Vending machine, vending machine system, and banknote processing device

Abstract

This vending machine comprises: an accommodation unit that accommodates a product; a conveyance unit that conveys banknotes deposited through a deposit port; a control unit that controls conveyance of the banknotes by the conveyance unit; and a drive information acquisition unit that acquires drive information relating to the drive state of the conveyance unit and transmits the drive information to the control unit. On the basis of the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit, the control unit detects extraction of the banknotes during conveyance by the conveyance unit.

Description

Vending machine, vending machine system, and banknote processing device

[0001] This invention relates to a vending machine, a vending machine system, and a banknote processing device.

[0002] Conventionally, vending machines are known. Such vending machines are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198287.

[0003] The vending machine described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198287 includes a banknote identification unit and a banknote storage unit. In the vending machine described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198287, the inserted banknote is identified by the banknote identification unit and then stored in the banknote storage unit.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198287

[0005] However, in the vending machine described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198287, after the banknote is identified in the banknote identification unit, it does not determine whether the banknote has been conveyed to the banknote storage unit. Therefore, when the purchaser pulls out the banknote after the banknote is identified in the banknote identification unit, there may be a misrecognition that the inserted banknote has been conveyed to the banknote storage unit. In this case, even when no banknote is inserted, it may be possible to accept an operation based on the insertion of a banknote including a product purchase operation. Therefore, there is a need for a vending machine, a vending machine system, and a banknote processing device that can limit the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes when the banknotes are not being conveyed normally.

[0006] This invention has been made to solve the above problems, and one object of this invention is to provide a vending machine, a vending machine system, and a banknote processing device that can limit the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes when the banknotes are not being conveyed normally.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the vending machine according to the first aspect of this invention comprises a storage unit for storing goods, a transport unit for transporting banknotes inserted from the slot, a control unit for controlling the transport of banknotes by the transport unit, and a drive information acquisition unit for acquiring drive information regarding the driving state of the transport unit and transmitting it to the control unit. The control unit is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

[0008] The vending machine according to the first phase described above includes a drive information acquisition unit that acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit is configured to detect the removal of banknotes from the transport unit while they are being transported, based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit. As a result, the drive information acquisition unit acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit, and if the transport unit stops or reverses rotation during banknote transport, it can be determined that banknote removal has occurred and that the banknotes are not being transported normally. Therefore, the control unit can implement control to restrict the acceptance of purchase operations. Consequently, if banknotes are not being transported normally, the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion can be restricted.

[0009] In the vending machine according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the transport unit includes a motor, the drive information acquisition unit is configured to acquire motor drive information regarding the motor's drive state, and the control unit is configured to detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit. With this configuration, since the drive information acquisition unit is configured to acquire motor drive information regarding the motor's drive state, it is possible to determine that banknotes are not being transported normally when the motor stops or reverses rotation during banknote transport, and the control unit can accurately determine that no banknotes have been inserted. As a result, it is possible to accurately determine that banknotes are not being transported normally based on the motor drive information and to restrict the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion.

[0010] In this case, preferably, the system further includes a banknote identification unit that acquires identification information for identifying banknotes, and the control unit controls the transport of banknotes by the transport unit to synchronize the timing of banknote identification by the banknote identification unit with the motor drive based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit, and is configured to detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit when the motor drive stops based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit. With this configuration, the drive information acquisition unit used to synchronize the timing of banknote identification by the banknote identification unit with the motor drive can be used to detect the removal of banknotes, thus suppressing an increase in the number of parts, unlike when a separate member for detecting removal is provided. In addition, when banknotes are removed, the motor drive may stop due to a force applied to the transport unit in the opposite direction to the transport direction, so when the motor drive stops, the control unit can detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit, thereby detecting the removal of banknotes with greater accuracy and performing control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion.

[0011] In the vending machine according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the drive information acquisition unit is configured to output pulses to the control unit based on the drive information, and the control unit is configured to detect the removal of banknotes based on the pulses output by the drive information acquisition unit. With this configuration, if the state of the pulses output from the drive information acquisition unit differs from that during banknote transport, the control unit can easily detect an abnormality in banknote transport, and can perform timely control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion.

[0012] In this case, preferably, the control unit is configured to detect the removal of a banknote based on the fact that it has not received a pulse from the drive information acquisition unit for a set period of time or longer during banknote transport. With this configuration, for example, while banknotes are being transported normally, the transport unit drives and generates pulses, and when an abnormality occurs in banknote transport, the transport unit does not drive and therefore no pulses are generated. As a result, by detecting the removal of a banknote when pulses cannot be obtained for a set period of time or longer, the control unit can more accurately detect that an abnormality in transport, such as the removal of a banknote, has occurred, and can perform control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes.

[0013] In the vending machine according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the control unit is configured to return the banknote when it detects that a banknote has been removed, and to return the machine from a state where it is possible to purchase a product based on the insertion of a banknote to a standby state where it is impossible to purchase a product before a banknote has been inserted. With this configuration, the control unit can return the banknote to the purchaser if it falsely detects that a banknote has been removed, by performing a return operation when it detects that a banknote has been removed. In addition, by having the control unit return the machine from a state where it is possible to purchase a product based on the insertion of a banknote to a standby state where it is impossible to purchase a product before a banknote has been inserted, it is possible to prevent a product from being purchased even though a banknote has been removed.

[0014] In this case, preferably, the control unit is configured to restrict the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time if it repeatedly detects the withdrawal of banknotes and returns them. Here, if the operation of detecting the withdrawal of banknotes and returning them is performed once, it is possible that the purchase of the product has been canceled, but if it is performed multiple times in a row, it is considered that the banknotes are being withdrawn with malicious intent. Therefore, by restricting the types of banknotes that can be accepted in such cases, it is possible to prevent the insertion and withdrawal of banknotes from being performed again. In addition, by restricting the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time, the product can be sold after the period of time has elapsed, so unlike when no period of time is set, it is possible to prevent excessively missing sales opportunities for the product.

[0015] In the vending machine according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the control unit is configured to transmit information regarding the removal of banknotes to a server that manages multiple vending machines when it detects the removal of banknotes, and is configured to perform control to restrict the amount of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when it receives information regarding the removal of banknotes from the server. With this configuration, the acceptance of banknotes can be restricted in the vending machine that detected the removal of banknotes and in the surrounding vending machines, thereby suppressing the removal of banknotes not only in the vending machine that detected the removal of banknotes but also in the surrounding vending machines. As a result, it is possible to suppress the fraudulent purchase of goods by removing banknotes in the vending machine that detected the removal of banknotes and in the surrounding vending machines.

[0016] A vending machine system according to the second aspect of this invention comprises a plurality of vending machines, each including a storage unit for storing goods, a transport unit for transporting banknotes inserted from an input slot, a control unit for controlling the transport of banknotes by the transport unit, and a drive information acquisition unit for acquiring drive information regarding the driving state of the transport unit and transmitting it to the control unit; and a server that can communicate with the plurality of vending machines and manages the plurality of vending machines. The control unit is configured to perform control to transmit information regarding the removal of banknotes to the server when it detects the removal of banknotes while they are being transported by the transport unit, based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

[0017] In the vending machine system according to the second phase described above, the control unit is configured to transmit information about the removal of banknotes to the server when it detects the removal of banknotes during transport by the transport unit, based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit. As a result, the drive information acquisition unit acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit, and can determine that if the transport unit stops or reverses rotation during banknote transport, banknote removal has occurred and the banknotes are not being transported normally. Therefore, the control unit can restrict the acceptance of product purchase operations. In this way, it is possible to restrict the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion when banknotes are not being transported normally. Furthermore, by the control unit transmitting information about the removal to the server, the server can transmit the fact that banknote removal has occurred to other vending machines and instruct them to suppress banknote removal. This prevents fraudulent purchases of products by removing banknotes from the vending machine that detected the removal, as well as from surrounding vending machines.

[0018] In the vending machine system according to the second aspect described above, the server is preferably configured to send information to the vending machine that sent the information about the removal of banknotes, and to a number of vending machines located within a predetermined range from the vending machine that sent the information about the removal of banknotes, restricting the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time. Here, if banknotes are removed maliciously in one vending machine, there is a possibility that banknotes may be removed in nearby vending machines as well. Therefore, by restricting the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time to the vending machine that sent the information about the removal of banknotes, and to a number of vending machines located within a predetermined range from the vending machine that sent the information about the removal of banknotes, it is possible to suppress the removal of banknotes in other vending machines, thereby preventing the fraudulent purchase of goods in surrounding vending machines. In addition, by restricting the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time, it is possible to suppress the removal of banknotes while preventing excessive loss of sales opportunities, unlike when no such restriction is imposed.

[0019] A banknote processing device according to a third aspect of this invention comprises a transport unit that transports banknotes inserted from an input slot, a control unit that controls the transport of banknotes by the transport unit, and a drive information acquisition unit that acquires drive information relating to the drive state of the transport unit and transmits it to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

[0020] The banknote processing device according to the third aspect described above includes a drive information acquisition unit that acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit and transmits it to the control unit, and the control unit is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit. As a result, by having the drive information acquisition unit acquire drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit, it is possible to determine that a banknote has been withdrawn if the transport unit stops or reverses rotation during banknote transport, and that the banknotes are not being transported normally. Therefore, it is possible to transmit information to other devices connected to the banknote processing device that restricts the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion. In this way, it is possible to restrict the acceptance of operations based on banknote insertion when banknotes are not being transported normally.

[0021] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to provide a vending machine, a vending machine system, and a banknote processing device that can restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes when banknotes are not being transported properly.

[0022] This figure shows a vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a vending machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view of a banknote processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4(A) shows the state in which banknotes are being transported. Figure 4(B) shows the state in which banknote identification has been completed. Figure 4(C) shows the state of the sensor when banknotes are being transported. Figure 5(A) shows the state in which banknotes are being transported. Figure 5(B) shows the state in which banknotes have been removed. Figure 5(C) shows the state of the sensor when banknotes have been removed midway. Figure 6(A) shows the state of the banknote transport unit, the state of the sensor, the state of the motor, the state of the drive information acquisition unit, and the state of the identification process under normal circumstances. Figure 6(B) shows the state of the banknote transport unit, the state of the sensor, the state of the motor, the state of the drive information acquisition unit, and the state of the identification process when banknotes have been removed. This figure shows the configuration of a vending machine system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The following describes embodiments of the present invention based on the drawings.

[0024] [First Embodiment] Referring to Figures 1 to 6, the configuration of the vending machine 100 and the banknote processing device 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the left-right direction of the vending machine 100 is defined as the X direction, the left side when the vending machine 100 is viewed from the front is defined as the X1 direction, and the right side is defined as the X2 direction. The front-rear direction of the vending machine 100 perpendicular to the X direction is defined as the Y direction, the front side of the vending machine 100 is defined as the Y1 side, and the rear side is defined as the Y2 side. Furthermore, the up-down direction of the vending machine 100 perpendicular to the X and Y directions is defined as the Z direction, the upper side is defined as the Z1 side, and the lower side is defined as the Z2 side. The banknote processing device 2 is an example of the "banknote processing device" described in the claims.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vending machine 100 includes a main body 101 and a door 102. The main body 101 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an opening on the Y1 side. The main body 101 contains a storage unit 1, a banknote processing unit 2, a control unit 3, and a communication unit 4 inside. The door 102 is configured to cover the opening on the front of the main body 101. The front of the door 102 is provided with a display unit 5, a coin slot 6, a coin return slot 7, and a product dispensing opening 8.

[0026] The storage unit 1 is configured to store goods. The storage unit 1 stores multiple goods. The storage unit 1 has multiple columns for storing goods. Multiple goods are arranged in the storage unit 1 along the X and Z directions. In Figure 1, the storage unit 1 is shown with a dashed line.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the banknote processing device 2 comprises a transport unit 2a, a drive information acquisition unit 2b, and a banknote identification unit 2c. The banknote processing device 2 is a device for identifying inserted banknotes 50. The banknote processing device 2 has a banknote insertion slot 2d on the Y1 side. Note that the banknote insertion slot 2d is an example of the "insertion slot" described in the claims.

[0028] The transport unit 2a comprises a motor 21a, a transport roller 21b, and a shutter 21c. The motor 21a is configured to rotate the transport roller 21b. The motor 21a is located on the Z1 side of the banknote insertion slot 2d. The transport roller 21b is provided in the transport path for transporting banknotes 50. The transport roller 21b is configured to rotate around a rotation axis extending along the X direction. The transport roller 21b includes a pair of rollers of different sizes arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. In addition, multiple transport rollers 21b are arranged along the Z direction. The banknotes 50 are placed between the pair of rollers of different sizes arranged opposite each other in the Y direction and are transported by the rollers. In other words, a transport path is provided between the pair of rollers.

[0029] As the transport roller 21b rotates in the forward direction, the banknotes 50 are transported toward the banknote storage section 11 where the banknotes 50 are stored. At this time, the banknotes 50 are transported from the Z2 side toward the Z1 side. Here, forward rotation means that, as viewed from the X1 side, of the pair of rollers, the roller located on the Y1 side rotates counterclockwise, and the roller located on the Y2 side rotates clockwise. In Figure 3, the dashed arrows indicate the flow of banknotes 50 to be transported toward the banknote storage section 11. In Figure 3, the transport roller 21b located on the Z2 side is configured to transport the banknotes 50 to a temporary storage section (not shown). Also, in Figure 3, the transport roller 21b located on the Z1 side is configured to transport the banknotes 50 stored in the temporary storage section to the banknote storage section 11. Specifically, when the control unit 3 receives a purchase operation for a product, the transport roller 21b located on the Z1 side is configured to transport the banknotes 50 from the temporary storage section to the banknote storage section 11.

[0030] As the transport roller 21b rotates in the reverse direction, the banknotes 50 are transported toward the banknote insertion slot 2d. At this time, the banknotes 50 are transported from the Z1 side toward the Z2 side. Here, reverse rotation means that, as viewed from the X1 side, of the pair of rollers, the roller located on the Y1 side rotates clockwise, while the roller located on the Y2 side rotates counterclockwise. For example, when a banknote return operation is performed, the transport roller 21b located on the Z2 side in Figure 3 rotates in the reverse direction to return the banknotes 50 stored in the temporary storage section.

[0031] The shutter 21c is configured to close the transport path that transports the banknotes 50 in order to prevent the banknotes 50 identified by the banknote identification unit 2c from returning to the banknote insertion slot 2d. The shutter 21c includes a shutter sensor. The shutter sensor is configured to be ON when the shutter 21c is open. The shutter sensor is configured to be OFF when the shutter 21c is closed. Since the shutter 21c is lifted by the inserted banknotes 50, the shutter sensor is ON while the banknotes 50 are being transported by the transport rollers 21b and while the banknotes 50 are being identified by the banknote identification unit 2c. After the banknote identification unit 2c has finished identifying the entire banknote 50, the shutter sensor is OFF.

[0032] The drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to acquire drive information relating to the drive state of the transport unit 2a. Specifically, the drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to acquire motor drive information relating to the drive state of the motor 21a. The drive information acquisition unit 2b is, for example, a tachogenerator. The drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to detect the rotational speed of the motor 21a. In other words, the motor drive information is information relating to the rotational speed of the motor 21a. The drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to output pulses to the control unit 3 based on the detected rotational speed or amount of rotation of the motor 21a. For example, if based on the detected rotational speed of the motor 21a, the drive information acquisition unit 2b outputs pulses at shorter intervals the faster the rotational speed. Also, if based on the detected amount of rotation of the motor 21a, the drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to output a pulse each time the rotational speed of the motor 21a reaches a predetermined number.

[0033] The banknote identification unit 2c is configured to identify the inserted banknote 50. Specifically, the banknote identification unit 2c is used to determine whether or not the inserted banknote 50 is acceptable. The banknote identification unit 2c includes an identification sensor. The identification sensor includes, for example, an optical sensor. The banknote identification unit 2c is configured to divide a single banknote 50 into multiple locations and acquire information about the banknote 50 at each of these locations using the identification sensor. The information about the banknote 50 includes numerical values ​​related to the banknote 50 obtained by the identification sensor. For example, if the identification sensor is an optical sensor, it is configured to irradiate the banknote 50 with light and transmit the amount of reflected or transmitted light as information about the banknote 50 to the control unit 3. The detection result of the banknote identification unit 2c is configured to be transmitted to the control unit 3. In addition, the sensors of the banknote identification unit 2c are arranged in a row in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the banknote 50. The sensors of the banknote identification unit 2c are configured to acquire information about the banknote 50 at a preset position on the banknote 50.

[0034] The banknote insertion slot 2d is connected to a slit provided in the door portion 102 of the vending machine 100. Banknotes 50 inserted through the slit are inserted into the banknote insertion slot 2d from the Y1 side and transported along the Z direction by the transport unit 2a. The width of the slit is set based on the maximum width of the banknotes 50. An entrance sensor (not shown) is provided in the transport path between the banknote insertion slot 2d and the transport roller 21b to detect the insertion of banknotes 50.

[0035] The control unit 3 includes a processing unit 3a and a storage unit 3b. The processing unit 3a is configured to perform processing related to the operation of the vending machine 100. The processing unit 3a is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 3b stores processing information, including thresholds used in the processing by the processing unit 3a. The storage unit 3b includes memory. The memory is, for example, RAM or ROM. Details of the processing of the control unit 3 will be described later.

[0036] The communication unit 4 is used to communicate between the vending machine 100 and external devices. For example, the communication unit 4 is used to communicate with a mobile device owned by a purchaser. The communication unit 4 is configured to perform wireless communication with external devices.

[0037] As shown in Figure 1, the display unit 5 is configured to display information. The displayed information includes information about the amount and information about errors in the vending machine 100.

[0038] The coin slot 6 includes a slit provided in the door portion 102. The width of the slit in the coin slot 6 is set based on the maximum width of the coin. The coin slot 6 is used for inserting coins.

[0039] The coin return slot 7 is used to retrieve returned coins. The coins returned to the coin return slot 7 include change coins, coins that have been returned because they were deemed unacceptable, and coins that have been returned after a return operation has been performed.

[0040] The product dispensing opening 8 is used to remove products that have been discharged from the storage section 1. The product dispensing opening 8 is located on the Z2 side of the door section 102.

[0041] (Transportation of banknotes 50) The transport process of banknotes 50 by the control unit 3 will be explained based on Figures 2 and 3. Based on the entrance sensor detecting that banknotes 50 have been inserted into the banknote insertion slot 2d, the control unit 3 is configured to control the motor 21a to transport the banknotes 50 to the temporary storage unit by rotating the transport roller 21b on the Z2 side, which is close to the banknote insertion slot 2d, in the forward direction. The control unit 3 is also configured to acquire information about the banknotes 50 from the banknote identification unit 2c while the banknotes 50 are being transported to the temporary storage unit, and to perform an identification process to determine whether the inserted banknotes 50 are acceptable or not. If they are acceptable, the control unit 3 transports the banknotes 50 to the temporary storage unit and, based on the acceptance of the product purchase operation, controls the motor 21a to transport the banknotes 50 to the banknote storage unit 11 by rotating the transport roller 21b on the Z1 side, which is close to the banknote storage unit 11, in the forward direction. Furthermore, if the system identifies that the banknote 50 cannot be accepted, or if it receives a request to return the banknote 50, the system is configured to control the motor 21a to reverse rotation of the transport roller 21b on the Z2 side, which is closer to the banknote insertion slot 2d, in order to return the banknote 50.

[0042] (Identification process of banknotes 50) The banknote identification process of the control unit 3 will be explained based on Figures 2 and 3. The control unit 3 is configured to control the banknote identification unit 2c so as to identify banknotes 50 at predetermined intervals. The control unit 3 acquires the transport speed of the transport unit 2a based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. The control unit 3 is configured to control the timing at which the banknote identification unit 2c acquires information about banknotes 50 according to the number of pulses output from the drive information acquisition unit 2b. The control unit 3 is configured to control the banknote identification unit 2c so as to acquire information about banknotes 50 each time a predetermined number of pulses are acquired. As a result, the banknote identification unit 2c can acquire information from banknotes 50 at predetermined positions.

[0043] The control unit 3 is configured to identify the banknote 50 based on the numerical value of the identification result obtained from the banknote identification unit 2c. Specifically, the control unit 3 identifies the type of the banknote 50 from the identification results obtained from a plurality of locations of the banknote 50 by the banknote identification unit 2c, and performs control to compare the numerical value included in the identification result with the threshold range for each location of the banknote 50 stored in the storage unit 3b. When the number of locations within the threshold range determined to be normal is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio of the whole (for example, 80% or more of the whole), the control unit 3 identifies the banknote 50 as acceptable. When the number of locations within the threshold range determined to be normal is less than the predetermined ratio of the whole, the control unit 3 identifies the banknote 50 as unacceptable.

[0044] (Detection of Withdrawal of Banknote 50) The banknote 50 withdrawal detection process of the control unit 3 will be described based on FIGS. 2 and 3. The control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of the banknote 50 being conveyed by the conveyance unit 2a when it detects the stop of the drive of the motor 21a based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. The control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of the banknote 50 based on the pulse output by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. The control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of the banknote 50 based on the fact that no pulse is acquired from the drive information acquisition unit 2b for a set time or more during the conveyance of the banknote 50.

[0045] Specifically, when the banknote 50 is conveyed toward the banknote storage unit 11, the conveyance roller 21b is configured to rotate forward by the drive of the motor 21a. On the other hand, when the withdrawal of the banknote 50 occurs, the banknote 50 moves from the Z1 side to the Z2 side toward the banknote insertion port 2d. As a result, the banknote 50 is caught by the conveyance roller 21b, and the rotation of the conveyance roller 21b temporarily stops. When the rotation of the motor 21a stops, no pulse is output for a set time or more, so the control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal. The set time is set to, for example, 10 msec. The set time is set longer than the time interval between the output of one pulse and the output of the next pulse. In this case, it may be set in accordance with the case where the output interval of the pulse is the longest.

[0046] The control unit 3 is configured to perform an operation to return the banknote 50 (return process) when it detects that the banknote 50 has been withdrawn. The operation to return the banknote 50 includes the operation to reverse the rotation of the transport roller 21b to transport the banknote 50 toward the input slot. Furthermore, when the control unit 3 detects that the banknote 50 has been withdrawn, it is configured to perform control to return from a state in which product purchase operations based on the insertion of banknote 50 are possible to a standby state in which product purchase operations are not possible, as it was before the banknote 50 was inserted. Specifically, the control unit 3 obtains information about the banknote 50 from the banknote identification unit 2c, identifies whether the inserted banknote 50 is acceptable or not, and obtains the total amount of the inserted banknote 50. If the inserted banknote 50 is acceptable and the inserted banknote 50 is for an amount that allows for the purchase of a product, the control unit 3 performs control to enable the purchase operation. The state in which the purchase operation can be accepted includes a state in which the operation of the selection button or the operation of the selection screen by the purchaser to select a product is accepted. However, if withdrawal is detected, the control unit 3 is configured to assume that the return operation of the banknote 50 has been accepted and to return to a state where purchase operations cannot be accepted. The state where purchase operations cannot be accepted includes a state in which the system does not accept the operation of the selection buttons or the selection screen by the purchaser to select an item.

[0047] When the control unit 3 continuously performs the operation of detecting the withdrawal of the banknote 50 and returning the banknote 50, it is configured to perform control to limit the banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time. For example, after the purchaser inserts a banknote 50 and then cancels the purchase of the commodity, or when the purchaser tries to purchase the commodity with coins instead of the banknote 50, the purchaser may withdraw the inserted banknote 50. In this case, since the purchaser does not maliciously withdraw the banknote 50, when the control unit 3 detects the withdrawal of the banknote 50 once, it performs the operation of returning the banknote 50, but does not perform the control to limit the banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time. However, when the withdrawal of the banknote 50 is continuously performed, there is a possibility that the purchaser maliciously withdraws the banknote 50. Therefore, by performing the control to limit the banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time, it is possible to suppress the withdrawal of the banknote 50. In addition, the case where the operation of detecting the withdrawal of the banknote 50 and returning the banknote 50 is continuously performed includes, for example, the case where the withdrawal is continuously detected within the set time and the operation of returning the banknote 50 is performed.

[0048] The certain period of time for performing the control to limit the banknotes 50 that can be accepted is set to, for example, 30 seconds. In addition, the control to limit the banknotes 50 that can be accepted includes the control to narrow the criteria for determining that it can be accepted based on the information identified by the banknote identification unit 2c, and the control not to accept any banknotes 50 at all. When performing the control to narrow the criteria for determining that it can be accepted, the control unit 3 is configured to perform the control to narrow the range of the threshold value for determining that the numerical values included in the identification results obtained from a plurality of locations of the banknote 50 by the banknote identification unit 2c are normal.

[0049] (Detailed explanation of sensor state switching) Based on Figures 4 and 5, the switching of the sensor state during the transport of banknotes 50 and when a banknote is removed will be explained. In Figures 4 and 5, the banknotes 50 are represented by solid lines, and the transport path for transporting the banknotes 50 is represented by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 4(A), during the transport of banknotes 50, they pass through the shutter sensor provided on the shutter 21c, and then through the identification sensors of the multiple banknote identification units 2c arranged along the Y direction. In this case, as shown in Figure 4(C), the shutter sensor turns ON first, followed by the identification sensor. Also, during the transport of banknotes 50, both the shutter sensor and the identification sensor are ON.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4(B), after the identification of the banknote 50 is completed, the banknote 50 is stored in a temporary storage unit. When the banknote 50 is temporarily stored, neither the shutter sensor provided on the shutter 21c nor the identification sensors of the multiple banknote identification units 2c arranged along the Y direction detect the banknote 50. In this case, as shown in Figure 4(C), the shutter sensor located on the upstream side (Z2 side) in the transport direction turns from the ON state to the OFF state before the identification sensors of the banknote identification units 2c, and then the identification sensors turn OFF. When the identification sensors turn OFF, the banknote identification unit 2c is configured to transmit identification information to the control unit 3. As a result, the control unit 3 is configured to perform the identification process of the banknote 50. Here, when the banknote 50 is stored in the temporary storage unit, the shutter sensor and the identification sensor are in the OFF state. However, when the banknote 50 stored in the temporary storage unit is removed, the shutter sensor changes from the OFF state to the ON state, even though the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c is in the OFF state. Therefore, the control unit 3 is configured to detect that an abnormality has occurred. When an abnormality is detected, the control unit 3 is configured to perform control to stop the sale of the product.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5(A), during the transport of the banknotes 50, they pass through the shutter sensor provided on the shutter 21c, and then through the identification sensors of the multiple banknote identification units 2c arranged along the Y direction. In this case, as shown in Figure 5(C), the shutter sensor turns ON first, followed by the identification sensors.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5(B), when a banknote 50 is removed, neither the shutter sensor on the shutter 21c nor the identification sensors of the multiple banknote identification units 2c arranged along the Y direction detect the banknote 50. In this case, as shown in Figure 5(C), the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c located upstream (Z1 side) in the removal direction turns from ON to OFF before the shutter sensor, and then the shutter sensor turns OFF. However, since there is almost no difference between the timing when the shutter sensor turns OFF and the timing when the identification sensor turns OFF, the banknote identification unit 2c is configured to transmit identification information to the control unit 3. Conventionally, in this case, when the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c is OFF, the shutter sensor does not switch from OFF to ON, and therefore the control unit 3 cannot detect the removal. However, in the vending machine 100 of the present invention, since withdrawal can be detected based on drive information, withdrawal of banknotes 50 can be detected when the shutter sensor is ON. Furthermore, in the present invention, even if identification information is transmitted from the banknote identification unit 2c to the control unit 3 when withdrawal occurs, the control unit 3 is configured to return to a state where it has not accepted banknotes by performing a return process.

[0053] As shown in Figure 6(A), while the transport unit 2a is transporting the banknotes 50, the shutter sensor of the shutter 21c and the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c are in the ON state. Also, since the motor 21a is rotating in the forward direction, the drive information acquisition unit 2b outputs pulses at regular intervals. In this case, the control unit 3 can acquire pulses at time intervals shorter than the set time, and is configured to perform control to continue reading the banknotes 50.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6(B), when banknotes 50 are transported toward the banknote storage section 11, the transport roller 21b is configured to rotate in the forward direction by the drive of the motor 21a. On the other hand, when a banknote 50 is withdrawn, the banknote 50 moves toward the banknote insertion opening 2d from the Z1 side to the Z2 side. As a result, the banknote 50 gets caught on the transport roller 21b, and the rotation of the transport roller 21b temporarily stops. Consequently, the drive of the motor 21a stops. When the drive of the motor 21a stops, the drive information acquisition unit 2b does not output pulses for a set time or longer, so the control unit 3 is configured to detect withdrawal. The control unit 3 is then configured to stop the banknote reading process and perform the return process. Furthermore, after the transport roller 21b stops, it is configured to rotate in the reverse direction as the banknote 50 is withdrawn. Consequently, the motor 21a rotates in the reverse direction. When the motor 21a rotates in the reverse direction, pulses are generated, but the control unit 3 is configured to continue the return process.

[0055] When a banknote 50 is removed, the shutter sensor of the shutter 21c and the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c switch from the ON state to the OFF state. In this case, as described above, the shutter sensor does not switch from the OFF state to the ON state when the identification sensor of the banknote identification unit 2c is OFF, so the removal of the banknote 50 cannot be detected by the shutter sensor. However, the control unit 3 can detect the removal of the banknote 50 based on the fact that no pulses are output from the drive information acquisition unit 2b for a set time or longer. In other words, the vending machine 100 of the present invention can detect the removal of banknotes 50 during transport, which was previously difficult to detect.

[0056] [Effects of the First Embodiment] In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0057] In the first embodiment, the vending machine 100 includes a drive information acquisition unit 2b that acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit 2a and transmits it to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is configured to detect the removal of banknotes 50 being transported by the transport unit 2a based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, the drive information acquisition unit 2b acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit 2a, and if the transport unit 2a stops or reverses rotation during the transport of banknotes 50, it can be determined that banknote removal has occurred and that the banknotes 50 are not being transported normally. Therefore, the control unit 3 can perform control to restrict the acceptance of product purchase operations. As a result, if banknotes 50 are not being transported normally, the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50 can be restricted.

[0058] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the transport unit 2a includes a motor 21a, the drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to acquire motor drive information regarding the drive state of the motor 21a, and the control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes 50 being transported by the transport unit 2a based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, since the drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to acquire motor drive information regarding the drive state of the motor 21a, it is possible to acquire that the banknotes 50 are not being transported normally when the motor 21a stops or reverses rotation during the transport of the banknotes 50, so that the control unit 3 can accurately acquire the state in which no banknotes 50 have been inserted. As a result, it is possible to accurately acquire the state in which the banknotes 50 are not being transported normally based on the motor drive information and to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50.

[0059] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the system further includes a banknote identification unit 2c that acquires identification information for identifying the banknotes 50. The control unit 3 controls the transport of the banknotes 50 by the transport unit 2a to synchronize the timing of banknote identification by the banknote identification unit 2c with the drive of the motor 21a, based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. The control unit 3 is also configured to detect the removal of banknotes 50 from the transport unit 2a when the motor 21a stops, based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, the drive information acquisition unit 2b, which synchronizes the timing of banknote identification by the banknote identification unit 2c with the drive of the motor 21a, can be used to detect the removal of banknotes 50. This prevents an increase in the number of parts, unlike when a separate member is provided to detect the removal. Furthermore, when the banknote 50 is withdrawn, a force in the opposite direction to the transport direction is applied to the transport unit 2a, which may cause the motor 21a to stop driving. Therefore, when the motor 21a stops driving, the control unit 3 can detect the withdrawal of the banknote 50 while it is being transported by the transport unit 2a, thereby enabling more accurate detection of the withdrawal of the banknote 50 and allowing control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of the banknote 50.

[0060] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the drive information acquisition unit 2b is configured to output pulses to the control unit 3 based on the drive information, and the control unit 3 is configured to detect the removal of the banknote 50 based on the pulses output by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, if the state of the pulses output from the drive information acquisition unit 2b is different from that during banknote transport, the control unit 3 can easily detect an abnormality in the transport of the banknote 50, and can perform timely control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknote 50.

[0061] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of the banknote 50 based on the fact that it has not received a pulse from the drive information acquisition unit 2b for a set period of time or longer while the banknote 50 is being transported. As a result, for example, while the banknote 50 is being transported normally, the transport unit 2a is driven and pulses are generated, and when an abnormality occurs in the transport of the banknote 50, the transport unit 2a is not driven and no pulses are generated. Therefore, by detecting the withdrawal of the banknote 50 when pulses cannot be obtained for a set period of time or longer, the control unit 3 can more accurately acquire that an abnormality in transport, such as the withdrawal of the banknote 50, has occurred, and can perform control to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50.

[0062] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 3 is configured to return the banknote 50 when it detects that the banknote 50 has been withdrawn, and to return the system from a state where it is possible to purchase a product based on the insertion of the banknote 50 to a standby state where it is impossible to purchase a product before the banknote 50 has been inserted. As a result, when the control unit 3 detects that the banknote 50 has been withdrawn, it performs a return operation, which allows the control unit 3 to return the banknote 50 to the purchaser if it has falsely detected that the banknote 50 has been withdrawn. In addition, by the control unit 3 returning the system from a state where it is possible to purchase a product based on the insertion of the banknote 50 to a standby state where it is impossible to purchase a product before the banknote 50 has been inserted, it is possible to prevent a product from being purchased even though the banknote 50 has been withdrawn.

[0063] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 3 is configured to perform control to limit the number of banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time if it repeatedly detects the withdrawal of banknotes 50 and returns the banknotes 50. Here, if the operation of detecting the withdrawal of banknotes 50 and returning the banknotes 50 is performed once, it is possible that the purchase of the product has been canceled. However, if it is performed multiple times in a row, it is considered that the banknotes 50 are being withdrawn with malicious intent. Therefore, by limiting the number of banknotes 50 that can be accepted in such cases, it is possible to suppress the repeated insertion and withdrawal of banknotes 50. In addition, by limiting the number of banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time, the product can be sold after the period of time has elapsed. Unlike when no period of time is set, this prevents excessively missing sales opportunities for the product.

[0064] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the banknote processing device 2 includes a drive information acquisition unit 2b that acquires drive information regarding the driving state of the transport unit 2a and transmits it to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes 50 being transported by the transport unit 2a based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, by having the drive information acquisition unit 2b acquire drive information regarding the driving state of the transport unit 2a, it is possible to determine that a banknote 50 has been withdrawn if the transport unit 2a has stopped or reversed rotation during the transport of banknotes 50, and that the banknotes 50 are not being transported normally. Therefore, it is possible to transmit information to other devices connected to the banknote processing device 2 that restricts the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50. As a result, it is possible to restrict the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50 when the banknotes 50 are not being transported normally.

[0065] [Second Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figures 1, 3 to 7, the configuration of the vending machine system 500 that controls a plurality of vending machines 100 according to the second embodiment will be described. Components similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0066] (Configuration of the vending machine system according to the second embodiment) As shown in Figure 7, the vending machine system 500 comprises a plurality of vending machines 100 and a server 200. The plurality of vending machines 100 are configured to communicate with the server 200 via a communication unit 4.

[0067] Server 200 is configured to manage multiple vending machines 100 via a network 300. When Server 200 obtains information from one vending machine 100, it is configured to transmit the information to other vending machines 100 based on the information obtained. Server 200 is, for example, a cloud server.

[0068] In the second embodiment, the control unit 3 of the vending machine 100 is configured to transmit information regarding the removal of banknotes 50 to a server 200 that manages multiple vending machines 100 when it detects the removal of banknotes 50. Specifically, the control unit 3 detects the removal when it has not received a pulse from the drive information acquisition unit 2b for a predetermined period of time, and transmits information regarding the removal of banknotes 50 to the server 200. Furthermore, when the control unit 3 receives information regarding the removal of banknotes 50 from the server 200, it is configured to perform control to limit the number of banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time. Specifically, the control unit 3 is configured to limit the acceptance of banknotes 50 even if it has not detected the removal of banknotes 50.

[0069] In the second embodiment, when the server 200 receives information regarding the removal of banknotes 50, it is configured to restrict the amount of banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time to the vending machine 100a that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes 50, and to a plurality of vending machines 100b to 100f located within a predetermined range from the vending machine 100a that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes 50. On the other hand, the server 200 does not restrict the amount of banknotes 50 that can be accepted for a certain period of time to vending machines 100g that are outside the set range. The predetermined range is an area indicated by a circle with a predetermined radius centered on the vending machine 100 that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes 50. The size of the radius may be set to, for example, 1 km. The server 200 is configured to send withdrawal information, including a certain period of time that limits the amount of banknotes 50 that can be accepted, to the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50, and to a plurality of vending machines 100 that are included in a circle of a predetermined radius centered on the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50. The certain period of time is changed according to the distance from the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50.

[0070] The control unit 3 is configured to change a fixed time according to the distance from the vending machine 100a that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50. Specifically, the control unit 3 is configured so that the fixed time becomes longer as the distance from the vending machine 100a that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50 increases. For example, if the server 200 instructs the vending machine 100a that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes 50 to limit acceptance for 30 seconds, the server 200 is configured to instruct the adjacent vending machine 100b to limit acceptance of banknotes 50 for 1 minute, and to send instructions to vending machines 100c and 100d, which are 20m away, to limit acceptance of banknotes 50 for 10 minutes. Furthermore, the server 200 is configured to send instructions to vending machines 100e and 100f, which are 100m away, to limit acceptance of banknotes 50 for 30 minutes. In this case, the server 200 is configured to set a certain time based on the time it takes to move from the vending machine 100 that first detected the withdrawal to another vending machine 100.

[0071] Furthermore, the other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0072] [Effects of the Second Embodiment] In the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0073] In the second embodiment, as described above, the control unit 3 is configured to transmit information regarding the removal of a banknote to a server 200 that manages multiple vending machines 100 when it detects the removal of a banknote, and is configured to restrict the banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when it receives information regarding the removal of a banknote from the server 200. As a result, the vending machine 100a that detected the removal of a banknote and the surrounding vending machines 100b can share information about the removal of a banknote, thereby suppressing the removal of a banknote not only in the vending machine 100a that detected the removal but also in the surrounding vending machines 100b. As a result, the vending machine 100a that detected the removal of a banknote 50 and the surrounding vending machines 100b can suppress the removal of a banknote 50 and the fraudulent purchase of goods.

[0074] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, as described above, the control unit 3 is configured to transmit information regarding the removal of banknotes to the server 200 when it detects the removal of banknotes by the transport unit 2a based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit 2b. As a result, the drive information acquisition unit 2b acquires drive information regarding the drive state of the transport unit 2a, and when it detects that the transport unit 2a has stopped or reversed during the transport of banknotes 50, it can determine that the banknotes 50 have been removed and that the banknotes 50 have not been transported normally. Therefore, the control unit 3 can restrict the acceptance of product purchase operations. As a result, when banknotes 50 are not being transported normally, the acceptance of operations based on the insertion of banknotes 50 can be restricted. Furthermore, by having the control unit 3 transmit information regarding the removal of the banknotes to the server 200, the server 200 can transmit information to other vending machines 100 that a banknote 50 has been removed and instruct them to suppress the removal of the banknotes 50. This prevents the vending machine 100a that detected the removal of the banknotes 50 and the surrounding vending machines 100b from illegally purchasing goods by removing the banknotes 50.

[0075] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, as described above, when the server 200 receives information regarding the removal of banknotes, it is configured to send information to the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the removal of banknotes, and to a plurality of vending machines 100 located within a predetermined range from the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the removal of banknotes, restricting the banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time. Here, if banknotes are removed maliciously in one vending machine 100, there is a possibility that banknotes may also be removed in nearby vending machines 100. Therefore, by sending information to the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the removal of banknotes, and to a plurality of vending machines 100 located within a predetermined range from the vending machine 100 that sent the information regarding the removal of banknotes, restricting the banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time, it is possible to suppress banknote removal in multiple vending machines 100, thereby suppressing the fraudulent purchase of goods in surrounding vending machines 100. Furthermore, by limiting the types of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time, it is possible to suppress the removal of banknotes while preventing excessive loss of sales opportunities, unlike when no such time limit is set. The other effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0076] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (variations) in the sense and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0077] For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the drive information acquisition unit was shown to acquire motor drive information, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the drive information acquisition unit may be configured to acquire information regarding the rotation of a conveying roller provided in the conveying unit.

[0078] For example, in the first and second embodiments described above, the conveying section was shown to include conveying rollers, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the conveying section may also include a conveying belt.

[0079] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described above show examples in which the drive information acquisition unit is configured to output pulses to the control unit based on the drive information, the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the drive information acquisition unit may be configured to output a current value or a voltage value to the control unit based on the drive information.

[0080] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the control unit is shown to detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit when it detects the motor drive stopping based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may be configured to detect the load on the motor based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit, and to detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit when the load is greater than a predetermined value.

[0081] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the control unit is configured to restrict the number of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when the operation of detecting the removal of banknotes and returning them is performed continuously, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the control unit may be configured to restrict the number of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when the operation of detecting the removal of banknotes and returning them is performed once.

[0082] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described above show examples in which the conveying rollers include a pair of rollers of different sizes arranged opposite each other in the Y direction, the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the conveying rollers may include a pair of rollers of the same size arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. Alternatively, the conveying rollers may include a pair of rollers arranged opposite each other in the Z direction.

[0083] Furthermore, although the first and second embodiments described above show an example where the banknote transport direction is the Z direction, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the banknote transport direction may be the X direction or the Y direction.

[0084] Furthermore, while the first and second embodiments described above show examples in which the identification sensor includes an optical sensor, the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the identification sensor may also include a magnetic sensor.

[0085] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, when control is performed to narrow the criteria for determining acceptance, the control unit is configured to narrow the range of the threshold for determining that the numerical values ​​included in the identification results obtained from multiple locations on the banknote by the banknote identification unit are normal, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, when control is performed to narrow the criteria for determining acceptance, the control unit may make the proportion of the total that falls within the threshold range for determining normal larger than usual. In this case, for example, if 90% of the total falls within the threshold range for determining normal, the control unit may identify it as an acceptable banknote.

[0086] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the time for restricting the acceptance of banknotes differs between the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes and a plurality of vending machines located within a predetermined range from the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the time for restricting the acceptance of banknotes may be the same for the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes and a plurality of vending machines located within a predetermined range from the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the withdrawal of banknotes.

[0087] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the server is shown to transmit a certain period of time to limit the banknotes that can be accepted to the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the server may not transmit a certain period of time to limit the banknotes that can be accepted to the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes, but may transmit a certain period of time to limit the banknotes that can be accepted only to other vending machines. In this case, the vending machine that detected the removal of banknotes may limit the banknotes that can be accepted based on a certain period of time stored in the control unit.

[0088] Furthermore, although the second embodiment described above shows an example where the server is a cloud server, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the server may be a personal computer that manages vending machines.

[0089] 1. Storage unit 2. Banknote processing unit (banknote processing unit) 2a. Transport unit 2b. Drive information acquisition unit 2c. Banknote identification unit 2d. Banknote insertion slot (input slot) 3. Control unit 21a. Motors 100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, 100f, 100g. Vending machine 200. Server 500. Vending machine system

Claims

1. A vending machine comprising: a storage unit for storing goods; a transport unit for transporting banknotes inserted from an input slot; a control unit for controlling the transport of banknotes by the transport unit; and a drive information acquisition unit for acquiring drive information relating to the drive state of the transport unit and transmitting it to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes from the transport unit while they are being transported, based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

2. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the transport unit includes a motor, the drive information acquisition unit is configured to acquire motor drive information relating to the drive state of the motor, and the control unit is configured to detect the removal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

3. The vending machine according to claim 2, further comprising a banknote identification unit that acquires identification information for identifying the banknotes, wherein the control unit controls the transport of the banknotes by the transport unit to synchronize the timing of banknote identification by the banknote identification unit with the drive of the motor, based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit, and is configured to detect the withdrawal of the banknotes being transported by the transport unit when the motor drive is stopped, based on the motor drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

4. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive information acquisition unit is configured to output a pulse to the control unit based on the drive information, and the control unit is configured to detect the removal of the banknote based on the pulse output by the drive information acquisition unit.

5. The vending machine according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the removal of the banknotes based on the fact that it has not received the pulses from the drive information acquisition unit for a set period of time or longer during the transport of the banknotes.

6. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to return the banknote when it detects the removal of the banknote, and to return the machine from a state in which it is possible to purchase the product based on the insertion of the banknote to a standby state in which it is impossible to purchase the product, as it was before the banknote was inserted.

7. The vending machine according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to perform a control that limits the number of banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when it continuously performs the operation of detecting the removal of a banknote and returning the banknote.

8. The vending machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit information regarding the removal of a banknote to a server that manages a plurality of vending machines when it detects the removal of a banknote, and is configured to perform control to restrict the banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time when it receives information regarding the removal of a banknote from the server.

9. A vending machine system comprising: a plurality of vending machines, each including a storage unit for storing goods, a transport unit for transporting banknotes inserted from an input slot, a control unit for controlling the transport of banknotes by the transport unit, and a drive information acquisition unit for acquiring drive information regarding the driving state of the transport unit and transmitting it to the control unit; and a server that can communicate with the plurality of vending machines and manages the plurality of vending machines, wherein the control unit is configured to perform control to transmit information regarding the removal of banknotes to the server when it detects the removal of banknotes while they are being transported by the transport unit, based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

10. The vending machine system according to claim 9, wherein the server is configured to, upon receiving information regarding the removal of banknotes, transmit information to the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes and to the plurality of vending machines located within a predetermined range from the vending machine that transmitted the information regarding the removal of banknotes, information that restricts the banknotes that can be accepted for a certain period of time.

11. A banknote processing device comprising: a transport unit for transporting banknotes inserted from an input slot; a control unit for controlling the transport of banknotes by the transport unit; and a drive information acquisition unit for acquiring drive information relating to the drive state of the transport unit and transmitting it to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to detect the withdrawal of banknotes being transported by the transport unit based on the drive information acquired by the drive information acquisition unit.

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