JP2003331344A - Method and device for controlling automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transmit information from a cellular phone to an automatic vending machine by simple constitution, when making the automatic vending machine of cashless use. <P>SOLUTION: The automatic vending machine 1 issues a settlement request code for requiring settlement about a selected article based on an operation of a user, a center equipment 3 conducts settlement processing based on the settlement request code received from the vending machine 1 via a cellular phone terminal 2, conducts a prescribed processing for the settlement request code to generate a sales permission code, and converts the permission code into sound information to be transmitted to the cellular phone terminal 2. The automatic vending machine 1 collects the sound information from the phone terminal 2 by a microphone 14b, and controls selling of the article based on the permission code obtained by analyzing the collected sound information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vending machine control method and apparatus, and more particularly to a vending machine control method and apparatus that performs a selling operation by communicating with a mobile phone carried by a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In many currently used vending machines, a user inputs a value such as money or a prepaid card to purchase a desired product or receive a service.

However, in such a vending machine, the user is required to carry cash or a card at all times, and in particular, the prepaid card depends on each system when he or she wants to receive various services. There is the hassle of having to carry a large number of cards.

On the other hand, the seller misses a valuable sales opportunity due to lack of change or the like, and in a vending machine that can use a card, it is necessary to install a card reader / writer in the vending machine. Since many cards must be issued to enable the use of this vending machine, the labor and cost are enormous.

By the way, in recent years, small and highly functional mobile communication terminals such as mobile phones and PHSs have become widespread, and cashless systems for vending machines using these communication terminals have been devised.

[0006]

However, in the conventional cashless system using the portable communication terminal, the user is required to perform a complicated operation such as personal authentication, and cannot easily purchase the product.

[0007] Also, on the side of the seller, a great deal of cost is incurred because the vending machine needs to be online.

Further, there is a problem that the above-mentioned system cannot be constructed with existing vending machines, and it is difficult to spread the system.

In the cashless system using the portable communication terminal, communication between the vending machine and the portable communication terminal is performed by infrared communication, Bluetooth, image recognition such as bar code, and manual input with a keyboard. Suggested ways to do it.

However, in the case of infrared communication or Bluetooth, both the mobile communication terminal and the vending machine need to be equipped with these communication functions, but there is a problem that the price of the device becomes expensive. Further, in reality, mobile phones equipped with these communication functions are currently limited to only a few models. Similarly, in the case of image recognition, the vending machine must be provided with the image recognition function, which increases the price of the device on the vending machine side.

On the other hand, the manual input by the user is simple, but there is a high possibility that a human input error will occur, and when there is a large amount of data to be input, it becomes very difficult for the user to input. It is impossible to demand it.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention provides a control device for an automatic vending machine, which is capable of sending information to the automatic vending machine from a mobile phone with a simple structure when the vending machine is made cashless. To aim.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is a control method for a vending machine which performs a selling operation by communicating with a mobile phone carried by a user. It is characterized in that the ringing sound generated from the sounder of the mobile phone is collected and the communication information output from the mobile phone is determined by analyzing the collected ringing sound.

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the determination of the communication information output from the portable telephone is performed based on the pitch of the ringing sound.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the communication information output from the portable telephone is determined based on the length of the ringing sound.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the communication information output from the portable telephone is determined based on the pitch and the length of the ringing sound. To do.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the mobile phone communicates with a center device that manages a selling operation of the vending machine, and based on the communication, the vending machine. It is characterized in that sound information corresponding to the communication information to be transmitted to is acquired.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the sound information is obtained by using a mail transmitted from the center device to the mobile phone via the Internet. Characterize.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, in the fifth aspect of the invention, the sound information is W of the portable telephone.
It is characterized in that it is acquired from the center device using an eb browser.

Further, according to the invention of claim 8, in a control device of a vending machine which performs a selling operation by communicating with a mobile phone carried by a user, a ringing sound generated from a sounder of the mobile phone is collected. And a communication information discriminating unit that discriminates communication information output from the mobile phone by analyzing a ringing sound generated from the sounder of the mobile phone collected by the sound collecting unit. It is characterized by doing.

[0021] According to a ninth aspect of the invention, in the invention of the eighth aspect, the communication information discriminating means is output from the portable telephone based on the pitch of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting means. It is characterized in that it discriminates communication information.

The invention according to claim 10 is the same as that of claim 8.
In the invention described above, the communication information discriminating means discriminates the communication information output from the mobile phone based on the length of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting means.

The invention described in claim 11 is the same as claim 8.
In the invention described above, the communication information discriminating means discriminates the communication information output from the mobile phone based on the pitch and the length of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting means.

The invention according to claim 12 is the invention according to claim 8.
In the invention described above, the mobile phone communicates with a center device that manages a selling operation of the vending machine, and acquires sound information corresponding to communication information transmitted to the vending machine based on the communication. And

The invention described in claim 13 is the same as claim 1.
In the invention described in 2, the sound information is obtained by using a mail transmitted from the center device to the mobile phone via the Internet.

The invention according to claim 14 is the same as claim 1.
In the invention described in 2, the sound information is obtained from the center device by using a Web browser of the mobile phone.

[0027]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a control device for a vending machine according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cashless vending machine system configured by applying a control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, a cashless vending machine system is connected to a vending machine 1 for selling goods or services, a mobile phone terminal 2 owned by a user, a communication network such as the Internet, and a mobile phone terminal. 2 and a center device 3 that performs storage management and the like.

Here, the center device 3 is installed in a company that manages the vending machine 1 or a company that handles sales.

In the cashless vending machine system having the above structure, the vending machine 1 issues a settlement request code when selling a product. Then, the purchaser acquires the issued payment request code from the vending machine 1 and transmits it to the center device 3 using the mobile phone terminal 2 owned by the purchaser.

The center device 3 generates a sales permission code based on the settlement request code sent from the mobile phone terminal 2 and sends it to the mobile phone terminal 2. The sales permission code transmitted from the center device 3 is received by the mobile phone terminal 2.

In the cashless vending machine system of this embodiment, the center device 3 converts the sales permission code into sound information corresponding to the ringing sound that can be generated by the mobile phone terminal 2 and carries it. Send to the telephone terminal 2.

Here, the ringing sound that can be generated by the mobile phone terminal 2 is a sound that can be generated by the sounder of the mobile phone terminal 2 that generates a ringing tone, for example, a predetermined scale (corresponding to this sales permission code ( Pitch of sound) and rhythm (length of sound)
The sound information corresponds to the predetermined scale (pitch of sound) and rhythm (shortness of sound).

For example, the center device 3 is provided with a sales permission code-sound information conversion table for storing musical tone information including a predetermined scale (pitch of sound) and rhythm (long and short of sound) corresponding to the sales permission code. The center device 3 is provided
The sales permission code-sound information conversion table can be used to convert the sales permission code into musical tone information (sound information) including a predetermined scale (sound pitch) and rhythm (sound length).

The sound information may be composed of only one of the scale (pitch of the sound) and the rhythm (the length of the sound), and may be a predetermined one without using the sales permission code-sound information conversion table. It may be created by modulating the sound information with the sales permission code.

The sound information can be transmitted from the center device 3 to the mobile phone terminal 2 by using the mail receiving function of the mobile phone terminal 2, and by using the Web browser function of the mobile phone terminal 2. It may be acquired from the center device 3.

In this way, the mobile phone terminal 2 which has received the sound information corresponding to the sales permission code from the center device 3,
A sound corresponding to the sound information is generated from the sounder (not shown) of the mobile phone terminal 2 toward the vending machine 1.

The vending machine 1 collects the sound generated from the portable telephone terminal 2 by a microphone (not shown) of the vending machine 1, and analyzes the sound information corresponding to the collected sound to permit sales. The code is reproduced, and the sale processing of the product is performed based on the reproduced sales permission code.

Next, the structure of the vending machine 1 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of the vending machine 1 used in the cashless vending machine system shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vending machine 1 includes a main control unit 11, a settlement request code generation unit 12, a settlement request code display unit 13, a sound information analysis unit 14a, a microphone (microphone) 14b, and a keyboard terminal unit. 15, coin processing unit 1
6, banknote processing unit 17, commodity transport unit 18, column 19 (1
9-1 to 19-n).

The main control section 11 controls each section of the automatic vending machine 1 to control the sale of goods and the issuance of a settlement request code.
The payment request code generation unit 12 generates a payment request code based on the control signal from the main control unit 11, and the payment request code generated by the payment request code generation unit 12 is visible on the payment request code display unit 13 as visible information. It is displayed as (character string, image, etc.).

The sound information analysis unit 14a analyzes the sound information collected by the microphone 14b to obtain a sales permission code.
The keyboard terminal unit 15 is for performing various settings such as the price of a product to be sold. The coin processing unit 16 receives coins that are the price of the goods and returns change, and the bill processing unit 1
7 performs processing such as receipt of banknotes.

The product transport section 18 carries out a product discharge process based on a control signal from the main control section 11, and controls the discharge of the product stored in the column 19. The column 19 stores each product.

Now, this vending machine 1 is for cash settlement,
Two types of payment processing, cashless payment using the mobile phone terminal 2, are possible, and when a coin or a banknote is inserted from the coin slot or the banknote slot (not shown) of the vending machine 1, the cash is automatically settled. Move to mode.
When the user performs an operation requesting cashless payment, the vending machine 1 shifts to the cashless payment mode.

Here, the operation of requesting cashless settlement is, for example, an operation of pressing a cashless sales button provided on the vending machine 1.

When only cashless settlement using the mobile phone terminal 2 is possible, the coin processing unit 16 and the bill processing unit 17 are unnecessary.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the center device 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the center device 3 comprises a main control unit 31, a communication control unit 32, and a data storage unit 33.

The main control section 31 controls each section of the center device 3 to perform settlement processing and the like. The communication control unit 32 is connected to a network such as the Internet and controls data exchange with the mobile phone terminal 2. Data storage unit 33
Stores various data required for payment processing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the flow of the product sales process in the cashless payment mode.

First, when the user operates the vending machine 1 to request cashless settlement (step 10)
1) When the vending machine 1 is ready to accept the product selection from the user (step 102) and the user selects the product (step 103), the vending machine 1 performs the payment request code generation process (step 104). ).

Here, the payment request code includes product information such as the type and price of the selected product, information unique to the payment request code, address information of the center device 3, and the like. Of these, the information unique to the payment request code may be any information that can identify the payment request code, for example,
It is configured by a combination of a serial number or random number issued each time a product is selected and the identification code of the vending machine 1.

Vending machine 1 that generated the payment request code
Displays the settlement request code on the display unit 13 (step 105). Here, the payment request code is
Character string composed of numbers, letters, symbols, etc., or 1
It is displayed as image data such as a two-dimensional barcode or a two-dimensional barcode. Then, the user inputs the payment request code displayed on the payment request code display unit 13 into the mobile phone terminal 2 (step 106).

Here, the mobile phone terminal 2 of the settlement request code
Input to the key input section of the mobile phone terminal 2, or if the mobile phone terminal 2 has a built-in shooting function or a shooting attachment can be used, use this shooting function. This can be done by taking an image of the payment request code displayed on the payment request code display unit 13.

When the payment request code is input, the mobile phone terminal 2 accesses the center device 3 based on the address information of the center device 3 included in the payment request code and transmits the payment request code ( Step 107).

Upon receiving the payment request code, the center device 3 first carries out an authentication process for the mobile phone terminal 2 (step 108). This authentication processing is performed based on the information registered in advance in the data storage unit 33. When the center device 3 authenticates the mobile phone terminal 2, the center device 3 then performs a payment process based on the received payment request code (step 1).
09).

As the settlement processing method, for example, a method of storing the usage amount for each user in the data storage unit 33 each time the settlement processing is performed and performing the actual settlement collectively on a predetermined date is applied. it can. In addition, as another method, the amount of money preliminarily deposited by the user in the management company of the vending machine 1 is stored in the data storage unit 33 for each user, and the usage amount is deducted each time the payment processing is performed. Iku prepaid method can also be applied.

In the settlement process described above, the center device 3 performs a predetermined process on the settlement request code transmitted from the mobile phone terminal 2 to generate a sales permission code, and further, the sales permission code is sent to the mobile phone. The sound information generated by the sounder of the terminal 2 is converted and transmitted to the mobile phone terminal 2 (step 110).

Here, as described above, this tone information may be constituted by a combination of scale (pitch of sound) and rhythm (long and short of sound) corresponding to the sales permission code, or either scale or rhythm. it can.

The center device 3 transmits the generated sound information to the mobile phone terminal 2 via the attached file of the mail or the Web browser of the mobile phone terminal 2.

The user of the portable telephone terminal 2 who has obtained the sound information from the center device 3 requests the vending machine 1 to collect the sound information (sales permission code) (step 11).
1) The mobile phone terminal 2 is brought close to the microphone 14b of the vending machine 1 to reproduce the sound information received from the center device 3 (step 112).

Here, the reproduction of the sound information by the mobile phone terminal 2 is such that when the sound information is received as an attachment file of a mail, the sound information is played only by opening the corresponding mail. It can be implemented by the function of the terminal.

The sound collection request operation of the sound information by the user is performed by, for example, pressing a sound collection button provided on the vending machine 1.

The vending machine 1 collects sound information reproduced from the mobile phone terminal 2 by the microphone 14b in response to a sound collection request operation from the user, analyzes the collected sound information, and permits sales. A code is obtained (step 113), this sales permission code is analyzed, and the center device 3 is authenticated (step 1).
14).

In the authentication processing of the center device 3 by the automatic vending machine 1, the sales permission code is subjected to predetermined processing to reproduce the settlement request code, and the reproduced settlement request code is compared with the settlement request code previously generated. By doing. Then, if the two match with each other as a result of this comparison, the vending machine 1 uses the settlement request code generated by itself as the center device 3
Determines that it has been authenticated as legitimate by legitimate processing.

When this authentication process is completed, the vending machine 1
Operates the product transport unit 18 to provide the product to the user (step 115).

When the vending machine 1 cannot provide the product to the user due to a product jam or the like even though the settlement processing is performed and the sales permission code is issued, for example, the vending machine 1 It is advisable to issue an error code indicating that the payment cannot be provided, and the user can cancel the settlement by transmitting this error code to the center device 3 using the mobile phone terminal 2.

When authenticating the mobile phone terminal 2 in step 108, the center device 3 requests the user to input a personal identification number via the mobile phone terminal 2 and thereby authenticates the user. May be.

[0071]

As described above, according to the present invention, the ringing sound generated from the sounder of the mobile phone is used in the vending machine which performs the selling operation by communicating with the mobile phone carried by the user. Since the mobile phone is configured to transmit necessary information to the vending machine, the vending machine can be made cashless with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a cashless vending machine system configured by applying a control device for a vending machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of the vending machine of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a center device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of product sales processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vending machine 2 Mobile phone terminals 3 Center device 11 Main control unit 12 Payment request code generator 13 Payment request code display 14a Sound information analysis unit 14b microphone 15 Keyboard terminal 16 Coin processing unit 17 Banknote processing unit 18 Product Transport Department 19 columns 31 Main control unit 32 Communication control unit 33 Data storage

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Hiroaki Yoshida             2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Ceremony company Japan Conlux (72) Inventor Hiroaki Shinada             2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Ceremony company Japan Conlux (72) Inventor Kumiko Hisai             2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Ceremony company Japan Conlux (72) Inventor Hiroki Hoshino             2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Ceremony company Japan Conlux F-term (reference) 3E044 AA01 BA10 DC01 DE01 DE02

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling an automatic vending machine, which performs a selling operation by communicating with a mobile phone carried by a user, comprising collecting a ringing sound generated from a sounder of the mobile phone, and collecting the ringing sound. A method for controlling an automatic vending machine, characterized in that communication information output from the mobile phone is determined by analyzing sound. 2. The method of controlling a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the communication information output from the mobile phone is determined based on the pitch of the ringing sound. 3. The method of controlling a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the communication information output from the mobile phone is determined based on the length of the ringing sound. 4. The method of controlling a vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the communication information output from the mobile phone is determined based on the pitch and the length of the ringing sound. 5. The mobile phone communicates with a center device that manages a vending operation of the vending machine, and acquires sound information corresponding to communication information transmitted to the vending machine based on the communication. The method of controlling a vending machine according to claim 1. 6. The method for controlling a vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the sound information is acquired by using a mail transmitted from the center device to the mobile phone via the Internet. 7. The method of controlling a vending machine according to claim 5, wherein the sound information is acquired from the center device using a web browser of the mobile phone. 8. A control device for a vending machine that performs a selling operation by communicating with a mobile phone carried by a user, and a sound collecting unit that collects a ringing sound generated from a sounder of the mobile phone, An automatic vending machine, comprising: communication information discriminating means for discriminating communication information output from the mobile phone by analyzing a ringing sound generated from a sounder of the mobile phone collected by the sound collecting means. Machine control device. 9. The communication information discriminating means discriminates the communication information output from the mobile phone based on the pitch of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting means. Control device for vending machines. 10. The automatic communication system according to claim 8, wherein the communication information discriminating unit discriminates communication information output from the mobile phone based on the length of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting unit. Vending machine controller. 11. The communication information discriminating means discriminates the communication information output from the mobile phone based on the pitch and the length of the ringing sound collected by the sound collecting means. Controller for the described vending machine. 12. The mobile phone communicates with a center device that manages a selling operation of the vending machine, and acquires sound information corresponding to communication information to be transmitted to the vending machine based on the communication. The control device for the vending machine according to claim 8. 13. The control device for the vending machine according to claim 12, wherein the sound information is acquired from an email transmitted from the center device to the mobile phone via the Internet. 14. The control device for a vending machine according to claim 12, wherein the sound information is acquired from the center device using a web browser of the mobile phone.