JP2001307190A - System for managing automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To commonly utilize an automatic vending machine managing system by an operator, a vending machine maker or a maintenance company, etc., to collect information from the multiple designated vending machines by one command and to change specifications. SOLUTION: A plurality of automatic vending machines 1-6 are connected to an automatic vending machine management server 7 by a communication means and the computers of the plurality of operator companies and 9 for managing the machines 1-6, a automatic vending machine maker 10 and a service company 11, etc., are also connected. Then the operator companies 8 and 9, the maker 10 and the service company 11 transmit a command to the server 7 in the case of reading sales data from the automatic vending machines related to the companies, etc. re-writing the control programs of the machines or changing setting data. The automatic vending machine management server 7 commands the machine which coincides with a condition designated from each computer to perform a designated processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine management system for connecting a plurality of vending machines to a vending machine management server by means of communication means and managing the vending machines while communicating with each vending machine. It is about the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A plurality of vending machines are connected to a management computer of an operator company through communication means such as a public telephone line, a PHS (simple cellular phone) line, a cellular phone line, a dedicated wireless line, and the like. A vending machine operation system that enables data, failure data, and the like to be collected by communication has already been adopted. Also, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-185
As shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 120 (G07F 9/00), a vending machine is connected to a LAN (local area network) to collect information on the vending machine via the network and control the operation of the vending machine. Some techniques have been proposed.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional vending machine management system, only the operator company can use the system, and vending machine manufacturers and service companies in charge of vending machine maintenance use the system. There was a problem that it was not possible.

When collecting sales information and the like from a large number of specific vending machines, it is necessary to send a sales information transmission command by communicating with each vending machine one by one. There was also a problem that it took.

[0005] The present invention solves such a problem, and enables vending machine makers and service companies to use the system in addition to the operator company.
It is an object of the present invention to be able to collect information on vending machines from a large number of specific vending machines and change specifications.

[0006]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vending machine management system comprising: a plurality of vending machines having a communication controller; and a plurality of vending machines capable of communicating with the plurality of vending machines. Vending machine management server, a vending machine management system including a computer that can communicate with the vending machine management server, wherein the vending machine management server, for vending machines that match the conditions specified by the computer, It is possible to instruct execution of a designated process. In this way, a vending machine maker or a service company other than the operator company can use the system, and it is possible to cause a plurality of designated vending machines to execute a predetermined process by one command. Become.

In the vending machine management system according to the present invention, the vending machine management server holds vending machine information as selection elements for each of the plurality of vending machines, and the vending machine management server stores the vending machine information. A vending machine that matches the specified condition is selected from the computer based on the information, and the execution of the specified process is instructed. In this way, the number of vending machines that send commands can be minimized.

In the vending machine management system according to a third aspect, the vending machine management server transmits a condition and a processing instruction designated by the computer to all vending machines, and In the vending machine, it is determined whether or not the designated condition is met, and only the vending machine which meets the condition executes the designated process. In this way, the vending machine information held in the vending machine management server can be minimized.

A vending machine management system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that there are a plurality of the computers, and processing that can be specified for the vending machines is determined for each computer. . In this way, computers of different companies can execute necessary processes without infringing on the area of another company.

In the vending machine management system according to the present invention, the specifications of each vending machine are changed as the processing. In this way, the specifications of a number of designated vending machines can be changed by one command.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the vending machine management system of the present invention. Each vending machine 1
Reference numeral 6 is connected to the vending machine management server 7 through communication means such as a public telephone line, a PHS line, a mobile telephone line, and a dedicated wireless line. The vending machines 1 to 6 may include vending machines of different operator companies. Computers of operator A 8, operator B 9, vending machine maker 10, service company 11 and the like are also connected to the vending machine management server 7 through the same communication means as described above.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the vending machine. The main control unit 12 controls the terminal control units such as the communication control unit 13, the input control unit 14, the display control unit 15, and the sales control unit 16 based on the setting data stored in the memory. The communication control unit 13 controls communication performed with the vending machine management server 7. The input control unit 14 controls data exchange with an input device having a keyboard and a display (not shown). The display control unit 15 controls display of a not-shown available lamp, an amount display, a message display, and the like. The sales control unit 16 controls a product unloading mechanism (not shown).

Each of the vending machines 1 to 6 has such a configuration, and the vending machine management server 7 stores the vending machine information of all the vending machines under its management, for example, as shown in FIG. Holding in shape. The vending machine number is a number unique to each vending machine. The model number is a number indicating the model of each vending machine, whereby the manufacturer and model of the vending machine can be specified. The grades are graded with different symbols or numbers when the parts or software used are changed due to differences in the manufacturing time even in the same model.

Further, the installation location of each vending machine,
The operator company, installation date, failure history, maintenance condition, parts history, product name for sale, product price, route man in charge, and the like are stored. Of the information, the failure history, the name of the product for sale, and the like are rewritten by receiving the details of the change from the vending machine when the vending machine changes.
In addition, information that can be accessed for each of the operator company, vending machine maker, and service company is determined, and a person having access right can rewrite the contents as necessary.

For example, the information such as the vending machine number, model number, and operator company can be confirmed by any of the operator company, vending machine maker, and service company.
Only the operator company has access rights to information such as the product price and the assigned routeman, and the contents can be rewritten as necessary. In addition, only the vending machine manufacturer has access to information such as model number and grade,
The contents can be checked at any time. In addition, only the service company has access rights to information such as the failure history, maintenance conditions, and parts history, and the contents can be checked at any time.

The vending machine management server 7 receives selection conditions for selecting a vending machine to be processed and the contents of the processing from the computers of the operator A 8, the operator B 9, the vending machine maker 10, and the service company 11. Then, the execution of the processing is instructed to the vending machine meeting the selection condition.
For example, when the vending machine maker 10 changes the specification by partially changing the control program of a specific model of vending machines manufactured by the maker, the vending machine maker 10 to the vending machine management server 7. Vending machine management server 7
Upon receiving such a model number, grade, and changed content from the computer of the vending machine maker 10, the vending machine searches for the corresponding vending machine based on the vending machine information held therein as shown in FIG. Send the program rewrite command with the contents. Then, in the vending machine that has received the command, the command is sent to the main control unit 12 via the communication control unit 13, and a part of the control program is changed according to the command.

The operator company can change a price, change hot / cold, set a discount, change sales data collection conditions, etc. by selecting a specific vending machine. Further, the service company can set automatic maintenance and the like.

Further, the vending machine management server 7 may collect and hold the operation history, current settings, sales status, etc. from the vending machines 1 to 6 as needed.
By doing so, a vending machine can be selected based on the information and a specific process can be performed. For example, it is possible to set a discount only for the top 100 units in the sales ranking based on the sales information of each vending machine.

In the above-described embodiment, the vending machine to which the command is sent is selected by the vending machine management server 7. However, each vending machine uses the information stored in the vending machine based on the information held therein.
It is also possible to determine whether or not the instruction is given, and execute the instruction only when it is determined that the instruction is given. In that case, the vending machine management server 7 stores the operator A company 8, the operator B company 9, the vending machine maker 10,
The conditions and processing instructions specified by the computer such as the service company 11 are transmitted to all vending machines as they are. Then, in each vending machine, it is determined whether or not the designated condition is met, and only the vending machine which meets the condition executes the designated process. In that case, the vending machine information to be held in the vending machine management server 7 is
Only the minimum required.

[0020]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. That is, the vending machine management system according to claim 1 is provided with a vending machine management server capable of communicating with a plurality of vending machines, and the vending machine management server provides a vending machine matching a condition specified by a computer. Can be instructed to execute the specified process. As a result, vending machine manufacturers and service companies besides the operator company can be used, and a single command can cause a number of vending machines to execute predetermined processing, and sales information from a specific vending machine can be obtained. It is possible to easily perform operations such as collecting information.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system, the vending machine management server holds vending machine information as selection elements for a plurality of vending machines, and the vending machine management server stores the vending machine information in the vending machine information. Based on the computer, a vending machine that meets the specified condition is selected from the computer, and the execution of the specified process is instructed.
As a result, the number of vending machines that send commands can be minimized.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vending machine management system, the vending machine management server transmits a condition and a processing command designated by the computer to all the vending machines. In the machine, it is determined whether or not the designated condition is met, and only the vending machine that meets the condition executes the designated process. As a result, vending machine information held in the vending machine management server can be minimized.

In the vending machine management system according to the fourth aspect, the processing that can be specified for the vending machine is determined for each of a plurality of computers, so that computers of different companies can use other computers. The necessary processing can be executed for each without infringing on the territory of the company.

Further, in the vending machine management system according to the fifth aspect, the specifications of each vending machine are changed as the processing, so that a single command can be used to control a plurality of designated vending machines. Specifications can be changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vending machine management system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of vending machine information held in a vending machine management server.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-6 Vending machine 7 Vending machine management server 8 Operator A 9 Operator B 10 Vending machine maker 11 Service company

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Yamazaki 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka F-term in Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. 3E044 AA01 CA09 CB01 DC01 DC10 DE01 DE02 EA05 EB01

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine management system including: a plurality of vending machines having a communication control unit; a vending machine management server capable of communicating with the plurality of vending machines; and a computer capable of communicating with the vending machine management server. In addition, the vending machine management server is capable of instructing a vending machine that matches a condition specified by the computer to execute a specified process. 2. The vending machine management server holds vending machine information as selection elements for each of the plurality of vending machines, and the vending machine management server matches a condition specified by the computer based on the vending machine information. 2. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein a vending machine to be executed is selected and the execution of a designated process is instructed. 3. The vending machine management server sends a designated condition and a processing command from the computer to all vending machines, and determines whether or not each vending machine meets the designated condition. 2. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein said vending machine is determined and only the vending machine which satisfies the condition executes the designated processing. 4. A vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of said computers, and a process which can be designated for the vending machine is determined for each computer. system. 5. The vending machine management system according to claim 1, wherein the processing includes changing specifications of each vending machine.