Vending Machine Authentication for Reserved Product Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vending machines cannot distinguish between the reservation person and others who access reserved products, leading to inadequate correspondence and management.
Innovation Solution
A vending machine control system that includes an information acquisition unit, authentication processing unit, unlocking control unit, product identification unit, and output unit to authenticate users, identify reserved products, and provide different information based on user authentication status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a person other than the reservation person can access the reserved product, then the vending machine allows flexible access, but the system cannot distinguish the reservation person from others leading to inadequate correspondence
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses authentication feedback to distinguish users. When a user accesses the vending machine, the authentication processing unit verifies their identity, and the output unit provides differentiated information based on whether they are the reservation person or not. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining access flexibility while enabling proper user distinction through information provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication processing unit acts as an intermediary between the user and the reserved product. It mediates access by verifying user identity and coordinating with the output unit to provide appropriate information. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to maintain both access flexibility and user distinction capability.
2Measurement precision
If authentication processing is implemented to distinguish users, then user distinction is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls the door opening, identifies products, determines reservation status, and coordinates with the output unit. By making the control unit universal and multi-functional, the system achieves accurate user identification without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as one component handles multiple tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the authentication processing, product identification, and reservation determination functions into an integrated control system. By combining these functions that work together in sequence, the system reduces overall complexity compared to having separate independent systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
The vending machine control system S performs authentication processing for authenticating a user on the basis of information on the user who is about to open a door 13 of a vending machine 1, and when the user is authenticated, performs control to unlock the door 13 of the vending machine 1. Then, the vending machine control system S identifies a product picked up from a storing chamber 12 after the door 13 is unlocked, and when a reserved product is included in the identified product, outputs different information depending on whether or not the authenticated user is a reservation person of the reserved product.