Purchase information input system and beverage supply device equipped with the purchase information input system

Abstract

Provided is a beverage supply device 10 that inputs beverage information purchased outside and provides a beverage from a plurality of beverage types. The beverage supply device 10 comprises: an information input unit 2 that reads first beverage information Q1 which is image information for identifying a purchased beverage by means of a camera 15 and inputs the first beverage information Q1; a touch panel 16 that displays beverage information corresponding to the first beverage information Q1 read by the information input unit 2, and inputs second beverage information Q2 that is number or character information for identifying the purchased beverage; and a control unit 3 that, when the first beverage information Q1 cannot be read, determines a beverage to be provided on the basis of the second beverage information Q2.

Description

Purchase information input system and beverage supply device equipped with this purchase information input system

[0001] The present invention relates to a purchase information input system for inputting information about purchased beverages, and a beverage supply device equipped with this purchase information input system.

[0002] Beverage dispensers, such as coffee machines found in convenience stores, are often installed away from cash registers. Conventionally, when a customer purchases a beverage at a cash register, the store clerk provides a container corresponding to the purchased beverage. The customer places the container on the beverage dispenser and operates the beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage. However, in beverage dispensers capable of dispensing multiple beverages, the customer must select the beverage they wish to purchase, which may result in the customer accidentally selecting and dispensing a beverage different from the one they previously purchased. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that includes a device for reading the type of container in the beverage dispenser, allowing the beverage dispenser to dispense a beverage corresponding to the container, or that displays the beverage types corresponding to the container on the beverage dispenser, allowing the customer to select and dispense the beverage from the displayed types.

[0003] JP 2017-159941 A

[0004] However, in a beverage dispenser that identifies the type of beverage purchased by the container, as in Patent Document 1, there are conflicting demands: a desire to increase the number of beverage types that can be served by a single beverage dispenser, while at the same time, a desire to standardize the containers to facilitate inventory management. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide identification information, such as a barcode, that identifies the type of beverage purchased on a receipt, etc., and have the beverage dispenser read the identification information on the receipt, etc., to dispense the purchased beverage from multiple types. However, with a beverage dispenser that reads information on the type of beverage purchased in this way, it is anticipated that there will be cases where reading the information will be difficult, such as when a receipt with a barcode attached is accidentally rolled up. There is a need for a system that allows customers to easily and accurately identify the type of beverage purchased even in such cases, and for a beverage dispenser equipped with this system.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a purchase information input system that accurately and appropriately inputs beverage information for purchased beverage types, and a beverage supply device equipped with this purchase information input system.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the purchase information input system of the present invention is a purchase information input system for a beverage supply device that inputs beverage information of a type of beverage purchased externally and supplies a beverage based on the beverage information from among a plurality of beverage types available for supply, and is characterized in that the beverage supply device includes an image reading unit that reads first beverage information, which is image information identifying the type of beverage purchased, a display unit that displays the beverage information corresponding to the image information read by the image reading unit, an input unit that inputs second beverage information that identifies the type of beverage purchased and is different from the first beverage information, and a control unit that determines the beverage to be supplied based on the second beverage information if the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information.Furthermore, the beverage supply device of the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the above-mentioned purchase information input system.

[0007] According to the present invention, by reading the first beverage information with the image reading unit, the type of beverage purchased can be easily identified and accurately served. If the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information, the type of beverage purchased can be identified by inputting the second beverage information into the input unit. This reduces the chances that the purchased beverage cannot be identified, allows the beverage to be served appropriately, and reduces the amount of work required by store staff, etc.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic external shape of a beverage supply device employing a purchase information input system according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the purchase information input system according to this embodiment; Fig. 3 is a part of a flowchart showing the procedure for purchase information input control in the purchase information input system; Fig. 4 is the remaining part of the flowchart showing the procedure for purchase information input control according to a first embodiment in the purchase information input system; Fig. 5 is the remaining part of the flowchart showing the procedure for purchase information input control according to a second embodiment in the purchase information input system; Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a display example of third beverage information;

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic external shape of a beverage supply device 10 such as a coffee machine that employs a purchase information input system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the purchase information input system 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, a beverage supply device 10 employing the purchase information input system 1 of the present invention is installed, for example, in a convenience store, and has a rectangular box-shaped main body 11 that opens at the front, and a main door 11a that closes the opening.

[0012] The lower front portion of the main door 11a is provided with a base 12 on which a cup (container) is placed, a cover 13 that opens and closes and covers the front side of the base 12, and a main door lock (not shown). An information input unit 2 is provided above the base 12 on the front side of the main door 11a. Additionally, the upper portion of the main body 11 is provided with a plurality of canisters 14 that store ingredients for beverages such as coffee to be served in cups. The ingredients stored in the canisters 14 include multiple types of coffee beans, sugar, powdered milk, etc.

[0013] The beverage dispenser 10 produces (creates) a beverage such as coffee from raw materials stored in the canister 14 based on beverage information about the type of beverage input from the information input unit 2, and provides the beverage in a cup placed on the mounting base 12. The beverage dispenser 10 is capable of providing multiple types and amounts of beverages.

[0014] The beverage dispenser 10 of this embodiment is installed in a location within a store away from the cash register. A customer purchases a desired type and amount of beverage from a store clerk at the cash register and, for example, receives a cup from the clerk. The customer then places the cup on the beverage dispenser 10 and inputs information about the purchased beverage into the beverage dispenser 10 using the information input unit 2, whereby the purchased beverage is dispensed from the beverage dispenser 10 into the cup.

[0015] The information input unit 2 has, for example, a camera 15 (image reading unit) for inputting image information, and a touch panel 16 (display unit, input unit) that can display guidance and allow selection and number input.

[0016] 2, beverage dispenser 10 includes product dispenser 4, which is a device that prepares a beverage and dispenses it into a cup, and control unit 3, which identifies the type of beverage purchased and controls product dispenser 4 based on purchased beverage information (individual information) input via information input unit 2. In this embodiment, a store is equipped with multiple beverage dispensers 10 (10A-10E). The multiple beverage dispensers 10 are controllably connected via management unit 5, and can input and output sales information to and from each other.

[0017] The management unit 5 has a control function to restrict the provision of beverages by the other beverage dispensers 10 when a purchased beverage is provided by one of the plurality of beverage dispensers 10A-10E, so that the other beverage dispensers 10 are unable to provide the purchased beverage. Note that if the beverage dispenser 10 is provided with the functions of the management unit 5, the management unit 5 is not required. Furthermore, the management unit 5 is not required even if only one beverage dispenser 10 is installed in a store.

[0018] The beverage information (individual information) of the purchased beverage input in the information input unit 2 of the beverage dispenser 10 is image information such as a QR code (registered trademark) or barcode displayed on a receipt T1 or smartphone T2. This image information such as a QR code is information that can identify the type of beverage that has been purchased from among multiple types and quantities of beverages that can be provided by the beverage dispenser 10. The beverage information (individual information) of the purchased beverage is printed on the receipt T1 or output to the smartphone T2 by a terminal (e.g., a POS register) of the product sales system T installed in the store.

[0019] Furthermore, in addition to the first beverage information Q1, which is image information such as a QR code, the receipt T1 and smartphone T2 also display second beverage information Q2, such as numbers, letters, and symbols, to identify the type of beverage that has been purchased.

[0020] The beverage supply device 10 is provided with a cup placement detection sensor 17 that detects when a cup is placed on the placement base 12, and a door opening / closing sensor 18 that detects whether the cover 13 is open or closed, more specifically, whether the cover 13 is completely closed, and these detection information are input to the control unit 3.

[0021] The beverage supply device 10 is also provided with a locking mechanism 19 that locks the cover 13 in a closed state, and the locking mechanism 19 can be switched between locked and unlocked by an electromagnetic actuator or the like whose operation is controlled by the control unit 3.

[0022] The control unit 3 is a control device for performing overall control of the beverage dispenser 10, and is configured to include an input / output device, a memory device (ROM, RAM, non-volatile RAM, etc.), a central processing unit (CPU), etc. The control unit 3 generates a beverage product based on the beverage information input from the information input unit 2 and input information from each sensor, etc., and controls the operation of the product dispenser 4 so as to dispense the beverage into a cup placed on the mounting table 12.

[0023] Next, we will explain the control (purchase product input control) executed by the control unit 3 to identify and provide the type of beverage purchased. Fig. 3 shows a part of the purchase product input control of the first and second embodiments. Fig. 4 shows the remaining part of the purchase product input control of the first embodiment. Fig. 5 shows the remaining part of the purchase product input control of the second embodiment.

[0024] The purchase product input control of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The purchase product input control of the first embodiment is started, for example, when the touch panel 16 is touched, or when the camera 15 or a human presence sensor (not shown) detects a customer.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, first, in step S10, a guidance display is displayed on the touch panel 16. The guidance display in this step is, for example, a text display such as "Please place a cup on the table 12 and close the cover 13." It is preferable to display an illustration along with the text on the touch panel 16. Note that the guidance display in this step continues to be displayed until the cup placement detection sensor 17 detects that a cup has been placed and the door opening / closing sensor 18 detects that the cover has been closed, or until step S140, which will be described later, is reached. Then, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0026] In step S20, it is determined whether or not a cup is placed on the table 12 based on the detection information from the cup placement detection sensor 17. If it is determined that a cup is placed on the table 12, the process proceeds to step S30. If it is determined that a cup is not placed on the table 12, step S20 is repeated. Note that if a state in which no cup is placed on the table 12 continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) or more, this routine may be terminated.

[0027] In step S30, it is determined whether or not the cover 13 is closed based on the detection information from the door open / close sensor 18. If it is determined that the cover 13 is closed, the process proceeds to step S50. If it is determined that the cover 13 is not closed (is even slightly open), step S30 is repeated.

[0028] In step S50, the beverage information reading mode is started. The beverage information reading mode is a mode in which beverage information of a purchased beverage is input into the beverage supply device 10. In the beverage information reading mode in this step, first, input of the first beverage information Q1 into the information input unit 2 via the camera 15 is started as described above. Then, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0029] In step S60, a guide display prompting the user to read the beverage information (first beverage information Q1) of the purchased beverage is displayed on the touch panel 16. For example, text and an illustration such as "Please point the receipt (T1) or the code on your smartphone (T2) (first beverage information Q1) toward the lens of the camera (15)" may be displayed on the touch panel 16. At this time, it is advisable to light up an LED provided around the lens of the camera 15 or display an arrow or the like on the touch panel 16 so that the position of the lens of the camera 15 can be easily identified. Then, the process proceeds to step S70.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, in step S70, it is determined whether the first beverage information Q1 (image information) has been read. If the first beverage information Q1 has been read, i.e., the type of beverage that has been purchased has been identified, the process proceeds to step S75. If the first beverage information Q1 has not been read, i.e., the type of beverage that has been purchased has not been identified within a predetermined time (e.g., one minute) after the start of step S70, the process proceeds to step S160.

[0031] In step S75, the locking mechanism 19 is controlled to lock the cover 13 in the closed state, and the process then proceeds to step S80.

[0032] In step S80, the product supply unit 4 is controlled to start preparing the identified purchased beverage, and the process then proceeds to step S90.

[0033] In step S90, the type of beverage that was started to be prepared in step S80 and the fact that the beverage is being prepared are displayed on the touch panel 16. Then, the process proceeds to step S100.

[0034] In step S100, the process waits until the beverage has been prepared and served in the cup, and then the process proceeds to step S110.

[0035] In step S110, the locking mechanism 19 is controlled to unlock the cover 13. Then, the process proceeds to step S120.

[0036] In step S120, a message indicating that the beverage has been prepared (for example, "Please take your beverage") is displayed on the touch panel 16. Then, the process proceeds to step S130.

[0037] In step S130, the customer removes the cup containing the drink from the table 12. Then, the process proceeds to step S140. In this step, the process waits until it is determined that the cover 13 is open based on the detection information from the door opening / closing sensor 18.

[0038] In step S140, it is determined whether or not the cover 13 is closed based on the detection information from the door open / close sensor 18. If it is determined that the cover 13 is closed, the process proceeds to step S150. If it is determined that the cover 13 is open, step S140 is repeated.

[0039] In step S150, it is determined whether or not a cup is placed on the table 12 based on the detection information from the cup placement detection sensor 17. If it is determined that a cup is not placed on the table 12, the display indicating that the creation is complete is terminated and this routine is terminated. If it is determined that a cup is placed on the table 12, step S150 is repeated.

[0040] In step S160, a message prompting the user to retry reading the first beverage information Q1 (for example, "Please re-read the code") is displayed on the touch panel 16. Then, the process proceeds to step S170.

[0041] In step S170, it is determined whether the first beverage information Q1 (image information) has been read. If the first beverage information Q1 has been read, i.e., the type of beverage that has been purchased has been identified, the process proceeds to step S75. If the first beverage information Q1 has not been read, i.e., the type of beverage that has been purchased has not been identified within a predetermined time (e.g., two minutes) after the start of step S170, the process proceeds to step S175.

[0042] In step S175, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the message was displayed in step S160. The predetermined time in this step may be, for example, several minutes. If the predetermined time has elapsed since the message was displayed, the process proceeds to step S180. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process returns to step S170.

[0043] In step S180, the touch panel 16 displays a message indicating that the QR code or the like (first beverage information Q1) could not be read, and further displays a menu for inputting second beverage information Q2 on the touch panel 16, along with a guide for inputting the second beverage information Q2 (numbers, letters, symbols, etc.), such as "Please enter the XXX digits of numbers, letters, or symbols displayed on your receipt (T1) or smartphone (T2)." The process then proceeds to step S190. Note that the second beverage information Q2 is preferably a one-time passcode consisting of numbers, letters, symbols, or a combination thereof.

[0044] In step S190, it is determined whether or not second beverage information Q2 (numbers, letters, symbols, etc.) has been input via the touch panel 16 within a predetermined time t seconds (for example, approximately 10 to 20 seconds) that has been set appropriately. If numbers have been input within the predetermined time t seconds, the beverage to be served is identified based on the numbers that have been input, and the process proceeds to step S75. If no numbers have been input within the predetermined time t seconds, the process proceeds to step S195.

[0045] In step S195, it is determined whether step S190 has been repeated (retries) within N times (for example, about 5 times), and if it is within N times, the process returns to step S190. If it has been repeated more than N times, the process proceeds to step S230.

[0046] In step S230, a message such as "The drink could not be served. Please inform a waiter" is displayed on the touch panel 16, and the routine ends.

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, the beverage dispenser 10 reads the first beverage information Q1, such as a QR code displayed on a receipt T1, to identify the beverage information of the purchased beverage and prepare and serve the beverage, eliminating the need for the customer (the person purchasing the beverage) to select a beverage in the beverage dispenser 10, making it easy to serve the beverage and preventing a beverage different from the one already purchased from being mistakenly served. However, there are cases where the first beverage information Q1 cannot be read, such as when the receipt T1 is rolled up.

[0048] In this embodiment, if it is not possible to read the first beverage information Q1, it is possible to input second beverage information Q2 using numbers, letters, symbols, etc. to identify the type of beverage that has been purchased on the touch panel 16. If the second beverage information Q2 that identifies the purchased beverage is displayed relatively large on the receipt T1, etc., the customer will often be able to recognize the second beverage information Q2 using numbers, letters, symbols, etc. even if the receipt T1 is rolled up, and it will be possible to identify the type of beverage that has been purchased by inputting the second beverage information Q2.

[0049] In a system in which a purchased beverage is identified using only one piece of image information, if the type of beverage purchased cannot be identified from the image display, the customer must call a store clerk to assist. In contrast, in this embodiment, even if the type of beverage purchased cannot be identified from the first beverage information Q1, which is an image display, the type of beverage purchased can be identified and served by inputting second beverage information Q2, which is different from the first beverage information Q1. This reduces the number of calls to the store clerk and the burden on the store clerk. Furthermore, because the second beverage information Q2 is information such as numbers, letters, and symbols, the customer can easily input the second beverage information when the beverage cannot be identified from the first beverage information Q1.

[0050] Next, the purchase product information input control of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Only the differences from the purchase product information input control of the first embodiment will be described below.

[0051] In the second embodiment of the purchase product information input control, if step S190 is repeated (retries) more than N times in step S195 in the purchase product information input control of the first embodiment, that is, if the second beverage information Q2 (input of numbers, letters, symbols, etc.) is not input within t seconds more than N times, the process proceeds to step S200.

[0052] In step S200, a beverage selection menu is displayed on the touch panel 16. The selection menu displays beverages that can be served by the beverage dispenser 10, and prompts the customer to select the beverage to be served. Then, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0053] In step S210, it is determined whether a selection operation has been made in the selection menu within a predetermined time t that has been appropriately set. If a selection operation has been made within t seconds, the process proceeds to step S75. Therefore, after locking the cover 13 in step S75, the selected beverage is prepared and served in step S80. If a selection operation has not been made within t seconds, the process proceeds to step S220.

[0054] In step S220, it is determined whether step S210 has been repeated N times (for example, about 5 times) or less, and if it has been repeated N times or less, the process returns to step S200. If it has been repeated more than N times, the process proceeds to step S230.

[0055] As described above, in the purchase product information input control of the second embodiment, if the second beverage information Q2 is not input in the first embodiment, the selection operation of multiple beverage types available for purchase from the selection menu becomes possible, and the selected beverage is provided. This makes it possible to provide a beverage by further selection operation even if the purchased beverage type cannot be identified using the first beverage information (image information) and the second beverage information (input of numbers, letters, symbols, etc.), thereby reducing the chances of being unable to provide a beverage and further reducing the number of times a store employee is called.

[0056] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, when a beverage is provided by a beverage supply device 10 based on various beverage information that has already been purchased, the control unit 3 controls the device 3 to restrict further provision of the beverage based on that beverage information. If multiple beverage supply devices 10 are installed in one store and sales information (provided beverage information) can be shared via the management unit 5 or the like, when a beverage is provided by any one of the multiple beverage supply devices 10 based on various beverage information such as a receipt T1, the management unit 5 controls the device 3 to restrict provision of the beverage based on that beverage information not only in the beverage supply device 10 that has already provided the beverage, but also in other beverage supply devices 10. This makes it possible to prevent multiple beverages from being provided for the purchase of one beverage.

[0057] 6, a receipt T1 or a smartphone T2 may be configured to display third beverage information Q3, such as simple figures, letters, or symbols (e.g., circles, triangles, and squares), next to first beverage information Q1, such as a QR code. If the first beverage information Q1 cannot be read in step S70 of the purchase input control, a message indicating that the first beverage information Q1 could not be read is displayed, and a selection menu for the third beverage information Q3 is displayed on the touch panel 16. The third beverage information Q3 is information that can identify a portion of the multiple beverage types available in the beverage dispenser 10, similar to a display showing a sales price.

[0058] Furthermore, a selection menu for selecting from multiple beverage types corresponding to the selected third beverage information Q3 is displayed on the touch panel 16. In this way, by inputting the third beverage information Q3 when the first beverage information Q1 cannot be read, the selection menu can be reduced compared to selecting from all beverages available in the beverage dispenser 10, facilitating the selection operation and reducing the chance of the customer making an incorrect selection. In particular, if the third beverage information Q3 displays the same price, the establishment can avoid any price loss regardless of which selection the customer makes from the displayed selection menu. Furthermore, by using simpler symbols or the like for the third beverage information Q3 than for the second beverage information Q2, inputting the third beverage information Q3 can be made easier than inputting the second beverage information Q2.

[0059] Furthermore, a selection operation restriction switch 20 (selection operation restriction unit) may be provided in a location that cannot be operated by customers, such as inside the main body 11 when the main door 11a is open, or in a store management terminal connected to the beverage dispenser 10. By operating the selection operation restriction switch 20, it is possible to disable the provision of beverages through selection operations on the touch panel 16. As a result, in cases where there is an increase in erroneous selection operations or when there are many store staff in the store and sufficient staff to handle the situation, a manager or store staff member of the beverage dispenser 10 can operate the selection operation restriction switch 20 to restrict the provision of beverages through selection operations on the touch panel 16, thereby preventing the provision of incorrect beverages due to erroneous selection operations. Alternatively, the manager or store staff member of the beverage dispenser 10 may be able to select whether to enable or disable one or more of the input of the third beverage information Q3 and selection from the selection menu.

[0060] Furthermore, the beverage dispenser 10 may be further provided with a sensor that recognizes the size of the cup placed on the table 12, and the amount of beverage to be dispensed may be automatically set according to the recognized cup size. This makes it possible to simplify the selection operation, since there is no need to select the amount of beverage to be dispensed when a selection operation is required.

[0061] Furthermore, with regard to the second beverage information Q2 and the third beverage information Q3, in particular the third beverage information Q3 which is easier for customers to recognize compared to the first beverage information Q1, it may be configured so that the information is input by image input using the camera 15 or by handwriting on the touch panel 16, rather than by selecting numbers, letters, symbols, etc. displayed on the touch panel 16. Also, in this embodiment, the display and selection input of selection menus, etc. are performed on the touch panel 16, but for example, a display panel and a selection switch may be provided separately. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to various beverage dispensers other than coffee machines.

[0062] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Purchase information input system 3 Control unit 10 Beverage supply device 15 Camera (image reading unit) 16 Touch panel (display unit, input unit) 20 Selection operation restriction switch (selection operation restriction unit)

Claims

1. A purchase information input system in a beverage supply device that inputs beverage information for a type of beverage purchased externally and supplies a beverage based on the beverage information from among a plurality of beverage types available, comprising: an image reading unit that reads first beverage information, which is image information identifying the type of beverage that has been purchased; a display unit that displays beverage information corresponding to the image information read by the image reading unit; an input unit that identifies the type of beverage that has been purchased and inputs second beverage information different from the first beverage information; and a control unit that determines the beverage to be provided based on the second beverage information when the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information.

2. The purchase information input system for a beverage supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second beverage information is number, letter or symbol information.

3. The purchase information input system of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information and the second beverage information is unable to identify the beverage type, the control unit causes the display unit to display a selection menu for selecting the beverage type to be provided from a plurality of beverage types, and determines the beverage to be provided based on a selection operation on the selection menu.

4. The purchase information input system of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first beverage information is accompanied by third beverage information that identifies a portion of the plurality of beverage types, and when the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information, the control unit acquires the third beverage information using the image reading unit or the input unit, displays on the display unit a selection menu for selecting a beverage from the portion of the beverage types based on the third beverage information, and determines the beverage to be provided based on a selection operation in the selection menu, which causes a beverage to be provided based on a selection operation from the selection menu.

5. The purchase information input system of claim 4, wherein when the image reading unit is unable to read the first beverage information and the beverage type cannot be identified from the third beverage information, the control unit causes the display unit to display a selection menu for selecting the beverage to be served from a plurality of beverage types, and determines the beverage to be served based on a selection operation on the selection menu.

6. The purchase information input system according to claim 3, further comprising a selection operation restriction unit that restricts the provision of beverages based on a selection operation in the selection menu.

7. The purchase information input system according to claim 4, further comprising a selection operation restriction unit that restricts the provision of beverages based on a selection operation in the selection menu.

8. The purchase information input system according to claim 5, further comprising a selection operation restriction unit that restricts the provision of beverages based on a selection operation in the selection menu.

9. A beverage supply device equipped with the purchase information input system described in claim 1.

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