Patent Publication Number: US-8978867-B2

Title: Apparatus for setting price for multi-vending machine and method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine capable of conveniently setting and changing prices of sale products in each column and a method thereof. 
     In general, a vending machine, which is operated in an unmanned sale scheme, possesses various products, such as coffee, cigarettes, snacks or books, for sale therein and dispenses a product through an outlet to a purchaser who desires to purchase the product when the purchaser selects the product after inserting currency corresponding to the desired product. 
     Recently, differently from general vending machines, a multi-vending machine for selling various kinds of products through a single machine in an unmanned sale scheme has been proposed. 
     A multi-vending machine has been disclosed in Korean Patent Unexamined Publication No. 10-2010-0087846 (Published on Aug. 6, 2010; hereinafter, referred to as “related art”). 
     The related art senses whether a shelf protrudes or not. Thus, it is previously prevented that a basket collides against the shelf so that the vending machine can be prevented from being broken caused when the shelf is not fully input into a product showcase. In addition, products in the showcase can be prevented from falling down from the shelf due to the movement of the machine and the basket accurately moves up and down without any errors. Further, a banner advertisement, which appears and disappears as the basket moves up and down, is provided, so that an observer feels fun, so additional profit may be obtained. 
     However, according to the related art, when the prices of the products of each column provided in a plurality of shelves are set, since a manager assigns the prices to the products of each self and attaches the tags (in a sticker type) corresponding the assigned prices to each shelf one by one, it takes many time to set the prices to the products and, in addition, it is very inconvenient to manually set the prices to the products. 
     Specifically, when the prices of the products are changed after the price tags are attached to each column, since new price tags must be attached again after removing the previous price tags, it is very troublesome and takes many time to change the price tags. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine capable of conveniently setting prices to products of each column and changing the prices, and a method thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine in which, when the prices of the products of each column are set, if a manager selects a column and inputs information about only the product prices through a keypad, a main controller automatically transfers the information about the prices of the selected column such that the prices of the column can be displayed, and a method thereof. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine. The apparatus includes a price setting unit for inputting a price setting function, selecting a price setting column and inputting price information about the selected column; a control unit for controlling a price display of the selected column when the column is selected and the price information is input through the price setting unit; and a price display unit for displaying prices of products exhibited in a column according to a price display control of the control unit. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically setting a price by a price setting apparatus of a multi-vending machine. The method includes a) when the multi-vending machine is powered on, detecting a shelf through a shelf detecting unit to store information about the shelf and a column based on a detection result in a memory; b) identifying whether a price setting is requested, and receiving column selecting information and price information through a price setting unit when the price setting is requested; and c) determining whether a column selected in step b) exists, transmitting set price information based on the received price information to a price display unit to automatically set a price of a product for sale when the column selected in step b) exists. 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to conveniently set the prices to the products of each column and change the prices. 
     Further, if a manager selects a column and inputs information about only the product prices through a keypad, the main controller (control unit) automatically transfers the information about the prices of the selected column such that the prices of the column can be automatically set, so the time taken to set the price information to a specific column may be reduced. 
     In addition, if any columns selected by a manager do not exist when setting the prices, the apparatus informs the manager of the fact to allow the manager to accurately perform the price setting of a column. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic perspective views showing a multi-vending machine to which an apparatus for setting a price according to the present invention is applied; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, if detailed description about well-known functions or configurations may make the subject matter of the disclosure unclear, the detailed description will be omitted. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic perspective views showing a multi-vending machine to which an apparatus for setting a price according to the present invention is applied.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body  101 , a price setting unit  110 , a display  120 , speaker  130 , a lift  140 , a price display unit  150 , a shelf detecting unit  160 , a control unit  170 , a memory  180  and a power supply  195 . 
     The power supply  195  supplies a driving power to the multi-vending machine. The price setting unit  110  is an input unit for inputting a price setting function, selecting a column of which prices will be set, and for inputting price information about the selected column. Preferably, the price setting unit  110  may be conventionally implemented with a keypad. A user selects a product through the price setting unit  110  to purchase the product. 
     The display  120  may be configured by a liquid crystal display (LCD). The display  120  displays information about a price input by a user, information about a selected column and information about prices of the selected column. The speaker  13  outputs a sound for an advertisement, or a warning sound when the user selected column is not exist while a price setting function is operated. 
     The lift  140  transfers a product for sale to a product outlet while the lift  140  goes up and down along the showcase in which products are exhibited. 
     The price display unit  150  displays the prices of the products exhibited in a column for sale. Preferably, the price display unit  150  may be implemented with an FND (Flexible Numeric Display) having a plurality of light emitting diodes to display Arabic numerals or an LCD. The FND may be conventionally a device which includes seven LEDs connected to each other in a common cathode or common anode to display Arabic numbers. 
     The shelf detecting unit  160  detects whether a shelf exists in the multi-vending machine. The shelf detecting unit  160  may be implemented with a non-contact sensor such as an optical sensor or a distance sensor, or a contact sensor such as a touch sensor or a limit sensor. A plurality of columns for exhibiting products may be provided in the shelf. The information about the columns may be automatically acquired when the information about the shelf is perceived. 
     When a column is selected and price information is input through the price setting unit  110 , the control unit  170  controls the display of the prices of the selected column. Preferably, the control unit  170  may be implemented with a conventional control device such as a CPU, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a controller, or a main controller. 
     When the prices of the column selected through the price setting unit  110  are previously set, the control unit  170  controls such that the price information, which is previously set and displayed, is changed based on the price information currently input through the price setting unit  110 . 
     As described above, according to the apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine, when a product is selected through the price setting unit  110  after inserting currency corresponding to the price of the selected product, the lift  140  moves to the position at which the selected product is exhibited in the showcase under the control of the control unit  170 . Then, when the movement of the lift  140  is completed, the selected product kept in a keeping box drops into the lift  140  so that a product sensor senses the product in the lift  140  and informs the control unit  170  of the sensing result. 
     Then, the product contained into the lift  140  drops down to a product outlet to allow the purchaser to take the purchased product. 
     Meanwhile, according to the present invention, besides the selling operation described above, the price of a product exhibited in a column of a shelf for sale may be set and the previously set price may be easily changed. 
     For example, when the driving power is supplied to the multi-vending machine  100 , the power supply  195  supplies the driving power to the control unit  170 . When the power is supplied to the control unit  170 , the control unit  170  is initiated and stores information about the shelf and column detected by the shelf detecting unit  160  in the memory  180 . In this case, the shelf may include a plurality of columns and the information about the columns is combined with the information about the shelf. For example, if it is assumed that one shelf has four columns, the information about the column of number ‘1’ corresponds to the information about the columns of numbers ‘01’, ‘02’, ‘03’ and ‘04’, and the information about the column of number ‘2’ corresponds to the information about the columns of numbers ‘01’, ‘02’, ‘03’ and ‘04’. 
     In this case, when the power is supplied to the shelf detecting unit  160  so that the shelf detecting unit  160  is driven, the shelf detecting unit  160  detects whether a shelf exists by using the non-contact sensor such as an optical sensor or a distance sensor, or the contact sensor such as a touch sensor or a limit sensor. In a case that the shelf detecting unit  160  transmits shelf detection information to the control unit  170  through communication as the detection result, the shelf detection information includes shelf identifying information with which the corresponding shelf is identified. Thus, even when the control unit  170  receives a plurality of shelf detection information pieces, the control unit  170  distinguishes the information pieces based on the shelf identifying information included in the shelf detection information. For example, the shelf identifying information may be created by numbering the columns from the uppermost shelf to the lowest shelf, for example shelf number 1, shelf number 2 and shelf number 3. Serial numbers, for example, ‘01’, ‘02’, ‘03’ and ‘04’, are assigned to the columns of each shelf from the most left column to the most right column. 
     If it is assumed that each shelf includes four columns, shelf 1-01, 1-02, 1-03 and 1-04 are assigned to the columns placed at the uppermost shelf and shelf 2-01, 2-02, 2-03 and 2-04 are assigned to each column of the shelf just below the uppermost shelf. 
     Thus, the shelf identifying information and column information are stored in the memory  180 . 
     Next, when a manager selects the price setting function through the price setting unit  110  in order to change the information about a column price and after selecting a column to change the price of the column, inputs information about a new price of the selected column, the control unit  170  recognizes the event so that the control unit  170  switches into a price setting mode. In this case, the column selection is performed by inputting the shelf identifying information and the column identifying information such as ‘1-01’ or ‘2-03’. 
     In the price setting mode, the information about the shelf and column selected by the manager is compared with the information about the shelf and column stored in the memory  180  such that it is identified whether the information about the shelf and column selected by the manager exists in the memory  180 . The reason is because it is meaningless to set a price to an empty column when the shelf and column selected by the manager does not exist. In addition, this process is performed for the purpose of informing the manager of the fact that the manager makes the mistake of selecting a wrong column to set a price. 
     When the shelf selected by the manager is empty, the control unit  170 , the control unit  170  displays the fact and at the same time, outputs an error alarm sound through the speaker  130 . Although the information displayed on the display  120  may be variously expressed, it is assumed for convenience in the embodiment of the present invention that the phrase of “Non-existence of Shelf 1” is displayed. 
     If the error alarm sound is generated when the price information is input, the manager can identify which shelf does not exist and then, selects another shelf and column, so that the error of setting a price to an empty shelf and a waste of time may be prevented. 
     Meanwhile, when the shelf selected by the manager exists, the control unit  170 , the control unit  170  transmits the price information corresponding to the selected column to the price display unit  150  through communication so that the price display unit  150  displays the price information. In this case, if there is no information about the price previously set to the selected column, the manager allows the currently requested price information to be displayed. To the contrary, if the previous price information about the selected column is being currently displayed, the previous price information is changed into the currently received price information. Thus, when the scheme of replacing the previous price information with the current price information is utilized, the manager may change the price of the products exhibited in the column at any time. 
     According to the present invention, the manager may conveniently set or change price information about each column. 
     Hereinafter a method of setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an apparatus for setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 3 , ‘S’ is a step and a process of setting a price, which is performed by the control unit  170 , is denoted in software. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the method of setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes steps S 101  to S 103  of, when the multi-vending machine is powered on, detecting a shelf through the shelf detecting unit  160  to store information about the shelf and the columns based on a detection result in the memory  180 ; steps S 104  and S 105  of identifying whether a price setting is requested, and receiving column selecting information and price information through the price setting unit  110  when the price setting is requested; steps S 106  to S 109  of determining whether a column selected in steps S 104  and S 105  exists, transmitting set price information based on the received price information to the price display unit  150  to automatically set a price of a product for sale when the column selected in steps S 104  and S 105  exists; and step S 107  of displaying nonexistence of the columns when the column selected in steps S 104  and S 105  does not exist after determining whether the column selected in steps S 104  and S 105  exists. 
     According to the method of setting a price for a multi-vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the power is supplied to the multi-vending machine in step S 101 , the control unit  170  is initiated in step S 102 , so that the control unit  1  detects a shelf through the shelf detecting unit  160 . For example, an existing shelf is only detected and column information corresponding to the detected shelf is detected. 
     Then, in step S 103 , the information about the shelf and column detected by the shelf detecting unit  160  is stored in the memory  180 . The shelf information includes the shelf identifying information. Preferably, the shelf identifying information pieces about the shelves are separately stored, respectively. 
     In this state, if the manager selects the price setting function through the price setting unit  110 , the selection of the price setting function is recognized in step S 104  and the column selection information and the price information input by the manager through the price setting unit  110  are received in step S 105 . 
     In this case, the manager performs the shelf selection and the column information input by selecting Arabic numerals, and inputs the price information about the selected column in Arabic numerals. For example, when ‘Self 1-02’ and ‘1,000’ are input, the secondary column is selected and the price of 1,000 Won is input. 
     In step S 106 , the control unit  170  searches the memory  180  to determine whether the column selected by the manager exists in the memory  180 . That is, by searching the memory by using the information about the shelf selected by the manager, it may be easily identified whether the column selected by the manager exists. 
     As the identifying result in step S 106 , if the column selected by the manager does not exist, the non-existence of the column is displayed and at the same time, an alarm sound for informing the column selection error is output through the speaker  130  in step S 107 . 
     The manager recognizes the fact that the column selected by himself does not exist, so that the manager selects a new column and inputs price information about the new selected column. 
     To the contrary, when the column selected by the manager exists, the price information about the selected column is transmitted to the price display unit  150  in step S 108 . In step S 109 , the price display unit  150  displays the price of the selected column on the display ( 150 ). 
     Therefore, there is no need for a manger to perform the troublesome work of attaching the price information stickers to the columns one by one whenever products are exhibited in columns. Specifically, even when the price of the product exhibited in a column is changed, the inconvenience of attaching the new price sticker to the column after removing the previous price sticker may be improved. 
     Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described 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. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.