Goods selecting apparatus and method for automatic vending machine

A goods selecting apparatus and method for an automatic vending machine enables uses a control device to take necessary actions in case a user selects an article in error among goods stored in the automatic vending machine thereby preventing undesired goods from being extracted. The apparatus has a key input part for generating a key signal corresponding to a cancel or an extract selection of a goods selected by an user. A control part is provided and selectively generates a control signal to cancel or to send the selected goods to a goods extracting slot according to a key signal from the key input part within a predetermined time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates, in general, to an automatic vending machine, and 
more particularly to a goods selecting apparatus and method for an 
automatic vending machine which enables control means to take necessary 
actions in case an user selects an article in error among goods stored in 
the automatic vending machine thereby preventing undesired goods from 
being extracted from the vending machine. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Generally, automatic vending machines have been widely used in countries. 
The automatic vending machine keeping various goods therein such as 
coffee, cigarette, cake, and candy have a goods safekeeping chamber and 
determines what kind of goods can be vended by an amount or sum of coins 
inserted by an user. 
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical automatic vending machine. As 
shown in the drawing, the typical automatic vending machine includes a 
housing 10 for forming an external appearance thereof, and a door 20 which 
combined through a hinge and a front one surface of the housing 10 to 
close or open the housing 10. The door 20 is formed at the outside thereof 
with a door grip 30 for closing or opening the door, a coin insert slot 40 
in which coins can be inserted for purchasing goods, a goods selecting 
part 2 having a plurality of selecting keys for selecting a goods being 
desired by an user, a display part 4 for displaying a selling possibility 
state of goods and the amount of the coins being inserted by the user, a 
goods extracting part 15 for extracting the selected goods, and a coin 
return part 70 for returning the change after having been extracted goods. 
In these automatic vending machines, when coins are inserted into the 
automatic vending machine and a selecting button to select a goods is 
pushed by the user, the goods is extracted through the goods extract part 
of the automatic vending machine. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the goods selecting apparatus of the conventional 
automatic vending machine includes a coin detecting mechanism 1 for 
providing a detected signal according to a state of inserted coins and the 
amount of the coins to be inserted to the automatic vending machine, a 
goods selecting part 2 for selecting a predetermined article among goods 
stored or provided therein, a control part 3 for generating a control 
signal to display a selling possibility state of goods befitting the 
inserted coins and the amount of the coins according to the detected 
signal from the coin detecting mechanism 1 and to extract the goods 
selected from the goods selecting part 2, a display part 4 for displaying 
the total inserted amount of money and a selling possibility state of the 
automatic vending machine according to a display control signal from the 
control part 3, and a goods extracting part 5 for extracting a selected 
goods according to a extracting control signal output from the control 
part 3. 
Now, a good selecting and operating process of the conventional automatic 
vending machine will be explained hereinafter. 
When coins are inserted through a coin inserting slot(not shown), condition 
of the coins or the bill and the amount of coins or bill are detected by a 
plurality of sensors(not shown) of the coin detecting mechanism 1 and a 
signal detected therefrom is provided to the control part 3. The control 
part 3 generates a control signal for displaying the total amount of the 
inserted coins according to the detected signal from the coin detecting 
mechanism 1 and outputs to the display part 4. The display part 4 displays 
a selling possibility state according to the control signal from the 
control part 3 in case the total inserted amount of inserted coins exceeds 
the price of the goods stored in the automatic vending machine. 
After the selling possibility state of the goods shown in the display part 
4 has confirmed, a selecting button is pushed by the user to cause the 
selected goods to be extracted from the automatic vending machine. 
A button signal corresponding to the goods selected from the goods 
selecting part 2 is provided to the control part 3. At this time, the 
control signal for extracting the selected goods is generated from the 
control part 3. 
Accordingly, the user can any time obtain his own desired article among the 
goods stored in the automatic vending machine through the goods extracting 
part 5, according to the control signal output from the control part 3. 
In the control part 3, the coins inserted into the coin detecting mechanism 
1 and the selling price of goods are compared to determine whether they 
match each other and if change is available, a control signal is generated 
to return the change. That is, the change is delivered to a coin delivery 
part(not shown) by a return signal generated from the control part 3. 
Thus, the user receives the change from the vending machine. 
Subsequently, the control part 3 compares a selling price and a selected 
goods in view of the inserted coins, and checks if there is needed to 
return any change. If there is needed to return some change, the control 
part 3 generates a control signal to return the change to the coin 
detecting mechanism after having checked the presence of the change. The 
change from the coin detecting mechanism 1 is returned to the coin return 
part 70 according to the control signal from the control part 3. 
However, there is a problem in the above automatic vending machine in that, 
when the user uses the vending machine, and if the user mistakenly pushes 
the button corresponding to a goods he does not want, the user should 
obtain undesired goods, since it is impossible to cancel the push of 
button. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a goods selecting 
apparatus and method for an automatic vending machine which enables 
control means to take necessary actions in case an user selects, in error, 
article among goods stored in the automatic vending machine thereby 
preventing undesired goods from being extracted from the vending machine. 
In order to accomplish the above object, there is provided a goods 
selecting apparatus for an automatic vending machine comprising: 
a key input part for generating a key signal corresponding to cancel or 
extract of a goods selected by an user; and 
a control part for selectively generating a control signal to cancel or 
extract the selected goods into a goods extracting slot according to a key 
signal from the key input part within a predetermined time. 
In accordance with another object of the present invention, there is 
provided a goods selecting method for an automatic vending machine, the 
method comprising the steps of: 
initializing with predetermined input parameters according to a control 
signals of a control part when an AC voltage is provided from outside to 
the automatic vending machine, and displaying a selling possibility state 
of a goods when the amount of inserted coins is above the goods selling 
price after having checked the total inserted amount of coins when the 
coins are inserted into the automatic vending mechanism; 
judging whether an extracting operation of a goods should be cancelled or 
performed according to a key signal from a key input part after having 
been selected the goods through the goods selecting part; and 
extracting the selected goods into a goods extracting slot when the key 
signal from the key input part is the select confirming signal, and 
canceling the extracting operation of the selected goods when the key 
signal from the key input part is the canceling signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the 
accompanying drawings. 
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a goods selecting apparatus for an 
automatic vending machine according to the present invention comprising a 
coin detecting mechanism 1, a goods selecting part 2, a control part 3, a 
display part 4, a goods extracting part 5 and a confirming key 6. 
Also, the basic elements(for example, the coin detecting mechanism 1, the 
goods selecting part 2, the display part 4 and the goods extracting part 
5) of the invention are similarly constructed as those of the conventional 
automatic vending machine and description of the similar basic elements 
will be not described hereinafter. 
In FIG. 3, the confirming key 6 as shown in FIG. 4 is installed a 
predetermined position at a goods selecting part 2 so that the user 
confirmes a goods selected state in case of correctly selecting his own 
desired article among goods stored in the automatic vending machine. When 
the confirming key 6 is pushed by the user, the key signal thereof is 
provided to the control part 3. The control part 3 generates a control 
signal to extract the selected goods after the key signal has been input 
from the confirming key 6 within a predetermined time, for example 3 
seconds. 
Now, the goods selecting apparatus and method for the automatic vending 
machine of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 
2 to 5. 
In the present invention, the goods selecting apparatus for the automatic 
vending machine remains the same in the overall shape thereof as in the 
typical automatic vending machine. Those elements of the goods selecting 
apparatus for the automatic vending machine common to both the present 
invention and the prior art and will thus carry the same reference 
numerals so that no further explanation is deemed necessary. 
As shown in FIG. 3, when an AC voltage is provided from outside to a power 
part(not shown), the automatic vending machine starts to be initialized 
with predetermined input parameters according to a control signal of the 
control part 3 at step 510. 
When coins are inserted through the coin insert slots by the user at step 
512, the coins are guided to the coin detecting mechanism 1 by the guide 
means. The coin detecting mechanism 1 provides a detected signal to the 
control part 3 to determine the state of inserted coins and simultaneously 
the amount of total inserted coins. 
After having determined the state of inserted coins, the control part 3 
determines whether the amount of inserted coins is above the price of 
goods selected by the user at step 514. If the amount of inserted coins is 
above the price of goods, the control part 3 generates a control signal to 
display the selling possibility state of goods(for example, a light 
corresponding to the goods selected by the user is maintained "on" state), 
and outputs to the display part 4. Accordingly, the display part 4 
displays the selling possibility state of goods at step 516. 
Subsequently, the control part 3 determines whether a good(s) has been 
selected by the user through the goods selecting part 2 at step 518. As 
the result of determination, it is determined at step 518 that the good(s) 
has been selected, the procedure flows to step 520. 
At step 520, the control part 3 determines whether a key signal from the 
confirming key 6 is input within 3 seconds. 
As a result of the determination at step 520, if the confirming key signal 
has not been input from the confirming key 6 within 3 seconds, the control 
part 3 generates a control signal to cancel the selected goods thereby 
preventing the goods from being extracted and procedure returns to step 
516, 518 and 520 to repeatedly execute operation thereof. 
Meanwhile, as the result of the determination at step 520, if the 
confirming key signal has been input from the confirming key 6 within 3 
seconds, the control part 3 generates a control signal to extract the 
selected goods through the goods selecting part 2. The selected goods is 
extracted through the extracting slot 15 according to the control signal 
from the control part 3 at step 522. 
At this time, the control part 3 compares the price of selected goods with 
the amount of inserted money at step 524 to determine if there is needed 
to return any change. If there is needed to return a change, the control 
part 3 generates a control signal to return the change to the user. 
Therefore, the change is returned to the coin return slot 70 through the 
coin detecting mechanism 1 according to the control signal from the 
control part 3 at step 526. 
When the user mistakenly pushes the goods selecting button of the goods 
selecting part 2, the control part 3 determines whether a confirming 
signal has been input from the goods selecting part 2. If the confirming 
key signal has not been input from the goods selecting part 2 to the 
control part 3 within 3 seconds, an operation for extracting the selected 
goods are automatically canceled thereby preventing undesired goods from 
being extracted from the vending machine. 
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a goods selecting apparatus for an automatic 
vending machine according to the invention. The apparatus comprises a coin 
detecting mechanism 1, a goods selecting part 2, a control part 3, a 
display part 4, a goods extracting part 5 and a canceling key 7. 
Also, the basic elements(for example, the coin detecting mechanism 1, the 
goods selecting part 2, the display part 4 and the goods extracting part 
5) of the invention are similarly constructed as those of the conventional 
automatic vending machine and description of the similar basic elements 
will be not described hereinafter. 
In FIG. 6, the canceling key 7 is installed at a predetermined position of 
the goods selecting part 2 so that the user can cancel his erroneous 
action when he pushes a key button in error or pushes a key button 
corresponding to undesired goods. When the canceling key 7 is pushed by 
the user, the key signal thereof is provided to the control part 3. The 
control part 3 generates a control signal to cancel the extracting 
operation of the goods after a key signal has been input from the 
canceling key 7 within 3 seconds. 
Now, the goods selecting apparatus and method for the automatic vending 
machine of the present invention will be described with the reference to 
FIGS. 6 to 8. 
When an AC voltage is provided from the outside to a power part(not shown), 
the automatic vending machine starts to be initialized with predetermined 
input parameters according to a control signal of the control part 3 at 
step 810. 
When coins are inserted through the coin insert slot by the user at step 
812, the coins are guided to the coin detecting mechanism 1 by the guide 
means. The coin detecting mechanism 1 provides a detected signal to the 
control part 3 to determine the state of inserted coins and simultaneously 
the amount of total inserted coins. 
After having determined the state of inserted coins, the control part 3 
determines whether the amount of inserted coins is above the price of 
goods selected by the user at step 814. If the amount of inserted coins is 
above the price of goods, the control part 3 generates a control signal to 
display the selling possibility state of goods(for example, a light 
corresponding to the goods selected by the user is maintained "on" state), 
and outputs to the display to part 4. Accordingly, the display part 4 
displays the selling possibility state of goods at step 816. 
Subsequently, the control part 3 determines whether a good(s) has been 
selected by the user through the goods selecting part 2 at step 818. As 
the result of determination, it is determined at step 818 that the goods 
has been selected the procedure flows to step 820. At step 820, the 
control part 3 determines whether a key signal from the canceling key 7 is 
input within 3 seconds. 
As a result of the determination at steps 820 and 822, if the canceling key 
signal has been input from the canceling key 7 within 3 seconds, the 
control part 3 generates a control signal to cancel the extracting 
operation of the goods thereby preventing the goods from being extracted 
and procedure returns to steps 818, 820 and 822 to repeatedly execute 
operation thereof. 
Meanwhile, as the result of the determination at steps 820 and 822, if the 
canceling key signal has not been input from the canceling key 7 within 3 
seconds, the control part 3 generates a control signal to extract the 
selected goods through the goods selecting part 2. The selected goods are 
extracted through the goods extracting slot 15 according to the control 
signal from the control part 3 at step 824. 
At this time, the control part 3 compares the price of selected goods with 
the amount of inserted money at step 826 to determine if there is needed 
to return any change. If there is needed to return a change, the control 
part 3 generates a control signal to return the change to the user. 
Therefore, the change is returned to the coin return slot 70 through the 
coin detecting mechanism 1 according to the control signal from the 
control part 3 at step 828. 
When the user mistakenly pushes the goods selecting button of the goods 
selecting part 2, the control part 3 determines whether a confirming key 
signal has been input from the goods selecting part 2. If the confirming 
key signal has not been input from the goods selecting part 2 to the 
control part 3 within 3 seconds, an operation for extracting the selected 
goods are automatically canceled thereby preventing undesired goods from 
being extracted from the vending machine. 
As described above, the present invention has an advantage in which control 
means can take necessary actions in case an user selects an article in 
error article among goods stored in the automatic vending machine thereby 
preventing undesired goods from being extracted from the vending machine. 
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been 
disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will 
appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are 
possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as 
disclosed in the accompanying claims.