Settlement device

Abstract

To improve operability of a settlement device.SOLUTION: A settlement device includes: a housing including therein a depositing / dispensing unit that stores bills and coins and dispenses the stored bills and coins; a bill input unit that is provided in the housing and receives payment of the bills to the depositing / dispensing unit; a coin input unit that is provided so as to be arranged in parallel with the bill input unit in a width direction of the housing and receives payment of the coins to the depositing / dispensing unit; a bill discharge unit that is provided in the housing and discharges the bills dispensed from the depositing / dispensing unit to the outside of the housing; and a coin discharge unit that is provided below the bill input unit and discharges the coins dispensed from the depositing / dispensing unit to the outside of the housing. A first region provided with the bill input unit and the coin input unit is positioned above a second region provided with the bill discharge unit and the coin discharge unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a payment device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, stores such as supermarkets have been using self-service payment devices where customers themselves register products and process payments, and semi-self-service payment devices where customers themselves process payments for products that have been registered by store clerks. In such payment devices, in positions accessible to customers, there are insertion slots for depositing (inserting) bills and coins to pay for products, and ejection slots for ejecting bills and coins to be used as change.

[0003] However, in conventional payment devices, the insertion and removal ports are installed in random locations, making it difficult to find where they are. This also leads to the possibility of change being left behind or forgotten to be taken, so there is room for further improvement in terms of operability. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the operability of a settlement device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A payment device of an embodiment comprises a housing having an internal deposit / withdrawal unit that stores banknotes and coins and dispenses the stored banknotes and coins, a banknote insertion unit provided in the housing and accepts deposits of banknotes into the deposit / withdrawal unit, a coin insertion unit provided alongside the banknote insertion unit in the width direction of the housing and accepts deposits of coins into the deposit / withdrawal unit, a banknote discharge unit provided in the housing and discharges banknotes dispensed from the deposit / withdrawal unit to the outside of the housing, and a coin discharge unit provided below the banknote insertion unit and discharges coins dispensed from the deposit / withdrawal unit to the outside of the housing, and a first area in which the banknote insertion unit and coin insertion unit are provided is located higher in the height direction of the housing than a second area in which the banknote discharge unit and coin discharge unit are provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an example of the appearance of a settlement device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the appearance of the settlement device (first housing) according to the embodiment as viewed from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the periphery of the bill insertion portion and the coin insertion portion shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the periphery of the banknote discharge section and the coin discharge section shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the banknote discharge portion and the coin discharge portion shown in FIG. 4 along the LL line. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the payment device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the payment device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the settlement device 1 according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a bill insertion portion and a coin insertion portion according to the first modification. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of printer arrangement according to the second modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] An embodiment of the payment device will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In this embodiment, an example of a semi-self-service payment device in which the customer pays for products registered by a store clerk will be described. The payment device of this embodiment is connected to a registration device operated by a store clerk via a network, and is capable of acquiring transaction information indicating the details of the products registered in the registration device (product name, price, number of purchases, total amount, etc.) from the registration device or a store server, etc.

[0008] 1 is a front view showing an example of the appearance of a payment device 1 according to an embodiment. In the drawings described below, the X direction means the width direction of the payment device 1 when the front side of the payment device 1 facing the operator is defined as the front. The Y direction means the depth direction of the payment device 1. The Z direction means the height direction (up and down direction) of the payment device 1.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1, the settlement device 1 includes a main body unit 2 and a display operation unit 5. The main body unit 2 has a first housing 3 and a second housing 4. The first housing 3 houses therein a deposit / withdrawal unit 64 (see Fig. 6) for depositing and withdrawing currency (banknotes, coins). The first housing 3 also includes a banknote insertion unit 31, a coin insertion unit 32, a banknote ejection unit 33, and a coin ejection unit 34 on the front side facing the operator.

[0010] The first housing 3 also includes a reading unit 35. The reading unit 35 is a reading device that reads information from a storage medium such as a credit card. The reading unit 35 is installed on the top surface of the first housing 3, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0011] The first housing 3 also includes a printer 36 that prints receipts and the like. Printer 36 is an example of a receipt discharge unit. Printer 36 discharges a receipt on which the details of the payment process are printed from a receipt discharge port 361. Printer 36 is installed on the top surface of the first housing 3, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0012] The second housing 4 supports the first housing 3 from below. The second housing 4 houses, for example, a control unit 61 (see FIG. 6) that controls the operation of the payment device 1. The first housing 3 is supported at a height that allows an operator to operate the banknote insertion unit 31, the coin insertion unit 32, the banknote discharge unit 33, and the coin discharge unit 34 while standing.

[0013] The display operation unit 5 is provided on the upper surface of the main body 2 (first housing 3) via a support member such as a stand. The display operation unit 5 has a monitor 51, a touch panel 52, and a monitor speaker 53.

[0014] Monitor 51, under the control of control unit 61 described later, displays a screen or the like that supports the operation of payment device 1. Touch panel 52 is provided on the surface of monitor 51, and outputs information based on the position touched by the operator to control unit 61 (see FIG. 6). Monitor speaker 53, under the control of control unit 61, outputs audio that provides guidance on how to operate payment device 1, etc.

[0015] Next, the above-mentioned banknote insertion unit 31, coin insertion unit 32, banknote discharge unit 33, and coin discharge unit 34 will be described.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the external appearance of the payment device 1 (first housing 3) as viewed from above. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the periphery of the banknote insertion unit 31 and the coin insertion unit 32 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the periphery of the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section of the LL line of the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 shown in Fig. 4.

[0017] 2 shows the state of the first housing 3 as seen from the eye level of an operator standing in front of the payment device 1. Here, the height of the operator's eyes is assumed to be around the display operation unit 5, and the state of the first housing 3 as seen from this height is shown.

[0018] As described above, the settlement device 1 includes, on the front side of the first housing 3, the banknote insertion unit 31, the coin insertion unit 32, the banknote discharge unit 33, and the coin discharge unit .

[0019] The bill insertion unit 31 is provided in a step formed in the upper part of the first housing 3. The bill insertion unit 31 has a bill insertion port 311 and a light emitting unit 312, as shown in FIG.

[0020] The bill insertion slot 311 is a generally rectangular opening that opens upward. The bill insertion slot 311 is disposed horizontally along the width direction of the payment device 1. The longitudinal dimension of the bill insertion slot 311 is larger than the long side of the maximum size bill 91. The lateral dimension of the bill insertion slot 311 is preferably larger than the thickness of one bill 91 having the maximum thickness, and is large enough to allow multiple bills 91 to pass through while overlapping. In addition, the depth of the bill insertion slot 311 is formed to be larger than the short side of the maximum size bill.

[0021] That is, in the bill insertion slot 311, it is possible to insert a plurality of bills 91 at once with the long side of the bills 91 lying horizontally and the short side standing upright, as shown in Fig. 2. The bills 91 inserted in the bill insertion slot 311 are transported to the deposit / withdrawal unit 64 (bill change machine 641) in the first housing 3 by a transport mechanism (not shown).

[0022] The light emitting unit 312 is provided around the banknote insertion slot 311. For example, the light emitting unit 312 is provided along an edge portion on the front side of the banknote insertion slot 311 facing an operator. The light emitting unit 312 is formed of a light emitting member such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) and a light-transmitting light guiding member, and the light emission is controlled by the control unit 61 described later.

[0023] The banknote insertion unit 31 also has a sensor device that detects banknotes 91 inserted into the banknote insertion slot 311, a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the banknote insertion slot 311, and the like (neither is shown). The sensor device is provided, for example, inside the banknote insertion slot 311, and detects the presence or absence of banknotes 91. The detection result of the sensor device is output to the control unit 61. The shutter mechanism opens and closes the banknote insertion slot 311 under the control of the control unit 61.

[0024] The coin insertion portion 32 is provided in the same step as the banknote insertion portion 31. As shown in Fig. 3, the coin insertion portion 32 has a funnel-shaped inclined surface 321 that slopes downward from the outside to the inside, a hole 322 provided at the bottom of the inclined surface 321, and a light-emitting portion 323. Here, the configuration of the coin insertion portion 32 formed by the inclined surface 321 and the hole 322 corresponds to the coin insertion port. In other words, the coin insertion port forms an opening that opens upward.

[0025] The hole 322 has a size that allows one or more coins 92 to pass through. Specifically, the dimension of the hole 322 in the longitudinal direction is larger than the diameter of the largest coin 92, and in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is larger than the thickness of the thickest coin 92. The dimension of the hole 322 is preferably large enough to allow multiple coins 92 to pass through while overlapping each other. In other words, the dimension of the hole 322 in the width direction is preferably larger than twice the thickness of the thickest coin 92.

[0026] By arranging the inclined surface 321 and the hole 322 in this way, the coin insertion portion 32 can efficiently receive the coins 92 inserted from above. The coins 92 inserted into the hole 322 are transported to the deposit / withdrawal portion 64 (coin change machine 642) in the first housing 3 by a transport mechanism (not shown).

[0027] The light emitting unit 323 is provided around the inclined surface 321. For example, the light emitting unit 323 is provided along the upper edge of the inclined surface 321. The light emitting unit 323 is formed of a light emitting member such as an LED and a light-transmitting light guiding member, and the light emission is controlled by the control unit 61 described later.

[0028] The coin insertion unit 32 also has a sensor device that detects the coin 92 inserted into the hole 322, a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the hole 322, and the like (neither is shown). The sensor device is provided, for example, on the inclined surface 321 or inside the hole 322, and detects the presence or absence of the coin 92. The detection result of the sensor device is output to the control unit 61. The shutter mechanism opens and closes the hole 322 under the control of the control unit 61.

[0029] The above-mentioned banknote insertion unit 31 and coin insertion unit 32 are arranged side by side in the width direction of the payment device 1 (first housing 3) as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Specifically, the coin insertion unit 32 is arranged close to one end side in the width direction of the payment device 1 (the right side in this embodiment). Moreover, the banknote insertion unit 31 is arranged from the other end side in the width direction of the payment device 1 (the left side in this embodiment) to a position adjacent to the coin insertion unit 32. Moreover, the banknote insertion unit 31 is arranged horizontally so as to straddle the center of the payment device 1 in the width direction.

[0030] In this way, by installing the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 at the same height, the operator can easily insert the coins, and the operability can be improved. In addition, the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 are inserted by dropping the banknotes 91 and the coins 92 from above, and the visibility of the inserted coins can be improved. In addition, by making the insertion method of the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 the same insertion method of dropping the banknotes 91 and the coins 92 from above, even if the operator is not familiar with the operation, the operator can easily insert the coins, and the convenience can be improved. Furthermore, by arranging the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 side by side in the width direction of the payment device 1, the space in the depth direction of the payment device 1 can be made compact, and the payment device 1 can be made compact.

[0031] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 4, the banknote discharge unit 33 has a banknote discharge outlet 331 and a light emitting unit 332. The banknote discharge outlet 331 is a substantially rectangular opening that opens in the direction in which an operator is present, that is, in the horizontal direction. The banknote discharge outlet 331 is disposed horizontally in the width direction of the payment device 1. The longitudinal dimension of the banknote discharge outlet 331 is larger than the long side of the maximum size banknote 91. It is preferable that the lateral dimension of the banknote discharge outlet 331 is larger than the thickness of one banknote 91 having the maximum thickness, and is large enough to allow multiple banknotes 91 to pass through while overlapping each other.

[0032] The banknote discharge outlet 331 discharges the banknotes 91, which have been transported from the deposit / withdrawal unit 64 (banknote change machine 641) by a transport mechanism (not shown), to the outside of the first housing 3. Specifically, the banknote discharge outlet 331 discharges the banknotes 91, which are transported with their short sides parallel to the transport direction (the direction of arrow C in FIG. 5), to the outside of the payment device 1. As a result, the banknote discharge outlet 331 discharges the banknotes 91 horizontally with their long sides facing the operator, as shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, when there are multiple banknotes 91 to be discharged, the banknote discharge unit 33 discharges the banknotes 91 from the banknote discharge outlet 331 in a stacked state. Note that a known technology can be used for the mechanism for discharging the banknotes 91 in a stacked state.

[0033] Moreover, the banknote discharge unit 33 holds a part of the banknote 91 inside the banknote discharge opening 331 by holding a rear end portion of the banknote 91 with a roller or the like (not shown) to prevent the banknote 91 from flying out from the banknote discharge opening 331. Moreover, the banknote discharge unit 33 exposes a part of the banknote 91 from the banknote discharge opening 331 to the outside of the first housing 3, to an extent that does not cover the entire opening of a coin discharge tray 342 (described later). Hereinafter, the length of the short side of the banknote 91 exposed from the banknote discharge opening 331 is also referred to as the flying out amount.

[0034] The light emitting unit 332 is provided around the banknote ejection slot 331. For example, the light emitting unit 332 is provided along the edge of the banknote ejection slot 331. The light emitting unit 332 is formed of a light emitting member such as an LED and a light-transmitting light guiding member, and the light emission is controlled by the control unit 61 described later.

[0035] Furthermore, the banknote discharge unit 33 has a sensor device that detects banknotes 91 discharged from the banknote discharge opening 331, a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the banknote discharge opening 331, and the like (neither is shown). The sensor device is provided, for example, inside the banknote discharge opening 331, and detects the presence or absence of banknotes 91. The detection result of the sensor device is output to the control unit 61. The shutter mechanism opens and closes the banknote discharge opening 331 under the control of the control unit 61.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the coin discharge unit 34 has a coin discharge port 341, a coin discharge tray 342 that receives the coins 92 discharged from the coin discharge port 341 outside the first housing 3, and a light emitting unit 343.

[0037] The coin discharge outlet 341 is connected to a transport mechanism (not shown) that transports coins 92 dispensed from the deposit / withdrawal section 64 (coin change machine 642), and discharges the coins 92 transported by the transport mechanism onto the coin discharge tray 342.

[0038] The coin discharge tray 342 is formed of a bottom surface 3421 and a side wall 3422 formed on the edge of the bottom surface 3421, and has a shape that opens upward. The bottom surface 3421 is formed as a slope that slopes downward from the back side to the front side of the settlement device 1, as shown in Fig. 5, for example, and holds the coins 92 discharged from the coin discharge opening 341. With such a shape, the coins 92 discharged from the coin discharge opening 341 can be brought closer to the front side of the coin discharge tray 342. The bottom surface 3421 may be a horizontal surface.

[0039] The side wall 3422 is formed, for example, as an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the bottom surface 3421. In addition, the corners connecting the bottom surface 3421 and the side wall 3422 are formed in a curved shape that smoothly connects the bottom surface 3421 and the side wall 3422. This curved shape allows the coin 92 to slide smoothly from the bottom surface 3421 along the side wall 3422, making it easy to remove the coin 92 from the coin discharge tray 342.

[0040] The light emitting unit 343 is provided around the coin discharge tray 342. For example, the light emitting unit 343 is provided along the edge of the front side of the light emitting unit 343. The light emitting unit 343 is formed of a light emitting member such as an LED and a light-transmitting light guiding member, and the light emission is controlled by the control unit 61 described later.

[0041] The coin discharge unit 34 also has a sensor device that detects coins 92 discharged from the coin discharge opening 341, a shutter mechanism that opens and closes the coin discharge opening 341, and the like (neither is shown). The sensor device is provided, for example, on the bottom surface 3421 or side wall 3422 of the coin discharge tray 342, and detects the presence or absence of coins 92. The detection result of the sensor device is output to the control unit 61. The shutter mechanism opens and closes the coin discharge opening 341 under the control of the control unit 61.

[0042] Furthermore, a dispensing unit speaker 37, which is an example of an audio output unit, is provided around the banknote discharge unit 33 or the coin discharge unit 34. In the present embodiment, the dispensing unit speaker 37 is shown as being disposed to the right of the coin discharge unit 34. Under the control of the control unit 61, the dispensing unit speaker 37 works in conjunction with the discharge operation of the banknote discharge unit 33 or the coin discharge unit 34 to output audio for notifying the presence of change.

[0043] In this way, in the payment device 1, the withdrawal unit speaker 37 is provided around the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 where change is actually dispensed, so that by outputting sound from the withdrawal unit speaker 37, the operator's attention can be directed to the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34.

[0044] The above-mentioned banknote discharge unit 33 and coin discharge unit 34 are arranged side by side in the height direction of the payment device 1 (first housing 3) as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. Specifically, the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 are arranged in the approximate center in the width direction of the payment device 1. Moreover, the coin discharge unit 34 is arranged below (directly below) the banknote discharge unit 33 in the height direction of the payment device 1. Moreover, the coin discharge tray 342 of the coin discharge unit 34 is arranged closer to the front of the payment device 1 than the banknote discharge unit 33 (banknote discharge opening 331) in the depth direction of the payment device 1.

[0045] 5, the amount D of the banknotes 91 ejected from the banknote ejection port 331 of the banknote ejection unit 33 is limited so as not to cover the entire area of ​​the opening of the coin ejection tray 342. In other words, the coins 92 ejected from the banknote insertion unit 31 are not covered by the banknotes 91 ejected from the banknote ejection port 331, and are held in the coin ejection tray 342 in a visible state.

[0046] The value of the pop-out amount D can be adjusted arbitrarily. For example, the pop-out amount D may be a value that covers about 1 / 3 of the opening of the coin discharge tray 342. The pop-out amount D may be mechanically controlled by a transport mechanism for the banknotes 91 or a mechanism included in the banknote discharge port 331, or may be software-controlled by controlling the transport amount of the banknotes 91.

[0047] In this way, by arranging the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 side by side in the height direction and arranging the coin discharge tray 342 of the coin discharge unit 34 in front of the banknote discharge opening 331 of the banknote discharge unit 33, the operator can easily check the dispensed change. Therefore, with the settlement device 1, the operability for taking out the change can be improved, and the occurrence of leaving or forgetting to take the change can be reduced.

[0048] In addition, the amount D of the bills 91 ejected from the bill ejection opening 331 is limited so as not to cover the entire opening of the coin ejection tray 342, so that the operator can easily check the coins 92 ejected onto the coin ejection tray 342. Therefore, the settlement device 1 can reduce the occurrence of coins 92 ejected as change being left behind or forgotten to be taken away.

[0049] Furthermore, by arranging the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 side by side in the height direction of the settlement device 1, it is possible to ensure a large size in the width direction of the coin discharge tray 342. This allows the settlement device 1 to increase the amount of coins 92 that can be held and discharged as change. Furthermore, the settlement device 1 can improve the visibility of the discharged coins 92 and the ease of removing the coins 92.

[0050] Further, when attention is paid to the overall arrangement of the banknote insertion unit 31, the coin insertion unit 32, the banknote discharge unit 33, and the coin discharge unit 34, as shown in Fig. 2, the banknote insertion unit 31 and the coin insertion unit 32 are provided in area A (corresponding to a first area), and the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 are provided in area B (corresponding to a second area). Here, area A is located above area B. Also, area A and area B are separated by a predetermined length.

[0051] In this way, the banknote insertion unit 31 and the coin insertion unit 32 for inserting currency are concentrated in area A, and the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 for discharging change are concentrated in area B, making it easier for the operator to understand where to operate. This allows the operator to intuitively grasp the areas to be operated when inserting currency or removing change in the settlement device 1, thereby improving operability.

[0052] In addition, in the settlement device 1, the banknote insertion section 31 (banknote insertion opening 311) and the coin insertion section 32 are configured to open upward, and the money discharged from the banknote discharge section 33 and the coin discharge section 34 is discharged horizontally. As a result, when the operator sees the front of the settlement device 1 from above, as shown in FIG. 2, the banknote insertion section 31 (banknote insertion opening 311), the coin insertion section 32, the banknote discharge section 33 (banknote discharge opening 331), and the coin discharge section 34 (coin discharge tray 342) can be easily seen. After inserting money in area A, the operator can easily check the change by shifting his / her gaze to area B. Therefore, in the settlement device 1, operability can be improved and the occurrence of leaving or forgetting to take change can be reduced.

[0053] Next, a hardware configuration of the payment device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the payment device 1. As shown in Fig. 6, the payment device 1 includes a control unit 61.

[0054] The control unit 61 has a computer configuration including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU is an example of a processor. The ROM stores various programs and data executed by the CPU. The RAM temporarily stores data and programs when the CPU executes a program. The control unit 61 comprehensively controls each part of the payment device 1 by expanding the program read from the ROM by the CPU into the RAM and executing it.

[0055] The programs executed by the payment device 1 are provided as files in an installable or executable format recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0056] The program executed by the payment device 1 may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The program executed by the payment device 1 may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet. The program executed by the payment device 1 may be provided by being pre-installed in a ROM or the like.

[0057] A communication I / F 62 is connected to the control unit 61. The communication I / F 62 is an interface that can be connected to a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The communication I / F 62 controls communication with an external device connected to the network. For example, the communication I / F 62 receives transaction information from a registration device that records the total price of products to be settled, etc.

[0058] Further, the control unit 61 is connected to the above-mentioned banknote insertion unit 31, coin insertion unit 32, banknote discharge unit 33, coin discharge unit 34, reading unit 35, printer 36, dispensing unit speaker 37, monitor 51, touch panel 52, monitor speaker 53, etc., as well as a deposit / withdrawal unit 64, via an I / O device control unit 63, etc. The control unit 61 controls and cooperates with each device connected to the I / O device control unit 63, thereby comprehensively controlling the operation of the payment device 1.

[0059] In addition, in FIG. 6, the banknote insert unit 31, the coin insert unit 32, the banknote discharge unit 33, and the coin discharge unit 34 are shown connected to the I / O device control unit 63, however, it goes without saying that what is actually connected are the light-emitting units (light-emitting unit 312, light-emitting unit 323, light-emitting unit 332, light-emitting unit 343) that each unit has, as well as controllable electrical components such as sensor devices and shutter mechanisms (not shown).

[0060] The deposit / withdrawal unit 64 stores currency such as the price of goods and change. The deposit / withdrawal unit 64 also executes deposit and withdrawal of currency. Specifically, the deposit / withdrawal unit 64 includes a banknote change machine 641 that deposits and dispenses banknotes 91, and a coin change machine 642 that deposits and dispenses coins 92.

[0061] The banknote change machine 641 is connected to the banknote insertion unit 31 via a transport mechanism (not shown), determines whether the banknote 91 deposited (inserted) from the banknote insertion unit 31 is genuine, and stores the genuine coin. The banknote change machine 641 is also connected to the banknote discharge unit 33 via a transport mechanism (not shown), and dispenses (discharges) the banknote 91 as change from the banknote discharge unit 33. If the banknote change machine 641 determines that the banknote is a non-genuine coin (foreign banknote, counterfeit banknote, etc.), it dispenses the non-genuine coin from the banknote discharge unit 33 without storing it.

[0062] The coin change machine 642 is connected to the coin insertion unit 32 via a transport mechanism (not shown), and determines whether the coin 92 deposited (inserted) from the coin insertion unit 32 is genuine and stores the coin. The coin change machine 642 is also connected to the coin discharge unit 34 via a transport mechanism (not shown), and dispenses (ejects) the coin 92 as change from the coin discharge unit 34. If the coin change machine 642 determines that a coin is a non-genuine coin (foreign coin, counterfeit coin, etc.), it dispenses the non-genuine coin from the coin discharge unit 34 without storing it.

[0063] A reject unit (not shown) different from the coin discharge unit 34 may be provided. The reject unit is a member that accepts non-genuine coins that have been determined to be non-genuine by the coin change machine 642. The reject unit has, for example, an outlet for discharging non-genuine coins that have been determined to be non-genuine by the coin change machine 642, and a reject tray that receives non-genuine coins discharged from the outlet outside the first housing 3. The reject unit may also be provided with a light emitting unit on the reject tray or the like, similar to the coin discharge unit 34.

[0064] The reject unit may be provided at the same height as the coin discharge unit 34, and aligned with the coin discharge unit 34 in the width direction. In this case, they can be concentrated in the same area B as the coin discharge unit 34 that discharges genuine coins, making it easier for the operator to see where to operate. This makes it possible for the operator to easily see the locations for inserting coins and withdrawing change as well as for withdrawing non-genuine coins in the settlement device 1, and allows the operator to intuitively understand the areas to be operated, thereby improving operability.

[0065] Furthermore, the banknote change machine 641 and the coin change machine 642 notify the control unit 61 of the amount of stored currency. Furthermore, the banknote change machine 641 and the coin change machine 642 receive notification from the control unit 61 of the amount to be dispensed as change.

[0066] Next, a functional configuration of the payment device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the payment device 1. As shown in Fig. 7, the payment device 1 includes a payment processing unit 71 and a notification unit 72 as functional units.

[0067] A part or all of the payment processing unit 71 and the notification unit 72 may be a software configuration realized by cooperation between the processor of the payment device 1 and various programs stored in a memory (ROM, etc.). Also, a part or all of the payment processing unit 71 and the notification unit 72 may be a hardware configuration realized by a dedicated circuit or the like provided in the processor of the payment device 1.

[0068] The payment processing unit 71 executes the payment processing for the products purchased by the operator. For example, the payment processing unit 71 acquires transaction information of each product registered as a sold product in the registration device, and executes the payment processing based on the total amount of the products included in the transaction information.

[0069] Specifically, the payment processing unit 71 receives the amount of money (hereinafter also referred to as the deposited amount) deposited via the banknote deposit unit 31 and the coin deposit unit 32 from the banknote change machine 641 and the coin change machine 642. The payment processing unit 71 executes a payment process for paying the total amount of the goods based on the acquired deposited amount.

[0070] In addition, if the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 are provided with shutter mechanisms, the payment processing section 71 opens the shutter mechanisms of the banknote insertion section 31 and the coin insertion section 32 when accepting the deposit amount, thereby transitioning them to a state in which currency can be inserted.

[0071] When the payment processing unit 71 accepts the deposited amount, it calculates the remaining amount obtained by subtracting the deposited amount from the total price of the goods as the change amount. The payment processing unit 71 notifies the banknote change machine 641 and the coin change machine 642 of the calculated change amount, thereby dispensing change from the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34. For example, the payment processing unit 71 notifies the banknote change machine 641 of the denomination and number of banknotes 91 to be discharged as change, and notifies the coin change machine 642 of the denomination and number of coins 92 to be discharged as change.

[0072] In addition, if the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 are provided with shutter mechanisms, when discharging change, the payment processing unit 71 opens the shutter mechanism of the discharge unit that is the destination, thereby transitioning the change to a state where it can be discharged.

[0073] In addition, when controlling the amount of banknotes 91 that pop out by software, the payment processing unit 71 controls the transport mechanism that transports banknotes 91 from the banknote change machine 641 to the banknote discharge unit 33, thereby limiting the amount of banknotes 91 that pop out exposed from the coin discharge outlet 341 to a predetermined value.

[0074] Once the payment processing unit 71 has completed dispensing the change, it causes the printer 36 to print a receipt showing the details of the transaction, such as the price of each product included in the transaction information, the total amount, the amount deposited, and the amount of change, and causes the receipt to be discharged from the receipt discharge port 361.

[0075] Furthermore, the payment processing unit 71 causes the monitor 51 to display a screen for supporting operations related to the payment processing described above, and causes the monitor speaker 53 to output audio giving instructions on how to operate the payment processing.

[0076] In addition, when the reading unit 35 reads information related to electronic payment from a medium such as a credit card, the payment processing unit 71 executes a payment process to pay the total amount of the goods based on the user ID and information related to electronic payment read from the medium.

[0077] The notification unit 72 cooperates with the payment processing unit 71 to notify the operator of the operation parts related to inserting money and dispensing change.

[0078] Specifically, when accepting the deposit amount, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the place to insert the money by illuminating the light emitting unit 312 of the banknote insertion unit 31 and the light emitting unit 323 of the coin insertion unit 32. This allows the operator of the payment device 1 to recognize the place to insert the money, thereby improving the operability of inserting the money.

[0079] Furthermore, when the change is dispensed, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the dispense location of the change by illuminating a light-emitting unit of the discharge unit to which the change is to be dispensed. For example, when banknotes 91 are dispensed as change, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator that the change will be dispensed from the banknote discharge unit 33 by illuminating a light-emitting unit 332 provided in the banknote discharge unit 33. For example, when coins 92 are dispensed as change, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator that the change will be dispensed from the coin discharge unit 34 by illuminating a light-emitting unit 343 provided in the coin discharge unit 34.

[0080] In this way, in the settlement device 1, when the execution of the settlement process causes the dispensing operation of either or both of the banknotes 91 and the coins 92 to occur, a notification is given using the light emitting unit of the discharge unit where the change is discharged. In this way, the notification unit 72 can make the operator of the settlement device 1 aware of the place where the change is discharged, thereby reducing the occurrence of leaving change unattended or forgetting to take it.

[0081] During the time when the notification unit 72 is performing notification by emitting light, the corresponding light emitting unit may continuously emit light, or may perform light emission control such as blinking to emit light intermittently.

[0082] Furthermore, when the change is dispensed, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the presence of the change by outputting a sound from the dispensing unit speaker 37 guiding the operator of the presence of the change and the denomination of the dispensed change (banknotes or coins), etc. For example, when banknotes 91 are dispensed as the change, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator by sound that banknotes 91 will be dispensed as the change. For example, when coins 92 are dispensed as the change, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator by sound that coins 92 will be dispensed as the change.

[0083] In this way, when the execution of the settlement process generates change of either or both of banknotes 91 and coins 92, the notification unit 72 notifies the presence and denomination of the change using the dispensing unit speaker 37 present in area B where the banknote discharge unit 33 and the coin discharge unit 34 are provided. This allows the settlement device 1 to make the operator of the settlement device 1 aware of the presence of change and the place where the change will be discharged, thereby reducing the occurrence of leaving change behind or forgetting to take it.

[0084] Furthermore, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the presence and denomination of change using the dispensing unit speaker 37 provided in area B. This allows the settlement device 1 to make the operator aware of the presence and location of the change to be dispensed while directing the operator's attention to the banknote dispensing unit 33 and the coin dispensing unit 34, thereby further reducing the occurrence of leaving change unattended or forgetting to take it.

[0085] The timing at which the notification unit 72 causes the dispensing unit speaker 37 to output a sound may be the same as or after the light emission timing at which the light emitting unit 332 and the light emitting unit 343 emit light. In the latter case, for example, when the state in which the presence of change is detected by the sensor devices provided in the banknote dispensing unit 33 and the coin dispensing unit 34 continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds), the notification unit 72 may output a sound from the dispensing unit speaker 37.

[0086] Hereinafter, the operation of the payment device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the payment device 1. Note that this processing is premised on the assumption that registration of the product to be purchased by the operator of the payment device 1 has already been completed.

[0087] First, the payment processing unit 71 acquires transaction information of an operator who is the subject of payment processing from a registration device, a store server, or the like (step S11).

[0088] Next, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the place where the money is inserted by illuminating the light emitting unit 312 of the banknote insertion unit 31 and the light emitting unit 323 of the coin insertion unit 32 (step S12). When money is inserted into the banknote insertion unit 31 or the coin insertion unit 32, the settlement processing unit 71 accepts the amount of the inserted money (deposit amount) via the banknote change machine 641 and the coin change machine 642 (step S13).

[0089] Next, the payment processing unit 71 executes the payment process based on the deposit amount accepted in step S13 (step S14). Next, the payment processing unit 71 determines whether or not there is change based on the difference between the total price of the products and the deposit amount (step S15). If it is determined that there is no change (step S15; No), the process proceeds to step S23.

[0090] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is change (step S15; Yes), the payment processing unit 71 proceeds to step S16 and determines whether or not the change includes banknotes 91 (step S16). If it is determined that the change includes banknotes 91 (step S16; Yes), the notification unit 72 causes the light-emitting unit 332 provided in the banknote discharge unit 33 to emit light, thereby notifying the operator that there is change in the form of banknotes 91 (step S17). Furthermore, the payment processing unit 71 cooperates with the banknote change machine 641 to discharge the banknotes 91 that are the change from the banknote discharge unit 33 (step S18), and proceeds to step S19.

[0091] Moreover, if the payment processing unit 71 determines that the change does not include banknotes 91 (step S16; No), the process immediately proceeds to step S19.

[0092] In the next step S19, the settlement processing unit 71 judges whether or not the change includes coins 92 (step S19). If it is judged that the change includes coins 92 (step S19; Yes), the notification unit 72 causes the light emitting unit 343 provided in the coin discharge unit 34 to emit light, thereby notifying the operator that the change of coins 92 is available (step S20). Furthermore, the settlement processing unit 71 cooperates with the coin change machine 642 to discharge the coins 92 as change from the coin discharge unit 34 (step S21), and proceeds to step S22.

[0093] Furthermore, if the payment processing unit 71 determines that the change does not include coins 92 (step S19; No), the process proceeds immediately to step S22. Note that the processing order of steps S16 to S18 and steps S19 to S21 is not limited to this, and may be reversed.

[0094] Next, the notification unit 72 notifies the operator of the presence of change by outputting a sound from the dispensing unit speaker 37 notifying the operator of the presence and denomination of the change (step S22). Then, the payment processing unit 71 causes the printer 36 to print the details of the payment process, and then causes a receipt to be discharged from the receipt discharge port 361 (step S23).

[0095] The above-described embodiment can be modified as appropriate by changing a part of the configuration or function of the above-described payment device 1. Therefore, some modified examples of the above-described embodiment will be described below as other embodiments. Note that the following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment, and a detailed description of the commonalities with the contents already described will be omitted. Also, the modified examples described below may be implemented individually or in appropriate combination.

[0096] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32 are disposed adjacent to each other, but this is not limiting, and a gap may be provided between the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32. For example, as shown in Fig. 9, a planar area (hereinafter, also referred to as a placement portion 38) may be provided between the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32.

[0097] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32 according to this modified example. As shown in Fig. 9, in the configuration according to this modified example, a placement portion 38 is provided between the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32.

[0098] Here, the placement unit 38 can be used as an area for temporarily placing, for example, coins 92. Specifically, before inserting banknotes 91 and coins 92 into the banknote insertion unit 31 and coin insertion unit 32, the operator can place the currency he or she possesses on the placement unit 38 and insert the currency to be paid for the product into the banknote insertion port 311 and hole 322 while selecting the currency.

[0099] In particular, by smoothly connecting the placement portion 38 and the inclined surface 321 of the coin insertion portion 32 adjacent to the placement portion 38, the coin 92 can be slid from the placement portion 38 toward the coin insertion portion 32 and inserted into the hole 322, thereby improving the operability of inserting the coin 92.

[0100] In addition, in order to prevent coins 92 placed on the loading section 38 from entering the banknote insertion port 311, a partition such as a side wall may be provided on the edge of the loading section 38 other than the edge adjacent to the coin insertion port 32, or on the edge adjacent to the banknote insertion port 311.

[0101] Also, the placement portion 38 may be formed at a position lower than the plane of the step where the banknote insertion portion 31 (banknote insertion port 311) is provided, and the placement portion 38 may be shaped like a dish or the like recessed from the plane of the step, thereby preventing the coin 92 placed on the placement portion 38 from entering the banknote insertion port 311. In this case, it is preferable that the height of the inclined surface 321 of the coin insertion portion 32 connected to the placement portion 38 is the same as the height of the placement portion 38.

[0102] The position where the placement unit 38 is provided is not limited to between the banknote insertion unit 31 and the coin insertion unit 32, and may be any position adjacent to the coin insertion unit 32. For example, the placement unit 38 may be provided on the rear or front side of the coin insertion unit 32 in the depth direction of the payment device 1. Alternatively, the placement unit 38 may be provided in a gap between the coin insertion unit 32 and the other end (right end) in the width direction of the payment device 1, which is generated by arranging the banknote insertion unit 31 closer to one end (e.g., the left end) in the width direction of the payment device 1 while keeping the banknote insertion unit 31 and the coin insertion unit 32 adjacent to each other.

[0103] (Variation 2) In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the printer 36 is disposed above the banknote insertion portion 31 and the coin insertion portion 32. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the printer 36 may also be disposed above the banknote discharge portion 33.

[0104] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the printer 36 according to this modified example. As shown in Fig. 10, in this modified example, the printer 36 is provided above the banknote discharge unit 33. In this case, the printer 36 discharges a receipt 93 from the receipt discharge port 361, thereby positioning the receipt 93 above the banknotes 91 discharged as change.

[0105] With this arrangement, the banknote discharge unit 33, coin discharge unit 34, and printer 36 that discharge change and receipts 93 can be concentrated in area B below area A where the banknote insertion unit 31 and coin insertion unit 32 are located. This allows the operator to insert money in area A, and then easily remove the ejected money and receipts by shifting his / her gaze to area B. Also, by shifting his / her gaze from area A to area B, the operator can easily check the banknotes 91, coins 92, and receipts 93 that have been ejected as change, as shown in FIG. 10, thereby reducing the occurrence of forgetting to remove the change or receipts 93.

[0106] The location of the printer 36 is not limited to the example in Fig. 10. For example, the printer 36 may be located below the coin discharge unit 34, or may be located alongside the coin discharge unit 34 in the width direction of the settlement device 1. Even in this case, the operator can easily check the bills 91, coins 92, and receipts 93 that have been discharged as change by shifting his or her gaze from area A to area B, thereby reducing the occurrence of forgetting to pick up the change or receipts 93.

[0107] (Variation 3) In the above-described embodiment, an example has been shown in which the front edge portions of the banknote insertion section 31 (banknote insertion port 311) and the coin insertion section 32 (inclined surface 321) and the banknote discharge port 331 of the banknote discharge section 33 are arranged at approximately the same position in the depth direction of the payment device 1, but this is not limited to this.

[0108] For example, in the depth direction of the payment device 1, the area A and the area B may be arranged in a stepped or inclined manner so that the area B is located closer to the front side than the area A. This allows all the insertion slots and discharge slots (discharge trays) to be more easily seen from the back side to the front side of the payment device 1, thereby further improving operability.

[0109] (Variation 4) In the above embodiment, a description has been given of a form in which an alert is given using the light emitting unit and the dispensing unit speaker 37 when change is dispensed from the banknote dispensing unit 33 and the coin dispensing unit 34, but an alert may also be given in a similar manner when a non-genuine coin is dispensed. In this case, it is preferable that the alert unit 72 outputs a sound from the dispensing unit speaker 37 to notify that a non-genuine coin has been inserted.

[0110] This allows the operator of settlement device 1 to recognize that a non-genuine coin has been inserted, thereby reducing the occurrence of non-genuine coins being left behind or forgotten to be taken out.

[0111] (Variation 5) In the above embodiment, a semi-self-service type payment device has been described as the payment device, but the application is not limited to this. For example, the payment device may be applied to a self-service type payment device.

[0112] In this case, the payment device 1 includes, in addition to the above-mentioned configuration, a scanner device that reads a product code from a code symbol such as a barcode attached to the product to specify the product name, price, etc. of the product. The payment processing unit 71 executes the payment process using the total amount of the products for one transaction registered by reading with the scanner device.

[0113] The present invention can also be applied as a payment device to, for example, ticket vending machines (ticket issuing machines) that issue meal tickets for restaurants, payment machines in parking lots and stations, and vending machines.

[0114] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This new embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 1 Payment device 2 Main unit 3. First cabinet 4. Second housing 5 Display operation section 31 Bill insertion section 311 Bill slot 312 Light-emitting part 32 Coin slot 321 Slope 322 holes 323 Light Emitting Part 33 Bill ejection section 331 Bill ejection port 332 Light-emitting part 34 Coin ejection section 341 Coin ejection port 342 Coin Discharge Tray 3421 Bottom 3422 Side wall 343 Light Emitting Part 35 Reading unit 36 Printers 37. Payment section speaker 38 Placement section 91 Banknotes 92 Coins 93 Receipts [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0116] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6088626

Claims

1. a housing having a deposit / withdrawal unit therein for storing banknotes and coins and dispensing the stored banknotes and coins; a banknote insertion unit provided in the housing and configured to accept banknotes deposited into the depositing / withdrawing unit; a coin insertion portion that is arranged alongside the banknote insertion portion in the width direction of the housing and that accepts coins deposited into the depositing / withdrawing portion; a banknote discharge unit provided in the housing, the banknote discharge unit having a banknote discharge port that opens in a horizontal direction and discharges banknotes dispensed from the depositing / dispensing unit to the outside of the housing; a coin discharge unit that is provided immediately below the banknote discharge unit and closer to the front of the banknote discharge unit in the depth direction of the housing, and that has an open top and receives coins dispensed from the depositing / withdrawing unit outside the housing; a control unit that controls the amount of the banknote that is exposed from the banknote ejection port when the banknote is ejected from the banknote ejection unit; Equipped with a first region in which the banknote insertion portion and the coin insertion portion are provided is located above a second region in which the banknote ejection portion and the coin ejection portion are provided in a height direction of the housing; The control unit exposes a portion of the banknote to the outside of the housing through the banknote discharge port in an area that covers a portion of the opening of the coin discharge unit.

2. A payment device as described in Claim 1, wherein the surface in the coin discharge section that receives coins withdrawn from the deposit / withdrawal section is formed by a sloping surface that slopes downward from the back side of the housing to the front side.

3. The payment device further includes a receipt discharge unit that discharges a receipt on which a breakdown of the payment process executed by the payment device is printed, The settlement device according to claim 1 , wherein the receipt discharge unit is provided in the second area and above the banknote discharge unit.

4. The receipt discharge unit discharges the receipt after the banknotes have been discharged from the banknote discharge unit. The payment device according to claim 3 .

5. A housing that stores banknotes and coins and has an internal deposit / withdrawal unit that dispenses the stored banknotes and coins; a banknote insertion unit provided in the housing and configured to accept banknotes deposited into the depositing / withdrawing unit; a coin insertion portion that is arranged alongside the banknote insertion portion in the width direction of the housing and that accepts coins deposited into the depositing / withdrawing portion; a banknote discharge unit provided in the housing, the banknote discharge unit having a banknote discharge port that opens in a horizontal direction and discharges banknotes dispensed from the depositing / dispensing unit to the outside of the housing; a coin discharge unit that is provided directly below the banknote discharge port and closer to the front of the banknote discharge port in the depth direction of the housing, the coin discharge unit having an inclined surface that is open at an upper portion and that receives coins dispensed from the depositing / withdrawing unit outside the housing, and that slopes downward from the rear side to the front side of the housing; a control unit that controls the amount of the banknote that is exposed from the banknote ejection port when the banknote is ejected from the banknote ejection unit; a light emitting unit provided in each of the banknote discharge unit and the coin discharge unit; a settlement processing unit that executes settlement processing for the registered sales of the merchandise based on the amount deposited in the deposit / withdrawal unit and dispenses the amount of change from the deposit / withdrawal unit; a notification unit that causes the light-emitting unit provided in the banknote discharge unit or the coin discharge unit, which is a discharge destination of change, to emit light; a receipt discharge unit that is provided between the banknote insertion unit and the banknote discharge unit in the height direction of the housing and that discharges a receipt on which a breakdown of the payment process executed by the payment processing unit is printed after the banknotes are discharged from the banknote discharge unit; Equipped with a first region in which the banknote insertion portion and the coin insertion portion are provided is located above a second region in which the banknote ejection portion and the coin ejection portion are provided in a height direction of the housing; The control unit exposes a portion of the banknote to the outside of the housing through the banknote discharge port in an area that covers a portion of the opening of the coin discharge unit.

Images