Change Machine Management Display for Reserve Amount Assessment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In stores, there is a lack of an efficient method for salespersons to easily determine whether the bills and coins in a change machine are insufficient or excessive as a change reserve amount, making it difficult to prepare the necessary denominations for the next business day.

Innovation Solution

A change machine management apparatus with a POS terminal that displays the number of bills and coins stored in the change machine, the required change reserve amount, and the difference between the two, allowing salespersons to easily recognize shortages or surpluses and facilitate the preparation of the correct denominations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a change machine stores bills and coins in a storage unit, then the change reserve amount is available for use, but it becomes difficult to determine whether the stored amount is insufficient or excessive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechange reserve amountVSAvoiddetection of insufficient or excessive bills and coins

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The management apparatus provides feedback by displaying the current storage amount, required change reserve amount, and their difference (shortage or surplus) on a display unit. This allows salespersons to easily recognize whether bills and coins are insufficient or excessive without manual counting or estimation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The management apparatus acts as an intermediary between the change machine's storage unit and the salesperson. It retrieves storage amount information from the change machine, processes the data by comparing it with the required change reserve amount, and presents the results in an easily understandable format on the display unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If salespersons manually check and prepare change reserve amounts, then the change machine can be stocked with necessary denominations, but the preparation process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrect change reserve amount preparationVSAvoidpreparation time for change reserve amount

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The management apparatus enables self-service by automatically retrieving storage amount information from the change machine, calculating the difference between current and required amounts, and displaying the results. This eliminates the need for salespersons to manually count and check bills and coins, significantly reducing preparation time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of counting and checking bills and coins is replaced by an automated information processing system. The management apparatus uses electronic data retrieval, calculation, and display to substitute the manual inspection process, reducing both time and labor requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If the storage unit is emptied after closing and refilled before opening, then the change reserve amount is maintained, but the process requires repeated manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechange reserve amount maintenanceVSAvoidease of change reserve amount preparation

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The management apparatus provides continuous feedback on the storage amount versus required amount, enabling salespersons to quickly assess whether refilling is needed and by how much. This feedback mechanism simplifies the decision-making process and reduces the effort required for maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The management apparatus displays the difference (shortage or surplus) before the actual refilling action is taken. This allows salespersons to prepare the correct amount of bills and coins in advance, ensuring accurate refilling without trial and error, thereby maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9978198B2Change machine management apparatus and operating method thereof

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 TOSHIBA TEC KK

AI summary

A change machine management apparatus includes an interface to a change machine that discharges money based on discharge data received through the interface, a display unit, and a processor programmed to create a screen display on the display unit including first, second, and third areas, each displaying a number of bills and coins for each denomination, and control the display unit to display in the first area, the number of bills and coins stored in the storage unit for each denomination, display in the second area, the number of bills and coins to be stored as a change reserve amount in the storage unit for each denomination, and display in the third area, the number of bills and coins for each denomination according to a difference between the number of bills and coins displayed in the first area and the number of bills and coins displayed in the second area.