JP7475883B2 - Beverage product dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device that dispenses purchased beverage products into containers such as cups.

Machines that dispense beverages such as coffee are common in stores such as convenience stores. With such machines, a customer who purchases a product at the register receives a cup, places the cup in the machine, and inputs the operation of the machine themselves, which then dispenses the beverage such as coffee into the placed cup.

Such devices have the problem that, due to user erroneous operation, a beverage different from the one purchased may be dispensed. In response to this problem, a conventional technology has been proposed that includes a reading unit that reads information about the purchased beverage, a display unit that displays the read information about the beverage, and a control unit that displays the information about the beverage read by the reading unit on the display unit, and then produces the beverage and supplies it to a container (see Patent Document 1 below).

International Publication No. 2019/054081

To ensure smooth service even when the store is crowded, multiple beverage product dispenser devices are installed in each store. In some cases, the same chain has multiple stores in a small area, and each store is equipped with a beverage product dispenser device. In such cases, with the above-mentioned conventional technology, when the reading units of multiple devices read the information on a purchased beverage product, the same purchased beverage product will be dispensed multiple times, which can lead to fraudulent use.

The present invention aims to address these problems. In other words, the objective of the present invention is to prevent erroneous operation and unauthorized use of beverage product dispensing devices.

In order to solve the above problems, the beverage product dispensing and providing device of the present invention has the following configuration.
A beverage product dispenser device comprising a plurality of dispenser machines, each of which has an information input unit into which individual information about each purchased beverage product is input, and a control unit which controls the dispense operation of the beverage product based on the individual information input into the information input unit, and a management unit which manages all of the control units of the plurality of dispenser machines is provided inside at least one of the plurality of dispenser machines or outside the plurality of dispenser machines, and when individual information is input into the information input unit of one of the dispenser machines, the management unit prohibits the control units of the other dispenser machines from dispensing the beverage product based on the input individual information.

A beverage product dispenser having these characteristics controls the dispenser based on the input individual information, eliminating the need for the user to perform input operations and eliminating operational errors. Furthermore, when individual information is input into the information input section of one dispenser, the management section prohibits the control sections of other dispensers from performing dispense operations based on the input individual information, eliminating fraudulent use in which one individual information is input into the information input sections of multiple dispensers.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overall configuration of a beverage product dispensing and providing device. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the dispenser. FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a system configuration including a management unit. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation control flow of the beverage product dispensing device. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation flow of the discharge control of the discharge provider. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a system of a beverage product dispensing and providing device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate parts with the same function, and duplicate descriptions in each drawing will be omitted as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage product dispenser 1 includes multiple dispensers 10 (10A-10E). The multiple dispensers 10 (10A-10E) may be installed not only in one store, but also in multiple stores. Each dispenser 10 (10A-10D) has a common function, and includes an information input unit 2 to which individual information about each purchased beverage product is input, a control unit 3 that controls the dispense operation of the beverage product based on the input individual information, and a product providing unit 4 that provides the beverage product into a placed container.

The individual information here refers to information that is output each time a beverage product is purchased, and if one user purchases multiple beverage products, multiple pieces of individual information are output for each product. This individual information includes at least the type of beverage product purchased and identification information that distinguishes the purchased beverage product from other purchased beverage products, and can also include the purchase date and time, the store where the product was purchased, customer information, etc., as necessary.

The individual information is output from a terminal (e.g., a POS register) of the product sales system T in the store and printed on a paper medium T1 such as a receipt. In addition, in the case of cashless payment or online purchase using a mobile information terminal T2 such as a smartphone, the individual information is displayed on the screen of the mobile information terminal T2.

The individual information described above is input to the information input unit 2 provided in each of the discharge providers 10 (10A-10E). When the individual information is displayed as an information code Q on the paper medium T1 or on the screen of the mobile information terminal T2, the information input unit 2 is configured as an information reading unit that reads this information code Q. The information input unit 2 may also receive information directly from the product sales system T, in which case it is configured as a receiving unit that receives information.

The individual configuration of the dispenser 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The dispenser 10 has, for example, the external configuration shown in Figure 2, and functional sections as shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 2, for example, the housing 100 of the dispenser 10 has a display operation section 6 on the surface, a camera 2A serving as the information input section 2 in the center, and a container installation section 43 with a door 43A in the lower section. In addition, a beverage product storage section 40 is provided in the upper section of the housing 100.

The product provision section 4 in the dispenser provision machine 10 includes the aforementioned beverage product storage section 40, the beverage product production section 41, the beverage product dispenser section 42, and the aforementioned container installation section 43. In the beverage product storage section 40, the raw materials for the beverage products (such as coffee beans and juice concentrate) and the beverage products themselves are stored in individually separated tanks. In addition, water used to produce the beverage products from the raw materials is stored in a separate tank.

The beverage product production unit 41 performs a process for producing a beverage product from the stored materials such as the raw materials for the beverage product stored in the beverage product storage unit 40. The beverage product production process includes grinding and dripping coffee beans, diluting juice concentrate, heating the beverage product, etc., and the beverage product produced in the beverage product production unit 41 is temporarily stored in the beverage product discharge unit 42. In response to a control signal from the control unit 3, the beverage product discharge unit 42 discharges the beverage product into a container C such as a cup installed in the container installation unit 43.

The control unit 3 controls the beverage product storage unit 40 and the beverage product generation unit 41 in accordance with the individual information input to the information input unit 2. The control unit 3 selects an item to be stored in the beverage product storage unit 40 in accordance with the individual information, and supplies the selected item to the beverage product generation unit 41. The control unit 3 also selects a generation process for the beverage product generation unit 41 in accordance with the individual information, and executes the selected generation process.

The control unit 3 also outputs a control signal to cause the beverage product discharge unit 42 to perform a discharge operation, as necessary, in response to an instruction signal from the display operation unit 6, or a detection signal from the container detection unit 43C or the door opening/closing detection unit 43D provided in the container installation unit 43. The display operation unit 6 displays information about the purchased beverage product based on the individual information input from the information input unit 2, and the user can check the display content of the display operation unit 6 and input an instruction signal to cause the beverage product discharge unit 42 to start a discharge operation.

The container detection unit 43C and the door opening/closing detection unit 43D detect whether a container C is installed in the container installation unit 43, and detect the opening and closing of the door 43A, and transmit a detection signal to the control unit 3. In the control unit 3, for example, when the container detection unit 43C detects a container C and the door opening/closing detection unit 43D detects the door closed, the control unit 3 opens the beverage product storage unit 40 and starts beverage production. Note that the control unit 3 outputs a control signal to lock the door 43A when, for example, the door opening/closing detection unit 43D detects an open door, and then the container detection unit 43C detects that a container C has been installed, and then the door opening/closing detection unit 43D detects that the door is closed. In addition, when the production and dispensing of the beverage is completed, a control signal is output to unlock the locked door 43A.

The beverage product dispenser 1 has a management unit 5 provided in at least one of the multiple dispensers 10 (10A-10D) (dispensing machine 10A in the illustrated example). The management unit 5 may be provided inside the dispenser 10 (10A) or outside the dispenser 10 (10A-10E).

When the management unit 5 is provided inside the dispenser 10 (10A), it can be provided integrally with the control unit 3, for example, as part of the software (program) in the control unit 3. The number of management units 5 in the beverage dispenser 1 may be one or more. Some of the multiple dispensers 10 may be equipped with the management unit 5, or all of the dispensers 10 may be equipped with the management unit 5.

The management unit 5 manages the operation of the control unit 3 in the multiple discharge providers 10 (10A-10E). The management unit 5 may also simultaneously manage the information input unit 2 that inputs individual information to the control unit 3. The management unit 5 is connected to all of the control units 3 in the multiple discharge providers 10 (10A-10E) by wired or wireless communication means. When the management unit 5 manages the information input unit 2 of each discharge provider 10 (10A-10E), the management unit 5 is also connected to all of the information input units 2 by wired or wireless communication means. As the wireless communication means here, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi can be used.

When individual information is input to the information input unit 2 of one dispenser 10, the management unit 5 prohibits the control unit 3 of the other dispensers 10 from dispensing based on the input individual information. As a result, when individual information is input to one of the multiple dispensers 10, that individual information cannot be used by the other dispensers 10. This prevents fraudulent use of the individual information output in the purchase of one beverage product to cause multiple dispensers 10 to dispense the beverage product multiple times.

Figure 4 shows an example of a system configuration including the management unit 5. In this example, the management unit 5 includes an information storage unit 5A and a discrimination unit 5B. The information storage unit 5A stores individual information input from the information input unit 2 of a certain discharge provider 10. The discrimination unit 5B then discriminates whether or not the individual information input from the information input unit 2 of another discharge provider 10 matches the individual information stored in the information storage unit 5A. If the discrimination unit 5B determines that there is no matching individual information, it allows the discharge control operation of the control unit 3 in the discharge provider 10 to which the individual information was input. If the discrimination unit 5B determines that there is matching individual information, it invalidates the individual information subsequently input to the information input unit 2 as an unauthorized input.

In the system shown in FIG. 4, if the same individual information is input simultaneously into the information input units 2 of different discharge providers 10, two identical pieces of individual information will be stored in the information storage unit 5A, and the discrimination unit 5B will determine that matching individual information exists and prohibit the discharge operation of the control unit 3. In other words, if the same individual information is input simultaneously into the information input units 2 of different discharge providers 10, it will be determined to be fraudulent use and the input individual information will be invalidated.

Figure 5 shows the operation control flow of the beverage dispenser 1 equipped with the management unit 5 described above. Each dispenser 10 waits for input to the information input unit 2 (step S01: NO). When individual information is input to the information input unit 2 of a particular dispenser 10 (step S01: YES), the control unit 3 receives the input individual information and transmits it to the management unit 5 (step S02).

The management unit 5 stores the transmitted individual information in the information storage unit 5A (step S03), and the determination unit 5B of the management unit 5 determines whether matching individual information already exists in the information storage unit 5A (step S04). If it is determined that matching individual information exists (step S04: YES), the input individual information is invalidated (step S05), and if it is determined that matching individual information does not exist (step S04: NO), the discharge provider 10 to which the individual information was input controls discharge based on the input individual information (step S06).

The control unit 3 then determines whether or not the provision of the beverage product has been completed based on the operating status of the beverage product discharge unit 42 (step S07), and if the provision has not been completed (step S07: NO), continues to control the discharge. If the provision has been completed (step S07: YES), and if control is to be continued (step S08: NO), the control returns to a state of waiting for input to the information input unit 2 (step S01), and if control is not to be continued, ends control (step S08: YES).

Figure 6 shows the operation flow of the discharge control in each of the discharge dispensers 10 performed in step S06. When individual information is input to the information input unit 2, the control unit 3 in each of the discharge dispensers 10 selects a product based on the individual information (step S10), and determines whether a container is set by the container detection unit 43C in the container installation unit 43 (step: S11). If a container is set (step: S11: YES), and if the door of the container installation unit 43 is closed by the door open/close detection unit 43D (step S12: YES), the control unit 3 releases the storage unit of the selected product in the beverage product storage unit 40 (step S13). Then, the control unit 3 uses the stored material supplied from the released storage unit to perform the beverage product production process by the beverage product production unit 41 (step S14).

The beverage product is produced, and when the production of the beverage product is completed, the beverage product is discharged by the beverage product discharge unit 42 (step S15). Then, it is determined whether the discharge is complete (step S16), and if it is complete (step S16: YES), the control ends.

This type of beverage product dispenser 1 can be configured as a system within one store using communication means, but as shown in Figure 7, the system can also be configured across multiple stores via a network NW such as the Internet. In this case, the management unit 5 can be installed in a network server, and the system can be configured by connecting the control unit 3 of each dispenser 10 via the network NW.

As described above, the beverage product dispenser 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention controls the dispense of beverage products by inputting individual information output upon purchase of a beverage product into the information input unit 2, eliminating the need for the user to manually perform operations such as product selection on the dispenser 10, thereby eliminating operational errors, incorrect selections, and fraudulent selections by users.

In addition, the beverage product dispenser 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a management unit 5 so that the individual information outputted when purchasing a beverage product can only be used once on one dispenser 10, so that it is possible to reliably prevent fraudulent use such as using the acquired individual information twice on multiple dispensers 10.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined by reusing each other's technologies, as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in the purpose, configuration, etc.

1: Beverage product dispensing device, 2: Information input unit, 2A: Camera,
3: control unit, 4: product provision unit, 5: management unit, 5A: information storage unit, 5B: discrimination unit,
6: display operation unit, 10 (10A to 10E): discharge provider, 100: housing,
40: beverage storage unit, 41: beverage production unit, 42: beverage discharge unit,
43: container installation unit, 43A: door, 43D: door opening/closing detection unit,
C: container, T1: paper medium, T2: mobile information terminal, T: product sales system,
Q: Information code, NW: Network

Claims (7)

Equipped with multiple discharge providers,
The dispenser comprises:
an information input unit for inputting individual information of each purchased beverage product;
a control unit that controls a dispensing operation of the beverage product based on the individual information inputted to the information input unit,
A management unit is provided inside at least one of the plurality of discharge providing machines or outside the plurality of discharge providing machines, the management unit managing all of the control units in the plurality of discharge providing machines;
The management unit
An information storage unit is provided for storing individual information input from the information input unit of the dispenser,
A beverage product dispenser device characterized in that individual information is input into the information input unit of one of the dispenser machines and the individual information is stored in the information storage unit, and when individual information input from the information input unit of another of the dispenser machines matches the individual information stored in the information storage unit, the control unit of the other of the dispenser machines is prohibited from performing a dispense operation based on the input individual information. Equipped with multiple discharge providers,
The dispenser comprises:
an information input unit for inputting individual information of each purchased beverage product;
a control unit that controls a dispensing operation of the beverage product based on the individual information inputted to the information input unit,
A management unit is provided inside at least one of the plurality of discharge providing machines or outside the plurality of discharge providing machines, the management unit managing all of the control units in the plurality of discharge providing machines;
The management unit
An information storage unit is provided for storing individual information input from the information input unit of the dispenser,
A beverage product dispenser device characterized in that individual information is input into the information input unit of one of the dispenser machines and the individual information is stored in the information storage unit, and when individual information input from the information input unit of another of the dispenser machines matches the individual information stored in the information storage unit, the control unit of the other of the dispenser machines is prohibited from dispensing based on the input individual information and the individual information input from the information input unit of the other of the dispenser machines is invalidated. 3. The beverage dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the management unit is connected to all of the control units by wired or wireless communication means. The beverage product dispenser and providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the individual information includes the type of the purchased beverage product and identification information that distinguishes the purchased beverage product from other purchased beverage products. The beverage product dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the information input unit is an information reading unit that reads an information code printed on a paper medium or displayed on a screen. The beverage product dispenser and providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the information input unit is a receiving unit that receives information transmitted from a product sales system. The dispenser comprises:
A beverage product storage section for storing ingredients of the beverage product or the beverage product itself;
a beverage product preparation unit that prepares a beverage product from the stored product in the beverage product storage unit;
a beverage product dispenser that dispenses the beverage product prepared by the beverage product preparation unit;
The beverage dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a container setting section for setting a container for containing the beverage dispensed by the beverage dispenser.

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