DE9303870U1 - Computer-aided central control for sunbeds in tanning salons - Google Patents

Description

Description

Computer-aided central control for sunbeds in tanning studios

Status It is known that central controls for sunbeds in

The technology tanning studios only accept 5-DM coins or in-house tokens

and accept customer cards as a means of payment. It is also known that the central controls have a display on the customer side in such a way that the tanning time is shown to the customer using illuminated numbers.
It is also known that the central control system enables internal queries to be made to the individual tanning beds in such a way that the number of operating hours of the burner and tubes, the number of customers and the daily turnover are shown on the above-mentioned display. It is not possible to save the data.

It is also known that control centers can be used to define individual time periods for reduced tanning rates for individual devices.

problem

The invention specified in claim 1 is based on the problem of expanding the functionality of the existing central controls and simplifying the control of the devices.

Solution

This problem is solved by the features listed in claim 1.

Achieved Advantages The advantages achieved with the invention consist in particular in the fact that all functions necessary for controlling and monitoring the tanning salon have been integrated into one device.

For the first time, both the customer and the studio operator receive visual support when using or monitoring the tanning studio through a color monitor.

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For the first time, newly developed software provides customers with all the information they need about the status and capabilities of the tanning salon visually on the screen. This includes recommended tanning times for different skin types, information about the properties of existing tanning beds, information about tanning times and their costs, and information about free tanning times or remaining tanning times for occupied tanning beds.

For the first time, the newly developed software enables the studio operator to carry out a fully integrated and immediate evaluation of all company data, including:
a. Evaluation of the running times of the sunbeds
b.Sales figures separated by normal times, off-peak times, cash
and cashless payment

The evaluation can be carried out for the first time per day, month, year or
Period combined between single or total cabins
At the same time, the corresponding comparative figures from the previous year are displayed.

c. Storage of all evaluated data for an unlimited period

d. integrated maintenance and fault control of the existing
Tanning beds (e.g. visual indication of due burner or
tube replacement etc.)

The functional software integrated into the central control system makes it possible for the first time to simultaneously and time-dependently control interior lighting, advertising signs, heating, roller shutters, sound systems, automatic opening of doors at the start and end of business and control of video surveillance.

In addition, for the first time, the management of customer data, such as addresses, birthdays, bank details and sales figures of the customer, has been integrated into the central control system. This makes it possible to use various special services through the central control system, such as visual and/or acoustic birthday greetings/serenades.

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Sheet 3

Design of the invention

For the first time, a controller connected via the computer's serial interface was developed to take over the following functions:

a. Query of start button status

b. Control of switching on/off of sunbeds and fans

c. Registration of inserted coins

d. Control of the coin slot locks (open/closed)

e. Control of the loudspeakers in the starter boxes

f. Control of the signal light (if the computer fails, the computer or the
Programs generated by the controller, whereby all sunbeds are switched off

To implement the functions of the controller, a new type of software was developed, whereby the functions of the controller are implemented by transmitting and querying the individual control commands and status queries.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 2. The further development according to claim 2 makes it possible for the first time to pay the fees for using the sunbeds by means of cashless payment transactions using all commercially available credit cards. The central control system enables the fees to be billed by direct debit using diskettes for the first time.

The further development according to protection claim 2, in conjunction with the software required for protection claim 2, makes it possible to use your own value and credit cards that are free from manipulation and/or the risk of damage. Thanks to a new type of data capture, all information that goes beyond customer identification is no longer stored on the card, but in the central control database. Manipulation of the value of the card is completely ruled out. In the event of loss/damage, the remaining value of the card can be determined for the first time and credited to the customer.

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Sheet 4

The further development according to protection claim 2 makes it possible to integrate an entrance control system. For the first time, the customer has the option of using his credit card via the central control system to open the entrance doors and start up the tanning devices.

Design of the invention

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is specified in claim 3. The further development according to claim 3 enables the studio operator for the first time to have access to all information and control functions of the central control from his office. Due to claim 3, it is no longer necessary to temporarily block the control center for customers during an internal company analysis/control.

The further development according to claim 3 makes it possible to remotely control and monitor the devices connected to the central control system and to carry out a company analysis via the integrated modem. This makes it possible to diagnose and eliminate faults via remote query without the need to be present on site. In an emergency, individual devices or the entire system can be switched off via remote command. Furthermore, the entire studio can be closed via remote command, whereby the studio can only be left but no longer entered.

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Sheet 5

Description of

Example

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing (Figures 1 to 4, dimensions in millimeters) and is described in more detail below.

The numbers in brackets refer to the graphic representation.

The central control unit for sunbeds in tanning salons consists of a 2 mm thick steel sheet housing closed on all sides with a powder-coated, stove-enamelled paint finish (1). At the front, in the upper part, there is a lockable door (2) with two 5-DM coin acceptors (3) attached to the right-hand upper edge, a red fault indicator lamp (4) attached under the coin acceptors and an opening (5) on the left-hand side of the door for viewing the color image monitor (6) mounted inside the housing. This opening is designed in such a way that the screen inside the housing connects seamlessly to the opening. To the left of the fault indicator lamp there is an integrated loudspeaker (7).
Below the housing door, the housing is offset diagonally forward, creating a downward-sloping surface. On the left of this operating surface there is a rectangular recess for the operating instructions (8). In the middle of the surface there is a vandal-proof ten-key membrane keyboard with three function keys (9). On the right of the operating surface there is a swipe magnetic card reader or alternatively a motor-driven card reader (10). Below there is a visual indication of how to operate the card reader (11).
Below this user surface, which is inclined at an angle to the front, there is a lockable metal flap (12) that can be opened to the front. Behind this, on two telescopic rails attached to the inside of the housing, there is a metal drawer that can be pulled out from the inside of the housing through the opened flap to accommodate the 386-DX40 MHz computer (13) and the computer keyboard (14) that is only required for the studio operator.

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The operator keyboard is placed on the computer housing in a recess provided for it and is connected to the computer by a cable. The computer is firmly mounted on the drawer, but can be removed from the housing with the entire drawer if necessary by unlatching the drawer from the guide rail. The operator keyboard of the central computer is not firmly connected to the drawer.

In the upper part of the housing, at the height of the housing door, there is a horizontal metal plate for holding the color monitor. This color monitor is firmly connected to the above-mentioned plate by guide rails attached to the sides of the monitor housing; however, it can be removed from the housing for repair purposes by removing the fastening screws.

The color monitor is connected to the central computer inside the housing by a cable.

A plastic coin chute (15) is installed behind the 5 DM coin acceptors in such a way that the inserted coins can be transported to a safe inside the housing.

On the side of the housing there is a connector for connecting a second, external terminal computer. This terminal computer consists of the same hardware and software components as the computer inside the housing. This terminal computer also has a color screen that is identical to the monitor inside the housing.

The central computer consists of a metal housing, a 4-way serial interface card, graphics card, hard disk (capacity as required), a floppy disk drive, a controller with its own intelligence and several external multifunctional boards (number as required), as well as several software packages necessary for using the central control or the computer, which have been integrated into the computer.

The

Sheet 7

The controller has its own intelligence and was developed specifically to control the tanning beds and is connected to the central computer via the serial interface.

It performs the following functions:

a. Querying the start button status

b. Controlling the switching on and off of the sunbeds and fans

c. Registration of inserted coins

d. Control of the coin slot locks (open/closed)

e. Control of the loudspeakers in the starter boxes

f. Control of the signal light (in case of failure of the control computer
the controller will automatically restart the computer after 6 seconds)

The functions of the controller are implemented by specially developed, integrated software, whereby control commands and status queries are constantly transmitted and queried in the controller.

The external multifunctional boards are connected to the corresponding interfaces of the controller using a ribbon cable. The boards serve as starter boxes for the individual tanning beds and are located externally near the individual tanning devices.

The control center performs the following functions:

At the beginning of use, the customer is shown a visual overview of the studio's existing tanning beds on the screen.

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The customer receives information about currently free and occupied devices. If the devices are occupied, the customer is shown the remaining tanning times so that he can estimate how long he may have to wait. The free benches are marked with numbers. After selecting the desired free tanning bed, the customer enters the corresponding number of the free tanning bed into the central control unit using the membrane keypad. The customer is then asked on the central control unit screen whether he would like to pay in cash, by credit card or by prepaid card. The different payment methods are marked with a number. At the same time, he receives information about recommended tanning times for different skin types.

If the customer decides to pay in cash, he enters the corresponding number on the membrane keyboard. The customer is then prompted on the screen to insert the coin amount corresponding to the desired tanning time into the coin acceptor. After the coin has been inserted, the system asks for a confirmation of the entry and then switches to a screen area that can be individually designed by the studio operator. After this individually designed information has expired, the tanning device is released and the customer can go to the corresponding cabin. There he has the option of starting the tanning process by operating the starter box.

If the customer opts for cashless payment, he enters the number provided for this payment method on the keypad. The system then asks him to enter the credit or prepaid card into the card reader. After the customer has been identified by the card reader, the customer is personally greeted and, if necessary, a visual or acoustic birthday greeting is played on the screen or the system's loudspeaker.

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Sheet 9

The customer is then asked for the desired tanning units. The different tanning units are marked with numbers. The customer then enters the number that corresponds to the tanning time he or she wants and confirms the entry. The control then switches back to the screen described when paying in cash, which is to be individually designed by the operator. After this individually designed information has expired, the tanning device is released and the customer can go to the corresponding cabin. There he or she has the option of starting the tanning process by operating the starter box.

By using the keyboard in the central control unit, the operator can access the following functions via the central control unit screen:

1. Own generation of value and customer cards (own labeling of the cards)

2. Querying and changing the sunbed-specific data (generating the screen with regard to the information displayed on recommended tanning times, technical equipment of the devices, generating the tanning units, divided into normal rates, special rates, maximum tanning time, editing the operating hours for maintenance work, changing the burner/tubes)

3. Querying and changing statistical data for individual tanning beds (sales figures, customer numbers, running times and the resulting statistics)

4. New entry, query and change of customer-specific data (name, address, telephone, birthday, bank details, card type, display of the customer's last visit, display of the device they last used, total customer turnover, display of the customer's outstanding amounts)

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5. Query an event journal (log of all data sent and received between the computer and controller for the purpose of error diagnosis)

6. Change in discounted tanning times

7. Cash register query and cash register closing

8. Creation of a data carrier exchange disk for billing purposes by means of cashless payment transactions

9. Switching off individual or all tanning devices

10. Timed control of the interior lighting, the sound system, the electric shutters, the heating, the doors and the advertising lighting in the studio

11. Storage of all data indefinitely

The above functions can also be carried out via the terminal computer in the administration area (offices), whereby it is not necessary to block the central control for customer use. The connected modem also allows the above functions to be carried out via remote query, whereby a personal appearance on site is no longer necessary.

Claims (3)

Protection claims Generic term Computer-aided central control for sunbeds in tanning salons 1. A computer-aided central control system for sunbeds in tanning salons, characterized, that the central control consists of a sheet steel housing, a color screen, a 386-DX 40 MHz computer with 4-way serial interface card, graphics card, hard disk and floppy disk drive, a controller with its own intelligence, one or, if required, several multifunctional boards as starter boxes, a ten-key membrane keyboard, two 5-DM coin acceptors and several integrated software packages. 2. A computer-aided central control system for sunbeds in tanning salons according to claim 1, characterized, that the central control is additionally equipped with a a swipe magnetic card reader and/or a motor-driven card reader and an associated software package. 3. A computer-aided central control system for sunbeds in tanning salons according to claim 2, characterized, that an additional terminal is networked with the central control and a modem is installed for remote query.