JPH0792860B2 - Sold-out processing device for ticket vending machines - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a ticket vending machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Some ticket vending machines are managed by a common host computer. Each ticket vending machine reports online to the host computer each time it sells, and when the number of sold tickets reported from the ticket vending machine reaches the planned sales quantity, the host computer will send online to each ticket vending machine thereafter. Instructed to prohibit ticketing.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional configuration, since the number of tickets issued is reported to the host computer after the ticket is issued and communication between the host computer and the ticket vending machine is delayed,
There is a problem of overselling than the planned number.

Therefore, each ticket vending machine avoids the above-mentioned oversold problem by making an online inquiry to the host computer when issuing a ticket and issuing a ticket or selling out based on the answer. However, in this case, there is a problem that it takes too much time for each ticketing operation, which is not practical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sold-out processing device in which each ticketing operation is quick, and moreover, the number of sold tickets is not oversold.

Means for Solving the Problems The sold-out processing device of the present invention manages a plurality of ticket vending machines by a host computer, and each ticket vending machine reports online to the host computer each time a ticket is issued,
The remaining number K is calculated by the host computer, and K ≦ n [where n is a constant and the number of ticket vending machines managed by the host computer is N, n = N or n> N and n is an integer near N] When the status of is detected, the host computer sets the restricted operation mode for each ticket vending machine online, and if each ticket vending machine does not set the restricted operation mode when issuing a ticket, it issues the ticket without inquiring to the host computer. Only when the limit operation mode is set, the host computer is inquired about the remaining number online, and if K> 0, the ticket issuing is executed, and when K = 0, the control means is switched to sold out. It is characterized by being provided.

Operation According to this configuration, the control means executes the ticket issuing without inquiring to the host computer when the ticket vending machine is not set to the limited operation mode, and only when the ticket vending machine is set to the limited operation mode to the host computer. The remaining number is inquired online, and if K> 0, the ticket is issued, and if K = 0, the ticket is sold out.

Therefore, since the remaining number is managed by the host computer, there is no oversold, and ticketing is executed without inquiry to the host computer until the remaining number K ≦ n, so the time required for each ticketing up to that point is shortened. it can.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 shows a ticket selling system equipped with the sold-out processing device of the present invention. Each ticket vending machine A, B, ... Is configured so that the user can select from three types of sales mode in which cash is sold using an ID card, in addition to cash selling and post-payment selling using an ID card. A card reader 1, a coin unit 2, and a menu button group 3 are provided on the customer service side, and the others are provided in the compartment of the ticket vending machine body.

In the case of purchase by cash, the user inserts coins into the coin unit 2. Then, the sales control unit 4 compares the selling price of each column set in advance through the setting device 5 with the input amount of money, and determines the sale of each column.
When it is detected that the button designating the column determined to be available for sale in the menu button group 3 is operated,
The ticket issuing printer 6 is instructed to print the ticket face of the selected column and issue a ticket for which printing has been completed. Along with this, the sales control unit 4 reports the sales data of the sales online to the host computer 9 each time, and the journal printer 7 and the floppy disk drive 8 indicate the contents of the sold tickets and cash sales. Instruct to record.

In case of postpayment by ID card, use the card reader 1
When the ID card is inserted and the ID code is read, the sales control unit 4 collates the read ID code with the card invalid data registered in the memory of the sales control unit 4, and
It is determined whether the ID card is valid, and if it is valid, discount sale is executed by reducing the selling price of each column by a prescribed amount based on the operation of the menu button group 3. And
The ticket issuing printer 6 is instructed to issue a ticket according to the operation of the menu button group 3, and the sales data for that time is reported online to the host computer 9 each time, and is sold to the journal printer 7 and the floppy disk drive 8. Instruct to record the contents of the ticket and the postpayment, and to record the ID code read from the ID card.

When the ID card is inserted into the card reader 1 and then cash is inserted into the coin unit 2, the sales control unit 4 collates the read ID code with the card invalid data, and the ID card Is determined to be valid, and if it is valid, discount cash sale in which the selling price of each column is reduced by a specified amount based on the operation of the menu button group 3 is executed. Then, the sales data at that time is reported online to the host computer 9 each time, and to the journal printer 7 and the floppy disk drive 8,
Instruct that the contents of the sold ticket and the ID card be used in cash and that the ID code read from the ID card be recorded. The ticket vending machines A, B, ... Are operated by connecting a plurality of them to the communication line 10 of the host computer 9. The contents of the ticket vending machine A, B ,. The computer 9 confirms the preset number of tickets to be sold for each column, compares the total number of tickets issued for each column with the number of tickets planned to be sold, and makes sure that each ticket vending machine A, B, The sold-out control of… is being implemented.

A host computer 11 for payroll calculation of each user is provided above the host computer 9. From this host computer 11, a list of ID codes of retirees and the like is stored online on the floppy disk 12 via the host computer 9. It is registered as card invalid data in the memory of the sales control unit 4 in each ticket vending machine A, B. Further, post-payment data generated at each ticket vending machine A, B is transmitted online to the host computer 9 each time, and the data is transferred to the host computer 9
The post-payment data is reported to the host computer 11 via the floppy disk or online, and the usage fee is deducted from the salary of each user.

2 and 3 show the configuration of sold-out control means composed of the sales control unit 4 of each ticket vending machine A, B, ... Connected via the communication line 10 and the host computer 9. A description will be given based on the flowchart.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a ticket vending machine. In step [a-1], it is determined whether the deposit process is "cash only", "card", or "card and cash". If a "cash only" purchase is made, a coin is inserted. [A-1] to [a
In step [a-5], the sale available menu button is lit up.

When the operation of the menu button is detected in step [a-7] through step [a-6], a predetermined operation mode is executed by the own sales control unit 4 in step [a-8]. Determine if a flag is set in the register.

First, in the normal mode in which the limited operation mode flag is not set, and the remaining number K managed by the host computer 9 is sufficient [communication line 10
If the number of ticket vending machines connected to N is N, K ≦ N
To be in a sufficient state].

In this case, it is determined in step [a-8] that the driving is not limited, and the ticket vending machine immediately executes step [a-9] after step [a-8].

In step [a-9], the ticket-issuing printer 6 is instructed to issue the meal ticket of the menu for which the operation was detected in step [a-7], and in step [a-10], the sales data of that time is processed and the communication line is processed. Report the column that issued the ticket to the host computer 9 via 10. In response to this, the host computer 9 updates the remaining number K of the reported columns.

On the ticket vending machine side, in the case of single sale through step [a-10] and then step [a-11], in the case of single sale [a-12], withdrawal processing, change processing, card return processing are performed as necessary. Execute to end one sale operation.

For the sales operation using only the card and the sales operation using the card and cash, the payroll deduction is performed at step [a-14] through step [a-13] and then step [a-13]. If it is a selling operation using a card and cash, it is judged in Steps [a-15] to [a-17] that the sale is possible at a discounted price, and then Step [a-5].
To execute. In the case of the selling operation using only the card, it is determined in step [a-14] that the payroll is deducted, and in step [a-18], the sale price is determined by the discount price and the step [a- 5] is executed.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of control means for the sold-out processing of the host computer 9. In any of the cash only selling operation, the card and cash selling operation, and the card only selling operation, the column issued in step [a-10] is reported to the host computer 9 and received. On the host computer 9 side, whether the report in step [b-10] or the inquiry from the ticket vending machine described later is made in step [b-].
In the case of the report in step [b-10], the remaining number K for each column is updated each time in step [b-2]. If the number of ticket vending machines connected to the communication line 10 is N in step [b-3], step [b-3]
-3], it is determined whether or not "K≤N". If the condition of "K≤N" is satisfied, the flow chart of FIG. 3 is exited.

When the condition of "K≤N" is satisfied in step [b-3] and the remaining number becomes small, the host computer 9 is restricted to each ticket vending machine via the communication line 10 in step [b-4]. The operation flag is set and the flow chart of FIG. 3 is exited.

When the flag of the limited driving is set in each ticket vending machine in step [b-4] of the host computer 9, each ticket vending machine indicates the limited driving mode when the flag is checked in step [a-8]. If it is determined that the step [a-19] is not performed immediately without executing the step [a-9].
Then, the host computer 9 is inquired about the sale, the result is judged in step [a-20], and then step [a-
9] ticket issuing processing is executed.

In response to the inquiry from the ticket vending machine in step [a-19], the host computer 9 side proceeds to step [b-5]
In step [b-6], it is confirmed whether the remaining number "K = 0" or not, and in step [b-6], the sale permission is transmitted to the ticket vending machine inquired.

The ticket vending machine which has received the sales permission by executing step [b-6] recognizes the ticket issuing permission from the host computer 9 in step [a-20] and executes step [a-9] to issue a ticket.

In step [b-5] of the host computer 9, the remaining number "K"
When "= 0" is detected, the step [b-7] is executed and a sell-out instruction is sent to each ticket vending machine. On the ticket vending machine side, although not shown in FIG. Before the execution of step [a-1] by detecting the sold-out instruction of step [b-7] of the computer 9 or step [a-7]
For the ticket vending machine that is executing the routine passing through, only the relevant column is switched to the sold-out state.

Host computer 9 for inquiries from ticket vending machines
When the instruction to sell out is issued in step [a-20], the state is switched to the sold-out state in step [a-21] and the ticket issuing process in step [a-9] is not executed.

Since the host computer 9 manages the remaining number as described above, there is no oversold, and ticket issuing is executed without inquiry to the host computer until the remaining number K ≦ N. Can be shortened, the ticketing operation for each time is quick, and more than the planned number of tickets will not be sold.

Furthermore, when the limited operation mode is entered, the host computer 9 is inquired before the ticket is issued, so the remaining number K
Even if the number of tickets becomes one, all ticket vending machines connected to the communication line 10 are ready to sell the food ticket of this column, and when the remaining number K becomes 0, all Since the ticket vending machines can be switched to all at once, users who are in a line in front of each ticket vending machine to buy a meal ticket will try to buy the meal ticket of the target menu when it is their turn. When the ticket vending machine that I lined up has sold out the target menu, the ticket vending machine installed next to it is selling food tickets for the above target menu It is possible to eliminate the complaint that you could not purchase the desired meal ticket because the
The feeling of use is also good.

In the above embodiment, in step [b-3], K = n, n =
Although the case of N has been described as an example, n> N and n may be any integer n near N.

In the above embodiment, the remaining number K of the corresponding column is decremented and updated each time the ticket issuance report is received from the ticket vending machine. This is the planned sales amount "M", the sales amount "m" The same applies to the case where the host computer 9 calculates "L-m" and calculates the remaining number each time.

As described above, according to the sold-out processing device of the present invention, when the ticket vending machine is not set to the limited operation mode, the control means executes the ticket issuing without inquiring to the host computer to set the limited operation mode. Only when it is set, the host computer is inquired about the remaining number online, and if K> 0, the ticket is issued, and if K = 0, it is sold out.

Therefore, since the remaining number is managed by the host computer, there is no oversold, and ticketing is executed without inquiry to the host computer until the remaining number K ≦ n, so the time required for each ticketing up to that point is shortened. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connection diagram of a ticket vending machine provided with a sold-out processing device of the present invention in an operating state, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts of sold-out control means of the device. A, B ... Ticket vending machine, 3 ... Menu button group, 4 ... Sales control unit, 6 ... Ticket issuing printer, 9 ... Host computer, 10 ...
Communication circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of ticket vending machines are managed by a host computer, each ticket vending machine reports online to the host computer each time a ticket is issued, the host computer calculates the remaining number K, and K≤n [n Is a constant, and if the number of ticket vending machines managed by the host computer is N, then n
= N or n> N and n is an integer near N], the host computer sets the limited operation mode to each ticket vending machine online, and each ticket vending machine is set to the limited operation mode when issuing a ticket. If it is not, the ticket is issued without inquiring to the host computer, the remaining number is inquired to the host computer online only when the limited operation mode is set, and if K> 0, the ticket is issued. , K = 0, a sold-out processing device provided with control means for switching to sold-out.