypad many times as in the past, and setting data can be easily and quickly. Can be confirmed.
[0038]
Further, according to the control method of the vending machine according to the present invention (claim 2), after the outer door is opened, the input of the product number by the ten-key push button is accepted, and the setting data relating to the product number is displayed. Therefore, it is possible to automatically shift to a state in which setting data relating to a predetermined product number can be confirmed by simply opening the outer door, and an input operation using a keyboard or the like for shifting to the confirmation mode is not required.
[0039]
Further, according to the control method of the vending machine according to the present invention (Claim 3), after the setting data related to the product number is displayed based on the input of the product number by the ten key push button, the coin return lever is operated. As a result, the setting data other than the setting data is displayed, so that the main setting data (for example, the price and the mechanical code) with high confirmation frequency can be displayed easily and quickly for each column by operating the numeric keypad. At the same time, by operating the coin return lever, other data with low confirmation frequency (for example, the expiration date, the number of sales, the amount of sales, the number of products supplied, the number of products remaining, etc.) can be displayed for each column as necessary.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device for a vending machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a column number (b), a cash set price, and a carry-out mechanical code (c) that are sequentially displayed by an operation (a) using a numeric keypad.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control method of the vending machine.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control method of the vending machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Main control unit 1a RAM
2 Numeric keypad 3 Numeric keypad 4 Enter key 5 Correction key 6 Display 7 Keyboard 8 Outside door open / close detection switch

Claims (3)

A numeric keypad for inputting a product number and selecting a desired product for purchase and a button for selecting a number indicated by the numeric keypad, a numeric keypad push button provided on the outer surface of the outer door ,
A display for displaying input data from at least the numeric keypad;
In the control method of the vending machine equipped with
In the confirmation mode in which the setting data related to the product number of the desired product for purchase can be confirmed, the selection is performed when the product number is selected by the same selection operation as the selection operation for the desired product for purchase by the ten key push button. A control method for a vending machine, characterized in that setting data determined in advance among the setting data relating to the product number is displayed on the display. The method for controlling a vending machine according to claim 1 , wherein when the outer door is opened, the mode is shifted to the confirmation mode . After setting data related to the predetermined product number is displayed , setting data other than the setting data related to the predetermined product number is displayed by operating a coin return lever. The method for controlling a vending machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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