Vending machine

• US 20030149510A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sanden Corporation (Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Katsumi
• Application Number:
  US10/355,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20030149510A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/06 Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0866 by active credit-cards adapted therefor G07F7/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0873 Details of the card reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0893 the card reader reading the card in a contactless manner

Abstract

When a non-contact IC card is detected, a card reader/writer immediately starts communications. The electronic money information stored on the non-contact IC card is transmitted to a control device of a vending machine. When merchandise is sold, the control device subtracts the price of the merchandise from the balance of the electronic money of the non-contact IC card, replaces the existing data with new data on the non-contact IC card, and releases the merchandise. To easily communicate with the non-contact IC card, the vending machine is provided with a holding unit.

Claims

1. A vending machine, comprising:

a selector for selecting merchandise;

a merchandise carrying-out mechanism for releasing the selected merchandise;

a card unit communicable with a non-contact IC card and having

a detector for detecting the non-contact IC card storing electronic money information; and

a controller for control of said card unit to start communications with the non-contact IC card when said detector of the card unit detects the non-contact IC card, control of determining whether or not the selected merchandise can be sold according to electronic money information received from the non-contact IC card when said selector selects the merchandise, and control of releasing the merchandise selected by said merchandise release when the merchandise can be sold.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said card unit comprises a holding unit for holding the non-contact IC card; and

said detector detects the non-contact IC card when the non-contact IC card is held on said holding unit.

3. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein

said card unit comprises a communication apparatus for connection via a network to a settlement computer for making settlement of the non-contact IC card.

4. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising a cash acceptor for accepting money in cash.

5. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein

said card unit comprises a display for displaying a processing state of the non-contact IC card.

6. The vending machine according to claim 1, further comprising

the display for displaying a price of the selected merchandise and a balance recorded on a non-contact IC card.

7. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein

said controller sells merchandise based on data received from a communications terminal via a network.

8. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein

said card unit comprises the communication apparatus for connection via a network to a settlement computer for making settlement of the non-contact IC card.

9. The vending machine according to claim 2, wherein

said card unit comprises the display for displaying a processing state of the non-contact IC card.

10. A vending machine, comprising:

a merchandise selector for selecting merchandise;

a merchandise carrying-out mechanism for releasing the selected merchandise;

a card unit communicable with a non-contact IC card storing electronic money information; and

a controller for control of starting communications between said card unit and the non-contact IC card after said merchandise selector selects merchandise;

control of determining whether or not the selected merchandise can be sold according to electronic money information received from the non-contact IC card; and

control of releasing the merchandise selected by the merchandise release when the merchandise can be sold.

11. The vending machine according to claim 10, wherein

said controller cancels subsequent processes when the non-contact IC-card does not start to communicate with said card unit within a predetermined time after said merchandise selector selects the merchandise.

12. The vending machine according to claim 10, further comprising

a communication apparatus for connection via a network to a settlement computer for making a payment using a non-contact IC card.

13. The vending machine according to claim 10, further comprising

a cash acceptor for accepting money in cash.

14. The vending machine according to claim 10, wherein

said card unit comprises the display for displaying a processing state of the card unit.

15. The vending machine according to claim 10, further comprising

the display for displaying a balance recorded on the non-contact IC card and a price of the selected merchandise.

16. The vending machine according to claim 10, wherein

said controller sells merchandise based on data received from a communications terminal via a network.

17. The vending machine according to claim 11, further comprising

a communication apparatus for connection via a network to a settlement computer for making settlement of the non-contact IC card.

18. The vending machine according to claim 11, wherein

said card unit comprises the display for displaying a processing state of the card unit.