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(11) | EP 1 249 802 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Oil dispenser with lottery function and method of providing said lottery |
| (57) The present invention relates to an oiling system having an online instant lottery
function according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which includes
an oil dispenser which includes a controller for outputting a control signal based
on a previously stored program, a card recognizing unit for detecting a credit card
inserted and requesting a verification of a mount of charge of gas, a money recognizing
unit for detecting a bill and coin inputted, a printing unit for printing a receipt
of a won lottery issued when a lottery is won, a common receipt issued when a lottery
is not won and a certain coupon and providing the printed receipt and coupon to a
customer, and a multi-communication unit connected with an external communication
network and transmitting and receiving a certain data, and a host computer connected
with the multi-communication unit of the oil dispenser through a communication network
for transmitting and receiving an online lottery data to the oil dispenser. |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to an oiling system having an online instant lottery function and a method for providing an online lottery of the same, and in particular to an improved oiling system having an online instant lottery function and a method for providing an online lottery of the same which are capable of providing a free gift by issuing an online type lottery in accordance with an oiled amount of a customer and in which a game function is provided by a certain time.
2. Description of the Background Art
[0002] Generally, an oiling system for operating and managing a gas station is implemented based on a computer network for concurrently and effectively managing a customer and a member store and has a cash register for computing the money.
[0003] The above described computer network is called as a POS(Point Of Sales) information management system and is generally installed in a supermarket, a convenience store, a gas station, etc. and is directed to managing a member store and a customer who uses the member store.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oiling system having an online instant lottery function and a method for providing an online lottery of the same which overcome the problems encountered in the conventional art.
[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide an oiling system having an online instant lottery function and a method for providing an online lottery of the same which are capable of providing an online lottery function and a game function to an oil dispenser based on an oiled amount of a customer and providing a lottery or a free gift based on a result of the game for thereby enhancing a quality of a customer service.
[0006] It is another object of the present invention to provide an oiling system having an online instant lottery function and a method for providing an online lottery of the same which are capable of displaying an information on an existing oil dispenser in a certain type and displaying a certain type advertisement for thereby increasing a profit of a member store of a gas station.
[0007] To achieve the above objects, there is provided an oiling system having an online instant lottery function according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which includes an oil dispenser which includes a controller for outputting a control signal based on a previously stored program, a card recognizing unit for detecting a credit card inserted and requesting a verification of a mount of charge of gas, a money recognizing unit for detecting a bill and coin inputted, a printing unit for printing a receipt of a won lottery issued when a lottery is won, a common receipt issued when a lottery is not won and a certain coupon and providing the printed receipt and coupon to a customer, and a multi-communication unit connected with an external communication network and transmitting and receiving a certain data, and a host computer connected with the multi-communication unit of the oil dispenser through a communication network for transmitting and receiving an online lottery data to the oil dispenser in an oiling system formed of an oiling dispenser for selling gas or oil, and a POS(Point Of Sales) system connected with the oiling dispenser through a communication network for managing gas stations.
[0008] To achieve the above objects, there is provided an oiling system having an online lottery function according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which includes an external type online lottery function apparatus which includes a controller for outputting a control signal based on a previously stored program, a card recognizing unit for detecting a credit card inserted and requesting a verification of a mount of charge of gas, a money recognizing unit for detecting a bill and coin inputted, a printing unit for printing a receipt of a won lottery issued when a lottery is won, a common receipt issued when a lottery is not won and a certain coupon and providing the printed receipt and coupon to a customer, and a multi-communication unit connected with an external communication network and transmitting and receiving a certain data, an interface for connecting the online lottery function apparatus with a common oiling system having an oiling function, and a host computer for transmitting an inline lottery data to the online lottery function apparatus through an external communication network.
[0009] To achieve the above objects, there is provided an online lottery providing method which includes the steps of a first step for displaying a certain motion picture for guiding a method of a use to a user, a second step for judging whether a paying means is cash, a third step for reading a credit card information inserted when the paying means is not cash, a fourth step for verifying a payment of charge to a company of a credit card read, a fifth step for recognizing a cash inputted for a charge of gas or oil when the paying means is cash, a sixth step for pumping an oil from a certain place and opening a nozzle by opening a nozzle switch, a seventh step for supplying a certain amount of oil through the nozzle and displaying an oiling state on a touch screen, an eighth step for supplying a certain amount of oil corresponding to the paid charge of the oil and closing the nozzle by turning of the nozzle switch, a ninth step for displaying a certain number of lotteries proportionally to the paid charge of oil and displaying the same on the touch screen, a tenth step for guiding an award information of the lottery, an eleventh step for rubbing or scratching a certain portion of the lottery displayed on the touch screen and opening a hidden portion of the lottery, a twelfth step for checking a won state of the instant lottery, and a thirteenth step for printing a common receipt in the case that the instant lottery is not won and printing a won receipt in the case that the instant lottery is won.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of an oiling system having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an oiling system having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a flow chart of an operation of an oiling system having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention; and
Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating a display state for issuing an online instant lottery adapted to an oiling system of Figure 3 according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating an outer construction of an oil dispenser having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention. As shown therein, the oil dispenser according to the present invention includes a gasoline nozzle 2a provided in an upper right portion of a front surface of the gas dispenser 1 and a light oil nozzle 2b provided in a upper left portion of a front surface of the oil dispenser 1. The above nozzles are extended by pulling the same, and the above nozzles are retracted without pulling the same.
[0013] A LED display unit 3 is formed in a center portion of a front surface of the oil dispenser 1 for displaying an oiled amount and charge for thereby visually informing an oiled information. A touch screen 4 is provided in a center portion of the same for displaying and inputting a certain information. At this time, a LCD display unit may be used instead of the LED display unit 3.
[0014] In addition, there are further provided a money detector 5 for detecting the amount of money inputted for the charge, and a card detector 6 into which a credit card is inserted and is paid for the charge of gas. At this time, a coin detector may be provided for detecting the coins inserted separately from the money detector. The card detector is capable of detecting a credit card as well as a money stored card or a traffic card. The above-described construction may be changed based on a design rule of a fabrication company or a principle of an operating company.
[0015] !n addition, a printing unit 7 is installed in a lower portion of a front surface of the oil dispenser for issuing a receipt when a lottery is won and a common receipt when a lottery is not won.
[0016] Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the construction of an oil dispenser having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention. The oil dispenser having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention includes an oil dispenser 10 having an online lottery issuing function, a communication network 20 connected with the oil dispenser 10 for providing a path of a data communication, a POS(Point Of Sales) system 30 connected with the communication network 20 for managing a member store and a customer, and a host computer 40 connected with the communication network 20 for providing an online lottery to a customer who uses the gas station.
[0018] The oil dispenser 10 according to the present invention includes a controller 102 for outputting a control signal based on a previously stored program, a pump driving unit 106 for pumping an oil stored in a certain place, a state display unit 108 formed of a LED or LCD for displaying an operation state, character, numerals, etc. of the system, and a nozzle switch unit 110 for discharging an oil pumped from the pump driving unit to the outside.
[0019] In addition, the oil dispenser 10 according to the present invention further includes a card read portion 112 for reading the paid credit card, a money recognizing unit 114 for recognizing a bill or coin inserted, a touch screen unit 116 for displaying a certain information and selecting a certain position on the screen by a user, a printing unit 118 for printing a certain information including a receipt, etc., a multi-communication card 120 matching with an external communication network for supporting a plurality of ports, and a button input unit 122 for receiving a certain information from the user.
[0020] The above described oiling system is described in a state that the online instant lottery function is built-in. In another embodiment of the present invention, a certain apparatus for an online instant lottery function may be fabricated and may be installed in an external type.
[0021] The external type online instant lottery apparatus includes a certain interface for connecting with an oil dispenser, instead of a unit for performing an oiling operation. The external online instant lottery apparatus includes a controller, a state display unit, a card read unit, a money recognizing unit, a touch screen, a printing unit and a multi-communication card. The above external type online instant lottery apparatus is connected through a host computer which transfers a lottery data and a communication network. Since the functions of each element is the same as the functions of the internal type oiling system, the descriptions thereof will be omitted.
[0022] The flow of the operation of the oiling system according to the present invention will be explained.
[0023] Figure 3 is a flow chart of an operation of an oiling system having an online instant lottery function according to the present invention.
[0024] As shown therein, in a first step S310, a power of a certain lever is provided to each element of an oiling system. In a second step S320, an initial value of each element is loaded and is initialized.
[0025] Next, in a third step S314, a guide motion picture is displayed for guiding and advertising an oiling system having an online instant lottery function. In a fourth step S316, it is judged whether a customer pays the charge by cash or not.
[0026] If the customer pays the charges by a credit card, in a fifth step S318, the credit card is inserted. In a sixth step S320, a numeral button corresponding to the charge of the gas and a confirmation button provided on the touch screen are touched for thereby verifying the payment by the credit card.
[0027] On the contrary, when the charge of the gas is paid by the cash, a bill or coin corresponding to the charge of the gas is inserted in a seventh step S322.
[0028] Thereafter, in order to supply a certain amount of gas corresponding to the paid gas to the customer, a certain number of the pumping operations is performed, and then the nozzle switch is turned on in an eighth step S324.
[0029] In a ninth step S326, a certain amount of gas corresponding to the paid charge is supplied to a customer's vehicle. When the oiling operation is finished, the nozzle switch is turned off, and then a gas supply is finished in a tenth step S328.
[0030] An online lottery proportional to the charge paid by the customer is displayed on the touch screen in an eleventh step S330. The number of lotteries of a corresponding user and an award information corresponding to the won lottery are provided in a twelfth step(S332).
[0031] In a thirteenth step S334, a customer scratches the screen on which the lottery is displayed for thereby visually checking the won state of the lottery. In a fourteenth step S336, it is checked whether the lottery is won.
[0032] If the lottery is not won, in a fifteenth step S338, a common receipt is issued. If the lottery is won, in a sixteenth step S340, a won receipt including an award information based on the won lottery is printed.
[0033] Since the award information may be variously changed based on an operation principle of the company, the detailed description of the same will be omitted. In the case that the award information is the cash like a cashback, the contents of the receipt is changed. Even when the award information is a free gift like a tissue, the contents of the receipt is not changed.
[0035] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating a state that the online lottery of Figure 3 is issued. The online lottery issuing screen 400 includes an advertisement section 402 provided on a left intermediate portion of the screen for providing a certain motion picture advertisement, a company name section 404 for providing the name of the company, an instant lottery section 406 for checking the won state of the lottery by scratching the screen of the touch screen by the customer, an award information section 408 for providing an award information when a lottery is won, and a gas station section 410 for providing the name of a corresponding gas station.
[0036] A customer touches and rubs a corresponding portion of the instant lottery section 406 on the screen, and the touched portion is opened, so that the customer visually checks the won state.
[0038] For example, a gas station A provides one lottery when a customer buys a gas of 10,000won. In this state, if a person of Hong Gil Dong buys a gas of 55,000won, five lotteries are provided to the customer.
[0039] In the present invention, the following services may be additionally provided in addition to the above-described lottery function.
1) Game
[0040] When the customer's vehicle is oiled, a certain game is displayed on the touch screen. If the customer wants, a certain number of the games corresponding to the oiled amount is provided to the customer. If won, a free gift is provided to the customer.
[0041] In the case that a free gift is provided to the customer based on the game service, an oiling time may be extended, so that there may be an economical loss for an owner of the gas station. In this case, it is preferable not to provide an instant lottery service.
2) Advertisement
[0042] When the customer's vehicle is oiled, a certain advertisement may be displayed at a certain position of the instant lottery screen.
[0043] During the oiling operation of the vehicle, a driver of the vehicle may feel lonely, so that the customer concentrates an advertisement and has an increased interesting with respect to the advertisement.
3) Life information
[0044] When the customer's vehicle is oiled, a life information such as a news, weather information, traffic information, etc. may be provided to the customer through the touch screen.
[0045] The above-described detailed types of the additional services may be changed and are determined by an operating company or a gas station. Therefore, the detailed description of the same will be omitted.
[0047] First, it is possible to enhance a service by providing a lottery while oiling a customer's vehicle when a driver feels lonely during the oiling time.
[0048] Second, it is possible to increase a view ratio of an advertisement compared to a conventional advertisement method by displaying a certain information and advertisement when a driver feels lonely during the oiling time in the gas station.
[0049] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.
1. In an oiling system formed of an oiling dispenser for selling gas or oil, and a POS(Point
Of Sales) system connected with the oiling dispenser through a communication network
for managing gas stations, an oiling system having an online lottery function, comprising:
an oil dispenser which includes:
a controller for outputting a control signal based on a previously stored program;
a card recognizing unit for detecting a credit card inserted and requesting a verification of a mount of charge of gas;
a money recognizing unit for detecting a bill and coin inputted;
a printing unit for printing a receipt of a won lottery issued when a lottery is won, a common receipt issued when a lottery is not won and a certain coupon and providing the printed receipt and coupon to a customer; and
a multi-communication unit connected with an external communication network and transmitting and receiving a certain data; and
a host computer connected with the multi-communication unit of the oil dispenser through a communication network for transmitting and receiving an online lottery data to the oil dispenser.
2. In an oiling system formed of an oiling dispenser for selling gas or oil, and a POS(Point
Of Sales) system connected with the oiling dispenser through a communication network
for managing gas stations, an oiling system having an online lottery function, comprising:
an external type online lottery function apparatus which includes:
a controller for outputting a control signal based on a previously stored program;
a card recognizing unit for detecting a credit card inserted and requesting a verification of a mount of charge of gas;
a money recognizing unit for detecting a bill and coin inputted;
a printing unit for printing a receipt of a won lottery issued when a lottery is won, a common receipt issued when a lottery is not won and a certain coupon and providing the printed receipt and coupon to a customer; and
a multi-communication unit connected with an external communication network and transmitting and receiving a certain data;
an interface for connecting the online lottery function apparatus with a common oiling system having an oiling function; and
a host computer for transmitting an inline lottery data to the online lottery function apparatus through an external communication network.
3. An online lottery providing method, comprising the steps of:
a first step for displaying a certain motion picture for guiding a method of a use to a user;
a second step for judging whether a paying means is cash;
a third step for reading a credit card information inserted when the paying means is not cash;
a fourth step for verifying a payment of charge to a company of a credit card read;
a fifth step for recognizing a cash inputted for a charge of gas or oil when the paying means is cash;
a sixth step for pumping an oil from a certain place and opening a nozzle by opening a nozzle switch;
a seventh step for supplying a certain amount of oil through the nozzle and displaying an oiling state on a touch screen;
an eighth step for supplying a certain amount of oil corresponding to the paid charge of the oil and closing the nozzle by turning of the nozzle switch;
a ninth step for displaying a certain number of lotteries proportionally to the paid charge of oil and displaying the same on the touch screen;
a tenth step for guiding an award information of the lottery;
an eleventh step for rubbing or scratching a certain portion of the lottery displayed on the touch screen and opening a hidden portion of the lottery;
a twelfth step for checking a won state of the instant lottery; and
a thirteenth step for printing a common receipt in the case that the instant lottery is not won and printing a won receipt in the case that the instant lottery is won.