JPH02191095A - Automatic lending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an automatic lending machine that lends out and returns products such as video tapes, and in particular corrects the lending fee when the lending machine becomes abnormal. Regarding.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, this type of device has a storage capacity of approximately 300 products, and if there is an abnormality in the delivery mechanism or the like while the product is being lent out, the product cannot be returned on the scheduled return date and the mechanism must be repaired. If you return the item at the end, it will be overdue and you will have to pay a late fee. In addition, in order to avoid receiving late fees when the rental machine is malfunctioning, it is necessary for the renter to manually change the scheduled return date.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with conventional devices, it takes a considerable amount of time to manually correct the scheduled return date by searching for a person who had a mechanical abnormality on the scheduled return date.

There is also the problem that errors can occur if the process is done manually.

Furthermore, if the power outage continues for a long time on the scheduled return date, the rental machine will automatically go into a standby state after restoration, so there is a problem that a late fee will be collected even in this case.

The purpose of this invention is to solve the above problem and provide an automatic lending machine that does not cause extra charges when the lending machine is malfunctioning.

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. a display means for providing guidance, and a product carrying/storage means for carrying out the loaned product from the "carryout 1" and storing the returned loaned product in the product storage shelf based on the insertion of money and the selection operation; In an automatic lending machine equipped with a storage means for storing a number, lending status, etc., and a main control means having a built-in operation program and controlling the product carrying out/storing means, the product is returned due to an abnormality in the carrying out/storing means, etc. A non-operating days storage means for storing the number of days of non-operation when the machine is unable to operate, and when the automatic lending machine returns after being able to operate, the overdue fee that is incurred due to the inability to return due to the above-mentioned abnormality is subtracted and corrected. A fee calculation means shall be provided.

[Operation] According to the present invention, if there is an abnormality, it is checked whether there has been an abnormality so far, and if there is no abnormality, it is assumed that an abnormality has occurred at this point and the date of the abnormality occurrence is memorized, and if there is an abnormality, it is determined that the abnormality has occurred. and process it. Also, if there is an abnormality in the above confirmation, it is assumed that the abnormality has been repaired and is stored as the abnormality recovery port. Next, check whether there is a scheduled return date while the abnormality is occurring, and if there is, set the scheduled return date during the abnormal period. Change it to the recovery opening, and even if there is no scheduled return date during an abnormality, check if there is a scheduled return date before the abnormality occurrence date, and if there is, it is overdue, but the return opening has passed due to a malfunction of the rental machine. The overdue charge will be corrected by adding the period during which the abnormality occurred to the scheduled return date and assuming that the item was not returned. After that, it is confirmed whether the item has been returned, and if it is, the return operation is performed.

As mentioned above, the abnormality period is added to the scheduled return date to avoid inconvenience to the customer.

[Example] FIG. 2 shows an example of the present invention, and the details will be explained below.

In the figure, 1 is a main control unit that controls the automatic lending machine and has a built-in operating program, and 2 is a product storage shelf that stores video tapes 3, which are rental products, in predetermined product storage positions 4 (hereinafter referred to as product columns). Reference numeral 5 denotes a carry-out mechanism for carrying out and storing rental products, which takes out a videotape 3 designated by a signal from the control unit 1 from a predetermined storage position 3 of the product storage shelf 2, and transfers this videotape 3 to the product storage shelf. It is carried out from the carrying out L16 provided at the predetermined position of No. 2.

7 is a RAM for storing the user's ID code, rental date, number of videotape rentals, product column position of the videotape being rented, rental fee, etc.; 8 is a card reader into which a membership card 9 is inserted; 10 is a rental card; A display (CRT) for displaying return operation instructions and fees, etc., 11 is an operation key for manually inputting the number of the videotape 3 to borrow, 12
is a coin sorting device that tallies the inserted coins 13 and refunds change.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a non-operating state storage RAM that stores the date of occurrence of an abnormality, an abnormality recovery port, etc., the contents of which are shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, a loan status of 0 indicates that the item is available, and 1 indicates that the item is being loaned.

In such a configuration, the lending and returning operations of products will be explained first.

First, when renting the videotape 3, insert the membership card 9 into the card reader 8, and when the membership card 9 is inserted,
The iD code registered in the RAM 7 is read out via the control unit 1, and compared with the iD code of the inserted card, if it is true, the videotape 3 to be borrowed is selected. While doing so, use the operation keys 11 to select.

When the required amount is displayed on the display 10 after selection, here,
A predetermined amount of coins 13 are input into the coin sorting device 12, and when the input amount reaches a predetermined amount, the video tape 3 stored in a predetermined position on the product storage shelf 2 is retrieved by the unloading mechanism 5 and unloaded. The videotape 3 is transported to 1'-16, and then taken out from the unloader 1'-6 and rented out.

Next, if you want to return the videotape 3, insert the membership card 9 into the card reader 8 and return the borrowed videotape 3.
By inserting the product into the carry-out 16 and operating the operation key 11, the product is automatically stored in the product storage shelf 2.

The videotape lending/returning operations have been described above.Next, the operations related to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step 1, check whether there is an abnormality in the rental machine itself. If there is an abnormality, check in step 2 whether there has been an abnormality before. If there is no abnormality, it is assumed that an abnormality has occurred at this point and step 3 The date of occurrence of the abnormality is stored in step 4, and if it is found, it is processed as abnormal in step 4. Further, if there is no abnormality in the above step 1, it is confirmed in step 11 whether there has been any abnormality so far, and if there is no abnormality, the process moves to step 4. If there is an abnormality here, it is assumed that the abnormality has been repaired and is stored as an abnormality recovery port in step 12. Then, in step 13, it is checked whether there is a scheduled return date while the abnormality is occurring, and if yes, step 14 , change the scheduled return date during the abnormal period as the recovery mill and move on to step 4. Even if there is no scheduled return date during an abnormality, it is checked in step 15 whether there is a scheduled return date before the abnormality occurrence date, and if there is, it is overdue but due to a malfunction of the rental machine, the return slot has passed but the item can be returned. If not, in step 16, the period during which the abnormality occurred is added to the scheduled return date to correct the late fee. Then, in step 15 shown in -, if there is no scheduled return date before the abnormality occurrence date, the process moves to step 4.

Next, in step 4, it is confirmed whether or not the item is to be lent, and if it is lent, the lending operation is performed in step 5. If it is determined in step 4 that the item is not lent, it is confirmed in step 6 whether the item is to be returned, and if it is returned, the return operation is performed in step 7 and the process returns to the start.

- [- As noted above, add the abnormality period to the scheduled return date to avoid inconvenience to the customer.

[Effects of the Invention] According to this invention, the overdue charge is corrected by adding the period of abnormality to the scheduled return date, so when the scheduled return date cannot be returned due to a malfunction of the automatic lending machine, etc., the next day. Even if you return the item after it has been restored, you will not have to pay a late fee and you will not be inconvenienced by the customer.

In addition, the manager of the rental machine does not have to revise the scheduled return date during the abnormality period every time the abnormality is repaired.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a claim correspondence diagram showing the structure of this invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing a program of this invention, and Fig. 4 is a diagram showing one part of this invention. FIG. 3 is a memory map diagram showing the contents of a non-operating state storage RAM.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) At least a product storage shelf for storing a plurality of rental products, an operation key for specifying a rental product, a display means for providing operation guidance for the operation key, and the above-mentioned lending based on the insertion of money and selection operation. A product transport/storage means for transporting the products from the transport port and storing the returned rental products in the product storage shelf, a storage means for storing the product number, rental status, etc., and a built-in operating program for the product transport/storage means. An automatic lending machine comprising a main control means for controlling a storage means,
Non-operating days storage means for storing the number of days when the product cannot be returned due to an abnormality in the carrying out/storage means, etc. An automatic lending machine characterized by being provided with a fee calculation means for subtracting and correcting a late fee due to non-returnability due to an abnormality.