JP6711511B2 - Reader/writer for vending machine and vending machine including the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vending machine reader/writer that communicates with an information storage medium in which electronic money information is stored, and a vending machine including the reader/writer.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a reader/writer for a vending machine of this kind, communication is performed with an information storage medium such as an IC card (electronic money card) that is provided in a vending machine and stores electronic money information, and A device that performs payment processing is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In the case of Patent Document 1, a reader/writer for a vending machine is attached to a first housing that is exposed to the outside from an outer door that is a front surface of the vending machine and an inside of the outer door, that is, inside the vending machine. And a second housing, which are connected by a wire harness (wiring).

The first casing is provided with an antenna and an RF circuit unit (antenna control circuit unit) for performing non-contact communication with the information storage medium via this antenna, an indicator, a switch, and the like, and the second casing. A security module unit that holds key information for communication with the information storage medium in the body, reads information from the information storage medium using the RF circuit unit, and writes information to the information storage medium, and a reader/writer. The control part which controls the whole was provided.

Sales data is also stored in this security module section. Further, the key information is an authentication key for authenticating the information storage medium and an encryption key for the control unit to access the data in the security module unit. These authentication key and the encryption key are different. They may be the same or the same.

JP, 2010-61527, A

As described above, since the security module section is conventionally provided in the second housing in the vending machine, the security module section on the second housing side has a longer wiring distance when communicating with the information storage medium. Information is exchanged with the information storage medium by the RF circuit unit on the first casing side via the harness. Therefore, a communication error is likely to occur due to the influence from the outside, a communication process is delayed due to repeated retries, the detection time (authentication time) of the IC card is delayed, and the electronic money is settled. There was a problem that processing and balance inquiry processing would be adversely affected.

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional technical problems, and it is possible to realize a smooth electronic money processing by shortening the communication time with the information storage medium by the security module unit. It is an object to provide a reader/writer for a vending machine and an automatic vending machine including the reader/writer.

The vending machine reader/writer of the present invention is provided in the vending machine and communicates with an information storage medium in which electronic money information is stored, and is exposed to the outside from the front of the vending machine. A first part and a second part located inside the vending machine are provided, and at least the antenna and the RF circuit part for performing non-contact communication with the information storage medium via the antenna are provided in the first part. A security module unit that holds key information for communication with the information storage medium and that communicates with the information storage medium by the RF circuit unit, and a tamper detection unit that detects tampering from the outside are arranged. Is characterized by.

The reader/writer for a vending machine according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, when the tampering action is detected by the tampering detection unit in the above invention, the security module unit erases the held key information.

In the reader/writer for a vending machine according to a third aspect of the present invention , in the above-mentioned invention, a control unit for performing data communication between the vending machine and a predetermined management server and controlling the first section is arranged in the second section. It is characterized by being.

The vending machine reader/writer according to the invention of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the above invention, when the key information of the security module is erased, the controller notifies the management server.

A reader/writer for a vending machine according to a fifth aspect of the present invention comprises a first casing that constitutes a first part and a second casing that constitutes a second part in each of the above inventions. The first housing and the second housing are connected via a harness that penetrates the front surface of the.

An automatic vending machine according to a sixth aspect of the present invention includes the reader/writer for an automatic vending machine according to each of the above inventions.

According to the present invention, in a reader/writer for a vending machine, which is provided in the vending machine and communicates with an information storage medium in which electronic money information is stored, the reader/writer is exposed to the outside from the front of the vending machine. And a second part located inside the vending machine, and the first part has at least an antenna, an RF circuit unit for performing non-contact communication with the information storage medium via the antenna, and information. Since the security module unit that holds the key information for communication with the storage medium and that communicates with the information storage medium by the RF circuit unit is arranged, the wiring distance between the RF circuit unit and the security module unit is the same as the conventional one. It can be significantly shortened.

As a result, the above-mentioned delay in communication processing between the RF circuit unit and the security module unit is eliminated, and the time required for authentication, settlement, and balance processing of the information storage medium in the vending machine according to claim 6 can be shortened. Like Further, since it is less likely to be affected by the outside, stable processing of electronic money can be realized.

Here, when the security module part is placed in the first part, the security module part that holds the key information is located outside the vending machine, and therefore, the disassembly and the vandalism (tampering act) from the outside can be prevented. There is a risk of receiving it. On the other hand, in the present invention, since the tamper detecting section for detecting the tampering action from the outside is provided in the first portion, when the tampering detecting section detects the tampering action as in the invention of claim 2 , The security module section erases the key information it holds so that even if the first section is removed from the vending machine or tampered with by the tampering operation, the security module section is destroyed. It is possible to prevent unauthorized access to the security module and solve the inconvenience that the data in the security module is illegally used.

Further, the second portion as the invention of claim 3, the control unit for performing data communication and control of the first region between the vending machine and a predetermined management server arranged, in the fourth aspect of the present invention If the control module notifies the management server when the key information of the security module has been deleted as described above, the vending machine reader/writer promptly notifies the management server that the tampering has been performed and prompts a response. Will be able to.

In particular, as in the invention of claim 5, the first portion is formed of the first housing, the second portion is formed of the second housing, and the second portion is formed through the harness penetrating the front surface of the vending machine. The present invention is effective for a reader/writer for a vending machine in which the first casing and the second casing are connected.

It is a front view of the vending machine of the example to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view of the reader/writer for vending machines of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a functional block diagram of the reader/writer for vending machines of FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a front view of an automatic vending machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vending machine 1 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a heat-insulating main body 2 having an open front surface, and an outer door 3 for closing the front surface of the main body 2 in an openable and closable manner. That is, the front surface of the outer door 3 becomes the front surface of the vending machine 1. A product storage (not shown) is formed in the main body 2, and products such as canned drinks and PET bottle drinks to be sold are stored in the product storage. In addition, a machine room (not shown) is formed below the product storage, and a refrigerator for cooling or heating the inside of the product storage is installed in this machine room. The front opening of the product storage is also opened and closed by a heat-insulating inner door (not shown).

The outer door 3 is located on the front side of the inner door with a gap, and in the embodiment, the left side is rotatably supported by the main body 2 toward the outside. A product sample chamber 4 is formed in the upper part of the front surface of the outer door 3, and a plurality of product selection switches 6 are arranged corresponding to the plurality of product samples displayed in the product sample chamber 4. An advertisement panel (advertisement display section) 5 is formed on the front side of the outer door 3 below the product sample chamber 4, and a product outlet 7 is provided on the lower front side of the outer door 3 below the advertisement panel 5. Is configured.

Further, a decorative panel 8 is attached to the central portion on the right side (non-pivot side) of the front surface of the outer door 3, and the coin insertion slot 9, the return lever 11 and the automatic vending are located inside the decorative panel 8. A machine display unit 12 (for example, displaying sales information such as “on sale”) is provided. A coin return port 13 is formed on the front surface of the outer door 3 on the right side of the product outlet 7.

Further, on the front surface of the outer door 3 between the decorative panel 8 and the advertisement panel 5, a bill validator (biller) 24 and a reader/writer 22 for electronic money as a reader/writer for a vending machine of the present invention are attached. There is.

The reader/writer 22 of the embodiment detects a well-known non-contact type IC card (electronic money card) 26 (FIG. 3) as an information storage medium in which an electronic money balance used for selling products of the vending machine 1 is stored. However, it is a device that performs electronic money settlement processing and balance inquiry processing by reading and writing the electronic money balance. In the embodiment, the reader/writer 22 includes a first housing 31 that constitutes a first portion of the present invention, a second housing 32 that constitutes a second portion, and each of the housings 31 and 32. The wire harness (wiring) 33 as a harness connected to each circuit board is provided.

Although the reader/writer 22 is configured to process a plurality of types of electronic money, the content of the processing of each electronic money is the same as the known content, and the description thereof is omitted.

The first housing (first portion) 31 is attached to the front surface of the outer door 3 of the vending machine 1 and is exposed to the outside from the front surface. The front surface of the IC card 26 is shown in FIG. A reading surface 34 formed in conformity with the shape, a money changeover switch 36 for switching and selecting an electronic money service used for payment processing, an LED 37, an electronic money balance stored in the IC card 26, operation guidance, etc. A display unit 38 for displaying the character information of is provided in the layout shown in FIG.

A loop-shaped antenna 41 for transmitting and receiving data to and from the IC card 26 is provided on the back surface of the reading surface 34. Then, after the user selects the electronic money service using the money changeover switch 36 and holds the IC card 26 over a position within a predetermined range (for example, 5 cm) from the reading surface 34, the antenna 41 and the IC card It is configured to enable non-contact communication between the 26.

On the other hand, the second housing (second portion) 32 is attached to the back surface of the outer door 3 and is located inside the vending machine 1 in the embodiment. Then, the wire harness 33 penetrates the outer door 3 by passing through an insertion hole (not shown) formed in the outer door 3, and connects the first housing 31 and the second housing 32 to each other. ing.

Next, the configuration of the control system of the reader/writer 22 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the reader/writer 22. In the first housing 31 exposed to the outside from the front surface of the vending machine 1 (the front surface of the outer door 3), the RF circuit portion 42, the antenna 41, the money changeover switch 36, the LED 37, and the display portion described above. 38 and a speaker 43 are provided. Furthermore, in the first housing 31, a security module section 44, a relay board 46, and a tamper detection section 47 are provided.

The RF circuit unit 42 is for performing non-contact communication with the IC card 26 via the antenna 41, and includes a well-known AD/DA converter and a rectifier circuit. The display unit 38 is a liquid crystal display that displays the above-mentioned character information and the like.

The security module unit 44 includes a CPU and a memory such as a RAM and a ROM, and the memory of the security module unit 44 holds sales data, card information, and key information. The key information is an authentication key for authenticating the IC card 26, and an encryption key for the control unit 48 described later to access the data in the security module unit 44. These authentication key and encryption key may be separate or the same.

The security module unit 44 uses the RF circuit unit 42 to read the information of the IC card 26 via the antenna 41, and authenticates the IC card 26 using the authentication key held by itself. Then, the settlement process and the balance inquiry process are performed by reading and writing the balance information of the electronic money of the IC card 26.

The tamper detector 47 is composed of an optical sensor in the embodiment. The tamper detector 47 detects an act of removing the first casing 31 from the outer door 3, an act of destroying the first casing 31 (tamper act), and transmits the tamper detection information to the relay substrate 46. And sends it to the security module section 44. When the security module 44 unit receives the tamper detection information from the tamper detection unit 47, the security module 44 unit is configured to erase the sales data and the card information in addition to the above-mentioned key information (authentication key and encryption key) that the security module 44 has. ..

On the other hand, the controller 48 is provided in the second housing 32 located in the vending machine 1, and each device in the first housing 31 is provided by the connector 51 configuring the wire harness 33 described above. (Security module section 44, relay board 46, display section 38, speaker 43, LED 36, money changeover switch 36) are electrically connected. The control unit 48 controls the entire reader/writer 22 including the devices in the first housing 31, and includes a CPU and memories such as RAM and ROM.

The control unit 48 controls each device of the reader/writer 22 based on the data and the program stored in the memory. That is, information is transmitted and received using the above-mentioned encryption key with the security module unit 44, and the electronic money balance and the like are displayed on the display unit 38. In addition, the control unit 48 transmits and receives information to and from the vending machine control unit 51 that controls the operation of the vending machine 1, and sends the information of the settlement history of the product that is settled by electronic money to the vending machine control unit 51. It is configured to automatically sell products.

Here, an example of the flow of payment processing by the reader/writer 22 using electronic money and product sale by the vending machine 1 will be described. For example, when the user selects a product with the product selection switch 6 of the vending machine 1, the vending machine control unit 51 sends the product information to the control unit 48 of the reader/writer 22. Then, when the electronic money service used for the payment process is selected by the money changeover switch 36 and the IC card 26 is held over the antenna 41, the security module unit 44 uses the RF circuit unit 42 to perform wireless communication without contact with the IC card 26. And read the electronic money balance.

Next, the security module unit 44 receives the product information from the control unit 48, and executes the electronic money settlement process using the product price in the product information. The electronic money balance in the IC card 26 will be deducted by the product price. Finally, the security module unit 44 sends information of the settlement history of the settlement process to the control unit 48. The control unit 48 transmits this settlement history information to the vending machine control unit 51. When the vending machine control unit 51 receives the payment history information, it sells the selected product. As a result, automatic sale of products using electronic money is realized. The above flow is not limited to this example, and there are various cases such as when the product selection switch 6 is operated after holding the IC card 26 over the reader/writer 22.

Here, the control unit 48 is connected to a predetermined management server by a telephone line via the router 49, and transmits and receives data for transmitting sales data and the like read from the security module unit 44 using the encryption key to the management server. At the same time, when the tamper detecting unit 47 detects the tampering action, the tampering detection information is received via the relay board 46, or is received via the security module unit 44, and the management server is notified accordingly. It is configured.

As described above, the reader/writer 22 is configured from the first housing 31 exposed to the outside from the front surface of the vending machine 1 and the second housing 32 located inside the vending machine 1, and the first housing 31 is formed. 31 holds an antenna 41, an RF circuit section 42 for performing non-contact communication with the IC card 26 via the antenna 41, and key information for communication between the IC card 26 and the RF circuit section. Since the security module section 44 that communicates with the IC card 26 is arranged by the above, the wiring distance (indicated by X1 in FIG. 3) between the RF circuit section 42 and the security module section 44 is set through the conventional wire harness 33. It can be made significantly shorter than the case.

This eliminates the delay in communication processing between the RF circuit unit 42 and the security module unit 44, and authenticates the IC card 26 using the key information in the security module unit 44 of the vending machine 1 and makes a settlement of electronic money and a balance. The processing time can be shortened. Further, since it is less likely to be affected by the outside, stable processing of electronic money can be realized.

Further, a tamper detecting section 47 for detecting tampering from the outside is provided in the first housing 31, and when the tamper detecting section 47 detects the tampering, the security module section 44 holds key information and sales. Since the data and the like are erased, even if the first casing 31 is removed from the outer door 3 of the vending machine 1 or is destroyed (tampering action), the unauthorized access to the security module unit 44 is made. It is possible to prevent the inconvenience that the data in the security module unit 44 is illegally used.

The above is the control for performing the data communication between the vending machine 1 and the management server, and the control of the devices in the first housing 31 in the second housing 32 provided in the vending machine 1 as in the embodiment. It is particularly effective to arrange the portion 48 and connect the second casing 32 and the first casing 31 via the wire harness 33 penetrating the outer door 3 of the vending machine 1.

Further, when the key information of the security module unit 44 is erased, the control unit 48 notifies the management server, so that it is possible to promptly notify the management server that the reader/writer 22 has undergone the tampering action and prompt a response. Like

In the embodiment, the wire harness includes the first housing 31 exposed to the outside from the outer door 3 on the front surface of the vending machine 1 and the second housing 32 attached to the back surface of the outer door 3 in the vending machine 1. Although the present invention has been described with the reader/writer 22 connected by 33, the present invention is not limited to this, and the invention other than claim 5 is not limited to this, and the first portion exposed to the outside at the front surface of the outer door 3 and the vending machine 1 are not limited thereto. The second portion located inside may be integrally configured with a single housing.

In that case, the housing is fitted in the outer door 3, and in that case also, the antenna 41, the RF circuit unit 42, and the security module unit 44 are at least in the first part (outside the vending machine 1). The control unit 48 is placed in the second part (in the vending machine 1).

Further, in the embodiment, the IC card 26 is described as an example of the information storage medium, but the information storage medium is not limited to this. It goes without saying that it is good.

1 Vending machine 3 Outer door 22 Reader/writer (reader/writer for vending machine)
26 IC card (information storage medium)
31 1st case (1st part)
32 Second housing (second part)
33 Wire harness (harness)
41 antenna 42 RF circuit unit 43 security module unit 47 tamper detection unit 48 control unit 49 router 51 vending machine control unit

Claims (6)

In a vending machine reader/writer that is provided in a vending machine and communicates with an information storage medium in which electronic money information is stored,
A first part exposed from the front of the vending machine to the outside, and a second part located inside the vending machine,
The first part holds at least an antenna, an RF circuit unit for performing non-contact communication with the information storage medium via the antenna, and key information for communication between the information storage medium. A reader/writer for a vending machine, comprising: a security module section that communicates with the information storage medium by the RF circuit section; and a tamper detection section that detects an external tampering action . The reader/writer for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the security module unit erases the key information held by the security module unit when a tampering action is detected by the tamper detecting unit. The control unit that performs data communication between the vending machine and a predetermined management server and controls the first unit is arranged in the second unit. Reader/writer for vending machines. The vending machine reader/writer according to claim 3, wherein the control unit notifies the management server when the key information of the security module unit is deleted. The first casing includes a first casing that constitutes the first portion and a second casing that constitutes the second portion, and the first casing is provided via a harness that penetrates a front surface of the vending machine. The reader/writer for a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the second housing is connected to the second housing. An automatic vending machine comprising the reader/writer for an automatic vending machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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